We all have qualities worthy of success and the ability to save the day

SYNOPSIS:

The Art of War - The Scarecrow Army

It’s about a small rag tag team of misfits, Artists and Craftsmen fighting to build something big and unexpected, it’s about art, imagination and family, but most of all its about finding your way

“All War is Deception.” - Sun Tzu.

When Nash’s older brother gets trapped behind enemy lines during WWII with secret battle plans, it’s up to Nash and his group of fellow oddball artists to deceive the Germans, save his brother and win at The Art of War! . . . But can Nash get the fantasies and images from his head onto the landscape?

Story based on actual military events -“Kelly’s Hero’s” and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”

"But clear in my mind is the memory that at the height of World War II, in the midst of battle and chaos, a handful of artists, actors, designers and engineers didn’t fire on the enemy or capture the beach . . . but saved the lives of their fellow soldiers by deceiving the enemy and winning, . . . at the Art of War.”

THE ART OF WAR - THE SCARECROW ARMY

EXT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - DAY

Its early afternoon on a late summer’s day in 1942 and we OPEN on a typical mid western farmhouse.

INT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - NASH’S BEDROOM - DAY

Dust filters through the warm light as we drift past open jars of half dried glue. Broken tweezers and stacks of artful conceptions are scattered across a child’s bureau.

On a window ledge sits a small hand made PINWHEEL, overly taped to the sill and delicate in its design. Tattered lace curtains lift in the gentle breeze and the pinwheel begins to spin and shake, springing to life. Its fragile legs bounce back and forth as its arm strains to draw back. It snaps forward and fling a tiny stone across the room. The stone bounces off a tall MASON JAR FILLED WITH WELL-USED ARTISTS BRUSHES, over a PILE OF OLD WATCH PARTS and deconstructed but neatly stacked TOYS to a FAMILY PHOTO that’s tacked to the wall. From the photo it speeds off towards an old BELL dangling from a office grey DESK LAMP. It strikes the bell and falls directly into a WATER GLASS, perfectly positioned on a STACK OF ART BOOKS and edge torn MAGAZINES.

As we hear the bell's dying chime we look up to see a young man sitting at his DESK, intently hunched and quietly drawing away. His eyes and hands, focused on the PAPER, but as usual, his mind is a million miles away. We pull back and see the room around him: it’s filled with more HAND DRAWN ART, PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES and CONTRAPTIONS; clearly the room is one of an artist and tinkerer.

NASH, 18 years old and the youngest McCloud brother, stands 5 foot 7, fair in complexion and slight in build, not a scrap over 90 pounds and not a shred of real fight in him. He peers up and squints out the open window in front of him, never lifting the PENCIL from the paper.

EXT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - BACK YARD - CONTINUOUS - NASH’S POV

Beyond the small back-yard, protected by a single giant oak and the bounty of Mom's tiny victory garden, sprawls endless fields of corn and wheat. Here we see Nash's two older brothers, LLOYD and CURTIS. The 20-year-old McCloud twins are 6 foot 2, strapping young men, good Catholic boys, both red-haired and blue-eyed. Both high school football stars in their small town of Crawfordsville . . . both Hoosiers through and through.

The two stand knee deep in the corn and wheat, throwing the FOOTBALL and tackle each other with total abandon. Curtis powers the ball to Lloyd, who catches it and quickly spirals it back to his brother at double the speed. Curtis catches the ball in the gut and with a barreling grunt falls to the ground.

LLOYD

(trying to hold back laughter, in his best announcer’s voice)

Oh . . . . He's down! He's down hard, folks!

In a beat Curtis pops up from the tall grass holding the ball high above his head.

CURTIS

...And the crowd goes wild!

Lloyd runs and tackles Curtis, lifting him into the air and smashing him to the ground, and the two boys break up laughing.

INT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - NASH’S BEDROOM - DESK - CONTINUOUS

Back in the room, Nash watches and smiles. He pushes his design aside and starts to sketch the game. In his world, and on the page, his brothers are bigger than life.

