by Rick Lakin
“Yes, Navvy, but I'd like to wait until I think she is ready to hear the whole truth.”
“I'm sorry about what happened to Anthen, and I'm sorry about the way we portrayed GGG. I wish I could tell you more.”
“If Jennifer is as talented as her résumé suggests and as passionate as her mother, I hope that Tovar becomes her home.”
“Jennifer is my daughter. All I want is for you to keep her safe and not drop anything on her,” Sheila said.
“I’ll do my best, and I look forward to getting to know my granddaughter.”
The call ended.
Just then, a Silver Mercedes pulled into the Starbucks parking lot. Sheila came out of the coffee shop. “I take it from the circumstances that 'Congratulations' are warranted?”
Jennifer pulled out her license. “Yep, all I need is a car now.”
"Woah, you just got your license. Can’t you wait until you get home to be a needy teenager?” Sheila joked.
“Get in the passenger seat. I need to concentrate on driving.” When they turned the corner to their home, Jennifer saw a bright red Prius and said, “Cute car, but why is it blocking the driveway?”
Sheila stopped and reached into her purse, “Here are the keys. Move it up next to the garage.”
Jennifer got out then did a double-take. “Mom, why do you have the keys?”
“I don’t have the keys; you have the keys.”
Jennifer hesitated. Then her blue-green eyes got huge. “Omigod, I love it. Is it mine? Thank you, thank you!”
Jennifer jumped back into the car and hugged her mom. Sheila thought, 206 IQ my ass.
“Can I take it over to show Tay?”
“After you call your grandparents and thank them. And, thank Allen as well.”
“Oh, mom, it’s so cute. I love it.”
At 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Jennifer presented the letter at the gate of Tovar Studios and was directed to a conference room in the Human Relations Building. There, she met the five other summer interns.
A thirty-something woman introduced herself, “I'm Emily Hudson, Vice President of Human Relations here at Tovar. Welcome to the motion picture industry. We're happy and proud to have young and talented future professionals with us. We hope that you learn from us and more importantly, we hope to learn from you.”
“For the next two hours you will fill out the boring but necessary paperwork to get paid and get your security and parking credentials. At ten a.m., you will attend an hour-long safety and security seminar and then at eleven a.m., Charlotte, a production assistant, or PA, will give you a tour. Later today you will assume the same title as Charlotte. You won’t be asked to perform skills you’re not ready for, but you might be asked to do something you don't think you are ready for. Remember, the most important axiom: the first step on the road to success is saying 'Yes.' At Tovar, we go by three simple rules: 1. Personnel Safety, 2. Equipment Safety and Security, and 3. Get the shot. You are here to learn. You are here to contribute. And you are here to have fun. A bad day making pictures is better than a good day doing anything else. Finally, remember, if you don’t ask the question, you won't know the answer. Good luck, be safe, and go out there and help us make some great movies.”
They started their tour, “Here is Sound Stage Three where the Virtual Detective is shot,” Charlotte said. They saw the backlot, effects and editing suites, makeup, a star’s trailer, the commissary, and the location of restrooms. “Keep these places in mind. Your go-fer duties might take you there." Jennifer perked up when they walked past an empty space where the Brilliant was stored. They arrived at the commissary where they took a lunch break.
Back at HR, Jennifer received her initial assignment. She met Angel who took her back to Sound Stage Three and Virtual Detective, a story where a human female detective and a male virtual partner solved crimes together. The virtual detective was human in every respect except that his eyes were yellow, a convention dictated by the agreement to set apart virtuals from human actors.
Angel and Jennifer passed through the massive soundproof doors of Sound Stage Three just as the crew was returning from lunch. “Welcome to the most high-tech filmmaking in Hollywood,” Angel said. “Stay close to me and watch. Be ready to follow orders, but keep in mind you probably won’t be asked to do anything difficult.”
“Are they shooting real or holo today?” Jennifer asked.
