The Deviation

By
Harry Swaine
The psychologist scene is in a reasonably normal
environment, with a mellow atmosphere, in order to achieve
a contrast with the harsh environment simulated in the
program. The protagonist is sat on a leather chair, and the
only other thing visible in the room is a wall to the back of
him, and a table with a glass of water.
Psychologist: Why are you here? ( His voice is overlaid
upon a black screen with a quote There is nothing either
good or bad, but thinking makes it so William
Shakespeare followed by fast cut)
(The simulated environment is very cold and desolate, with
cooler colour correction than the psychologist scene. There
is no other human in sight, only the odd occasional glimpse
of a bird flying overhead. A Close up of Jacks face in the
lonely environment, leads to a shot that shows he is left with
no technology and has a minimum amount of equipment. He
looks around and walks out of focus which provides a
backdrop for the actors name.)
(the scene alters environment again, as a flashback of the
psychologists room shows jack looking disappointed.)
Jack: Come on doc, Ive paid a large amount for this; you
should know why Im here. (Silence as the psychologist
writes notes and jack shakes his head in order to suggest he
already thinks this is a bad idea. Match on action of the
notepad that cuts from jack trying to peak subtly at the
notes.)
(Jack sits by a campfire and sharpens a large stick; a macro
shot with a large area of out of focus background provides a
backdrop for an actors name.)
(The scene thumps into a flashback again to show the
protagonists at home taking his final pill from a medicine
bottle. He looks at himself in the mirror with shame and
sighs out loud.)

Psychologist: (He clears his throat and the shot returns to

the psychologists.) A colleague has informed me of a
program that could help your depression, but for your
ageit could be out of your price ra. (Gets interrupted.)
Jack: Money aint a problem,
the only structure Ive have had in my life is the endless
drill of hard workI mean when you dont appreciate
your life, what else can you do? (jacks dialect is more
colloquial than the psychologists to show a class barrier-he
Fidgets uncomfortably.)
Psychologist: Well, people have said until you have
experienced thisexperiment, you dont know how
lonely you truly are. (Jack laughs to himself with the same
expressionless look that has been on his depressing face.)
(A shot of jack setting up camp provides a backdrop for the
directors name.)
Jack: Im sure it will be fine (Conversation cuts to jack
on location to the program. The building is modern and has
a medical denotations, for example a small surgery.)
(At the point when jack goes under the film title appears on a
distorted background of blood. Jack then sits up into focus in
a mid shot and looks around confused; an extreme wide
angle shows his isolation.)
A voice over that is meant to be inside his head narrates his
confusion.)
Jack (in his mind): What the hell(rummages through
pockets and bag and finds a phone out of battery with some
survival gear.) shouts hello?
(He looks around towards the camera as he puts his bag on
and does a double take towards the camera so it isnt
revealed what he looks at.)
(As a transitional event, jack explores the lonely world he
has been placed in through a series of locations, in order to
represent time passing.)
(The opening ends as he collects wood for his camp, talking
to himself as he realises he finds company in himself but he
hears a distant ringing noise, it occurs that it is his phone
ringing at his camp and sprints in order to answer it. The
phone shuts down just as he gets there.
Jack lies on the floor, annoyed that he missed the
phenomenon, he throws the phone.)

Jack: DAMN IT! WHY?(rolls on the floor in anger)

Psychologist: Hes only been under for 2 weeks, its too
early to release him...
(Jack starts to get a head ache and screen gets distorted)
Psychologist 2: The readings show his subconscious is
leaking in, it will drive him insane.
Psychologist: He was already mentally unstablejust
keep the simulation goingwe need this(The voices
fade out to a muffled noise as the scene breaks down to the
climatic shot. Jack looks around as the world he is in
becomes distorted and psychedelic. Suddenly a man with a
mask appears and the film cuts to black.)
END