Angel Delight
By Michael English
Summary: This is the director’s
shooting script for our 11-14s Christmas 2001 video. This was only our second go at doing a video
and though it may not be Spielberg quality it was enormous fun. It was only later that we discovered that the
way we did some of the special effects was the same as the BBC used in the
sixties. The story features an angel’s
view of the nativity and its very bizarre affect on the hymn writer Charles
Wesley. Merry Christmas!
Bible Reference: Matthew 2:1-11; Luke 2:8-20
Characters: Three angels: Searchlight, Candle and Hark. Two clean shaven shepherds: Reuben and Simeon. Angel supervisor, Gabriel. Three wise men: Melchior, Balthazzar and The Other One. Hymn writer Charles Wesley.
Props: Keyboards, phones, microphones, large book, three laptop computers, a Christmas card with the star of Bethlehem, packet of Angel Delight mix.
Setting: Angelic Security Palestine Division; A Hillside near Bethlehem; Outside Herod’s Palace Jerusalem; The Holy Of Holies, heaven and Charles Wesley’s church.
1. TITLES
2A. TITLE – Angelic Security HQ
2B INT. ANGEL SECURITY HQ – NIGHT
Music Fade
SEARCHLIGHT
(points at screen
with pen)
Now Camera seven hundred and twelve please Candle..
CANDLE
Just those Shepherds again.
HARK
They're so sweet!
REUBEN
This is the life.
Nothing beats being a shepherd. The great out doors.
SIMEON
It’s raining!
REUBEN
Yeah, well, people respect you.
SIMEON
My mum says I smell of sheep.
(Pause)
REUBEN
I know a great joke about shepherds.
SIMEON
You do?
REUBEN
A guy told it to me in the inn.
SIMEON
Go on then.
REUBEN
What do you call a bald shepherd?
SIMEON
What do you call a bald shepherd?
REUBEN
Sean!!!
They both stare blankly at
each other and shake their heads.
SIMEON
No. Don't get it.
REUBEN
Neither do I.
4A. INT. ANGELIC SECURITY HQ
(Camera as 2A)
SEARCHLIGHT
Okay team. Take five. Hark, get some food.
HARK
Yes please sir!
Hark takes off his head set and gets up. He picks up a packet of angel delight and a bowl.
HARK
Well what did you think angels ate?
(Camera as 4A)
CANDLE
Nothing much happening tonight, sir.
(Cue Siren and Lights)
The angels begin to
panic. Hark
returns to his monitor and listens intently on his head set.
HARK
I'm getting a code 47.
CANDLE
That's an inspection from Central.
(Cue Thunder)
Gabriel appears. He is dressed like the other angels.
SEARCHLIGHT
Okay guys. Relax
its just Gabriel with another flashy entrance.
GABRIEL
Hey guys!
SEARCHLIGHT
Hey Gabriel!
Searchlight and Gabriel
slap hands.
SEARCHLIGHT & GABRIEL
Respect for the Almighty!
GABRIEL
Anything happening down here? The guys in Central have got new orders -
right from the top. It's going to be a
hard night.
Searchlight consults his
clip board.
SEARCHLIGHT
Not
much going on at the moment. We've got
an astronomical phenomenon over Judaea. Candle, get it up on
the monitor.
5A. TITLE
Camera 1212: Geostationary Orbit
5B. EXT
SKIES OVER BETHLEHEM - NIGHT
Focus on a postcard of Giotto painting
GABRIEL (vo)
Wasn't that on last weeks report?
SEARCHLIGHT (vo)
Yes. It reappeared about five hours ago. Meridian transit will be just south of
Bethlehem.
GABRIEL
(vo)
Seems harmless enough.
Anything else?
SEARCHLIGHT(vo)
There's three foreign dignitaries that have got King Herod
worried. Angel second class Hark is keeping
them under observation. Show him Hark.
6. EXT: JUDAEAN HILLSIDE - DAY
(Camera as 3B)
REUBEN
I
must be cleverer than you.
