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" THE WALDNER EFFECT "

A Documentary Promotional

Written by Christopher Templeton

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Copyright
WALDNER CUP HOLDINGS, Norway
1 GRAPHIC TITLE. 1

White text on black ‘The Waldner Effect.’

CUT TO:
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2 OPENING TITLES. PING PONG DIPLOMACY. 2

The documentary hits the ground running. We cut with music

and picture into an iconic image from 1972, of twin table
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tennis bats with images of President Richard Nixon and Mao
Zedong(⽑泽东). The text ‘1972’ cuts in large, top to bottom
frame.

MUSIC TENSION.
PRIMITIVE.
PERCUSSIVE.
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NARRATOR
One day, someone will write the
history of the strange relationship
between ping pong and diplomacy.

3 STUDIO. NEWS ARCHIVE. 1970-72 COLD WAR IMAGERY. 3

CAMERA establishes our studio setting. A tennis table

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surrounded by eight large suspended images which hang like
totems. A montage of iconic newsreel footage of the 1970s
supports the narrative, projected across the table. The scene
is in semi darkness, with a weak light falling on two
unidentified figures, our players.

The projected newsreels are distended and out of ratio to

make them dynamic.

The two unidentified figures stand motionless on either side

of the table, facing eachother in a pose which suggests that
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they’ve been frozen, mid-play. A table tennis ball is added
in post production, hanging in the air brightly, like a moon,
between them.

NARRATOR
The 1970s was an age of polar
frigidity. The so called ‘midnight’
of the century where everything was
seen through the eyes of the cold
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war, with the haunting prospect of

a nuclear winter.

Some diplomats described the

period, “like riding on a bomb.”
(MORE)

1.
 NARRATOR (CONT'D)

At this time, it was axiomatic that

the United States and China were
natural, sworn enemies.
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4 STUDIO. NEWS ARCHIVE. COLD WAR IMAGERY 1970-72. 4

Newsreel footage continues to support the narrative.

Demonstrations in Mexico, the ‘Prague Spring’, hippy communes
in California. Catholic anti-war marches around Europe.
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NARRATOR
These were significant times.
Conflict reigned, wherever you
looked.

In the squares of Prague, the

universities of Mexico, the hippy
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communes of the United States,
marches for the third world.

This was a universal struggle by

people to reduce power, through
mass co-operation.

Yet, this chilliness was

miraculously thawed by the glow of
a single, much quieter event.
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5 STUDIO. ARCHIVE NEWSREELS. GLEN COWAN AND ZHUANG ZEDONG. 5

Moving stock newsreel footage of both men at this period.

CAMERA TRACKS closer to the tennis table so that the image of
Glen Cowan and Zhuang Zedong start to fill the frame.

NARRATOR
It was all thanks to the sport of
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table tennis.

We rarely come across a sport with

the capacity to change our way of
thinking but in 1972, that’s
exactly what the game did for
international relations.

The men who made China and America

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talk again after 20 years, were two

stars of the sport, Glen Cowan from
the United States and Zhuang Zedong
(庄则栋) from China.

2.
6 STUDIO. NEWS ARCHIVE. NIXON MEETS MAO. 6

The historic first meeting between the two leaders.

NARRATOR
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They had been lucky.

As a result of an early encounter

that had begun during the 1971
World Championships in Nagoya,
Japan - player exchanges between
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China and the US had led to a thaw
in relations that eventually paved
the way for President Nixon’s
historical visit to China in 1972
to meet with Mao Zedong (⽑泽东).

7 STUDIO. NEWS ARCHIVE. CHINA VS USA TABLE TENNIS ACTION. 7

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Lively 1970s archive footage of the competition.

NARRATOR
Magically, table tennis had
enriched the eloquence of politics
by deepening its pathos, adding the
secret sauce of sport where
everything had been rigid smiles.
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Table tennis, had helped to deliver
a new generation of détente.

Private animosities seemed to

dissipate with the metronomic sound
of bat on ball.

A lot more soothing than a ticking

clock.
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8 STUDIO. TIME MAGAZINE TOTEM. 8

CAMERA tilts up from the animated table and registers one of

the eight totems which is slowly lit, of TIME Magazine with
the headline: ‘China: A Whole New Game.’ CAMERA slowly homes
in on the image of the US table tennis team grouped on the
great wall of China.
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3.
 NARRATOR
Thus, the term ‘ping pong
diplomacy’ was coined in the
popular memory of most politicians,
propelling an alliance of interest
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where none had existed.

In a curious way, the sport has

continued to have an effect on
politics and economics. With
sporting activities around,
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compromise was suddenly possible.

