FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 06:45
PETER wakes up.
PETER (V.O): I'm attending the morning celebration reception on the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.
Soon, the phone alarm rings.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I always wake up ahead of time.
INT. HKCEE - 08:00
A large hall. Well-dressed GUESTS including Peter gather to mark the occasion.
PETER (V.O): I just hope that I'd meet up with Ricky again.
Scanning the large hall, Peter recalls.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Last year, we bumped into each other on the right side.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. HKCEE - 08:30 (July 1, 2023)
As he gets some dim sum from a counter, Peter sees RICKY.
PETER: Hi Ricky, great to see you here!
While having their dim sum, they chat.
PETER (Cont'd): When you composed the music of 陌上歸人, were you at the countryside?
RICKY: No. I was feeling bored at Prince Edward Rd, but got the melody...
PETER: That's very interesting!
END FLASHBACK
Having observed the ceremony, Peter grabs a cup of orange juice and then proceeds to the food counter. There, Ricky sees him.
RICKY: Hi Peter!
PETER: Hi Ricky, lets queue up together.
PETER (Cont'd): Just two days ago, I performed my song written for the Hong Kong Institute of Legal Translation.
Tapping YouTube on his mobile, Peter finds the song and let Ricky hear it.
PETER (Cont'd): Initially, I tried to write the song with a piano. And then I found it wasn't right as I'd perform it with my guitar.
Peter feels the calluses in his hands.
PETER (Cont'd): What musical instrument do you use to write your music?
RICKY: I don't use any instruments at all. I can create the melodies in my mind.
Peter looks perplexed.
RICKY: I can reproduce the notes and visualize the harmonic structures.
PETER: Oh, I can't do that...That's why I find composing the chorus of my new song with specific reference to the name of the Institute so challenging.
RICKY: Having such a relative pitch is essential for composers to develop a fluid and intuitive approach to music creation.
Later, as they're having dim sum by a round reception table, Dr LAM appears.
DR LAM: Ricky, has the quality of our pop music gone down?
PETER: I don't like the meaningless lyrics.
RICKY: Their commercial success is driven more by their personal charisma, image, and public persona, rather than the intrinsic quality of their songs.
Both Dr Lam and Peter look bewildered. After taking photos together, Dr Lam exits.
PETER: Ricky, did you plan a certain artist to sing a certain song so as to achieve success?
RICKY: No. It's all fate.
PETER: Fate? He/she happens to be the right person at the right place at the right time?
Ricky nods.
PETER (V.O.): While I love friends that fate brings them to me, do I have to accept things to which fate binds me?
INT. STUDY - 15:00
Practising foreign languages with Duolingo on his mobile, Peter sees an incoming message.
PETER (V.O): Oh, Professor Lee is inviting me to be a moderator on AI and Copyright.
Peter checks his diary.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Although I'm not that interested in talking the talk these days, the topic is worth talking about.
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 22:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "Melodies, Memories & Moderation..."to a draft.
PETER (V.O): Ricky and I share the same passion to create music and to perform well. Ricky performed with me on stage twice.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): While we've collaborated on copyright policy issues, I am curious about the Hong Kong's hit song scene from the 1960s to the present.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): As to my moderating role, I should be able to guide the discussion in a thoughtful and engaging manner, drawing on my years of experience.
FADE OUT
THE END
