#GameOn short film

At school, Ryan, Joel and Claudia are hanging out near their lockers. Grace and Bianca approach.

Ryan: Yeah, so I found this awesome website for ringtones. All free. They've got themes – whatever you want.

Grace: I promise I didn't do it!

Bianca: As if.

Grace: It must have been someone else.

Bianca: How?

Grace: I don't know!

Ryan: What happened?

Bianca: She's put horrible pictures of me on her page.

Grace: I haven't!

Bianca: And stupid captions.

Grace: Really, I haven't.

Dean is at home playing a game called Star Warriors online. He's playing with Joel, who is playing online from his home. They are chatting to each other using their gaming headsets.

Joel: Watch out!

Dean: Whoo-hoo! Nice move, Blaster.

Joel: I got your back, Shield Bearer 9.

Dean's Aunty, Trish, enters and signals to Dean that it's time to turn off the game and go collect eggs from the chickens. Dean turns off the game.

Dean: (sighs) Later.

Joel: Oh, what?

Joel goes into the kitchen where his mum, Wendy, is preparing food.

Wendy: Learn anything interesting at school today, Joel?

Joel: Nuh.

Wendy: Have you finished your homework?

Joel: Yeah.

Wendy: Promise?

Joel: Promise.

Wendy: Hope you're not playing that game again.

Joel: Just looking up stuff for school.

Wendy: OK.

Dean is outside collecting eggs. His sister, Rosie, approaches.

Rosie: Can I play your game?

Dean: No, Rosie.

Rosie: Can I call you Shield Bearer 9?

Dean: No.

Rosie: Can I be Shield Bearer 10?

Dean: You can be Egg Carrier 1.

Grace is in her bedroom looking at the pictures of Bianca on her page. Grace's dad enters.

Dad: Mum told me what happened.

Grace: It's horrible.

Dad: Is that them?

Grace: I had nothing to do with it.

Dad: Shove up. We'll see what's going on.

Dean is playing Star Warriors again with Joel. It's 2.58am! Dean's Aunty, Trish, opens his door.

Trish: Dean!

Dean turns off the game. At his home, Joel is upset to see that Dean has left the game. Joel's mum, Wendy, hears him from the other room.

Joel: Oh, what?! Again?!

Wendy: Joel, is everything OK?

Joel: Sorry, Mum. Bad dream.

Dean is outside at school sleeping against a tree. Two of his friends, Harry and Susan, are watching him.

Harry: What's up?

Dean: What?

Susan: Wakey-wakey, sleepyhead. Are you sick or something?

Harry: It's that stupid game he's always playing (imitates laser blasts).

Dean: Shut up, Harry.

Harry: We never hang out anymore.

Dean: We're hanging out now.

Harry: You know what I mean.

In the classroom, the teacher speaks to the class about online safety.

Teacher: Quiet. Quiet down, guys. Some of you already know that there's been an incident involving someone in this class and some hurtful behaviour. That's why I want to talk to you all about something which I think is important.

Computers, smartphones, tablets – they're all part of our lives now but they're not without issues. And I know that there's been an issue. I'm not going to say what and I'm not going to name names.

The teacher notices Joel is asleep on his desk.

Teacher: Joel. See me after class.

I want to ask all of you a question. Do you think that someone could pretend to be you on a social network?

Ryan: I reckon that might have happened.

Teacher: If someone gets hold of your password, if you give out your personal details, you make it easy for someone to pretend to be you. 

Ryan: But how would someone get hold of your password?

The teacher notices Joel is asleep again.

Teacher: Joel!

Dean is in bed asleep. His alarm is going off but he is not waking up. His Aunty Trish enters.

Trish: Up! Now! You're late.

Ollie and his older sister Sarah are their mum's cafe. Ollie is using his phone to post a selfie using Instamatic.

Sarah: What are you doing?

Ollie: Nothing.

Sarah: Are you taking selfies again?

Ollie: No.

Sarah: Who for?

Ollie: No-one. None of your business.

Sarah: Later, Mum.

Mum: Have a good day, you two.

Sarah and Ollie leave the cafe and head towards school.

Sarah: Don't send pictures around, Ollie.

Ollie: I'm not.

