“INTHE.NET” EXPLORER
a short film script
BY
Shane Beard, Arselyne Chery, Ivana Onubogu, and Ava Otoadese
FADE IN:
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS – DAY
It is a very cloudy and gloomy day. Greyish nature shots of the college campus are shown.
INT. COMPUTER LAB – NIGHT
Explorer One logs onto a computer to access an abstract digital space that is “inthe.net”. We then zoom into the computer screen.
INT. DIGITAL SPACE – NIGHT
Two avatar Explorers X and Y enter the digital space and place a paper bag over their heads before walking almost aimlessly. Explorer One “pops” in afterwards and does the same. Later, Explorer Z also enters the digital space but for the meantime, he is not noticed in the crowd of Explorers. The digital space has caused all the Explorers to appear greyish in order to hide their skin tones. We see the Explorers walking around with their hands stretched out to touch one another so that they can transfer and receive different forms of racially coded information (e.g. memes, gifs, jokes, videos). Other Explorers appear to be lost and unaccompanied.
INT. DIGITAL SPACE – NIGHT
As Explorer One participates in the exchange of information, she comes face-to-face with Explorer Z and sends Explorer Z a video. Explorer Z does not react or respond. Explorer One then tries to grab Explorer Z’s attention by removing the paper bag from his head and by sending him the same video again. This leads to Explorer Z finally reaching out to touch Explorer One, but his touch only results in Explorer One receiving outwardly racist and black degrading images and “memes”. Explorer One backs away in shock, and then becomes horrified again when Explorer Z removes the paper bag from her head. Explorer One covers her face with her hands in sorrow.
INT. DIGITAL SPACE – NIGHT
Explorers X and Y reappear and walk over to Explorer One who is now on her knees, trying to put one of the paper bags back on her head. However, Explorers X and Y prevent her from doing so, snatching and tearing bags from her hands. The Explorers proceed to drag her away, and surround her. Afterwards, Explorer X and Y walk away. The only thing left on the ground is a paper bag.
We then see that Explorer Z was watching this whole conflict from a distance.
FADE TO BLACK.
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER LAB – DAY
The light of the computer screen is back on.
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS
We see the same gloomy shots of the college environment from the beginning of the film.
INT. DIGITAL SPACE – NIGHT
A new, oblivious and eager Explorer places a bag over his head before joining the Explorer community.
FADE OUT.
END OF SCRIPT