Behind the Lens (the owl house au)

Ch. 14 ~ Directing Struggles

Dana positioned her recording equipment as Eda, Luz, and King assembled around a table, preparing to enact a scene for 'Hooty's Moving Hassle.' Eda, with a mischievous grin, held a deck of cards in her hands.

"Watch closely, Luz," Eda began, setting the stage for the game of Hexes Hold'em. "Hexes Hold'em is the most tricky game on the Boiling Isles. Any proper witch worth her salt knows how to play."

Luz, with her characteristic enthusiasm, responded, "Oh boy, cards! The paper rectangles that old people think are fun!"

Eda laid a card on the table. "Now when it looks like the deck is stacked against you," Eda explained, revealing her strategic approach, "that's when you break out the wildcard."

She presented a card with a tower image. Owlbert, seemingly acknowledging defeat, hopped back on, hooting at Eda with extended wings. "Woo, I win!" Eda declared triumphantly, reveling in her victory. "In your adorable owl face. Ah, I love the feeling of victory; it feels... fluffy?" Feathers started growing from her arms.

Luz, noticing her feathers, alerted Eda, "Uh, Eda? It's happening again!"

Eda, bewildered, asked, "What's happening again?"

King added in with concern, "Your curse is returning!"

"Dana yelled 'cut' as the Hexes Hold'em scene wrapped up. Dana, with her director's hat on, began reviewing the footage captured during the scene. As she delved into the details, her focus was abruptly interrupted by her assistant, who walked onto the set with a grave expression.

"Dana," the assistant began tentatively, "there's something you need to know. Odalia Blight, Amity's mother, called. She's demanding a conference meeting regarding Amity's role on the show and the recent incidents involving Amity and Luz."

Dana, expecting it, fell back in her chair with a deep sigh. She motioned for her assistant to give her a moment and then turned to her boyfriend, Alex, who was nearby.

Frustration etched across her face, Dana muttered, "This ongoing feud between Luz and Amity is becoming a real headache. I don't know what to do. It's affecting the production, and now Odalia is involved."

Dana continued her frustration, fed up with the situation. She lamented, "We're too late in production for recasting. Luz and Amity fit their roles perfectly, and I can't imagine anyone else playing their characters. I specifically requested Amity for the role, and I wasn't expecting such problems with the cast."

As Dana voiced her concerns, Alex began to think of potential solutions. Before he could express his thoughts, Dana's phone rang, interrupting their conversation. Dana glanced at the caller ID and answered the call with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Hello?... Odalia, yes, we're aware of the recent incidents... No, we didn't anticipate this level of tension... A meeting? Yes, we can arrange that... Tomorrow? Fine, we'll be there."

Ending the call, Dana sighed and looked at Alex. "We have a meeting with Odalia tomorrow. We need to address this head-on. It's a mess, and I hope we can find a way to salvage the situation."

Alex nodded in agreement, realizing the challenges ahead. "We'll figure it out, Dana. Let's focus on finding a resolution and keeping the show on track."

The day went on with the filming, and Dana found herself being like a mother trying to separate her two children. Determined to maintain peace on the set, she did her best to ensure that Luz and Amity stayed as far as possible from each other. Dana strategically planned the shooting schedule, orchestrating scenes that minimized interaction between the two actors.

Unfortunately, Dana found herself facing a scene that demanded the presence of both Luz and Amity. As she reviewed the script for the moonlight conjuring scene, anxiety crept in. The tension between the two actors was thick, and Dana knew that this scene could make things worse.