C 13

The bright sun is no longer blazing, and the air in the morning and evening brings a little chill. Entering the Greater Los Angeles area in December signals the time of year when the average temperature drops, and the crew is also feeling the effects of continuous high-intensity work, which has caught the attention of mainstream media.

The latest issue of the Los Angeles Times published news related to Speed. Unfortunately, this crew, which lacks big stars and well-known directors, does not have much appeal. The news only appeared in the entertainment section, occupying less than half a palm in the lower right corner of the second edition. Most of the content focuses on Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman, the two famous actors, while Luke, the director, isn't mentioned.

As we all know, Lucasfilm excels in content production, but promotional marketing is not its strong suit, and it rarely releases films independently. The initial publicity for Speed is almost zero. Fortunately, after negotiations, 20th Century Fox is sure to become the film's distributor, but the specific terms will need to be discussed after seeing the samples.

The relentless pace of mid-December has arrived. With Luke blowing up a bus into scrap metal, the filming has finally reached its final stage.

At sunset, Luke sets up the camera on the disused communication tower at Los Angeles International Airport, using a wide-angle lens to capture a rare and beautiful picture. He really likes to focus on the lenses capturing the sunrise and dusk, as they create very beautiful imagery that presents refreshingly on the big screen.

During the entire filming process, Luke used shooting methods that would later become clichéd in Hollywood but are still relatively rare at this time. For example, he employed mid-range shots and upward angles to create an exhilarating feeling. When shooting car chases, he allowed the main perspective of the camera to follow the car tires.

In making this film, Luke's primary consideration is the appeal to the audience; what he shows them must provide the freshest excitement.

This is the fourth consecutive day he has used a wide-angle lens to shoot the sunset and dusk. If it weren't for the time constraints of the film, he would have made Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman walk a few times at sunrise and sunset each day.

After capturing a satisfactory image, Luke hands the camera to others for processing and returns to the set on the edge of the airport to prepare for the last shot of the entire story.

"The second unit on the boom lowers the angle of the overhead shot, and then lowers it 15 degrees—that's it."

Looking at the heroes and heroines who are ready, Luke finally reminds them, "Unit 1 surrounds 360 degrees and captures close-ups of the faces!"

After a thrilling life-and-death contest, the protagonist and heroine share a hearty kiss. Is it cliché? Very cliché, but even in the past two decades, most viewers still enjoy such scenes. Why should he not shoot it?

After Luke calls for the start, Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman, the typical American couple, kiss...

"I declare..."

After this scene is over, Luke yells in a hoarse voice, "All the shooting of Speed is over!"

He lets out a long sigh of relief; after enduring tremendous pressure through 72 days of shooting, this long journey is finally completed.

Applause rings out—messy and flat. Not only Luke, but everyone is exhausted both physically and mentally.

After all, for the past month, everyone has lived in an environment filled with noise, speed, collisions, and even explosions every day. Even the most energetic people can become drained.

The crew returns to Universal Studios, seals the film, temporarily stores the equipment in the warehouse, and then puts on glamorous outfits to head straight to a famous nightclub in Burbank for an essential carnival party that follows the conclusion of a Hollywood crew's work.

The area of the nightclub is not too large; it was reserved by the crew. Since there were no friends to call upon, Luke arrives early. Most of the others arrive one after another, bringing male or female companions, especially Keanu Reeves, who also brings the now infamous Johnny Depp and River Phoenix.

At this kind of private party, alcohol and marijuana are must-haves, and people are everywhere, especially around Keanu Reeves and Johnny Depp, where it is evident that cocaine is also present.

Although he tried marijuana out of curiosity in middle school, Luke has no interest in these substances. Of course, he is not naïve enough to stop anything. After all, this is the norm in Hollywood, especially for those little stars struggling from the bottom. Even Sophia Coppola, who has a good upbringing, runs off to take a few puffs after coming over to say hello.

