The Macaw Repeats the Sum
Arthur's job is simple: bleach, mop, and ensure silence. But the silence is being broken by a parrot who can perfectly imitate the last words of his target, and the cops are five minutes away.
# The Macaw Repeats the Sum
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
A meticulous mob cleaner's routine job spirals into a farcical nightmare when he discovers the only witness to the crime is a parrot that has memorized every incriminating detail.
## Themes
* **Order vs. Chaos:** The conflict between a man who imposes absolute order on his world and an unpredictable, chaotic force of nature that unravels his control.
* **The Unforeseen Complication:** An exploration of how the most carefully constructed plans can be completely derailed by a single, absurd, and overlooked detail.
* **The Nature of a Witness:** A dark-comedy examination of what constitutes a "witness" and the moral and practical lines that blur when the witness isn't human.
* **Professionalism Under Pressure:** The story tests the limits of professional detachment, showing how even the most composed expert can crumble when faced with a problem far outside their expertise.
## Stakes
Arthur's life and career are on the line; failure to silence the parrot means facing the lethal wrath of his ruthless employer for leaving a "loose end" and certain imprisonment by the authorities.
## Synopsis
ARTHUR, a professional "cleaner" for the mob, operates with the detached precision of a surgeon. He arrives at a convenience store to sanitize a crime scene, methodically erasing all traces of a violent encounter. His world is one of chemical formulas, efficient movements, and absolute control.
This control is shattered by a voice squawking from the front of the store. Arthur discovers the source is not a person, but a large African Grey parrot perched by the register. Initially relieved, his calm evaporates when the bird perfectly mimics the gravelly voice of a known mob enforcer, followed by the chilling sounds of the murder itself. Arthur realizes the parrot is a feathered audio recorder, a living witness that has absorbed every incriminating sound.
His simple instructions—"no witnesses"—suddenly become a complex and absurd problem. His attempts to capture the bird descend into a farcical chase through the store aisles. The parrot, far quicker and cleverer than he anticipates, easily evades his lunges and swipes with a broom, all while mimicking the shop's door chime and the laughter of the deceased victim.
The situation escalates when Arthur receives a text: a police patrol car is minutes away. Panic sets in as he juggles his cleaning duties with the impossible task of capturing his feathered adversary. In a final, desperate act, with police sirens growing louder outside, Arthur pleads with the bird for silence. The parrot responds by reciting the one piece of evidence that will ruin everyone: the number to a secret Swiss bank account. Trapped between the approaching law and a chattering witness, Arthur's meticulously ordered world collapses completely.
## Character Breakdown
* **ARTHUR (40s-50s):** Impeccably dressed, quiet, and methodical. Arthur is the epitome of professionalism. He is not a killer, but a specialist who restores order from the chaos of violence. He takes pride in his work and his ability to remain detached and in control. He is a problem-solver, but his problems have always been inanimate.
* **Psychological Arc:**
* **State at Start:** Detached, confident, and in complete control. He views the crime scene as a complex puzzle to be solved with clinical efficiency, his emotions entirely suppressed.
* **State at End:** Panicked, desperate, and utterly defeated. His professional veneer has been shattered by the absurd chaos of the situation, replaced by the raw, primal fear of failure and exposure.
* **THE PARROT ("POLLY"):** An African Grey parrot. It is not malicious, but an intelligent, observant creature of mimicry. It has absorbed the sounds of its environment—the mundane (a clerk's voice, a door chime) and the horrific (threats, a murder)—and repeats them without understanding their context. It is the ultimate agent of chaos and the story's primary antagonist.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE CLEAN:** We open on Arthur working silently and efficiently, cleaning the gruesome aftermath of a crime in a convenience store. His movements are precise, his tools are immaculate. He establishes perfect order.
2. **THE VOICE:** A squawked phrase, "Don't you point that thing at me, Jimmy!", breaks the silence. Arthur, on high alert, investigates.
3. **THE WITNESS:** He finds a parrot on a perch. Relief turns to horror as the bird perfectly mimics a mob enforcer's threats and the sounds of the murder. Arthur understands the parrot *is* the witness.
4. **THE NEGOTIATION:** Arthur's directive is clear: no witnesses. He attempts to calmly coax and capture the bird. The parrot easily evades him, launching into the air.
5. **THE CHASE:** The mission becomes a frantic, farcical chase. Arthur uses a broom; the parrot mocks him with sound effects and hides atop shelves, munching on stolen crisps.
6. **THE CLOCK:** A text message arrives: 'Routine patrol car swinging by. ETA 5 mins.' The stakes are immediately raised. Arthur's calm breaks, and desperation takes over.
7. **THE PLEA:** Sirens are now audible and growing closer. Lights flash outside the window. Arthur, defeated, corners the bird and begs it to be quiet.
8. **THE SUM:** The parrot looks at Arthur, tilts its head, and begins to recite the most damaging evidence of all: "The number for the Swiss account is..." Arthur freezes, trapped. The cleaning is over; the damage is done.
## Visual Style & Tone
The visual style will be one of high contrast. The film opens with clean, static, and controlled cinematography, mirroring Arthur's meticulous nature. The lighting is sterile and sharp, focusing on the details of his work. As the parrot introduces chaos, the camera will become more frantic and handheld, reflecting Arthur's escalating panic. The bright, garish colors of the store's snack food packaging will provide a surreal, ironic backdrop to the dark, tense situation.
The tone begins as a quiet, methodical crime procedural, but quickly shifts into a tense, dark comedy of errors. The suspense is real, but the situation is absurd, creating a unique blend of thriller and farce. Tonal comparisons align with the situational irony of a Coen Brothers film (e.g., *Burn After Reading*) combined with the contained, high-concept tension of an episode of *Black Mirror* or *Inside No. 9*.
