We set the scene of an underground/illegal boxing match. There are two contenders, The older champ who the crowd are rooting for and a youngster who no one believes in other than his Mom. As the fight starts the youngster pulls out a portfolio case and presents it to the other boxer who we now realize is a creative director. He’s brutal and with each criticism the youngster takes a metaphorical blow. By the end the youngster is beaten down but the CD has seen something good in him and helps him up victoriously.

Then we call for all creative to participate in Portfolio Night.

This piece has a small super critical target audience – the advertising industry.

Empty warehouse. In the centre there is a boxing ring. This is not a conventional boxing ring: It is made up of a circle of suits (client service) as well as advertising creatives.

On the one side of the boxing ring there is a big empty chair, the sort that you would imagine royalty or a high-ranking individual would sit in.

This sets the plot.

Our ECD enters the scene running down a narrow hallway ready and pumped, wearing a boxing robe and shorts. He’s about to enter the arena to fight.

As he enters he’s cheered on by a roaring crowd. Cameras flash as he makes his way towards the ring of industry spectators. He takes his seat in the ‘corner’ of the ring, flanked by two sexy nurses.

Our ECD is a very scary, intimidating character. A cigar hangs from his mouth, smouldering throughout.

REFEREE: Ladies and gentlemen, gays, lesbians, transsexuals and transvestites. In the left hand corner, ECD and holder of six viral videos, five time grandprix winner! MR. HOTSHIT!!!

CROWD: HOT SHIT!!! HOT SHIT!! HOT SHIT!!

REFEREE: …and in the right hand corner, the not quite art director, the not quite anything… DAVE THE WANNABE!!!

Met with complete silence from the crowd.

The crowd slowly parts on the opposite side of the ring as Dave apologetically

enters the ring with his overly supportive, overprotective mother at his side.

She hands him his portfolio. He looks scared as he inches forward wearing a

pair of ridiculously printed boxer shorts, portfolio in hand.

The ECD glowers at him from the comfort of his chair, where he’s being attended

to by his nurses, as well as his coach.

The crowd looks on, not showing any

form of emotion as they stare at Dave.

REFEREE: Ladies and gentlemen, LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!

The Bell goes.

A transvestite enters the ring. She walks around the ring holding up a sign that reads:

ROUND ONE.

Dave’s mother urges him to enter the ring. He moves forward towards his opponent, looking like a frightened animal.

THE ECD TAKES HIS PORTFOLIO.

He’s clearly amused by what he sees.

The criticism he receives from the ECD comes to him in the form of blows.

Not physical blows, but as the ECD flips through his work, Dave’s movements suggest that he’s taking some serious painful blows without the ECD ever touching him.

Whilst looking at his work, the ECD rips out pages, lights them with his cigar…every time he does this Dave receives a painful blow.

The crowd cheers on.

The ECD slams the book shut. Dave takes a massive blow that knocks him down to the floor. His mortified mother helps him off the floor and to the side of the ring.

The crowd goes wild!

The ECD returns to his chair, attended to by his coach and nurses.

The transvestite returns to the ring.

ROUND 2

Dave’s mother encourages him to return to the ring.

He receives a quick succession of blows and drops to the floor. His face bloodied. The camera moves, catches a close-up of his face; his eyes look dead, staring off into the distance.

We enter his thoughts:

HE confronts himself in a mirror.

His mother appears behind him.

We see him drinking heavily.

ROUND 3

Determined, he re-enters the ring, holding up his fists.

He quickly receives a massive succession of blows. He keeps getting up, but gets knocked down as soon as he gets up.

The last blow leaves him lying hopeless and bloodied on the floor.

The referee starts his countdown.

Against all expectation Dave gets up one last time…

The ECD flips the page in his portfolio. A light shines from it. The ECD pauses and has a good look at what he sees. He looks up to Dave, lying on the floor.

TITLE: Your ideas are worth fighting for.

He moves over to him and holds out a hand to help him up. Dave reluctantly takes hold of it. He pulls him up off the floor and declares him the winner by thrusting Dave’s arm in the air.

The crowd goes wild.

Cut to titles.