up next…

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “06-03”. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

TRANSITION TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

In the darkness, the sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING sings out from somewhere nearby yet out of sight. Shortly thereafter the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE materializes.

LS OF THE TYPEWRITER PUPPET STAGE MOVING TO A MS THROUGH A SERIES OF CUTS UTILIZING A CRYSTALLINE EFFECT.

TRANSITION FROM THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE TO THE MID-STAGE

PAN IN ON MID-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE UNTIL MID-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED.

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The Mid-Stage curtains stand closed. After a moment they open. The stage-lights turn on with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S APARTMENT FRONT ROOM, DAYTIME
A writing desk sits center stage. In the background, on the stage-right side, sits a short bookcase. The desk has two moving boxes stacked on top of it. The bottom box is labeled “Typewriter”. The top box is labeled “Papers, Scripts, Misc…” The bookcase is nearly empty with only some books remaining on one of the shelves. THOMAS TYPEWRITER is standing by the bookcase with books and loading them into a moving box. He loads the last books, puts on the lid, and writes “Books” on the side of the box with a marker from his pocket. He stands and looks around the apartment.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“We gave it a good try didn’t we. Going to miss you.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He dials into the phone. It RINGS and RINGS before being picked up.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Hi. May I speak to Ophidia please. Oh, hi Ophidia. How are you today? Good. Oh, just finishing packing the last bits of my apartment. You? Cool, cool. So, I thought over what you asked, you know about me helping and working on your project. I have an answer.”

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD. IT MOVES UP GLIDING OVER THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS BEHIND. IT FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS MOVING UPWARD HIGHER AND HIGHER. IT REACHES THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS AND SLIDES TO THE HIGH-STAGE AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT RESTS WHEN PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The High-stage curtains are closed for a moment but then start to part. As they are nearly fully open the stage-lights turn on with the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING ON revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. PANACEA FLAUTO’S OFFICE ON THE FLUTE MEDICALSHIP, DAYTIME
Panacea’s office is a desk sitting in the middle of the stage with the back walls lined by filing cabinets of various heights. On top of each filing cabinet are multiple stacks of books and papers. Crammed between the stacks of books, in any open spaces are various rolled up medical charts, boxes, and medical equipment. There is one succulent emerging from the filing cabinets on the stage-left, its long leaves dropping out causing a splash of color in the office. Panacea’s desk is a large metal affair, covered in stacks of medical charts and paperwork. Two spare Med-scanners sit on the side of the desk amidst a collection of empty coffee cups. PANACEA FLAUTO sits at her desk eating a salad. She has a small black and white Vid-screen, in an antiquated case, sitting on top of the files in one of the pulled out filing cabinet drawers. She is watching the latest episode of “Soapbubbles Medical Theatre” on Channel Four, The Dog House.

SOAPBUBBLES MEDICAL THEATRE EPISODE #06081938
It is a weekly show that presents a different radio play preformed by the Doctors and Nurses of an operation room. The audience sits up in the observation gallery. Each episode is hosted by a gravelly yet soothing voiced mostly bio-goblin ORSON WELLWISHER.

THE LOGO FILLS THE SCREEN THEN FADES AWAY

ORSON WELLWISHER
(voice over) “Broadcasting live from The Caducean Mystery Hospital in the heart of the Eighth Hill, this is your host Orson Wellwisher.

CUT TO MS OF THE OPERATING TABLE.

A series of nurses and Doctors are around the table. A patient sits on the operating table, mouth covered by a breathing machine. The closest doctor, Orson Wellwisher, turns and looks at the camera.

CUT TO CS OF ORSON

ORSON WELLWISHER
“Today, we find ourselves caught in a tale of intrigue, deception, mistaken identities and a well-mixed martini in Soapbubble Operating Theatre presentation of THE THIRD THIN MAN with tonight’s special guests…

CUT TO CS OF WILLIAM P. J. COTTONGIN

William P. J. Cotton-Gin stands across the operating table from Orson. He is a tall angular mostly-clockwork elf that takes off his medical mask and smiles into the camera.

