It was nearly midday, and they began filming the final scenes of the day. Billy had been mentally preparing himself for his acting role long before.
-Okay, everyone, please get into position, - said Martha, who was the program coordinator. She moved back and forth, addressing issues and solving problems. She was an assistant director, a recent graduate from the University of Los Angeles, California, in film direction, part of the new generation.
-You are the supporting role. Remember, when James enters the scene to hit Christopher, and you see the situation escalating, rush in to separate them, - Martha said quickly.
-Yes,- Billy replied.
Martha went to speak with other supporting characters and extras who were part of the television crew. For just one beach scene, they needed at least 45 extras, which illustrates how television series can burn through funds disproportionately. An episode requiring a minimum of 50 people for a single scene can drive costs to unimaginable heights.
-Action! - they announced loudly. Billy took a seat in the beach chair and pulled out the book as described in the script. To his surprise, it contained no information, just blank pages.
He immersed himself in the acting scene, trying to embody the character as best he could. He heard the sounds of the fight but was interrupted by an abrupt stop.
-James, you glanced at the camera three times during the scene; you need to be more careful next time, -- the director said, pointing to a spot. -- Make sure the microphones are set up properly; the last take had a microphone accidentally in the frame. -
Everyone returned to their positions, but the scene was disrupted again when a beach ball hit the recording camera.
-Scene 12, take 3. Action! - they yelled.
Billy got back into position for the third time, fully immersing himself in his character. As he heard the sounds of the fight, he lifted his gaze to watch the scene unfold. Concentrating on his role, he noticed some extras whispering.
Billy rushed forward and shouted, - Stop, that's enough! - as the unnamed supporting character he was playing.
By some twist of fate, James swung his arm in the wrong direction, and his fist connected with Billy's eye, just above the cheekbone. Billy felt a surge of anger but quickly recalled his improvisation training: acting impulses are best resolved with more impulses.
-Both of you, calm down, - Billy said again, but he was ignored as they continued their fight. It seemed like the situation was escalating into a real brawl, which was unacceptable. However, the director didn't intervene; the lens was capturing a genuine fight, evident from their gestures and movements. Christopher's sweaty face excited the director, who didn't call a halt.
Billy grabbed James by the shoulders and pulled him slightly, just enough to make him stop. -Enough, both of you. You've made your point. -
Christopher didn't know what to say because this wasn't in the script. Similarly, James, who had only started acting three years ago, had never attended acting academies or studied on his own at the library. They were experiential learners, not theorists.
-Don't look at me like that; you're making a scene on the beach. Let's take a breather, - Billy said.
-This isn't over, Christopher. You won't be so lucky next time, - James replied, now more aware of the situation, remembering what his agent had told him: It's only over when they say 'cut. -
James's response woke up the actor playing Christopher. -- Good luck with that, -- he said, attempting to leave but still seething.
Billy sighed, and shook his head while looking at both young men, and the scene immediately ended. He put on the charming smile that had always charmed the girls at his school, a skill he learned from Alice, who had told him he should smile more and frown less.
-Cut, - the director said.
Billy could only go backstage to rest. He had a few shots left at the beginning of the beach scene, and that would be it for the day's work on the eight-episode miniseries. Surprisingly, the coordinator, Martha, approached him and thanked him. Even though the director hadn't fully appreciated Billy's performance due to exhaustion and limited visibility, someone with a keener eye would have recognized his talent.
-Thank you for everything, Mrs. Martha,- Billy said.
-Don't mention it, young man. I'm just doing my job the best I can,- Martha replied before heading off to handle some matters.
Billy gazed at the beach, taking in the beautiful Los Angeles scenery. The sky was on the verge of turning dark in a landscape that exuded tranquility. People were packing up all the recording equipment. What had once been a bustling beach with its ecosystem now looked like a desolate stretch of sand with no one to claim it, all hidden behind the passage of time. Billy called his grandfather to pick him up, knowing that the old man would be at the pool hall, wasting time with some forgetful worker.
The disappointing feeling of witnessing the passage of time and the artificial nature of life that disappeared with the tide left him somewhat bewildered. His future performances might follow a similar pattern, causing a sense of curiosity about how they would vanish.
-Come on, my little Billy, we must go. The flight leaves at 10:00 PM, - Richard Carson called from the rented car.
-I'll be right there, Grandpa, - Billy replied. He thought about all the possibilities his acting career held, feeling confident after seeing how well he had performed. There was still room for improvement, but experience would help him refine his skills.
[A point of excitement]
The sound of his phone's notification woke them up like an alarm clock. Another advantage of films was their direct impact through visual storytelling, compared to the slow and gradual accrual of points from comics, which only generated a few notifications a day. Movies made a high-impact statement in a short amount of time, and the points rolled in generously.
Billy heard his grandfather honking impatiently. - I'm coming! -
He took one last look at the view; it was such a beautiful sunset.
The journey back was exhausting. After a long day of work, acting had drained his energy. The weight of the work he had been doing since he was young was on his shoulders. There were only two more years of hard effort left at the company and in his studies. After that, he would figure out how to navigate the coming years of his life.