//------------------------------// // Lights, Camera, Action? // Story: Pinkie’s Baking Powder Commercial: Behind the Scenes // by sonicfan05 //------------------------------// Everypony was in position within Canterlot’s filming studio. The green pegasus stallion with curly black mane was making the final adjustments to the overhead microphone. The tan earth pony stallion with short brown mane was double-checking the focus setting on the studio’s camera. The light yellow unicorn mare with green mane was using her chalk to write down the info on the clapperboard with her magic. The magenta earth pony mare with dark purple mane was finishing up putting make-up on Pinkie Pie’s muzzle while the latter was reading over her script to memorize her line. Pinkie was very excited that her baking powder is going to be in a commercial so that everypony will know about her product so they can try it out themselves. The best part is, she’ll also be in that commercial too! As Pinkie read her line for like a million times, she heard somepony clearing their throat from behind her. She turned to see Scott Vision, the director for her baking powder commercial, gave pinkie his professional look. He is a blue earth pony with black mane and a goatee. He also has a megaphone of his flank as his cutie mark. When Scott first met this crazy energized pink pony, he did not know what to think of her. Still, he figured this would be a quick shoot, as long as she does her part and then he can go home. How hard could this be? “All right Pinkie, let’s go over this one more time…” Scott sighed, rubbing his temples, “This scene is very simple. All you have to do is stand in front of that green screen and say your line that you’ve been practicing for over an hour. And after that, you’re done and we can all go home! Now, are there any questions?” Pinkie nodded, “Yeah, just two. Why is the screen green? I thought we are filming the commercial about my baking powder? Unless we’re showing off some cakes that’s green, then I’m all for it! Although, I think we should hold this off until close to St. Patrick’s Day.” Scott groaned, as he placed his right hoof on his right side of his muzzle. “No Pinkie, we are not filming a commercial for St. Patrick’s Day! We’re using this green screen as a backdrop so our animators can use their software to place the animated ad of your baking powder behind you.” Pinkie widened in awe as if she discovered desserts for the first time. “Ooooooooooooh! So that’s how you guys do it! I always thought you guys have unicorns to help you teleported to places that are too far away to film your commercials. Like that muffin commercial with Derpy on the moon! I always wanted to go on the moon!” Scott was dumbfounded for moment and then he shook his head. “Okay first of all, unicorns can only teleport at a certain distance. There is no way anypony can teleport to the other side of the world with our filming equipment, let alone to the moon with small amount of magic! And before you say anything, your friend Princess Twilight Sparkle does not count!” Pinkie pouted, annoyed that she couldn’t utter a sound and that her fact about her friend was shot down. “Anyway,” Scott continued, “we used green screens all the time as an easy way to place certain locations in our videos without actually being there.” “Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?” Pinkie muttered but Scott ignored her comment. “And second, how did you know about that commercial? It hadn’t been released yet!” Scott said with suspicion. “Oh, I read through your notebook after you left it behind on the cafeteria’s table.” Pinkie said with a smile. She took out the notebook from her mane and handed it over to Scott. “…oh, so that’s where I left it!” Scott muttered before taking his notebook back from Pinkie. “Um… thanks, but please do not read my notebook again!” Scott said sternly. “Okey-dokey-lokey!” Pinkie chirped. Scott sighed, “What’s your second question?” “Can I use my party canon for the commercial?” Pinkie asked. “It’ll make the commercial more interesting!” “No Pinkie, you cannot use your party canon.” Scott said flatly. Pinkie opened up her mouth to speak. “You cannot use your confetti canon either.” Scott added. Pinkie closed her mouth and pouted. “Aww, you’re no fun.” “That’s what my ex-wife said.” Scott said, rolling his eyes. “Now if that’s all the questions, please stand in front of that screen.” Pinkie skipped over to the