ORSON WELLWISHER
(voice-over) “…William P. J. Cottongin,…”

William nods at the camera and then puts his mask back on.

ORSON WELLWISHER
“And Myna Bird Loy”

CUT TO CS OF MYNA BIRD LOY

Myna Bird Loy is one of the nurses carrying a tray of surgical tools to the operating table. She is a thin avian mostly bio-goblin. She looks up as if caught unaware and smiles for the camera. Panacea watches the show, half turned towards the vid-screen while also half turned towards her salad. She sets down her salad so she can hold the microphone from her Med-Scanner.

PANACEA FLAUTO
(Narration or voice over) “Maestro, update Medical Journal, starting now. The most unusual thing happened the other day. Cedar Waxwings stopped by my office to discuss his treatment. Up to that point he and his friends were giving the minimal effort in their therapy sessions. Iasa and I had a meeting planned later to discuss options for increasing their participation. Confidentially, I wonder if maybe I do not understand their situation, emotionally. Iasa advocates for patience, but I do not. Sometimes I am envious of her patience and good-nature. (pause) Maestro edit entry. Strike everything after the bit with the meeting and participation.”

There is a KNOCK on the door.

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Hello.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
(off-screen) “Can I come in? Are you busy.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Come in, come in. I was just eating some lunch before some meetings this afternoon.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS in his ovoid Medi-pod rolls into the room, bumping into the chairs. Panacea turns to watch him enter. She misses a change on the Vid-screen. From the background of the operating room, THE SLASHBUCKLER, THE WORDSLINGER, and THE HEIRESS come into view. The Slashbuckler is a slender woman in black medical scrubs covered in gold filligree. Next to her stands The Wordslinger in white medical scrubs covered in brass filligree. Next to him stands the Heiress. She is dressed in black medical scrubs covered in silver filligree while holding a Fennec Fox dressed in matching medical scrubs. They attempt to wave at the screen to get the viewers attention.

PANACEA FLAUTO
“What can I do for you.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I have a simple question.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Okay. I can deal with simple. What is your question?”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Will I be able to play the drums again, once we’re done healing.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Well…”

On the Vid-Screen, The Slashbuckler, The Wordslinger, and the Heiress freeze as a deep red outline encases them. A single diamond red design appears in the corner of the screen and blinks twice. They dissolve to static before dissapearing completely. The red diamond dissolves from the screen and the show resumes.

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Be honest.”

Panacea sets down her salad and turns back to the Vid-Screen. She presses a button on the side and it goes dark. She turns back and directly looks at Cedar.

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Given the amount of effort you are giving. No. You are not doing the therapy and you will be crippled when you exit the Medi-pod.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“No drumming then.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Drumming? You’ll lucky to be able stand without pain. Every step you take will be crooked and painful.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I secretly suspected as much.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“So why are you not trying harder. Why are you resisting.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Fear. Misplaced anger. Dumb reasons.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Listen, I get it. When you first woke up, I didn’t want to alarm you or freak you. But honestly, you guys were in a spaceship that blew up. Who should be dead, but your not grasping what a miracle it is that you can try.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Your right we should be dead, but we are not and it has messed with my head. You are also right that I have not been dedicated or even really trying. It’s not you or your sisters.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Well what is it? My sister and I are trying our best to heal you and you are throwing it back in our faces. We’re trained to distance ourselves emotionally, but still it stings.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I get that and I am sorry. It’s me. I am the problem.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Finally we agree on something.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Ouch. But your probably not wrong. I find myself wondering if I have been lying to myself. The problem was other people, the job, my father. If only they did this or that, my life would be better. Not my fault I quit everything I ever tried. I put it on them, yet here I am in this eggshell finding myself never have having dedicated to anything. A life of drifting. I wasn’t qualified for the Solar/Lunar Fleet except my dad pulling the strings. Only got the job, kept the job, because of my dad. How sad is that.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Pretty sad, but not that unusual. You think your the first person to come into my office and saw oh no, what have I been doing with my life.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Ha, true, but that doesn’t change that I have wasted a lot of my life. There were so many moments of magic and wonder moving through my life and I ignored them because they were not the quote-unquote right kind of moments.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Well, you’re not dead yet.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“No, I am not. (pauses thinking) If I try really hard in therapy will I be able to drum.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Not only that, but you would probably help inspire your friends to try harder. You’ll be helping yourself and them.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I do not know if I am worthy of being an inspiration but I do want to drum again.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Then come tomorrow, try your best in therapy. Then the day after, try your best. Then the day after that try your best. Then keep repeating.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“That simple, huh?”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“In theory, yes. Practically, not so much. We all get a little confused sometimes and forget to repeat.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Some of us more than others.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Yes, some more than others.”

