thought.
Jack froze the shot and leaned close to the screen: he could see the camera crew, Fraser, Alphonso — and hair and makeup people.
But that was all. Nothing to help him work out who might have tampered with Zoë’s flask.
“That’s everything on the A camera,” said Wally. “You want to see B camera?”
“Sure,” said Jack. “Why not?”
He took a sip of coffee while he waited for Wally to load the files and then, when he saw Wally nod, he took control of the knob on the desk and started to roll through the takes.
Scene 48, shot 2, take 1, B camera — read the electronic clapperboard at the front of the shot.
Just another twenty nine takes to go, thought Jack. He looked at his watch: 8 p.m.
Running out of time …
*
Sarah stood with Daniel and Chloe by the side of the rushing river, behind the cameras. She looked around.
The sun was nearly setting behind Pelham Hill, its orange light blazing onto the Puritan army lined up in the fields across the river. Above the castle, she could see Royalist flags flying — and troops lined the battlements. The brass muzzles of the cannons flashed in the sun.
And everywhere … crew members made the last adjustments — to props, horses, cameras …
And the explosives , Sarah guessed.
“Is it just me,” said Chloe, “or do you guys feel … scared?”
“I know what you mean,” said Daniel. “It’s like the minutes before a big game on TV. When the players run out of the tunnel …”
“Look,” said Chloe. “Here’s Zoë!”
Sarah turned and looked up towards the makeup trucks. Zoë was being led down the path to the river — the centre of a small crowd of hair, makeup assistants, sound crew, all fussing around her.
She looked amazing — and walking slowly — focused, calm. The role called for her to be disguised as a Puritan soldier, in leather trousers and jacket, but anyone could have seen her femininity — and beauty — shining through.
“Wow,” said Chloe as she passed. Sarah saw Zoë turn her head slightly and give them a quick nod — and then she was gone, in the care of Fraser who led her down to one the waiting RIBs.
“Where are they taking her?” said Daniel.
“Across the river and then over to that big tent in the meadows,” said Sarah. “Once she’s in place — the battle can start.”
“She’s like the queen of the battlefield,” said Chloe. “Mum — if I carry on doing drama — I could be just like her, couldn’t I?”
“You could, love,” said Sarah. “Lot of work, and long hours …”
But knowing what she did now — Sarah hoped her daughter might find a less stressful way to find fulfilment …
Being a movie star wasn’t all about moments like this.
She reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone and texted Jack.
Anything?
She waited. But there was no reply.
*
Jack stared hard at the monitors, willing the camera to shoot just a little wider.
The shot was on the move — tracking Zoë as she ran across the chamber — and the first frames were tantalisingly close to the corner of the room where Zoë’s bag and flask had stood.
But take after take went by, and still the shot just wasn’t wide enough.
He clicked the mouse again and loaded the next take.
Scene 48, shot 2, take 17, B camera — read the clapperboard.
The shot began, exactly as it had before — but then the movement suddenly stopped.
‘Camera B still running’ he heard on the audio.
And now the shot swivelled round, to include the main camera and crew, then pivoted for a while and showed just the polished wooden floor of the medieval chamber.
Jack hit the pause button and turned to the assistant editor who sat next to him filling in a crossword puzzle.
“Wally — look!” said Jack. “What’s happening?”
Jack saw Wally put down the puzzle and stared at the screen.
“Hmm. Dunno. I haven’t really looked at all these takes yet.”
Jack watched as Wally leaned forward and hit the play button.
He rolled
Jack froze the shot and leaned close to the screen: he could see the camera crew, Fraser, Alphonso — and hair and makeup people.
But that was all. Nothing to help him work out who might have tampered with Zoë’s flask.
“That’s everything on the A camera,” said Wally. “You want to see B camera?”
“Sure,” said Jack. “Why not?”
He took a sip of coffee while he waited for Wally to load the files and then, when he saw Wally nod, he took control of the knob on the desk and started to roll through the takes.
Scene 48, shot 2, take 1, B camera — read the electronic clapperboard at the front of the shot.
Just another twenty nine takes to go, thought Jack. He looked at his watch: 8 p.m.
Running out of time …
*
Sarah stood with Daniel and Chloe by the side of the rushing river, behind the cameras. She looked around.
The sun was nearly setting behind Pelham Hill, its orange light blazing onto the Puritan army lined up in the fields across the river. Above the castle, she could see Royalist flags flying — and troops lined the battlements. The brass muzzles of the cannons flashed in the sun.
And everywhere … crew members made the last adjustments — to props, horses, cameras …
And the explosives , Sarah guessed.
“Is it just me,” said Chloe, “or do you guys feel … scared?”
“I know what you mean,” said Daniel. “It’s like the minutes before a big game on TV. When the players run out of the tunnel …”
“Look,” said Chloe. “Here’s Zoë!”
Sarah turned and looked up towards the makeup trucks. Zoë was being led down the path to the river — the centre of a small crowd of hair, makeup assistants, sound crew, all fussing around her.
She looked amazing — and walking slowly — focused, calm. The role called for her to be disguised as a Puritan soldier, in leather trousers and jacket, but anyone could have seen her femininity — and beauty — shining through.
“Wow,” said Chloe as she passed. Sarah saw Zoë turn her head slightly and give them a quick nod — and then she was gone, in the care of Fraser who led her down to one the waiting RIBs.
“Where are they taking her?” said Daniel.
“Across the river and then over to that big tent in the meadows,” said Sarah. “Once she’s in place — the battle can start.”
“She’s like the queen of the battlefield,” said Chloe. “Mum — if I carry on doing drama — I could be just like her, couldn’t I?”
“You could, love,” said Sarah. “Lot of work, and long hours …”
But knowing what she did now — Sarah hoped her daughter might find a less stressful way to find fulfilment …
Being a movie star wasn’t all about moments like this.
She reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone and texted Jack.
Anything?
She waited. But there was no reply.
*
Jack stared hard at the monitors, willing the camera to shoot just a little wider.
The shot was on the move — tracking Zoë as she ran across the chamber — and the first frames were tantalisingly close to the corner of the room where Zoë’s bag and flask had stood.
But take after take went by, and still the shot just wasn’t wide enough.
He clicked the mouse again and loaded the next take.
Scene 48, shot 2, take 17, B camera — read the clapperboard.
The shot began, exactly as it had before — but then the movement suddenly stopped.
‘Camera B still running’ he heard on the audio.
And now the shot swivelled round, to include the main camera and crew, then pivoted for a while and showed just the polished wooden floor of the medieval chamber.
Jack hit the pause button and turned to the assistant editor who sat next to him filling in a crossword puzzle.
“Wally — look!” said Jack. “What’s happening?”
Jack saw Wally put down the puzzle and stared at the screen.
“Hmm. Dunno. I haven’t really looked at all these takes yet.”
Jack watched as Wally leaned forward and hit the play button.
He rolled
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