Habitats: The Classroom Script

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
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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.