CUT TO:

NASH’S FANTASY - FADE TO 2D ANIMATIONS

As we watch the game through Nash's eyes, A DOZEN OR SO FOOTBALL PLAYERS, DRESSED 1940’S STYLE FOOTBALL UNIFORMS, pop out of the cornfield and begin to chase Lloyd as he cradles the ball. He breaks the first tackle and rolls the ball out to his brother Curtis, who straight-arms into a hand full of defenders, knocking them to the ground. We first hear, and then turn to see, HUNDREDS OF SCREAMING FANS, cheering the boys on. The twins now frantically run through a field of fresh cut green grass. CRISP WHITE YARD LINES draw themselves on the grass in the background, and an ANNOUNCER shouts the game’s play-by-play as the boys cut and weave their way down the field.

ANNOUNCER

…and again folks, here come the McCloud brothers! Foiling every foe, and moving down the field like a well-oiled machine. Watch out world, these boys are unstoppable!

They push closer and closer to the goal line. The fans are now standing and cheering.

FANS

McCloud! . . . McCloud! . . . McCloud!

In front of them, charging at full speed, is the last of the opposing team. They dive at Curtis, who at the very last second spins and pitches the ball back to Lloyd. Curtis charges through the opposing line, scattering players across the field. Lloyd crosses into the end zone and the crowd cheers. Confetti and streamers fill the sky as the two boys are lifted to the team’s shoulders . . .

MOM

(from off screen)

Nash? . . . Nash! . . . Lunch!

The game fades and the artist's hand sketches in the final touches.

INT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - NASH’S BEDROOM - DESK - CONTINUOUS

Back in Nash’s room. Drawings of the game fill the desk and spill onto the floor. Nash looks back out the window to see just the two boys tossing the football in the middle of the over grown field. He gets up from the desk and heads downstairs...

INT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

...to the family kitchen, where MOM is making lunch. Nash takes his usual seat at the TABLE, spills a handful of PENCILS and a pair of SCISSORS onto the table and puts the finishing touches on a DRAWING. His mother sets down a rolled up NEWSPAPER in front of Nash's DAD. She kisses him on the cheek, straightens his shirt collar and continues preparing lunch. His father sits across from him, quietly staring out the kitchen window. Mom sets lunch down in front of the boy, who looks up and fondly smiles. Lloyd and Curtis enter the kitchen, loud, sweaty and out of breath. They immediately set to playfully ribbing their younger brother as they take a seat at the table. Lloyd reaches over and messes Nash’s hair. Curtis grabs half of the sandwich from Nash’s plate and crams it into his mouth. Nash watches Curtis as Lloyd reaches in from the other side and takes the other half. Mom immediately sets down another sandwich in front of Nash. He shakes his head and smiles. All good-natured teasing; the brothers clearly are very affectionate towards one another.

Lloyd picks up the drawing and smiles.

LLOYD

Still livin’ in that head of yours, little brother?

NASH

(smiling)

Its my escape from you to two slobs.

The older boys look at each other, whoop it up and grab Nash out of his chair, laughing. Mom, amused by the daily routine, turns on the RADIO and unfolds the newspaper in front of the boy’s father. He glances down at the paper; on the front-page it reads: “IT’S WAR! Allies Prepare to Drive The Enemy Out of France!” Just then the radio changes to the station’s war report. The mood turns a bit somber and Nash sits back down at the table.

RADIO ANNOUNCER (O.C.)

(in an Edward R. Murrow radio voice)

Just days after the American forces stormed the beaches of Northern France, American and British officials report that they have secured the coast and that thousands of allied troops are quickly moving inland.

Mom pulls down the blinds a bit, slowly casting a shadow over Nash’s drawing, darkening the pencil drawn sky.

RADIO ANNOUNCER (CONT’D)

The American War office reported today that fresh American troops will be needed in the coming months to drive the enemy back to. . .

