บท 84: Chapter 84: Collaborative Project
"Ah..."
A frightened scream echoed in the audition room. The bright-eyed little girl curled up, staring at the teddy bear on the table across from her, looking utterly terrified. "Mommy... mommy..."
Tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her face.
Murphy nodded gently, lifting his head from behind the camera. "OK, Miss Collins, let's end it here."
The little girl remained standing there, seemingly unable to shake off her previous terror. The middle-aged woman standing beside her hurried over and embraced her.
"Ms. Collins." Murphy approached the two, lowering his voice slightly. "We'll inform you of Miss Collins' audition results within the next three days."
"Thank you." Jill Collins nodded politely, then left the audition room with her daughter.
Murphy turned off the camera, removed the tape, labeled it, and handed it to Paul Wilson, who had been assisting him as always.
The little girl's performance during the audition was decent. Among the girls her age Murphy had seen, she was relatively spirited. Plus, the role itself didn't require much acting skill and had limited screen time.
In his mind, Murphy had already listed her as the top choice, but it depended on the price.
In the following days, Murphy's main task was auditioning. Over fifty actors auditioned, and by mid-April, all roles were finalized, with the little girl named Lily Collins becoming part of the cast.
As for the needed extras, Murphy decided not to spend money on temporary actors. With so many crew members behind the scenes, they would suffice for cameo roles. Besides, crew members appearing as extras was a Hollywood tradition.
With the cast list confirmed, the production team was assembled, and preparations entered the formal stage.
Murphy became even busier. Not only was he the director, but he also oversaw the entire production as the producer. Every aspect of the preparations had to be meticulously arranged and finally approved.
This project was much more complex than the previous one, and Murphy knew his capabilities were still lacking. He anticipated numerous challenges and planned accordingly. Unlike seasoned directors, his plans were more realistic.
In addition to storyboarding, he prepared a personalized storyboard for each major actor. While not exhaustive, the storyboards were detailed enough, primarily focusing on hand-drawn shots for individual scenes.
In fact, many Hollywood directors used storyboards. The level of detail depended on two factors: the director's confidence and the complexity of the shoot.
Some directors preferred precise storyboards for every shot, while others decided on the shooting style only on set.
Only experience could tell a director what approach suited them best. Murphy was clearly still in the experimental stage.
Coordinating various departments to find suitable filming locations was the main task at this stage. The goal was to find practical solutions to meet the script's demands.
A good director and screenwriter would screen out scenes unsuitable for filming or those too expensive to shoot within budget constraints. Considering finances, Murphy cut several expensive chase scenes.
In the production team, individuals were tasked with scouting locations, props, costumes, images, and information. All data was collected and submitted to Murphy for review.
This was the most challenging step in the preparation process. Murphy encountered many dilemmas, whether too many choices or too few. He needed to propose solutions to help the production team make the best choices.
This was also the most stressful part of the preparation stage. Murphy's daily schedule was packed.
The film had very few exterior shots, most of which would be shot around Stanton Studios. For residential scenes, Murphy chose Stanton Studios primarily to save costs. With some adjustments, Stanton Studios could double as a suitable middle-class home.
Additionally, for the main scenes, Murphy planned to use a large old warehouse. Renting a studio was too expensive, beyond his budget. After considering five options submitted by Paul Wilson, Murphy and department heads visited and ultimately settled on a derelict steel warehouse on the outskirts of Venice.
The warehouse had been abandoned for some time, appearing quite run-down. The rent was cheap, only $10,000 per month. Moreover, it was spacious enough to set up multiple scenes simultaneously. Furthermore, there were small cranes on the ceiling used for transporting steel in the past. According to the director of photography, Philippe Rochelle, these cranes could be used for overhead shots in some scenes.
With filming locations confirmed, the production team immediately began the work of transforming and setting up the scenes. Despite being a small production, a large amount of data and information from various departments converged on Murphy, who had to organize, sift through, and approve it. Typically, this was the responsibility of the assistant director. If chosen wisely, they would be highly dedicated to the project, making notes of any issues or recording them before they arose.
Paul Wilson's dedication was undeniable, but his experience was still lacking. Murphy could only work with Paul Wilson and promptly summarize his experiences.
Talent, in any field, requires a growth process.
Additionally, Murphy had to coordinate the work of various departments. While the production team was small, clashes and hiccups in the work were inevitable. Where there are people, there are conflicts. At this point, it depended on the director and producer's ability to coordinate and manage. If the work was done well, the production would proceed smoothly; otherwise, it would be fraught with problems.
Film production is a collaborative endeavor, and personnel management is the cornerstone of this project.
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