The Magic of Faith, or, Are You For Real, Santa?
HISTORY OF THE SCRIPT
This script came out of my wanting to thank Kristy Best for her involvement in making the promo shorts of House of Horace. She and her company were devising a Christmas stage show and I volunteered a three-hander about children and their belief in Santa. Unfortunately, the stage show did not go ahead and I had this script ready to go.
A few months later, I met producer Lara Cassar at a function at Metro Screen and, as they say, the rest is history. Lara was impressed enough by the pitch that she very quickly put together a crew of very talented cinematographers, make-up artists, production managers, directors and editors. Our second producer, Naomi Shaw, wanted to help as well and she brought with her everything else we lacked: a stills photographer, catering, costuming and props.
Then came the auditions.
From a casting call turnout of quite a number of talented and enthusiastic young actors we selected Emily Perry to play the female lead (Desiree), and Raquel Belleli to play her best friend, Chloe. Santa was a little more difficult to cast until Peter A Cross, our associate producer, suggested his friend, Simon Gillespie, internationally acclaimed entertainer and actor! Well, type cast he certainly wasn't! And such a gentleman! He agreed to help us out, which floored everyone... except Peter.
Emily's parents very generously allowed us to use their huge backyard in Dural, an outer Sydney suburb, and their home for make-up and wardrobe - by professional artist Jemma Sale, and for feeding the hungry troops.
The whole film was shot over a weekend in the middle of July (brrrrr.... ) with young Emily and Raquel rugging up warmly between takes. Simon was toasty in his jolly red Santa suit.
BROADCAST
When the short was ready, it was televised for the first time on Christmas Eve, 2013 at 4.30 p.m. on TVS (Television Sydney) Channel 44 and again the following night, Christmas, at 7 p.m. The following year, 2014, "The Magic of Faith, or Are You For Real, Santa?" was broadcast again at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and once more the following night.
Regrettably, the then Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the end of access to broadcast spectrum for community television and on 20th December, 2015, TVS ceased operations.
This script came out of my wanting to thank Kristy Best for her involvement in making the promo shorts of House of Horace. She and her company were devising a Christmas stage show and I volunteered a three-hander about children and their belief in Santa. Unfortunately, the stage show did not go ahead and I had this script ready to go.
A few months later, I met producer Lara Cassar at a function at Metro Screen and, as they say, the rest is history. Lara was impressed enough by the pitch that she very quickly put together a crew of very talented cinematographers, make-up artists, production managers, directors and editors. Our second producer, Naomi Shaw, wanted to help as well and she brought with her everything else we lacked: a stills photographer, catering, costuming and props.
Then came the auditions.
From a casting call turnout of quite a number of talented and enthusiastic young actors we selected Emily Perry to play the female lead (Desiree), and Raquel Belleli to play her best friend, Chloe. Santa was a little more difficult to cast until Peter A Cross, our associate producer, suggested his friend, Simon Gillespie, internationally acclaimed entertainer and actor! Well, type cast he certainly wasn't! And such a gentleman! He agreed to help us out, which floored everyone... except Peter.
Emily's parents very generously allowed us to use their huge backyard in Dural, an outer Sydney suburb, and their home for make-up and wardrobe - by professional artist Jemma Sale, and for feeding the hungry troops.
The whole film was shot over a weekend in the middle of July (brrrrr.... ) with young Emily and Raquel rugging up warmly between takes. Simon was toasty in his jolly red Santa suit.
BROADCAST
When the short was ready, it was televised for the first time on Christmas Eve, 2013 at 4.30 p.m. on TVS (Television Sydney) Channel 44 and again the following night, Christmas, at 7 p.m. The following year, 2014, "The Magic of Faith, or Are You For Real, Santa?" was broadcast again at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and once more the following night.
Regrettably, the then Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the end of access to broadcast spectrum for community television and on 20th December, 2015, TVS ceased operations.
The Magic of Make-up
For more fabulous production stills and to see the movie go to the Magic of Faith short film page
So here is the script that started it all off, including innumerable changes by my ever-diligent script editor and friend, Jini Liljeqvist.
The very fine print:
All rights by all media reserved
Copyright Susanna Bonaretti 2009
Copyright warning: The whole contents of this work are copyright of Susanna Bonaretti.
No part of the contents may be reproduced or dealt with in any way that is inconsistent with the rights of Susanna Bonaretti under copyright law.
In particular, no part of this may be disseminated to a third party without the prior written permission of Susanna Bonaretti.
All rights by all media reserved
Copyright Susanna Bonaretti 2009
Copyright warning: The whole contents of this work are copyright of Susanna Bonaretti.
No part of the contents may be reproduced or dealt with in any way that is inconsistent with the rights of Susanna Bonaretti under copyright law.
In particular, no part of this may be disseminated to a third party without the prior written permission of Susanna Bonaretti.