A Noble Approach
dir. Cs. Shariphar

SCENE  VISUAL AUDITORY
1 MCU: A parts-welder, gloves and mask covered in oil and grease, opens a letter with a stately seal on it.

MATCH: The same parts-welder with the same letter, only now his mask takes on a shocked appearance.

MCU DOUBLE: A manufactory owner in a smiling mask congratulates one of his seamstresses. The seamstress bows in response. Her hair—a yarn wig—is wild and her shirtwaist untucked.


SPLITSCREEN, MCU AND MCU:
On one side of the screen stands the seamstress. On the other, the clockmaker. Both tap their chins in thought.

MED: Osmer Shariphar, in his Director's mask, waves to the audience. Up to three other people on set are welcome to mask up and join him.

FADE TO:

 NARRATION: "Perhaps your business has earned the attention of a proud and noble house."

 

 


NARRATION: "Perhaps your employer believes you fit to pursue a valued client's interest."

 

 

NARRATION: "Whatever your reason, you are now met with the question of how one ought to present oneself before nobility."


NARRATION: "Fortunately, your neighbours at the Kinemeisei League of Lohaiso recognise the particular difficulty of your situation."
TITLE TEXT: "THE KINEMEISEI LEAGUE OF LOHAISO

IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LOHAIS-EVRESANEISE SHIRTWAIST MANUFACTORY 


AND THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF THE OLCHEVADA


presents"


TEXT: "AN APPROACH MOST NOBLE"


FADE TO:

  
2 MCU: A clockmaker in the early morning. He approaches his washing basin and mirror.

CU: Gloved hands open a faucet and then wash with soap and water. 

MCU: Clockmaker cleans his mask-face with a rag. 


CU: Boiling water over a stove.

CU: Distilling water over time.



XCU: Mer Clockmaker's mask, some dirt rubbed on the face. 

XCU: Mer Clockmaker flexes his gloved and dirty hands. 


CU: Mer Clockmaker removes a nail pick from the breast pocket of his worn pajamas.

MCU: He mimes picking the dirt out from under his nails. 


MCU: Now Mer Clockmaker's mask has an open mouth to reveal his teeth. He looks at himself in the mirror and pokes at them. (NOTE: As Ulis has little regard for bones, a show of teeth should not endanger Mer Clockmaker's Undying Soul.)		  

NARRATION: "Your approach begins with the practice of good hygiene. Good hygiene is, after all, imperative."


NARRATION: "For no fewer than three days in advance, be sure to wash your hands and face with soft—not hard—water."


NARRATION: "Water can be made soft through boiling or distillation."


NARRATION: "A little ash on the cheeks says that a man is hard-working, but dirt on the hands is always unseemly." 


NARRATION: "Keep a nail pick on your person at all times, just in case." 




NARRATION: "If you cannot afford a trip to the barber, you can clean your teeth at home with this special formula:"
3 CU, MONTAGE: A kitchen table belonging to Mer Clockmaker's wife. With each cut, another ingredient appears. 

MED: Merrem Clockmaker, dressed in rags but with a smiling mask, mixes the powders together in a small bowl.


CU: Merrem Clockmaker taps a little vial of oil over the bowl. 


MED DOUBLE: Merrem Clockmaker gives her husband the mixture.		 NARRATION: "Two parts chalk, one part root of orris, and one half-part of castile soap can be used to whiten the teeth."







NARRATION: "Your spice of choice will surely freshen the breath! Wintergreen is recommended."
4 MCU: Mer Clockmaker is back at the basin and mirror.

CU: He rubs the powder on his teeth.

CU: He picks up a boiled rag.

CU: He scrubs.


MCU: Mer Clockmaker turns to face the camera. He gestures towards his grinning teeth.		  

NARRATION: "Once the powder is applied, scrub thoroughly with a boiled rag." 





NARRATION: "There! With clean hands and a shining smile, we are at last ready to dress."
5 MEDIUM TRACKING: Mer Clockmaker enters his workplace. His morning coat has been patched several times at the elbows, but cuts a fine figure regardless. He greets his business partner and sits at his workbench.

