Doting Upon the Exchange

1 VIDEO CALL #1

Total blackout... when 'Blue' - a smart-home AI assistant speaks, we do not see them (Blue is non-binary and uses the pronouns they/them/theirs).

('Blue' - speaks with a voice that viewers from 2020 would recognise as a logical progression from Alexa, Siri and Google Home - the voice should probably be more androgenous / gender non-binary to reflect future considerations about avoiding gendering the role of an assistant)

'BLUE' - A SMART-HOME AI ASSISTANT (V.O.):

(relaxing ambient music plays at a low level) 

Good morning, Errol. Today is Friday 31st May 2030. All domestic systems are nominal. Have a great day!

ERROL:

(screen still black. He gives a long audible, despairing sigh...) 

Thanks, Blue. Shall we get on with this?

The intrusive tone of an incoming video call (reminiscent enough of a 2020 Skype call tone that the audience will understand its significance). It repeats several times and then stops. From black to the fullscreen view of a videoconference session. A woman (Laura) is shown in the main screen and a man (Errol) is shown in the picture-in-picture(traditionally, top right corner).

LAURA:

(looking down at hands: with background sounds indicating that she is tinkering with machinery and not fully focused on the interaction. She speaks quickly and is absorbed in the task) 

Hiya, how's things? I've been messing around all day trying to get my heating to work. 

George says that it can't be done, but I'm unconvinced. 

That's 'home smart AIs' for you...always trying to get you to throw away something and to buy a new model that they're promoting. 

If Global Automation can keep an entire population of 'shut-ins' fed, watered and entertained, you'd think they'd be able to send a bot round to fix my heating (!)

Laura's camera view elegantly minimises to a corner (ideally, top right) and stays visible as a small view in a picture-in-picture format. As he starts speaking, Errol's camera view maximises to fullscreen from the minimised picture-in-picture format (top right corner).

(Please note: from now on for brevity, sections of dialogue will be preceded by 'fullscreen' to indicate the above shift from picture-in-picture to fullscreen.)

ERROL:

(fullscreen. Not really acknowledging Laura's technical problem. Wistful, rather than annoyed) 

When was the last time that we really did something together? Went to a vid party? Shared a remote meal with friends?

LAURA:

(fullscreen) 

We 'watch-partied' 'Much Ado About Nothing'.

ERROL:

(fullscreen) 

Shakespeare! Shake-BLOODYspeare!You're always admitting that you're virtually cultural illiterate... No literature, none of those subtitled movies, where nothing happens. A solid diet of car chases and ridiculous documentaries about aliens building the pyramids, but you just LOVE... THAT PLAY. 'Much ado about nothing'. Why that one?!

LAURA:

(fullscreen and sheepishly)

I don't know... It just speaks to me. There's something about it...

ERROL:

(fullscreen. cautiously... choosing words carefully) 

Have you thought any more about what I said? Taking things to the next level?

LAURA:

(fullscreen and distracted)

Sure, sure... we should definitely do that... (continues, turned partially off-mic) Where's that stupid boiler valve gone? Look, why do we need to change anything? Aren't we happy enough? We get on OK, we're good company and I kinda like you. I sort of thought we'd go on the way we are... (trailing off awkwardly)

ERROL:

(fullscreen and starting to get angry)

You 'KIND OF LIKE ME'!? I know that we're all choosing from a depleted population, a limited pool of possible distant partners, BUT I think we both deserve more than this, a future together and... maybe one day... even a Civil-Partnership-by-Distance. There I said it. I know it's traditional, bourgeoise and SO 20th Century, but I DO want some of that stuff. I always saw us having one of those vertical split-screen focus pics on public vid chats. The whole package. You know, 'The Dream'.

LAURA:

(fullscreen and also angry, now) 

A Civil-Partnership-by-Distance! A C.P.b.D.! A You want to become one of the 'capped'. I mean I like you... the things you say, how you think about life, the taut shape of your body inside your ever-so practical jumpsuit...

ERROL:

(fullscreen - he rolls his eyes theatrically) 

SO predictable. Objectify me, why don't you?

LAURA:

(fullscreen)

...but not 'capped'. Not a contract. We're better than that. S-oo-o much better than that. I can't do this anymore. I'M DONE!

Laura's camera view disappears and an audio cue - similar to 2020 Skype's - indicates that the video conference session has ended.

ERROL:

(fullscreen - he looks confused and distraught) 

Laura? LAURA? (he bangs his fists on his knees and starts to cry)