weddingnovel Chapter 64, Day 1 of Filming
Chapter 64, Day 1 of Filming
4:45 a.m., New York.
Fifth Avenue at this time did not belong to the tourists who spent money like water, nor to the bankers in suits.
When Lin Ruiyang got out of the car, a faint white mist could be seen with his breath, and the air was still mixed with the lingering scent of expensive perfume.
"Lin, that's the supervisor Fox sent, Kara Hack." Roger lowered his voice and gestured with his eyes to the distance.
There, the massive Panavision 35mm camera was already set up, and Kara Hack was standing next to the monitor, holding a steaming cup of coffee.
Her gaze lingered on Lin Ruiyang for a moment, her eyes carrying no malice, but rather a cold, scrutinizing gaze.
After all, in Hollywood's logic, any genius that hasn't been proven by market forces is just an expensive spare part waiting to be sold.
"Ignore her, each department will make the final confirmation." Lin Ruiyang's voice came through the radio.
5:07.
The lights along the blocked section of Fifth Avenue were blurred by a thin mist, and the mannequins in the shop windows in the distance looked like silent mannequins. The whole street was so quiet that it was almost unreal.
Lin Ruiyang looked up at the sky; the blues of New York in the early morning were very short.
From the first hint of gray on the horizon to the arrival of the perfect morning light for film shooting, there are often only about forty minutes.
The lighting during this period happens to be one of the most important visual elements of "The Devil Wears Prada".
"Film crew, get ready."
"Final track check."
"The extras begin to move into position."
The radio crackled to life as dozens of crew members began moving rapidly along both sides of Fifth Avenue.
Lighting, photography, costumes, makeup, traffic coordination, on-site production... every link works together like gears.
Any pause will cause the entire machine to start burning money.
Assistant director Mike glanced down at his watch and whispered, "Director, Fox only gave us forty-five minutes to close the road."
"That's enough, the first scene isn't complicated." After he finished speaking, he looked at the other end of the street.
The black Mercedes slowly pulled up to the side of the road, the door opened, and a pair of high heels stepped onto the ground first.
Next up was Meryl Streep.
Even though she was simply wearing a long trench coat and getting out of the car, many staff members at the scene still subconsciously fell silent for a moment.
This quietness wasn't deliberate; it was the aura emanating from the actor himself.
She didn't speak, but simply glanced up at the street scene before looking at the location of the surveillance camera. In that instant, Miranda felt as if she were already standing on Fifth Avenue.
Good morning, director.
Meryl walked over, her tone carrying a faint smile.
"Good morning."
Lin Ruiyang nodded.
"The first match today mainly focused on Andrea's condition."
"I know, so all I have to do is swim past her like a shark."
Several staff members nearby couldn't help but laugh, and Lin Ruiyang laughed too.
"All departments are in position."
Lin Ruiyang's voice came through the walkie-talkie, and the film set, which had been talking in hushed tones, immediately tightened its pace.
"camera."
"Rolling!"
"recording."
"Sound speed!"
The clapperboard slammed down.
"Scene one, shot one. Action!"
Anne Hathaway walked briskly from the other end of the street.
Her dark brown coat was gently lifted by the wind, and she was holding a folder in her arms. Her steps were obviously hurried, as if she were not used to high heels.
The camera slowly advanced along the track, and the surrounding extras began to move along the predetermined route.
Some people hurried by carrying coffee, some were reading The New York Times with their heads down, and some smartly dressed financial professionals stood on the roadside waving to stop a car.
The entire Fifth Avenue was running at high speed like a machine that had just woken up.
Anne quickened her pace instinctively.
Her gaze kept sweeping across the expensive shop windows around her, her eyes carrying a sense of awkwardness as she tried to fit into this unfamiliar world.
Just then, a black Mercedes stopped.
The driver went around to the back seat and opened the car door, and Miranda, played by Meryl Streep, stepped out of the car.
She didn't even look up; she simply bent down to adjust her leather gloves before walking straight ahead.
Almost the instant she appeared, the surrounding rhythm seemed to be abruptly cut off. The previously hurried crowd subconsciously made way, and even the air seemed to quiet down for a moment.
"Card!"
