Chapter 43: The Novice Director at Work

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"Carey!"

In the temporary set of the living room, Murphy called Carey Mulligan over. The test shoot had gone well, but he believed Carey could do even better. "You haven't reached the turning point yet. You need to show your innocent side more naturally."

After rejecting James Franco's invitation that night, Carey Mulligan began forming a plan in her mind. Temporarily suppressing her feelings towards James, she showed significant improvement in rehearsals and actual filming, even if her performance was far from perfect.

On the other side, James Franco, having stepped out of character, watched Carey listen to Murphy. Over the past week, he had displayed what he called sincerity. The girl's attitude towards him had noticeably improved, making Murphy's advice seem very credible.

Carey Mulligan wasn't playful with him, but she would occasionally joke, which somewhat comforted Franco's itching heart. Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction...

He smiled, as if seeing his desires coming true.

"You did well, Carey," Murphy continued, "but I know you can do better. Didn't you tell me you're a natural talent in acting? Show me all your potential."

Carey wrinkled her nose. "I will."

"Go get ready." Murphy waved her off.

Makeup artist Jack Watson immediately followed Carey to touch up her and James Franco's makeup.

Next was another test shoot. As both director and cameraman, Murphy had to adjust the actors' states and positions while also finding the best shooting angles and techniques.

Although many shooting methods were planned during the initial setup, as a novice, Murphy found that theory and practice often differed significantly.

"Lights ready!" Murphy hoisted the camera. "Actors ready! Start!"

Since they had already done a test shoot, everyone quickly got into position. Both the mediocre lighting technician John Douglas and the lead actors, James Franco and Carey Mulligan, quickly got into character, particularly the latter two, who appeared in Murphy's camera according to the set positions.

James Franco offered a cup to Carey Mulligan. Carey withdrew her gaze from inspecting the living room and looked at James Franco with bright eyes but didn't take the cup.

"What's wrong?" James Franco asked.

Innocently, Carey replied, "Adults always tell us not to drink drinks given by other men."

After several rehearsals and test shoots, their control over the scene improved. However, Murphy didn't use the same shooting method as in the test shoot but changed the positioning and techniques.

During filming, not only the actors and other crew members needed adjustments, but the director and cameraman also had to adjust to find the best way to achieve the desired effect.

While filming, Murphy tried to control all elements within the frame, which was crucial for narrative clarity. He used both open and closed framing techniques.

Moreover, when using the Steadicam, he paid close attention to spatial continuity.

Spatial continuity was crucial. Murphy had already determined the central point for filming in the temporary living room set. By creating overlaps, he ensured that independent frames contained the same elements, clarifying the spatial relationships between characters.

In the current shot, whether it was a close-up of James Franco or a wide shot of Carey Mulligan, the cup was present. This not only conveyed the peculiar relationship between the two but also informed the audience that the cup would play an important role in the upcoming plot.

Murphy was careful not to use too many close-up shots. Overusing high-quality close-ups wasn't the only way to clarify spatial relationships between characters. Otherwise, continuous close-ups in the final cut would make the visuals stiff and lifeless.

Thus, Murphy used Carey Mulligan as the axis center, filming in a clockwise direction. This 360-degree axis filming is often used in movies, especially by renowned directors like Michael Bay, who often employ it to showcase character relationships and emotions.

The axis filming technique was originally created for smooth editing. While some directors believe it's too rigid and should be broken, Murphy saw its value. Its widespread use even today demonstrates its importance. For a novice director, mastering a technique before attempting to break it is crucial. Otherwise, it would just be random shooting.

Of course, many skilled directors break the axis to disrupt psychological expectations, create confusion, or show changes in character positions. But those innovations come after mastering the craft.

After the test shoot, Murphy didn't immediately start filming. Instead, he announced a break and called the editor over.

The editor, Griffith, had arrived a few days earlier from Fox's Los Angeles Channel 6, where Murphy had previously learned. Griffith had agreed to work for a friendly price of ten thousand dollars.

Though Murphy was a novice, Griffith was an experienced hand in editing, even if not widely known.

Experience can be shared and learned from. Griffith taught Murphy many details about directing an editor's work, such as how to arrange on-site editing staff, communicate with them, handle rhythm and material arrangement, and utilize music and sound effects in editing.

Murphy took the footage they shot that day and, with Griffith, entered a temporary studio on the right side of the living room to perform initial on-site editing.

While editors also need to participate in the entire filming process, many directors don't engage in on-site editing. Murphy, however, needed it as a supplement to his inexperience. It helped him see if his designed scenes could be reasonably achieved and if the form could present his ideas. Griffith's experienced assistance was invaluable.

Additionally, Murphy needed to see if there were other filming possibilities within the existing material.

On-site editing also helped a novice director find the rhythm.

Rhythm can be abstract since many elements constitute a film, and it has many aspects. Murphy was most concerned with the emotional rhythm.

For example, the sequence of Haley's changing attitudes towards Jeff.

After spending half a day in the studio, Murphy finally emerged to announce the official start of filming. Numerous adjustments and test shoots resulted in an extremely slow pace, with only three shots completed in a day.

"That's it for today."

As dusk fell, Murphy ended the day's work. Although the shooting progress wasn't ideal, to maintain the crew's morale, he announced loudly, "We'll take Saturday off."

He also needed some time to reflect.

Jessica Chastain approached him quietly. "I need to go back to the city."

Murphy waved her off. As Jessica left, Carey Mulligan, now without makeup, approached him. "Murphy, are you going back for the weekend?"

"No…" Murphy shook his head, his face showing fatigue, and he seemed to have a slight headache. "I have work to do."

"Great, I've sent Bill away." Carey Mulligan looked excited. "I just arranged with James to rehearse Haley subduing Jeff tomorrow."