Chapter 334
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 334
Chapter Title: I'll Do It My Way
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After finishing the day's shoot, Director Jeffrey walked with a light step toward the office Bear Round had provided for him, recalling a memory from long ago.
Jeffrey Rodox.
As a boy with less stamina than his peers, he had preferred reading books or watching movies at home. He grew up to become an aspiring film director, just as he had always wished.
“When it comes to movies, the safe bet is always the best.”
It was a lecture where industry professionals shared helpful stories for aspiring filmmakers, dramatists, and playwrights.
The film director on the podium answered.
The question had been about what kind of scenario would capture the interest of production companies or investors.
Of course, the timid Jeffrey Rodox was just listening quietly.
“Why do you think clichés are clichés? If they weren't entertaining, they would have vanished long ago. It means they are stories the public loves and enjoys, so much so that they’ve remained as clichés for a very long time. As long as a film based on such clichés doesn't mess up, it can recoup its investment, which is why investors and production companies are interested.”
The director looked out at the aspiring artists filling the lecture hall. Their eyes sparkled, each with a different goal in mind—film, drama, theater.
How many of these hopefuls would ever get to hold a megaphone and create their own work?
And of those, how many would get to make the film they truly wanted to make?
“Production companies and investors want one thing: to recoup their investment.”
It was a cold and sobering piece of advice for aspiring creators who wanted to make their own unique works.
“Of course, it’s great if it’s a blockbuster that goes beyond recouping the investment, but that doesn’t happen often. Unless you’re talking about exceptionally talented directors.”
Jeffrey Rodox swallowed hard.
He had never considered himself particularly talented, and for a moment, he was terrified.
“Making a movie is like gambling.”
The reality of it finally seemed to hit him.
If he truly became a film director, he couldn't just think about the film itself.
“You have to choose a subject the public will love most, create charming characters, and craft a story that will sweep them away. And that’s not the end of it. You have to select and cast actors who fit the characters. You have to worry about the investors and the production company, and you can’t let your guard down for a moment during filming. You never know when, where, or how an accident might happen.”
As the director looked around at the aspiring creators, the lecture hall fell silent.
“Even after considering all of that, a film can still fail. And when it does, tens of millions of dollars just vanish into thin air. For a Hollywood movie, it could be hundreds of millions.”
Tens of millions. Hundreds of millions.
Jeffrey Rodox felt his heart pound violently at the sums he couldn't even dream of.
“If you fail the first time, the conditions for your next project become much tougher. A flop gets stamped right onto your resume. Now, think about it. Resumes are laid out in front of a production company. A failed director, an eager rookie director, and a blockbuster director. From the perspective of a company investing tens of millions of dollars, who do you think they’ll choose?”
The director glanced around before continuing.
“Let’s go back to the beginning. If the goal of the production company and investors is to recoup their investment, how do you make that kind of film? You take a cliché the public loves, add a little something special, and you get a work that can recoup its investment. Therefore, the scenario that production companies and investors want is a safe bet that doesn't stand out too much.”
It was an ordinary, unremarkable lecture.
It was just one of many lectures from directors with differing opinions; the very next one was from a director who preached, ‘Push your own art to the very end.’
But for Jeffrey Rodox, it hit differently.
“A safe bet…!”
Jeffrey Rodox, who hated inconveniencing others more than anything, was filled with worry that he might be the one to blow away tens of millions of dollars in investment money.
“...Isn’t this too little?”
“It should be… enough, right?”
Even when making independent films, he made movies that added a spoonful of something special to a safe cliché, rather than ones that reflected his own ideas. Of course, he also scrimped and saved on the investment money.
The films he made that way won awards at film festivals, and his first commercial film recouped its entire investment. The more he continued his stable career as a director, the more that film director’s words became lodged in Jeffrey Rodox’s heart.
For his second commercial film, *The Survivors*, Jeffrey Rodox had also created it by adding one special element to a disaster movie cliché. He sent the synopsis to several production companies and signed a contract with one of them, Bear Round.
But that was when things started to get turbulent.
Davis Garrett, notorious for his script revisions, had announced he would star in it, and Seojun Lee, whom he had never even considered, was cast.
Thanks to them, everyone was already anticipating his movie before a single scene had been shot.
‘…And the production budget grew, too.’
The set, which he had splurged on with his eyes squeezed shut after seeing the massive investment for the first time, was still breathtaking yet dizzying to look at. If this movie failed, all that money would be gone.
Arriving at the office Bear Round had prepared for him, Director Jeffrey sat at the table and opened his laptop. It was a new model he’d bought with his contract money, but he had no idea why it was booting up so slowly.
And so, the filming of *The Survivors* began. Director Jeffrey was relieved by Davis Garrett’s stable performance, which didn’t deviate much from the script.
‘…No.’
As the file for *The Survivors* appeared on the fully booted laptop screen, Jeffrey Rodox honestly confessed his feelings.
[Try to play the ‘character’ as freely as you can. You’ll see what it’s like not to be bound by the script. An opportunity like this, with the production company’s and the director’s permission, is rare.]
Freely.
That day, at dinner, the words spoken by Davis Garrett had resonated not only with the actors but with Jeffrey Rodox as well.
‘Though I didn’t realize it at the time.’
Subconsciously, he seemed to have had some expectations for the actors who would be performing after hearing those words. That was why he felt a little disappointed with the actors who stuck to the script.
