Filming routine (2)

Today was another busy day for the film crew, and Kate Beckinsale looked around with some curiosity.

Although she had starred in many movies, including big-budget productions like "Pearl Harbor", for some reason, the atmosphere on the set of "Miscreant" felt peculiar to her.

There wasn't too much seriousness or pressure. Instead, the relaxed atmosphere seemed to fill the air with a lively vibe.

People came and went, each performing their duties, and they sometimes exchanged laughs and smiles.

Leaning in her makeup trailer, Kate watched as it was her first day on set. They had already been filming for a week without her scenes, but yesterday, the production called and informed her to come in.

Then she saw her fellow countryman, Jason Statham, walking towards her. He raised his right hand in a wave and shouted loudly, "Kate!"

"Jason, how have you been lately?"

Jason approached, rubbing his bald head with some embarrassment. "I'm doing fine, just hoping for fewer retakes."

"Is Director Lyman, very demanding?" Kate asked and thought of something.

"Not demanding, but I tend to make some mistakes while performing. His standards are quite strict." Jason added, "But he has a good temper. Among all the sets I've been on, his temperament might be the best. He doesn't get angry easily. If there's a mistake, he just asks for a retake, without any scolding or physical outbursts."

Jason seemed to remember the time he was scolded by Guy Ritchie, the director of "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels", and shuddered at the thought. That director had a truly fiery temper.

No, he couldn't dwell on that.

Hearing this, Kate became more curious about the director Lyman. Until now, she still didn't know why she was selected. Her agent didn't have any connections, and she had no personal relationships with Paramount or EuropaCorp. She had somehow stumbled into her role in "Miscreant".

Could it be... she speculated.

The two chatted while a bustling commotion interrupted their conversation. Kate looked over and saw director Lyman walking slowly towards them.

"Hello, director."

"Is the set ready?"

"Almost done."

"And the cameras?"

"OK, all three camera positions are set and fixed," Thomas replied casually.

"Lyman," René walked over, holding the shooting schedule. "Here's today's scene arrangement. Do you think it's feasible?"

Today, the crew split into two parts. James Wan had taken some crew members and actors from the police line to shoot scenes at a certain police station in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, they were preparing to shoot indoor scenes in Warner Bros. Studio Stage 3.

"Okay, this arrangement works."

Lyman walked to the back of his director's monitor, picking up the script to review the camera angles.

Kate observed everything and was surprised by the respectful attitude the crew showed towards Director Lyman.

Was it all an act or mere polite pretenses? She could easily see through it.

Don't assume that all directors are assertive, especially in Hollywood. Often, the ecological status on set prioritized producers, and sometimes even production managers and script supervisors had more say than the director.

She had witnessed directors being scolded like children by sponsors.

This wasn't an exaggeration. In the future Marvel series films, the status of those new directors didn't even compare to the screenwriters, let alone others. They were practically filmmaking machines focused solely on solving shooting issues.

Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of an actor in the corner, and she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Jason, is he always like this?"

Jason followed Kate's gaze and couldn't help but sigh. He used to be unconvinced, thinking she was just a lucky one. However, after spending some time with her, he had to admit that even if she was lucky, she was a lucky one with real talent.

"Yes, he's always like that," Jason confirmed.

The discussion between the two wasn't something Heath Ledger had a chance to overhear.

He sat quietly in his chair, holding the script, meticulously studying the scenes they were going to shoot today, word by word. He had read the script many times, and his character's profile filled an entire notebook. However, when it came to shooting, he always liked to read it a few more times, so he could better immerse himself in the character's emotions.

He had always believed that he lacked talent, but he excelled in his willingness to work hard, and that was all he had.

Until now, the role of Second-in-Command was the most challenging for him. He was unpredictable, vicious, and cunning, leaving everyone guessing what he was thinking. One moment he would be passionately chatting with someone, and the next he might turn violent and deadly.

One of the most interesting scenes was when he was forcefully arrested by the police. After some communication with a high-ranking officer, they let a lawyer release him, claiming that there wasn't enough evidence to detain him. Despite having some of his criminal records, the police still let him go.

Second-in-Command was puzzled by this, but he knew that the police wanted to use him as a weapon, pointing him towards the "Golden Gate Group" and causing them to destroy each other.

