Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Camera Action II
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Na Gang-in didn't need to deliver any lines since he was the stunt double. From the part where he approached Shin Eun-ha onward, lead actor Kim Yu-chan would reshoot it anyway.
However, even after he took down the three actors playing his enemies, the filming didn't stop. He hadn't heard beforehand where in the script to cut.
Director Son Tae-min was so immersed that he'd completely forgotten the performer was a martial arts stuntman. That's why he never even considered yelling cut midway.
Na Gang-in glanced at it and walked toward Shin Eun-ha, reciting the script's lines verbatim.
But Shin Eun-ha, genuinely terrified, blurted out something completely off-script.
Director Son Tae-min snapped back to reality when he saw her spouting nonsense.
He thrust his open palm forward and bellowed.
"Cut!"
The other actors and crew had been watching the set in stunned silence. The moment "cut" rang out, murmurs erupted.
"What the...? Did he really just beat those guys?"
"He ain't dead, is he?"
"Drug scandal, and now the whole cast in the hospital?"
Son Tae-min felt a twinge of worry too.
"Ah... Did I get so tunnel-visioned on the movie that I pushed too hard? Should've stopped it? Hope no one's hurt. If even one guy's seriously injured, this footage is trash anyway..."
The three fallen actors slowly rose to their feet, all wearing dazed expressions.
"Whoa. I'm alive. Thought that was it."
"Never felt anything like that before."
"I was legit scared."
Son Tae-min let out a sigh of relief at the sight.
"Phew."
The assistant director still hadn't pieced together what was happening. And it was his call to drag some random guy in as a stunt double.
The assistant director charged at Na Gang-in, unleashing his fury.
"Food truck uncle! What happens if you actually hit people!"
Na Gang-in replied.
"Didn't hit 'em."
"With all these witnesses saying otherwise! You beat 'em, threw 'em, kneed 'em! That hurts people!"
The assistant director jabbed a finger at the three actors, now back on their feet.
"They're all fine! Huh? Yeah? How? This can't be real? Why're you guys totally okay?"
The first actor who'd been hurled spoke up to Na Gang-in.
"I got tossed from there to here—why doesn't it hurt much?"
Na Gang-in explained.
"You just slid sideways. Drop height from above was minimal. Straight slide."
"Ah, that's why my clothes are covered in dust..."
The actor kicked high into the air and slammed down asked next.
"Me? Felt like I got wrecked—why no pain?"
"Caught you with my foot right before impact, nudged you sideways. Slowed your fall on the kick. So..."
Na Gang-in gestured to demonstrate.
"Big motion, but really just two meters or so—like sliding sideways on skis."
Son Tae-min rushed over and asked the third actor.
"You flew up from that knee strike. Hurt?"
"Me? Wasn't a hit—just shoved with the knee? Caught me on the way down too."
Son Tae-min's face broke into a beaming grin. He finally got why there were no injuries.
"Hahaha! Knew it! I knew! That's why I kept rolling without cutting!"
The assistant director asked.
"Director, you really knew all along...?"
Son Tae-min hollered at the cinematographer.
"Replay that last take! Confirm it proper!"
The cinematographer wheeled the camera in from the set rail.
Footage popped up on the director's monitor.
Son Tae-min gawked as Na Gang-in snatched the first actor by the collar and flung him away.
"Wow. Nailed it. That precise grip on the collar. The sudden hurl—pure speed. On the big screen? Electric."
The actor from that scene couldn't hide his awe.
"Even my expression's crystal clear when you grabbed me."
The cinematographer chimed in.
"Calculated every bit. Second take's a monster too. Nearly screamed filming it."
The monitor played Na Gang-in seizing the second actor, hauling him opposite the camera's path, lofting him airborne, then slamming him down.
Son Tae-min blinked in mild confusion.
"Huh? Looks just like..."
"Multi-cam semicircle setup, then cut and comp the best angles?"
"Exactly. And every action's perfectly framed?"
"Actors slid against camera track in fights, airborne tosses, slams—angles shift just right each time. That's how."
A staffer flashed a thumbs-up at the cinematographer.
"Legend, cinematographer. One cam, this footage? Epic."
The cinematographer shook his head.
"Nah. Think I nailed the shot? Actor synced to the cams."
"What?"
"Cam just tracked. Third fight—check."
Third footage loaded on the monitor.
The cinematographer eyed Son Tae-min.
"See it?"
Son Tae-min, glued to the screen, marveled.
"Three views confirm it. Dodged that punch knowing the exact angle for perfect capture."
"Spot on. One scene? Luck maybe. But twice prior, same method. Intentional."
"Fast-forward a sec. Opponent's panic face turned out great."
The cinematographer nodded.
"Yeah. Hold up—this face shines better on Cam 2?"
"Really? Pull Cam 2!"
Cam 2 footage: the actor's raw terror in sharp focus.
The actor crowed at his screen time.
"Acting chops, baby. Hahaha."
Son Tae-min deadpanned.
"Weren't you just scared?"
"Fear transmuted to performance? Ha, haha."
The cinematographer verified the background-heavy Cam 3, then rubbed his chin.
"Means he mapped all three cams start to finish..."
The assistant director gaped.
"Uh... possible?"
