Chapter 805: Chapter 805: Horseback Riding and Gunfighting
In March, Martin made a swift trip to New York to join the cast of John Wick 3, where the crew was deep in rehearsals for action scenes at Bruce Collin Studios.
The crew had arrived in New York as early as the previous year, establishing their base and prepping for the intense sequences ahead. Martin, however, joined the ranks later, much like Mene and Blake Lively. Upon his arrival, he dove straight into rehearsals, immersing himself in the intricate choreography of the action scenes.
On the set, a shooting range had been meticulously set up. Martin, holding a shotgun, stood before a series of targets. With practiced precision, he loaded red shells into the chamber, his movements fluid and confident.
Marcus, observing from the sidelines, remarked, "Chad has choreographed a scene where you'll need to load and shoot a shotgun with incredible speed while performing tactical maneuvers."
Martin grinned, securing a row of red shells around his waist. "Sounds challenging," he said, placing the fully loaded gun on the table, "but I'm up for it."
He raised the shotgun, taking aim at the human-shaped targets. With a series of rapid, well-aimed shots, the targets fell one after another, the ground littered with spent shells.
As he moved swiftly across the range, reloading without breaking his stride, another set of targets rose. Martin pivoted smoothly, taking them down with unerring accuracy. His prowess with the shotgun was undeniable.
Blake Lively, dressed in leather boots and jeans, approached Marcus, her eyes following Martin's movements. "He's an excellent shot," she noted.
Marcus, his belly jiggling slightly as he chuckled, replied, "It's rare to find someone with Martin's natural talent for shooting. Sometimes, raw talent outshines even the hardest training."
Blake nodded in agreement. "Absolutely, natural talent is invaluable."
The gunfire ceased, and Martin returned from the range, his shotgun still warm from the action. A voice called out, "Thirty shots, all hits!"
Martin set the shotgun down and removed the empty shell belt. Blake approached him, her admiration evident. "You have a real gift. Your accuracy, speed, and stamina are remarkable."
Martin, a modest smile playing on his lips, pointed to the still-smoking barrel of his shotgun. "The best thing is the gun," he quipped.
Blake's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Of course, I'm talking about your skill with the gun. Marcus was just singing your praises."
Suddenly, she remembered her reason for being there. "The horses have arrived. Chad wants to see you. I came to deliver the message."
Martin nodded, quickly packing up and handing his equipment to the gunsmith. "Let's go check it out," he said, calling Marcus to join them as they headed towards the stables.
Due to the unique requirements of the shoot, the crew had erected a temporary stable at Brooklyn Studio. They had also constructed an entire street set for Martin's intense horseback fight scenes, complete with intricate scenery and realistic props.
Though the cost of building these sets was comparable to renting actual locations, the crew had the added advantage of complete control over their shooting schedule.
As Martin entered the stable, he saw three powerful black horses, freshly unloaded by the horse trainer and resting comfortably in their temporary home. Chad and Chen Hu were already there, waiting for him.
Chad greeted Martin with a wave and began introductions. "Martin, meet our horse trainer and these two jockeys. Tiger Chen here will be your stunt double for some of the trickier scenes."
Martin nodded, shaking hands with the new team members. He knew he could handle most of the riding himself; after all, in a previous life, he had been a professional stunt rider and had spent years in the circus.
The rarity of filming circus scenes in modern productions stemmed from two main issues: the delicacy of both actors and horses, and the high cost of horse rentals. Despite this, Martin felt at ease. He approached one of the gleaming black horses, asking the trainer to help him get acquainted with the animal.
Although these horses were well-trained, building rapport with them took time. As Martin began this process, Chad approached him with a question. "How comfortable are you with the circus scenes?"
Martin responded confidently, "Riding and shooting are my specialties."
Blake Lively, standing nearby, shrugged in agreement, having witnessed his prowess firsthand.
Chen, curious, asked, "Have you ever filmed circus scenes before?"
Martin thought back, then nodded. "I did some back in Atlanta."
Mene joined the conversation with a grin. "That was a memorable late-night scene with a blonde actress, all done on horseback. Quite something."
Chad, Chen, Marcus, and Blake exchanged surprised glances.
Martin remained unfazed, recalling that despite its poor initial distribution, the film's videotape and DVD sales had surged after his rise to fame. He continued familiarizing himself with the horse, guiding it around the stable with practiced ease.
Leaning in, Mene whispered to Chad and the others, "You can find a clip on YouTube. It showcases all of Martin's most intense scenes since his debut."
Blake chimed in, "Except for The Reader with Kate Winslet, his Hollywood scenes haven't been very... intense."
Chad, who had worked with Martin for a long time, nodded. "Yeah, most of his more intense scenes have been action-packed."
