20 Lights 33 Camera 33 Action 33

by Ryan Harrold
illustrated by Doreen Gay-Kassel

by Ryan Harrold
illustrated by Doreen Gay-Kassel
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ISBN 10: 0-15-350683-0

ISBN 13: 978-0-15-350683-3
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ISBN 13: 978-0-15-350600-0 (Grade 3 On-Level Collection)
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 985 12 11 10 09 08 07 06
Characters
Jordan Ellen Sharon Max Jack
Setting: A street being used as a film set
Jordan: We’re coming to you today from the set of

the film Lunch Break.
Sharon: Lunch Break will be filmed at a number of
locations around town for the next few weeks. We’re
lucky to have some of the people involved in the film
here today to talk about what they do. Welcome,
everybody!
Jack: Thank you. We’re delighted to be here.
Jordan: That’s Jack Park, the director of the film.
3
Sharon: Jack, how did you get involved in
filmmaking?
Jack: I always loved telling stories. First, I made
storybooks. Then my family got a video camera.
I couldn’t put it down! I made an enormous number
of movies starring people in my neighborhood.
Jordan: Did you study filmmaking in school?
Jack: Yes, in college. Afterward, though, I had all
kinds of jobs on film sets. I watched other directors
work. I learned a lot that way.
4
Sharon: What exactly does a director do?
Jack: Directors decide the best way to tell the story
in the script. They decide how each scene will look.
They help the actors perform. They help choose
sound effects and music. They’re really responsible
for the whole film.
Jordan: That’s quite a burden
for one person!
Jack: That’s why it’s mandatory
that you put together a crew
of talented people to help
you!
5
Jordan: Is that the first thing you do when you’re
going to make a film?
Jack: There’s a lot to do before you start filming.
Choosing a crew is important. You also have to
decide where to film. Sometimes you build sets
inside a studio. Sometimes you need to go outside
to find the right place. For example, a friend
suggested Bloomfield for Lunch Break. I came to
visit, and it was perfect!
Sharon: We’re glad you’re here.
6
Jack: I am, too. Then I break the script down into
tiny pieces. I draw a picture to show how I want
each scene to look. These are called storyboards.
They look like panels in a comic strip. I show them to
people, and we plan how we’re going to film them.
We think about what we’ll need. The director of
photography plays an important part here.
Jordan: Ellen, you’re the director of photography.
Please tell us what you do.
7
Ellen: Sure. I’m in charge of the cameras and lights.
I choose the type of film to use to get the right look.
I talk with the director about how to film each shot.
I’m also in charge of lighting.
Sharon: I’ve noticed there are a lot of lights
around here!
Ellen: Light helps the mood of a scene. Lighting can
make an actor look bold and heroic. It can make a
quiet scene look tender and warm.
8
Jordan: What’s a day on the set like?
Jack: It’s long! The crew comes to the location early.
They have to make sure everything we need is there.
Ellen’s lighting crew works on setting up the lights.
The actors come early, too. They need to get into their
costumes and makeup. Max is our makeup artist.
Sharon: I guess Max is the one who makes movie
stars look so glorious!
9
Max: That’s only part of it. Movie actors really need
makeup. The lights are very bright. Without makeup,
they would look quite dull. I also do effects with
makeup. I can make someone young look old. I can
make someone look bald without cutting his hair. I
can create monsters. I can make someone who is
healthy look sick.
Jordan: That must take a long time!
Max: Sometimes makeup can take hours. Actors
have to be patient.
10
Sharon: Jack, when do you rehearse the scenes
with the actors?
Jack: We don’t rehearse much. Film actors really
need to prepare on their own. They have to
immerse themselves in the script. Some may work
on the dialogue with a coach. You don’t want a
good scene ruined because someone forgets a line!
Then when the actors get on the set, I’ll give them
some direction. We’ll run through it. Then we’ll shoot
the scene.
Jordan: Isn’t that hard?
11
Jack: Film scenes are short. That makes it easy to
give direction and make changes. It helps to have
good actors, though!
Sharon: How many script pages do you film
each day?
Jack: It’s a good day if we film three pages.
Jordan: That’s all?
Jack: Absolutely. We film the same scene many
times. We film from different angles and distances.
Then when the whole script has been filmed, we
edit together the best versions.
12
Sharon: It sounds like there is a lot to do after you
finish filming.
Jack: Right. You need to edit all the film. You need
to add sound effects and special effects. You add
music. There’s a lot to do!
Jordan: It sounds very complicated! What would
you tell people interested in becoming filmmakers?
Jack: I’d say be creative and try different things.
Some may work. Some may not. Listen if people
criticize your work. You may learn something.
13
Ellen: I’d remind people that there are a lot of
different jobs in movies. Just think about how
long the credits are after a movie! Each of those
people had some effect on it. You could be an actor
or director. However, you could also be a director of
photography or an editor.
Max: You could become a makeup artist or a costume
designer.
Sharon: It sounds like there’s something for almost
everyone. Thanks for talking to us!
Jordan: We can’t wait to see Lunch Break!
14
Think Critically
1. How is filming a movie different than putting
on a play?
2. What is the theme of this Readers’ Theater?
3. Why are so few pages of a script filmed

each day?
4. What does a director have to do before

filming begins?
5. Which of the jobs described in this Readers’

Theater sounds the most interesting to you?
Why?
Drama
Film It! Think of a book you like. Imagine that it is being made
into a movie. Write a scene from the book as you would like to
see it in the movie. Ask classmates to help you read the parts.
School-Home Connection Ask family members

about their favorite movies and share your favorites
as well. Discuss why you liked these movies.
Word Count: 940

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20 Lights 33 Camera 33 Action 33

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by Ryan Harrold

illustrated by Doreen Gay-Kassel

Copyright © by Harcourt, Inc.

ISBN 10: 0-15-350683-0

Jordan: We’re coming to you today from the set of

2. What is the theme of this Readers’ Theater?

3. Why are so few pages of a script filmed

4. What does a director have to do before

5. Which of the jobs described in this Readers’

School-Home Connection Ask family members

Word Count: 940

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