This Movie Is Screwed (2)
"Is this the 'operation' you were talking about?" Elena asked, leaning toward him as he returned to his seat.
"Something like that," Sion murmured, leaning back into his recliner and quietly closing his eyes.
He was hoping to get some rest until they landed, but Elena's clear, melodic voice chimed in again.
"Didn't the studio say anything?"
"I'm spending my own money to make sure my crew travels in comfort. If they said no, they'd be the crazy ones."
"...I suppose that's true." A brief silence fell between them before Elena spoke up again. "How much did it cost?"
"Around a hundred thousand dollars round-trip?"
"And you paid for all of that out of your own pocket?"
"Yep. Why? Want to chip in half?"
"I'd love to, but my parents manage my acting fees, so..."
Hearing this, Sion could only blink, his face practically screaming, What did I just hear?
"Ugh..."
Soon, the plane began taxiing down the runway to take off. Elena suddenly let out a soft groan and gripped her armrest tightly. Watching her, Sion tilted his head in surprise.
Wait, don't tell me... Is she afraid of flying? An American? And an actress who had to fly constantly, at that? Ah, I can't resist. He had to tease her.
"Are you scared of flying?"
"W-what? No, I'm not."
"I heard the turbulence is going to be terrible today. We might even crash."
"..."
Elena's grip on the armrest tightened even further. Sion chuckled softly and kept going.
"Don't worry too much. What's the worst that could happen? We die? Everyone has to go sometime anyway."
"You... you are truly the worst."
"Hmm, I hear that a lot. But hey, let's make sure we act like professionals when the cameras roll, okay?"
"...I already am. I'm just glad there are no kiss scenes in this movie." Elena stared at Sion with a sullen pout.
"You've definitely changed. What's the reason?"
"Whoa, that sounds like something a girlfriend would say. Are you already getting into character?"
"Don't joke around. You weren't like this during Deadly Summer Camp. Back then, you threw tantrums all the way up until the cameras rolled, and then you'd just pose and stare directly into the lens like some narcissistic doll who thought he was the prettiest thing alive. But now... now..."
"Now?"
"...Why are you so good at acting? You've become a completely different person."
"..."
"Well?"
"Hmm, I thought it was something serious. Don't worry about it. Some people just suck for a long time and then suddenly level up in massive bursts."
Sion turned his gaze away, looking out the window as if he couldn't be bothered. Elena, frowning as she prepared to press further, suddenly noticed that the tips of Sion's ears were slightly red. Just as she was tilting her head, wondering if she was seeing things, the seatbelt sign suddenly dinged and turned off. Only then did Elena realize that, while talking to Sion, she had completely forgotten her fear of flying.
"...There's definitely something strange about him," she muttered to herself, leaning back into her seat.
Meanwhile, Sion stared at the Hollywood landscape shrinking beneath them. Damn, she caught me off guard. I forgot to keep up my act. Where did that come from? He had never expected Elena Asimov to look him dead in the eye and tell him so earnestly that he was a great actor. Sion had planned to casually laugh off whatever she said, but he had been genuinely flustered for a second. But he couldn't help it.
To think I'd hear Elena Asimov praise my acting. To Sion, this wasn't just a compliment from a peer. He had just received validation from the woman who would one day be hailed as the godmother of Hollywood actresses. Remembering his past life, where his face had been ruined and his entire world had crumbled, he felt a faint swell of emotion.
When "he" arrived at the estate, Jack Nicholson was sunbathing as usual.
"...What brings you here? You don't happen to have a pistol hidden behind your back, do you?"
"I don't think we're on joking terms, Mr. Nicholson."
Rupert Hopper, the Executive VP of Longday Studios and essentially the hatchet man for the Ackerman faction, spoke with no effort to hide his displeasure.
"Our lead actor pulled quite an interesting stunt recently."
"Ah, the private jet charter? Brilliant kid, isn't he? The press picked up on it too, calling it a heartwarming gesture. I have no idea which leaky faucet keeps letting these rumors slip, but it was certainly entertaining."
"Entertaining? Our image is taking a nosedive because of it. People are asking if our production environment is so disastrous that an actor has to pay out of pocket to charter a plane. Shouldn't you be keeping your actor under control? The president is furious, and several people on our side are incredibly angry about this."
"...Ha, fucking hell." Jack Nicholson scoffed in disbelief, whipping off his sunglasses.
"Why the fuck are you crying to me about it? If you were so worried, you should've provided a full-course private jet for the crew from the start. You're the ones sitting on all the money I put up, so why are you taking your frustration out on me? What, am I your therapist? If so, pay up. Three hundred dollars an hour."
