Excerpts from reviews for "Dark Desires"
"Elaine Danvers, having taken over the fledgling Lioness Pictures six years ago, has certainly put her mark on the company and the kind of glossy erotic thrillers which haven't been seen since Sharon Stone uncrossed her legs in Basic Instinct. It is also very clear that, much like Quentin Tarantino and his obsession for women's feet, Ms Danvers has a fetish for hair. The difference, of course, is that it is less a quirk, and more a facet to the genuine, sensual eroticism onscreen." - Empire
"Bethany Starr -- what a name, what a talent!" - The Daily Mirror
"Starr by name, Star by nature! Bethany Starr is a fearless young woman who is her generation's Eva Green." - The Daily Mail
"There has been a lot of speculation around the explicitness of the erotic scenes featured in Lionness Productions' films, and they have courted controversy in the past with run-ins with the BBFC. Rumours abound that the actors are actually having intercourse have never been verified, or denied, by the studio or anyone working there." - Total Film
"You can tell they're really fucking! It's so obvious!" - Anon
Lioness Pictures, in the span of just six years, had taken over a whole ten Storey building in the centre of Nottingham. The bottom half of the building had been turned into studio spaces, which could be dressed and re-dressed at will. Few people realised that even the dingy New York subway scene from "Five Card Stud" had actually been filmed here, and the same space had been re-used the following year for the interiors of Emperor Caligula's palace in "Empire of Decadence". The studio modelled itself on the Golden Age, where the likes of Warners, MGM and Universal had all the staff it needed, in-house. The building was officially called Castlegate House, but everyone knew it as the Lioness's Den.
It was 8.00am and Zoe Chalmers got off the bus a few meters away, and headed up the steps to the main doors. She was full of excitement and trepidation regarding her first day at work. She was an avid film fan and had seen each and every film from the studio. To be working here, the company that made "Wet Curves" and "Dark Desires", two of her favourite films...her body tingled at the thought.
Zoe got off the lift on the 7th floor. She was feeling relieved, as she'd had nightmares of going to reception and giving her name, only to be met with blank stares. Instead, she had been given a green visitor's pass which she hung around her neck. Any good feelings she was having, however, lurched when she arrived in the large meeting room, and found seven other ladies, all around her age, but all of them had short, bobbed hairstyles compared to her own light blonde tresses which went to her mid-back. She blushed when she noticed a couple of them smirk in her direction. She thought furiously about the info-pack she'd received, that she had read ten times over, and tried to recall anything about appearance, and couldn't recall anything. And yet there must have been...something?
Then it struck her. One of the hottest scenes in Dark Desires, Lioness's latest erotic thriller, had involved the main actress, Bethany Starr, receiving a haircut, while naked. It was a very erotic scene, showing the actress's reactions, her submissiveness, the control of the person cutting her hair. Close-ups of her nipples hardening, her thighs pressing...ohh, thought Zoe...these girls had tried to emulate that look.
"Zoe Chalmers? Which one of you is Zoe Chalmers?" The voice at the door was very authoritative, and when Zoe turned around, she saw this imperious woman in a pencil skirt suit. She was looking impatiently at the group. Zoe's eyes couldn't help but stare at the woman's hairstyle, which was exactly like the one in Dark Desires, and she instantly realised the error the other new interns had made. The wanted to emulate a film-star. Whereas the film-star had emulated this woman standing looking at her.
"Umm yes, I'm Zoe. Chalmers. Zoe Chalmers" she stammered.
The woman looked her up and down for a moment. Her lips didn't smile, but Zoe was sure that her eyes did.
"The rest of you, wait here and your induction and orientation shall begin shortly. Help yourself to coffee. Miss Chalmers, follow me please."
She didn't wait for Zoe to move, just left the room, forcing Zoe to half jog to catch up with her at the elevator. Oh God, I'm being sent home, she thought despondently. There had been these rumours, at college, and on the internet, of these practices of firing an intern on the very first day to get the others all on their toes. Clearly, Zoe thought, she was the square peg trying to fit the round hole and stood out from the rest for the wrong reasons.
However, instead of hitting the button for the Ground Floor, the woman pressed the Tenth. Zoe blinked; had she really? Yes, the lift was surging upward, not down! The elevator *pinged and the woman strode out, with Zoe trying to catch up. She was led into a small office and told to sit, while the woman closed the door and sat behind the desk. The room was lined with posters of Lioness's films, but Zoe's attention was focused on this strikingly beautiful woman, her head full of questions she didn't know how to ask.
"I'm sure there are a lot of questions buzzing around your head right now, Zoe. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Mia Marsden, personal assistant to Elaine Danvers."
Oh my God, thought Zoe, what is going on?
"Pleased to meet you, Ms Marsden," She managed.
