Star Ch. 04

Chapter 4: Shooting Star

Interviewer: With the surprise release of a third 'Dirty Work' film, called 'Emily: Not So Dirty Work', I'm once again at the home of Karen Carragher. I suppose the first question should be 'where's Dave'?

Karen Carragher: (Smiles) I told him you'd ask that! Dave thought that as he only makes cameo appearances in the film I should be the one interviewed. He keeps telling me it's my film this time.

Interviewer: I seem to recall he said that last time too.

KC: (Laughs) I think he's embarrassed that he keeps getting better reviews than me when he claims he can't act.

Interviewer: Any chance you can get him to change his mind and join us? I mean, he doesn't just have acting credits for this film does he?

KC: No, he doesn't. If you give me a moment I'll try and get him to come in. (At this point Karen makes a phone call and after five minutes or so announces that her husband will join us shortly.)

Interviewer: While we wait, I'd like to ask why you use your married name in the producer credit.

KC: I wasn't sure many people would notice that! As an actress I use the name on the 'Equity' register, but I can use my married name 'Karen Gerrard' as producer. I wanted to show what Dave means to me, so I use OUR name for that credit.

Interviewer: You surely don't need to prove anything after all the two of you have been through.

KC: Not prove as such, but acknowledge. Definitely acknowledge.

Interviewer: In our 'More Dirty Work' interview it seemed that you weren't planning on carrying on with Emily's story.

KC: To be fair, we weren't. But as I said at the time, if the right storyline came up and it fitted, we might

Interviewer: And it did?

KC: Strangely, considering he was the one who was certain we wouldn't make another one, it was an idea from Dave that started the ball rolling.

Interviewer: Again? He keeps surprising us with his talents.

KC: (Laughing) He does. That's why I always have it written into my contracts that he's on set with me. Dave has a way of spotting things that can make a film better. Sometimes it's only a little thing like a small joke, or a big thing like the ending to 'More Dirty Work'. Besides which, it's always nice to have him around. He buoys me up if I'm feeling down and keeps my feet on the ground if I'm getting full of myself. (At this point Dave comes in.)

Dave Gerrard: Who's that? The coffee man? (They kiss.)

KC: If you must know, we were talking about you.

DG: I thought my ears were burning. (He shakes my hand.) Karen said you'd like to interview me as well?

Interviewer: Especially as it seems the original story came from you.

DG: It surprised me as well! I was the one who thought we shouldn't do another!

Interviewer: Can you tell us about it?

***

I was having one of those nights when I couldn't drop off to sleep, my mind was buzzing. For some reason I kept thinking about the ending to 'More Dirty Work' and wondering what would happen to Emily, what the big plan she and Pops had come up with was, whether it would work. As I lay in the dark, ideas began to come to me, about their plan and beyond. Things started to fall into place and I felt the need to make some notes. I slipped out of bed, carefully avoiding waking Karen up and quietly padded downstairs to the study. Still unsure this story would work; I began to make notes on the computer about my ideas. I must have drifted off to sleep at some point as the next thing I knew was Karen gently shaking me awake, a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Anything wrong?" She asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"No, I couldn't sleep and then I got an idea that I needed to write down." I took the coffee from her and sipped it. "Thanks."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And can I see this idea?"

"I don't know that I should show you yet, it's not fully formed."

"A hint then?"

"I'll just say it's something I thought we'd never do."

"You had and idea about 'Dirty Work III'?" She caught on quickly. "Let me see." She woke the computer before I could stop her and quickly scanned my notes. "This could work!" She looked at me with shining eyes. "I'm going to call Clint and Douglas."

"Are you sure? I mean it's barely an outline at the moment."

Karen looked at me softly and kissed me on the forehead.

"Let's find out shall we? Pass me the phone."

***

Interviewer: And what was their reaction?

KC: Well Clint was out of town, but said he'd be round in a couple of days. Douglas had shut himself away writing, but when he got my message a day later he said that he'd co-ordinate with Clint and they'd both come and see what we had before the weekend.

DG: Douglas always has either too much work or not enough. (Karen nods.) He's either trying to complete three screenplays at once or wondering where the next one is coming from. We happened to catch him at the end of one of his busy cycles this time.

