Writers Workshop Stories (Starting from November)

November Writers Workshop

                                                                    The Day of Production

(Tam, the filmer)We had finished filming the movie starter for M.G.M. Me and the voice monitor, Kenric, had become very close friends over the week before the production. The person who was taking care of the lion we named Leo had told us it was time for the filming. We only had a few hours before it would become Leo's lunch time. He had led us to his cage, and as we neared I had a sudden urge to not go in and back out. I had thought it would be the last time I saw the day of light, but I knew we were going to live. Leo was fairly nice for a lion. We had met him a few days ago, and learned what we should and should not do to not anger him. Once we got in, we had to quickly set up our equipment and we got into our spots. We were only allowed to bring in most necessary items such as, our microphone to record the roar, a film camera to film the lion, a table and chair to put the voice monitor on, and some boxes to have the lion stand on. Once we finished setting up the equipment, we had to put a backdrop in the back to cover the sunlight that was shining in. I had taken the right side, and Kenric took the left side. We didn't have any ladders to put the backdrop up, but we used the boxes we were going to have the lion on. I had almost fallen off when I heard the Leo roar, and by the face of Kenric I could tell that we were both terrified. No wonder nobody had volunteered. At this point we were pinning up the backdrop at the speed of light fearing what would have happened if Leo lost his patience. We had finally finished pinning the backdrop up, and we put the boxes back in place signaling that we were ready. Leo had come through the cage, and was obedient to go on the boxes. Kenric had given me a fox he formed with his fingers as a sign that we were ready to go. We had thought of different signs because we weren't allowed to speak during the filming. When he made a fox it meant that we were ready to go, when he made a thumbs down it meant that we couldn't hear the roar, and when he made a thumbs up it meant that we could hear Leo's roar without any troubles. I started turning on the camera and microphone. When Leo started roaring, Kenric gave me two thumbs up. Once we finished the filming the Leo's keeper threw a piece of meat into the cell he was kept in. Me and Kenric celebrated our accomplishment of not getting eaten by Leo, and becoming dinner for Leo. In about 10 minutes we had finished taking our equipment back into the van we used to get here. On our way back to the hotel we looked at the footage I had taped. It was perfect! Nothing had gone wrong with the filming, and his roar was perfect without any cutting in or out. Once we got back to the hotel, we called our manager that we had finished and we needed him to fly us out. Currently I'm writing this at our airport with Kenric right next to me. This next paragraph is Kenric writing.

(Kenric) Hello future M.G.M employees! WE have finished the production and it was a great experience. I have learned some new things while filming with Leo. I had learned that fear means forget everything and run or face everything and rise. I chose to face everything and rise, and go into the cage with the knowledge that I could go in but not come out. I hadn't come, I wouldn't have met Tam, the filmer and my new best friend/employee. Remember future employees, you can do anything if you believe. Oop- our plane is here! Goodbye fellow friends!! Until next time!!!