登陆注册
10436200000005

第5章 You Like Bubbles?

I CALLED SKYWALKER FIRST. HE WAS really excited, almost more excited than I was.

"This is huge!" Skywalker said. "You're the one kid in a million!"

"I don't have the part yet," I reminded him.

"Oh, you can forget about that, that's a hopeless dream for you."

"But you just said I was the one kid in a million."

"But actually getting the part, that's one in, like, five million."

"Where are you getting these numbers? I think you're making them up."

"Well, yeah, I am. But seriously, don't get your hopes up."

"Okay, but don't tell anyone about it. I don't want anyone to know about it if I don't get it."

"Don't worry, I won't say anything, 'cause you're not going to get it. Have fun fantasizing about it, though." He hung up.

Dash actually had some advice. His father had been in casting sessions before and had told Dash some of the mistakes actors make when they come in for an audition.

WHAT TO DO IN AN AUDITION

1. Don't be late.

2. Be prepared. Know the role.

3. If you come in costume, don't overdo it. (Example: no cockroach costume.)

4. Don't ignore or insult the receptionist, secretary, or anyone else you meet on your way in; they talk about you after you leave and it gets back to the writer, director, and producer.

5. Be upbeat and enthusiastic, but not so much that you appear insane. Try to make them laugh.

6. Don't criticize the script or ask if you can change your lines; the writer may be in the room and doesn't want your notes.

7. Don't bring bribes or gifts, but do have an interesting story to tell about yourself so that they will remember you.

8. Do it right the first time—first impressions are everything. Don't bump into the furniture.

9. When you're finished, look them in the eye and thank them for seeing you. Last impressions are also everything.

10. Above all, BE NATURAL.

At nine thirty, while I was getting ready for bed, the doorbell rang. My parents usually don't answer the door after eight in the evening unless they're expecting someone, but whoever was at the door was insistent. BING-BONG, BING-BONG, BING-BONG. My father closed his newspaper and cautiously opened the door. It was a young man dressed in regular street clothes. He looked like he was in a hurry.

"May I help you? I'm not going to buy or sign anything," my dad warned.

The man thrust a manila envelope at him. "Sign here please," he said, ignoring what my dad had said about not signing anything.

My dad read the paper on the clipboard and then signed it. The man thanked him, went back to his car, and drove away. Then my dad looked at the envelope, surprised.

"Mitch, this is for you."

In an instant I was by his side. I ripped open the envelope and pulled out a script. It was very short, only about three pages long. This is what it said on the cover:

REVISED SECOND DRAFT

Director: Alvin Fisher

Bieterman, Schwartz,

and VanDyke, Inc.

1200 125th Street

New York, NY 10010

My mom and dad were now hovering over my shoulder as I opened the script to the first page. This is what it said:

FIZZY WHIZ SODA

"You Like Bubbles?"

FADE IN:

Music Cue: Hip, up-tempo music.

EXT. BASKETBALL COURT – DAY

We see TWO TEENAGERS in a pickup game,

dribbling, taking shots, etc.

DEEP VOICE (V.O.)

Some things should never be flat.

CAMERA PANS to the other side of the court. We see a SAD BOY trying to dribble with a FLAT BASKETBALL. CLOSE UP on his depressed expression.

MONTAGE OVER MUSIC:

1. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET – DAY A group of BOYS AND GIRLS rides bikes down the street. One GIRL is left in the dust by her friends as she struggles to pedal. ANGLE ON BICYCLE WHEELS, which are flat.

2. INT. KITCHEN/DINING ROOM – EVENING A MOM whisks a soufflé out of the oven and carries it to her waiting FAMILY at the dining room table. As soon as she gets to the table, the soufflé collapses. The family frowns; the mom is distressed.

3. EXT. OLD SHIP 1492 – DAY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, on his ship, gazes through a spyglass at the ocean's horizon. CAMERA PULLS BACK farther and farther until we are out in SPACE and see the image of PLANET EARTH. CAMERA MOVES around the EARTH, revealing that the earth is actually on a flat plane.

CUT TO:

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS as he notices the ocean is pouring over the edge into a huge waterfall. ANGLE ON SPACE POV: The ship goes over the edge of the earth, falling into oblivion.

