Signal Warnings

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

5. INT. BEDROOM - 09:45

7. A heavy rain lashes against the windows. PETER lies awake, his WIFE sleeps deeply beside him. He grabs his mobile to read notifications.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): Oh, the black rain storm warning is in effect.

10. 
    

11. Pausing.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The black signal means "stay inside". It never says what we'll miss by obeying.

14. 
    

15. Pausing.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My wife is unable to attend her scheduled medical appointment, and I shouldn't return to my home in NT.

18. 
    

19. Sitting up in bed, Peter scrolls through his Facebook feed.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Some people share their travel experiences, while others recount historical accounts of war.

22. 
    

23. Peter leans back, closing his eyes

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): During our July-August trip to Niigata to enjoy the firework festivals, my wife and I discovered the area's rich historical background.

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. FLASHBACK

30. 
    

31. EXT. ROAD, KASHIWAZAKI - 15:00 (26 July 2025)

32. 
    

33. Sunny and hot. Peter and his wife spot some seating pads on the roadside, overlooking the Sea of Japan.

34. 
    

35. WIFE: I've done some research, and for those without seat reservations, here's great spot to enjoy the fireworks display.

36. 
    

37. PETER: The signals of self-reservation here indicate strong support for that.

38. 
    

39. Peter and his wife follow suit, placing a seating pad in an unoccupied spot by the roadside.

40. 
    

41. WIFE: Below the road is a seaside park where we can access restrooms. The fireworks display will start at 7:30pm and concludes at 9:10pm.

42. 
    

43. PETER: Wow, that long...and we've to wait a couple of hours. Let's find a nice cafe to pass the time.

44. 
    

45. MONTAGE

46. 
    

47. A. Community centre. Crowded. Peter and his wife can't find any available seats in the air-conditioned room.

48. 
    

49. B. Drink vending machine. Sweating all over, they buy beverages to quench their thirst.

50. 
    

51. C. Cafe. They wait patiently outside before enjoying an early dinner inside.

52. 
    

53. D. Roadside. They enjoy the fireworks display with the LOCALS.

54. 
    

55. END MONTAGE

56. 
    

57. INT. ART HOTEL, NIIGATA - 09:00 (2 August, 2025)

58. 
    

59. The TV displays the Nagaoka fireworks of 2024, while Peter sits lost in thought, captivated by the vibrant colours and booming sounds.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.): That's why we had to pay for our hotel reservations last year, spending five times the usual price.

62. 
    

63. Researching with his mobile.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our younger daughter managed to reserve tickets for tomorrow's show, and she'll join us today to explore the no-ticket area.

66. 
    

67. Pausing.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): She has also reserved Shinkansen seats and tickets for us. A large crowd is expected to attend the festival.

70. 
    

71. Researching.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The festival isn't just about the fireworks show - it's about commemorating the WWII air raids that devastated the city.

74. 
    

75. Pausing.

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And now, every year, they light up the sky to honour those who were lost during the horrific bombings for over an hour.

78. 
    

79. MONTAGE

80. 
    

81. A. No-ticket area, Nagaoki, 13:00. Peter, his wife and their younger daughter work together to "reserve" their preferred viewing spot.

82. 
    

83. B. CoCoLo, Nagaoka. Crowded. 14:15. They queue before Cafe Sharmonix.

85. C. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto Museum. 16.00. Crowded. They see his writitings alongside remants of the plane he was in before it was shot down in 1943.

86. 
    

87. D. No-ticket area, Nagaoka, 19:30. After dinner at Tully's, they watch the fireworks display and capture the explosions with their mobiles.

88. 
    

89. E. Train station, Nagaoki 22:45. They can hardly wait to use the restrooms.

90. 
    

91. F. Reserved area, Nagaoka riverbank,19:30. (Aug 3, 2025) Peter and his wife watch the fireworks display and capture the explosions with their mobiles.

92. 
    

93. G.  Train station, Nagaoki 22:45. (Aug, 2025) Again, they can hardly wait to use the restrooms.

94. 
    

95. RETURN TO PRESENT

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A storm warning lasts a day, A bomb's echo lasts lifetimes.

98. 
    

99. Pausing.

100. 
     

101. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Stayiing home? Not so bad after all.

102. 
     

103. Act 3

104. 
     

105. INT. BEDROOM - 21:45

107. Peter uploads an image of Nagaoka fireworks display to a draft on his laptop.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.): They issue signal warnings for storms, Amber for wait, red for stop, and black for "too late".

110. 
     

111. Thinking.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They never issue signal warnings about history. The sky remembers everything regardless.

114. 
     

115. Reflecting.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The most dangerous warning is the one we learn to live with.

118. 
     

119. FADE OUT

120. 
     

121. END