Interviewer: But what did they say about your, well, synopsis?

DG: By the time they saw it I had had a few more ideas, even down to snatches of dialogue, but it looked messy. I had no notion about how to present it to them.

KC: Which was where I came in. Although I've never written anything...

DG: Neither have I!

KC: No, but you keep having ideas. Stop interrupting. (Smiles.) So, although I've never written anything, I have seen how a synopsis look's. I just rearranged things on the computer until they made sense. Or a sort of sense.

Interviewer: Only 'sort of'?

DG: That was part of the problem. Every time I looked at it, I thought of something else and added it, usually in the wrong place. By the time Clint and Douglas got to see it, the story had grown.

Interviewer: They liked it though?

KC: Clint loved it, and Douglas started trying to pick Dave's brain about how it should start straightaway. It was obvious from the beginning that we were going to make number three.

***

"Dave, I think that's a cracking idea." Clint said. "Setting up an RCV hire company is just what Pops and Emily would have thought of, so having Emily start it by herself fits in with the end of two." He sat back. "But where's the drama going to come from?"

"I've thought of that now." I said. "I just haven't had time to put it down anywhere." The other three all looked at me expectantly; suddenly I wasn't so sure about this. It was one thing suggesting changes to someone else's story, but something else entirely to come up with a storyline that could work. Karen sensed my discomfort and clasped my hand, nodding at me. "Well, you remember the girl that Pops saves? I thought that she could come looking for Emily and they could end up working together." They looked at each other and considered. Another thought hit me. "Her arrival could trigger a few flashbacks for Emily, of Pops."

Clint's face lit up.

"That'll do it." He turned to Douglas. "How soon can you and Dave get a screenplay together? I want to start to get the backing for this."

"A week, maybe two. I have nothing else at the moment so I can concentrate on this." I nodded. Karen spoke for the first time in ages.

"Clint, don't worry about the backing. We can call in a few favours; put some money in ourselves, like the first film."

Clint subsided for a moment, and then sat forward again.

"Dave, how much does it cost for a course of HGV lessons?"

"Something over a grand I think, maybe a grand and a half by now. Why?"

"I just thought it might be helpful if Karen could do her own driving."

I could see the sense in what he was saying. In 'Dirty Work' things had been simplified because I could drive the RCV.

"Hey! Wait a minute! Why do I need to drive the RCV?" Karen interjected.

"You know you don't need to darling." I said soothingly. "But if you took lessons and a test, it would be research. It would make it easier for you when we filmed the test sequence for the pre-titles." My mind was racing now, all sorts of possibilities coming up. Douglas was making note after note, even messier than mine had been. Karen looked at me sharply.

"You just thought of that too?"

"Yes. But it will work, right?" They all nodded, Karen a little reluctantly.

***

Interviewer: So this film had a different birth to the others?

DG: In a way. Once Douglas and I settled down to actually write the story and then the screenplay not much changed, whereas before we kept adding bits or changing them, this time the original screenplay is pretty much what appeared on film.

Interviewer: How was the driving Karen?

KC: I was terrified most of the time! Dave got in touch with the people who got him through his HGV test and booked me a full course and test. The medical was no problem...

DG: I should hope not too.

KC: And the theory and hazard perception I scraped through...

DG: That was amazing considering how little time we'd given you.

Interviewer; And the actual lessons?

KC: Like I said, I was terrified. Dave had always made it look easy, but a HGV is a lot of machine to be in control of, even more so for someone like me who doesn't drive that much, but I persevered and began to actually enjoy it.

DG: It can be fun can't it?

KC: Stop interrupting Dave!

DG: (Shamefaced.) Sorry beautiful, carry on. (Kisses Karen.)

KC: I found the reversing exercise difficult to start with. Again, that was because superman here always made it look easier than it was. The actual test at the end of the course had me scared stiff, but I passed first time. I was so happy I hugged everyone, the examiner, the instructor, the other guy taking his test.

DG: I never told you before, but it took me five tests to pass.

KC: But you make driving an RCV look a doddle!!

DG: Well it is now, but it wasn't then. I told you that you're more talented than me.

Interviewer: So, with all the elements in place things went well when filming started?