Faced with Jack's unbridled, glaring fury, Rupert flinched and took a half-step back.
"Isn't it great for the movie's viral marketing anyway? Everyone's eyes are on Sion Lee right now. You knew that, which is why your side ultimately agreed to cast him and Elena Asimov. If you want to reap all the sweet benefits of having a star, you either pay up or lock them down with an offer they can't refuse. But you didn't want to spend the money, so now you're coming to throw a tantrum at me?"
"...You're both actors. Couldn't you exert a little control over him?"
"What control? I love everything that kid is doing right now. Why should I do your dirty work for free? Isn't this Hollywood?"
"What exactly do you want?"
"I already told you. I'm done talking, so get the fuck out."
Jack didn't bother answering. He slid his sunglasses back on and shut his mouth tight in a stubborn pout. Rupert opened his mouth to snap back, but clenched his jaw and turned on his heel instead.
As Rupert drove away, Jack kept his middle finger raised high, a smirk playing on his lips. He glanced down at the newspaper lying beside him.
"Heh, he's got all of Hollywood wrapped around his finger."
Even in Hollywood, where a deluge of news broke every single day, there were very few actors who could command this level of public interest and buzz.
The little bastard. I like him more and more. Seeing how Sion weaponized the public's perception of him to pull off these wild, unpredictable stunts, Jack Nicholson felt incredibly glad he had pushed to cast him.
"Put on a good show for this old man who's got a lot riding on this project, Sion." Jack chuckled, thoroughly amused as he recalled the sheer, vein-popping rage on Rupert Hopper's face.
Crater Lake, one of Oregon's greatest natural wonders, was a massive body of water formed inside a volcanic caldera, just as its name suggested. The deep, vibrant blue of the lake was so breathtakingly beautiful and mystical that it wouldn't have felt out of place if Heidi, Girl of the Alps, suddenly ran out laughing.
Even after their two-hour flight, it took a considerable amount of time for the crew to pack up their gear and travel to the national park where the lake was located. Sion and Elena had no choice but to wait in the car indefinitely. If they tried to help carry the heavy equipment and ended up injured, the entire production would grind to a halt.
And so, after another long drive, they finally arrived at Crater Lake National Park.
"Whoa..."
When they reached the massive lake at the mountain's summit, the sight of the water shimmering under the moonlight was visually overwhelming. Sion stood taking in the view, mentally preparing for tomorrow's shoot, when the director, Kate McCushey, approached him.
"What do you think? I booked our lodging right in front of the lake because I thought it would be best for our actors to see the location beforehand."
"It's incredible. I think tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun."
"..."
Kate stared at Sion's relaxed smile for a moment before suddenly offering an apology.
"I'm sorry."
"Hmm? For what?"
"I think I had you all wrong, Mr. Lee."
"Ah, don't worry about it. The media is always like that, so I'm well used to it."
"There aren't many actors who look out for the crew like you do. Thanks to you, we had a very comfortable trip."
"What else am I going to spend my money on? Might as well use it to show off a bit. Once we wrap up shooting here, let's all grab a beer together. I'll need to collect the rest of the applause I missed out on during the flight."
"Just applause? We'll have to get a whole 'Sion Lee' chant going." The director let out a hearty laugh, standing beside Sion as she turned her gaze back to the lake. "Thank you. The crew's morale is through the roof because of you."
"Don't mention it. We're a team on set, aren't we?"
Sion accepted her slightly weary, relieved confession with easy understanding. Kate McCushey was in a position of immense responsibility as the director of this film, yet she hadn't been granted the authority to match it. In his past life, her career as a director had ended completely after this movie. It was rumored that she had left the industry out of sheer disillusionment with Hollywood's toxic politics.
I hope things go differently in this life. Though she was currently being pushed around by people with far more political clout, she was undoubtedly a talented director—one whom Jack Nicholson and his allies had deemed worthy of trust. Having shot a few sequences with her prior to this trip, Sion had found himself deeply impressed by her delicate, artistic eye. It made him want to work even harder to deliver a masterpiece under her direction.
And to achieve that, the most crucial thing they needed was the freedom to make the movie.
"Director, can I make a suggestion?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"I'd like to take a more improvisational approach to tomorrow's shoot."
"...Excuse me?" Kate's eyes widened in surprise.
The shoot in Oregon was meant to capture the final moments of Elliot and Noah. There were many reasons for choosing Crater Lake as the location, but narratively, it was to depict a place of unparalleled peace and beauty.