Lin Ruiyang's voice broke the brief silence on Fifth Avenue as it came through the radio.
He stood up from behind the monitor and strode quickly toward the photographer who was standing beside the track.
Assistant director Mike subconsciously glanced at his watch; there were still thirty-eight minutes left before the road closure ended.
Not far away, Fox's supervising officer, Kara Hack, tugged at the collar of her trench coat, still wearing that professional, indifferent smile.
In Hollywood, it's common for the director to stop filming on the very first take, but for a young, new director, this often means the beginning of a lack of control.
"Director, is it a pacing issue?" Anne Hathaway stopped and turned to look at Lin Ruiyang.
As a seasoned actress who has participated in big-budget productions, she did not show any of the panic of a newcomer; her eyes were full of searching for where she had gone wrong.
"No, your rhythm is good, Annie." Lin Ruiyang shook his head and pointed directly to the glass display window diagonally in front of him.
"The problem is the lighting. Photographer, just now when Annie walked past this spot, the high-definition spotlights inside the shop window shone directly on the side of her coat."
The photographer paused for a moment, then immediately pulled up the playback.
"What I want is contrast, not fusion," Lin Ruiyang said, pointing to the monitor screen.
"Annie's dark brown coat was meant to highlight her incompatibility with this fashion empire. But just a second ago, the high-end custom lighting in the shop window, worth tens of thousands of dollars, made her affordable coat, worth a few hundred dollars, look like a luxury item."
When viewers watch the movie, they might think she's dressed quite fashionably, which undermines the underlying logic of the script.
The photographer slapped his thigh, instantly understanding what Lin Ruiyang meant.
"Lighting team, move reflector number two back three meters to use shadows to cut off the highlights reflected from the window!"
Lin Ruiyang turned around and gestured to assistant director Mike.
Mike immediately raised the megaphone and expertly began giving instructions: "Attention all departments! Lighting crew, make minor adjustments; extras, return to your positions! Silence throughout the venue, one minute countdown!"
"Ready for the second take!" Mike's voice echoed down the street.
"Action!"
Anne Hathaway took a deep breath, and this time she walked with greater confidence.
That air of aloofness, typical of Ivy League graduates, creates a strange tension with the cheap coffee in his hand and the ordinary coat he wears.
As the black Mercedes silently glides back into the frame, Meryl Streep pushes open the car door.
This time, without the distracting light from the shop window, the Mercedes' mirror-like black and cold paint clearly reflected Annie's reflection as she walked by.
On one side is extreme luxury and coldness, on the other side is a simple and somewhat abrupt intruder.
"Okay! This one's approved!"
As soon as Lin Ruiyang finished speaking over the radio, the tense atmosphere on set immediately eased considerably.
Mike glanced at his watch and a genuine smile spread across his face.
With 25 minutes left before the road closure ended, they had already filmed the planned exterior shots without any problems.
"It's a pleasure working with you, Lin." Meryl Streep stepped out of the camera's view and walked to the monitor to glance at the playback.
A hint of admiration flashed in the eyes of this Hollywood veteran when he saw the almost cruel visual contrast reflected in the car window.
"Your obsession with cleanliness in front of the camera reminds me of those old friends I've spent years with on set. But it feels great."
"Thank you, Meryl. This afternoon, when we go into the studio for the group scene, your impact might need to be increased by two levels," Lin Ruiyang replied with a smile.
"Don't worry, once I step into that office, I'll be the most hated woman in all of New York," Meryl said with a humorous wink.
At 1 p.m., the temporary studio for Runway magazine was set up on the 14th floor of the McGraw-Hill Building.
This place is completely different from the chilly Fifth Avenue in the morning. The hundreds of square meters of studio are filled with dazzling spotlights and suffocating luxury goods.
Gucci furs, Saint Laurent suits, Prada shoe collection, and Chanel bags were neatly displayed in the showroom.
"Have the clothing team set up a cordon, and no one except key members is allowed to bring any liquids into the area within five meters of the sample room."
Lin Ruiyang was inspecting the set while giving instructions to the microphone next to him.
The first scene in the afternoon is the most classic and interesting scene in the entire film: Nigel (Stanley Tucci) gives Andrea a complete makeover.