script

“The Great Works Project: Season Seven, Episode One” by Thomas Typewriter – a new script

Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 07, Episode 01

a prologue

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2026 Jason Arcand

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “07-01”. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge. Immediately following that text’s exit, up scrolls “a prologue” from the bottom of the frame. It scrolls upward pausing in the center of the frame before continuing up and out of the top of the frame.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

EXT. SWORDPOINT HILLS, AFTERNOON
THE OUTER ONE and GRIGIO COLORI stand on one of the hills overlooking Swordpoint Hills. They are near the crest and looking down at the crowds. The Swordpoint, at the center of the hills, is a large stone slab with small stairs. There are five stones on the tableau. Each stone has a beam of light shining upward towards the sky. Surrounding the tableau and snaking out into the hills are multiple lines of people waiting in queue. Small covered stalls can be seen dotted around the hills, each with gate guarded by a muscular bouncer.

CS OF THE TEXT AT THE END OF SEASON 06 FROM THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT COMPLETE SCRIPTBOOK.

GRIGIO COLORI
(Voice-over) “Okay so that is where season six ends. Should I go on?”

THE OUTER ONE
(Voice-over) “No, that’s probably as good a stopping point as any. You should put that away, we have more pressing concerns.”

The scriptbook closes.

CUT TO MS OF THE OUTER ONE AND GRIGIO

GRIGIO COLORI
“Like what.”

THE OUTER ONE
“Getting here was the easy part. Now comes the hard part – the line.”

The Outer One takes a step forward and looks downward. Grigio watches and copies the action.

PAN TO AN AERIAL LS OF SWORDPOINT. 

The multiple long lines of the crowd snake through the hills.

GRIGIO COLORI
“I see what you mean. So where do we start.”

THE OUTER ONE
“We go see a man about credit, but first lets take a break. I am feeling a bit tired.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Is your wrist bothering you.”

THE OUTER ONE
“Unfortunately, I think it is. A little rest and I should be fine.”

MS OF GRIGIO AND COLORI

They sit down on the grass. The Outer One flops onto his back and takes three deep breaths. As the Outer One lays on the ground his shirt rides up , revealing that the glitching has spread even further. The side of his neck, his entire right arm, and the right side of his chest show signs of the glitching scrolling abstract text.


THE OUTER ONE
“It is going to take me a minute longer than I anticipated to get my wind back. Maybe you should continue reading the scriptbook.”


GRIGIO COLORI
“Sure. Lets see, where was I. Season Seven, Episode One. We open on the Typewriter Abstract Puppet Stage. We start at a long shot and move in closer.”

FADE OUT TO

INT. THE UNROOM NOT.SEVEN

LS OF THE UNROOM FROM THE ENTRYWAY

SLOWLY PAN THROUGH THE ROOM TO THE WOODEN STAGE. THE PAN FOLLOWS A MEANDERING OR SNAKING PATH.

The Unroom Not.Seven is a large space so cavernous that the ceiling and far walls are lost in darkness. A tile floor is decorated with a short wooden stage. Grey carpet squares are arraigned in rows around the stage. Long power cords snake through the squares to spindle like floor lamps at the ends of rows. From the darkness of the ceiling emerge long chains adorned with pendulum lamps. The soft light from the hanging lamps and floor lamps is not enough to fully pierce the darkness of the room. What is visible is seen with a soft light. THE SOUND OF TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING rings out. Unseen lamps above the wooden stage flip on. In their beams of light, THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE appears.

LS OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

PAN IN ON THE MID-STAGE AREA

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The Mid-Stage Curtains part revealing that the Mid-Stage is empty and unilluminated.

PAN PAST THE EDGE OF THE MID-STAGE CURTAIN AND THROUGH THE MID-STAGE TOWARDS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS

The Curtain of Clouds along the back of the Mid-Stage parts revealing the Back-Stage.

PAN IN UNTIL PROPERLY FRAMING THE BACK-STAGE

BACK-STAGE: THE CONCURRENT DISTANCES, BETWIXTLIGHT
A soft fog rolls across the bottom of the stage while DREAM-BUBBLES drift across the stage. They enter stage-right and exit stage-left. They are not all moving at the same speed, so one may pass another. A soft light starts to be cast from off-stage stage-left. The light grows brighter and brighter until the source of the light, THE LAMPSTICK, enters stage-left. It appears as a bipedal post with a hanging lamp. The post and legs have a rough construction appearance whereas the lamp appears finely crafted. It moves to the center of the stage with a dancing rhythm. Following closely behind are ONDE, AVEN, NETTE, and HERON THE AELIOPHILE.

AVEN
(to Nette) “You sure that thing knows where it is going?”

NETTE
“Yes. There is a magic to the things we make together, and that magic is going to help us find her.”

The Lampstick pauses just off center-stage. It freezes mid-motion.

AVEN
“Now what?”

ONDE
“I don’t know anymore.”

NETTE
“Give it a moment.”

The Lampstick slowly moves it’s lamp left and then right. It jumps up and starts walking, exiting stage-left. Nette follows the Lampstick and exits stage-left. Aven also exits.

ONDE
“Come along Heron.”

Heron runs over to her side and they leave stage-left together. The stage goes dark for a moment and when the lights come back the fog at the bottom of the stage is thicker. Additionally, the quantity and pace of Dream-Bubbles flowing across the top of the stage has increased. A bright light approaches from off-stage stage-left, casting a brighter and brighter light on the fog and dream bubbles. The Lampstick enters stage-left followed by Aven, Nette, Onde, and Heron the Aeliophile. The Lampstick stops mid-stage and starts to blink its light. Aven, Nette and Onde fan out attempting to look for something.

AVEN
“Can any of you see her? Is it sure she is here?”

NETTE
“Yes. But I can’t see her either. The fog is too thick. How did she ever find her way through here.” 

ONDE
“I have an idea. Heron could you help us clear the fog?”

Heron starts to whirl his steam pipes blowing away the fog. On the ground, passed out, lays THE MOTHER. Her hair has changed to all silver and she is now THE CRONE. 

AVEN, NETTE, AND ONDE
(in unison) “Mother!”

They rush over to her. Aven and Onde lift her up. Nette touches her face trying to wake her.

NETTE
“Wake-up. Wake-up mother. It is okay, we are here now.”

ONDE
“Is she okay?”

AVEN
“I don’t know.”

NETTE
“She’s not waking up.”

AVEN
“We need to get her home.” (turns to the Lampstick) “Could you lead us back home?”

The Lampstick nods yes. It slowly looks left and then right. It hops and starts off exiting stage-left. Onde stands carrying the Crone.

NETTE
“You going to be okay carrying her.”

ONDE
“Yeah, she is surprisingly light.”

Aven exits stage-left. Onde, carrying the Crone, follows her. Nette walks over to Heron and pats him on top.

NETTE
“Good job. Now lets go home.”

Nette and Heron exit stage-left.

FADE OUT

“The Not So Puppet Show #1 – Sing a New Song Chorus Verse” by Thomas Typewriter – a new script

Puppet play, scripts, The Not So Puppet Show, Uncategorized

———–<.thom.>———–

THE NOT SO PUPPET SHOW

An asymmetry without apologies

Episode #1

“Sing a New Song Chorus Verse”

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2026 jason arcand

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN

The Not So Puppet Show’s short title sequence plays.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

INT. THE MUSIC HALL OF FRANCIS SPEAKS TO FRANCIS UNIVERSITY, AFTERNOON
The Music Hall is built on a bisecting stage¹. The rear plates will be the Stage. It is a raised concert stage made of dark polished wood with a curved front. A conductor’s podium has been placed at the front of the curve. The back of the stage has no curtain but instead decorative panels made of a similar dark wood, each with a small light built into the design of the top. Curved rows of chairs and music stands have been set up for the musicians. The front plates will be the Seats. It has three rows of chairs. Each row goes from stage-left to stage-right across the stage. The individual chairs are of a simple kind that hinges down with minimal padding.

LS OF SEATS AND STAGE

The first row and second row are already filled with guests. Concertgoer #1-#6 in the first row. Concertgoer #7-#12 in the second row. THOMAS THEATREMANAGER enters from stage-right and walks down the third row of the Seats. He will sit on the chair to the stage-right side of the bisection. OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE-TYPEWRITER, PRIMO OPERAHOUSE-TYPEWRITER, and SECONDO OPERAHOUSE-TYPEWRITER follow behind him. They walk to the center of the row and sit down.

PAN IN TO MS OF THOMAS

The members of the City of Champions City Symphony start setting up on the stage. Violinist #1, Violinist #2, Violinist #3, Cellist #1, Cellist #2, and Cellist #3 enter stage-left. They filter out to the front row of chairs on the Stage. Trumpeter #1, Trumpeter #2, Trombonist #1, Frenchhorn #1, Flutist #1, Timpani #1 and Marimba #1 enter from stage-left and take up the seats in the second row of chairs on stage. All of the Audience, except Thomas, stand and applaud for the musicians. Thomas turns in his seat and faces the camera.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“I am here at Francis Speaks to Francis University with the family, attempting to hear to the City of Champion’s Symphony’s fall concert. It is a Sunday and I do not have to work. Primo and Secondo are now teenagers, and my time with them grows short. A limited window to show them this can be a world of wonders. And an even smaller window of funding to showcase these wonders due to my recent financial irresponsibility. I need to be creative. Thankfully, I have always been.”

Thomas turns to face the stage. The rows of chairs split in the middle, with the chairs on stage-right sliding to the stage-right. The chairs on the stage-left sliding to the left.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“Let me explain.”

