Cut to the Chase Read Online Free PDF Page B

It’s a small one, a short fight, but you might like it.”
    “Great. I’ll be taking pictures before and during the camera work. After, too.” Paige cringed and hoped that the sudden upturn of the corner of her mouth was the only telltale sign. It was obvious that taking pictures afterward was included in what she’d be doing. Sheesh!
    Avalon smoothed over a section of her pants leg but Paige hadn’t noticed a wrinkle.
    “Do I get to see the photographs?”
    “Sure,” Paige said. “All of them, if you like.”
    “So, how do you like working on and around movie sets?”
    “It’s better than taking high school yearbook pictures.”
    Avalon laughed out loud, which surprised Paige. Of course, she’d chosen that answer to be witty, but Avalon’s reaction had seemed so genuine and cordial that it flustered her for a moment.
    “Did you used to do that?”
    “Actually, I did. It was a way to make money to finish college.”
    “I bet you saw a lot.”
    Paige shrugged. “A lot of pranksters and goofballs. It seems that a lot of kids would rather not be memorialized for their studies but for their shenanigans.”
    “Sounds like an assembly-line nightmare.”
    “Yes, but it paid the bills.”
    “And now your books pay the bills?”
    “They’re starting to. I also sell photos to websites and things like that. But, yes, I was able to walk away from yearbook hell.”
    “We all pay our dues, don’t we?”
    “How did you?”
    “Ah! The typical way. Waiting on tables, mostly.”
    “Really?”
    “You never want to be too good at waiting tables because the tips can get pretty good. And then you start to rely on that rather than going out on casting calls. It’s hard enough to get rejection after rejection, but when you think about the tips you could be making, it’s even harder.”
    Avalon was about to say something else when two men rushed up to her. It was obviously the director and assistant director because they began to discuss the upcoming shot.
    “The stunt director needs you to see him. He has your knee pads,” the director said.
    “So, I need to change into my other pants.”
    He nodded at Avalon. “Yes. I think those would show the outline of the pads underneath. Wardrobe is aware of that and they’re coming out with the other pair.”
    Paige still felt nervous and tried to shake the mood off by grabbing the camera from her satchel and concentrating on the settings. Were her hands shaking slightly because Avalon was so attractive in person? Or was it because she was lesbian? Maybe it was just the heat today.
    She laughed to herself. The heat. Yeah, that’s what it was.
     
    *
     
    Paige worked her way around the set, taking pictures of Avalon as she prepared for her upcoming scene. She was careful to avoid interrupting the film crew as they worked and still managed to get some great angles and compositions.
    She also shot Avalon’s interview with Entertainment Tonight , which was an unexpected boon. She could write something about the press angle of marketing films.
    The current scene called for Avalon to chase the bad guy down an alley. The director and stunt coordinator walked through the scene with Avalon and Manny, a bit actor dressed like a gang member, in slow motion. They discussed the scene’s intent and picked the right movements and the exact spot where she would catch up with Manny and jump on his back to take him down.
    The crew placed a thick pad on the ground and would film the takedown from three different angles.
    Paige positioned herself behind the camera and a little to the left. For this shot she would have virtually the same view as the camera, and then she’d use any additional takes to get more angles.
    After a few full rehearsals, the first assistant director called for the camera and sound to roll, and then the director called for action.
    The gang member took off running with Avalon right behind him. As they approached their mark and the pad, Avalon charged Manny and