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

[nosefullofsnot.livejournal.com]

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."

Comments

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

Kate glanced around the room as if pondering something, then shook her head. "I don't really think class is the right place for those kinds of details." Also she was a huge tease.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"Then, I refuse to believe that you had any such dream," Nathan decided, shaking his head. "I know you well enough to know that you're not shy so you'd tell me if there was actual content to share."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"I could've made something up," Kate shrugged, not bothering to put energy into pretending he wasn't right. Not this time. "Just not in class."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"You didn't though," he said and shook his head sadly. "You are, apparently, falling off your game rather magnificently. I don't know if I should be worried or impressed."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"You know, I doubt I've ever measured up to this idealized Kate you have in your head," Kate mused lightly. "Too bad, she sounds like quite a hoot."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"You really don't know that," Nathan said but he shook his head because he was in too good a mood to want to get into her pretend personality right now. "If you wanna think that, go for it. I've decided to give up on trying to convince you otherwise. It's become obvious that it's rather pointless."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

Kate wasn't looking to get into it again, either. "Well, I'm notoriously stubborn," she said, and even that was light. Not like a joke, she rarely did those, but still. "So... we're cool?"

Aside from his continued disapproval of her choices, obviously.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"What?" Nathan asked, a little surprised at that question. "Cool about what?"

Honestly, he'd just been irritated that she was fucking blind to what she was doing but he wasn't one to get pissed and stomp away. He'd just forgotten about it.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

Well, him not even knowing what she was talking about was really good enough for her.

She paused, then said, "Nothing."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

Nathan tilted his head at her and realized followed soon after. "What, I'm not fucking mad at you. I'd love for you to take a look at yourself just to see what I see but fuck it, your life, not mine. The only thing I pity you for is that you continue to resist me. You are missing out on one of life's greatest experiences."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"You'll just have keep hoping I'll see the light and stop resisting, I guess," Kate drawled, but it was accompanied by something of a lopsided smile. Look, it was nice to know she wasn't disliked, okay? "Try not to weep for me too much."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"Why, in the name of God, would I weep?" Nathan asked, shaking his head oh so sadly at her. "You're not the only girl that goes to this school, you know. And you're not even at the top of my priority list. You're...maybe at number five. Maybe."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"As if," Kate replied immediately. Please, like she could accept ranking that low. "Anyway, you were supposed to weep for all this pity you supposedly have for me."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"I don't weep. I don't cry," he said and sounded disdainful. "And yes, you are that low. Unfortunately, your constant rejections have made that a necessary action."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"I honestly can't even remember the last time you made it necessary for me to reject you," she replied, shrugging. "You've been acting all nice lately." A pause. "Well, nice like that."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"Hey! I am nice! I'm universally popular and well liked," Nathan told her, making a face. "Don't sound so surprised. Just because I'm not trying to grab your tit so I can suck on it doesn't mean I've lost my way."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"God, defensive," Kate snickered. "Way to jump into extremes there. Also, last week you got punched in the face for acting like you, so excuse me if I hold off on believing you're universally popular."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"And do you see any evidence of that injury anymore?" he asked, pointing to his eye. "Do you see me continually whining about it?"

Well, truthfully, Caroline had gotten a lot of his whining about it.

"No because it was just a punch and it isn't the first time that's happened. Some people just do not understand me."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"And therefore you're not universally popular," she shrugged. "Never claimed you were whining about it or that it was still showing."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"No, I am universally popular because the girl who punched me does not count," Nathan decided with a shake of his head. "Obviously, she's been misled if she thinks punching me is the right thing to do. I'm waiting for an apology from her any day now."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"I think you'll be waiting for a long time." A long, looong time. "But it's good to have hobbies to pass the time, right?"

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"And I do have plenty of those," he said and smiled widely. "And none of them are boring either. You're envious, I'm sure. I'd offer to show you the way, Kate, but I think you're enjoying your little rut right now. You're stuck here --"

And he put one hand in the air.

"And I'm here."

And he put his other hand way over top of the first one.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"And I'm completely indifferent to your delusions," Kate replied with another shrug, then waved a hand dismissively, though she didn't seem upset in any way. "Go punch a mime or something."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"Um, you were the one that got my attention, if you recall. You were the one that bothered me while I was in the middle of a great daydream where some big titted, American farm girl was giving me a blowjob and fondling my balls."

And her interruption, to him, was a crime.

"If you want to get away from me, you can go elsewhere. I was here first. Go rim a mime, Kate."

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[vanillajello]

"I don't think that was the assigment," Kate deadpanned. "So sorry to have so greatly bothered you while you were doing something that important."