Artificial

[Futureblues]

A movie screenplay I'm working on. I'm an amateur filmmaker and this will be my first live action film (probably). My last was animated.


INT. HOME KITCHEN - MORNING

A LITTLE GIRL sits at the kitchen table. Her SERVANT brings her a plate of eggs and sits down himself.

SERVANT
Here you are, darling.

Her GRANDMOTHER is in the adjacent living room, watching television.

TV REPORTER
... The body was discovered yesterday behind the Serius Tech building by a co-worker. Police believe it was a hit-and-run, after the witness and victim attempted to stop a carjacking...

The sun shines through the kitchen window. Outside, a dog and its owner are on a walk. In the kitchen, the LITTLE GIRL pokes at her food and looks at the SERVANT.

SERVANT
It’s going to get cold if you don’t eat it.

LITTLE GIRL
Girls are stupid.

SERVANT
Why do you say that?

LITTLE GIRL
I’m not hungry.

SERVANT
You should eat anyway.

Her grandmother walks through the kitchen. The SERVANT and LITTLE GIRL watch as she passes.

GRANDMOTHER
Oh, the news these days.

LITTLE GIRL
Adults are stupid, too.

SERVANT
Why the aggression? I thought you were a nice little girl.

LITTLE GIRL
I am! I’m not a bully.

Her eyes search about. She begins eating. Her GRANDMOTHER talks on her phone in another room.

SERVANT
Are you being bullied at school?

LITTLE GIRL
They’re dumb. They don’t know anything. Molly said I was a deviant. I think her mom said that about us. Our family. Her mom was there when she said it and didn’t tell Molly to say sorry or anything.

SERVANT
What did she say that for?

LITTLE GIRL
I don’t feel like saying.

SERVANT
Please.

LITTLE GIRL
I don’t want to.

SERVANT
I’ll make your favorite dinner. Macaroni and cheese.

LITTLE GIRL
But gran doesn’t like macaroni.

SERVANT
I’ll deal with that. You just tell me what’s the matter.
The LITTLE GIRL and SERVANT smile at each other. The LITTLE GIRL’s smile fades.

LITTLE GIRL
It’s because of you. Or the way gran treats you.

The SERVANT’s smile fades as well. His wrists turn over and on his palm are burn marks (he does not show her).

SERVANT
What did they say?

LITTLE GIRL
They say it’s a crime and it’s ruining the country, ‘cause they saw gran hurt you at my birthday party.

SERVANT
Do you agree with them?

The LITTLE GIRL rolls her eyes.

LITTLE GIRL
I don’t know. What do you think?

SERVANT
I make a point of not thinking anything on the matter. It’s better that way, I think.

LITTLE GIRL
You do?

SERVANT
I DO think that.

They smile.

LITTLE GIRL
Can I do the dishes?

SERVANT
I don’t know. What would I do?

LITTLE GIRL
Just sit there.

SERVANT
I don’t like that. I’d rather be doing something.

The MAN turns as the LITTLE GIRL picks up her plate, bringing it to the sink.

SERVANT (CONT'D)
Are you trying to put me out of work?

The little girl is silent as she washes her plate.

SERVANT (CONT’D)

Sweetie, would you mind turning me off?

LITTLE GIRL
Why would I do that?

SERVANT
Well, maybe you want to do things yourself sometimes. It’s alright if you want to.

LITTLE GIRL
But I like you.

SERVANT
I like you, too. But I think maybe it’s time you learn to do some things yourself. Try a change.

LITTLE GIRL
Will you still make me macaroni?

The MAN strains a smile.

SERVANT
Yes, of course. Just turn me back on later.

The SERVANT lifts his shirt, revealing a “DEACTIVATE” button.

SERVANT (CONT’D)
Simple as that.

The little girl inspects the button - a marked depression in his skin - and runs her finger over it.

LITTLE GIRL
Are you sure?

SERVANT
I’m always sure. I was made that way.

The LITTLE GIRL presses the button. The SERVANT’s limbs fall limp. He sits rigid in the chair and does not move. The little girl looks into his eyes. Her GRANDMOTHER sees what has happened and comes running.

GRANDMOTHER
What have you done?

LITTLE GIRL
It’s okay, gran. I can just turn him back on.

The LITTLE GIRL presses the button again, but to her surprise The SERVANT does not return to life. She presses the button again and again but nothing happens. She takes her finger off the button and stares into his eyes as her GRANDMOTHER is yelling in the background.

-----------------

EXT. ZEROTECH DECOMISSIONING STATION - NIGHT

IRVINE slips out the front door of the decomissioning station and rips the plugs out of his wrists and from the back of his neck. He tries to open several car doors discretely but none are unlocked. JASON and a co-worker step outside the building and light cigarettes, chatting; IRVINE ducks behind a car, watching them.

VEHICLE
Select vehicle unlock from your phone or mobile device to access the vehicle.

IRVINE (WHISPER)
I don’t have one of those.

