บท 9: Casting
I led Rocky to our studio - or as I liked to call it, our "warehouse of dreams" in the cheap district.
The place had filled up quick. Sofas that had seen better days dotted the floor, desks were crammed wherever they'd fit, and my own little corner doubled as both office and bedroom.
Our cobbled-together equipment, mostly built from scrap, gave the place a mad scientist vibe.
The blackboard, covered in chalk scribbles, looked like we were planning to rob a bank instead of make a movie.
And there, in all its glory, hung our pride and joy - the Hellfire Studios logo. It might've been painted on a reclaimed pizza box, but hey, it was ours.
I watched Rocky sniff around, feeling my stomach knot up. This was it - the moment he realized he'd signed up for a circus instead of a film studio.
"So, this is your company, huh?" Rocky stroked his chin, his expression unreadable. "I have to say..." he paused, and I braced myself for the worst. "I expected much worse. But this? This is quite alright."
I felt like I'd just dodged a fireball. "Haha, yeah," I laughed, trying to play it cool. "It's just the beginning, you know? Rome wasn't built in a day and all that."
Rocky's eyes twinkled. "Don't worry, kid. I've seen shadier operations turn into gold mines. You've got potential here."
Grinning, I clapped my hands to get everyone's attention. "Listen up, folks! This distinguished gentleman here is Rocky. He's gonna be in our film."
The room went quiet. I could practically hear the gears turning in their heads as they sized Rocky up.
Sure, he looked like he'd be more at home feeding pigeons in the park than starring in a movie, but that was the point.
"He's playing the Old Don," I explained, watching understanding dawn on their faces. "Trust me, he's perfect for the part."
The team nodded, but I could still see doubt in their eyes. What they didn't know was that Rocky was practically Vito Corleone incarnate. His mannerisms, his voice - hell, we'd barely need makeup. With a bit of practice, he'd nail it.
George, bless his heart, was the first to break the ice. "Well, welcome aboard, Rocky," he said, extending a hand. "I'm George, co-founder of this little madhouse we call a company."
As Rocky and George shook hands, chatting like old friends, my mind was already racing ahead. We had our Don, we had our Michael (yours truly), but we still needed to flesh out the rest of the cast.
Finding more actors who were willing to take a chance on us was the next hurdle.
I turned my attention to Klein, our young demon casting director. The poor kid looked like he was about to melt into a puddle of nervous sweat.
"So, how's the casting going? Found any diamonds in the rough?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light.
Klein's eyes darted around like he was looking for an escape route. "Um... I, I didn't really find one yet..."
I could practically see the weight of responsibility crushing him. This was why most companies wanted experienced folks. But me? I had different ideas.
Inexperienced people were like blank canvases, ready for me to paint my vision on. They were cheap, they complained less, and most importantly, they were malleable. They'd follow my lead, their whole careers held in my palm like puppets on strings—
Whoa there, Arthur. I shook my head slightly. Getting a bit too Aizen for comfort.
"Where's the list of rock-bottom actors?" I asked, pushing away my momentary delusions of grandeur. "Let's take a look."
Klein nodded frantically, handing over a stack of papers. Black and white headshots stared up at me, names scrawled beneath each desperate smile.
I flipped through the pages, then looked back at Klein. "Uh, where are the resumes?"
Klein's face went from nervous to 'oh crap' in record time. "Uh... I've forgotten about it..."
Before I could respond, another young demon swooped in like a guardian angel. "Sorry, boss. We'll just get it at the actors guild," he said, already steering Klein towards the door.
"Please do, Melvin," I nodded, watching as he practically dragged Klein out of the studio.
As the door closed behind them, I couldn't help but chuckle. What a mess. But you know what? It was our mess.
I looked down at the headshots again. Each face told a story of dreams deferred, of hopes hanging by a thread. These weren't seasoned pros looking for their next big break. These were demons (and the occasional dwarf or other creature) on their last chance, ready to give it their all.
***
Two days into our casting marathon, and I was starting to feel like we were herding cats. Sure, we'd nailed down some of the side characters, and we had our Vito in Rocky. I was set to play Michael, Johnny Lake had snagged Tom Hagen, and a demon named Charles was our Sonny. But the rest of the main cast? Still up in the air.
We still needed our Kay, Luca Brasi, Apollonia, Fredo, Johnny Fontane, Moe Greene, Carlo Rizzi... the list went on. At this rate, it'd take us two weeks just to fill out the cast list, let alone start filming.
I wasn't sweating the minor roles too much. It was the big ones that kept me up at night. Luca Brasi, the Don's loyal muscle, needed to be just right. And Kay? She was Michael's endgame, his anchor. We couldn't mess that up.
