SCENE 2 INT. APARTMENT - DAY The living room ceiling is crammed with balloons. Cups and plates, still in the packaging, are stacked on the coffee table. JESSICA, mid-twenties, stands on a ladder, hanging a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! banner. A couple of rolls of streamers are on one rung of the ladder. A phone buzzes on the coffee table. Jessica gets down and grabs it. On the screen, a text from Leigh: No cake Jessica texts back: WHAT? And receives a response from from Leigh: They can’t find the order. Jessica death-grips the phone while she types. Jessica: How are we supposed to have a birthday party with no cake??? She waits, glaring at the phone. No answer. She stabs at the phone screen, poking out another text. Jessica: You had one job. One job. I am doing EVERYTHING Leigh: I’m sorry. I’ll think of something. Jessica sighs. Jessica: Like what? Leigh: Cupcakes or something Jessica: No cupcakes Leigh: Why not? Jessica: Get a CAKE. And candles!!!!!! LUKE: Jess? Jessica looks up. Luke is standing in the doorway of the apartment. JESSICA: What are you doing here? LUKE: Uh, I live here. JESSICA: Yeah, but-- LUKE: I got off work early. JESSICA: Oh. Well, surprise!

FEEDBACK 4 Hey Kara - the perfect example of a situation when a call would work better than a text :-) I love the way we all do that now, spend ages texting when we could have phoned and sorted things in half the time! To that end I think it could have been fun to stretch it out a bit longer, up the tension - I can almost see this with a split screen showing the frantic texting on one half as Luke makes his way home on the other - you could even have Luke texting Jessica at the same time to up the ante as she knows he is coming home, but she doesn't have the cake! Mind you, if I try texting two people at once I invariably end up sending the wrong message to one of them - so more potential for comedy! Anyway, I'll shut up now! Thanks for sharing!

SCENE 3 EXT. CLIFF FACE - DAY On one side of a wide valley, UG, caveman, pulls up a giant turtle shell, picks up his tools and starts hammering away at the side of the rockface. After 10 minutes he steps back, looks at his handy work; foot high letters spell out: HEY OG U GOIN 2 POND 2NITE M8? Ug bangs his hammer on the turtle shell in the familiar incoming SMS tone EXT. OTHER CLIFF FACE - DAY On the other side of the valley, OG, caveman, pokes his head out of his cave and peers across the valley, holding up a hand to shield his eyes. BEAT Og takes up his tools, pulls up a similar turtle shell, climbs on top and starts to hammer. 10 minutes later he steps back. Foot high letter spell out: DUNNO SWMBO IN MOOD He beats his shell in the same way that Ug did. EXT. CLIFF FACE - DAY UG peers back across the valley to read OG's message and smiles to himself. Taking up his tools he carves: LOL U IS WHIPPED MAN He taps the shell. EXT. OTHER CLIFF FACE - DAY OG's hand drops from his eyes. His face betrays his anger. More carving: SHE UR SISTER Turtle tapping. EXT. CLIFF FACE - DAY UG laughs as he climbs back on his shell to chip away: Y U FINK WE GIV HER AWAY? EXT. OTHER CLIFF FACE - DAY OG moves quickly, he is angry and ready to retort. Tools up: U CN HV HER BACK! IG: (O.S.) OOOOOOOOOGGGGGGG! Get in here! OG is surprised by the shout that grates on his nerves. He screws up his face as he slips on the turtle shell, lands on his back, screams in agony and rolls on to the floor to find himself looking up at a very angry looking IG. IG Simply points at the cave. EXT. CLIFF FACE - DAY UG watches all this unfold, jumps up on his shell and taps away. BEAT He jumps down to tap on his shell. EXT. OTHER CLIFF FACE - DAY Just as OG is being dragged into the cave he turns at the sound and stares back over the valley. In the distance he can just see UG lying on the floor by the entrance to his cave. Behind him, on the cliff face, in foot high letters: ROFLMAO

SCENE 2 INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT GEORGIA (32) sits in a glider, nursing her baby. She rocks herself back and forth, falling asleep as her baby suckles. At her side her phone BUZZES, jolting her awake. She looks at the baby. Still suckling. She picks up the phone. Text: Going to be another few hours. Sorry. Georgia scrunches her eyes shut. This is not okay. She texts back one-handed: ok. She tucks her phone away. The baby is now asleep. Slowly, carefully, she removes the baby from her breast and carries her to her crib. She settles the baby in and tiptoes away. Phone in hand she texts again: baby asleep 'smiley face.' A bloodcurdling SHRIEK fills the house. Toddler (O.S.): Mommy! The baby wakes up and starts to BAWL. Georgia stands frozen in the doorway, phone still in her hand. Her phone BUZZES with a new text: Good job! She puts a hand to her forehead and shuts her eyes.

