Aquatic Antics - The Vending Machine Fiasco

Vending Machine Fiasco” (Character-driven branded

short)

This short script demonstrates my ability to create humorous, character-driven content for

branded entertainment, social media campaigns, or video ads.

Characters: Pearl – overly dramatic mermaid on land Gary – human, dry-witted, perpetually done Lisa – teen beachgoer Seagull Leader – dramatic bird general Setting: Beachfront boardwalk

[Opening Scene – The Discovery] Upbeat beach music. Sun shining. Chaos inevitable. Pearl slithers up to a VENDING MACHINE and gasps like she’s discovered Atlantis.

PEARL (face pressed to the glass, sparkling eyes): “A HUMAN TREASURE CHEST! Filled with FOOD?! I MUST HAVE IT.”

GARY (leaning on a lamppost, sipping soda): “Oh no… Not again.” (pause) “I should start charging for watching this.”

LISA (to her friend, chewing gum): “Is she talking to the vending machine?”

FRIEND: “I don’t know, but I’m recording.”

Phones out. The internet leans in.

[Hook: The First Attack] Pearl squints at the buttons like they’re runes on a treasure map.

• “Open, sesame!”

• “Reveal your treasures!”

• “By Poseidon’s beard, I command thee!”

(nothing happens)

(she smacks random buttons) “Okay, rude. But I respect the challenge.”

GARY: “That’s not how it—”

BEEP. A snack drops… and gets stuck.

PEARL (gasping in betrayal): “YOU DARE DENY ME, METAL BOX?!”

Shakes it. Nothing. Kicks it. Nothing. (cracks knuckles) “Fine. We do this the hard way.”

[Escalation: The Ultimate Struggle] A SEAGULL lands nearby, watching intently.

SEAGULL LEADER (to his squad): “Boys… we got a live one.”

Pearl RAMS the vending machine. It barely flinches.

LISA (deadpan): “Girl, just buy another snack.”

PEARL (clutching chest): “NO! This is WAR!”

She charges again — the machine TIPS OVER.

Alarms. Screams. A lifeguard yells, “IS SHE OKAY?” A seagull takes flight… in dramatic slow motion. Pearl is now pinned beneath the vending machine — only her tail flailing.

She grabs her snack triumphantly. Unwraps it. Takes a bite. Immediately SPITS IT OUT.

PEARL (gagging): “WHAT IS THIS ABOMINATION?!”

GARY (checking wrapper): “Uh… that expired in 2018.”

PEARL (staring at the snack, then dramatically fainting): “BETRAYED… BY TIME ITSELF.” (She swoons backward, snack still in hand.)