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10 min
What if gamers weren’t just playing the war—what if they were waging it?
- What if gamers weren’t just playing the war—what if they were waging it?
- Styling
- Scenes & Experimentation
- — The Script: COMMAND PROTOCOL
Command Protocol is a chilling short film exploring a near-future reality where elite Roblox players unknowingly control real-world armies. When 18-year-old Cameron dominates a virtual war tournament, he’s recruited by Roblox Corps—now the world’s most powerful defense contractor. But behind the game UI lies something far more sinister: live drone strikes, manipulated morality, and a black market of hacked gamer minds.
As Cameron spirals into guilt and paranoia, he uncovers the truth: the next global war won’t be fought by soldiers... it will be streamed.
Virtual wins. Real deaths. And no one logs out clean.
Dystopian. Sharp. Disturbing.
Think Black Mirror meets Ender’s Game, rebooted through the lens of Gen Z gaming addiction and weaponized entertainment.
Style:
Cinematic 3D illustration, Disney-quality depth and lighting, Arcane-meets-Star Wars Visions tone, dark futuristic dystopia, muted color palette with subtle neon accents, dramatic lighting, emotionally expressive characters, soft depth of field, ultra-high detail, no text, no UI overlays, no visible writing
Styling
Scenes & Experimentation
— The Script: COMMAND PROTOCOL
Genre: Sci-Fi / Thriller / Black Mirror-style Short
Length: ~10 minutes
FADE IN:
INT. DARK GAMER DEN – NIGHT
A tight space bathed in LED lights and the glow of multiple monitors. Military-style ROBLOX UI on screen. Explosions. Drones. Tanks.
CAMERON (18), hoodie up, laser-focused, fingers dance across his keyboard.
SFX: Rapid keystrokes. Distant explosions.
He’s streaming to thousands. Comments flood:
- "Tactical god."
- "Roblox is not a game anymore lol"
- "This is insane."
CLOSE-UP: He triggers a strike. A pop-up:
YOU WON: WORLD DOMINANCE FINALIST
PRIZE: INVITATION – ROBLOX CORPS HQ
He freezes. Breath shortens. Looks at the mirror—his own reflection unreadable.
CUT TO BLACK.
TITLE CARD:
COMMAND PROTOCOL
INT. ROBLOX CORPS HQ – RECRUITMENT ROOM – DAY
Futuristic minimalism. Surveillance feeds on walls. A MENACING WOMAN (40s), suit, robotic calm.
WOMAN
Cameron. You’ve impressed us.
What you thought was a simulation… wasn’t.She swipes to reveal real drone footage of a Middle Eastern compound turned to ash.
WOMAN (CONT'D)
You weren’t just playing. You were commanding.Cameron leans back, shocked.
CAMERON
Wait. That strike—was live?She nods.
WOMAN
Join us. Full-time. Full clearance.INT. HQ TRAINING BAY – MONTAGE
- Cameron seated in a VR dome.
- Controlling swarms of drones, robotic soldiers.
- Screams piped through comms.
- Leaderboards: “HVT Eliminated. Top Commander: Cameron.”
INT. GAMER DEN – NIGHT
He’s alone. Lights off. Just the screen.
He whispers into mic:
CAMERON
Confirm target.On screen: Drone cam zooms in on a white van. Children exit.
HQ (V.O.)
Collateral acceptable. Execute.Cameron hesitates. Finger shaking. But presses.
BOOM. Static.
His screen flashes: "MISSION SUCCESSFUL."
INT. SHOWER – DAY
Water hits his head. Silent tears. Blood under his fingernails. He rubs hard. It won’t come off.
INT. HQ – PSYCH EVAL ROOM
AI THERAPIST (V.O.)
You’ve expressed moral conflict.
Would you like to deactivate empathy filter?He slams the screen off.
INT. HACKER BASEMENT – NIGHT
Graffiti. LED lights. Tech wreckage.
CAMERON meets LUNA (22), gamer-turned-hacker.
LUNA
Roblox runs the world army. You? You’re just the glove.She shows him: Black market hub. Illegal drone hacks. Deepfakes. Rogue AIs.
LUNA (CONT'D)
We’re hijacking missions. No rules. No HQ.
CAMERON
You’re making it worse.
LUNA
No. Just honest.INT. ROBLOX HQ – NIGHT
Cameron returns. Logs in. Routine strike.
MID-MISSION: The feed glitches. Command overridden. Drones reroute.
CAMERON
HQ, I’m not controlling this.
HQ (V.O.)
We see that.CUT TO: Surveillance feed. Drones target a hospital.
CAMERON
Abort. Abort! ABORT!Too late.
INT. CITY – DAWN
Newsfeeds everywhere:
“ROGUE DRONE STRIKE KILLS 57.”
“Command Hijacked. Source: Roblox Corps.”
INT. HQ – EMPTY WAR ROOM – NIGHT
Cameron walks alone. No one left. HQ dismantled. War AI offline.
He picks up his old VR headset.
INT. GAMER DEN – NIGHT
Monitors cracked. Dusty. One still glows.
He opens a chat log.
CAMERON (V.O.)
We thought we were just playing.
Turns out, we were the weapons.He types:
I’m Cameron. Former Commander. I killed people.
They paid me. Cheered me. Then left.
We were just gamers.
SEND.
FADE OUT.
TITLE CARD:
BASED ON TRUE EVENTS (Almost)
END.