"Doable. But this level of detail, three straight times? First I've seen."
Lead actor Kim Yu-chan fixated elsewhere.
"Man, the impacts feel insanely real. More than actual hits."
The assistant director piled on.
"Totally. Thought it was real—freaked and ran. Plenty others did too."
Son Tae-min beamed ear-to-ear.
"Zero rehearsal, no pathing, one-take banger. Uhahaha!"
The cinematographer, still watching, muttered.
"How'd he calc all that mid-drag opponent? Yu-chan, you got it?"
Kim Yu-chan shrugged.
"No clue whatsoever."
Shin Eun-ha and Na Gang-in remained rooted inside the set. Shifting now would botch later edits.
Shin Eun-ha snuck a peek at Na Gang-in.
"That scene really turn out that good?"
"Watch later, judge yourself."
"Fair. Neither of us saw the monitor. I'll ask—watch together."
Na Gang-in called out to Director Son Tae-min beyond the set.
"Director. My part wrapped?"
Son Tae-min clutched his chest in relief.
"Damn right. Twice that? My ticker quits. Terrified of accidents. Plus..."
Son Tae-min shot Na Gang-in a thumbs-up.
"Seriously, blown away. Wow. Romance flick, but this fight? Any action blockbuster jealous."
"Glad it landed well."
Na Gang-in's Shin Eun-ha rescue shot exceeded Son Tae-min's expectations—way better. One-take finish saved heaps of time.
No breathing room in the schedule, though. Earlier mishap burned too much clock; still razor-tight.
Son Tae-min barked.
"Time's short—next scene, now! Kim Yu-chan!"
"Ready!"
Lead Kim Yu-chan strode toward Shin Eun-ha and Na Gang-in. Na Gang-in steps out; Kim Yu-chan slots in, dips the mask, delivers "came to save you." Reshoot from there.
Kim Yu-chan neared Na Gang-in, chatting.
"Caught your camera work—moved me. Agency?"
Na Gang-in added.
"Food truck."
"Pardon?"
Na Gang-in started to mention the PC bang but froze, face hardening. Sudden chill hit him.
"Hm?"
AI Jeon Ji-in (Rapid Voice):
Detected abnormal noise from structure!
Na Gang-in caught the noise too. From above. He looked up.
Voice lagged behind visuals. Translucent text and colorful situational data scrolled across the AR Lens.
Red warning icons flagged part of the overhead set structure. Imminent fracture risk.
Predicted debris trajectories lit up as lines. One red path arrowed straight at Kim Yu-chan.
Na Gang-in snatched Kim Yu-chan's collar on instinct.
"Gurk?"
Throat constricted, Kim Yu-chan's eyes pleaded why. No time for words. Na Gang-in hurled him sideways.
Kim Yu-chan sailed toward the shock-absorbing sponge mat, howling.
"Uwaaak! Why toss me!"
Na Gang-in toed a steel pipe off the floor. Meant as a prop.
The pipe arced airborne. Striding toward Shin Eun-ha, he thrust out his arm and snagged it.
Shin Eun-ha watched him chuck Kim Yu-chan then charge with pipe—terror gripped her. She shrieked near-panic.
"You said you'd save me!"
Na Gang-in unleashed a massive pipe swing right in front of her.
Not aimed at her.
A set iron light fixture plummeted toward her.
Na Gang-in's pipe nailed the falling light dead-on. The metal housing crumpled with a deafening clang, ricocheting sideways.
Inside bulbs and glass exploded from the impact.
Shards sprayed in dazzling sparks—like fireworks bursting at ground level during a festival.
Shin Eun-ha stared, wide-eyed.
"Th-that was headed at me...?"
Na Gang-in slid fluidly to her flank.
More inbound on her position.
Second light hurtled down. He pipe-batted it away. Metal buckled; innards spewed glittering debris.
Another light dropped—not pinpoint on her, but close enough to maim.
Na Gang-in repositioned ahead, smashed it flying with the pipe.
Shin Eun-ha blankly tracked the trio of pyrotechnic blasts before jolting alert.
Not just lights raining. Chunks of upper set structure were shearing off.
Falling debris included Kim Yu-chan's prior spot.
After a dozen pieces crashed, the collapse halted. Silence blanketed the set.
Shin Eun-ha's legs buckled from shock.
"W-we good? Alive?"
"For now."
She wobbled but bowed thanks toward Na Gang-in.
"Than..."
AI Jeon Ji-in (Rapid Voice):
Additional collapse risk! Evacuate civilians!
AI Jeon Ji-in prioritized danger zones on the AR Lens—their spot flushed red first.
Na Gang-in scooped Shin Eun-ha's waist with his left arm.
"Eek?"
One-armed carry for her shaky legs, he bolted from the set. Blazing pace.
Shin Eun-ha half-dragged along.
"Hey. Looks safe now—no need for th..."
Their vacated spot erupted—rebar and lights avalanched. Volumes dwarfing before swallowed her former position.
Shin Eun-ha clocked the peril. Terror surged. She clamped both arms round Na Gang-in's waist, glued tight, legs churning.
Na Gang-in hauled her clear of the set. Behind, upper framework tumbled nonstop—totaled the instant they cleared.
Dust billowed like thunderclouds in their wake.