Sarah: Yeah. Right.

Ollie: Where would I send them?

Sarah: Well, you wouldn't send them to someone you've never met. Would you?

Joel, Claudia, Bianca and Grace are sitting around a table at school. Ryan approaches holding his phone out.

Ryan: Listen.

RINGTONE: Ryan, the phone is ringing! Ryan, the phone is ringing! Yee-ha! Whoo-hoo!

Claudia: (sarcastic) Amazing.

Ryan: I downloaded it from that site I told you about.

Joel: Cool.

Bianca: How much?

Ryan: Oh, let me think... One, two, free!

Dean's teacher Ms O’Reilly rings Dean's Aunty Trish.

Trish: Hi. Trish Russell.

Ms O’Reilly: Hi, Trish. It's Karen O'Reilly here from school.

Trish: Hi, Karen. What can I do for you?

Ms O’Reilly: Trish, I wanted to talk to you about Dean.

Trish: (Tuts)

Ms O’Reilly: I was wondering if you might have any idea why he's been so tired at school lately? Is there anything wrong?

Trish: I think it's an online thing. It's a game he's playing.

Ms O’Reilly: I see. Look, perhaps if we talked to him together. Would that be possible?

Trish: How about the lunch break? Would that suit you?

A police officer is talking to the class.

Officer: Now, I know you hear a lot about problems on the internet. But there's another way of looking at it. Any ideas?

Ryan: (imitates robot) Cyber danger.

Class: (laughter)

Teacher: (disapprovingly) Ryan.

Officer: Well, it's not about the dangers you face, but it's about the way you use your phone or tablet to avoid danger.

Claudia puts her hand up.

Officer: Yes?

Claudia: Cyber safety?

Officer: Yes. Which is about being smart so you can enjoy using your gadgets and devices without problems. Remember, don't give your phone number to people you don't know. Think before you send. And free offers are never free. Now, isn't that just being smart?

Dean, Susan and Harry are throwing a ball to each other in the school playground.

Harry: You wanna go for a ride after school? We could build some jumps.

Dean: I don't know. Level 12 awaits.

Ms O’Reilly: Dean. Dean. Your aunt is coming in at lunch time.

Dean: What?

Ms O’Reilly: We need to sort this out, Dean. I'm worried.

Dean: Why?

Ms O’Reilly: Lunchtime, my office.

Harry: What's all that about?

Dean: Nothing.

Ryan and Joel are walking together at school.

Ryan: You think she's right?

Joel: What about?

Ryan: 'Free offers are never free.'

Joel: Don't know. I suppose you have to pay somehow.

Ryan: But my ringtone's free.

Joel: Yeah.

Ryan: Isn't it?

Joel: How would I know?

Ryan: The site said it was free.

Grace and Bianca are standing at their lockers.

Grace: You know it wasn't me, right?

Bianca: Yeah, I know that now, but I don't understand how someone else could have done it.

Grace: I'm trying to think. Who else would know my password, Bee?

Bianca: Well, I do.

Grace: Yeah, but you're my friend.

Bianca: It would be horrible if it was someone else here. Wouldn't it?

Dean, Harry and Susan are sitting in the playground. Harry see that Dean's Aunty has arrived at the school.

Harry: Good luck.

Dean: Thanks.

Dean gets up and heads to Ms O'Reilly's office.

Harry: I warned him. We used to do stuff together. Now all he wants to do is play that stupid game of his.

Susan: I don't get how people let things take over. Do you?

Dean knocks on the door to Ms O'Reilly's office.

Ms O'Reilly: Come in.

Dean: (sighs)

Ollie is siting in the cafe while his mum and Sarah stand behind the counter. Ollie's phone beeps.

Sarah: Who is it?

Ollie: A friend.

Sarah: Which one?

Ollie: A school friend.

Sarah: Who?!

Ollie: You don't know all of my friends.

Sarah: Mum, do you ever check Ollie's phone?

Mum: What do you mean?

Sarah: Like, do you check his messages?

Mum: Should I?

Sarah: Maybe. See you after work.

Trish, Dean and Rosie arrive home from the school. Dean gets out of the car and begins to storm off.

Trish: Dean. Dean!

