Second Draft of LUCIDA.

1. Created using Celtx
LUCIDA - DRAFT 2
________________
Written by Richard Dannenberg, with elements quoted and
devised with performers and photographers and the
photographed in the real world.

2. 2.
Created using Celtx
PART 1
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1. OPENING
A zoom call. People in this zoom call, all muted, doing
various things, including:
- Someone putting up photos on the wall with much attention
and care, this is their life
- Someone is miming the activities inside a darkroom
- MUSELESS is dismantling and reassembling a camera, doing it
with little care, and going in and out of thought
- Someone is having a rant in their side direction, their
anger focussed that way (but they are muted)
- An unloved child, the PBF (Photography's Best Friend),
sitting on the floor and playing with a camera
- Someone is playing around with their smartphone and with a
selfie stick. That could be Vivian's character, doing
something more arty with selfies, and preparing a portfolio
- Someone is filtering and editing photographs, the Zoom call
is the interface
- The remaining performers are switching between photography
poses
One after one, each performer breaks out of their character
and delivers one of these lines
A
I think one of the hardest things to
come to terms with, is the fact that
the people that chased her into the
tunnel, were the same people who were
taking photographs of her while she
was still dying on the backseat of the
car… She’d had a quite severe head
injury, but she was very much still
alive on the backseat. And those
people that caused the accident,
instead of helping, were taking
photographs of her dying on the
backseat. And then those photographs
made their way back to the news desks.

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B
I like movement in a picture...I like
it to move…. This is happiness, it’s
movement. This is what it was then,
they were happy, they were moving. And
I’m moving with them.
C
You have done the impossible, I didn’t
even think domestic violence was
photographable. But still, nobody
would publish these pictures. From
that point on I decided, I was just
gonna do a book. I didn’t care how
long it was gonna take me, I was gonna
show everybody how bad it was. I
wanted to see the reality of violence
against women and children. People
were hungry for it, and it catapulted
this whole issue.
D
Looking good bro!
E
The best people.
F
We were friends for years as well when
I lived in London, and when I was
going through some pretty rough times
- Anton was always kinda the guy that
showed up. And he would just show up
on my doorstep, and kinda hang out
with me and show me photographs and
stuff. Try and keep me entertained.
G
There’s a photograph of President
Trump and the First Lady, taken little
over a year ago, that I have not been
able to get out of my head. It seems
like every day, this photograph, at
some point, will pop into my head. And
it’s, it’s unlike anything that I’ve
seen in the last four years….. this
picture was different, this picture
was that rare photo of him smiling.
Really smiling, all the teeth showing,
and actually looking, happy.

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H
I really needed to take that
photograph. And I'm so glad I did.
There's everything in there. A week
went well, European solidarity in the
face of Brexit, a bunch of rowdy Brits
given the continental experience.
Theatre. Arts. Europe. Exchange. And
my achievement.
I
*Kid* wants to play with real trees,
instead of capturing them for Lucida,
what a freak!
J
This is an absolutely amazing
photograph. But I don't think we can
use it for the article. If this image
hits the headlines, can you imagine
the outcry?
K
It was a really spontaneous idea. I
was just walking from Scenography, and
it was a beautiful day. The light was
like really yellow and it was really
beautiful. And I was just walking back
and I was just looking at the sky, and
I just saw these two electric wires.
And there was a plane flying past them
in the middle. And it was centred
ideally right in the middle of those
two electric wires. And I thought of
something Miranda said: This is never
going to happen. No one is going to
ever have curry in I think that just
stuck with me. This moment will never
happen since. That resembled with me.
It was a beautiful way to prove the
statement I've gone back to look, and
I've never seen it again. No
frustration though, it was just an
experiment.
2. THE SPEECH
A politician gives a speech. This is a moment of grand
importance, many people are watching

