Chapter 34: Clash of Ideas

The next day, Ethan met the crew at the CAA office.

The team included Director Tony, Assistant Director Jose, and Scene Artist Brewer. Ethan's agent, Mike, was also present, though his role was primarily to make introductions.

"This is Ethan, the photographer. We're still waiting for the lighting technician, Varden," Mike said, introducing everyone. The others greeted Ethan warmly, except for Thorn, a bearded man leaning back in his chair. He merely glanced at Ethan without saying a word.

Ethan noticed Tony's demeanor but didn't make much of it. After shaking hands with the others, he took a seat next to the assistant director.

A second later, Tony spoke, "Let's get started. Ethan, when Varden arrives, just fill him in on the details, okay?"

Though phrased as a question, Tony's tone made it clear he wasn't really asking. Ethan glanced at the others, who seemed used to Thorn's attitude, and didn't argue.

"Alright, let's begin," Tony said, nodding to himself before tossing a stack of papers onto the table. "These are the storyboards for the music video. Take a look and let me know if there are any issues."

Ethan picked up the storyboards and skimmed through them. They were rough sketches—just basic scenes and visuals. There were no detailed camera angles or character movements, highlighting a lack of care.

Music videos are usually not complicated, especially for rap songs. Unless there's a strong focus on creativity and narrative, directors often just go through the motions, like babysitting.

But that approach didn't sit right with Ethan. He wasn't there to coast through a job. He wanted to create something meaningful.

So he immediately raised a concern based on the storyboards: "Director, don't you think this is a bit too simple?"

Jose and Brewer subtly nodded in agreement. The entire video was planned to be shot in a typical urban setting. The two singers would perform by a door, alternating between day and night scenes. That was the whole concept.

The scenes didn't change much—only one took place outside the neighborhood.

For them, this kind of music video was a breeze. They could shoot three of them in a day, but it was also incredibly boring.

Tony, however, didn't seem to share their view. Waving the storyboard in his hand, he said, "Simple? What are you talking about? The song is about an affair, right? A woman moves to a new neighborhood and gets involved with a man. They both have families, so it's all secretive. The neighborhood is the perfect backdrop. What's the problem?"

Tony continued, "I looked at your resume, Ethan. You don't seem to have much experience. Maybe your understanding of music videos is a bit off. This isn't a film! Get that straight."

Ethan shrugged, finding Tony's warning laughable. "But the point of a music video is to elevate the song. Just following the lyrics to the letter is boring. If the lyrics were about someone grocery shopping every day, would we shoot a bunch of vegetables at the supermarket?"

"So what would you suggest? Shooting them in bed, like in some European art film?" Tony scoffed.

"You're just being argumentative! We could give the video more narrative depth and make it more engaging," Ethan countered.

"Oh, come on. You think making a music video turns you into an artist? Mike, what kind of photographer did you find? Does he even know what he's doing?" Tony snapped at Mike.

Mike, who hadn't expected the meeting to be this tense, stood up and waved his hands. "Let's calm down."

He turned to Tony first, "I think Ethan has a point. After all, the client is paying us a lot for this. Shouldn't we do our best within the scope of our abilities?"

Then, he addressed Ethan, "If you think the music video is too simple, what's your idea for making it better?"

Seeing that everyone was now focused on him, Ethan took the opportunity to share his concept. "I want to add a narrative thread..."

He proposed incorporating elements from Taylor Swift's music video for *I Don't Wanna Live Forever*. Taylor's videos were always well-shot, with a cinematic feel and great suspense.

Any of those videos would be groundbreaking by today's standards, offering a fresh and thrilling experience for audiences.

Ethan wanted to include a scene similar to Taylor's music video where a man and a woman walk down the same dimly lit hotel hallway, singing to the camera.

He envisioned this scene as the main storyline, with flashbacks of the couple's interactions in the neighborhood as they secretly developed feelings for each other. By using cinematic camera work and color grading, Ethan aimed to heighten the tension and romance.

This way, the audience would be eager to see the couple's eventual encounter at the hotel, creating a voyeuristic thrill, as if they were spying on the affair.

As for whether the two actually meet at the hotel and sparks fly—that's where Ethan wanted to leave things ambiguous.

In comparison, Thorn's original storyboard was like a flat, unimaginative narrative. It followed a straightforward timeline without offering any intrigue.

Ethan's idea, on the other hand, was more like a suspense novel, where the audience is hooked from the start by a mystery, only to have the answers revealed at the end.

After Ethan finished explaining, Mike tapped his pen on the table, while Jose and Brewer seemed excited about the idea. A more complex video would certainly give them more to do.

But Tony snorted, "Sounds nice, but do you know how much something like that would cost? Budget, Ethan. A music video only has so much budget. You think the artist is going to throw money at this? Keep dreaming!"

"A tight budget doesn't mean we can't get creative. There's always a way," Ethan replied, making the others laugh, except for Tony

Tony, however, remained stubborn. "I'm not filming it that way. People watch these videos for the music and the artists, not for some convoluted narrative! You've completely misunderstood the priority here!"

With that, Thorn stood up and walked toward the door. "Either you convince him, or he's out."

The door slammed behind him, but a second later, it reopened, revealing Varden, the lighting technician.

"Did I miss something? Why did Tonystorm out?" he asked, looking confused.

Ethan turned to Mike. "So, what's the plan?"

Mike sighed, "As much as I'd like to support you, you have to remember, Tony was chosen by the client. I…"

"Alright, I'll think it over," Ethan said, leaving the CAA building. Standing outside, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Hey, Slo… it's Ethan."

"Yeah, could you do me a favor? It's simple, just make sure he…"

"Thanks, man. I'll wait."

"Tonight works… Appreciate it, brother."

Hanging up, Ethan looked up at the building. If he couldn't call the shots, then he'd just make sure someone else was taken out of the picture.

.....

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