Table tennis, had helped to

stimulate a ‘moment.’

In 1972, there was a palpable shift

in the odds. Instead of something
cataclysmic happening, this species
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of little creatures living on a
marginal planet, could once again
get on with the peaceful business
of living and trading.

You could rewind history and still

not believe it happened.

9 GRAPHIC TITLE. THE MAGIC GAME. 9

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Animated graphic, white text on black background, ‘The Magic
Game.’

10 STUDIO SETTING. TABLE TENNIS DEMONSTRATION. 10

MUSIC. FAST
PACED JAZZ
FUSION.
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WIDE ASPECT. Studio setting the same only now, the lights
fade up and the darkness dissipated. We are offered a
symmetrical, stylised setting along with a studied
demonstration of the art of table tennis, with two highly-
gifted players. They are brighly attired to stand out from
the darker back drop.

Behind one Asian player a China flag, behind the other

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European player, the Norwegian.

The seven remaining ‘totems’ present an assortment of images,

some from the period of ping pong diplomacy, others
introducing the Waldner Cup.

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 One totem has been explored already, now we see a photograph
by Nicholas Griffen of a smiling Zhuang Zedong (庄则栋). The
Chinese poster ‘The Silver Ball Carries Friendship.’ The
iconic photographic image of Richard Nixon shaking hands with
Mao Zedong (⽑泽东). Finally, an iconic image of Jan Ove
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Waldner at the height of his career in the 1990s.

Each of these totems is seperated by two Waldner Cup

promotional posters and a 1992 Barcelona Olympic poster.

CAMERA picks off discrete moments of the action in both fast

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and slow motion so that we appreciate the finite decision-
making of each player. This includes macro photography of the
eye pupils, turns of the wrist, shuffles of the feet,
tensions in the muscles.

A true analysis in picture of the game. Action should be

matched to the descriptions by the narrator, picking out key
words like ‘scientist’ and ‘poet.’
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Our two figures are still static at this point.

NARRATOR
The world in the twenty first
century has borrowed heavily from
that historical moment.

We try to establish links, matched

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with an underlying will to find
agreement. All thanks to the simple
lessons of ping pong diplomacy.

It’s no surprise that over the

latter part of the 20th century,
table tennis as a sport, continued
to find fans...

CAMERA TILTS to register the 1992 Barcelona Olympic totem.

CAMERA TRACKS.
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NARRATOR (CONT'D)
...added to the Olympic pantheon in
1992 and today played by over 875
million people worldwide.

Bigger than soccer. Bigger than

golf. It’s meteoric rise in the
West, motivated by a string of
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World Cup wins in the 1990s by the

Swedish player, Jan Ove Waldner.

CAMERA registers the Jan Ove Waldner totem then TRACKS WIDE.
As it does so, our two players burst into life.

5.
 NARRATOR (CONT'D)
Table tennis is difficult to
observe because everything moves so
quickly.
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But then, after the eye has
settled, you slowly appreciate the
pattern of the thing, the stratagem
and intuition of the players,
acting with the precision of a
scientist and the imagination of a
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poet.

The dense web of exchange continues

and then suddenly! One player wins
a point - and you’re not really
sure how.

That’s sporting subtlety!

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It’s what keeps people picking up
bats all over the world.

Table tennis is fun and accessible

to everyone. But it also defines an
excellence in sport because beneath
the playfulness, there is also
intuitive, pin-point exactness.
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11 ANIMATED GRAPHIC TYPOGRAPHY. ‘ANY AGE CAN PLAY.’ 11

As play continues, the action all at once slows to reveal

animated text which floats with the slo-mo action: ‘Any age
can play.’ As the text mixes out, the game speed picks up
again.

NARRATOR
All ages play table tennis. Go to
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any club and you’ll discover both
young and old.

12 ANIMATED GRAPHIC TYPOGRAPHY. ‘MONEY DOESN’T MATTER.’ 12

As play continues, the action all at once slows, catching a

player in a striking pose, revealing the animated statement
‘Money doesn’t matter.’ As the text mixes out, the game speed
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picks up again.

NARRATOR
It doesn’t cost much to play the
game.
(MORE)

6.
 NARRATOR (CONT'D)
It’s a ‘classless’ sport that
requires little personal investment
- other than your imagination.
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13 ANIMATED GRAPHIC TYPOGRAPHY. ‘CHALLENGING.’ 13

Play continues, the action slows again, with the player in a

defensive pose, revealing a third animated statement
‘Philosophy.’ As the text mixes out, the game speed picks up
again.
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NARRATOR
If you’re looking for something
easy, try one of those sports with
the big rackets. This sport has
alchemy.
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14 ANIMATED GRAPHIC TYPOGRAPHY. ‘BRAIN MATTER.’ 14

Play continues, the action slows, one player throws the ball
high to serve, revealing the penultimate statement ‘Brain
Matter.’ As the text mixes out, the game speed picks up
again.

