writing

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

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 04, Episode 09

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2022

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom center of the screen scrolls up the following text: “04-09”. It continues upward, pausing briefly in the center then exits off the top of the frame.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

EXT. HIGHWAY X, AFTERNOON

A two lane highway emerges out from between two large rocky plateaus onto to a landscape of gently rolling grasslands. Telephone poles and power lines run along the sides of the road on one side and a drainage ditch runs along the other side.

LS FACING TOWARDS THE ROCKY CANYON

The E-mobile emerges from behind the canyon walls. It moves along Highway X at a brisk pace.

CUT TO

INT. E-MOBILE, AFTERNOON
E-Mouse is driving the E-mobile, one hand on the wheel, the other arm casually draped out her open window. She has on sunglasses while also a toothpick in her mouth. Her hand beats a rhythm in time with the music playing on the stereo. She seems overjoyed at the ability to just drive. A-Mouse sits in the passenger seat, arms in lap, rather rigid and compact. She is leaning over messing with something on the floor near her feet.

MS OF E-MOUSE AND A-MOUSE

A-MOUSE
“Do you always have so much broken glass in your car.”

E-MOUSE
(shrugs) “Never noticed”

CUT TO CS OF A-MOUSE

A-Mouse sits up and brings up a handful of broken stained glass colored glass.

A-MOUSE
“Could you roll my window down. My hands are kind of full.”

E-MOUSE
“Sure.”

A-Mouse’s window rolls down as E-Mouse pushes the automatic window button. Once the window is fully opened, she tosses the broken glass out the window.

INSERT A SHOT OF THE GLASS HITTING THE GROUND

E-MOUSE
“What are you doing!”

A-MOUSE
“Getting rid of the glass.”

E-MOUSE
“You can’t do that.”

A-MOUSE
“What are you talking about. Its okay.”

E-MOUSE
“It’s dangerous.”

A-MOUSE
“No. Its fine. Glass is made of sand. It’ll just break down.”

E-MOUSE
“Not before cutting someone. It’s going to take years for it to break down.”

A-MOUSE
“Oh..oh no. You don’t think I’ve hurt anyone. What if I have.”

A-Mouse starts to wring her hands. E-Mouse looks over at A-Mouse and notices she is getting anxious.

A-MOUSE
“We need to go back.”

E-MOUSE
“Seriously?”

A-MOUSE
“I have to pick it up. Somebody is going to get hurt. Now that I know, I feel awful about it.”

E-MOUSE
“No way. Y-Mouse sent us to get the food for the meeting.”

A-MOUSE
“I just need to.”

E-MOUSE
“What if we stop on the way back. I’ll even help you pick up the glass. Would that help.”

A-MOUSE
“Yes.”

A-Mouse still looks anxious. E-Mouse looks at her a moment then a thought occurs.

E-MOUSE
“How about some different music?”

A-MOUSE
“Sure.”

E-MOUSE
“I have some albums in the console. There’s a Pop Couture first album, a couple King Connors, an early Razzlekish, some Gothic Bats in the Belfry, an Uptick and two or three Grammar Academy albums.”

E-Mouse looks at A-Mouse. A-Mouse shakes her head.

E-MOUSE
“Yeah, you’re right. Those are not the right mood for driving on a beautiful day like this. How about we try the radio?”

A-MOUSE
“The radio would be fine?”

E-mouse turns on the radio.

E-MOUSE
“And I am sorry I got upset about the glass. Didn’t mean to spook ya.”

A-Mouse nods but before she could say anything in response the radio starts up.

ANNOUNCER
(voice-over) “WQRT 123.4, The Keyboard, broadcasting throughout the night, the day, and all your precious moments in-between. We now return to our program in progress: Sixteen is Seventeen.”

A-MOUSE
“Oh man, I haven’t heard this one in years.”

E-MOUSE
“Years. Like High school?”

A-MOUSE
“Yes, High School. I was so into this show back then.”

E-MOUSE
“Me too.”

A-MOUSE
“Well then turn it up.”

E-Mouse turns up the volume.

