The Intern

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17th January 1997 (Friday)

Daryl Schmidt (POV)

The stagehands were applying the finishing touches to the room under Ricky's supervision.

All of a sudden he spoke, "No-no wait, the clock on the wall, remove it. It'll make our job easier." He said, folding his arms as the set designer asked, "Why would it make our job easier? I-I thought you didn't want ambiguity of the timeline? Wouldn't glancing past the time add that subtle touch?"

Huh. That was a surprisingly valid question…

"Normally, I would've you include it. But this scene… It's gonna have emotionally charged moments throughout, tensions will be running high and getting the shot we want might take a couple of takes. We don't want to keep changing the time again and again now do we? Just- just remove it please." He finally said, eyebrows slightly scrunched as he rubbed his forehead again and again.

He's been doing that a lot the past few days, every single time he's had to explain his vision to a member of the crew. I guess his mind runs so fast, that not everyone keep up and that frustrates him a little.

"And where's Christine? She was supposed to be out 5 minutes ago!" He turns and enquiries to a passing crew member.

"...erm, last I checked, she was on her way to Wardrobe, but I'll go over and ask." And with that hasty response, he practically scurried off the set.

Ricky sighed and made his way over to me, "Daryl, you still got that cup of coffee I set aside for later?"

Being the diligent AD that I was, I passed him his half drank cup of latte.

"Thanks man." He said, before downing the entire content of the cup in one go and then proceeding to crush the cup into a patty and chuck it behind him without looking.

Somehow… and I have no fucking idea how, but somehow… it bounced off a wall to another adjacent wall and then dropped straight into a waste-paper basket.

…

I and the rest of the crew have been seeing these casual displays of precision and sleight of hand since day 1 of filming… I don't know about the others, but I still have a hard time believing my eyes.

Sometimes, it all just seems… surreal.

One moment I'm graduating summa cum laude out of USC with an MFA, even skipping a semester in the process… next moment I'm here, working for this eccentric genius, who Dean Daley touted to be the most talented student to have ever graced the halls of the Uni.

And the fact that he was 3 years my junior was never mentioned until a day before she arranged for me to fly all the way to Boston for a shoot.

I love my Aunt, I really do… but she doesn't realize how uninformative she can be.

"Ricky!"

"Christine. We've been waiting for you… anyways. You ready?"

"...Erm, yeah. I think I found the right catalyst to… you know, project my emotions in this scene so I'm prepared." She replied, nodding her head as she appeared nervous, yet confident.

"Perfect, go over the lines one last time, and then we're a go in 5." Ricky said, not even glancing at the script.

Then again, there's no chance of him forgetting his lines after all… he wrote the damn thing.

As I think back to his previous actions, my curiosity finally spills over the brim as I ask, "Ricky? Uh, you said 'in 5'. So you've got 5 minutes, anyways I wrote a couple of questions on the yellow legal pad you gave me. Can I ask one now?"

He chuckles, shaking his head before speaking, "Oh Daryl, go ahead. We've got time for one right now but the rest, we go over them tomorrow. Deal?"

"Deal!" I said enthusiastically before we shook on it and fist-bumped.

Yeah… you got it right, we fist-bumped. Apparently Ricky is really big on fist bumps and high-fives.

He never tells me why, always deflecting whenever I ask… but he does look nostalgic every time I mention it.

To each their own, I guess.

"Ok, so one question, but which one… Got it. So, I've noticed and drawn up a pattern here that I just don't get. Whenever we build up a set, you never supervise the first time, you always just gloss over at the end just to check if everything's in order. But every time they shift over a few things and prepare any set for a second, or third, or any subsequent scenes… you never leave the set designer's side. Why?"

"Oh. You noticed that huh? Good job I guess, it means you're learning. Now, close the pad. You won't need notes for this one. Daryl, what does the word 'continuity' signify to you?"

"Continuity? Like, in general?"

"In the context of narrative, or storytelling. I don't want the definition, just tell me what you understand in your own words."

Huh. Continuity… My understanding of it…

After a few seconds of deep thought, I finally answer, "So in a story, in a narrative, you've got a timeline, a plot and character development. And continuity is to maintain consistency throughout for the above factors…?" I trail off towards the end as I see no visible change on his face.

