Digital Detox Challenge
Follow Sam as they struggle through a week without technology. Guided by their old-school Grandma, Sam hilariously navigates modern life offline and learns to balance digital dependence with real-world experiences.
SCENE ONE
INT. SAM’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
(SAM lounges on the couch, staring at their phone screen: 12 HOURS SCREEN TIME. Their faces fall. A pause… then they call GRANDMA.)
SAM
Okay, Grandma, I’m doing it. One full week. No phone, no apps. A total digital detox.
GRANDMA
Good for you, Sam. It’ll be nice for you to unplug and be mindful—
SAM
(smirking, dramatic voice)
—Very demure. Very mindful.
GRANDMA
(confused)
What are you talking about?
SAM
(quickly backtracking)
Nothing. Just, you know… setting the mood.
(SAM hangs up. A beat. Their hand instinctively reaches for the phone again. They catch themself. Sighs.)
SCENE TWO
INT. SAM’S BEDROOM – MORNING
(SAM stands in front of the mirror, hypes themselves up.)
SAM
New day. Fresh start. Facing the world—without a phone.
(They grab a backpack, stuffing it with keys, wallet, and cash. Stops.)
SAM
Wait. How do I get to UPS?
(Cue: existential crisis.)
SCENE THREE
EXT. CITY STREETS – LATER
(SAM drives confidently. Then less confidently. Then panicked. They are completely lost.)
SAM
I know this city like the back of my—WHY AM I IN A PARKING LOT?
(They instinctively grab for their phone. Nothing. Reality sets in.)
SAM
Oh right. No GPS.
(Beat. Then realization. Their car has a built-in GPS. They sigh in relief.)
SCENE four
INT. UPS STORE – LATER
(SAM hands a package to a bored UPS CLERK.)
UPS CLERK
I’ll need the return address and order number.
(SAM reaches for their phone. Freezes. Blinks.)
SAM Uh… right.
(They stare into the void, trying to remember.)
UPS CLERK
You okay?
SAM
Just… give me a sec.
(A line builds behind them. A LADY sighs dramatically.)
LADY IN LINE
Can you hurry up? People have lives.
(SAM gestures vaguely.)
SAM
Look, I don’t have my phone. Can you, like… find it online?
UPS CLERK
Um. No. You can use the computer over there.
(SAM reluctantly walks over to a dusty desktop. Press the power button. Nothing.)
SAM
Oh for the love of—
(Presses again. Hold it down. It finally turns on with a loud Windows chime. SAM winces.)
(15 minutes later, after painfully slow typing… they return to the counter, irritated.)
UPS CLERK
You got everything?
SAM
Yes. Can I go now?
(UPS CLERK nods. SAM bolts out.)
SCENE five
INT. COFFEE SHOP – LATER
(SAM orders coffee from a BARISTA, who is 100% Gen Z.)
SAM
Venti Americano.
BARISTA $4.75.
(SAM, determined, pulls out crumpled cash and loose coins. Begins fumbling.)
SAM
Uh… one sec… 1, 2, 3 quarters… 40, uh… 10?
BARISTA
(confused)
You know we take Apple Pay, right?
SAM
(flustered)
Yeah, yeah. But I promised no digital stuff this week.
(They shove the pile of coins into the BARISTA’S hand.)
BARISTA
(deadpan, struggling to count change)
Right… I’ll, uh… figure it out.
(SAM awkwardly stands there as everyone else effortlessly taps their phones.)
SCENE six
EXT. CITY STREET – LATER
(SAM, now lost, stands on the sidewalk with a gigantic paper map. A TAXI DRIVER pulls up.)
TAXI DRIVER Where to?
(SAM flips, folds, and aggressively ruffles the map.)
SAM Uh… one sec.
(They shove the map in the DRIVER’S face.)
SAM Can you figure this out? We’re… here. I think.
(TAXI DRIVER stares, unimpressed.)
TAXI DRIVER
Okay, but where do you wanna go?
(SAM fumbles. The DRIVER waits. This is painful for both of them.)
SCENE seven
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
(SAM meets FRIENDS. JESSI and TOM stare.)
TOM
Dude. Haven’t seen you online in days.
JESSI
Right? You’re ghosting us.
SAM
(defensive) No! I’m just… off my phone.
TOM
Oh. So you’re, like, off the grid?
JESSI
That’s L rizz, bro.
SAM
What does that even mean?!
(JESSI pulls out their phone. SAM groans.)
SCENE eight
INT. SAM’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
(SAM sits, exhausted, staring at a handwritten note.)
SAM
I missed a coffee reward because I don’t have the app. I almost died in a taxi. Grandma, this is impossible.
(GRANDMA chuckles, unfazed.)
GRANDMA
You just need practice.
(She pulls out a handwritten address book and a paper map. Effortlessly pinpoints the location.)
GRANDMA
Here. That’s where your friends are meeting. Just take the bus.
(SAM stares, shook.)
SAM
How do you just know this stuff?
GRANDMA
Honey, I was getting around just fine long before your fancy gadgets.
(She grabs a recipe book, starts gathering ingredients.)
GRANDMA
Now. We’re making dinner. No apps required.
(Beat. SAM grins.)
SAM
I think I underestimated you.
GRANDMA
You’ll be fine. Life doesn’t run on algorithms.
SCENE nine
INT. SAM’S APARTMENT – FINAL NIGHT
(SAM sits, phone in drawer. They don’t reach for it. Instead, they pick up a pen, write a letter.)
(Beat. Then, they finally grab the phone… to text their friends. BALANCE.)
FADE TO BLACK.