ANNOUNCER
(Voice-over) “When we last left our story, Sydonia and Isobella were searching the town library for the hidden room of the Elder Council. A room filled with books of arcane knowledge, hidden by the adult vampires in town, hopefully containing a cure for vampirism. A cure Sydonia will need before the next lunar eclipse. Little did they know there were others spying on their every move. Meanwhile across town, Danny O’Boy, having just rescued Glorietta from the snake pit, tries to find the courage to tell her how he really feels.”

GLORIETTA
(Voice over) “Why can’t you open up to me. You only let me in so far then you push me away and every time my heart breaks a little more.”

DANNY O’BOY
(Voice over) “I want to let you in. I do. There is so much I want to tell you. To share with you.

GLORIETTA
(voice over) “Then why don’t you Danny. I thought you loved me, isn’t that enough to trust me. To share with me? ”

DANNY O’BOY
(voice over) “I want to share what’s in my heart Glorietta, but its not feelings and emotions…its ones and zeros.”

GLORIETTA
(voice over) “What are you saying.”

DANNY O’BOY
(voice over) “I am saying I am a robot and loving you violates my programming.”

GLORIETTA
(voice-over) “That explains Professor Woolenstein’s obsession with you, but I don’t care that you are a robot.”

DANNY O’BOY
“I was also reanimated by your science fair partners.”

GLORIETTA
“Or that you were secretly reanimated by my lab partners without my consent. I only know that I care that you saved me even though it would expose you existence to the mad professor Woolenstein. You could of left me there. But you didn’t.”

DANNY O’BOY
“What are you saying?”

GLORIETTA
“The entire time I was in the pit I hoped it was you that would save me. Danny you may only be a robot in the shape of a teenage boy, but I know our feelings are real.”

DANNY O’BOY
“How is this possible. New data is filling my programing. I may be a being of ones and zeroes programmed that 1 + 1 = 10, but when I am with you I see that 1 + 1 = 2. Danny + Glorietta equals Love.

KISSING SOUNDS.

CUT TO LS OF THE HIGHWAY AS THE E-MOBILE DRIVES OUT OF FRAME.

The E-Mobile drives down the highway and out of sight.

FADE OUT

a new poem: “Tick Tock” by Thomas Typewriter

poetry

Tick, Tick, Tock

Tick, Tick, Tock

Gazing out many faces of the Clock

Tick, Tock, Tick

Tock, Tock, Tick

Pendulums swing to memory’s flick.

Tick, Tock, Wristwatch

Tick, Tock, Pocket Watch

No more tomorrows

No more today’s

The world has tilted to yesterday.

a new poem: “Tired Words, Tired Feet” by Thomas Typewriter

poetry

If failure I do now invite to meet,

please let rest my words, my feet.

I tried to resist this ignoble defeat,

to yet live a life more poignant than bittersweet.

But in the end…

As I had always portend…

My efforts, my understanding, are far too busy this week.

a new poem: “Shout louder still” by Thomas Typewriter

poetry

Shout louder, I can’t hear you.

Shout louder, I don’t understand you.

Though I never will,

continue ever more still.

Shout louder, I can’t hear you.

Shout louder, I don’t understand you.

Conversations with no sound.

Little more than tears newly found.

a new script: “The Great Works Project: Season Four, Episode Eight” by Thomas Typewriter

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 04, Episode 08

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2022 thomas typewriter

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK


From the bottom center of the screen scrolls up the following text: “04-08”. It continues upward, pausing briefly in the center then exits off the top of the frame.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. ALPHABET PARKING GARAGE
Built into the side of a mountain spreads out the Alphabet Parking Garage. Yellow lines on the ground denote thirty two parking spaces in five rows of six and one row of two. Twenty-seven vehicles are currently parked in the parking spaces, starting with the first full row. Each space has one of the various Alphabet Mice’s cars parked in it. Each Mouse has a vehicle named after the letter in the Alphabet Mouse’s name. For example A-Mouse drives the A-mobile, B-Mouse the B-Mobile, C-Mouse the C-Mobile…etc. Each vehicle incorporates the letter it is named after into it’s design.