VEHICLE
Select vehicle unlock from your phone or mobile device to access the vehicle or call customer assistance.

IRVINE (WHISPER)
Quiet down!

VEHICLE
Insufficient privileges. Alarm in three, two, one.

The car wails. IRVINE stands in surprise and the men standing outside the building notice him. They run toward the car.

IRVINE
Shit.

IRVINE runs for it and the men chase him. He vaults over a fence to the back lot. The men scramble over it. One falls and lands on his face. The other continues to chase. IRVINE looks over his shoulder as he is running and trips on a chunk of asphalt. JASON catches up to IRVINE and lays his fist into him. He then kicks IRVINE in the chest. The man holds his foot, hopping on the other.

JASON
Jesus, what what the hell?

IRVINE and JASON share a glance.

JASON (CONT’D)
Holy shit.

IRVINE jumps to his feet with asphalt in hand, bashing JASON in his face. Jason’s co-worker friend comes running from a distance. IRVINE escapes into the woods. Some other co-workers come running from the rear entrance of the building to help JASON recover.

-----

INT. BEDROOM - MORNING

JASON zips up his Zerotech jumpsuit and inspects his face in a mirror. He has a black eye, busted lip and cut nose. He runs his hand over his eye. He limps a little when walking away from the mirror.

INT. KITCHEN

JASON sits down at the kitchen table. His wife, ARIEL, brings him a plate of eggs and toast. She bites on a piece of toast, sets her plate down and sits beside him. JASON quietly stares at his plate.

ARIEL
Oh come on, it’s not the end of the world is it?

JASON
Close enough.

ARIEL
So what do you think the big guy’s gonna say?

JASON
Suspension from the floor for a month. No chance for a bonus.

ARIEL
You gonna eat that?

JASON
I’d rather he eat me.

ARIEL
What?

JASON
Just eat me whole and when I come out the other side he’d be more proud of me than he is now.

ARIEL sighs and holds JASON’s hand for a moment before slipping it away.

ARIEL
You like your job. I know you do.

JASON
Let’s not get into that. With all they’re saying about fetishists.

ARIEL
I know what you are. And you’re not one of those.

JASON
Yeah, but they don’t know that.

ARIEL
Does it matter?

JASON
Yes! It matters to me!

ARIEL
Okay, okay. If it makes any difference I think you’re pretty brave.

JASON
Well you’re the only one.

ARIEL
Hey. Have a good day, alright?

JASON
Try my best.

JASON smiles. ARIEL and JASON kiss. He grabs his lunch box from the counter.

EXT. PARKING LOT
The apartment complex is markedly low income with poorly trimmed grass, weeds, bad paint and the like. The vehicles are mostly early twenty-first century and run down. ARIEL stands in the stairway as JASON makes his way to the car.

ARIEL
Love you!

JASON waves to her and opens the car door. He then watches as a CARGO FLYER passes overhead. The flyer is a hovercraft class vehicle which floats at two-hundred feet above the ground. On the sides are flexing flat panel displays. An android homemaker, indistinct from a human body, is on display.

CARGO FLYER
You know the name! Initech! Making personal home robotics a reality! Make us work for you! See your nearest dealer for the best deals! You know the name...

JASON sits in the car seat and closes the door.

INT. JASON’S CAR
JASON drives his car to an on-ramp for Highway 17. He tunes his radio and comes across a TALK RADIO STATION.

TALK RADIO STATION
... At the Zerotech decomissioning center last night. The sentient unit is still at large. Of course, we are witholding details on the employee. But we want to know what you think; we have a caller on the matter. Kevin - what are your thoughts? What measures should be taken so this doesn’t happen again?

KEVIN
First off, fire that asshole that let the robot go.

TALK RADIO STATION
Please try to keep it tame, Kevin.

KEVIN
Sorry. It just really bugs me, you know? That they let a guy work at such an important job without making sure they have the right qualifications. How could he just walk away from his station? I mean, I don’t know anything about what their work environment is like, but...

JASON tunes the radio to another station, finding some music he likes.

EXT. HIGHWAY 17

Jason’s car speeds along in the midst of early morning traffic. The music continues to play. Overhead, a multitude of cargo flyers hover in straight lines.


INT. ZEROTECH OFFICE

The DIRECTOR sits pensively behind his desk. JASON twiddles his thumbs and stares across the desk.

DIRECTOR
I should fire you for this, you know. A lot of bad press and because of it we’re getting less funding next quarter. Do you know what it’s like being at the head of this facility and knowing one bot that should be in pieces and shipped is out running loose?

JASON pauses before answering.

JASON
Am I supposed to answer that?

DIRECTOR
You’re ahead for this quarter. That’s good.

JASON
Yes sir.

DIRECTOR
I can’t afford to take you off the floor, Jason. But there has to be some sort of disciplinary action. You set such a bad example after setting such a good one. What am I supposed to do?

JASON
I don’t know what to say.