“You’ve been around production?” Angel said.
“My mom's in the business.”
Virtual Actors had been a part of Hollywood for fifteen years. When the studios cast the first virtual, the Screen Actors Guild demanded that a human actor receive pay as a cast member. Now, the Screen Actors Guild Royalty Fund and the Holographic Actors Guild receive a sum. Also, the eyes of the virtual would be yellow. The Holographic Actors Guild was a misleading title because it had been formed to protect human actors living and dead. The studios also conceded that only one-third of the cast would ever be virtual.
steve technology advanced so far that many scenes were recorded on a virtual set using HTVR technology where the human actors holoed into a virtual environment.
“Today they are shooting a composite of real and virtual in the precinct,” Angel said.
Jennifer watched several takes of a scene involving the human and virtual detective partners.
The assistant director shouted, “Take ten. Set up the lights for the next scene.”
“Hey, Intern Girl, we need you over here,” a voice said.
Jennifer thought, Duh, that’s me. She realized that the voice belonged to the Best Girl, the electrician in charge of all the lights.
“Your first day? What's your name?” she said.
“I’m Jen. How may I help?”
“Bill Kowalewski's my boss, the Gaffer. He needs a lighting model. Remember, don't touch or move any of the props.” She pointed.
Jennifer carefully walked up on set, avoiding the many cables strewn about. “Bill, I'm your lighting model.”
“Good, what’s your name, Newbie?”
“Jennifer Gallagher. Call me Jen.”
“Do you know what a gaffer does?”
“Yes, my grandfather, with three greats, got into the business as a gaffer.”
“GGG?” Bill asked.
“That’s the one.”
“Do you remember how Mia was sitting in the last scene? Sit like that with your left hand on the desk but please don't touch or move the props. We'll reposition lights and camera,” Bill said.
“Got it. Like this?”
“Look just to the right of the camera.” He pointed at the new camera position. “Perfect, Jen. Don’t move. You can breathe. But, don’t move.”
Ten minutes later, “You’re free. Good job, Jen. You look terrific on camera. Have you acted?”
“I want to stay behind the camera. That’s where I can contribute the most.”
“That may be difficult with your looks and personality. The camera chooses its friends well,” Bill said.
She had watched several more takes with the new setup when Angel came over, “Jen, they need you to run some drinks over to trailers on the Brilliant set. Go to the Craft Services office and report to Amelia. Can you find it?”
“Yeah, I got it.” She memorized the map earlier.
She entered Craft Services, “I'm the PA, and I'm looking for Amelia to run some drinks out to the trailers.”
“Amelia, the intern's here,” the girl shouted. “See her with the green t-shirt?”
Jennifer nodded. Amelia was a curvy thirty-something Latina with dark-rimmed glasses and skinny jeans.
Jennifer introduced herself, “Amelia, I’m Jen. I was sent to run drinks.”
Amelia handed her a printed sheet, “The trailers on Sound Stage One need to be restocked. Don’t lose this sheet and come with me.”
While they walked to the walk-in refrigerator, Jennifer read through the list, analyzed and memorized it, and then folded it and put it in her jean
s pocket.
“Get that cart and put on a jacket.” It was about forty degrees in the walk-in. They got to the drinks, “Where's the list?”
“It’s in my pocket. I read it and memorized it.”
“No one can do that.”
“Try me.”
“What's line three?”
“Trailer Five. Two six-packs of Diet Cola. Granola Bars. Six apples,” Jennifer recited.
“Okay, smart girl. Load up the cart and run it out to the lot.” Jennifer walked through and loaded the cart.
“Don’t forget to ask if you get lost. It's better to ask something stupid than to do something stupid. Can you handle this, Jen?” Amelia asked.
“Yes.”
“This should take you to quitting time. When you finish, message your PA, and then take off for the day. No mistakes, right?”
“No mistakes.”
