Chapter 180 - An Apprentice

February 16, 2013 – 2 PM, Saturday – Jericho, Long Island

"Yo, honey. There's a party in Tayaw's house?" George, Tayaw's neighbor across the street, says as he looks at Tayaw's house through his window.

"Looks like it. Looks vintage – themed too. Look at that lady. She's gorgeous in that dress… Ooh! Look at that coat! Look at that SHAWL! Who are these people?" Lily says, noting the female party attendees entering the gate.

"They all look high-class. Still, he could have asked me to do the catering." George is concerned about another business however. 

"Look! Look! Charlotte and her family! They're invited?!" Lily exclaims as she sees the Duhills dressed well in 70s formal fashion, exit their house and walk to Tayaw's house.

"Sh*t. I can't see anything in his yard. What's up with the green things covering the view? What's up with that?" George says, in slight offense at the huge green panels acting as walls above the already tall fences. 

"I know right? Look. There's Tayaw." Lily says spotting Tayaw, also looking sharp in his three-piece suit, exit his gate and meet the Duhills at the entrance. Tayaw and Peter exchange a few words before Peter and his family enter Tayaw's gate.

"Where's he going?" George says as they see Tayaw, not going back in his property and is instead walking, and crossing the street.

"He's coming here!" Lily exclaims as Tayaw jogs to their gate. 

*Ding* *Dong*

"What do we do?" Lily asks, excited at the prospect of them being invited.

"I'll buzz him in." George says.

A few moments later.

"Good morning Mr. Phelan, Mrs. Phelan. Long time!" Tayaw greets the couple as the door opens up to him.

"Good morning. It's been a few months. How are you?" Lily asks.

"Good. Can you spare me a few minutes?" Tayaw asks.

"Of course. Of course. Come in." George lets Tayaw in.

"So. A sudden party?" George asks Tayaw as they settle in the living room. 

"It's not a party…" Tayaw says, confusing the couple.

"Here's the thing. I'm actually making a movie these days and I'm shooting one of the scenes in my house today. A wedding scene in fact." Tayaw explains.

"Oh! So that's what it was!" Lily exclaims in realization.

"Oh! No wonder! You just can't set up a party that sudden. I've not seen signs of prep yesterday." George, a master of catering, says in realization.

"Yeah. Exactly. Anyways. We're still short of a few extras and background actors. Do you guys have 70s looking attire?..." Tayaw starts asking for a favor.

George and Lily are happy to oblige and appear in a movie.

----------------- 

"Hey Jouny! How are you this beautiful in this beautiful day?" Luca greets Jouny after he arrives in Tayaw's house.

"Stop it with that! But I'm doing great. Thanks for asking." Jouny says in embarrassment at Luca's always excessive greeting to her.

"Anyways. This place… damn. Isaac owns it too?" Luca says as he looks around in Tayaw's spacious and vintage looking house.

"I know. Anyways. Nice make-up, old man." Jouny remarks at Luca who now looks like he is in his 50s.

"F*ck. I know right? It feels awkward on the skin, but the look is worth it." Luca says as he caresses the wrinkled silicon prosthetics on his face.

"Good. Proceed to the yard. Warren and others are waiting. After the others are done with their make-up, we'll start shooting." Jouny says. 

Luca exits to the yard and notices what looks like an outdoor wedding party venue. The tables and chairs are set up in a semi - circular formation, at center of it looks like a platform for the newly wed couple to receive gifts and congratulations. Behind the platform are instruments for a string quartet and a grand piano. The extras and background actors are also now positioned at their tables. 

Had it not been for the crew and camera people not wearing street attire, and the strange and tall green walls for CGI surrounding the yard, Luca would have mistaken the film set as a real wedding party. 

A few minutes later, every actor is now ready. Tayaw also arrives, escorting his now dressed up neighbors to their respective tables before assuming his own at the grand piano. 

[[[The third movie of 'Gold, Blood, and the Deer' trilogy, begins with the wedding of the 25 year-old Sergio Cervo, son of Giovanni Cervo. It is set 12 years after Reece Solino's death at the hands of the Russian Mafia. Giovanni as a loyal gesture to Reece, raised Reece's son, Luigi Solino. The now 21-year-old Luigi grew very close to Giovanni's family and he has become best of friends with Sergio and now, Luigi is the obvious best man for Sergio. 

Sergio also married a Cervo leader's daughter and thus the wedding is a perfect opportunity for Giovanni, Nico, and the other important members to talk about how to take revenge on the Russian, Italian, and Jewish mobs. During the past 12 years, they have consolidated their power and wealth. The Cervo members who infiltrated the government has achieved important positions, and their legal businesses are booming.]]]

"Alright! Everyone! Are the directions clear?" Tayaw says, using a megaphone.

"Yes!" The people present answers.

"Okay. The main actors… I know that this third film, we've been shooting out of order chronologically to save time, but PLEASE! Get in your heads that all the things we've filmed didn't happen yet. This is supposed to be the first scene." Tayaw reminds the main actors.

Luca, Warren, and other regular cast want to retort 'For the nth time! We Know!' but they simply swallow Tayaw's reminder and instead get to the mindsets of their characters. Seeing the main actors prepare, Tayaw nods. 

"Alright. Duhills, George and Lily, y'all don't have to act. Just talk about something fun amongst yourselves." Tayaw says.

After finishing the fine tuning of the actors' positions, Tayaw finally sits by the grand piano and starts playing a jazzy tune, accompanied by the string quartet he hired. Their music fitting for a happy wedding. 

Jouny gets in position by the main camera and does a one last once over on her monitor to see the different perspectives of the cameras. After checking, she nods at Tayaw and Tayaw nods back.

