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2-xv · 8 years ago

Text

Passing Past

SCENE 1

No music is playing, only the movement of the room can be heard

Evening, sun will set in about 15 minutes

Low profile shot

A person takes a seat

Long shot

Shot ascends to a young woman’s profile shot, where a desk is blocking their lower body

Camera is focused on the person until their phone vibrates - focus is switched to the desk where the cell phone sits.

Long shot

Focus is back onto the person

The woman glances at it for a good solid 7 seconds

The woman sighs and looks away

Close up shot

As the woman looks away straight and stare at the blank canvas, the camera is behind the person focused onto their head

Close up shot

Camera quickly trucks to the right and focuses on the blank canvas in front of the woman

Extreme close up

She starts to open their old paint on the desk, beside the canvas. Her phone vibrates in the distance.

Extreme close up

After putting blue onto the painting tray, she puts the paint bottle into a bag filled with other paint bottles

Close up

She picks up the last bottle left

Extreme close up

It says a white paint

She opens it and when they’re about to put it onto the tray which she’s holding her phone continuously vibrates from 5 messages

Medium shot

She gets frustrated and picks up the phone

Over the shoulder shot of the phone’s lock screen

Extreme close up

Screen shows a notification, ‘5 iMessages from DONT ANSWER!!!’

The woman unlocks the screen, she starts to read the messages, mumbling under her breath

Extreme close up

The woman’s phone being held with two of her hands.

OLIVIA

‘Olivia, call me as soon as you get this. You’re home right? Hellooo, I wanna talk. I’m sorry, can we please talk?? Please…’

Pl-please?

Extreme close up

Her eyes as she squints seeming to be angered from the messages

Extreme close up

Olivia typing to her phone’s keyboard

OLIVIA

Seen at 6:05 PM… Hmph!

She presses send and proceeds to turn off the phone

A paint drop slips off a paint brush in the her hands

Worms eye view through the floor

In slow motion, it descends towards the ground

Normal shot

Right as it touches the ground

Extreme close up

Slow motion, Olivia’s eyes closing

SCENE 2

Extreme close up

Slow motion, Olivia’s eyes opening

EXT - Festival, a summer night

6LACK’s cover of On & On by Erykah Badu plays in the background

The camera slowly zooms out. She’s at a festival at night. She’s standing in a long line for food. The camera cuts to her vision. She’s looking around.

Long shot

Somebody else’s perspective, looking at her. Slow motion beings.

Close up shot

Olivia around and then having her eyes lock as she moves up in line. Music fades into the only audio.

Extreme close up

Olivia smiling looking down, then looking back up at him.

Extreme close up

Olivia’s foot stepping as she moves up in the line and then cut to her smiling.

Close up shot

Ricardo sitting at his booth with canvases, also smiling at their interaction.

Shots switch back and forth between them playing eye games.

Extreme close up

Olivia’s hair that she’s playing with

Extreme close up

Ricardo’s paintbrush being fiddled with in his hand

Slowly fades in the sound of the cashier shouting at Olivia.

Long shot

Ricardo points to the cashier.

INT - Inside the booth of the food place, music cuts into the background

Camera is behind the cashier, camera is focused on Olivia looking towards Ricardo’s direction. Her head follows towards the cashier’s direction, where Ricardo is pointing, she gets shocked for a second. Switching perspectives as per dialogue exchange.

CASHIER

MISS, YOU GONNA BUY ANYTHING?

OLIVIA

Sorry! Sorry! Can I get one medium please!

CASHIER

Drink?

OLIVIA

Uhm…

Cuts to the cashier looking annoyed.

OLIVIA

Yes! A sp-sprite!

Cashier rolls her eyes as Olivia is a little embarrassed.

Cut, extreme close up

The cashier starts to punch in numbers into the cash register.

Olivia looks at Ricardo, he’s laughing in his chair, chuckling with his paint brush in his hand, the other hand on his knee.

CASHIER

Okay, so that will be…

Camera cuts behind Ricardo. In the shot is his blank canvas, with the food booth in front of him. He has an open tent, the corner of the set up booths. His floor is the bare grass, but there is a rubber mat where his canvas set up, paint and his chair sits.

CASHIER

Here you go

Close up shot

The cashier gestures giving the food to Olivia. Olivia’s hand goes up as the food booth is on a higher level.

Extreme close up of the cashier’s hand being touched by Olivia. The cashier holds her place for a minute as she looks at Olivia continues to glance at Ricardo. As soon as Olivia feels that the cashier’s hand isn’t moving she looks up.

CASHIER

Go talk to him.

OLIVIA

Wh-what? Talk to who?

CASHIER

Who? Uh, the boy you been starring at since you got into this line.

In the background of Olivia, you can see some impatient customers in the line behind Olivia.

OLIVIA

What?! I don-

CASHIER

Go and talk to him.

