STS Ch 30-31

After mulling over the revised script for two straight days, I finally accepted that it was inevitable for me to take on mature roles with scenes that may be questionable at best, and entirely unnecessary at worst. It was bound to happen, given both the era I was working in and the kinds of films I was drawn to. I never had much interest in movies aimed at younger audiences anyway. Aside from a few major blockbusters, there were only a handful of exceptions, and even those were rare.

With that reluctant acceptance in mind, I left my temporary home for what was meant to be the second film of my career. The shoot was taking place in New Jersey, only a two-hour drive from my apartment in New York, yet still too far for a daily commute. Early call times and long, exhausting nights made that completely impractical, especially since most of the film was set at night.

The moment I stepped out of my car near the address I’d been given, Sean greeted me with a wide grin and an energetic hug. “Noah! You’re here. And right on time, too.”

I gave him an unimpressed look as soon as he let go. “When the hell were you planning to tell me that you completely overhauled the script and turned the film into an erotic horror?”

I might have accepted to do the movie in my head, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t give him hell for it.

Sean chuckled nervously. “Come on now, you’re exaggerating. It’s still a horror-thriller.”

“With more sex scenes than anything I’ve ever seen on film,” I shot back.

He stepped closer and placed both hands on my shoulders, his tone shifting to one of forced sincerity. “I’ll be honest with you, Noah. We need those scenes to sell the movie. I know it looks bad on the surface, but this is how things are now. Every other filmmaker is doing it. In fact, if a film is R-rated, distributors won’t even approve it unless it has a sex scene. Even the audience expects that today.”

“But Halloween was successful, and it didn’t have one as graphic as what you have written here,” I pointed out.

Sean smiled knowingly. “I’ll tell you a little inside secret. The studio actually forced the makers of Halloween to add a very graphic scene, but the director pushed back. He insisted on test screenings for both versions, with and without it, and he won. People liked his version better.”

“Okay, I can understand adding one, but so many? Instead of reducing them like Halloween, so they could be removed later, you decided to lean into it and add even more,” I said flatly. “To make matters worse, you made them an integral part of the story.”

He didn’t argue, probably because he knew I was right.

“Tell me honestly,” he said after a while. “You’ve read both versions of the script. If you take yourself out of the equation, which one would you rather see in theaters?”

That question caught me off guard. I hadn’t really thought about it from that perspective, but now that I did, I knew the answer, and I didn’t like it. Sean and Victor had turned my character, Jack, into something new for the genre: the prime suspect in all the murders, at least in the eyes of the audience. It was a clever ploy. Audacious even. And it would probably set a precedent for years to come if this gamble paid off.

Until he was killed right before the end, everyone would think that Jack was the killer. The pattern was simple: first, Jack killed one of the camp counselors, then slept with his girl, and then killed her too. Rinse and repeat. A clear-cut modus operandi. So when Jack died near the climax, it would completely throw the audience off. Their guess had been wrong all along, and the real killer had been hiding in plain sight. Such a major twist had been missing from the original version of the script.

Except for the very end, where Jason appears. But that wasn’t good anyway, so it didn’t count.

For that reason alone, this new version was far superior. I hated to admit it, but Sean was right; the changes made to the script improved it significantly. The only thing that bothered me was how explicit some of my scenes were. If the movie were being made in the twenty-first century, those sex scenes wouldn’t be nearly as graphic. That I know for sure.

Sean grinned the moment he noticed my silence. “I can see that you’ve realized it too. I know this isn’t what you expected when you signed up for the film, but as an actor, your work comes before trivial things like script changes. It shouldn’t matter what the script demands. If it suits your character, you do it. Anything that happens between ‘action’ and ‘cut’ should be done without hesitation. That’s how you grow as an actor.”

He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a trade secret. “I’ll tell you something else about Hollywood casting directors. Doing a risqué scene early in your career can open a lot of doors. They watch everything that gets wide distribution, and if you show them you’re a strong actor who isn’t afraid to bare it all for the camera, they’ll remember you. That’s how you get considered for more mature, meaningful roles.”

I wanted to believe him, but a nagging suspicion lingered in the back of my mind.

“If you’re worried about being typecast, that mostly happens to women,” he added further. “If you’re talented, you’ll get better roles. So forget everything else right now and focus on your acting. If your performance isn’t strong, you won’t move up, no matter how famous you get.”

