Chapter 2: Hooray for Hollywood

WE WERE SHOOTING the first seduction scene between Joe and Myrna today. Geraldine had it broken into ten shots. Some of them were simply marked as ‘Reaction’ and she told me that while one person was in focus on the camera, they might need to cut away to a different take of the same scene. In those cases, there would be a brief cut to the other character for a reaction, then back to the speaker. It kept the scene from appearing to jump around. It might sound like we were not shooting much film, but the camera speed was twenty-four frames per second, which means we shot the equivalent of a roll of film a second, about ninety feet of 35mm film a minute.

This movie business appeared more complicated every day.

Every so often during the day, Reg would call a ‘hold places’ command and get me in to take a still. I had the Nikon on a tripod and was able to move in quickly, take a couple shots, and sometimes adjust the position of the actors slightly. These were all shots with Lyle and Jayden. Frank was looking for a publicity photo of two of his leading actors. I was told that the next two days would feature Lorna and Fran with Lyle. Those were the three principal women with the male lead.

I didn’t even realize how long we’d been working when Reg called an end to shooting.

Adrienne quickly led me to a dressing room where a light dinner was waiting for me.

“We’ve got Jayden first,” Adrienne said. “When we’re done with her, probably around eight o’clock, we have Sue Fletcher. It’s possible you’ll recognize her, but that is the only name you will ever be able to release a photo under, no matter who you assume she is.”

“You know I have special releases that cover that,” I said.

“I anticipated the need and had Levi air mail me copies of the standing releases. He also had me talk to a Mr. Mayer, who explained how to structure the releases. I had to go down and get a notary license,” she laughed.

“Adrienne, you amaze me. I love you.”

“As your dear little pet, Fifi,” she said, kissing me. “Let’s go deal with Jayden.”

I really only knew Jayden from a distance on the set. I’d seen her work and I certainly appreciated what I saw of her boobs and the shape of her legs. That Lyle handled her so much was a little disturbing. But she signed up for the role, knowing she would be stripped and even made love to (simulated) on camera. Still, she seemed like a nice person.

“Nate, I’ve talked to Jayden and have her release. It’s a blanket release for the photos you take and she’s hoping you will get a shot that lands her on the pages of Chevalier magazine. Not a bad goal for you, either.”

“You’ll need to guide me on this a bit. I haven’t actually picked up a copy of Chevalier,” I said.

“Let us just say gently teasing to non-explicit tasteful nudes,” Jayden said. “Basically, what I’m doing on set.”

“Okay, we can work with that,” I said. “I want to work first with a stool, similar to the way we work on set. Oh, Gary, it’s nice to have you working as our grip. We’re going to start with the red backdrop, and I’d like it pulled out so it is on the floor. It should be long enough to get a nice sweep behind our stool.”

“Sure, Nate. We’re not actually on union time tonight. I won’t complain about you moving props or your camera. I’m just picking up a few extra bucks as a pair of hands,” the grip said. Geraldine had called him the best boy, which I thought was a little demeaning, but he really knew his stuff.

“What about the lights?”

“The photo studio lights have been disconnected from all the electrics associated with the movie. You turn them on and dim them the same way I’m told you would in a photo studio. When you’re ready to switch to photo lighting, I’ll turn off the generals,” he said.

“That works.”

I grabbed the stool and my cameras to set up all three cameras. Initially, I’d mostly work with the Nikon, the same way I did with the production shots. I also had the Hasselblad set up with black and white film. I just knew I was going to get some good black and whites, and since Jayden gave us an immediate release, I was definitely going for an art print. If there was something that I thought was particularly perfect, I’d set up the Linhof and decide on the spot if it would be color or black and white. Of course, all the shots I’d taken during the day had already been shipped off to be processed.

I started with a simple portrait. Jayden wore a nice dress and I thought that was a good place to start. It was a little surprising to see her without the brown wig she wore in the movie. Her hair was blonde and kind of wispy. And her makeup was more glamorous than what she wore in the movie. Well, in the movie, they had to emphasize the idea of her being nearly forty with a fourteen-year-old daughter. It was really hard to tell her real age from the way she looked. I suppose that in Hollywood, women have to give off the impression of being young and glamorous forever.

