Though obviously scared as hell, Don was sweet and the need was apparent on his face when he made the announcement that Jury wanted Raina to step in for Sheila.
He had reasonable answers for all her questions. She would not be considered a scab: each actor and actress being used in their video was either a SAG member or had a temporary card, she would have a temporary card. She and Sheila were close in size, so it wouldn't be a major undertaking for their wardrobe assistant to make adjustments. Maria was going to appear in this video also, and was a rookie, so she didn't need to feel so uncomfortable. Del would be easy on her since the problem was solved so easily - and because she was a personal friend of the band. She and Nikki had hit it off, so Nikki would take care of her, be her personal assistant of sorts. "No sweat," he had said with a grateful hug.
Despite Don's reassurances, Raina trembled continuously in the make up room. She was sitting, but it didn't help Carlos much. He tried to calm her so he could do his job. It took him quite a while to apply the heavy makeup she required under the bright lights.
Here I am again, leaping before I look, Raina thought dismally. Although she'd be working closely with Voz, she almost jumped at the chance to act in a video. It must've been because she had been thinking of her little girl dreams earlier. She would not let herself even venture to think that Voz as her video boyfriend had a single thing to do with it. They were just friends, and it would stay that way. There were too many complications for her to get involved, it just wouldn’t be worth it. There should be more to a relationship than physical attraction.
But she felt better when Maria joined her in the wardrobe cubicle. The clothes they were to wear were basically simple, everyday things, until you got to the slinky nighties to be worn for the late-night call scenes. Raina wasn't ready to be seen nationwide in those, and neither was Maria. "I wish Don and the guys would break out of the rock-n-roll-equals-sluts-in-skimpy-outfits mold. I know we're hardly sluts, but look at this!" She held up the choice for her: a brazenly red cutout teddy that dipped low at the bust and high in the thigh. "I'm glad I'll be mostly covered by bed sheets, aren't you?"
"Yes," Raina replied. Then she saw that the nightie marked for her was as small as Maria's. "Oh, Maria, the sheets just won't be enough for me. I don't think I can wear this."
Maria tried to persuade Raina into wearing the teddy, adding that she, too, felt under dressed. It didn't help. So they found Raina a nightie that consisted of more material. "The guys will be in only their undershorts for this, but it doesn't change much, does it?"
Raina smiled at her from behind her screen. "No. Look, I'm sorry Maria, for being a pain. This is just so new to me. How do you handle it so well? Isn't this your first time on camera, too?"
Maria's return smile was almost cynical. "Yes, it is. But I'm just glad it'll be me with Don, instead of some gorgeous model. I trust him - but not them."
Surprised, Raina said, "But Maria, you could easily be a model yourself!"
It was true. Maria's long, curling, dark hair trailed halfway down her back. Her eyes, large and deep brown, were widely spaced in her face. With her darkened tan - enhanced by makeup - she looked like a sophisticated gypsy. When she was standing with Don, they looked like a darkly exotic couple.
Maria only laughed. "Every woman is her own worst critic because she knows all her own flaws." She handed Raina the cover up to wear to the set. "Let's go find out what this is all about."
Thunder started to roll outside the studio house set. Del had wisely chosen to shoot the late-night call scenes in the bedrooms of the houses they rented. The summer squall was predicted to race through quickly. Hopefully, it would, and leave slightly wet ground behind that could add to the stormy feel of the "accusation" as Del now referred to it.
Raina wrapped the cover up tightly around her and knotted the belt. The butterflies in her stomach went absolutely crazy as she followed Maria to get Del's instructions. It didn't help to see every single band member and crew member gathered in the house's living room. That's where Maria was supposed to get her 'call' from Don, after falling asleep on the couch.
Oh, boy . . .
Maria did an excellent job in Raina's opinion, especially for a newcomer. Since she and Don were the happy couple in this video, it had been easy. Raina would have traded places with her in a heartbeat. All Maria had to do was pretend to wake up, answer the phone, and smile and pretend to talk to Don. Follow with her shutting off the TV with a remote. What a piece of cake!
It had taken an hour to shoot the thirty seconds of footage. Lights had to be rearranged, makeup retouched, and then the "lines". It had to look as she was talking on the phone to Don. So Don stood off-camera and talked to her so she'd have something to say back to him. It cracked her up, which in turn made everyone else on the set laugh also. Quickly it became apparent that the set had to be cleared except for the essential people. Raina was asked to stay to observe. She was up next.
