POCKELSTREET BRIDGE/POCKELSBRUCHE
BRAUNSHWIEG, DE. 
(animation by T. Bartels)
  the audio version 
(another story: the script pitch)

Okay: We all know there's stories of films
that laugh and cry
that bridge
;the earth and the sky, right?

Here's the opening scene:

Stop-framed figures swimming up and down
like
slave oars
rippling
on the river
in the city beating
like
ummm...
the industrial revolution
in a silent film...

Cut to:

two people deeply in love
swimming  through their feelings at night,
escaping recognition

Fade in,/follow shot:

through the camera flashes of stars
they swim into thin air
only
its water they're swimming in together

or, well
towards each other
but
its water that separates them
like they're water and oil, 
see.

like flying fish
they don't want to touch, 
just have their own space
like,
and its night see,
so they're swimming in the stars

Fade up orchestral music:

underneath them
-in the movie-
there's all these people on a bridge
looking up at them
-the stars-
and after all that, 
right,
at the top
they meet in all that motion,
 which is great because you think:
"Oh, that's nice, all that swimming to say hello.
They must be exhausted."
But really, they just want to keep going up,
like,
Icarus, see?

they hit a wall, edge, envelope, silver screen,

Music crescendo:

and then, well, its all downhill

a quick descent into each other's path
falling because
they couldn't be themselves without each other,

Cut to Long shot:

the audience is blinded by the lighthouse pendulum 
in the middle of the bridge...
-not a dry eye in the river boats.

The thing is,
it keeps happening to them 
people passing in the river see it,
they're giants shrinking into the sky like fireworks

okay, so its all special effects,
but it's emotional!
That's the hook.

Cut and zoom into Close up:

It keeps happening over and over
so, here's the thing, right?
they're not real.

they're not even actors
they're somebodies doing something

Full Close Up:

so you,
are in a boat right?
-Can't see the lighthouse beacon on the bridge-

down on the river
"splash" 
you whack a paddle
as the guy dives in: slapstick!
<pause for laughter<

Closing scene:

everyone knows they're skinny dipping
and - here's the catch-
they might get caught
by the surveillance cameras watching all those stars.

Roll Credits.

so, 
what da ya think?

20/9/00                          mac dunlop
part one "schwimmer"
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