Click here to see a large preview of the script.  The colour coding matches with the Powerpoint autocues, and the images match with those included in the package.

Click here to see a see the first scene and see for yourself how flexible and adaptable this script is.

Having used this concept myself with absolutely no experience I found ways to achieve everything WITHOUT ANY PAID SOFTWARE.  If you already have your own editing software that you are familiar with, just check that the green screen facility is available to you as it is often a paid upgrade on many free editing programmes.  Otherwise, this is how I did everything:

I downloaded and used OpenShot (www.openshot.org) which is a free Opensource video editor with capability to scale up and down, crop, rotate, pan and zoom, transition effects between shots, add music, remove audio, clip films, layer films together, blur, add credits, do green screen…literally anything I found that I wanted to do.  There are lots of quick and easy YouTube tutorials for specific guidance, and I have included all the links that I used.

I collected videos from people using www.wetransfer.com which is free to use to send up to 2gb (this is plenty for your filming) with no membership required by the sender or receiver.  All you need is an email address each to send and receive.

All the specific guidance that you need is included in the package.

Each small speaking part can therefore be filmed individually in a safe space,  using anything suitable to hand, and let film effects do the rest…

• Costumes … nothing fancy : can be anything you find around the home, so just be inventive.

If you choose to organise costumes and use the default version of the script, these are the ones you’ll need:   2 Studio presenters, (unless you use the pre-recorded scenes), 3 presenters (Business, travel and weather news), 2 reporters, 3 shepherds, 3 kings, Angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph  (The script is highly adaptable so you have the ability to reduce the cast without reducing the play.)

• Props: Again just find things around teh home (Frankincense and myrrh just require some kind of scent bottle).
• A means of filming: a smartphone is ideal, or a tablet or webcam
• A computer with internet (and someone who is prepared to edit the scenes together!)
• A  ‘green screen’ equivalent background (unless you choose to use your own settings)

There’s no need to buy a special green screen as the following homemade alternatives will work, so long as they are a plain consistent colour that is not in the footage that you are filming (Remember clothes and skin colour).  Ideally it should be a deep primary colour, hence green is the natural default because it occurs less in the every day basic focal point of a shot…

A plain painted feature wall or even a large piece of painted paper or card

A plain bed sheet hung on the wall or washing line (avoid creases/ shadows/ light patches shining through)

I found the ideal size for a landscape shot to be 1.8 metres wide, but so long as you stay within the boundary of your greenscreen a small shot can be edited into a larger one; you don’t need to fill a landscape shot: the editing software will allow you to zoom in and out and to place several films together

THAT’S RIGHT…NO SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, PAID SOFTWARE OR EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED.  As with all things, practice will speed up the process, but the YouTube tutorials walk you through the process in a simple, visual, beginner friendly way.  Honestly, I literally have done all this from home without any experience so YOU CAN DO IT!

As the whole thing is recorded and edited together one person could even do the entire play alone.  Using the green screen facility makes it possible to put multiple recordings into the same setting.  It could be a fun way to spend time in isolation!

If used as written, it will include 16 parts (remember that it’s highly adaptable), those being as follows:

5 studio presenters (2 on the sofa, a business presenter, a travel presenter, and a weather presenter), 2 reporters (at the scene), 3 Kings, 3 Shepherds, Angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph.

The story does not include Mary and Joseph’s journey, so the usual innkeepers and donkey are not required.

Plus options for dancing angels, a star, singers, advert breaks etc

No songs/ music are included with this script, but suggestions are made.  This aspect of your nativity play is entirely up to you so, for example, you may choose to use carols from YouTube, or for Mary to sing a lullably to the baby Jesus, or for someone to sing a Christmas solo as the musical interlude etc.

