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

Lucas was leaning against his desk at the start of class today. Next to him was one of his stuntmen. The stuntman was dressed in black with white greasepaint on his face (but not on the chinstrap beard because that wouldn't be cool).

"Today we're going to talk about mimes," Lucas said. "Miming is a centuries old art of expressing emotion, action, and objects by not talking and poking at the air. Go ahead, Rusty."

Rusty the chinstrapped stunt mime started miming a box closing in on him. And just when the box was getting really believable, Lucas turned around and punched Rusty in the face, knocking him over the desk, knocking Lucas's chair over, too.

"JK. This is the start of our action session. And this week is all about knowing how to give and take a stage punch. Rusty, get back here." The stuntmime popped back up and jumped over the desk to land next to Lucas. "There are three main keys to throwing a stage punch. First, choosing the right angle. The goal is the make it look like you hit the person but not actually hit them. This is mostly on your director, choreographer, and camera guy, so just do what they tell you. Second is knowing how to throw a punch. Do this," Lucas said, throwing a punch. "One more time, pay attention." He punched the air again. "That's all I'm showing you. Third is to make sure the person taking the punch knows how to deal with it if you actually hit them. If you have a crap stuntman taking the punch, go ahead and get them fired. You're more important than them. Right, Rusty?" Rusty nodded. "See? He knows the deal."

"If you're taking the punch, remember three more things. First, don't bale out too soon or you're going to make everyone look like an idiot. Second, if you do get hit, suck it up, that's what you're paid for. And third, it's your job to make the other person look like an action hero, even if they're short, bald, or a chick. If you're taking a stage punch, make it look like it really hurt."

"Everyone set with that? Good. Two options for you today. You can either pretend to punch the guy dressed like a mime, or you can pretend punching each other, which will be done completely by your own choice so I can't get in trouble if somebody starts bleeding. Let's get started."

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Nathan was busy punching the air with his skinny ass arms. That didn't mean he couldn't throw a punch, though. He'd done it before and he'd do it again.

And he was more than willing to take a fake punch from a classmate too, if it came to that. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he'd been punched either.

"So would you fake-hit a girl?" Quinn asked, mostly because she wanted to hear what Nathan would say. She was more a scratcher and a hair-puller than a puncher, herself.

"Yep," Nathan said without hesitation. "Just because someone's a fucking girl doesn't make them weak or made of porcelain. If me and a girl are throwing down, I'm not gonna hold back. I think that'd just be offensive to said girl."

Quinn raised her eyebrows, vaguely impressed. "At least you're honest about it," she decided. "Not very chivalrous, but honest."

She wasn't going to argue that she (or girls in general) were in fact weak.

Nathan's chivalry was well hidden and infrequently used if it was there at all. He made no apologies.

"If a girl wants to smack me around, most of the time I'm gonna let her because I think it's kinda hot," he said and smirked, "but if it's gets to the point where I'm gonna have to defend myself, I won't pull punches. I gotta right to protect myself and my beautiful body too."

Quinn gave him a dubious look. "I'm sorry, where is that beautiful body you're talking about?"

He wasn't ugly or anything, but dude was scrawny.

Nathan just waved a dismissive hand at her, unwilling to hear anything contrary to what he thought about himself. Those words just did not penetrate.

"I've gotten used to people not recognizing my glory," he explained, sounding wistful. "It's my burden to bear and I bear it with a heavy heart and a strong will. I am here to educate those who can't see."

"Uh-huh." Well, at least this was turning out to be entertaining, in a ridiculous way. "I'm sure I'll see the light anytime."

"I'm sure you will but if you don't, it's all right. Sometimes, the best things are just too blinding to be seen," he assured her with a grin. "And I just happen to be...one of the best things."

Well, he was full of himself, at least. Not lacking in confidence at all. "You're not that bad either, you know. Very nice."

"Now I can die happy," Quinn said, but she was smiling. Getting called pretty never got old.

Then she remembered something. "Wait, didn't that Karla girl hit you in sex ed a while back?"

"Was that her name? I never caught it," Nathan admitted, shrugging. "Someone did hit me because she didn't appreciate my dedication to our assignment. It's all right. My devastating injury worked out well for me in the end. I was well cared for."

"How hard did she hit?" Quinn was actually surprised. She hadn't been paying that much attention herself, but she thought she would have noticed if he'd collapsed covered in blood or anything exciting like that.

"Ah, just hard enough to leave a bruise," he said, shrugging a shoulder. "I healed up in like a day. I'm hardy like that. Very, very resilient so a little pain isn't going to keep me from my duties of spreading my love around the island for too long."

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

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence

Re: Practice Fake Violence