4. EXT. BASKETBALL COURT–DAY A BORED BUSINESSMAN, who is watching the pickup game, pops open a can of generic soda, drinks, and is disgusted. He pours the offending drink on the ground.

ANGLE ON: THE FIZZY WHIZ KID weaves in and out of the basketball players on a unicycle and stops in front of the businessman.

FIZZY WHIZ KID

You like bubbles?

The man nods. The kid reaches into his jacket, which is lined with cans of FIZZY WHIZ SODA. He picks one, pops it open, and hands it to the man, who takes a deep, refreshing drink.

CLOSE ON: The man's eyes. They fill up with flashing sparkles and bubbles! The businessman grabs the basketball, executes some amazing dribbling and fancy footwork, then shoots a basket from mid-court, much to the amazement and applause of the pickup players.

CLOSE ON: FIZZY WHIZ KID, who holds the soda can up to camera. CLOSE ON: FIZZY WHIZ SODA CAN

DEEP VOICE (V.O.)

Fizzy Whiz Soda. You like bubbles?

CHYRON HUGE LETTERS THAT FILL THE SCREEN: YOU LIKE BUBBLES?

FADE OUT.

There were a lot of things about the script that I didn't understand, but I got the general idea. Somebody had highlighted the line for the Fizzy Whiz Kid with yellow marker.

"I guess they want me to try out for the part of the Fizzy Whiz Kid," I said.

"It's only one line. That shouldn't be too hard," my dad said.

"Why don't you practice it, Mitch," my mom suggested.

"You like bubbles?" I said. My parents looked at each other, not sure what to do next.

"Well, that sounded good to me," my dad said finally, sitting back on the couch. He picked up the newspaper.

"I guess so," my mom said with a shrug. She reread the cover letter. "This says you need to be at Warner Brothers Studios at nine o'clock. You'd better get some sleep. You don't want to be yawning through the audition."

I took the script and went to my room. I read it a few more times. It did seem easy enough. Maybe I was missing something. I lay back on my pillow and stared at the ceiling. Then I said the line a few more times aloud. I tried to make it sound like I was really excited about the soda. They probably wanted the Fizzy Whiz Kid to be really enthusiastic about the product. I practiced it that way a few more times until I was satisfied, and then snuggled under my blanket and fell asleep.

The next day I skipped breakfast. I was too excited. I had already chewed down my fingernails and picked off two scabs that now required band-aids before we'd even gotten out the door. My mom threatened to make me wear mittens if I didn't stop, so I put a rubber band around my wrist and played with it to keep my fingers busy.

Mom drove me to Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, which is in an area of Los Angeles known as "the Valley." The Valley refers to the San Fernando Valley, which is on the northern side of the Santa Monica Mountains, which cut through the huge city of Los Angeles.

The first thing I saw as we came out of the mountains was the water tower with the Warner Bros. symbol painted on it. I could see it poking out from the rest of the studio buildings. That was very exciting. Even though I haven't watched a lot of TV or seen many movies, I still recognized that symbol.

As we continued down the road, we reached one side of the studio lot, which seemed to go on forever. You couldn't see where it ended. The lot was surrounded by a tall wall, and behind the wall were a bunch of wide buildings that were like giant shoe boxes with rounded roofs, all lined up in rows. (I found out later they're called soundstages.)

Farther down the street we started seeing billboards advertising movies and television shows that had been produced by Warner Bros. These billboards were gigantic. It was a little weird seeing twenty-foot-tall faces grinning down at you.

"I always thought actors had big heads," my mom said, trying to be funny—but I could tell she was nervous too. I hoped she would calm down before we got there. My mom gets a little weird when she's nervous.

We drove past one billboard after another until we reached the Gate 3 driveway. One side of the driveway said VISITORS, the other said EMPLOYEES. We took the visitor side.

The guard at the gate leaned out of his guard box. He was in full uniform, which of course didn't help my mom's nervousness. I could see little drops of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Name, please?"

"Helen Mathis."

The guard checked his computer and shook his head. "Would you be under some other name?"

"Ah, well, I'm sure there must be a mistake, ah, I mean, we were instructed to…" She was getting that squirrely look, shifting in her seat, like at any moment she would bolt from the car.

I leaned over her to talk to the guard. "Could you please try Mitch Mathis, sir?"

