24 Preparation
The film "127 Hours" was an indie film directed by Danny Boyle, a British filmmaker.
Lucas knew that the main character of "127 Hours," Aron Ralston, had brown hair and hazel eyes, but Lucas still wanted to try and apply for the audition role.
And Lucas also knew that applying for the role, he would face strong competition with James Franco, an already established actor in Hollywood. While not an A-listed actor in this year of 2009, he was pretty much an actor with a good resume.
And Lucas seems like he doesn't have a chance at all to be able to compete with such an actor. But if he never tries to apply and audition for the role, who knows, right?
Success or failure will only be known if he at least tried and did his best, of course.
To be completely honest, although Lucas felt that James Franco's portrayal of "Aron Ralston" in the film was quite good, especially his performance in the narrow space of the canyon, Lucas still believed that Franco's depiction of Ralston's emotional journey, while effective, didn't fully capture the broad spectrum of emotions the character likely experienced. The film emphasizes Ralston's determination and resilience, but Lucas yearned for a deeper exploration of despair, fear, and other complex emotions.
Lucas knew that, contrary to the film "127 Hours" depicting Aron Ralston meeting two women, there were differences compared to the real-life events. Specifically, Aron Ralston didn't charm the women by almost being a tour guide. In fact, the real Aron Ralston felt a bit foolish and embarrassed when Kristi witnessed him sliding through a rock embankment, skidding on the soles of his sneakers. It was unnecessary, as there was a less risky route that Kristi and Megan had taken.
From that alone, the main character, Aron, exhibits carelessness. Additionally, when Aron and the two women found themselves caught up in saying goodbye, the women invited Aron to hike out and have a beer, but he opted to descend through the lower slot and attempt a Big Drop rappel. While the two women hiked out, Aron chose to explore further, and notably, they agreed to meet around dusk back by Grannary Spring.
Upon reflection, Lucas observed the film project paper sheets, containing descriptions of the character, scenes, and a dedicated script for auditions.
"Oh, you wanted to apply for the main role in '127 Hours'?" Vincent noticed Lucas holding the film project paper sheets.
Vincent had previously read the project, which focused on the real-life event involving Aron Ralston being trapped in a narrow canyon.
"I believe that role might be too challenging for you," Vincent honestly shared his thoughts, aware of Lucas's apparent pride, predicting that the kid would likely still try to audition for the role.
Lucas nodded in acknowledgment, surprising Vincent a bit. Lucas then stated, "Despite its difficulty, I feel compelled to take on this role."
Hearing this, Vincent sighed and remarked, "Well, do what suits you." After saying that, Vincent disregarded Lucas and engaged in conversation with other talents in the room.
Lucas then perused the details and noted that while the film project "127 Hours" fell within the independent film category, it received resources and funding from Fox Searchlight and Pathé, a major French film studio.
However, Lucas was aware that the British director, Danny Boyle, held creative control over the film. Having watched "127 Hours," Lucas could discern Danny Boyle's distinctive directing style, especially in the sensitive scene where Aron Ralston amputated his right arm. The gory scene, complemented by well-directed and edited sound effects, left an obvious chill for the viewers.
After finishing reading the film project paper sheets, Lucas inquired if he could take them with him. Vincent replied, "You can take it if you want. It was posted on the board to attract talents for the role audition, and they could simply pick the paper application. Of course, the agency still needs to process the information that you've selected an application."
Lucas nodded in understanding, conversed with Vincent for a while, and ensured that the information about his audition for the role of Aron Ralston in "127 Hours" would be processed by the agency before leaving the Innovative Artists building.
Vincent didn't see Lucas out, as in his opinion, Lucas was just a young chick eager to rise quickly, but obviously, like a young chick, he was still quite fragile and might end up hurting himself in the process. Vincent believed that Lucas would soon learn his lesson one way or another.
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Lucas returned to his small apartment, where he sat at the lower bunk bed and examined the paper sheets more carefully.
The audition site was actually at the Fox Searchlight headquarters studio facility, located in Century City, Los Angeles.
To be honest, it was quite far, but Lucas was willing to travel for the audition.
If he managed to secure that role, it would mark his first significant breakthrough in Hollywood.
After dinner, Lucas promptly went to bed.
Morning arrived in a flash, and Lucas, following his routine of breakfast, toothbrush, and shower, headed to the restaurant.
Once again, Lucas informed Liza and Leonard that he would be taking another break from work to audition for "127 Hours" in Los Angeles.
While Lucas anticipated a complaint from Liza, he didn't expect her usual supportive response.
Although Lucas couldn't comprehend why Liza, the restaurant manager, would be so kind and supportive, he increasingly appreciated her. He felt fortunate to have such a boss.
Simultaneously, if he did indeed become famous, even with a little popularity, he would make sure to advertise her restaurant.
Lucas booked a flight to Los Angeles, feeling the excitement coursing through his veins.
During his free time in his apartment, Lucas examined himself in the mirror, striving to practice and embody the role of Aron Ralston.
He was preparing diligently, considering that he would be competing with the established actor James Franco for the role. If Lucas aimed to have any chance against Franco, he knew he could only give his best. Currently, after reading the script provided in the paper sheets, he would rehearse the role of Aron Ralston while observing himself in the mirror.
