Stella's First Movie

Stella lay lengthwise on the sofa, her slender legs hanging over the arm. She lay swinging them, thinking of nothing in particular, looking up at the ceiling.

"What's up, Ponytail?" her older brother, Leon, asked on his way to the kitchen. Leon was always on his way to the kitchen.

"Nothing," Stella said.

"Ha! You can't fool me, Ponytail. You're disappointed."

Stella swung her legs around and sat up on the sofa. "Why would I be disappointed, Mr. Smart Guy?"

Leon poured himself some orange juice, his free hand tapping on the countertop in time to music in his head. "Aunt Melody didn't show up at your birthday party yesterday."

Stella stuck out her pointed little chin, her red ponytail dangling behind her. "She'll come. She's busy working on a film. I don't expect her to drop everything to come to my 10th birthday party."

"Sure she'll come. You know Aunt Melody. She pops in and out all the time." Leon drank down the orange juice and tossed the empty container into the garbage can. "Hey, Ponytail. Almost time for Mom to come home. Take out the trash, will ya?" Leon danced his way down the hallway to his room, still hearing that music in his head.

Stella sighed. She hated it when Leon ordered her around, especially when they were his chores that she was doing. But she figured she wasn't doing anything else at the moment except feeling sorry for herself anyway.

She was disappointed that Aunt Melody hadn't come to her birthday party. But she knew that Aunt Melody's work was important. She couldn't just drop everything and come to her niece's tenth birthday party. Knowing this didn't make Stella feel any better.

As she placed the garbage bag into the garbage pail, she saw her mother's car pull into the drive. Stella walked up to her mother as she got out of the car.

"Oh, Stella. Did Leon make you do his chores again?"

"Just taking out the trash, Mom." Stella shrugged. "It's no big deal."

"Oh, but, Stella, it is a big deal." Her mother stood between Stella and the road. "Leon needs to learn to do his own chores. Don't worry. I'll have another talk with him." Stella's mother noticed the earnest look in her child's eyes. "What's the matter, Stella? Why so glum?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Stella said.

"Well, cheer up. I have a surprise for you."

Stella looked up at her mother. "What is it?"

Stella's mother moved aside for Stella to see the bright red 1965 Mustang convertible pull into the drive.

Stella's face brightened. "Aunt Melody!" she screeched and raced to the car.

Aunt Melody got out of the car laughing and reached out her arms for Stella to run into. "My favorite niece," she said.

"I'm your only niece," Stella gushed into Aunt Melody's shoulder.

"That's why you're my favorite." Aunt Melody pulled Stella back for a moment. "You weren't too disappointed that I couldn't make your birthday party, were you, Ponytail?"

"No." Stella grinned under Aunt Melody's close observation. "Okay. A little."

"A little?" her mother said behind her. "She moped around here like she'd lost her best friend."

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it, Ponytail. We had to wrap up the film I was working on."

"That's okay, you're here now."

"That's right. You are here now," Stella's mother said. "And I think we have some birthday cake left. Come on inside you two."

"Oh, wait! I have something for you." Aunt Melody reached into the back seat and picked up a good-sized box.

"What is it?"

"You'll see when you open it."

Stella waited until she was seated at the kitchen table before she ripped open the package. In a matter of minutes, she held in her hand something she had hoped for but had told to no one.

"Aunt Melody!" she exclaimed. "It's great!"

"What is it?" asked Stella's mother.

"It's a camera, Mom!"

"A camera! Isn't that a bit expensive for Stella's age?"

"Oh, hush, Marie. I wish someone had given me a camera when I was Stella's age."

Stella's mother opened the kitchen door as Leon approached it. Both of his hands were full. Not only did he carry a tripod for the camera, he also carried another brightly wrapped package. Aunt Melody fully believed in spoiling her only nephew and niece and always brought presents for both of them on each other's birthdays.

"Oh, Melody, must you spoil them?" Marie asked.

"It's my sworn duty as an aunt," Melody answered. "Go ahead, Leon, open yours."

Leon ripped the packaging from his box and pulled out a shiny metallic blue bicycle helmet. "This is great, Aunt Melody!"

"Too bad you won't be able to use it, Leon," his mother chided.

Aunt Melody looked from Leon to Marie. "What does that mean?"

"Go ahead, Leon. Tell her."

"I wrecked the bike, Aunt Melody."

"Already? But I just gave it to you a few months ago for your 13th birthday!"

