"Overall: Fun script. We have a comment to verify the science and a few notes help simplify. About Kevin's question: we think it's a fun idea to have MM in her own story book.
We want to make sure the science is bullet proof. The statement about bamboo growing 35 in/day is true for some species.It's not clear whether that can happen directly from a seed, so lets moderate the dramatic growth we show on screen (it doesn't have to be 10 inches to make the point), but we can keep the mention of bamboo's top speed in the dialogue.FYI, here is a useful reference video for the animators to see what bamboo looks like growing fast from a seed:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfDOMwFX5Hg
In scene 2, lets have a bit more emphasis on the sun/moon movement through the sky to show passage of time.It's there already, and well supported by the meal cues, but please enhance the cues from the sky."
1. Ext. school garden - Day
Overall note - overal note - its unusual for us to have mz.mole reading a pop-up book with her as the character in the book - we havent done this before - curious as to how jorge and daniel respond to it. if we shouldnt do it then we can just have a generic characters and possibly have mz.mole introduce the character when they first enters the scene
Fun...I like the compare and constrast and the fun facts about bamboo. Notes are below
We tend to agree with Kevin's note about having a generic character be depicted in the book, rather than MM -- might lead to some confusion on the part of the viewer (how is she in the book?!).
Ari and Elinor are surprised to find Mz. Mole laying on the ground and staring closely at the dirt in the school garden bed.
at end is intended to communicate doubt?. Make it earnest and enthusastic.
Mz. Mole
(
talking
softly and encouragingly)
Come on. Come on. You can do it?
Elinor
(
giggling
)
Mz. Mole? Who are you talking to?
Simplify: "The plants! I'm watching them grow."
MZ. MOLE
The garden, of course. I’m watching the plants grow.
The children look at the garden bed, but there is nothing there but dirt.
Ari
You can’t watch plants grow, Mz. Mole. They’re too slow.
MZ. MOLE
Some plants can grow quicker than you might think. Look here.
Mz. Mole sits up and pulls out her pop up book. She opens the pages, to reveal...
2. int. Book - Mz. Mole’s Kitchen - Day
POP-UP BOOK STYLE of animation depicts Mz. Mole’s kitchen table near a window. A small potted cactus and a small potted bamboo plant sit on the table. They are the same height. Sunlight comes through the window at an angle. Mz. Mole enters the scene holding a small watering can and briefly waters both plants. Then she sits down at the table and pours herself a bowl of Garden
Crispies
cereal to eat for breakfast. The cactus sits to her left, the bamboo to her right.
Simplify: "Some plantsgrow slowly but some grow really quickly.A cactus like this one…"
MZ. MOLE (V.O.)
due to how short these are - we will have the cereal already in the bowl with the box of cereal on the table so its understood what shes eating - this will save time having her have to ppur it into the bowl.
All plants need water and sunlight to grow. But different kinds of plants grow at different speeds. Cactus like this one...
(she indicates with her finger)
might
grow very slowly, while bamboo plants like this one
(again indicating with her finger)
can
grow very quickly.
ARI (V.O.)
They look the same size to me.
"They are just getting started. Watch what happens later in the day around lunchtime."
MZ. MOLE (V.O.)
I'd start this line "Yes, They are the same size now" (they might start out the same size as a seed but that is not what you are saying)
Yes, they might start out the same size, but let’s see what happens later in the day around lunchtime.
Mz. Mole has finished her breakfast and exits the scene. The sun through the window moves, indicating a change in time. It is now lunchtime, and the light is coming straight through the window. The cactus has not changed size, but the bamboo has grown 10 inches taller. Mz. Mole re-enters and sits down at the table for lunch. She eats a veggie sandwich.
we will have a page flip - the sun has moved and theirs a sandwich sitting on the table between the plants
ELINOR (V.O.)
Look! The bamboo is taller!
…the bamboo has zoomed up
MZ. MOLE (V.O.)
That’s right. By lunchtime, the bamboo has grown much taller.
Why didn't the cactus grow?
ARI (V.O.)
But the cactus didn’t change!
It only grew a little! Let's check in with them again at dinner time
MZ. MOLE (V.O.)
I would not have Mz. Mole say "that's true" becuase technically the cactus did hange we just can not perceive it.
That’s true. Let’s see what happens even later in the day, around dinner time.
Mz. Mole has finished her lunch and exits the scene. The sunlight through the window changes, indicating a change in time. It is now dinner time, and the light is almost dark. The cactus still has not changed size, but the bamboo has grown another 10 inches taller. Mz. Mole re-enters and sits down at the table for dinner. She eats a salad.
ELINOR (V.O.)
again a page flip to indicate passage of time - light source changed. a plate of salad sits on the table
Wow! The bamboo is even taller!
…this one that can grow…
MZ. MOLE (V.O.)
WOW that is very cool
Yes! The fastest growing plant in the world is a type of bamboo like this one and can grow 35 inches taller in a single day!
This would need visual support like he is standing next to something with tick marks and number clearly showing he is close to the 13 mark
ari (V.O.)
Agree with Sara's note
35 inches! That’s almost as tall as me!
It grows one Ari in just one day!
Mz. Mole (V.O.)
And it can do that in only one day.
Elinor
Again can we soften this statement since the cactus is continually growing but we can't see it.
But the cactus still hasn’t grown any.
It's growing, but so slowly it's hard to see. Some cactus take a year to grow one inch!
Mz. MOLE (V.O.)
That’s true. For some cactus, it may take an entire year to grow just one inch.
Ari (V.O.)
That’s really slow!
3. Ext. School Garden - DAY
BACK AT: The school garden. Mz. Mole closes the book.
ARI
If I could be a plant, I’d want to be bamboo. Then I’d be a giant in no time!
They all laugh. Something on the ground catches Elinor’s eye. A tiny green sprout is peeking out of the dirt.
ELINOR
Look Mz. Mole! The garden is growing!
MZ. MOLE
Ooh
! I wonder how big it will get. There’s only one way to find out!
The three of them lay down on the ground around the tiny sprout and watch it closely.
Ari
If this is going to take a while, I’m going to need a snack.
Everyone
<SFX:
LAUGHS>.
THE END.
ELINOR WONDERS WHY
EWW116
INTERSTITIAL:
MZ
. MOLE STORY TIME: grow like the wind
Written by
Robert
Sams
Follows 141 "
Zig
Zag Plant"
Curriculum: Different plants grow at different speeds. The kids learn that the fastest growing plant (a type of bamboo) can grow up to 35 inches per day, while the world's slowest growing plants (like the saguaro cactus) may grow less than an inch per year.
Learning Goals:
LS8:
There are many different kinds of living things and they may be similar or different
First Draft:
03-Sept-19
Ms. mole
Elinor
ARI
Hazel
MZ. MOLE
Elinore
(V.O.)
(O.S.)
(O.C.)
(CONT'D)
(SUBTITLE)
INT
EXT
I/E
1
EXT. POND
DAY
NIGHT
AFTERNOON
MORNING
EVENING
LATER
MOMENTS LATER
CONTINUOUS
THE NEXT DAY
MAGIC HOUR
DAWN
DUSK
SAME
SAME TIME
CUT TO:
FADE IN:
FADE OUT.
FADE TO:
DISSOLVE TO:
BACK TO:
MATCH CUT TO:
JUMP CUT TO:
FADE TO BLACK.
SMASH CUT TO:
CUT TO BLACK.
TIME CUT:
Order
Title
Location
CHARACTER
CHARACTER'S ARC