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POLITICIAN
Good evening good citizens!
We in the Committee have been
discussing something that has been
pressing on our society for quite a
while! And we have come to a very
difficult decision. We have slaved
through many late nights, and lost
huge amounts of sleep - in order to
weigh out all the facts, and all the
pros and cons.
And here we are. There is no beating
about the bush, as they say. From this
evening, I must give you all a very
simple instruction: You must stop
taking photographs!
From this Friday 6pm, all non-
essential photography will be
prohibited, and the police- Actually
fuck it. Let's spice things a bit more
up. Clamp down, and clamp down HARD!
This situation is getting dangerous.
From this Friday at 6pm, photography
will become completely illegal and a
punishable offence.
The photographic camera has simply
come too big a burden for society, too
much of a poisonous plant that is
pretending to be magical flora in our
garden. And I know, I know. Its
original intention was to capture the
moment, the wonder, the beauty, the
movement, the action of life. To give
us happy memories on our walls and in
our online drives. To look at these
images, and go - that was us! That was
this beautiful place, this memory of
perfection. (is briefly smitten by
this idea and seems to be in trance)
But no
(Then gets "serious again")
more! It has to come to an end, with
immediate effect! I am here to tell
you tonight, that all photographs, and
there can be no exception, must be
thrown out of your physical and
virtual houses by the end of the week.

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By working with waste management
services we have a devised a quick,
global and radical system in order to
accommodate and speed up this mass
purge. There will be multiple extra
bins put out across the world, just to
be used for photographs to be thrown
away. And I'm sure you will all want
to see evidence of their destruction.
So, all local councils are organising
mass burnings, where the waste
personnel will throw this evil onto a
pile, and light it up. It'll be so
beautiful to destroy this evil.
The same will happen to the Online
World. But all your photographs in
your computer bin. Those that are not
deleted, the Zuckerberg Foundation has
been developed a quick, efficient
virus that will reach every single
device, and work its magic with
destructive perfection (they are
taking part in a perverse pleasure as
they speak this, it's almost like a
sexual fantasy)
And we have to be consistent with
upholding the law of this purge.
Anyone from next week onwards, who is
found to be in possession of a
photograph, either in physical print
or on any other type of device, will
be subjected to life long
imprisonment. Or something worse, who
knows. (Gives an evil chuckle).
All Photographic Studios, All
Darkrooms will either be immediately
converted into film studios, or turned
into Storage Rooms. All analogue
photographic film will become film
print, or will also face the torch.
All Newspapers will from now on rely
on sketches and drawings, how it used
to be. Hang on, it might make some
people trust newspapers even less.Oh,
bugger. Well at least you’re more
aware of the fact is fake. But it is
the photograph that is truly fake.

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The Social Media World Facebook,
Instagram will become a Video Sharing
Service, and merge with YouTube.
Twitter, Snapchat. Pinterest Is
Basically Fucked, Sorry Darlings,
you're just out of business, that's
the way it is. will be banned from
using photographs. And what's more,
all stories will now be increased to
be at least 20 seconds long, so that
the medium of film is distanced from
photography. Filmmaking is allowed,
for it captures the beautiful
complexity of the image, of the event,
and of a narrative. But a photograph -
is so still. It can mislead you. You
need the images to move. As I’m sure
all you historians, film & media
academics and buffs will say, film was
born out of photography. It is now
time, for it to become truly
independent from its parent art form.
The child must challenge the parent,
and kill it. Shakespeare would agree
(Gets all posh, stares at the camera
in a serious and psychotic way in
those last 2 sentences).
To all photographers, I know this will
be most difficult to you as well. But
I say that you retrain as filmmakers,
as I’m sure that will actually be more
worthwhile weren’t it? Cause
photography sucks compared to
filmmaking, doesn’t it? So limited,
you can tell so much more with film.
Don't give me that minimalist shit, in
fact I bet you're all dying to be
experimental video artists aren't you?
So see this as a blessing and as your
chance! But no photographic films or
montages, there can be no exception in
this radical purge!
But dear filmmakers and dear painters,
I warn you. You must learn from the
failure of photography. If you don’t
keep to the principles I am bestowing
on you, we might have to undertake an
absolute call of the captured image.
The full trilogy/trinity/trio will be

