Click on this link to watch the final product of our short film, "Out of Hand"
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q0vfMcsRCteolq2vE042Dhxl4iND1VCT?usp=share_link
Coming to the end
After a long, two year journey of taking my favorite class in all of high school, Aice Media, it's finally time to submit my very final project. This is one of the one's I have been proudest of so far, because the idea feels so true to me and the type of productions I enjoy the most. Working with my friends Zain and Martina has been one of the most enjoyable experiences, and they are both so incredibly talented and really have a vision for filmmaking and everything that comes with it. Thank you, Aice media, and until next time blog!
Reflection essay
In the process of creating our short film titled “Out of Hand”, my group and I aimed to follow the idea of “unspoken rules” in society, and how a person’s story can be different to what you expect. We wanted to portray this in a humorous way, following the typical conventions of a comedic film. Although the story may seem silly on the surface, the overarching theme is breaking the small, unspoken rules of society and the effects it can have.
The story follows a protagonist by the name of Tom, who has a hatred for the typical social rule of shaking people's hands at his office. He decides to take a stand against this and begins to awkwardly wave his hand or make weird remarks when his coworkers attempt to shake his hand. Tom’s perceivably “odd” behavior leads his colleagues in the office in a frenzy, and it seems to unsettle the entire office dynamic. The main social issue targeted within this short film is one of social conformity and hidden personal struggles. “Out of hand” shows the very rigid social norms, particularly seen in the workplace, that are considered “polite”, such as shaking everyone’s hand. Tom rejecting this tradition, and his colleagues' reactions, goes to show how expected certain gestures are in our society. The plot twist at the end (Tom having a fake hand) is used to show that not everything is as it seems. In the final scene, the colleagues' overdramatic reactions, and Tom’s mortified scream, deliver an important message on how he felt the need to hide a part of himself from the office.
The supporting characters of the film are used to portray some of the different types of people that are often found within a workplace. Alice, the receptionist, although portrayed as a funny, flirty character, shows subtle signs of manipulation that align with her disbelief of Tom breaking a typical societal rule. Her excessive planning in order to force Tom outside of his boundaries shows a lack of care and understanding for his possible situation.
Greg, the boss who is seen making fun of Alice’s flirtatious personality, shows how women can often be sexualized in the workplace, specifically in one dominated with men. He tends to assume that her motivations are purely to pursue Tom, rather than get him to shake hands.
The branding behind our film followed one with typical conventions scene in comedy TV shows, such as the office. The quick camera movements, seen in the opening shot when introducing Tom, and the close ups on face and hands are used to show a comedic emphasis and make a dramatic story out of something silly like shaking hands. The montages that showed odd, unrealistic scenarios out of Alice’s “evil plan” are used to add even further to the comedic, over the top effect. Our promotional material, such as the posters we made for the film on our Instagram, have a color scheme that is typically aligned with comedy, including bright yellows and reds. We also included multiple interviews of each actor in the film, showing the process behind building a comedic character and adding to the brand. The specific identity we wanted our film to have was quirky, dramatic, and character driven. The film is very much focused on the bright personalities of each character, giving each of them their own persona and highlighted moments.
We aimed to engage with our audience by building tension throughout the film. The main question throughout, “Why won’t Tom shake anyone’s hand?”, creates curiosity and engages the viewer into the rest of the film. We also used humor and exaggerated personalities to make the story more entertaining and suitable for those looking for a funny watch. Most viewers, especially those who have worked at a typical office before, have likely encountered characters similar to Alice and Greg, which makes the film more relatable to them. While most of the film probably has people questioning Tom’s motives and why he is so odd about something as normal as shaking hands, the dramatic plot twist of his prosthetic hand at the end forces the audience to readjust their expectations and understand Tom’s unusual behavior in the beginning. We wanted viewers to feel a moment of surprise, followed by a deeper understanding of Tom’s character.