NARRATOR
Table tennis? It’s the ultimate
stress buster.
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15 ANIMATED GRAPHIC TYPOGRAPHY. ‘ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.’ 15

Play continues, the action slows, close aspect of player with

concentrated tension on the face, to reveal the final
statement ‘Anywhere, Anytime.’ As the text mixes out, the
game speed picks up again.

NARRATOR
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Tables are springing up everywhere.
Tables in parks. Tables in bars.
Tables in shopping centres, in
train stations and conference
halls.

It’s an anytime, anywhere sport.

There’s nothing like it.
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One of our players smashes the ball past his opponent to win
the point. He is humble in his gain.

FADE TO BLACK.

7.
16 GRAPHIC TITLE. THE WALDNER MOVEMENT. 16

Animated graphic text title fades up from black: ‘The Waldner

Movement.’
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17 STUDIO SETTING. TABLE TENNIS DEMONSTRATION. 17

GV studio setting. Picking up from the last scene, our two

players bow to eachother in recognition, end the game and
exit frame left and right. As they do so, the CAMERA TRACKS
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slowly into a Waldner Cup promotional totem, suspended in the
background.

NARRATOR
So, who fights for consensus in the
world today?

Step forward, the Waldner Cup. An

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annual event that quietly sustains
international relations by
combining sport with trade and
politics.

Every year, the Waldner movement

faces off the political hazards and
tensions between governments by
saying ‘trust us, trust the sport,’
an activity with the gift for
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mending.

18 INT. STADIUM. WORLD TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS 18

GVs wide aspect of a recent world class meeting that will

serve as a template for the forthcoming Waldner Cup, a big
screen event with competition tables and large audiences.

NARRATOR
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The Waldner movement is a
heroically minded body who make
countries ‘zag’ when the world
wants to ‘zig’.

It’s annual hi-tech, big screen

table tennis event, the Waldner
Cup, is always important and always
timely, perhaps no more so than
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this year in Norway - when China

take on the world.

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19 LOCATION. INTERVIEW. JAN OVE WALDNER. DAY. 19

Set piece interview with Jan Ove Waldner.

JAN OVE WALDNER

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(Along the lines of)
The Waldner Cup can be seen as an
international resource, responsible
for keeping the world talking and
therefore safe... (etc).
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Waldner then proceeds to briefly introduce the team as a
whole, representing ‘The World.’He doesn’t need to highlight
names, they’re on the graphic.

20 GRAPHIC. ‘THE WORLD’ TEAM. 20

Supporting graphic identifying the team to support the

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interview with Jan Ove Waldner.

21 LOCATION. INTERVIEW. LIU GUOLIANG. DAY. 21

A set piece interview with Liu Guoliang (刘国梁) counterpoints

the interview with Waldner. Liu Guoliang is a retired Chinese
table tennis player who is considered by many to be one of
the greatest players of all time.
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He briefly introduces the Chinese team as a whole. He doesn’t
need to highlight names, they’re on the graphic.

22 GRAPHIC. CHINA TEAM. 22

Supporting graphic identifying the team to support the

interview with Liu Guoliang (刘国梁).
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23 LIBRARY ARCHIVE. BUSINESS SECTOR CORPORATE. 23

State of the art imagery from the maritime, energy and

tourism industries with a distinctly Norwegian/Chinese accent
on each. From ocean wind, shipping, sustainable food
production from the oceans, featuring some of the big names
in this field from both the Norwegian and Chinese side.
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9.
 NARRATOR
The Waldner Cup is the magic of a
showcase event designed to spur
opportunities for some serious
business, concentrating this year
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on the Sports, Maritime, Energy,
Seafood and Tourism sectors as well
as acting like a magnet for all the
entrepreneurs who operate in these
fields.
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It is no suprise that both China
and Norwary share an equal interest
in all these sectors. It’s a good
match.

There are no protocols in the

Waldner Cup, its centre piece
sporting event providing a vast
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canvas for business and trade.

Its premise is simple. If no sport

is played, no business is achieved
and nothing changes in the world.

24 LOCATION. INTERVIEW. BØRGE BRENDE. DAY. 24

The ex-Norwegian foreign minister and President of world

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economic forum. Børge discusses cooperation, dialogue,
finding common ground, with a particular accent on Chinese
and Norwegian interests.

