School's silent film gets the kids talking

GOOD CHEER: Masterton's St Patrick's School pupils Fred Day (left), and Charlie Karaitiana, dressed as Charlie Chaplain characters, hold out their hats to passerby Natasha Wallace, in a rehearsal for a short film.PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

St Patrick's School's upcoming World War I themed production will include a Charlie Chaplain-style silent film, with the rapid jerky walk and story boards from the era.

The Times-Age spotted deputy principal Chris Day rehearsing with pupils, dressed in period costume, near the band rotunda in Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton on Friday.

Mr Day, armed with a cell phone camera and laptop, told the Times-Age teaching pupils to mime was a whole new experience.

"We're making our own Charlie Chaplain silent film," he said.

"We chose the park for the setting, with the bandstand being built just before [the war]."

He said he has had several members of the public coming over to watch them film.

"It's been a lot of fun, teaching kids to mime in a week - it has been a huge challenge.

"They are actually pretty good."

Mr Day is converting the footage to black and white and will speed up the motion, before adding the storyboards of speech between the filmed moments.

The five-minute film will be part of the school's World War I production in the Masterton Town Hall from September 14 to 17.

The production will also include a play based around the life of Tinui soldier Jack Dunn, who was the first New Zealander sentenced to death during World War I.