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EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY - 2053
The cacophony of honking horns and roaring engines fills the air. Cars in slow traffic drive past a street sign that reads: “WALL ST.” Sidewalks filled with bustling crowds, their voices merging into a chaotic urban symphony.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - TENTH FLOOR - DAY
A vast room designed for efficiency: rows of desks crammed with multiple sleek computer monitors, tablets on polished stands, and state-of-the-art keyboards. Employees all in Business attire hustle through narrow aisles, juggling multiple mobile devices. On a side wall, there is a large smart board with a small group of people in suits gathered around discussing what was displayed.
SFX: Phones ringing, keyboards clicking, fragmented conversations.
At the back, a desk stands out, cluttered with the only books on the entire floor. An obviously outdated laptop, with a dimmed screen and multiple keys missing from the keyboard, rests beside a name plaque reading “EVE.” Handwritten notes litter the desk. EVE (30s), long light brown hair in a ponytail with front pieces of hair pinned back, absentmindedly toys with a pastel red scarf draped around her neck, staring off into space.
LIAM (mid-30s), the mailman, drops a small stack of letters on Eve’s desk, barely breaking stride.
LIAM
For you, Eve. My favourite client.
EVE
Your only client.
Eve sifts through the letters, stopping at one that catches her eye. Liam pauses on his way out.
LIAM
Hey, pizza at my place tonight? The kids have new story books they want to show you.
EVE
(gesturing to the letter)
What’s this?
LIAM
No clue. Have dropped a lot of those around lately. Anyway, pizza tonight?
EVE
Yeah, sounds good.
(still eyeing the letter)
Eve places the letter in front of her and resumes fiddling with the scarf.
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FLASHBACK - 2032
EXT. BACKYARD - LATE AFTERNOON
A young Eve, fringe framing her face, twirls in a light blue dress that fluffs out in the breeze. HER MOTHER (30s), with long light brown hair, mirrors her daughter’s movements in a floral dress. Together, they play with the red scarf, making it billow like a parachute in their garden.
Tall trees form a leafy canopy overhead. The setting sun casts a warm pink-orange glow through the branches, covering the yard in a magical light.
SFX: Birds chirping, the soft rustle of leaves, and the duo’s joyful laughter.
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FLASHFORWARD - 2053
INT. TOWNHOUSE - LOUNGE ROOM - NIGHT
Eve sits with Liam, his wife HOLLY, and their two young daughters, ADALINE (7) and GRACE (5) in the lounge room of the family home. The TV is on and they all are watching the entertainment while eating slices of pizza off their plates.
EVE
You know that letter I got today?
LIAM
Yeah, what's that about?
EVE
It has to do with the new planet they are setting up. It was asking whether I would be interested in the opportunities they offer over there.
LIAM
Like you would be moving off Earth, why you of all people?
EVE
They mentioned my work in conservation and how I along with a group, it wouldn’t just me, might be suited to working in the new environment. The photos look amazing, I've never seen such green landscapes. But smack bang in the middle of all that was the rocket that would get us there. The ugliest thing I've ever seen. And the huge concrete slab they made for it has ruined that area - full of beautiful flowers crushed by man.
LIAM
Eve, before you jump to your anti-tech ways, really think about it, it's not all bad.
Holly starts to get the kids up and ready for bed.
ADALINE
Eve come and check out my new books
Holly carries Grace up the stairs and Eve and Adaline follow behind.
Eve grabs her red scarf that had been resting on the stair railing and softly wraps it around her neck as they walk up.
Adaline grabs a couple of books and climbs into bed.
Eve sits on the edge of the bed and together they start to read the first book.
ADALINE
Are you moving away? (Gently reaching out to fiddle with the ends of the scarf wrapped Eve's neck.)
EVE
I don’t think so, it's a long way away
ADALINE
But that world you were talking about sounds like something from a storybook, why wouldn’t you want to go?
EVE
Yes the world itself is beautiful but it's a big risk
ADALINE
I think the risk is worth it.
Adaline moves the book from the side of the bed onto the floor, shuffles her way completely under the covers and closes her eyes.
Eve kisses her on the forehead and takes a moment in the dim light to reflect on what Adaline has just told her, grasping her scarf and mindlessly looking around.
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Rationale
Through the protagonist Eve’s journey, the narrative examines the struggle between embracing technological innovation and clinging to the familiarity of the past.
‘A Beautiful World’ begins with Eve, a young woman with a deep mistrust of technology, at a turning point in her journey. The science fiction convention of interworld travel presents her with a choice: stay in a world she resents, or put her faith in technology to improve her life.
She becomes stuck between living in a world she resents due to the emotional disconnect she feels with technology. Through flashbacks of her mother and interactions with close friends, Eve's backstory is revealed, showing her internal conflict and growing reactionary view against technology and all it has to offer. Her emotional ties to an environment untouched by technology keep her distance from any form of technology, computers, mobiles phones, all things that she is surrounded by day to day. Close friends are the only people she has in her life and they take it upon themselves to react to her hesitation. With their knowledge of her past and willingness to cater to her mindset, they are successful in altering her point of view. As she moves off-world, she begins to see the benefits of technology firsthand, letting her guard down and understanding its capabilities in a positive way.