That part was hard to argue with. It was true for any profession. If you wanted to climb higher or land better projects, you had to become so good that people wanted you purely because of your reputation. I wasn’t there yet. My acting was still rough around the edges, but that was something I intended to fix. A few more sessions with Michelle or some other teacher would definitely help.

“Good,” Sean said, clapping his hands together. “Now that we’ve got that out of our systems, let me show you where you’ll be staying while you’re here in New Jersey.”

He motioned for me to follow, and I did. As we walked, a large wooden sign came into view: Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, New Jersey. The place had a rustic charm, with tall trees arching over the gravel path and the faint sound of crickets reverberating around the warm summer evening. A lake was visible nearby, its surface looked as appealing to me as any natural body of water. After spending so long away from the ocean since The Blue Lagoon, I couldn’t help but feel the urge to dive in and just float for a while, even if it was just a lake.

“How did you end up choosing this location?” I asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.

“It used to be an actual summer camp,” Sean said as we continued along the trail. “They hosted kids here every year, at least until last summer. Some of the cabins and docks are in serious need of repair, so the owners decided to shut it down this year to renovate. When I heard about it, I reached out. They agreed to let us shoot here since it would cover part of their renovation costs.”

“Quite lucky for you,” I remarked as we finally reached the house Sean had been leading me toward.

“Indeed it is,” he said with a satisfied nod as we stopped in front of a wooden cabin, which seemed to be in good condition. “I’ve decided that the six main characters should all stay here together, in the same room, on bunk beds, just like real teenagers at camp. It’ll help everyone bond off-set and strengthen the on-screen chemistry. You, in particular, have an important role even when the cameras aren’t rolling. I want you to get close to all three of the girls.”

I frowned, trying to process that. “In what order are we shooting the film?”

“We’ll mostly go in sequence, from the first scene to the last with the sole exception of your sex scenes,” he explained. “Those will be shot back-to-back to get them over with quickly. Tomorrow we’ll start with the opening scene of the present. The past scenes would be shot at the end.”

I nodded slowly. That gave me a good idea of when my own scenes would begin.

“Alright then,” I said, adjusting the strap of my bag. “You can go. I’ll introduce myself to the rest of the cast.”

Sean didn’t argue. “Fair enough. I’ll see you later at dinner.”

Once he left, I stood for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady myself. I forced a calm, easy smile and reached for the doorknob. None of the other actors was to blame for the script changes, so there was no reason to take out my remaining frustration on them.

“And I’m telling you, you’re completely off in your assumption,” a voice inside argued. “Stanislavski’s method requires the actor to think about the character’s motivations, his past, his intentions. Even if the script doesn’t say it outright, you have to fill in those blanks. He—”

The speaker stopped mid-sentence as soon as he saw me standing in the doorway. One glance told me exactly who he was: Kevin Bacon.

It was almost surreal. He would later go on to star in Footloose, Apollo 13, Mystic River, and Crazy, Stupid, Love; films that would cement his name in Hollywood. And if my memory served me right, he had actually been in the original version of this film too. The funny thing was, he’d played the role I was playing now. He must have impressed Sean to still be cast in a different role.

I pushed the thought aside and stepped forward, hand extended. “Hey, guys! I’m Noah Hunter. I’m playing Jack.”

Kevin’s grin widened as he shook my hand. “Kevin Bacon. I’m playing Bill. And if you make any pig jokes, we’re not gonna get along.”

I snorted, catching the self-deprecating humor immediately. It was an easy way to break the ice, and I liked him already.

I turned to the other boy in the room. He had an easy smile and warm, friendly eyes. “I’m Harry Crosby,” he said. “I’ll be playing Ned.”

“Oh, so you’re the one they kill off first,” I teased. “What did you do to make Sean so mad?”

He laughed before shrugging. “That’s the life of an actor, I guess. Kevin and I were deep in this stimulating conversation about just that before you came. I opined that despite the fact that our roles are modest, we can still deliver the perfect versions of our performances by using the Stanislavsky method, but he and I seem to have differing outlooks on the matter and about what it entails. Care to weigh in?”

Kevin and I exchanged a glance before both bursting into laughter.

“What?” Harry asked, looking genuinely confused.

“Who talks like that, dude?” Kevin said between laughs. “You sound like you’re answering an exam question. So formal. You are our age, right?”

