Roger rolled open the side door of the Van. Inside he saw Vanessa finishing her Makeup. Roger didn't know much at all about what exactly she was doing - lipstick or blush or something. All he wanted was his Camera.

Roger did collect his Camera, a spare battery, cords, harness, tripod...etc. He carefully pulled everything out just as Vanessa closed her beauty clutch. He stepped aside as she clambered out of the van. 

Straightening her skirt she asked, "was there something I should take?"

Roger thought about this for a moment, he normally took all the loads himself - even if he needed a few trips. It wouldn't be far - they were literally parked right in the Driveway.

"Well," he said. "I suppose you would want this,." He grabbed a folding chair from the back. As he opened it they both saw "Director" written clearly on the back. "The rest of this stuff is pretty expensive, and I'd prefer to handle the goods."

Vanessa took her chair. "Expensive," she said. That reminds me. She stuck her head back inside, rummaged for a minute until she extracted a briefcase. 

Roger looked at it quizzically, Vanessa just patted her prize, and said, "This one's for me."

As they approached the front door, it opened for them. The perfect couple standing at the threshold. 

"We saw you pull up," He said.

"We weren't sure if you needed help," She said.

"You must be Amber," Vanessa said tilting her head slightly and smiling brightly. "And Paul as well," then looking back at Amber, Vanessa said, "A handsome one too."

"Thanks," Amber replied, putting a hand on Paul's Chest. "He's almost everything I wanted, but..." Amber trailed off. She looked up at her husband Paul before shaking her head a little, "Sometimes you can be so stubborn."

Paul took a long blink. "I just think that if something is worth doing, it should be done right - you have to be careful in your choices."

Vanessa ate this up, she could work with these two.

"If you are looking to help," Roger interjected. "We will want to set up some staging areas in the house."

"Oh sure," Amber said. "Come on in."

Everyone made their way past the front door and into the living room. 

Amber and Vanessa walked first, each complimenting each other's hair and expressing jealousy of the health of the other's skin. 

Paul walked in line with Roger. Paul Asked the cameraman, "Are you going to be setting up hidden cameras around the house? Like in the corners?"

"That won't be necessary," said Roger. We would prefer an intimate handheld style. Its more personal for the folks at home, and when the scale changes we will want to get close-ups."

"Yeah," Paul Said uncertainty "Scale." 

Once they were all standing together in the living Room, Vanessa saw the couch and exclaimed, "Oh, this will be perfect for continuity."

"What was that?" Amber asked. 

"Continuity, uh, I mean familiarity," Vanessa explained. "Its important for the audience at home that they feel like they are seeing the same stuff. We might be films hours apart, but the audience needs to live in this space." Vanessa waved her arms, gesturing at Paul and Amber's Home. 

From this vantage point we could see you two on the couch," Vanessa took Paul's hand and led him to take a seat. She then did the same with Amber. "If the Camera was here," Vanessa used her fingers to make a frame, we can see both of you and the kitchen behind you. So those watching can get to know you're home.

"That seems a little invasive," Paul said. "Stanger's don't need to know everything."

"Paul," Amber chided him, giving him a little slap on the knee. "You agreed to this, if you didn't want to sign up..."

"No, no it's fine," Vanessa said soothingly. "I'm certain you have lots of questions, and we're not going to do something if you're not willing."

Paul and Amber looked away from each other and back Vanessa.

"Actually you probably have questions," Vanessa said. "While Rogers sets up the Camera, why don't we practice talking to the viewers."

Roger placed several of his bags on the floor. He then began to mount his camera on the tripod.

Vanessa set up her chair, she sat down and laid her briefcase on her lap.

"What sorts of competitions are we going to have? This show is like a battle of the sexes thing, right?"

"I wouldn't put it that way," Vanessa said. "Our main draw... what separates us from a contest like the Bachelor is our device." Vanessa gestured to the briefcase. "We don't want to prove someone right or wrong, we just want to show how things will change, people change, physically - emotionally." 

Paul raised an eyebrow to Vanessa, "That's not very descriptive."

"We want to capture how you two will be different when you become different, how you two cope."

"Not just me," Paul said. "I'm not the only one who is going to change."

Vanessa shook her head, "No of course not. That is where our contest enters in this series. We are going to use the Device to give rewards and punishments." Vanessa smiled again, to put Paul at ease. "I don't know, none of us know what will happen. That is why its interesting."

"How does it work?" Amber said. "I tried listening to a Popular Science podcast to explain the technology... but I couldn't get it."

"I actually don't know." Vanessa admitted. "We used something like this when I was filming with Mike Rohl on those princess movies..." Vanessa rolled her eyes. "I got this on loan from Berkley."

"Camera is live," Roger said. "Should we try a recording?"

"Absolutely," Vanessa said. 

Amber and Paul sat up a little straighter on the couch, then they smiled for the camera.

"So tell me Amber," Vanessa said, "Why did you want to try for, SMS?"

"Well as you know, we're trying to have a baby," Amber said. She turned to her Husband, "Paul here is dead set on being the breadwinner for the house."

Paul interrupted, "That is not what I said."

Amber took a deep breath and continued talking, "No, He's right that's not exactly what he said. Paul has told me that some people are more naturally inclined to raise children than others…”

“And that because we want what is best for our child, we should have the better caregiver stay at home." Paul finished.

Vanessa looked at the couple, there was tension here - but she needed to milk it. Stories require conflict. "So Paul, Do you think Amber would be a better caretaker?"

Paul didn't answer immediately, he looked away to think of how to phrase. "Honestly, we don't know do we?" He said, "That's why I thought we needed some way to figure it out."

"That's why we agreed to be on the show," Amber said.

Vanessa nodded, she was very close to having a TV moment. "But for this contest," Vanessa said. "You think you will win right?"

Paul Shrugged, "No one would ever win unless they thought they could."

"But you want to win?" Vanessa asked.

"Of course," Paul said. "I want to succeed, and I think I will."

Amber took her turn to roll her eyes.

Roger gave a subtle nod to Vanessa. He had recorded this all.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.