TEARS FROM THE MOON

Chapter 37.

"And....... Cut!".

The dulcet tones of director David McIntyre rang out amongst the studio walls and I immediately felt my shoulders relax as I now leaned back into the sofa I was already sat upon.

I had just completed yet another take of the scene I was now doing with Jerimiah Johnston and really, really hoped that I wouldn't have to do it again.
It had been a tough day for us all which had left me feeling totally shattered. It hadn't been a particularly hard scene to do, but David seemed just a little bit unhappy about the rapport that the experienced actor and I both had with one another.
As for my part, I didn't really believe it was because of what I had learnt about Jerimiah.  I had managed to put all of that to one side and hoped that it wasn't coming across in my acting.  But David must have been able to see through my facade and insisted that we redo and redo it again.
It was quite disappointing really because I knew that I was trying so hard to get it right and the fact that Jerimiah also seemed rather nice was an added bonus.  Of course he was absolutely no Alan Rickman, but he was a professional and re-did take after take without any complaining whatsoever.

As I sat back, closing my eyes and praying silently that we wouldn't have to go through it again,  I felt pretty satisfied that my first day back on the film set had gone extremely well.  No one really asked where I'd been and just looked curiously at my heavily bandaged arm which for this scene at least, I was able to conceal.

"Right then everyone".  David suddenly announced, clapping his hands together,   "Let's run through it once again, we need to get another couple of angles on this one". 

A loud groan was heard throughout the set as I heaved my weary body back into position.

"Come along everybody, positions please. Hurry up now".    David went on.

Immediately I was bombarded with makeup artists and a hairdresser doing last minute adjustments to my appearance, making sure that I appeared pale and drawn for this scene, as it was the one when my Father was trying to stop my relationship with my lover.
The scene that Alan had read out to me when I had got myself all confused about things.
I took in a breath ready for the take and sat into my position, up straight, defiant with my hands resting on my lap.

"And action.....".  

Jerimiah began delivering his lines once again, pacing around the set, anger and disappointment etched onto his face. I sat and watched him aware of the group of people just off camera that were stood opposite.
That was the thing about film making, which made it so very different from the theatre world.
There maybe only two people in the actual scene, but you can bet that there would be 30 more stood around watching. In the theatre, if you weren't on stage, you would be in hiding somewhere backstage, out of sight as of not to put your fellow actors off.  It was such a totally different experience, even though you were still doing the same thing. The movie making industry was a lot more integrated than just the acting, there was so much more going on and that took quite a bit of getting used to.

It was now my turn to deliver my own lines and as I stared at Jerimiah ready to say them, my inexperience came right to the fore as I became terribly distracted by one particular figure standing there, off camera in the semi darkness.
My stomach twisted and I felt my cheeks suddenly redden as I now noticed that Alan Rickman was actually standing there, watching me with intent.
He wasn't due to be here today, I knew that for sure as I had heard someone say earlier that he'd got a luncheon date to attend to.  This had relaxed me a little, for after our last encounter I wasn't really relishing the thought of seeing Alan again just yet!
But it did disturb me somewhat that he had probably taken Silva with him and an image had then flashed through my mind of the two of them sat down together at some posh event, enjoying one anothers company.
I took in a breath as I was now acutely aware of his presence and could quite easily see that his fingers were covering his mouth and he seemed to be frowning too. I couldn't actually tell or not if he was very happy,  he certainly didn't look it and I now felt my body shudder involuntary.