TECHNO-FRANTIC LOVE - a short play
02/11/2008
Medium: Film, Animation.
Adapted from the stage play TECHNNO FRANTIC LOVE
ANIMATION SEQUENCE:
Waves of liquid velvet in rainbow hues. A dulcimer echoes through tunnels. An avatar of STEVE dressed in a white astro-suit dance-chases JANE in a similar white astro-suit, sprinkled with glitter; her hair swings tantalisingly round her shoulders as they turn kick as in Tai Kwando
Int. Futuristic Apartment. Day
Metal furniture, utilities, a showroom of or for the future.
Bathroom.
STEVE, a bland young man with cropped hair but a yearning look in his large eyes, looks at himself in the mirror as he's shaving.
Close up as he disappointedly examines his stubbly face.
STEVE'S VOICE OVER
I thought she was real. I wanted her to be real.
STEVE washes razor off, blood in the bowl, grabs towel and looks into bedroom. He sees an empty Bed.
Jump shot to JANE, a slim attractive young woman with long mousey hair giving an impression she is in a hurry but she wants to please. Jane shuts off her alarm, catapults out of bed.
Int. Kitchen. Day
Jane makes toast, grabs electric toothbrush, all at breakneck speed.
WORDS ON SCREEN
"Display. Menu. Select."
EXT. Metropolis of glass and steel. Day.
Steve, dressed in a business suit, rides an escalator DOWN.
COMPUTER LIPS
(cheerful)
Welcome. Welcome. Do you want to play? Are you playing? Are you playing now? Select. Deselect. Menu. Display.
He steps through sliding doors of his commuter train.
Ext. JANE rides escalator DOWN.
Close up: her bland dissatisfied face.
MECHANICAL VOICE OVER
Are you planning a trip? Sea or Mountain? Why do you make that particular choice? Do you have a secret agenda? Do you dream well? Do you like dreaming?
ANIMATION SEQUENCE:
Scenes of traveling mountains.
The avatar of Jane, in a white ski-suit, goggles on, performs all the motions of skiing as if she’s in the animated Alps.
Computer Screen image of LIPS painted silver on black background.
COMPUTER LIPS Welcome, welcome. Do you want to play?
"Romance” “Your Boss” “Nurse” “Policeman” “Optimist” “Clairvoyant” “Guru."
Ext. Metropolis, glass and steel. Day
Jane, in a business suit, rides the escalator UP with other similarly dressed young woman.
COMPUTER SCEEN over shot.
"Interview” “Choice Job."
MECHANICAL VOICE OVER
Are you ready to play the game of job?
ANIMATION SEQUENCE:
Steve and Jane in their white-astro suits spar with each other
in judo combat, Steve lands Jane on floor again and again.
Int. Office of glass and steel. Artificial Day
Jane joins many other women decorating the waiting room with long legs on the chairs, walls, waiting.
Steve enters. They look up. Jane follows him to inner office.
They sit on high-backed steel chairs.
STEVE
Tell me about yourself.
JANE
Been to college, I'm a great cook, great
in bed, never been divorced or married, never had kids, never wanted to kill anyone. Have self-confidence, often. Don't have many cavities. Relate better to
inferiors because eventually everyone will become my inferior. Superiors piss me off. Because they don't realize they're rungs on my ladder.
Close-up of Steve, smiling.
Int. Office Day
Steve is followed by Jane as they walk through darkened office
floor full of shut down monitors.
Camera goes to one monitor working, showing an explosion, and a tank in a war torn country. NO SOUND.
Int. Apartment, Game Room. Day
Steve and Jane at consuls in front of their home screens, playing the game.
JANE
How's it scored?
STEVE
I don’t know.
JANE
You either come or you don’t come.
STEVE
Not in every game.
ANIMATION SEQUENCE:
Avatars of JANE and STEVE in martial arts' costumes, white, they Karate kick fight. STEVE wins, floors JANE, several times over.
Int. Apartment, living room. Day.
Camera tours walls of the apartment, they are covered with black and white photographs of people in a war torn country.
Steve and Jane, undressed, are draped over the sofa, wearing visors on for virtual reality sex. SHE twists and turns on the sofa, in sensual rhythms to the information coming through.