Mermaid Movie

Chapter 1
A Challenge

Tim Holt recognized a real challenge when he saw one, even if his client didn't. Tim worked with a small modeling agency in a moderately sized seacoast town of New England, and it wasn't unusual for him to be called upon to provide models for photographers or movie makers using his area for location work. The rocky seashore area was popular for vacationers and make a great backdrop for shoreline activities.

Russell Thatcher, producing a low-budget movie, had called on Tim with a very simple request; he needed six models who would be costumed as mermaids and would serve as a kind of background scenery for a sequence he intended to shoot. Originally, the scene had been planned for nearer his home studio in California; but the director had recently viewed a location not far from Tim, and decided it was just the perfect spot to use, so they had decided to shoot on location. Tim now had been asked to find six female models to portray the mermaids, and to be ready with them in about ten days. Thatcher's company would rent a small studio in Tim's area, where they would store their equipment, and prepare the actors and models for the scene.

Tim had been provided a synopsis of the script, for his use in selecting suitable candidates. The scene they intended to shoot was only a small part of the movie, and they intended to do it in one day, once everything was set up. The actual shooting location was to be an isolated rocky area of coastline about fifty miles away, and at that location there were no buildings or facilities of any kind, so all of the participants and equipment would be taken directly there from the rented studio. It was intended to do all of the shooting in one day, as it would expensive to return to the location. Also, he had learned that the director was quite fussy about the quality of his work, and, without an opportunity to return to the site, he wanted all shooting done with numerous takes. This would give him maximum opportunity to select that most to his liking for the final production.

The scene involved a "dream" sequence within a larger story. Only the "dream" sequence would be shot here. The scenario called for what would be portrayed as a dream of the main character (played by a male actor). In the story, the principal character has heard a legend that mermaids inhabit a certain isolated coastal area where they can occasionally be seen by humans. In the dream sequence, he dreams that he and two friends go in their truck to the area, intent on capturing mermaids, which they would intend to take home with them. As they explore the area, they come upon a family of mermaids, consisting of five young mermaids and their ever-watchful mermaid mother. All of them are reclining on rocks by the sea. The men approach the mermaids and make overtures to befriend them. In typical mermaid fashion, the mermaids never speak, but the men consider how to go about capturing three of them, while they do not want to tangle with the mother who keeps an eye on everything going on. They hit upon an idea, and produce from their truck a supply of champagne glasses and a number of bottles of champagne (in dream sequences one does not need to be concerned with the logic of carrying such things in a truck). They offer the mermaids, including Mama mermaid, champagne. Never having tasted it before, the mermaids sip it cautiously, then enthusiastically down it - glass after glass. While they are doing this, the men debate among themselves which of the mermaids they will try to take. After a time, all of the mermaids, including the mother, become so drunk they pass out. The men then carry the three they have selected, unconscious, back to their truck and drive away.

The scene seems simple. The actors do all the talking and the action. The mermaids only have to sit there, look pretty, and drink numerous glasses of champagne. In reality, of course, it won't be champagne, but soda water or something similar that will look like champagne; but they will have to drink it, as that is their part of the action. And, Tim knew, each scene would be shot many times.

So he knew he needed six women, five youthful ones, and one older one to portray the mother. All they had to do was lie on the rocks, in costume, and drink simulated champagne. Russell had not seen that it should be difficult to find female models locally to portray the mermaids.

Yes, Tim thought, he could probably find five girls and one older woman to be mermaids. Thatcher's company was going to provide the costumes, which were already made, and the place where they would dress and be made up. Thatcher had told him, of course, that mermaids were ordinarily topless, and the models would have to appear this way (it was obviously an adult-oriented movie). The costumes covered the models only from the waist down. Tim recognized that this did impose a bit of a limitation, but he could find girls willing to be topless for this scene. A bigger problem, but not unsolvable, would be the "mother" mermaid, as Thatcher had specified that she must have gray hair (this could be sprayed, if necessary, but natural gray would be preferred), and must have the appearance of an attractive woman about fifty or more.. She would have to appear bare-breasted, as a mermaid, but it was specified that her breasts must have a fair amount of droop, so as to clearly suggest that she is much older than the others. Tim knew he could come up with older models, but the requirement to be attractive in appearance yet to have obviously drooping breasts and a willingness to display them bare, would somewhat limit the field.

