My first screenplay.
I’m sure you noticed that not long ago, we all entered lockdown. Many of us had to navigate a new social landscape, meeting friends and colleagues or even our neighbours online. This did not go unnoticed at the BBC who put out a call for short-form scripts exploring this new reality.
That’s why we’re asking for original short-form scripts, between 5-10 minutes in length whose 2-4 characters now find themselves in isolation, but connecting via video conferencing. They may be friends, lovers, neighbours, colleagues, family or strangers. But they’re all alone together and using modern technology to stay connected.
We want stories that take place throughout and via a conference call. Stories that show a moment of human interaction in an otherwise socially distanced world. Though of course, when it feels like the end of the world, the things we choose to say or the truths we reveal to one another may be the most surprising.
We want scripts that are compelling and hook us in. Ideas that have warmth and spirit, that astonish, amuse or enlighten us. They should be set now or in the near future.
I decided that this was too good an opportunity to pass up, and so I started on my first ever screenplay. With it being short and limited in cast and settings, I could focus on just the characters and plot without being distracted by explosions, spaceships and giant world-destroying robots. Oh, and there wasn’t long to do it in either. That should focus the mind!
Unfortunately, 6,802 other people also had similar ideas - and so unsurprisingly my entry was not accepted. I have no regrets, I did something new and sent it out into the world for someone else to look at. I’m still proud of it, and since the BBC didn’t want it, I decided to make it available here.
To save the formatting, I’ve stuck it in as a PDF. It should display fine in pretty much any browser. Let me know what you think on Twitter @markhood !