The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

376 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 4, 1926 A ISlovel New Year Presentation Unique And Inexpensive, This Plan May Be Used In Several Ways With Marked Success ALTHOUGH devised for use as a New Year presentation this offering can be used as a flash act for Midnight Frolic; or it can be used at any time by eliminating the New Year Greetings. The drapes part revealing a setting picturing a landscape under a blanket of snow. In the left foreground a large and some smaller fantastic trees are reaching bare branches, like so many fingers, to the sky. In the right foreground a lone tree. Two grotesque snow men in front of the tree and, back of it, a snow-covered fence. Back of the trees are snow banks and in the distance a snow-covered village sprawling over the hill; with the horizon showing the outline of a snow-covered forest against the cool blue sky. The Routine Arrangement The scene is in a white and steel blue light. A ballet of four or more girls dance on. The dance is fantastic yet rythmic. The white light is slowly dimming showing a tinge of red in the approaching twilight. The dance slows up and dancers come to a stop near snowmen. White light has now dimmed out and the red light is slowly fading to blue. The girls whisper; they point to snowmen, tug at them ; they clap hands and snowmen stir — come to life. The scene is now in blue light. Lights appear in windows of village houses. The moon is rising slowly over the horizon. The dance begins anew, with the snowmen, in white spot, doing a grotesque comedy dance and the girls stepping as chorus. Snowmen and girls exit dancing just as the words Happy New Year appear in sky and the figures 1927 appear in moon. The Scheme of Setting The setting may be proportioned, in size, to fit any size stage by dividing the floor plan. Fig. 2, in as many spaces as the particular stage, on which the setting is to be used, is feet in size. Thus if the stage, measuring at proscenium opening, is thirty feet wide the plan is merely divided into thirty spaces, each space representing one foot. The depth is governed by the stage depth and may be adjusted to suit. THE TREES, A and B figure 1 and 2, are constructed from wallboard or chipboard and are reinforced with battens as indicated by straight dotted lines in figure 1. This plan may be used as working plan by ruling into squares and enlarging to size desired. For quick change use as leg drop, by fastening top battens securely to stage hanging batten, and fly. THE GROUND ROWS: The fence, C figure 1 and 2, is also made from wallboard, cut in strips and battened as shown in section, detail figure 4. For quick set-up of fence screw a shelf bracket to each post batten and fasten a sash weight to the part of bracket that rests on the floor. See figure 4. The snow bank, D figure 1 and 2, is battened as shown in figure 3. To economize on wallboard cover shaded portion only with this material, to permit shaping edge, and cover rest of frame wih blue plaster cardboard, very heavy weight manila paper or muslin. Give the village row, E figure 1 and Viola Dana play* a small time actress in the F. B. O. picture, "Home Struck." 2, the same treatment as snowbank. After painting is done trim out windows in houses. Empty cartons, such as shoe boxes, stuck onto back of houses by means of gummed manila paper tape, make excellent hoods for lights. By wiring in separate circuits the lights may be turned on in groups giving the effect of being turned on in the different houses at intervals. Low voltage units, similar to those used for Christmas tree decorations, will serve to illuminate houses. Skj Drop and Moon A semi-transparent (dyed) sky drop is of course necessary for 'the illuminated words, and the moon. Take a strip of white, or light weight manila, wrapping paper, H figure 1 and 2, a trifle wider than diameter of moon pan, G figure 1 and 2, and long enough to reach from the floor to a point above where moon is to stop, dotted line figure 1 H. Reinforce the top and bottom of paper strip with narrow strips of muslin or cheese cloth. Pin in position as shown. At top of strip of paper paint in black the figures 1927 so that when moon stops at that point the figures will be centered. As painting is on the paper strip back of drop it will not show until illuminated by the moon passing over it. For the words Happy New Year build a box about three by eight feet, figure 5. The box can of course be larger or smaller depending on size of the stage. Cover front with transparent paper and "cut in" words. "Cut in" means to fill in around letters with color, in this case black as ground must be opaque, leaving the letters transparent. Wire for lights as shown. The box is hung in proper position with face flush against back of sky drop. When lights are turned on in the box the words show illuminated to the audience and the box remains invisible. Painting Advice PAINTING. The trees get light, medium and dark blues and purples, laid on in solid flat tones, outline in black and highlight in orange and magenta. The highlights should be on the side showing to the moon. Do fence in similar colors. Use bright colors for the village houses. The snowbank gets white toned in very light blue and lavender. Snow on village row white with light blue and lavender tone into a trifle deeper blue near houses. Use fireproof cotton snow in crotches of trees, on fence posts and rails. Also at base of trees and irregularly on floor along snowbank and village rows. A light sprinkling of artificial snow will enhance the beauty of the setting. Lighting Blue, red arid white (dim) border lights. Red strip back of village row for use in changing from day to night scene. Blue olivettes for night scene. Do not use flood from projection booth on setting as it throws shadows of trees on skydrop. Costumes For snowmen the costumes may be made from a heavy grade of outing or Canton flannel, padded to fill out to a round contour. Black felt, cut into angular pieces, will serve as buttons. For headmask use a arge papier mache pumpkin covered with the same material used to make costume. Eyes, nose and mouth cut out and outlined in black to make more pronounced. Do not overlook the possibilities of a broom, clay pipe and silk hat. The girls costumes may be the regular ballets. Tarleton, Satin, or for economy, sateen, trimmed in marabou to lend a wintry touch. Or made from blue velvet into a plain bodice trimmed in marabou, with cap and boots to match. Appropriate costumes may be rented from costuming houses at a moderate cost. In virtually any town or city the public would welcome an innovation of this nature. It would be entertainment for the entire family of an acceptable sort. Once started, the chances are that an exhibitor would be called on to repeat the stunt each year, or even several times each year, on special occasions. From time to time other suggestions will be made in these pages.