I was invited to do what was basically a table read of a new acquaintance’s short screenplays. There were four in total and it took about 90 minutes. The table in this case was, of course, a Zoom videoconference. It still felt really intimate. I think the ability to sit at my own desk with just my desk lamp on actually makes it feel more intimate. Or maybe it’s the fact that everyone is speaking directly into my ears.
I had no idea what to expect. I was barely prepared–I had parts in three of the four stories and I read them just before the call.
Turned out, they were all really good. Like, these should be picked up and put on Netflix good. I kept my expectations low, but each story was so interesting and so well written I was a little shocked. Afterward, he emailed me and I replied asking if he would read my short fiction. I’m a little intimidated, to be honest.
Each person who participated had fun with their parts and gave excellent feedback on each story. I played a French soldier in the early 1800s, a Chicago cop in the early 1900s, and a Cuban gun runner in the late 1800s. I could have done accents for each of those, but I chickened out. I wish I had prepped a little bit more and practiced my accents so I could have participated more thoroughly. Next time!