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THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 01, Episode 11

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

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FADE IN TO BLACK

Across a dark field the following text scrolls up: 01-11. It scrolls up from the center of the bottom of the frame, ascending vertically until finally exiting the center of the top of the frame.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN

In the Unroom Not.Seven in the Undocumented Space, a room whose corners, shape, and scale hide from the observant eye, the OUTER ONE sits and looks at the floor.

FADE IN TO A POV SHOT OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING AT THE GROUND.

Momentarily transfixed, the Outer One looks at the details of the grayish carpet squares arranged around the wooden disc in the assumed center of the unroom. Small details stick out, visible in the light cast by spindly metallic lamps off at the end of the rows. Each carpet square is a different shade of gray, and all are different than the gray floor. Maybe concrete, maybe paper, the floor lacks a uniformity.
The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING falls in from off camera.

POV OF OUTER ONE MOVES FROM LOOKING AT THE FLOOR TO LOOKING AT THE WOODEN DISC.

On the Wooden Disc sits the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE. Unseen lamps above it slowly brighten. Another show is about to begin.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO MID-STAGE

PAN IN TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE UNTIL IT PROPERLY FILLS THE FRAME.

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The Mid-stage curtains part and the stage-lights turn on with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. SCREEN 10 OF THE RETRO, EVENING

One to three rows of movie theatre seats line the stage facing the audience. THOMAS TYPEWRITER and OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE are sitting in the center, sharing a soda and popcorn. Every time their hands touch, they softly giggle.

Behind the seats a bright light, representing the film projector flicks on. The faint CLICKA CLICKA CLICKA of the film strip moving through the projector is audible as the stage lights dim transitioning to the MUFFLED SOUNDTRACK OF THE MOVIE. Thomas reaches over taking hold of Ophidia’s hand. She smiles and snuggles into him. He snuggles back.

The SPACE EGG flies in from stage-right. It hovers behind Thomas and Ophidia before flying up out of sight. It does quickly pass in front of the projector causing a shadow on the screen. Thomas turns his head, but seeing nothing, he returns to the film.

TRANSITION FROM THE MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS STRAIGHT UPWARD. IT MOVES ALONG THE MID-STAGE SETS, OVER THEIR TOPS, TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS LINING THE BACK OF THE STAGE. IT CONTINUES UPWARD ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS TO THE TOP AND THE HIGH-STAGE LOCATED THERE. THE CAMERA STOPS PANNING WHEN FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The SPACE EGG has beaten us to the High-stage. It hovers in front of the closed curtains. They part and the stage-lights click on with the sound of A COMPUTER TURNING ON revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. BIFF’S BEDROOM, DAYTIME

A bed sits center-stage dividing the stage in two. On the stage-left side of the bed a window sits under a small slant of roof. Posters of various characters from the Cosmic League comic book series and Babysitter Tails television show are hanging on the wall between the bed and window. On the other side, stage-right side, of the bed sits a night stand topped by a small lamp. Past the nightstand is the bedroom door and the small second floor landing.

BIFF and ROCKEY THE PET ROCK are drawing and coloring on the floor in front of the bed. They are so focused on the story of The Softboiled Detective and the Big Bag Bug, they fail to notice THE SPACE EGG floating in front of them.

The Space Egg moves towards Biff and Rockey, crossing the threshold of the stage. Biff’s ears twitch. The crossing of the threshold of the High-stage allows the hum of the Space Egg’s non-linear engines to exist in the same space as him. Biff lifts his head.

BIFF
“WHAT IS THAT!”

Rockey looks up and jumps back in shock. The Space Egg lands next to Biff and Rockey. They scoot away.

SPACE EGG
“No need to be afraid boys. We’re all family here.”

The seal on the Space Egg cycles and the hatch opens, revealing the INNER-SPACE MAN. He stands and stretches. Biff and Rockey hide under the bed failing to notice how much older he looks then when they pretended him the day before. Long grey hair and grey beard gone wild like an untended garden.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Ahh terra firma prima donne, feels so good to be back on your conceptual shores. Sands in the Hourglass and all that, right Eggey.”

THE SPACE EGG
“Sure.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Hope we didn’t startle you two too…(looks around for Biff and Rockey) Where did they go?”

THE SPACE EGG
“They’re hiding under the bed.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Guess we did startle them. Sorry about that. While you adjust to the newly expanded view of reality our once twice thrice manifestation has brought you, can I make use of your facilities.”

BIFF
“What?”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Facilities. Lavatory. Bathroom boyo cause every good boy deserves fudge. Can I use your bathroom?”

BIFF
“Uh, sure. (pointing from under the bed) It is down the hall.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Thanks. Be right back.”

He hops out of the Space Egg and exits stage-right.

TRANSITION FROM BIFF’S BEDROOM TO HALLWAY

HIGH-STAGE: INT. THE UPSTAIRS HALLWAY, DAYTIME

CUT TO MS OF THE DOORWAY TO BIFF’S BEDROOM FROM THE CAMERA IN THE HALLWAY.