A crew member, seeing that Jouny is ready, "'Gold, Blood, and the Deer – Part 3', Scene 1: THE WEDDING! Take 1! Action!" he claps the slate. 

3 PM – An hour later… 

"CUT! I think we're good." Jouny announces to the actors and crew.

*applause* *applause* The cast and crew give Jouny a round of applause for directing the wedding party scene successfully after a few takes. Tayaw, wanting to appear in his own movie, passed the reins to Jouny for a short while, while he 'acts' as a pianist. And Jouny, secretly itching to start applying what she learned from Tayaw, excitedly took the reins.

"Alright. Everyone! Good Job! To the extras, you can stay if you all want. Enjoy the refreshments. The main actors, let's meet in the study in 30 minutes, for the next scene." Jouny announces. *Chatter* *Murmur* The cast and crew then take their break. 

Tayaw then approaches the table where his neighbors are sitting.

"Thank you guys. It must have been boring?" Tayaw says to the Duhill family and the Phelan couple.

"It was…" Peter says frankly. George too agrees. Lee looks like he just woke up.

"That's them. Us ladies like dressing up." Lily says, which the Duhill ladies nod to.

"Okay. Please. We have some snacks prepared as props, but they're great." Tayaw excuses himself. 

Tayaw then joins Jouny and does a quick check on the takes.

"Hmm. Great job Jouny. How was it?" Tayaw says, sincerely.

"It's… easy? I don't know? I mean, the scene exactly isn't complicated. Just some people greeting Sergio and Giovanni." Jouny shrugs.

"Good. Maybe. I'll let you shoot more complicated ones in the future. After all, it's the third movie and we've got plenty of time." Tayaw offers.

Jouny however, makes a complicated face. 

"What's up?" Tayaw notices something is odd.

"Well, I'd love to but…" Jouny starts and Tayaw waits.

"I didn't know you'd offer me to practice more. I didn't even expect you to let me direct today… Actually, I was gonna tell you today that this is the last time I'm tagging along after we finish the scenes here today." Jouny says as she caresses her bulging belly.

"Oh?" Tayaw is taken aback and then looks at Jouny's tummy.

"Doctor's advice?" Tayaw asks

"No. But. The while me and my husband were driving to the airport, I was thinking 'It's only three months away before my baby comes out'." Jouny prefaces.

"Oh? Wow. Time really goes by fast." Tayaw says.

"To you maybe. But anyways. That thought gave me an inspiration for a story. It just came to me." Jouny says.

Tayaw's interest is further piqued. "Story?" Tayaw asks.

"Yeah. I have the general plot but I want to start refining that story into a script, maybe I can write a good screenplay again." Jouny says.

"Hmm. That's great! So, you want to focus on that?" Tayaw asks.

"Yeah." Jouny clarifies.

"Hm. No wonder you had that 'goodbye' and guilty vibe since this morning. Hehe. I'm actually happy for you. You haven't written anything I liked 'September Ninth' and I'm excited see what you're gonna write." Tayaw says.

"Thanks… Also I want to thank you again for teaching me these past few months. The storyboard especially, for 'September Ninth, I've learned a lot. I feel like it's even better than a film making degree." Jouny says.

"'Better than a film degree' is quite too much… but thanks. Hey. Can I see it after you've done writing?" Tayaw asks.

"Of course. I might even need your input then." Jouny says.

"Okay. If it's good, I wanna make it into a film. We can work together again." Tayaw says, excited.

"About that… " Jouny hesitates.

"Hm?" Tayaw is confused at the reaction.

"If I finish the story. And IF it is good… I'm thinking of filming it myself." Jouny gets out her word.

"O-oh…" Tayaw is taken aback.

Soon however, he is starting to feel proud that Jouny has more ambition than he thought and that he contributed largely to that ambition. 

"That's even better! When you decide to start filming, just tell me. I'd love to give you some budget, I promise." Tayaw says.

"Are you sure? You haven't even seen the outline of the story!" Jouny cannot believe Tayaw's generosity and his verbal promise.

"…" Tayaw is taken aback. 'Why did I just promise that?' He thinks to himself.

"Tayaw?" Jouny asks again.

'Nah. This feels exciting.' Tayaw smirks to himself looking at Jouny and remembering her progress from the subtle 'quizzes' he has been giving her on film making.

"I'm also a businessman. Call this an investment." Tayaw says, pulling an excuse and idea out of his ass.

"Okay… It's just odd that you 'promise' to give me an investment." Jouny shakes her head.

"Well. That promise only applies IF you manage to write a good story." Tayaw says.

"Damn. Are you pressuring me?" Jouny asks, joking.

"No. It's motivation. And peace of mind. You can take as much time as you can. It may take you weeks or months to finish your screenplay, I really don't care. But! Once you finish a good story, and once you're ready, you can always call me." Tayaw says.

"Okay… I will." Jouny nods, subtly but with excitement in her eyes. 

"Good! Now that you said this is your last day, let's change something up?" Tayaw says with a playful grin.

"Change?" Jouny asks.

"Yeah. You know the next scene, right?" Tayaw asks.

"Yeah. The meeting and planning for the revenge?" Jouny asks.

"Yeah. It's just a sit-down scene, but I've told the actors the subtleties of it and they've practiced a lot to get it right." Tayaw says.

"Oh… I've seen it on script but it was boring just reading it." Jouny says.

"Hm. It's not simple as it looks so… Why don't you shoot the next scene too? Huh? I'll supervise. Let's see if you capture what I want." Tayaw says, making Jouny anxious and excited at the same time.