Huge thanks to maxxcallaher for making the story! <3
“I promise you, Josh. This version of Pinocchio will be unlike any other. It’ll be a healthy change of pace for your career.” The director’s warning replayed in Joshua Bassett’s head over and over again. Had he had the foresight to ask what the director meant, he would never had accepted the role.
He was to play Lampwick in Disney’s live-action remake of the Pinocchio story, the latest in the ever-growing line of Disney classics that were being reimagined. After his performances in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Better Nate Than Ever made him a shoe-in for the role, but still he had doubts. He had only once worn the amount of stage makeup required for an animal transformation in the second season of HSMTMTS, and it hadn’t been the most comfortable experience. Everyone knew Lampwick’s fate, and he wasn’t excited to reprise it.
Therefore, when he broached his concerns with the director and he had brushed off the young actor’s concerns, Josh’s worry only grew. It was all he could do not to abandon the role entirely.
But money was money, and Hollywood was Hollywood. Josh was stuck, whether he wanted to be or not, and he was destined to play as Lampwick. Plus, he had signed a contract. So when it came time to film the scenes set on Pleasure Island and he wasn’t shepherded into the makeup chair like he was expecting, he was confused. “None of that for this movie, honey,” the middle-aged makeup artist told him with a firm slap on his behind as she kicked him out. Weird, he thought, choosing to ignore her physicality. He was more concerned with how the transformation would work out on camera. His mind settled on Hollywood magic, probably CGI or something similar.
The filming for the Pleasure Island segment of the film was scheduled to take place over six days, but Josh was only scheduled for the first three. It made sense – once Lampwick was a donkey, he wasn’t really needed anymore, and that’s as far as he was to get. After the first full day of nonstop acting, resetting, and taking notes, Josh was done for the day and released. As he drifted off to sleep, his mouth still fuzzy from drinking the liquid they were using for beer (he wasn’t told what it was, but he assumed it was some sort of dyed sugar water made to taste bitter,) he couldn’t help but notice the itchiness on his skin. “Must be my costume,” he mumbled as exhaustion took over.
The next day continued much in the same way. Today, though, felt a little more uncomfortable for Josh, since the itch he had felt the night before had yet to die down. When he was finished for the day – yet another of drinking the strange brew, but this day he was actually working with the kid playing Pinocchio – he somehow felt even worse. Inspecting himself in the mirror, he noticed his nose was a little redder than usual, and he even thought it was flatter against his face. Come to think of it, his ears were a little higher on his head than he remembered, too, and a little fuzzier. In fact, his whole body was slightly hairier. He brushed his concerns off, though, and went back to his trailer for the night.
The third day was where everything went wrong. It had gotten to the transformation scene, where Lampwick would cease to be a boy and continue his life as a donkey. They rehearsed it a few times at first, and Josh admitted he felt a little asinine jumping around and pretending to buck his legs like he was actually becoming an animal. When the director had seen enough and they were ready for filming, Josh proceeded as he had rehearsed. But this time felt different, somehow. As he brayed playfully, making the boy playing Pinocchio laugh and break character, he felt off. As the director yelled cut, Josh struggled to find his balance. By the time he had regained it and the director had told Pinocchio off for breaking character, they were ready to go again. “This is the cut I want in the film!” The director called eagerly.
The cameras were rolling once again. This time, Josh didn’t stand a chance. As he began to film, braying in a way uncharacteristic to any he had done before, he lost himself in the character. At least, that’s what he imagined he was doing.
In reality, however, the curse of their filming location was finally taking its toll on the young actor, and his curse was coming to fruition. As he brayed and bucked his legs, a thick coat of fur grew in as if by magic, and Josh stopped his acting and screamed in fear. “Whaaaaaaaat’s happening to me?” Josh cried as he looked at his hands, which had begun to fuse together into hooves. “Haaaaaaaw! Heeeeeelp mee!!” His shock was too much as his hand became an animalistic hoof. “Mommy! I whaaaaaaawnt my mommy!” Josh cried. His nose and ears, which had already begun their changes days before, finally stuck out on his head, flopping forward as a muzzle and ears characteristic of a donkey. Terror filled his eyes as a long tail flopped out from the small of his back and the fur covered the rest of his face. “Mhaaaaaaaaammy! I waaaaaaant my Mommy!!!” His outbursts continued until his voice was reduced to nothing but a bray and where once had stood Joshua Bassett now stood a donkey in human clothing.
“And, scene!”