MCU: Now seated, he motions to pick up one of his tools—but ah! The coat!

CU: He folds his coat neatly.

CU: The coat is placed in a cabinet beneath his workbench. 

MCU: His coat secured, Mer Clockmaker appears to hum to himself as he works. 


FADE TO:

  

NARRATION: "A man of enterprise does not approach nobility without his morning coat." 









NARRATION: "While working, he folds and stores his morning coat in a safe location."


NARRATION: "This location is near enough that he may don it in the event of a surprise visit."
6 MCU DOUBLE: Our parts-welder returns, this time dressed in his own morning coat. He speaks to his employer at the end of the day.

CU: The arms of his coat cover his shirtsleeves.

CU: There is no gap between his waistcoat and trousers.



MCU DOUBLE: Mid-conversation, Mer Parts-welder pulls a little watch from his pocket to check the time.


CU: The pocket-watch reads half-past seven. The watch is notably inexpensive, as is its chain.


MCU DOUBLE: Mer Parts-Welder places the watch back in his pocket. He and his Employer hear a knock at the door, right on time. They turn and bow to a figure offscreen.


FADE TO:

  





NARRATION: "His shirtsleeves are never visible. The hem of his waistcoat aligns with the waist of his trousers." 



NARRATION: "A pocket-watch and chain are a necessity for him, for they communicate that he values timeliness." 


NARRATION: "He does not worry about the price of these items, but rather purchases whatever is within his means." 


NARRATION: "Remember, it is effort that matters most. Our noble houses are well aware of the plight of others, and any attempts at deceit will surely be sniffed out."
7 FULL: Min Seamstress stands outside her employer's office.

 

MCU: She checks her appearance in her portable mirror.
CU: She adjusts a few loose strands of yarn-hair.
CU: She tucks the mirror back into her waistcoat pocket.

FULL: Min Seamstress pats around her hips, ensuring that the hem of her shirt is neat beneath her skirt's waist.

Her coworkers, Merrem Threadpuller and Min Fastens-buttons, come out of the office.

CU: Merrem Threadpuller wears a handsome vest-and-jacket set.
CU: Min Seamstress admires her coworker's fashionable attire.


MEDIUM TRIPLE: Merrem Threadpuller takes Min Fastens-buttons by the hand and points to the younger woman's shabbier, mismatched clothes. She shakes her head as they exit the frame.

Min Seamstress rests her hand on her chin in a 'thinking' pose.

CU: A long flash of finished silk rests on the scrapping-table.

MCU: Min Seamstress takes the silk scrap and—
CU:—ties it beneath her shirt collar like a scarf.

MCU: Min Seamstress appears happy and confident with her new accessory.

 NARRATION: "For the ladies, the importance of a neat silhouette cannot be understated."


NARRATION: A pocket mirror will allow you to check yourself for unruly locks of hair. Like a watch, it can be kept on a chain to ensure it is never lost.


NARRATION: A shirtwaist and walking skirt are more than suitable for the working woman.

 

 

 

NARRATION: While neither jacket or waistcoat are necessarily required, they do a great deal to smarten one's countenance!


NARRATION: Should one choose to wear them, however, one must be certain that they match the walking skirt in both material and colour.

 

 

 

NARRATION: A scarf around the neck creates a rather mindful appearance, does it not?
8 HIGH-ANGLE MCU: The door to the employer's office creaks open, and Min Seamstress comes through.

LOW-ANGLE REVERSE: Mer Employer welcomes her with a smile and a nod. We PAN LEFT as he gestures to Osmer Opportunity, who is silhouetted by light coming through the curtains.

MCU: Min Seamstress curtsies to Osmer Opportunity.

CU: Still in silhouette, Osmer Opportunity nods.

MCU DOUBLE: Min Seamstress and Osmer Opportunity sit on either side of Mer Employer's desk. The KEY LIGHT must be focused on Min Seamstress so that she is not lost in the light that keeps Osmer Opportunity in silhouette.