Oh no, did I mess up? I mean, he asked me for my understanding, was it not profound enough or something?!

"Daryl… it seems like you've got the gist of it. You're right by all means. Now, in the broader context of filmmaking, continuity refers to the consistent, and logical presentation of visual elements within a scene, or across multiple scenes in a film. We maintain a continuity to create a seamless and believable narrative for the audience, our goal being the avoidance of any disruptions or inconsistencies that might distract viewers from the story."

"Now, there are several elements of it, like performance continuity, wardrobe and makeup continuity, sound continuity, etc. With my constant supervision, that's what I achieve. For example, the clock. I had it removed to maintain something I call, temporal continuity. Ensuring progression of time between scenes has consistency… you get what I'm saying?"

"Yes… erm, so 3 days ago, you had the set designer crumple a bunch of paper to make the basket appear full during the 4th take after lunch, cause they emptied it back then! That's continuity right?"

"Yes! Yes, noice observation! That's called prop continuity by the way. Anyways, there are a couple of more varieties here, we'll go over them tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok." I said, nodding my head rapidly. Honestly, it's embarrassing to admit it out loud, but his praise does make me feel good.

Considering I turned 22 three months ago, and he only just turned 19… yeah it's a little embarrassing. But talking to his friend Trent, makes me feel a lot better about myself.

I mean, I only know Ricky for 3 weeks, but Trent? He spent 5 years in college being upstaged at every fucking turn by his one friend… kinda makes sense how he chased women constantly back then, since it was the one thing he could outperform Ricky at.

Then again, what the hell do I know? The only reason I'm aware of their past, is cause Ricky took us all out for drinks and made us play 20 questions… he said it was a 'bonding' exercise.

I think he was just being nosy.

I looked on, as Ricky and Christine took their positions, and the gaffer tweaked the lighting a little, adding a personal touch to the set.

Ok, this is my cue I guess.

Without further delay, I took the clapperboard, and a piece of chalk and scribbled take-1 on it, before walking in front of the camera.

"Daryl, you ready?" Ricky called out.

Damn it, that's my question!

"Yes, what 'bout you? And Christine?"

We're ready, start the countdown, from 5." He answered for both, as he took off his t-shirt, adjusted his hair a little to look slightly ruffled, before laying down on the bed face-first. Skylar follows suit and lies down next to him.

"5!"

"4!"

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Take-1, Go!"

…

'Will' and 'Skylar' lie in bed, while 'Skylar' watches the former sleep. She gets up and goes to the fridge.

Once she comes back…

"Will? Are you awake?"

"No." Comes the muffled response.

"Come with me to California."

A beat of silence follows, as 'Will' rises slightly to sit upright, facing 'Skylar', believing he misheard. "What?"

"I want you to come with me."

"How-how do you know that?"

"I know." 'Skylar' presses on, "I just do."

'Will' was still hesitant, "Yeah, but how do you know?"

"I don't know… I just feel it."

"And you're sure about that?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Cause that's a serious thing you're sayin'. I mean, we might be in California next week and you could find out somethin' about me that you don't like. And you might feel like 'hey this is a big mistake.'" 'Will' speaks softly, his eyes never meeting 'Skylar's' as he swivels his head around.

Now distinctly upset, he continues, "But you can't take it back, 'cause you know it's real serious and you can't take somethin' like that back. Now I'm in California, 'cause you asked me to come. But you don't really want me there. And I'm stuck in California with someone who really doesn't want me there and just wishes they had a take-back."

'Skylar' stares at him for a second, dumbstruck before saying, "Take-back? What is that? I don't want a take-back. I want you to come to California with me."

"I can't go out to California."

'Skylar's' face falls as she asks, "Why not?"

"One, because I have a job here and two because I live here – –"

'Skylar' closes her eyes in resignation before opening them and asks, "...Erm, look. Will, if you're not in love with me, you can say that."

"I'm not sayin' I don't love you."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"What do you mean 'What am I afraid of?'"

"Why won't you come with me? What are you so scared of?"

"What am I scared of?"