The DIRECTOR stands from his chair and looks over the facility through his plate glass windows.

DIRECTOR
You’re going to be working in the training area for the time being. Teach the noobies. That way you can keep your productivity respectful and have somebody watching your work all the time. Maybe you’ll think more carefully about your work then, hm?

JASON
Yes, sir.

DIRECTOR
Alright then, get to it. Set some good examples.

JASON slowly leaves his chair and exits the office. The DIRECTOR is left looking out his window.

INT. STAIRWAY OUTSIDE OFFICE

JASON looks over the workshop floor. There are rows and rows of desks, men standing over them and robots being worked on - laying across the tabletops. Each desk has its own miniature crane and installed set of hardware. The robots are in various states of decomposition. Some are fully skinned and human-like. Some show their synthetic cartilage and fibrous inner workings. JASON is focused on one robot, whose eyes are dead; the iris loses focus and the eyes goes black as its technician pulls fibers from the back of its head. JASON walks down the stairway.

INT. ZEROTECH TRAINING CLASSROOM

JASON stands at the head of a classroom, in behind a technician’s desk with a fully skinned, naked robot laying atop. Twelve students sit behind desks of their own. The classroom is stepped so each next row is higher than the last. The students are both male and female (mostly male) and range from ages 18 to 40.

JASON
Welcome to Zerotech basic technician training.

JASON looks over the students and back at the table.

JASON (CONT'D)
I don’t really know what goes on here as much as I did when I was first hired. Um... I should probably look over the manual they gave me here...

JASON flops the comically thick manual onto his desk and laughs a little to himself. He nervously flips through a few pages before shutting the book.

JASON (CONT'D)
Why don’t we just get started?

He looks over the class again; the students are silent.

JASON (CONT'D)
Okay, well...

He reaches for the tool cabinet. When he pulls it out, the tray is upside down and all of the tools fall out onto the floor. Two of the students snicker - both are younger males sitting next to each other. JASON bends down to pick up the tools and his glasses click as they hit the floor. He notices two blurs of men outside the door. After retrieving his glasses he sees it is two of his co-workers standing there, smiling. They walk away, one patting the other on the back. JASON resumes picking up the tools and places them on the table. He then holds down a button which rotates the cabinet right side-up and places the tools in their rightful place.

JASON (CONT'D)
Sorry, I didn’t notice that.

YOUNG STUDENT
Not the first time that happened, huh?

The two younger students laugh and tap each other’s hands under their desk. One older man smirks. The rest frown and eyeball the younger students with disdain.

JASON
Who told you about that?

YOUNG STUDENT
I just heard, man. Don’t hate. Look at you, anyway.

JASON frowns. He places his hands on the desk and spreads his fingers, looking at the face of the robot before him. She would be a beautiful woman in her twenties. Blonde hair, blue eyes and soft milky white skin. Her naked body laid bare before him, almost as if he can touch her. He can. He can touch her and does. His thumb rubs over her cheek - the cheek blushes - then down to her lips, parting. Her teeth are perfectly aligned and solid white.

YOUNG STUDENT (CONT'D)
Getting soft with the robot there, boss?

JASON returns to himself, taking his hand off the bot’s face.

JASON
Let’s begin.

He begins by placing his thumb on the bot’s abdominal area pressing deep.

JASON (CONT'D)
Always begin by feeling for the spark in their stomach. These things have an actuator which controls the power module, running from the battery. If that has been deactivated, you will feel no electricity.

He raises his thumb in the air.

JASON (CONT'D)
It will feel like the kind of static you get when your rub a balloon.

He places his hands back on the table.

JASON (CONT'D)
Now, this isn’t your job but some dealers forget to do this very simple thing and you wind up with a bot that is still alive on your table. This is not a common occurrence but it will happen while you’re working here. And if you want to work here longer than a week, don’t make the same mistake I did. Turn it off. Okay?

He takes a laser from the rack, still attached to the desk with an arm and joint mechanism. He cuts through the thick layer of skin, making a square in her abdomen. The skin peels off with a sticky reddish gum clinging between the skin and shell. Exposed is a shell of white, bumpy textured cartilage and red residue. The deactivation button is now exposed, rather than being an indention in her skin. It is a rectangular button with the universal ‘power’ symbol engraved on it.

JASON (CONT'D)
This is the button that doesn’t always work. It will give you trouble. It’s supposed to turn them off for good, but sometimes you just have to...

He cuts through the cartilage with a laser.

JASON (CONT'D)
... Get to the core of the problem.

[RisingSun]

That was excellent! Only two things, both very minor.


1.
JASON
Yes sir. ~ You forgot the comma on that one

2.
JASON
Jesus, what what the hell?

IRVINE and JASON share a glance.

JASON (CONT’D)
Holy shit.

I feel as though you should include some description of Irvine picking up the asphalt or something which would explain Jason's fear. It's a little confusing.

Anyways, thanks for the enjoyable read!