Introduction
Hello Steemit.
I'm Doug Scribner, CEO and founder of the first BTC for streaming video service WatchMyBit. But I'm not going to post about my startup....but rather a comedy sketch I wrote that has an entire screenplay I'm working on behind it. It's called The Apology (and a very few of you have read the first drafts); it's a romantic comedy, which I never in a million years thought I'd write -- and it supports Bitcoin and crypto in general (while still using btc for it's semi-anonymous function.... so is it Bitcoin positive? hmmmm...). This first scene I'm going to share could be produced as a stand alone sketch comedy bit AND it can be part of the greater screenplay. I have about 3 of these 'stand alone' sketches I will release here and depending how it does, I'll start releasing some of the screenplay too. (BTW, we at WatchMyBit do have partners who are writers/directors/producers and this very well could be produced--and the feed back I've got has been that this is high quality!)
I'm going to give full credit where credit is due this first bit is based on this BRILLIANT comic strip: 
Because WMB allows splitting I WILL cut in the author if this sketch ever gets made.
As a teaser, the title of the next 'Side Story' is called "Marks Backend". And there is another one I wrote with Naomi Brockwell in mind...in fact, the character's name is Naomi Brockwell (the name is imporant for the comedy). If you want to see more you know how to let me know. :-)
So, here ya go! A Side Story from The Apology called "The Robbery" (OH, it's rated R so, you know -- swearing).
EXT. MARK WALKING DOWN SIDEWALK AFTER BEING DUMPED
Mark is devastated and drunk after Nicole broke up with him
He stumbles a bit, but can make it home fine. He is walking to a light rail station and being followed by two shady characters. Before he makes it to the light of the station he is assaulted and pushed into an alley by two thugs. One holds a gun on him as he sits up.
ROBBER 1 [with gun]
Throw your wallet to my friend or I’m gonna shoot you!!
MARK
Okay!! Okay!!
ROBBER 2
(after emptying the wallet contents and rifling through it. He holds up Marks driver license. He kicks mark in the gut).
Okay Markie Mark, why is your wallet empty? We watched you come out of that swank ass restaurant. How’d you pay for dinner without any cash or credit cards?! HUH?! Where you hiding you money bitch!?
MARK
They take Bitcoin, I paid with bitcoins! Don’t shoot!
ROBBER 1
What the fuck is a bitcoin?!
MARK
Uh….it’s a digitally signed token that only exists on the internet. It’s like cash for computers.
ROBBER 2
Now we talkin! hand over all your BITCH-coins Bitch!
MARK
Ummmm I can’t. They don’t exist in physical form.
ROBBER 2
(roughly frisks mark)
You got any money on you I’ll find it!.
(Robber 2 finds Mark’s smart phone and nothing else)
ROBBER 1
What the fuck mother-fucker?! This some kind of stupid trick?! Now you making me MAD. Do you want me to be MAD?!
MARK
No! No, don’t be mad! Please! Take the phone!! Please don’t hurt me!
ROBBER 2
Oh, we takin’ the phone. Now where you hiding that digital cash!
ROBBER 1
Yeah. How’d you pay for dinner?
MARK
Like I said, the money is virtual, it exists on a shared ledger. I scanned a QR code with my phone and pushed them the money . . .it’s really amazing actually. You see credit cards pull money fr . . .
ROBBER 1
I ain’t got no time for this crap. How many bitcoins you got on this phone?!
MARK
Well they’re really not stored ‘on’ the phone, but I can access them. . .
ROBBER 1
How many fucking bitcoins you got on here?!!
ROBBER 2
Or is it how many bitcoins do you have access to from the phone?
MARK
Yeah he’s getting it.
ROBBER 1
Tyrone shut the fuck up.
(to Mark, pointing the gun to his head)
How many bitcoins do you. . . control from this phone?
MARK
AHHHHhh…. Don’t shoot, I’ve got about $200 on my Airbitz wallet.
ROBBER 1
So if we take your phone we get that $200?
ROBBER 2
Nah, bro, these guys can just wipe the phone clean remotely as soon as he can. Plus we’d have to know all his passwords.
MARK
Plus it’s protected with 2 factor authentication.
ROBBER 1
Yeah, but if he wiped it, then he’d be out his $200 bucks too, right?
MARK
No, I made a backup, so I can get them all back on a new phone.
ROBBER 1
(Lowering the gun in frustration)
What the fuck is all this shit?
ROBBER 2
No, I think I get it
ROBBER 1
Dammit Tyrone! Shut up. Don’t pretend you know what he’s talking about.
ROBBER 2
Don’t be pissed because I’m smarter than you.
MARK
Guys, it’s really not that hard.
ROBBER 2
Yeah, but is it safe?
(ROBBER 1 and MARK both glare at ROBBER 2)
INT. LATER. BACK AT THE RESTAURANT
Mark, and the two robbers, Tyrone, and Reese, are sitting at a table in the nice restaurant, they all have their smart phones out and enjoying beers and appetizers.
REESE
So this number is my Bitcoin account number?
MARK
Sort of, it’s an address. It’s like an account number that changes every time you use it.
TYRONE
Like if a credit card number changed every time you swiped it? That’s like super secure.
MARK
Right?
REESE
Here let me send some bitcoin back to Mark
(they hold phones up to each other)
MARK
Got it
REESE
Damn that is slick!
MARK
I know! And you could have just as easily sent a million dollars to China that fast and securely.
REESE
So I could send money back to my uncle in Vietnam
MARK
Yeah, basically for free.
WAITER
Here’s the bill fellas.
(brings tablet with BitPay QR code)
MARK
Great, here check this out.
TYRONE
Nah I got this bro.
(Tyrone scans the QR code and pays)
(they all laugh)
Welcome To Steemit.. I visited and signed up for your website and am going to test how successful my post will be. Here's the link to my profile @MrWang and the first uploaded video as well.. Spiders In My Mailbox
This is probably the greatest steemit post i've ever read.
Wow, thanks. I'll be posting another scene/sketch from the screenplay.
An amusing little piece. I was a playwright/artist in residence for about two decades. The right actors could make this work, but the dialogue feels about like a bank commercial. If you brought in more personal stuff, like maybe a photo in the wallet, or had some outside stress, like a siren, or headlights. It's too focused on the bitcoin to be really believable. Otherwise, it's a solid premise. That's just my opinion though. Good luck on your script, it's a fun business. Have you done any screenwriting, acting or producing before this?
Your idea of having a picture of the main character's girlfriend (Nicole) in his wallet is brilliant! I will for sure be adding that. I have done video for fun and professionally for about 20 years; though not a lot in the last 7 years apart from promo vidoes and how to videos for WatchMyBit.com. This is my first screen play, though I have often producec/directed/wrote and starred in my own attempts at comedy... this is probably my best one
Glad you liked the photo idea, keep it up man!
Absolutely hilarious, I got myself into a coughing fit from laughing so hard! I strongly suspect this would receive only a puzzled head-scratching from your average Joe on the street, though. When my wife starts asking me of her own free will how to get a Bitcoin wallet, that's when I'll know it's achieved mainstream adoption.
Thank you so much! more to come. And, yes, I want this screenplay and sketches to help others understand btc.... I think the movie Dope has done a lot to introduce the under 25 crowd to BTC...I know this because I ask young people if they have heard of Bitcoin. If they say yes, I ask 'did you see Dope?', the answer is almost always yes (especially amount the 'less technical' young people who consume a lot of pop culture--this is why movies and videos are important...hence our platform www.watchmybit.com)
Heh, I've been into cryptocurrencies for more than a year but haven't heard of the movie Dope. Now you've got me curious; will have to look it up.