"Well, what aren't you scared of? You live in your safe little world where nobody challenges you and you're scared shitless to do anything else-"

"Alright, Alright," 'Will' began as he got up from the bed, livid at her insinuations, "-Don't tell me about my world. You're the one that's afraid. You just want to have your little fling with the guy from the other side of town and marry some prick from Stanford that your parents will approve of. Then you'll sit around with the rest of the upper crust kids and talk about how you went slummin' too once upon a time!"

'Skylar, now visibly hurt at the unfound accusations, gets up as she says, "Why are you saying this? What is this- obsession of yours with the money? I inherited that money when I was 13, when my father died." She took a pause, before continuing, "You know every day I wake up, and I wish that I could give it back… that I WOULD give it back in a second if it meant I could have one more day with them… but I can't. Then that's my life and I deal with it. So, don't. Put your shit on me when you're the one that's afraid!" She nearly snarls towards the end.

'Will' grows increasingly more frustrated, finally lashes out, "I'm- wh-what am I afraid of? What the Fuck am I afraid of?!"

"You're afraid of me. You're afraid that I won't love you back. And guess what? I'm afraid too. Bu- Fuck it I want to give it a shot! At least I'm honest with you."

"Hold on… I'm not honest with you?"

"Yeah? Well then what about your 12 brothers?"

'Will' hangs his head… and then proceeds to scoff as he picks up his clothes, and right when he's about to leave, 'Skylar' lodges herself between him and the door.

"No! You're not- you're not leaving."

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANNA KNOW? You want to hear that I don't really have any brothers? That I'm a fuckin' orphan? Is that what you want to hear?"

Skylar's eyes fill with unshed tears as she whispers in shock, "I didn't know that."

"No, you don't wanna hear that. You don't wanna hear that I got fuckin' cigarettes put out on me when I was a little kid… that this isn't surgery!" He rages, pointing towards his torso, revealing a 6-inch scar.

"You don't want to hear that. Don't tell me you want to hear that shit!!"

'Skylar' now openly shedding tears, pulls herself together, before bringing her hands to his cheeks, "Yes I do. Did you ever think that maybe I could help you? That maybe that's the point, that we're a team?"

'Will' finally snaps, as he pushes her towards the door, banging the wall to her side, " What, you want to come in here and save me? Is that what you want to do? Do I have a sign that says "save me" on my back?" He finishes, before his face fills with self-loathing as he pulls back.

'Skylar' tries to bring her hands to his cheeks, her attempts being rebuffed at every turn before he finally allows at her continued insistence, "I don't want to "save" you. I just want to be with you. I love you. I love you!"

'Will' full of self loathing pushes her arms back and raises his hand to strike her, "Don't bullshit me! Don't fuckin' bullshit me!" His arm suspended in mid-air, as he falters a second later when 'Skylar' stands up to him.

"You know what I want to hear? I want to hear that you don't love me. If you tell me that, then I'll leave you alone. I won't ask any questions and I won't be in your life." 'Skylar' says, cupping his face as she leans in slightly.

'Will' seems to give in, but raises his head at the last second, "I don't love you."

He side-steps her gently, yet in a hurried manner, as 'Skylar' tearfully mouths, 'You love me'.

He walks out, slamming the door, as 'Skylar' finally breaks down, stumbling towards the bed to sit down as she leans towards the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"CUT!" Ricky yells.

Oh bloody hell. I quickly blink out the barest hints of tears in my eyes, as I remain seated.

Ricky dashes towards the hunched over Christine, rubbing her back soothingly as he offers a cup of water.

Their words remain hushed, as I can't seem to make them out… I'm guessing he's just making sure she's okay.

After all, the mental toll such an expressive and emotionally charged sequence would take will last for a few minutes at the very least. Especially considering Christine just gave what I can only assume was her very best.

Yeah, I'm not kidding in the slightest. Ricky was phenomenal as always, slipping in and out of character seamlessly while Christine on the other hand… She definitely stole this scene. I mean, the raw emotions on her countenance, the subtle switch in tones, not to mention how she cried exactly when Ricky told her to and not a second later.

…

Is she by any chance… single?