He played along because Third-in-Command held all the power. If he hesitated, he would lose his current position.

Not only did he play along, but he also did an excellent job. The "Golden Gate Group" was on the verge of disintegration, and even the police's special task force suffered repeated setbacks with heavy casualties.

It was at this point that the police realized their plan was a joke when dealing with someone as insane as Second-in-Command.

Their plan to control the "Golden Gate Group" by gaining evidence of their crimes and elevating someone loyal to them to the top had utterly failed.

Organized crime like the mafia was an unending battle. Cut down one batch, and another would soon emerge.

The Los Angeles police were at their wits' end, and it just so happened that the rise of the "Golden Gate Group" had actually improved the city's order.

This made them understand one thing: it was better to seek stability rather than trying to eradicate them completely.

It was with their indulgence that the "Golden Gate Group" smoothly became the top gang in Los Angeles.

Afterward, with no friction, brawls, or killings between gangs, the stability of Los Angeles communities indeed improved significantly.

However, having such a tumor growing in the city of Los Angeles was still not a solution. The high-ranking police officers came up with a brilliant idea: to elect one of their "own" as the spokesperson for the "Golden Gate Group".

Against this backdrop, the entire story plot unfolded.

The surrounding bustle did not disturb Heath's continuous exploration of the script.

How could a hardworking, determined actor with good acting talent not succeed?

Lyman admired actors like him. For a director, especially one who pursued his identity as a director, it was hard to resist such actors.

Thus, Lyman never hid his appreciation for Heath.

Such an actor was easy to work with. If everyone learned from him, Lyman felt he could go to bed happy every night.

Therefore, even though Heathonly casually sat on the sofa in the well-built cigar room, an air of presence emanated from him. It was effortless, yet it gave Lyman the feeling he desired.

The milky-yellow light halo spread above his head, and Kate sat across from Heath, wearing a smile, preparing to deliver her lines when she heard the director shout, "Cut."

"Kate, come here."

Kate stood by Lyman's side a bit confused. What just happened?

I was on screen for less than a second, and I already made a mistake? What did I do wrong?

"Kate, it's your character's entrance next. Collect your emotions and sink into the character," Lyman could feel a hint of anxiety between the girl's brows. Stopping her abruptly must have made her a bit flustered.

But there was no other way. If the performance wasn't done well, it had to be pointed out, only then could there be room for improvement.

"You are the owner of the cigar room, a businessperson. Second-in-Command is the ruler of the most prominent gang in this area. When he comes to see you, you need to show three emotions: one, being ingratiating with a hint of fear; two, being suspicious with a touch of panic; three, forcing yourself to remain calm. So, your expression should not be chaotic, and your smile should be gentle. You've attended etiquette classes before; you should know how to smile properly. Also, your gaze must not meet with Second-in-Command's, because you are uneasy inside, and the more anxious you are, the more you will unconsciously hide your gaze. You need to control that, understand?"

Kate's thoughts swiftly followed Lyman's words, immersing herself in the entire scene.

She had read the script in advance and knew that, although her character was the owner of the cigar room on the surface, she was actually caught by the police and became the contact for Tom Cruise's undercover character, responsible for passing on information.

In the past, when the undercover agent passed on information, they only needed to find a crowded place like a bar or nightclub. As long as everything was agreed upon beforehand, there would be almost no accidents. However, as Tom's character's status rose within the gang, many people started paying attention to his whereabouts. So, he needed a fixed location for meetings.

That was when the cigar room was selected because it had been open for a long time, and its origins were easily traceable. The landlady, who was also the character Kate played, was deliberately caught by the police for illegal operations and threatened until she had no choice but to become the contact person.

Both her shop and her home had surveillance teams planted by the police to prevent her from leaking any information.

One could say she was an ordinary person who was inexplicably drawn into trouble. She wouldn't hide her emotions, so why bother hiding them?

Who would know that she was a contact person? Who would know that Tom, the gang member who frequently visited her shop, was an undercover agent planted by the police?

Apart from a few high-ranking police officers, not even regular police knew these secrets.

The surveillance on her was also justified as a measure to prevent her from fleeing and to collect evidence of her criminal activities.

Everything was carefully considered, and Morgan Freeman's character as the head of the police squad was designed to be clever and cunning.

He had been helming this operation for eight years.