Chapter 36: Increase the Budget

The filming officially began, with Ethan sitting behind the camera, holding a microphone and directing.

"Lights, tilt up 20 degrees. I want their faces bathed in sunlight!"

"Makeup artist, fix Kelly's hair. It's a mess!"

"Nelly, pay attention to your clothes. Don't let them get wrinkled!"

In fact, Ethan not only altered the MV's visuals and structure but also changed Nelly's outfit. Originally, he wore a white sports uniform, looking more like a street kid than a rapper, which created a jarring contrast with Kelly Rowland.

Now, he dressed more maturely, in a black vest and shirt, and Ethan had swapped the oversized silver chain for a smaller one.

With the addition of an LV classic patterned hat, he looked much more stylish.

The street scenes were reduced by Ethan, so they weren't many. The shooting content was simple, just a man and a woman meeting for the first time, exchanging glances, and sending text messages.

But Ethan didn't use a standard shooting method. Instead, he employed a more cinematic approach, such as the one-take method.

As Nelly sang a love song by the window, the camera slowly pulled back and rose, shrinking the character bit by bit, until it entered the window and continued to move away, revealing Kelly hiding behind the wall with a phone, overjoyed.

The entire scene was filmed three times, and Ethan's angry voice echoed through the set once again.

"Left! Nelly, move left! Remember, you have to take two steps left after the camera moves away!"

"Kelly! Don't look like a silly girl! You have a husband; you should be both excited and conflicted, even when tearing the shirt!"

"Jeff! Two times already! Don't be slow again! That car must move away with the camera! The whole scene needs to be seamless! Move slowly and you're out!"

"And you, Noda, the lighting must always stay on Nelly's face! Do you see where it is now? Do you want the audience to focus on Nelly's buddies instead?"

Ethan, as usual, didn't lower his volume even when addressing Nelly and Kelly. He was like a roaring lion, releasing his fierce power recklessly.

But no one dared to go against him, because Director Jose sat in his chair, smiling and silent, fully deferring to Ethan's opinions.

Nelly and Kelly had also protested a few times, but after seeing the final video, they remained silent.

Both the visual composition and the camera's expressiveness made them realize Ethan's prowess, which was vastly different from the ordinary MV style.

At night, Ethan's advanced aesthetics and skills became even more apparent.

Nelly and Kelly stood in front of a burning vehicle. According to conventional lighting techniques, they should be lit with white light to show normal skin tones.

However, Ethan went the opposite way, lighting the entire street with warm yellow light, complementing the flames in the background, and adding a touch of pink to their faces.

The pink enhanced the intimate atmosphere between the two, perfectly matching the mood of the song, as they danced and sang in such a scene.

Even with the naked eye, the impact of the scene was evident, so Nelly and Kelly were very satisfied.

But when the shooting ended at dawn, Ethan suddenly made a suggestion.

"Increase the budget?" Nelly frowned, somewhat hesitant.

"Exactly, Nelly. You've seen our high standards. The next scenes, the key ones, are crucial because they're the main line of the song. If the set isn't up to par, it won't match the quality we've achieved so far."

Ethan explained, and then Kelly smiled and said, "Nelly, you're not hesitating over the money, are you?"

"Bullshit, of course not! I'm not short on cash!" Nelly retorted immediately after being provoked by the beauty, then turned to call his manager.

"Increase the budget, just do as I say, whatever CAA needs, give it to them. This MV is going to be amazing! Trust me!"

He made the call and left, leaving only Kelly and Ethan in the makeup truck.

She slowly walked up to him and said, "You're really great. I've never seen a photographer with such creativity like you."

"Thanks for the compliment. I've never realized how captivating your voice is," Ethan replied.

"So you hadn't heard my songs before?" Kelly was very perceptive.

"Not really," Ethan shrugged.

"Alright, I guess I'm not famous enough yet," Kelly laughed cheerfully.

Ethan waved his hand, "But this song will definitely make your name known everywhere."

"You seem more confident than I am."

Ethan smiled but didn't answer.

Kelly continued, "Either way, I'm looking forward to it even more!"

The next day, CAA received Nelly's increased budget and immediately rented a high-end hotel for the shooting location as per Ethan's instructions.

The following day, shooting continued.

This time, the two were filmed separately, one on the left and one on the right, in two corridors.

Ethan and the camera were on a dolly, moved by assistants, capturing the scenes in one continuous shot.

"Kelly! Be natural, don't be lost in singing. Act as if you're having an affair with Nelly! You're meeting him!"

"Touch the wall as if you're touching Nelly's chest! Yes, that's the feeling!"

"Look at the camera, but don't stare continuously! Let there be some retreat, as if Nelly is standing in front of you!"

"No, that's not right! Kelly, try again!"

"Again! Kelly, use your brain to remember this feeling!"

"Yes! That's right! Let's move on to the next scene!"

Ethan constantly guided Kelly until her scenes were completed. Fortunately, she was very cooperative and sincere, without any pretense.

Nelly's part, however, didn't go as smoothly.

"Nelly, stop acting so aloof! You're here to have an affair, not to perform!"

"Stop touching that damn hat! You're not Michael Jackson!"

"Camera issues? Don't make excuses, Nelly, it's your problem!"

"Staring at me won't help! Nelly, think about your album. Do you want it to stand on a Grammy stage?"

"I don't care about your threats, Nelly. I'm only responsible for the MV! Even if you want to shoot me, it'll have to wait until the MV is done! Got it?"

In the end, Kelly's constant comfort helped Nelly calm down, and they finished the shooting.

Afterward, Nelly directly told Ethan, "I won't hire you for any more MV shoots. SHXT! You don't respect me at all!"

"No, Nelly, you should first look up the meaning of respect," Ethan said calmly. "Here, no one is special. Everything is for the work! That's my philosophy!"

"Why should I?" Nelly had never seen anyone more arrogant than a black rapper.

"Why? You'll find out soon, Nelly, very soon."

...

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