Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 87: Fatal Attraction

"Cut!" Zane Richardson, alias Erg, exclaimed once he'd uttered his final lines. "We get all that?"

"You bet," Calvin nodded, as he shut off the camera. "Looks like we're done!"

"Alright, people!" Zane nodded. "Looks like that's a wrap. Thanks for all your hard work-go get something to eat, and then we'll settle the final details!" he exclaimed to his cast and crew.

As an aspiring film director, Zane Richardson took inspiration from many of the giants of his profession. Like Stanley Kubrick, Richardson was very fussy and precise over things like camera angles and emoting, being willing to shoot multiple takes over and over if anything seemed out of place. Like Martin Scorsese, he included all kinds of subtle references that only fellow cinema buffs could pick up on. Like Woody Allen, he appeared in his own productions, in this case as the main character.

Gwen Stacy took a deep breath, needing a few moments before she could follow Zane off the set. The film was about a young man, played by Zane, coming out as a mutant to his family, and Gwen had played the sister of Zane's character. The production had been demanding, particularly since Zane had insisted on shooting every scene in chronological order. Now that it had ended, Gwen felt a sudden exhaustion, as she was no longer able to keep the energy up.

Despite it all, she felt an immense satisfaction.

It was the satisfaction of a job well done, the satisfaction that came whenever she realized that she'd contributed to a high quality production.

SPIDER-WOMAN #87

"FATAL ATTRACTION"

"Thanks a lot, Gwen," Zane told her once most of the cast and crew had left. "Jonathan Caesar was right-you are terrific."

Gwen only smiled gratefully. Jonathan Caesar had been one of the investors in the Gloom Room A Go-Go nightclub she'd gotten a job at last year, and Gwen had gotten to know him well. Caesar also invested in independent films, and he'd managed to get Gwen a couple of acting jobs. This one with Zane had worked out better than the first one with the late April Reese, and Gwen found Zane much easier to work with.

"What did you expect? We had a good director," Gwen grinned. "Seriously-you could be right up there with Kubrick or Spielberg!"

Zane just laughed.

"I think that's shooting a little high at this point," he shook his head. "How about you, Gwen? I could see people comparing you to Katherine Hepburn or Maureen O'Hara!"

Now it was Gwen's turn to shake her head. Hepburn and O'Hara were some of her inspirations as an actress, but as much as she took pride in her talents she couldn't see herself on their level.

About the only way I could compare myself to O'Hara is that we were both assumed to be too attractive to perform serious roles, Gwen thought to herself, the mention of O'Hara reminding her of the frustrations O'Hara had run into being taken seriously as an actress because of her beauty.

She laughed it off, though, knowing that Zane was just complimenting her. And she had to admit-being compared to some of her heroes really meant a lot.

"You know how to make a girl feel good about herself," Gwen giggled. "But I definitely have a long way to go yet before I'm on their level."

"So what did you have in mind for your next production?" Zane asked her.

Gwen frowned, realizing that was a good question. As much as she'd enjoyed working with Zane, the money wasn't all that great. She was going to need better-paying work if she wanted to pay her fair share of her university tuition. It would also have to be something that would give her enough time to manage her schoolwork and even moreso her fighting crime in her superhero identity as the spectacular Spider-Woman.