Chapter 200: The Country Bumpkin

Eyes glued to the monitor, Murphy didn't turn his head, treating it as a trivial matter, and casually asked, "Have you found out who the whistleblower is? Let me know."

Bill Ross glanced at Murphy and nodded slightly.

The crew quickly set up the scene, the most notable feature being the large bed placed in the center of the green screen. The bed's striking red color contrasted sharply with the surrounding green.

Jessica Simpson, in a red dress, and Seth Rogen, shirtless, were ready in position.

Perhaps two months of fitness had paid off. Seth Rogen hadn't slimmed down, but his body fat had visibly reduced, and his muscles were impressively defined.

On the other side, Jessica Simpson sat at the edge of the bed, letting a stylist fix her slightly disheveled golden curls. She wore no top and seemed unconcerned about it. The contract didn't require a cleared set, so she sat there openly, indifferent to some scrutinizing gazes.

Despite being new to films, she had been in the industry for years and was not bothered by nudity.

Her more famous singing career also embraced a sexy image.

"David, make the lighting softer!" Murphy shouted to the lighting crew, "Switch to hard light for Gordie's death scene!"

When his gaze returned from the lighting crew, Murphy saw Margaret and busy David Robey. He wasn't surprised she was there again; with David so busy, he couldn't entertain her in Los Angeles, leaving her no choice but to come to the set.

However, she didn't disrupt the filming.

Perhaps growing up on a farm, she was wild yet sensible, always hiding in corners that didn't interfere with the filming.

Today was better; Rüdiger Hauer brought his thirteen-year-old son to the set, giving her someone her age to keep her company and stave off boredom.

After adjusting the lights, Murphy checked the setup and then nodded to the script supervisor.

The script supervisor approached the camera, placed the clapboard in front of the lens, and loudly announced, "Sin City, scene four, take one, action!"

On set, Jessica Simpson and Seth Rogen immediately entangled in an embrace, with Philip Lasher's main camera focusing primarily on Jessica Simpson's bare chest.

This was both a recreation of the comic scene and Murphy's directive. Like with Jessica Alba, he was clear about nudity where necessary, driven by commerce rather than art.

He didn't pretend, like some European directors, that nudity and S&M were for art's sake; it was all to attract viewers.

Thus, following Murphy's instructions, Seth Rogen and Jessica Simpson kept changing positions, with the crew capturing numerous shots from various angles, especially many of Jessica Simpson without a top.

The crew seemed to forget that minors were present.

"So this is how these scenes are shot," Margaret remarked from a distance, her accent evident, "Not impressive at all!"

"What do you know!" A boy taller than Margaret looked at her with disdain, "Do you even know who that woman is? That's Jessica Simpson, the dream girl of many boys!"

Margaret narrowed her eyes slightly and crossed her arms, "Is she that famous?"

"Typical Australian country bumpkin!" The boy's pride was palpable as he mocked, "A bumpkin who knows nothing!"

"Country bumpkin?" Margaret turned to him, "Ryan Hauer, are you talking about me?"

"Who else but you?" Ryan Hauer pointed at Margaret's mouth, "You speak so quaintly!"

Then, he pointed at Margaret's somewhat old and faded denim jacket, "And you dress so quaintly! You even smell like the countryside!"

In Ryan Hauer's eyes, the girl was okay-looking but too plain, just a country bumpkin from Australia.

Margaret nodded at him but said nothing more, not wanting to disrupt the filming and possibly affect her brother's job.

Though not yet thirteen, Margaret understood this much.

Ryan Hauer's look of disdain deepened, his sense of superiority from growing up in a big city becoming more pronounced.

Margaret, arms still crossed, just watched the ongoing filming.

Murphy's shooting continued, with Jessica Simpson lying on the red bed as the murdered Gordie, a camera assistant capturing close-ups of her exposed chest. The contrast between her pale skin and the blood-red sheets was striking on the director's monitor.

Digital cameras made filming convenient, and other effects could be added post-production.

The challenge of replicating the comic's style with conventional cameras seemed insurmountable, but Murphy solved it with digital cinematography, focusing on faithfully capturing the angles and depth of field from Frank Miller's original comics and storyboard panels during shooting. Style-related issues were addressed in post-production, including digital backgrounds and color or silhouette effects.

Digital photography had proven itself equal to traditional film in creating visual art.

The evolution of film technology had made digital cinematography not just a convenience but a new avenue for cinematic creation.

Murphy had even discussed digital photography with Quentin Tarantino, who, after realizing its potential to create unique film styles through Murphy's experimental shorts, became interested in making his digital work.

This scene wrapped up quickly, and Murphy had the crew move to a model car for shots of Marv injured. Seth Rogen went for makeup, returning with his rough face covered in white bandages.

"Ryan Hauer," Margaret said as she prepared to join the crowd, addressing the overly proud boy beside her, "Didn't you say you'd show this country bumpkin around glamorous Los Angeles? I'll wait for you at 5:30 by the corridor next to Studio 3."

"Sure, country bumpkin," Ryan Hauer thought about inviting some school friends to tease the down-to-earth girl.

Margaret then approached the set, standing next to an old man in a cowboy hat. His familiar attire made her feel a bit of affinity.

Seeing the actor's face covered in bandages, she muttered, "Why make him look like that?"

Frank Miller, who had overheard her, explained the creative choice from the comics he knew best. "This is Marv's first injury. The chaotic and flat white bandages on his dark cheeks and rugged arms highlight his scars with a noticeable fluorescence, yet seem so trivial before his calm demeanor."

He didn't expect the girl to listen so intently. Seeing her curiosity, reminiscent of his daughter's age, Miller continued, "This color design vividly portrays Marv's robust physicality, supporting his remarkable resilience and healing abilities. It also suggests his weathered life and steadfast character, providing a plausible explanation for Marv's seemingly humble quest for vengeance, making the plot's progression natural."

Margaret, surprised to get an answer from the seemingly unremarkable old man, asked curiously, "How do you know so much?"

Miller smiled, "Because I created this comic."

"Ah, I see!" Margaret realized, then curiously inquired, "Is there more?"

Miller pointed towards the makeup blood on Seth Rogen's face, "Marv's injury bleeds a rare red in the film, a precious and unusual color in a story filled with white plasma. It not only emphasizes the film's violent theme but also mirrors Gordie's red bedsheet, hinting at Marv's motive for revenge and tying together the storyline of 'Sin City.'"

Margaret, unsure if she fully understood, nodded mechanically and then said, "I've been watching Murphy film for days, and there are things I don't get. Can I ask you about them later?"

As people age, their hearts soften. Miller hesitated but agreed, "Whenever I'm available, you're welcome to come by."

With filming ending near 5:30, Margaret didn't wait for her brother and headed to the quiet corridor by Studio 3 as agreed, where Ryan Hauer was already waiting.

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