Filming (1)

Delving into it, Eva had always been a naturally gifted actress.

Her debut film in her previous life, "The Dreamers", had directly astonished the Cannes Film Festival. With a background in formal training, she wasn't lacking in acting techniques and methods.

Truthfully, the roles in "Effervescent" didn't demand much challenge. The movie was meant to tell an ordinary story, focusing on plot, tearjerker moments, and heartwarming elements.

There wasn't a need for excessive acting prowess.

So, once the actors settled into their roles and eased their nerves, filming progressed smoothly.

Taking into account the time for setting up the scene, makeup, and scheduling, the entire scene in the castle bedroom took only four hours. This was even faster than the planned shooting schedule.

If this pace continued, the entire movie might wrap up in less than a month.

Forget the notion that every movie took several months to shoot. That only happened when there were numerous scenes, characters, or a plethora of special effects shots.

Generally speaking, for a regular narrative film, it would only take one or two months, or even less. For instance, in a previous life, the movie "Saw" directed by James Wan went from conception to shooting to completion in just 18 days...

After completing the scenes in the castle, the crew immediately moved to a local inn in the small town down the hill to continue shooting Eva's family scenes.

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, they hurried to capture several more setups. After dark, there were still two nighttime scenes.

It was now late August, and in Annecy, the daytime temperature hovered around 25 degrees Celsius, dropping to just over 10 degrees at night.

Yet, including Heath, all the actors with roles were dressed in light clothing, some even in short sleeves, because they were filming a summer scene.

Especially for Eva and Sophie, both actresses wore off-the-shoulder dresses.

While their attire was beautiful and eye-catching, at this temperature and with occasional gusts of wind, even Lyman, who was wearing two layers, felt a chill on his neck.

Yet, they had to maintain an appearance of indifference, even if they were shivering and their skin was covered in goosebumps. They remained composed on the surface, engaging in cheerful conversations and sipping cold drinks.

Eventually, they went outside for a stroll and to get some fresh air.

Actors, being professionals, were expected to be dedicated, and there was no complaining about enduring hardships.

Lyman wasn't deliberately unfeeling either. About every ten minutes of shooting, he would call a halt on his own and have a jacket brought to the actor, along with some warm water to settle their stomachs.

It wasn't until the evening that they wrapped up shooting and returned to the set for dinner, leaving a few production assistants behind to guard the filming equipment.

After a simple meal, they immediately returned to work.

Night scenes were quite a test for the lighting team. Finally, the experienced members of the lighting crew had a chance to showcase their skills.

As the camera panned, the image remained clear.

Heath wore a pair of glasses, his hair slightly combed back, clumsily tying his tie. He carried a briefcase, portraying a recent graduate starting his first job.

"Camera ready."

"Sound okay."

"Action!"

As the assistant director's voice fell, Heath stepped into the frame.

"Good morning."

"Hello..."

He greeted incessantly, his head slightly lowered.

People came and went around him, all portraying employees within the company.

As a newcomer, he was still somewhat reserved.

It wasn't until he reached his seat that he let out a slow breath, neatly arranging the slightly scattered documents on the table and then brewing himself a cup of coffee.

"Click. Action."

Lyman nodded in approval, quite satisfied.

Heath was as consistent as ever, portraying the steadiness of a young man entering an unfamiliar workplace with remarkable authenticity.

He added many subtle details, making it quite realistic.

Whether it was repeatedly nodding while greeting others or the relaxed exhale upon sitting, there was a hint of character progression in those gestures.

The filming continued.

"Hart, the manager wants to see you."

An extra recited his lines. Hart was also Heath's character's name in the film.

"Oh, okay... okay... okay, I understand." Heath stood up in a fluster, accidentally knocking over his cup. Coffee dripped from the table onto his pants and shoes. He hastily wiped it off with tissues.

A few seconds later, he wore a face of disbelief. Oh no, these were his newly bought pants and leather shoes.

The camera smoothly moved along the track, with the lighting technician, sound assistant, set designer, and camera crew members constantly moving around outside the frame, following the actors' actions.

At this moment, the camera's scope captured a real workplace, with Heath as the central figure.

The camera panned along with his steps, shifting the frame.

Thomas held a camera separately, serving as a close-up camera operator to capture close-ups.

He walked to the office with the manager's sign, lightly knocking twice.

"Come in." It was a woman's voice.

Heath didn't think much and immediately pushed the door open.

A woman in formal attire with light makeup sat behind the desk. Upon hearing the sound, she smiled towards the camera.

Her smile was delicate, knowing it was a polite, courteous smile, yet so captivating.

Naturally, this role was portrayed by Sophie.

Although she was 37, time hadn't taken away her beauty. If anything, with the passage of time, she became even more alluring and elegant.

Especially in this professional attire, it had to be said that she looked truly beautiful.

Hart was momentarily dazzled. His gaze flickered slightly, and then he immediately lowered his head.

"May I ask... Manager, did you need something from me?"

...

"Good, action."

Lyman's face was filled with delight.

He had never worried about Sophie's acting skills. Instead, he had some concerns about capturing the essence of her character.

In this scene, or rather, throughout the entire film, the most outstanding aspects should be the two female leads. Their charm had to be showcased successfully without being overshadowed by others.

For Eva, well, Lyman had been with her day and night. He knew how to shoot her in a way that would be most effective—focusing on her expressions and capturing her upper body, widening the perspective and avoiding extreme close-up shots of her face.

Yet, even so, he believed Sophie would be even more astonishing. Every raise of her eyebrow, every smile—she seemed to have regressed in age, taking him back to the feeling he had while watching "Fanfan" years ago.

Certainly, there was a naturalness about her that was hard to escape.

In this segment, while Heath led the way, Sophie fully took control in the subsequent shots. That subtle sensation conveyed through the lens was truly captivating.

"Both of you are performing very well. Maintain this momentum." Lyman stood behind the director's monitor, giving them both a thumbs up.

Heath smiled and didn't say anything.

Sophie came on board because she saw the quality of the project. She wasn't very familiar with Lyman, at most thinking he was talented.

She responded with a polite yet slightly awkward smile...