There is a pause as Panacea takes another bite of salad.

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“So, what were you watching.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Watching?”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“On the Vid-screen. You were watching something when I came in. What was it?”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Oh that. Soapbubble Operational Theatre. It’s where a bunch surgeons who also happen to be actors put on a play.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Can I watch it with you? I mean, if you don’t mind.”

Panacea smiles and leans over turning the vid-screen back on. The doctors and nurses are crowded around the operating table.

PANACEA FLAUTO
“That guy is Orson Wellwisher. He is the host of the show and one of my favorites.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Okay. Who are the other people.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“The tall guy is William P. J. Cottongin. He is playing a visiting surgeon accidentally drawn into the murder mystery.”

Cedar moves closer to the table to get a better view as the High-stage curtains close. The stage lights turn of with the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING OFF.

TRANSITION FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM HIGH-STAGE AND STARTS TO PAN DOWNWARD. IT GLIDES ONTO AND OVER THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. MOVING EVER DOWNWARD THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS PEAK INTO THE FRAME. THE CAMERA CONTINUES PANNING DOWNWARD OVER THE MID-STAGE SETS TILL PROPERLY FRAMING MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S APARTMENT FRONTROOM, DAYTIME
A writing desk sits center stage. In the background, on the stage-right side, sits a short bookcase. The desk has two moving boxes stacked on top of it. The bottom box is labeled “Typewriter”. The top box is labeled “Papers, Scripts, Misc…” The bookcase is nearly empty with only some books remaining on one of the shelves. THOMAS TYPEWRITER is pacing the room speaking to OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE on his mobile phone.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So, I thought over what you asked, you know about me helping and working on your project. I have an answer. I will do it.”

There is a LOUD SQUEAL OF DELIGHT from the phone. The squeal catches Thomas off guard, far too loud for how close he has the phone to his ear. Thomas winces and moves the phone away from his ear until the noise subsides.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I am happy about it too. So what do I need to do first? Any paperwork or forms?”

The Mid-Stage curtains start to close as the stage-lights turn off to the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF.

FADE OUT

the list continues…

The Great Works Project assignments

for November 2020

Phantom of the Opera (released 1925)
Battleship Potemkin (released 1925)
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The Wildest! from Louis Prima
This is Fats from Fats Domino

From the desk of Thomas Typewriter…09-21-2020

From the desk of Thomas Typewriter, The Great Works Project assignments, The Great Works Project scripts

Progress continues on The Great Works Project scripts. I’ll finish the final rough draft for Season Five tomorrow or Wednesday. Once that is dine, I’ll start working on crafting the Season Two scriptbook. The last three scripts of Season Five required a complete rewrite. Carro and Z-Mouse suprised me, reacting differently than what I expected. I like when the characters surprise me. A moment of joy.

As for the List, I feel like I need some help. A glaring issue I failed to notice when I compiled the List is the lack of context. I really believed that just exposing one self to great art could trigger a positive change. I still believe that, knowing it to be a powerful form of spellcraft. Yet, with every piece I am left wondering about the context. Why do people like it? What have those before me found special in it? To that end I have ordered three of the books that helped form part of the List*. I ordered “A Lifetime’s Reading: Five Hundred Great Books to be Enjoyed over 50 Years” by Philip Ward along with “1001 Films to Watch Before You Die” and “1001 Albums to Listen to Before You Die.” I hope these will help.