‘A Beautiful World’ explores the powerful theme of overcoming mistrust in order to discover the transformative potential of technology. Not only can personal relationships benefit from technological advancements, but also social connections. In today's world, where technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, it's easy to feel disconnected from the past and uncertain about the future. As Eve navigates her journey, she embodies the emotions of confusion and loneliness that many people experience in this digital age. The phrase "Disconnected in a connected world" (Mcmurray, 2022.) resonates deeply, as we struggle to find our place in a world where technology has replaced many traditional aspects of our lives. By exploring Eve's story, we can relate to her feelings of being lost and unsure of what to trust, and ultimately find a sense of hope and connection in the transformative power of technology.
From the start, Eve is portrayed as an outsider, evident in her surroundings and habits. Her desk and use of the mail system, for example, are starkly contrasted with the tech-savvy world around her. The screenplay's description of Eve and her environment makes her reactionary views and methods against technology and social innovation clear. While everyone else is embracing innovation, Eve's resistance stands out, refusing to engage with the rapidly changing world.
“At the back, a desk stands out, cluttered with the only books on the entire floor. An obviously outdated laptop, with a dimmed screen and multiple keys missing from the keyboard, rests beside a name plaque reading “EVE.” Handwritten notes litter the desk. EVE (30s), long light brown hair in a ponytail with front pieces of hair pinned back, absentmindedly toys with a pastel red scarf draped around her neck, staring off into space.” (Schiwy, 2024, Pg. 1)
The way that Eve operates highlights to the audience how she not only works completely without technology but appears as though she may have tried, the broken laptop suggests that maybe technology is rejecting her. Because of her internal inability to engage with the world due to her internal resentment, she has set herself on a path of no return.
I think it's understandable to be cautious about technological advancements considering the potential risks and unknowns that come with it, but the story of Eve establishes how faith is needed sometimes to achieve a better outcome.
Being able to have trust in something that has a deep-rooted cause for resentment is something that the audience needs to be aware of. Technology is extremely powerful and has caused a lot of change to the world. For Eve this includes the loss of things she and her mother once enjoyed.
“A young Eve, fringe framing her face, twirls in a light blue dress that fluffs out in the breeze. HER MOTHER (30s), with long light brown hair, mirrors her daughter’s movements in a floral dress. Together, they play with the red scarf, making it billow like a parachute in their garden.” (Schiwy, 2024, Pg. 2)
This flashback allows the reader to draw connections between the red scarf and the love of nature back to Eve's mother and her childhood memories. The flashback shows Eve and her mother engaging with nature, emphasising her attachment to a world untouched by technology. The representation of the natural environment would be similar to one in the new world. Technology would allow Eve to reach a world like her childhood, a world where the memories of her mother could come to life but her lack of trust prevents progression.
The red scarf in the flashback becomes a recurring symbol of her longing for the natural world her mother was once a part of. This symbol connects Eve’s past and present, highlighting how her memories influence her perception of technology and cast a shadow on the new opportunities it can bring.
‘A Beautiful World’ invites audiences to engage with the tension between nostalgia and progress. The screenplay uses symbolic imagery, such as the red scarf, and emotionally charged flashbacks to deepen this exploration, allowing audiences to understand Eve’s inner conflict.
Eve's relationship with her close friends is a key contributor to getting Eve's reactionary view on technology counteracted. The dialogue presents a balanced view of technological advancements. Both characters Liam and Adaline present alternative ways to approach Eve's decision and mindset. Their dialogue acts as an interception before Eve's ridicule of the technology stops her from doing something she would enjoy, something that would change her life for the better. ADALINE "I think the risk is worth it" (Schiwy, 2024, Pg 3).
Adaline embodies an innocent belief in the possibilities offered by the new world. Her understanding of technology is through the eyes of someone who has grown up with it. Liam comes from the perspective of a long-time friend that deeply understands the root causes of Eve's reluctance but is also aware of the reactionary tendencies Eve displays towards technological advancements.
LIAM "Eve, before you jump to your anti-tech way, really think about it, it's not all bad." (Schiwy, 2024, Pg. 3).
These interactions position the audience to empathise with Eve’s internal conflict, balancing her fear and scepticism with the hope and practicality offered by those around her.
‘A Beautiful World’ employs the concept of interworld travel, offering Eve the opportunity to leave Earth behind and escape a world deeply entrenched in technology. This device is comparable to Blade Runner, where an alternate world is presented as a fresh start and a chance for improvement. Both films depict a world free from pollution and overpopulation, appealing to modern audiences. The films present different ways of approaching the same convention. In Eve's case, the key difference between the two worlds is the absence of skyscrapers and people glued to devices, which she finds appealing. The prospect of a world that resembles her childhood, with her mother, is enough to overcome her initial scepticism. This raises the question of whether change is only possible if the incentives are high enough. While Blade Runner presents an alternate world as a natural progression for society, A Beautiful World highlights the hesitation and uncertainty that often accompanies technological and societal advancements. By exploring Eve's journey, the film encourages audiences to look at their views on progress and personal growth, inviting them to reconsider the value of innovation and the need for change.
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References
Schiwy, J. (2024), A Beautiful World.
McMurray, K. (2022, February 28). Disconnected in a connected world. Signs of the Times. https://signsofthetimes.org.au/2022/03/disconnected-in-a-connected-world/