“Of course I am,” Harry replied, suddenly self-conscious. “I just like to focus on my vocabulary.”

I grinned. “In your day-to-day vernacular?” I emphasized the last word, copying Harry’s style of speaking.

Kevin laughed even harder at that and clapped me on the shoulder. “Man, before you showed up, I thought I was the weird one when Harry started talking like that. But now I know nothing’s wrong with me.”

“Nothing’s wrong with me either,” Harry said defensively, then looked away as if trying to explain himself. “It’s just that people often consider us actors to be stupid. I want to show everyone that I can be sophisticated and knowledgeable. It helps that if I use complex linguistic expressions in my vernacular…”

Kevin snorted, barely holding back another laugh.

“…Then it might leave a positive impression on college interviewers—”

“Bro,” I cut him off. “I’m going to Harvard after the summer. My freshman year. And I didn’t have to sound like a thesaurus to get in.”

Harry’s face lit up. “I’m in college too. LAMDA in London. But I’m keeping my options open in case I decide to go to grad school. Everyone there speaks so properly that I started picking up their speech patterns. You’re right, though. It might sound off-putting to normal Americans. I’ll try to tone it down a tad.”

I glanced at Kevin, and it was clear he was just as baffled by Harry’s way of speaking as I was. Still, neither of us said anything more about it. It was better to let it go. Harry’s character was the first to die anyway, and it wouldn’t help to start things off on the wrong foot. We needed to sell the chemistry between our characters, both on and off camera.

“Where are the girls?” I asked, changing the topic. “Have they arrived yet?”

Kevin leaned forward with a mischievous smirk and nudged me with his elbow. “Of course you’d ask that, you sly dog. You get to hook up with all of them.”

“Not for real,” I reminded him. “Just in the movie.”

He waved a dismissive hand. “Same difference. The audience will think you did it for real. I wanted your role so badly. I even asked Sean to add a sex scene for me too, but he said it wouldn’t fit with the story.”

I blinked at him, genuinely surprised. “You asked to do a sex scene?”

“Yeah,” he said without a hint of embarrassment. “Don’t you know? It opens up a lot of opportunities. Casting directors love seeing that you’re open to trying new things.”

“Does everyone but me know that?” I asked, glancing between Harry and Kevin.

Harry nodded confidently. “Yes. Some actors choose not to do such scenes, but it’s usually advisable to get it out of the way early in your career if you want to go far. I, too, wouldn’t mind if such a role were offered to me.”

I shook my head at that and decided to change the subject. “You were telling me about the girls?”

“They went off to explore the camp or something,” Kevin said, flicking invisible lint from his shirt. “We could go look for them if you want. It’s getting late anyway, so we might as well head to dinner after.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I replied. “Let me put my stuff away first.”

I crossed the small cabin to the corner where the bunk beds stood. Harry and Kevin had already claimed the same bunk, their duffel bags tossed carelessly at the foot. I took the bed beside theirs. The bottom bunk was covered with someone else’s belongings, probably one of the girls’, so I left my things neatly beside it, planning to take the top bunk later.

A few minutes later, the three of us stepped outside. We walked with no particular destination in mind, wandering past the lake, where the water shimmered under the fading light, and through the empty activity areas. A few crew members waved at us from a distance, but there was still no sign of the girls.

Kevin pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He offered me one as well. I hesitated for a moment. Before regaining my memories, my swimmer self, with dreams of the Olympics, had sworn never to smoke or drink, not knowing what my body was capable of. But now that I was aware of my demigod physiology, I knew I could heal easily from it if I so much as took a dip in the ocean. So I accepted the cig.

“No, thanks,” Harry said quickly, shaking his head. “That’s a disgusting habit I want no part of.”

Kevin didn’t seem offended. He slipped the rest of the pack back into his pocket, and the two of us smoked quietly as we wandered farther from the camp, while Harry became a passive smoker behind us.

“Man, I missed this,” Kevin said suddenly, stretching his arms wide as we followed a narrow trail into the woods. The forest around us was alive with the sounds of nature: crickets, distant birds, and the rustling of branches.

“The forest?” I asked with a smirk.

He laughed. “No, being on a film set. I don’t know about you guys, but for me, it’s such a rush. Living away from home with people I barely know, working together for weeks, and then saying goodbye, probably forever. It’s weird, but I love it.”

