breakinglight11 | 31 Plays in 31 Days, #22

More from Dream Machine, specifically the debacle I’m planning at the Emmys. I’m still working out the idea, but I want the team to be put in a position where the circumstances force them to make a decision between being self-serving for career purposes and protecting the collaborative and artistic integrity of the show they’re working on— such that they make a hard choice to do good work and do right by each other, but at the expense of their position in the industry. I haven’t fully worked out what that means yet, but I want the Emmys to be the point where they start paying for that.

I’m brining back a character who features in the flashbacks of episode 5, Marian Granville, the original creator of West Chesterham before she left for greener pastures. Bernie had an idea for season 2 that basically involved building a nega-team of our leads for them to be in creative competition with, and Marian could be that team’s writer.

Day #22 - Small Pond
From Dream Machine
By Phoebe Roberts

LEAH LUCCHESI, showrunner of Offcomer at Dream Machine, mid thirties
MARIAN GRANDVILLE, creator and original showrunner of West Chesterham, late forties
~~~

Leah is dressed to the nines and sipping on a Shirley Temple at the Emmys pre-ceremony.

MARIAN: (Off) Well. Look at you. Guess you took my advice.

She turns to see Marian Granville, her old boss and the former showrunner of West Chesterham.

MARIAN: For all the good it did you in the end.

LEAH: Excuse me, have we met?

MARIAN: Oh, don’t play that game with me.

LEAH: I’m sorry. I tend to block out people who throw their entire team to the wolves when something better comes along.

MARIAN: That’s your attitude? You ought to be on your knees thanking me. Where you be now, if I didn’t give you the chance that made you?

LEAH: Gave me the chance? Gave me?

MARIAN: Oh, please. Listen to you.

LEAH: You never gave me anything— not in two years!

MARIAN: For Christ’s sake, Leah. So you had to take care of yourself— just like everybody else in this business.

LEAH: Doesn’t justify screwing over everybody you worked with to get there.

MARIAN: Oh, yeah, I heard. Don’t cross Dresden and Lucchesi— she’ll fire her own lead. You know, that loyalty thing goes both ways.

LEAH: Word travels fast. Did you also hear how he violated his contract?

MARIAN: I heard everything, kid. Particularly how to you and Dresden went up against Geryon Group.

LEAH: Went up against— do you mean Cory Bentley?

MARIAN: Same thing at this point, darling. Do you think you still could have a professional relationship with his company after that?

LEAH: So what? He’s just one jerk.

MARIAN: And here I thought you’d grown past being a mopey room assistant who didn’t know anything about the industry. It’s a small pond, Leah, and Geryon Group is a much bigger fish than you are. As long as Bentley’s a player, nobody who wants to work with them again will have anything to do with you.

LEAH: So you didn’t hear that we got seven nominations?

MARIAN: Yeah. Enjoy it while you can. Because you’re not going home with any of them.

LEAH: You don’t know that.

MARIAN: Sure, kid. I don’t know anything.

LEAH: That’s seven nominations, Marian. For my show. What have you done that ever came close?

MARIAN: I guess you’ll see next season. With the team I’m putting together. As for you… let’s hope somebody still calls.

Marian pats Leah’s cheek and turns to go.

MARIAN: You really do clean up cute, girl. When you put in the effort.