Tim had done a bit of research on who among his lists of models he might use, when he decided that he needed to be certain just what the costuming would be like. When he found out from Russell Thatcher a little more about the costumes, he began to realize he indeed had a challenge on his hands.

The mermaid costumes had already been made, and at minimum cost (this was a low budget movie). Since they were to be used only for one day, it had not been thought necessary to make them particularly durable or reusable. After all, the mermaids would only lie on the rocks in them while the scene was being shot. They didn't have to move around; they could be carried into position, and the actors would carry off several of them later.

Actually, the wearers would hardly be able to move, at least from the waist down. The wearers would have nothing on from the waist up, but the costumes would encase them from the waist down, completely hiding their legs. Instructions had been prepared for dressing the mermaids, and Tim had read them. While specific, they did not directly suggest any major complications.

He had been given a size range for the models, but the costumes could accommodate a reasonable range of sizes. He noted the one for the mother was a bit larger. Size would not be a major problem. Under the costumes, the wearers could not wear anything. Underwear of any kind might cause lines to show or would interfere with the make-up process. Before putting on the costume, the wearer would have to lie (presumably naked) holding her legs together. A thin but tough ribbon was to be used to loosely bind both legs together, to prevent any accidental movement which might damage the costume; so, once dressed, the wearer had to remain with her legs bound together until the day's work was done. The costumes themselves were fragile, being made of a kind of paper mache with an elastic top. Actually, each would come in three pieces; a front and back which were molded into the fishtail shape, and which would be placed on the wearer and the two halves then fastened together; after which the elastic portion would be slid into position over the top portion and covering the area just below the wearer's waist.

The make-up people could trim the front and back halves slightly to adjust the fit to the wearer, and after all the pieces were in place, a type of body make-up would be applied over any visible seams and to shade the costume into the wearer's body.

Obviously, the costumes were intended to be worn only once, and once in place, were not intended to be taken off until no longer needed. As the actual costumes were fragile and were not intended to be reused, the wearer had to keep her legs together and quite still as long as she wore the costume.

Thatcher's costumer had sent Tim a note with a bit of added information. "Whoever you select as a mermaid needs to know that she will have to be dressed in the costume very early in the day, and the process of dressing and applying make-up will probably take an hour, possibly an hour and a half. She will have to wear the costume all day, or at least until the shooting is finished. She can move her legs a little, but the costume will probably make her feel cramped. With the costume on, she cannot walk or even crawl, so she will have to be carried to wherever she must go. Also, this type of costume tends to be quite warm for the body parts it covers. She will probably find that her legs get hot, but as she will be bare from the waist up, and presumably near the seashore with the probability of some cool breezes, it should be tolerable. When we designed these costumes, we expected to be shooting very near the studio, so you will need to make the wearers aware of the time it will take to transport them to the scene of shooting."

The challenge, Tim realized, was the time the models would have to wear the mermaid costumes. An hour and a half to get dressed and made up, he calculated, plus about two hours and a half to get to the location (possibly an optimistic assumption, given its isolation), then maybe an hour or two to set up. That came to six hours, and Russell had said he wanted the models available for at least six hours to do the shooting and retakes, with the possibility of overtime if needed. Even not counting the trip back, the models would need to wear the mermaid costumes twelve hours or more. He verbally went over his calculations with Lucy, his office assistant sitting across from him.

"Lucy, don't you think those girls are going to get very cramped legs, having to keep them together in that suit for twelve hours? Think we can get girls willing to do it? Seems a long time!"

