Someone’s approaching…

A professional-looking woman with a gleaming new iPad walks over, smiling brightly. ‘Emma? Ms. Watson?’

‘Emma’s fine.’ With a final squeeze, Emma drops your hand. ‘How’s everything coming along?’

‘Right on schedule,’ the woman says confidently. ‘We’ve got a few guys from Paramount dropping off the lighting gear in ten, but I’ll keep them strictly downstairs. Only people on this list get past security.’ She taps her iPad. ‘And it’s a short list, don’t worry. This isn’t our first closed set.’

Emma looks interested. ‘Oh, really? Who else have you shot?’

‘Well, we’re just the production company,’ the woman says. ‘Janson Media, at your service – and I’m Holly, by the way, Holly Janson. But we’ve worked on hundreds of shoots – Charlize Theron, Alicia Vikander, Ariana Grande… and that’s just in the last year.’

Emma looks reassured. ‘Oh, okay. Great. Nice to meet you, Holly.’

‘And you, Emma.’ The woman looks down at her iPad. ‘Okay, so we’re just waiting on the lighting gear and, of course, the photographer. She’s flying direct to us – special chartered plane – from Tennessee, so she should be here in the next hour. Only the best for this shoot.’

Emma’s face turns nervous, but excited. ‘She’s probably my favourite photographer. James, have you ever seen an Annie Leibowitz shoot?’

You can’t honestly say you have, so you shrug instead. ‘Probably. Not sure I could point to one off the top of my head, though.’

‘Well, you’ll be in the very best of hands.’ Holly Janson smiles again, showing brilliant white teeth, and then taps her right ear. ‘No,’ she barks suddenly, ‘tell them we’ll bring it up ourselves! I’m perfectly capable of carrying a C-stand. They are not to get past security.’ She mouths a quick sorry as she walks away.

Emma takes a deep breath. ‘Well. I suppose it’s really happening.’

‘Guess so,’ you agree. Emma lets out a nervous laugh.

‘You know, it’s funny – the longest part of these shoots is always the styling! Trying on different clothes, different outfits, the hair, the make-up… well.’ She looks up at you sheepishly. ‘I suppose there’ll still be hair and make-up, but I keep expecting someone to wheel out a rack of dresses from somewhere…’

You chuckle, resting a hand on her shoulder. ‘At least it’ll save time.’

‘What’ll save time?’