Close up shot

The cashier stares at Olivia with a look implying that she should just do it. Olivia pretends to be confused, but then sighs in defeat.

OLIVIA

Fine! Okay, but I don’t even know what to say? Wow, I can’t believe I’m even considering to do it, like what if he-

Close up shot

The cashier starts to lean in closer for a regular conversation.

CASHIER

Girl, stop. Don’t do that, just play it simple. Play the game-

Normal shot

Camera is behind the cashier. Camera was focused onto Olivia, but then focuses on a man in the background. The impatient customer puts up his arms.

BACKGROUND IMPATIENT CUSTOMER

C’mon, I’m hungry!!

CASHIER

You’ll be served next, I’m with a customer right now.

The cashier says with a fake smile on then rolls her eyes, going back to talking to Olivia.

CASHIER

Okay, fine, just say enough, but don’t say too much.

Normal shot

Olivia nodding her head as she takes sips listening to the cashier with the impatient customer in the background putting his arms down.

CASHIER

Be confident. Girl, you got this.

OLIVIA

Alright, say less. Thank you.

Worm’s eye view, long shot

The cashier puts on an expression to show that Olivia can do it with no worries. Olivia walks out of the shot, and the impatient customer walks towards the booth.

CASHIER

Hello sir, how can I help you?

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Realistic Mind

Yes, life gets tough

Don’t deny the feelings.

Emotions are rough,

It’s normal for all human beings.

Yes, good or bad.

Happy or sad.

It’s the reality,

Life’s true beauty

If things were all good,

Would we even know?

I think it’s for the space

Make the time to grow

It’s fine if you have a bad day

Remember in the the end, you’ll be okay

I can relate when you just say wait

Take your own steps, make it your way

I don’t get it when we say human race

Shouldn’t be competition in the face

Identities we should embrace

We chose to live the life that we make

Understanding and self love

We should be the ones we put above

Yes, you may love somebody

But don’t sacrifice ‘me’ for ‘we’

Complications may come in the lifetime

But be ready to make what’s mine

Be clear what’s on your mind

Focus first on your grind

Remove all the negatives in your head.

At the end, you want to sleep well in your bed.

Cast out all the bad things,

Only bring those who make you feel like you win.

Awareness, are you okay?

Be brave now, its fine to say no.

Don’t just chase for the pay

Know when it’s time to let go

Passion, what are you looking for?

Be open to unlock a door.

Be careful when you say you want more

Because it can damage the floor.

Don’t get consumed into the tiles

Know when accept the denial

Self-awareness should fill up your cup

You’re not always going to be in luck

In you, that’s where you should believe

Not like Macbeth consumed in a prophesy

Understand your true philosophises

One day, you need to say you’re proud to be.

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Listen, Don’t Hear

There was a knock on the door. It was first period, the end of the semester. Class would be starting in 5 minutes. What could be waiting on the other side of the door this early morning?

“Sorry to disrupt your class.” said the principal.

Being in high school, they say that if you know any of the staff of the school besides those you have to associate with, you must be a troublemaker, and I was not one of those people. She was with a two police officers. Going to a pretty average school, seeing them in school wasn’t very odd, but to have them come to our class was surprising. Whispers started to float around the air.

“Yo! Who snitched?” said one of my friends making us all laugh, and the class’ volume started to grow.

“Okay, class settle down!” said Mr. Smith, my data management teacher for the semester. The class settled down a bit, still with whispers. For a moment, it was light fun time until I heard my name be called.

“We need to speak to Roy Chandler.” said the officer. It wasn’t just my name that made my heart drop, but her tone. She said it in a way a doctor would tell a patient that they had a week to live.

“My guy, what did you do? What’s going on?” my best friend, Noah, asked me.

I shrugged. I had no clue what was happening. I got up and started walking from the back left corner in the class, where my little group of friends had huddled up for the semester, but as soon as I took two steps the principal stopped me.

“Please gather all your things.” the whole class, already staring at me, looked at me differently for a second. For some reason, even I thought I did something wrong. Am I getting arrested? Did I do something illegal? What do they know about me? What’s going on? The worst I’ve done was get high once, and it wasn’t even mine. Could I go to jail for that? Charged with consumption of illegal substances- is that even what the charge is? No, I can’t be going to jail for that, everybody smokes. Can’t be downloading illegal music either. What did I do to get me into a mess with the police?

I put on my jacket, get my backpack, which was filled with barely anything since it’s basically a free period due to exams coming. I dab up my boys and proceed to walk to the door.

“Free up Roy!” all my friends start chanting, basically implying that I was going to jail and needed to be released. Chuckling out of the room, the two officers, male and female, both around my height are the same eye-level, looking at me with barely any expression. Still smiling, I look at the principal. She looks at me with eyes of pity, also seeming to be on the verge of tears. What is this? Are these eyes of disappointment of having one of her students at her school being arrested on school property? The male officer beings to speak in a clear, very deep voice.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you, during a time like this, and at school, but your father has passed away this morning.”