“You’re an optimistic guy,” I said with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t know, though. I’ve only done one movie so far, and that ended less than a month ago. I liked the experience, but I moved into an apartment with my co-star afterward, so it’s not like we all drifted apart. I guess it depends on whether people actually want to stay in touch.”

“I filmed a few TV specials with my family,” Harry said. “We see each other all the time.”

Neither Kevin nor I could relate to that.

Now that he mentioned it, I finally remembered why Harry’s face had seemed so familiar. He and his entire family had starred in a bunch of Christmas specials a few years ago. In 21st-century terms, he was what people would call a nepo baby.

Kevin turned to me. “Which film did you shoot before this one?”

I shook my head. “It’s a terrible film that nobody should ever watch. I don’t even know why I did it. Honestly, I’ll be happy if it bombed quietly so no one ever finds out I was in it.”

Both Harry and Kevin laughed.

“That bad, huh? Well, this one’s not exactly going to be a masterpiece either,” Kevin said. “You have a knack for choosing lesser quality films, don’t you?”

“I have a knack for getting roles, at least,” I shot back. “I didn’t even want to be an actor in the first place. I was modeling for an agency in New York when a casting director liked my photos. I only took the role because the pay was good.”

“And this one?” Harry asked. “Surely you weren’t tempted by the minimum SAG wage they’re giving us.”

I sighed and looked out toward the woods. “After finishing that first film, I realized I was missing something.” I took a drag from my cigarette, turned to Kevin, and added, “So yeah, I get what you were saying earlier, about being on a set away from home. It’s addictive. That’s why I auditioned for this one.”

Both of them smiled, understanding.

We finished our cigarettes in silence before heading back to camp, more specifically, to the dining area. It was a wide, open space with rows of long wooden tables laid out for the entire cast and crew.

Among the mostly male-dominated crowd, three girls stood out instantly. One had her back to us, while the other two faced forward, deep in conversation. None of them noticed us approaching.

Kevin walked straight to their table and slid in beside the girl with her back to us. “Hey, gals, have you met our hero yet?” he asked, grinning. “Meet Noah Hunter. He hunts girls’ panties at night, so be careful where you hide yours.”

I couldn’t stop the surprised snort that escaped me. “At least no one would mistake me for a dead pig, Bacon,” I shot back, taking a seat on the other side of the girl.

“Ha! That’s the best you’ve got, Hunter?”

Harry had quietly taken the seat across from me, leaving Kevin and me to our banter. I decided to focus on the girls instead.

“As this asshole has already introduced me—”

“Hey!” Kevin protested.

“—I’m Noah Hunter. I’m playing Jack in the movie.”

The girls quickly followed with their introductions. Adrienne, Jeannine, and Laurie, playing Alice, Marcie, and Brenda, respectively.

Adrienne could be considered the lead, since her character had the most screen time and survived till the end. Laurie’s role had a mid-length arc; she was the one who died in the bathroom scene. And the first victim was the most beautiful of the three, the one sitting right beside me. Jeannine.

One thing I quickly noticed was that all five of my cast mates, both the boys and the girls, looked like ordinary people you might pass on the street and forget moments later. None of them stood out in any striking way. Not even Jeannine. Yet, somehow, there was something about her, an effortless spark, that quietly pulled your attention toward her.

“By the way, ladies,” Kevin spoke up again, leaning back casually in his chair, “Noah here is pretty much a method actor. He likes to practice his scenes for real. So whatever happens in the story, he’ll do it in real life too.”

“Kevin,” I warned, narrowing my eyes, “I will have your bacon and fry it so much that even your mom won’t recognize you.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. Bacon jokes don’t bother me anymore. But it’ll be fun watching you roll around naked with these three lovely ladies.”

Before I could come up with something nastier to throw back at him, Jeannine leaned closer.

“I wouldn’t mind,” she said in a soft, teasing tone.

I blinked. “You wouldn’t mind what?”

She leaned even closer, close enough that I could feel her breath against my ear. “Rolling around naked with you. Off-set. Just the two of us. What do you say?”

Was this girl serious? We had met barely five minutes ago, and she was already acting this boldly? My mind flooded with questions before I could form a single word. Should I say yes? Should I laugh it off? Would she be offended if I refused?