KC: Pretty much. This time it was my turn to make a minor tweak that made things work.

Interviewer: How so?

DG: In our original story Lucy, the girl I, sorry, Pops saved was a mechanic. Karen pointed out she would still be a little young for that, so we made her an organisational genius instead. She takes over the paperwork which Emily has been having problems with and makes the firm run better.

Interviewer: And no problems with Pops this time Dave?

DG: No. Not at all. He only appears four or five times, total screen time about ten minutes, so I wasn't worried about screwing the whole thing up. I left it to the professionals.

Interviewer: A big change for you then. (Everyone laughs.)

KC: We were a very happy crew until... (She looks away suddenly sad.)

Interviewer: I suppose this is a good a time as any to ask about the tragedy towards the end of filming.

DG: Yes. Clint's sudden illness came as a big blow.

Interviewer: How did you hear about it? (At this point Karen asks to be excused for a moment and she runs from the room.)

DG: Karen still finds it difficult to talk about. We heard when we were on our way home from my nephew's birthday party.

***

Karen looked across at me as we drove home.

"You seem to be deep in thought. What about?"

"Sorry, I was thinking about the party. The fun the kids had."

"And what else?" I looked across at her. "Come on Dave, I can tell there's more to it than that, I know you too well by now."

"Actually... No, I can't tell you."

"Come on. Talk."

"If you must know." I sighed. Karen nodded her head. "I was wondering about what it's like to be a parent. To be responsible for the upbringing of a child. It's something I feel I'll never know."

"You've never said you wanted to be a father."

"I didn't want to put that pressure on you. It would be your career that went on hold for a while, and I couldn't ask that of you."

"But we've never really discussed it."

"Like I said, I wouldn't put that pressure on you. I still won't. You've given me more than I could have asked for, and I've never really thought too much about it."

"Until now?" She asked. I nodded, wishing I hadn't started this now. "I've not thought about it either. Maybe I should."

"Karen, you know I love you, but I'll never ask this of you. It has to be your decision." At this point her mobile rang. "Who is it?" I asked. Then I saw her face fall. "Karen, what's wrong?"

"We have to get to the Alexandria Hospital quickly. It's Clint; he's in a bad way." I put my foot down while she reset the sat-nav.

***

Interviewer: Clint had suffered a heart attack?

DG: He had; a massive one. (Karen comes back in.) Are you all right sweetheart?

KC: (Nods.) Just felt a bit queasy. (Dave looks a little puzzled.)

DG: We got to the hospital as quickly as possible, but no-one would let us see him.

KC: It was only when they realised he had no family, that we were the closest thing to family that he had, and that he was asking for us, that we got to see him one at a time. I was first. (Karen pauses, putting her hand to her mouth.) He looked terrible. (Karen looks down, tears forming in her eyes.) I'd known him since I was ten, my first director. He'd always treated me like I was his daughter. I sat next to him and held his hand. He looked across at me. He told me that Dave was meant for me, that we were the most perfect couple he had ever seen. We made him happy. He said I must carry on, finish the film, that my career was still ahead of me. (Karen stops, tears freely flowing from her eyes. Dave puts his arm around her and rests her head on his shoulder.) I'm sorry. Remembering that night still upsets me.

Interviewer: No, I'm sorry for reminding you.

DG: He said much the same to me, but he told me that it must be me who directed the last few parts of filming. He knew he was close to the end and wanted to bequeath his film crew to me, to carry on his work.

Interviewer: And you will?

DG: Yes. I already have a directing job lined up on Clint's recommendation.

Interviewer: It was you who gave the eulogy at his funeral too.

DG: (Shrugs.) It was in his will, but I wanted to do it anyway. He brought so much out of me, things I didn't know I could do. Speaking at his funeral hardly made up for that, but it was the only way I had to thank him.

***

I wasn't comfortable with making a public speech, but it was for Clint and in a way for Karen and was something I was going to have to get used to. I cleared my throat.