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removed.
WE DID CONSIDER, GOING TO EVEN MORE
RADICAL MEASURES. FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
EXISTS IN A HOLY TRINITY, A TRINITY OF
EVIL SOME SAY. PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM AND
DRAWING/PAINTING EXIST IN A HOLY
TRINITY OF THE CAPTURED IMAGE. BUT WE
ARE NOT MONSTERS, WE ARE NOT
DICTATORS. WE’RE GOING TO GIVE YOU
OTHER IMAGE CAPTURERS CHANCE TO PROVE
YOU ARE NOT ALL IN THIS AXIS OF EVIL,
BUT THAT PHOTOGRAPHERS AND PHOTOGRAPHY
ARE THE SOLE ROUTE OF EVIL.
WE HOPE,
(GETS EMOTIONAL AND SERIOUS)
THAT YOU PROVE US WRITE.
THOSE THAT ASK THAT IF PHOTOGRAPHY,
can ever return from its place of
evil? I’m afraid, that I must be
honest with you, and say I hold that
for very unlikely. Maybe in a
millennia, but not for the very long
future. I know, that you too must be
very disappointed.
So I trust you all, that you will
learn as we pull this weed called
photography from our civilisation's
routes, that this cull will be an
education.
And remember our new slogan to go with
this initiative:
STOP PHOTOGRAPHING, BURN CAMERAS, AND
SAVE REALITY
3. DISCOVERING THE STARS
The NASA PHOTO EDITOR is sitting at a computer desk, editing
photographs from space, doing their work well. From time to
time they glance at a book. Then, the door opens, and the
NASA BOSS speaks behind them (a second performer will be
doing this without video and just through sound)
NASA BOSS
5.30 mate, time to go home.

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NASA EDITOR
I soon, I promise. But you know how it
is, I feel bad if I leave with
something unfinished, just gotta get
it done. It give me peace of mind
NASA BOSS
If you say so, but I just hope you're
not losing too much time with your
family, I know your partner also works
full-time
NASA EDITOR
It's fine, don't worry, I'm able to
manage my work time and my family
time.
NASA BOSS
Right
NASA EDITOR goes back to their computer, happily goes on
clicking. Awkward Pause/Silence from NASA BOSS.
NASA BOSS
You do know there's no alien life out
there, don't you mate?
NASA EDITOR
Yeah, of course, I'm not some
(Laughs)
kind of astrologist or conspiracy
theorist.
NASA BOSS
Yeah, yeah, of course not. It's just
that, what you do to these images -
the colours, the illumination… It's
just perfect composition already given
to us through science - but you, you
make it so beautiful and nebulous, and
- one can't help but dream (they seem
to be in their own sci-fi dream
But
briefly, then snap out of it)
yeah, anyway, we're not sci-fi
authors, we're scientists. Just
thought I'd clear that up. Have a good
night! And I better not find you still
here in the morning like last time.
NASA BOSS closes the door and leaves. NASA EDITOR carries on
doing their job seamlessly and "normally", but is waiting for
a bit, listening that their boss has left the building.

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After a few moments, NASA BOSS has left the building. NASA
EDITOR is alone. They grab the book they were glancing at
before, and read a passage out.
NASA EDITOR
“Nightside, cities glistened in
chains, and a spray of tinkertoy
habitats girdled the planet. Gossamer
starbridges reached from the equator
towards orbit.”
This bit of reading makes them a smile, and it's a smile that
makes them come alive, they're now in their element. They
then get up, they prepare the room, and get even more closer
to their screen and mentally to the images they are editing.
The cover version "I Took A Trip On Gemini Spaceship" starts
playing, and weird galactic lights start playing, and while
frantically editing these images of space, they are both
creating and transporting themselves into beautiful, far-
away, impossible science-fiction worlds and space journeys.
At the end they are quite out of breath, they have to lie on
the floor briefly, out of cameras view, but we can still hear
their heavy breathing.
Eventually, they get up, and grab another book, and read out
a passage while still gathering the rest of their breath
NASA EDITOR
“The full force of the sun’s rays
broke through the tree canopy, and the
man squinted up at the sky. “I always
assumed Asterions would figure it out
when they were ready for the
knowledge. When they were ready to
take the next step. By my count,
you’re a little early.”
“We don’t have the luxury of waiting
for the next evolutionary leap to
mosey through on its own. To put it
bluntly, we are dead in two weeks
unless we can find a way to stop the
Rasu. Dead. As a species. Do you
understand me? Am I getting through to
you?”
“Calm yourself, Mr. Ridani. I hear you
fine.”