"Tim, you started out saying all they had to do was lie there in the costumes while the shooting goes on. By the time they get to the shooting, they'll have been in those things six hours. I hope they're still going to feel like looking pretty! Glad it isn't going to be me. I hope you come up with a warm day for their top halves and a cool one for their bottoms!"

"Well, at least they'll get to guzzle some make-believe champagne! Russ said he expected a number of takes, and they have to be seen drinking the stuff. That'll keep them cooled off!"

"Champagne! You didn't tell me about the champagne!"

"Don't get excited, Lucy. It'll only be make-believe champagne, but each girl will probably get to drink two or three glasses for each take. The drinking has to be real, that's been specified. So they won't be thirsty. I'll try to arrange to have it chilled, so it will help keep them comfortably cool."

"COMFORTABLY cool? They may be cool, but they sure won't be comfortable. I didn't know about the champagne part of it. You may have a real problem getting girls who can do this!" Lucy seemed a bit dubious.

"Yeah, I figured we'll have to explain it all to them. But I can hike the hourly rate a bit, and they ought to be able to endure a few cramps in their legs for what they'll get. Especially if it runs into overtime!"

"You're worried about cramps in their legs? That's going to be a minimal problem. Tim, don't you know anything about female biology?"

"What do you mean? Every model has to get used to a little discomfort!"

Lucy shook her head in disgust. "Tim, how long do you figure they have to keep those fish legs on, altogether?"

"Probably a bit over twelve hours. They'll need to be prepared for possibly fifteen, though, with the chance of overtime or the return trip."

"Tim, do a little thinking. They are in those things, all sewed up, with their legs tied together. Once they're in that state, they can't go to the bathroom until the day's over. Right?"

Tim thought a bit. He had been thinking of the hot legs cramped up in the fishtail costumes. Lucy had a significant point. "I guess you're right. So we better warn them before they go..."

"BEFORE? Tim, could you go twelve hours, let alone fifteen, without going to the bathroom? Even without guzzling a dozen glasses of make-believe champagne? Then you want them to drink like fish during a six hour shoot, which may mean they have to down a couple of liters of the stuff, if he insists on a lot of retakes. Then, if one of them leaks, the costume gets wet and you know they're not waterproof, so they will fall apart. You better find girls with iron bladders!"

"Lucy, what am I going to do? Russ is an important client, and he isn't going to budge on his requirements. We've got to find six models for this job. How do we do it?"

"Look, Tim, about all I know is that I couldn't do what this is going to take, even if I had the shape for it. You're going to have to call those on your list and give them the requirements. You've got to tell them the job calls for posing half nude with their legs encased in a tail for fifteen hours, while drinking a quart or two of liquid and absolutely no bathroom breaks! You'd better offer a good price! And even if they say they'll do it, you'd better come up with a way to test them, because if it turns out they can't do it you're going to have a big problem!"

All of this resulted in a long planning session, well into the evening, between Tim and Lucy. Eventually they did come up with a plan.

CHAPTER 2
Applicants

Information for Those Interested in Posing for Special Mermaid Scene

Will require models to wear mermaid costume for up to fifteen hours continuously, one day only; semi-nudity required. Five youthful female models needed, plus one female between 50 and 60. Older model should preferably have natural gray hair. All must have attractive appearance and youthful models must have slender figures. Mature model should be slender with notably mature bustline. Models will require substantial physical endurance, which must be demonstrated in advance.

Those who wish to apply as mermaid models for this event should call to make an appointment for interview with Tim Holt.

Please arrive for your interview in casual attire, but without brassiere and with bladder full to capacity,

Lucy and Tim looked at the information sheet they had prepared for the prospective mermaids. It was being provided to those they considered prospects and anyone else who expressed an interest. "It's the strangest looking sheet I've ever produced", Lucy commented. "I'm going to have a hard time making explanations for all this! I'm going to get the questions." She shook her head, smiling. "What do I say when they ask what, 'full to capacity' means?"

