Who: Gabriel and Luisa When: Late June Where: Television studios What: Work Rating/Warning: Low Status: Complete
Luisa hadn’t even known her agent had put her name forward to television shows. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that but it had been pointed out to her that it may help her get break her writers block. She only hoped it did, it wouldn’t look good if, after being offered the job, she couldn’t deliver.
Still on shows like this she knew it was a group of writers, with the one who came up with the original idea being the one credited for the episode. So hopefully she would at least be able to contribute to somebody elses idea. It wasn’t like she was looking to be the centre of attention, she wasn’t that kind of writer.
After showing her ID to the man on the gate she made her way, thanks to some helpful directions, to the office and knocked on the door.
“Hey! C’mon in!” Gabriel called at the knock. Which may not have sounded quite professional, but aside the hollywood clothing image, he didn’t try too hard at keeping up appearances. Boardwalk was a fun place to work, and as the lead writer and director, he tried to keep up the atmosphere as much as possible, especially when new writers were coming in.
He pulled open a mini fridge so that it would be there as she came in. “Can I offer you anything?” he asked. “I’ve got coffee too, if you’d like, water, sodas, red bull. “ The later which had become something of a weird addiction lately, along with the candy he was able to make appear. But at least he was willing to share with his writers, right?
“I’m really glad to have you working with us.” He added. “It’ll be good to get some new blood on staff.”
Luisa entered the office and relaxed, okay she could handle this. He seemed friendly and not at all stuck up and stressed which had been how her imagination had made him. She always tended to expect the worse. At least then when it wasn’t it was a nice surprise.
She removed a water from the fridge with thanks and a smile, “I’m happy to be here, thank you for the opportunity. I know it’s unusual for such a popular show to accept applications from writers, especially those with no experience in screenwriting” She suspected he must know her books or at least flicked through one otherwise she was at a loss to know why she had been accepted.
“I might’ve looked around for someone successful in the mystery field.” Gabriel told her, quite seriously. “And then looked for someone I particularly liked. “ He added, sincere on that point. Most of the mysteries out today were...well, okay, but they lacked something. A certain...soul, maybe, if he could call it that. “You passed the wit and clever plotting tests that I think would make you excellent for Boardwalk. I’m not sure how much of the show you know, but I do have a little synopsis I wrote up.” he passed over to her so she could take a look. “And I’m hoping to go a little more cerebral this season so..”
A witty mystery seemed like the right way to do it.
“Well I’m very glad you liked my work” she told him, “Thank you very much”
Taking the synopsis from him she read it as she replied, “I’ve managed to watch a couple of episodes though not as many as I’d have liked to”
“We did have some trouble with getting a solid time slot at first too.” Gabriel grinned at her. “But now that that’s settled and we seem to be past the slump, we’re picking up. I’m not surprised you haven’t seen more. We were kind of the redheaded stepchild for a while. Included but troublesome. But somehow we got past that, and I’m sure you can help us stay that way.”
“Networks don’t seem to want to count their chickens with new shows” Luisa commented, “Maybe one too many burns in the past. But I’m glad you’re doing well now. And I’m looking forward to working with everybody. I’ll certainly do my best to help”
“Awesome.” Gabriel gave her a huge grin at that part. “That’s exactly what I’d hoped you’d say.” he added. It was always kind of difficult getting guest people in, but when it worked out? It tended to go pretty smoothly. Usually, of course this had been on other shows he’d worked for, but still the business was what it was. “You know, in a way it’s really refreshing to have someone who isn’t an old industry pro coming in for this. They look at things so differently.” he explained, making a little face.
Luisa laughed, “Well then I’m very glad I’m not an old pro, if I can provide any sort of new aspect or way of seeing things then I am happy to” she replied, “I’m probably going to learn a lot myself which will help me with my own novel work” Not that to improve her own writing was what he had hired her for but it was still a happy little perk.
