FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 23:30 (YESTERDAY)
Working on a laptop, PETER stops to listen to Lee Marvin's version of "Wand'rin' Star".
PETER (V.O.): The US actor sang in a bass voice. The simple song "Wand'rin' Star" topped the chart in 1970.
When Peter is about to type again, he stops. We hear Asian instrumental music.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, it's 三年 (Three Years). One of the few songs I liked to hear when I was a kid.
Listening.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's a pleasant surprise to hear it from Radio 3 of RTHK which is mainly broadcast in English.
Listening.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A creative choice of the DJ to reflect the Hong Kong style.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's quite a refreshing change from the past practice too.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. HALL - 10:00 (21 FEB 2023)
AUDIENCE sit in round tables. The CHAIR is speaking from the podium.
CHAIR: ...I'd like to introduce the Council Members ...
As the Chair names names, MEMBERS stand up in turns.
PETER (V.O.): Before retirement, I was used to that...
As Peter is named, he stands up and nods to the audience.
CHAIR: Peter is former Director of Intellectual Property...he writes music and lyrics - like an artist now.
Peter smiles.
PETER (V.O.): That's quite a compliment! I've been sharing my festive songs to colleagues.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In Oct 2022, I had a plan to write a trilingual song for HKUST.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Travelling to Hong Kong's outlying islands with an ukulele, I hoped to get inspirations.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But I didn't get any, as sights were too distractive.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In Nov, 2022, I re-prioritized and decided to write the Cantonese lyrics first.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Writing meaningful and rhymed Cantonese lyrics isn't easy even for native speakers.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Because there're nine tones in Cantonese.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The numbers "394052786", when pronounced in Cantonese as saam1, gau2, sei3, ling4, ng5, yi6, chat7, baat8, luk9, will give the nine tones in order.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A word not pronounced in the right tone may be mistaken as another word.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): From Nov-Dec 2022, I cooked up two Cantonese versions.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Making the end of 2022 as the ultimate deadline, I wrote the music, as well as the English and Mandarin lyrics.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The English lyrics are no more than "HKUST". And the Mandarin lyrics are just "Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah" - to make the song simple.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My value being that those who can't speak any Cantonese should be able to speak some if they sing my song.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I think I'm a very creative artist. But who would appreciate that?
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 20:30
Working on a laptop, Peter is listening to radio oldies.
PETER (V.O.): Although I haven't learned the composition rules like a pro, I've been breaking them like an artist.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I haven't mimicked my voice to sound like any famous artist, I just sing in my raw and natural voice.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To have something done creatively, a plan and not enough time would be sufficient.
FADE OUT
THE END
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