“I promise you, Josh. This version of Pinocchio will be unlike any other. It’ll be a healthy change of pace for your career.” The director’s warning replayed in Joshua Bassett’s head over and over again. Had he had the foresight to ask what the director meant, he would never had accepted the role.
He was to play Lampwick in Disney’s live-action remake of the Pinocchio story, the latest in the ever-growing line of Disney classics that were being reimagined. After his performances in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Better Nate Than Ever made him a shoe-in for the role, but still he had doubts. He had only once worn the amount of stage makeup required for an animal transformation in the second season of HSMTMTS, and it hadn’t been the most comfortable experience. Everyone knew Lampwick’s fate, and he wasn’t excited to reprise it.
Therefore, when he broached his concerns with the director and he had brushed off the young actor’s concerns, Josh’s worry only grew. It was all he could do not to abandon the role entirely.
But money was money, and Hollywood was Hollywood. Josh was stuck, whether he wanted to be or not, and he was destined to play as Lampwick. Plus, he had signed a contract. So when it came time to film the scenes set on Pleasure Island and he wasn’t shepherded into the makeup chair like he was expecting, he was confused. “None of that for this movie, honey,” the middle-aged makeup artist told him with a firm slap on his behind as she kicked him out. Weird, he thought, choosing to ignore her physicality. He was more concerned with how the transformation would work out on camera. His mind settled on Hollywood magic, probably CGI or something similar.
The filming for the Pleasure Island segment of the film was scheduled to take place over six days, but Josh was only scheduled for the first three. It made sense – once Lampwick was a donkey, he wasn’t really needed anymore, and that’s as far as he was to get. After the first full day of nonstop acting, resetting, and taking notes, Josh was done for the day and released. As he drifted off to sleep, his mouth still fuzzy from drinking the liquid they were using for beer (he wasn’t told what it was, but he assumed it was some sort of dyed sugar water made to taste bitter,) he couldn’t help but notice the itchiness on his skin. “Must be my costume,” he mumbled as exhaustion took over.
The next day continued much in the same way. Today, though, felt a little more uncomfortable for Josh, since the itch he had felt the night before had yet to die down. When he was finished for the day – yet another of drinking the strange brew, but this day he was actually working with the kid playing Pinocchio – he somehow felt even worse. Inspecting himself in the mirror, he noticed his nose was a little redder than usual, and he even thought it was flatter against his face. Come to think of it, his ears were a little higher on his head than he remembered, too, and a little fuzzier. In fact, his whole body was slightly hairier. He brushed his concerns off, though, and went back to his trailer for the night.
The third day was where everything went wrong. It had gotten to the transformation scene, where Lampwick would cease to be a boy and continue his life as a donkey. They rehearsed it a few times at first, and Josh admitted he felt a little asinine jumping around and pretending to buck his legs like he was actually becoming an animal. When the director had seen enough and they were ready for filming, Josh proceeded as he had rehearsed. But this time felt different, somehow. As he brayed playfully, making the boy playing Pinocchio laugh and break character, he felt off. As the director yelled cut, Josh struggled to find his balance. By the time he had regained it and the director had told Pinocchio off for breaking character, they were ready to go again. “This is the cut I want in the film!” The director called eagerly.
The cameras were rolling once again. This time, Josh didn’t stand a chance. As he began to film, braying in a way uncharacteristic to any he had done before, he lost himself in the character. At least, that’s what he imagined he was doing.
In reality, however, the curse of their filming location was finally taking its toll on the young actor, and his curse was coming to fruition. As he brayed and bucked his legs, a thick coat of fur grew in as if by magic, and Josh stopped his acting and screamed in fear. “Whaaaaaaaat’s happening to me?” Josh cried as he looked at his hands, which had begun to fuse together into hooves. “Haaaaaaaw! Heeeeeelp mee!!” His shock was too much as his hand became an animalistic hoof. “Mommy! I whaaaaaaawnt my mommy!” Josh cried. His nose and ears, which had already begun their changes days before, finally stuck out on his head, flopping forward as a muzzle and ears characteristic of a donkey. Terror filled his eyes as a long tail flopped out from the small of his back and the fur covered the rest of his face. “Mhaaaaaaaaammy! I waaaaaaant my Mommy!!!” His outbursts continued until his voice was reduced to nothing but a bray and where once had stood Joshua Bassett now stood a donkey in human clothing.
“And, scene!”
Category All / Transformation
Species Donkey / Mule
Gender Male
Size 891 x 1078px
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