Perfect Acting

The Abandoned Realm, Scene 24B, Take 2. The clapper clapped with a click, and everything went off without a hitch.

At first anyway.

Leonardo was brooding, Remelda was bitching, and hollerin' at them both was an extremely annoyed Tressa. Simple lines and actions from a page brought to life through the magic of utter passion and skill.

Then, of course, came Terestra again, acting her part and saying her due… and it was as if she had sapped all sense of talent from everyone to ever befell her gaze like some sort of living, breathing debuff to all manner of sentient life. 

Leon tensed up again. He got one word out, a promising start—before he crumbled once more under the pressure. And it was three whole minutes of suffering under the director's tirade, threatening to fire the next person to slip up before we were allowed another take.