Gameplay | Screenplay

1    INT. IVAN’S ROOM. NIGHT.
IVAN wears a headset and plays an FPS shooting game on his computer.
We look at him through the webcam of his computer.
His background is his room, without the door in shot/frame.
CUT TO:
The game play. Sound of controller CLICKING and Ivan GRUNTING.
CUT TO:
Ivan furiously clicks on the controller and looks into the screen.
                                  IVAN
                     ARGH!! Go faster!! YOUR LEFT! YOUR…
                     Oh my goodness, do you even know how
                     to shoot?!?!?! THEY ARE RIGHT THERE…
                     Aaaaaand now we are dead.
                                  LISA (V.O.)
                     Oh well, tough luck.
                                  KYLE (V.O.)
                     Alright, let’s do another round.
A DOOR KNOCK is heard.
                                  KYLE (CONT’D)
                     What was that?
                                  IVAN
                     Oh that’s probably just my mum…
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     KEEP THE NOISE DOWN!
Ivan looks out, quiets down and hears FOOTSTEPS START THEN FADE.
                                  LISA (V.O.)
                     Is she… still there?
                                  IVAN
                     No. I think she asked me to keep it
                     down?
                                  KYLE (V.O.)
                     Yeah kid, I think you are being too
                     loud.
                                  IVAN
                     Well I… WHAT ON EARTH?! NO!! YOU ARE
                     GOING THE WRONG WAY!!! Let ME shoot
                     it.
CUT TO:
The game play. Sound of controller CLICKING and Ivan GRUNTING.
CUT TO:
Ivan keeps playing and after a while he hears another DOOR KNOCK.
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     IT IS 11PM! GO TO BED! You got
                     classes tomorrow!!!
Ivan waits for a bit and the FOOTSTEPS START THEN FADE.
                                  LISA (V.O.)
                     Are you sure you can keep playing?
                                  IVAN
                     No, no, no. It is fine. I’ll just be
                     quieter.
They keep playing.
CUT TO:
The game play. Sound of controller CLICKING.
CUT TO:
Back to Ivan playing the game.
                                  KYLE (V.O.)
                     You want me to go there?
                                  IVAN
                     YES!!! GO THERE! READ the map!!! IT
                     TELLS YOU WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE
                     NEED TO BE!!
CUT TO:
The game play.
Suddenly it freezes.
CUT TO:
Back to Ivan looking at it, confused.
                                  IVAN
                     What… what on earth…
He looks at the bottom of his screen at where the wifi symbol is.
                                  IVAN (CONT’D)
                     Oh my goodness… MUM!!!
Ivan walks off screen.
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     Did you turn off the wifi?!
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     It is late. So yes, I did.
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     I was in the middle of a game!!!
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Well, I did tell you to go to bed. I
                     guess someone didn’t listen to me.
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     I know myself! I’ll be fine in the
                     morning!
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Oh yeah? Then I guess you’ll be fine
                     if you take the bus in the morning
                     then.
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     THIS IS NOT FAIR!!!
Ivan angrily STOMPS back in the room and we hear a DOOR SLAM.
He walks around the room angrily, then shuts the computer screen…
CUT TO BLACK.

2    INT. IVAN’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.
The screen and webcam get turned on again.
Ivan sits at the computer with his headset on.
CUT TO:
The game play. Sound of controller CLICKING.
CUT TO:
Back to Ivan playing the game.
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     GO TO SLEEP! Seriously. Teens.
                                  IVAN
                     Fine mum!!
Ivan smirks.
                                  IVAN
                     I got the wifi in my room now so she
                     can’t shut it. I don’t think she
                     noticed it yet since she is pretty
                     hopeless with technology. Well, she
                     can’t do anything more extreme than…
CUT TO BLACK.
Sound of a DOOR OPENING.
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     WHAT?! MUM! WHAT DID YOU DO?
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     I did say go to sleep now, didn’t I?!
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     SO YOU SHUT OFF THE MAIN POWER?
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     If it catches your attention, why
                     not?
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     UGH!!! YOU ARE THE WORST!!!
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Honestly, if you keep playing like
                     this, one day the game will be your
                     reality and this will be your game. I
                     doubt you’ll like that very much.
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     I DEFINITELY WILL! Because you are
                     not in my video games!!!
Sound of a DOOR SLAM.