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“Good. Then will you come with me?”
4. MUSELESS
Museless is lying on the bed, staring up into the ceiling.
Next to them lies a camera. They eventually decide to take it
apart, and polish certain parts, and then reassemble them.
They do this again and again.
Until, eventually, we can hear noises outside. Noises, steps,
chatter come closer. A knock on the door.
MUSELESS
Come in.
MUSELESS's two friends, SKY and JORDAN enter. They're happy
and content with their lives, got stressful moments and their
problems, but they are chilled
JORDAN
It was open again mate, hope you don't
mind.
MUSELESS
Why would I mind? (Carries on
polishing the individual parts of the
camera)
SKY
'Course he wouldn't mind, too busy
being "the auteur".
JORDAN
You enjoying polishing the
(Chuckles)
crown jewels there?
MUSELESS doesn't react, though we can see a hint of them
being annoyed, but they focus on the camera.
JORDAN
So created any masterpieces recently?
Found a new muse, a new style?
SKY
Yeah, did you try out what I suggested
about drainpipes and sewage systems? I
think there's something really
visceral about those things-

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MUSELESS
I did
(Still looking at their camera)
stuff like that three years ago. It's
hardly that original, it's something
that's all around us. Been done loads
already.
SKY and JORDAN remain silent, unsure what to answer
MUSELESS
I
(Still looking at their camera)
appreciate the thought though.
SKY
Do you really? Is it a worthy thought
from us uncreative simps, just
studying Media all the time, and being
blocked by our own stubbornness to
even open our hearts to art in the
smallest way?
MUSELESS
That's not
(Actually looks up at them)
what I said.
SKY
That was the gist of it though.
JORDAN
Yeah, being horrified that we wouldn't
drop out with you and pursue ze
artiste's path like you Wunderkind
did.
MUSELESS
Look, if you've come here to just
taunt me about that, then -
JORDAN
No, not taunting you mate. We still
love you. We just think sometimes you
need reminding that you're a bit of a
dickhea-
MUSELESS
Oh fuck off won't you
SKY
No, we won't. Come on Jordan, I think
it's time we stopped taking the piss

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JORDAN
What? You were
(Laughs in disbelief)
the one sick of how arrogant they were
getting
MUSELESS
Oh lay it all on the table won't you!
SKY
Jordan's that's not fucking helping.
(They take a moment, unsure of how to
Look, we're here because
carry on)
your parents, and Jonno, even though
you two have broken up, are worried
about you. You haven't texted.
MUSELESS
Yeah well I just wanted some me time,
you know? Is that such a crime?
JORDAN
But you haven't been online at all, or
answering any messages or calls, for
nearly three weeks!
MUSELESS
I'm an adult, and it's my life! Can
you guys, can my parents, cam Jonno
now he's left me just FUCKING let me
live it!
Brief silence.
JORDAN
Right well if that's the way it is,
come on Sky, I think we've done our
bit.
SKY
Is it just you breaking up with Jonno
that's made you so silent, or is it -
MUSELESS stops interacting with their camera. They look down,
they feel they can't keep this stoic pretence up anymore.
They take a deep breath, they reflect.
MUSELESS
I just want something new.
JORDAN
You mean new ideas or- ?