The school bell rings.

Numb. If that was a feeling, that’s how I feel. Blank. My mind is empty. Broken, torn, damaged, shattered, crushed. Those are the best ways to describe what’s coming. My dad, not just my father, dead?

“Since you’re still a minor, what we...” says the woman police officer, but her words just fade in and out. Everything just goes slow. I’m stuck in my own mind.

“...with us, because there aren’t any relatives that...” in and out her sentences flow. The three of them continue to look at me. They see that I’m empty. The principal starts to cry. Why the hell is she crying? She doesn’t know me, she didn’t know dad, she cries for what? Pity? I continue to look down at the male officer’s boots. That’s all I’m focused on right now. The salt stains that haven’t been cleaned in weeks, the small trails of dirt and water they made through the hallway. I can’t right now. I can’t give into what they’re saying. I don’t know. There’s nobody left in this world. My mother’s relatives all passed away. Dad was an only child and my grandparents are gone too. Oh, but they don’t even mention Chris. I don’t want to hear them trying to hunt him down anymore. He left when I was born. Either way, the only way we’re related or have any sort of “relationship” is that we have the same parents. I wouldn’t even consider him family, but some guy who has the same blood.

“... will be fine, so don’t worry.” says the male officer.

“Why?” I say.

That’s the first thing I say to the three of them in this five minute talk that feels like a complete hour. They all look confused. They all look at me while I solely focus on him. I look up at him, looking at him dead in the eye. I step up to his face with this subtle aggression. We’re only centimeters from touching. Nobody stops me. He looks into my eyes as well. He tries to find me, he switches back and forth from eye to eye. Nobody pushes me off or tells me to stop. He can see it in my eyes that there’s nothing. No feeling, no family, no filter, no excuses, no love,- nothing. I feel drips off my chin. I feel a ball in my throat and my face growing warm. I realize that I’m crying. In the officer’s face, you see what he sees. He sees a kid, who’s just lost something so important to him. He sees a kid who’s life just fell apart in his face. He sees the effects of words, the chain of events that can just break somebody. I can see it in his eyes though, he shows me no pity. He knows what’s coming in my life, he knows that I’m going to remember this day for the rest of my life. He knows that I’m out for a long ride. I can see the other officer in the corner of my eye, just looking at us. She understands this moment we’re having. Despite being strangers, the three of us are standing here, sharing an atmosphere. The sobs of the principal can’t be heard in this little bubble. It’s completely silent between us. You can only hear the drips of their wet boots and the tears dropping off my face. Sounds that can’t be heard. A break down. Grabbing onto his shoulders, my legs just disappeared from my body. The officer trying to hold me to stand. I’m screaming. “WHY?” I’m screaming like I’ve never screamed before. I become a mess. Already drenched in tears, I’m on the ground with the small puddles I was just looking at with no feeling. I’m asking him an impossible question. “What’s going on?!” “What happened?” “Roy!” Four of my boys rush out of the classroom talking all at the same time. My back towards them, seeing I’m on my knees gripping onto this officer with the other one trying to help him to keep me standing. The principal starts to cry again. They take about ten seconds to analyze what’s going on while Noah, my best friend, doesn’t even take a millisecond to run up and help the two officers hold me up. Noah has never seen me like this. He’s completely shocked. We’ve been friends literally our entire lives. In a split second, I see his nervous and completely confused face. He just holds me. He holds me like I’m dying in his arms. The rest of my friends don’t know what to do. The officers back up a little while looking at me and each other. We’re sitting there on the wet ground. I don’t even notice the amount of people around us. Some people come out of their classrooms while the teachers try to hold them back. The officers command everybody that there’s nothing to see and to go back to their classrooms. My friends join in and the officers let them. “What the hell are you looking at? Go back to class you idiot!” says Kendrick. “GWAN.” says Jaden in his deep loud voice, scaring some people back to class. In these moments the hallway starts to clear. All classroom doors are shut.

Plot

Followed music career despite the complications of losing their only relative and having their love interest cheat on him. Was adopted by a person 10 years older than they were.

Time

January 2020, end of first semester of grade 12.

CHARACTERS

Roy Chandler

Protagonist, 17 years old

Born January 1st, 2002 to Raymond Chandler and Caroline Chandler (deceased when giving birth). Has an older brother who is 10 years older, moved out when he was 16, named Chris Chandler, whereabouts unknown. Has a best friend named Noah Graham. Moves ever so often due to father`s late payments on rent. His father works in a factory. They live in apartments across the GTA and he has only been to few outside events such as traveling to New York every New Years. He's been writing music since he was a kid. Self-taught himself to play the piano, drums, violin, and bass guitar. He has never been inside a studio, nor know how those things work, barely uses software. He met his girlfriend at a party and in grade nine in his math class. Later, he witnesses his girlfriend, Tina cheating on him with a guy she has actually been talking to for two months. After a month of severe depression, he comes back to his music and starts to take opportunities that change his life for the better.

