Screenplay by: Kate Whitefield – (KANSAS)
“From the Driveway” – Of My Own Design
FADE IN:
It’s midnight on a Saturday in early spring. Five high school kids are out on the driveway. The sky is cloudless and the almost-full moon is suspended clearly between two bare oak trees. It’s 60 degrees with little breeze- perfect. Scattered across the driveway are blankets and empty cups. Two people are out in the vacant street, longboarding (poorly). One is trying to teach the other with little success. They’re laughing. Another member of the group cartwheels in the grass, to the amusement of the two friends, who are mindlessly munching on microwave popcorn on the concrete. The longboarders come to rest near the curb. The cart wheeler grows tired and plops down the grass. The popcorn eaters lay back on the blankets and turn their gazes up towards the sky. They can’t see many stars, but the moon is captivating. The pair stare at the beautiful glowing orb as if they’ve never seen it before. They start talking, about time and the vastness of the universe and everything the moon as seen from its spot in the sky. They acknowledge the insignificance of their existence in the grand scheme of things and lay there mind-blown at the hugeness of… everything. They all go home that night, waving their casual goodbyes. Little do they know, this was the last night they would spend all together for months.
* Note from Kate: This track reminded me of the last time I saw my friends before spring break, about 2 months ago. The way I saw this in my head, the shots are mostly aerial, and the music dominates the scene while the kids’ laughing, talking, etc. are heard in the background… the music and the visual scene absolutely contrast. Though nothing bad/scary happens in that moment, it’s sort of foreshadowing to the fact that they won’t get to see each other for a long time. I had no idea at the time that COVID-19 would make such an impact, and was in fact making fun of my friend who was worrying about it that very night. The whole situation just goes to show that nothing is permanent, our lives can change in a second, and it’s important to be actively thankful for the little things, like Saturday night stargazing with friends from the driveway.