"Just tell them what we agreed upon. It doesn't mean they just feel like they need to go to the bathroom; they have to be way beyond that, holding as much as they can possibly stand. Tell them they will be tested on it. I think you should feel the applicant's bladder before she comes in, and if her abdomen doesn't feel absolutely hard, you should tell her to go drink a few glasses of water and come back later! With the procedure we discussed, you should be able to."

"Yes, I hope it works. Let's see, I'm to make appointments so we don't have over one at a time, and I will be sure they meet the requirements before I send them in to you. We agreed I would have them remove everything above the waist before they come in to see you. I suppose you'd like to interview them naked, and watch them pee at the end of the interview, but I doubt most would agree to that. Since the job doesn't require them to show their legs, it doesn't really matter what kind of legs they have. "

"OK, let's do it that way. I will interview them, and draw it out for a while. If she really has a bladder full to capacity, you will have checked it and found it feels hard, so if you send one in, I'm going to assume she is full to the brim. By dragging out the interview, and asking her to pose a bit, I'll be able to judge if she can really look cute and pretty while struggling with an overstretched bladder. If I'm satisfied with her, I'll send her back to you, and then you ask her to go behind the screen and pee into the pitcher. If she can't do it, she must not be full enough. If she produces much less than a quart, we probably can't use her because she won't be able to hold enough for the session, what with all she'll have to drink. We can't risk using a girl with a small bladder, or who doesn't have really good control over it. It should be a good test. But I'm still afraid of the one we need for the mermaid mother - finding an older woman to meet these requirements is going to be rough!"

They did their work, and Lucy began to call their list to schedule interviews. They hoped at least a few new volunteers would call in to get on the list.

Monday morning came, and Lucy had scheduled nine interviews, starting at 9 A.M. Time was getting short, for on Friday the scene was to be shot. They needed to have their mermaids prepared.

At nine, the Paula showed up, the first candidate. She was twenty, about five feet five, slender and very good looking. She had on casual attire, as had been requested; jeans, with a colorful shirt. Lucy looked her over. There were no bra straps in evidence. Her bustline, however, looked high and firm, but not particularly large. She was noticeably nervous, fidgeting and shifting from one foot to another.

Lucy greeted her, then made an excuse to have her wait. She slipped quickly into Tim's office. "Number 1 is here, Tim! And the way's she's jumping around, she must be close to full up! I'll keep her maybe fifteen minutes and send her in with her top half au naturel."

"Paula,. sorry to keep you waiting. Did you understand clearly what we need?"

Paula nodded, fidgeting nervously. "I've tried to meet what you asked, but isn't this a very unusual type of interview? It seems the rules are a bit as though I was going for a medical."

"Yes, Paula, it is unusual. We not only have to have models for this job who look the part, but they have to have a lot of physical endurance. The day of the shooting will be a very long one, and you will have to spend it inside a costume that will greatly restrict you. We have to be sure the ones we select can tolerate it."

"I know about what a mermaid costume is going to look like, so I guess that explains the no-bra bit; but I don't understand why I need to come with my bladder so darned full! Do mermaids have to pee in this scene? If that's part of it, I'm really not quite into that!"

Lucy laughed a bit. "No, Paula, the mermaids won't have to pee. In fact it's really the opposite of that - mermaids don't pee, and the models posing as mermaids won't be able to, at least not as long as they are wearing the costumes, which may be up to fifteen hours. During that time, however, they will have to drink quite a bit of liquid, as part of the scene. We need models who can look like mermaids, but they also have to be able to hold a lot of pee for a long time, and we can't take a chance on you not being able to do it next Friday. That's why we need to have it demonstrated today. Do you understand?"

Paula seemed a bit astounded. "I see your point. I need to get on with this - what do I do?"

"Slip off your shirt and let me see you without it. You can hang it on the clothes rack. I see you followed the rules -no bra. right?"