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
A meticulous mob cleaner's routine job spirals into a farcical nightmare when he discovers the only witness to the crime is a parrot that has memorized every incriminating detail.
## Themes
* **Order vs. Chaos:** The conflict between a man who imposes absolute order on his world and an unpredictable, chaotic force of nature that unravels his control.
* **The Unforeseen Complication:** An exploration of how the most carefully constructed plans can be completely derailed by a single, absurd, and overlooked detail.
* **The Nature of a Witness:** A dark-comedy examination of what constitutes a "witness" and the moral and practical lines that blur when the witness isn't human.
* **Professionalism Under Pressure:** The story tests the limits of professional detachment, showing how even the most composed expert can crumble when faced with a problem far outside their expertise.
## Stakes
Arthur's life and career are on the line; failure to silence the parrot means facing the lethal wrath of his ruthless employer for leaving a "loose end" and certain imprisonment by the authorities.
## Synopsis
ARTHUR, a professional "cleaner" for the mob, operates with the detached precision of a surgeon. He arrives at a convenience store to sanitize a crime scene, methodically erasing all traces of a violent encounter. His world is one of chemical formulas, efficient movements, and absolute control.
This control is shattered by a voice squawking from the front of the store. Arthur discovers the source is not a person, but a large African Grey parrot perched by the register. Initially relieved, his calm evaporates when the bird perfectly mimics the gravelly voice of a known mob enforcer, followed by the chilling sounds of the murder itself. Arthur realizes the parrot is a feathered audio recorder, a living witness that has absorbed every incriminating sound.
His simple instructions—"no witnesses"—suddenly become a complex and absurd problem. His attempts to capture the bird descend into a farcical chase through the store aisles. The parrot, far quicker and cleverer than he anticipates, easily evades his lunges and swipes with a broom, all while mimicking the shop's door chime and the laughter of the deceased victim.
The situation escalates when Arthur receives a text: a police patrol car is minutes away. Panic sets in as he juggles his cleaning duties with the impossible task of capturing his feathered adversary. In a final, desperate act, with police sirens growing louder outside, Arthur pleads with the bird for silence. The parrot responds by reciting the one piece of evidence that will ruin everyone: the number to a secret Swiss bank account. Trapped between the approaching law and a chattering witness, Arthur's meticulously ordered world collapses completely.
## Character Breakdown
* **ARTHUR (40s-50s):** Impeccably dressed, quiet, and methodical. Arthur is the epitome of professionalism. He is not a killer, but a specialist who restores order from the chaos of violence. He takes pride in his work and his ability to remain detached and in control. He is a problem-solver, but his problems have always been inanimate.
* **Psychological Arc:**
* **State at Start:** Detached, confident, and in complete control. He views the crime scene as a complex puzzle to be solved with clinical efficiency, his emotions entirely suppressed.
* **State at End:** Panicked, desperate, and utterly defeated. His professional veneer has been shattered by the absurd chaos of the situation, replaced by the raw, primal fear of failure and exposure.
* **THE PARROT ("POLLY"):** An African Grey parrot. It is not malicious, but an intelligent, observant creature of mimicry. It has absorbed the sounds of its environment—the mundane (a clerk's voice, a door chime) and the horrific (threats, a murder)—and repeats them without understanding their context. It is the ultimate agent of chaos and the story's primary antagonist.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE CLEAN:** We open on Arthur working silently and efficiently, cleaning the gruesome aftermath of a crime in a convenience store. His movements are precise, his tools are immaculate. He establishes perfect order.
2. **THE VOICE:** A squawked phrase, "Don't you point that thing at me, Jimmy!", breaks the silence. Arthur, on high alert, investigates.
3. **THE WITNESS:** He finds a parrot on a perch. Relief turns to horror as the bird perfectly mimics a mob enforcer's threats and the sounds of the murder. Arthur understands the parrot *is* the witness.
4. **THE NEGOTIATION:** Arthur's directive is clear: no witnesses. He attempts to calmly coax and capture the bird. The parrot easily evades him, launching into the air.
5. **THE CHASE:** The mission becomes a frantic, farcical chase. Arthur uses a broom; the parrot mocks him with sound effects and hides atop shelves, munching on stolen crisps.
6. **THE CLOCK:** A text message arrives: 'Routine patrol car swinging by. ETA 5 mins.' The stakes are immediately raised. Arthur's calm breaks, and desperation takes over.
7. **THE PLEA:** Sirens are now audible and growing closer. Lights flash outside the window. Arthur, defeated, corners the bird and begs it to be quiet.
8. **THE SUM:** The parrot looks at Arthur, tilts its head, and begins to recite the most damaging evidence of all: "The number for the Swiss account is..." Arthur freezes, trapped. The cleaning is over; the damage is done.
## Visual Style & Tone
The visual style will be one of high contrast. The film opens with clean, static, and controlled cinematography, mirroring Arthur's meticulous nature. The lighting is sterile and sharp, focusing on the details of his work. As the parrot introduces chaos, the camera will become more frantic and handheld, reflecting Arthur's escalating panic. The bright, garish colors of the store's snack food packaging will provide a surreal, ironic backdrop to the dark, tense situation.
The tone begins as a quiet, methodical crime procedural, but quickly shifts into a tense, dark comedy of errors. The suspense is real, but the situation is absurd, creating a unique blend of thriller and farce. Tonal comparisons align with the situational irony of a Coen Brothers film (e.g., *Burn After Reading*) combined with the contained, high-concept tension of an episode of *Black Mirror* or *Inside No. 9*.