Plot: Student attempts to survive in typical class environment, narrator explaining Student’s actions in Nature doc spoof Place: Set inside a classroom, one scene Characters • • • • Student Narrator (v/o) Teacher (mostly a physical presence) Other class (extras) Sound: Classroom activities not super audible during v/o; want focus on behavior of student and v/o, but include certain key lines from student and relevant other characters, dramatic music may also be interesting Shots: Slightly larger in scope 1. Opening pan over classroom of students, with the end of the pan onto the student trying to skim right with v/o cue 2. During narration/pauses 3. Pan around circle leading up student for circle share 4. For question between teacher and student attempt for shot to feel like some sort of face off between prey and predator Narrator: The classroom. All is not as it seems For this student has not done the reading A student frantically attempting to skim through a book Narrator: They must be weary of the danger One slip up (...)Could mean the end Student quickly slams book closed as teacher enters hastily, shots of general class proceeding Narrator: The classroom environment comes with unique challenges, with each student having to stave the boredom. Muffled teacher noises asking a question, students gazing blankly as teacher drones intelligibly in background Narrator: The student affixes a mask of nonchalance Student sitting super unnaturally rigid with a wild look in their eyes Narrator: Fear of discovery momentarily fades into boredom as the student wrestles with the pervasive and biting dullness. Student slumped and bored Narrator: Almost too late our student has noticed that there is some sort of share, but what was the question? They only have moments to figure out what to say as circle shares are a ticking clock counting down to demise. Student: Yeah I was gonna say something similar to what Tom said about how Johnfulson is speaking to uhh the nature of umm what it means to be like that Cut to other student giving quizzical look of annoyance Narrator: Like many scavengers, this student dissuades detection by stealing a half remembered previous answer of a fellow student. This way if the student is wrong, then Tom is dragged down as well. But the Student has larger problems, a discussion has begun and it is painfully obvious that they are the only person who has not participated. Student looks both ways before jumping into discussion Narrator: The student resorts to false confidence by opening their book and reading the first line they see. Afterall, quotations are the highest form of participation. Student: Yeah like that reminds me of a quote on page 63 second paragraph that says “I, Johnfulson, definitely wouldn’t comment on the nature of what it means to be anything” Which I think goes to show the underlying point.*** Narrator: Survival in such a climate requires risk, but the tense dance can only be taken so far. When the student sees a mass of other hands raised, it half raises its hand attempting to signal to the discerning teacher that they know the answer while hoping to avoid confrontation. But such a plan can backfire. Teacher calls on student Narrator: This is the first major confrontation between the Student and its natural predator. Only with quick wits can the Student survive such an encounter Student: Yeah exactly, I was thinking along uhh similar lines in terms of how that actually made me wonder the same thing vis-avis the text. Expression of student is like a cornered wild animal Narrator: Cornered, the student will attempt to agree with the teacher’s question in a last hope of escape. The added use of vis-a-vis is deployed as well in order to distract the teacher from the lack of substance spouted. But sensing weakness the teacher doubles down? Teacher: What do you mean by that? Narrator: The student didn’t mean anything by that. But of course the ravenous teacher knows this instinctually. The student has been brought to the brink of doom unless they can find a miracle. Student: Well, uh, this reminds me of uh from in the text when it says that uh (searches text frantically) what did it say I just can’t remember and I lost the page, do you know which one I’m talking about? Narrator: The student with death almost certain attempts one last futile attempt to escape by throwing the question back to the teacher. The teacher goes in for the kill. Teacher: I’m not sure which one you’re referring, can you paraphrase? Narrator: The student knows there was no quote, the teacher knows there was no quote, everything seems doomed until the student in a moment of brilliance finds their escape. Student: Yeah it was sort of like what Tom was saying about how like Johnfulson was saying about the nature of what it all means on like page 63 I think.