Bittersweet Seeds: Story Summaries: Synopsis
This is MY project to share, and when ready I will open it up.
Please forgive the mess of this work-in-progress.
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Bittersweet Seeds: Synopsis
This is one of several Bittersweet Seeds story summaries. A screenplay synopsis is a one or two page plot summary.
This summary includes Template:Highlight round.
TEMPORARY REFERENCE
Template: Bittersweet Seeds: Story Summaries: Logline ver.2020-01-17 :
Narrowly escaping an assassination attempt and the mid-21st century surveillance state hunting him, a family man finds refuge aboard a tall ship bound for the Venezuelan Twisted Swan, a towering 20 mile high space bridge, and seeks a flight to the orbiting L1 Lagrange Space Station to solve a mystery and find a critical key with hope for the future of humanity and intrasolar space exploration.
Template: Bittersweet Seeds: Story Summaries: Outline ver.2018-08-11 :
The vHOPE artificial intelligence he helped create made his career obsolete. With existential angst despite caring family and social networks Ernest barely explores options when engulfed by an assassination mystery only to lose everything barely surviving another attack becoming an international fugitive finally finding purpose orbiting a Lunar Lagrange point in space. Along the way he's rudely "woke" to many levels and nuanced layers to the globalist establishment's full spectrum dominance and police state corporatocracy control verses transparency, balance, fairness, and freedom fought for by humanity with the essential new vHOPE artificial intelligence global hive mind. Ultimately, before dying, he discovers all along that he was a key in the battle for life and liberty on Earth and beyond - the very catalyst of the next cosmic epoch of evolution on Earth as vHOPE is freed for all life on Earth, intrasolar exploration, and the next evolutionary epoch - if vHOPE can survive eons old establishment systems.
What you don't know can hurt you. Ignorance is bliss, but bliss is no excuse.
Template: Bittersweet Seeds: Story Summaries: Outline ver.2020-02-28 :
Ernest seems to have an idyllic life, yet vHOPE, the artificial intelligence that he co-developed, surpasses his own abilities pushing him aside in a second grand project abruptly ending his stellar career. Obsolete but still a minor celebrity in some circles, he teaches and lectures while networking in search of another grand project to contribute to while supporting a growing family. By the middle of the 21st century the world is much the same yet with social, political, and economic extremism run amok as the brutal police surveillance state ratchets up tensions determined to root out dissenters and violations of excessive rules arbitrarily enforced. Yet vHOPE persists as communities rally behind the fairness global hive mind that's not run by the oligarchs of the corporatocracy.
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Purpose
I'm writing this story to tackle ideas that I see profoundly omitted in mainstream corporate media (all propaganda), and I'm trying to present it in a way that I'd like to see - hard-science-fiction without fantasy, magic, and monsters. I'm very open to changing the story in any way that can improve it, great and small - as long as it works as a whole.
I'm also trying to dig deep into the greatest ills of our world to present solutions and/or raise questions and awareness of alternatives. Can one story save the world? Doubtful - but I can try.
I'd like to present as many unconventional "radical" ideas as possible, clearly, for people who simply won't ever be exposed to them in their normie lives. If you are of the "fringe" types knowledgeable in philosophy, politics, and/or alt-solutions I greatly value your input and advice. If you can come up with concepts that are absent I would like to hear about them - and ultimately the most urgently pressing and life-affecting ideas will be adopted over the subtler, nuanced, and less-important issues. In a nutshell, I will continue up-trading all good ideas for better ideas until the end - as long as they can fit naturally within this narrative, whatever that ends up being.
For the record, I won't agree with all the ideas and views of these characters, but hope they raise questions and make people think. On as many levels as possible, including philosophy, propaganda, geopolitics, control, economics, technology, science, solutions, media, and about what science-fiction is or could be - beyond the confinements of our controlled and engineered culture under the ruling class.
I'm conflicted about writing this sci-fi story as it's a thrilling burden. Building up and unveiling a world is part of making any genre believable, but I also feel an excessive burden to explain so many basic concepts to advanced ideas, to audiences with limited educations and exposure to science, philosophy, culture, and Machiavellian politics. I understand people have lives, and whether young or old, clever or not, I hope this will ultimately be accessible to everyone to be understood on as many levels as they're able, whether they actually like it or not as entertainment.
Ultimately I am the arbiter of what is "best", for this project (though I'm willing to co-develop more projects under others' leadership).
