Chapter 9: C 9
Movies, especially those with relatively high investment, are large-scale endeavors that require meticulous planning. During the entire preliminary phase, three key roles stand out: the producer, the director, and the screenwriter.
The script is usually finalized early and will only be changed under special circumstances. Over the past two months, Luke has carefully planned his directorial duties, yet even now, before the cameras roll, he remains focused, as the director is involved in numerous aspects of the production.
Although specific crew members handle the rental of equipment and props, Luke still personally oversees everything. Anything that does not meet his vision must be replaced. Taking the production team, the cinematographer, and the art director to visit the filming locations is a crucial responsibility during pre-production. The cinematographer must figure out how to work the camera within the actual setting, while Luke, as the director, ensures that the location matches his envisioned scenes. If it differs, he works closely with the set designer and art director to adjust it. Once everything is settled, negotiations on venue usage, costs, and logistics take place.
With the locations locked in, Luke reviews the script according to the actual circumstances. He creates shot lists and storyboards, planning each scene meticulously—deciding how many takes are needed, the specific camera angles to try, and how much emotional range the actors should display.
In addition to the storyboard, Luke drafts a shooting schedule to coordinate time according to location and actor availability. Scenes set in the same place must be filmed together to avoid costume continuity errors. It's essential for a director to have a clear vision to avoid rookie mistakes, such as mismatched costumes for scenes set in the same location. These errors are amateurish and would make the production a laughingstock.
Luke also meets with assistant directors to finalize the shooting schedule. The first assistant director, Kane, occasionally challenges him, slowing down the workflow and adding to Luke's stress. Luke has come close to losing his temper several times but restrains himself. He knows that the focus should be on making the movie, not engaging in personal conflicts. Letting these trivial matters distract him would ultimately do more harm than good.
This experience has taught Luke something valuable: he desperately needs a sharp, capable assistant who understands the film business. Such an assistant would help him handle the logistical headaches, allowing him to focus more on directing. Unfortunately, Luke currently doesn't have the financial means to hire anyone, especially since he's still paying off credit card debt.
Compared to the film crews in his previous life, Luke finds the pre-production process for Hollywood movies far more complex and detailed. It also takes more time, as actors must set their looks and study their roles. Robin Grande's initial estimate of starting production by mid-September has proven overly optimistic. In the end, the pre-production phase for Speed was delayed by two weeks, finally wrapping up in early October.
On October 3, 1991, after being weighed down by work and stress to the point of insomnia, Luke felt a surge of energy as Speed officially launched production at Universal Studios. There were no press conferences, no camera flashes, no elaborate rituals—the crew simply got to work.
"Cut!"
Only ten seconds into the first test shoot, Luke called for a halt. He stood up from behind the director's camera, pacing around the elevator set before finally standing in the middle of the shooting area. Dennis Hopper, playing the villain, along with an extra, were waiting nearby.
Some things might look fine to the naked eye, but the camera magnifies every flaw. Though Luke had been in constant communication with the crew for over two months, this was the first time they were working together in action.
"The light needs to be dimmer, and I want a stronger gray metallic texture," Luke observed. He realized the scene and camera angles weren't quite as he had envisioned. He directed the second camera to move 30 degrees left, focusing on Dennis's back and clothes.
The costume artist raised her hand. Luke approached Dennis Hopper and pointed at his worn coveralls, "Change these to something grayer."
Turning to the extra playing a security guard, Luke said, "Your expression was too exaggerated. Keep it restrained this time. Walk along the outside of Dennis."
After making sure the extra understood, Luke returned to his spot behind the camera.
"You're looking more and more like a director," came a familiar voice from beside him. It was Sophia Coppola, standing with a stopwatch. Luke chose not to reply.
The adjustments were quickly made, and with a nod from Luke, the assistant director called for action.
Luke focused intently on the monitor. In the scene, the security guard walked towards Dennis, checked his work order, and the camera zoomed in on his right hand hidden behind it.
"What is this?" Luke frowned and immediately called for another stop.
He walked over to Dennis Hopper and took the work order from him. The paper was full of random scribbles, incomprehensible to anyone.
"Props!" Luke's voice wasn't loud, but it carried authority. "I need a proper fake work order, not this!"
The props team quickly scrambled to fix the issue. Luke gave them a stern but fair ultimatum: "You've got ten minutes."
Sitting back in his chair, Luke rubbed his temples. The first interruption had been due to his own inexperience; this one was clearly the props team's fault.
"Want something to drink?" asked the assistant the crew had assigned to him. "Coffee or tea?"
Luke shook his head and turned to Sophia, curious. "Why are you here, Sophia?"
"I need to earn some money, enough to let me live in Europe for a while," she said, casually. "After Alien 3, I called Uncle Lucas, and here I am. Don't forget, I worked as an assistant for David Fincher once."
"You're going to Europe?" Luke wasn't familiar with all of Sophia's life plans at this stage, so he asked out of curiosity.
"My mom helped me get in touch with Karl Lagerfeld. Chanel's got some internships next year, and he's saving one for me," she said, visibly excited.
Luke avoided any mention of her critically panned performance in The Godfather Part III—there was no need to dig up old wounds.
Soon, the props team delivered the new work order, and the filming resumed. Despite the hiccups, the crew was still professional. This was Hollywood—if you couldn't do the job, you wouldn't last long.
However, the day's shooting remained slow. Luke made constant adjustments to the set and camera positions, which highlighted both the need for crew cohesion and his own inexperience. After two and a half hours, they finally wrapped up the first shot.
Luke knew he wasn't perfect; he made mistakes and had to correct them, which was part of the learning process. Working with the crew and actors would take time.
After a full morning of shooting, Dennis Hopper showed signs of fatigue and made small complaints through his assistant. Sophia Coppola brought this to Luke's attention.
"Dennis's assistant mentioned he's been overworked lately and isn't feeling well. They suggested focusing on other actors for a while," she relayed.
Luke sighed. "Another rookie mistake." He acknowledged the oversight. Using a seasoned actor to run through early setups was a poor choice.
In the complex world of Hollywood, managing actors' quirks and egos is a delicate dance. Super directors can handle such problems effortlessly, but Luke wasn't there yet. He knew he needed to strike a balance between asserting control and making compromises.
For the next week, Luke shifted the focus to extras and smaller roles, giving the major actors a break. Despite the bumps, by the end of the week, the crew began to find its rhythm.
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