Manny

Two pairs of peep-toed pumps; one red and one black. One large iced coffee and a blueberry muffin. Three new tops and a pair of skinny jeans. $600. Bank account statement: -$15 Oustanding credit card balance: too many 0s to count. Manny frowned deeply, folding her arms across her chest as she stood in front of her bed, overlooking her latest round of impulse purchases. They'd all been charged to her "emergency" card since her bank account was at a negative balance. She was a week away from potential eviction from her apartment, once her landlord realized that she wouldn't be able to make rent, again. She was broke and she couldn't afford to rack up any more debt. The problem was that she couldn't find an acting gig anywhere. She'd been on auditions all over town and no one seemed to be looking for her "type". Manny didn't really know what her type was, but it clearly wasn't what the casting agents wanted. She hadn't booked a job in weeks. She was stressed, to put it mildly. And when she was stressed, she shopped. Shopping with no money only served to pile splurger regret on top of her already crushing I-can't-get-work stress. She sighed, flopping down on the floor, leaning her back against the bedframe, her ice coffee in hand.

She was beginning to wonder if it was a mistake moving back to Toronto. Her luck had faired much better in LA in the months she'd stayed out there following the Kevin Smith movie. She was living in a nice apartment with some cool fellow actresses. She and Jay were making the long-distance thing work through skype and surprise weekend fly-ins. She was getting call backs, every other day. Everything was going well, until she had to go and get returned home to a crappy apartment, that she had to take because she couldn't afford anything else on such short notice, constant fights with her boyfriend who'd grown pretty accustomed to the distance and felt smothered since she had nothing else to do but be around him all the time, and no work. Zero. Zip. Nothing. She was getting desperate. If something didn't change soon, she'd have to sink to her lowest low...and call her parents for help.

Peter

The script was finally finished. Six months of tweaking and rewrites and the script for Peter's first movie was complete. He had put his everything into getting the chance to direct his first film. The Toronto Film Festival had chosen him as one of the applicants to premiere his movie. The opportunity of his film being shown at the festival was huge. The doors that could open for him would hopefully jumpstart his dreams of becoming a serious director. Not just making college films using the so so actors from the drama department. No. Those days would soon be put behind him. They had to be. He leaned back in his desk chair looking at his laptop, beaming with pride as he hit the print button. He had his script and he had his crew not he just needed the cast. He raked his hands through his dirty blonde hair, cupping the back of his neck, looking up to the ceiling, blowing out a long sigh. Casting was almost as difficult as writing. He needed this cast to be perfect. He needed everything to be perfect.

The story behind his movie follows a young guy who had it all in life. Popular and athletic in high school, dating his first love, going to great college on a soccer scholarship and a close relationship to his family. One night of heavy drinking at a victory party for his soccer team brings everything crashing down. Getting drunk behind the wheel of car, he causes a head on collision with a father and his two kids. Killing one of his fellow teammates in the car, with him, and killing one of the children in the other car. The accident shattered his knee, killing any chances of ever becoming a professional soccer player. His friends and family turned against him after the accident. He loses his scholarship and his girlfriend leaves him for someone else. He turns to drinking to cope and falls into a deep depression, contemplating suicide he randomly calls a suicide hotline where he talks to the girl who changes it all. One conversation between them leads to him calling every night to talk to the girl, eventually meeting, falling in love and help him become the man he used to be. It was gritty, honest and real. That was why the cast needed to be perfect. He needed real people. Real actors who could portray the anguish and emotions he needed for this movie.

Getting up from his chair, he walked into his kitchen, grabbing his cell off the counter. He scanned for his casting director's number, hitting send, he called him up. "Hey Man,it's Peter. I have some boss news. The script...it's done! I know I know...but you know me, man. It had to be fucking flawless...You call it big ego I call it confidence. Look I need you to start making some calls and get ready for auditions. The sooner we find our leads the quicker I can get this movie made. The festival is a few months away and my ass is seriously on the line here...Thanks, Brian. I know you won't do me wrong...yeah yeah you too." Peter hit the end button, tucking his phone into his back pocket. It was really happening. The ball was starting to roll. Things were coming together. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through. Amping him up and giving a natural rush he felt whenever he thought about directing. Amidst all his excitement though lingered a dark inkling of dread. Failure was always a possibility. Losing everything he dreamed about. Watching his passion slip through his fingers was his greatest fear. This movie had to be life changing for him. The only option was success.

[Later that night] Manny

Manny used her fork to move her food around her plate, sinking down into her chair at a fancy Italian restaurant downtown. She wondered how tacky it would be to ask to take the whole meal home with her; she was down to cereal and ramen and thought it best to scrimp and save wherever possible. The only reason she'd come to this expensive place was because she was meeting with a director. Some guy she'd heard of through casting agencies here and there but had never booked anything for or had the pleasure of meeting, until tonight. The meet and greet had been set up by her agent. Apparently this director had heard of her, seen her work, and wouldn't take no for answer on meeting with the Manny Santos. As she waited for the director to return from the bathroom the butterflies swarmed in her gut. He was about to give her the details of his movie he was working on and of course he had to go use the bathroom just when he was getting to the juicy part.

She sipped her water freely, knowing that the beverage at least was free and re-fillable. She coached herself mentally. Whatever it is, you're going to take it. But you're not going to seem as desperate as you really are. So eager...but not desperate. Okay. You can do this. "Is something wrong with your food?" A gravely voice asked from behind her. Manny flinched, turning over her shoulder, blushing hard. "Oh uh...no, it's great," She said, nodding assuringly at the director. "I'm just...watching my weight." He returned to his seat and smiled, picking up his fork to continue eating. "Spoken like a true working actress."

He took a few bites of pasta and wiped his lips with a napkin as he chewed. Manny's eyes were glued to his face. She was nearly holding her breath. He noticed her staring and grinned, setting his fork down. "Right. You're dying to hear about the script." Manny nodded softly, her eyes burning with curiosity as her body stilled. "I'd...really like to hear about it." He smiled knowingly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Fair enough. Well, the basic premise is a girl and a guy meet at the scene of a 're both witnesses to a murder in progress...but they don't know it." "A murder...?" Manny quirked her brow, intrigued. Usually she got fluff and cheesy plots thrown her way, but this...this seemed like something she could use her chops for.

"They're both blackmailed by the killer, which brings them closer together. They learn that they know more about what happened then either of them realized at first." A bright smile spread across Manny's rouged lips. "So...is there a little love story going on in the midst of all this stalkery tension?" She pried. The director arched his brow and smirked, "Uh...you could say that. Yeah. A lot of love goes on, actually. There wouldn't be much of a movie without it." Manny nodded slowly, taking a tiny bite of her spaghetti, so as not to seem rude. "A lot of love? Like...the two are drawn together by their fear and...they fall in love?" She pressed. "Fall in love?" The director chuckled, lifting his drink to his lips. "Sure, she falls in love with this guy, the police chief, his secretary, even the killer." Manny pursed her lips, not understanding the joke she was clearly being told. The director read the confusion on her face. He bit his lip and exhaled, "Yeah...uh.. didn't your agent tell you?" Manny tilted her head, admittedly in the dark, "Tell me...what?" "The script...it's for an adult movie."