Anyone Else But You
One
“Flight for Los Angeles, California is now boarding. Have a safe journey.”
The sound of the ridiculously happy woman announcing my flight came over the intercom, and I groaned, pulling myself up from the seat in the airport. I hated flying, it was so tedious.
I was flying to LA to attend a read through for a new film that I was working on, but they were always tedious affairs. It was to give me an idea of how to write the score for it, because at the moment I had absolutely no idea what would be right for the film.
I joined the back of the queue to get ready to board, my headphones stuck in my ears, listening to the War Horse soundtrack. I loved film scores, and from a young age that’s all I wanted to do; write music for the screen.
I went through the final gate and made my way onto the plane, before being directed to my seat. I sat down in my allocated seat, next to a tall, lanky man who seemed to be engrossed in a conversation with the person in front of him. He was covered in tattoos, and he had this cheeky grin on his face as he conversed with the red head in front of me. I sorted myself out, placing my hand luggage in the overhead lockers, before settling down and pulling out the script of the film I was writing for; might as well start creating ideas now.
I checked my mobile, seeing there was a message from my sister Anna telling me to call when I’ve landed. I smiled at the message “Jonah says he’s gonna miss you”, and quickly typed out a reply telling her I would call her, and that I would also miss Jonah.
As the plane started down the runway, I turned off my mobile and my iPod, and settled into reading the script.
“You’re an actress?” came a deep voice from beside me. I turned to face my companion for the flight.
“No, a film composer actually. This is the next project I’m working on.” I replied to him.
“Seriously? That’s so cool! I love films, and I always think the music makes it that much more special!” a massive grin spread across his face, I couldn’t help but smile back; his smile was infectious.
“Yeah, I agree. Film moments wouldn’t be the same without music. Can you imagine having Jaws attack the boat and not have that two note theme? Or Darth Vader entering the Death Star, and there to be just the sound of his footsteps? It would be awful!” I laughed.
“Agreed, the Star Wars music is some of the best out there!” he nodded eagerly. I laughed at his eagerness, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen him somewhere before.
“I’m Austin by the way,” he said introducing himself. Nope, didn’t ring any bells.
“I’m Emma,” I said, shaking his outstretched hand.
“Is that a British accent I hear?” he asked me, and I nodded, “what brings you to New York and now to California?”
“I grew up in Oxford, England and then I got a place at Julliard when I was 18, and moved out here for that. I haven’t really gone back since. I’m going to California for a read through of the new film,” I explained.
“So what made you want to be a composer?” he asked me.
“I just loved films growing up, and I knew I always wanted to be involved in them in some way. I started playing the piano when I was 8, and I realised that I loved writing little themes on it, rather than actually playing music that existed,” I laughed, remembering what a nightmare I used to be, he laughed along with me, “but then I started taking it more seriously, and when I was 18 I got that place at Julliard, taking my music to a whole new level. I learnt how to take my ideas and make them something, so before they were snippets, now I have hundreds of scores sat in my apartment, begging to be used. It’s kinda sad really; most will probably never see the light of day.”
“That is kinda sad, but if you ever make it as big as John Williams or Danny Elfman or even Bernard Hermann, then when you die, those unused scores would be worth millions,” he smiled down at me, impressing me with his knowledge of film composers.
“Yeah, maybe. Anyways, enough about me, what do you do?” I said trying to get the subject away from me. I was very aware that I can talk about myself for days if someone would let me, I’m not arrogant; I just like talking about my life and inspiration, I led quite an interesting one.
“I’m in a metalcore band called Of Mice & Men,” he smirked at me, as the realisation of who I was talking to hit me.
“Shit, you’re Austin Carlile; my best friend in the UK loved you guys! I can’t believe it took me so long to realise who you are!”
He just carried on smirking at me, and I blushed realising how weird that sounded.
“It’s fine, I’m kinda glad you’re not some sort of fan girl,” he stuck his tongue out at me playfully, and I rolled my eyes.
“I went with her to see you guys in London last year,” I laughed, “I thought you and your friend looked familiar,” I gestured to who I now realised was Alan Ashby, in the seat in front
of me.
He laughed at that, and we carried on talking about how much I’d loved seeing them, and before we knew it, we were descending down into LA.
As the plane pulled into the airport, Austin sighed from beside me.
“It was nice meeting you, Austin,” I smiled up at him.
“And you Emma,” he returned my smile.
I made my way out into the aisle, collecting my hand luggage, and sending a quick wave to Austin, noticing that he was deep in conversation with Alan again, before making my way off the plane.
I made my way towards the baggage collection point, and waited for my suitcase to arrive, sticking my headphones back in my ears, and turning on the Star Wars soundtrack. As I was just losing myself in my music, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around to be faced with Austin.
I pulled the ear buds out of my ears, and looked up at him questioningly.
“Give me your phone,” he demanded. I handed it over silently, thoroughly confused, as he punched something in, before returning it back to my hand with a wink, and he strutted away back towards his band.
I unlocked my phone, and saw that he’d added his number, and sent himself a text. I rolled my eyes, and looked over at him, just in time to catch his stare at me. He pulled his own mobile out, and typed something in before my phone went off in my hand. I glanced down and saw it was a text from him. I laughed at the triumphant smirk he was sending me, and opened it.