California's bright sunshine conceals unspeakable darkness. Hollywood, a place that amplifies all emotions, uses wealth, power, and talent to create a high-stakes gambling environment where many film practitioners become both victims and perpetrators. Especially in the face of the "super treatment" that contrasts sharply with ordinary lifestyles—heavy pressure and the lure of success—preserving a "sound personality" according to secular standards proves to be a real challenge.

In fact, Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, and River Phoenix embody this truth perfectly. If it weren't for River's overdose and tragic passing, which jolted the other two awake, it's difficult to say whether they would have achieved their future success.

For a moment, Luke feels like both a participant—having stepped into this circle—and a bystander—able to observe it all with calm eyes and a clear head.

This is also the last night the crew will actually exist together. Except for him, most people on the scene will not participate in the post-production. Whether due to their doubts or the animosity stemming from the jealousy caused by assistant director Kane, everything will conclude after tonight.

There are bound to be various obstacles on the road to success. Moving forward is far more important than becoming entangled in trivial matters!

"Hi..."

Sophia Coppola, holding a wine glass, comes over and sits directly opposite Luke. "It seems that it's time for us to say goodbye."

"Indeed." Luke lifts his wine glass to clink with hers. "Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"What are your plans next?"

Being the person he is closest to in the entire crew, Luke asks with concern, "Are you going to continue looking for work as an assistant?"

"Do you want to hire me?" Sophia tilts her head and looks at him.

"You are a very good assistant."

As he says, Sophia, who grew up in the Hollywood circle, is adept at handling film-related matters. "Maybe we can continue to collaborate in the future."

"Later?" She shrugs at Luke. "Luke, if this fails, you won't have a second chance."

"Do you think I will fail?" Luke looks at her.

"Reality and reason tell me that a director your age can't succeed." Sophia pours some Sydney liqueur from a bottle into their glasses and continues, "But everything I've seen in the past two months suggests this could be a big hit."

"Isn't this a compliment?" Luke takes another drink with her.

"Do I have to compliment you?" Sophia rolls her eyes. Her voice takes on a monotonous tone. "Do you know what position Chanel has reserved for me? Karl Lagerfeld's assistant! Given the choice between the same role, do you think I should choose him or you?"

"Assistant?" Luke shakes his finger at her. "Isn't that just a telephone operator?"

"Luke Rosenberg!"

Sofia's eyes widen as if poked in a vital spot.

"My dear, continue pursuing your fashion dreams."

Checking his watch, Luke stands up. "It's getting late; I'm going home."

As Sophia waves her hand casually, Luke navigates around the carnival crowd and quickly exits the nightclub.

What he said was, of course, a joke. Sophia Coppola becoming an assistant to the fashion emperor at Chanel indicates that her family's connections play a significant role; she would never settle for being a telephone operator.

Entering the parking lot, Luke starts his Chevrolet and drives westward, completely leaving behind the tired and noisy night.

Tomorrow will be a new day!

While most of the others can enjoy a long vacation after filming, Luke is far from relaxing. After just two days of rest, he and Robin Grande work with the editor to return to the Speed studio in West Hollywood and commence the equally important post-production work.

Generally speaking, post-production for movies includes three major aspects: combining shots (commonly referred to as editing); producing special effects, such as transitional effects, fades in and out, and zooms; and sound effect production, which includes vertical montages.

The post-production of modern movies takes a long time. The idea that a publicly screened film can be completed in a few days or even a week is purely a joke.

Digital production is far from standard; the post-production of Speed will utilize film throughout, and all special effects are either shot on-site or completed using model shooting—no computer-generated special effects technology has been employed.

"Robin, I hope the first cut can be implemented according to my ideas."

Standing in the editing room, Luke advocates for more authority from the producers. "We have plenty of time to assess the effect of the first cut and then decide on the final plan."

Although many Hollywood crews exclude the director from the editing process, if the director can participate, the editing work typically proceeds more smoothly—provided the director does not clash with the producers' vision.

In fact, compared to most Hollywood directors, the number of films Luke has shot is comparatively small; even if it is not as prolific as the fast-paced Spielberg, he has long been involved in the editing process.