The Ten-Second Machine
A wrong pickup saddles a bike courier with a device that shows glimpses of the near future. He thinks it's a prank, until he watches a disaster unfold exactly as predicted.
# The Ten-Second Machine
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
A cynical bike courier accidentally intercepts a mysterious device that shows him the next ten seconds of the future, forcing him to use its terrifying power to survive a relentless pursuit by its ruthless owners.
## Themes
* **Fate vs. Free Will:** Does seeing the future empower one to change it, or merely confirm an unalterable, terrifying path?
* **The Burden of Knowledge:** The immense psychological weight and danger that comes with knowing what is about to happen, transforming a potential advantage into a source of paranoia.
* **Curiosity vs. Obedience:** The primal human impulse to disobey and investigate the unknown, even when explicitly warned against it, leading to life-altering consequences.
## Stakes
Benji's life is at stake as he is hunted for a powerful piece of predictive technology that he is now forced to rely on for his own survival.
## Synopsis
On a rain-slicked night, bike courier BENJI realizes he's picked up the wrong package. His angry handler, via earpiece, confirms the error and orders him to abort the mission and return the small, humming metal box immediately with a stark warning: "Do not open it."
Annoyed but intrigued, Benji pulls into an alley. He discovers the box has no seams, only a single, recessed button. Giving in to his curiosity, he presses it. The box's surface transforms into a screen, showing him his exact point of view for ten seconds: a red bus, a woman with a yellow umbrella, and a blue van running a red light.
Moments later, the exact sequence of events plays out in front of him in real-time, culminating in a violent crash. Stunned by the device's impossible power, Benji flees the scene on his bike, realizing he's in possession of something incredibly dangerous.
As he races through the city, he uses the device again. It shows him a black saloon car swerving to block his path. He looks up to see the car pulling out ahead of him. The doors open and two menacing men in suits emerge, clearly there for him. He narrowly escapes their ambush by jumping the curb and weaving through pedestrians.
Hiding and desperate, he activates the device one last time. The screen shows a shaky, first-person view of his own imminent capture: heavy footsteps approaching, his bike on the ground, and the smiling face of one of his pursuers as a hand grabs his jacket. The vision ends, but the sound of footsteps continues, now echoing in the real alley around him.
## Character Breakdown
* **BENJI (20s):** Street-smart, cynical, and restless. A gig-economy courier who lives in the moment, bends the rules to get by, and is driven by a deep-seated curiosity that often overrides his better judgment. He is resourceful and quick on his feet, but fundamentally an ordinary person caught in an extraordinary situation.
* **Psychological Arc:** Benji begins as a detached and slightly reckless courier, viewing his job as a transactional game. Upon discovering the device, his cynicism is shattered by impossible reality. He transforms from a passive observer into a hunted, active participant in his own survival, forced to grapple with the terrifying responsibility and paranoia that comes with his newfound power. His initial curiosity morphs into a desperate, life-or-death dependency.
* **THE HANDLER (Voice only):** Clipped, professional, and severe. His voice conveys extreme urgency and underlying fear, hinting at the high-stakes world and powerful organization Benji has stumbled into.
* **THE SUITED MEN (30s-40s):** Anonymous, efficient, and menacing. They move with a calm, predatory purpose. They are not thugs, but disciplined agents, representing the unseen organization that wants its property back at any cost.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE WRONG PACKAGE:** On a wet street, BENJI argues with his HANDLER over an incorrect manifest code for the humming box in his bag.
2. **THE WARNING:** The Handler orders an immediate abort with a final, chilling command: "Do not open it." The line goes dead.
3. **CURIOSITY'S PRICE:** Benji pulls over. He examines the seamless black box, finds a hidden button, and presses it.
4. **THE PREMONITION:** A screen on the box displays his point of view for ten seconds, showing a seemingly random street scene that ends with a blue van running a red light.
5. **DÉJÀ VU:** The vision plays out in reality, culminating in a horrific crash. The device shows the future. Benji's world is turned upside down.
6. **THE FLIGHT:** Panic sets in. Benji flees the scene as sirens approach, the weight of the box now a terrifying burden.
7. **THE SECOND SIGHT:** While fleeing, he activates the box again. It shows a black car ambushing him. He looks up and sees the car ahead.
8. **THE AMBUSH:** The car blocks his path and two SUITED MEN get out. They know who he is. Benji wrenches his bike onto the pavement and escapes.
9. **THE FINAL VISION:** Hiding in an alley, he uses the device a final time. It shows his own capture from his point of view—the smiling face of his pursuer filling the screen. The sound of footsteps from the vision merges with reality as his hunters close in.
## Visual Style & Tone
* **Style:** A gritty, grounded, neo-noir aesthetic. The city is a labyrinth of wet asphalt, neon reflections, and dark, oppressive alleys. The camerawork is kinetic and often handheld during the chase sequences to immerse the audience in Benji's adrenaline and panic. Extreme close-ups on Benji's face and the sleek, featureless box will emphasize his growing paranoia and the device's alien nature.
* **Tone:** Tense, paranoid, and propulsive. The tone aligns with the high-concept, character-driven suspense of a *Black Mirror* episode or the grounded sci-fi realism of films like *Source Code* and *Fahrenheit 451*. The narrative builds a constant, escalating dread, where a technological miracle is revealed to be a terrifying curse with no escape.