In the newly opened area a giant brain made of building blocks is brought onto the stage by a pair of glowing hands. It is held together by the pressure of the two hands.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“Growing up I always felt broken. Like in the kind of way where my mind was all these different pieces barely being held together. That my parts were constantly slipping apart. Especially once my plurality attempted to be a singularity. Still, we were, sorry, (to self) I am Thomas and I accept these feelings and emotions are part of myself. (to camera) Sorry about that. As I was saying, I was far from perfect at holding it together. I often failed, but managed to pull it back together.”

Then the building block brain falls apart. As the parts are being reassembled, hear the HAMMERING OF A HAMMER ON AN ANVIL. Once the brain is reassembled, the sound of diminishes. The building block brain and hands pull backwards, leaving the visible are, as the two sides of the auditorium slide back into place.

SECONDO TYPEWRITER-OPERAHOUSE
(off-screen) “Dad…”

Thomas turns from looking at the audience and at Secondo in the chairs on the other side of the center.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“Yes.”

SECONDO TYPEWRITER-OPERAHOUSE
“I hope this starts soon.”

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“Me too. It shouldn’t be long now.”

SECONDO TYPEWRITER-OPERAHOUSE
“Good.”

Thomas swivels in his seat, so as to be looking behind him and out at the camera.

CUT TO CS OF THOMAS

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“These feelings of being on the edge, of being broken, persisted throughout my childhood. Persisted into adulthood, to today. But back then I thought school with its routines would be a stabilizing force but alas no. Often they amplified these feelings…”

CUT BACK

The auditorium splits in the middle again. The left side slides to the left while the right side slides to the right. From the back of the stage, a small classroom slides forward into the area between the orchestra. The small classroom is set-up as a side view of a sixth grade classroom. Two rows of three chairs go across the space with a teacher’s desk and small television on a rolling platform off to the stage-right side. MR. MYSELF&I stands next to the television. THOMAS TEENAGER sits in a center chair. OTHER STUDENT sits in one of the chairs in front of Thomas.

MR MYSELF&I
“Okay class, we are a little ahead in our lessons. Good job. Since we have some free time now, we are going to put on this video.”

Mr. MySelf&I pulls out a VHS tape from the shelf of the rolling cart the television is sitting on. He places the video in the VCR, waits for it to load, and then presses play. He exits stage-left and the lights in the classroom dim. A bright light throws out from the television bathing everyone in cathode light. Thomas gets a fearful look on his face. The Lady, THE LAD, AND THE LOCH appear in the desks next to Thomas. The Loch rolls itself into a bristle. Thomas moves in the exact same fashion. The Loch then starts to bark and growl at the screen. Thomas is frozen in panic.

THE LADY
“This is horrible.”

THE LAD
“Let’s get out of here. I do not want to watch anymore of this.”

The Lance raises his arm up at which time Thomas also moves his arm up in exact mimicry. In the background can be heard the sound of A HAMMER STRIKING METAL ON AN ANVIL. Thomas’ arm slacken as he is distracted by the sound. He looks around for its source. The Lad frustrated by Thomas’s loosing focus raises his arm up even more strongly. Thomas’s arm goes back to being fully raised and his head snaps forward.

MR. MYSELF&I
(off-stage) “Yes, Thomas?”

OTHER STUDENT
“Here goes Thomas going to say or do something weird again.”

THE LADY
(snapping head to look at Other Student) “That bitch. How dare they.”

The Lady returns her gaze to the front of the classroom. When she speaks Thomas also speaks at the same time, as if he is her puppet.

THE LADY & THOMAS TEENAGER
“Sorry Mr. MySelf&I, but would there be time for me to use the bathroom.”

OTHER STUDENT
“Oh, that wasn’t weird.”

THE LADY
(to self) “Fuck her. Saying Thomas is weird. What does she know.”

MR. MYSELF&I
“Yes. Make sure to grab the hallpass and you can go.”

THE LADY & THOMAS TEENAGER
“Thank you.”

The Lance stands and Thomas also stands at the same time and in the same way. The Lady also stands, slapping the Loch on the back of it’s head where it then stands. The small classroom is pulled off the stage. The zones of the stage slide back together. Thomas lifts his arm and puts it across the seat to the side of him allowing him to pivot and face the camera.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“I don’t know why, but through all the cracks in my life, the cracks in my personality, the cracks in my mind, cracks in words when their letters moved and changed, you get the idea, a sense of a blacksmith hammering at a forge slipped through. Red hair, orange fire, sparks of starlight. Slips and glimpses. A face beautiful but also scarred. So it is no surprise to me that I ended up worshiping that marvelous lady of the forge, Brighid. She has always been there in my life, in the background. I thought she was my sole muse. Little did I know.”

The City of Champions Orchestra comes onto the stage. The musicians sit down and tune their instruments as THE CONDUCTOR enters stage-right.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“And the great show begins.”

Thomas turns around to watch the stage. Meanwhile the Conductor walks to the podium in the center of the orchestra and bows to the musicians. He then turns and faces the auditorium chairs and the audience thereby contained. He bows. When he straightens back up he addresses the audience.

THE CONDUCTOR
“Thank you everyone for joining us today. This is our second concert of our season, so we are glad to have you out. Today’s program is called Pictures. We will start with Elar’s Serenade for Strings in e minor, then move into Lizt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 in c minor, Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante defunte before ending our concert with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.”

The Conductor turns to face the musicians. He picks up his baton and taps on the music stand. The musicians raise their instruments to the ready position. He signals to start and the City of Champions Orchestra starts to play Serenade in Strings in e minor. Thomas turns to face the camera.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“And through the first song, I found it nice. Not exactly the kind of music that revs my brain, but pretty nonetheless. It gave me time and spare mental bandwidth to appreciate the musicians. They were really skilled and all of this was done on a volunteer basis. Like how amazing was it that they lived complete lives and still somehow made time to ALSO do this. How amazing is that.”

The orchestra begins to play in fast forward.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“ Inspired by the talent and dedication on display, I decided to look with my quote-unquote mystic eye. Brighid was there spreading her energies across the musicians. And it was what happened next that is interesting.”

The sets slide apart from the middle again. Though this time the audience slides fully left and right, while the orchestra only slide half as far left-and right. There needs to be enough space between the two sides of the orchestra to allow a figure to approach but also allow the orchestra to still be seen. From the back shadows of the center space out walks BRIGHID THE BLESSED. She is a tall muscular female with fiery red hair. One side of her face is fair while the other is covered in scars and burns. She wears a simple leggings under a blacksmith’s apron. She is wearing a shawl that trails out to long ribbons and streamers so that when she moves and swings there is a flowing undulation to the movements. She moves along the musicians sweeping her streamers across them as they play. Every musician she touches becomes more focused and confident in the manner they play. The orchestra plays even faster, quickly reaching the end of the song. They bring their instruments to pause as the Conductor looks around. He then signals for the ready, and they raise their instruments to the ready position. He signals and they start playing Lizt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 in c minor. As they play, Brighid the Blessed dances among them, inspiring each. As the song picks up tempo, hidden behind the musicians, AHN’PHERA THE SURPRISE AND THE JOY emerges. They are a thin and tall androgynous figure, dressed in shiny black tap shoes, tan oversized khaki pants held up with black suspenders over a white button up cotton long-sleeve shirt. They have a short haircut with a side part and long bangs swooping over to cover their face. They are bouncing a yellow ball. They move through the back of the musicians, staying hidden, but taking sudden acrobatic or dance moves when a loud note is hit and then sinking into the background. They will also be bouncing the ball around the stage as they move.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“It was then I noticed a second spirit of inspiration. Moving in the background, I could catch fleeting views. Small details. Androgynous. Dressed like a dancer. Moving like some cross of Gene Kelly and Charley Chaplin. They were hypnotic. Then when the song goes into the second section and surprises me, they leap out.”

As the orchestra shifts to playing the friska portion of the piece, Ahn’Phera jumps out to the center of the stage. They dance and clown around Brighid the Blessed, pointing to each of the elements that jumps in unexpectedly.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“I said who is this, and I instantly knew. This was Ahn’Phera, the muse and goddess of surprises in art. They are working through all the artists proving that unexpected element that makes the work interesting and vibrant. Surprises not only for the audience, but also the artist.”

Brighid and Ahn’Phera’s dancing becomes more energetic and lively as the song reaches its crescendo. The piece ends, the two deities pause. Ahn’Phera throws the yellow ball off-stage over the musicians’ heads and silently back flips out of view. Brighid glides out of view. The Audience claps in applause. The two sides of the stage slide back together. The audience members all stand and continue to clap. Thomas slows his clap and rotates to talk to the camera.

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“And in the days that would follow, I would ponder what I had seen here. Here was a new muse, but where this was my first full viewing of them, their fingerprints spread across my whole life. The films I did not expect to be good and then turned out great. The song that comes on the radio that you stop what you are doing and have to sing along to. A quick glimpse of something beautiful as you are commuting. That time you accidentally get bumped and end up in the right spot to see angles and ornamentation of the buildings line up. That time the story took a left turn. Hell, anytime any art takes a sudden turn. The world has Bridghit looking over all artists and helping them, among her many duties, but it also has Ahn’Phera dancing in and out ensuring that art has surprises and interesting texture. That is a world I can believe in. A world I can have hope that I can find joy. Blessed be Brighid. Blessed be Ahn’Phera.”

Thomas nods his head in a short prayer then turns back to his family.

THOMAS THEATREMANGER
“Wow. Was that something or was it not? I am so glad I came out with all of you.”