SCENE 3 INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY A quaint but comfy house, littered with baby toys. JENNA (35), exhausted face & hair in a ponytail, cradles herself on an equally exhausted couch. On the TV, the final moments of The Notebook play out. She tries to contain herself but her emotions break through to the surface. Through the handheld monitor emit soft baby coos. Jenna wipes away her tears, pulls herself together. THE BABY'S ROOM A tiny room with sky blue walls, dotted with zoo animal decals. A lonely, dated upholstered chair in one corner, a cute crib in the other. Jenna enters and leans over the crib. Looking up at us is a tiny one-year-old MILES. His eyes light up upon his mother's arrival. JENNA: Hi, Miles. Miles can't talk but the spring-like motion from every one of his limbs conveys how he feels. JENNA: Did you have a good nap? He makes a few indecipherable baby sounds. JENNA: Mommy's here. She cradles Miles and sits in the chair. Conversation can be heard outside. She pulls the window shade up. HER POV: Her husband DEVON (35), shirtless and sweaty, grabs a roll of sod off a pallet and rolls it out on the ground. LIVING ROOM Jenna enters and puts Miles into a roaming baby walker. JENNA: Let's get you something to eat. She heads into the kitchen and returns with a jar of baby food and a spoon. She sits on the couch and feeds Miles carrot puree. Her phone buzzes on the coffee table. She picks it up. A text from Ricky reads: "Hey U". She types back: Jenna: What are you doing? Ricky: Miss U? Jenna somewhat reluctantly types "Likewise" but then deletes and retypes: Jenna: Really? Ricky: When can I see U again? She feeds Miles a bite of puree, scoops the excess from the edge of his lips and into his mouth. He reacts jubilantly. Jenna can't resist. A loving smile crosses her face. She types "We need to stop this," but pauses... unable to press "send." The back door opens and Devon enters the kitchen. She discreetly slides her phone into her pants pocket. JENNA: Hey, hon. DEVON: (O.S.) What? JENNA: How's it going out there? Jenna sets down the puree and spoon. Enters -- THE KITCHEN -- To find Devon washing his hands. DEVON: It's yard work. How do you think it's going? She slides up closely behind him, rubs her hands down his sides... JENNA: Maybe I can help. He turns off the sink and pulls away to towel his hands. DEVON: Come on, Jenna. What are you doing? He exits with a glass of water, shuts the door behind him. She moves to the window over the sink and watches him. JENNA'S POV: The female neighbor next door waves to Devon as she gets into her car. He returns it with a smile and a wave. Jenna slides her phone out of her pocket. Looks at her words "We need to stop this" for a brief moment before deleting it all. She retypes three lonely words: "How about tonight?" A contained smile crosses her face.

FEEDBACK 3 Haha. Nicely done. Short, sweet and funny. Message clearly conveyed with direct visuals, minimal dialog (a single audible word, actually!) and a nice punchline payoff delivered via... SMS.

Thanks, willsho. I really appreciate the positive feedback!