“We’re going to get some really good photos like this,” I said, leading her to the stool. She automatically started into the same pose she used in the movie and I quickly covered her back up. “We won’t copy the movie poses. We’ll get your nudes eventually, but we’re not in a hurry to see your luscious breasts and ass. You know our best boy, Gary, is here. Do you want me to send him away?”

“Gary’s seen it all before and I’m sure he’ll see it again before the filming is done. Didn’t you see how they kept me naked as long as possible on Monday? Shadow on my shoulder? Please!” she said.

“I’m not going to misuse you like that,” I said, tilting her shoulder a little. “We’ll start clothed and work our way down from there. First, let’s have that nice sweet smile I know you have.”

I stroked up her cheek and she smiled at me.

“That’s it. Hold it.”

I ran to the camera and we started taking pictures. After her portrait poses, I had her slip into a robe that we could loosen and work with.

I adjusted her poses and got her positioned facing three-quarters away from the camera, looking back over her shoulder. I pulled the robe down off her shoulders and ran back to the camera. I’d always liked that pose or a variation of it, ever since I posed Christine like that.

“Let’s get rid of the stool now and see what I have in props,” I suggested.

What I found was an apple. I brought it to her and had her hold it in a contemplative gaze. Then I pulled the robe all the way down to her elbows. I reached around her and pulled the robe up slightly to make sure her nipples were still covered and had her turn to several different angles as I took pictures.

I gently pulled her robe the rest of the way off and left it on the floor at her feet. I stroked her ass and moved her arms to just hide her nipples from the camera. I did take one full frontal that showed everything, but mostly they were tasteful nudes. I turned her three-quarters away from me and stroked down her back and ass again.

“Do you know what I see that I really like?” I asked.

“You have paid some very nice attention to my boobs,” she said. “In fact, your touch is very pleasant.”

“I’m glad you like it, but here, just above your bottom, you have two beautiful dimples. I love them.”

“That’s caused by uncontrolled fat,” she laughed. “Why would you like those?”

“Because I imagine it is where my thumbs would be if I were making love to you from behind,” I whispered as I stepped close and blew in her ear as I placed my hands on her hips with my thumbs in the dimples.

“I don’t usually, but we could,” she whispered.

“Oh, Jayden. Didn’t Adrienne explain my rule of no fucking in the studio or with models?”

“I guess she did mention it. I thought...”

“It’s a pleasant thought, though,” I whispered. I kissed the back of her neck and she stretched it to give me better access. I tilted her head slightly down, softened her mouth with a light kiss and went back to take the picture.

We worked through a number of poses, using flowers and fruit as props and different colored backdrops when I was shooting color film. Eventually, with Jayden completely naked in front of me, I took the last photo.

“That’s it,” I whispered when I was next to Jayden. “We got some beautiful shots and it was a pleasure to work with a professional. I almost wish I didn’t have that rule.”

As was my custom, I picked her up in my arms and carried her to the dressing room.

“Are you sure?” she asked, guiding my hand to her moist center and stroking my erection at the same time.

“Oh, my sweet Jayden. How it pains me to say, I’m sure.” I lingered in her wet spot a moment, then kissed her softly and left the dressing room.

I had about half an hour’s break before Sue Fletcher was scheduled for her photo session. We reset the stage and I put aside a chair and table from the props area for later use. I put a vase of flowers on the table with a small framed photo. I had no idea what Sue was like, but I thought this would be a good place to start, even for a portrait.

She arrived at eight-thirty, about the time I was thinking we should pack up and leave. She was blonde with kind of curly chin-length hair. I guessed she was about five-eight, though it didn’t really matter. She was thin and perfectly made up. It looked like she had had her hair, makeup, and nails all professionally done just before arriving. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how likely that was. I didn’t recognize her, but from Adrienne’s description, I assumed she was a fairly popular actress.

“Adrienne, dear, how nice to see you,” Sue said when she came in.

“Sue, it’s always a pleasure. May I present your photographer, Nate Hart.”

“Welcome to Attic Allure, Miss Fletcher,” I said, extending a hand. Well, that’s the way we do it in the Midwest. She looked at it a moment and then offered her hand as if just realizing that was what it was for.