During our research phase, we spent a lot of time looking into the marketing and conventions behind comedy shows such as “The office” and “scrubs”.
These shows are known for their ridiculous storytelling, and how character driven they are. This research helped us narrow down conventions we wanted to include in not only the film itself, but the marketing behind it. For example, we embraced the weird montages and filming styles typically seen in these shows, as well as the awkward moments that make them funnier. We also spent much of our early days of developing the film researching and talking about the concept of unspoken rules in our society. We realized that, especially in professional settings, doing things like asking how someone is or shaking their hand have become almost a requirement, and one can be seen as unusual for not following the tradition. This inspired our decision to focus on something as seemingly insignificant as a handshake and show the gossip and confusion it can cause. As far as the more technical elements, our research about editing and videos on the typical cinematography style behind comedy films helped us to understand how to pace and frame our shots in order to create the most dramatic and comedic effect possible. This went along with our efforts to create awkward, tension-filled scenes, such as between Tom and Greg or Tom and Alice.
This short film was such an amazing experience because it allowed us to explore themes of perception, judgement, and unspoken rules in society. By centering the story around a silly and small social norm in the workplace, we were able to show 3 different characters’ personalities and drives. The message was simple, and the story wasn’t something complicated, but when looked into more deeply, it was meaningful.
Starting filming process
Hi blog! I have very exciting news to share.. we finally started the filming process today, and also finished it in the same day.
Something so special to me about the filming process was having my dad as one of the background actors. Since we wanted the film to be more realistic to an office setting, we were looking for "middle aged" actors, rather than a bunch of high schoolers, and he agreed!
.jpeg)
My dad
Although we originally planned to shoot from 11:00-1:30, we ended up reshooting a lot of scenes and even adding in some extra scenes that came to mind as we went, so the filming day ended up lasting until about 4.
We started by filming the receptionist opening scene, which arguably was one of the hardest ones to do, since it was the establishing shot of the film. .jpeg)
This particular scene of Tom walking down the hall took about (and I'm probably underestimating here) 30 tries. We made sure of every detail being perfect, down to the timing of his footsteps walking down the hall and the tracking shot from the receptionist to his face. We really wanted to establish the film in a way that had a similar shooting style to comedic shows like "The office", which was done by using immediate tracking shots and close up. We also had multiple lights set up around each scene, which we had to adjust for each shot.
.jpeg)
Opening shot
"EVERYONE IS GATHERED ROUND THE TABLE, AND THEY'RE DOING SOME SILLY CHOREOGRAPHY THAT IS CULT LIKE"
"Oh Tom, you've gotta shake hands to really be part of the family" For this you have ALICE voiceover, and GREG verbalizing the line.
SHOT: They show TOM giving them a handshake in the vision
Overall, the filming process was a super fun experience, and I'm so glad we were able to knock it out in one day while still managing to get the shots exactly how we envisioned them. Now, we have to finish editing some reels for our Instagram and a few special videos, as well as finishing editing the actual short film.
Shot list
In preparation for us filming on Saturday, here is our finalized shot list to serve as a checklist item for every scene we need from the script. Last year, when filming the project for AS level, I remember our shot list aiding us in completing the filming process within one day, since we used it as a checklist and crossed off as we got things done.
So excited to say that we will be filming our short tomorrow!!!!
MS of the Receptionist: (Hearing the knock) and looking over *whip pan*
CLOSE UP: Feet approaching desk
CLOSE UP: ALICE looking up at TOM (she says her line)
MS: TOM smiles (line cont'd diff angle)
MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Such a pleasure to meet you, is it Alice?
CLOSE UP: ALICE looking up at TOM (she says her line) "yes!"
CLOSE UP: ALICE hand coming out to shake Tom's
CLOSE UP: TOM stressing
MEDIUM CLOSE UP: I... just peed. And I'm not a good hand shaker after a good pee.
