Chapter 67: Action Sequence

Over time, more cast and crew members joined in the early preparations. While Martin rehearsed the dance, he also followed the action guide to practice his vampire zombie attack moves.

However, these zombies were not the slow-moving ones seen in the Resident Evil and Living Dead series. They were something closer to vampires.

The brilliance of the script lay in the life-and-death battle between the male and female protagonists.

The heroine also had to participate in the training, and the role went to Catherine, an old acquaintance of Martin who play the heroine in the City Folks drama.

Catherine had nothing to be ashamed of in terms of her figure and appearance, which set her apart from all the other candidates.

Benjamin personally escorted her to the set and made a special request to Martin, saying, "She's never done action scenes like this before. Please take good care of her." Martin understood the request and replied, "Catherine and I are old friends."

In front of the entire crew, Catherine hugged Benjamin tightly, holding onto his arm and stating, "Martin and I make a great team."

Revealing your close ties upfront is a responsible approach on a film and television set.

At this point, the prop master approached and asked the hero and heroine to test the props.

In the warehouse next to the temporary studio, Martin encountered claw-like props resembling Wolverine's, perfectly sized when he put them on.

Action director Morris explained, "In all action scenes, you'll be wearing just a pair of shorts, fighting with claws and teeth to take down your prey, focusing on biting the chest and neck." As both the lead actor and part-time production manager, Martin had some authority to voice his opinion: "What if we start with that idea? Add some scenes of taking off clothes during the action sequences? My character could pull off his shirt, revealing his muscles."

Having been a stuntman in his previous life, Martin struck a cool pose, saying, "The opponents could use their claws to strip away the clothing. By the end, both sides could be left with just enough clothing to maintain the R rating."

Director Benjamin entered the conversation, proclaiming, "Martin, you've grasped the essence of B-movies!"

Martin remained modest, stating, "It's just an idea, Ben. You have the final say on whether it fits your vision."

Benjamin acknowledged Martin's role as the producer and film manager, noting, "Share your ideas anytime. What makes B-level movies successful in theaters? Crude humor, splattering blood, and stimulating peoples hormones. As long as we excel in these three aspects, the film will sell."

Catherine, being conscientious, inquired, "Do I have to do it all?"

Benjamin clarified, "No, dear. We're making an R-rated film, not NC-17."

Morris, who was under Benjamin's command, decided to shift his approach and attitude, saying, "My expertise lies in directing action scenes between men and women. For instance, the scene where you're lying on the ground was my design."

Martin, who held a higher position in the crew than Morris, emphasized the importance of good interpersonal skills, stating, "You know what my friends often say about me? They claim I'm the unluckiest corpse in history."

Morris couldn't help but laugh, saying, "I'm honored!"

Ultimately, it was Benjamin who had the final say on whether to incorporate Martin's ideas or not.

Martin had some thoughts to share, saying, "In the action scene where the male protagonist, Matthew, kills the heroine's sister, Maria, wouldn't it be too monotonous to simply suck her blood? Should we make this scene more spectacular?" This suggestion also served his interests, as he was the hero: "The death should still be a part of the performance, with the character dying on stage. Here's what I'm thinking there's an iron chain hanging from the stage. The hero grabs the chain and dances wildly with Maria in the air. Amid the frenzy of the machine gun dance, the hero then could suck Maria's blood."

As Benjamin imagined the scene, a vivid picture formed in his mind. The dance would reach its climax, and the hero would whirl Maria around the entire ballroom, soaring through the air in a frenzied, action-packed fight.

To Martin, there was no point in making a B-level movie if it wasn't exaggerated.

Benjamin snapped back to reality and instructed his assistant, "Notify producer Dave and call a meeting with the heads of the casting, modeling, dance, props, and photography departments. Immediately! Right away!" The assistant director rushed off to make the calls.

Benjamin couldn't contain his admiration, saying, "Martin, you're truly a genius! I can only come up with a mechanical bull, but you're thinking of mid-air acrobatics!" Martin confessed, "I got this idea from a video tape."

Benjamin thought he was being modest and replied, "This scene is going to be intense! I've arranged for a worthy opponent for you. Do you want to know who it is?" Martin replied seriously, "Of course, Julia Roberts, Georgia's biggest star."

Benjamin looked taken aback.

Martin added, "Or maybe Holly Hunter? She's an Oscar-winning actress, even though she's a bit older. I'd be okay with that." Benjamin almost choked, "I couldn't afford their fees even if I sold my soul. But, my old classmate pulled some strings and got Jenna Jameson!"

Martin asked in disbelief, "Are you serious?"

Benjamin grinned, "I heard Jenna is open to starring in a theater film as a favor. Her fee is only $5,000."

Since this was a cheesy B-level movie, there was no going lower. The Queen of the Sacred Valley would add some quirky appeal.

Before long, all the department heads, including producer Dave, arrived.

Benjamin had the final say in the filmmaking process and led the meetings. Martin sketched the described scene on a whiteboard.

Director of Photography Jackson chimed in, "To make this scene truly spectacular, it needs to be filled with people and take place in front of an audience's watchful eyes."

Casting director Andrew added, "I've talked to the club, and they've put out a notice. Many regular customers have volunteered to serve as the background audience for free."

Unspoken was the fact that the Strip Club would still charge admission.

In high spirits, Benjamin said, "Anyone with ideas for scene design and action sequences, please share your thoughts."

Inspired by Martin, action director Morris suddenly had an idea. "I think the final battle between the male and female protagonists can be split into two parts. The male protagonist is incredibly powerful, almost unbeatable by a mortal female hunter. What if the heroine learns to control his weekness, greatly weakening him?"

Producer Dave understood the point and emphasized, "Our first priority is to attract movie buyers with the content, as we don't have distribution capabilities. The film's eventual rating by the MPAA will come into play after they acquire it." Martin put his mind to it and suggested, "How about giving sisters Maria and Anna a special ability? They can absorb powers, but there's a catch. If one sister reaches her peak first, her essence gets drained by the other." Benjamin pondered and agreed, "That's intriguing."

He continued, "Let's alter the previous mid-air scene. Maria won't be drained to death by Matthew. Instead, she'll possess the same ability as the heroine but lose to Matthew in battle." The meeting continued late into the evening, and once Benjamin returned home, he and his assistants worked overnight to design new scenes for several sequences.