Script

Validity

As the camera tilts down from the darkened red colored sky to the dingty debris laden field below Kal is introduced walking foot first into the frame. The camera comes to a rest at the foot of a pile of debris looking up as Kal climbs the mound, kicking up a few small objects that drop and tumble down the hill as gravity catches them. Kal stops at the top of the mound and the camera cuts to where Kal is looking: A tin can large enough to fit ontop of his head. The angle cuts back to a medium closeup of Kal as he reaches for the can full of anticipation and glee.

Kal loses his balance as the camera shakes and a loud rumbling sound is heard. Kal looks over towards the ominous sound, the camera looks over towards the sound and pulls focus on a bright light slowly moving in towards a group of fleeing pamingos in a clearing between debris piles. The camera then shakes again shifting the attention back to Kal, who regains his balance then looks quickly over at the original goal of acquiring the can. The scene cuts to the can about to lose its balance and tumble down the opposite side of the hill. Right as the can is about the tumble, a fixed medium shot is taken at Kal, who quickly snaps towards the can leaving the frame but returning quickly holding the can infront of his face smiling gleefully and quickly places the can on his head. After making sure the can is placed skillfuly on his head, Kal turns his attention to the clearing and starts bounding down the hill, the camera pans right keeping the incoming light in the upper corner of the screen as Kal descends the hill.

As Kal stops, the camera stays on the original hill and then cranes up to look down at him in the clearing. A handful of pamingos can be seen scurrying getting better cover while Kal looks up towards the light which is only indicated by the spotlight around Kal, the source unseen by the camera. The scene then cuts down to an over the shoulder view behind Kals right shoulder looking up towards the light which is slowly wavering left and right, casting deep shadows of Kal in according directions. Kal raises both arms up towards the light, the camera slowly rotating to a closeup of his face of a huge smile and fixed gaze, unblinking. The camera dolly's back to get a long shot of Kal who starts to dance and wave at the light. The camera shakes once more and Kal takes a step back retaining his tin-can hat, a pamingo is seen frantically fleeing from behind some cover and up the hill behind Kal.

As Kal reaches into one of his pouches, the scene is quickly engulfed in falling debris and the camera cuts quickly to behind a pamingo looking down at the clearing with debris settling where Kal once stood. The pamingo stands up and worringly scans for Kal in the direction of the new debris hill. a matallic ping is heard and the pamingo refocuses his gaze back up towards the light where Kal can be seen dangling close to the light. The camera cuts back to a medium close up of Kal as he grasps the edge of a metallic shell and a home-made suction device. The camera stays fixed close to kal, but the background slowly drops away and the object Kal is holding on to starts to ascend towards the red sky. Kal looks over his shoulder back down to the debris field, the camera follows his gaze, but still clinging to the light. As the camera comes to a rest where the clearing once was, a handful of Pamingos are seen entering the clearing and looking up towards Kal as he slowly approaches the sky. The camera cuts to a closeup of Kal's face looking over his shoulder down at the pamingos, his smile slowly fading as he has a self realization. He looks down frantically. the camera cuts to where Kal is looking: the ground is dangerously far away, the horizon is getting rounder. The camera cuts back to a close up of Kal as he clings to his suction device. he closes his eyes, the camera stays fixed on Kal in a closeup, but slowly drops back to a medium shot where kal can be seen fully clinging to the light.

The camera cuts to a dark terrain with a red sky, the horizon barely discernable. Light enters the scene as a spotlight gets closer. The camera shakes as a dark object enters its field of view. it then cuts to a medium shot of Kal as a rumbling sound is heard, Kal opens his eyes and flinches at the sudden sound. He looks down, then looks at where he is grasping.the camera cuts to the suction device. The suction device is losing its adhesion. it then cuts back to the medium shot. he frantically pushes on the suction device in an attempt to readhere the device to the metallic shell of the light. An extreme close up zooms in from the medium shot to the suction device. the suction device detaches from the light and the scene cuts to a slow motion profile shot of the light, a horizon, kal, the can-hat, and the suction device. Kals figure sillouhetted on the horizon. real time starts up within a second and a thud is heard. The camera cuts to a medium shot of Kal who is half engulfed in light, he grabs his head and stands up. He looks up, the camera zooms out to a long shot, Kal raises his arm and touches the metallic shell of the light. sun light from the horizon enters the scene. The camera shakes and the light starts to ascend towards the red sky once again.

the camera cuts to a medium shot from kal's feet, the can in the center of the view. Kal then bends over and reaches into the frame to grab the can. the scene cuts to a closeup of Kal's face as he places the can slowly and precariously on his head. His eyes can be seen scanning the new terrain. He quickly tuns around, looks left and then right; the meantime the camera staying fixed. Kal faces in the original direction, his expression full of sorrow and grief. He lets out a long sigh as the camera dollys out from Kal to an establishing shot of a near barren surface, save a hill or two of debris and a handful near the horizon. The camera continues to dolly out to an extreme long shot of Kal as he slowly trudges towards his new home.