"Don't worry, Aunt Melody. I'm working a part time job beginning next week at Mr. Carson's horse stables and I'm going to have that bike fixed before the summer gets started good." With that, Leon danced out of the kitchen and to his room.

Aunt Melody held her face in her hands. "How on earth do you do it, Marie? How on earth can you handle being a single parent?"

Marie laughed. "I wouldn't be able to handle it if I didn't love them." She looked at Stella, preoccupied with looking through the lens of the camera. "It helps having a sister like you."

"Oh. I do what I can." She patted her sister's arm. "Hey, Ponytail. Would you like to go outside and learn how to operate that camera?"

"Yes!"

Stella learned quickly how to set up the camera on the tripod, how to load the film, how to focus, stop and start the film; everything she would need to know to make her own movie. By the time she and Aunt Melody had gone over everything, Marie was at the door announcing dinner.

"Mom!" Stella said as she raced into the kitchen. "I'm going to make a movie!"

"You are? And what's you're movie going to be about?" Marie placed the last glass of iced tea onto the table as Leon danced into the kitchen.

Stella took her place beside Aunt Melody and frowned. "I don't know, Mom. What should my movie be about, Aunt Melody?"

"Anything your heart desires, Ponytail."

"I guess I'll have to think about that."

"Just remember to invite me to the premier," Aunt Melody said.

"Of course!" said Stella.

"Now, Leon. You said you would be working at Mr. Carson's horse stables. What are you going to be doing there?"

Leon grinned. "Cleaning out horse stables, of course. But you know me, Aunt Melody, I love being around horses."

Aunt Melody laughed. "Among so many other things you like to do, Leon. Will you be working every day?"

"Every day except Sunday," Leon said.

Before leaving, Aunt Melody presented Stella with one last gift: an authentic director's cap and chair. When Aunt Melody left, Stella's heart was lighter. Aunt Melody had such a love for life that it rubbed off on the entire family. Stella's mother had that love for life, too, but she sometimes got bogged down by responsibilities. She needed Aunt Melody, once in awhile, to rejuvenate her own love for life. When Aunt Melody came to visit, the whole family felt better for her having been there.

Stella went to sleep that night dreaming of different movie ideas. And when she awoke the next morning, she knew exactly what she wanted to film.

Stella had her chores, and Leon's chores, done in record time. She contacted everyone she knew and asked them if they wanted to be in her film. Not a single person said no. She arranged for each person to be in her back yard that afternoon. Stella then busied herself with setting up the scene. She gathered all the chairs she could find and set them all up in the back yard, just as they had been set up for her birthday. There was still some birthday cake left over and Stella turned it so only the uneaten portion would be on film. She retrieved balloons and decorations and placed them all just as they had been a few days before. She loaded the film as Aunt Melody had taught her and she was outside setting up the tripod when she heard Leon from the kitchen steps.

"Hey, Ponytail! What's up?"

"I'm doing a film," she answered and looked through the lens to gauge her shot. Aunt Melody had taught her all about angles and close-ups and panning. Stella intended to use everything she could think of for this film.

"Hey, I got an idea, Ponytail. I could be the producer of this film."

Stella thought for a moment before answering. "I don't think so, Leon."

Leon was a little surprised by this answer, but he didn't give up. "I don't see why not,
Ponytail. You don't want to be producer and director and cameragirl, too, do you?"

Stella turned and faced Leon. She planted her feet firmly on the ground, crossed her arms and looked him right in the eye. "Why can't I be all three, Leon?"

"Aw, c'mon, Stella. All ya gotta do is give me the title of producer-"

"No," Stella said firmly. "I don't think you should get credit for what I do, Leon." There was no anger in her voice, but Leon could tell from the way she stood, the way her arms were crossed, the way Stella stuck out her chin and the way her red ponytail swayed behind her that no amount of sweet-talk or ordering around would change her mind about this. Leon was so surprised by this turn of events that he was speechless.

"You can be in my movie, if you like," Stella offered.

Leon brightened a little. "Sure, Ponytail. What would you like for me to do?"

Stella told him and Leon quickly set about the task of creating his character.

As Stella's actors and actresses began to arrive, she quickly seated them in the chairs which she had set up. Stella was delighted that almost everyone who had attended her birthday party had returned for the filming.

At last, the stage was all set, the players were ready, and Stella was as anxious as they to begin filming. Stella had explained to everyone what was expected of them, including Leon. So when Stella finally said, "Lights! Camera! Action!" everyone knew what to do, even though there was no script to follow.

