Behind The Scenes

By Divaani

Having just announced a series of brand-new albums, an overwhelming number of records continue to be smashed as history has been made. With the commencing date of their long-awaited tour in over thirteen countries across the globe getting closer and closer, the internet has lost all chill. 

“Look over here. This way, please.” 

And as they step into the spotlight, “Lights, Cameras, Action!” 
Meanwhile, a multitude of sleep-deprived figures let out a sigh of relief and slouch back - some stretching their arms and yawning - before finally making arrangements to call it a day. 

Remaining hidden in the shadows, they mutter: “Here we go again.”

Fixating his view of the dancing artists displayed on his slightly cracked screen, he mumbled inaudible dialogue to himself as he scribbled in his sketchbook, leaving a trail of stick men residing in various positions. Every now and then, he’d slide his clammy fingertip over the course of the phone, intending to study any postures and expressions that he had previously overlooked. He’d do so again and again, further adding faint written cues besides the stances. 

The choreography had been finalised - meaning, of course, that the dancers were to practise until it was point-blank flawless. He felt confident that day, having rehearsed the arrangement until his body wore out. His pale, strained face was no different to the cluster alongside him also dressed in black. They positioned themselves, leaving a gap in the centre, and waited for the cue to start. As the star of the show mistakenly stumbled back, they laughed light-heartedly in chorus retreating to run the routine from the very beginning.

She readjusted her glasses as she bore her eyes into the screen, pinning them onto the harmonising colours emerging in a consecutive pattern, and coating the appealing individual staring back at her with a blank expression. She hesitated before dragging the JPG into the collection of images hovering together in the file plastered, ‘TBA’. She scrolled through the file ensuring that they remain fitting - not only with the provided theme but further to complement the physique of the prominent leads themselves. She glanced at the aesthetically-displayed polaroid pictures beside her, allowing herself to organise her thoughts as she restored her attention to the screen.

He looked through the lens of the camera, certifying that the focus remained primarily on the principal personalities while steering clear of any reflections that may reveal himself. They were huddled together and happily talking amongst themselves. A birthday cake could be seen in the centre with their eager eyes waiting for the burning candle to be blown out. His flushed cheeks were apparent as he noticed his own stomach rumble weakly. 

Looking down at her wristwatch with caution, she sighed with relief as he entered the room. She remained vigilant as she rushed towards him - positioning herself awkwardly behind in effort to remain hidden from the view of the several cameras centred around him. Untangling the flat iron, she began to comb out the middle strands of his hair while trying to visualise the opening pages of the magazine that she’d been sent by her colleague the previous week. Unfazed, he recounted one of his childhood stories while looking affectionately at the lens behind the camera.

Perspective is key. In fact, empathy is simply forgotten; the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. 

The moral of the story? Artists that are published in the media cannot be where they are today without a crowd of supporters cheering them on (i.e. the backbone of their name) but people forget that the ‘crowd of supporters cheering them on’ aren’t just their fans. It takes a staggering amount of hard work from people in a variety of fields to make artists into the people that we love and admire today. Instead, these supporters’ respective fields are being diminished into a ludicrous obsession to remain close to the artists. 

“I hope she knows how lucky she is to be paid while within a 1m radius from them every day.”

However, all they’ve done is pursue a career in something they’re passionate about.  Isn’t that something we should strive to encourage everyone to do? It is important that we remember to spread the same love to everyone regardless of whether they are renowned or not. 

The only difference is that their own struggles aren’t being streamed as a movie--
just like our own.​