Revised Story

Another process that should not be overlooked is how many revisions a story can go through before it is good enouh to finalize. even then, it's still going to be considered to change. reminds me of painting, a painting is never done. it just keeps needing more and more layers.... *sigh* i think i have finally come across a story that is worth my effort.

in short this is a basic 7 sentence story for those that want to read it.

-Kal climbs a pile of debris to acquire a can than hangs precariously on the summit.

-as Kal's finger touches it, the can rolls down the hill and into a pile of debris

-He wedges himself into the space to grapple the can but knocks the debris pile over, causing himself to tumble down the hill

-Kal struts into a clearing with other pamingos staring at him curiously and glaring at the can-hat, but flee at the sight of a very bright light.

-the light grabs onto the very delighted Kal, lifting him up towards the sky and away from the clearing.

-Kal is dropped off at a new location, but at Kal's dismay; there are no other pamingos, and kal sees that there are few debris piles.

-Kal takes the can off of his head and draws a face on it

Story Survey

This story thing is a lot harder to achieve than previously thought. I am mostly a very very linear and objective thinker, this story conception of something "internal" escapes me.

After weeks of concepts, ideas and various story themes; my story keeps changing as much as the seasons change, or the tide rolls in. Every week is something new. But i think i am getting closer to something "internal". I have to find a theme and i think i found it.

What is the "goal" of the main character?
Kal is trying to get the contents of a container.

What is the "need" of the character? What are his fatal internal flaws?
Kal needs to overcome his inherit flaw of over curiosity. Almost over compulsive to the point of losing his family and friends.

What is the difficult choice the character has to make? what is the central dilemma?
The container contains a curiosity so intense that Kal will go through any turmoil to get it, even his worst fear. Impulsive behavior can lead to personal demise.

What is the character's worst fear? what is the psychological obstacle?
Kal's worst fear is tight spaces. He is claustrophobic. In order to get the object he must squeeze himself into a cluster of debris. The space is very unstable, but Kal's insatiable urge leads him in to acquire the treasure.

What/who is the antagonist? How does the antagonist embody the inner conflict of the character?
The object is the antagonist. It knows Kal has the urge to go through anything to acquire it's contents, but doesn't worry about Kal.

What is the relationship between the antagonist and protagonist?
The container is a recent addition to the junk pile that Kal has a daily routine of going through. As far as an in depth relationship, there is none, save the insatiable desire of Kal's to acquire nice shiny objects.

Describe the character arc. he/she must hit bottom before coming back up. Kal really really wants the object and goes through physical obstacles to get it. It is hard to open, it snaps at him as he picks it up, it is a very trcky object to acquire. Kal jumps through every hoop the box throws at him until the box ducks into a tight confined unstable space. He hesitates but enters regardless. While inside, kal starts to get delusional but still focuses on the object in front of him. The space starts collapsing but kal can either continue to get the object or leave the space. Kal hesitates as he reaches for the object but retracts and attempts to flee the collapsing structure.

What is the climax of your story?
I would have to say it is that final decision of getting the object or fleeing with his life.

describe the resolution.
As Kal retracts from the collapsing structure, he does not make the escape. He lays under the debris, fearing for his life in the confined space, hallucinating strongly that everything around him is alive and desiring to eat him alive. The debris closes in on Kal, he braces himself for his imminent demise but finds himself swiftly free from debris overhead. He finds himself looking up at the sky with multiple containers clearing debris. Kal grabs one of the containers as he leaps from the debris, he pulls out a prying tool looks eagerly at the container while the containers fall silent and watch Kal intently fearing for one of their own. He drops the prying device and then the container.

The dilemma resolution through the theme. What is this theme?
I would venture to say the theme is simply "wealth is not everything".