Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 21: First Scene

In Australia's winter, there are very strong winds. The raging gales make it almost impossible to stand steadily as if one could simply spread their arms and be carried away like a kite soaring into the sky. The vast and boundless scenery unfolds before the eyes, with no signs of human habitation within a thirty-minute drive. The quietness and vastness bring an indescribable sense of loneliness; humanity appears so insignificant before nature.

However, after going through the baptism of boot camp, Renly has become calm. Not because he has developed enough resilience to harsh environments, but because he knows that after the toughest moments, there are always tougher ones to come.

Tim told him that staying alive is the only thing that matters on the battlefield. Renly understands the words, but he hasn't experienced it firsthand. Even after ten days of training, the threat of death still isn't clear enough, not even on that night when he almost froze his toes off in the wilderness. But at least it's a start.

After the boot camp in San Diego, the entire "The Pacific" cast arrived in Australia, preparing for the official filming.

From start to finish, the two big shots, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, have not appeared. Rumor has it that they will visit the set next week. Tom, who directed the fifth episode of "Band of Brothers," won't be involved in directing this time because he's searching for a suitable production company for his next project, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."

However, regardless of whether Tom and Steven show up, the production is finally going to start. That's a certainty. All the preparations so far have led up to today.

Looking at the bustling set in front of him, it feels more unfamiliar than familiar.

Separated by monitors, the set is divided into two sections: the front is the actual shooting location, where crew members are laying down tracks, adjusting lights, ensuring props are in place, and sound technicians are setting up recording equipment. The back is the standby area, where the director communicates directly with department heads via wireless, the assistant director listens in on the side, and other actors sit beside a giant trailer, surrendering themselves to makeup artists and stylists. The remaining onlookers chatter away three steps back...

Renly has seen scenes of set filming countless times in movies, and everything happening before his eyes has appeared in his dreams countless times. But when it all happens right in front of him, that exhilarating feeling cannot be suppressed. No, more accurately, he doesn't want to suppress it. He allows his thoughts to surge freely. As a man of two worlds, he is about to stand in front of the camera for the first time, fulfilling his dream according to his own will.

Although he doesn't know if this dream is realistic enough, although he doesn't know where this path will lead, although he doesn't know how much waves this little butterfly can stir up by breaking historical precedents; he has no regrets, nor will he have any.

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"All actors in position," David Nutter picked up the megaphone and shouted, instantly capturing everyone's attention. Actors gathered around the monitors, forming a circle. Renly was no exception.

He's a professional television director, highly respected in the industry, not yet fifty years old, with works such as "Supernatural," "Game of Thrones," "Homeland," "Shameless," "The Flash," and "Arrow" on his resume.

In the United States, television directors are not fixed. In a season of twenty-four episodes, there may be seven or eight different directors, or even more, each responsible for different episodes. "The Pacific" is no different, with six directors for ten episodes, and David only directs the first and fourth episodes.

"The first scene is about to start. Please get to your positions and follow the crew through the process. Understand the camera positions. If you have any questions, ask them quickly, and then we'll start shooting." David briefed simply, paused, and added, "Today marks the first scene of 'The Pacific.' I hope the entire shoot goes smoothly."

Should we applaud here?

Renly looked around uncertainly, but then David put the megaphone aside, and both actors and crew dispersed—apparently, this was the kickoff ceremony, completed so casually without the expected formality. Renly adjusted his breathing, collected his thoughts, and briskly walked into the shooting location.

Though Renly is a complete novice, with no practical experience in television or film shoots, he has acquired sufficient theoretical knowledge from books and had practical exercises during his studies. Moreover, he spent considerable time in London's West End, polishing his skills. Therefore, he knows that the first step is to understand what he's doing and how to do it.

For acting, it's not just about standing in front of the camera; it's about being captured correctly by the camera. This requires actors to understand the positions of cameras, lights, and lenses, and then to move according to the setup of their scene partner or the camera track, avoiding blocking the lens or overshadowing their scene partner.

Of course, this is just basic knowledge. How to communicate with the camera, how to communicate with the director or audience behind the camera, how to communicate with scene partners, and how to perform—all these vary depending on the shot—close-up, medium shot, long shot, or extreme close-up. These things can only be learned gradually through practice.

