Jade checked the time on her phone as the secretary answered another phone call at the nearby desk. She had been waiting half an hour for the audition, during which time the secretary had fielded a vast number of phone calls, a testament to how busy the office's occupant was. Will Turner was one of the most successful young directors in Hollywood and Jade couldn't believe her luck in scoring an audition so early in her career.
Jade has always wanted to be an actress. She had started doing plays in grade school and had never stopped. Her parents, however, had not been supportive of her desire to make it a career and had forced her to study something "practical" while in college. She had graduated with a business degree, but the work made her miserable, and at 25 had decided that enough was enough. There had been a series of jobs to pay her rent while she paid her dues, but this audition had been a stroke of luck she could not have foreseen, coming as it did after only a scant few credits.
Jade was adjusting her position and crossing her legs as the secretary picked up the phone and then looked at her. She nodded, then hung up. "Miss Prescott, you can go in now."
"Thank you," Jade responded, and stood up. She brushed her long brown hair out of her face and back over her shoulder as she walked to the doorway beyond which was her future, her heart thumping in her ears.
The office was brightly, but warmly, lit, and tastefully decorated. Will Turner was sitting at his desk, on which were a variety of headshots and a stack of scripts. Beyond, a beautiful view of the city was visible through the ceiling to floor windows. Jade tried to maintain her confidence and poise as her blood raced. She took in Will's tan, healthy appearance, piercing blue eyes, and short blond hair as he looked up from his work. "Mr. Turner, it's such an honor to meet you," she said.
Will looked at her and then sorted through the headshots. "Yes, Miss... Prescott? Nice to meet you."
A thrill shot through her to hear her name spoken by such an important figure. "Please, just call me Jade," she found herself saying.
"Jade, then. Your audition with the casting director must have gone very well, because she recommended you for one of the major roles in the movie we're casting. I did have a chance to see the video she recorded of your audition, but I assume there was more to it than that. So, how much do you know about the film?"
"Not much," Jade admitted. "They only had a few sides at the audition, not the whole script." She couldn't believe she was in the running for a big role and not just one scene or something. "But I'd love to hear more about it."
Will sat back in his chair. "Well, it's a science fiction movie, you could probably have figured that out from the scenes you read. It's set on an isolated colony in outer space, one of the first human expansions beyond the solar system. The character of Lieutenant Randall is a young officer in the military stationed there when they face their first encounter with an alien race."
Jade could visualize the role of a young, dedicated officer in some far off solar system. "Oh wow, that sounds like a really interesting premise! I'm really intrigued. And Lieutenant Randall seems like a complex character with a lot of opportunities for growth."
"I hope so. I'm glad to hear your interest in the idea. Here--" he held out a script for her "--have a seat on the couch there and read over the scene I have marked, where your character is trying to convince the planetary governor that they need to be cautious in their dealings with the aliens. Let me know when you are ready to give it a go."
Jade took the offered script and carried it to the couch, sitting down on the plush fabric as she flipped through the pages to the scene. She studied it for a short time, then cleared her throat. "I'm ready, Mr. Turner." She stood up and looked at him to make sure he was listening, then launched into the speech with conviction and authority. "Governor, I urge you to exercise extreme caution. We don't know anything about these beings, or what their intentions are. It's folly to assume they view the universe the same way we do. We have to prioritize the safety of the colonists."
Will listened intently. "Hmm... Interesting take. Passionate, but with reservation, in a way."
Jade held her breath as she waited for further instruction. When Will didn't immediately say anything else, she spoke. "Did you have any notes? Was it in line for what you were hoping for?"
Will stood up and crossed the room, sitting on the couch with her. "I'll admit, it isn't how I envisioned the scene originally--but that said, I liked the interpretation. It makes me reconsider a couple things about the character."
Jade blushed, feeling gratified. "Thank you, Mr. Turner. I tried to bring a sense of urgency and... and concern to it."
Will looked at her for a moment, then sighed. "You know, I've looked over your resume, and I didn't see much experience. I mean, you've done some plays, but in terms of television and movies, there isn't much there. Except, what was it? "Girl in Car" in a local car dealership commercial?"
Jade forced a smile. "Yes, that's right. Although I've done mostly stage acting so far, I'm excited to change that. This role--it seems like one that could really show my abilities."
Will nodded. "That might be true. But... well, I have to think of what's best for the production as a whole. And there are reasons why your involvement would present difficulty."
Jade's heart sank, and she tried to keep from frowning. "Difficulty? I assure you, Mr. Turner, I will put every ounce of energy into this role to give you the performance you want."
"Well, Jade, it's not just the lack of experience on your resume. It's some things your resume doesn't include, although I can understand why you didn't mention them."
Jade squinted slightly, her pulse quickening. "What do you mean by that?"
