Nathan was proud how efficient his people were. The next actress was ushered in even before the impact of the first audition wore off and before the people in the long table started discussing in earnest. He had wanted to nip any discussions until after the last auditionee; better not let anyone start to plan behind his back.
But it took time to actually start because this one started to demand to change the lighting, change the positioning for a better angle. She demanded her make-up team come in to give her a touch up.
Nathan just sat behind the controls and let Luther handle her. He was her boss, so that one was his problem to bear.
But the way she was acting during an audition did not bode well how she would act if she becomes the second female lead in actuality.
"Boss, her manager just instructed me on what shots and angles they prefer." One of Nathan's cameramen grumbled into his headset.
"Just nod and don't do it. They don't have a choice once we start. There's no do-overs in this audition."
"I say piss her off so she leaves by herself. She's giving me a headache already." Rick muttered into the command line.
"Boss, she wants me to change the lights." His lighting director this time around.
"What did you tell her team?"
"That it wasn't possible and they have to get your approval for that."
Nathan snorted, "I've agreed with everyone that it will be a fair playing field. We try to take the same shots between the two auditionees. They try to change it and there would be a bloodbath here."
It took a few more minutes and several more grumblings before Luther signaled that they can start.
"Action!"
---
"Cut!"
That ended the last audition and was Nathan glad there was only two of them. Well at least there was two of them because that last one made him want to bury his head in his hands and weep.
Amira did not even try to play the grand piano she sat there and mimed while her assistant played on a portable speaker a recording of the piano piece. They couldn't even get a good shot of her "playing" the piano because her fingers were just randomly dancing around.
"I thought rich girls were required to learn the piano." Rick had muttered at one point and the rest of the people on the command line snickered at that.
"Apparently, she didn't get the memo."
Amira proceeded to then act like she saw someone out the window. She stood up and pushed the chair so it toppled over and she stormed to the window and pounded on it in her anger. Then proceeded to crumple to the ground and cry.
The end of that scene was Veronica walking out the room and the assistant with the clapper had frantically waved at Nathan asking what to do.
It was Rick then who yelled out, "Cut!"
Nathan asked the lights the production lights to turn off and the main room lights to turn on and he made his way to the front of the room.
Amira was still standing in the middle of the room with her gaggle of assistants all pandering to her.
He looked to the one of his production assistants who was supposed to guide her out. His staff shrugged and gave him a helpless look. He sighed, "Ms. Amira, we'll be discussing the results of the audition in a moment. We ask that you return to the waiting room and we'll either call you once again or we'll immediately give the results."
Amira flicked her hair over her shoulders, "What do you mean you need to discuss anything? Let's be honest with each other. My family has invested in this show. We all know this audition was only supposed to calm all the naysayers. I don't have time to waste while you pretend to discuss when we all know the end result."
Nathan had to stare at her for a moment, 'Was she for real?'
"I beg your pardon but I believe we have an agreement with your agency that this will be a fair audition."
Amira looked scandalized at that and turned to look at Luther who was making his way towards them. "What is this man talking about? You said this role was already mine!"
"Calm down, Amira! Why don't you have some of the snacks I asked them to buy for you. Relax for a moment and let me iron this out."
Amira glared at Luther then stomped out of the room.
Nathan raised an eyebrow at Luther. 'The role was hers, wasn't it? Why don't I help you stir the pot some more.'
Luther ignored Nathan's provocation and returned to his seat.
Nathan took front and center and he took the mic handed to him. "Ladies and gentlemen, that's the end of our audition. Now let's cast out votes as to which actress you would want to play Veronica York. Usually, it would be up to me, as the director, our main producer, our casting director, our scriptwriter and usually a representative of our investors. But this time around it's two of our biggest producers that are against each other. So, we'll be excluding Onyx and Haven from voting. We have here one of our veteran actresses, Gloria Sanders, who will be acting as Veronica York's mother, to break any tie. Questions?"
Everyone in the long table grumbled but this was something they have all already agreed to.
"Alright, let's start with Tina, our casting director."
Tina rolled her eyes for everyone to see, "I don't know we're going through this voting process. If we're not getting the first actress to act the role then I'm resigning." She maintained eye contact with Nathan then at their main producer, Clark.
Nathan wanted to sigh, "That's one vote for Onyx' actress. Clark if you please."
Clark seemed to hunch on himself as everyone in the room stared at him. Luther was practically boring holes into his head. Clark cleared his throat, "I abstain."
Nathan blinked at the man.
"What!" Tina had gotten to her feet and slapped the table, "What do you mean you abstain! You're our producer for god's sake, making decisions is in your job description."
Clark glared at her, "I'm abstaining. That's my decision. Deal with it." Then pandemonium erupted.
Luther and his lackeys were all screaming at Clark, who remained hunched but steadfast in his decision.
Nathan let them go at it until they eventually ran out of steam. "Alright, Clark is abstaining. Gloria if you please. Since we'll need 3 votes to get this signed off."
Luther stood up then, "Wait! We have already agreed with the specific musical piece we'll be using for that scene. We shouldn't consider her at all since she had the temerity to change it on her own!"
Ava turned to Luther and glared at him, she turned to address the rest of the room, "But didn't we decide on that piece because that was what the previous actress played during her audition? I believe no one used this piece during that time. Besides this is an audition and they're free to work around the script. If you check the script, we sent them there was no name of a piece they should follow."
Luther sneered at Ava, "Now you're just making excuses. We all know what music had been agreed on!"
Nathan raised a hand to calm everyone down and looked towards the woman beside their scriptwriter. She had raised her hand, waiting to say her piece. Nathan nodded at her to go ahead and speak.
"I know I don't have a right to speak but maybe as the original writer of the novel you would like to listen to me? Did we ever ask the previous actress why she chose that piece?" Reah quietly asked.
The scriptwriter, Walker, nodded, "She wanted to convey the anger Veronica would have felt."
Reah nodded her head, "Why don't we ask that actress why she changed the song then and maybe ask the second one why she chose to continue using the old piece?"
Everyone looked at each other, before anyone else could be contrary Nathan made the decision, "Good idea. Kindly ask them both back in."