“Hey, getting better’s always a potential payoff, right?” Gabriel grinned. “I know the feeling.” He’d spent some time learning on a few shows over the years so he definitely understood how THAT went. Not that it was the sort of thing he’d really...oh hell, yes he had. Gabriel being not transparent was probably never going to happen. Just...wasn’t in him somehow. “And hey, if we fuel some kind of setting. There was a weird summer where I worked for Pepsi. You’d be surprised what THAT generated.”
Luisa laughed, “Well I promise to change names and descriptions if I am inspired by anybody” she grinned, “It is great how different experiences can help in the most unlikely or unusual ways. Inspiration may strike and it be completely different to where I am or what I’m doing. What is it they say a change is as good as a rest? I think that works for writers too. If you spend too long in the same place doing the same things your inspiration is going to run out”
“Definitely.” Gabriel agreed, warming to the topic. “The craziest things can inspire amazing stuff.” He wanted to say ‘amazing shit’ but held back because he didn’t do that kind of thing in front of people he barely knew, who were going to work for him. Professionalism and all. It was safer and easier that way, wasn’t it?
“You know, I kind of wonder sometimes what it was that inspired, well, a lot of things we don’t have references for anymore. Ancient art, stuff like that. Or poetry. It’s like...Larkin’s Arundel Tomb. The statue he’s talking about exists but the story behind it...” He shook his head a little. “The imagined worlds in there. I love that sort of thing.” She would be great for Boardwalk, he was starting to be pretty sure.
“The imagination is a wonderful thing” Luisa nodded, “Limitless for the most part and without boundaries. I love creating not only characters and histories but also the world in which they inhabit the life they live. It’s all so incredible”
“Definitely. It’s that power of creation thing.” Gabriel had to agree. “There’s such a...charge with it. And then seeing everything sort of...take on its own life after a point. I mean, I really hope with everything going on here that someday my characters don’t show up to yell at me or anything, but...It’s still kind of nice to know you did that.” Was that what his father, his dream one, rather, had felt like when he had created...well, all of this? It was a different sort of power from being an archangel, and he thought that this one still felt better somehow.
“That’s it exactly” Luisa agreed, “I have the same concern about my characters appearing to yell at me, the amount of times when I’m writing my series that I wonder if my heroine would approve of what I plan to do” she grinned.
Gabriel laughed at that part. “Sometimes they just don’t shut up inside your head either.” He added “When you play that kind of ‘what would they do if’ thing too often. Admittedly, Monica Intervention really has a thing for Venice, apparently.” Who knew, right? Writing was so strange, and great, that way.
Luisa laughed, “I love discovering new things about characters like that, especially when you have no idea where the idea came from”
“It’s crazy, isn’t it?” Gabriel had to laugh there. “I guess the fact that they’re kind of alive helps to make them stand out. It’s probably a good thing, in the end but you do feel kind of crazy sometimes.” Ah, the writing life. Just one of those things, wasn’t it?
“You really do” Luisa agreed, “Guess it’s a good thing other writers understand that kind of crazy, means you aren’t completely on your own” she laughed.
“Even in Orange County, that would be pretty unusual.” he agreed, “So yes, other writers, people who get it, it’s amazing. I think almost my whole family’s decided I’m completely out there, but...” He grinned. “They probably would have anyway.”
“Now that sounds familiar” Luisa smiled, “I don’t mind being the oddball in the family though. Means I can get away with doing strange things without them questioning it”
“That’s always fun.” Gabriel agreed. “And you’re just...whimsical or something along those lines. I can do with a little bit of whimsy in my life.” Whimsy would be good right now, considering what else he knew about himself.
That caused Luisa to laugh lightly, “Whimsical” she nodded, “I like that. It’s a nicer description than oddball” she grinned, “I will do my best to provide storylines and whimsy”
“Then you and I should get along great!” Gabriel was pleased with this. “In turn, I will try to respond with whimsy and to consider every suggestion and idea carefully before deciding whether or not it gets my vote. There IS the staff process and everything but somehow I’ve got pull. A position of authority.” he added, mock shuddering. “But hopefully you’ll still respect me later on.” And then he smirked, to show he was joking here.
Luisa laughed, “I’ll try my best” she joked in response, “I’m sure we’ll get on just fine”