Eunice was conducting a two-week clinic at the acting academy to give the class an idea of what is required to be part of a soap opera cast. She explained what her role as casting director meant to the production and what was expected of the cast in terms of their time commitment and what writers can and have done to characters for the convenience of the storyline. She openly admitted she was scouting the acting schools for new talent
Of particular interest to me was the actors' relationship to the script. Eunice explained that some characters get attached to their character when the writers change their initial character to something completely different in the interest of a sensational storyline.
As I was the oldest in the class at age 48, I was given the roles of all the mature aged characters, but because there was more than one character that suited only me, I was asked to play other roles in some scenes to fill out the numbers.
In one scene, I was cast opposite the youngest girl in the class, Evie, as her young live-in boy friend and our scene was one where our characters, Callie and George, were making up after an argument we were having about use of each others bathroom supplies. The scene was to end in a make-up kiss.
After she delivered her final line I moved and shaped up for a kiss and Evie puckered and gave me what must have been the shortest kiss in screen acting history and pulled away quickly.
Eunice said, 'What was that? Evie, you're making up after a fight. You feel very close after resolving an awkward difference. That kiss was so quick, I missed it.'
Evie was embarrassed.
Her uncertainty remained, but her embarrassment reduced when Eunice called 'Next scene.'
I was involved in the next scene and was unable to console Evie, but I knew she was ambitious to join the cast of the production Eunice was involved in.
I caught up to her outside when she was walking to her car, anxious to be alone and to recover from her disastrous scene earlier. The last person she wanted to talk to was me.
After that session, I made a point of speaking to Evie. I leant against her car door preventing her from opening it and asked her, I asked what she would like to do to get approval from Eunice enough to consider her for a part in the TV serial.
'Evie, we're stuck with this scene for next week. We will have to deliver on it twice in succession. Eunice has a strong image of the one we just did and something will have to be different. Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me? My shout. We'll see what we can do to make her forget tonight's scene.'
She was very embarrassed, but she was a little relieved that someone understood her predicament.
We sat and had coffee in a nearby café. When I brought the coffee to her, I sat and asked her about herself.
'What are your aspirations regarding this course, Evie?'
'I really want to get on the cast. I want to be an actor. After tonight, I don't know if I have what it takes,' she said with her disillusionment clearly showing on her face.
'What you're doing is not hard. You're just making it hard. Make it easy. Get familiar with your character. Talk about it or just give up and stop stressing yourself unnecessarily. Confidence will make all the difference.'
'How do I get familiar with my character, Harry?' she asked with genuine concern.
'When actors have something difficult to do, they mostly practice it away from the set and become comfortable with their role whether it's shooting someone, yelling or kissing. The best advise I've heard was to over-learn the role, then you can pull back on camera,' I explained.
I was making it up, but it made some kind of sense to me.
'Do I have to kiss you?' she asked with some alarm in her voice.
'Not at all. You don't have to do anything. Eunice expects Callie to kiss George. It's in your best interest to show Eunice what your idea of what real love looks like. Don't forget they have been living together so they've been fucking regularly. So you aren't kissing an old geezer like me. Callie will be kissing a 24 year old spunk, and it makes her feel good. An experienced actor takes this in her stride. You can do it easy. The best idea is to make Callie look pleased and make all the boys wish they were George,' I said genuinely trying to inspire her to her best effort.
'So what do I do?'
'You kiss me. You do some good old fashion practise. You choose. I'll kiss you or you kiss me. Your move.'
'I better kiss you first I think,' she said tentatively.
I was in heaven. I took over and instructed her.
I said, 'Stand up, lean over the table kiss me full on the mouth for at least 4 seconds. Then sit down and look in my eyes. Make me think you love me.'
'You mean in here? Now?' There was alarm in her voice.
'Why wouldn't you? You're going to have to do it in front of the cast and crew. You might as well get accustomed to doing all this stuff in public if you want to earn buckets of money for playing pretend.'
'You're enjoying this aren't you Harry.'
'I don't know yet, but I think George probably is,' I replied professionally. 'Come on Evie,' I said waiting.
She stood and leant over the table, leant forward and gave me a dry firm kiss in my closed mouth, then resumed her seat.
'Like that?' she asked.
'Close. But I'm a bit surprised at you Evie. If you were trying to convince your boyfriend that you were pleased with him and wanting to demonstrate your closeness, you might wet your lips and kiss a bit more softly. Maybe use your hands playing with his hair, or touching his face.'
She was visibly upset, feeling the sting of criticism.
'I did exactly as you asked me. You're just using me up for some sort of gratification,' she hissed at me.
'Don't get your nickers all twisted up Evie. I was talking about Callie and George, Not you or me. I was thinking you might like to get Eunice to consider your prospects,' I said smugly. 'You are going to need to develop a thicker skin and not flounce around in hissy fits whenever someone stops worshiping you for a minute or 2. The screen and TV environment spits out prima donnas on a daily basis. If you want to realise your considerable talent, you will have to get over yourself instead of up yourself. Do you want to do this or not?'
'I guess so. . . Yes. You're right,' she said with growing resolve. 'Let's do whatever it takes.'
'Good. Now we're pulling together. I say let's go a bit overboard. Spread your comfort zone and make this whole thing look easy. You're going to knock Eunice and the rest of the cast over.'
She closed her eyes and nodded resolutely.
I said, 'You're luckier than the rest of the aspirants Evie. Eunice expects nothing of you, she's obliged to watch you again and you've got time to get it right. Two things, One, keep the end in sight; and Two, forget about your self and let Callie take this on. Add something of your own to her, sassiness vulnerability, or bitchyness; anything you choose, and give it whatever you have. What are you going to do about that?'
I had given her food for thought. She became pensive for a few moments.
Then she said with some resolution in her voice, 'You'll have to wait and see, and thanks Harry. I want to make this challenge the most fun it can be.'
'I'm glad to hear it. Want to have another go at that kiss now Evie?' I asked expectantly.
'Do you think it's wise to kiss in this café? In public?'
'I can't think of a better idea than to get close to the public situation of doing it for Eunice and the class. Now show me how you would like to do it,' I said with encouraging authority.
I sat and looked at her expectantly, with a half smile on my face.
She followed my last suggestions and kissed me softly with wet lips and lightly pulled on my earlobe. We slowly pulled apart and continued looking at one another.
She said, 'Harry, I'm trying to get into this and gradually feeling a little uncomfortable. I guess it's because you're a virtual stranger.'
'I know what you mean. I can see 3 options here, Evie. You can keep practising until you feel you have acquired the skill, or we can get on more intimate terms so it feels more natural to you,' I said.
'You said 3 options. That's only 2. What's the third?' she asked, hoping it might demand less of her time or invasion of her emotional space.