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
A cynical bike courier accidentally intercepts a mysterious device that shows him the next ten seconds of the future, forcing him to use its terrifying power to survive a relentless pursuit by its ruthless owners.
## Themes
* **Fate vs. Free Will:** Does seeing the future empower one to change it, or merely confirm an unalterable, terrifying path?
* **The Burden of Knowledge:** The immense psychological weight and danger that comes with knowing what is about to happen, transforming a potential advantage into a source of paranoia.
* **Curiosity vs. Obedience:** The primal human impulse to disobey and investigate the unknown, even when explicitly warned against it, leading to life-altering consequences.
## Stakes
Benji's life is at stake as he is hunted for a powerful piece of predictive technology that he is now forced to rely on for his own survival.
## Synopsis
On a rain-slicked night, bike courier BENJI realizes he's picked up the wrong package. His angry handler, via earpiece, confirms the error and orders him to abort the mission and return the small, humming metal box immediately with a stark warning: "Do not open it."
Annoyed but intrigued, Benji pulls into an alley. He discovers the box has no seams, only a single, recessed button. Giving in to his curiosity, he presses it. The box's surface transforms into a screen, showing him his exact point of view for ten seconds: a red bus, a woman with a yellow umbrella, and a blue van running a red light.
Moments later, the exact sequence of events plays out in front of him in real-time, culminating in a violent crash. Stunned by the device's impossible power, Benji flees the scene on his bike, realizing he's in possession of something incredibly dangerous.
As he races through the city, he uses the device again. It shows him a black saloon car swerving to block his path. He looks up to see the car pulling out ahead of him. The doors open and two menacing men in suits emerge, clearly there for him. He narrowly escapes their ambush by jumping the curb and weaving through pedestrians.
Hiding and desperate, he activates the device one last time. The screen shows a shaky, first-person view of his own imminent capture: heavy footsteps approaching, his bike on the ground, and the smiling face of one of his pursuers as a hand grabs his jacket. The vision ends, but the sound of footsteps continues, now echoing in the real alley around him.
## Character Breakdown
* **BENJI (20s):** Street-smart, cynical, and restless. A gig-economy courier who lives in the moment, bends the rules to get by, and is driven by a deep-seated curiosity that often overrides his better judgment. He is resourceful and quick on his feet, but fundamentally an ordinary person caught in an extraordinary situation.
* **Psychological Arc:** Benji begins as a detached and slightly reckless courier, viewing his job as a transactional game. Upon discovering the device, his cynicism is shattered by impossible reality. He transforms from a passive observer into a hunted, active participant in his own survival, forced to grapple with the terrifying responsibility and paranoia that comes with his newfound power. His initial curiosity morphs into a desperate, life-or-death dependency.
* **THE HANDLER (Voice only):** Clipped, professional, and severe. His voice conveys extreme urgency and underlying fear, hinting at the high-stakes world and powerful organization Benji has stumbled into.
* **THE SUITED MEN (30s-40s):** Anonymous, efficient, and menacing. They move with a calm, predatory purpose. They are not thugs, but disciplined agents, representing the unseen organization that wants its property back at any cost.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE WRONG PACKAGE:** On a wet street, BENJI argues with his HANDLER over an incorrect manifest code for the humming box in his bag.
2. **THE WARNING:** The Handler orders an immediate abort with a final, chilling command: "Do not open it." The line goes dead.
3. **CURIOSITY'S PRICE:** Benji pulls over. He examines the seamless black box, finds a hidden button, and presses it.
4. **THE PREMONITION:** A screen on the box displays his point of view for ten seconds, showing a seemingly random street scene that ends with a blue van running a red light.
5. **DÉJÀ VU:** The vision plays out in reality, culminating in a horrific crash. The device shows the future. Benji's world is turned upside down.
6. **THE FLIGHT:** Panic sets in. Benji flees the scene as sirens approach, the weight of the box now a terrifying burden.
7. **THE SECOND SIGHT:** While fleeing, he activates the box again. It shows a black car ambushing him. He looks up and sees the car ahead.
8. **THE AMBUSH:** The car blocks his path and two SUITED MEN get out. They know who he is. Benji wrenches his bike onto the pavement and escapes.
9. **THE FINAL VISION:** Hiding in an alley, he uses the device a final time. It shows his own capture from his point of view—the smiling face of his pursuer filling the screen. The sound of footsteps from the vision merges with reality as his hunters close in.
## Visual Style & Tone
* **Style:** A gritty, grounded, neo-noir aesthetic. The city is a labyrinth of wet asphalt, neon reflections, and dark, oppressive alleys. The camerawork is kinetic and often handheld during the chase sequences to immerse the audience in Benji's adrenaline and panic. Extreme close-ups on Benji's face and the sleek, featureless box will emphasize his growing paranoia and the device's alien nature.
* **Tone:** Tense, paranoid, and propulsive. The tone aligns with the high-concept, character-driven suspense of a *Black Mirror* episode or the grounded sci-fi realism of films like *Source Code* and *Fahrenheit 451*. The narrative builds a constant, escalating dread, where a technological miracle is revealed to be a terrifying curse with no escape.