ORAL COMMUNICATION PT 1 - SHORT FILM “CLASS/BRIGHT (working title)”

Members:
- Pasiliao
- Mahinay
- Cosep
- Dupa
- Buendia

Scenario: 2 students ask for help in understanding lessons to their quiet classmate.

Where: Classroom

Suitable attire: White shirt and pants

Props: notebooks, pen/paper, bag, chairs

Characters:
● Sweet (the quiet classmate)
● Josh (main student asking for help)
● Eleanor (other student interrupting their conversation to ask for help)

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_

SCRIPT

INT. CLASSROOM

SWEET:
-writing something, busy with school work-

(empty chairs beside her, its quiet)

JOSH:
-approaches sweet-
-taps her on her shoulder-

SWEET:
-startled, looks at him-

JOSH:
Um, sweet, is it okay to ask for your help?
 -looks at what she’s doing-
…… if you’re not too busy?

SWEET:
I’m just rewriting my notes. Its okay. What do you want help with?

JOSH:
-sits down on the chair next to her-
-sighs-
I failed our world religion quiz yesterday. I got 7 out of 20. I just don’t get our lessons this week.

S:
Okay…
-grabs her notebook for iwrbs-
-starts flipping through it-
What specifically were you having trouble understanding?

J:
Okay so this one, with belief systems and religion.
I keep getting confused between them.
-he points at her notebook as they both look at it-

S:
I see why you’re confused with that one.
For me, I just keep in mind what our teacher told us about religion.
He said, what differentiates it from being a belief system is that it's an organized, formalized,
system of belief.

J:
-is listening intently-

S:
He said that even though all world religions started as a belief system, if it's not organized,
formalized or systemized, then it's only a belief system.

J:
What about belief system, what does it mean?

S:
Belief system is the totality of an individual’s faith, philosophies, and cultural values which they
believe in.

J:
 -looks at her a little confused-

I'm sorry, but what does totality mean again?

S:
Its okay, no need to be sorry. We’re all here to learn.
Totality means as a whole, like entirely.

J:
Ah. -nods-
so belief system is a person’s entire values, faith and philosophies?
i think i'm starting to get it now.

-remembers something-

-clicks fingers-

Oh! before i forget, what about the kinds of belief systems and the 5 pillars of islam?
I remember and understand some of it but not completely. Could you please explain them to
me?

S:
-nods-
Sure. Which of these are you having trouble with?
-points at the notebook-

J:
I think……. Atheism, agnosticism. I keep on confusing them for the other.

S:
I mean with atheism, its pretty easy. Just keep in mind that atheism is the disbelief in the
existence of a personal god. And agnosticism, God cannot be known.

You get it now? So what do you think? What’s your understanding of it?

J:
With Atheism, they deny the existence of a God or Gods and with agnosticism,
its impossible to know whether god exists?

S:
Yes. You got it right.

J:
-happy-
 Oh wow. i can finally differentiate the two. What about the 5 pillars?

S:
I-

J:
-interrupts-
-I promise this is my last question, i won’t bug you anymore,
i just really need help right now and you’re one of the smartest in our class.

S:
-shy-
-covers face-
It’s no problem, really. I'm glad to help.

J:
No, really. Thank you for taking the time to help me.

S:
Its okay. You don’t have to thank me.
-beat-
Now, where were we?

J:
5 pillars.

S:
Right. So which pillars were you confused with?
-flips through notebook-

J:
If i remember correctly it was salat, zakat and the last one…. What was it again?

S:
Hajj.

J:
Right! Hajj.

S:
Okay so, Hajj is the pilgrimage in mecca.
 J:
-still looks confused-

S:
-continues-
It means all muslims must attempt to go to mecca. That is Hajj.

J:
Mecca is the birthplace of muhammad right?

S:
Yes.

J:
Sorry to interrupt, continue.

S:
-nods while looking at the notes-

-looks at him-

Salat is their obligatory prayer-

ELEANOR:
-sits beside the empty chair next to sweet-

(camera suddenly pans to her as they look at her)

ELEANOR:
Do you guys know what the difference is between restriction and topic control?
-rests her head on her hand-

S:
Eleanor, could you wait a second?
I’ll just finish explaining this to him and then i’ll talk to you after this.

ELEANOR:
-sits up straight realizing she interrupted something-

Oh. sure.

-nods-
 Sorry, go on.

-stands up and leaves them-

S:
Let’s go back to our topic, what was it again?

J:
Salat.

S:
Yes, salat.
Muslims are encouraged to pray 5 times a day,
facing the direction of mecca.

And zakat is where rich muslims share their

wealth to the underprivileged as an act of charity.

J:
-counts on his fingers-
Hajj, mecca. Salat, prayer. Zakat, charity.

I think i get all of it now. Thank you for your time, sweet!

-leaves with notebook in hand-

S:
-nods-

Eleanor!

-gestures for Eleanor to come to her-

E:
-sits down next to her-
hm?

S:
What were you having trouble with earlier?

E:
Oh, that.
Our lesson earlier in oral communication.
 Im a little confused with restriction and topic control.
I mean, aren’t they practically the same?
S:
I mean im pretty sure in restriction its about the limitations you have to what you can talk about.
And with topic control you try to control and prevent unnecessary interruptions so that the
conversation doesn’t get off the subject.

E:
Ah… okay. Now i understand.
Thank you, sweet. You’re so smart, I'll try my best to remember that for our next quiz.

-stands up, getting ready to leave-

S:
Sure.

-nods, smiling-

(camera pans out with her in the same spot, two empty chairs next two her but this time, she’s
smiling)

-END-