Dean: Why can't I play my game?

Trish: Because it was taking over.

Dean: Taking over from what?! Collecting eggs? Watching TV?

Trish: You're not getting any sleep.

Dean: It's fun. OK?

Trish: Look, it's become too much.

Dean: You don't understand! You didn't have to phone the school!

Trish: I didn't.

Dean: What?

Trish: Your teacher, she phoned me.

Joel is in his bedroom at home playing Star Warriors. Joel's mum, Wendy, enters.

Wendy: Homework?

Joel: Yes.

Wendy: This has to stop.

Joel: What?

Wendy: You can play for one more hour and then you have to stop. If you can't...

Joel: What?

Wendy: Well, this computer goes into my room.

Joel: Oh, why?

Wendy: Because it is not healthy to be up half the night and it is not good to fall asleep at school. It's not. Is it?

Joel: I don't know.

While Sarah and her friend, Melissa, are shopping for clothes at Designer Op Shop, Melissa receives a message on her mobile phone.

Sarah: Hey, I like these pants.

Melissa: Which ones?

Sarah: What do you think about these ones?

Melissa: Yeah, give them a try.

Sarah: Alright.

Melissa: (looking at phone) Sarah?

Sarah: What?

Melissa: Isn't that your brother?

Sarah arrives home from shopping. Ollie is sleeping on the lounge. His phone beeps.

Sarah: Hey, idiot.

Ollie: What?

Sarah: Nothing. We'll talk in the morning. Idiot.

It's the morning. Sarah and Ollie are in the kitchen. Their mum is in another room.

Ollie: Sarah, don't tell Mum.

Sarah: I think I need to.

Ollie: She'll panic. She won't know what to do.

Sarah: Do you know what to do?

Ollie: I don't have to do anything.

Sarah: Your photos are being sent round. You don't even know those people.

Mum: Come on, guys. We'll be late.

Sarah: We'll talk to Mum now, Ollie.

At school, Claudia, Ryan and Bianca are walking to the break area where Grace and Joel are sitting.

Ryan: Guess what I just found out about that ringtone.

Bianca: That it's cheesy?

Ryan: It's ten bucks a week.

Claudia: What?!

Ryan: On my parents' phone bill. New one every week.

Claudia: Your folks must be happy.

Ryan: Delirious.

Claudia: Gracie, did you find out who got on to your homepage?

Grace: Not yet.

Joel: Have you done anything about it?

Grace: Dad got on to the webmasters, you know? And they shut the page down.

Ryan: Can they find out who it was?

Grace: They're trying.

Ryan: Incarcerate them, I say!

Claudia: It's not worth getting that worked up about it, is it?

Grace: It's not a joke.

Claudia: No. I know that.

Ollie and Sarah's mum is working in the cafe. Ollie enters.

Ollie: Hi, Mum.

Mum: No more pictures, Ollie?

Ollie: I haven't done anything wrong.

Mum: Well, not wrong, but not very clever, your sister says.

Ollie: I've got homework.

Mum: I just worry about you, Ollie.

Dean is out collecting eggs while sister Rosie watches.

Rosie: I'm glad you're not allowed to play that game anymore.

Dean: Yeah, I am.

Rosie: Not all night.

Dean: It's none of your business.

Rosie: It makes you grumpy.

Dean: No, it doesn't.

Rosie: And nasty!

Dean: You're nasty.

Rosie: No, I'm not!

Dean: Why am I nasty?

Rosie: Because you're always tired and that makes you grumpy, Dean. Aunt's right, Deano. It's just a game.

Dean: Yeah, it's a good game, but.

Grace is on her bed at home reading a book. Her Dad enters.

Dad: Alright?

Grace: I'm OK.

Dad: Good. So do you have any idea who might have done it? Someone you gave those photos to? The ones that appeared on your page.

Grace: I didn't give them to anyone. I posted them and somebody changed them.

Dad: If you post something online, Grace, it's out there, everywhere, forever, to be copied, printed. Everything you do – every website you visit, every picture you post – out there.

Grace: I didn't know.

Dad: Anyone who wants to and knows how can find out about everything you do online. Easily. Some things are a bit trickier. Getting on to your homepage - that has to be someone who knew your password.

