Notice - 4. Blooper Reel & Behind The Scenes

1. CANDID - CARICATURES

Between takes, Reggie had apparently decided to draw everyone. The boys were comparing their caricatures, some more grateful for the artistic license than others.

"I don't look like that!" Elijah insisted, showing off his enormous glasses and afro, with a detective coat dragging along the floor.

"You do in my heart!" Reggie beamed at him.

"Sick!" Banjo's was a mop of orange hair and a colossal brain.

"I think Reg did a great job. What are you talking about?" Owen showed off the drawing he had with fins.

Bernard Veal was drawn like a calf - and "Veal" was written above him in case nobody got it. Lane looked like a fridge. Milo was two big eyes with a little body attached. Laughter as the boys pointed to each other's pictures became puzzlement and frowns as they saw their own. Piers was a closed door with his face drawn on. Felix was a mouth with arms and legs.

"You know what? That's probably true," Felix had laughed good-naturedly.

The shot ended with Reggie standing in the middle, four boys on each side, holding up their caricatures. Reggie looked extremely proud.

2. BLOOPER - PUSH DOOR

"Then I wish he'd come to the phone."

"He tries. He's got more work to do now that you're living all the way down there in the big smoke. I'm even worse at farming than you are, if you believe it."

Before Elijah could think of a diplomatic response, his new roommate burst into the room. ...Or tried to yank the door handle off. Another thud.

"Are you good?"

"I can't open it!" A muffled voice wailed on the other side.

"Are you pulling it?" Elijah asked, as Mum began to giggle. "It's a push door."

"... Yes."

Reggie then gingerly pushed the door open with an embarrassed grin. Elijah started to laugh.

"Oh, great. You got him laughing. Now we'll have to wait for him to stop," Mum scolded him through the phone.

3. BLOOPER - FOUND IT

"Banjo? Did you move my bracelet?"

"What bracelet?"

"The one on my bed."

Banjo's expression changed.

"No."

Elijah glanced over his book.

Owen held up his wrist.

"My mum made it before I came here. Blue and green shoelace. A bit wonky."

Felix opened his mouth to deliver his line - then stopped. He stared at Owen. Banjo followed his gaze. So did Elijah. Owen frowned.

"What?"

Felix pointed. Owen looked down. The supposedly missing bracelet was very obviously still around his wrist. There was a long silence. Banjo slowly turned toward the camera and pointed in disbelief at his best friend.

"Mystery solved!" Felix announced.

Owen collapsed against the bed laughing. "I FORGOT!"

Elijah buried his face in his book. "That was the whole scene!"

4. BLOOPER - PRANK

Lane's ears reddened. "Because it really is a toy, and I didn't want everyone knowing I brought one to school. I thought I'd lost it. Then Milo's keychain disappeared."

"So I dobbed, because this whole thing is stupid and embarrassing," Bernard finished.

Elijah continued with the scene, doing his best to play it straight as Milo crept up behind the two farmboys with a balloon in one hand and a toothpick in the other. BANG! Bernard's and Lane's skeletons nearly left their bodies. Elijah, Milo and everyone else in the room doubled over laughing. Bernard threw as many swears as he knew at Milo, while Lane had gone completely white.

"How could you let him do that?" Bernard demanded.

"Because he promised me it'd be funny!" Elijah was beginning to wheeze. "And it was!"

"Did you see them?" Milo was nearly breathless.

"You guys suck," Lane growled.

"Alright, fun's over," the director called. "Let's do this scene for real."

5. CANDID - TRICKSHOT

Between takes, Felix was bouncing a table-tennis ball against his paddle. He beamed at the camera, and the crewperson took the hint, training the camera on him.

"Watch this," Felix ordered Owen.

Owen looked interested - or concerned. "You're gonna hit someone."

"Nah, mate. I'm too good!" Felix reassured him. "Just watch."

Felix bounced the ball once, twice, thrice, then spun clockwise and hit it again, counterclockwise and repeat. Then he tapped the ball over his head, and hit the ball from the other side without looking at it. It wasn't clear where it was supposed to go, but it sailed over Felix's shoulder and landed on a lasagne-filled plate in front of Lane Ericsson with a small, messy splat.

"Oi!" Lane shouted through a mouthful. "Can't you do that somewhere else?"

"There's still less of it on the table than on your face," Bernard teased him, sliding him a stack of napkins.

Felix and Owen were too busy laughing at Lane's expense, so the tall blond picked up the sauce-covered ball and threw it back at Felix, who cowered behind his paddle. With a loud clack, the ball ricocheted off and hit Piers in the chest. Piers looked gutted as he saw the Bolognese stain on his clean, white shirt.

"Bros!" Piers complained, pulling out his earbuds. "What's the matter with you? This is my last clean shirt and I've got a scene today!"

"Imagine," Owen laughed as Piers berated them. "The reason Piers is always in his room is just that he can't keep his props and costumes clean."

