Chapter 85: Fledgling

As both a director and part-time producer, if Murphy wasn't good at dealing with people, he wouldn't be suitable for this industry.

As a producer, Murphy needed to connect with a variety of people. As a director, he had to communicate and collaborate with actors and the film crew.

Compared to directing itself, coordinating the crew and handling logistics was equally important and quite tricky. Murphy certainly lacked sufficient experience or skills in this area. More challenging was the fact that interpersonal skills couldn't be immediately taught to someone aspiring to enter filmmaking.

Murphy had to rely on practice to change and enrich himself, to become more mature.

Additionally, there were administrative and financial tasks that Murphy had to handle.

Administrative work needed to be organized and labeled for future use, including production resources, legal documents, checks and accounting ledgers, authorization agreements, contracts, permits, copyrights, photos, and more. For this purpose, most production companies have secretaries, accountants, and office staff to handle these "backstage" matters.

In large production companies, these employees belong to the production department, studying expenses daily, analyzing client data, and so on. This ensures the crew is prepared for any issues that may arise.

For Murphy's low-budget production, the producer had to either be the top organizer or find someone specialized for this role, requiring diligence and professionalism.

The financial person Murphy hired was certainly unqualified, so he brought back the accountant from Hard Candy to oversee this part of the work, reporting directly to him.

Furthermore, some crucial administrative tasks fell on Murphy himself. Even in Los Angeles, the documentation and all paperwork during the shooting were vital for the film's production and legal protection. Ignoring this could lead to unforeseen difficulties.

Then there were the actor rehearsals. Murphy knew the importance of rehearsals and wouldn't rush into shooting. He cleaned out a side bedroom on the second floor, assigning it to James Franco and Seth Rogen, the two male leads, for rehearsals.

Many films start shooting without rehearsals. Sometimes this is because the actors are "big names" who see no benefit in rehearsing. Other times, directors believe rehearsals stifle spontaneity.

But for this gore horror film, Murphy didn't need explosive performances. The budget dictated a quick shooting schedule, and structured rehearsals suited his crew better.

Besides instructing actors, Murphy also spent significant time communicating with other departments.

He visited the set multiple times with cinematographer Phil Lasher and lighting technician David Roby, designing the shooting and lighting methods for certain scenes in advance. He requested that Lasher and Roby provide lists of required camera and lighting equipment and to test them as soon as they were rented to avoid previous shooting issues.

Additionally, Murphy required the art, set, props, makeup, and costume departments to submit design plans based on his concepts. All crew members had to agree on the film's aesthetic style and unify their creative direction.

Art director Helena Espola was responsible for the set design. Since the warehouse was spacious, the crew wouldn't use all of it. Murphy instructed that sets should not be too numerous or scattered and that distances between sets should be short for concentrated shooting.

Props master Baker Clibbert submitted a list of needed props to Murphy, which Paul Wilson would help purchase, rent, or create.

Jack Watson, in charge of makeup, designed the actors' looks according to Murphy's vision. Paul Wilson also managed the purchase of needed items like wigs and headgear.

It's no exaggeration to say that countless responsibilities weighed on Murphy. The heavy workload and pressure made him realize the importance of a dedicated producer and several professional assistant directors.

Paul Wilson was diligent and responsible but lacked experience and still needed time to develop.

Near the end of the preparation phase, Murphy realized he had overlooked something: finding a professional sound engineer.

The simplicity of Hard Candy's shoot and reliance on post-production sound effects led to this oversight.

Fortunately, he discovered this early enough. Sound engineers were not scarce in Hollywood, so it wasn't too late. Murphy called Bill Rosas, and within two days, the agent had found a suitable candidate for the crew. After a detailed discussion, they signed a contract. The sound engineer would officially join the crew a week before filming started.

After securing the sound engineer, Murphy, along with Bill Rosas and Phil Lasher, visited a Hollywood company to inspect camera equipment. Murphy valued this aspect highly.

Murphy wasn't a gearhead who believed new technology suited every film. The shooting effects of camera equipment had to meet his filming requirements. Camera equipment was essential for a film's quality but not decisive, so he aimed for practical and effective choices.

He chose Sony's 35MM cameras again. Unlike the previous shoot, this time Murphy rented three cameras: one handheld and two large, mountable ones.

During price negotiations, Bill Rosas showcased the benefits of having a dedicated agent.

Rental companies typically resist lowering their fees, but Rosas leveraged CAA's name to get a time discount. For the same price, Murphy could only rent for half a month, but Rosas secured a one-month contract, cutting the camera rental expenses by 50%.

Additionally, Rosas insisted that the rental company provide a professional maintenance technician.

"Important, high-value equipment rentals usually include a technician to ensure equipment safety, supervise its proper use, cleaning, and storage," Rosas explained as they left the rental company. "Technicians are usually sent by the rental company, and you can ask them to do extra tasks like focus pulling or dolly operation. They usually won't refuse."

These salaries would be included in the rental fees, meaning the crew would gain at least one highly skilled laborer.

Reflecting on the previous shoot's rental situation and comparing it to the agreement Rosas secured, Murphy realized he and Jessica Chastain had been clueless.

This also made Murphy understand the depths of the industry and how much of a novice he still was.