Rough, Rough Beat script of sorts

I tried to write this up based on what most people seemed to be agreeing on in the meetings. It's really skeletal, though, because I was kind of hazy on what people wanted to do in some parts, especially once the Ox gets to Earth, like how he greets the people, or how we'll word the narrator's lines in those parts. Hopefully this should give us a little more solid footing to work on, at least.

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*Open with a pan across an illustrative tapestry-style watercolour painting of miserable, desolate-looking people tending to barren fields.*

Narrator: Long ago, there was a dark age for humanity. The earth was barren and mankind had nothing to eat. They suffered through staggering exhaustion every day, and with this bleak existence many began turning their backs on their Gods.

*Stop pan, tapestry fades to Sepia, camera pulls out to reveal a newspaper with headline news “WORSHIP LEVELS AT ALL TIME LOW”*

It brought the Celestial Emperor great sorrow to see his subjects so downtrodden.

*Emperor throwing a fit, yelling at newspaper, pulling moustache, ect, angry at his low standing in the polls*

And so concerned was the Emperor that he decided upon a very special gift to help the people.

*Idea dawns on the Emperor*

But first, a messenger was needed to carry the news down to the earth. After careful consideration the Emperor selected the most capable and dependable of his heavenly court, the Celestial Ox.

*Emperor points off into crowd of Zodiac animals, all of which look shocked and dash out of the way. Only the Ox remains, balancing a butterfly on his nose with his back to the Emperor, completely oblivious to the situation.*

The Emperor explained to the Ox that he was to tell the people that they would be granted enough food to eat a grand meal every third day.

*Emperor speaking to the Ox, Ox watching the butterfly flutter around the Emperor’s head, obviously not listening*

Again, he carefully detailed the message, because it was of the utmost importance that it be delivered correctly.

*Emperor angrily grabs the Ox and pulls him close, Ox’s eyes soon wander off again*

The UTMOST importance.

*Emperor turns the Ox’s head to face him, looking disenchanted with the matter*

Confident that his message had been left in capable hands, the Emperor bid farewell to his most trusted disciple.

*Emperor motions as though he is asking if the Ox understands. Ox is staring off into space until the Emperor finishes, notices that he has stopped talking, and nods vigorously, grinning. Emperor looks satisfied and boots the ox out of the palace. Ox has an awkward running start bounding down the stairway to Earth. eventually fixes his pace, and starts prancing down, taking his time hopping from cloud to cloud, chasing his tail, jumping through bands of stardust, ect.

Ox eventually lands on Earth, in the middle of a dry, barren field with starving villagers around him. Villagers scatter in fear.*

The Celestial Ox was unlike anything the simple villagers of Earth had ever seen, though with the promise of great blessings from the Lord, he managed to gather all of the people to hear his heavenly proclamation.

*People slink out of hiding, gather around the Ox. The moon turns around in the sky to reveal the face of the Emperor watching him deliver the message*

However, now that the moment of truth had arrived, the Ox found that the message had grown hazy in his memory.

*Ox moves to speak, looks lost in thought*

Not wanting to disappoint his Emperor, the Ox did his best to remember the proclamation he had been sent to relay.

*Serious look crosses the Ox’s face and he moves to speak again*

“The Celestial Emperor has sent me with an important message!” The Ox told the people.

*Emperor-Moon looks on approvingly*

“The Emperor promises to give you food!” He declared.

*sprouts pop out of the ground, colours become a bit more lush*

“Food three...”

*more sprouts pop up, Emperor-Moon looks worried*

“Three...”

*Even more sprouts pop up, Emperor-Moon continues to frown*

“Three times a day!”

*Sprouts erupt all over the ground. The people cheer and carry the Ox around on their shoulders. Emperor-Moon is outraged*

The Ox and the villagers of Earth had a great feast in celebration, and eventually the time came for the Celestial Ox to return to the heavens.

*fat and happy Ox waving goodbye to the villagers as he begins to ascend the staircase*

The Ox’s journey home was long, and it soon became apparent back on Earth that the Emperor simply did not have the power to make enough food for all the people three times a day.

*Alternate between Ox happily prancing back to the heavens and the villagers with a dwindling supply of food.*

But by the time the Ox returned from his mission, the Emperor had devised a new way for the Ox to help him keep his new villager friends fed.

*Ox happily nearing the top of the stairs. Angry looking Emperor hits a button that turn stairs into a ramp and send Ox sliding back down to Earth. Ox lands with a thud and sees a hoard of hungry looking villagers crowding around him.

Fade to black with Ox looking very nervous.

Reopen with Ox in a field, hooked up to a plough, while villagers relax and eat in the background. Ox is looking miserable, but soon perks up and forgets that he was ever sad as a butterfly flutters past.*

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So that's what I've done up so far. Some parts could really use fleshing out, but I decided to keep it simple until everyone else had a chance to put in their input and rework parts that didn't sit well with them.