“We should meet up while you’re here in the lovely land of Hollywood! Call me and let me know where and what time beautiful! Austin x”
The sound of the ridiculously happy woman announcing my flight came over the intercom, and I groaned, pulling myself up from the seat in the airport. I hated flying, it was so tedious.
I was flying to LA to attend a read through for a new film that I was working on, but they were always tedious affairs. It was to give me an idea of how to write the score for it, because at the moment I had absolutely no idea what would be right for the film.
I joined the back of the queue to get ready to board, my headphones stuck in my ears, listening to the War Horse soundtrack. I loved film scores, and from a young age that’s all I wanted to do; write music for the screen.
I went through the final gate and made my way onto the plane, before being directed to my seat. I sat down in my allocated seat, next to a tall, lanky man who seemed to be engrossed in a conversation with the person in front of him. He was covered in tattoos, and he had this cheeky grin on his face as he conversed with the red head in front of me. I sorted myself out, placing my hand luggage in the overhead lockers, before settling down and pulling out the script of the film I was writing for; might as well start creating ideas now.
I checked my mobile, seeing there was a message from my sister Anna telling me to call when I’ve landed. I smiled at the message “Jonah says he’s gonna miss you”, and quickly typed out a reply telling her I would call her, and that I would also miss Jonah.
As the plane started down the runway, I turned off my mobile and my iPod, and settled into reading the script.
“You’re an actress?” came a deep voice from beside me. I turned to face my companion for the flight.
“No, a film composer actually. This is the next project I’m working on.” I replied to him.
“Seriously? That’s so cool! I love films, and I always think the music makes it that much more special!” a massive grin spread across his face, I couldn’t help but smile back; his smile was infectious.
“Yeah, I agree. Film moments wouldn’t be the same without music. Can you imagine having Jaws attack the boat and not have that two note theme? Or Darth Vader entering the Death Star, and there to be just the sound of his footsteps? It would be awful!” I laughed.
“Agreed, the Star Wars music is some of the best out there!” he nodded eagerly. I laughed at his eagerness, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen him somewhere before.
“I’m Austin by the way,” he said introducing himself. Nope, didn’t ring any bells.
“I’m Emma,” I said, shaking his outstretched hand.
“Is that a British accent I hear?” he asked me, and I nodded, “what brings you to New York and now to California?”
“I grew up in Oxford, England and then I got a place at Julliard when I was 18, and moved out here for that. I haven’t really gone back since. I’m going to California for a read through of the new film,” I explained.
“So what made you want to be a composer?” he asked me.
“I just loved films growing up, and I knew I always wanted to be involved in them in some way. I started playing the piano when I was 8, and I realised that I loved writing little themes on it, rather than actually playing music that existed,” I laughed, remembering what a nightmare I used to be, he laughed along with me, “but then I started taking it more seriously, and when I was 18 I got that place at Julliard, taking my music to a whole new level. I learnt how to take my ideas and make them something, so before they were snippets, now I have hundreds of scores sat in my apartment, begging to be used. It’s kinda sad really; most will probably never see the light of day.”
“That is kinda sad, but if you ever make it as big as John Williams or Danny Elfman or even Bernard Hermann, then when you die, those unused scores would be worth millions,” he smiled down at me, impressing me with his knowledge of film composers.
“Yeah, maybe. Anyways, enough about me, what do you do?” I said trying to get the subject away from me. I was very aware that I can talk about myself for days if someone would let me, I’m not arrogant; I just like talking about my life and inspiration, I led quite an interesting one.
“I’m in a metalcore band called Of Mice & Men,” he smirked at me, as the realisation of who I was talking to hit me.
“Shit, you’re Austin Carlile; my best friend in the UK loved you guys! I can’t believe it took me so long to realise who you are!”
He just carried on smirking at me, and I blushed realising how weird that sounded.
“It’s fine, I’m kinda glad you’re not some sort of fan girl,” he stuck his tongue out at me playfully, and I rolled my eyes.
“I went with her to see you guys in London last year,” I laughed, “I thought you and your friend looked familiar,” I gestured to who I now realised was Alan Ashby, in the seat in front
of me.
He laughed at that, and we carried on talking about how much I’d loved seeing them, and before we knew it, we were descending down into LA.
As the plane pulled into the airport, Austin sighed from beside me.
“It was nice meeting you, Austin,” I smiled up at him.
“And you Emma,” he returned my smile.
I made my way out into the aisle, collecting my hand luggage, and sending a quick wave to Austin, noticing that he was deep in conversation with Alan again, before making my way off the plane.
I made my way towards the baggage collection point, and waited for my suitcase to arrive, sticking my headphones back in my ears, and turning on the Star Wars soundtrack. As I was just losing myself in my music, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around to be faced with Austin.
I pulled the ear buds out of my ears, and looked up at him questioningly.
“Give me your phone,” he demanded. I handed it over silently, thoroughly confused, as he punched something in, before returning it back to my hand with a wink, and he strutted away back towards his band.
I unlocked my phone, and saw that he’d added his number, and sent himself a text. I rolled my eyes, and looked over at him, just in time to catch his stare at me. He pulled his own mobile out, and typed something in before my phone went off in my hand. I glanced down and saw it was a text from him. I laughed at the triumphant smirk he was sending me, and opened it.
“We should meet up while you’re here in the lovely land of Hollywood! Call me and let me know where and what time beautiful! Austin x”
Notes
Hey guys :)I hope y'all enjoy it :)
Let me know in comments and stuff :)
Thanks!
9/8/13