Before I could decide, she burst into laughter. “I’m kidding, silly. I have a boyfriend.” She paused, then added with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Or maybe I’m only saying that so you don’t get any ideas. You’ll never know.”

I exhaled sharply, unsure if it was from relief or disappointment. I wasn’t fond of teases like her, so I decided to have a little fun of my own. Two could play that game.

“For what it’s worth,” I whispered back just as confidently, “I’d love to do it too. I’ve got a girlfriend, but she wouldn’t mind you joining us. Maybe your boyfriend can come along, and we’ll make it a nice foursome.”

Her jaw dropped so wide you could have fit a whole fist inside if you tried.

“Hey, what are you two talking about?” Adrienne asked curiously, glancing between us. “It’s bad manners to whisper while sitting with a group.”

“My bad,” I said quickly, pointing toward Jeannine’s bun. “I was just telling Jean here that she should let her hair down. She’d look really cute that way.”

“I know!” Adrienne agreed enthusiastically. “I told her the same thing earlier today. See, even Noah agrees with me.”

Jeannine gave me an unreadable look, a mix of intrigue and playful irritation, before turning back to the others.

As I sat there, watching them talk and laugh, I realized Kevin had been right. I was going to love my time here at the camp, shooting Friday the 13th.

(Break)

Jeannine Taylor, or as she preferred to be called, Jean, woke up earlier than usual that morning. Normally, she liked to sleep in to preserve what she called her “beauty sleep,” but today was different. It was the first day of filming, and though she didn’t have any scenes scheduled, the excitement and nerves kept her wide awake. This was her first movie, after all, and she was eager to see how it all worked behind the camera.

Stage plays, which she had done plenty of, revolved almost entirely around the writer’s vision. But films, as her agent often reminded her, were a director’s world. The writer’s influence ended with the script.

The cabin was still and quiet. Kevin and Harry were snoring softly, one of them murmuring something incoherent in his sleep. The girls in the other bunks hadn’t stirred either. Jean’s gaze drifted upward toward the top bunk, where Noah lay. He hadn’t moved an inch.

Her heart gave a small flutter at the thought of him. Noah Hunter. The boy who had completely thrown her off her game last night. That almost never happened. At 25, Jean was used to making younger men blush with her confidence and wit, not the other way around. Noah was only 18, practically a kid, but there was something about him that unsettled her.

Sure, he was strikingly handsome, perhaps one of the most attractive and effortlessly sensual boys she had ever met, but that wasn’t what bothered her. It was the way he carried himself. The way he spoke. So assured, so unfiltered, so…him.

The worst part was that, if he had been serious, she wasn’t entirely sure she would have said no. There was something magnetic about him that had held her attention all through dinner and even afterward.

Trying to shake the thought away, Jean slipped quietly from her bunk and began getting ready. She dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, pulled her hair into a loose ponytail, and stepped outside. The morning air smelled crisp and earthy, the kind of scent that lingered after dawn mist began to fade.

She had assumed she’d be the first one up, but to her surprise, the entire crew was already bustling around the set. Cables snaked across the ground, light stands were being adjusted, and people shouted friendly instructions across the clearing.

Jean turned to the nearest crew member, a man adjusting a reflector panel. “Is it normal for everyone to start this early?” she asked, genuinely surprised.

“Yup,” he replied with a nod, still focused on his work. “Most good directors like to start early and wrap early too. Unless it’s a night shoot.”

“Got it. Thanks,” she said with a polite smile.

Since she wanted to understand how things worked on a movie set, her next goal was to find Sean and observe how he managed the production. But before she could, her eyes caught someone unexpected across the clearing.

Noah.

He was very much awake. Not just awake, but already in motion, confidently giving pointers to a lighting technician.

“You’re doing a great job, Derek,” Noah said, his tone firm but friendly. “That’s exactly what Sean wants.”

“Thanks, Noah,” the man replied gratefully, clearly pleased to have his work noticed.

Having said his piece, Noah moved on to the boom operator.

“Can you see that spot over there, by the red gas pump? That’s where you need to be. Sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” Noah said, pointing toward the far end of the set, where a faded red pump stood beside an old service shed.

“Flynn,” the man replied, adjusting the cap on his head.

“Yeah, Flynn. Any questions?”