*When creating the List of Great Works, I was concerned about how these lists could be so mono-cultural. I felt that would defeat the purpose. I also was not experienced enough to fully discern the quality of a source. My solution to this was to go overboard and grab a too many sources. Cast a wide net. I of course used the Harvard Shelf of Classics and then added onto it. Here is a list of the sources I used: A Lifetime of Reading by Phillip Ward, Pitchfork.com’s People’s choice Top 200 albums from 1990 to 2010, AFI 100 years 100 Laughs, AFI’s The Top 25 Musicals, AFI’s Top 100, Empire Magazine’s 500 greatest films of all time, NPR Young Fiction Top 100 finalists, NPR Science-fiction/Fantasy top 100 finalists, The Guardian’s Top 25 Blues albums, The Guardian’s Top 20 Operas, The Guardian’s Top 20 classical works, Time Out New York’s survey of animators best animated films, Rolling Stone Magazine’s Top 500 Albums, The Great Works lit collection, The Harvard Shelf of Learning, 1001 Films to Watch before you die, and 1001 Albums to listen to before you die. I also believe I threw the movie Corky Romano on the list just so the list couldn’t be taken entirely serious. The list was important to me but I do not think anyone should take it as anything but suggested reading and viewing.

From the desk of Thomas Typewriter…09-07-2020

From the desk of Thomas Typewriter, My next assignments..., The Great Works Project assignments, The Great Works Project scripts

First off, let me say thank you to everyone who reached out with a kind word regarding the paintings. Thank you.

The Great Works Project continues to move forward. The scripts are on schedule with Season Two, Episode Twelve all set for publishing next Wednesday. Being that it is the final episode of Season Two, I would like to take some time and compile all the episodes into one collection. It will take me a few weeks to compile and format then onto Season Three. I am thinking that it might be time to set up a character and location list. Let me know what you think.

The other part of the project, the List is moving alone nicely. I actually managed to read, watch, and listen to the assignments without feeling crunched for time. I enjoyed myself. I’ll keep to the current schedule of three assigned titles a week. Last week’s I was assigned the movie “Aliens” , the graphic novel “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang, and the album “All Directions” from The Temptations. A real solid collection. “Aliens” was awesome. One of the things I noticed was how much of the movie I had missed before. I had some friends in high school who loved the movie to the point where they had it playing on loop on the tv one of the weekends I slept over. Watching it last week made me realize how much of the movie I did not notice. For whatever reason, I had no recollection of the scenes on the colony with the colonists. I also did not notice when I was younger how the film could be allegorical for the Vietnam War. American Born Chinese was a great book. I remember first hearing of Gene Leun Yang when he won the Xeric Grant for “Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks”. (That was a really good comic. Check it out if you get a chance.) In “American Born Chinese” I liked how it uses the different characters to explore the feelings of fitting in, feeling like an outside, and empathy. Also a nice little nod to use the shapefting Monkey King to talk about shifting identity. Then there is “All Directions” from The Temptations. It is The Temptations, so you know it is good. The vocal range coupled with the strong tempos, loved it. It also has one of my favorite album covers.

The new assignments are to watch the 1950 movie “All About Eve”, to read the novel “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman, and to listen to the album “All Hail the Queen” from Queen Latifah. Should be an interesting two weeks.

updating…

From the desk of Thomas Typewriter, The Great Works Project assignments, The Great Works Project scripts

Progress moves forward on The Great Works Project.

The scripts, or storytelling side of it, are moving along. Season Two’s finished scripts are on schedule. I should be able to keep to a schedule of a new script every other week. As for the rough drafts, I am nearing the end of writing out Season Five.

The list, or cultural side of it, is moving along as well. The previous three assignments did not really grab my attention. Alien was well-made and suspenseful, but I just couldn’t finish it. The same with Alien Lanes from Guided By Voices. I can appreciate them on an aesthetic level, but it is in a cold detached kind of way. The literature assignment, Altered Carbon, never appeared. My library lost their copy. My new assignments are the album All Directions from The Temptations, the movie Aliens (1986), and the graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Outside that I have been enjoying The Owl House and Star Trek: Lower Decks tv series, A Night without Stars by Peter F. Hamilton, and the Nintendo DS game Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure. With Ophidia, I am attempting to watch the entire run of the tv show Taxi. (Ophidia was telling me last night how she would play the theme song whenever she felt really stressed as a kid. I thought that was interesting because I always felt calmer whenever the theme song played.)

