MONDAY MORNING - 5AM
Ouch. This stings. This is really early. I stared groggily at the ceiling as my alarm went off, swinging my legs off the bed and sitting for a few minutes, trying in vain to wake myself up. A shower. That would help.
Turns out it was the quickest shower I had ever had. Thanks to washing my hair last night - go me!- I was able to have longer in bed than I would have if I'd needed to wash my hair. Make up done, dressed and ready to head downstairs by 5.20am.
I perched on a couch in the foyer of the hotel when one of the doormen approached me, "Miss, your car is outside." He said, removing his hat as he spoke.
"Oh, thank you so much." I replied, lifting my bag and kit and following him to the revolving door. I spied a black car outside - this would take a lot of getting used to. Even though I was only a work placement I was being treated so well. A tall man in a suit opened the car door for me - "Morning Miss." He greeted me with a gentle smile.
I returned his smile, "Morning Dave." and climbed in the car, Dave shutting the door gently behind me.
It was only. short journey to the set. Well, I assumed it was the set - I had no idea what to expect. I pulled my phone out and called Joanne - letting her know that I was at the gate. "I'll be with you in a minute, Em." she replied. Dave stopped the car and got out, opening my door for me and grabbing my bags from the boot, "Thanks, Dave."
"Anytime, Miss. I'll be back here at 6pm to take you back to the hotel." He smiled, bidding me farewell just as Joanne had reached the gate."Morning Em!" All set for your first day then?" She asked, excited and a bit too awake for this time of morning. Well she did say that you got used to the early starts after a while.
"I. I think so." I stuttered, a nervous smile flashing over my face.
"Oh, no need to be nervous." She replied as she hung something around my neck, "You need to have this with you at ALL times. Wherever you are on set, you need this. DO NOT LOSE IT! Seriously, on pain of death, don't lose it." She re-iterated.
"Don't lose it. Staple it to my neck. Got it." I replied, joking gently.
"Ok, let's get you on set." She grinned as we headed past security and onto the lot.
I was in awe of everything. People were walking past dressed in Asgardian attire. Parts of sets were being transported around the lot. Electricians, technicians and other various crew members were scurrying about everywhere. I noticed Chris Hemsworth leaving his trailer - holy shit he was HUGE!
Joanne must have noticed the look on my face and followed my line of vision - "Yeah, he's massive isn't he? He's such a gentle giant though." She waved over at Chris, shouting a good morning at him. He held his hand up in the air and returned the greeting to her.
We kept walking and approached a large trailer. I followed Joanne up the few stairs and through the metal door - I could feel the warmth coming from inside and was glad of it.
Joanne approached a slightly older lady - I'd say mid forties - and began speaking to her. She smiled at Joanne before walking over towards me.
"You must be Emilie." She smiled, "I'm Karen. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She said, extending her hand to me. I reciprocated, shaking her hand, "The pleasure's mine. Thank you so much for giving me this chance."
Karen shrugged, "It was an easy choice. Your folio was very impressive. That Moulin Rouge look you did? Inspiring." She said, smiling at me.
"Thank you." I blushed. "That means so much." I had worked my arse off on that project and was glad it showed in the final photos.
Over a cup of tea, Karen took me through what I would be doing during the day, giving me a tour of the trailer as she did. "So you'll be working with Joanne - we've got a lot of extras to get through today. There's some big battle scene that they're shooting so it's all hands on deck. We'll have a quick break when they're settled then be back on set for touch ups etc. I'll be working in the trailer next door." She explained as I sipped my tea, "I tend to work on the principal cast. Depending on how you get on I might give you a shout and you can come help me when the extras are done for the day. That sound ok?" She asked.
OK? OK? That sounded bloody incredible! I had to keep calm though. "Yeah, that sounds great! Thank you." I had just finished my cup when the door opened and the first of the extras filed in. Karen said her goodbyes and headed next door while Joanne and I got to work.
She told me what kind of look they were going for and pointed to a few photos that were stuck on the wall that I could work from. The extras were lovely and chatted away as I worked - not at all put off by the fact that I was only the work experience. It made me feel instantly at ease.
Time flew by as I worked - a sign that I was truly enjoying what I was doing. I worked on my last client - I'd done ten today, all needing the same look applied to them. Joanne kept checking on me every now and then, giving the ok before any of them left the trailer. She seemed pleased with my work and didn't need to do any touch ups for me. While the extras headed to set, we tidied up a bit before Joanne left, telling me to sit tight for a couple of minutes and shutting the door behind her.
True to her word she returned moments later, a smile on her face as she popped her head through the trailer door, "Come on. Karen wants you to see her. Show you the kind of work she does with the main cast."
I stood up quickly, so keen to see this. "That would be great!" I couldn't believe I was going to watch Marvel's head of makeup at work on the principal cast.
Joanne locked the trailer door, securing our bags and kits inside and guided me over the lot where the rest of the hair and make up trailers were parked. She opened the door to Karens and urged me to follow her. Nervously I did, climbing the few metal stairs behind her. I heard a couple of English accents and a deep laugh coming from inside.
I enter the trailer to see Karen hard at work. Chris Hemsworth was sitting in one chair in full Thor hair and make up - but his normal clothes - laughing at something Karen said. Joanne introduced me to him, pushing me forward slightly.
"Chris, this is Emilie. She'll be joining us for a few weeks."
Chris smiled at me and I feared I would melt. "Nice to meet you. I hope you'll enjoy your stay. It's not true what they say about us, honest. Well. Not all of it, eh Karen?" His laugh boomed once more. His accent sounded amazing.
"It's nice to meet you too. I'm sure I will, The all still seems a bit surreal to be honest." We chatted for a few minutes before Karen called me over.
"Excuse me." I said to Chris and headed over to Karen's chair - it was reclined slightly as she worked on her client.
"Meet the other star of the show. Emilie, this is Tom. Tom, Emilie." Karen said, waving her hand between us. Tom looked up and smiled at me.
"Hi. Pleasure to meet you." I smiled down at him as he reclined in Karen's chair.
"The pleasure's mine." He replied, extending his hand. I placed my hand in his to shake it but Tom held it in his and kissed it. "How long will you be with us?" He questioned, moving in the chair and stretching his back.
I couldn't help but blush at what had just happened - that and the fact that he was still holding my hand. And I hoped to god that it wasn't sweaty.
"Four weeks." I replied, happy that my voice didn't come out a squeak as Tom let go of my hand.
"Is that a Scottish accent I hear?" He asked, an eyebrow raised as his head sat up, paying close attention.
"It is indeed. 100% Scottish, born and bred." I replied laughing, trying to forget how much of a fool I'd made of myself when I'd walked into him at the hotel. Thankfully he didn't seem to remember or recognise me.
"I'm 50% Scottish, Dad's side" He replied, smiling.
"Right Thomas" Chris interrupted, "stop flirting with the new girl and let Karen do her job. God knows you need more time in that chair than anyone" Chris laughed, winding Tom up.
"Oh, do be quiet brother" Tom said in his best Loki voice.
I laughed at the scene unfolding in front of me. I heard Joanne laughing and looked over to her - she rolled her eyes as if to say 'Boys!'
After the hilarity had subsided Karen got back to work on Tom and I stood behind the chair, watching her process intently and taking in any little hints or pieces of information that she was passing on.
I was vaguely aware of a feeling of being watched. I looked up in to the mirror and caught the gaze of Tom who appeared to be watching me intently. He spoke up while Karen fetched something from the other end of the trailer.
"If it's not too forward to say, you look very familiar Emilie." he said, brows furrowed as he tried to remember.
"Really?" I asked, maintaining his eye contact through the mirror.
I bit my lip, silently praying that he wouldn't remember the clumsy idiot who walked in to him a few days ago. "Really?" I asked.
"Yes. I'm sure I know you from some-" he cut himself off, "That's it. The hotel? Are you staying at the Savoy?" He asked, "Did I bump into you in the corridor?" He looked uncertain and mortified at the same time as he asked.
Damn it. Caught. "Eh, yes. That was me and I am so sorry." I was so embarrassed.
"No. Don't apologise. I was the one who walked in to you. My apologies." He bowed his head slightly as he spoke.
Without thinking, I placed my hand on his shoulder, "Why don't we just call a truce then?" I smiled at him in the mirror and he returned it. Before he could say anything, Karen returned and my hand quickly retreated. "Right Tom, you're all done. You boys better head over to wardrobe - they'll be waiting and Coleen doesn't like to be kept waiting." She pulled the robe off of Tom and he pulled himself out of the chair.
Chris stood up and I realised just how big he really was close up. "Let's go brother." He said to Tom, heading to the door, "See you all later."
Tom followed suit - this time I knew exactly how tall he would be. "Karen, thank you. You too Joanne." He gave them both a quick hug, his leg sticking out a bit as he did. Then he turned to me, "Emilie, pleasure meeting you. Again." He grinned, "See you around." He winked and headed out the trailer, giving me a final smile as he turned round to close the door behind him.