After the morning slices of bread with Jam, Ian had wanted to go see the city for himself and by himself as he had been doing for the time that he had been here.

It had become a wonderful experience and a common ritual for him to eat those bread and jam every day because— ‘Why not?’

He had planned something that in his opinion could him the thrill and the little enthusiasm he had been wanting ever since he got here.

With seeing men, women, kids, and elderly people walk past him, the need to do what he wanted increasing more and if he was alone, Ian would’ve screamed due to how he felt. The fresh feeling of a judgmental-less zone, the way people kept walking without even looking back twice for who he was, and especially the fact that the little voice in his head yelled that he could do anything he wants.

Walking inside the mini theatre, he was met with the receptionist who looked at him the same way he did.

-

Ian was in the third row from behind, and everyone filled in. The laughs, talks, giggles, and excitement filled the theatre. Ian himself felt getting warmed up for ‘Blue Water’, the movie considering the actors were all A-graded and experienced.

The production was by one of the upcoming-best companies situated in France. Just like every other production company, they too have been trying to get up as a good production company in the industry.

The screen lightened up to signal what was yet to start and the crowd cheered for all the excitement.

Ian felt the hairs on his hand standing up wanting to watch and get to know how good or bad it is. Thus, the movie started.

‘Is it a man… Who just appeared from the cemetery?’

Once the movie started, the initial gut feeling of a great movie turned out to be something different.

-

By the end of the movie, the little girl who was trapped in a haunted house got to get out but not without any struggle. Everyone saw how she had to go through hell and heaven throughout the little one and half hours.

‘Ah, fuck it,’ Ian thought as he stood up from his chair and walked out of the theatre.

He was taking step by step outside the theatre, and while walking and listening to all the conversations, whispers of what the people were talking… He couldn’t help but think what scenes could have been better or what more scenes could have been added to make the movie better.

In his mind, he was planning scenes that could have been done better and he smiled at himself for analyzing the movie which he had planned to just enjoy the movie for what it is.

“The screaming in the middle was damn, I felt like my gut was leaving me for fuck’s sake!”

“It could have done a lot better,” Ian muttered to himself and walked exactly the opposite way the girls did.

Along to the next destination, he kept thinking about the scenes and the actors who had portrayed the characters that were in them. His mind automatically made lists of how well could have they done it.

……..

[Los Angeles, California]

“...I think apart from these scenes, I think I can change a bit and fit Keanu in,” Raelynn said to Niko who looked like he hasn’t slept in days.

“Rae, the specialty of you is how you look at these scenes and characters. I have worked with Ian a lot, and not that I’m saying any bad about him. And heck, I shouldn’t even be comparing, but you are trying to make the character live in the role. And with Ian, he knew what more and less should be added,”

“What is your point? You sound like, you are sleepy?” Raelynn mocked him although she knew what he meant.

“Exactly,” Niko said and got off the desk he was sitting on.

Niko walked out of the office room without looking back leaving the young director alone. Raelynn went through the script more and then she observed the scenarios with the actors she had in mind.

‘There’s no way Keanu could fit the main role, but with this scene…. He’d be good as the-’

…………

[Eiffel Tower, Paris, France]

Among the crowd, there was a writer who had her pen and notebook in her hand. While the people looked at the sky and the view, she was looking at people and their expressions.

It was easy for anyone to recognize her as a writer for how she looked like a writer. The notebook, the vintage coat she was wearing, the glasses that were on the bridge of her nose. The way her eyes wandered from person to person.

It finally focused on a tall man, with an equal coat as hers, but he had defined features that made him stand out from the regular crowd. It was Ian—but she didn’t know that.

The wind hit Ian’s face harshly and he was left breathlessly looking down on the city. The view was prepossessing. He took a look once again at the blue sky, and his eyes locked with people who are enjoying it as it is. For a moment, he felt as if everything froze and he was looking at himself from afar.

From a few steps away, this girl noticed the change in his emotions.

‘Rebellious, open, happy, adventurous,...’ she wrote in her little notebook.

In the end, she added, ‘*an interesting character’

…………

[Los Angeles, California]

“...Going against the rules, enjoying the day for how it comes, living in the moment, feel-good type, confident. This is what exactly I’m looking for,” Raelynn was talking to Niko even after he headed out of the office to “sleep”

Niko couldn’t help himself but walk back inside the office with a goofy smile and he yelled, ‘let’s end this today itself!’

Which was how the two friends ended up talking back again from the beginning—about the traits of the characters. Raelynn was personally expecting from a person who she’d want to be with someday—which was also why she adored the movie itself as a whole. The thrill in the movie, the hidden beauty of living in the moment, and how confidence is the key, she loved the concept.

“So, the character should be open, rebellious, happy, adventurous… I guess we could bring that in. As we were talking, James K. is good for the lead, and Keanu Roles could be taken for the character of the school principal if that makes sense.”

As Niko said it Raelynn’s mouth turned to an ‘O’

“That actually makes sense. Thanks, Niko. I think it’s settled then.”

“Yeah, it is. But I hope that you don’t take the roles too seriously, especially with everything that you explained… He

“I’ll try my best not to, best friend, who-knows-everything-he-shouldn’t,” she rolled her eyes.

“Adorable,” Niko said and started finalizing what they had just discussed.

A few minutes passed by in pure silence as they both kept doing things on their own.

“I was thinking that maybe we could start these three scenes and then decide what could be done in the meanwhile. And since we have just a month to wrap up the shooting, I’m not sure if it would be possible. I mean, we both know I’m not Ian,” Raelynn said and pushed the file forward for Niko to read.

“Oh, Kitchen scene, in the school, oh and the restaurant one…” Niko said while his hand was pointed to his chin. “That should work.”

“I have no idea how he does this!” Raelynn sighed loudly.

“Hey, hey-” Niko stood up and walked closer to her as he saw how miserable she looked. “Trust me, Rae… Look at me,”

“I’m pretty sure you’d nail this movie even if I was not here today. And no, don’t think about how Ian would do it or how talented he is, or how he starts… Just stop thinking and comparing, okay? Comparing yourself to someone who worked in the industry as a director for more than two years, is the worst possible thing you could ever do to yourself.”

Raelynn looked up and kept looking at Niko in his eyes while he explained what she had to know.

“You are the director here. I thought- I honestly thought that we already established this one. I know what you think and I know how you think. But hey, you’re the best cinematographer I’ve ever come across. So you got this!”

The smile that stretched across her face which beamed her eyes made Niko’s heart swell in pride. In his opinion, Raelynn and Ian were so similar yet different in so many ways. They both had so many alike thoughts at the same time and were different on so many levels.

He kept all those thoughts to himself for the sake of his career and job morals. But if it hadn’t had to be this way, he’d have swooned all over them.

“I got this,” she said confidently, and Niko nodded along with her.

“You got this.”