America 1987

Chapter 12, read once.

The camera cuts back to the two actresses. Whoopi Goldberg stands up and subtly steps out of the frame, cleverly shifting the focus to Catherine.

At this point, the camera zooms in on the face and slowly closes in.

This is the time when actors' acting skills are most tested.

In close-up shots, every pore, every flutter of eyelashes, every contraction of pupils, and every subtle twitch at the corner of the mouth is crystal clear. Actors can't rely on body language to divert attention; any unnatural expression will be instantly exposed.

Moreover, by the late 80s, Hollywood films had begun to be shown on large screens, making facial imperfections more noticeable in theaters.

With the camera shoved right in front of them, the actors had no scenes to interact with, no immersive environments to enjoy, and were left staring directly at the black hole-like lens.

This naked feeling of being "watched" can easily distract or make people stiff. Those who are not psychologically strong can easily appear to have a blank stare and lifeless eyes.

That's why some actors who are quite good at acting and have a lot of talent on the small screen and television become "blind" on the big screen and in movies.

However, Catherine performed quite well.

Amber pupils have a natural advantage when filming eye-related scenes. This eye color will show a gem-like translucent texture under light, and it is easier to produce a "glowing" visual effect than common blue or dark brown eyes.

Although Catherine didn't perform a crying scene during her audition, she has a solid foundation in basic acting skills due to her stage background.

David had informed her of the content of the first scene in advance so she could prepare herself emotionally, and her tearful appearance was almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

Like David, she looked at the non-existent ball of light, shook her head in disbelief, and said, "My God."

David turned his head, and the smile that had been on his lips vanished instantly.

The two looked at each other for a moment, then David bent down.

He slowly approached her, and Catherine unconsciously closed her eyes, accepting his long kiss with anticipation.

After the kiss, she opened her eyes. A strand of bangs slightly exceeded her eyebrows, but it didn't obstruct her view.

"Mori, they're waiting for you."

Whoopi Goldberg interrupted the ambiguous moment between the two, and after saying this, a kind smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

David Ovitz got up and came to her side, saying earnestly, "I'll miss you."

"Your mother will be very proud."

"I'll miss you too. Take care," Whoopi Goldberg replied solemnly.

"goodbye."

"goodbye."

After saying goodbye to Whoopi Goldberg, David returned to Catherine.

"I love you.

I've always loved you.

Catherine burst into laughter through her tears, though her eyes were still brimming with tears, a faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.

"Me too."

David Ovitz raised his hand to stroke the other's cheek one last time, then slowly stepped back, shaking his head and saying, "This is beautiful, our love will last until death."

"goodbye."

Finally, a tear rolled down Catherine's cheek, leaving a trail. "Goodbye."

David reluctantly turned away and walked towards his place.

Catherine, fighting back tears, watched the other person's departing figure and said a final goodbye, "Goodbye."

"Cut!" the assistant director shouted.

The three actors immediately relaxed, and Whoopi Goldberg kindly helped Catherine, who was emotionally exhausted, away from the camera's view.

In fact, both "Action" and "Cut" should be the director's exclusive catchphrases. Only when the director is too busy to give instructions will this authority be delegated to the assistant director.

David was indeed quite busy just now.

In Hollywood of this era, if the director is also the actor, the first assistant director usually calls "Cut" to maintain the professionalism and smoothness of the work on set.

If the director chooses to shout it himself, it is technically feasible, but it may affect the performance.

For example, Angelina Jolie mentioned after directing and starring in her own film, "Sometimes I was crying hysterically, or halfway through filming a sex scene, but I had to yell 'CUT' myself, which was really weird."

This means that when a director is directing and acting, they can choose to call "Cut" themselves, but this can make the transition between acting and directing feel awkward.

The word "Cut" itself means "stop" or "stop filming." It is a neutral professional term and does not mean that the performance of the scene is bad and needs to be redone.

After yelling "Cut," the director will check the shooting results. If he is not satisfied and wants to reshoot, he will say "NG," which is short for "No Good," meaning "unacceptable."

If it's acceptable, not perfect but usable, the director will yell "KEEP," indicating it's kept as a backup. If no better option comes up in post-production, this one will be used instead.

If the director is very satisfied and says the shot is good, they will usually say...

"GOOD!"

After sitting behind the camera and checking things out, David Ovitz gave the two actors an "OK" sign.

David was in a good mood after successfully filming the first take, because it would boost the confidence of the entire crew and make subsequent work go more smoothly.

If you keep reworking the first shot, it will not only waste time, but also affect the team's morale.

While Hollywood isn't as outrageous as Hong Kong Island—with its incense burning, worship, and pork cutting scenes—the psychological suggestion of a "good beginning and a good ending" is indeed a universal human trait.

"Alright, alright, Tony, it's your turn." After a brief adjustment, David called Tony over to film the second take.

"One take, two shots, one time!"

"Action!"

……

"It's because of the church, isn't it?"

When they returned to the designated hotel for lunch, Catherine looked up and asked.

"You mean...the first scene we filmed this morning?"

David Ovitz, who was comparing Hollywood work meals with the boxed lunches he ate on set in his previous life and thinking they tasted better, was momentarily stunned by this seemingly random remark.

Yes, the food arrangements for Hollywood film crews are actually different from those in the East China Sea. This is the first time David has experienced this firsthand.

In 2005, when Tom Cruise was filming Mission: Impossible III in Zhejiang, his colleagues from the East China Sea also experienced firsthand the differences in labor protections in Hollywood.

Hollywood film crews don't provide boxed meals; instead, they offer a "work meal service."

There are dining tables set up on the film set or at the hotel where the crew stays. Meals are served at fixed times, and the crew members eat in batches during breaks in filming.

It's somewhat similar to serving meals in a cafeteria, rather than queuing in a restaurant.

Of course, despite the institutional framework, the specific implementation still varies from director to director. Some directors insist on "everyone eating before filming," while others shorten meal times to rush the schedule.

However, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has set minimum guarantees, and even when rushing to finish a project, the strict rules regarding continuous working hours and meal intervals cannot be exceeded.

The kind of thing that happened in "King of Comedy," where a waiter repeatedly harasses and humiliates a young actor while distributing lunchboxes, would never have happened in a Hollywood film crew at the same time.