The vehicles are parked as follows:
Row 1: The shortened row with two open spots and the three maintenance-carts.
Row 2: Numer-mobile, A-mobile, B-mobile, C-mobile, D-mobile, E-mobile.
Row 3: F-mobile, G-mobile, H-mobile, I-mobile, J-mobile, K-mobile
Row 4: L-mobile, M-mobile, N-mobile, O-mobile, P-mobile, Q-mobile
Row 5: R-mobile, S-mobile double parked, T-cycle, U-mobile, V-mobile
Row 6: W-mobile, X-mobile, Y-mobile, Z-mobile, empty space, empty space
Row 2 & Row 3 face each other. As does row 4 & 5. Row 6 stands alone.

A-MOUSE and E-MOUSE enter from a door in the mountain side of the parking garage. As they emerge, sunlight filtered through the large stain glass window over the main entrance opposite them flutters across their faces. They shield their eyes and turn away, looking towards the secondary entrance, a spiral ramp connected to the side of the parking garage. Or maybe they are looking towards the piles of construction material stacked in the corner between the two entrances. Either way they shield their eyes till walking forward and out of the sunbeams. E-Mouse walks ahead, A-Mouse trails behind.

PAN FOLLOWING E-MOUSE AS HER LONG-LEGGED STRIDE OUTPACES A-MOUSE

They walk to the second row, turn and walk to the end of the row. E-mouse, part way down the row, clicks a button on her key fob. The lights on the E-mobile blink and the doors unlock with a LOUD CLUNK CHUCK. She opens the car door, sits down, and fastens her seatbelt in one swift motion. A-Mouse can be seen further down the row, trundling on.

CUT TO SHOT OF INTERIOR OF CAR

E-MOUSE
“You ready?” (turns to see A-Mouse’s response and only then realizes she is not there.) “Where is she?”

A-Mouse quickens her pace as E-Mouse exits the car.

E-MOUSE
“Aren’t we going?”

A-MOUSE
“Sorry. Give me a moment.”

E-Mouse crawls back into the car and puts on her seatbelt. She gets a pair of driving gloves out of the glove box and reverently slides each on, one finger at a time. Pointer finger, middle finger, ring finger, pinkie…the car door opens on the passenger side. A-mouse sits down and puts on her seatbelt. She then starts rolling down her window.

E-MOUSE
“You set?”

A-MOUSE
“Yup.”

E-MOUSE
“Mind if I put on some racing music?”

A-MOUSE
“Racing music?”

E-MOUSE
“I’ll take that as a yes.”

E-Mouse turns on her car stereo. THRUMPING ELECTRONICA plays.

E-MOUSE
“Now, lets go get the bagels.”

E-mouse starts the car, its low THRUM vibrating the dashboard.

A-MOUSE
“Oh.”

E-mouse smiles and she shifts and blasts the pedal. She SQUEELS out of the parking space. A-Mouse grabs onto the door handle.

CUT TO LS OF THE PARKING GARAGE

She drives around the parking lot swerving and drifting. She lines up with the garage door. A-Mouse is holding tight onto the door handles. The E-mobile races towards the garage door, but swerves at the last moment towards the pile of construction materials. It’s piles arraigned in a ramp like shape. The E-mobile hits the ramp cresting into the air…

SWITCH TO SLOW MOTION SHOT OF THE E-MOBILE CRESTING AWAY FROM THE CAMERA UP AND TOWARDS THE STAINED GLASS WINDOW

…it CRASHES through the large stained glass window.

CUT TO REVERSE SHOT FROM EXTERIOR OF WINDOW

The intact stained glass window explodes as the E-mobile shoots through it. Shards of colored glass, small and large flicker and shimmer as they fling through the air.

RESUME REGULAR SPEED OR END SLOW MOTION

The car lands and drives away.

PAN 180 DEGREES TO WATCH THE E-MOBILE DRIVE AWAY

It drives out of sight, down the highway. Past canyon walls of layered colors the E-mobile disappears.

FADE OUT

a new poem: “May I?” by Thomas Typewriter

poetry

May I know the beats of your heart?

Those that you have loved and those that loved you back.

The moments that excited you and those that made you hesitate.

May I live a lifetime between your breaths?

A beginning, a middle, and an end.

To only start it all over again

May I?

a new poem: “A Dress Code for Words” by Thomas Typewriter

poetry

Which words are falsely dressed as fear?

Covered in coats spun from pain, misunderstanding, and rejection

freely provided by my own interior designs.

