America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz-Chapter 904 - 855 Kneel and Surrender
Chapter 904: Chapter 855: Kneel and Surrender
Chapter 904: Chapter 855: Kneel and Surrender
Upon arriving at the second floor of the studio, Blake Lively pushed open the door to the meeting room.
Around the elongated conference table sat over a dozen people, all heads of various departments from the crew.
Blake greeted Louise, who was sitting at the first seat on the left, and took the seat next to her.
The assistant director, Steven Downton, across from her, nodded at her with a smile.
Blake returned the smile.
Robert Eggers was sitting at a position further back, meticulously going through a copy of storyboards and the shooting plan.
He was seriously impressed as he realized that Martin had prepared thoroughly, covering every aspect of the filming, which was uncharacteristic for a novice director.
But then he thought, it wasn’t surprising given that Martin had been in Hollywood for ten years, starred in two films each year, and not only played the lead but also took on the role of producer.
The crew coordination meeting was about to begin.
Martin entered the meeting room and spoke quietly to Louise.
An assistant turned on the projector.
Martin clapped his hands, “Everyone, the meeting is starting.”
The others gradually looked up and directed their attention toward Martin.
Martin directly said, “In the next two months, we need to prepare for the shooting of a film that involves nearly a one-man show, with very singular settings, yet in this escape-themed thriller, I demand that the team captures the rawest essence of realness.”
He looked at Louise, “Is all the funding in place?”
Louise nodded, “Everything has been deposited.”
Martin asked the props department head, “How’s the shark coming along?”
Props master Greene stated, “Based on the shooting plan, creating a full-scale, realistic mechanical shark isn’t feasible due to time constraints; we couldn’t wait for the shark to be completed without having to finish all other shots.”
He gestured to an assistant.
The assistant changed the projection to show a mechanical shark with only a triangular fin installed.
Greene continued, “The part of the mechanical shark that shows above the water has been made to look realistic.”
Martin then addressed the head of special effects, “Hugh, can the existing budget handle a digital technology depiction of the shark underwater?”
Hugh Betts replied, “Creating the shark isn’t an issue; the funds are sufficient.”
Martin thought of more details, “When the shark moves close to the surface, ripples will appear…”
Hugh Betts stated, “That’s quite challenging and requires a lot of funds. Current CGI technology struggles with fur-bearing animals and water – achieving realistic effects is time and labor-intensive.”
The coordination meeting was essentially to solve issues; Martin only needed to present his demands, “Are there other ways to achieve this?”
First Assistant Director Steven Downton, experienced in shooting similar footage, took the initiative, “We could produce a simple mechanical model, overlay the shark’s motion data, and make the mechanical model move underwater to produce the surface ripples.”
After recalling, “Industrial Light & Magic has such data; we just need to pay to use it.”
Martin immediately told Greene and Hugh Betts, “The crew will get the data as soon as possible; you guys collaborate to establish an effective model.”
Both nodded successively.
Louise made a note, planning to send a deputy to contact Industrial Light & Magic as soon as the meeting ended.
Martin turned to Blake, “Most of the time, you will be acting against thin air, nearly every shot filled with seawater, make sure you’re ready.”
“Don’t worry, I have no issues on my end.” Blake declared confidently, “I’ve been preparing for eight months.”
Many in the crew looked toward Blake Lively, aware she wasn’t just relying on her looks or connections with Martin to nail this role.
Her professional conduct was also high.
Martin looked at the cinematography director, Dan Rostin, “There are a lot of underwater shots during the filming, how are your preparations?”
Dan Rostin said, “Arri Company’s mini model cameras, designed for underwater filming, are currently rented by the crew. I’ve also constructed a 50-foot-long telescopic rotating boom at the studio on Rosarito Island, suitable for complex underwater environments.”
Recalling Martin’s requirements, he added, “They’re all digital cameras.”
Martin nodded in satisfaction, the production budget was limited, naturally, they wouldn’t opt for the more expensive film cameras for shooting.
Apart from anything else, just the shooting and post-production costs alone, film would be at least double the cost of digital.
From a business perspective, film was like the bygone silent black-and-white films, its demise inevitable.
Martin further inquired about lighting and art setups.
Sunlight was the primary light source in the film, but in the early morning, late afternoon, and evening, light changes, thus carefully calculating the matching of on-site and studio lighting was essential.
Martin laid out his demands; it was up to the lighting technicians to solve them.
The coordination meeting ended, and Martin convened a directors’ meeting, including Robert Eggers and Steven Downton, totaling eight assistant directors in the crew.
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The directors needed to review the shooting schedule.
Sticking to a strict schedule for filming a movie was a must; otherwise, the budget would quickly spiral out of control.
Steven Downton suggested, “A 35-day shooting schedule seems comfortable, but I recommend we add five more days. Closed sets are relatively easier to manage, but filming on an outdoor beach isn’t as controllable.”
From his crucial position, aware of why Martin valued his input, he emphasized, “Over the past thirty years, every Hollywood film shot on water has invariably gone over budget and schedule.”