"We all knew Clint in different ways, but he was in essence a wonderfully simple man. He liked who he liked and wasn't worried by who he disliked. I was lucky I suppose, in that he liked me from the moment we met. Looking back, I suppose it was because I was new to the business of film-making, I had a different, and to him interesting, outlook to everyone else on the set. It gave him a different stimulus. We quickly became good friends. And when Karen and I had our dark period he never doubted me when even Karen I suspect wasn't certain. He kept in touch with me, offering me small parts or jobs, but never questioning me or judging me. He knew long before Karen or I that we'd be back together. He was the perfect friend and mentor. It was towards the end of those dark days that he said something to me when I thought Karen was going to end things that stays with me to this day. He told me 'The Dream is never over'. It was a creed he lived by. 'The Dream is NEVER over'. I try to live by it too now. It is the perfect epitaph for a wonderful human being, because even though he has gone, his dreams live on in all of us and in his many films."

I sat down next to Karen. She put her arm around me.

"That was perfect. I'm so glad I found you."

"Thank you. I should never have left you that time. We could have worked it out. It was a stupid decision brought on by shame."

"Shame?" She looked at me quizzically.

"I lifted my hand to you." I shrugged. "I'll never forgive myself for that."

"You should. I have. But I should never have let you go; or I should have looked for you. Like you say, we could have worked it out."

"What if's." I sighed. "It doesn't matter now, we're together still and mainly thanks to Clint. That's the important thing." I kissed her gently. "I'm going to miss him."

"We're all going to miss him love."

***

Interviewer: Am I right in assuming that Clint's death was the reason for the delay in the release of 'Emily'?

DG: Partially, but not in the way you might think. We, that is the whole film crew, wanted to make sure that everything was right for Clint's last work. That included the editing. We also went back and re-shot a couple of the later scenes that we had filmed after his death.

KC: None of us were at our best for those scenes and it showed. Dave was unhappy with his direction for the scenes too, so we recalled the crew, they were all happy to come, and remounted I think it was three scenes.

Interviewer: I must say that I for one couldn't differentiate between the scenes Clint directed and those of Dave.

DG: I'll take that as a compliment, thank you.

Interviewer: So what does the future hold for the pair of you and the franchise?

DG: I think that the franchise has run its course. (Smiles) But I've said that before. As for me, well I'm going to be trying to live up to the directorial standards Clint set.

KC: (Puts her hand on Dave's knee.) I know you'll do just fine. You always do yourself down too much.

Interviewer: And what about you Karen? Any films in the pipeline?

KC: Actually I'm thinking of taking a break from films for a couple of years or so. There are some things I want to do before it's too late.

Interviewer: Isn't that a bit of a risk? People may forget you.

KC: (Laughing.) Well I can think of one director who will still employ me!

***

I saw the journalist out and went back to Karen. She looked at me sheepishly.

"What was that about?" I asked mildly. "This 'break'. You haven't said anything before. I thought we were looking at doing a school comedy." I smiled wolfishly. "I always liked you as a schoolgirl."

She grinned back.

"You old Perv, you."

"Seriously, what are you up to?"

She looked sheepish again.

"Well, I suppose I should have mentioned it earlier, but I only got confirmation this morning. You are going to be a daddy in about seven months."

I sat down stunned. Since the conversation before Clint's heart attack neither of us had talked about having children. After several moments I asked.

"What made you change your mind?"

"I didn't change my mind. I told you before, I just hadn't thought about it. And then I was thinking about how alone Clint had seemed, and how you are around kids, and I realised that I did want a child. I want to see you with our child." She looked down, her face reddening in embarrassment.

"But why didn't you tell me that's what you wanted?"

"And spoil the surprise?" Now her eyes glittered in wicked amusement. "Besides, I knew if I said anything your natural worrying would kick in, so I decided to let nature take its course."

"You are a scheming, devious minx, but I love you anyway." I pulled her to me and held her close, kissing her long and hard.

"That's the schoolgirl comedy gone then." I said when we finally broke the kiss, needing air.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, however good an actress you are, I can't picture the mother of my child as a mischievous schoolie."

"Sorry. You'll have to come up with something else then, but you have got a couple of years to get it right." She grinned that grin. The one I had fallen in love with before I even met her. I kissed her again.

"Why do you put up with me?"

"Apart from your great kissing? Because even when you're wrong, it's for the right reasons. Now kiss me some more." I was happy to comply. I was always happy when I was with Karen, my soulmate. The Dream Is Never Over.