SCENE CHALLENGE #3 INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY In a pleasant tourist-class room, Janet unpacks a few things she brought for the weekend. JANET: Mind if I call Mother later? SHAWN: Um-um, but didn't you just talk to her before we left? JANET: She likes someone to talk to. Someone to listen to her. Shawn lays on the bed scrolling through some international text messages from strangers absent-mindedly. [Note: texters' names will be in brackets.] On his phone, he sees -- "WTF?" "oliver herford" "Whozzat?" "Here's a new clue. Thank me later." Shawn zooms in at Zebra's text: "Help thy brother's boat across, and Lo! Thine own has reached the shore." He texts back a QR code and "THX! Back at u!" He hits send. SHAWN: I thought your dad was back from Afghanistan. JANET: He is. Finished unpacking, Janet goes over to Shawn with a piece of paper in her hand. She cozies up to him. SHAWN: Who's Oliver Herford? Janet scowls. But searching on his phone, Shawn's already found out. JANET: A writer. A dead one, I think. Why? SHAWN: (reads aloud) "Famous quotations attributed to Herford include, 'Tact: to lie about others as you would have them lie about you,' and 'A man is known by the silence he keeps…'" Janet snatches his phone, powers it off, and places it on the nightstand. (This is my #1 Post.)

Hi zty, I'm a big fan of short scenes--and short texts--so this was great. A couple of questions, though. Should we assume the bloodcurdling scream was from the toddler? It's not totally clear, but maybe it's not supposed to be. Will the toddler get named? If so, might be good to get the name in here along with age. Definitely makes me what to know what's going to happen. Good suspense! COMMENT #1

My brackets didn't come through, although they did when I previewed. Let me try reporting. Sorry for the duplicate post. --Liz

INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY In a pleasant tourist-class room, Janet unpacks a few things she brought for the weekend. JANET: Mind if I call Mother later? SHAWN: Um-um, but didn't you just talk to her before we left? JANET: She likes someone to talk to. Someone to listen to her. Shawn lays on the bed scrolling through some relevant text messages absent-mindedly. On his phone, he sees -- [alpha] WTF? [beta] oliver herford [alpha] Whozzat? [zebra] Here's a new clue. Thank me later. Shawn zooms in at Zebra's offering: "Help thy brother's boat across, and Lo! Thine own has reached the shore." He texts back a QR code and "THX! Back at u!" He hits send. SHAWN: I thought your dad was back from Afghanistan. JANET: He is. Finished unpacking, Janet goes over to Shawn with a piece of paper in her hand. She cozies up to him. SHAWN: Who's Oliver Herford? Janet scowls. But searching on his phone, Shawn's already found out. JANET: A writer. A dead one, I think. Why? SHAWN: (reads aloud) "Famous quotations attributed to Herford include, 'Tact: to lie about others as you would have them lie about you,' and 'A man is known by the silence he keeps…'" Janet snatches his phone, powers it off, and places it on the nightstand.

Hi Kara, Love the scene description at the beginning--I could really picture the place. Good job. I like Mike's suggestion for upping the funny with a text getting into the wrong hands, assuming you mean for this to be a comedy. I also agree that a phone call would be more likely given the amount of the messaging going on--and given how angry Jessica must be. For that matter, maybe she speed-dials incorrectly and takes it out on someone completely inappropriate. COMMENT #2

SCENE 02 EXT. DESERT - DAY Marla and Frank are leaning to a SUV. MARLA: Something got wrong. We have to search him. FRANK: Everything will be fine. The beep of an incoming message. Frank takes his mobile out of his pocket. MARLA: What? FRANK: The police... Marla pulls the mobile out of Franks hands. It just says, „police“. And the circle saying „writing“ goes round. In panic Marla takes her own mobile out of her back pocket. Then another beep. „In Aloha“ pushes the device. Marla is calling „Frank“ as her display says but.... COMPUTER VOICE: The person you are calling is temporarily not available. FRANK: Where is Aloha? Marla laughs desperately. MARLA: In Autocorrection.

FEEDBACK 02 Hi Mark, I really love the idea transforming texting in prehistorical times. Though sometimes I'm a little bit lost, because I don't understand everything they are texting (a had to ask the internet). That could be because I'm no mother-tongue or I'm too old - and don't fit the target audience. But that might be a hint, what target audience do you see for the scene? A like the structure: watching people communicating for a while could be boring, but you bring action and a new person to have a climax for the scene. perhaps to bring more comedy in it: After the first message you know the gag, but you could alter it. For example: where does the last "ROFLMAO" comes from. Perhaps this is Siri writing it. Or, when Ogg is really angry, the hammer tells him: "You don't have a connection to the internet" and stops working. Bests

