Village.

[byronius]

EXT. DOWNTOWN MEMORIAL SQUARE - DAY

MEDIUM WIDE SHOT FROM OVERHEAD:

Hundreds of people are walking slowly across a large fountained square. They are apparently talking to each other, sometimes rapidly, sometimes with great feeling. They look like any American group; the product of hundreds of other ancient cultures, now brought together for this stroll — perhaps they are exiting the museum after an exhibit opening; perhaps they are all on their way to a crabfeast at the City Hall.

Laughing, joking, tumbling their words; looking right and left, twisting a little, all talking with their hands. Sometime it seems as if they are all talking to each other at the same time; at other times, they are quiet. listening with furrowed brow to something someone else is saying.

CAMERA DIVES THROUGH THE CROWD:

Something is off. The entire crowd is chattering, but it seems as if they are all talking through each other. As we pass through them, the camera slows, and begins to catch small bits of conversation. A man turns to the woman next to him, and is talking about local politics; he doesn’t seem to notice when she interrupts him with a comment about dinner plans. Next to them, a younger man is swaying from side to side, and seems to be talking quietly to both of them — it is all a jumble — unconnected, impossible.

CAMERA SLOWS TO CLOSEUP:

The couple behind them is talking animatedly about completely different things.

MAN
I’m not sure, I thought they were okay,
why do you wanna take it out? You should
just use the same idea as Scanlon’s…

WOMAN
He was a freak! So angry, and god, he lives
with his mom! What was I supposed to do?
Yes, I know Sharon’s got her heart set, but
it’s my life…

Another man walks up beside them, hands in his jacket pockets — he glances at the couple.

MAN 2
What did you think was going to happen?
I mean, are you that naive? She’s got you!

CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL:

Every single person in the crowd has a cellphone earpiece. None of them are talking to each other; they are all talking to people miles away. The group is an illusion. No one is making real eye or verbal contact with any other person in the group; their body language and hand-talking and head shruggings are all reserved for an Invisible Voice. They are not a Group at all.

The New Village — by cellphone.

THE END.

[flamin lib]

1. I hate Borg implants . . . k&r and nt.

[xchrom]

2. i work in an outdoor mall seting -- similar to that described --

and you'll see people who are obviously together on the one hand -- but talking to others on their handless devices on the other.

there's outdoor firepit -- there are restaurants everywhere -- there are chairs gathered in groups -- and yet --

i even have people who come into the store shopping -- describing what they are seeing to another on the phone. try working with that.