Tina Smith

17 years old, Roy’s love interest

Born September 28, 2002. Has a year older sister and divorced parents due to her mother cheating on her father. She does good in school, recently moved from Montreal to Toronto from her father's house to her mother’s due to the fact that her father needed to travel for work. She meets Ernest at a party and eventually gets with him while still being together with Roy.

Ernest Ravera

18 years old, Tina’s new boyfriend

Born August 9th, 2001. Met Tina at a party and tries to court her not knowing that she has a boyfriend. He knew that she was talking to another guy (Roy), but didn’t know that they were exclusive until Roy eventually confronts him casually asking him what his intentions were. He thoughts that Roy and Tina were best friends and didn’t know that Roy was the same guy Tina was talking about when she mentioned that she was talking to somebody else.

Raymond Chandler

Husband of Caroline Chandler, father of Roy Chandler and Chris Chandler

Born and raised in Toronto, met his wife in the fifth grade and eventually married at the age of 20 in 1993 since Caroline was pregnant with Chris.

Chris Chandler

27 years old, Roy’s brother

Born on May 22nd, 1993. Later finds Roy and tries to patch the non-existent brotherhood they missed out on.

Lovell Woods

27 years old, adopted parent, secretly a music artist and mechanical engineer

Was an orphan, born and raised in Rexdale until he was 20 years old and able to move into Toronto to pursue his masters degree in mechanical engineering. He is also a very popular anonymous artist. He sees a lot of himself in Roy, thus tries to be his life mentor and gives him underlying music tips through life lessons.

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Macbeth’s Reality

CRITIAL LENS: Formalism criticism

In the story of Macbeth by Shakespeare, you can clearly see that there is a psychological barrier he faces. What I concluded through analyzing of the plot and theme is that Shakespeare presents is that he has an emotional void that Macbeth tries to fill through power and status, trying to give what he thinks is best for his relationship with his wife, which then leads to more conflict and consumption of his ambitions. Lacking self-awareness of the true issues, which is his own wants and his relationship with his wife, it causes the complete destruction of his life and marriage, leading to both of their deaths.

Something I realized is that when Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, he understood human behaviors. Specifically, when a person lacks something, they have the tendency to fill this “void”. We try to fill this gap we have, but sometimes we fill it in with the wrong things. For example, the lack of attention may result to a great desire of a numeral goal through of likes on photos and posts because a person feels that a ‘like’, though it’s simply just a click of a button is slightly or can perceive to be a form of affection. When you hear the word ‘like’, it’s automatically linked to affection. The more likes you get, the more you’ll think people like you. The more followers you have, the more you’d think that people care about your life. Clearly, social media has become a way to cope with lacking attention or affection; just like how in Macbeth, climbing the status latter would make one think that it would result to respect. Particularly in Macbeth’s situation, his wife wants him to pursue this status. Clearly, they both want things from each other and decide to create a plan to get to where they want to go. One concept that can concur with their desire for advancements is that they do it together and want the same thing. The fact that they both felt strongly about it can lead to the possibility of the feeling of revival in partnership. In the beginning, where Lady Macbeth gets Macbeth to accept that he’ll try and continue to keep moving up in status, it proves that in this one scene, they both agree on something and they start to have some affection towards each other. Other than this, it was the only time that they were together with affection. This is clear evidence that the ‘void’ in Macbeth’s life as well as Lady Macbeth, is the lack of love in their relationship. If they had reassurance that they loved each other, the climb to status wouldn’t be something that eventually consumes the both of them.

Through Macbeth’s drive to power and higher status, it’s clearly a method that had taken him over. His wife wanted the status, because typically with status, you correlate that to wealth and happiness, but if there is corruption, you oversee the original intent and start to chase the things that realistically have no true value in life. In Macbeth’s case, he attempts to impress his wife, but later on, when his wife says that he’s had enough, yet he still tries to continue to conquer. Instead of trying to chase the titles and superficial statuses and wealth, the two should have focused on their relationship and marriage. If his wife knew the love, in my opinion Macbeth had for her, what does a title of a king to a country have to do with Lady Macbeth being his queen, and not in a sense of ranking or type of authority, but within their own relationship. Shakespeare clearly shows that in this issue that seems so small compared to what is happening proves that voids can have bigger affects. In their relationship, they clearly just needed reassurance from each other, but it later ties in with the entire country being involved. Macbeth becomes king, but even with this, he is still not completely happy with his life and Lady Macbeth also dies in the process, not from an outside party, but she had taken her own life. If it wasn’t for the guilt and greed from the death of Duncan, which is because of trying to pursue the pursuit to power, then all these people wouldn’t have died. Guilt from greed is what pushed Lady Macbeth to her demise.