Renly was a bit nervous. Despite his two lifetimes of experiences, none of them seem to be of use now, as this is his first time standing in front of a camera. His palms were slightly sweaty, but he didn't hesitate. He approached the crew and began to ask questions one after another.

Darin Rivetti was a bit impatient. As the chief stage manager of "The Pacific," he had too many responsibilities. Since it was the first scene, he personally handled it. The fact that this greenhorn kept asking basic questions, which even newbies should know, was either a challenge or an embarrassment to him. Unable to contain his annoyance any longer, he exploded, "You idiot, how can you ask me such basic questions that even rookies know?"

Renly, however, wasn't intimidated at all. With a serious and innocent expression, he said, "This is my first project, so I need to understand the differences between what I learned in school and real-world scenarios to work more efficiently. Isn't that right?"

Darin looked at Renly's sincere expression, the deep pupils radiating brown warmth and brightness under the brilliant sunlight. He pinched his own throat, unable to retort, and choked on his own saliva. He couldn't utter a word of rebuttal, only venting his frustration, "Which blind fool brought you in? Choosing a rookie? Eugene is an important role, the lead! The lead!"

"Mr. Steven Spielberg," Renly still had an innocent expression, nearly making Darin choke on his own saliva again.

Darin turned around, ready to leave, but Renly stopped him again, "So, is the first scene transitioning from a medium shot to a long shot, or from a close-up to a medium shot? Will the camera be handheld, or will it move according to the track?"

The petty and incessant questioning made Darin grit his teeth. He kept warning himself internally: Bear with it, bear with it. It's only the first day, bear with it. There are six long months ahead. But perhaps he could give this self-righteous "genius" a warning, like the rookies in boot camp, "It's a transition from a medium shot to a long shot, and the camera will move on the track." Darin didn't linger and promptly returned to his duties, then turned and left.

Renly nodded and walked to his position, preparing for his first scene—and also the first scene for the entire "The Pacific" crew. To set a good start, they chose a relatively simple scene to shoot.

The scene depicted Eugene having his physical examined by his father, finding that there's still a murmur in his heart, so Eugene is unable to join the army. This disappointment leads him to burst into tears, marking his first appearance in the series. Considering that this scene might take a long time and be complex to shoot, with close-up shots of faces, they decided to shoot the scene after it.

Eugene leaves the bedroom and comes downstairs, where his father and brother are listening to the radio. The war situation is getting worse, and his brother is about to enlist, dressed in smart military attire, facing their father. Eugene stands at the doorway of the living room, witnessing the heartwarming scene, but his inability to join the army due to his health makes him feel disappointed and even angry. He rushes out onto the porch, takes his bike, and leaves with his beloved dog.

The scene to be shot is Eugene standing at the doorway, observing his father and brother. It's a shot that lasts less than five seconds, capturing the emotions of both the father and brother and Eugene's shock, concluding with Eugene leaving.

The content is rich but relatively simple, with mostly straightforward emotions and no dramatic highs or lows. It should be easy to shoot, making it a suitable choice for the opening of the entire series.

Standing at the stairwell, Renly calmed his thoughts and glanced at the camera directly ahead, then at the camera positioned behind the dining area to his left, facing the living room. He mentally constructed the three-dimensional composition of the shot and, when ready, made an "OK" gesture to signal to the director that he was prepared.

After a moment, when the actors playing the father and brother were also ready, the assistant director's voice rang out, "The Pacific, August 3, 2009. Act Three, Scene Two, First Take." Following this announcement, the crisp clapping of the slate marked the official start of filming.

Renly took a step forward, descended the stairs, and heard the sound of the radio broadcasting the grim conditions of the Pacific War. His steps faltered momentarily as he turned his head and saw his father and brother listening intently in the living room. He paused in his tracks, staring at the two figures in a daze.

Suddenly, a red light appeared within his field of vision, and slowly retreated. This unexpected red light disrupted Renly's rhythm of performance—wasn't it supposed to be a transition from a medium shot to a long shot? Why was it a close-up instead? Wasn't it supposed to be a track shot? Why could he see the cameraman carrying the camera?

"Cut!" David's voice broke the silence on the set.

The first scene, and it had already stumbled.