Page 18 of The Cut

Karine Mickelsen emerged from the footpath that led through a dense thicket of trees at the base of Mallet Hill.

Half of the ancient burial mound to the north had been eaten away by an open cast granite quarry, but the south side of the hill, the sacred side, was still intact.

The frosty gorse bushes shivered in the breeze and the crispy remains of fallen leaves crunched underfoot as she approached the kissing gate that led to the river’s edge.

She stared out towards the stone walls of the austere structure nestled in woodland, inhaled sharply and let the icy vapour escape from her mouth as she crossed the bridge over the river.

Hands thrust deep into her jeans pockets, Mickelsen pulled out her phone and took a photograph of Blackstone Mill.

At the beginning of every venture, at the moment when the theoretical research was over and principal photography began, there was a feeling of anticipation for what was about to happen.

The entire narrative needed to be clear in her head because when the starting gun fired, there was no turning back.

‘Excuse me … what are you doing? This is private property!’ Behind the Transit, a flatbed pickup loaded with the wreckage of a pearl-grey Polestar had crawled around the corner of the grove.

Ben Knot was leaning out of the window, shouting at the van parked up on his drive.

He swung the cab door open, jumped down on to the pavement and stormed towards a bemused-looking stoner in work boots, jeans and a T-shirt, chugging on a vape and pulling a trolley loaded with monitors and cables across the grass.

‘Didn’t you hear me?’ Ben tapped at his ear. ‘Move the van off my drive.’

A cloud of vape smoke that smelled of pear drops billowed into Ben’s face as a tattooed hand pulled out an ear bud. ‘You what? Sorry?’

‘Your wheels are chewing up my lawn, mate.’ Ben wafted his hand through the cloud of vape as Dani appeared at the front door.

‘Ben? … Ben, he got it … he got the part!’ Dani appeared to be in full stage make-up and had shimmied into a festive sequined tank top at 4 p.m. on a Friday afternoon.

Ben frowned at her, confused. ‘Wait … What are you on about?’ 97

‘Didn’t you get my text?’ She was sipping a glass of blush Prosecco. ‘The film Nate auditioned for! He’s doing it.’ Some kind of celebration was afoot. ‘The director’s here, come in and meet her.’

He flinched. ‘Her?’ Then checked himself. ‘Hold on a second, this is all a bit sudden, isn’t it?’ Ben stared at the equipment strewn all over the driveway and front lawn.

‘You’ve got something on your face, love.

’ Dani scrunched her cuff and leant in to wipe Ben’s cheek but he pulled away.

‘Come in. Karine will explain.’ Dani turned to Fruity Vape.

‘I opened the garage door for you, love. You can put all your gear in there.’ Her heels click-clacked their way into the atrium. She was in full party mode.

‘Where do you want it, mate? I got another call out.’ The driver of the flatbed, clipboard in hand, was scribbling on the paperwork and checking his watch. Ben’s shoulders sank as he signed the form and watched as the wreck of his car was dumped on to the road.

Minutes later, Ben was standing in the kitchen, awkwardly holding a glass of the pink fizz as Dani and Karine, who appeared to have bonded instantly, machine-gunned their way through all the facts and details of the film in which his son had apparently managed to bag the lead role.

‘When did all this happen?’ Ben slung his coat over the back of a high stool by the kitchen island. ‘I’ve only been away a week.’

‘Well … they liked his audition tape.’ Dani smiled over at Nate.

‘We loved the tape.’ Karine touched her arm.

‘They got him in for call-backs along with some of the rest of his year.’ Dani was flushed with excitement. ‘And he smashed it!’

Nate was slumped on the sofa in the den, playing on Lily’s Xbox, one eye on the TV, one ear listening to his fate. ‘I am the lead, though … tell him.’ 98

‘That’s right. Nate’s the leading man.’ Dani beamed at Ben. ‘Timothy Charmly eat your heart out, right?’

‘Timothée Chalamet … That’s how you say it.’ Nate cringed.

‘Whatever,’ Dani muttered under her breath, topping up her glass.

She leant against the quartz worktop and fluttered her fake lashes at her new-found friend.

‘Is there a part in it for me?’ There was a pause as Karine Mickelsen diplomatically sipped her wine.

‘Only kidding. Can’t act to save my life. Well, apart from that one time—’

‘Dani …’ Ben stepped in, just in time to stop her straddling a chair and belting out the opening bars of ‘Life is a Cabaret’.

Karine flashed a professional smile and then turned her head to Ben. ‘I can assure you, you won’t even know that we’re here, Mr Knot. I’m originally from a documentary background.’

‘She’s got an Oscar.’ Dani nudged Ben, her eyes full of boastful pride.

‘Actually, a César … it’s kind of a French Oscar.’

‘Ooo la la.’ Dani filled her glass and clinked with Karine.

Ben glanced over at Nate. ‘So … what’s the film about?’

‘It’s a horror film. Max Crow.’ Dani shivered with excitement.

‘Well, we like to think of it as elevated genre.’ Karine smiled reassuringly.

Nate piped up from the den. ‘She says it’s going be like The Hoax … and that was massive.’

Karine smiled. ‘Yes. Unexpected blockbuster. Horror and superheroes are the only things keeping Hollywood in the black these days.’

Ben frowned. ‘Well, before he gets involved, don’t we need to see a contract? Is he going to be paid? What’s the deal?’

‘Jumping straight into the legals there, typical. He’s getting paid, aren’t you, pet?

’ Dani gave Nate a thumbs-up. He smiled 99 back and returned his attention to the video game.

‘Don’t bother your head about all that, Ben.

I’ve sorted it.’ Her elbow slipped on the counter, her Prosecco sloshing on to her sequins.

Intoxicated in more ways than one, as money, fame and film premieres flashed before her eyes.

‘Er … OK. Look …’ Ben shook his head in disbelief.

Karine jumped in. ‘I’ll have all the paperwork prepared for you. Trust me, we need insurance as much as you do.’

Ben nodded, allowing himself to be drawn into Karine’s calm gaze. He studied her extraordinary face. She looked almost like an apparition: pale skin and white hair with eyes so light it was hard to identify the colour. She smiled at him.

‘You cool with all this?’ Ben addressed Nate in the den.

‘Yeah, Dad, I’m sweet … Do I get time off school?’ He rose from the sofa.

‘NO!’ Ben and Dani chimed in unison.

Karine placed her glass down and stepped forward towards Ben, smiling. ‘Please don’t worry, Mr Knot, the whole film will be seamless. We will be completely invisible. Most of the content is remote capture or found footage. We usually ask for access to phone cameras but that’s totally up to you.’

Ben raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say a word, Dani chipped in.

‘Nate loves all that, don’t you, pet? You’re OK if we use the camera on your phone, aren’t you, love?’ Dani turned back to Karine. ‘They live their lives on camera, don’t they? Film everything.’ She beamed with excitement.

The tattooed crew member with the fruity vape stomped past them towards the utility room. ‘All right if I use the bog?’ Ben’s eyes followed him, uncomfortable with all these people in the house. 100

‘Is there a script we can see?’ Ben placed his glass down. ‘I’d just like to know what he’s going to be involved in.’

‘Script? … All right, Scorsese! Honestly, I can’t even get him to read a WhatsApp message.’ Dani was refilling that glass again, sidling up to Karine.

Karine smiled, but her lips remained clamped over her teeth.

‘It’s largely improvised. We’ll guide Nathan towards a narrative by setting some goals.

Does the phrase “fly on the wall” ring a bell?

’ Her crystal silver-blue eyes sparkled at Ben.

‘Think of me as a giant bluebottle with all-seeing eyes.’

The toilet in the utility room flushed as Fruity Vape emerged, a slightly more pungent smell following in his wake.

‘Mate. You got high-speed fibre I assume, judging by the place. Can I grab access to your router and Wi-Fi code?’ He scratched his balls.

Ben squeezed his eyes tight, trying to block everything out.

‘I’ll just run a cable to the equipment loaded in the garage. ’

‘It’s in the basement, I’ll show you.’ Dani placed her glass down and wobbled on her heels towards the hallway.

‘We usually set up something called a “video village”. It’s like the hub of the film, where all the equipment lives.

’ Karine leant against the counter and stared calmly at Ben.

‘But you won’t even know we’re here.’ She toasted her glass to Ben with a reassuring flourish.

‘I’m fastidious. I hate leaving a mess!’

Dani was drunkenly tugging at the door that led down to the basement.

‘It’s locked, hon … you have the key?’

Ben sighed. ‘I … um … I need the paperwork before we dive in headfirst. I’m sorry, it’s just … it’s all a bit of a whirlwind, isn’t it?’

‘Welcome to show business. Once a film is green lit, everyone is on borrowed time.’ 101

Ben stood clenching his jaw. ‘Look, I had a prang in my car, shattered the windscreen. I just need to deal with that right now.’

‘You what?’ Dani stood open-mouthed.

Karine glanced at the small cut above Ben’s eye. ‘But of course, I understand. I’ll email you the contract and you can sign digitally … if it gets your approval.’ Then she looked at her watch and zipped up her jacket.

Ben moved over to the sink in the kitchen to wash his hands. Grabbing a sheet of kitchen paper, he dabbed his eye.

‘Great meeting you, Dani. We’ll be in touch sooner rather than later.’

‘Where are you staying, by the way? We’ve got a whole granny annex downst—’ Dani’s eyes flicked to Ben. ‘Sorry … studio flat.’

Karine made eye contact with Ben. ‘We checked into the Red Lion. Seems nice. Creaky and quaint. Enough room for the rest of my crew.’ She gently ushered Fruity Vape towards the front door.

‘Beer, ciggie-stained walls and cheese and onion crisps … right up my street.’ He took another drag as Karine clicked the door closed, and they were gone.

‘I can’t believe you crashed the car.’ Dani was unfocused and not quite present. ‘That’ll bugger up your no claims.’ She slouched back towards the fridge for a refill with a face like thunder.

‘I’m fine, thanks for asking.’ Ben felt a pair of arms slide around his waist.

‘Oh, don’t be like that. Of course I’m glad you’re OK. I just wish you could be a bit more excited about the film.’

Ben sighed and leant into her embrace. ‘I’m excited for Nate … Happy now?’

‘You’re letting him do it then?’ He felt her lips kissing into his neck, he turned and pulled her closer. 102

‘Anything that makes you smile like that gets my vote.’ There was a relief in Ben’s voice as he exhaled. Dani’s sparkle always made everything better.

‘Oh my God, Nate! You’re gonna be a film star … we’re going to Hollywood.’ Dani planted a kiss on Ben’s lips and closed her eyes.

Hollywood. He winced at the thought. What on earth were they letting themselves in for?