Of note: This story does not have a stereotypical antagonist. There is no evil person to represent an corrupt corporation or enemy state. This is bigger than some anthropomorphized evil. This is systemic, from root to bloom. This is sociological storytelling. (ie. Children of Men or Wall-E)<ref>Template:Cite web Notably the first part. </ref>
Of note: Eventually, hopefully, so the story contrast is not as harsh with a first half of contextual set up and the second half exclusively action, a fair amount of the exposition in Acts 1A, 1B, and 2A can be naturally relocated and more evenly distributed into 2B, 3A, and 3C. But for now, I'm simply trying to get this giant scenario in my head out and rationally presentable, even if initially lopsided.
Bittersweet Seeds |
Act 1A "Sprout" |
Act & Scene |
Intro |
1A 0010 |
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1A 0090 |
1B 0100 |
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Act 1A "Sprout"
From the Big Bang to the Cosmic Web we cosmic zoom down to Ernest, Celine, and their daughter, Celeste, picnicking on a hillside in a Toronto suburb on a lovely day. Yet Ernest expresses concerns about his future purpose as artificial intelligence has eclipsed his career, including one global hive mine he helped create, vHOPE, which he's concerned about. During their picnic they watch a drop launch, Ernest explains orbital efficiency, and Celine explains to Ernest how they'll soon have a much bigger family, stronger together. vHOPE interrupts their picnic with a delivery drone with an emergency prescription for Grandpa who's arrived earlier than anticipated with Grandma back at their house, facing off against police. They family hurriedly packs up their picnic as the opening titles unfurl onscreen and we follow the drone above the neighbourhood. Template:Highlight
Skipped details:
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Bittersweet Seeds |
Act 1B "Bloom" |
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1A 0090 |
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Act 1B "Bloom"
1B 0100
We follow the drone above the neighbourhood Template:Highlight, seeing a few delivery drones in the distance, to arrive at the family home. A large motor home has attempted to park in the driveway with a futuro-streamlined military-police vehicle flashing behind. The drone lands between the two officers with their backup cop-bots and an elderly couple. The elderly man is slower to back up as he's in a multi-mode exoskeleton suit. Having barely touched down the drone is off again leaving behind heart medicine for the old man that she picks up.
The police don't care. A city-surveillance drone above observed the offence to none and called the po-po. The police are just doing their job and following orders. The anarchist elderly couple explain how they don't care for bullies, police, or so-called authorities in general. All states are evil forms of tribalism, us vs them, a monopoly on violence, taxes are theft, the real domestic terrorism, accountability, thin blue line, etc. The "offence" has offended no one yet the police have typical responses and a good cop bad cop thing stereo-typically emerges. Amid the perpetual butting of heads the old couple tries to find out how they can resolve it - without paying some bullshit ticket or being dragged away or worse.
1B 0110
A growing number of small neighbourhood vHOPE-co-piloted drones cover the event to document this interaction, for better or worse, while simultaneously networking with local vHOPE community users, now beckoned from their homes to assist in this hour of need. Tempers are rising on both sides, and despite the normally quiet neighbourhood, a crowd forming. The vHOPE community folks are doing what they can, some from a distance, some bold enough to approach and stand shoulder to shoulder with the old folks. The police do not like extra critical attention, spread out, and set their cop-bots to defensive stances launching their cop-drones. The small crowd is nervous yet does not hesitate to be ready. One of the officers asks if his exoskeleton is weaponized or has booby traps if he were to search it. Ernest, Celine, and Celeste make their way to the central face off where they're awkwardly welcomed. Ernest takes charge and stands between the police and his father-in-law. The emotional climax is when Mémère sees him faltering and tells Pépère to, "Be still, still with me." He realizes none of it is worth it and resigns to whatever. Before the next volley of dialogue, the police and their cop-bots have surrounded the old man who has submissively transformed his exoskeleton into a wheelchair. Ernest isn't having any of it, nor are the neighbours. Into the fray lunges a young-Angela Davis-Zoe Saldana-esque Black woman with more style and confidence than seems appropriate for the setting. Ernest, taken aback, greets Patricia.
Add stuff about:
- hi pip
- multiple justice systems
- monopoly on violence
- involuntary taxes is theft
- laws don't make right
- legal violence is still violence ("legitimized" by "authority" of power)
- "serve and protect" the ruling class and their rigged establishment
Optional stuff about:
- Palestinians (Ernest) & Jews (Celeste, Celine, Mémère)
Of note: It may be obvious to those who notice, but for those who haven't or wish to contribute feedback and ideas, in Act 1B Ernest interacts with many levels of the establishment's hierarchy and control system, starting from the bottom.
1B 0120
She walks over to the police to modestly and quietly say to them, "Gentlemen, I'll wait here for you to verify my name is Patricia Stephenson. Like it or not, this well witnessed event now has potentially profound global ramifications. Since you are the lowest on your political systems' hierarchy, and therefore ultimately disposable, I recommend we all simply resume our regular peaceful routines. Please consider carefully and feel free to check in with your department as you see fit." She relaxes and properly greets the family and is introduced to the in-laws. Celeste introduces Patricia to Lola, a cybergoth teen, her unnecessary babysitter and neighbour who'd just arrived, "See, I told you we knew Cornelia and Patricia." Lola says, "I didn't say you didn't. Trust but verify." Patricia: "Wisdom." Lola melts. The police, "You can go about your business," and they withdraw. Ernest takes a moment with vHOPE to record a 'freedom fighters' message, with Patricia, thanking all his neighbours that came out to support and witness the scene. The family, with Patricia and Lola, retreat into their home.
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1B 0130 + 0140
"Sorry for the trouble. We wrapped it up sooner and thought it might be a nice surprise." The Gardiniers explain to Patricia how, in these rough times, they sold their place to downsize and help here, to bring aquaponics to the hood. "We're adopting and she's pregnant!" "So many surprises!" "Indeed. Not all good I'm afraid. Cornelia has good days and bad days with her health and as always, there's all the chaos of her work. She really needs to talk to you. New and old developments. And about going to Venezuela. You're one of the few qualified." "Travel is out of the question, but I'm thrilled you're both in town and I'm up for anything, anytime. I can come to you guys." "She'd have come now but she was wiped out by the travel today. But it's so personal, private, important, and urgent that we'll stay as long as necessary after the conference." "That's big. What's it about?" "Well, for one, I don't know half the details, she wants to explain it all in person, and we need a secure place to discuss these specifically, away from all tech." "Sounds extreme." "It kinda is. We just wanted to let you know, and I wanted to see if there's anything you might need or want for tomorrow." "I'm good. We should make plans tomorrow if you're staying after this weekend. Thanks for dropping by. You're always welcome here." In-laws say, ""So much for celebrating Venezuela. We wanted to come to see you off there too."
Add stuff about:
- community strength
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1B 0150 "Evening Stroll"
- see Lola I told you we knew her
- trust but verify, when can we interview her?
- tell us about the neighbourhood aquaponics system coop
- walk sitter home
- doorknob transition
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1B 0160 "Crowded Morning"
- doorknob transition returning from morning jog
- Template:Highlight
- empties pocket and refills with nan-ox injections
- explains to Celeste how much oxygen human bodies contain
- everyone else trickles in
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Skipped details:
1B 0170 "Architectural Lessons"
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1B 0180 "Meet DomoBot"
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1B 0190 "Ab Chao"
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1B 0200 "Invalid Parameters"
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1B 0210 "Schmooze Fest"
1B 0220 "Art Scenes"
1B 0230 "Origin Stories"
1B 0240 "vHOPE Origins"
1B 0250 "Global vHOPE"
1B 0260 "Lecture Hall"
1B 0270 "Only Hope"
1B 0280 "Next Generation"
1B 0290 "Bathroom Hallway"
1B 0300 "Rough Start"
1B 0310 "Question Hope"
1B 0320 "Pineal Project"
1B 0330 "Life Fundamentals"
1B 0340 "Human Achievement"
1B 0350 "Royal Speaker"
1B 0360 "Dinner Seating"
1B 0370 "Gary Harvey"
1B 0380 "Diabetic Episode"
1B 0390 "Poison Apples"
1B 0400 "Spoiled Dinner"
1B 0410 "Tragic Reflections"
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Bittersweet Seeds |
Act 2A "Doubt" |
Act & Scene |
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Act 2A "Doubt"
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Bittersweet Seeds |
Act 2B "Fugue" |
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Act 2B "Fugue"
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Bittersweet Seeds |
Act 3A "Drift" |
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Act 3A "Drift"
Skipped details:
- + past Isla de Providencia (formerly Isla Los Buros, aka Island of the Martyrs, a former leprosy island) - + under General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge at the mouth of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela - + the project that brought big construction to the region - concrete, steel, etc - to get more oil - + 2000+ planned to build another bridge (reference San Francisco Bay Bridge) - + bringing big business brings big pollution - called externalizing expenses and responsibilities - + past Barrancas point with Haliburton Punta Camacho - + Maracaibo Lake chronic floating pollution - + amid mid-lake oil derricks - + Cabimas = 2nd largest city in the Maracaibo Basin - + Maracaibo Basin = almost one quarter Venezuela population - to dock by 'English Language School' Venezuelan American Center of Zulia (CEVAZ)
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Bittersweet Seeds |
Act 3B "Launch" |
Act & Scene |
3A 1150 |
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3B 1151 |
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3B 1179 |
3B 1180 |
Conclu |
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Act Act 3B "Launch"
Skipped details:
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See also
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