Jennifer envisioned the map of Tovar Studios and the list. She rearranged the cart in the correct order. It was 4:10 p.m. when she reached Trailer Two on the Brilliant set, her final stop. She was ahead of schedule.
She walked up the steps to the door carrying two six-packs of soda. The door opened, and a surprised voice said, “Oh, I’m sorry.”
Jennifer fell backward on her butt but held onto the sodas.
“Good catch. Are you ok?” She saw two legs. “Let me take those.” Then she looked up and saw two incredible blue eyes.
“Um, Uh, I got it.”
“Let me hold the door, then,” the eyes said.
“Thanks.” She got up and stood face-to-face with the nineteen-year-old actor whose poster was on her ceiling.
“I’m David,” he said as Jennifer loaded his fridge.
“I know. Oh. I mean… I’m Jennifer Gallagher, but I go by Jen.” But, you can call me anything you want.
“What else do you have on your cart? May I help you?”
“Are you sure? Fruit, granola, and something called no-bake cookies. Let me hand them up. You're my last stop, and then I need to take the cart back.”
“I fell in love with no-bakes growing up. My mom makes them at home. I have the studio ship from the Midwest for my trailer. All loaded,” he said.
She looked up at those fantastic eyes again. “It was nice meeting you, David. Is there anything else you need?”
“Do you have a few minutes?”
Or, maybe the rest of my life. “Sure.”
“Can you come up and help me run lines?” David said. “I have some long dialog tomorrow, and I need to memorize it.”
“Sure. I'm done for the day. I can run the cart back after.”
“Here's a pad with the sides. Sides are the pages of the script that we'll be shooting tomorrow,” David said. “Would you like a soda?”
“Diet.” While he reached into the fridge and grabbed a soda, he also grabbed a couple of cookies. “Here, try one of these. They're pure peanut butter heaven."
She read the sides and handed the pad back to David.
He said, “You’ll need that. I have one of my own.”
“No, I’ve got it. I have this eidetic memory thing. I can read something and remember it perfectly.”
“Like Navvy,” David said.
“You mean Mr. Kelrithian?”
“Yeah, he’s like my uncle. I thought he was the only one who could do that.”
“I'm his biggest fan. My greatest dream is to have his job someday. I'm a writer and a student filmmaker. Someday, I want to write and produce a major film. I studied Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, and Navvy Kelrithian.”
“Always good to start at the bottom,” David said. “You said you're a writer? Have you done anything serious?”
“I write. My pen name is Jenna Seldon.”
“Seriously, as in Galaxy Warriors' Jenna Seldon?”
She nodded.
“I love those books,” David said.
Jennifer took a bite out of the no-bake. “Omigod, this is delish.”
“Wow, we have something in common.”
“Duh, who couldn't love these? We need to run your lines so that you can be ready for tomorrow.”
They read parts of the script. Jennifer helped with memorization tips. An hour later David said, “I'm exhausted, but I think I’ve got it.”
“You do, but you need to read through once more in the morning. A steveLearn would help you a lot.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s the same tech as the virtual actors, but steveLearn helps you learn academic subjects. I’ve used steveLearn since before kindergarten.”
“Does it help?”
“I'm taking math and literature at the college graduate level.”
“Are you human?”
“Seriously, you just saw me on my butt,” Jennifer said. “I have to get this cart back and get home.”
“Let me walk with you.”
“I can manage.”
“I'd like to.”
“Lead on, McDuff,” Jennifer said.
“Okay, the dust on your behind says you are part human. What do you do for fun?”
“My best friend Tayla and I play tennis. We play each other sometimes, but mostly we play doubles.”
“I love tennis. We need to play. What else?”
“I play games on steveWorld. Obviously, my fave is the StarCruiser Brilliant Bridge Simulator,” Jennifer said.
“That's the system I practice on. That’s steve?”
Jennifer nodded.
“Wait, you aren’t a Brillian, are you?”