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MUSELESS
I JUST WANT SOMETHING NEW. Is it too
much to ask? Something NEW! TO SEE NEW
THINGS. THREE FUCKING YEARS. THAT'S
HOW LONG I WAS ABLE TO BE INSPIRED, BE
EXCITED, AND KEEP MY IDEAS FRESH!
EVERY DAY WOULD BE A NEW DAY, FULL OF
EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY!!!
But now, nothing.
(Takes a pause)
Nothing new. Just fucking commercial
photo shoots. Products. Portraits.
Advertisements. They all want me, I'm
high in demand. But it's just not fun.
It's just not art.
(Beat)
JORDAN
Sounds very privileged to me.
SKY
Fuck sake Jordan!
JORDAN
These
(Carries on taking the piss)
artists and their horrible existential
crises! Don't know how you all cope,
really don't!
SKY
What I think Jordan is trying to say,
is that you've gotta appreciate what
you've got mate. You've got a great
and well-paid job, and like you said,
you're in HIGH DEMAND.
MUSELESS takes a moment again to reflect, bathing in their
ridiculous self-pity.
MUSELESS
I know. I know I'm talking out of my
privileged arse. And you know what? I
hate it! I hate that it's come to
this. Opportunity after opportunity,
and privilege after privilege. (Beat)
But I can't stop the way I feel. It's
just how I feel.
Another ominous silence, neither SKY or JORDAN know what to
do, but JORDAN is still restraining himself from making a sly
comment

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MUSELESS
Thanks for coming round though.
Cheers.
END OF PART ONE
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PART TWO
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5. DESCRIPTIONS
Each performer is given a photograph, and they describe it in
a length given to them by the director
1. Describe the picture
2. If there are people, in it, who are these people?
3. Does it speak to you?
4. Is it fake?
5. What's the atmosphere?
6. SMILES
A student looking at prom photographs in their school hall.
They're absolutely scathing, the anger and frustration is
slowly but visibly building up inside them. You think they're
about to let rip, but then they contain it, and hide it with
humour.
STUDENT
That smile. He’s a cheeky bugger.
Confident wanker. That smile's getting
him pulled, getting him popularity.
He's part of the gang, showing that
grin on all the group and friend pics
on Facebook.
But he doesn't hang around much
nowadays. He didn’t go out with
everyone after the Prom, he just went
to a strip joint with his brother. He
can just walk away. But that smile
still always stays. That smile that
says contentment, confidence, class,
happy, part of the system. Lots of
mates, lots of cheek and lots of
money.
I hate him. I hate all of his kind and
what he wears, his suit and never-
ending grin stinking of privilege. How
can someone be that confident, how can
that one look so happy and content as
well? (Points at person after person)
And that one! And that one! And that
one! And I know that as is in fashion,
that these images don't tell the true
story, that deep down he’s probably
very deeply insecure, I bet all of

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them are. WELL THEN WHY DON'T YOU
FUCKING SHOW IT THEN???!! SHOW SOME
FUCKING INSECURITY!!!
Takes a moment.
Can't believe that I'm part of this
place. That I fell for it. This
system, this training ground of
perfection. This elitist chicken coop,
where the eggs are our grades and
satisfaction rate a It's all so
insignificant.
All this money pumped into these
institutions, and dolled up with more
smiles and more happy photographs. And
all the teachers are smiling there as
if they’ve done a huge social service
by educating these privileged picks
like me. And spread across the school
website, all these grinning children
and teachers, grinning the challenge
and care out of their arses!
And they're all together, all a close
gang, doing the arms up head down
movement, whatever the fuck it's
called. The Maths Photo, Business
Photo, Further Maths Photo, Economics
Photo, All Those Happy Sciencey
Cliques. Smiling, smiling, grinning,
happiness, care, potential, thriving,
flourishing, all achieving mouths!!!
They start to calm down.
But the thing is, what’s wrong with
smiles? What have I got against people
showing some positivity? But I do it
as well. I've smiled on a photograph,
on multiple photos actually. Is one of
my smiles out there on the website?
Are parents seeing it and going: “Oh,
look at those kids, they seem so happy
there, let’s send ours there too.”
It's fake, it's all fake. Like when
they walk past and smile at you, and
ask you: "Are you alright?" Fake
photographs, fake news, fake

