Common Sense

This film was originally made for the Lights Canberra Action! film festival, where film makers are given 10 items they must include and complete their films in 10 days. The theme for this year's festival was 'Meeting Place'.

Francis and Silvia are destined to meet, this can be difficult when you see and hear the world differently to others. They discover a shared perspective on life but come to realise that change is vital if you want to have a vision for the future.

(humming sound)

(radio) The weather may leave Canberrans missing their first ever solar eclipse since records have begun

while the bureau of meteorology isn't giving any promises

the chance of seeing the event during its totality is 65% as clouds clear towards the afternoon.

Citizens are advised not to look directly at the event without adequate eye protection.

Now to news overseas.

(in background) Has promised more funding for the North Korean peninsula after a nuclear meltdown last month

-Just this one? Um would you like it gift wrapped?
-No thanks that's fine.

- Have a good day.
- Thank you, you too.

Yeah right, she's so ugly

(humming sound)

(keys dropping)

Excuse me? You dropped your keys!

Hello? You dropped your keys.

(thunder)

Don't you ever run off on me again, ever! You hear me?

We're going home right now and you can go straight to your room!

We're just too similar, I need space!

I need time to just be myself, without you.

You're a real piece of work you know that mate!

That's bull! You know damn well I didn't order any of that crap!

(guitar chords)

Keep the change.

(humming sound)

Hey! You found my keys.

-Thank you so much!
-No problem

- Sorry
- For what?

Oh I just... I had to turn on my hearing aid. Um it can take a lot of effort to lip read sometimes

Why use effort when a small device can do it for you?

Though I suppose you don't want to hear everything that comes out of people's mouths.

True, um hey can I buy you a drink or something?

Nnno no no no

Come'on just a cup of coffee? Real gratitude isn't genuine unless it's in a cup of coffee.

Does that apply with tea as well?

Yeah

I can't believe you out of all people found my keys!

Must be our lucky day.

Yeah what's so lucky about it for you?

It's not every day I meet a beautiful girl who asks me out for coffee.

What makes you think I'm beautiful?

I don't think, I see.

You're not blind?

Some blind people have a different way of experiencing the world.

Well that's common sense.

OK how many fingers am I holding up?

Ahhh...

Three.

Close.

I was distracted by your pink nail polish

How did you do that?

I can only see in complete darkness.

How does that work?

I'm not sure.

It must be part guessing part wishful thinking.

Well I bet you can see without them.

Have you ever tried?

I, I told you I can only see in complete darkness

You might need the light to see but for me it works the opposite

Come on I think we should try.

I'm...

I'm blind. I can't change that.

Yeah and I'm deaf but that's not gonna stop me from listening to what you have to say.

When I was a little girl I used to have these fairy wings.

I thought that they made me better at dancing.

One day one of the wings tore and I didn't think I'd be able to dance anymore.

- And?
- And now I'm a dance instructor and I'm really good at it.

Just because you don't have fairy wings doesn't mean you're not a fairy right?

That's a nice story but I need my...

Wait.

It's working.

I can see you... and the Sun, it's shinning!

Magic right?

So did you want these back... or?

No you hold onto them.

Come on I'll read you a story.

What kind of story are you going to tell me?

About a man in San Diego with a beautiful mustache...

I think I know this story.

It's a good one.

(calm guitar ballad)