Page 48 of Arranging Ayra
They filmed until the sun completely left the room.
“Cut!” Keely stepped forward. “Thank you all for indulging me in this all important scene.” She looked at Barn and Rhonda. “You two looked absolutely fabulous in that golden light.”
She turned to her tech guys. “Okay. Let’s set up for the next sequence.”
I stepped closer to her. “That scene with the fading sunlight was genius.”
“Thanks,” she said as she glanced at the story board. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t think it would work.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “Just expected someone to mess up and ruin the shot.”
“Well, everything turned out perfectly.”
Her eyes were on Barn. “Any minute now, I expect him to come and complain about something or other. Okay,” she called out as she turned away from me. “Let’s go.”
With everyone in place, Keely prepared to start the next shot.
“Actually,” Barnaby said in the haughty manner of Mr. Darcy.
“Here we go,” Keely murmured under her breath.
Barnaby took a step closer. “I think this shot would be far more evocative if you really came in close to my face and caught the look in my eyes.”
“Well, Barnaby,” Keely gently said. “Since we’re already set up to shoot it this way, why don’t we try it and...”
“No,” Barn said much like a disgruntled child would. “The most important thing in these scenes ismyemotion.Mydisdain for Elizabeth,mygrowing admiration for her,myfondness for her and, ultimately,myunwavering love for her. You can’t get all that from afar. The audience is going to want to see my eyes, deep into my eyes.”
Keely pressed her lips in exasperation and glanced sidelong at me.
Her exasperation was my cue to speak up.Alright. Here goes.
“Barnaby,” I called out as I headed his way. I purposefully put on a bright and understanding smile.
He looked at me, his stern eyes quickly going soft. “Yes, Ayra?”
He smiled with uncertainty, but his smile broadened as I got close enough to speak only to him. “What is it, love?”
My insides did three somersaults. He was all tenderness and adoration. Adoration for me? It certainly seemed that way.
“What is it?” he asked again.
“Oh,” I said, suddenly remembering the task at hand. “I don’t mean to argue with you,” I said softly, “but, then again, I do know this book backwards and forwards, as you well know.”
He nodded.
“It does seem to me that a close up in this particular instance wouldn’t really do the scene justice.”
“Oh?”
“You see, your interaction with Bingley is crucial here. If we close in to your face... to your eyes, well, we lose too much of that full body tension.” I smiled and looked up and down the length of him. “After all, that body of yours says so much; the way you hold yourself, your strong shoulders... it all lends well to the entirety of the emotion of the moment.”
I knew I was laying it on a little thick, but...
“You’re right,” he said with an understanding nod, pulling his shoulders back as if to emphasize my words. “You’re absolutely right. Thank you, Ayra.”
“I knew you’d understand.” I turned and winked at Keely. “We’re all good. Let’s get this scene over and done with, people.”