CLOSE UP OF ALICE: (capture Alice's reaction)
OTS FROM TOM TO ALICE: (Tom walking away and still capturing Alice's reaction)
SCENE IN THE OFFICE HALLWAY CONT'D
TRACKING SHOT: facing TOM'S back as he's walking...
MEDIUM TRACKING SHOT: Now it's facing Tom, as he bumps into Greg
MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Greg says Line
CLOSE UP OF DANIEL OFFERING HAND:
LOW ANGLE OF TOM AND HAND:
LOW ANGLE SWITCHES TO GREG:
HIGH ANGLE: OF THEM TWO SHOWING SPACE IN BETWEEN
CLOSE UP: GREG: "Uh... Okay... sure...
ALICE TO GREG: "do you have a minute?"
CUT TO THIS
SHOT 1: Closing door
Two person shot: ALICE AND GREG
Greg says: "He did the exact same thing to me..."
Close up shot of ALICE: "I just dont understand why he was so uncomfortable"
CLOSE UP SHOT OF GREG: A plan?
SHOT 2: clicking pen
SHOT 3: Hands slam desk
SHOT 4: Rolling chair moving in
CLOSE UP ALICE: "whaaaat? ..."
CLOSE UP GREG: "It's all about Tom... this week. What's next? Are we swooning over Tom..." (Greg slowly opens the door to reveal Bob from Accounting)
"Bob from accounting makes eye contact then quickly looks away"
Two person shot: GREG: *starts ad libbing*
Two person shot: ALICE "looking side conscious of whether bob is listening" *tries to shush him* that's enough. You're impossible Greg"
ALICE: "Be serious... etc." "Tom is the first guy to walk through that door and refuse a handshake."
EXTREME CLOSE UP GREG: "Oh I know exactly what you mean, Alice"
MEDIUM CLOSE UP: ALICE
SHOT 2: clicking pen
SHOT 3: Hands slam desk
SHOT 4: Rolling chair moving in
(ALT. SHOTS THAT ACTUALLY ARE RELEVANT TO WHAT IS SAID)
"EVERYONE IS GATHERED ROUND THE TABLE, AND THEY'RE DOING SOME SILLY CHOREOGRAPHY THAT IS CULT LIKE"
"Oh Tom, you've gotta shake hands to really be part of the family" For this you have ALICE voiceover, and GREG verbalizing the line.
SHOT: They show TOM giving them a handshake in the vision
NOW THEY'RE IN FRONT OF THE DESKS WITH EXTRAS
GREG: "who wouldn't want to be part of the family?"
(beat).
SHOT OF AYAMI WATCHING THEM: Giving them a look of slight disgust, as if to speak and say "I wouldn't I'm just an intern"
GREG: "even if hes a little paranoid, we've got him"
ALICE: "Slow move in of the camera" "Oh Totally."
TWO PERSON SHOT: "It's Perfect! He won't be able to get out of it. "EVERYONE is doing it..."
VISION: Weird handshake ritual "Oh you don't want to be the odd one out, Tom, do you?" AGAIN, in Alice's voice but verbalized by GREG.
CLOSE UP SHOT: ALICE says "trust me greg it'll work
CLOSE UP SHOT: GREG: "yeah, yeah," WHIP-PAN TO IMAGINATION "What if he refuses to be sucked into the whole team handshake thing?
(as this is being said, include various shots of him refusing)
NOW, they're at the receptionist desk
ALICE: "Oh, I've thought of THAT, honey"
QUICK SHOTS FOR PHASE 2
SHOT 2: clicking pen
SHOT 3: Hands slam desk
SHOT 4: Rolling chair moving in
(ALT. SHOTS THAT ACTUALLY ARE RELEVANT TO WHAT IS SAID)
Brand prism
During our last class, my group member Martina and I decided it would be a good idea to put some of what our teacher has taught us to use and create a "brand prism" for our short film. If you are unfamiliar with what a brand prism is, it is essentially a marketing visual that uses six key elements to make up a brand identity (physique, personality, culture, relationship, reflection, and self image).