SECONDO OPERAHOUSE-TYPEWRITER
“Thanks Dad. Glad to be here too.”

PRIMO OPERAHOUSE-TYPEWRITER
“I wonder what will be next?”

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“That is the question, isn’t it.”

SECONDO OPERAHOUSE-TYPEWRITER
“What ever it is, I’m sure it will be great.”

THOMAS THEATREMANAGER
“I bet you’re right. Now lets quiet down and listen. They are about to start the next song.”

PAN OUT

FADE OUT

¹A Bisecting Stage is a specially constructed and laid out stage. It will be constructed in a way that the stage will be divided in four sections. The front and rear of the stage will be separated. Then the front and rear will also be divided into left and right sections. Each section will be built on a movable plate. This will require four plates. The plates will allow the front part of the stage to be pulled apart followed by the rear part of the stage to be pulled apart. This will allow a third area of the stage to opened up that will be referred to as the Imaginary Section.

“The Great Works Project: Season Six, Episode Thirteen” by Thomas Typewriter – a new script

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 06, Episode 13

an epilogue

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2025 jason arcand

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN


From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “06-13”. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge. A second set of scripts follows. From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “an epilogue”. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge. A third set of script scrolls up once the second has left the screen. From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “The Keys to Sadness”. 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


EXT. THE DOWNHILL, MORNING
The Downhill is the region just past the Hilltop. A traveler through these realms will usually appear in the Sand Dunes, walk to the Hilltop across a landscape that shifts from sand to scrub. They will encounter the Ghostly in the forested area of the Hilltop. Continuing along the trail, they will emerge from the forested Hilltop to a more open gentle downward slope, the Downhill, on their way to the mixed grassland and prairie of The Flatland.

LS OF THE DOWNHILL

THOMAS TYPEWRITER emerges from the forest and works his way down the slope. He follows the trail to a point where it splits. A signpost stands at the split. It is a tall pole covered in a colorful collection of Morning Glories. There are two signs on the post, each pointing down a different trail. One sign has the following text: “THISville”. The other has the following text: “THATville”. The region between the two diverging paths is a prairie grassland filled with many tall grasses and colorful wild flowers.

VARIOUS SHOTS OF THOMAS WALKING DOWN THE TRAIL AND APPROACHING THE SIGN.

MS OF THOMAS LOOKING AT THE SIGN

Thomas stops and looks at the signs.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thisville or Thatville? Thisville? Thatville? Not really a lot to go on there.”

CUT TO CS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL SIGN AND THEN PANNING TO LOOK DOWN THE TRAIL.

Down the THISville trail is a city in the distance filled with many tall white-ish buildings against a background of dark smoke and clouds. The many buildings seem to be built with outlines of golden light. Glittering shapes can be slighly seen moving through the skies over THISville. Down the THATville trail in the distance is many tall dark colored buildings against a backdrop of greyish white smoke and clouds. The buildings are filled with windows illuminated by harsh flourescent lighting. Glittering shapes can also be seen flittering over the skies here also.


CUT BACK

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Which way do I go. She was not very short on details when it came to which was which. One way looks to be cheerful buildings but the sky is so dark and ominous. The other way has a bright sky but those buildings look so harsh. Is either way better than the other? Do I go that way or the other?”

Thomas looks back and forth down the trails.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“This is so my luck. I find some clue and guide on what to do next and but it turns out it wasn’t enough. Why does this keep happening to me. (pauses) Deep breath. Panicking and self-pity will get me no closer. Okay, take stock of what is known, then act. (A little drawn out as he is thinking out loud) I know there are two paths. Additionally that ghostly lady said there were two different cities ahead. She also said I needed to choose carefully. Yet, did she really offer any insight into which city was a better choice. She claimed she did, but I don’t know. Is this even a choice I should be making. Am I suppose to be on some mystical otherworldly vision trip to discover a deeper meaning to my life or another one of those deep dreams I get every week?”

Thomas Typewriter sits down.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I’ll just sit here till I figure this out. (to self) Okay so you follow the trail, meet the lady, get told there are two paths and then have to choose a path. The path splits to two choices. A bright-dark city or a dark-bright city. It is just so binary. I hate being forced to choose. Yet…do I have to? Is it really only two choices or have I just limited my view. Forwards is backwards. There are no fences or walls, so in theory I could go any direction.”

Thomas looks around.

CUT TO MONTAGE OF WILDFLOWERS AND GRASS. SEE BIRDS AND INSECTS.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(voice-over) “This place is so peaceful. Reminds me of the hay fields where I grew up.”

Thomas’s breathing slows. He extends his breathe in and extends his breathing out. He settles into a four count in, pause, four count out, pause, repeat rhythm.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I know what I am going to do. Instead of walking one of the two paths, I am going to keep walking forward.”
Thomas leaves the trail and starts walking through the grasses and prairie. Butterflies, Dragonflies, Moths and Lacewings buzz around him. Songbirds flitter through the air over him. Thomas smiles at all the beauty around him.

MONTAGE OF THOMAS WALKING THROUGH THE PRAIRIE BETWEEN THE TWO PATHS.

As Thomas walks he the grasses are getting higher and higher. They are ankle high at the start but soon they are shown up to his rib cage. He is actually sweating from the exertion to move through the thicker parts of the prairie.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Really starting to doubt my choice here. This is hard.”

In front of Thomas is a glitter of metal in the grasses. Thomas stops and looks down, parting the grass.

CUT TO CS OF AN OLD KEY IN THE SOIL.

Thomas picks up the key and starts to clean it off.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“What is this doing here? What’s your story?”

Thomas sinks into the grass and down into the soil. He is too focused on the key, turning it over and over, to notice the sinking.

PAN DOWN FOLLOWING THOMAS WHILE ALSO ZOOMING IN ON THE KEY.

In the soil we see Thomas drift one way and the key drifts out of his hand.

PAN DOWN FOLLOWING THE KEY AS IT SINKS

The key sinks through the soil. The dirt grows darker and darker transitioning to a black field.

PAN STOPS

The key falls through the darkness exiting through the bottom of the frame.

CUT TO A SERIES OF CLOSE SHOTS OF THE KEY TUMBLING THROUGH DARKNESS

TRANSITION TO THE LOW-STAGE

THE LOW-STAGE: EXT. THE WIDE WATERS OF THE CIRCULAR RIVER, NIGHT
The Low-Stage is initially dark. A crescent moon rises. It’s soft light illuminates a small sailboat, THE MONUMENT, on the wide section of the CIRCULAR RIVER. The figure of WILLIAM SCOTT FRANCIS KEYES falls in from above the frame landing in the boat. The boat rocks from the vibration, soon settling back into the gentle quiet rhythm of the waves. The title card or title graphic appears superimposed over the scene. It reads “THE KEYS OF SADNESS”. It fades away. The moon sets and the sun rises. As the sun fully crests the horizon, William wakes. He can be seen sitting up in the boat, stretching, and reaching for the rudder. William raises the sail, secures the line. First he secures the rudder. The sail billows, capturing wind. The boat sails exiting stage-left.

CUT TO MS OF WILLIAM SAILING THE BOAT.

CUT TO LS

The Monument sails in from stage-left, sails across the frame, and exits stage-right.

PAN TO THE LEFT SIDE PANEL

The left paneling on the Low-Stage slides open. Inside is a smaller stage displaying the Circular River in the past. From stage-left enters a small sailboat, THE MOMENT, piloted by GRANDPA KEYES. YOUNG WILLIAM sits next to him.

LS OF THE MOMENT MOVING ACROSS THE WATER.

CUT TO MS OF WILLIAM AND GRANDPA

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Grandpa?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Yes.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Thank you for taking me sailing with you.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“My pleasure.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Grandpa?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Somebody was bit by the question bug this morning.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Sorry.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“No, I didn’t mean it that way. Go ahead and ask your question.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Okay. How do you know where to go? Isn’t it confusing?”

Grandpa Keyes looks away from the horizon and down at Young William.

GRANDPA KEYES
“Here, hold this please.”

Young William takes hold of the rudder. Grandpa Keys then reaches to the box and grabs out a map.

GRANDPA KEYES
“The first step is a map. Know the symbols and you will never be lost. Anyone shown you how to read a map?”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“No.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“You want to learn?”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Yes.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Okay. Okay, the first thing we want to look for is landmarks. Then we want to find the rose, or north point, to orientate.”

PAN BACK FROM LEFT SIDE PANEL TO THE LOW-STAGE

The Monument sails into the frame from stage-left. William Francis Scott Keyes is consulting a map. He alternates between scanning the horizon and scanning the map, gently nudging the rudder to course-correct as he goes. When the Monument reaches the center of the frame, the wind dies down. The sails deflate and the boat comes to a stop in the center of the frame. The sky darkens and the stage lighting takes on a grayish color.

PAN TO THE STAGE-RIGHT.

The Right Side Panel slides open. It is filled with a dark void. Down floats THOMAS TYPEWRITER. He hovers in the darkness looking at what is occurring on the LOW-STAGE and LEFT SIDE PANEL.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(voice-over) “Is this a vision?”

PAN BACK TO LOW-STAGE

A light rain advances across the stage. A gust of wind hits the sails pushing them. William reaches to steady them, but lets the map slip. It flutters off exiting the frame stage-left.

PAN STAGE-LEFT FOLLOWING THE MAP AS IT BLOWS OUT OF THE CENTER LOW-STAGE AND INTO THE LEFT SIDE PANEL.

FRAME IN ON THE LEFT-SIDE PANEL

In the left-side panel, Grandpa Keyes is still sailing with Young William Keyes in the Moment.