green screen and stood in front of it as instructed. Scott trotted back to his director’s chair and sat on it. “Okay,” Scott sighed, “Pinkie Presents Pinkie’s Baking Powder, take 1.” The light yellow unicorn levitated the clapperboard in front of the camera, clapped it and then levitated down out of the camera’s vision. “Aaaaaaaand Action!” said Scott. Pinkie just stood there motionlessly, blinking her eyes. “Um…” Pinkie trailed with uncertainly. “You’re supposed to say the line!” Scott whispered loudly. Pinkie’s eyes widened. “Oh! I’m supposed to start after you said Action?” “Yes Pinkie,” Scott whispered impatiently, “that was your cue! Now say your line!” “Okay!” Pinkie said chirped. She cleared her throat for a moment before she began to speak. “Baking powder makes… um… line?” Scott sighed heavily, “…this is going to take longer than I thought…cut.” - TAKE #17- “ACTION!” Scott cried. “Baking powder makes baked- OWIE!” Pinkie rubbed her sore head after she accidently banged her head on the overhead microphone. “You okay?” Scott asked with concern in his voice. “I’m okay,” Pinkie reassured, still rubbing her head. She pointed to the microphone above her, “but I think that mic is a teeny bit too close to my head.” “Cut! Can somepony adjust that microphone?” Scott ordered. -TAKE #29- “Biff-ng puw-dull maff baff goo- (Baking powder makes baked goods-)” “CUT! Pinkie what are you doing?” Scott asked with irritation in his voice. “Um faying ma vine (I’m saying my line),” said Pinkie with her mouth full. “While chewing on a cupcake?” Scott asked incredibly. “Whaa? Um hun-gee! (What? I’m hungry!),” said Pinkie while food was spraying out of her mouth. “Ew… Pinkie, eat your cupcake after the filming!” said Scott with a look of disgust. -TAKE #39- “Polvo para hornear hace amistades y horneados esponjoso y delicioso!” Pinkie said cheerfully in Spanish. “English Pinkie!” Scott shouted with annoyance. -TAKE #61- “Take- Hey where did Pinkie go?” Scott demanded, confused that Pinkie suddenly disappeared from the set. Before anypony answered him, he jumped in freight when he felt somepony tapped him on his back! “I’m right here silly!” Pinkie giggled. “What are you doing sneaking up on me like that?” Scott snapped, still spooked from Pinkie’s sneak attack. “Sorry about that,” Pinkie apologized with a smile, “I left the studio for a moment to retrieved your medicine for your cholesterol.” Pinkie took out the bottle of prescription pills out of her mane and presented it to her stunned director. “Your wifey said you’re supposed to take these at three!~” Pinkie said in her singsong voice. “Pinkie how the heck did you know about my cholesterol medication?” Scott yelled in anger and embarrassment. “I learned that from your notebook I read earlier.” Pinkie answered with a smile on her face. Scott grinded his teeth, “I thought I told you to not read my notebook again?” “I did,” Pinkie insured, oblivious to Scott’s anger, “I read that part way before you told me not to read it anymore!” Scott took a deep breath, and then exhaled lightly to calm himself. “What else have you read?” Pinkie tapped her chin in thought. “Well, I also read your Must Watch schedule for that upcoming one-hundred episode special of My Little Hu-” “Okay I heard enough!” Scott said hastily as he stuffed his hoof over Pinkie’s mouth before Pinkie could finish her sentence. Despite Scott’s efforts, he heard his co-workers snickering at his expense. Scott’s cheeks turned red in embarrassment. “Don’t talk about it anymore! Just get back to your position!” Pinkie nodded with a smile as Scott’s hoof left her mouth, “Okey-dokey-lokey!” As Pinkie skipped back to her spot in front of the green screen again, Scott groaned in misery. “I hate my job!” he muttered. -TAKE #73- “My name is Pinkie and I’m here with da powder~ It’s helps baked goods taste betta than some chowder!~” “Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutt!” Scott screamed, pulling his mane in frustration. “Pinkie, we are trying to film a commercial, not a freakin’ rap music video!” Pinkie was wearing a black fedora hat, blue hooded sweatshirt, grey sweatpants, grey shoes on her hind hooves and a golden rope with a golden alarm clock around her neck. She shrugged with a smirk on her muzzle and began to rap again. “Well I suggest you should lighten up with a smile~ Cuz there’s nothing wrong giving this ad a different style!