Mia smiled. "Now, as for why you are here, and not downstairs being inducted. Although HR do all the hiring and firing, it is part of my role to oversee the new entrants and I review their CVs. Yours stood out just enough to pique my curiosity."
"Yes? I mean, It did, Ms Marsden?"
"You may call me Mia, dear, its fine. And, yes, it did. It appears you defied all expectations to go to university and instead chose to travel."
"That's right, yes. Completing my A-Levels was a draining experience, and even though I did get high grades I wasn't ready for more academic pressure. I decided to go do something a bit different."
Suddenly, the phone on Mia's desk rand and with lightning reflexes, Mia snatched up the handset even before the first ring had finished. She held up a finger to Zoe to be silent.
"Yes, madame" she said.
"Yes, I'm interviewing her now."
"Immediately, madame."
Zoe was a little stunned by this brief conversation. Even more stunned, when Mia smiled and said, "Well, Zoe. It would appear Elaine would like to talk to you herself. Follow me."
Mia got up and walked to the door and ushered Zoe out and into the adjacent room.
Zoe could hardly believe her eyes. This "office" was huge, it must take up the length of the top floor. There was the usual office space, but beyond that was a small kitchenette and dining area, and towards the back of the room was a huge tv screen with a large leather curved sofa in front of it.
The walls, like Mia's office, were adorned with framed movie posters, some which she didn't recognise. Zoe was most taken with a large painting, though, which showed a beautiful woman reclining on a bed, on her side, facing away from the artist. Her head titled and a cigarette held to her lips.
Zoe looked round and realised that Mia had wondered over to a glass panel which opened onto a balcony, where another woman stood, smoking a cigarette. Zoe knew very well who this was. She couldn't make out the conversation the pair were having but Elaine chuckled, handed Mia her cigarette, which she took a drag from herself before stubbing it out.
Elaine strode into the room, wearing a cream suit with black piping. Her blonde hair was swept up in a French twist, showing off her swan-like neck and expensive-looking earrings. As she came close to Zoe, she could smell her vera wang perfume.
"Congratulations, Zoe. Your first day, and already you are seeing the inside of my office. Most of the interns will never set foot here."
"Ms Danvers, its an honour to meet you!" Zoe gushed. Mia had now walked behind Elaine and stood at her right shoulder.
"So I'm told, dear," Elaine smiled. "Now, I want you to have a little think, and tell me what sets you apart from the other young ladies downstairs."
Zoe sat back in her chair and closed her eyes momentarily, thinking back to seeing the other young women and her initial reaction to seeing Mia. She opened her eyes.
"I think that they had the best intentions to try and curry favour, but have both missed the point and jumped the gun, Ms Danvers."
"Please explain, dear"
"The scene they were trying to emulate...the haircut scene from Dark Desires...umm...its like.... umm it was about submission and control. The girl in the scene, her mistress wanted her to be molded as it were to her specifications. The haircut the girl received was the right style for her because it was chosen for her by her... her mistress." She couldn't help glancing at Mia as she spoke, as if certain synapses in her brain were trying to connect gossamer thin threads of deduction.
"Go on," said Elaine, sitting back in her chair, staring intently at Zoe.
"Umm....well, like.....it seems to me that the other ladies, the interns...um...they've adopted a style rather than allowed one to be chosen for them, Ms Danvers, which is what happens in the film."
Elaine turned her head to look up at Mia, who was grinning. She made a "tsk" sound then slowly turned her chair back to face the young intern.
"There is another interpretation, of course," she said. "It could be that they do indeed understand the theme of control and submission and have changed their hair as a statement to say, they will control how they look, and no one else."
"Oh... I umm.... hadn't thought of that."
"No matter. We need them for the time-being. Some will eventually fall to the wayside; some will develop decent careers for themselves. In due time we shall see who are the lumps of clay, waiting to be molded, and who are the ones ready to wield a knife."
"So...um.... why am I here?" asked Zoe
"Why, indeed. Well, lets get to the crux of it. We are ramping up production on our most ambitious film yet. Twice the budget, twice the size of the cast. There's going to be even more sex going on and even some action sequences."
Mia spoke for the first time since Zoe had sat down.
"All the interns downstairs will be working with various in-house teams: publicity, marketing, finance, as well as gofers for the production teams. You, however, have been selected for a different assignment, one which is off-site, working closely with one of our key personnel."
"Oh!" was all Zoe could say.
"Indeed," said Elaine, "In fact it is in a different city. You shall be provided with accommodation and will assist this person for the four months leading up to filming, and throughout the production. We shall review your status once filming has wrapped."
This was more like what Zoe had expected, a six month contract followed by a review. She had hoped to make a good enough impression to see that position made permanent, but now she was unsure how things might pan out. It would appear that her future was in the hands of this mystery person.
