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

"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."

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

"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."

"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."

Edited 2011-01-21 22:26 (UTC)

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."

"That's very introspective of you, Kate," he said, turning that right back around on her. "Why are we talking about your mental health now? Are you afraid you're going to have a break from reality? Or is this about those paranoid delusions you've been grappling with? I am here to help!"

"Fandom is a break from reality," Kate replied, dryly, somewhat unaffected. "But so nice of you to offer to help."

"I've seen worse than this place," he said, shrugging. Never mind the whole vampire roommate thing. He was chalking that up to being an anomaly. "But my compassionate and caring nature demands I help all those in need. Kate, I am there for you."

"Dude, you've been here for like three weeks," Kate pointed out, ignoring all that crap about his nature. There was no way she would win there. "You haven't even seen this place yet."

The weather thing was nothing.

"Aw, you sound like my school assigned big sibling, trying to freak me the fuck out with your sage wisdom," he replied, shaking his head. "Not gonna happen. Nothing gets to me, nothing touches me. Many have tried, none have succeeded."

Kate almost smiled at that, though it was hard to tell what she was really smiling for. Maybe it was the familiarity of it all, Maybe it was something else entirely.

"Mm, we'll see," was all she volunteered.

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

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