Shutter Effect By Jordan Jones

Slow Meta

Copyright 2013

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FADE IN; INT. BARETTS ROOM. MORNING. Loads of cash litter a desk. BARETT is at his computer listening to jazz. He is a 19 year old boy. His mother is shouting from downstairs CARRIE Someones at the door! He swipes up the cash and puts it in a box, then STEVE enters. BARETT Cousin Steve! Check out this mov. STEVE I gave you that mov. BARETT But I added special effects. STEVE Barett! You know we arent supposed to make our own special effects. Were med-dibbers now. Designers... design. BARETT Im not even a med-dibber. Yet. STEVE Exactly. Please delete the mov, cousin. We must tell Lisa what I know! BARETT What do you know? STEVE Later. Later, cousin. INT. CARRIES HOUSE. MORNING A retro-fitted house of glossy design set in a future world of computer screens, double-windows, and double-egos is where Carrie, Steve, and Barett chat.

(CONTINUED)

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2.

STEVE Thanks, auntie. Ill only borrow him for a few hours. CARRIE Fine, its fine, Steve. Do you have any meds? STEVE Youre saying you need a mov? Jeeze, Carrie, I thought the high-priced stuff would be sufficient for at least a week. Your head must be swimming! CARRIE I quite like it. It gives the zines a swirling effect. BARETT It reminds me of the effects Ive been making. STEVE Youve been giving Barett the meds? Oh no. Those are special, Carrie. Theyre designed for adults who need incredible drama to overcome their senses, not young impressionable boys without responsibilities. CARRIE You give him meds! STEVE Meds for children. Hes getting the good stuff too, auntie. But you see, I need his help to analyze this zine were making. Apparently the pitch is too obvious. We need to see what he thinks. CARRIE Is that fine with you, Barett? BARETT Why wouldnt it be, Mom? Steve and Barett exit quickly. FADE OUT;

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INT. STEVES LOFT. MORNING FADE IN; Steves loft is an island of high-priced art in the district. Surrounded by mov-tuned, too-fleshy people in the apartment complex, he really stood out. He seemed professional. STEVE This is how people get sent to a pris-zone, Barett. Change clothes. We have to go to the store to meet Lisa. BARETT Why do I have to come? STEVE Were going to tell Lisa the full story. BARETT About us being med-dibs? Steve retrieves a zine from his pack. STEVE Show me what the mind-hacker did in this advertisement. BARETT (Taking a closer look at the zine.) Well, it seems that theyre trying to sell new medicine from South America. You can see it in this persons shirt. Its sort of popping out at me. Of course the ad is for cereal. As if you didnt know that! Steve approaches the cell phone terminal. STEVE Im calling Lisa. She doesnt answer. He calls David. DAVID (O.S.) Havent seen her. Quite worried. I have something urgently important (MORE) (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: DAVID (contd) to tell you about yesterday. She may be in danger. Please come over. STEVE Barett, will you come? I must show your talents to David. This has gone too far. You may be someone you dont know you are yet. BARETT Is it a med-dibber? STEVE Something like that.

4.

FADE OUT; INT. DAVIDS LOFT. AFTERNOON. FADE IN; David is speaking and showing recordings of conversations and actions of Lisa the past 24 hours to Steve and Barett. The image of Sean, Lisa, and David on the screen is paused. DAVID I cant show you everything. The mean-docs may have reported the visit from the publisher to whoever they call to. In any scenario Lisas life could be in danger right now. STEVE Theres nothing we can do until she calls. DAVID So whys the kid here? Steve resumes his panicking. STEVE Are you asking me that? If you asked me the question, have I been brainwashing the public, how could I answer? DAVID What? Are you still freaking out about not being a real med-dibber?

(CONTINUED)

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5.