FEEDBACK 03 Hi zty, great job, especially describing this feeling sitting on the couch with a baby. Depending on what you want to tell about your protagonists, I would see an option to escalate the scene a little bit more in switching some of the messages. If Georgia - full of relief that the baby sleeps - she texts this to her husband. And THEN "Good job" from him. Then the toddler wakes the baby and then "Going to be another few hours. You do so fine!" But as I said, depends on what's happening next and what the hole thing would be about the protagonists. Bests

Thanks Katha! I had to check some of the abbreviations myself - always tricky with something like this when you aren't "down with the kids" (which I am certainly not) to pitch it right and use the "right" terms without it coming across as "bad dad dancing" style dialogue or patronising. I do like your suggestions at the end - and perhaps you could also have a cloud in the valley obscuring their view - somehow work in a gag about "connection lost"... or, with your broken hammer a "buffering" joke... the possibilitie are probably endless! :-) Thanks, Mark

FEEDBACK 05 Hi willsho, I like that you make it a „great decision“ scene. And you make Jenna‘s steps to this decision very vivid. You could shorten it in the beginning and the middle, trying to put the atmosphere more within the action which drives the story forward. As feeding the baby is nice but has - beyond she is exhausted and also ambivalent towards her kid - not so much to tell. One suggestion: In the middle the baby could be more disturbing the mother while texting. It‘s not easy having an affair with a baby/toddler. Therefore I also have problems with the end: Where does she want to meet her lover? At her house, will the husband out of the house and the baby sleeping? (Would he really leaves the house without any Goodbye?) Right at the moment I keep with the question „how will she manage to do that?“. This could be a could suspense for the next scenes, but for a stand-alone a little disturbing. Who is Devon talking to? As we here conversation before we see him without anybody. Is it the neighbor? I suppose you use the Notebook-part for planting, that she is lonely. Perhaps you could tell it more elegant, because film and TV-references always have something about telling and not showing. And you give food to Devon‘s accusation, that she don‘t do anything - which is one reason to keep it. But it would be could either to stretch this accusation at that point (e.g. by showing that she ignores the baby phone until the program is finished) OR breaking this few by showing that she cannot do anything else (or being part of trying to not give in to the affaire). Later on the action for texting comes from her lover. Perhaps you could give the scene more focus on that Jenna reacts on her husband when you let her taking her mobile with tears in the eyes at the last pictures of the film. Hope, my thoughts are helpful to you! Bests

uff, it's never easy using peer-group-language. as far as I know my niece (14) don't use so much abbreviations. but still it's a question of target audience. and beyond that: it's always tricky to "just" to search some information in the web without checking it. but also the other side, when do you have to stop research before you totally get lost? (which would be to hard for a writing exercise, I think ;) nice, that you like my suggestions ;)

Hi Liz, Thanks for your feedback. I did mean for the scream to be coming from the toddler but looking back maybe it isn't entirely clear. I also didn't think much beyond this actual scene. If I were going further, or if there were scenes preceding this one, I would definitely need to name the toddler (and likely decide on a gender too)!

Hi Katha, Thank you for the feedback. I like your thought about switching the order of the texts. It definitely would create a different feeling.

FEEDBACK 3 I guess Janet and Shawn are in their early twenties. The scene doesn't engage me. I feel there is a lack of conflict, tension or something else that can grab my attention. I find the text to be annoying. The scene would change if the text was part of what was going on between the characters.

Some good things to think about. Thanks Kartha!

