Pandemic Blues

1. FADE IN.

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY

6. 
   

7. Phone in hand, PETER is checking the answer requests on his Quora app.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): What have I done to fight away the blues of COVID-19?

10. 
    

11. Recalling.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Three of my children are students of overseas educational institutions. And before the pandemic, I've travelled monthly.

14. 
    

15. Recalling.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Going places and seeing someone used to be just some travelling.

18. 
    

19. Sighing.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But now, the safety concern and the self-isolation requirement upon arrival have made travelling much harder than before.

22. 
    

23. Thinking.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To bear with the travelling restrictions and the physical distancing have been my pandemic blues.

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. SITTING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

30. 
    

31. MONTAGE OF PETER'S ACTIVITIES WITH HIS FAMILY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC

32. 
    

33. A. EXT. HONG KONG AIRPORT - NIGHT (Early Nov, 2019)

34. 
    

35. Car park. Peter helps load his YOUNGER SON's baggage inside a Previa.

36. 
    

37. B. EXT. RAILWAY STATION, FUKUOKA - NIGHT (Mid-Nov, 2019)

38. 
    

39. Square. Peter meets up with his ELDER DAUGHTER.

40. 
    

41. C. EXT. HONG KONG AIRPORT - NIGHT (Early Dec, 2019)

42. 
    

43. Car park. Peter helps load his YOUNGER DAUGHTER's baggage inside a Previa.

44. 
    

45. D. EXT. NARITA AIRPORT - DAY (Dec. 19 2019)

46. 
    

47. Car rental. Peter, his wife, younger son and younger daughter get inside an Alphard with their baggage.

48. 
    

49. E.INT - HOTEL - NIGHT (Dec. 20, 2019)

50. 
    

51. The party stays at an onsen ryokan in Matshushima and were the only guests there.

52. 
    

53. F. EXT. AOMORI AIRPORT - NIGHT (Dec. 21, 2019)

54. 
    

55. Peter helps his ELDER DAUGHTER load her baggage inside the Alphard.

56. 
    

57. END MONTAGE

58. 
    

59. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, our elder daughter had to finish her exams before she could fly from Fukuoka to join us in Aomori.

60. 
    

61. Pausing.

62. 
    

63. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And then we had a great time visiting Hiroski Castle, trying the Hakkoda Ropeway, staying in a resort where royals have stayed, exploring the Ginzan Onsen, seeing the Ashikaga Flower Park at night before returning to Tokyo.

64. 
    

65. Recalling.

66. 
    

67. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'): As we returned to Hong Kong, our elder daughter continued her regional tour in Japan. I'd told her that I'd visit her in March 2020 when the sakura blossoms.

68. 
    

69. Pausing.

70. 
    

71. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And in early January 2020, our younger daughter flew back to UK to resume her studies.

72. 
    

73. MONTAGE OF PETER' ACTIVITIES WITH HIS FAMILY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC

74. 
    

75. A. EXT. HONG KONG AIRPORT - NIGHT (Early Feb, 2020)

76. 
    

77. Car park. Peter helps unload his younger son's baggage from a Previa. His wife sees him off.

78. 
    

79. B. INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT (Early March 2020)

80. 
    

81. Watching TV, Peter hears that the Hong Kong-Japan's visa-free arrangement will be suspended.

82. 
    

83. C. INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY (Early March, 2020)

84. 
    

85. Peter gets an airline notification that his flights to Fukuoka and return have been cancelled.

86. 
    

87. D. INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY (Early March, 2020)

88. 
    

89. Peter cancels his hotel reservations and advises his elder daughter that he couldn't visit her in Fukuoka.

90. 
    

91. E. INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY (Early March, 2020)

92. 
    

93. Peter and his wife get messages from their elder daughter that she couldn't come home for holidays because of the self-isolation requirements in Hong Kong and in Fukuoka.

94. 
    

95. F. INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT (Mid-March 2020)

96. 
    

97. Peter and his wife get messages from their younger daughter that she wanted to return to Hong Kong.

98. 
    

99. G INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT (Mid-March 2020)

100. 
     

101. Peter and his wife are searching for flights from UK back to Hong Kong.

102. 
     

103. H. INT. HOME - NIGHT (March 25, 2020)

104. 
     

105. Peter and his wife are preparing a safe house for their younger daughter's self-isolation.

106. 
     

107. I. EXT. ROAD - DAY (March 28, 2020)

108. 
     

109. Peter sees the younger daughter being ferried away in an ambulance.

110. 
     

111. END MONTAGE

112. 
     

113. Act 3

114. 
     

115. INT. SITTING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): She thought she had COVID-19 symptoms and was taken to testing. They're false alarms.

118. 
     

119. Pausing.

120. 
     

121. PETER (V.O.): Suspending his placement, our younger son managed to fly back from Australia only yesterday and has just begun his self-isolation.

122. 
     

123. Pausing.

124. 
     

125. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our elder daughter is still studying in Fukuoka. We trust her public hygiene judgment.

126. 
     

127. Refocusing on his phone screen.

128. 
     

129. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To fight away my pandemic blues, I simply play the blues with my blue Kurt Cobain Jaquar guitar.

131. Peter types his answer on the phone.

132. 
     

133. FADE OUT.

134. 
     

135. THE END