Wings of Harmony
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Feb 5, 2024
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 09:00
Browsing through Facebook, PETER stumbles upon a clip.
PETER (V.O.): An enchanting duet between a myna bird and the trainer?
From screen, we see and hear a myna bird singing a love song with a human voice.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): It has a wide vocal range and good diction in Mandarin.
We hear: 你说爱情让人醉,为什么流眼泪?那是因为我爱的人啊也把我当宝贝...
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Good lines. Yes, all my loved ones are my "babies" or 宝贝.
Peter surfs the web with the lines.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): The title of the song is "Lifelong Companionship" or 相伴一生. Emotional support is always important.
Peter watches the clip again and again.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): It has inspired me to seek connection and harmony.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
EXT. YAESE PARK, OKINAWA -13:00 (31 Jan 2024)
Peter is appreciating Sakura blossoms.
PETER (V.O.): I'm so pleased I'm witnessing this. I used to see them two months later in the mainland of Japan.
Appreciating.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I just hope that my wife can join me next time.
END FLASHBACK
INT. STUDIO - 11:15
Peter is playing the piano with determination.
PETER (V.O.): I've to catch up with my self-learning and practice.
We then hear some harmonies.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Oh, I've the urge to play the ukulele too...
FLASHBACK
INT. CRYSTAL ROOM, PANDA HOTEL -21:30 (Yesterday)
Family gathering. KIDS#1 and #2 are checking Peter's Gibson acoustic guitar.
PETER: Do you want to try?
Both kids shake their heads sideways as their MOTHER watches.
MOTHER: (to kid#1): Have a go! You know how to play the ukulele.
It appears that Kid#1 can tell the difference.
RETURN TO PRESENT
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): In Oct 2022, I carried my ukulele with me while exploring Hong Kong's outlying islands, Then, I wanted to write a song and didn't know when inspirations would come.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Recently, I've noticed that the design of ukulele has become sophisticated. I'm wondering if I should buy a concert ukulele.
Peter finds his soprano ukulele.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I used to play the melodic and romantic song "Fly Me to the Moon" pretty well. Now, I can't remember any of the ukulele chords!
Having tuned the ukulele, Peter finds the chords online and begins to practise.
EXT. ROADSIDE, PET'S SALON - 19:30
Waiting inside a Previa, Peter is practising, bar by bar, the song "Fly Me to the Moon" with his soprano ukulele.
PETER (V.O.): I must relearn playing the ukulele.
INT. DINING ROOM - 21:00
Over dinner, Peter passes a clip to his WIFE to watch.
PETER: The myna can sing human songs.
WIFE: Judging from the image quality of the clip, I doubt its authenticity...
PETER (V.O.): I read that repeatedly playing the desired song or sounds to highly vocal birds and rewarding them for imitating those sounds might work.
PETER: Voice over?
PETER (V.O) : Yes, my Mandarin dictation should be better than a songbird!
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 23:15
Working on a laptop, Peter inserts an AI drawing called "Wings of Harmony..." to a text.
PETER (V.O.): Anyhow, beings have their own unique talents and personalities. I practise lifelong learning and find joy in simple pleasures.
Staring at the AI drawing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Enveloping myself in the wings of harmony would I ever roar to the promise of my better self.
From the radio, we hear an oldie: Love is a Very Splendid Thing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Love may well be the wings that allow souls to fly together in harmony.
FADE OUT
THE END
Comments