The guard checked again and nodded, and then printed out a pass that he taped to our windshield. He handed my mom a map after tracing a path on it with a highlighter pen.

"You're going to Bungalow Twenty-three," he said. "Just follow the yellow line on the map. You're going to turn left at the stop sign, then straight through the next two stop signs, then make another left, and then a right at this street. Keep going until you get to the parking lot. Go ahead and park in any visitor space. You're going to see three two-story buildings that all look the same. Go into the one that's the third from the right and sign in at the guard desk. He'll tell you where to go from there. Got it?"

"Yes," my mom said. She drove through the gate, happy to be done with him. "You got some of that, didn't you, Mitch?" she said hopefully.

"I think so," I said, but I wasn't sure. We drove past a sea of parked cars and took a left at the first stop sign.

After that we were lost.

同类推荐
  • Entre el trabajo y el cuidado de los nuestros

    Entre el trabajo y el cuidado de los nuestros

    La asombrosa cifra de 42 millones de estadounidenses se enfrenta a los desafíos de tener que cuidar de un ser querido y trabajar al mismo tiempo. A pesar de que la prestación de cuidados puede ser una experiencia muy gratificante, este rol acarrea una enorme responsabilidad--y presiones--. Esta guía de AARP te ofrece recursos prácticos y sugerencias fáciles de encontrar cuando más los necesitas, ya sea que estés cuidando diariamente a un ser querido, estés planificando para una situación futura o te encuentres en medio de una crisis. Y de igual importancia, este libro te ayuda a ocuparte del cuidador--o sea, de ti mismo--. La autora, Amy Goyer, experta en envejecimiento y familias, ofrece información, inspiración y su propia y conmovedora historia como encargada directa del cuidado de sus padres.
  • Berlin Diary

    Berlin Diary

    A radio broadcaster and journalist for Edward R. Murrow at CBS, William Shirer was new to the world of broadcast journalism when he began keeping a diary while in Europe during the 1930s. It was in 1940, still a virtual unknown, that Shirer wondered whether his reminiscences of the collapse of the world around Nazi Germany could be of any interest or value as a book.
  • Sidekicks

    Sidekicks

    Batman has Robin, Wonder Woman has Wonder Girl, and Phantom Justice has Bright Boy, a.k.a. Scott Hutchinson, an ordinary schoolkid by day and a superfast, superstrong sidekick by night, fighting loyally next to his hero. But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things. Great for boys, comics fans, and anyone looking for a superhero tale that's also an insightful look at adolescence.
  • A Topps League Story

    A Topps League Story

    Diego Prado has spent most of his time on the Pines' bench. But when Danny O'Brien goes on the disabled list, Diego gets a chance to play—and he's on a winning streak! Danny wants one of Chad's "magic" baseball cards to get back in the game. Diego wants to keep playing. What's a batboy to do?
  • Pure Grit
热门推荐
  • 戾王嗜妻如命

    戾王嗜妻如命

    别人的坏名声,不是自己作的,就是被人诬陷的;靖婉的坏名声,不是自己作的,而是她家未来夫君算计的;鸿渊的坏名声,不是别人作的,而是他自己设计的,只为娶他盯了两辈子的女人!一个没得娶,一个没得嫁,因为他是第一美男,而她不是第一美女,所以还是她赚了?什么鬼?大婚,夫君近身的漂亮丫鬟不爬床,反将她当祖宗伺候;前任总管不揽权,反将产业乃至夫君小金库悉数上交。怎么看怎么诡异!日夜相处,她发现,自家夫君是蛇精病重症患者,求破!夫君,你到底看上我哪点?我改,只求别变态。蛇精病秒秒钟病发,实际行动告诉你,他对你有多强的占有欲,你就要回以多少在意。好吧,为了蛇精病不加重病情,又看在没有小三小四各种小妖精的份上,靖婉摞起袖子拼了。简而言之:这就是,别的女人被小妾逼成妒妇,而她被自家夫君逼成妒妇加悍妇的血泪史!不彪悍不行啊,不秒秒钟灭了各方情敌,她家夫君秒秒钟病发,“灭”了她。【女主穿越,男主重生,1V1,不是小三的小三,那是给靖婉玩儿的,真正的情敌,不管是自己的,还是自家爱妻的,某人都暗搓搓的碾成灰】
  • 天界觉浪盛禅师嘉禾语录

