Act I Setup
1. Opening Image. Reading a newspaper column, PETER is in thoughts. "The author doesn't have any quality message today. Run out of steam? It's hard to be creative."
2. Theme Stated. Peter checks another column photo."That famous author was buried in that cemetery. How old was he? Oh, just 49..." Peter sighs.
3. Set-up. Peter recalls an early 1970 scene when he (age 19) shares with his classmate: "I want to become an author." His classmate remarks: "Somebody says that an author can't write anything good before the age of 40."
4. Catalyst. A beat. Having looked at an e-publication introducing him as an author, Peter says to himself: "Let me seize the moment and write something creative first!"
5. Debates. Phone alerts. Peter checks. "Oh, so many matters to follow through. Then, we hear loud drilling sounds. "Oh, come on, give me a break!" Peter looks frustrated.
6. Story A breaks into Act II. "Let me focus." Peter murmurs. "When I focus, the noise won't annoy me that much...They've to work, and me too!"
Act II Confrontation
7. Story B. Peter turns on the TV. News are being intermittently suppressed by drilling sounds. We hear : "An immigrant spider man in France has saved a four-year-old child." Peter remarks: "The docudrama is much better than the fictional symbol to save the cat!"
8. Fun and Games. Video clips showing an immigrant scaling up an apartment to save a child dangling in mid air from a Paris balcony are broadcast or disseminated everywhere. "Instead of reading gossips or fictions, people should be moved by watching the short video clip. No more bias or prejudice, at least for a while. People should be emphatic and love each other. Saving the child saves the world!" Peter remarks.
9. Midpoint. A beat. Staring at the ceiling, Peter thinks: "Okay, the lone story is great. Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. But the heroic act, unlike Hollywood stories, is not dramatic enough. There wasn't any twist and turns. After two steps up, there should be one step down."
10. Bad Guys Close In. Peter remembers in the mid 1980s, when he (age 35) means to write something serious, but work, the subject of investigation and an unfortunate event have prevented his pursuit.
11. All Is Lost. Summer 2014 - Autumn 2015. Having retired at the age of 60, Peter resumes his goal to write. He writes and writes, and keeps his writings in the computer hard disks. He researches and makes enquiries as to how he can publish them. "...But the time lapse in publishing means that my stuff, including my emotions, will be dated when they are out. Incidentally, who would like to read my stuff anyway?"
12. Dark Night of the Soul. Winter 2015. An audio-visual conference. Peter mingles with people from all walks of life. A lady suggests to Peter: "Why won't you grab some screenwriting books such as "Save the Cat" to write screenplays?" A beat. In a library, Peter finds the book and other ones. A beat. Peter reads and writes at the same time.
13. Break into Act III. Spring 2016. Looking at his work, Peter says to himself "I'd submit my first feature film screenplay to screenplay competitions in US and see if my stuff has any international appeal." He looks hopeful. A beat. "I know my flashbacks would not be liked, but the "Titanic" screenplay has a lot of flashbacks too!" He looks uncompromising.
Act III Resolution
14. Finale. Spring 2017."Having experimented self-digital publishing for 10 months via my personal websites and other social media, I can create whatever works I like - texts, songs and videos - and publish them right away. The available media and platforms are free, and so is my creativity. Putting my ideas into original expressions as the author also makes me the copyright owner of my works. Apart from possible economic exploitation, I've already enjoyed the intellectual satisfaction upfront. It's a first-class pleasure!" Peter is in a stream of consciousness.
15. Final Image. Present. Sitting behind a computer, Peter clicks a new post at his website: peterC@CREATIVITY and keys in the title: The Author. We hear the intermittent drilling noise again.
The End