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everything. I don't like being lied
to. I feel like I'm always being given
a con. I wanted to be happy smiling
with them there too, but I didn’t, I
was left out. (Couple of beats)
So when I look at those smiles, and
shout about ego, fakeness, elitism,
social injustice, principle - I think
I’m really talking about jealousy. I
was jealous I can’t truly smile with
them. And believe it as well. Every
time I've stretched my face in front
of these people has been a lie. Well,
not at the beginning, at the beginning
I was hopeful. Thought we'd all be
smiling together. But we're not, not
truly. I smile a them, and they might
smile back in reaction along with a
few nice words. I just want the smiles
to be real. But they’re, they're as
fake as these ones.
7. WHAT A LAD
RICHARD sits there, laughingly touched.
RICHARD
I was really angry then. Looking at
photos, and feeling left out. I still
do that now, whether it's a Nomads
Social, or the Devised Performance, or
seeing what my mates are doing in
Liverpool. Especially then, miss you
guys! It's like we're all keeping
score with our photo albums.
Compensating with the captured image.
He takes out a black and white photograph.
Like this guy did, my grandfather. My
granddad that I never met. (Beat)
Looks like a Kray. What a
(Beat)
charming young lad. Dashing
(Beat)
young fellow.
My grandmother claimed completely
falsely that she had destroyed all the

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photographs that were in her house.
The thing is, I'm gonna let you into a
secret: My grandfather invented the
selfie.
Mimes the 11 facial gestures/poses with the words.
RICHARD
1. First one's missing
2. !!!
3. Now really (!)
4. Now I’m Going
5. To Be Absolutely
6. Too Scathing
7. Supercilious
8. Interested
9. Ditto
10. Now then hurry up
11. Well really
12. Oh
Just having a bit of fun in the photo
booth. Creating a little performance.
This is me being a bit cringe, but
I've recently started thinking what if
mine and my mother's interest in
theatre came from there. He was the
repressed actor and theatre maker.
Lower middle class background, he felt
people were looking down on him. He
got a scholarship, underlying
insecurity, very constant of his
status? This is all a middle class
fantasy, something he's aspiring up
to. All taking place in a PG Wodehouse
World.
Takes a small break.

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I never met him. And it's even
difficult hearing about the full kind
of person he was. He sometimes
reminded my mum of being a caged
animal. Verbally very unpleasant. He
was drunk so much, when they’re a
drunk they get verbally completely out
of control. Some negative energy could
be inherited. Obsessive guilt he had
been responsible for his sister’s
death. His sister’s death, he was
under the age of eight.
Even though he did some horrible
things, I still feel his pain. And I
wonder sometimes if I'm carrying some
of it with me still.
I'm sorry Granddad, sorry that you
went down that path. But I'm happy I
cam still see that cheerful and cheeky
side of you. Wish I could have met
you.
8. RECLUSE MEETS MUSELESS
Two open Zoom windows. RECLUSE and MUSELESS are both lying in
their beds. They both wake up to alarms.
RECLUSE gets up, and stairs in a mirror. They reflect
themselves, proud of their uncaptured image. MUSELESS keeps
staring deeper and deeper into their camera, as if they're
trying to communicate with a friend that won't speak to them
anymore.
As the tension rises, RECLUSE'S narcissim then fades out as
they look around them, scared of being watched, and then
cover their face. MUSELESS gets more and more frustrated
This repeats itself, over and over again.
CUT TO:
RECLUSE is

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PART THREE
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9. PHOTOS AND WORDS
One Zoom window is open. Photographs are being shown one by
one, layed on a table. A word or a saying accompanies each
photographs. This is what is spoken
A
The sea is screaming
B
Wales
All the performers break out into the middle class party
vibe, talking and talking and co. (Hang on maybe Photos &
Words and Descriptions need to be switched around)
10. PBF - A BONDING FRIENDSHIP
An outside garden party in high summer, full of middle class
relatives and friends enjoying prosecco, nibbles and witty
conversation.
A young 7-year-old boy is playing in the grass. The adults
smile and acknowledge him and find it cute him lying on the
ground, but they don't interact with him. A women in her late
40s comes strict
NANNY
PBF how many times have I told you?
You can't stay on the ground for too
long. Even in the summer it can get
too cold and give you an infection.
The party carries on, some events happen. Some toasts.
DAD
Right son, as I mentioned before, got
a big job for you now
DAD hands his son a camera. SON looks at it with immediate
interest. It's something new.
DAD
You're gonna be the photographer
FRIEND
You sure you wanna have him take the
pics, mate? Bit like child labour
isn't it?