Flynn shook his head, and Noah smiled. “Great. Come to me if you need anything from Sean. I’ll be acting as his assistant whenever I’m not in front of the camera.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Flynn said with a quick nod before hurrying off to his post.

Noah turned to the next crew member. He seemed to know exactly what needed to be done and who should be doing it. Jean watched in quiet fascination, completely absorbed by the way he moved from person to person with effortless authority.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Jean turned toward the voice and found Sean Cunningham, the director, standing beside her with his hands tucked into his jacket pockets. He had a faint smile on his face as he followed her gaze toward Noah.

“When that boy asked to be my assistant, I thought he just wanted to shadow me,” Sean said. “But look at him now, he’s taking initiative and running things like he’s been doing this for years.”

Jean frowned slightly, her curiosity getting the better of her. “You don’t mind that he’s giving instructions to your crew?”

“Those are my instructions,” Sean explained easily. “I make a detailed plan every night before we start shooting, outlining who needs to be where and what their job is. Noah found that list this morning and asked if he could handle the delegating. I told him to go ahead.”

Jean raised an eyebrow. “But why would he do that? What’s in it for him?”

“Experience,” Sean said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “If you want to be successful, you have to learn as many skills as you can. You never know what you’ll be good at until you try. Acting, directing, writing, whatever it is. If one thing doesn’t work out, move on to the next. Even your backup plan should have a backup.”

Then he gave her a brief, assessing look and added with a crooked grin, “Or you could just marry a rich man. You’re young and pretty enough to catch someone’s eye.”

Jean’s jaw tightened at the comment. Anger flickered inside her, but she swallowed it down. He was the director, after all, and it would be foolish to start off on the wrong foot.

Sean seemed oblivious to her discomfort. “So, why are you up so early when everyone else is still asleep?”

“I wanted to see how things work before I start shooting my scenes,” she replied, keeping her tone polite.

Sean nodded approvingly. “Good. In that case, make yourself useful. Go over to Noah and ask him to assign you something. It’ll be a good learning experience.”

Jean hesitated for a moment, then forced a small smile and nodded. “Alright.”

As she walked toward Noah, she couldn’t help but notice how composed and confident he looked, moving between the crew with ease. He was wearing a fitted black T-shirt with a deep V-neck, paired with faded jean shorts. The shirt hugged his chest and arms in a way that made it hard not to notice the definition beneath. His biceps flexed with every motion, veins visible under smooth, tanned skin. Even his calves looked sculpted and strong.

“Hey, Jean!” Noah’s voice broke through her thoughts. “What are you doing here?”

“Sean told me you’d help me find something productive to do,” she replied, suppressing her internal thoughts.

Noah snorted. “That cheap bastard hired you as an unpaid intern too?”

Jean didn’t respond verbally, just nodded. Noah flipped through the binder he carried with quick, practiced movements.

“Well, why don’t you help Gertrude over there with set decoration?” He pointed toward one of the few women present on the set, who was arranging props beside the gas station. “Just do as she says. We’re short-staffed because of the small budget, so any help is appreciated.”

Jean nodded and walked off. She knew this wasn’t her job, but Sean’s words lingered in her mind. Maybe learning more about the production side could help her if acting didn’t work out.

(Break)

Sean stood near the monitor, his hands on his hips, scanning the set that was now completely ready, a full fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. All thanks to Noah.

Sean hadn’t realized how serious the boy was about becoming a director until now. The way Noah managed the crew, keeping everyone moving without stepping on anyone’s toes, showed rare leadership for someone his age. The crew respected him, too. Nobody seemed bothered that an 18-year-old was calling the shots. That alone told Sean a lot.

The kid’s claim about working on the set of that Columbia film clearly wasn’t a bluff.

Everything seemed to have fallen into its place. The crew was in their positions. The actors were out and raring to go. Now they only needed Sean as a guiding hand so that nothing went wrong. He walked over to his chair; his eyes fixed on the monitor, which showed the current location of the girl and the dog who would open the scene.

“Everything set?” he asked, not addressing anyone in particular.

“It is,” Noah replied confidently. “The crew knows their roles, and Robbi’s ready. She’s been told about her marks and the expressions you want from her. Unless you want to tell her something yourself?”

Sean smiled faintly. “No, we’re fine. Let’s start right away.”

He straightened in his chair, the faint hum of the camera coming to life filling the silence.

“Sound! Camera! And action!”