Chapter 535 - Is One Nomination Enough?

"I think it's possible. Let's proceed with your ideas," Laila handed back the sketches to him. "Just remember we're making a movie, and it'll be fine."

Rob nodded excitedly, "I understand. I'll get to work."

Laila smiled and watched him leave before taking out the script that she had reviewed countless times. Even the real Best Director nominee was working so hard, so what reason did she have to relax?

In "Chicago," there were several scenes that Laila considered classic, like the part where the female inmates in the prison talk about why they are incarcerated, or the lawyer manipulating the puppet-like female lead to convey his desired message in the questions asked by a similarly puppet-like reporter. All of these scenes were exceptional.

A classic movie didn't need every line or shot to be a classic; sometimes, just a single iconic scene could elevate the entire film.

Laila aimed to shoot these classic scenes in the most iconic way possible, to give the whole movie a coating of "classic" gold. Fortunately, Rob had grasped the essence after her guidance a few days ago, making the shooting process smoother.

Today, Laila was set to shoot one of her favorite scenes, the puppet scene.

In this scene, the female lead is under the control of her lawyer, her every movement and word dictated by him. It was a challenging role to play. Renée had to portray herself as a puppet and make it seem like she had lost the puppeteer's strings, appearing as lifeless as a discarded doll.

What is a puppet? It mustn't have emotions, nor should it have any unnecessary movements. But at the same time, to convey that it's still a living puppet, it shouldn't be overly mechanical. Mastering this delicate balance required dedicated practice.

"CUT!" Laila shouted, calling Renée over. "Is there something wrong, Director Moran?" Renée walked over, confused about what went wrong. She thought she had performed well in the previous scene, so why was there a problem?

Laila asked to replay the shot for her, her tone calm. "Your performance in this scene could earn you an Oscar nomination."

Renée's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. Was that supposed to be a compliment? Why did it sound so unexciting when it came from the director's mouth?

She didn't know how to respond to Laila's words and stood there awkwardly, watching her performance on the small screen. What was wrong? She had looked like a real puppet, right?

As Renée contemplated the director's words, that calm voice posed a question, "Is one nomination enough for you?"

Would Renée be satisfied with just a nomination?

If she were an actor who had never been nominated, an Oscar nomination would be a considerable achievement. After all, it's a highly prestigious recognition, selected from thousands of films. But she was different. She had previously received an Oscar nomination for "Bridget Jones's Diary," and another nomination wasn't as important to her. What she truly wanted was an Oscar for Best Actress. That's why she had turned down so many film projects and put in months of hard work to join this cast. She saw in this movie the hope of winning a golden statuette.

"Director Moran, I'm not satisfied! Please tell me what I should do!" Now, she wasn't just an actress playing a role in the movie; she was a true performer. If she could elevate her performance, she wouldn't complain, no matter how challenging it was.

Laila was satisfied with her attitude. She wouldn't have gone to the trouble of calling her over if she didn't expect more from her performance.

"Right now, you're playing a puppet, and you do it very well. Your movements truly look like you're being controlled. But don't forget, you're supposed to appear as a puppet, not be one. You need to show a human side within this scene."

Being like a puppet but not quite a puppet? Renée still didn't fully understand Laila's words. "So, how can I appear both like a puppet and like a human? Aren't those contradictory?"

Laila pointed at her own eyes, "Through your eyes."

"Eyes?" Renée was even more puzzled.

"Yes, it's all about the eyes," Laila gestured toward Renée on the small screen. "Take a look at your performance. What are your eyes doing? They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Do your eyes genuinely reveal your feelings? In this scene, what do you think the female lead is feeling?"

Renée pondered, "The lawyer is controlling her to say what he wants her to say. She has lost herself and can only obediently repeat his words."

"Do you genuinely believe she wants to do it from the bottom of her heart?"

Renée contemplated. In the scene, the female lead indeed performed a few actions against the lawyer's instructions, but they were quickly corrected by the lawyer. What did that imply? Didn't it mean the female lead had her own emotions and thoughts, and she wasn't truly a puppet?

"I think I understand a bit," she said, looking at her recent performance.

Laila smiled faintly, "That's good. Use your eyes more, and decide when and where to look. While you can't speak freely, your eyes can. Let the audience understand through your eyes that you're not just a genuine puppet."

"Alright, I'll do my best!" Renée nodded solemnly.

To help her clear her thoughts, Laila gave her a half-hour break and then resumed the shooting.

In this scene, Renée had to sit on Roy's lap continuously, controlled by him to perform actions that only a controlled puppet would do. This time, she added eye movements, allowing her dark irises to move within her white sclera, adding more vivacity to her performance.

After the scene was shot, Renée rushed over to Laila to check the results. This time, even a layperson like herself could see the clear improvement.

"Thank you, Director Moran!" Renée said excitedly. Based on her recent performance, she believed she could win an Oscar.

Laila accepted her gratitude with a smile. She loved being a director. Creating a visually appealing film made her happy, but when her actors broke through themselves under her guidance, it brought an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

She believed that after this experience, even if Renée didn't win an Oscar for this movie, she had gained valuable experience that would provide a solid foundation for future golden statuettes.