A long hallway decorated in calm blues and deep wood tones spreads out across the frame. A small desk sits to the stage-right of the door. Photos sit in photo frames of Biff and his family. (Biff is the middle child of three children. He has an older sister and a younger brother. They used to be closer but each has found a new set of friends and spend much time away from the house. Both of Biff’s parents are still alive and still married to each other.) If we continue to the stage-right, there is a curve in the hallway. This L-curve shape leads to the stairs and the upstairs bathroom. If we were to walk stage-left off-screen we would encounter the doors to his brother’s bedroom and parent’s bedroom.

The doorway to Biff’s bedroom stands directly across from the camera. The door is open and we can see The Space Egg standing in the bedroom, blocking the view of the rest of the room. It’s hatch is open and the Inner-Space Man is crawling out of the pilot’s chair. He walks towards the door and exits the bedroom, stepping into the hallway. He turns and walks stage-right.

The Inner-Space man pauses at the desk with photos. He picks up a photo and looks at it. He sets it down and looks at a portrait of the family on the wall. He raises a finger and gently touches the photo.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
(voice-over) “I almost remember these. Almost but not. Is that who I am? An echo.”

The Inner-Space Man turns and exits stage-right.

ZOOM IN ON THE PHOTO.

We can hear from off-stage the sound of the BATHROOM DOOR CLOSING.

TRANSITION FROM UPSTAIRS HALLWAY TO BIFF’S BEDROOM

HIGH-STAGE: INT. BIFF’S BEDROOM, DAYTIME

CUT TO CS OF BIFF AND ROCKEY UNDER THE BED

Biff and Rockey sit under the bed, hiding from the unexpected visitors in their room. The huddle face to face, voices frantic whispers.

ROCKEY
“How can they be here. Didn’t we pretend to be them yesterday when we were stuck inside from the rain. And did he have a beard?”

BIFF
“I don’t remember. Maybe, he did. I don’t know, I forget a lot of the details for whatever we pretend when we pretend something else. As for how they are here, maybe we broke something when we went off-script.(directed at the Space Egg) Pardon me.”

INTERCUT BETWEEN SHOTS OF BIFF AND THE SPACE EGG AS THEY TALK.

THE SPACE EGG
“Me?”

BIFF
“Yes. Are you real?”

THE SPACE EGG
“Who is to say.”

BIFF
(to self)”Well that was helpful.” (to the Space Egg) “Let me ask it another way. Are you here because our choosing a new path opened some kind of tear in the narrative allowing you to slip in?”

THE SPACE EGG
“No. We’re here for you.”

BIFF
“Oh. Thank you.” (whisper to Rockey) “Now what?”

ROCKEY
“I don’t know. I imagine they’ll either offer us a ride or not offer us a ride.”

BIFF
“Obviously, but how are they here with us. They are just some characters we made up, yet here they are in our room like in some kind of meta-contextual story.” (pauses as a realization sinks in) “Oh no…He started writing again. We’re back in the script.”

ROCKEY
“Well there goes our plans for today. Shame though cause I really wanted to finish drawing tha Big Bag Bug story.”

BIFF
“Me too. Me too buddy. Who knows, maybe we’ll luck out and he’ll have another bout of writer’s block. Then we can do whatever we want.”

ROCKEY
“We can only hope.”

The Inner Space Man returns from stage-right. He has a jaunty tune on his lips and a spring in his step.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Well boys, time we alighted for further and higher realms.”

The Inner-Space man prepares to jump back into the Space Egg, but pauses.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Before four square I leave, there is an itsy-bitsy problem we could use your help with.” (leans down to look at Biff and Rockey under the bed) “Well gentlemen, care to leave the confines of this reality?”

BIFF
(to Rockey in a whisper) “They’re trans-dimensional nature might be our best chance to get out of this script. (to the Inner-Space Man) Sure.”

ROCKEY
“As long as we can bring our drawings and crayons.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. You never know when a good drawing will save your life.”

Biff and Rockey get out from under the bed. They gather up all the crayons and drawings from the room, placing them into Biff’s backpack, which was under the nightstand. Out of sight till now.

ROCKEY
“We should put in the story that the Soft-boiled Detective and the Big Bag Bug are visited by two robots.”

BIFF
“Okay, but what do we call them?”

ROCKEY
“The Deuce Machines.”

BIFF
“Liking it.”

The Inner Space Man lifts Rockey inside the Space Egg. Then he helps Biff, before climbing in himself. The Space Egg closes. It starts to hover before flying across the threshold of the front of the High-stage and out of the frame. The stage-lights turn off with the sound of A COMPUTER SHUTTING DOWN and the curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD MOVING FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT CONTINUES MOVING DOWNWARD ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS.

The Space Egg quickly enters then exits our view as the camera races past it’s descent.

THE CAMERA CONTINUES PANNING DOWN THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS REACHING THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS. IT SLIDES OVER THE SET TOPS DESCENDING UNTIL FRAMING MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THE RETRO SCREEN 10, EVENING

THOMAS TYPEWRITER AND OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE are still in their seats, holding hands, and watching Tron. From the top of the screen the SPACE EGG floats down. It slowly turns left, then right surveying the scene. It exits stage right, remaining behind Thomas and Ophidia.

Hold the scene on Thomas and Ophidia watching the movie for a moment or two before the curtains close. Once the curtains have closed. The SOUNDTRACK fades away as the curtains close leaving us in silence as our time with this episode comes to an end.

FADE OUT