“Mr. Hart, I hope we will quickly progress to first names. It would be such a tedious evening otherwise.”

A definite British accent. I immediately supposed she was in foreign films and not American. I suppose that was really presumptuous. Adrienne took her fur cape and purse and I saw she was in a sparkly wrap dress, belted at the waist with a neckline plunge that showed some modest cleavage. The hem was a couple of inches above her knees, but not far enough to call a real miniskirt. The sleeves were full and had elastic at the wrist. Finally, she wore beige satin open-toe heels about three inches high. They showed her toenails matched the pearlescent fingernail polish.

“Beautiful, Sue. Just beautiful. Do you have some ideas of what you would like to have in your photo session tonight?”

“Oh, yes. Very much so. I hope you will discover them or that your ideas will be even better,” she said.

Hmm. Not going to tell me. Okay.

“Not only beautiful, but mysterious. I like to do a simple portrait to start things off. It helps us to get to know each other a bit. Perhaps I’ll discover some of your mystery,” I said.

I took her hand and led her to my portrait stool. We paused and I called out, “Hey, Gary, I’m going to want the deep blue backdrop for this instead of the red. Can we switch it out, please?”

“You’ve got it, boss.”

He and Adrienne made the switch while I explained to Sue the differences in the cameras and what I used each for. It turned out that I shot a couple of rolls of black and white and a couple of rolls of transparencies with Jayden, but I’d never touched the Linhof. I was already seeing a possible shot in my mind’s eye that would require the 4x5 for this shoot.

When the initial portrait was done, I seated Sue in the chair and examined the setting closely. She kept hold of my hand and turned it over to look at the palm.

“Such strong and lovely hands,” she said. “You will live long and pleasure many women.”

“Are you a palm-reader, Sue?”

“No. I just have a good feeling from your hands.”

“Now turn just so,” I said, as I used the hand she’d held to shift her shoulders and raise her chin. “Chin up. Let’s turn the picture on the table so it faces you instead of the camera. We’ll set a mystique around who you’re looking at. Or is that supposed to be whom? For all the audience knows, you are looking at a picture of yourself.”

“Or of you,” she said.

I stepped back to the camera and began taking the pictures, giving her directions about her smile.

“This is a very pretty dress with all the sequins,” I said as I adjusted her position again.

“The very latest in dance dresses. No one dances anymore. The music has taken a turn toward songs that are completely undanceable. Do you dance, Nate?”

“Yes. I love to dance. And I agree. The newest music is hard to dance to. It’s like you have to ignore the music in order to dance,” I said.

I took her hand to help her from the chair and moved it out of the way. Gary rushed to take the table.

“Dance with me, Nate.”

“That’s not exactly taking pictures, but maybe we’ll find a nice natural pose for you,” I said.

It was hard to resist dancing with a willing partner and Sue was certainly willing. I took her in my arms and established a rhythm so we could move. She picked it up quickly and followed as I danced her around the stage. I spun her under my arm and at the extension, I stepped in to hold her in exactly that position.

“Perfect,” I said. “Can you hold this position while I adjust the lights and take the picture?”

“It’s much easier when I’m holding you,” she said. “But I feel I can do anything for you, Nate. I’ll hold very still.”

I adjusted the lights and moved back to the camera. I took both 35mm color transparencies and 2x2 black and whites. I hadn’t yet seen what I wanted to get with the 4x5.

“My dear Sue, your belt has come loose as we were dancing,” I said as I approached her again. “Shall I tighten it? Or loosen it more?”

“The belt is so slippery against the sequins. Might as well let it fall.”

“That was my opinion as well,” I said.

I untied the belt and let it drop. The dress began to part and I caught it to slow the progress and keep her breasts covered.

“So gallant. Perhaps you could remove your belt as well, or at least unbutton your shirt so I’m not the only one getting undressed.”

As she spoke, her hands worked quickly to unbutton my shirt and unfasten my belt.

“But no one would be interested in a picture of my chest, Sue. They will clamor to see yours.”

“Oh, most have seen it. You haven’t?”

“I’m afraid not. I’m not familiar with your movies.” She pulled my shirt out of my pants and stroked along my chest.

