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THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 05, Episode 10

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2024 thomas typewriter

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FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “05-10”. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge. The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING rings out in the darkness.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

THE CAMERA PANS DOWN. THE DARKNESS SHIFTS TO THE CURTAINS OF THE MID-STAGE.

THE MID-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The Mid-Stage curtains part. As they open the stage-lights turn on to the sound of A LIGHTSWITCH CLICKING ON revealing…

MID-STAGE: EXT. THE SUPPLY CLOSET OFFICE SUPPLY STORE, DAYTIME.
The Supply Closet office supply store is a big white box of a building accented by luminous red and nebulous blacks. The front entrance pans across the length of the stage. The glass sliding doors of the front vestibule sit center stage. Thin strips of the white stucco exterior separate the front doors from the long horizontal rows of tinted windows. The bottom portion of the giant “THE SUPPLY CLOSET” store sign peaks past the stage top. From off-screen, the sound of CAR TIRES ON PAVEMENT as someone pulls into one of The Supply Closet’s parking Spaces. CAR DOORS OPEN AND CLOSE followed by FOOTSTEPS come from off-screen. THOMAS TYPEWRITER emerges from stage-left. He walks up to the front doors, pauses as the doors slide open, then continues into the store. The doors close behind him.

TRANSITION FROM THE MID-STAGE TO THE HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM PROPERLY FRAMING THE MID-STAGE AND PANS UPWARD. IT GLIDES OVER THE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS LINING THE BACK OF THE MID-STAGE. IT CONTINUES PANNING UPWARD. AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS THE HIGH-STAGE SLIDES INTO THE FRAME. THE CAMERA LOCKS IN PROPERLY FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The High-Stage curtains part and the stage lights turn on with the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING ON revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. OBSERVATION LOUNGE OF THE FLUTE MEDICALSHIP, AFTERNOON
The observation lounge is located near the top of the Flute, built next to the cafeteria. It is a place where patients and guests can sit in comfort and look out. It offers views of the space surrounding various habitats of The Nines. Off in one direction, the sparks emanating from the IR-RA can be seen glittering like stars. In the other direction the six far-off Palaces of the Three-by-Three glitter like large stars. A large curved window stretches out across the back of the stage. The window is framed by soft yellow framing. The floor and walls are in soft peaceful hues of yellow and brown. Three plush chairs sit at the edges of the stage. Two chairs on stage-right and one stage-left. CEDAR WAXWINGS, in his Medi-pod, enters stage-left, moving past the two chairs and settling center stage. He turns the front of the Medi-pod towards the large observation window. He watches and drifts in thought. Stay with Cedar for a few minutes before the stage lights turn off to the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING OFF. The glittering sparks in the space outside still glitter in the darkness. The High-Stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA DISCONNECTS FROM PROPERLY FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT MOVES ONTO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS BELOW THE HIGH-STAGE. IT GOES DOWN, DOWN, AND DOWN THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS POKE UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. THE CAMERA CONTINUES PANNING DOWNWARD UNTIL PROPERLY FRAMING THE MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: EXT. THE SUPPLY CLOSET OFFICE SUPPLY STORE PARKING LOT, DAYTIME.
The tall front of The Supply Closet office supply store sits further back and off to the side. We see less this time than previously. It is off to the stage-right. The front doors are near the edge of the stage. Center-stage sits Thomas’ car: a goldenrod 2002 Ford Taurus. It is parked near the cement pylon base of a parking lot light pole. Thomas often forgets where he parks so he prefers to park near tall structures or landmarks he can easily see when he leaves the store. The front doors of The Supply Closet open and THOMAS TYPEWRITER walks out. He walks across the parking lot, carrying a stack of banking boxes, towards his car. When he reaches his car, he sets the boxes on the trunk to free his hands to retrieve the car keys. He manually unlocks the trunk. It pops up a little bit. He pulls off the banking boxes and uses the edge of the stack to pop open the trunk. Thomas sets the boxes down inside.

CUT TO A CS OF THE BOXES IN THE TRUNK

CUT TO A CS OF THE TRUNK WITH ALL THE BOXES ASSEMBLED AND FILLING UP THE TRUNK

CUT TO A CS OF THE BOXES NOW FILLED WITH THOMAS’S VARIOUS BELONGINGS.

CUT TO CS OF THE BOXES EMPTY EXCEPT FOR THE CENTERMOST ONE, WHICH NOW HAS VARIOUS HUMAN ORGANS IN THEM

The boxes are no longer filled with Thomas’s belongings. They are now filled with the various organs from his body. In the center box, sits his heart which beats three times. On one side sits his lungs, which flutter erratically, as if in the grip of a shallow breathing anxiety attack. Intestines fill two other boxes. In another box, we can see his brain.

REVERSE CUT TO THOMAS LOOKING INTO THE TRUNK.

Thomas stares into the trunk, lost in a moment of anxiety. He brings his hand to his heart.

CUT BACK TO TRUNK OF BOXES OF ORGANS

The heart beats fast while the lungs start to slow down. They take deep breaths, slowly in and slowly out. From another box emerges Thomas’s right arm and hand. It pulls its fingers down into a fist. Then it makes a 1-2-3-4 count using its fingers. It slowly counts through the numbers and then repeats. The lungs slow and align with the four count. The count slows even more. The lungs match. The heart starts to slow as well.

CUT BACK TO REVERSE OF THOMAS

Thomas looks into the trunk and takes a deep audible breath for a four count. He then breathes out for four. He repeats and relaxes.

CUT BACK TO CS OF TRUNK

The boxes of organs are gone. The trunk has reverted back to its original form, with the packages in boxes.

CUT BACK TO FRAMING SHOT OF MID-STAGE

Thomas closes the trunk. The Mid-Stage curtains close as the stage-lights turn off to the sound of A LIGHTSWITCH CLICKING OFF.

FADE OUT