6. BLOOPER - WARDROBE MALFUNCTION

As if summoned, Felix finally appeared, and he frowned.

"Why are we all outside my room?"

As Banjo prepared to answer him, Felix attempted to enter the room, but was suddenly yanked backwards so abruptly that he made a strangled noise and sat down hard on the floor. Silence... then Felix started laughing. Everyone else joined in once they realised he wasn't hurt.

"What the heck was that?" Banjo asked, folding against the wall.

"Are you okay?" Elijah managed between fits of laughter, both hands clasped over his mouth.

"The door handle went through my belt loop!" Felix explained, embarrassed.

"Let's try that again, maybe?" Milo suggested.

"You think?" Felix shot him a look.

They reset.

As if summoned, Felix finally appeared, and he frowned.

"Why are we all outside my room?"

Banjo began to answer him, but immediately started laughing as Felix edged extremely carefully around the door handle on his way in, eyes fixed on it as though he expected it to attack him again. Felix shot the camera a sheepish look. That finished the others off.

"Alright," the director called through the laughter. "Let's reset."

7. BLOOPER - WEET-BIX

"Hey. It'll be okay." Elijah held out a hand. "I can't get you closer to your dogs or your friends, but I know what it's like to feel like you left everything behind."

Banjo gripped it. Elijah pulled much too hard. Banjo shot to his feet, stumbled straight into Elijah, and sent both of them toppling backwards onto the carpet. There was a thump. A pause. Then Banjo started laughing from somewhere on top of him.

"Ow!" Elijah wheezed. "You're on my boob."

"That was your fault! I'm not wearing that!" Banjo rolled off him and the two laughed together for a minute. "I didn't know you were that strong."

"I had my Weet-Bix this morning," Elijah said.

They reset.

"Hey. It'll be okay." Elijah held out a hand. "I can't get you closer to your dogs or your friends, but I know what it's like to feel like you left everything behind."

Banjo gripped it - and pulled Elijah hard enough to get a surprise squeak out of him. Elijah crashed into him this time, and the two collapsed in a giggling heap as the crew groaned around them.

"Mine was an accident! You did that on purpose," Elijah accused him.

"An eye for an eye, a nose for a chin!" Banjo flashed a grin. "Maybe I just like holding your hand."

Elijah's eyes glimmered for a moment before they reset.

8. BLOOPER - CONFESSION

Milo stared at his shoes. "Banjo didn't do anything. It was me."

Bernard paused the show, and Piers turned to look.

"What was?" Owen asked.

Milo lifted his head dramatically. "I KILLED MUFASA!"

There was half a second of stunned silence. Then Owen threw his head back laughing. Banjo buried his face in a cushion. Bernard dropped the remote. Even Piers turned away from the camera, shoulders shaking. From behind the camera, the director groaned.

"Milo."

"I'm sorry! I've been waiting all day to do that!" Milo squeaked.

9. CANDID - DODGEBALL

In the common room, Elijah, Banjo, Owen and Reggie faced Piers, Lane, Milo and Bernard. Felix stood on the sideline with a whistle.

"Why are you the umpire?" Owen demanded.

"Because I'm impartial!" Felix lied, and he blew his whistle. "Play!"

Chaos followed. Lane nearly took Reggie's head off with the first ping-pong ball.

"Help! Violence!" Reggie shouted.

"It's all legal!" Felix called.

Banjo caught Bernard out. Milo immediately avenged him by hitting Banjo in the legs. Elijah spent most of the game using Owen as cover.

"Stop hiding behind me!"

"I'm the main character and I have plot armour!"

Piers nailed Owen while he was arguing.

"OUT!" Felix shouted.

"That shouldn't count!"

"It counts more because you looked stupid," Felix decided.

Eventually only Reggie and Lane remained. Reggie had all five balls, but none of the athletic advantage.

Lane stared him down. "Do you have the guts to finish what you start, Nguyễn?"

"He's done. Don't let him in your head. Just finish him!" Banjo insisted.

Reggie let out a wail of panic, then threw five ping-pong balls at once. Lane failed to catch any of them, and got pelted by two of them.

Felix blew the whistle. "That's game! Imagine - even when they win, they're still losers!"

"In your faces, supporting characters!" Owen made a rude gesture, blurred by the footage.

"Biased ref," Piers complained.

"I was so biased, and you still lost," Felix shrugged.

As the other four blamed each other and the umpire, Team Protagonist shared a victory huddle.

10. BLOOPER - DON'T LOOK AT ME

Banjo looked at him. "You said your mum sent you here because she wanted fewer children."

"That was a joke!"

"You have six siblings. It sounded believable."

Owen grinned. Then he looked at Banjo. "I'm s--" he started laughing.

"That's the worst apology I've ever seen," Piers remarked, pointing at him.

"What happened there?" Banjo asked.

"I dunno, I'm trying to be all serious and stuff, and you're looking at me like that!" Owen accused him.

