America gains both fame and fortune

Chapter 401 The crew environment is too bad

New Orleans, Louisiana.

In Michoud Studios, it was just dawn and the sun had not yet risen when several trailers drove in and parked near the largest studio.

At 7:30 in the morning, Martin showed up on the set on time and entered the largest trailer to put on makeup.

Bruce saw that the stylist was the same one from the audition, so he followed him into the trailer and kept staring at him.

The stylist's effeminate nature quickly disappeared under the fierce gaze of Old Bu, and he turned into a normal man again.

Bruce just sat in the corner and watched. He said he would guard behind Martin, and he would definitely guard behind Martin.

The other two assistants were also conscientiously styling Martin.

The makeup lasted for an hour and a half. Before leaving, the stylist took out a blue hat and carefully put it on Martin's head, covering all his hair.

Martin stood up, picked up his cane, and took a few steps.

The stylist clapped his hands: "Perfect."

Bruce opened the trailer door and Martin got out of the trailer carrying his cane.

Entering the studio, various behind-the-scenes staff were busy.

Martin got into the role naturally, like an old man on his last legs, staggering into the set with a cane.

David Fincher is discussing a scene with a blonde girl, who is accompanied by her mother or tutor.

"Director, you don't need to let my mother communicate with me." Elle Fanning looked up and said to David Fincher seriously, "I have acted in many movies and can understand what you are saying."

David Fincher laughed and said, "Okay, I'll talk to you directly about the play next time."

He looked at Martin who was walking towards him tremblingly, and took a closer look. Whether it was his expression, his walking posture, or even the vicissitudes and innocence in his eyes, they were all no different from those of old people who were about to reach the end of their lives.

Martin walked over slowly.

David Fincher was not in a hurry, but praised: "Sure enough, my vision was right."

Elle Fanning's eyes were full of curiosity as she asked, "This blue hat...Grandpa, do you want to act out this scene with me?"

Martin croaked, "You're Daisy."

Elle Fanning, who is at most ten years old, tried her best to appear mature: "Hello, I'm Elle Fanning who plays Daisy."

Martin remembered that she had an older sister named Dakota, and the two sisters were particularly spiritual child stars.

Because of his appearance, his forced smile was a little ugly: "My name is Martin, and the character I play is called Benjamin."

Elle Fanning circled around Martin and said, "You don't look like Martin at all. You look more like my grandpa... No, you're older than my grandpa."

David Fincher did not interrupt the communication between the male and female actors. He thought it was good for the filming, after all, there were old and young.

Martin asked, "How old are you? Not ten?"

Elle Fanning deliberately said older: "Soon to be ten years old."

Martin asked curiously, "I remember Daisy had a lot of scenes about people aged 14 or 15. Could it be your sister who played them?"

Elle Fanning paused: "You know my sister?"

"Dakota Fanning," Martin said truthfully. "I've seen a few of her movies, like War of the Worlds."

Elle Fanning shook her head: "Dakota won't play this role. Her schedule is much tighter than mine. She always has endless scenes to shoot."

She was not without envy: "It seems that she is more popular than me."

Martin had seen many of Dakota Fanning's movies. She left a very deep impression on people when she was a child star, but after growing up, he could not remember what she had acted in.

David Fincher looked around, clapped his hands and said, "Guys, let's get started."

Before leaving the set, he came to Martin and said, "Keep it up."

Martin nodded slightly, and walked twice in a row with Elle Fanning among the group of actors that looked like a background board to familiarize themselves with the movements.

As the scene notes were recorded, filming began.

Martin was well prepared and got into the role quickly. Elle Fanning was also very smart, and the first scene of the two of them walking hand in hand and chatting in a nursing home was quickly approved.

Although there were occasional interruptions in the following sections, the overall process was relatively smooth.

Originally, children and animal actors were known as the two most difficult and unstable elements for the crew to control, but in Elle Fanning, these were not seen at all.

Martin feels that there is a reason why the Fanning sisters have received so many film offers.

The crew entered the break period, Martin returned to the rest area, threw away his crutches, and sat down on a chair. He had played the role of an old man for most of the morning, which was actually very tiring.

The stylist came over quickly to touch up the makeup.

Bruce brought Martin a sippy cup for water.

After the stylist and two assistants left, a young man who seemed to have Tourette syndrome sat on Martin's left.

Shia LaBeouf took the initiative to say, "Cool old man, I heard that you, Nicholson and Leonardo formed a badass trio?" This is not a secret in the circle at all. Martin responded, "Yes, we messed around together."