Stella used the camera on a tripod for awhile, then removed the camera from the tripod and hand-held it to follow the action for awhile. She got on her knees at one point to achieve a low angle and on top of the picnic table to get a high angle. She had no dolly or crane so she got those tracking shots by walking along with the action. She got close-ups and medium shots and long shots. By the time the afternoon was over, Stella had more than enough film for a short movie.

Of course the movie had to be edited before it could be shown. For that, Stella needed Aunt Melody's help.

Aunt Melody was only too happy to pick Stella up one afternoon and take her to the studio where Aunt Melody worked. Aunt Melody showed Stella the stages and costumes, the sound room and many other aspects of the studio.

"Why can't my movie have sound?" Stella asked.

Aunt Melody laughed. "Learn the camera first, Stella," she said. "Sound comes later."

Aunt Melody took Stella into the editing room. She showed Stella how to cut and move frames and splice them together so that a lot of the film that wasn't necessary wouldn't be in the movie. They also added an introductory scene with the title of the movie and a closing scene with the credits.

"There," said Aunt Melody. She held up a strip of film that was the finished product. "That should do it."

Stella took the film from Aunt Melody. "Wow. Is it all finished?"

"All finished. When are you going to show it?"

"Can you be at my house this Saturday?"

So it was set that the movie would be shown on Saturday at Stella's house. Aunt Melody provided the projector and the screen to show the movie on and Stella invited everyone who had been in the movie. They popped popcorn and handed out soda.

As the film began to roll, everyone became quiet, just like in a movie theater. The introductory screen said, "Stella's Birthday Party, Directed and Produced by Stella." The opening shot was a long shot, showing everyone gathered in the chairs for the party. A girl about Stella's age sat in the center chair in the front row. She wore a birthday hat and presents were piled around her feet.

Leon then entered the picture dressed as a clown. He wore an oversized polka-dotted suit, red curly hair and had a bulbous red nose. He tried to entertain the crowd by juggling, but his juggling skills were not what they should be. He kept dropping the balls each time he attempted to juggle them. The funny part was when a Golden Retriever, brought to the party by one of the guests, grabbed one of the balls and ran off with it. Leon took off after him and this amused the guests and the audience.

Cake was served as the Stella "actress" opened her birthday gifts. Leon the clown still tried to entertain the crowd by pulling an extremely long and colorful handkerchief out of his sleeve. It looked as though the handkerchief would never end, but it finally did end in a bouquet of flowers which he presented to the birthday girl.

Leon the clown attempted, once more, to juggle, but was no better at it this time than the time before. As he tossed one of the balls high into the air, he tossed it too high but realized it too late. He bent backward to catch the ball, lost his balance and fell into a shallow wading pool filled with water.

The credits at the end of the movie listed everyone who had shown up, plus Leon as the clown and Romeo as the Golden Retriever.

Stella got her first taste of success as the audience clapped and cheered her first attempt.

"Looks like our Stella is on her way to Hollywood," Stella's mom said.

"She could well be," said Aunt Melody. And she handed Stella more reels of film to be used in her camera.

"Thanks, Aunt Melody!" Stella said. She could hardly wait to get more film in her camera.

The next morning, Stella quickly finished her chores. Only her chores.

As she headed through the kitchen, camera in hand, Leon stopped her.

"Hey, Ponytail. How about taking out the trash?"

Stella stopped and looked Leon in the eye. "No, Leon. That's your chore. I've already done my chores and I think it's time you did your chores yourself." Without another word, Stella was out the kitchen door. There was a lot out there that she wanted to get on film and there was no sense wasting time debating a matter upon which Stella had already made up her mind.

Leon scratched the back of his head and wondered where he had gone wrong. He had become so accustomed to Stella's doing whatever he asked of her that he never thought she would one day stop doing it.

But there was really no time to dwell on the matter. He had to do his chores in a hurry and get over to Mr. Carson's horse stables if he expected to earn any money today.

As Leon wrapped up his chores by tying the garbage bag closed, it finally began to dawn on him why Stella had stopped doing everything he told her to do: she was growing up. Stella was becoming quite independent and she no longer needed Leon to tell her what to do.

That thought saddened Leon just a little. Not because he couldn't order Stella around any more. But because it also meant that he, Leon, was growing up, too. Before very long, everything in their world would be different. Summer days would not be carefree days much longer.

With thoughts of getting his bike fixed as soon as possible, Leon closed the kitchen door and lit out for Mr. Carson's stables at a run.