Mom quickly reaches over and snaps off the radio. The family remains silent. Dad looks up solemnly from the paper at his three boys; the twins stand behind Nash, towering over him. He gives Nash a reassuring half smile and nods at the twins.

DAD

Curtis, Lloyd, I’m going to need you to look after your brother over there.

Nash hangs his head slightly. Curtis places one hand on Nash's shoulder and with his other hand lifts up Nash's chin and answers his father.

CURTIS

He’ll be fine, Dad . . . We’ll all be fine.

Lloyd reaches in and messes Nash's hair. Mom quickly turns away, bringing her APRON to her eyes.

MOM

Of course you will. You’re McClouds.

Through the living room window, beyond the kitchen a distant BUS can be seen, blazing up the dirt road far beyond the fields. Dust spills out from behind it, like a rocket.

MOM (CONT’D)

(trying to smile)

. . . and don’t you worry, I’ll keep your father busy until you get back. I may have been born a city girl . . .

A DOG starts BARKING from outside and Dad looks up at his wife and smiles.

DAD

It’s time, boys.

Mom turns and clutches on to Dad's shoulder, pauses, then gathers herself and hurries off to the living room.

INT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The twins gather their things as Nash finishes drawing and then slowly follows his brothers to the other room. Next to the front door sit THREE BAGS. As the bus turns down the road to the McCloud home, Mom gives the bags a quick check and tightens the straps. She uses her apron to wipe the corners of Lloyd’s mouth and quickly finger combs Curtis’s hair before helping the boys to the porch.

EXT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - FRONT PORCH/FRONT YARD

As the boys step out onto the front porch with their bags, their mother anxiously rushes back into the house.

MOM

(as the door swings open)

I need a photo!

Again she does her best to put on a brave face as she reappears with an OLD BOX CAMERA. She gathers her family on the porch steps and, with hands shaking, sets the camera on a fence post and sets the timer. She rushes back to the boys and their father, now standing in awkward poses with strained smiles.

MOM (CONT’D)

Damn it, boys- smiles!

She quickly unties and hides her apron and straightens her dress just as we see a flash. The captured image fills the screen. They hold tight as a family for another second or two before Dad speaks.

DAD

Remember boys, keep your heads down. Brawn might keep you safe, but brains will bring you home.

The twins shake their father’s hand and kiss their mother on the cheek as the military bus pulls to the edge of the old dirt driveway, knocking and shuddering in the Midwest heat.

THE BUS

The old Crossley Hawk bus, is dusty and beaten. Each of its cracked leather seats is filled with a new recruit. Hand stenciled in white paint, the old coach reads: “Camp Atterbury – U.S Army Recruitment Camp”.

EXT. MCCLOUD’S FARMHOUSE - FRONT YARD

Dad holds back the grief as he looks over the departing group of young men, but Mom can’t bare it, and tears fall down her still smiling face.

LLOYD

(cocky)

Don’t worry Mom, those Jerries don’t know what they’re in for!

Curtis, as usual, is a bit lower key and protective of Nash. He rubs his little brother’s head. He leans in to whisper something in his father’s ear.

CURTIS

Don’t worry, Pop. He’s so scrawny…. no bullet'll find him!

A small smile comes to his father’s face. Nash slyly slips a drawing to his mother. He hugs her tight as Lloyd and Curtis clamber onto the bus.

Nash goes to hug his father but gets a handshake instead. As he starts to walk away, his father reaches out and puts one hand on the boy’s shoulder and the other does a quick pat of his head; Nash turns back and smiles. Its the closest thing to a hug from the old farmer.

DAD

Remember, son, use your brains. Got it?

Nash nods and steps onto the bus. A small tear falls from his father’s eye, which he quickly brushes away. As the bus leaves the drive, their father waves, and mother carefully unfolds Nash’s drawing.

THE DRAWING

It’s a sketch and an elaborate pop-up of the three brothers standing in front of a hero’s welcome. As she folds and unfolds it, the figures wave back at her and the tiny crowd lifts a banner that reads: “HEROES RETURN HOME”.