Chapter 102: Hired Members
Eduard Grau stood in front of the viewfinder, glanced absentmindedly, and said, "No problem."
Alex Villagrasa had been busy for forty-five minutes for this lighting effect. Seeing Eduard's indifferent reply, he angrily threw the microphone sponge, "Idiot, if you keep zoning out, I'll kick your ass! After lighting the lighter, can you see the facial expressions clearly?"
According to the design, Paul wakes up in the coffin, and the first light source used is a lighter. Generally, the illumination space of a lighter is very limited, especially in absolute darkness. However, in filming, insufficient light not only affects the viewing experience but also affects the actors' performances. "Buried" is not like "The Blair Witch Project," which tries to create a sense of reality. It needs sufficient light to present the details of the performance.
So, Alex, as the visual effects specialist, is responsible for both sound and lighting. He is adjusting the flame size of the lighter, testing the brightness of the light source, and using hidden reflectors to concentrate the light. Eduard, as the photographer, must evaluate the results from the perspective of photography.
Eduard withdrew his gaze, focused on the viewfinder, and then switched to two different angles, demonstrating his professionalism, "No problem. However, when shooting close-ups, the angle of the reflector needs to be readjusted. Shoot from the side so that the camera can see the reflector."
Alex also approached the viewfinder to change the angle and confirm. Straightening up, he noticed Eduard's gaze drifting away again and sighed helplessly, "Why bother? We're just hired guns, just collaborating on a project. He's British, probably won't come to Spain for filming again, and we won't have any intersections in the future."
Not far away, Renly sat quietly on a pile of wood, earnestly reading the script. His reading habit was strange; he wasn't memorizing lines or browsing the plot. At first glance, it seemed like he was zoning out, not reading the script at all. But upon closer inspection, one could see that he was repeatedly reading the same passage, then deep in thought, as if having a battle with himself.
Whether it's immersion or neuroticism depends on how you look at it.
"You think he's just putting on airs, or does he have real talent?" Eduard couldn't resist asking Alex, lowering his voice to discuss. But before Alex could reply, Eduard continued, "I'm sure it's all a façade. He looks like he just graduated from high school at most, how could he have any skill? I really don't understand what Rodrigo was thinking, picking an actor like him. Could it be that he slept with Rodrigo?"
Facing Eduard's provocation, Alex knew he was still nursing the embarrassment from earlier. Eduard was the curly-haired guy from earlier.
Actually, Eduard's joke itself wasn't a big deal. If it were face-to-face banter between men, there are countless instances far more offensive and ugly. It wouldn't ruin relationships; instead, it would become fodder for conversation. But talking behind someone's back and being caught red-handed, that kind of ugliness and shame is truly embarrassing.
No one anticipated that Renly's Spanish was so good, just like cursing someone in Chinese abroad and suddenly realizing that the other person speaks Chinese as fluently. That's truly awkward.
Eduard felt a bit embarrassed and Alex didn't want to get involved in this mess.
"Buried" had only eight people in the entire crew: a cinematographer, a special effects artist, a director's assistant, a makeup artist, a production assistant, plus a director, a screenwriter, and an actor. Apart from the core three, Alex, Eduard, they were just hired guns, not renowned professionals, just fringe figures they've managed to muster.
As he said, they were hired to shoot "Buried," and after the shoot, they would go their separate ways. There was no need to dwell on trivial matters.
"We'll find out soon enough once shooting starts, won't we? Whether he's all talk or has substance." Alex shrugged, indifferent.
Honestly, setting aside Eduard's personal grievances, Alex was also curious about Renly's background.
Objectively speaking, Renly didn't look like a high schooler at all. He had stubble, neatly trimmed to add a touch of maturity. His unstyled chestnut curls were slightly messy, as if he hadn't washed his hair for a day or two, a bit oily and disheveled. The only inconsistency was his bright, vibrant eyes, which couldn't possibly belong to a thirty-year-old, but Alex could believe he was twenty-five or twenty-six.
But even so, playing the role of Paul Conroy wouldn't be easy.
He didn't seem... aggressive in any way. Not that it's bad, but it lacked the fierce determination often seen in actors. Of course, the moment where he subtly outwitted Eduard was an exception.
After exchanging greetings, he didn't continue to pursue Eduard's faults; nor did he resolve the awkwardness and bond with them. Instead, he sat alone on the side to study the script. While the crew prepared for the shoot, an hour passed, and he remained there undisturbed, without any movement, not even a hint of the surrounding atmosphere. Wasn't this more akin to autism than social withdrawal?
Eduard couldn't predict what would happen when Renly immersed himself in the shoot, nor could he predict what kind of performance Renly would deliver. Deep down, he was somewhat anticipating.
"Hmph, let's wait and see." Eduard pursed his lips, wanting to say something more, perhaps a cutting remark, but ultimately kept silent, turned his head, and muttered to himself as he busied himself.
Adriana Guerra stood in front of Renly, politely waving her hand, trying to get his attention, but to no avail. Renly remained focused on the script, seemingly unaware of her presence. She had to speak up, "Sir, sir?"
Renly finally looked up, his gaze somewhat puzzled. Adriana held up her makeup kit, "I'm here to do your makeup. We need to cover up those handsome cheeks of yours." She joked in a teasing tone.
Renly raised the script in his hand, "I will pay attention to the script, and won't interfere with your work." Then he sat up straight, lifted the script a bit higher and further away so that his face was visible, yet he could continue reading.
Adriana was taken aback; her joke fell flat. She felt awkward and could only gather her emotions. She began to focus on her work, trying to put her energy into the makeup.
Paul Conroy's makeup wasn't difficult; it wasn't about beauty but about realism, portraying Renly's true appearance as closely as possible. To be more precise, it was dirty makeup, showing Paul's disheveled appearance after being kidnapped, sweaty, and even greasy.
Adriana soon finished her work and kindly said, "Done, you're ready for the camera now!"
Renly lowered the script in his hand and made an "OK" gesture, nodding to Adriana with a faint smile, "Thank you, you've worked hard."
That warm smile warmed Adriana's heart. She couldn't help but respond with a bright smile, "It's my job. I'm really looking forward to your performance." Adriana said enthusiastically. However, to her surprise, Renly's attention had returned to the script, seemingly unwilling to continue the conversation. This made her feel embarrassed, and her smile stiffened.
After standing still for a few seconds, Adriana realized that Renly had no intention of continuing the conversation. Her enthusiasm hit a wall – she had been standing there for so long, not to mention appreciative looks, Renly didn't even lift his head. Embarrassment surged, "Good luck then." Adriana left with a remark, then turned around and left quickly.
After walking a distance, Adriana couldn't help but stop again, turning around to look. She found that Renly was still completely immersed in the script, seemingly uninterested in further dialogue. She stomped her foot in frustration, then left with large strides.
Compared to the "The Pacific" crew, the "Buried" crew not only had a smaller scale but also had some chaos on set. The production assistants were inexperienced, and the efficiency was very low. The organization and discipline of the hired guns were also average. Fortunately, it was a small crew with few personnel and tasks; otherwise, it would have been even more difficult to imagine.
Renly was completely unaware that within just an hour, he had become the target of the entire crew's criticism. He unintentionally offended them. Even if he knew, he wouldn't have time to care because he had to fully immerse himself in the role. He wasn't yet one of those acting masters who could enter performance mode anytime, anywhere. Before immersing himself in acting, he needed ample preparation.
"Renly? Renly!" Rodrigo approached, calling out three times without response. He had to intervene, waving his hand between Renly's gaze and the script. Finally getting a response, he said, "We can start shooting now."
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