3    INT. IVAN’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.
The screen and webcam get switched back on.
Ivan is at the computer again, playing the game.
                                  IVAN
                     Okay, this time, I got backup power
                     and I can use my phone data.
                                  KYLE (V.O.)
                     Isn’t that super expensive?
                                  IVAN
                     Well if it lasts me just enough to
                     finish the game, then why not?!
CUT TO:
The game play. Sound of controller CLICKING.
CUT TO:
Back to Ivan playing the game.
He keeps playing and no one comes and pesters him.
He looks at the time.
                                  IVAN
                     Okay, wow so it is 1am. I am
                     confused.
                                  LISA (V.O.)
                     Yeah, where’s your mum?
                                  IVAN
                     Exactly.
Ivan puts down his headset and gets outside.
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     Mum? Mum… MUM???
Loud running around noises and shuffling.
                                  IVAN (CONT’D)
                     MUM!!!
Ivan runs back to the computer and picks up the headset.
                                  IVAN
                     I don’t know why but my mum isn’t
                     here. She is never out so late!!!...
                     Hello??? Guys??? HELLO??!!!
Ivan looks around his room and suddenly everything turns into the video game setting in the background.
He hears GUNSHOTS and gets scared.
CUT TO:
Ivan’s room which is completely empty.
CUT TO:
Back to Ivan being inside the video game.
                                  IVAN
                     What’s happening???
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Ivan???
                                  IVAN
                     Mum!!! I’m here!!!
CUT TO:
Ivan’s empty room and we hear a DOOR OPEN.
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Oh he isn’t here.
CUT TO:
Ivan in the video game.
He runs around trying to escape the GUNSHOT firing sounds.
Ivan screams into the screen.
                                  IVAN
                     No!!! MUM!!!
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Probably in the loo or something.
CUT TO:
Ivan’s empty room.
The lights are switched off and the sound of a DOOR CLOSE.
                                  IVAN
                     NO!!! MUM!!!

4    INT. IVAN’S ROOM. NIGHT.
Suddenly, Ivan wakes up from falling asleep in front of his computer.
He is back in his room.
                                  IVAN
                     Oh gosh…
Sound of KYLE and LISA laughing.
                                  LISA (V.O.)
                     Someone is sleeeeeepy!
                                  IVAN
                     Oh, no, I just took a power nap…
He yawns.
                                  IVAN (CONT’D)
                     Thank goodness that was just a dream…
                                  KYLE (V.O.)
                     What was a dream?
                                  IVAN
                     Oh no, nothing.
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Ivan!!! Go to sleep!
                                  IVAN
                     Mum!!
Ivan runs out.
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     Oooof! What was that for?? I thought
                     you hate hugs now, ‘full-grown
                     teen’!!
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     I am just glad you can see me!
                                  IVAN’S MUM (O.S.)
                     What?! Oh gosh you are yawning, go to
                     bed, seriously. Or you know…
                                  IVAN (O.S.)
                     ARGH!! Fine.
Ivan gets back to the computer and takes his headset.
                                  IVAN
                     Sorry guys. Have classes tomorrow…
                                  KYLE (V.O.)
                     Aww, okay, mummy’s boy.
                                  IVAN
                     NO, I AM NOT MUMMY’S BOY. This is a
                     long-lost battle… She is my mum after
                     all.
                                  LISA (V.O.)
                     Yeah well, what can you do?
                                  IVAN
                     Okay, see you guys. And DON’T FINISH
                     THE LEVEL WITHOUT ME.
Ivan laughs, then smiles and shuts the computer screen.
CUT TO BLACK.

This short film is now viewable on YouTube.
The concept was provided by Ms Taya Rose.

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©Yolanda Yip (Wintsarye)

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