The Two x Twos Episode 7 (June 22nd, 2020)

Art thoughts, assignments for self, The Great Works Project assignments, The Two x Twos, thinking

PREVIOUSLY IN EPISODE 6

Episode 6 had a few surprises. Ocean Waves and All Systems Red were great. Something I was thinking about was time and connection. Like how events in our lives may be in different points in our lifespan but sometimes a connection occurs. In my head, I visualize this connection like a long ribbon of sunlight and at each end of the ribbon are the two connected moments. The ribbon spreads through time shifting and twisting so that I now feel as if these two moments are one moment, right now. Distance is an illusion.

Watching Ocean Waves was one of these moments.

As I watched it, and loved it, I started to think about when the film was made. It was produced and aired in Japan in 1993. Why didn’t I see this movie in 1993? I wouldn’t because it takes time to translate and travel overseas. So maybe I could have seen it in 1994 or 1995. Then it happens…two moments meet. I remembered that I first saw Metropolitan in 1994 one late evening on Channel 11 WTTW (Chicago PBS station). What I felt watching Ocean Waves were the same feelings I felt watching Metropolitan the first time. Wow.

THE TWO X TWOS EPISODE 7 (06/22/2020)

Albums

Aja from Steely Dan
Playlist: The Very Best of 311 from 311

Cinema

Akira (1988)
You Might Be The Killer (2019)

Literature

All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas by Frederick Douglas

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

Astro City Vol. 01: Life in the Big City
Astro City Vol. 02: Confession

Video Games

80’s Overdrive (Nintendo 3DS)
Crusader of Centy (Sega Genesis)

One last thing I should mention is that doing the Two x Twos on a weekly basis feels too rushed. I would like to have a little more time to spend exploring each work. Starting today, the Two x Twos will be bi-weekly.

The Great Works Project: Season One, Episode Seven script

The Great Works Project assignments, Uncategorized

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 01, Episode 07

By Thomas Typewriter

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

Across a dark field the following text scrolls up: 01-07. 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

A wooden disc, surrounded by rows of grey carpet squares, sits in the center of the unroom. Spindly lamps at the ends of the carpet rows barely illuminate the wooden disc.

POV OF AN OUTER ONE SITTING ON A CARPET SQUARE LOOKING AT THE WOODEN DISK

TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACK as unseen lamps turn on bringing the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE into view.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO MID-STAGE

ZOOM IN TO THE MID-STAGE

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The curtains open and the stage lights turn on with the sound of a LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S APARTMENT’S STUDIO, AFTERNOON

Center stage sits a writing desk flanked by a lamp on one side and a waste can on the other. On the writing desk sits a typewriter and a stack of paper. Behind the desk, and off to the side, stands an askew bookcase topped by house plants. THOMAS TYPEWRITER is sitting at the desk, swiveling in his chair. Absently-minded chewing on a pen, he is reviewing a script. Turning the words over in his mind he looks for the answer to the question of what happens next. After swiveling longer than we expected he retrieves his flip phone. A smile slides across his face as he dials.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Hi Ophidia. It’s me. Yeah. I’m good. Well, stuck again but it’ll pass. You? Good, good. Hey I was wondering, would you like to see West Side Story tonight? Awesome. The 6pm…sure that’d be perfect. I’ll take care of the tickets. Just meet me out front. (pause) Cool. See you then. Bye.”

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD OVER THE ID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS BEHIND THE SETS. IT CONTINUES PANNING UP TO THE HIGH-STAGE AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. THE CAMERA STOPS ONCE THE HIGH-STAGE FILLS THE FRAME.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The Narrator’s Door opens. Y-MOUSE walks out into view.

Y-MOUSE
“128 sparkships in the Lunar/Solar fleet, all tasked with harvesting the lost crumbs of creation. Moving forward that which doubles and doubles. Each crew dedicated in purpose. (pause) well maybe not the crew of The Carro.”