We decided that developing this would be useful in keeping a coherent theme in our social media, logos, marketing, and the overall vibe of our short film. Here is what we came up with:
Physique: Yellows, blues, reds. Big, bubbly font.
Personality: Over the top, ridiculous comedy. The whole plot is something so ridiculous, made funny by how serious it becomes.
Relationship: Interacts with the audience by being heavily edited to make the comedic effect more prominent (Ex: slow mo’s, extreme close ups, stings, etc.)
Culture: Values understanding of people’s situations. Tom was heavily judged and plotted against due to him refusing to shake other’s hands because they chose to take it personally, ending of the film may show a different perspective, that not everything is what it seems.
Reflection: Reflected to the audience as ridiculous and silly, but with a touch of meaningfulness in the final message.
Self-image: The brand of this short film would perceive its ideal self as something iconically funny, such as the show The Office, or previously directed Edgar Wright films.
Social media planning
We have some particular goals for our social media, and we want to set aside a list in order to include all of the fun promotional ideas we have.
Brand Promotion ideas:
Similar promotional styles to comedy shows like The Office or Scrubs or Scott Pilgrim (overdone, over the top comedy)
Promotional video ideas:
-Interview poeple asking them to do their "weirdest handshake"
-Bloopers reel
-"Get to know" the cast video
Posters that show the main character has a secret
Inspo:
Our character should have his "hand" behind his back or in his pocket
Additionally, we want to release at least one poster that prepares for the release of the film
Updated script (and ending reveal)
Scene 1:
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - LOBBY - DAY
The sound of elevator doors opening. TOM steps out, dressed sharply, walking with confidence. He approaches the front desk where ALICE, the receptionist, is on the phone.
RECEPTIONIST (Alice)
(on the phone)
Yes? We have an opening at 2 o’clock for a showing in the Lower East Side of Manhattan...
She notices TOM and smiles warmly.
RECEPTIONIST (Alice)
First day?
TOM
(smiling coolly)
Yes, such a pleasure to meet you, is it, Alice?
RECEPTIONIST (Alice)
Yes, indeed!
She extends her hand to shake, but TOM hesitates, looking down at it. He then decides to avoid it completely.
TOM
I just peed... And I’m not a handshaker after a good pee. You know, hygiene!
He says it confidently, without hesitation. ALICE pauses, trying to process what just happened. After a beat, she just nods, an awkward smile creeping on her face.
ALICE watches him as he walks away, her expression slowly shifting to one of slight confusion and concern.
VOICEOVER (TOM)
(in his head, with a mix of self-affirmation and confusion)
Nailed it.
Scene 2:
INT. OFFICE HALLWAY - DAY
TOM walks through the office, making his way to his desk. A co-worker, GREG, walks toward him. They bump into each other, a little more awkwardly than they should have.
GREG
Oh my apologies, really! Didn’t mean to startle you. (charismaticaly offers his hand) I'm Greg!
TOM
(voiceover)
Yeah, he seems nice, but you can never be too sure...
GREG extends his hand for a handshake. TOM, not wanting to repeat his earlier mistake, slaps GREG’s hand instead, offering a weird, exaggerated smirk.
TOM
(Pats on his back)
GREG looks at him, completely confused, unsure of what just happened. He pauses for a beat before awkwardly laughing.
GREG
(nervously)
Uh... okay... sure. I bet you're still getting accommodated to the office, so anything you need just let me know!
Scene 3:
INT. RECEPTION DESK - DAY
ALICE and GREG stand by the front desk, discussing the strange incident.
GREG
(gasping in shock)
He did the exact same thing to me...
RECEPTIONIST (ALICE)
We need a plan.
GREG
(raising an eyebrow, grinning)
A plan? Or is this just your latest office crush at work, Alice? (teasing)
You’ve got a thing for every guy in this building, don’t you?
