Extra's Rise In Hollywood: I Can Gain Character Skills

Charles watched from the director's chair, nodding slightly as the scene played out. Selena turned sharply and walked toward the house, slamming the door behind her.

Damien stood there for a beat, his chest rising and falling as he struggled to rein in his emotions.

With a frustrated grunt, he stormed back to the car, yanking the door open and getting in. He slammed the door shut, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Cut!" Charles called, his voice breaking the tension. "Good work, everyone. Reset for the next scene."

Liam watched as the crew scurried to prepare the car for the interior shot. Selena stepped off the set, grabbing a bottle of water and chatting briefly with the makeup artist.

Damien stayed in the car, his focus unwavering as he mentally prepared for the next scene.

Charles stood and clapped his hands. "Alright, people, next setup! This scene is inside the car. Damien, you're driving, and this is where you get the call. Remember, you're frustrated, and you're using this drive to blow off steam. When the call comes through, it changes you. Got it?"

"Got it," Damien replied, nodding firmly.

"Good. Crew, let's make this seamless. I want emotion, but I want subtlety too. The audience needs to feel the shift in Damien's mindset." Charles glanced at the camera operator. "We good?"

"All set," the operator confirmed, giving a thumbs up.

"Alright. Let's roll," Charles said, sitting back in his chair.

The countdown began.

"Three, two, one—action!"

The camera focused on Damien's face, his jaw tight as he stared out the windshield. His hands gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. The frustration from the previous scene lingered in his expression, his breaths coming heavy and uneven.

Suddenly, the phone on the console lit up, the screen displaying a friend's name. Damien glanced at it, hesitating for a moment before pressing the button to answer.

"Yeah?" he said, his voice sharp.

"Yo, Damien," a voice crackled through the speaker. "We've got something big coming up—a race you're not gonna want to miss. Everyone's talking about it."

Damien's brows furrowed as he listened, his expression slowly softening. His grip on the wheel loosened slightly, the tension in his shoulders easing as a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"When and where?" he asked, his tone shifting from frustration to curiosity.

The voice on the phone laughed. "I'll text you the details. Just make sure you're ready."

Damien hung up the call, his smirk widening as he revved the engine slightly, the sound filling the set. His earlier anger had transformed into something else—anticipation, excitement, and a hint of recklessness.

"Cut!" Charles called, standing up. "Good work, Damien. That's the energy I wanted. Let's reset for the next scene."

As the crew swarmed the car to adjust the setup, Charles glanced over at Liam. "West, you're up soon. Get ready."

As the crew swarmed around the car, adjusting cameras, lighting, and props for the next scene, Charles glanced toward Liam, who had been standing off to the side. "West, you're up soon. Get ready," Charles called, his voice cutting through the noise.

Hearing his name, Liam nodded quickly, his stomach flipping with both nerves and excitement. He stepped away from the edge of the set, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

Nearby, Damien had overheard the exchange. A curious smile flickered across his face as he watched Liam move closer to the set.

'Liam? Is he the driver? Or what?' Damien thought, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Deciding there was no harm in asking, he approached Liam, his casual swagger and easy grin making the encounter feel natural.

"Hey," Damien said, his tone friendly. "Are you going to be the driver for this next scene?"

Liam turned to him, his face breaking into a polite smile. "Yeah," he replied. "I took over the role yesterday after Charles fired the old driver."

Damien raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "I see," he said, crossing his arms. "You must be good then."

Liam chuckled lightly, scratching the back of his head. "I'm decent," he said, trying to downplay his abilities.

Damien let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Decent? Come on," he said, his tone teasing but genuine. "You're just being humble. Charles wouldn't have let you take on the role if you weren't good. That guy doesn't cut corners."

Liam shrugged modestly.

"I appreciate that," 

Damien's grin softened into something more encouraging. "You got this, I can see you've got the energy for it—I can tell."

Liam tilted his head, curious. "What do you mean?"

Damien leaned in slightly as if letting him in on a secret. "You're not just standing around waiting for instructions. You're watching, paying attention to everything. That's not something everyone does."

He stepped back, his tone light again. "Plus, you've got the director's eye already. That's not easy to pull off."

Liam blinked at the unexpected compliment, unsure of how to respond. "Thanks," he said after a moment, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That means a lot coming from you."

"Don't mention it," Damien said with a wink. "Just don't let me down, alright? If you're driving as me on the movie, I expect nothing less than perfection."

Liam chuckled. "I'll do my best to make sure you don't regret it."

Damien clapped him on the shoulder. "Good. And hey, once this is all done, we should grab a coffee or something. Get to know each other a bit better."

"Sounds good," Liam replied, genuinely surprised by Damien's friendliness. He had expected the lead actor to be standoffish or indifferent, but Damien seemed like the kind of guy who made everyone feel welcome.

As Damien walked back toward the car, he glanced over his shoulder and added, "Break a leg out there, Liam."

Liam smiled. "I hope not, Damien."