I always aim for 25 minutes as an overall  guide, but make my scripts entirely adaptable so the following breakdown will give you a feel for how you can achieve the time that best suits your needs.  Bearing in mind that every performance of a script will be different dependant upon the speed of the reading and acting, I can only offer a rough guidance, but as there are none of the logistics of a live performance, I expect that my read through will provide fairly accurate timings…

1.  Having smoothly read through the scripted lines  (ie, no transitions) the actors words take 10 minutes
2. Plus another 40 seconds for the 3 optional scenes that are required to link to a break.
3. An ‘advert break’ can take as long as you choose; you may get creative and make up some fun adverts, or incorporate messages to loved ones, or carols from YouTube etc, so this is completely adaptable to suit your needs
4. An optional pre-recorded ‘Greeting from the Author’ poem lasts 1 minute 16
5. I have pre-recorded an optional ‘prayerful summing up of the message’ poem called “God of Humility”, which lasts 1 minute 57 seconds (you can read this yourself if you prefer)
6. If you choose to include the “The Nativity Roll Call Poem” allow 2 to 3 minutes.  This is my trademark ending where everyone has an opportunity to take a bow individually.  A read through of the words (if every character is included) takes exactly 2 minutes , but this will vary dependant on how many cast are included,.  Even transitions can add on a minute when there are so many separate short rhyming couplets to link smoothly.
7. Variable Musical elements:     There is an opportunity for Mary to sing a lullaby, and for someone to sing or play for a musical interlude.  there are also natural opportunities to include carols if you choose to veer from the strict  format of ‘Daytime Show’ to give it a nativity service feel
8. Music for the opening titles, closing credits and lead into and from the break is provided (and recommended to give your nativity play some authenticity), and in total, these specially composed pieces add another 2 minutes 48 seconds

None required!

• Even if you were to perform this script live rather than film it all, there is no rehearsal required as all of the ‘studio’ presenters can use the preprepared autocue , which simply adds to the realism.  The filmed ‘big screen’ moments can be read from autocues too when they are filmed, so there is no rehearsal time required, just a basic familiarity with what is happening in terms of each person’s cue.

Costumes

Very few are required, and those that are can be created from everyday things around the house (Eg, a king could wear a satin dressingown, a bridesmaids dress or evening dress, a wrap or poncho, a princess fancy dress etc.  Accessorise with some bling, a headress/tiara, a homemade crown or even a cracker crown. )

• 5 studio presenters (2 main presenters on sofa, business, travel and weather presenters)
• 2 reporters (at the scene, so coats etc would even work fine)
• Mary
• Joseph
• Angel Gabriel
• 3 Shepherds
• 3 kings

Props (a few specific examples)

• Frankincence and myrrh can just be scent bottles, or a fancy bowl
• Gold; a trinket box, or just a gold coloured cardboard box, or maybe just a bejewelled box of some kind that looks luxurious; poetic licence is fine!
• walking stick and toy lamb for the shepherds
• a doll (or real baby!) for Mary
• YOU DONT NEED A MICROPHONE : A GREEN SCREEN IMAGE IS INCLUDED so this doen’t need to be held.  It would be better for consistency not to use your own for filming; the editing will be easier using the superimposed image.
• YOU DON’T NEED A MANGER: A GREEN SCREEN IMAGE IS INCLUDED so even if you choose to just film in a normal setting without using the green screen images, the authentic looking manger can be superimposed into the foreground of your filming. if you choose.

Because of the uniquely difficult year that the pandemic has caused, I want to make this affordable for everyone so, at JUST £15 for the ENTIRE instantly downloadable, beginner friendly package, this is my gift to you.  There are no hidden extra costs, or improvement upgrades, just incredible value with absolutely everything included!

Even the professional composer gave his time and talent freely because we want to

RAISE MORAL and FUNDS for

Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice
https://www.forgetmenotchild.co.uk

who will recieve

50% of EVERY PURCHASE  

Please help us to make a difference to children with life limiting illnesses and their families

The Good News Nativity Play tells the biblical story of Jesus’ birth and mixes it with the modern style of today’s news presenting.

Whilst the nativity play simply retells the story, included with the script is a poem entitled “God of Humility” which highlights the humble way that God chose to bring His son into the world, and emphasises His love and encouragement of humility and grace.