Chapter 39: Facing Challenges

As everyone turned to look, Murphy, assisted by Jessica Chastain, removed the Steadicam rig from his body and set up the camera. After positioning it, he looked up at the temporary lighting rig hanging from the ceiling, noting, "There's an issue with the lighting."

Sitting in front of the counter, Kerry Mulligan lightly tapped her chest, exhaling a breath of relief as some of the tension left her face.

It was her first official shoot, and she didn't want to be the reason for any interruptions.

Murphy glanced at Kerry Mulligan, taking in everything, but he chose to remain silent. Despite her being a talented newcomer, she was still young and sensitive, needing encouragement rather than pressure.

Deciding to temporarily set aside Kerry Mulligan's concerns, Murphy focused on resolving the lighting issue on set.

In fact, Murphy had noticed the lighting problem since the start of filming. However, he had let it continue until more issues arose, prompting him to call for a halt.

"John..." Murphy called over his gaffer, Douglas, "We need to completely readjust the lighting."

He sighed inwardly, acknowledging the truth of 'you get what you pay for'. Douglas, hired cheaply, was clearly lacking in skill.

During the location scouting, Murphy had briefed Douglas on the lighting requirements. While the setup appeared decent through the camera lens before the actors entered the scene, once Kerry Mulligan was in frame, the footage fell short of expectations.

However, Murphy refrained from losing his temper or making a fuss. He understood that on-set lighting wasn't solely the gaffer's responsibility; environmental factors also played a role. Kerry Mulligan's presence, wearing her red outfit, would affect the color temperature of the light.

"I've told you before," Murphy said, crossing his arms, observing the main lights hanging from the ceiling and the auxiliary lights on the floor, "This film falls into the category of noir! John, your lighting is too soft and bright."

Lighting in low-budget films with a noir theme was a complex task. Despite budget and technical constraints, filmmakers still managed to create compelling noir films, making lighting a crucial element.

Having researched this extensively, Murphy had chosen a film in this genre to kickstart his project. Unlike the bright lights seen through the camera earlier, the lighting for "Hard Candy" required a darker, more subdued tone.

Douglas wasn't entirely incompetent. After a moment's consideration, he pointed to the row of main lights directly opposite the counter, saying, "Changing the setup for the main light should improve things."

In the common three-point lighting setup for film, the main light is typically the brightest, hence its name.

"No, no, no..." Murphy shook his head, dissatisfied with Douglas's suggestion. Walking around the counter, he surveyed the scene before stating, "It's not just the main light; the auxiliary light needs adjusting too. And we should add some backlighting."

Auxiliary lights, usually set opposite the main light, are used to fill in shadows created by the main light. Backlighting illuminates the subject's outline, separating them from the background.

This setup would highlight Kerry Mulligan within the scene and emphasize her role as the protagonist.

Seeing Douglas at a loss, Murphy sighed. Noir lighting required not only subdued tones but also hard lighting to accentuate the protagonist's features clearly.

Douglas nodded, acknowledging his lack of experience, and began adjusting the lights according to Murphy's instructions.

"John, hold on a moment," Murphy called out, stopping him. Turning to Lynch, he gestured for him to come over and requested, "Do you have a boom pole or something similar? A long stick will do."

"We do," Lynch responded.

During pre-production, Murphy had envisioned everything perfectly. However, actual filming often revealed unforeseen issues. He completely discarded the lighting plan for the café set and started afresh. The boom pole came in handy, allowing them to test lighting effects from different angles before finalizing the setup.

A novice director leading an inexperienced crew was bound to encounter numerous challenges during filming.

Before the lighting was fully sorted, lunchtime arrived. According to the agreement with Lynch, lunch and drinks were provided free of charge by Milton Café.

A hungry crew couldn't work effectively. Murphy felt a slight relief as he enjoyed the complimentary lunch, alleviating some of his anxiety caused by the earlier setbacks.

"Free lunch, my favorite," Murphy remarked as he ate, grateful for the cost savings.

Sitting at a nearby table, Carla set down her utensils and pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth before tossing one to Murphy, saying, " I've been promoted to Assistant Director of Channel 6, overseeing news operations."

Surprised, Murphy looked at her. Such rapid promotion?

"I should thank you," Carla continued, crossing her hands on the table, "Without the Billboard Road incident, I might still be the Night News Director. You paved the way for me."

Putting down his fork, Murphy picked up the tissue, unabashedly asking, "How do you plan to thank me?"

With a hint of sarcasm, Carla retorted, "I need a capable, daring individual for a managerial position."

After a moment's thought, Murphy replied, "If my project fails, I'll consider it."

Carla shrugged, not pressing further.

They both understood each other's implications. The conversation lapsed into silence, with occasional glances exchanged between them and someone at a nearby table.

Kerry Mulligan sat on a high stool, eating beans hurriedly. James Franco, seated beside her, reminded her, "Hey, slow down, you might choke."

Ignoring him, Kerry Mulligan asked the intern on her left, "Paul, who's that woman sitting across from Murphy?"

"Which one?" Paul Wilson asked, puzzled.

Kerry Mulligan gestured with her eyes, "The one sitting across from Murphy."

"I don't know her," Paul replied.

"I do," James Franco chimed in, subtly disparaging, "She's someone I know."

"Who is she?" Kerry Mulligan couldn't help but wonder, "Murphy's girlfriend?"

"No..." James Franco scoffed, "Murphy's poured all his money into our film. He's broke. What woman would be stupid enough to be interested in him?"

"Maybe Murphy pursued her!" Kerry Mulligan defended, "He dares to pursue his goals at any cost."

With a derisive smile, James Franco retorted, "Ha..."

Kerry Mulligan shot him a glare, "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Hey," James Franco protested, "Don't forget, I brought you your lunch box and prepared your water this morning..."

"I didn't ask you to!" Kerry Mulligan cut him off, rising from her seat and heading to the makeshift dressing room.

After Carla left, Murphy announced the start of the afternoon's work, knowing that challenges still lay ahead.