SCENE 6

INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE

MICKEY'S office has not been seen before. It's a private office, but the decor is cheap and the shelf on the wall is a mix of kitschy movie toys and shiny, empty boxes for expensive software.

EXEC

Needless to say, we're pulling the plug on your online video initiative.

MICKEY

What about the department?

EXEC

We're signing a deal with one of the video-on-demand cable systems on a trial basis. They're in a market that has had a very high uptake on digital cable and we're going to market it through Sid's group. Most of your group will be reassigned to the web division.

MICKEY

(glowering, near tears)

This is total BS. We know why we can't get the numbers; the reason the piracy is happening is that vid cards allow a TV out feature. Kids are piping the signal back into their computer and pirating it.

We found 18 out of the 20 newest titles up on the file-sharing networks within 24 hours of release.

EXEC

(in a formal tone of voice)

It really doesn't matter at this point, and I don't agree with your perception of the issues.

MICKEY

(ignoring Exec and continuing his rant)

We've found out how to disable this, but there's an unfortunate sideeffect that people cannot watch the movies on their TV screens, only their computer screens.

Exec gets extremely impatient and makes a motion of a talking puppet with his hand. Mickey is in strong denial of reality and Exec is tired of the conversation, but he has to "hear Mickey out" as a formality for some human resources dispute avoidance provisions before he can reassign him.

EXEC

(losing it)

Mick, I'm sick of this! You've spent enough of our department's money on this experiment. You got to play with your toys; party's over.

We're also reassigning you to the web properties division under Carole. You can work with the web team on all the TV properties and a few of the boilerplate movie sites.

Maybe rubbing elbows with marketing for a while will teach you how to build a subscriber base.

CUT TO: JOE AND JACK AT A BAR

Bar is trendy blue and lit with strong solid-colored blue walls. Frosted glass abounds in a room lit by seemingly hundreds of tiny wire-hung track lights.

JOE

You're saying they've pulled the video-on-demand section? Completely?

JACK

Yeah, they cancelled it because of low subscriber numbers. I guess they only had like 2,000 subscribers and they needed 100,000 to be profitable.

JOE

But it's so hard to access! How would they ever get that many subscribers? I mean, I always had to call you just to figure out how to get the things. If I didn't know a computer guy, I wouldn't be able to use the thing.

JACK

Yeah, they did make it kind of inconvenient. But it was cool to watch what you wanted when you wanted it. They said the system also had a lot of piracy. But it's not like I uploaded them to Kazaa or anything. I mean, I used to tape "Friends" for you; in my opinion, it's the same thing. If I pay for something, I should be able to do what I want with it, within reason.

JOE

I don't see why not. You paid to see the movies.

JACK

Yeah. Whatever. Oh well, someday they'll figure that stuff out. I'm just tired of cool stuff going away.

JOE

I know what you mean. Napster was so good. I found stuff on there I've never found again. Old stuff, obscure stuff. I can't find any of that on those other programs you sent me and you know I won't touch them any more.

JACK

I still can't believe your virus came from that app I sent you. I use them all the time and I've never had any trouble.

SCENE 7

EXT. RESTAURANT PATIO

Mexican restaurant near the beach has a large, external fountain bubbling water and a large number of waiters standing around waiting for the lunch hour to start. Joe and Jack are there early for brunch and both wearing sunglasses because of the very bright sun.

JOE

So then I told her we have to save up some more before I'm going to invest that much money in an entirely new system.

JACK

Makes sense.

JOE

Oh I've been meaning to ask you; have you tried NetFlix?

JACK

No, but I know somebody who has and they swear by it. (pause) Do you have a recent model TiVo?

JOE

Yeah, we just bought a new one for the bedroom. It says you can network them now or something, but I can't figure out how. I keep recording shows in the living room and wanting to finish watching them in the bedroom...

JACK

I totally know how to solve that!

JOE

Really? how?

JACK

I went to this website and found out how you can copy the files directly onto a computer with no generation loss, and burn them to DVD...

FADE TO BLACK and ROLL CREDITS