Chapter 90: Progress at a Rapid Pace

The morning sunlight streamed through the bright windows, casting a golden hue on the drawn curtains. Murphy emerged from the bathroom, chewing on a toothbrush, and stood in front of the dressing mirror. Aside from slightly red eyes, there weren't many traces left from yesterday's drinking spree.

He shook his head in front of the mirror and found that his headache had miraculously disappeared. Spitting out the foam from his mouth, Murphy stood still for a moment. Perhaps yesterday's wild antics had truly helped him unwind.

Having experienced shooting "Hard Candy," he gradually discovered a pattern to his headaches. They tended to worsen when he was under excessive work pressure and stress. Yet, when he relaxed completely, the inexplicable pain also vanished.

Murphy believed that if he could maintain this relaxed state, the lingering effects of this peculiar experience would eventually dissipate.

However, that seemed unlikely. In the fiercely competitive society, unless he had no desires and was completely indifferent to his future life, achieving such a state was nearly impossible.

But how many people in this world could truly achieve that?

After finishing his morning routine, Murphy ordered some takeout and went downstairs to the living room. Since the entire crew had a day off today to rest and prepare for the upcoming shoot, the studio was eerily quiet, devoid of any soul.

He retrieved the production schedule from a folder on the desk and sat down on a chair, flipping through it once again.

With filming about to commence, Murphy had to handle each task with care, striving to identify any potential oversights in the plan.

The whole day passed with Murphy holed up at home, maintaining a relatively quiet state of mind, both audibly and visually.

The next morning, he drove to Venice, arriving at the warehouse office entrance. The first thing he did upon arrival was inform Paul Wilson, who was already waiting there, that the project, previously codenamed M2, had officially been renamed "Saw."

"Saw?" The news quickly spread to the set. James Franco, who was getting his makeup done, asked Seth Rogen beside him, "Why such a name?"

Seth Rogen reminded him, "Wasn't the guy in the script nicknamed 'Jigsaw'?"

As Murphy arrived, the set sprang to life. Amid the bustling scene, Helena Espola did a final check on the set, examining the props and set dressing. Phil LaShell adjusted the camera at the designated spot, with his assistant testing a handheld camera. David Robbie adjusted the main backlight, constantly exchanging ideas with Murphy to ensure the proper placement.

In the scene, Beck Claiborne squatted on the ground, inspecting the prop shackles. His large hands glided over the rubber props, ensuring they were smooth enough not to injure the actors' ankles.

Murphy coordinated all the work, receiving updates from each department.

The outskirts of the set were also bustling with people. Although today's shoot only involved scenes between James Franco and Seth Rogen, most of the main cast still showed up.

Bill Rossis was present as well, and Murphy considered him a super-promising client. The success of the previous film's box office, largely attributed to Miramax's distribution capabilities, could not overshadow Murphy's adept integration of commercial elements into the film.

As an agent working at CAA, Murphy was well-versed in the workings of Hollywood, and he understood how young directors could garner attention and elevate their own status, thus benefiting their agents.

There were two main paths for a young filmmaker to gain recognition: winning prestigious awards or achieving commercial success. To Murphy, nothing was more tangible than box office results. After all, film art was metaphysical; nobody would invest in pure art films. Even if they did, these art films were still intertwined with commerce—films were the product of money and power.

In this day and age, without the appreciation of big names, young filmmakers had to start from low-budget films and gradually work their way up to mainstream directors. This was the path for many young filmmakers, and if a director's low-budget film could achieve high box office returns, it would undoubtedly expedite their filmmaking journey.

Having read the script, Murphy believed that "Saw," both in terms of plot and selling points, far surpassed "Hard Candy." He witnessed Murphy's progress firsthand and believed that he would excel beyond "Hard Candy."

"See that, little one?" Carey Mulligan pointed to Murphy's direction, addressing Lily beside her. "Murphy is undoubtedly the best director."

Lily, only twelve years old but with a wealth of experience due to her upbringing, shook her head in disagreement. "I live in Beverly Hills, and I've never heard of him! Just a small director who knows how to shoot B movies!"

"You little brat, what do you know?" Carey Mulligan turned back, glaring at Lily fiercely. Unfortunately, Lily's doll-like face didn't evoke fear at all. Carey pointed her finger forcefully. "Wait another ten years, and you'll see. Murphy will definitely be one of the top directors in Hollywood!"

"Pfft..." Lily sneered disdainfully.

On set, James Franco and Seth Rogen had taken their respective positions, and filming was about to begin. Carey quickly quieted down, even her breathing became light, as if afraid to disturb Murphy's shoot.