ALICE
(laughs nervously, trying to deflect)
What? No! I— (quickly)
It’s not like that. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on with him.
GREG
(mock serious)
Oh, right, of course. It's all about Tom... this week. What happens next week? Are we swooning over Bob from accounting? (grinning mischievously)
You should really get a Frequent Flyer card for your office crushes.
ALICE
(flirtatiously trying to laugh at herself with him but quickly shifting to seriousness)
You're Impossible, Greg... (leans in, lowering her voice like she's about to spill gossip)
I’m just saying, we’ve had new people come in before, and they’ve always shaken hands and fit right in without any issues. But Tom? He’s the first one to refuse a handshake... unlike every other guy who’s ever walked through that door. (pauses, realizing what she said, then suddenly snapping to a more defensive tone)
I mean, uh... NOT that I have a thing for every guy, okay? I just— you know what I mean! Right?
GREG
(smirking, raising an eyebrow)
Oh, I know exactly what you mean, Alice.
ALICE
(awkwardly laughing and trying to cover it up)
Focus, Greg! We need a plan for Tom, okay?
GREG
(smirking, leaning back in his chair)
At this point, it’s a matter of principle, right?
ALICE
(grinning, sounding like she’s gossiping with a friend)
Oh, totally.
ALICE
Dialogue
Alright, Phase One: The “Super Secret Handshake” Setup. (she leans in, whispering conspiratorially)
We make it seem like handshakes are this big, exclusive thing. We gather the whole team, and we act like it’s some mystical office tradition. Like, it’s a rite of passage, you know? We’ll get all dramatic about it, like, “Oh, Tom, you’ve gotta shake hands to really be part of the family.” He won’t be able to resist!
GREG
(with a calculating smirk)
Yeah, because who wouldn’t want to be part of the family? Sounds like a trap. If he’s even a little paranoid, we’ve got him.
ALICE
(giggling like she’s imagining it)
Oh, it’s perfect! He won’t be able to get out of it. It’ll be like, everyone is doing it—like, “Oh, you don’t want to be the odd one out, Tom, do you?” (teasingly)
Trust me, Greg, it’ll work.
GREG
(raising an eyebrow, still calculating)
What if it doesn’t? What if he’s some kind of... rebel who refuses to be sucked into the whole “team handshake” thing?
ALICE
(leaning in closer, all gossip and playful energy)
Oh, I’ve thought of that, honey. That’s when we bring in Phase Two: The Casual Coffee/Pen Move. (she gestures dramatically, as if she’s revealing a top-secret plan)
So, we wait until we’re holding something like coffee, a pen, or—oh, I don’t know—a binder, something totally innocent. Then, when we walk by him, we “accidentally” lean in and offer our hand. Like it’s no big deal. Like we’re just casually handing him a coffee, no pressure at all. (staring off into the distance) He won’t be able to resist the subtle nudge to shake our hand. (looks awkwardly back at Greg)
GREG
(laughing like he’s already won, eyes narrowing)
Nice. So we make it so casual, he feels like a jerk if he doesn’t shake our hands. That’ll get him for sure. He’ll be too embarrassed to not do it.
ALICE
(snapping her fingers, excited)
Exactly! He won’t even see it coming.
GREG
(leaning in, with a dark grin)
And then, when that doesn’t work, we escalate to
ALICE
Phase Three: The “Accidental” Handshake Escalation.
ALICE (CONT'D)
(clapping her hands together, delighted by the idea)
Ooooh, yeah. We start getting sneaky. Like, when we’re handing him something, or maybe in a meeting, we’ll find ways to make it impossible to avoid shaking hands. Like we’re offering him a stapler, or handing over papers... and just accidentally brush his hand. It’ll get to the point where he’s backed into a corner. The only thing he can do is shake our hand!
ALICE
(laughing, now totally immersed in her plan)
It’s foolproof, and tomorrow, it's ON.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - LOBBY
Shot of the phone ringing at the office, Sherrie (Receptionist) picks it up.