Mene chimed in, "That film should be called The Man from the City. It was Martin's debut." He glanced at the horses and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "But I heard from Bruce that before that, Martin filmed a pretty wild scene. He and Robert, the high priest of the Coca-Cola Cult, were lying on the ground pretending to be corpses while the hero and heroine played poker in front of them..."
Marcus scratched his head in confusion. "What kind of bizarre plot is that?"
Blake's eyes lit up with curiosity. "I have to find those films and watch them. They sound intriguing."
The group continued their lively discussion as Martin, having gotten acquainted with his horse, mounted it with a gentle grace. He carefully controlled the reins and guided the horse out of the stable. The crew had constructed a road specifically for filming, and Martin took the horse onto it.
He started with a slow trot, gradually increasing the speed. His past experience with horse scenes back in Atlanta and his extensive riding skills from recent years were evident. As he reached the end of the road, he turned the horse around and let it speed up on the return trip.
Chad, watching from the sidelines, felt a wave of relief seeing Martin's adept handling. "With Martin galloping on horseback, filming will be a lot smoother," he thought.
After riding back and forth three times, Martin dismounted and patted the horse appreciatively. "This is a good horse," he said.
The jockey approached with a suggestion. "You should spend time with this horse every day, get to know each other better. It'll help with filming."
Martin nodded, taking the advice to heart. "No problem. I'll make sure to spend time with it daily."
The others also tried their hand at riding before wrapping up. On the way back to the studio, Blake Lively remarked, "I learned to ride a horse while filming 'Gossip Girl', but I was never very good. I could only manage the basics."
Martin, half-joking, warned her, "Don't sneak over to ride by yourself."
Blake whispered with a mischievous glint in her eye, "I could practice at night. It's less boring than during the day."
Martin laughed, thinking about how he, too, needed the practice. Golden retrievers were nice, but riding a horse was another level of thrill.
Chad and the others followed closely behind. Martin turned to Chad, "When are we shooting the circus scenes?"
Chad replied, "We'll start with the circus. Renting these horses is expensive, and our budget is tight."
They entered the studio together. Inside the towering space, the crew had constructed an impressive building using tempered glass and special materials. When the lights were turned on, the glass structure shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors.
Martin, eager to explore, started to head up, but Chad stopped him. "Hold on," he said with a grin. "We'll get to that part soon enough."
The director, surveying the unfinished set, remarked, "We're not done yet. This is where the final action scene will take place. It cost us a whopping 3.5 million dollars."
Martin, hands on his hips, gazed at the intricate glass building. "It's definitely worth it. All this glass reminds me of a Hong Kong movie I once watched."
"Police Story?" Chad asked, seeing Martin nod in confirmation. He continued, "Tiger and I actually drew a lot of inspiration from that film when we were designing this sequence."
The action scenes in this third installment were set to be even more intense than those in the previous two movies, building on the solid audience base they had already established. With a production budget soaring to 90 million dollars, the film was being funded by Davis Studio, Pacific Studio, and Gray Film Company, with additional backing from Sofia's Beast House Entertainment.
Martin's contract with the production guaranteed him a hefty base salary of 20 million dollars. His earnings could further skyrocket with a percentage of the North American box office gross, starting at 100 million dollars, potentially reaching up to 20% if the box office exceeded 270 million dollars. This lucrative deal, known as the "20 plus 20" superstar salary, also included profits from DVDs, TV broadcasts, and online streaming.
The first two "John Wick" films had been hugely profitable, catapulting Martin and the investors into significant financial success. Chad, the director, had become a multimillionaire himself.
As the day wrapped up, Martin headed back to the hotel with Blake Lively joining him in his car. They chatted about the movie as the Escalade rolled out of the studio.
"Have you been practicing swimming and surfing lately?" Martin asked.
Blake nodded, her voice soft. "I can swim pretty well. But I haven't had the time to practice surfing. Professional training takes a lot of time, and I've been swamped."
She quickly added, "I passed the crew audition and spent four months on fitness, shooting, and fighting training. I even learned basic dog training for the film. In my spare time, I had to manage social media to attract fans."
Martin smiled. "Once this film wraps up, you should focus on surfing."
Blake's curiosity piqued, "Are you planning to do a movie about swimming and surfing?"
"Yeah," Martin replied. "The character is a skilled surfer who loves pushing his limits on remote beaches. One day, an accident happens."
Blake nodded in understanding. "Got it. I'll practice seriously once we're done with this film."
"When can we expect a script?" she asked.
"I talked to Bradt, and he's already working on it," Martin said.
Back at the hotel where the crew was staying, they headed to the dining area to recharge with a hearty dinner. Afterward, they returned to Martin's suite to practice riding together, preparing for the intense days ahead.
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