How to Be a Really Famous Actor (And Other Acting Tips), Friday, Period 1

[nosefullofsnot.livejournal.com]

"Hey, 'sup guys?" Lucas said to start the class. He was sitting casually on his desk. You know. To appear casual. Standing next to the desk was a guy who looked a lot like Lucas, down to the leather jacket, black shirt, chinstrap beard, and raised eyebrows. He was less attractive and had a scar on his cheek and was a couple inches shorter than Lucas, though. "This is Doug. He's part of my stunt team, so we've known each other for a while. You might even say we have a rapport."

"We have a rapport," Doug said.

"Ha. That's funny, Doug," Lucas said, holding a fist out for some respect knuckles. After Doug gave him a fistbump, Lucas continued. "Nice wordplay. And that's what we're talking about today. If I didn't have to teach you guys stuff, I would have said something back to him like, I don't know, 'I didn't even know there were French rappers.'"

Doug paused, thinking hard about what Lucas just said. "I don't get it," Doug said.

Lucas hopped off the desk, grabbed Doug by the jacket, dragged him to the window, opened it, and defenestrated Doug. Then he closed the window, turned back to the class, and said, "He'll be fine. He's a professional stuntman. He knows his shit."

"So, rapport. You build it up by either being really familiar with somebody else, or just having some instant chemistry, or you're just good at fake liking someone while talking to them. The key to really good banter is to talk really fast. That way even if what you're saying isn't funny, at least it's two people saying things at each other fast enough that something's going to end up being kind of funny. If you're into that kind of thing. Not my cup of java, personally, but that's why I'm an action star."

"So! What you're doing today is pairing up with someone that you think you can banter with. Don't worry about being funny or anything right now. That'll mess you up. Just talk at each other without thinking about what you're going to say. Whatever you do, don't let a pause crop up in the conversation. Because if that happens, you fail at banter. And if you can't even manage to pull off a fast-paced conversation, you're pretty much failing at life."

"Just like Doug," Lucas said, peeking back out the window. "Horrible at living. Great at falling out of windows. Heh. He'll appreciate that. I'm gonna text that to him while you guys start talking."

Comments

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"Yeah, I'm just not buying it," she said with another little shake of her head. "I know you're capable of respect, but with a girl that actually agreed to go out with you?"

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"And just what in the fuck do you think I did do with her?" Nathan asked, curious as to what she'd say.

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"I think that depends solely on how far she let you go," Kate replied, easily. "I can't get any more specific than that with my guesses since I've never even talked to her."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"And yet, you're making all kinds of crazy assumptions," he pointed out, shaking his head sadly. "You know, I can be surprising so perhaps you should rethink your views of what I might do on dates. Being presumptuous is offensive to my romantic side."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

Kate snorted, then affected a sweet, innocent tone to her voice. "But Nathan, sweetie, you told me the date was going to be skinny dipping."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"And?"

Yeah, Nathan wasn't going to let her have it that easily.

"You do know I could have brought wine and chocolate covered oranges and candles and the petals of roses to our skinny dipping destination, don't you? Nakedness does not mean sex. It just means we are both comfortable with our natural forms and we wanted to express that."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"Now I want chocolate covered oranges."

See, Kate was just going to ignore the topic at hand now, in favor of thinking about things that were nice to eat.

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"I'm not getting them for you this time," Nathan said, leaning back in his seat and shaking his head. "I brought you food during the blizzard, it's your turn to bring me something."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

Kate shrugged, as if to say this idea didn't bother her. "Is there anything in particular you'd like?"

Hey, she had a job again and everything. She might indulge him.

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"Chicken nuggets and potato chips," he said without missing a beat. "One's the most perfect food in the world, the other gets grease all over my fingers which makes touching people hilarious."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." She had so much free time these days, and sometimes she just got plain bored. "But I'm gonna make you promise not to touch me with greasy hands."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"And what if I break that promise?" It was almost certain that he'd try, at least.

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"I'm pushing you out the window," she replied, mock seriously, then shrugged. "Or just hit you. One of those."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you're strong enough to push me out a window and I've been hit before," he rationalized, nodding. "So, I think that means I'll take my chances with my greasy hands all over your body. It's kinky, yeah? Maybe we could make a thing of it."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"No." He had to have seen that answer coming a mile away, right? "Keep your greasy hands to yourself."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"So, who doth get the honor of touching you with their greasy hands if not me?" Nathan asked, curious. "You and my roommate gonna share guys again? I mean, I'll be sad if it's not me but apparently, I gotta learn to love gossip around the both of you."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"Nobo-- no one gets to touch me with their greasy hands." Ugh, how stupid was it to have an ex with a name that was a word? It was going to be unusable for her forever. "Okay? No one. That's an honor not bestowed upon anyone."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"I dunno, I think you'd let the right person do it if he came along," Nathan said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, what if Caroline let someone do it? Would you do it just to show her the fuck up? Cuz she thinks she's better than you."

That wasn't even a lie but Caroline thought she was better than EVERYONE IN THE WORLD.

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

Kate's lips pursed into a thin line. "Well, I don't give a fuck what she thinks."

Come on Nathan. They weren't each other's archnemeses.

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

Nathan knew that but until she stopped getting all pissy and reactive to just the sound of Caroline's name, he was going to keep bringing it up.

"How am I to choose between the two of you?" Nathan asked, fanning himself. "It's such a dilemma and I'm such a gentle soul that this is just tearing me apart."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

Kate rolled her eyes. It was her body's natural defence to his annoying ways. "I don't know, maybe you should flip a coin or something."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"And what if you lose?" he asked, trying to sound fearful of that happening. "What then, Kate? What then?"

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

"Then we never talk again, because you thought there was a choice you had to make," she replied, deflecting his fake fear with sarcasm. "And yes, yes, I'm sure you would be heartbroken, since you so often are."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"You're no fun to banter with," Nathan decided, making a face. "You suck at it, in fact. I think you should tell the professor that you fail and I pass and I was the only reason you got by today. All you did was whine about losing me as a friend and my attempts at comfort failed."

Re: Banter with Each Other

[vanillajello]

For that, Kate was just going to tilt her head mock quizzically at him. "Hmh. Must be nice to live in a reality that's so far removed from everyone else's."