SIMEON
How
do you work that then?
REUBEN
Stands to reason.
I've got the longer beard.
SEARCHLIGHT
& CANDLE (vo)
Hark!!
HARK
(vo)
Sorry! Got the wrong camera.
7A. TITLE: Camera 644: Jerusalem Street Level
7B. EXT: HEROD'S PALACE – NIGHT
MELCHIOR
I'm
glad to get out of the palace. King
Herod is really quite unstable.
BALTHAZZAR
He
could do something quite unpleasant.
THE
OTHER ONE
We
had better be very careful.
MELCHIOR
Hey!
Look!
He points up into the sky
BALTHAZZAR
The
star!
THE
OTHER ONE
The
star!
MELCHIOR
Last
one on a camel is a shepherd.
7C Focus on the Laptop bags dropped by the
Magi
The Magi rush off.
8. INT: ANGELIC SECURITY – NIGHT
GABRIEL
Well
that has got me worried. Anything else?
(Cue Sirens).
CANDLE
I'm
getting a code 112 from Bethlehem.
GABRIEL
Code 112?
CANDLE
A punch up.
SEARCHLIGHT
The
inns are overcrowded. The humans should
be able to handle it. We won't need to
get involved.
HARK
So,
Gabriel, what's going on? I'm part of the Herald's Choir in my spare time and
we've been practising for months, but we've no idea what for.
GABRIEL
I
don't know. But I know someone who does.
9. INT:
HEAVEN CENTRAL – NIGHT
We see Gabriel illuminated by a light.
GABRIEL
You're
serious about this aren't you? (pause). You mean to
go through with it don't you. (pause). All of it. (pause). Well I'd
better get things started.
10A. INT:
ANGELIC SECURITY – NIGHT
Everything is peaceful. The angels are asleep.
(Cue Sirens)
CANDLE
I'm
getting.....It's a one. I'm getting a
Code One!
SEARCHLIGHT
A Code One? It can't be.
HARK
What's a code one?
SEARCHLIGHT
Better check in the book Hark.
10B. Angels tightly grouped round a large
book
Hark retrieves an enormous
dusty volume. They open it reverently.
HARK
But that's amazing.
CANDLE
Flabbergasting!
SEARCHLIGHT
The almighty really is going to do that! For them!
CANDLE
For the wise men!
HARK
For the shepherds, bless 'em!
SEARCHLIGHT
For the girl in labour in that stable!
CANDLE
Even for King Herod.
HARK
For millions and millions in years to
come.
SEARCHLIGHT
Even teenagers.
CANDLE
Think what it means for him.
HARK
The one who fills the whole universe with his presence?
SEARCHLIGHT
To be small and vulnerable.
CANDLE
To rely on someone taking care of him.
HARK
To poo in his nappies!
CANDLE & SEARCHLIGHT
Hark!!
11A. INT. Eighteenth Century Church
CHARLES WESLEYis scribbling furiously at some manuscript paper over
an organ. He shakes his head, screws up
the paper into a ball and flings it over his shoulder.
11B. A pile of screwed up balls of paper.
We see another land
11C As 11A
NARRATOR
It
so happens that this was the point that God chose to inspire an eighteenth
century hymn writer. It’s amazing
what a single glimpse of heaven can do.
WESLEY
I'm
never going to get this new carol finished by tomorrow morning. Those angels who heralded the birth of Jesus,
what would they have sung? I need
inspiration from heaven.
SEARCHLIGHT
& CANDLE (voice off)
Hark!!
WESLEY
Thats it!
He begins scribbling on a fresh sheet.
Music – Organ Intro to Hark The
Herald.
12. ANGELIC
SECURITY
Angels, shepherds, and
wise men partying to Hark the Herald (the Mighty Titan
version that goes at 90mph).
This script is Copyright 2001Michael English, All Saints Milton. Permission is given to use this drama in non-profit making church events provided the source is acknowledged. Please let us know if you have any comments.