On Facebook today, Kelly Caseley posted some pictures from a couple of Sketch22 video shoots from years ago. That action led me to go casually digging around in the bowels of my Sketch22 scripts folder and came across this abandoned script.
It was written for our Season Six season. The one at The Mack.
For probably obvious reasons, it never got shot. Maybe I was thinking it would be an animated thing?
Anyone want to animate this?
Close-up on a bowl of rice. Dirty rice, and not much in the bowl.
Impossibly long, frail, skinny fingers dig in and scoop up a small ball of rice. We follow the fingers and rice up, past a distended belly, flies casually landing and leaving; past a set of ribs that are practically bursting out of the skin; up to the oh-so-thin face. Fingers and rice disappear into the mouth, only fingers leave. Mouth chews.
When he speaks, it's very casual and relaxed. Comfortable. As is all the conversation.
As he speaks we pull out to reveal the scene: Five starving African men sitting on the dirt around a cold fire. One or two maybe are missing an arm or a leg. Another looks blind. The background is a poor-as-possible village.
They are all casually eating their bowls of rice, using their fingers, if they have fingers.
1: But you know who I really feel sorry for in this American bailout? Those poor auto workers who had to settle for only making thirty dollars an hour. Thirty dollars an hour!
2: Oh, I know! I mean, they signed contracts, didn't they, for much more? What good is a union contract if this is the result it gets you?
3: That'll mean a few less union dues, I'd say!
(pause)
4: Well, did you hear that some of the big Hollywood celebs, when they go shopping at the ritzy stores, are putting their purchases in bags from less-expensive stores.
1: Out of guilt, I suppose.
2: I would too, if I was there.
5: This is not a time to be flaunting wealth.
(pause)
3: Poor Mrs. Obama!
4: What?
3: She's in a bit of hot water. When she and the US President were visiting the British Queen, Mrs. Obama put her arm around the Queen.
1: Like as a hug?
2: That's a breach of protocol!
4: I'd say.
3: The Queen didn't seem to mind, though.
2: She seems like such a nice lady.
(pause)
4: Which one seems like a nice lady?
(pause)
2: Both of them, really.
(long pause as they all contemplate. 5 looks at 1’s bowl)
5: You gonna finish that rice there?
1: Yes. (pause) Otherwise I might die.
FADE OUT