CUT TO MS OF GRANDPA KEYES AND YOUNG WILLIAM

GRANDPA KEYES
“Now, the map is a starting point. It can get you were you need, but it relies on your observations. Can you match the symbols to the landscape around you? Not always so easy. To help us we have the second tool, and possibly one of the most important, the compass.

YOUNG WILLIAM
“I thought the compass was on the map?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Yes, there is a compass on the map, but I am talking about a physical compass. The compass on the map only tells you where North is relative to the landmarks on the map. A physical compass always points north, and through that you can figure out or set your heading.

YOUNG WILLIAM
“How does it work?”

CUT TO CS OF THE COMPASS IN GRANDPA KEYES HANDS

GRANDPA KEYES
(voice-over) “First you hold it flat and let the needle settle pointing north…” (voice over trails off)

PAN FROM SIDE-PANEL BACK TO LOW-STAGE

Go back to the Monument sailing into some rain. William is tying off the sail when we return. A light rain falls down on him. He puts on a raincoat and reaches into a dry box for his compass.

INSERT CS OF THE COMPASS.

WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES
(voice-over) “Like Grandpa showed us. Hold level. Let the needle settle. Remember the compass wants to help us find our way, it just needs our help.

William grips the center ring of the compass with a finger tip resting on North-East.

WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES
(voice-over) “Let it know where home is. I was heading North-East before I lost the map, so that is home little friend.”

William rotates the compass ring until North-East lines up with the north facing end of the compass needle.

WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES
“Now let the compass show you the way.

He then turns his hand until the North facing point of the needle lines back up with north.

CUT BACK TO MS OF WILLIAM

WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES
(pointing) “That way.”

He loosens the sail line a short bit and grabs the tiller. He does all this with one hand since the other is holding the compass.

CUT TO LS OF THE MONUMENT

The boat slowly changes direction in the rain. Lightning starts flashing in the distance. As the boat sails, the lighting grows closer. THUNDER can be heard. The first rumble is far off. The second strikes closer. The third boom is close, with little gap between lighting and thunder. A lightning bolt hits the water next to the Monument.

CUT TO MS OF WILLIAM

William throws up his hands to shield his face from the light. THE THUNDER detonates, rocking him back into his seat. His arm with the compass flies up, the compass slipping from his grip.

CUT TO CS OF THE COMPASS. FOLLOW IT.

It arcs through the air landing in the water, quickly sinking below the waves.

CUT BACK TO LS OF THE MONUMENT

The Monument floats in the water. There is a burn mark on the side nearest the lightning strike. Luckily, the boat was only singed and not on fire. William is lying back on the floor of the boat recovering from the intense flash of light and loud noise.

PAN OVER FROM LOW-STAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE-PANEL

LS OF THE MOMENT SAILING THE CIRCULAR RIVER

CUT TO MS OF GRANDPA KEYES AND YOUNG WILLIAM

Young William is holding the compass while Grandpa Keyes is navigating the boat.

GRANDPA KEYES
“There you go, you’re getting it. (pause) Now, at some points in your life, you’ll find yourself without a map or a compass or any tools.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Then what.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“You do like your ancestors and use the stars.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“How so.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“There are patterns in this world, and if you know how to read them, you can get a sense of where you’ve been, where you are and just possibly where your going. When we are sailing, the stars are an alternate guide we can use.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“They are patterns?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“We can see patterns in them, yes, and use those patterns to help us. It is too bright to see all of them right now, but the starting point star we can make out during the day. Tonight, when we get back home, I’ll take you out to the backyard and show you the constellations. But for now, let’s focus on the North Star.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Does it point north?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“It is always in the north, and bright enough to see during the afternoon and evening. Why don’t you use your compass to find north, and then see if you can spot it.”

Young William looks and uses the compass. Finding the north direction, he looks up and starts to scan the horizon.

CUT TO LS OF THE MOMENT

The Moment sails out of the frame, exiting stage-left.

PAN FROM THE LEFT-SIDE PANEL TO THE LOW STAGE

Night has fallen and there is a break in the storm clouds. The sky is filled with stars. William Francis Scott Keyes comes to and gets up. He rubs his head and looks around, checking on the state of the boat. Deeming it still sea-worthy, he sits at the back. He places his hand on the rudder, but hesitates to move it. He looks around trying to remember which way he was previously headed. He can not recall.

WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES
“Okay. Look for the patterns and you might be able to tell where your headed. First find the North star.”

William scans the sky, finally locating the North Star.

WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES
“There it is. Okay, Mama Bear is leading Baby Bear north except the Dragon crawls between them to the west. There, Baby Bear and Mama Bear. Between them is the Dragon. And if his head is over there, and he is heading west, then east is the other way. That means North-East is that way.”

William points and moves the rudder.

CUT TO LS OF THE MONUMENT

The Monument slowly corrects course as it sails out of frame, exiting stage-left.

CUT TO LS OF THE CIRCULAR RIVER FURTHER ALONG

It sails back into the frame further down the vast Circular River. The night sky has a gap in the storm clouds allowing the stars to be seen shining in the sky. The approaching storm clouds are significantly darker than the receding storm clouds. A heavy storm approaches.

LS OF THE MOMUMENT. PAN WITH THE MONUMENT SO AS IT STAYS IN THE CENTER OF THE FRAME.

The heavy storm rolls across the stage. Heavy rains batter the boat while strong winds push at the sails. William Francis Scott Keyes struggles to pull in the sails and secure the lines. The water becomes choppier. The storm pushes waves of increasing size against the boat.

CUT TO MS OF WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES

William is struggling to secure the gear but the waves are cresting over the side of the boat knocking him back and forth. He finally gives up and grabs onto the seat.

CUT TO CS OF WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES’ FACE

William closes his eyes and grips tight.

WILLIAM FRANCIS SCOTT KEYES
(to self) “Hold on.”

PAN OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE-PANEL

LS OF THE CIRCULAR RIVER IN THE PAST

The Moment sails in from stage-right. Young William is looking ahead, while Grandpa Keyes is at the rudder.

GRANDPA KEYES
“There is one last thing to discuss if you want to learn how to sail.”

WILLIAM KEYES
“Does it apply to life as much as sailing.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Everything in sailing applies to life, but yes this most definitely does.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“What is it then?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Here it is: Hold on.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“That’s it?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“That’s it.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
(looks at Grandpa for a moment) “Is this a joke?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“No, I am serious.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“I don’t get it. When would I need to do that?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Oh, you’d be surprised. Sometimes, in spite of all your preparedness, all your skill, you end up in trouble. And when that happens, the only thing you can do is grab hold of something and endure until the trouble passes.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Oh. Okay.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“But it is also hold on to the good moments in your life. Memories of time with loved ones, memories of success, memories of forgiveness, moments of kindness, connection. A good memory can keep up your strength while you hold on, while you waiting out the storm.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“What do you think of Grandpa?”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Your Grandma.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“Really.”

GRANDPA KEYES
“Absolutely. I think back to when we were kids and I remember her laugh. It was a great laugh. Her whole face filled with joy. I also think about how even though I was not the nicest to her, she still took a chance on me. If she, a person who could be filled, beaming, with joy and good saw something good in me, maybe I can believe there is.”

YOUNG WILLIAM
“That’s pretty cool Grandpa.”

They sail in silence for a few moments.

YOUNG WILLIAM
“If it is alright with you, I think I’d like to remember this. Our time together.”

Grandpa Keyes reaches over and puts a hand on Young William’s shoulder. He squeezes it then lets go.

PAN OUT SO AS BOTH THE LOW-STAGE, THE LEFT SIDE-PANEL, AND THE RIGHT SIDE-PANEL ARE VISIBLE.

In the left Side-Panel, The Moment lazily sails down the Circular River. In the Low-Stage, the Monument struggles in the storm. The rain stops and the waves sink. The water grows calm. Meanwhile over in the Right Side-Panel, Thomas Typewriter floats in a void watching the events unfolding in the Low-Stage and the Left Side-Panel. Back in the Low-Stage, William Francis Scott Keyes sits up. He takes a moment to look around and see the storm has passed. He cheers in triumph at having survived the storm. He reaches under the bench and pulls out a bucket. He starts to scoop out the water in the boat. In the left Sid-Panel, Young William hears William Francis Scott Keyes shout and looks at him bailing out water. He leans over and says something to his grandfather. Grandpa Keyes nods in agreement. He then hands the map to Young William who folds the map into a boat shape. When finished, Grandpa Keyes hands him the compass. He puts it into the boat and leans over the side of the boat supported by Grandpa Keyes. The paper boat bobs on top of the water. Young William gives it a gentle push and it sails towards the Low-Stage, exiting the Left Side-Panel. Young William and Grandpa Keyes return to their seats. The Moment sails out of frame and the Left Side-Panel closes.


PAN AWAY FROM THE LEFT SIDE-PANEL, SO AS TO FRAME JUST THE LOW-STAGE AND THE RIGHT SIDE-PANEL.

In the Low-Stage, William Francis Scott Keyes continues to bail out the boat. From the side of the frame closest to the Left Side-Panel drifts in the boat made from the folded map. The paper boat bumps into the Monument. William sees it as he dumps a bucket of water. He leans over and retrieves the little boat. He takes out the compass and sets it down near the rudder. He then unfolds the map and looks around the horizon. He sits down at the rudder and turns the boat. It sails out of frame. The curtains on the Low-Stage close.

PAN OVER TO FRAME ONLY THE RIGHT SIDE-PANEL.

Thomas Typewriter floating in the void, drifts up and out of view of the Right Side-Panel.

