Stage Is Ready, Just Fade In

Around 11 in the night, I was on the stairs inside a duplex. My mind is on the next scene that has to be shot. The cinematographer, along with the lightman, was already mounting the camera and the lights to lit up space. He had already discussed with me what the shot is and how the framing must be. The actress is getting ready in a separate room upstairs. The production manager was waiting for dinner which she had ordered for all of us. The asst. director was bugging the cinematographer for the last shot so that he could fill his log-book. The actor was walking in the hall in order to wait for his take in the next shot. Just then, I was getting 2 separate calls one after another from my friend who recently discovered my birthday on that day. I received the calls just to inform the situation and assured them to call back.

Just then, I waited to register and absorb all the things that had been happening around me (What I wrote above). And at that moment, I felt

This is where I want to be. This is what I want to do. This is how I must be.

The feeling of belongingness – I was making a film.

Last year, on the same date, I was performing among audiences.

Last to last year, on the same date, I was part of a rehearsal for the next day’s show which we knew would turn out to be bad; we were unprepared.

Just yesterday, someone exclaims, “O, that’s why you were shooting; because it was your birthday.”

This is not true. The shooting dates, somehow, due to its nature of uncertainty, shifted and then extended to my birthday. In fact, I had another rehearsal planned for that day since the shoot was about to finish just a day before. Coincidentally, the shoot date extended and the person with whom I was supposed to rehearse had to cancel due to some exciting opportunity.

The point is that, on my birthday, I wanted to be part of some creative work I usually love to do – theatre or filmmaking. I planned for it but fate had something wonderful instead.

You know what did I do just after the shoot?

I called the same person to fix the rehearsal date in the coming days. Moreover, I messaged my director and ask when he is planning rehearsals for our play.

Because I want to be engaged and immersed myself in the performance and lighting, camera, musical jams, blocking and action. Whether I fail and succeed in concessions, our laughs, cries and chorus or vocals will echo in the chaotic but beautiful atmosphere. I, like a happy kid, will be a part of something magnificent and magical.

I want to spend every day like this, just like this.