    天界觉浪盛禅师嘉禾语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 叶哥的传奇人生

    叶哥的传奇人生

    十七年后,他拖着残垣断壁般的身躯低调地回归华夏,就如同一个漂泊浪子一头扎进了母亲的怀抱,一段让苍天敬畏,让大地颤抖,让世界疯狂的传奇人生从这里开启...完本作品《重生最强特种兵》250万字,人品保证,请读者朋友们放心收藏,阅读。
  • 最强至尊全能

    最强至尊全能

    医可妙手救病危,武可铁拳踩宗师,丹可神炉惊四方!至尊剑神叶云灵魂重生世家废物,化身最强天才,将全能进行到底!前世我是至尊,今生,我依旧是至尊!-----叶云
  • 宠婚蜜爱:盛少的独家占有

    宠婚蜜爱:盛少的独家占有

    三年前,因他的一见钟情,她被亲生父亲亲手送上了他的床。他百般掠夺,如愿抱得美人归,一丝不苟地将她锁进了自己的金丝笼。身为S市的商业霸主,他每天最关心的事,不是如何拓展基业,而是她的穿着合不合标准,有没有和别的异性纠缠不清,不许露锁骨,不许露胳膊,不许穿膝盖以上的裙子,不许冲其他的异性笑,不许和他们单独相处……她忍无可忍,终于暴怒,“我错了还不行吗,求你放过我!”他勾唇一笑,俯身压住她,“放过你,谁来放过我?”
  • 千年桃花劫

    千年桃花劫

    小倩端着茶水走过来,听到老头的话,又俯到老头耳边,笑嘻嘻地说:“老祖宗,我跟您说过了,现在不兴叫银子,改叫人民币了。”遇见小倩明远喝完杯中最后的水,抓过自己的折伞,走出公司大门。外面雨下得正急,明远晃动着手中的伞,脸上浮出惬意的笑容。在这样落雨的日子,心情格外宁静。明远迈动着步子,不想着急赶回毫无情趣的公寓。自从一年前进人这家公司,生命之舟仿佛突然掉进了一个漩涡,只是不停地打转。明远的公司在市中心,离公寓只有一公里。明远有一辆自行车,但很少用。这种落雨的天气,以步代车显然更舒服一些。
  • 春风有义马蹄疾

    春风有义马蹄疾

    明未清初,一段历史的回眸,时局变幻,揭示了人性复杂多变,但是,仍有有志之士,忠义之士不忘初心,义无反顾反清复明,对与错,丑与美,善与恶,事事非非,功过成败,欣赏本文,由你评说!
  • 流云问道

    流云问道

    规则是强者制定,却是用来束缚弱者!唯有打破这天,方能逃离牢笼!
  • 身不由己

    身不由己

    今天,和往常并没有什么区别。太阳终于下山了,夕阳给周围的建筑染上了一层橘橙色。除了车流的声音,远远地传来乌鸦成群归巢的鸣叫。桐谷耕介站在窗边眺望着远处朦朦胧胧下沉的夕阳。从建筑的高层望出去,景色虽然很别致,但总以人造绿色风景为主。这对于从小在农村长大的桐谷来说有一些不快。桐谷是一名作家,并没有每天外出的习惯,一天基本都宅在家中。但桐谷已经厌倦了这种生活。为什么每天过着无聊至极的生活,是作家的职业性质?还是自己性格的问题?日子一天天在重复中消逝让人感到堕落。总之,今天不能像往常一样平淡了。
  • 带着系统闯魔炮

    带着系统闯魔炮

    2017年某月某天,宅男刘枫待在家里玩着300英雄,使用高町奈叶成功拿到七杀后,自己家被陨石砸中,成功扑街。于是乎他死亡后,穿越到了魔法少女奈叶的世界(滑稽脸),成功获得无良系统,并变身为史上最难惹的三年级小学生——高町奈叶。且看刘枫如何玩转魔炮位面,从此开启人身巅峰,走上坑人与被坑的滑稽之路!PS:这是一本正经的小说!(严肃脸)书友群:579931774,欢迎大家的加入哦~