PAN OUT TO SHOW ALL OF LOW-STAGE AND THE TWO SIDE-PANELS

The lights illuminating the Low-Stage and Side-Panels dim and flicker turning off.

FADE OUT.

“The Great Works Project: Season 06, Episode 12” by Thomas Typewriter

The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 06, Episode 12

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2025 jason arcand

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN

THE VELVET CURTAIN

MS OF THE VELVET CURTAIN

A velvet stage curtain fills the frame. From below the frame THE VELVET TOUCH emerges. Remember that the Velvet Touch is a Helping Hand that wears long finger-less fishnet gloves. Each of their fingers, except the pinkies, are painted with a black or dark shade of fingernail polish. For this one episode, they are wearing bracelets made of various sized keys. The Velvet Touch waves at the camera and then reaches below the frame for a large cue card. They show the blank side to the camera and then rotate it. On the back, the cue card has the following text written in two columns:

an outsider… a color…
an artist… a letter…
a spirit… two paths…

The Velvet Touch rotates the cue card once more. The other side now displays the following text: “06-12”. The Velvet Touch moves off-screen. The text scrolls up exiting through the top of the frame. From the bottom of the frame scrolls up the following text: “meanwhile and elsewhere”

PAN IN ON THE DARK BEHIND THE VELVET CURTAIN

FADE OUT TO BLACK

GRIGIO COLORI
(offscreen) “From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “meanwhile…”. It moves upwards, pausing in the center of the frame.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

EXT. THE LONG HILLS, DAYTIME
The Long Hills are a connecting region appearing as a hilly combination of flowering prairie and rolling grassy plains. THE OUTER ONE and GRIGIO COLORI walk along one of the hills.

MS OF OUTER ONE AND GRIGIO AS THEY WALK ACROSS THE LONG HILLS

THE OUTER ONE
“Meanwhile? Doesn’t it say elsewhere.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“No. Meanwhile.”

THE OUTER ONE
“But when I read it earlier it said elsewhere.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Don’t know what to tell you. It says meanwhile. Here look.”

THE OUTER ONE
“Okay, I believe you. It just seemed kind of out of character for the transitions Thomas was using before now.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“I agree.”

THE OUTER ONE
“Okay. Could Thomas be changing the script. I thought it was already published, but I swear that it said something different before.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Maybe. That did seem to be a concern for Biff and Rockey in the first season scripts.”

THE OUTER ONE
“But how would we know?”

GRIGIO COLORI
“As a character from said story, I don’t think I am the best person to know if it changed.”

THE OUTER ONE
“Weird.”

There is a long pause.

THE OUTER ONE
“Oh well. Wa la wa. Doesn’t really change our goal does it.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“No it does not.”

THE OUTER ONE
“I still need to get my hand and arm fixed.”

The Outer One holds up his right arm and looks at how it is a translucent form filled with glitching text and symbols. The glitching flesh has now spread past his elbow and up to his bicep.

GRIGIO COLORI
“Yikes. That you do! What happens when if that reaches your head?”

THE OUTER ONE
“Don’t know and don’t want to find out.”

There is another pause.

GRIGIO COLORI
“So, should I keep reading?”

THE OUTER ONE
“Oh…yes, please do. We are almost to Swordpoint but we should have enough time to get a little more in.

GRIGIO COLORI
“From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the word Meanwhile. It pauses a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge.”

TRANSITION FROM THE LONG HILLS TO THE HILLTOP

THE CAMERA PANS UP FROM THE OUTER ONE AND GRIGIO COLORI TO THE SKY ABOVE THEM. IT PANS ACROSS THE SKY AS THE CLOUDS GIVE WAY TO STARS.


THE CAMERA PANS DOWN FROM THE STARS, DOWN ACROSS A DIFFERENT SKY AND ONTO THE HILLTOP

EXT. THE DOWNHILL
The Downhill is the region just past the Hilltop. It is a gently sloping hillside covered in prairie and wildflowers with solitary trees scattered across. The flowers and grasses are only about shin height. A trail leads out from the Hilltop and down the slope to a large signpost. The trail then splits at the signpost forking to two trails. One trail goes out through the wildflowers and down across the Downhills to a city in the distance. It is far away and difficult to see fine details, but it appears to have many bright warm lights, tall buildings, and a sky overfilled with fluffy clouds in shades of white, sunrise yellow, mid-day blue, and sunset red. The other path also leads off to a city in the distance. This city is also far away and difficult to discern fine detail. What is visible is many tall buildings, tall smokestacks, flickering lights and a sky filled with grey smoke and haze.


LS OF THE DOWNHILL

THOMAS TYPEWRITER emerges from the Hilltop and works his way down the slope. He follows the trail to the point it splits. A signpost stands at the split. It has an arrow pointing down each branch of the trail. One arrow has the following text written on it: “THIStle”. The other has the following text written on it: “THATtle”.

VARIOUS SHOTS OF THOMAS WALKING DOWN THE TRAIL AND APPROACHING THE SIGN.


Thomas stops and looks at the signs.

MS OF THOMAS LOOKING AT THE SIGN

CUT TO CS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL SIGN AND THEN PANNING TO LOOK DOWN THE TRAIL.

CUT BACK

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“This might be easier if the Ghostly could of remembered the part explaining what each city was.”

OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT AS THOMAS ONCE AGAIN LOOKS DOWN EACH TRAIL.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“How do I decide. She said one city might be good and the other bad. I imagine most everyone goes to that city that looks bright. But this is a faerie-tale kind-of scenario. Maybe it only looks good and has evil hidden under the surface, like an allegory for how appearances can be deceiving. Or it could actually be good and be an allegory for like turning your spiritual lead into gold. Conversely the other city looks awful like it could be an allegory for toxic habits. Or it could be cursed to look evil and you have break the curse as an allegory for removing your destructive layers to find the spiritual self underneath. How do I decide. How do I decide? How do I decide? How…How, How, How, How…”

Thomas grips his heart and then his head. He starts to hyperventilate. Leaning over, he works to sit down in a cross legged position. He places his hands on his knees, palm up, and starts to breathe in and breathe out.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“In…1…2…3…4…Out…1…2…3…4…In…1…2…3…4…Out…1…2…3…4…In…1…2…3…4…Out…1…2…3…4…and you are safe. You and calm.”

Thomas shifts his hands up to rub his face and refocus.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Started to freak out there. I’ve got to calm down. I’ll just sit here till I figure this out.”

Thomas sits and looks down each path and also the surrounding fields. Then his attention focuses on the fields of wildflowers.

CUT TO MONTAGE OF WILDFLOWERS AND GRASS. SEE BIRDS AND INSECTS.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(voice-over) “It is actually pretty here. I wonder how many of these travelers notice that. They might be in such a hurry they overlook the area around the trail. Reminds me of the hay fields where I grew up.”

CUT BACK

Thomas looks at the two signs.

CUT TO MONTAGE OF SHOTS OF THE SIGN POST

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(voice-over) “Do we really have to follow the trails? Like there doesn’t seem to be anything to physically keep us limited to the path. Instead of choosing one or the other, why don’t I not choose. I think I’d rather walk among the flowers and songbirds than walk to either of those cities.”

He stands and dusts off his pants. He then looks at the signpost.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thank you world for the two paths, but I think I am going to go with option three.”

Thomas walks past the signpost and into the wildflower fields.

CUT TO MONTAGE OF THOMAS WALKING THROUGH THE WILD FLOWER FIELDS.

As Thomas walks across the wildflower fields off the path, he starts to sink and stumble. The ground is uneven and he is unable to walk in a straight line. Also the ground is slowly sinking lower, but the top of the wildflowers remain at the same height. Thomas gets lower and lower in the wildflowers soon swallowed up to his ribs. He is sweating and breathing heavy.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I did not think this through did I? Is it too late to turn back?.

A glint of light splashes across Thomas’s face. Thomas turns his head as if noticing something. He steps forward and kneels down and parts the grass.

CUT TO MS OF THOMAS LEANING OVER

CUT TO CS OF THE GRASS

As the grass parts, there is something metallic partially buried in the dirt.

INSERT CS OF AN OLD KEY IN THE SOIL.

A sunbeam comes out and the exposed metallic parts glitter. Thomas picks up the key and starts to clean it off.

CUT BACK TO MS OF THOMAS

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“What is this?”

Thomas intently studies the key, turning it over and over as he stands. He starts to walk forward, distracted by the key. Failing to notice he is sinking, Thomas disappears from view down into the wildflowers. The flowers and grasses pushed aside by his presence slip back into their regular stances as is he was never there.

TRANSITION FROM THE DOWNHILL TO THE SWORD POINT

THE CAMERA PANS UP FROM THE WILDFLOWERS TO THE SKY ABOVE. IT PANS ACROSS THE SKY AS THE CLOUDS GIVE WAY TO STARS.

THE CAMERA PANS DOWN FROM THE STARS, DOWN ACROSS A DIFFERENT SKY AND ONTO SWORD POINT.

EXT. SWORD POINT, LATE AFTERNOON
A series of gentle hills overlook a central stone platform. There is a kind of white light on the platform, but it is too far away to accurately make out. Running out from the stone platform is a labyrinthine queue of people, snaking back and forth on itself. It spreads out across the vast field the stone platform sits in the center of and out to the slopes of the surrounding hills. The queue’s path is marked by pylons and chains. Scattered amongst the queue are nine stations with an entry gate, an awning, and a bouncer attendant .

LS OF THE SWORD POINT AND QUEUE

From the hill in the lower edge of the frame, THE OUTER ONE and GRIGIO COLORI enter.