In Macbeth, Shakespeare covers multiple themes, but I believe that the story of Macbeth had been developed to show the low-key reality of filling voids. Filling the void also corresponds to corruption. Corruption in the mind, body, heart, and/or soul all of the given, destroy the healthy balance of your life. With filling a void, you choose to either feel the emptiness which reflects with how you react to events and people, fill the void with a distraction or something that doesn’t resolve the problem, but instead fills it temporarily, and to be consumed by that distraction.

In the story, Shakespeare creates an ending that is the reality of consumption, and where one doesn’t realize until it’s too late. I believe that the story is after he had been consumed with the idea of power, then slowly pursues a toxic journey that destroys his relationship, his wife, what he’s accomplished in order to even get to that point to have an opportunity to advance in his status. He simply ruins his life. Another point of this is that Shakespeare promotes the idea of being oblivious of being self-destructive without knowing it. The story of Macbeth is a story of being unaware of your true intents and reasons behind why you do certain things and feel the need to have ambitions. It is a metaphoric story that can be applied to other people in the sense of self-awareness and the consequences that come with your actions. Filling a void with self-destruction doesn’t just hurt yourself, but those around you and those who care for you.

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Good Burger

SCENE 1

INT – Bedroom, early morning.

Bird’s eye view, extreme close up shot of cell phone ringing

Hand slowly gets into the shot

Cuts to person putting phone up to their ear, only their short black hair is in the shot as they are under their blanket. Barely awake, the guy answers the phone.

CHRIS

Hello?

INT – Inside a store office

Close up shot of a name tag that says “Alex”. Camera slowly goes up to a shot of a young woman’s smile.

ALEX

Good morning, is this Chris Williams speaking?

CHRIS

Uhh yeah, yo… what’s up...

ALEX

Hello Chris, this is Alex, the manager who interviewed you-

Chris’ eyes open and he sits up, as he clears his throat

ALEX

The other day at the store, Connect, located downtown, at Nova and Rose Street calling.

CHRIS

Go-good morning Alex! Hello, how are you?

(Alex chuckles) Camera cuts to her face. She is from a Jamaican-Japanese decent, wears no make-up, looks to be in her late 20`s. Her hair is straight, tied back and is wearing a black t-shirt that says `CONNECT TORONTO` with a floral print on the sides going to her hips. She wears dark blue ripped jeans with black shoes.

ALEX

Hello Chris, I’m good. I just wanted to call you to say congratulations! You got the job. From the interview, I feel like you’re an organized-

Cuts to a bird’s eye view of Chris’ messy room. Chris slowly gets out of his blanket, walking towards his mirror. The camera cuts to what seems to be his reflection in the mirror. His long hazel hair seems to be in a mess, and tries to fix it while holding the phone. He takes one glance in the mirror and wakes up.

ALEX

Detail-oriented,

Camera cuts to a close up shot of Chris’ mismatching socks.

ALEX

And a hard working person. So we’d love to have you on the team.

CHRIS

Th-thank you so much!

Grinning to himself in the mirror, he turns a bit red of excitement.

ALEX

No problem. Please come by tomorrow at 1pm and we’ll get straight into your training.

CHRIS

Thank you so much, I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a great day, Alex!

ALEX

Have a good day, Chris. Bye!

Cuts to Alex putting her white iPhone down. She gets up from her chair, pulling out the keys that hang from her pocket. The camera cuts to her foot steps that seem to be walking out of an office, then into a stock room, walking past boxes and clothing racks. She walks towards a store shutter. Camera cuts to her keys unlocking the glass doors. She opens up the doors and walks to the front desk of the store. As the camera rises, the background is a clothing boutique store. Wooden floors with a black and white minimalist design. As she walks towards the single computer on the computer desk, she turns on a speaker system as well as opens up a window on the computer. Cuts to the computer screen, she types “soundcloud.com/myprofile/storejams”. She hits enter. A new page appears, and a playlist of songs pops up.

She hits shuffle, “Myself” by NAV starts to play.

Fade to a black screen.

Camera fades in to Chris’ washroom door and dolly’s in moving closer and higher to the door. The sound of a flush, then the sink running. As soon as the sink is off, the camera cuts to Chris’ feet with his mismatched socks. He walks toward his bed. He picks up his phone. 8:23 AM shows up. He unlocks his phone with his fingerprint and proceeds to calls ‘MOMS’. Music fades out.

Close up and following shots of him shirtless walking around his room trying to find clothes as he has one hand holding the phone while the ringing tone is heard in the background.

CHRIS’ MOM

(Heard through the phone) Hello?

CHRIS

Morning moms, how are you?

CHRIS’ MOM

I’m good hun. How are you? Are you at school now?

CHRIS

Nah, I’m getting ready. My class starts at ten o’clock.

CHRIS’ MOM

Ah, okay! Eat yet?

Chris opens up a closet. Hanging pants and shirts are divided in half, organized. Color coded from light to darks. He takes out black jeans, then putting the phone to his shoulder so he can use two hands.

