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Writer's picturePeter K F Cheung SBS

Mind Games

  1. FADE IN


  2. Act 1


  3. INT. STUDIO - 16:30


  4. Holding a Hofner Violin Bass, PETER practises different bass lines.


  5. PETER (V.O.): I believe I've got the six formulas on blues.


  6. Peter then checks his phone and reads a Quora answer request: What do you think about the mind game?


  7. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It sucks.

  8. Browsing his avatar stickers on screen, Peter selects the one with the letters "SUS" and replies.


  9. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I hate the exploitative element.


  10. Peter then reads another Quora answer request.


  11. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): How to make your team more effective, have sound decisions and take ownership of responsibilities?


  12. Pausing.


  13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A common leadership and management issue that doesn't bother me anymore.


  14. Act 2


  15. FLASHBACK


  16. EXT. PARKING BAY - DAY (Earlier)

  17. Waiting inside a New Beetle, Peter is watching a TEDEd video clip with the caption: How playing an instrument benefits your brain.


  18. PETER (V.O.): I love the animated art.


  19. We hear: Do you know that every time musicians pick up their instruments, there're fireworks going off all over their brains?...


  20. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Playing an instrument is equivalent to a full-body workout?...Making music sets the brain alight?


  21. We hear: Playing a musical instrument engages practically every area of the brain at once...


  22. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Disciplined, structured practice in playing music strengthen brain functions?


  23. We hear: ...Allowing messages to get across the brain faster...

  24. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Solving problems more effectively and creatively?... Musicians often have higher level of executive functions...?


  25. Finishing watching, Peter looks enlightened.


  26. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's the best game for my mind!


  27. RETURN TO PRESENT


  28. Peter refocuses on the phone screen.


  29. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): But the mind game here refers to a course of psychologically manipulative behaviour intended to gain advantage over others.


  30. Pausing.


  31. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Office politics in the sense of struggle for prestige is one type of mind games.


  32. Recalling.


  33. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But when the players consciously fake them as strong management, I know how embarrassing and frustrating it can be.


  34. Pausing.


  35. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It may also be that players of mind games aren't fully aware of what they're doing eg being mean for no reason.

  36. Pausing.


  37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And they may have got addicted to mind games.


  38. Pausing.


  39. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But victims may start playing back via passive-aggressive behaviour such as inaction, and play better - the problem the other Quoran is facing.


  40. Pausing.


  41. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Even if the players win the games, they'll lose their relationships...though they may not care.


  42. Pausing.


  43. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But in worst cases, there may be fatal or legal consequences. I'm not kidding.


  44. MONTAGE OF PETER'S RECOLLECTION


  45. A. Funeral parlour, 1998. Peter attends the funeral services of a young man.


  46. B. Lecture theatre, 2018. Citing court cases, Peter tells the audience the stories about the litigants' transactions.


  47. END MONTAGE

  48. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): However, mind games have already been so predominant and deep-rooted here and there.


  49. Sighing.


  50. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Mind games people play are part of the economic, social and cultural life worldwide.


  51. Act 3


  52. INT. STUDIO - CONTINUOUS


  53. Peter touches his white hair.


  54. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Gaining wisdom, I strive to desist from playing or reacting to mind games.


  55. Pausing.


  56. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I know well I shouldn't waste my life on mind games.


  57. Thinking.


  58. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Even if life is but a mind game, the game I've been playing with my mind is to make it more creative.


  59. Taking the piano seat, Peter plays the Beatle's song "Let It Be".


  60. ' THE END


  61. FADE OUT








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