Two people, left alone in the world, enjoying their final moments of peace. That was why this scene was so critical.
Beautiful and lyrical. Building the emotional tension until it finally explodes. Kate continued her preparations, mapping out the blueprint for the day's shoot in her mind.
In a makeup tent pitched in a quiet corner, Sion Lee and Elena Asimov were busy getting ready. The crew's morale was incredibly high, thanks to the comfortable rest they'd had after their private jet flight. The sky was slightly overcast, but the mist rising from the lake actually lent a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere to the scene.
He did ask to shoot freely. Since the date scene was going to be edited into a brief musical montage anyway, she figured letting the actors take the reins wasn't a bad idea. Having built immense trust in Sion Lee over a short period, she felt a boundless sense of anticipation as she finally called for the cameras to roll.
Throughout their previous shoots, Sion Lee and Elena Asimov had displayed flawless chemistry. What was interesting, however, was that they barely interacted off-camera. Both arrived precisely on time, did their jobs, and left immediately. Though they were both young, stunningly attractive people, there was no sign of any romantic spark between them.
Yet the moment the clapperboard snapped and the cameras rolled, the friction between them vanished, and they transformed instantly into the deeply devoted couple, Elliot and Noah.
The two strolled slowly along the lakeshore, and Elliot suddenly delivered an ad-lib.
"This is my second time coming here with you."
"Really? I remember it being my first."
"I came here in my dreams."
"Haha! What is that supposed to mean?"
"...I'm just so happy to be here with you. Truly."
The moment he smoothly transitioned back to the original script, Elliot's expression turned profoundly lonely as he gazed out at the water. Noah gently cupped his cheeks with both hands, forcing him to look at her.
"Just look at me today. Just today..."
"I am looking at you. Because everything here is just an illusion of you."
She belonged to a virtual world, a world that didn't exist. It was a line that carried the heavy weight of knowing this entire moment was ultimately a dream of his own creation. The watching crew members couldn't help but gasp in admiration. The contrast with the lighthearted joke from moments earlier made the line hit even harder.
Noah let out a bright laugh and ran ahead, shouting back at him.
"Where am I~!"
Standing before the endless, deep blue lake, Noah seemed to sparkle.
"Cut!" Kate called out, sensing that this shoot was going to yield results far beyond her wildest dreams.
They continued to wander along the shore, occasionally sharing a cup of coffee and talking in a nearby cabin. There was no one else around. Just the two of them by this massive lake. The camera captured every single fleeting moment on film.
As Kate watched the scene unfold, she could almost hear a melancholic vocal track playing in her head, the perfect fit for a romance film. It wasn't just sad; it was deeply lyrical, a melody that captured the bittersweet beauty of the moment.
Their final moments together slipped away slowly. Why was it their "last"? It was deeply tied to the theme of the movie. When humans remember others, they view them through the mirror of their own minds. And memories are bound to warp over time. Thus, in this moment, the two were preparing to part ways by mutual consent.
This is going to be absolutely brilliant. Kate thought as she framed every shot of Elliot and Noah.
Then, the improvisation Sion Lee had warned her about began. Elliot suddenly grabbed Noah's hand and started running. Noah was dragged along, looking startled, while Elliot laughed with pure, unbridled joy. Kate urged her camera crew forward, keeping pace with Sion's movements.
They wandered happily like lovers with all the time in the world. They swung their joined hands and laughed uproariously. Eventually, they reached the edge of a dense forest where an asphalt road stretched out, and the crew kept filming without pause.
Right then, a sudden shower began to fall. The director was about to call cut, but when she saw the two look up at the sky together, then turn to each other and share a soft, spontaneous laugh, she bit her lip and let the cameras keep rolling.
They naturally sought shelter under a nearby tree. As the rain grew heavier, Elliot casually slipped off his shirt and held it over Noah's head to shield her. Noah leaned her head against his bare shoulder.
In the middle of empty nature, within an illusion where nothing was real, the husband and wife—who were supposed to be in their mid-to-late twenties—seemed to revert entirely to a young boy and girl. Stripped of all worldly concerns, only the purest form of love remained between them.
Kate was absolutely captivated by the shot. She felt as though the value of the entire film had just been elevated by this single take. Even as she got soaked to the bone, she held her breath, focusing entirely on capturing the magical synergy between the two actors.
There's no way this movie is screwed. A thought completely opposite to the one she'd had before the shoot began to take root in her mind.