‘Though Jun was shockingly good, of course.’
Just when he was feeling a mix of slight disappointment and slight relief,
the infamous Davis Garrett made his move.
His lines and movements were completely different from the script. The character's personality.
Seeing Seojun also break away from his ‘stable’ script and act alongside him, Jeffrey Rodox felt a thrilling jolt of electricity shoot up from his toes, through his back, and make the hair on his head stand on end.
His ‘stable’ script was being torn to shreds by the two actors’ brilliant performances, and it felt incredibly refreshing.
Freely.
Director Jeffrey didn’t try to stop the corners of his mouth from rising.
Feeling his heart pound with excitement, he gripped the mouse.
On one side of the monitor, the [The Survivors - Original] file was open, and on the other, the [The Survivors - Revised] file was open.
“…Alright.”
Director Jeffrey opened a new file. A blank white page with only a blinking cursor.
His hands itched looking at the empty screen.
Director Jeffrey recalled the scenes they had filmed up to today, one by one, and placed his hands on the keyboard.
What cliché?
A safe bet?
Being safe is suffocating!
“I’m going to do what I want…!”
*Clack, clack, clack.*
Reflected in the light of the monitor, Director Jeffrey Rodox’s eyes gleamed.
A Bear Round employee, who had stopped by after hearing the director was in his office, saw the madness-consumed Jeffrey cackling and pounding at the keyboard and quietly closed the door.
* * *
Two days later.
Bear Round headquarters conference room.
At Director Jeffrey’s request, filming had been postponed for a day. In front of Seojun and the other actors, who were tilting their heads in confusion, a stack of papers was placed.
[The Survivors - Revision 2]
Director Jeffrey Rodox, who handed them the papers, looked haggard. He had dark circles that reached his chin, his eyes were bloodshot, and his lips were chapped and cracked.
The actors were surprised by how much his face had changed in just two days and looked at him with concern.
“Director. Did you stay up all night?”
“Yes. A little. I’m fine.”
Contrary to his exhausted appearance, Director Jeffrey smiled brightly, making Seojun blink.
Not long ago, Director Jeffrey had seemed timid and frail. Now, he looked even more haggard and weaker. But his aura was different.
Seojun’s gaze, which had been studying the director, stopped at one point.
‘Is it because of the look in his eyes?’
It was a strangely familiar look.
“Oho.”
Davis Garrett, Milan Chelen, and Vanessa Olsen also sensed the change in Director Jeffrey’s demeanor.
“Looks like a good story came out of it.”
It was the look of directors who love and are stubborn about their stories—a look that had only been faintly visible in Director Jeffrey until now. Such stubbornness wasn't always a positive influence, but it was something Director Jeffrey needed.
At the words of Milan Chelen, who had seen many directors, Director Jeffrey smiled shyly.
“Yes. I do hope you all like it.”
“Still, don’t forget that I have the right to revise, Director.”
Director Jeffrey groaned at Davis Garrett’s playful tone.
“Well then, shall we read it?”
At Seojun's words, everyone opened the script placed in front of them. Andrew Walker also sat next to Seojun, dangling his legs and reading through the script.
“Oho…”
“…Hmm.”
Seeing the actors’ unreadable expressions, an anxious Director Jeffrey started jiggling his leg.
Not just the actors, but now the director was making revisions.
This was a major incident if there ever was one.
The planning team lead, desperately hoping the set wouldn't need many changes, also opened Director Jeffrey’s script.
‘…Looks like he plans to use what we’ve already filmed.’
The beginning was written as a brief summary, indicating that he intended to keep what had been shot two days ago.
That was a relief.
The planning team lead let out a sigh of relief and read the next line.
The first to finish reading the script were Seojun and Davis Garrett.
Davis Garrett closed the script and scratched his chin. He looked somewhat apologetic.
“…Am I the cause of this?”
Seojun couldn't help but laugh at Davis Garrett’s words.
He didn't know the exact reason why Director Jeffrey had completely overhauled the script, but since Davis Garrett’s ad-libbing had been the catalyst, he couldn't say he was entirely blameless.
Davis Garrett was thinking the exact same thing as Seojun.
“Our director. I thought he was gentle… but it seems he was just hiding his true nature. He completely fooled me.”
“Haha. I know, right?”
In the new script, Director Jeffrey was running wild.
“What do you think?”
Davis Garrett asked, looking at Seojun.
Seojun smiled brightly and answered.
“I love it. I want to shoot this.”
“I like it too.”
Milan Chelen and Vanessa Olsen also nodded. Andrew Walker had stopped dangling his legs and was staring blankly down at the script.
The lines for the three actors had also been slightly changed.
“I can memorize this much quickly, but…”
Vanessa Olsen’s gaze shifted to one side.
Seojun and the other two actors’ gazes followed. At the end of their line of sight sat the Bear Round planning team lead.
At that, Director Jeffrey, who had been beaming at the actors' positive reactions, also turned his gaze to the planning team lead. He had been so focused on the actors' responses that he hadn't noticed the team lead's expression.
And Director Jeffrey was shocked.
The planning team lead’s face, as he stared down at the script, was drained of all color, pale as a sheet. It was the first time he had ever seen the team lead look like this.
“…Team Lead?”
At Director Jeffrey’s voice, the planning team lead snapped to his senses and looked up. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally forcing out his voice.
“…This is not acceptable.”
His tone was firm, unlike anything they had heard before.
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