Shooting the Promotion

Marco proceeds with the shoot. The plan comes together

 

Shooting the Promotion

 

 

 

Marco felt pretty confident in himself as the day began. The winds at the top of the Texas Commerce Tower were steady at about 10 mph, not enough to force the event to be cancelled. The sky was clear and all was in place. He had checked the placement of all the safety nets the night before and everything was in place. 

The spotters had just arrived and the medical units were setting up in their positions. The one thing he had not counted on was a Life Flight helicopter actually landing on the tower’s helipad. Amanda’s unit had landed on the helipad and was to stay hot, engines at idle and blades locked while the promo was shot. This would enable a more rapid transport in the event of an “accident”. Marco had no idea his cousin was aboard this helicopter. 

Stacy and Kimberly arrived at the tower with Kevin and Helen. The girls were still excited from shooting the event earlier that morning. The routine looked great in the replay and the interviews Helen did with Shannon, Kevin, Laura, Stacy and Kimberly all put the finishing touches on the 30 minute promotion. Most of the promotion was for the event, but Helen let Shannon take some time to discuss the non-traditional training Stacy and Kimberly were doing. While most of the gymnasts were on strict exercise routines, special school schedules, strict diets and limited extracurricular activities, Stacy, Kimberly and the rest of the gymnasts as Top Texans were encouraged to take dance, participate in cheerleading and to join athletic teams. It was all a part of being a child. Helen went to make up and Kevin rode the elevator with the girls to the rooftop.

Both girls had on contrasting leotards provided by the Texas Athletic Commission. The Lone Star flag was represented on both leotards and they were very flashy. Kimberly was her usual bouncing ball of energy while Stacy was the calm, focused competitor. Once they arrived on the rooftop, the station director had the cameras follow Stacy. Once on the rooftop, Stacy and Kimberly went to the bars and inspected them with Shannon and the spotters.

Stacy at once spotted a real problem with the uneven bars. The bars were spaced too far apart for her to safely do any release moves and they were too low for the two of them to swing on without hitting their feet on the safety mat. She also requested the extra skill mats be placed under the higher bar. Kimberly rolled her eyes and acted bored with Stacy’s fussiness over the bars. It was perfect. 

Gloria used the time Marco was distracted with these events to make sure the cameras were now on Marco and a live feed could actually go on air. Helen was doing her sound and video check. Cameras were all on and ready to go to air. 

Marco was visibly distracted and upset with the problems with the bars. He apologized to Stacy for the way the bars were set while the spotters checked them again.

Stacy once again checked the bars. The clearance was good and she could do her swings and releases, but she was not happy with the top bar. The joints were not tight enough for her. 

“I don’t like the top bar support” she complained. “It won’t hold both of us when we do the giant swing in tandem. The top supports are too loose.”

“We’re less than five minutes from going live. I can’t get these bars rebuilt in that length of time. You’re afraid to do this. Helen, talk to your child here. Find out what her problem is.”

Marco had counted on Helen really forcing the girls to do the routine, especially since he had his tape ready to roll at a second’s notice.

“If she says these bars aren’t safe, they aren’t safe. She knows her equipment.”

That was Kimberly’s cue to step in. She stopped her warm-ups and walked over the uneven bars. 

“What’s up?”   

“Look at the top support Kim. It’s too loose. It won’t hold one of us, much less two of us.”

A rather surprised Houston was seeing this unfold in front of them on their TV’s.   The news of two local girls making regionals in gymnastics was now the buzz of the town, and here were these two Texas sweethearts on top of the Texas Commerce Tower, ready to promote their sport and their equipment did not pass their inspection.

“I’ll test it. I’m not afraid of the bars, like you are.”

“Kim, no!” The problem with the bars was real. Stacy was not stalling when she saw the loose support. 

“Kimberly! I don’t want you on these bars unless everyone says they are safe.”

“Mom, it’s okay. Stacy says they won’t hold both of us, but I think they’ll hold me. Let me show you!”

“We have 2 minutes to live air on this” Marco threatened. “I want someone on these bars or else!”

Kimberly had the break she needed. As a shocked Houston TV crowd watched, Marco insisted she be the only one to tape the promo since the other girl had “turned chicken”. They also witnessed him threaten Stacy if she did not get on the bars. Stacy held her ground as Kimberly was almost pushed onto the mat by Marco.

Helen had to hold herself back as did Kevin and Stacy, but Kimberly was okay and not shaken by the drama surrounding her. The station director gave the silent signal to put the feed on 100% live to network. A shock wave was about to hit a nation that was falling in love with the American Gymnastics team once again. 

Kimberly mounted the lower bar and did a couple of small moves then launched herself to the upper bar as they had practiced. She hit the “safe” side of the bar and did a walkover move which placed her on the loose side.

“See! I told you everything was safe. I double checked this equipment myself and it is 100% safe! She’s proved it safe, now let’s get them both on and shoot this spot!”

The cameras were on both Marco and Kimberly as Kimberly continued to test the bars. She saw the loose support and had about one swing left to expose Marco for the slime he was, a self-centered arrogant SOB who would risk injury to a child to further his own career.

Shannon held her breath as Kimberly managed to get in one swing before the apparatus swayed under Kimberly’s weight and the force of her swing. Kevin watched intently as Kimberly nailed the upper bar with a release and catch move. The sudden force of the catch on the loose support made the bar suddenly give way. Kimberly was ready for the fall, and the spotters were moving in to protect her from the apparatus as it began to fall apart. 

She landed with the same perfect splat in the mats she nailed a couple of nights before and was able to get out her perfect grunt as she hit the mats. That audible grunt sold the fall. It was the only sound that could be heard for what seemed to be an eternity.

Marco was totally stunned. As he witnessed the fall, he tried to get away from the shoot, but he found himself face to face with a camera. The red light indicated he was live on air, but he was not looking at his station’s camera. Another news crew was on the rooftop and he was being hit with questions concerning his responsibility for this accident.

In confusion, Kimberly took advantage to use the fake blood the trainers had placed in the seam of the skill pad. She squeezed some into her ear and let it run down the side of her face. It felt sticky, tasted pretty nasty, but looked very real. The fake blood trickled from her nose, mouth and ears.

The news director turned the studio over to Jess and the intern introduced the promotion as shot by Helen and her team of camera operators, along with the commentary for what they had just witnessed.

“These two young gymnasts showed extreme love of their sport and offered 100% cooperation to expose this exploitation of the Junior Olympics Regional Competition by our own Marco Galvano, Operations Producer. Effective immediately, Mr. Galvano has been dismissed of all duties with this station at this time.

We have received word that the young gymnast who was on the bars when they collapsed has been treated for minor scrapes and abrasions at the scene and released to her parents. Fortunately, no serious injuries were caused by this unfortunate incident.”