So there we were, camped out next to the warehouse, watching a parade of hopefuls strut their stuff. The recent rain had left everything smelling fresh, a nice change from our usual eau de demon.
We'd strategically positioned ourselves to avoid a suspicious pile that was definitely not fertilizer, courtesy of some local hellhound.
George sat next to me, looking like he was one bad audition away from a nap. I couldn't blame him. We'd seen enough bad acting to last several lifetimes.
Then, like a ray of sunshine cutting through the gloom, she appeared. A silver-haired elf, so stunning she made even us demons do a double-take.
I glanced down at her profile. "You're Firfel Evergreen?" I asked, trying not to sound too eager.
She nodded, her face a mask of cool professionalism.
I stroked my chin, mind racing. She was auditioning for Kay, and looks-wise, she was perfect. But could she act?
"You're quite the sight for sore eyes," I said, curiosity getting the better of me. "What brings an elf like you to our neck of the woods?"
Her expression didn't change, but her voice could have frozen hellfire. "I prefer not to answer that question. I'm here to audition for the role that caught my attention. Nothing more."
I blinked, caught off guard by her frostiness. But you know what? It was refreshing.
"Fair enough," I said, leaning back in my chair. "Well then, Firfel Evergreen, show us what you've got. The scene is Kay confronting Michael about his family's business. Action!"
Firfel Evergreen took a deep breath, and in that moment, something shifted. The cool, aloof elf was gone, replaced by a woman torn between love and fear, hope and suspicion.
"Oh, Michael," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I thought I knew you. I thought... but now I hear these terrible things."
I felt a chill run down my spine. This wasn't just good acting - this was alchemy. Firfel had transformed herself entirely, her ethereal elven beauty now radiating the all-too-human pain of Kay Adams.
George, who'd been half-asleep moments ago, was now sitting bolt upright, his eyes wide.
Rocky was nodding slowly, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Even our crew, who'd seen dozens of auditions by now, had stopped their usual fidgeting and whispering.
As Firfel continued her monologue, her voice rising and falling with emotion, I found myself forgetting we were in a makeshift audition space next to a warehouse. For those few minutes, we were transported into the world of our film, watching a pivotal moment unfold.
บท 10: Filming Locations
As Firfel finished her scene, I found myself nodding approvingly. Was I biased because of her elven beauty? Maybe. But you know what? In this business, sometimes you've got to trust your gut.
Klein started with the usual spiel. "Okay, that's a good performance. We'll contact you if we—"
I cut him off. "No need to keep her waiting. I've made my decision."
The whole crew looked at me like I'd grown a second head. George leaned in, whispering, "We're rejecting her already?" Poor guy thought I was about to give Firfel the boot, same as all the others.
I could see Firfel's face cloud over. Clearly, she'd overheard George's not-so-subtle whisper. Time to clear the air.
Clearing my throat, I looked Firfel straight in the eye. "Firfel Evergreen, you'll be cast for the role of Kay Adams. That's my decision."
The tension in the air evaporated. Firfel's frown melted away, replaced by a barely-there smile that spoke volumes. She was trying to play it cool, but I could tell she was over the moon.
As Firfel left, I could feel the team's eyes on me. "What?" I shrugged. "Sometimes you just know."
***
Days rolled by, and our ragtag cast was starting to come together. Our latest addition? Kyle Brook, our Luca Brasi.
He is a demon straight out of your worst nightmares, standing at a towering 6'5", built like a brick hellhouse.
Kyle was what we called a 'behemoth' - not the actual giant monsters, mind you, just a particularly imposing breed of demon.
When Kyle lumbered into the audition, I swear the ground shook. The guy was naturally strong, perfect for Luca's intimidating presence.
But here's the kicker - in our looks-obsessed industry, Kyle couldn't catch a break. He wasn't "handsome" enough for the camera, apparently.
As you can see, even in the demon world, we're slaves to human beauty standards. Gotta appeal to the international market, they say. Humans are top dogs now, so we dance to their tune.
Kyle's "stiff" acting was just the final nail in his showbiz coffin.
When I announced Kyle was our Luca, you should've seen the looks on everyone's faces. You'd think I'd just suggested we film the whole thing underwater or something.
"Boss," one of the crew ventured, "are you sure about this? Kyle's not exactly... good looking."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Good looking? Guys, he's playing a terrifying mob enforcer. Kyle doesn't need to be pretty - he needs to be scary. And look at him! He's perfect!"
Kyle, bless his heart, looked like he couldn't believe his luck. "You... you really want me for this?" he rumbled, his voice like gravel in a blender.
I grinned up at him. Way up. "Kyle, my friend, you were born for this role. Just... try not to accidentally squash any of the other actors, okay?"