22. 22.
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DAD
Na, come on, he loves it. He's
excited, aren't you son? And come on,
what else was I gonna do, now that
Fabrice cancelled on me 20 minutes
before we were due to start fucking
nightmare. And I didn't wanna bother
Sandra after the hell of a week she's
had, even though she has got a
terrific eye for c- (The conversation
fades of as DAD and his FRIEND go away
to join other people at the party)
SON is alone with the CAMERA.
They experiment. They look at the Instant photos, they
realise that that's like the picture of him on the table,
brings back a memory, a memory of when his mother held him,
makes him emotional.
He goes up to wear his MOTHER is, he zooms in on her. She
notices him, and smiles a quick smile, and the neighbours
follow her and give an indication of finding it cute.
The camera produces the captured image of his MOTHER. He
looks at it. (He would like to got his mother and give him a
big hug, to get affection. But he knows from previous parties
and from generally trying to hug her, she'll tell him to stop
and not interrupt her). So he looks at the photograph and
looks at her, and it gets to him.
(In Zoom this could work through a general sound of
conversation while the mother keeps talking while on mute)
He moves around, he takes photographs of other people.
He doesn't stop, he does the garden, the sky. He takes many
photographs against the sun, so that people are in a sun
silhouette.
He goes missing, and people are searching for him. Last
image, him hiding in a bush, looking through the photos, just
after the parents complain about the bother, and whether it's
something wrong about the nanny or about their son himself.
The Photography's Best Friend (PBF) is born.
11. PARENTS MEETING
These characters will be taking photos of each other and of
themselves throughout this conversation.

23. 23.
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MS ROANNE is waiting in a Zoom call, they don't look too
pleased. JESSE COLLINS enters the call, and MS. ROANNE
stiffens up to show forced, formal curtesy
MS ROANNE
Ah, Ms Collins, thank you for joining
us.
JESSE
So sorry, my car had to be dealt with
MS ROANNE
It's fine. I know the kind of family
you are. Divorced single mothers have
it especially difficult, you have my
upmost sympathy. Can't imagine what
it's like for you, as a happily
married woman. But I do my best to
imagine.
JESSE
(takes photograph) Thanks.
MS ROANNE
So... where is KID?
JESSE
Ehm, they're having to spend some time
on writing
MS ROANNE
Ah, the writings of their daily
photographs?
JESSE
Well - no, it's just some fiction
writing.
MS ROANNE
Photography/Lucida-Inspired Fiction
Writing?
JESSE
No, just some completely original
writing. They're really enjoying it,
it's a breath of fresh air for them,
so I thought I'd just let them crack
on.
MS ROANNE
I see. Well that leads us to the major

24. 24.
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issue I'd like to discuss with you.
KID has been struggling in various
subjects, but in most of them they
still manage to put upon an acceptable
performance. It's in
Lucida/Photography Class that we have
a real problem
JESSE
Right.
MS ROANNE
They, I know, this is going to be a
bit of a shock, but they don't really
take photographs. They don't show any
of the normal, natural curiosity for
capturing images, that children should
have. It's an important of a child's
growth and health, I'm quite concerned
about this already.
JESSE
(Doesn't know what to say)
MS ROANNE
Like I said, I know how someone in
your position really struggles, in
balancing their commitment to Lucida,
their commitment to their income, to
their portfolio, and making sure the
kids go in the right direction as
well. It's an unbelievable struggle
for you. And we at this school don't
want to add to that. That's why we
want to assure you, right now and
right here, that we will give every
bit of support we can to the
development of KID's photographic
ability. It's our duty of care, and we
fill like we would be letting all of
you down if we don't, so we've
COMPLETELY got your back on this!
JESSE
(Looks somehow relieved but also
unsure, with an ever such minute
element of horror in their eyes)
The silence continues, Ms Roanne's smile gleeming on.