Y-Mouse exits. The Narrator’s Door closes. The curtains open and stage lights turn on to the sound of a COMPUTER BOOTING ON revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: EXT. OUTER SPACE

A model of THE CARRO flies out across a fake starscape. The model, unlike in previous episodes, is much larger. It flies across the stage and we can see into the windows. LUCIDO OBSIDIAN and CARRO are playing Triple Checkers in the Observation Lounge at the front. Meanwhile, near the rear of the ship, through a porthole, we see CEDAR WAXWINGS walking down a hallway. He is still carrying the record player from the previous episode. The Carro flies off screen stage-right. The curtains close then reopen.

HIGH-STAGE: INT. CARRO STORE ROOM 601

A giant metal skeleton of a room, Store Room 601 has stacks and stacks of amphora-crates across the back of the stage. The door stands to stage left. The doors open and Cedar enters. He carries the record player to the nearest stack of amorpha-crates and sets it down.

An amorpha-crate is the way the Lunar/Solar Fleet store supplies on the sparkships. Each on looks similar to a crate made in the shape of a large jar with tapered sides, larger at top. On the top of the amorpha-crate is a smaller top, similar to a top lip on a vase. Wood is the prefered construction material for amorpha-crates.

Cedar turns and grabs a clipboard from the wall next to the door. Cedar brings his portable cassette player from out of his pocket, headphones from a second pocket, and a cassette tape from a third pocket.

INSERT CS OF CEDAR PUTTING THE HEADPHONES ON.

INSERT ECS OF CEDAR PUTTING IN THE CASSETTE. CHA-THON’S UNDERGROUND MIX 3 IS PRINTED ON THE SIDE OF THE CASSETTE.

INSERT ECS OF CEDAR PRESSING PLAY.

Cedar starts to bop his head as he walks around filling out the form on the clipboard. He walks from stack to stack of the amphora-crates inspecting each and taking notes on the clipboard. By the third stack he tosses the clipboard. He reaches and turns up the cassette player. CHA-THON’S UNDERGROUND MIX 3 FILLS THE AIR as we hear what Cedar hears. A thousand different drums echo through a thousand different caves. Cedar starts to dance. From one end of the room to the other he moves with joy, his movements larger and larger. Soon he moves so out of control he knocks over a stack of amorpha-crates.

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Yelp.”

Looking at the fallen crates, he notices a wooden crate hidden behind them. It bears an abstract fox-like symbol on its side.

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“What’s this?”

He looks at each side trying to find an inventory number, but each side is blank save for the side with the fox symbol. Cedar pulls up the lid and looks inside.

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Awesome. Lucido is going to flip when he sees this.”

Cedar then gets behind the crate and pushes it off-stage through the main door. The stage lights turn off with the sound of a COMPUTER TURNING OFF and the High-stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, DOWN STILL MORE TO THE SETS OF THE MID-STAGE. IT STOPS WHEN FRAMING MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: EXT. THE RETRO BOX OFFICE, EVENING

A small box office sits off-center stage-left on the stage. It is slightly angled from the audience, facing more towards stage-right than stage-front. Over the top of the box office the bottom of the marque, with it’s flashing lights, can be seen. SALLY SALLY JOHNSON sits in the box office reading the Orphans of Chaos by John C. Wright. Her name tag reads Sally with a small 2 at the end. It is placed in the same way as you would write some value was squared in mathematics. THOMAS TYPEWRITER walks on stage from stage-right. He approaches the cashier.

SALLY SALLY JONES
(still reading) “Welcome to the Retro.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Are you open?”

SALLY SALLY JONES
(marks page and sets down the book) “Yeah, yes. Sorry about that, it’s a really good book. (looks at Thomas)How can I help you?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Do you still have tickets available for West Side Story?

SALLY SALLY JONES
“Yes. Not a lot but there’s still some seats available.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Do you have two?”

SALLY SALLY JONES
“Yes.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Awesome. I’ll take two.”

SALLY SALLY JONES
“No problem. That’ll be $18.50.”

Thomas pays. Sally prints the tickets. As she does, Thomas leans over and looks at the book she was reading.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Is it any good?”

SALLY SALLY JONES
“Huh?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“That book. The one you were just reading. Is it any good.”