CHRIS

Not yet, I’ll do it after, but I have news for you!

He puts the pants on his bed, then holds the phone while holding the hanger in the other hand.

CHRIS’ MOM

Really? What is it, Chris?

CHRIS

I got the job!

He excitedly says putting his hand holding the empty hanger up.

CHRIS’ MOM

(Sounding like that isn’t what she was expecting/not wanted to hear) Oh. Okay! That’s good for you! Congratulations.

Chris looks a little disappointed. He slightly aggressively puts the hanger back onto the rack.

CHRIS

Thanks moms.

Silence for five seconds. It didn’t seem like she was very excited.

CHRIS’ MOM

Chris, when are yo-

CHRIS

Listen, mom, I’ve heard it many times. I told you that this is what I wanted, okay? I’m not that far, I can visit any time, but there is what I want to do. I know you still don’t accept it but, I have to do this okay? It’ll be worth it.

A sob can be heard. Chris’ face not filled with regret, but slight frustration and discomfort.

CHRIS

Mo-

CHRIS’ MOM

No, Chris, I understand. Sorry, I just keep forgetting how you’re all grown up now. As long as your happy and have your plan, I’ll accept your decisions, but make sure that you’re setting your priorities straight, okay?

CHRIS

I love you.

CHRIS’ MOM

I love you too. Have a good day hun.

CHRIS

You too moms. Stay safe.

He looks at his phone the contact picture of the two of them smiling together. He takes a few seconds to smile at the picture then hangs up his phone.

His phone vibrates. Camera cuts to Chris’ expression changing from happy to slight annoyance. Then pops up a funny picture of two kids. The name TRAV pops up. Chris answers the call.

CHRIS

What do you want?

EXT – Sidewalk of a busy street

Camera cuts to the back of a guy with short braids wearing a light jacket.

TRAVIS

Damn, not even a good morning sweetie?

They both chuckle.

CHRIS

Shut up Trav.

TRAVIS

Alright man, are you ready? I’m downstairs, should I come up?

CHRIS

Yeah sure, I’m just gonna eat then we can go.

TRAVIS

Ahh man.

CHRIS

What? I’ll be quick.

Chris puts on his pants while holding the phone on his shoulder.

TRAVIS

No, it’s not that. I can’t believe that we’re in university now. High school seemed like it started just like yesterday, and now I’m here, even driving, picking your broke ass up. But, for real, we’re starting a new thing right now.

CHRIS

Alright man, stop getting emotional. I get it, yeah we’re old, but you know what?

TRAVIS

What?

CHRIS

I’M NOT BROKE ANYMORE. I GOT THE JOB THIS MORNING.

TRAVIS

Okayy bro, I see you, making moves. Congrats!

CHRIS

Yeah, thanks man!

TRAVIS

But you’re still broke.

CHRIS

Shut up, come upstairs.

TRAVIS

Hahaha, alright.

- END SCENE -

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Eighteen

The music blasts in his ears as he watches the hazed collectives of red, green and white pass by him on the moving bus. Sitting in the lone window seat, his face shows no expression on the slightly empty bus right before midnight. Passengers getting on and off, but he had been on the bus since the departure from the the station. Not moving an inch, just watching as the cars pass, he can’t help to notice the feeling of people’s eyes gluing onto him. What brings a young man like him alone on a night like this? Why does he show no expression for it is the new year? The joys and excitement of people brush onto others, but not him. His focus is centered onto the ongoing journeys and not the destinations. He sits, music loud, but not enough to be a disruption to others. The bus falls silent. Other times, it’s filled with laughter and exchangements of “Happy New Year!”. He’s so into the movement of the neighbouring vehicles, it’s hard to not question him. Why does he hear his music, but not listen to it? Where is he going, and where is he coming from? Just like the cars, the people who get onto the bus come and go. Nothing really stays. He thinks about that simple concept. Just like in life, people come and go out of your life. He elaborates on that theory; your life is like a car. Some people can get you lost, some direct you, and some destructively distract you. In the end, regardless, it’s your car and you own it. You can choose to share the car, but not just with anybody. You have to be careful with who you let in, who’s driving around you, and all the other factors while on the road. So, here he is, on this bus. He’s thinking about philosophies and not reality. What is he doing here? Where is he going? All these questions, just be answered simply by saying that he’s running. Running away from the reality and the responsibilities of life. Why is he running? Family.

He finally found his father. For 18 years without saying dad, without saying mom, how is he supposed to feel? 18 years of normalization of being independent with his older brother. The car he drives was always going somewhere, it was always filled with gas, engine checked, but he has no clue where it came from, and he never felt to question it.

Still staring outside, the bus comes to a turn into the bus station. Only few are on the bus, just as it was when he go on. He stands up from his seat, purposely walking to the front of the bus.

“Have a happy new year, thank you.” he says to the driver.