BØRGE BRENDE
(Along the lines of) The whole
point of trading is to take the big
risks the markets won’t take -
because they’re too busy making
money.
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Someone or some ‘body’ has to start
the economic engine.

The Waldner Cup is the spark. It’s

an immense international resource,
responsible for keeping the world
talking and therefore safe...(etc)
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CUT TO:

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25 LOCATION. INTERVIEW. HENRY PAULSON. DAY. 25

Interview with Henry Paulson who focuses on the Waldner Cup

as an invaluable green sector event, a strategic stepping
stone towards the ‘green economy.’
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He reflects upon financing for China’s progress, as so much
of this investment has to come from the private sector. He
touches on standards, practices, and regulatory policies.

Paulson ends on Norway’s significant achievements as a low

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carbon economy and China’s plans to reach its five year
goals.

26 LOCATION. INTERVIEW. CAPT. XU LIRONG. DAY. 26

Henry Paulson’s interview is counterpointed with Xu Lirong

who explores China’s engagement in the global economy by
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exploring new channels of international cooperation in
shipping, logistics, ecology as well as China’s digital
transformation plans for international shipping.

Again ending on how the Waldner Cup is a strategic platform

for China to advance all these ambitions.

CAPT. XU LIRONG
(Along the lines of) The ocean
summit will explore Norway and
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China’s initiatives for a blue
economy with all the opportunities
that brings...(etc).

27 NEWSREEL ARCHIVES. 27

Montage of dynamic international trade: Chinese and Norwegian

officials, EU Commissioners and political figures from recent
high level talks and meetings. Elon Musk on stage in
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Shanghai.

NARRATOR
If table tennis is about
possibilities, so is trade
negotiation.

There are a hundred things that

will naturally happen in a
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negotiation and a thousand things

that won’t.

(MORE)

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 NARRATOR (CONT'D)
On December 16th this year, both
table tennis and trade will become
a game of enquiry, testing
possibilities and breakthroughs.
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There’s no bright spot analysis on
the outcome of the matches or the
trade but when you need to build
consensus, the Waldner Cup is the
go-to event that you would never
want to miss.
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28 LOCATION. INTERVIEW. HELGE AASEN. DAY. 28

Interview with the Norwegian business leader Helge Aasen

exploring the Norway/China interface and expectations.

HELGE AASEN
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(Along the lines of) This year all
eyes will be on China. Wary of
liberating its domestic politics,
China has adopted a far more
liberal approach to the rest of the
world in trade.

Both China and Norway have together

committed to ambitious targets for
reaching carbon neutrality and
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striving for a more sustainable
economy...entrepreneurs now have a
great place to meet...(etc).

29 END STATE. STUDIO SETTING. 29

MUSIC.
ANTICIPATORY.
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WIDE ASPECT. We have returned to our original studio setting
with iconic totems surrounding the exibition table. Dynamic,
spot lighting makes this scene dramatic and anticipatory.

Two bats are picked out on the table surface with spot
lights, arranged in a similar fashion to the opening cartoon
image of President Nixon and Mao Zedong(⽑泽东). As yet we
can’t see the details on the bats.
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CAMERA TRACKS to survey all the totems, taking them in one by

one. The sense is a positive one, evoking the idea: ‘look how
far we’ve come!’

12.
 NARRATOR
We all know human life can be
chaotic - but there is a trick to
it.
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CAMERA tracks past the totem image of Richard Nixon shaking
hands with Mao Zedong (⽑泽东).

NARRATOR (CONT'D)
In moments of intense dialogue and
enthusiasm, yearning for change and
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longing to build a better world,
drives everything.

CAMERA tracks past the totem of the Chinese poster ‘The

Silver Ball Carries Friendship.’

NARRATOR (CONT'D)
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It’s what we have in common,
whichever side of the ping pong
table you’re on.

CAMERA tracks past the totem of Jan Ove Waldner.

NARRATOR (CONT'D)
The dangers of economics and false
recoveries, hem us behind our
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borders and today, countries are
once again displaying their tribal
bumper-stickers.

CAMERA tracks away from the totems to the two bats resting on
the table.

NARRATOR (CONT'D)
So maybe, once again, it’s time for
a little more table tennis in the
world...
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CLOSE ASPECT of the two bats, one with the Chinese flag, the
other with the Norwegian. CAMERA holds this image as a
static. The following text overlays the picture:

30 GRAPHIC. CLOSING TEXT STATEMENT. 30

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The Waldner Movement

is committed to playing a major
role in sport, trade and
international relations.
We like to call it:
(MORE)

13.
 NARRATOR (CONT'D)

‘The Waldner effect.’

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DURATION(15:00)
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14.