Chương 24: Chapter 24: Fliming
The new scene was still set on the farm, but it had transformed from a plantation into a breeding area. This particular film project bore the working title "City Folks."
The script's storyline was hardly a secret; even most of the extras were well aware of it. The narrative followed a pair of young urbanites who journeyed from downtown Atlanta to the ranch, sparking intense emotional encounters with several young residents of the farm.
Martin assumed a supporting role, portraying one of the ranch hands. His daily salary amounted to $500, and his character's scenes were scheduled to span two days.
Among the male actors on set, only three had more substantial roles than Martin. He shared a compact dressing room with the second supporting actor, Kyle.
Kyle, a robust fellow of no more than twenty-five years, possessed a square, chiseled face. Arriving a bit later, he noticed Martin as a newcomer. With a firm knock on the door of the shared dressing room, he declared, "Hey, I prefer sitting closer to the door. You can go in."
The implication was clear, he was staking his claim to the preferred spot.
Martin, however, had no intention of conceding. "First come, first served," he replied calmly, not willing to yield to the typical bullying cliche.
Kyle fixed his gaze firmly on Martin's face and boasted, "You know what I used to do? I was a professional English football player! I could kick a football wide open!"
Martin, drawing on his experience with Bruce's guidance, chose to maintain civility in the face of such situations. He casually unbuttoned his jacket, revealing the firearm holster within. "I dabble in acting part-time," Martin stated calmly. "My full-time job is as a scavenger."
Kyle promptly stepped aside, taking a seat at the makeup chair inside the room. He rushed to clarify, "I enjoy cracking jokes and lightening the mood. See? We've come to an agreement, and the atmosphere is great now, right?"
Bruce's lessons in civilized behavior had certainly paid off. Martin adjusted his coat confidently and assured Kyle, "No need to worry; I'm a civilized person."
Kyle, though secretly grumbling, decided to put on a friendly facade. "You're the boss here. If you need anything, just let me know," he sweetly replied. Meanwhile, the makeup team arrived to prepare both of them for their scenes. Martin took a moment to call Jerome and asked him to hold onto the gun temporarily.
Thanks to Martin's connection with Andrew, the Marietta troupe members secured relatively well-paying background roles this time. Word of this opportunity would soon spread among the Atlanta extras, potentially leading to more recruits for the troupe, ultimately benefiting Jerome's dues.
Jerome didn't mind temporarily playing the role of a baggage boy when money was involved.
After makeup and wardrobe changes, Martin left the dressing room to head to the grass drying yard, the second shooting location, to familiarize himself with the setup and prepare for filming.
Robert, donned in work attire, was present at the pasture. He would be one of Martin's fellow background actors in the upcoming scenes.
"It's unbelievable, it doesn't make sense!" Robert muttered, circling around Martin. "I asked around; Billy's role was ranked seventh in the crew. Why did they pick you?"
Martin simply shrugged, "Because I look good. Very good-looking."
Skeptical, Robert replied, "Don't joke with me. If good looks were all it took, we'd have more handsome stars. Look at my big head logically, I should have a better shot at stardom than you!"
Martin, feeling playful, remarked, "Actually, my head is bigger than yours, so I've got even more potential."
Robert pressed on, "No, seriously, think about it. Stallone has a big head, Bruce Willis has a big head, Russell Crowe, Schwarzenegger – all big heads!"
Martin, unable to dispute the theory, resorted to his humor, asking, "But can your head smash through the Earth?"
Robert mumbled, "The Earth didn't mess with me."
Martin, in a light-hearted gesture, patted Robert on the shoulder. "Buddy, just for you, I've decided to leave this planet."
"Thanks a lot," Robert replied, smiling wryly.
Martin could sense that Robert might be a bit perturbed, but he admired Robert's self-control. It wasn't uncommon for long-time extras to react unpredictably when their peers landed significant roles.
At that moment, the assistant director arrived on set and directed Martin and the supporting actress, Joanna, to rehearse their scene in advance.
As a romance-oriented drama primarily targeting female viewers, Martin's role naturally required him to showcase his good looks and fit physique. The scene was relatively straightforward, with very few lines for him.
In this particular scene, Martin's character would be lounging in the soft grass, basking in the sun, while Joanna's character secretly observed him from a distance. Upon being discovered, she would boldly approach him, leading to the emotional interactions.
Director Benjamin Galvin, in his thirties and boasting a significant beard, offered specific instructions to Martin and Joanna regarding their performance.
Martin was well-prepared and highly professional. He had avoided consuming heavy foods that morning and even used breath freshener before filming. He asked Joanna, "Is there anything you'd prefer to avoid in this scene?"
Joanna noticed Martin's attention to detail, which made a favorable impression on her. She smiled and replied, "Let's do this."
They began filming the dramatic scenes first, an area where Martin excelled. He entered his performance state swiftly. In contrast, Joanna, typically skilled in dramatic acting, struggled initially, resulting in several retakes.
After their performance, they retreated to the nearby trailer for makeup touch-ups and to change into their protective costumes.
A group of onlookers gathered around during the filming, as the small rural crew in Atlanta operated with little regard for the various regulations that governed film and television productions in New York and California. Since all crew members belonged to non-acting arts unions, there weren't even standard procedures in place to clear the set during filming.
With a total budget of around $100,000 and a filming period of less than ten days, the crew simply lacked the time and resources to address such formalities.
While Martin excelled in dramatic acting, he struggled somewhat with the action scenes. Conversely, Joanna, with her background in action sequences, performed these scenes admirably.
After several consecutive takes, Martin's performance started to improve as he adjusted to the task at hand. Director Benjamin, who had initially expressed frustration, now praised him, "Martin Davis, you did exceptionally well this time. This role suits you!"
Martin, elated by the director's positive feedback, approached him with a playful tone, "Director, am I an acting genius or an action genius?"
Benjamin chuckled and patted Martin's shoulder approvingly. "I have a classmate in the San Francisco Valley. If you're interested, I can introduce you."
Martin replied with a grin, "I'm afraid they'll lose confedence after filming with me!, so forget it"
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