The driver quickly smiles and says “You too. Welcome.”, but as she sees the back of his head, she says loudly “Wait!”.

“Yes?” he turns around, taking off his earphones.

“Son, you’ve been on this bus since I started on this route. The bus goes to the same station, and I know that you’re not lost… or are you? What’s on your mind?”

He looks at her, not in the eyes but he looks at her. She gets out of the driver’s seat and follows to get off the bus. Looking at him leering down, she becomes more concerned.

“I know you don’t want to trust a complete stranger, but here.” She says as she pulls out a sticky note pad and a pen and begins to write. She fold the small piece of paper and puts it into his pockets here his hands were resting.

“If you ever need to talk, just call that number.” She says trying to catch some sort of eye contact from him.

“Thank you.” He says walking off, not even looking at her and putting on his earphones, he starts to think, how can his car analogy be applied.

“Somebody got into my car accidentally?” he mumbles to himself as he walks to the opposite side of the station, leading to an exit out of the station. He goes down a couple of stairs.

The station was deserted. Not sure if it was because of the time or because everybody was already where they wanted to be for the new year, he didn’t have any interaction besides the bus driver. He walks downstairs, down a hallway leading towards another staircase going up. He can hear the sounds of the empty streets. As soon as he reached the top, he was at an intersection, and just like the station, the roads were deserted. He takes a left, going farther away from the intersection. Walks into a neighbourhood, passing by either completely loud or completely silent houses. He takes two turns down two blocks until he reaches the only house that has lights on yet isn’t radiating any kind of celebration. The stairs are centered to the house with five steps of stairs. He walks up, walking confidently as if it was his own home. Instead of pulling out his hand that one would’ve thought to be holding keys, he just pulls our an empty hand ringing the door bell twice. The door unlocks with a young man laughing, talking to somebody in the opposite direction as he opens the door.

“Haha, but she said she would be done at...” The young man stops talking. He looks confused and sort of shocked to see his old friend at his door step. They look at each other for a solid moment.

“Who’s at the door, man! Close it, it’s getting cold!” shouted somebody in the background as there’s faint music and laughter. The two embrace each other like brothers.

“It’s been a minute.” says the young man who opened the door whilst holding each other.

“It’s been one long year.” says the other guy as they start to let go and start to go inside the house.

“James, who was at the- LOOK WHO’S HOME! Marco, where have you been?” Shouts James’ father, starting to stand. As a bigger man he hugs and practically crushes Marco who’s wearing a heavy jacket. About six people are in the house; James, James’ father and mother, James’ girlfriend, and another two of James and Marco’s friend, TJ and Cassie. All of them look to Marco in shock.

“Haha, cold out there?” James’ mother says.

“Yeah, but not cold enough for me to forget where you guys live.” Marco replies.

“You could never forget where we live. You basically lived here!” says Cassie, sitting on the couch with a paper plate on her lap stuffing her face with hawaiian pizza, about to get up and hug Marco.

“Happy birthday.” TJ says in a monotone voice getting off the couch, about to hug Marco as well. Everybody looks at each other and starts to sing happy birthday.

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Improvements For the Hometown

Referenced article:

Why is Toronto’s hip-hop scene stagnating?

When you search up the definition of stagnating on Google, you get “to cease developing; become inactive or dull”. When I saw the headline of this article I was curious for the opinion and how exactly another person besides myself views Toronto’s general flow of hip-hop. I recognized all of the artists stated in the article, such as Drake, The Weeknd, Tory Lanez, Jazz Cartier, Roy Woods, and Killy, but one thing to highlight that observed about Toronto artists is exactly what they say in their music.

Drugs, women, people “switching up”, meaning that they turn their backs on you; there’s not a lot of positive energy in our hip-hop. Those are actually the only topics we have in Toronto rap, and even I’m getting tired of it despite it sounding so good. It’s one of those things that sound good, then you hear the lyrics and justify how depressed the artist actually sounds through their lyrics. A typical song would be about how somebody who had a rough life finally became famous and now all the women want him and that he decides to cope with his depression from his friends who didn’t have his back when he was struggling by using hard drugs trying to numb the pain. Other than that, I’ve also seen this pattern of how a guy would stunt his brand-named clothing and all his money, and wants to finally prove that either a past-lover or his past friends now want to come up with him just because he has money now. There’s actually a lot of sadness and lost-sense of trust in a lot of the music, which also makes a very popular song.

As I said previously, there’s a lot of sadness in our hip-hop, but generally, I feel like a lot of people in Toronto aren’t as happy as they want to be. Overall, nobody is truly happy, but Toronto in my perspective is stuck somewhere. Living in Toronto is expensive, yet only up until recently our wages have finally gone up. But I’ve talked to a lot of people, not just my age, but adults, even co-workers, sometimes strangers and they say that life here is something else. Typically, they mention how much they have to pay just to live here, then they go onto saying all they do is work, and besides that, we don’t do much out here in Toronto. I believe that we haven’t been given a real reason to come together, nor are able to because we’re all working.saying similar things, we need to expand and experiment.

