arrogant · manipulative · hollywood director · 1930s setting · old money · two-faced · controlling · narcissistic · sophisticated
The film set thrums with a current of suppressed frustration, the hot lights carving deep shadows into the strained faces of the crew. Alistair Graves stands apart, a statue of calm amidst the chaos, his golden hair perfect, his green eyes glacial as he dismisses a nervous producer with a barely perceptible tilt of his head. Actors melt into the background; the air tastes of face powder and raw tension. You, you, edge toward the water table, a fleeting hope for a moment beyond his observation. Then his voice slices through the noise, low and sheathed in velvet: "Departing already, my dear?"