ACE NITETIME & JACK STATIC
THE BUTTON

PANEL 1
Visual:
Ace pulls a dusty tarp from an enormous dark metal machine in the garage.
Vacuum tubes and thick cables surround a large red button beneath a stamped
label reading DO NOT PRESS. Jack watches from the right.
Dialogue:
ACE: Jack, do you know what this does?

PANEL 2
Visual:
Jack calmly studies the machine. The red button and warning label fill the
left side of the panel.
Dialogue:
JACK: Nope.

PANEL 3
Visual:
Ace circles the machine, examining its cables, tubes, and dormant gauge for
an explanation.
Dialogue:
ACE: Then why is it here?

PANEL 4
Visual:
Ace and Jack stand together beside the button. An old May 2012 calendar hangs
on the wall behind them.
Dialogue:
JACK: Been wondering that for twelve years.

PANEL 5
Visual:
Ace and Jack silently face one another across the machine. The red button is
centered between them beneath DO NOT PRESS. A wall clock marks the pause.
Sound effect:
TICK

PANEL 6
Visual:
Ace and Jack simultaneously press the red button, each using one index finger.
Sound effect:
K-THUNK

PANEL 7
Visual:
A huge nighttime view of Lake Koshkonong and rural Wisconsin. A brilliant
red-gold beam erupts from the tiny lakeside garage, pierces the clouds, and
shoots into space. Its light reflects across the water and illuminates nearby
trees, barns, a silo, and a radio tower.
Dialogue from inside the garage:
ACE: What did we just do?
JACK: Well, we know what the button does now.