SALLY SALLY JONES
“Oh sorry. (shifts tone) It’s amazing.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“What’s it about.”

SALLY SALLY JONES
“It’s about these British kids who discover their school is not what it seems. The author incorporates all these ancient Greek myth with modern boarding school mysteries. It is really neat how he pulls it off.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(to self) “Classics. There’s that word again. (to Sally Sally) Could you write that book’s title and author down for me. I think I’d like to check it out.”

SALLY SALLY JONES
“Sure.”

She writes the info down on the back of his ticket, then hands Thomas his tickets. From stage-left OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE enters.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Thomas!”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Ophidia!”

Thomas waves her over

SALLY SALLY JONES
“West Side Story is playing on Screen one. Hope you enjoy.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thanks. (turns to Ophidia) I’ve got the tickets. And a book recommendation.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Cool.”

Thomas holds the door for Ophidia as they go inside. Sally Sally takes out her book and starts reading. The stage lights turn off with the sound of a LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. Sally Sally turns on a flashlight to continue reading. The Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT

The Great Works Project: Season One, Episode Six script

The Great Works Project assignments, Uncategorized

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 01, Episode 06

By Thomas Typewriter

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

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

FADE OUT

FADE IN

A LS OF HIGH-STAGE OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

We open on the Abstract Typewriter Puppet Stage. We join it already in progress. The Unroom is not visible.

PAN IN TOWARD THE HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The curtains open.

PAN IN, MATCHING THE SPEED OF THE CURTAINS’ SLOW REVEAL, TILL THE STAGE AREA OF THE HIGH-STAGE FILLS THE FRAME

The stage lights turn on with the sound of a COMPUTER TURNING ON revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. BIFF’S BEDROOM, RAINY DAY

A bed sits center in the room, flanked by an end table on one side and a steamer trunk on the other. Posters of various characters from the Cosmic League comic books and the Babysitter Tails television show adorn the walls. A window sits to the side. Rain clouds can be seen drifting by outside. Biff sits on the floor coloring while Rockey watches. We have caught them in the midst of a day of fun and pretend.

ROCKEY
“So is this the Palace of Moonlight?”

BIFF
“No. Sunlight.”

ROCKEY
“Right. The Palace of Sunlight”

BIFF
“Yup.”

Rockey looks at the drawing as Biff reaches back for a crayon from the box.

ROCKEY
“How do you come up with these ideas?”

BIFF
“Don’t know. Just do.”

ROCKEY
“Yeah, but how do you know. You could pretend anything. Palace of Dust, Diamonds, Storms…but you didn’t.”

Biff grabs a crayon and then sits up. He looks off into the distance as if thinking purposefully on the answer.

BIFF
“Sure I could but they didn’t feel right.(thinks a moment) Inside me(gestures to area just above and in front of forehead)is a big space. Like a giant river.”

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO INNER-ILLUSTRATION

CUT TO THE CIRCULAR RIVER

EXT. THE CIRCULAR RIVER. NIGHT

Biff sits in a small boat floating on a river of dark water. Tall canyon walls can be seen, many layers of colors frame the shoreline. Biff leans over and looks into the water.

BIFF
(voice-over) “Things drift pass and I sit and watch. Something catches my eye and I pull it out.”

Biff watches some items float by in the water. One glitters.

INSERT CS OF A LEAF FLOATING IN THE WATER, SUNLIGHT GLITTERING ACROSS IT.

CUT BACK

Biff pulls out the leaf. A string of yarn can be seen going from the leaf back into the water. Biff examines the leaf.

BIFF
(voice-over) “Everything has a string or connects to something else and I just follow the string to the next thing. Sometimes the string runs along the surface, sometimes it goes to something stuck at the bottom, in the mud.”

Biff notices the string on his leaf and pulls on it. He pulls the string pulling up other objects tied on the line. The third object he pulls up has two strings tied to it. Biff looks at the two stings, each going in a different direction, and ponders which string to follow.

TRANSITION FROM INNER-ILLUSTRATION TO HIGH-STAGE

CUT BACK TO THE HIGH-STAGE

HIGH-STAGE: INT. BIFF’S BEDROOM, RAINY DAY

Rockey leans into Biff in a gesture of affection. Biff hugs him back before returning to drawing. After a moment he stops. Biff brings his crayon up to his face.

