CHAPTER 5 - WEEK ONE - INDUCTION DAY
Monday morning came all too quickly and before I knew it I was walking through the campus back to the lecture complex where I had been interviewed two days ago. I walked straight past the security desk waiving my temporary staff pass and waited where instructed in the main concourse. Within five minutes I was joined by three other guys who I discovered had also applied for the job and also been successful passed their interviews. We made small talk for a few minutes before Tom joined us and led us into a large meeting room on the first floor overlooking. Once inside Tom closed the door behind us, told us to make ourselves comfortable and help ourselves to tea and coffee etc.
To break the ice we introduced ourselves and gave a brief resume about ourselves and our aspirations for the future as a model patient. First to introduce himself was Ethan, a slim clean shaven blonde guy in his early twenties. He had just graduated from university himself and was trying to pay his student loan off as quickly as possible. Next was Marc, a black guy, early forties, heavy set, close cropped hair with a goatee. Like me he had recently been made redundant and desperately needed the money to pay the mortgage and finance his children's education. Then came Tang, a petite Chinese guy around about the same age as myself who had simply applied for the job because he thought it sounded interesting. Lastly I introduced myself.
Tom asked us if we had familiarised ourselves with the information pack he had given us, we all nodded that we had done so. Did we have any questions? No? Okay then we'll begin with a tour of the campus and the facilities available to you as staff. After the tour we'll be meeting the media team who take all the photographs and videos for the team. Then you'll break for lunch before meeting with the media team again so that the course and publicity photographs can be taken.
Wow I thought, no hanging around eh? Jump straight in, why don't we? I'm not complaining though, at least there's no time to get nervous.
Tom's guide of the campus was actually very informative and he was really quite a funny guy, putting us at ease with little effort. By the end of the tour we felt that the five of us had been best buddies all our lives. It was probably late morning before we walked back into the meeting room; waiting for us was a group of nine men and women. The leader of the group was a middle aged lady called Fiona who headed up the media team; she introduced the rest of the group. They were by and large final year students at the neighbouring Art College who were looking to gain valuable experience in a realistic working environment. Ah I thought to myself, now I know why they look so young to me! Tom reassured us that they were highly professional and subject to the same respect and privacy clauses that we were because they would be with us all the way, so to speak. They seemed a friendly bunch and I thought we would all get along just fine.
At lunch time we (the models) walked over to the canteen to have our lunch having been asked to return an hour later, this time we were to reconvene on the top floor in the main staff room (where I'd been interviewed on the Saturday). We chatted away, curious and excited about the afternoon, wondering what would be involved and were we to become famous film stars?! All too soon we made our way back to the lecture complex and walked up to the top floor and pushed the door open.
Well, I didn't recognise the place. It had been transformed into a photographic studio, although the consultation and wet areas remained the same. Seeing our surprised expressions Brenda laughed and said we'd get used to the place, nothing stays the same from day to another!! She explained the first photo session would be as a group and then as solos wearing the University uniform (black trainers, black jeans, black polo shirt with the university logo on the left breast) in formal and informal poses. This was easy enough and the camera guys were a laugh and it passed all too quickly. Then we were asked to change into sports clothing which had been provided for us, again group and solo photos were taken. Finally, when we were just beginning to get bored with all the posing and we thought that must be it, Brenda wandered over and asked us to remove our clothing because they needed nude shots of us (I gulped) but before we could say anything she assured us it would be done very tastefully as this was for publicity, not pornography! Well, we all glanced at one another, none of us wanting to appear to be the reluctant one, so we quickly stripped and started posing for the camera again.
When she was satisfied that she had enough material for her purposes, she said we could dress into the gym gear again and that the next shoot would take place in the gymnasium across the campus. Walking across the campus I felt like a star, with the film crew in tow following the four of us and Brenda, students stopped and stared for a moment before carrying on again. Brenda explained on route that she wanted the four of us to use the all of gym equipment in turn so that a video could be recorded and photos taken. If we thought we'd have the place to ourselves, we were very much mistaken, the gym was in normal use and we had to suffer the curious gazes of the other occupants. After a while I grew accustomed to their staring and took no notice of it. By the time I completed the whole circuit I was exhausted and sweating profusely, when I commented on it I was told, "don't worry, it all adds to the realism of the film". When we had all completed the circuits, Brenda gave us all pats on the back and congratulated for being "'naturals'. "Right then, time to get showered" she said, following us as we made our way to the shower area. There was a large sign at the entrance:
WARNING: Filming will be taking place here at various times throughout the day, only use these facilities if you are willing to appear within the footage.
Brenda instructed us to enter, strip naked chatting all the while, as a group walk into the showers and wash as you would normally do. No horseplay was to happen and we should interact as little as possible with anyone else in there. Once washing & rinsing is finished we were return towel dry and put on the clothes that would be provided. I was beginning to enjoy myself, exposing my body (which I'd always been quite proud of) to anyone who happened to want look at it. Surprisingly, despite the notice - or perhaps because of it, the changing room and showers were busy, with many guys busy trying to watch without appearing to do so. However we managed to do the filming in one shoot and obeying all of Brenda's directions. The clothing we found on our return to the changing room were smart suits with shirt and ties, again all in the University's colours. We looked damned smart by the time we had finished dressing. Brenda told us we were to walk as a casual group starting at the main entrance to the campus all the way to the Lecture Complex, to enter, walk up to the security desk and that would be the end of the filming for that day. It was getting late and we were getting tired, so although it was a relatively simple task it took three takes to get the right casual ambience to the film. Finally we were finished and escorted up to the staff room on the top floor where we were met by Peter and Tom.
They praised us for the patience we displayed today in what can be a frustrating task satisfying demanding media staff and the willingness to comply with all requests made of us. If we continued to maintain this attitude we would all succeed in passing the initial contract period. We beamed with pride. Tom asked if we had any questions at this stage, when we didn't come up with any, they thanked us again and said they would see us tomorrow when we would get to meet the students and start working for real. I said goodnight to Ethan, Marc and Tang before making my way home feeling mentally exhausted.
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