THE OUTER ONE
“Here we are.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Swordpoint?”

THE OUTER ONE
“Swordpoint.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Wow. That is a lot people.”

THE OUTER ONE
“Yup.”

MS OF THE OUTER ONE AND GRIGIO

GRIGIO COLORI
“So how does this work?”

THE OUTER ONE
“We go to the end of the line. Wait our turn. Then we ask our question.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“That easy?”

THE OUTER ONE
“That easy.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“But the line is massive. How long will be waiting.”

THE OUTER ONE
“Centuries. Unless you pay for quicker access.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Lets do that. So what do we have to do?”

THE OUTER ONE
“Well, we go to one of the Gatekeepers and pay. The amount of value the payment generates will determine how further up the line we get.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Ohhh. (pause) And you have the waiting fee?”

THE OUTER ONE
“A little. I’m down to three copies.”

The Outer One turns and starts walking towards Swordpoint. Grigio follows behind.

FADE OUT

“The Great Works Project: Season Six, Episode Eleven” by Thomas Typewriter

Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 6, Episode 11

by Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2025 jason arcand

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN


From the center of a blank screen scrolls upward rapidly the following text: “06-11”. It enters from the bottom of the frame and moves up, pausing in the center before continuing upward. It exits through the top of the frame.


FADE OUT


The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING rings out from the darkness.


FADE IN


INT. THE HILLTOPS, EVENING
A rounded hill of scrubland stands at the juncture or overlap of vast rolling sand dunes of white, brown, and gold sand meeting a large primeval forest dotted with swaths of prairie flowers. A walking path runs across the Hilltops. Near the center of the Hilltops, just next to the path is a tall post made of irregular length boards roughly nailed together. Hanging from the top of the signpost is an elaborate stained glass lamp, currently lit, suspended on an intricate golden chain. Numerous vines of morning glories, runner beans, and trumpet vines grow up the post. A little further down the path from the signpost sits THOMAS TYPEWRITER, Z-MOUSE, and The GHOSTLY around a camp fire. All of them are eating pizza and drinking soda.
LS OF THOMAS, Z-MOUSE, AND GHOSTLY

Z-MOUSE
(to Thomas) “So what brings you around Thomas.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I was working for Ophidia, and needed a break.”

CUT TO MS OF THOMAS AND Z-MOUSE

Z-MOUSE
“How’s that going?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Good.”

CUT TO CS OF THE GHOSTLY

THE GHOSTLY
“Who’s Ophidia?”

CUT TO CS OF THOMAS

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“An animator and also my fiance.”

CUT TO CS OF GHOSTLY

THE GHOSTLY
“Oh. Congratulations.”

CUT TO MS OF THOMAS, Z-MOUSE, AND GHOSTLY

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thank you. So I was working for Ophidia and it was just so boring. I don’t know how she can stand it but animating is not for me. The inside of my head was just screaming louder and louder. I needed a break. Closed my eyes and turned inwards. ”

Z-MOUSE
“I must admit I am surprised to see you here.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Yeah, me too. I really thought I was going to end up in the Writer’s Room. Speaking of the Writer’s Room, how is it going? Any progress?”


Z-Mouse shakes his head.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Oh well. How about you? Why aren’t you at the meeting.”


Z-MOUSE
“The dreams were pulling me too strongly to stay awake. Next thing I know I am here.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“And where is here exactly?”


THE GHOSTLY
“This is the Hilltop. The spot where the Sands and the Valleys overlap. All travelers having survived thirst or flood find themselves here before moving onto the Fields.”

Z-MOUSE
“Hilltop? That’s the name of this place?”

THE GHOSTLY
“Truly.”

Z-MOUSE
“That makes your whole speech make more sense.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So this is like a warning speech?”

Z-MOUSE
“Oh yeah, the Ghostly haunts this trail.”

THE GHOSTLY
“Truly, it is my burden to warn all travelers of the choices they must make when they venture beyond to the Fields.”

Z-MOUSE
“She appears to every traveler and delivers this light show and monologue. A real production. It is really quite a show. You should see it.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Could I?”

CUT TO CS OF GHOSTLY

THE GHOSTLY
“I don’t know. It’s embarrassing and I’d rather not. I’m enjoying this. Just eating some pizza and hanging out. I don’t get to do this kind of thing very often.”

CUT TO MS OF THOMAS AND Z-MOUSE

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Oh please.”

Z-MOUSE
“Don’t be embarrassed.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Pretty please.”

Z_MOUSE
“Pretty please with a cherry on top.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Yes, cherry on top. And I promise, we’ll do more eating pizza and shooting the breeze.”

CUT TO CS OF THE GHOSTLY

THE GHOSTLY
“Okay, I’ll do it.”

CUT TO MS OF THOMAS, Z-MOUSE AND THE GHOSTLY

Thomas and Z-Mouse cheer.

THE GHOSTLY
“Give me a moment to prepare.”

The Ghostly stands and fades out of view, disappears.

Z-MOUSE
(to Thomas) “You’re going to really like this.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I hope so.”

TRANSITION FROM THE HILLTOPS TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE HIGH-STAGE
THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD TO THE STARS MOVING ON TO THE DARKNESS OF SPACE.
DISSOLVE FROM THE DARKNESS OF SPACE TO THE HIGH-STAGE CURTAINS

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


HIGH-STAGE: EXT. THE DOOR TO PANACEA’S OFFICE IN THE FLUTE MEDICALSHIP, EVENING
A long hallway spreads across the stage. The back of the stage is a metal wall, painted a light matte cream color. Horizontal stripes of yellow, blue and brown run the length of the wall. The yellow stripe runs across the center to a door in the center of the stage. The stripe of yellow follows the doorframe creating an effect of ringing the door.


PANACEA FLAUTO
(voice-over) “Medi-pod: Journal entry starting now. We have finished our examination and initial treatment of the two youths brought to us by the Count. They do show signs of injury consistent to previous cases of decompression and exposure to vacuum but not to the severity that they should have. Additionally they exhibit burns consistent to exposure to high energy. Possibility due to the proximity to the Ir-Ra and its corona.”


CEDAR WAXWINGS, in a Medi-pod rolls in from stage-left. In one hand he is holding a bag of food. He approaches the door and knocks on it.


PANACEA FLAUTO
(voice-over) “The fact that these kids even survived out there was remarkable. What were they doing out there? How did they end up in that Sat-bot? Did somebody save them, and if yes, who?”


Cedar Waxwings extends his arm and knocks a second time.


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Getting sidetracked here. Okay, medical journal. Alright where was I. Burns, right. Besides the previous symptoms they also exhibited minor abrasions and are currently unconscious. Their condition is not severe enough to warrant Medi-pods. (pauses) Medi-pods! Oh, what time is it!”


Cedar Waxwing knocks on the door a third time. He waits a few minutes and then knocks a fourth time. He waits a moment for a response and finally accepting no one is inside turns to leave. From off stage the sound of RUNNING FOOTSTEPS approaches. PANACEA FLAUTO runs in from stage-right.


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Wait!”


Cedar turns and waits for her. She runs over, places on hand on his Medi-pod for support and tries to catch her breath.


PANACEA FLAUTO
(severely winded) “Hate…running…so…much. Hey…Cedar…how…are…you?”


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“You okay.”


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Yeah, just winded.”


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I brought you some dinner.”


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Thank you.”


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Did you forget we were going to watch the next episode.”


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Honestly?”


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Honestly.”


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Yes. Some new patients got admitted and I lost track of time.”


Cedar pulls out a container from his bag and hands it to Panacea.


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“So tell me about it.”


Panacea slides down to sit on the floor and opens the container. She takes a bite of salad.


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Oh, this is good.”


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Thanks. You are always eating those salads with pine nuts, so I thought you might like this. You were saying new admits.”


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Yeah, so they found these two kids out in space.”


Cedar pulls out his food container from the bag.


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Really?”


PANACEA FLAUTO
“Really.”


CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Then what?”


The stage-lights turn off with the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING OFF. The High-stage curtains close.


TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO THE HILLTOP


DISSOLVE FROM THE HIGH-STAGE CURTAINS TO THE DARKNESS OF SPACE


THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD FROM THE DARKNESS OF SPACE ACROSS THE STARS IN THE SKY AND THEN DOWN TO THOMAS AND Z-MOUSE IN THE HILLTOPS


EXT. THE HILLTOP, EVENING.
MS OF THOMAS AND Z-MOUSE
THOMAS TYPEWRITER and Z-MOUSE sit around a log fire burning on the top of a hill. They fidget with anticipation. The fire POPS then briefly flares.


THE GHOSTLY
(off-camera) “Listen well traveler, for having made it this far you are now faced with a choice.”


The flame of the fire dies down, casting Thomas and Z-Mouse into shadow. From out of the frame, stage-right, comes a spectral glow. Thomas and Z-Mouse turn their heads to look at the source of the glow.


CUT TO LS OF THE GHOSTLY
The Ghostly has appeared, floating in the air off to the side of the fire. She glows with a bright spectral energy.

THE GHOSTLY
“For you have survived what the world has given you. You have moved and made distance. Where you started is no longer where you are. Now comes the point where you will reach a fork in the road and must choose a path. But be aware one path leads…”

The Ghostly’s glow dims a little bit.

CS OF THE GHOSTLY


THE GHOSTLY
(as an aside to Thomas Typewriter and Z-Mouse) “And that is where most everyone says ‘Oh, thank you’ and keeps walking on. But if they were to stick around this is how the rest of it would go.”