Scene 3 INT. KRISTEN JONES’ LIVING ROOM – NIGHT KRISTEN JONES, 40, sits at a desk in a cluttered but clean family room. She is staring at a computer screen. As she takes off her glasses and rubs her eyes her son, LUKE, 17, comes in and flops on the couch. He is texting on his phone. LUKE: Whazup? KRISTEN: I spent the entire day looking up abbreviations for texting, most of which don’t even make sense to me. Kristen scans her notes. KRISTEN: Did you know YWHNB means “yes, we have no bananas.” Why would anyone need to text that? LUKE (still texting): Why are you doing this? KRISTEN: I’m supposed to write a scene that uses texting for the Scene-Writing Challenge I’m doing. Luke bursts out laughing. LUKE: Mom, you don’t even know how to text. (continues laughing) KRISTEN: Yeah, thanks for the support, funny guy. LUKE: I’m sorry. I really do think it’s cool that you’re doing this writing thing. Kristen picks up her phone. KRISTEN: So help me. Luke gets up and pulls a chair over so he can sit next to Kristen. He points to her phone screen. LUKE: That’s your messaging icon. Hit it. She does. LUKE: I’m already in your address book so pick me. She does. LUKE: Type in something and hit send. KRISTEN: H and K LUKE (as he’s texting back): Hugs and kisses? That’s so lame. LUKE: H&K KRISTEN: What? LUKE: You’re going for speed. Use the squiggly sign for and. KRISTEN: Ampersand. LUKE: Whatev. Kristen looks over his shoulder at his previous text. KRISTEN: Wait a minute. She takes his phone. KRISTEN: 9 means parent in room. (scrolling through his previous texts) Luke reaches for his phone. LUKE: Mom, that’s my phone. KRISTEN: No, it isn’t, I’m really sure the bill comes addressed to me. 1174 @ Wilsons Sat. I know that one. Kristen looks at her notes. KRISTEN: Invited to a wild party at Wilsons, Saturday. (Looks at Luke) The Wilsons are out of town this weekend. Luke scrunches down. KRISTEN (smiling): I think I need to send a text to Mrs. Wilson. LUKE (muttering): Stupid Scene-Writing Challenge.

SCENE #2 INT. GIRL’S BEDROOM – DAY A tween lives here. There is a Taylor Swift poster over the bed and a well preserved American girl doll sitting in a chair. ELEANOR (12), is dressed in a rumpled camp T-shirt and shorts. She sits cross-legged on the floor, laptop open, poking wildly at the keys. This is her room. There is a photo on the dresser of her with her parents and brother, posing in front of an American flag, smiling too broadly. SOPHIA (12) sits in the desk chair. She is dressed more or less the same as Eleanor, with a different camp shirt. She is Eleanor’s best friend. Sophia is also staring down at a laptop, focussed, animated. ELEANOR: Stop it! SOPHIA: What? ELEANOR: Stop doing that. SOPHIA: It’s a fair fight. Stop whining. Eleanor snaps her laptop shut. SOPHIA (CONT’D): Spoiled sport! If you quit while you’re losing, you’ll never win. ELEANOR: Who told you that? Its stupid. Besides, you always win. What’s the point. Sophia closes her laptop gently. SOPHIA: What’s wrong? ELEANOR: Nothing. A phone on top of the desk jumps up, vibrating like mad. Sophia picks it up and looks at it. SOPHIA: A text. From your Dad. ELEANOR: Ignore it. Sophia picks up the phone, swipes, pokes, and stares. Then she snort laughs. ELEANOR (CONT’D): What. Sophia turns the phone around so Eleanor can see it. It is a photo of a fully erect penis. ELEANOR (CONT’D): What is that? SOPHIA: Oh come on. What does it look like. Eleanor looks harder. Understanding dawns on her face. ELEANOR: Oh. Em. Gee. Eleanor’s face turns bright red. Sophia turns the phone back so it is facing her and begins tapping. We hear “swish.” A knock on the door. The door opens before either girl can respond, and a Eleanor’s handsome father pokes his head in. FATHER: Hello girls. Eleanor glares at him. SOPHIA: Hello Congressman Henderson.

Feedback 3 Hey there Susan W, I very much enjoyed your opening. The descriptions of the room and the girls really set the scene for what was about to happen. What I would work on for this scene is the information. I wasn't sure whose cell phone was being checked. Also the history of a scene like this might help with the understanding. I know we have a page limit with these scenes so that might not be possible. To add more clarity to this scene I'd put ownership in the description. Sophia picks up her phone or she grabs Eleanor's cell. Just a thought. All in all a crazy scene that was fun to read. Love those last minute twist. Keep writing. -Verdell

Does anyone know how to indicate that the texts appear on the screen? I wanted to do something similar to how they show texts on "Sherlock" but didn't know how that is done in the script. Or is that something that isn't used until the shooting script? Thanks, Susan

Feedback #2 Hi Katha -- I have to admit, I had a bit of trouble seeing what was going on here. It could just be me, but this was a bit confusing. We see Maria and Frank leaning up against an SUV when they get a text, apparently from the Police. But it is not clear why this would set them into a panic. It is also not clear who or what Aloha is. Perhaps a bit more of a set up would help here. Best, Susan W.

