Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“Haven’t you had something you’re passionate about and want to do for the sake of it? Bungee jumping? Reading? Watching old movies?”
“Sex? Does that count?”
“Uh … sure. Anyway, Eleven is like that for me. For all of us, I think. But now I’ve bitten off more than I can chew with this movie and the reunion, and I went from someone who would shoot back-to-back action movies with time off in between to someone who has multiple projects going on, a schedule, and, and, and—”
I step forward and rub my hands up and down his arms, consoling a second person before the day has even started. “Breathe. You’ve got this.”
He sucks in a sharp inhale. “Yeah. I got this. I so got this.”
“I’d believe you more if you weren’t hyperventilating.”
Blake takes one last deep breath to compose himself. “Are they ready out there?”
As he asks this, there’s a knock on the door, and Jojo appears. “Set’s done. Time to get this show on the road.”
Blake looks like he’s freaking out again.
“Breathe,” I say again. “And squeeze my hand if you need it.”
“You … want me to hold your hand?”
I shrug. “If anyone asks, tell them we’re getting into character.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” I ask.
“Trying to calm my nerves.”
“Is it working?”
“Nope.”
Damn.
We move to the set, and then makeup comes after me to run some more gel through my hair to give it a wet look and then spray my body with water so it looks like I just climbed out of the pool. They’ll get that shot after we do the talking so I’m not all different levels of wet throughout the conversation.
Moviemaking has always fascinated me, the way scenes are chopped and shot at different times and glued together. Sometimes it feels impossible that the stories can even make sense when as the actor, you experience the scenes out of order. Watching it at the premiere for the first time is always a thrill.
When everyone’s ready, Ben calls action, and I smile my character’s cocky grin and say the cheesy dialogue.
“Well, well, well, what have you brought me, sis?”
Actress Lori Lacy says her line and pulls Blake forward. “This is Madden.”
Blake, not Madden, looks like he’s going to throw up. I can tell he’s not in character.
“Madden,” I say softly, softer than the script calls for, but I’m hoping to pull him into the scene.
Blake blinks at me.
“Cut,” Ben says.
We all let out a collective breath.
“Blake, you’re supposed to be awed by Jordan,” Ben says. “Not scared of him.”
“Uh. Right. Sorry.”
“Go again.”
We do it again. And again. And again, and again, and again.
“I give up. Take five.” Ben storms off set.
My first-day happy vibes are gone now.
I lean in and ask Blake, “Does it usually take this long to settle into a scene?”
“No!” Blake yells, and everyone on set freezes at his raised tone. He lowers his head and says quieter, “And it’s driving me crazy.” He runs his hand over his face and then remembers the makeup. “I’m screwing the whole production.”
“You’re in your head. How do you usually get into Coby Godspeed’s character?”
He looks around the set. “That’s different. Coby is a walking meathead who’s dumber than shit but can blow stuff up. It’s easy to get in that mindset. Being a newly out gay guy who’s nervous about going home to his family who haven’t quite accepted his sexuality is …”
“A story many queer guys have faced. It’s why Ben and I wanted to do this movie. We need good representation, and—”
“Which is why I didn’t want to do the film to begin with because I know absolutely nothing about being gay or closeted or needing to come out.”
“Your bandmates do, though. Can you draw inspiration from them?”
Denver Smith and Mason Nash recently came out, but I also happen to be on the inside Hollywood loop that they’re not the only queer guys in Eleven. I’d bet my left nut that Blake has been there for behind-the-scenes conversations about staying closeted. I know he can draw from personal experience on this one, even if it’s not his own.
“It will be a travesty to the gay gods everywhere if you and I don’t have chemistry onscreen,” I say. “We’re too good-looking not to.”
Blake allows a laugh, his shoulders relaxing a little, and the next take is almost perfect. After a few more, Ben is confident we have the shot.
“Let’s move on.” Ben levels me with his I’m unhappy look. “Finally.”
I think I’ll be staying at my place tonight.
“Blake, you’re done for the day. Jordy, I still need shots of you getting out of the pool.”
I swear Ben added this scene just so he could see me all wet and practically naked, and oh, look at that, with one take and one heated look from Ben, all is forgiven when he drags me to my trailer.