Family Tradition

A/N: Okay so the video shoot is probably going to be the largest chunk of chapters thus far because I'm trying to do my best to do justice to the genius concept I was given. In this chapter is Alex (who is my brother, he begged me to put him in as something besides part of my basis of Pete), so I suppose he could be considered a friend/reviewbie despite the fact that he's only read the bits from over my shoulder while typing the story. But you can't win everyone. :) So with only a little more useless author drivel of shamelessly promoting the side story/background fics, here is the new chapter! *hugs*

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Rebecca looked out from behind the lens of the camera, nodding at the settings. She smiled to Alex who was heading up the cameras for the shoot, also being quite the character himself.

“So, was I right, or was I right?”

“Yeah, Alex, you hit the settings spot on. So, how much was the wager?”

“Ten dollars. Wanna double it for the next set?”

Rebecca laughed and shook her head at the boy. She had pulled him from the technical film class, and hadn’t regretted choosing the saucy Brit. She moved from behind the camera to give him back his spot.

“No, you’ll have me wiped out before the shoot ends if I keep taking those bets. I knew there was a reason I pulled you.”

“You mean it wasn’t because of my sexy body? Becs, I’m hurt.”

“Sadly not, darling. Besides, I’m taken, remember?”

“So? Just because you have a boy doesn’t mean you don’t look.”

“Just work the cameras, Alex.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

Rebecca shook her head laughing as she walked back over to the command station, as she and April had started to call the main control station. She smiled at April as she sat, about to call the first shot of the video. She couldn’t help but be a little nervous at it, but at least she managed to keep from getting sick.

“Don’t worry, Becca, it’s going to be great.”

“Thanks, April.” She paused for a moment and took a deep breath before picking up the megaphone herself. “Quiet on the set! And roll playback. And background action. Roll cameras!”

Rebecca sat back and watched through the monitors as the extras walked past the cameras along the old-fashioned street, carefully keeping to their side of the mock cobblestone street. She grinned as she caught a few of the boys stroll past, no doubt wanting to get a giggle and added cameo. She didn’t mind, as they were all in costume and makeup already so they didn’t stick out. After the playback finished the portion they were filming for the moment she called the cut and to reset the extras and cameras for a few more shots for good nature.

When they were finished with the main background action, Rebecca looked around to see who of the guys were finished with costume and makeup. She giggled seeing both Joe and Andy with their hair slicked back and into small nets at the nape of their necks to keep it within the setting of the video. She also noticed Pete standing around already in costume and makeup. So apparently he came back and was ready for the shoot. That was good. And in the midst of all the dark-colored suits and dresses she giggled as she saw Patrick looking rather uncomfortable in the old-fashioned working class garb, but at least she had caved and let him wear a hat. The other person who stood out was Gabe, looking entertained in the dirty rags of a hobo, chatting with April.

Rebecca grinned and walked over to the crowd of boys and giggled at the change the costumes and makeup did to each of them. She had at first felt a little bad about asking Joe to be one of the larger cameo types by wearing a yellow Star of David like in WWII, but she had been rewarded by his normal zany acceptance. In fact, each of the boys would have their own small cameo type roles. Gabe was a hobo passed up every day on the streets, Joe was one of the many Jews persecuted during the Holocaust, Andy was a crippled war veteran. Those were the cameo roles for the first set, not including those for the other sets. Each of the boys were people shunned by society for some reason or another, and they had actually jumped at the chance. But for now, they were on the street set, so she could only focus on Gabe, Joe, and Andy.

Rebecca smiled as she had caught all of the boys’ attentions. Although it was a little funny to see some of the differences that the costuming and makeup had on the familiar faces. So much so that she couldn’t stifle a giggle quickly enough.

“So you think this is funny, Becca?”

“Yep. I never thought I would see you without hair. I must say, I’m a little frightened. So if you were thinking of cutting your hair, don’t.”

Rebecca laughed at Andy, who looked completely out of place with his hair slicked back and hid out of sight with fake scars lining his face, and his ever present lip piercing gone for the moment. It was quite the sight to see, but a little awkward, because it didn’t look like her friend. So rather than keep him in his torture, she decided that she could shoot his cameos first, that way he might could get more back to normal sooner.

“Okay, Andy, we’ll do your cameos first. Because you’re scaring me like that. Come on and we’ll get you set up on your corner with your wheelchair.”

Rebecca laughed and walked over to the corner area of the set that they could shoot from every different angle to make it look like a different street each time to save on the cost of building several different sets. She grinned seeing an old-fashioned wheelchair already set up and ready.

“Alright. You get to be our disabled war veteran. Basically you sit and are talking to the people trying to get some donations, but people aren’t paying too much attention. With your costume and such, you’re WWII era so I might pull Joe in too. I’m not sure what side you’re on, but more than likely you’re going to be one of the dreaded Nazi’s. That way we can have a spot of drama with Joe, which will transition to his little cameo spot. Sorry, I hate what the Nazi’s did too, but this is film.”

Rebecca laughed as Andy rolled his eyes playfully at her dramatics, which all the boys were sure to know a little about over the years. She giggled as she took out a Nazi arm patch from her pocket where she had hid it after her quick trip over to costume earlier. She smiled and quickly kissed him on the cheek as he took the armband from her hand and slid it over his costume.

“Okay, so April can you send the extras over who are going to be in the shot?”

Rebecca spoke into the talkie system before turning back to Andy who had now gotten settled in the wheelchair. She smiled and then took the blanket which had been draped over the handle of the chair and situated it over his legs, glad that it was at least decently cool today, or it would be quite the complaint. She smiled as she saw the extras who would be used in this shot come over.

“Alright, Andy, you have to remember that you’re a cripple. So you can’t move your legs. And extras, this is your part. Andy is an injured war veteran fighting for what is supposedly your cause, but the Nazis valued soldiers more than the others, so he’s going to be somewhat looked down upon because he can’t fight any more. So some of you could be sympathetic and drop some of the coins from props into his can, but I want a good number of you to just walk by or shake him off. Got it?”

At the murmur of understanding, Rebecca turned to Joe who had been standing by. She walked over and gave him a quick hug, pulling him to where she was going to have him start to walk through.

“Okay Joe-Joe, I’m sure you understand your part. Typecasting sucks, I know. Basically you’re going to wait for the cue, then I want you to walk by, you’re going to get shunned and such, maybe a little more if you’re up for it, and then Andy’s going to get the crowd’s attention on you, and then we’re going to follow you the rest of the way down the street. Okay?”

“Sure, Becca. And do whatever you need.”

“Thanks, Joe-Joe.”

Rebecca smiled and pulled a few of the extras out of the crowd to explain a little extra parts to some who would probably have things to do to Joe before heading back over to Andy to explain his involvement in Joe’s little cameo transition. Then she walked over to the command station and sat behind the monitors before taking the megaphone again.

“Quiet on the set. And background action. Roll playback. And action!”

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A/N: I ABHOR typecasting (as am theater minor myself and more than often victim of such), but I was sorta distracted while typing up the chapter, so don't kill me. So as I said, the video shoot will take a while because I'm trying to flesh out the descriptions of the genius concept that a friend (basis of April) had given me. So hope you guys are liking this. *hugs*