Emily arrived at the filming set, the first rays of sunlight illuminating the movement of the technical team adjusting the lights and cameras. Wearing a casual blazer for the day's scene, she had the script in her hands, reviewing her lines as she walked to the dressing room.
The atmosphere was calmer, but still carried traces of the tension from the previous days, when Roberto had to intervene in Luísa Lars' behavior and the conflict with Artur.
For Emily, the challenge was to stay focused, ignoring the possible dramas behind the scenes. She knew that her commitment to the film went beyond personal issues.
When she entered the dressing room, she was surprised by a special delivery: a bouquet of white flowers with a small card. When she opened it, she found the handwritten message from Matthew:
"To my favorite actress. Keep shining and conquering the world, one take at a time. With love, Matthew."
She couldn't help but smile as she held the card. It was exactly the kind of support she needed to face another day of intense filming.
Shortly after, on the set, she found Artur already positioned for the next scene. He greeted her with a nervous smile but clearly more relaxed than in the previous days.
Artur hid his eyes, while he adjusted the casual shirt that was part of his costume.
Emily, adjusting her hair, allowed herself to talk to him. "How are you? Ready for another scene?"
Artur raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Me? Absolutely. I'm a professional."
Roberto interrupted the conversation, calling everyone to the next scene. The sequence was crucial for the development of the relationship between Ana and Léo: a moment of joint work in which the two had to balance their differences while discussing the design of the square.
The lines flowed naturally. Emily, in the role of Ana, stood firm, with her critical stance and tones of sarcasm, while Artur, as Léo, balanced it with humor and kindness. The chemistry between the two characters was palpable, and the assistant directors murmured compliments as the scene unfolded.
In a moment of improvisation, Artur inserted a comical phrase that drew genuine surprises from Emily, breaking the serious tone she was trying to maintain as Ana.
"Cut!" Roberto shouted, smiling with satisfaction. "That was great! Let's use that energy in the next take. Emily, you were perfect. Artur, keep up that improvised touch. You're bringing the character to life."
Emily took a deep breath, pleased with the feedback, but also aware of the burden of keeping up the pace. As the days of filming progressed, she knew it would be increasingly challenging to maintain concentration, especially with Artur, now less nervous, increasing the level of naturalness in the scenes.
When filming for the day ended, Emily was called to Roberto's office to discuss adjustments to a specific scene. As she left, she noticed Luísa in a corner of the set, apparently focused on her cell phone. Something about the young actress's posture seemed different, perhaps it was tiredness, or even regret for her previous behavior.
Emily hesitated, but decided to approach. "Luísa, how are you?" she asked, in a gentle tone.
Luísa looked up, surprised by the approach. "I'm... fine," she answered, but her voice lacked the confidence it had before.
"If you need anything, you can count on me," Emily said sincerely. "Working as a team is hard, but it's worth it when we help each other."
Luísa blinked, as if pondering the words, but only nodded with a small smile. "Thank you, Emily."
With that, Emily left, feeling that perhaps she had planted a seed of change.
In the breaks between filming, the atmosphere on the set was relaxed. Emily, trying to be as sociable and attentive to everyone's well-being as possible, took advantage of the break to interact with the team. She sat down in one of the chairs near the director's monitor, where several technicians were reviewing the most recent takes.
"Did you see Mr. Arthur's expression in that last scene? He looked like he had just seen a ghost!" Emily joked, drawing laughter from the crew.
Artur, who was grabbing a glass of water nearby, looked at her with an embarrassed smile. "Hey, my expression was perfect for the context! Maybe it was Ana who was bullying Léo, and not the other way around!" He defended himself, crossing his arms in a dramatic pose.
Emily rolled her eyes theatrically. "Oh, sure, because I'm the problem in this dynamic..." She paused before smiling. "But you're right, Ana can be a little intimidating. Maybe I should tone it down a bit in the next take."
The crew laughed at the lively exchange between the two, as Emily stood up and walked over to where the makeup artists were organizing their materials. On the way, she noticed a group of assistants exchanging jokes about one of the secondary scenes filmed earlier, in which one of the extras accidentally knocked over a plate of food during one of the recordings in the restaurant.
"I can't stand it, that scene with the plate was better than half the comedies I've ever seen," said one of the assistants, laughing out loud.
"Totally! It should be in the final cut as a bonus," agreed another, wiping away tears from laughing so hard.
Emily walked over and joined in the conversation. "I agree! But what if we included it in the trailer too? Something like: 'Watch Between Laughs and Sighs, where even the plates have personality!'" She commented with an exaggeratedly serious expression, making everyone burst out laughing again.
While the mood remained light, she noticed that some of the crew were more tired, especially those working behind the camera and barely had time to take breaks. Emily decided to take action.
"Okay, guys, here's my proposal," she said, getting the attention of everyone nearby. "Tomorrow, we're going to take a break and have a decent buffet for everyone. No dry snacks or cold coffee. I'll take care of it!"
The tired faces lit up, and some applauded her initiative. One of the camera operators commented: "Emily, you just became our hero. I was starting to think I was going to turn into a zombie eating only cookies and energy drinks."
"Consider this as a way of saying thank you for your incredible work. After all, without the crew, the film wouldn't be possible," Emily replied with a genuine smile.
Later, during a break, she called Gabriela and made arrangements for a full buffet with options for all tastes. She knew that small gestures like that made a difference, especially in a work environment as intense as a film set.
When she returned to the set, Roberto, the director, took her aside. "Emily, this kind of attitude is what makes you more than just a talented actress. You really care about everyone here, and that makes a difference. Thank you."
Emily smiled, a little shyly. "I just want everyone to feel valued, Roberto. A good environment makes all the difference to the end result." With that, she returned to the next scene, knowing that her gesture would not only lift the spirits of the crew, but also strengthen the collaborative spirit on set. She was a dedicated professional, but also someone who knew how to bring lightness and humanity to hard work.