"What do you mean?" Banjo started laughing.

"Okay, let's try it again. Some of us have things to do," said Bernard.

The boys reset, and Owen grinned. Then he looked at Banjo. He paused, and his mouth quivered. On the other side, Banjo was holding in a laugh of his own. The two broke down again.

"Get it together, guys!" Reggie urged them. "Don't mind that Connors has a giant goofy face or Marsh isn't a professional."

They reset. Owen grinned, then he looked at Banjo. "I'm sorry, by the way."

"For what?"

Owen snorted a chuckle, and they lost the scene again. "You're doing it on purpose!" Owen accused him.

"Lies and slander. All you've done is ruin our lovely scene!" Banjo accused him.

"Me?!"

Another reset. Owen turned toward Banjo. Banjo looked back. Neither of them even got a line out - they collapsed again. This time the rest of the boys started laughing with them.

"Maybe we should break," Elijah suggested.

"Yes," Bernard said immediately. "Please."

Owen was still laughing. "I can do it!"

Banjo and Owen exhaled and shook themselves. They looked at each other. So far, so good.

"Don't laugh," whispered Milo, mischievously.

That did it. The boys erupted.

Piers shook his head. "No wonder Milo was typecast as the villain."

11. BLOOPER - DETECTIVE WHO?

"I thought so. Oakfield offers mentorships with people from different careers if you're interested. There's this big-deal detective who likes recruiting smart kids into forensics - Detective Senior Sernior--gent..."

"Wanna try that one again?" Elijah giggled.

"Yeah. Definitely!" Christian did the deep exhale he did every time he reset himself for a scene. A few moments later, he spoke. "There's this big-deal detective who likes recruiting smart kids into forensics - Detective Sergeant Senior Bourke." Elijah laughed, and Christian looked puzzled. "What?"

"You said it wrong!" Elijah pointed to the script. "Senior Sergeant."

"Ah, biscuits." Christian shook his head and exhaled once again. "There's this big-deal detective who likes recruiting smart kids into forensics - Detective Sengeant S...on of a biscuit!" The cast and crew laughed it off again, and Christian exhaled once more. "There's this big-deal detective who likes recruiting smart kids into forensics - Detective Senior Sergeant Bourke."

"Woo!" The director applauded, and Christian took a modest little bow.

"Sorry, what's his name again?" Elijah smirked mischievously.

Christian looked at him like he was ready to slap him. "That's not funny, Silverman!"

12. BLOOPER - MYSTERY SPEEDRUN

Something shifted. A soft click came from inside. His eyes widened.

"Oh, come on."

Elijah turned the box over. Another click. Then an entire panel suddenly sprang open. Elijah froze. The crew froze. A small Caramello Koala slid out and landed in his lap. There was a long silence. Elijah picked it up.

"...Is this the secret?"

The crew erupted.

"No!" someone shouted from behind the camera. "It wasn't supposed to do that."

Elijah shook the box beside his ear. Nothing. He held up the Caramello Koala. "This was the rattling noise!"

The prop master was already laughing. "It was supposed to keep the box sounding like there was something inside!"

Elijah inspected the wrapper. "Well, I speedran that one. You guys told me it would take me a bunch of stories to solve. That was easy."

"Okay, let's get it clear - there's more to the puzzle box than a chocolate from afternoon tea."

Elijah shrugged and tore open the Caramello Koala.

"Don't eat the prop!"

Too late. Elijah took a bite and looked directly into the camera. "Mystery solved!"

13. CANDID - OUR BOYS

The camera was still rolling between takes. Elijah sat alone in his usual beanbag with a book open, actually reading this time. Reggie arrived first. He dropped onto the floor beside him and leaned against the beanbag.

Elijah glanced down. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

Elijah went back to his book. Banjo wandered over next with his sketchbook and sat on Elijah's other side, getting nice and close so that Elijah frowned at him. Then Owen appeared.

"What are we doing?"

"Nothing," Reggie said.

"Cool."

Owen sat down too, more of himself on top of his friends than on the now flattened beanbag.

"Some space, if you wouldn't mind?" Elijah begged.

Milo hovered for a moment before squeezing into the gap beside Banjo. Lane and Bernard arrived together. There was no room left, but they flopped down, now creating a pile of laughing kids. Piers walked past with his earbuds in. He paused, and when Banjo waved him over, he shrugged and flopped on top of the others.

Felix was last. He stared. "Are you guys okay? There's actually chairs. Like, a lot of them." When nobody moved, he sighed. "Alright. I guess we're doing this."

Felix wedged himself into the remaining space, leaving Elijah buried in the middle of eight classmates - Banjo against one shoulder, Reggie against the other, Owen half across his legs, Milo tucked beside the beanbag and everyone else leaning wherever they could fit. Elijah showed the crew he was alive by waving his book around with his arm.

"You guys are not invited to the sequel!" Elijah warned them.

The camera faded on a still picture of the nine Year Sevens laughing together.