Hollywood Art: System of sunnys

Two parts.

Billy was in Los Angeles for a last-minute event. His agent had unexpectedly arranged for his participation in a television program, a particular episode that needed some extras—youths aged 15 to 18—for a commercial, paying $400 for a full day of work from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, including some lines.

That's why Billy found himself traveling on the last flight of the day, intending to wake up early the next morning. His grandfather accompanied him, and his grandmother grumbled about his involvement in something seemingly senseless. The traffic was light, but the snoring of his grandfather in the waiting area indicated the late hour.

Passengers traveling to Los Angeles, please proceed to Gate 12 for boarding.

His grandfather was dozing in a deep sleep.

-Grandpa, come on, we need to board immediately, - Billy said to Richard Carson, who was waking up with a gentle shake on his shoulder.

-Come, son, stop sleeping. It's not fair to your sweet grandpa to have to deal with all this, - Richard Carson said, grabbing their bags.

-Your grandpa doesn't even know where the boarding gate is. These gadgets are getting more complicated, - Richard Carson grumbled.

-This way, - Billy said, leading the way to Gate 12, with his grandfather following, still trying to wake up from his nap.

Second-hand tickets in economy class made passengers uncomfortable, and Billy could feel the cliché of a crying child throughout the journey. Two men bickering over the window seat added to the commotion. His grandfather was in a bad mood until he remembered the small bottle of alcohol in his pocket, which he gulped down with great pleasure, laughing as if he were a child.

-Ah, there's nothing better than a drink to soothe the throat, son. When you reach my age, having one of these to endure pain is the best option. Those pills are garbage, - Richard Carson said.

Billy could only look at him; his grandfather was quite the character. He now partially understood his grandmother's frustration with his grandfather's constant inappropriate behavior.

-Grandpa, please stop drinking. - Billy said. -We still have to get to the hotel. -

-Oh, come on, I'll stop drinking when you stop acting like Helen. Cut me some slack, Billy. Your old grandpa has a bad back, and this plane is shaking like a horse-drawn carriage, - Richard said, asking for a small bottle of alcohol.

Billy ignored his grandfather's behavior. After a while, he knew that nothing would make him change his mind about alcohol, even after being prohibited by the doctor during his last five visits.

Billy was feeling anxious, even though it was just a small role in a television commercial. He knew that beginnings were always like this—small jobs, climbing up, gaining some practice, and then eventually getting better opportunities in the market. With more visibility, he could secure better roles. All that experience was valuable for landing better movie roles.

Los Angeles was just as he expected it to be. These trips from San Jose to Los Angeles and back had become somewhat of a tradition.

-Son, that pretty girl who showed up for lunch didn't come back. Even your grandma has asked about her, - Richard Carson said.

Billy thought about the meetings he had with Alice. He couldn't help but compare her to Claudia. Alice was different from Claudia—lighter in her approach to things and more proactive in spending time with Billy. The last time they went out, they watched a movie, had an ice cream trip, and talked about various things. She even accompanied him to San Francisco to deal with some issues at Pixar, waiting for him for four hours in the clothing section and greeting him with a kiss. She was so easygoing that being with her felt like confiding in a close friend.

-She's a very dear friend, and we're still getting to know each other, -- Billy said. -- She'll start studying medicine at the beginning of August, so I don't think she'll have much time for me.-

-Ah, son, you're missing out on the romance of the good old days. This generation disappoints me more every day. You could show up unexpectedly one day and bring her some beautiful flowers, the kind that women love. Buy some chocolates, maybe a nice perfume, one of those that women adore. You can afford it, son. With a smooth voice, invite her to dinner at an elegant place, keep complimenting her until her smile can't leave her face. She'll melt like the chocolates you bought. If you follow these steps, son, that young lady will make time for you, even if she has to schedule the date at a library, - Richard advised, his breath carrying the scent of alcohol.

-Was it like this with Grandma? - Billy asked.

Richard just furrowed his brow, reminiscing about the passage of time. - Not at all. Your grandma is different from all the others. She can be very tough, but she's sweet. After a while, I learned to give her the pleasure she so desired, - he said, with a hint of sadness.

The conversation settled down like a still pond after a few hours, undisturbed except for the occasional sip of water. A sip to cool off; the scorching summer heat can be oppressive for those accustomed to colder climates, and hot weather can be deadly.

They hailed a taxi, and Billy couldn't sleep very well due to the curious anticipation of how his first appearance in a production would go. Even though it was just a cameo on the beach, he was excited about the small role. He would say a few lines, and that would be it.

When they arrived at the recording studio—a small beach with various equipment scattered about—Billy was handed a swimsuit. He lined up with the others and was met by a director, coordinator, or perhaps an assistant who inspected him from head to toe. She looked at his face and body and, to his surprise, disapproved of his muscular build, so she instructed him to keep his clothes on. She asked the same three questions to everyone:

-Can you act?-

-Do you have any experience?-

-Do you have an agent?-

She reviewed the roster, and to Billy's fortune, he caught the attention of Jim Waitt, an agent from CAA. This connection proved to be quite helpful, and his approval based on looks landed him another role in less than thirty minutes.

Two guys were participating in the audition, one was quite muscular, much more so than Billy, while the other was thin, tan, and had very white teeth, possibly thanks to some dental work.

The same coordinator who had been asking the questions approached them and handed Billy a small two-part script. It seemed that the main character was getting into a fight with a beach bully, and as a secondary character, Billy would have to try to break up the fight. The script provided detailed instructions on what actions and lines he needed to perform while the main character was getting beaten up.

-Alright, go ahead and recite the script, young man, - said the person who was presumably the director.

Billy composed himself and tried to embody the role of the young peacemaker who was attempting to calm down the main characters after a scuffle. The script indicated that he should be somewhat out of breath since he had run to separate them. The main characters nodded as they saw the commotion they had caused.

After finishing his audition, Billy sat down, awaiting a response. Jim Waitt had arrived.

-Billy, it's great to see you here, - Jim said.

-Sir, it's great to see you too, - Billy replied.

-I just watched your audition. The other guys didn't do as well. Your acting skills are quite impressive for such a young guy. It's tough to find teenagers with acting abilities these days, - Jim commented.

-Thank you, sir. I do my best, - Billy said.

-Well, your best got you the small role. Don't be nervous, don't look at the camera, and act natural. TV series directors don't care much about acting as long as it's passable. So, don't put too much pressure on yourself. They won't demand star-level performances like in a movie, - Jim advised.

Jim Waitt observed Billy's composure and didn't detect the nervousness often seen in newcomers. It's great that he's so calm, - he thought with optimism. If Billy could excel in business as well as he did in acting, Jim was confident that he would go far in the industry.

-Thank you, sir, - Billy said.

-Get ready, I have a meeting to attend in 15 minutes. Stop by for support if you need anything. You can call me anytime, - Jim Waitt said.

...

Hello everyone, sorry for the delay, I had a lot of work yesterday and I arrived home very late, I could not write, but today I have time, I hope you had an excellent day and a good week.