My role on set is really quite bizarre, I’m not expected to do any of the jobs of the harried runners corralling crew and keeping the food stations topped up but I’m also not in any position of authority. The only authority I have is over the lead actor currently floundering under the watchful spotlight of his smug father.
I’m there to stand quietly in the corner until Danny needs me. He hasn’t asked but screw it. He knows the lines, it’s the goddamn shadow lingering in the back of the room and eating all the craft pan au chocolates that’s responsible for this mess.
When the 1st AD yells action and I see the stubborn flush in Danny’s cheek travel down his throat, choking him, I decide enough is enough.
I tiptoe to Lauren and whisper in her ear, “Can we give him five?”
I have no right to make the request but I hold firm, clenching my fingers into a fist as if I can physically stop the cameras rolling.
Lauren sighs and glances at me and nods. The next time the cameras cut she calls out, “Let’s take five everybody.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
“Make sure he’s on top form after the five, I can’t keep people behind much longer.”
I grab a water bottle from the snack table and hurry over to Danny, who is clutching his sides so close to his face his nose is brushing it.
I tap his shoulder and offer the water. He takes it without looking at me.
“Okay, what gives?” I ask softly. “We ran these earlier and you know it, I know you do, you could say it in your sleep. Hell, we ran it so many times evenIcould say it in my sleep at this point.”
“I know,” he snaps, his attention drifting to the back of the room. Mr Covington isn’t even paying any attention, instead laughing loudly with the producer.
“It’s because he’s here,” I say, gently.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s too damn hot in here,” he snaps, tugging at his collar.
I look around at the airy room, the high ceilings relieving any trapped heat.
“There are a lot of people in here I suppose,” I placate.
“One less if you leave,” he says, not looking up from the crinkled paper in his hands.
I glare at him “The risk is too high, no one can know.” I’ll be saying these lines on my deathbed in 70 years time, most likely.
He takes a deep breath and spits “We need to take this to Fraser, you know he isn’t part of this.”and suddenly he’s off, reciting his lines perfectly. He speaks the lines so quickly, he hardly even realizes he’s done it until I can’t stop the smug smile spreading across my face.
I laugh, “I told you you could do it. Ignore him, the sooner you calm down, the sooner we can get this scene wrapped and he can be on his first class flight back to LA and out of your eyesight.”
He blinks in surprise and then rolls his eyes, holding up a hand. “I’m not thanking you.”
I pretend to think about it, “That feels suspiciously like a thank you but sure.”
He shoves me playfully, gratitude shining in his eyes. He doesn’t look to his father once as he crosses back to his position.
I wander back to Lauren, “He’s ready.”
Lauren is immediately back in action, “Okay everyone back into positions were going to run it again.”
Danny does it in one take.
Chapter 9
DANNY
As Anya had predicted, my father had boarded the first flight out of Paris the morning after his set visit and as his plane took off so did the weight crushing my shoulders.
Two weeks into filming and I’m finally settling into the role, the lines coming naturally to me and the character taking over the working part of my brain the second Gwen yells action. Every day, Anya appears outside my hotel with a hot black coffee in hand and croissant flakes dusting her shirt. I remember one morning, my previous assistant Eric had spilled ketchup from his breakfast sandwich on his shirt and I made him change before I could even look at him. But with Anya, I find myself itching to dust the crumbs from her clavicle with the tips of my fingers. Thankfully, I have resisted the urge so far.
