Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1949)

457 Christmas Lionel Green from Frederic Lewis in capsule WILLIAM L. LUCAS YES, that gala time of year is again approaching — ■ Christmas! Perhaps already you are wondering what different touch you can give to your Christmas filming this year. Probably you have taken reels in other years which open on the kids getting their first glimpse of the decorated tree. You follow then with scene after scene of presents being opened. O.K. This makes a good record of the occasion, but this year you want to do it differently. Well, why not plan this year's picture from another angle? — Mother's angle. Our film plan which follows tells its Christmas story around Mother, Dad and Sonny. But you can easily alter the cast by adding or subtracting, as the case may be. For, even if you have no children, the scenario is still usable. CHRISTMAS IS FUN 1. Medium shot of your living room. Dad is in his chair, reading the paper. Mother is sewing. Sonny is on the floor playing with his latest jet propelled plane. 2. Semi-closeup of Dad reading the paper. He lowers it, glances toward Mother and says: Title. "Only fifteen more shopping days until Christmas. 3. Same setting as Scene 1. Sonny starts jumping up and down in joy. Dad looks smug. Mother stares at the ceiling, counting off on her fingers the fleeing days. 4. Same as Scene 2. Sonny comes up to Dad. He asks him something. Dad searches in his pocket, pulls out a pencil, then a paper. Sonny takes them and walks out of camera range. Dad smiles, says : Title. "Christmas is fun!" 5. Closeup of Dad grinning. 6. Closeup of Sonny with a broad grin. 7. Closeup of Mother sighing. Fade out. Title. Busy days follow. 8. Fade in. A downtown street scene. The streets are crowded with people and traffic. The stores are gay with decorations. Mother is on the sidewalk, arms full of bundles and struggling to get through the mobs. 9. Semi-closeup of Dad sitting at home in his favorite chair, reading a book. 10. Same setting as Scene 8, as Mother still battles the Christmas crowds. Fade out. 11. Fade in. Semi-closeup of Mother seated at her desk, addressing a large stack of Christmas cards. 12. Medium shot of Dad sleeping on the couch. 13. Closeup of Sonny on ^T^ ^^^22x>^^^ tne fl°or5 writing his Christ* mas list. By now the list is quite long. 14. Extreme closeup of CHRISTMAS MAY BE FUN for the rest of the family-but is it for Mother? Such is the simple theme of fifty-scene script. Sonny's Christmas list. 15. Same as Scene 13. Sonny adds another item. 16. Same as Scene 11. Mother is still addressing cards. Fade out. 17. Fade in. Medium shot in the bedroom. Mother, surrounded by boxes and paper, is wrapping gifts. In the background the bedroom door is closed. She apparently hears a noise at the door and glances at it in alarm. 18. Closeup of the door. It opens slightly, and Dad pokes his head in the room. His face lights up. 19. Same as Scene 17. Dad joins Mother and watches her busily wrapping gifts. He clasps his hands behind his back and teeters on his toes. 20. Closeup of Dad smiling. He says: Title. "Yeah, Christmas is sure fun!" 21. Closeup of Mother as she turns to glare up at him. 22. Same as Scene 17. Dad is standing, Mother is glaring up at him. Suddenly both of them look at the door. Mother tries to cover up the gifts. Dad starts walking toward the door. 23. Medium shot outside the door. Sonny is leaning over, peeking through the keyhole. Suddenly, the door opens and the doorway is filled with Dad's towering figure, his fists on his hips. Sonny jumps back. Dad motions for Sonny to go away. 24. Medium shot of Sonny's room, including doorway. He saunters in, goes to a drawer and pulls out his long Christmas list. Then he finds a pencil and checks off one of the items. Fade out. 25. Semi-closeup of Mother washing the kitchen floor. 26. Semi-closeup of Dad in his chair, lazily cleaning his pipe. [Continued on page 472] THE FAMILY FILM For picture makers who like a plan, here are the holiday high jinks in fifty simple scenes