Hi Verdell -- THANKS! Oye -- of course it should be clear whose phone it is! It would be a whole different can of worms if the text was going to Sophia's cell!! Don't know how I missed that. Thanks for pointing it out!!! Have a great day. Susan W.

Scene 10 Linda walks in typing on her phone. She barely notices Rob sitting at the kitchen table. A packed suitcase next to him. Rob: Can we talk for a minute? Linda looks at him. Linda: Yeah what’s up? Her phone DINGS. And she checks it, begins typing. Rob: I’m leaving. Linda: (not paying attention) Sorry, what’s up? Rob: I don’t feel like you care whether I stay or not. Linda: (finishes typing and looks up) Wait. Where are you going? Rob: You’re always on you phone and— Her phone DINGS. Linda: Sorry one sec. She LAUGHS and types something. Looks up. Linda: OK go ahead. Rob: I said I’m— DING. Rob: —leaving. Linda: Yeah, I heard you. How long are you going to be gone? Rob: I don’t feel like you listen to me and— DING. She looks at her phone and LAUGHS. Linda: I listen to you all the time. She types. Rob: I don’t think you do. I’m breaking up with— DING. DING. She looks and LAUGHS. Types. Puts down her phone. Linda: Sorry. Go ahead. You’re going somewhere? Rob: Yeah, this is over, Linda. Linda: What’s over? Rob: See? This is what I’m talking about. You can’t be in a relationship with me and your phone. Linda: Are you asking me to choose you or my phone? Rob: No, clearly you’ve chosen. I’m just letting you know that— DING DING DING. She looks and LAUGHS. Types. Rob stands and grabs his bag. Heads for the door. Linda: Wait. Rob stops and looks at her. She looks at the bag and then up at him. Registering… Linda: Where did you say you’re going? Rob shakes his head. Rob: I’m leaving you. RING. Linda holds up a finger to say one second. Linda: (into phone) Yeah I got your text. No he didn’t actually say that did he? You guys are so good together! Why’s he breaking up with you? What a loser! (mocking) Boo hoo! You don’t pay attention to me, wahhhh. She LAUGHS. Rob walks out the door. Linda: I gotta go. Rob and I are having a talk blehhhh. Yeah I know. K. Byeeeeee. Linda hangs up. Linda: OK, I’m all yours. But Rob’s gone. Linda looks around, confused. Linda: Did he just leave in the middle of a conversation? Some people are so rude. DING. Linda looks at her phone and LAUGHS.

Yeah I struggled to understand what was happening as well. And I can't tell if some sort of formatting got lost on the way to my computer, which probably didn't help me clarity-wise.

SCENE ONE PLATFORM 13 – DAY Lily, a young attractive woman, boards the train to Berlin. She carries one duffel bag and a handbag with her. She glances at her ticket and walks to her first class compartment. She shoves open the door which has curtains hanging in front of it. In the window seat, works a man - in a suit - on his laptop. His suitcase is on the small window table. He's not disturbed by Lily entering the small compartment. Across the man, sits an elder woman, who looks up at her and smiles, encouraging. Lily puts her duffel bag in the luggage rack and sits down, next to the man. He doesn't look up. She takes off her coat and takes out her iPhone from her hand luggage. She takes a selfie from herself, the man is also in it, and send it away. INCOMING TEXT: good job. Does he have a suitcase with him? OUTGOING TEXT: yes Lily taps the man on the shoulder. LILY: excuse me, I want to take a selfie at the window. It takes only one minute, please. The man is annoyed and waits for her to make the damn photo. Lily makes sure his suitcase is on the photo and sends the photo. OUTGOING TEXT: Is this the suitcase? Incoming text: yes – wait for a sign. OUTGOING TEXT: when? INCOMING TEXT: In Germany – follow instructions as planned. She glances at her watch. She gets up and retrieves a book from her bag and starts reading, abiding the time.