As Kyle left, practically floating despite his massive size, I turned to the team. "See? This is what Hellfire Studios is all about. We don't just think outside the box - we smash the box and build something new."
George shook his head, but he was smiling. "You're crazy, you know that?"
"Crazy like a fox," Rocky chimed in. "Or should I say, crazy like a demon?"
I couldn't help but grin at their bewildered faces. "Well, being crazy enough is what'll set us apart in this industry. You'll see - craziness is just another way of life."
My team exchanged glances, nodding along like they were humoring a madman. Which, let's face it, they probably were. But hey, in this business, a little madness goes a long way.
***
One more week of chaos, coffee, and questionable decision-making later, we finally had our cast for "The Demonfather." And let me tell you, it was a real motley crew.
As for extras? Well, my team suddenly developed a burning passion for being on camera. They were falling over themselves to volunteer, even if it meant juggling their regular jobs. Not that I was complaining - their enthusiasm saved us a bundle, and hey, no one could accuse me of employee abuse. Win-win, right?
Our cast was shaping up to be quite the colorful bunch. Take Johnny Lake, our Tom Hagen. He's a Devilkin, a breed of demon known for being sharp as a tack and twice as crafty.
One look at his sly grin and you knew he was perfect for the role of the family's smooth-talking consigliere.
Then there's Charles Flirt playing Sonny. He's what we call a Scale Demon - still humanoid, but with patches of scales that make him look like he's wearing the world's weirdest body armor. But the guy's got swagger for days, just what we needed for the hotheaded eldest son.
And of course, our Kay Adams - Firfel Evergreen. An elf in a sea of demons, standing out like a sore thumb in the best way possible. Perfect for the outsider who captures Michael's heart.
The rest of the cast? Let's just say I outdid myself. Each one chosen with the precision of a demonic ritual... and about the same level of risk.
Now, with our band of misfits assembled, it was time for the next challenge: finding spots in our hellish landscape that could pass for my taste.
***
After three days of scouting that felt more like a demonic scavenger hunt, we finally nailed down our locations.
First up, we've got the Neighborhood of Gloomstone. Similar to Brooklyn, but with a hellish twist. Narrow streets packed tighter than sardines in a can, brownstone buildings that have seen better millennia, and demons of all shapes and sizes going about their business. The air's thick with the scent of brimstone and questionable street food. It's perfect for our gritty street scenes.
Then there's the Crimson Quarter. This is our Little Italy stand-in, but trust me, it's anything but little. It's the stomping ground of the Morningstar royal family - yeah, my family. But hey, if we're going for authenticity in showing a crime family's turf, might as well use the real deal, right?
For our industrial scenes, we've got the Abyssal Docks. It's part of Gloomstone, but it's got its own charm - if by charm you mean rusted cranes, murky waters, and the constant feeling that you might get shoved into said murky waters if you look at someone wrong. It's perfect for those tense waterfront meetings.
But the real gem? That's the Great Neck. It's our Long Island equivalent, about 17 kilometers from Gloomstone.
Now, this place is a goldmine for us, and not just because it's seen better days. There's this estate we can rent for cheap - belongs to some fallen noble family.
The whole Great Neck area is like stepping back in time. While the rest of Ferland City is racing towards the future, this place is stuck in the past. Houses look like they haven't been updated in a century, which is exactly what we need.
And in Infernal Heights? Oh boy, we've hit the motherlode. Old villas and manors that look like they're one stiff breeze away from collapsing. They're practically begging to be used as a mob family headquarters.
As we wrapped up our location scouting, I couldn't help but grin. "Guys," I said, looking around at my ragtag team, "I think we just found our perfect backdrop for the Demonfather's world."
George scratched his head. "Boss, how are we going to make this look like the setting from your script? It's looking like a... backward place."
I laughed. "George, my friend, that's the beauty of it. We're not trying to recreate some modern city. We're building our own world. The Demonfather will be set in a fictional city that exists only in our twisted imaginations."
Rocky nodded approvingly. "Kid's got a point. It's not about copying something that doesn't exist here. It's about capturing the feel of a crime-ridden city."
"Correct," I chimed in. "We're going to blend these demonic locations with the vibe of a classic mob story. It'll be something no one's ever seen before."
As we headed back to our warehouse-turned-studio, my mind was racing with possibilities. We had our cast, we had our locations. Now all we needed was to actually make the damn movie.
"Alright, guys," I announced, feeling that familiar surge of excitement. "Tomorrow, we start turning this crazy dream into reality. We're going to create a whole new world on film!"
The cheer that went up could've woken the dead. And in this city, it probably did.
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