25. 25.
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MS ROANNE
Is there
(Smile continues throughout)
anything you wanted to raise while
we're still here. I do have my next
appointment in a moment, god that
one's just gonna be pure admi-
JESSE
Well yes, there, there was one thing.
It's actually, quite, quite bad. And
it happened over a week ago, I know
normally one would report it
immediately, but - there was an
incident with the other schoolkids.
KID was just minding their own
business, playing with some of the
trees. And just because, I mean I know
they should be taking more
photographs, but that was no reason to
- the kids just. They challenged them
why they weren't taking photographs.
And then the next day, they all said
they should follow them. They took
them to the middle of the playground,
and suddenly there was this whole, and
they pushed him in! Just pushed him
in, and they took out all their
cameras while they he was at first
shock, then unsure, then crying, then
begging to be helped out. Turns out
they dug this hole, and they wanted to
use it for their Lucida Training. I
mean, how could they think that, that
could be right, to work on their
portfolio like that. They called it
experimentation - but
MS ROANNE
Oh Ms Collins. You've completely
gotten the wrong end of the stick.
There's no need for you to be worried
or concerned. You should be happy, you
should be proud, you should rejoice
that your kid was able to take part in
such a - (has to pause briefly because
she can't contain some of her
. What wonderful artistic
excitement)
initiative, oh, it really shows how
the challenge and care we provide at
this school really produces the most
excellent results. Your kid became the

26. 26.
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subject, your kid was hurt, they
cried, they felt betrayed, they didn't
know at all what was happening to
them. And it was all captured on
camera. We all do it for Lucida, and
Lucida is made richer through her ever
growing tapestry.
JESSE wants to say something, but the words just don't come
from her mouth due to her being so stunned.
MS ROANNE
I know this might be, a bit hard to
accept. But trust me. The Art Of
Lucida, needs to cost. You must have
some sort of sacrifice. It is a part
of growing up, it's something we
instill in every child that attends
our school, as is the new global
curriculum that most schools are
under. Not all yet, but hopefully
those others will one day see the
error of their traditional values and
follow suit!
So one thing I can recommend to you
Miss Collins. Tell your kid, to really
feel that pain. Let them really take
on the character of the victim. Make
it the most extraordinary performance
in this photographs, and they'll make
us all so proud. They'll be a star
pupil, the talk of all the papers, and
trust me, with a bit of luck, one day
- Lucida might notice. And wouldn't
that be wonderful.
(She has to stop as the emotional
I am sorry,
weight is getting to her)
the implications of this all are just
really getting to me. I think I need
to capture this moment in every
detail.
MS ROANNE takes out her phone, and goes does many selfies in
various poses, zooming in and out, laying her emotions and
tears bare. She really takes her time, creating a whole
exhibition. Eventually, after taking what she sees as enough
and laying her camera down, she goes into herself, and
quietly mutters the words: "For Lucida", and an small
emotional smile slithers on.

27. 27.
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She then looks at JESSE, who has been watching her. MS ROANNE
gestures towards her camera, JESSE is unsure, but slowly
gives in. They raise their cameras together again, and take a
selfie together.
MS ROANNE is complete and satisfied.
MS ROANNE
Thank you Jesse. Now if you'll forgive
me, I'll have to crack on. Many more
parents to see. And many more moments
to capture.
JESSE
Yeah, of course. Thanks.
MS ROANNE
My pleasure Jesse.
The call/meeting ends.
12. THE WATERFALL OF LUCIDA
The zoom call is empty. Then there's an announcement being
played on the audio.
ANNOUNCER
Hello. You have been successful in
your portfolio and your life attempts
at capturing the world around you. Not
many are as blessed to born with an
eyes as keen and watchful as yours,
you're lucky. And you deserve to be
rewarded with not just your talent,
but you're undying, unbent and un-
surrendering diligence and hard work.
And now you have reached the place
that most people die wishing they
could have seen, but never do. You
will spend the rest of your days here.
Welcome to Waterfall of Lucida. You
might actually see Lucida, but
everyone sees her differently.
Someone enters the waterfall of Lucida. This is what they
see. They despair