“This helps put me in the mood,” she whispered. “I did my first nude scene ten years ago. I will probably be taking my clothes off on camera for my entire career. I would like to think it will be a long one, but we change, you know?”

I took pictures as I moved her through a few dance steps and her dress loosened further until her breasts were still covered, but I could see a strip of her beige panties and the inside of her thigh through the gap.

“I think you will only change for the better,” I said.

I grabbed a flower from the vase and took it to her. Instead of handing it to her, I ran it down the gap in her dress from her chin to her panties and back.

“Yes, but already things are beginning to shift.”

She pulled the dress to the right so that her breast was fully exposed and I traced the flower over her nipple.

“This one is still the best. They’ve begun to sag just a bit. No longer the pert teenage breasts that made directors salivate.”

I handed her the flower and she returned the gesture of stroking down my chest and circling my nipple. I moved her hand so the flower was positioned just to cover her nipple. I went to take the picture.

“You don’t even want to see them,” she sighed.

“Oh, I do,” I said. “But I want to tease the viewer a bit first. Much as you are teasing me.”

“My game is revealed?” she said.

I took another picture and then moved her hand so the nipple was just barely revealed. I stroked the nipple lightly to make sure it was fully erect. As I did so, Sue’s other hand was on my chest, showing me exactly how she liked her breast touched.

“I think our game is to use the fantasy you want to create the photo you will love,” I said.

I continued taking pictures, changing film, and adjusting her pose. The dress fell away from her left shoulder and down her arm, opening her fully.

“You know, in the movies, they never show my front bits. We could show them in the photo, though, if you took my knickers. You’d like to take my knickers, wouldn’t you, Nate.”

“Yes. I think that is a very good idea,” I said.

I pushed her panties down over her round bottom and they fell to the floor. She stepped out of them and gave them a kick off the stage. While doing so, she slipped a hand into my trousers and stroked my cock. I froze for a moment and then replied by stroking through the neatly trimmed bush between her legs.

“So much better this way, isn’t it?” she whispered.

“Let me pose you for the picture before we get carried away.”

We shot a couple of photos, including where she attempted to hide her pubes behind the flower, but it wasn’t large enough. I took the picture for the humor in it. Then I positioned her with the flower between her breasts and made sure the dress was stable, caught on her right shoulder and her left elbow.

She kissed me.

“Let me enjoy this sweet moment, Nate,” she whispered, playing our lips together. I took the opportunity to be sure her nipples were erect. She continued to stroke my cock through my briefs. My trousers were completely unzipped.

“Keep that wistful, ready-to-kiss look on your face. I believe this is the photo I’ve been waiting for,” I said.

I slotted a 4x5 transparency in the Linhof and moved in so I could see from the top of her head to just below her pussy. I had to adjust her left hand slightly to make it look like she was about to reach for her lover. I paused to brush her lips with mine again and saw them part slightly as her eyes drifted half shut. She knew the exact expression.

I took the picture, shifted her slightly, and took the second. Then I had to capture it in 35mm and in black and white, too.

I went back to her and took the flower, then pulled her dress all the way off. I turned her so I could see that beautiful butt, which I spent a bit of time just holding while I kissed her again and she pressed her breasts against my bare chest. Her pelvis was rocking against my cock and I was peeking out over the elastic waistband. Her hand found that and smeared the pre-come over the head of my cock.

I returned to the camera and took more 35s and a couple more black and whites.

“That’s it,” I said as I picked her up and carried her to the dressing room. Adrienne had already taken her fur, her purse, her dress, and panties there. “You were wonderful.”

As I carried her, she returned to kissing me.

I settled with her in my lap and let my hand drift down to her wet pussy as hers stroked my cock.

“This is as good as any love scene I’ve played. Better. I think I’m actually going to come, and I’ll feel your cock exploding in my hand. That happened to me once on set—that I came during a scene. I was supposed to fake an orgasm as a woman frigged me. It was all supposed to be faked, but what they couldn’t see beneath the blanket was that her hand was in my quim and she’d found my sweet spot. I grabbed her head and kissed her as I came. The director made us do it again because it didn’t look real.”