ROCKEY
“Why’d you stop?”

BIFF
(looking at crayon) “My crayon has turned black. It was purple when I took it out but now it is black.”

ROCKEY
“Maybe you grabbed the wrong crayon.”

Biff turns and inspects the box of crayons. He pours it out in front of Rockey.

BIFF
“No. They’re all changed. They’re all black now.”

ROCKEY
“The whole box! Now what do we do?”

Biff and Rockey look at each other, but then Biff arcs an eyebrow. Rockey looks at him puzzled. Biff gestures his head toward the stage-front. It dawns on Rockey what he means and he nods agreement. They both scoot over closer and closer to the stage-front, ultimately peering over the edge of the HIGH-STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, DOWN OVER THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE MID-STAGE ITSELF.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO, DAYTIME

Thomas sits at his desk staring at his typewriter. The ideas which seemed to be pouring out of him earlier have faded away. Hoping physical movement will transform to artistic inspiration, Thomas stands. He paces the stage, mumbling to himself working through his script hoping to grab onto the clue of creativity. The stage lights turn off with the sound of a LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF, though Thomas keeps pacing. The Mid-stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD ALONG THE CLOUD CURTAIN. AS IT CRESTS THE MID-STAGE SETS, IT TILTS UPWARD SO THAT WE CAN SEE BIFF AND ROCKEY PEEKING OVER THE EDGE OF THE HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: INT. BIFF’S BEDROOM, RAINY DAY

THE CAMERA TILTS BACK TO ITS REGULAR POSITION AS IT REACHES HIGH-STAGE.

We find Biff and Rockey leaning over the edge of the stage, watching Thomas pace.

BIFF
“Well that was anti-climatic. Guess we know where the black crayon business is coming from.”

ROCKEY
“Seems so. Well, what do we do now?”

BIFF
“I don’t know. He’s not writing anything so I guess we wait till he figures it out and finishes the script.”

Biff swings his legs over the edge of stage. Absent-mindedly he swings his legs. They sit in silence for a moment or three.

BIFF
“I’m bored.”

ROCKEY
“Me too. I wish we could keep drawing.”

BIFF
“Me too.”

They both sigh.

BIFF
“Wait. Why don’t we.”

ROCKEY
“What do you mean.”

BIFF
“Why don’t we choose what we do next. Not him.”

ROCKEY
“Yeah. Why does he get to decide our fate. We decide what we do.”

BIFF
“Exactly. Where you having fun drawing?”

ROCKEY
“The best.”

BIFF
“Me too. So, let’s just keep drawing.”

ROCKEY
“Yeah, it’s not like the crayons are broken.”

BIFF
“Absolutely. They’re just black.”

ROCKEY
“Still a color”

BIFF
“Still a color indeed. A thousand things could be drawn with a black crayon.”

ROCKEY
“Like depression.”

BIFF
“What. No. Real things, not metaphors. Like zebras or onions.”

ROCKEY
“Oh, I get what you mean now. Like clouds at night.”

BIFF
“Exactly.”

ROCKEY
“Or penguins.

BIFF
“You’re getting it now.”

ROCKEY
“Or clams”

BIFF
“Right. Or like skunks.”

ROCKEY
“Or magpies.”

BIFF
“And crows.”

ROCKEY
“Or black crayons.”

BIFF
“Newspapers.”

ROCKEY
“Old books.”

BIFF
“Old movies.”

ROCKEY
“Like an atomic monster movie?”

BIFF
“Or like a detective film.”

Biff and Rockey look at each other.

BIFF AND ROCKEY
(shouting) “Atomic Monster Detective movie!”

BIFF
“Staring the Softboiled Detective.”

ROCKEY
“And the Big Bad Bug!”

They hop off the stage edge and start drawing feverishly. The High-stage’s stage lights turn off with the sound of a COMPUTER TURNING OFF. The curtains close.

PAN OUT TO A LS OF THE HIGH-STAGE AS WE FADE OUT

FADE OUT