Since Raina had the more dramatic role, a simple script had been worked up for her. That was supposed to make it easier and more realistic for her. She had definite words to say and something to be angry about. Voz also had some words to deliver. He would be standing out of her sight line to avoid the laughing problem Don and Maria had. It would also be necessary for Raina to raise her voice for him to hear her, making it a bit easier to fake anger.
Raina's scene showed her watching a clock on a nightstand, arms folded, waiting. She was to snatch up the phone on the first "ring". Voz was in the hallway next to the bedroom to read his lines. He had to raise his voice to be heard.
They each flubbed lines, throwing them off track. "Look angry, not confused," Del coached. When the cameras were rolled to a different position, Raina jumped. Several times Voz peeked around the door frame to check on her. And there were a couple times Del cut them off to restart. He was hoping to catch some of the natural lightning outside the window by Raina's bed to add to the mood. Raina finally understood how you could get tired by lying in bed all day. It was exasperating. Both she and Voz were beginning to show their edginess.
Then Del blew. It was inevitable after the twenty-fifth take. And never mind that some of the takes were his doing. The slam-clank of his clipboard on the bare wood floor jarred everyone's nerves. He ranted at the top of his voice about the amateurs he had to work with. Didn't anyone have any sense? Can't anyone take direction? Were we all imbeciles? This was IT. Last take. If we couldn't nail this now, he would throw in the towel. Now if either Voz or Raina were as pissed off and sick of the screwups as he was, they'd let that anger go, and we would be able to take a break.
That was it. That did it. Cut. Print. Take ten. The crew had worked in dead silence. Voz had concentrated and spit out his lines without a hitch. Raina took Del's outburst personally. She couldn't help her inadequacies, she'd never done this before, and hadn't acted since high school. Her anger and resentment at Del boiled over into her lines. At Voz. At Don. They had set her up for this harassment. She couldn't wait to get out of that bed!
And that had clinched it. Del congratulated her on finally letting loose and wanted her to see how well she had done on the last take when he watched the dailies later. Raina was shocked, all her rage flowing quickly out of her like melting butter.
Voz came in and sat on the bed like a happy five-year-old waiting for a bedtime story. "You were just great! I knew you could do it! Don't mind Del, he works that way. Figured he had to make you mad to put you into the mood. Once you were into it, blammo! Good show. Gotta get ready for my shoot."
During his congratulations, Raina's eyes grew wide, and she drew the covers up over the skimpy gown. Voz noticed her modesty, and got up with a sly grin. He gave her a peckish kiss on the forehead. "Tonight we'll celebrate! Don and I knew you'd pull it off. Wait'll I tell him." And he was off to his trailer like a shot.
Raina put on her cover up and searched for Nikki. She found her and was given a Diet Coke. Zombie-like she listened to Nikki give her the same explanation and congratulations as Voz had. And, Nikki said, the worst was over. Now she just had to do some phone slamming, the good-bye, the packing scene, and the reuniting scene. Then she would be done. Nikki even admitted to being jealous about Raina being with Voz for the reuniting. But she worked for Del, and he strictly forbade Nikki to fill-in or even to stand in.
Nikki didn't know that for Raina, the worst part was still to come. She didn't know how she would be able to fake a soul-searching kiss. Especially with Voz, after the last time they were together. She’d come too close to loosing control with him, and that couldn’t happen. She was here on business, and their relationship should remain platonic. Could she continue to resist him? The thought made her shiver. Thinking her friend was cold, Nikki led Raina to the costume room to change.
. . . . .
Waving good-bye was simple. It was very easy to slam phones; Raina thought of Del's outburst for motivation. Packing was also quickly done. All she had to do was walk into the bedroom to hand Voz a few things for his duffel bag and sigh. No physical contact. No problem. And that ended her day's shooting. She wouldn't, or at least shouldn't, be needed until tomorrow night at sunset. The dreaded scene. She had begun to enjoy herself, but she still was very apprehensive about kissing Voz. Del strove for realism. She feared they'd really have to kiss, none of that CPR-type stuff. Since she was done acting, Raina again became Nikki's shadow. At nine that night, as the storm passed on, cast and crew ended their day and split up for dinner and small town nightlife.