Labyrinths and fun house mirror started by another but self-finished.

My awareness has a dress code it turns out.

The words dislike these new wardrobes.

They struggle against the ill-fitting fabrics.

Most will tire and comply, behaving in new ways.

But a few, a gift-to-all few, will pop the buttons and rip the seams.

Casting off their coats, their nakedness startles me.

Reminds me.

The world is beautiful and I sometimes forget.

a new poem: “Intiation” by Thomas Typewriter

poetry

When I asked for initiation,

I did not know the price to pay

You reached out and broke my hand 

claiming sorry, it was the only way. 

To discard what I could not hold. 

To discard what I could not say. 

Honestly, I thought you hated me

for taking everything I knew away. 

Maybe you knew this and hesitated.

Still you struck.

Aware that without the loss, the pain,

I’d never choose redirection. 

today in the studio: May 23rd, 2022

today in the studio

new script: “The Great Works Project: Season 4, Episode 7” by Thomas Typewriter

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 04, Episode 07

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2022 thomas typewriter

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom center of the screen scrolls up the following text: “04-07”. It continues upward, pausing briefly in the center then exits off the top of the frame.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

INT. Y-MOUSE’S APARTMENT’S DUAL LIVING ROOM-KITCHEN

MS OF COUCH

Open back in Y-Mouse’s apartment with a different view than previously. A wicker couch with cushions decorated in palm tree designs. The walls have various pictures and decorations of a tropical island or tiki lounge motif. The couch itself is set next to a wall, with the wall being on the stage-left side of the couch. A small window above the armrest lets in light. A faint purple blinking glow pulses from under the couch.

DISSOLVE TO CS OF CASE UNDER THE COUCH

A large suitcase sits under the couch. From where the two halves join a purple light bleeds out. The suitcase has two circular handles bent with one up and one down. They along with the seam make the appearance of a circle bisected horizontally by a line. The purple light pulses from dim to bright, dim to bright, dim to bright.

DISSOLVE TO CS OF FROM INSIDE THE CASE LOOKING AT THE CONTENTS

The inside of the case is filled with a foam tray containing two rows of four slots. Each slot has a slice of polished Agate. These would be Memory-stones. Each slice is a different color: Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Green, Purple, Black, and White. The purple stone is glowing.

DISSOLVE TO XCS OF PURPLE STONE

The purple stones brightness fills the screen giving everything a purplish tint. Inside the middle of the stone when it glows brightest, we can just make out Thomas Typewriter’s Apartment.

TRANSITION FROM THE STONES TO THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S APARTMENT

ZOOM IN ON CENTER BRIGHTNESS

FADE TO THE IMAGE IN THE MEMORY-STONE WHILE ALSO REDUCING THE PURPLISH TINT.

INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S APARTMENT’S LIVING ROOM

A small couch sits in front of a long bookcase just off center stage-left. A door stands behind the bookcase. Various impressionist paintings hang on the wall near the door. Off center stage-right a smaller bookcase stands at a skew to the stage-front. It is topped in various sized houseplants. The door opens and THOMAS TYPEWRITER enters. He flips a light switch, and the stage lights turn on with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON. Thomas walks around the bookcase and across the center stage, exiting stage-left.
From off-stage a bathroom light turns on, casting a soft glow on stage. The sound of RUNNING WATER and then the light turns off. Thomas reenters and walks across stage, turning off the living room’s lights and the stage-lights, before exiting stage-left. The stage stands silent as Thomas goes to bed off-screen. After a moment Thomas can be heard TOSSING IN BED.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
(off-screen and ghostly) “You can work for me. You can work for me. You can work for me.”

Thomas re-enters stage-right. Unable to sleep, he paces back and forth. Finally he walks over to the light switch and turns the lights on. The stage-lights go on. He then walks over to the smaller bookcase and pulls out a notepad and pencil. Thomas starts to write.

CUT TO CS OF THE NOTEPAD

Thomas draws a line down the center, then a line across the top. On one side of the top he writes: “Reasons to work with Ophidia”. On the other side he writes: “Reasons not to work for Ophidia”.

CUT BACK

Thomas starts writing and writing. He slides down to sitting on the floor and writing. The stage-lights turn off to the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. The Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT