Chapter 91 - Professional Analysis of Workplace Systems

March 19, 2012 – Monday 10 am – Sorrento, Italy – Villa Dei Principi di Sorrento

I saw the screen turn black, the lights in the hotel's conference room also turned back on. I and the other judges have just finished watching a full feature film submission in the conference room – turned – mini cinema. Well, no matter how famous the actors are in the film we just saw, I don't care. I'm throwing that film to the trash bin. It's a watchable film, but it will not be competing for awards this year. Well, except if the rest of the submissions are worse and unwatchable.

It's the fourth day of the selection process of the films to compete for the various awards of the upcoming Sorrento Film Festival. Over the past few days, the panel, which I am a part of, has already seen a lot of feature films. At first, I thought it was going to be a privilege being chosen as a part of the panel of judges, but after four days of watching bad to okay films, I'm honestly starting to feel bored. Why didn't Sorrento call me when I was younger? I'm 62, for god's sake. I can't leave too, because the board already made me the jury president.

The jury, ten of us, was chosen by the board of the festival. We would choose the best 50 feature films out of the 2,000 that were submitted for the festival. Out of the 50, us the jury would vote again to choose the ones that deserve whatever award. To avoid any conflicts, the festival opted for the ultimate democratic way; through a ballot box. Just like a democratic election, the films that got the most votes for whatever award would win.

My tensed neck and head muscles are also starting to give me a migraine, and I'm afraid I may soon lash out at the other judges. "Hey Gary, you okay?" Jun Xiaosong, asked. Jun is also one of the ten making up the panel. As a director myself, I like the kid very much. Despite being only 31 years old; he has already directed 3 great films in his short career, which are only the films he released in the English language. He's considerate too. Is it because of Asian people's culture of respecting their elders? Whatever it is, I feel grateful someone is looking after an old man like me.

"Yeah. I'm good. It's just that I might get a headache soon." I replied as I stood up to go to the bathroom. *click* I hear a satisfying pop from my left knee, releasing nitrogen. Ah. My knees. I guess heavy labor when I was a young man has finally caught up with my body. "Here. Let's go to the bathroom together." Jun handed me my cane. "Thank you."

After relieving ourselves, Jun and I took our seats again. "Here. It might help." Jun handed me a lollipop. I was confused at the gesture. "A lollipop? Really?" I chuckled, but I took the candy nonetheless. "When I was film editor, there are days when I sit around all day in front of the computer. The sugar from the lollipop helps me work longer and avoid headaches." Jun explained. Ah. No wonder I saw him over the past few days always sucking on a lollipop.

"My turn! I'm drawing the next film." A young woman said. Allie Edison, the young actress is a talented kid. I saw her films before and I have no problem with her being chosen as one of the judges. "Sure. I hope you pick a good one." A young man replied. Troy Valentino, an Italian – American screenwriter, is another judge. Seriously, what are they feeding kids these days? Jun, Allison, and now Troy, all in their late 20s or early 30s have already achieved a lot of success in their young age.

I like how the board of directors chose the judges this year. Three young fellas, two middle-aged fellas, and three senior citizens. That pretty much covers all forms of preferences required to judge the variety of the film submissions.

"Here. 'September Ninth' by Isaac Yawat. From… Teungeb." Allie said after drawing from the box. "Isaac Yawat? Someone here heard of the guy?" Jun Xiao Song asked. "Nope" another judge replied. Neither have I. Probably a young director. "Teungeb, huh? It's been a while since I've seen a film from there." Troy said. I agree. The last film I saw from Teungeb was the classic 'In the Name of Love' from ten or so years ago.

After the intern plugged in the movie, the movie soon started.

[Steven woke up his alarm clock, playing his favorite song.]

"Hm? That's an odd… choice?" Jun said as we saw how the main character was introduced. The first shot of the film showed a digital alarm clock and the first we saw of the main character was his hand slapping the alarm clock. I've never seen a film begin this way. The next scenes too, when the main character was having a breakfast while watching the television, are shot at a very intimate angle.

["Good morning!" "Good morning Steve" "It's nice to finally see you paint your rotting fence!" "The neighborhood watch hounded me for so long. I also saw that the termites are already eating away at the wood." "Yeah? Well, I have to buy them cake then. I thought I was going to be the one to paint YOUR fence so the mites won't spread to MY FENCES." "Whatever Steve. Have a good day."]

"Hm.. The dialogue feels… casual…" Troy said, twirling his pen between his fingers. After seeing the scene of the main character and his neighbor, I have to agree. It's strangely compelling, however. It's not the conventional dialogue, but it's not exactly how real people talk either.

"But the acting. Isn't it too… casual?" Allie said. This. I'm not too sure. While the acting is not conventional, it's strangely attractive. I feel like I'm watching real people. The angles used in the film are commonly used in doc.u.mentaries, but when using it on a film, it has a strange effect. It does not give the film a doc.u.mentary effect, but something else. It's immersive.

[Steve, seeing everything happen the same way two times now, has finally realized he's trapped. He felt the desperation to get out."]

The judges and I saw cuts. A lot of them, but they feel smoothly connected. The slow motion of the neighbor painting, the slow motion of the cab driver looking back at the main character from the driver's seat, the slow motion of the coffee shop barista handing the main character the coffee, and the slow motion shot of the receptionist greeting the character, the slow motion of main character's boss yelling. In just a couple of shots matching with haunting violin music, the main character's emotion in his realization was communicated to us.

"It's… beautiful." I hear Jun mumble to himself. I agree. Not only is it beautiful, it's fresh too. Something we have never seen before in film. Slow motion exists of course, but it is only used in instant replays of sports broadcasts.

[Steven woke up again on the same day, but this time, he felt excited of his situation for the first time. He will get back at the people who wronged him over the years with a vengeance. His boss, the office asshole, the neighborhood asshole, Steven started filling up his list.]

[Steven arrived late at his work. The first time in years he was this late, and his boss is already waiting for him by his cubicle. "Steve! The report! Do it again! You call this a report?! Huh?!"]

As the boss's angry tirade along with the ambient sound of the office faded away as if the main character stopped listening and reverted to his own world. However, we saw the main character become stone-faced; his neck veins started popping up, and his hands clench on the keyboard. The next moment, all the sound came back, the boss' voice came louder than before. The main character suddenly stood up and…

[*SLAM!* Steven smashed his keyboard on his boss' head. Steven's best friend and the other co-workers who saw this were stunned. "Say that to me again, bitch!" "Did you really just do that? You're fired! Steve! You're f.u.c.kin fired!" "So what?" *smash* "Huh?" *smash* "Stop! I'm sorry!" Steven's boss begged. "YEARS! You think you can stop me with just a sorry?!" *Smash* But Steven did not stop.]

"OH MY GOD!" A middle aged lady judge gasped. I already saw it coming, but I'm still just as surprised. The way the keyboard keys scattered, and the blood running from the boss' head just caught me off guard. When I recovered from my shock, I took a closer look and saw some tricks. There was a cut that created the illusion of the main character smashing the boss' head.

We didn't really see the actual hit. We only saw the keyboard keys scatter and the sound, but we didn't actually see the keyboard contact with the boss' head.

When the frame cut to the boss' bleeding head, I smiled. Not because I liked the violence, but I liked the cleverness of the shot.

["I'll kill you, bitch! 'My work is not enough?' HUH? What the f.u.c.k do you know? I'm gonna squash you like the leech that you are!" Steven picked up his scissors. As he stabbed the scissors to his boss, his best friend stepped in to stop him. Due to this unexpected situation, Steven accidentally stabbed his best friend on the stomach. "NOOO!"]

The entire conference room gasped in unison this time. The interns, the judges were all shocked at what just transpired in the screen. We were so absorbed in the main character's revenge that the sudden appearance of the best friend and his subsequent stabbing really caught us off-guard.

"Jesus Christ.." I heard Troy say. When I looked at him, he was wiping his forehead like a preacher. I agree with his sentiment.