~” Scott just gave Pinkie his long flat look. “…just stick to the script!” -TAKE #91- Pinkie stood smiling in front of the green screen in the most ridiculous outfit that anypony had ever seen. She was wearing a green box with yellow bow with orange dots and ribbon wrapped around it. She also wore blue flippers on her hooves, huge red sunglasses with purple shades, a party blower hanging out of her mouth and various balloons on the mane and tail. Pinkie’s smile quickly formed into a frown when she noticed that everypony in the studio was giving her their confused and blanked looks. “What?” Pinkie asked, “I figured I’ll get into character better by wearing this!” Scott buried his muzzle into his two hooves and groaned loudly in frustration. -TAKE #233- Scott sighed heavily for the hundredth time today. He was nearly ready to bash his head against the wall. Instead, he watched Pinkie, waiting for another means of torture to his sanity. “Places everyone,” he droned, emotionally exhausted. He stared at Pinkie, who was waving at Scott rapidly with a huge smile on her face. Scott groaned, delaying the inevitable. “…Action.” “Baking powder makes baked goods and friendships fluffy and delicious!” Pinkie said the line perfectly and cutely before she gave her squee smile at the very end. Scott was stunned at Pinkie’s superb performance. He lightly slapped himself on his muzzle to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating this. He smiled widely with sparkles in his eyes as he leapt out his chair and stood on his hind hooves while his fore hooves stretched out towards the ceiling in triumphant. “YES! IT IS PERFECT! FINALLY, WE ARE DONE!” Scott cried out, nearly wept in joy. Everypony in the studio stomped their hooves rapidly as they cheered for their success. Scott trotted towards Pinkie, “Pinkie, despite some… setbacks, you did a great job with your performance!” Pinkie giggled happily, “Thanks Scotty, I had a super-duper-fun time working at the studio with you guys today!” “Oh yeah, I’m sure you do Pinkie.” Scott said, rolling his eyes. He trotted over to the film camera to retrieve the film. “Now lets pack up our film so we can send this to-” As soon as Scott opened the camera where the film should be, he was suddenly startled by huge amount of confetti that went off loudly like a canon. “AHHH!” Scott screeched. “SURPRISE!” Pinkie cried cheerfully. “Aren’t you surprised? Did ya? Huh, huh, huh? I hope you’re surprised. You were so uptight today, so I prepared the good ol’ confetti canon hidden in the camera so that it can help you cheer up! So did that cheer you up?” After Scott recovered from his shock, he glared at Pinkie. “No, in fact, I think I almost have a heart attack!” Scott checked inside of the camera to locate the film, only to find that there is no film to be found. “Where is the film?” Scott demanded with urgency at the pink pony, “What did you do with the film!?” Pinkie blinked for a moment before her eyes lit up. “Oh, I removed it!” Scott’s pupils shirked at Pinkie’s answer. “WHAT!?! WHY!?!” he screamed! Pinkie rolled her eyes as if it was obvious. “Well duh, my confetti canon won’t fit with the film in the way. So I took the film out of the camera and replaced it with my confetti canon!” Everypony in the studio was silent. While eveypony was not happy at what Pinkie had done, they were more worried about the reactions that their director was making. Scott’s face was all red, his whole body was shaking and his eyes twitched rapidly. He looked like he was going to explode at any second. “You mean to tell me,” he seethed through his teeth, “that we’ve spent hours of… filming… your one line for your stupid baking powder commercial… only to find out that we’ve been… filming… without the film… this whole time!?” Pinkie nodded, completely oblivious to Scott’s growing rage. “Yep, that’s pretty much it~!” Scott wanted to scream, he wanted to break something, he wanted to strangle that annoying happy-go-lucky pink pony for wasting half of a day of no film. But he couldn’t. Instead, he huffed loudly and said, “If anypony needs me, I’ll be in my trailer… most likely to drink, throw my stuff around and scream in anger or cry… or maybe all three.” With that, he slowly turned around and trotted towards the exit. “Hey, cheer up Scotty!” Pinkie called out, “I’m sure we’ll try again tomorrow. Just take some breathing exercises just as your psychologist advised.” “How did you-?” “Notebook!” “AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!”