MCU DOUBLE: Mer Employer (frame right) comes around the desk so that he is next to Min Seamstress (frame left). He gestures conversationally.

MCU: Osmer Opportunity listens.

CU: Mer Employer must wear the mask that allows his toothy smile to be visible. Clear syrup will serve as the nervous sweat that drips down his face.

MCU DOUBLE: A delicate hand flies up to Min Seamstress's lips as she 'gasps.' She looks over in the direction of Osmer Opportunity (OS), then shakes her head at Mer Employer.

CU: Mer Employer in the 'embarrassed' mask.

MCU: Osmer Opportunity hands Min Seamstress a pamphlet to review. TILT DOWN and RACK FOCUS to the pamphlet, the cover of which reads "OPPORTUNITY."

MCU DOUBLE: Mer Employer watches Min Seamstress take the pamphlet. As she reads, she begins to hunch over.

Mer Employer taps her on the shoulder. She looks at him, confused.

He looks her up and down.

Once more, Min Seamstress 'gasps.' She straightens herself.

MCU: Osmer Opportunity nods.

MCU DOUBLE: Min Seamstress looks between Mer Employer and Osmer Opportunity. Finally, she nods enthusiastically.

FULL TRIPLE: Min Seamstress and Osmer Opportunity on opposite sides again. All rise.

Min Seamstress curtsies, and Osmer Opportunity bows.

 NARRATION: Finally, there is the most important matter of all: the address itself.

 

 

NARRATION: "Do not approach your soon-to-be-acquaintance without first familiarising yourself with their title and lineage. Two rungs up the family ladder will do."

 

 

 


NARRATION: "Smile brightly, but not too widely, nor too often. Your teeth must flash no more than three times throughout the conversation.

Any more than that is not only rude, but ghastly."

 

 

 

 

 

NARRATION: "Furthermore, do not slump."

 

NARRATION: Forgiveness will be granted to those disfigured by circumstance, but one cannot expect this generosity to extend much further.

NARRATION: As a rule, you must aim to be every bit as upright as your noble counterpart, and they are guaranteed to have much more practice as you. 

 
9  

FULL: Min Seamstress exits Mer Employer's office. Once she has closed the door, she falls back against it. She catches her breath.

FADE TO:

 NARRATION: Be sure to get plenty of rest ahead of time.

 
10 MCU DOUBLE: Mer Clockmaker and Mer Parts-Welder stand over a large set of diagrams. They are both dressed in their fine clothes.

Mer Clockmaker checks the time on his pocket-watch.
XCU: The time reads 4:45.

MED DOUBLE: Mer Clockmaker looks up, past the kamera.

FULL: Osmer Opportunity stands and stares out the window, ears unreadable.

MED DOUBLE: Mer Clockmaker shows the watch to Mer Parts-Welder. They look at one another and then straighten.

They bow.

FULL: Osmer Opportunity turns just enough to give a slight, but nonetheless gracious, bow.

MEDIUM: Clockmaker and Parts-Welder roll up their diagrams.


Behind them, Osmer Shariphar (still in director's mask) approaches from offscreen with what appears to be a new set of diagrams under his arm.

He and the two men greet each other as acquaintances.

Min Seamstress, too, joins the party. She curties, and the men bow.

Osmer Shariphar motions for all to join him in the center of the frame.

Once they are all together, he unrolls his own diagrams to reveal that they are not, in fact, diagrams, but rather a large sign.

INSERT: The sign finishes unrolling to read "BEST OF LUCK!"

 NARRATION: "Should all else fail, remember this: those of more refined bloodlines are often short on time." 

 

 

 

NARRATION: "If you cannot be considerate, then at least be concise."

 

NARRATION: "No matter the circumstance of our birth, we all share one desire: to make a positive impression on those around us."

 

 

 

 

 

NARRATION: "How noble is your approach? Can it be further improved?"