ALICE
Hi, yes how may I help you? (nods to Greg)
GREG
(holding the coffee, nervously smiling)
Tom, I—uh, made you some coffee. Thought you could use it.
TOM
(smiling, appreciative)
Thanks, man! Appreciate it. Just put it on the counter for me, yeah?
GREG
(impulsive, grabbing Tom’s hand without thinking)
Sure, but hey, let's just—uh, let’s do the handshake thing! Everyone’s doing it around here, y'know?
TOM
(startled, pulling back a little)
Oh, uh, I don’t really— (Before Tom can finish, Greg doesn’t let go and, suddenly, there’s a loud click sound as a fake hand pops out of Tom’s socket, it just doesn’t quite belong.)
Filming promo for social media
Hello blog! So... the last blog that I made kind of did not end up being part of the plan. Although we all originally thought my dad's office would be perfect for the short film, the drive was too far for a lot of the actors. Therefore, we switched the location of the shoot to a more local office, which still looked pretty decent.
We used the office space a few days ago to do a read through of the script and film a couple of interviews of the actors for some behind the scenes/videos of the cast.
Getting to know the actors was really important to the short film, and something I didn't expect to be as useful as it was. We got a lot of feedback from the actors that was important to add to the film, or change. For instance, Daniel, the actor for Greg, gave us the advice that we should write lines for each character that only THAT character would say. For example, in The Office, there are certain lines that Micheal say that are such a "Micheal" thing to say. Daniel argued that some of are lines were too interchangeable between characters and generic, so we worked on changing that.
Actor for Greg
Actress for receptionist
Here are some of the questions we asked for the interview footage:
-What resemblance do you see between you and your character's personality?
-What are you most excited for the viewers to see/learn from the short film?
-How is filming on an actual set different from what you are used to (theatre)?
-What are some unspoken rules you've always felt are unnecessary?
This week, we're planning on editing this video and uploading a few other promotional posters/photos to the social media, in order to prepare for the release of the short film. Stay tuned!
Group meeting
Hello blog! We had yet another successful group meeting this last Wednsday, and I wanted to share some of the feedback my group gave me. I really appreciated the commentary that was made, because it pertained to our script.
- Make the lines more realistic
- Change the reasoning for Tom not wanting to shake people's hands
- Make the ending more subtle
Originally, our plan was to make Tom's fear of shaking people's hands stem from something like social anxiety or just plain sensitivity to physical touch. However, my group and I agreed that this reason wouldn't really have a comedic effect to it, and can actually be a serious topic for some people. Therefore, we changed the reason to something a lot more silly and typical to a comedy movie or show. I don't want to give away this change just yet, but I will be posting the finalized script soon that will have it. Stay tuned...
Location
Hi blog! I have exciting news:
We officially secured the perfect location for filming. At first, we were concerned that it would be hard to find an office that is willing to let us take a day to film, since they are typically busy during the week and empty or locked on weekends. I asked my dad to send me pictures from his office, and we all agreed that the subtle yellow colors from the chairs and the cubicles in the office matched our mood board pretty well.
Mood board of the setting/ Tom character
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
Pictures of my dad's office
Social media/ color scheme
Last class, Zain and I decided to start thinking about how we want our social media to be presented, so we started brainstorming on ideas for the "logo", which would be the profile picture of the Instagram for "Out of hand"
Our initial design looked like this:
And we thought it was great enough, but Martina brought us back to reality and told us to make a few changes that made a significant difference.
The colors are less abrasive and tacky looking, and the font is spaced out much better now. We took inspiration from the simple, typical sitcom logos, such as from "The office", but decided to include the color scheme of the office location we are shooting at (yellows, blues, red).
Following this same color scheme, we also made a mood board for how we want our main character to dress/the vibe we want him to give off. We want our main character to give off that nerdy, kind of odd guy that you see in sitcoms, such as Dwight from The Office or Micheal Cera's characters.
