American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

SCENARIO FOR A BACK-YARD COMEDY By CLAUDE W. A. CADARETTE Founder, L. A. 8mm. Club EDITOR'S NOTE: Here's a production-tested scenario for a real "back-yard movie." Produced as a 50-foot 8mm. reel, it was a prize-winner for cinefilmer Cadarette in a contest held recently by the Los Angeles 8mm. Club. If longer footage is desired, it can easily be expanded in several places, as, for instance, the introduction, in which "Doakes" wife could be introduced, sternly sending him out to mow the lawn, and in the final chase sequence, which can very easily be built up to greater footage than the few shots used here, and show the two men chasing each other around the house and across the lawn, falling over garden tools, etc. And of course if you want to go in for real, old-fashioned slapstick, there's a natural opportunity in the scene where "Doakes" stares at his shapely new neighbor, and forgets to look which way his hose is squirting — ! Scene 1. Medium-shot of a girl carrying a large box. On the side of the box is lettered the Main Title: "THE NEW NEIGHBOR." After ample time for reading this, the girl turns and shows an end of the box on which is lettered the credit-title, in this case: "By Cadarette." The Girl exits. FADE OUT. Seme 2. FADE IN. Medium close shot of hose and handle of lawn-mower. Pan right to show Joe Doakes stretched comfortably on the lawn, snoozing, with his head pillowed I the lawnmower's wheel. He stirs, sits up and stretches. Scene :>. Long-shot. Doakes gets up, stretches again, grasps handle of lawnmower and starts it toward the camera. Scene 1. Close up of mower, moving from righl to left. Scene .">. Close up of mower, moving from left to right. Scene 6. Close-up of mower, shot from low camera-angle. Mower comes directly into camera. Scene 7. Medium-shot, from low angle. In foreground on a box or stand can be seen a box of bug-killer, some garden trowels, etc. The mower and Doakes enter from right in background, apparently through with the lawn mowing. Doakes leaves the mower, and advances toward camera, picking up the trowels. Scene 8. Close-up of Doakes, as he looks at the two trowels, deciding which one he wants to use. Scene 9. Insert close-up of box. Hand places the larger trowel on the box. Scene 10. Long-shot. Doakes advances toward the camera, and squats down by a small tree or shrub. He stretches out lazily and starts to dig the dirt around the shrub's trunk. He looks up and sees something interesting out of the picture. Scene 11. Low-angl e medium shot, through picket fence. The very attractive legs of a pretty girl (the new neighbor) clad in a sun-suit, pass by. Scene 12. Same as Scene 10. Doakes exhibits great interest in this addition to the view. He gets up and goes over to where the hose is lying. Scene 13. Long-shot of the new neighbor moving about her yard. Scene 14. Medium-shot of Doakes, hosing the lawn very absent-mindedly and staring offstage with a fatuous expression. Scene 15. Medium long-shot. Doakes' pal, Sam Smith, comes around the corner of the house. He starts to wave a cheery greeting, but stops as he sees the situation. Then he ducks quickly into the hack porch. Scene 1<>. Long-shot. In the foreground. Doakes is still absent-mindedly plying the hose, while in the background Sam steals along the porch until he reaches the hose. He kneels by the hose. Scene 17. Close-up of Sam, kneeling. He picks up the hose in both hands and bends it tightly, shutting off the flow of water. Scene 18. Close-up of hoze nozzle. The water flow suddenly dwindles and stops. Scene 19. Medium close-shot, from low angle. Doakes slowly discovers something is wrong with the hose. He looks down at the nozzle, pointing it up at his face, wondering what's wrong. Scene 20. Close-up of Sam, same as Scene 17. He grins, and suddenly lets go of the hose. Scene 21. Close-up of Joe Doakes. still looking down at the nozzle, wondering what's wrong. Suddenly the water squirts out and showers him bountifully, knocking off his hat. He waves the hose wildly, looking around and sees Sam, then slams the hose down and runs out of scene to left. Scene 22. Medium-shot of the new neighbor, kneeling for a flower-bush in her yard. She looks up and offstage, sees what is happening in the next yard, and laughs. (You can add a close-up of her laughing face if you wish. ) Scene 23. Doakes chases Sam madly across the yard. Scene 24. Long-shot down drive way. Sam, hotly pursued by Joe Doakes, dashes into picture from right, around corner of house, and down driveway, across the street, and along oppi drive, finally disappearing into backyard of house opposite. FADE OUT. Scene 25. Close-up of box used for main title: it is now lettered THE END. August, 19 11 A MERICAN < 'INEMATOCKAPHEK