Chapter 74: Devil Ethan

From this point on, Ethan meticulously monitored every shot, ensuring the crew completed each one perfectly. The moment anyone made a mistake, he would immediately grab the megaphone to correct it.

He was like a tightly wound spring, operating in a state of both excitement and seriousness.

Because of this, no one dared to relax, fearing that any mistake would result in them being devoured by the "Devil Ethan."

Yes, the nickname "Devil" had started circulating among the crew, who were hired through CAA's package services. Anyone who had worked under Ethan described their tense experiences and claimed no one could escape his scolding, just like no one could tame the devil.

However, Hans, the camera assistant, thought this was just a joke. Although Ethan appeared stern, he didn't seem as terrifying as people said, and his words weren't particularly harsh.

Hans believed the rumors had been exaggerated. Besides, this was CAA's package deal, and the contract strictly adhered to various human rights agreements. Personal insults, racial discrimination, or breach of contract were not allowed. Even if he performed poorly, the contract still had to be honored unless CAA wanted to breach it.

Hans figured that if CAA violated the contract, he could sue them and get compensated. So, throughout the shoot, he maintained his usual laid-back attitude, often asking the diligent production assistant to help him with tasks.

"Hey, grab the camera for me," he said to the assistant.

"What's with that look? Relax, where I'm from, a little pat on the back is a friendly gesture… Don't give me that glare. The director needs the camera, and be careful! If it breaks, I won't pay for it."

"Smoking, huh? Don't be stingy. I just took a couple of cigarettes so I wouldn't have to ask you again."

"Can you clean up this mess? Yeah, I made it by accident. Please take care of it."

During the shoot, Hans remained distracted, thinking about the strip club he visited the previous night. But since Ethan hadn't called on him, he was content to relax.

That changed once the dolly track was set up, and Hans finally had to get to work as the camera assistant.

"Scene 37, action!"

With the assistant calling the shot, Hans slowly pushed the dolly forward. As he moved, he felt a slight itch on his back, causing him to shift his shoulder blades. His grip loosened momentarily, and the dolly slowed ever so slightly.

"Cut!"

Ethan's voice immediately rang out.

"What happened? Hans, why did the dolly slow down?" Ethan turned to look at him.

They were filming a 360-degree shot around Avril, and the movement had to be smooth. Ethan was extremely sensitive to the dolly's speed, able to notice even the slightest change.

Hans hesitated before saying, "Sorry, director. The ground was too slippery after the assistant cleaned it, so I couldn't keep my grip."

Ethan frowned slightly, glanced at the ground, then stared at Hans until he grew uncomfortable. "Let's do it again. Assistant, clean the floor again!"

"Got it."

After the assistant cleaned up, they resumed filming.

Hans pushed the dolly forward slowly, while Ethan focused on the viewfinder, carefully observing Avril's performance.

But soon, Ethan noticed the dolly moving a bit faster. Initially, he didn't want to say anything, but as Hans sped up more, his anger flared. He turned and shouted, "What are you doing, Hans? Are you trying to launch the dolly into space? Or maybe you're aiming for the moon like Apollo? FXXK!"

Hans, now startled, tried to act innocent. "Director, it's not my fault. The assistant didn't clean the track properly. I felt some resistance."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Uh, what do you mean, director?" Hans feigned ignorance, though in truth, he had been daydreaming about his plans for the evening and lost control of the dolly.

He was used to shirking responsibility, knowing that most directors wouldn't fuss over minor things like dolly speed, as long as it was close enough.

But this time, he was dealing with Ethan, a director obsessed with precision.

"If the track wasn't cleaned properly, do you think I would let you push the dolly?" Ethan's words silenced the crew, all of whom nodded in agreement.

Yes, Ethan might have been a tyrant, but he never blamed the wrong person. For example, when the lighting technician once set the light at the wrong angle, Ethan didn't scold him because he had seen that the light had been set up correctly earlier. It had simply been knocked out of place accidentally.

These kinds of things often happened with so many people on set, but Ethan's eagle-like eyes always caught every detail, making it impossible to argue with him.

This was why no one ever challenged his reprimands; they knew they had made a mistake, often more than once.

But Hans was new to the crew and thought he could get away with it.

"I swear! The track wasn't clean, director!" Hans insisted.

The assistant quickly panicked, "No, director, I cleaned it thoroughly!"

Seeing both sides refusing to take responsibility, Ethan stood up. "Assistant, remove the dolly."

Hans was stunned, not understanding what the director was planning, but the others obediently moved the dolly off the track.

Ethan then took two steps toward Hans, grabbed his head, and pressed him down to the ground.

"Hey, wait! What are you doing?" Hans struggled, but Ethan's grip was surprisingly strong, making it impossible for him to resist.

"What am I doing? Look! Look carefully!" Ethan forced Hans to inspect the track slowly, pushing him along it. "You think I'll give you more chances? SHXT! You should go back to school and learn what it means to tell the truth!"

Hans, who initially wanted to argue, realized Ethan wasn't joking. The stories about him being a devil were not exaggerated.

Ethan's serious, even menacing expression, and the bulging veins in his arms, made him look like a demon from hell, ready to tear Hans apart.

"So, what do you have to say now, liar?" Ethan pushed him away after inspecting the track. "You should be ashamed! Because of your mistake, everyone here has wasted time!"

As Hans opened his mouth to speak, Ethan cut him off, "Get out! I don't need parasites like you in my crew! You think I didn't notice your behavior? You think this is your mother's womb where you can do whatever you want?"

"You can't fire me!" Hans protested loudly, panicked. "I'm under contract with CAA!"

"You could have slept with CAA for all I care! This is my crew, and I'm in charge! Karl!"

At Ethan's command, Karl appeared with a contract in hand, smiling insincerely. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hans, but your performance doesn't meet the requirements of the package service contract. Please take this contract and leave. If you have any objections, your agent can contact CAA's legal department."

"I'm going to report all of you to the union and sue you, Ethan!"

"FXXK YOU!" Avril was the first to raise her middle finger, followed by her band and then the rest of the crew.

Ethan shrugged. "Get out!"

A defeated Hans had no choice but to leave. His sudden contract termination would severely impact his CAA rating, making it harder for him to get future gigs.

While Ethan had the confidence to act as he did, the lower-level crew members relied on these jobs, and losing CAA's support would make finding work much more difficult.

After getting rid of Hans, Ethan turned to the young production assistant. "What's your name?"

"I'm Greta Gerwig," the assistant replied, a young woman with short blonde hair. She worked diligently, and Ethan appreciated that.

Upon hearing her name, Ethan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Graduated from Barnard College in New York?"

"Yes, director." Greta nodded, unsure why Ethan was asking about her school.

Unbeknownst to her, Ethan was feeling a wave of excitement.

"I can't believe it's her!" Ethan thought to himself, thrilled.

Though her name might not be familiar now, her work certainly would be in the future. In 2019, her film Little Women would receive six Oscar nominations. She had also written and directed Lady Bird, earning a Best Director nomination, making her one of the few women in Hollywood known for both her talent and beauty.

Ethan hadn't expected her to be in his crew—what a pleasant surprise.

"You're doing great, Greta. Keep up the good work," Ethan encouraged her before turning back to the shoot.

Greta was stunned, feeling incredibly flattered. No one in the crew had ever received praise from Ethan, and many joked that he didn't know how to compliment people.

Because of this, the others immediately started treating Greta differently, and some even began helping her with her tasks.

With the dead weight removed, the MV shoot progressed smoothly.