“Moi, an overly obsessed fangirl? I wouldn’t label myself that.” Jennifer turned a bit red.
“Would anyone else?”
“Maybe my mom, my best friend Tayla, my grandparents. But me. Never.”
“Nerd!”
“Spaceboy847.” She grinned at him.
“Wait, you know that’s me?”
“It was a guess.”
“Are you…Jendroid?”
She nodded again.
“You're right behind me on the weapons high score list.”
“Nay, Nay, Spaceboy,” she said. “I passed you last Saturday night.”
“That’s impressive.”
“So, what’s your dream, David?”
“I love acting in films, but I need to go to acting school. As the son of a starship pilot, I want to play something other than the son of a starship pilot.”
“This movie wraps in six weeks. UVN has a great acting school, and they cater to working actors.”
“That’s a good idea. Maybe after that, I can play Logan Jones in Galaxy Warrior. I know the writer. Always good to start at the bottom.”
Jennifer laughed and said, “We’re here.” Jennifer inhaled and took one more look at those eyes. David looked at Jennifer.
“Jennifer, I had to wait an extra hour for that cart,” Amelia said as she came out of the Craft Services office. “Did you have any trouble with the deliveries?” She saw David. “Oh, Mr. Masing, is everything alright?”
The moment passed. “Miss Gallagher was kind enough to run some lines with me. I was just accompanying her back.”
“Thank you for your assistance. I'm sure you can get back to what you are doing now,” Amelia said. “Jen, bring the cart in and let Mr. Masing get on his way.”
Jennifer said, “Mr. Masing, I hope that I can be of assistance to you in the future.”
“You were a great help today, Miss Gallagher,” David said. “I'll see you around the lot.”
They shook hands and parted. Jennifer got one last glance at those eyes.
When they got the cart put away, Alicia said, “Jen, it's frowned upon for PA’s to have a relationship with above-the-line personnel. That includes writers, directors, producers, and cast.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“That said, did you see those eyes?”
“I hadn’t noticed, ma’am.”
“Go home, Jen. Interns don’t get overtime.”
“Thanks, Amelia.”
Tayla appeared on the windshield display, “Hello, filmmaker. How was your first day?”
“Just regular first-day stuff. Paperwork, training, lighting model on a set, running lines with David.”
“You saw David!?!?” Tayla screamed. “Give me all the deets. Send me the selfie you took with him.”
“No selfie. How unprofessional would that be?” Jennifer said. “I'll get one next time. He wants to be a serious actor.”
“How did you meet?”
“I was delivering sodas to his trailer. He opened the door and knocked me on my butt.”
Tayla laughed, “What was your second most embarrassing moment today?”
“He helped me unload, asked me to help him run lines, and reminded me that he had seen me on my butt. We had a couple of moments.”
“Did you discuss baby names?” asked Tayla.
“No, but he wants to be Logan Jones in Galaxy Warrior.”
“Hopefully tomorrow can be a little less boring.”
“It’s a job. I’m home now; gotta go, Tay.”
“Say hi to Dandy Lion.”
“Poor Pugsley. He probably got beaten up today.”
Her mom greeted her. “How did the first day go?”
“David Masing knocked me on my butt.”
“It always good to start at the bottom.”
“That’s what he said.”
“Any good moments?”
“David wants the Logan Jones role in Galaxy Warriors.”
“May I represent you in the contract negotiations?”
“I told him to go to acting school first.”
“It’s always good to be picky when hiring movie stars.”
“He asked me to run lines with him and we sort of connected.”
“I don't doubt that you connected. Did David?”
“He remembered my name.”
“Always good to start at the bottom.”
“I’m going to feed Dandy and Pugs.”
Jennifer went to her room. Dandy jumped into her arms, and Pugsley sat at her feet demanding attention.
“Dandy, did you and Pugs get along today?” Jennifer asked. She looked at Dandy Lion. “Did you just roll your eyes?”