บท 66: Lucky

"Your script is well written, your story is very good, and your characterization is also very good. In terms of filming techniques, your thinking has the shadow of a new trend of thought. These are all very good things. However, what can this movie give me?"

When Spacey asked Levi his own question, Theron also cast her curious eyes on Levi. Of course, she could hear that what Spacey asked was definitely not the monetary remuneration but the actor's income. As an actor, Theron also wanted to know, as a director, if Levi could give herself something.

Levi didn't feel too embarrassed about this question but laughed instead. These questions were within his expectations, and his choice of Spacey was not aimless. Naturally, he also thought about how to face his problem.

"I have seen your performance, and I always think your performance is very good. You can express different levels of emotion through similar expressions, which is the biggest reason why I chose you to shoot this movie." Levi knows he is still a novice director, and Spacey doesn't trust him. These two questions are also his interviews with himself. What he asked was definitely not about money but about other things. "As for the help to you, I think there are mainly three aspects."

"Three aspects?" Kevin Spacey didn't expect that he would be able to say three aspects when he asked casually. For an ordinary director who is suddenly made things difficult by an actor, it is good if he can think of one reason, but this person suddenly said that it would help him in three aspects.

"First of all, I think this movie can be considered as your transformation. Most of the movies you have taken on in recent years have appeared as villains. 'The Usual Suspects,' 'Extreme PanicMidnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,' Seven, until recently 'L.A. Confidential,' there is a slight change, but it's still a transformation from villain to positive. This film is similar in positioning, and it helps to turn your image around. You know, it's not a big idea to always play villains in Hollywood. It's not a good thing, as it limits your play. Proper transformation is very important to you."

"This is one aspect." Kevin Spacey nodded. Indeed, since 'L.A. Confidential,' he has already paid attention to his image. There are too many negative roles, and few people are willing to give positive roles to him. He was not a person who particularly liked big commercial productions. Of the remaining films, the warmth films and the inspirational films were not films that required villains. It is one of Kevin Spacey's ideas to broaden his own play, and the director can see that it is not bad.

And this movie is indeed suitable: the role of Wiesler just rightly reflects the change of a person from villain to decent, and it could help him better to transform himself.

"Secondly, this can be regarded as helping you open up the European market. Your acting skills are very good, but your reputation in Europe is not too great because of the limited number of filming channels. European films are not as developed as the United States, but they are better in terms of artistic pursuits. If you miss Europe, you will miss a lot of good movies. It will be very helpful for your career to gain popularity there." This is true. Although this film is an American film, it can be filmed as a German story. Spacey knew that the Berlin Film Festival has always been sensitive to politically-themed films, and this is another work that touches the nerves of Germans. As long as this film is of acceptable quality, it will definitely attract a lot of attention in Berlin. In this regard, it is indeed helpful to him. Spacey doesn't care much about the European film industry, and he doesn't think there are any roles in European films for him. He can play very well, but having some intersections with European films is not bad. What's wrong with having one more choice?

Although most European films are a bit weird in thinking, it must be admitted that Europe is a place where masters are produced.

"And the third point is also the most important point. You are an old actor who can rely on your performance to show extremely complex emotions and multi-level thoughts, which is very good. However, for old actors acting, the biggest problem is that because the acting is so good and there are too many expressions that can be imitated, it is not easy to express when it comes to the real pure emotional expression. I hope you can make a breakthrough in this movie. Just try to show some of your true feelings in the movie. No matter how good an actor is, he will be out of the movie if he can't put his emotions into it. The focus of this movie is your emotional outburst. I hope you can make some breakthroughs in this play, which is also a very important progress for you." The actors performed, and many people liked discussing the debate between the method and experience schools. In fact, to put it simply, the method school pays more attention to the way of performance, the cadence of the lines, the route, and angle of the eye movement, the arc of the limb movement, etc. They take these things very seriously. The experiential school pays more attention to expressing the inner spirit of the characters. They don't insist on details and don't entangle how to do an action but create actions based on the character's state of mind.

Although there is a lot of controversy between the two, some things are still the same: the method school must also analyze the characters' thoughts; otherwise, the actions will be used in the wrong place, and the experience school must also know the meaning of various actions, and the creation of actions must be understood. Putting aside these upper-level debates, let's just talk about acting ability, lines, body language, facial expressions, and eye changes, which every actor has to learn. Acting skills are not born. No one is born capable of acting. How to improve one's acting skills is also a worry for every actor.

For the old actors, there is no problem in terms of performance. They can easily imitate any mood and any demeanor. It's just that if the imitation is too good, it's not easy to express the true feelings. How to turn the fake tricks into real ones is what veteran actors need to solve.

Theron was listening on the sidelines, and she was also a little speechless: she has not even mastered the most fundamental acting skills, and she is still far from this level.

"You said three things; the first two are secondary. This one is really exciting." Kevin Spacey applauded directly, "So, I am accepting this movie."

"So simple?"

"A top-notch script, a top-notch idea, and a director who is about to become a top-notch." Kevin Spacey glanced at Levi with a teasing look on his face, "So, if there is no top-level actor like me, wouldn't it be what's missing? Let's try it together and see if we can make a top-notch movie." "You're missing one more," Levi reminded, "and top-notch beauties."

"Of course, top-notch beautiful woman." Spacey bowed slightly as an apology, "We have prepared so much for our movie. I think our movie will be shot very well!"

***

Leaving Spacey's house, Levi and Theron did not go back to the company by car immediately. Sitting in the car, Levi had already noticed that Theron's arms were propped on the car window, her eyes were looking out of the window, and she let the wind blow her hair away without saying a word. He knew that Theron must have something on her mind, so he stopped the car directly.

"Do you have anything to say?" Levi asked.

"It's nothing... no, yes, it's just... it's hard to say." Theron thought for a while and then said, "I don't understand. Why did you bring me to see Spacey? After listening to your conversation, I feel more and more lacking in confidence. I never thought that being an actor required so much effort and hard work. After hearing these words, I feel that I am very poor..." "Do you think you can learn?"

"I don't know." She was a little dazed, "I danced since I was a child, and I grew up as a model and an actor. I basically never did anything else. I just suddenly realized now that I don't know what acting is. Those acting classes never taught me that I should read scripts like that. I don't know. Is it too late to start learning now?" Levi turned his head, saw Theron's expression mixed with mixed feelings, and couldn't help but laugh.

Theron turned her head angrily, but Levi held out his finger and stopped her from speaking, "You ask me, why did I bring you to see Spacey? Before answering this question, I want to ask you a question: When you think about it now, are you discouraged and stop learning acting, or do you want to start from scratch and study hard?"

"Study hard." Theron immediately answered, "There is no reason to give up so easily."

"Then, congratulations, you already know what my purpose is - this is my purpose. You are a very stubborn person, let you see what a good actor is, and you will work hard in that direction."

"You think I can be a good actor?"

"What do you think?"

Of course, I can...Theron wanted to say it, but she didn't. She found that Levi's eyes were a little playful, and he must have thought of her own answer.

This person really understands herself quite well. Moreover, he brought her out for the purpose of developing herself—it was really the most incredible luck for her to meet such a director.

The car started again, and Theron turned her head out of the window again, but this time, she wanted the cold wind to blow away the blush on her face as soon as possible.

*****

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