James Alton Films
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Selected Work ·

The Letter: two sisters at Christmas

Two estranged sisters return to their mother’s home at Christmas, where a final letter brings them together. Marie Ashwood and Shatille McInnes star in The Letter, a short directed by James Alton.

Marie Ashwood in a warm finished frame from The Letter.
Marie Ashwood in a warm finished frame from The Letter.

The sisters and the letter

Ashwood wrote the film and stars alongside McInnes. The Christmas tree and warm interior place the reunion inside a familiar family setting.

Close views of the sisters sit alongside wider scenes of them together. The letter is the link between their return home and the relationship at the centre of the story.

The team behind the scene

Harrison Mendel was director of photography. James directed, executive-produced and edited the short; Levi Price graded it.

The behind-the-scenes photographs show the camera and lighting around the Christmas-room set. The finished photographs show the actors within that same setting.

Lighting and camera setup inside the Christmas room during The Letter.
The Letter BTS Camera and lighting on the set of The Letter.

A Christmas short

The Letter was made as a Hallmark-style proof-of-capability demo. Its story is centred on the sisters and their mother’s final message.

Marie Ashwood and Shatille McInnes hold a tense Christmas-room beat in The Letter.
The Letter Marie Ashwood and Shatille McInnes beside the Christmas tree.

Selected work