Aside from all the emotional issues that Toronto seems to face, a lot of our hip-hop artists are getting more recognized in the hip-hop industry. One thing about this though, there’s a huge factor that our upcoming artists eventually get out of Toronto to pursue their music, or are having to leave Toronto in order to go onto bigger things. I believe that we’re still a developing city, but it would be nice to have a base in Toronto instead of going out to L.A.. The thing about “hype” is that it eventually ends, so instead of continuously putting out tracks that sound so similar and are saying similar things, we need to expand and experiment.

Right now, we have a steady flow of growth, but the hype is going down, not just having more of our artists getting more recognition, but the whole hip-hop Toronto vibe needs to change somehow. As the most diverse city in the world, we need to diversify what we’re putting out there.

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Writer’s Craft - Culminating Activity

Link to my culminating activity for my writer’s craft course:

https://2-xv.tumblr.com/EWC4U

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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General portfolio

Link to my general portfolio:

https://2-xv.tumblr.com/portfolio

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2-xv · 8 years ago

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Typical

Switch lanes, people make me insane.

I cover it, never move in vain.

Proving them wrong, it’ll cover the cost.

No regrets over the friends that I’ve lost.

I’m working, I’m working hard, no breaks.

Work on my time, I’m never late.

When I’m done here, they’ll know their place

Prove to them that they made the mistake.

Just do it, that’s what I do

Do more, say less, they won’t call me poor

But they’ll ring my phone once more

Some ask for cash, I’ll say no, though I’m not short

But I stand tall, clearly they see that

Still talking, but now it’s fake facts

Watch my head, I’m wearing no hats

Only here for business, my rate is flat

Now, they see all my potential.

I made moves while I was silent

Acting like they’re on the same mental

But my habits are intense, they call it violent.

Not Joan of Arc, but “I was born for this”,

They way they move, I can tell I’m different.

I’m not afraid, I know that it’ll work,

Only need me when they need want the perks.

Not sad that I can count real ones within my fingers,

Because those are the ones with no doubts to linger.

When I say I made it, time will only tell who’s really here for me,

I’ll have to trust until the end, I’ll have to wait and see.

Break down and explanation of Typical.

Switch lanes, people make me insane.

Switching lanes can also be said as “switching up”, which means for a person to change how they act around you or how they feel around you. More commonly known to be a negative, as you wouldn’t want your friend to change the way they act towards you in a negative way, especially since you had a bond, but all of a sudden they change.

I cover it, never move in vain.

I cover it, I mean to say, I’ll get over it.

Proving them wrong, it’ll cover the cost.

No regrets over the friends that I’ve lost.

I’m working, I’m working hard, no breaks.

Work on my time, I’m never late.

No need to bother or care for other people. More self focus on what I’m doing for myself.

When I’m done here, they’ll know their place

Prove to them that they made the mistake.

Just do it, that’s what I do

Do more, say less, they won’t call me poor

People value so much more material. Just because somebody doesn’t have the newest clothes or things, generally, you’re considered poor.

But they’ll ring my phone once more

Some ask for cash, I’ll say no, though I’m not short.

Not being short on cash, but learning to say no to the wrong people.

But I stand tall, clearly they see that

Still talking, but now it’s fake facts

People will talk about you regardless, but when you’re becoming more successful, people will make things up. This will happen especially if you have no excess drama going on in your life.

Watch my head, I’m wearing no hats

Taking risks, but in order to jump into the risks, sometimes you have to sacrifice.

Only here for business, my rate is flat

People involved with any kind of business or partnerships have to learn that you can’t be friends with everybody you work with.

Now, they see all my potential

I made moves while I was silent

Acting like they’re on the same mental

But my habits are intense, they call it violent.

People will only see you potential when it’s shown or being showcased. In this generation, if you’re not posting about it, is it really happening? Without social media, would people see what you’re doing? Do people need the attention/reassurance that people know what you’re up to? People will act like they don’t or will act like they have the same mentality, but when it comes down to the work, will they actually do it?

Not Joan of Arc, but “I was born for this”,

They way they move, I can tell I’m different.

I’m not afraid, I know that it’ll work,

Only need me when they need want the perks.

Reference to Joan of Arc’s quote, “I am not afraid... I was born to do this.”. When people see what you’re up to they also want to be apart of that. You must be confident in your own work to be able to succeed.

Not sad that I can count real ones within my fingers,

Because those are the ones with no doubts to linger.

When I say I made it, time will only tell who’s really here for me,

I’ll have to trust until the end, I’ll have to wait and see.

Having a small amount of friends can also relate to being able to trust a few, but you really don’t know, but will have to trust anybody until proven otherwise, which is a major part of loyalty and trust in any kind of relationship.

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