Shia LaBeouf said seriously: "I want to meet Nicholson, can you introduce me to him?"

Martin asked, "Why?"

"Last time, at Paramount Studios, you saw it, I helped Blanchett, and she scolded me." Shia LaBeouf's anger was written on his face: "Nicholson did a great job and helped me vent my anger."

Martin nodded: "You want to express your gratitude?"

Shia LaBeouf shook his head: "No, no, I want Nicholson to be the teacher, really! You see, the main creators in this crew are not normal, only me... no, and you, Martin, are normal people. There are too many people like Blanchett."

His thinking is different from that of ordinary people: "The working and living environment is too bad. I want to learn from Nicholson how to protect myself."

Martin looked at Shia LaBeouf in surprise, making sure he was not joking.

Shia LaBeouf suddenly said: "I really hope my Bumblebee follows me around all the time."

Martin did not respond to these nonsense, but just said: "Nicholson may come to visit the set in a while, and I will introduce you to each other then."

Shia LaBeouf scratched his head and said, "I need to think about how to greet Nicholson in a special way to shock him."

Martin felt that Old Jack might have something in common with Shia LaBeouf, but he and he were not on the same wavelength at all.

When leaving, Shia LaBeouf suddenly remembered that he and Blanchett had a kissing scene.

Thinking of this, his stomach began to wheeze and he wanted to vomit but couldn't.

Martin reached out for the crutches, stood up shakily, and slowly walked into the set to continue filming his scenes with the child Daisy.

The scenes were completed one after another, and the actors were in good condition, ensuring the smooth filming of the crew.

Halfway through, David Fincher called Martin to the director's monitor again.

Martin put on his headset and watched all the shots shot that morning with Finch.

After watching it once, Martin realized the problem: "The way I sounded when I said the lines."

"Yes, you are trying to change and you have done your best." David Fincher pointed out the objective conditions that cannot be ignored: "But your vocal cords are those of a young person after all. It is not difficult to pretend to be a middle-aged person. For an old man who is about to be called by the Lord, you are still too young."

Martin had no choice, let alone the possibility of having his voice removed for a role like this, so he asked, "Can this be fixed in post-production?"

David Fincher called Martin over just to resolve this matter and said, "I have asked the technical department, and it can be resolved through voice changing technology in post-production. You will need to re-dub the young Benjamin in post-production."

Martin responded, "I have no problem with that."

The crew finished work at noon and had a two-hour break.

Martin couldn't take off his makeup, let alone go to the restaurant for lunch with makeup on, so he simply asked Bruce to bring the food back to the trailer.

In New Orleans in November, the midday temperature just reached 11 degrees, and the natural breeze was particularly comfortable on the body.

Martin and Bruce simply set up a table and a parasol next to the trailer and had their meal at a leisurely pace.

The environment here is very good. It is currently Hollywood's third largest filming base in the United States, after New York and Georgia, and its tax refund amount can be as high as 42%.

The film industry’s impact on enhancing local brands and boosting the tourism industry is too obvious.

The most famous attraction in New Orleans, Oak Grove Manor, became famous because of "Interview with the Vampire" and has attracted tourists in an endless stream for more than ten years.

Bruce then said, "I just heard a discussion among several producers on the crew. New Orleans now likes crews that have war scenes or a lot of action scenes the most."

Martin ate very slowly because of the inconvenient shape, and asked, "Why?"

"Just like Atlanta, there are too many dilapidated and abandoned buildings and industrial parks. It would be time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly for the locals to demolish them." Bruce inquired more carefully: "If a Hollywood crew wants to demolish them, the locals will only charge a garbage disposal fee, and the rest is up to the crew."

Martin couldn't help but say, "This is a great deal."

Bruce nodded. "It doesn't cost a penny to clean up the abandoned buildings."

Suddenly, Martin saw a familiar figure passing by on the main road on the side of the trailer.

"You! Come here!" he said to that side.

She was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old, with long golden brown hair tied in a ponytail at the back of her head and a camera hanging under her neck, as if she was going into a studio to take some photos.

Strangers wearing cameras are not allowed into the studio.

When Saoirse Ronan heard the voice, she turned around and saw an old man who looked a little familiar yet very strange.

The old man looked funny, with a blue hat on his head that covered all his hair.

But when she saw the person next to the old man, Saoirse Ronan realized who she had met.

At Pinewood Studios, she had dealt with Bruce several times and was even caught by him.

Saoirse quickly took her hands away from the camera to avoid being misunderstood. Although she was a little reluctant, she still moved over step by step and said, "Hello, Martin, you look really unique now."

(End of this chapter)