Group meeting
Hi blog! On Wednesday, we had another successful group meeting. This was honestly some of the most useful feedback I've received yet, because most of it pertained to our script. The main conscensus that my group came to is that a lot of the script is "unrealistic". How they explained it is that in order for something to be entertaining, the audience has to feel like the line can be somewhat what a real person would say, even if it's comedic. So, for example, lines such as "we need to get sneakier" can be improved on to something like a shot of them whispering ideas, which would be more realistic.
We also ended up changing Tom's reason for not being able to shake hands to something else. We agreed that him having a "phobia" that makes him sensitive to touch wouldn't be a funny topic that would match why he refuses to shake people's hands so strongly. However, I don't want to give away the ending just yet, because I believe it really is what makes or breaks the film. Stay tuned...
Tom: Phobia is triggered by just direct physical contact with people gives him anxiety. Sensitive touch receptors that trigger strong emotions in him.
ACT 1
Scene: Walking into work from elevator, opening the door, establish the character as a confident, cool guy. He walks up to meet the receptionist at the front desk, who is making a call.
Receptionist: Yes? We have an opening at 2'o clock for a showing in the lower east side of Manhattan.
She notices Tom and gives him a smile
Receptionist: First day?
Tom: Yes, such a pleasure to meet you is it, Alice?
Receptionist: Yes, indeed!
She extends her hand. He looks down at it, and is reluctant and avoids the hand completely. Back and forth between receptionist and Tom, where he says
Tom: 'I just peed.' (he says it so confidently, that the receptionist is just like ah okay and then turn to her expression being weirded out). To avoid the handshake.
Shot of receptionist watching him sinister
Tom gets in his head about the situation and is very oddly confused, and stressed. (voiceover: nailed it.)
SCENE 2:
Walking over to his desk, a co-worker is walking in opposite direction and they bump into each other.
Greg: Oh my apologies, really, I did not mean to startle you, I'm Greg!
Tom: Yeah he seems nice but you can never be so sure...
hand extends in a frame,
(Instead of handshake maybe he slaps his hand and gives a cringe smirk like just)
Greg: Reaction like what is happening...
Tom: Low five! (instead of high-five)
SCENE 3:
So... what do you think of the new employee?
Receptionist: He seems... normal, but when I offered my hand I tell you the weirdest thing happened. He refused to shake my hand.
Greg: "shock" gasp sound. No... it can't be...
Receptionist:
Receptionist: We need a plan
CUT TO ACT 2.
Phase One The "Super Secret Handshake" Setup: We introduce the idea of handshakes in a way that makes it feel exclusive, like it’s a big deal. We’ll gather the team and act like there’s this mystical, office-wide tradition of "Super Secret Handshakes." We’ll make it sound like it’s some rite of passage, even though it’s just a normal handshake. This creates the illusion that handshakes are a must and something he’s missing out on.
GREG: what if that doesn't work...?
Phase Two The Casual Coffee/pen Move: If he’s still avoiding handshakes, it’s time for a more subtle approach. We wait for a moment when we’re holding something like a coffee cup, pen, or binder. Then, when we “accidentally” walk past him, we’ll lean in and offer our hand for the handshake—without even thinking about it, like it's the most natural thing in the world. He’ll feel the subtle pressure to reciprocate, especially when he realizes everyone else is doing it.
Phase Three The "Accidental" Handshake Escalation: If all else fails, we start getting sneakier. We’ll create situations where it's impossible to avoid shaking hands—like when handing him something across the desk or during a meeting. Slowly, we set him up to the point where the only thing left is to just shake our hand without a second thought.
Slo-motion sequence of greg going into hand shake, Tom in his head
Cut to introspective feeling and him getting in his head,
Tom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Final product
Click on this link to watch the final product of our short film, "Out of Hand" https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q0vfMcsRCt...