CUT BACK TO LS OF THE GHOSTLY


THE GHOSTLY
“But be aware that one path leads to Abundance while the other leads to Self-Absorbtion. I am not able to tell you which path is ultimately yours to travel. Nor am I allowed to tell you how to discern which path is which. The steps you have taken before, to get here have determined that. But you have a few more steps to take before choosing, so please listen to this tale of the city that let it’s story become part of your last few steps…last few steps and ….and…and I don’t remember the rest.”

The Ghostly’s glow dims and turns off.

THE GHOSTLY
“It has been centuries since I reached even this point and its all kind of fuzzy to me now.”

Z-MOUSE
“Good thing no one sticks around then.”

THE GHOSTLY
“I know, right.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Do you remember any of it?”


THE GHOSTLY
“Something about a great golden city in the past and elves. They did something or made some bad magic or talked to the dead and some got corrupted. They can’t get along and the city splits into two.”

Z-MOUSE
“Wow, I might of oversold this.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“You think. Oh, well. A break is a break and I am not going to complain. I’ve got pizza, soda, friends, and the love of someone who sees me. Life is good.”

The Ghostly returns to her seat around the campfire and picks up another slice of pizza.

Z-MOUSE
“I’ll toast to that.”

Thomas, Z-Mouse, and the Ghostly each lift up a can of soda.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Salute!”

Z-MOUSE AND THE GHOSTLY
“Salute!”


THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(to self) “La vita è breve, ma l’arte è lunga.”

They each drink from the soda can and start giggling.

FADE OUT

“The Great Works Project: Season Six, Episode Nine” by Thomas Typewriter – a new script

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 6, Episode 9

by Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2025 jason arcand

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN


From the center of a blank screen scrolls upward rapidly the following text: “06-09”. It enters from the bottom of the frame and moves up, pausing in the center before continuing upward. It exits through the top of the frame.

FADE OUT
FADE IN


GRIGIO COLORI
(voice-over) “Fade-in to exterior of the Unroom Not.Seven. Long shot of the revolving door to the unroom Not Dot Seven.”


FADE IN


EXT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN’S REVOLVING DOORWAY, TWIXTLIGHT


LS OF THE REVOLVING DOOR


The revolving door entryway to the Unroom Not.Seven sits center. The wall it is built into is not visible, giving the doorway the illusion of free standing. A bright round globe is attached to the invisible wall above the revolving door. The door itself is a cross shaped revolving door, made from two lines crossing at ninety-degree angles on a central round pipe. There are four sections in the door allowing up to four people to use the door at one time. Each section is glass panel with a horizontal hand hold or push bar mid-center. Above the push bar painted on the glass is the following symbol: “ .7 ”. The bottom of each interior glass panel has a rubber skirt. Semi-circular glass enclosures wing out from either side of the doorway. There is enough space between them to allow one person using the doorway to exit or enter at a time.


GRIGIO COLORI
(voice-over) “Pan inward from outside the Unroom to inside to the Typewriter Abstract Puppet Stage through a series of cuts.”


The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING drifts through the doorway.


TRANSITION FROM THE DOORWAY TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE


PAN IN TOWARDS THE DOORWAY AND THEN INTO THE UNROOM NOT.SEVEN THROUGH A SERIES OF CUTS. EACH CUT IS ACCOMPANIED BY THE SOFT SOUND OF A PIECE OF PAPER BEING DRAGGED ACROSS ANOTHER.


INT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN, TWIXTLIGHT
The unroom Not.Seven is a room of indeterminable size. In front of the doorway are semi-circular rows of grey carpet squares. They radiate out from a wooden disc sitting near a possible center of the space. The TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE sits on the wooden disc, facing towards the grey carpet squares. The entire scene is softly illuminated by spindly metallic lamps at the end of the rows. The lamp’s cords snake off into the distance, of which you wonder the distance.


LS OF THE UNROOM FROM JUST INSIDE THE DOORWAY

PAN IN TO THE MID-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE THROUGH A SERIES OF CUTS. PAN IN UNTIL PROPERLY FRAMING THE MID-STAGE. EACH CUT IS ACCOMPANIED BY THE MODERATE SOUND OF A PIECE OF PAPER BEING DRAGGED ACROSS ANOTHER.


MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The Mid-stage curtains part, and the stage-lights turn on with THE LOUDER SOUND OF A PIECE OF PAPER BEING DRAGGED ACROSS ANOTHER and also A CLICK OF A LIGHSWITCH TURNING ON, revealing…


MID-STAGE: A STACK OF PAPERS

CS OF A STACK OF PAPERS.

A tall stack of cells or paper illustrations for Ophidia Operahouse’s short film sit before the camera. From stage-left, THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S fingers come into view and grab the top sheet. They drag and lift the top sheet out of the frame. It makes the PAPER SCRAPING ACROSS PAPER sound we have been hearing before now.

CUT TO

MID-STAGE: INT. PENCIL CHICKS STUDIO, DAYTIME
A long desk runs across the stage while a drawing desk sits behind the long desk. On the long desk is a computer monitor, small desktop, keyboard, mouse, a scanner, a bin, and a large stack of papers. THOMAS TYPEWRITER sits at the desk moving pages from the stack of papers to the scanner. Thomas leans over grabbing the top page from a stack of papers to the side of the computer. He opens the scanner lid and places the paper inside. After closing the lid, he fiddles with the computer. The HUM AND WHIR of the scanner activating goes out. Thomas opens the scanner lid when it finishes. He removes the sheet of paper and places it in a bin to the opposite side of the desk. Behind him sits OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE at the second desk. It is an animator’s desk with full light table. Various pencils and squares and drawing guides sit on top of the desk. To her side is a shelf of pull-out bins. Various papers and extra drawing materials fill the bins. Ophidia focuses on her drawing, leaning over to finish a drawing while Thomas scans. As he scans his third piece of paper, Ophidia stretches in her chair. She gets up and walks behind Thomas, tenderly placing her hands on his shoulders. He reaches up one hand, the one not using the computer mouse, and places it on top of her hand.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“I’m going to stretch my legs and get a snack. You want anything?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Something to drink would be nice, if your offering.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Oh, I am offering.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(looking at Ophidia) “Then I am accepting.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Be right back then.” “Then I’ll be right back. “Be right back.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Okay.”
Ophidia exits stage-right. Thomas puts away the sheet he is currently scanning and reaches for a new one.

TRANSITION FROM THE MID-STAGE TO THE HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM PROPERLY FRAMING MID-STAGE AND PANS UPWARD. IT GLIDES UP AND OVER THE SETS, GLIDES OVER THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, UPWARD AND UPWARD. ONCE IT REACHES THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS AND THE HIGH-STAGE LOCATED THERE, IT STOPS PANNING WHEN PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

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

HIGH-STAGE: INT. PANACEA FLAUTO’S OFFICE IN THE FLUTE MEDICALSHIP, EARLY EVENING.
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, feet propped up, reading through a stack of files. 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. The Vid-Screen is on but not actually set to a channel yet. It is displaying a static snow signal. There is a KNOCK ON THE DOOR from off-stage.

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Who is it?”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
(off-screen) “Cedar.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Oh, come on in.”

Panacea puts the folder away and starts to move the paperwork from her desk. CEDAR WAXWINGS, inside a Medi-pod, rolls into the room from stage-right. He enters holding a bag of food from the ship’s cafeteria.

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I didn’t know which salad you preferred so I got both. Sorry if that is a problem.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“That’s no problem. That was nice of you.”

Cedar sets the bag on the desk. Panacea reaches into the bag and pulls out two containers of salad and two cans of Nutri-Soda. She reads the labels on both salads and picks one.

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Did you grab any napkins.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“No, sorry. Was I suppose to?”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“That’s okay. I’ve got some in my desk.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“From all your desk dinners.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Hey, I have a lot of paperwork with this job.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I can see that.”

Cedar holds up his hands in mock surrender. Panacea shakes her head but smiles. She reaches into a drawer and pulls out some napkins. She then turns to the Vid-screen and turns to Channel 200 “The Bird House”. The title credits for the movie “North by North by Northwest” play across the screen.

CEDAR WAXWINGS
(while trying to grab the other salad off the table) “So what’s on tonight?”
Panacea pushes the other salad to the edge of the desk, so as to be closer to Cedar’s reach. Cedar is then able to pick up the salad container.

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Soap Bubble Medical Theatre is on hiatus this week, so I thought we’d watch this oldie, North by North by Northwest. Ever seen it?”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
(pouring salad container into a drawer that opened on the front of his Medi-pod) “No, what is it about”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“It is about a young boy who decides to travel the world looking for new parents but is mistaken for a spy and pursued by shadowy agents.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Sounds interesting.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“It is. Just watch and you’ll see.”

They turn towards the Vid-screen as the opening sequence for “North by North by Northwest” plays.

NORTH BY NORTH BY NORTHWEST OPENING SEQUENCE:
INT. ATTIC PLAYROOM, DAWN
Open on a nondescript Attic that has been converted to a children’s playroom. The rafters have been covered in a medium-dark paneling with a the top half painted in white to increase the feeling of openness in the space. Green vines and leaves are hand painted along the edges of the white painted areas to add a soothing decorative element. A window is situated at each end of the playroom. The window facing the dawn has shafts of sunlight pouring through it, illuminating strips of the room. A short table with a train set sits in the center of the space. Around the room, various toy vehicles sit scattered among various buildings made of building-block toys. The selection of toys and buildings can vary but there will need to be a cab, a commercial plane, a crop-duster prop plane, a bicycle, a dogsled, a car, a cruise ship, a skyscraper with reflective windows, Mount Rushmore, a country manor, a mall, an igloo, and a hotel.

