"Hey guys," Michelle said as she saw Sam and Rachael approach with the director. "Jason just told me the funniest joke."
"It'll have to wait, Michelle," the director said. "I don't want to lose the light."
"It's morning, David," Michelle said. "What do you mean 'lose the light'?"
David smiled. "A joke! You know? 'Ha, ha'?"
Michelle just looked at him with a cold, icy stare.
"Okay, maybe it's not as funny as Jason's, but at least I tried," the director said. That got a chuckle out of one of the cameramen.
"You still have to work on your sense of humor," Katie added as she approached without looking up from her script. Then, Katie looked up and smiled at David. Obvious sarcasm.
David shrugged. "Yeah okay. Let's see if we can get this done in one take."
Katie replied with sarcasm, "That would be a first."
Dawson's house
through the door in
the episode's teaser >>
"Lunch? It's breakfast time," Al said when Sam told him it was time for lunch.
Sam and Al walked back to James' truck. Sam made sure no one else was in hearing distance as he talked to his holographic friend.
"Breakfast? What are you talking about? It's almost eleven-thirty."
"For you it is," Sam replied. "You forget we're in different time zones."
"Oh yeah. Hey, wait a sec. Kevin Williamson wanted to go over something he called 'dailies' with me," Sam stated.
"All right," Al said. "Kevin's over in that building. Me? I'm going to get me some waffles for breakfast. See you later, Sam."
"Sure, Al. I'll keep an eye on Rachael for you."
Al smiled and nodded, realizing Sam was only joking.
Sam's eyes adjusted to the darkness. The only light in the room was from the screen that had yesterday's film footage showing on it.
"James, over here," said Kevin Williamson from the middle row of the small theater. Kevin was seated to Sam's right, with the director, David Semel, seated two seats from Kevin's right. A few rows behind Kevin were a man and a woman that Sam did not recognize. There was also a few people in business suits seated toward the front of the theater. They must be network execs, Sam figured. Sam sat down in the aisle seat across from Kevin.
"I've seen some of the footage from yesterday and it looks good," Kevin said. "It looks like your work yesterday was outstanding as usual."
"Just don't go completely 'Hollywood' on us, okay, Mr. 'Varsity Blues'?" David Semel joked. Turing his attention to Kevin Williamson, he said, "Anyway, something does not feel right about the teaser."
On the screen was the show's teaser. This was the scene that would be shown before the opening credits were to roll by. In the teaser, Dawson and Joey are talking about who to cast in the "Joey" role for Dawson's movie, which he films for this episode of "Dawson's Creek". Joey decides to leave as Dawson prepares for his movie to be filmed in a few days.
Katie, as her character, said onscreen, "I should really go this time. Yeah, cause I'm really tired and you obviously have a lot to do, so..."
Onscreen, James replied as his character, "I'll see you tomorrow, Joey."
As Katie stood up and turned back to James, she said, "Yeah, um, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Jo," replied Dawson.
"Something's wrong with this scene," the director said to Kevin Williamson.
One of the men that Sam did not know said, "There's something missing."
The woman next to him agreed. "Yes. What are we missing?"
Kevin replied, "You forgot a basic 'Dawson's Creek' law: Joey always leaves Dawson's room by the window. Here, you have her exiting through the door."
"Right." It dawned on the man Sam did not know. "Of course. How could we have missed that, Shelley?"
The director asked Kevin Williamson, "Do you want me to reshoot the end of the scene?"
"No, David. It's fine," Kevin said. Taking a moment to think, Kevin then said, "If you leave it as it is, it shows a new dimension to their relationship. If Joey does not go through the window, it shows she's taking steps to separate herself from Dawson and their past. Was this your idea, Darin?"
Darin Goldberg, the co-writer of the episode, replied, "No, it was Shelley's."
"Thanks," Shelley Meals said, knowing the scene was not intended to convey that sentiment. It was really a mistake."
"That's all right. Print it as is. No one will pick up on it anyway. I'll have to remember to tell Paul about this when he gets back," Kevin said.
The next few scenes rolled by without too much comment.
"Here's a scene that seemed a bit flat," David Semel said as the next scene was shown.
Scene ten was set in Dawson's room. Pacey and Dawson were rearranging the Spielberg movie posters to set up the room to film Dawson's movie.
"Did I miss any scenes with Rachael?"
Sam had heard the Imaging Chamber door open and was not surprised this time when Al appeared next to him. Sam replied by shaking his head slightly.
"Good," Al said with a smile as he turned to the screen.
Onscreen, Josh said his line. "We just put the 'E.T.' poster up. Why are you taking it down?"
James replied, "There is not the shot. Over there, it'll be in the perfect position."
Al made another one of his classic remarks. "What position does Rachael like?"
Sam tilted his head and gave Al the same half-smirk look that he always gives Al when Al makes a comment like that.