Chapitre 85: Chapter 85: Nestling
Whether as a director or in his part-time role as a producer, if one isn't adept at dealing with people, then this industry isn't suitable.
As a producer, Murphy needed to liaise with a diverse range of people; as a director, he needed to communicate and collaborate with actors and the production crew.
Compared to the directorial aspect, coordinating the crew and logistics was equally important and somewhat tricky. Murphy certainly lacked sufficient experience or skills in this regard. Moreover, interpersonal skills usually couldn't be immediately imparted to someone trying to enter the film industry.
Murphy needed to rely on practice to change himself, to enrich himself, and to mature.
Additionally, there were some paperwork and financial tasks that Murphy had to handle.
Administrative tasks required organizing and labeling for future use. This included compiling resources, legal documents, checks, accounting ledgers, authorization agreements, contracts, permits, copyrights, photos, and more. For this purpose, most production companies had secretaries, accountants, and office staff to handle these "backstage" matters.
In large production companies, these employees belonged to the production department. They researched expenses, analyzed client data, and so on daily, so that the production crew could be prepared for any issues that arose.
For low-budget productions like Murphy's, producers had to either be the ultimate organizers or find specialized personnel to fill the role, requiring diligence and professionalism.
The finance person Murphy hired was technically inadequate, so he enlisted the accountant from "Fruit Hard Candy" to oversee this part of the work directly.
Furthermore, Murphy had to handle some important paperwork himself. Even in Los Angeles, documentary processes during filming were crucial for legal protection and filming. Ignoring this aspect's importance could lead to unforeseen problems for the project.
Then came actor rehearsals. Murphy understood the importance of rehearsals; he wouldn't rush into filming. He intentionally prepared a spare bedroom on the second floor for James Franco and Seth Rogen, the two male leads, to rehearse.
Many films were shot without rehearsals. Sometimes it was because the actors were too "big-name," thinking rehearsals were of no benefit to them; other times, directors felt it wasn't a good idea as actors might lose spontaneity.
However, this horror film didn't require explosive performances from the actors, and the budget determined that the filming needed to be quick. With a structured rehearsal, Murphy believed it was more suitable for his crew.
In addition to coaching actors, Murphy also communicated and collaborated with other departments.
He accompanied the cinematographer, Philippe Rochelle, and the lighting technician, David Robbie, to the warehouse several times to assess the setups. They also pre-designed some shooting techniques and lighting methods for certain scenes. Murphy requested Philippe Rochelle and David Robbie to provide the required camera and lighting equipment lists to the crew and conduct tests immediately after the equipment was leased, minimizing the occurrence of issues encountered in the previous shoot.
On the other hand, Murphy required the art, set, props, makeup, and costume departments to submit design proposals based on his plans. All crew members had to agree on the film's aesthetic style and unified creative approach.
The art director, Helena Esbola, was responsible for setting up the scenes. Since the warehouse was spacious and couldn't be fully utilized, Murphy instructed that scenes shouldn't be excessive or too scattered, and the distance between each scene shouldn't be too long to facilitate concentrated shooting.
Props master, Beck Clebert, submitted the required props list to Murphy, and Paul Wilson coordinated the purchase, rental, and production of props.
Makeup department head, Jack Watson, designed the actor's makeup according to Murphy's vision. Any required headgear or wigs would also be procured by Paul Wilson.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that everything fell on Murphy's shoulders. The heavy workload and pressure made him realize the importance of having a full-time producer and several professional assistant directors.
Paul Wilson was dedicated but lacked experience and needed time to grow and develop.
In the later stages of preparation, Murphy realized he had overlooked something amidst his myriad considerations: he forgot to hire a professional location sound mixer.
The simplicity of "Hard Candy's" shoot and the reliance on post-production sound effects led to this oversight.
Fortunately, it was discovered early enough. Location sound mixers weren't scarce in Hollywood, and it wasn't too late to find one now. Murphy called Bill Ross, and within two days, this agent helped the production team find a suitable candidate. After extensive discussions, a contract was signed, and the sound mixer would officially join the crew a week before shooting began.
With the sound mixer settled, Murphy, along with Bill Ross and cinematographer Philippe Rochelle, visited a company in Hollywood to inspect camera equipment. Murphy placed more emphasis on this aspect compared to others.
Murphy wasn't a gear worshipper and didn't believe that new technology necessarily suited all films. The key to camera equipment was to meet his shooting requirements. Camera equipment was essential for a film and guaranteed its quality, but it wasn't decisive. Therefore, practical and effective selection of equipment was necessary.
He still chose Sony's 35mm cameras. However, unlike the previous shoot, this time Murphy leased three: one handheld and two large ones requiring rigging.
During negotiations, Bill Ross once again showed Murphy the advantage of having a dedicated agent.
Equipment rental companies generally were reluctant to lower their rates. However, leveraging the CAA's name, Bill Ross secured a discount on the rental period. While Murphy, on his own, could only lease for half a month at the same price, he reached a month-long contract with the other party, reducing the camera equipment rental expenses by fifty percent.
Additionally, Bill Ross also insisted that the rental company must provide professional maintenance personnel.
"Important and valuable equipment rental companies generally provide dedicated technicians to maintain the equipment throughout the shoot, ensuring equipment safety and supervising correct usage, cleaning, and storage," Bill Ross explained to Murphy as they exited the equipment rental company. "These technicians are usually dispatched by the equipment
company, but you can also ask them to do some extra tasks, such as follow focus or tracking shots, which they usually wouldn't refuse."
These people's salaries would be included in the rental fee, meaning the crew would have at least one highly skilled laborer.
Comparing the rental situation from the previous shoot to the lease agreement Bill Ross had negotiated, Murphy felt that he and Jessica Chastain were simply two idiots.
This also made Murphy realize how deep this industry was and how much of a novice he truly was.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
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