STEVE Med-dib manager Steve here, at your service! Of course Im freaking out. What would I be answering for? My personal safety would be in jeopardy if someone asked me that! DAVID Asked you what? STEVE I am a med-dibber. Its what med-dibbers do. BARETT He means brainwashing the public. STEVE But, I was planning. I wanted to be a fashionista, like Lisa had told us about. The serious disregard of references to style in this state could be improved at least. And Barett... his father. His father was one of the commanders, David, that Lisa found. I recognized his name. DAVID Incredible. STEVE Garetts father was the commander that died in Nicaragua! Think about it. What if we knew a sov-bomb? DAVID Youre not seriously telling me you think Garett is a sov-bomb? STEVE Hes got something on us, David. He sees stuff we dont see. He connects the dots like we never could. Let me show you his analyses of a zine. Steve grabs a copy of the zines he brought with him. GARETT The kid-combatant here is a mind-hackers child. The portrayal of a sov-bomb by this model (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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GARETT (contd) suggests that gov-zoners recruit mind-hackers. The overall message is rather bleak. Thats an inverted pris-zone symbol. DAVID How does he know those terms? Did you show him Lisas writings? STEVE Well, yes. BARETT Oh, THAT Lisa! STEVE But he makes the connections! He can interpret it! DAVID Lisa believes anybody can interpret it. I have to say, that is a remarkable feat. But a sov-bomb? STEVE What do we do now? A room alarm sounds. DAVID We are expecting a ... mean-doc... David seems to faint. INT. DAVIDS LOFT. AFTERNOON. Lisa enters instead of a mean-doc. DAVID Lisa, a ... surveillance monitor is on the way. LISA A mean-doc? Then we must hurry. STEVE Theyre taking us to a pris-zone, Lisa. Ive intercepted an email. Were all targets. They think were on drugs.

(CONTINUED)

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LISA We were taking the DRMs as ordered. We shall tell them that. DAVID DRMs are illegal. They probably wont even get fined. Well go to a pris-zone. Sean enters. SEAN Lisa, it is imperative we make a hasty exit. LISA (V.O.) Could I really leave my partner-in-crime? He was less versatile than me but definitely more hilarious. It hurt to think of that, and to think of what David would say if I was really thinking about how funny he was, when I could be freeing us. LISA Steve, can the boy come? GARETT Steve said Id be home soon. LISA What do I do? SEAN You may choose, Lisa. It would be your legacy. After all, you are a sov-bomb. LISA What are the nearest coordinates for one of your offices, Sean? Sean reaches for his cell. FADE OUT;

8.

INT. OFFICE. AFTERNOON. FADE IN; Guilty cubicles stay bright and colorful due to computer equipment in the office where Steve and Barett were left. STEVE Alright Barett, Im going to pretend I work here and youre my child. BARETT When am I going home? STEVE As soon as Lisa and David are alright. Steve approaches a terminal with a designer present. STEVE Care to explain? My child is very interested in your spread. DESIGNER This is a reference to Star Trek. You see this outfit here? Hand-picked by sub-sect Klingon fashionistas. Very rare. BARETT But, stupid, because anyone can start their own sub-sect Klingon fashionista. STEVE Barett! Be sensible. BARETT The gummy worms look out of place. Where are the children? DESIGNER Those arent gummy worms. Theyre energy chews. BARETT Oh my! Fantastic, Dad! Did you hear that?

(CONTINUED)

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9.

STEVE Yes, son. Thank you. (Whispers.) Thank you. They retreat to an empty terminal. BARETT Do you want to hear what I really saw on that spread? A machine which stops time. STEVE Enough. Well wait here for Lisa and Sean. Lisa; a sov-bomb? FADE OUT; INT. BASE. AFTERNOON. FADE IN; Lisa, David and Sean enter in different suits. Theyre alone in front of a control panel. LISA Well need to hurry. Show us the base, Sean. SEAN This is a base. This is the base for now. David watches Sean and Lisa at the controls. LISA I feel connected to you, Sean. SEAN Be careful. Im jamming our signal so we can rescue Barett and Steve. LISA Sean, I.. DAVID Lisa, watch your language! Theres going to be kids. Sean, David, and Lisa exit. FADE OUT;

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INT. OFFICE. AFTERNOON. FADE IN;