Grace: It can't be.

Sarah and Ollie are at home with their mum, who is preparing dinner.

Sarah: I'll serve up dinner, Mum.

Mum: Thanks, love.

Mum: (to Ollie) You shouldn't send any pictures to people you don't know.

Ollie: I know! But I thought... We've talked about it, OK?

Mum: Well, people could use it. They could trick you. Or pretend things about you.

Ollie: But they were people wanting to be friends with me.

Sarah: Ollie, you send things out and they're everywhere. And you don't really know who you're talking to. Do you?

Ollie: But nothing's happened.

Sarah: Yes, but you understand that it's not a good idea? Right, Ollie?

Ollie: Yes, I understand.

Dean and Harry are in the school playground.

Dean: Have I been grumpy?

Harry: Compared to what?

Dean: Don't know.

Harry: Not compared to my gran.

Dean: My sister says I'm grumpy.

Harry: Well, if you didn't play Star Warriors all night... You are a bit of an addict.

Dean: No, I'm not.

Harry: When do you ever hang out with us?

Dean: It sort of creeps up on you. Play an extra minute, an extra ten minutes, another hour. Aunt's freaking out.

Harry: What are you gonna do?

Dean: I need to get to level 12.

At school, the bell rings. Ryan, Joel and Bianca pack up to leave class.

Joel: Are your folks stopping your allowance?

Ryan: Why?

Joel: Keep paying for those free ringtones.

Ryan: Oh, yeah. (Chuckles) Right.

Bianca: Are they?

Ryan: If a thing seems too good to be true, then it's too good to be true. Cost me the big bucks to find that out.

Joel: You must have agreed to pay.

Ryan: Nah.

Bianca: You must have agreed to something.

Ryan: No. Well, the terms.

Joel: You agreed to the terms?!

Ryan: I didn't read the terms. Nobody reads the terms.

Bianca: And that's why it's costing you the big bucks.

At school, Grace and Claudia are chatting. Ryan, Joel and Bianca approach.

Joel: Grace. Gracie! Any updates on your page?

Ryan: Looking for leads like CSI.

Joel: Except it's not a TV show.

Grace: It has to be someone I told my password to.

Ryan: But you wouldn't tell anyone.

Joel: Would you?

Bianca: She might tell a friend.

Joel: A friend wouldn't...

Claudia: Why are you making such a big fuss out of this? If you jsut ignore it, it'll...

Ryan: But it's serious.

Bianca: It's horrible.

Claudia: It was just a joke! It was a joke.

Ollie walks into the cafe where his mum is working. Ollie puts his phone on the counter in front of his mum.

Mum: What?

Ollie: I don't want it anymore.

Mum: Why not?

Ollie: They all want to be friends with me.

Mum: Good.

Ollie: Who are they, Mum?

Mum: Well, who did they say they are?

Ollie: Kids. From all around the country.

Mum: That's alright, then. That's good.

Ollie: Sarah says you can't know who they are. Or what they want. I shouldn't have posted my picture.

Mum: So, what can you do?

Ollie: If I ignore them, delete them, they'll go away.

Mum: So you should.

Ollie: Yeah.

Mum: Good. So take it and have fun with it. Just be clever.

Ollie: OK. Thanks, Mum.

Mum: Oh, and teach me how to use the computer!

Ollie: OK!

Claudia, Bianca, Grace, Joel and Ryan are gathered outside at school.

Ryan: (sighs) OK, Claudia, go on.

Claudia: I used Grace's password. And I... I only meant it as a joke. I'm really sorry.

Bianca: I don't understand how you thought it was a joke.

Grace: Claudia?

Joel: It's stupid.

Claudia: I know. I'm sorry.

Grace: It's OK. I believe you.

Dean and Joel are at their homes playing Star Warriors online. 

Both: Yes!

Dean: Good moves, Blaster. Good session.

Joel: Same time tomorrow?

Dean: Same. It's OK, isn't it?

Joel: It's not too bad. We'll get to level 12.

Dean: You'd better watch out for those battle cruisers.

Dean puts turns off his game and goes outside to meet Harry. Together, they ride off on their bikes.