SInce I've ignored the blog for too long

This spting has been a busy awesome time. Since March I've gone to Gettysburg for adopt a site and research, presented a two hour program on Gettysburg at the Kenosha Civil War Musem and spent a huge amount of hours on "Seeing the Elephant" a film for the Kenosha CW Musuem. Busy? As an apology to anyone who stops by this blog only to see it ignored, I offer this humble script I wrote as a pun to all those reenactors like myself- big kids at heart. Emjoy. The Picket Post By Steve Acker FADE IN CU of a federal belt buckle fade to black then to shots of STEVE, TERRY, JASON and JAY as they break out of the hedge. The canera is tight on their faces. STEVE Stay here boys. The three men watch Steve leave. There is a nervous energy about the men. Terry, Jason and Jay huddle next to each other. The camera is filled with their bodies. JAY Where’s the Sergeant going? TERRY Don’t worry about it fresh fish JASON He’s looking for the elephant. JAY The elephant? The two men laugh. TERRY Yea the elephant. It’s what the boys call being in combat. Seeing the elephant. JASON Yea seeing a battle, the elephant JAY I don’t want to see the elephant JASON (profoundly) No one does There is a long moment of silence as each man looks beyond his point. Suddenly Steve enters frame. He takes an excited drink from his canteen. JAY Did you see the elephant? STEVE Na, but he’s out there. We need to move across this field. Gotta move quick so the Rebs don’t spot us. We’ll go one at a time. Terry you first, then Jason and then you Jay. Stay low and move fast. Ready? The men all nod nervously. Steve is in the background sending each man on his way. Jason hesitates and receives a good push for his tardiness. Jay comes up and looks nervously at Steve. Steve offers a supportive glance and sends him on his way. Shots of each man sprinting, falling and crouching. Shots of each one as they arrive at the next spot alternate with each start. Each man that arrives stops and then waves the next on. Steve leaves last and after arriving pats each man on the back. The last shot of the men taking off their knapsacks. The camera fades out. EXT. CAMP. DAY Scene opens on a tight shot of the campfire then pans to one man warming his feet by the fire then moves to another writing in his journal and a third chewing on some hardtack. The scene last 20 seconds. Music fills the background. Shelter halves cover the background. Steve enters frame. STEVE You boys look snug. Too bad one of you has to go out on picket. Groans come from the men. STEVE Terry follow me. Terry grabs his rifle and follows Steve off camera. The others go about their business. EXT. PICKET SPOT. DAY Terry and Steve arrive at the picket post. They both look around intensely. TERRY Good spot. Rebs won’t be able to sneak up on us. STEVE Only problem is the cold. TERRY No fires here. Can’t let em know where I’m posted. Hopefully this will be our last winter. Home next Christmas? STEVE Home, so close yet so far away. Off in the distance a sound of wrapping on glass is heard. TERRY What’s that? STEVE Back in an hour with your relief. Stay safe old friend. Steve leaves frame as we watch Terry settle into position. EXT. CAMP. DAY Jay and Jason rest in camp. JAY How long you been in the army Jason JASON Going on three years now. JAY Does it get any easier? JASON Does and it doesn’t. The hardships of campaign get easier. Each day away from home gets harder. The sound of wrapping on glass fills the background. JAY What’s that? JASON A warning, I’m afraid. Jay and Jason continue resting in camp when suddenly Steve enters frame. The camera stays tight on Steve. The camera looks from above. STEVE Got the picket posted. Have to relieve him in an hour. Who wants to go next? JAY Can’t Mom wants me home by three. Jason and Steve laugh. The three sit near the fire warming themselves. After a few moments the sound of glass wrapping comes again. This time more intense. All look up toward a central location. STEVE Trouble boys. Fix bayonets A tight shot of the men fixing bayonets. For three beats the camera holds on the men with their muskets ready for battle. Jay is in the middle of the shot. LINDA Steve CU on Steve’s face as he looks away. The men part exposing the house and LINDA standing in the door. LINDA Jason’s wife called. She wants him home now! The scene closes from the upstairs window we see Terry come from around the shed. All remaining watch Jason leave. Terry returns to his post near the wood pile while Steve and Jay return to the campfire next to the picnic table. The camera goes to the sky and then fades out. FADE OUT