PROGRESS THROUGH A MONTAGE OF CLOSE-SHOTS OF THE TRAIN AND THE SPECIFIED TOYS AND BUILDING MODELS. EACH SHOT DISSOLVES INTO THE NEXT. END THE SEQUENCE ON AN ANGLED SHOT OF THE SKYSCRAPER.

MATCH DISSOLVE FROM THE IMAGE OF THE MODEL SKYSCRAPER TO A SHOT OF AN ACTUAL SKYSCRAPER. THE PLACEMENTS AND ANGLES OF THE WINDOWS NEED TO BE THE SAME BETWEEN THE MODEL AND THE REAL BUILDING. THE FIRST DETAIL TO COME IN WILL BE THE REFLECTION OF TRAFFIC IN THE WINDOWS. ONCE THE DISSOLVE COMPLETES HOLD THE SHOT TO SHOW THE TRAFFIC AND COMMUTERS IN THE STREET SCUTTLING BY.

CUT TO

EXT. HITCHLEH REIBEL CITY, RUSHHOUR
Hitchleh Reibel City is a large metropolitan city in the midst of rushhour. Countless people are getting off work and heading home for the day. They flood out of buildings at the heart of city, that stab at clouds, to huddle in buses, subways, cabs and cars that flow through routes branching like veins. The oxygen is leaving the city to be distributed to the outlying districts.

PROGRESS THROUGH A MONTAGE OF SHOTS OF PEOPLE LEAVING BUILDINGS, WALKING IN LARGE GROUPS DOWN STREETS, GETTING ONTO BUSES, GETTING ONTO SUBWAYS, GETTING INTO CABS, AND GETTING INTO TRAINS.

CUT TO CRANE SHOT OF GRANTWOOD AVE

NORTH NORTHERLY, a young child of around eleven dressed in a youth ice hockey uniform, is walking down the street.

IRIS IN ON NORTH NORTHERLY

CUT TO A MONTAGE OF NORTH NORTHERLY WALKING ACROSS VARIOUS STREETS AND BRIDGES AND PATHS IN THE CITY AS HE MAKES HIS WAY TO…

INT. THE ROSE & COMPASS MALL, DAYTIME
The Rose & Compass Mall is a large multi-story mall. Glass lined ceilings overlook three levels of shopping. Tiled floors lead to small landscaping beds, tranquil fountains, and a sensible layout of escalators.

FOLLOW NORTH WALKING ACROSS THE MALL TO THE MESSAGE CHAIRS THROUGH A SERIES OF MEDIUM SHOT AND LONG SHOT CUTS.

The Message Chair section of the mall is near the end of one wing of the Rose & Compass Mall. It is located in the common area outside the Old Timerz achor store. On one side can be seen a Skolnic’s Ice Crem Sandwich Parlor, a Huskyberry clothes store, a couple Satelite Soda vending machines and a few benches. The Messaging Chair section itself has four messaging chairs with accompanying coin operation slots. Three of the chairs are occupied by SOUTH SOUTHERLY, WEST WESTERLY, and EAST EARLY. South is a young girl of around ten dressed in a little league baseball uniform. West is a young boy of around ten dressed in a youth football uniform. East is a young boy of around nine dressed in a youth track outfit. They are all in the middle of a circle of chair messages. North walks up, puts some money in the unoccupied chair, and then sits down. The chair starts to shift and then vibrate as the messaging mechanisms kick in.


NORTH NORTHERLY
“Oh, I needed this.”

SOUTH SOUTHERLY
“Tell me about it. I had the worst day.”

WEST SOUTHERLY
“Sorry, but no way you had the worst. I had the worst.”

EAST EARLY
“With all due respect, your both wrong. I had the worst.”

SOUTH SOUTHERLY
“You two don’t know what your talking about. How about you North. You going to claim you had the worst and then we get into this whole one-upmanship thing.”

WEST WESTERLY
“I’d never do that.”

EAST EARLY
“You’d absolutely do that.”

NORTH NORTHLY
“I don’t get it. Just don’t understand.”

WEST WESTERLY
“Understand what?”

NORTH NORTHLY
“Why don’t they like me? I get perfect grades, pitch perfect games, and deliver a perfect Shakespearean soliloquy. What did I do wrong? These are all traits of values to others but not them.”

In the background of the frame, MALL CLERK enters searching for someone.

MALL CLERK
“Mr. Carlson? Mr. Arthur Carlson?”

SOUTH SOUTHERLY
“I stand corrected, your having a worse day.”

WEST WESTERLY
“Worse than mine.”

EAST EARLY
“Definitely.”

MALL CLERK
“Mr Arthur Carlson? Is there a Mr. Arthur Carlson present?”

North leans forward in the messaging chair and throws his arms up in exasperation.

NORTH NORTHLY
“I don’t understand! Owww.”

North recoils his arm and grips is shoulder wincing in pain.

SOUTH SOUTHERLY
“Are you okay?”

WEST WESTERLY
“That looks like it hurts.”

NORTH NORTHLY
“I might have thrown out my shoulder in the game due to the stress of my ongoing existential crisis.”

EAST EARLY
“At least its not an ontological crisis.”


The Mall Clerk sees North gestures and walks over to him.

MALL CLERK
“Mr. Carlson, I have been looking all over the mall for you.”

NORTH NORTHLY
“I’m not Carlson. “

MALL CLERK
“Sorry.”

NORTH NORTHLY
“Do you know somewhere I can buy some aspirin?”

MALL CLERK
“Second floor over by Ramblewoods is a drugstore.”

NORTH NORTHLY
“Okay. Thanks.”

CUT TO

MS OF THE SOFTLY-DRESSED MAN AND LOUDLY-DRESSED MAN

Down the hallway, near the escalator and maps, stand the SOFTLY-DRESSED MAN and the LOUDLY-DRESSED MAN. They are observing the Message Chair Area.

LS OF THE MESSAGE AREA FROM THEIR ANGLE OF VIEW

The events of North Northly walking up to the Message Chairs and speaking with the other children plays out. The Mall Clerk comes in and starts asking for Mr. Carlson. When North raises his arm they look at each other.

INSERT CS OF THEM NODDING AT EACH OTHER.

This should be enough to play in the background of the main scene as Cedar and Panacea eat lunch.

END OF NORTH BY NORTH BY NORTHWEST OPENING SEQUENCE

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“This is nice.”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Yeah, it is.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“I meant the salad, but this is nice too. Can you turn it up?”

PANACEA FLAUTO
“Sure.”

She stands and leans over increasing the volume on the vid-screen. She then sits back down, steals a glance at Cedar and smiles. The stage-lights turn off to the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING OFF. The light from the Vid-screen stays on. The High-stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA UNCOUPLES FROM PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT GLIDES TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS LOCATED BELOW THE HIGH-STAGE. IT CONTINUES PANNING DOWNWARD THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. SOON THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS POKE UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. CONTINUE PANNING DOWNWARD UNTIL PROPERLY FRAMING MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. PENCIL CHICKS STUDIO, DAYTIME
A long desk runs across the stage while a drawing desk sits behind the long desk. On the long desk is a computer monitor, small desktop, keyboard, mouse, a scanner, a bin, and a large stack of papers. THOMAS TYPEWRITER sits at the desk moving pages from the stack of papers to the scanner. Thomas leans over grabbing the top page from a stack of papers to the side of the computer. He opens the scanner lid and places the paper inside. After closing the lid, he fiddles with the computer. The HUM AND WHIR of the scanner activating goes out. Thomas opens the scanner lid when it finishes. He removes the sheet of paper and places it in a bin to the opposite side of the desk. Behind him is an animators desk with light table and a shelving of pull-out drawers. OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE enters stage-right carrying a tray with two drinks and a bowl of snacks.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“I am back.”

Thomas stops reaching for a new sheet and scoots his chair back, allowing Ophidia room to walk in. She sets the tray down on the computer desk.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
(handing Thomas a glass) “This is for you.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(taking glass) “Thank you.”

Ophidia retrieves a stool from off screen stage-right and sits down. She picks up the bowl and takes a bite. She then offers some to Thomas. He takes a small handful.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“So, hows it going.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Okay I guess. I never realized how monotonous animation was.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Yes, but I like it.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“No, I didn’t mean that as an insult. I am sorry if it was. I was just thinking that maybe it was a blessing in disguise that I lost the ability to draw or cartoon.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“That is kind of dark.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Yeah, but not as much as it sounds. Just more of realizing this would not of worked for me. Also it makes you even more amazing in my eyes that you are able to do this. You are something special.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Aww, thank you. So, I watched this funny show last night.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So we’re changing subjects. Okay. What was it?”

Thomas reaches for some more snacks.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Campus Ladies.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“My mom was just going on about that show when I talked to her yesterday. How is it?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Funny.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So what is it about?”

Thomas scoots his chair closer to Ophidia. She scoots her stool closer to Thomas.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Well, these two older ladies decide to go back to college.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Like take night classes or move into a dorm full-time?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Dorm full time, in fact that is part of the joke. Like their roommate thinks they’re Moms dropping off their kids.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Really.”

Ophidia starts to giggle and Thomas moves in closer.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Okay, so the ladies decide to go to a party down the hall, to try to meet people. They get blasted and stumble back to their room super late. They find their roommate crying and start tucking her in and kiss her goodnight. I laughed and laughed.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Did you now?”

Thomas takes a hold of Ophidia’s hand. She returned the gesture with her other hand.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“I did.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Then what happened?”

Thomas and Ophidia lean in closer to each other, about to kiss. The stage-lights turn off with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. The Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT