The curtain rises. A single spotlight illuminates the scene. Enter the inventor, clad in spectacles and a mischievous grin. He deciphers the arcane blueprints, lines curling with intent. The machine hums softly, a slumbering behemoth. [Intertitle: Dream or Nightmare?] A flicker of doubt crosses his brow. Friends in the shadows, not so silent, cheer or jeer off-screen. Their gestures paint a picture of companionship and rivalry. [Intertitle: The First Spark] A spark flies. The machine awakens with a cough, a sputter, and finally, a multi-toned wheezing chuckle. Our inventor clutches his heart, half astonished, half proud. [Intertitle: Rise of the Mechanical Muse] The screen darkens, a montage of cogs and gears ensues. Quick cuts to the faces of the amazed crowd, eyes wide, mouths agape. The hum crescendos, vibrating through the hall, reverberating in our souls. Fade to black.