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More than half a month had quickly passed. Although horror movies were much harder to shoot than comedies, the main conflict in《Hide and Seek》revolved around the father and daughter.
As long as Al and Angela got into their roles, the shooting progressed much faster. Nevertheless, it remained an utterly exhausting endeavor.
David Fincher, an innovative director, was granted abundant creative freedom by Warner Bros. Throughout his career, Fincher had been known for embracing audacious challenges, exemplified by his commitment to capturing demanding shots.
One remarkable instance involved an entire day dedicated to filming the climactic scene, wherein the father's alter ego chillingly revealed his fangs while leisurely pursuing his daughter up the stairs.
Multiple cameras were strategically positioned from different angles to capture the scene, necessitating repetitive takes. The exhaustive process took a toll on the entire crew, including Al, who was typically unfazed by fatigue.
Playfully, even he couldn't resist jokingly voicing his complaints. Without the fortunate advantage of the little girl's school dismissing early by two hours every Friday, the team might have considered calling it quits long before completing the arduous endeavor.
Angela was protected under child labor laws, but apart from her filming work, she also had two hours of study time every day. Mrs. Brown, who was always strict never went anywhere on weekends spending her time in Angela's room repeatedly studying with her. So, in the eyes of many, she was also working very hard. Besides, she was very likable and everyone adored her.
Nonetheless, during script discussions with director David, her brilliance occasionally shone through as she offered valuable ideas and insights.
David recognized Angela's talent as a budding screenwriter, but sometimes his enthusiasm for her ideas led to intense shoots. His passion for bringing her suggestions to life pushed the team to their limits during the next filming sessions.
While some crew members were resentful of the extra effort demanded by these scenes, they couldn't help but acknowledge the young girl's remarkable talent and contribution to the project.
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The little girl hardly gave it much thought. In her free time, she found herself constantly practicing her lines in front of the mirror. Although she was remarkably talented and had already memorized all her lines perfectly, she took genuine pleasure in the process and never grew weary of it.
The connection between her and Emily, the character she portrayed, ran deep. She could keenly sense Emily's fear as she faced her father's transformation, despite Al having discussed it with her numerous times.
She was aware of the risks of delving too deeply into her character, particularly in horror movies, as it might lead to unwanted consequences, like what happened with the late Heath Ledger.
Nevertheless, she couldn't resist the urge to fully immerse herself in Emily's persona, as doing so seemed to clear her mind of all other thoughts.
Apart from calling home twice a week and Brian's weekly visits on Sundays, she maintained minimal contact with the outside world. Even when her grandfather called and expressed a desire to visit, she politely declined the offer. She believed that by keeping herself isolated until the end of the shooting, she could reconnect with her former self and rid her mind of those perplexing thoughts.
But as they say, plans can never keep up with changes, and no matter how well you plan, unexpected situations can catch you off guard.
"Hey, Al. Hey, David," a stunning woman emerged from the car, her radiant smile warmly greeting both Al and David. Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of azure blue, held a captivating charm akin to the sea's allure.
"Hey, Jodie, you're a whole day late. David and I were just teasing about replacing you if you didn't make it," Al joked good-naturedly.
"I took a break from the crew, Al, you know that," the woman replied with a playful grin, then turned to David, "David, do you mind if I join for a few extra rounds later?
"As long as you don't load the gun, feel free to shoot ten rounds if you want," David shrugged.
The three of them shared hearty laughter. While they couldn't be labeled as old friends, their shared background in the industry led to numerous interactions, fostering a natural camaraderie and openness in their conversations.
Inside the house, Angela's eyes widened upon hearing the laughter, and she instantly recognized the woman – it was none other than Jodie Foster, who had received another Academy Award for her role in《The Silence of the Lambs》last year!
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The little girl's mind swirled with conflicting thoughts for a moment. She was well aware of Jodie Foster's fame and had heard about the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan from her mother. Now, as she saw Jodie in person, an involuntary word flashed in her mind – "Lesbian!"
"Is this Miss Angela Mason?" Jodie had already noticed Angela and approached her with a smile, extending her hand. "Hello, I am..."
"Miss Clarice Starling, yes, I know. Did you catch Mr. Hannibal Lecter?" the little girl shook hands with her, trying to look serious while hiding her accelerated heartbeat.
Jodie blinked in surprise, momentarily taken aback and unable to respond. Al, stepping in from behind, broke the silence, saying, "Isn't it surprising? Well, it's not unheard of. This little one can recite lines from all my films and even gave detailed reviews of each one just last week. I'm starting to suspect she might be lying about her age."
"Perhaps geniuses do mature early," Jodie smiled and remarked.
Now it was Al's turn to be pleasantly surprised as he looked at her, saying, "You seem to be quite well-informed, Jodie."
"Of course, Al. You see, some topics spread faster among women than on telephones," she replied with a playful wink.
"Such as?"
"For example《Sleepless in Seattle》which was released last week on Valentine's Day, was written by Miss Mason specifically for Meg Ryan."
"Wow!" Al widened his eyes and whistled, then looked at Angela, "Hey, little daughter, is there anything else I don't know?"
"Guess it yourself, Dad," Angela made a face and then shook hands with Jodie again. "I'm glad you could come, Miss Jodie. I really like your movies. You can call me Angela."
"Okay, Angela, you can call me Jodie then," Jodie nodded.
"Alright, then I'll go get ready," Angela shrugged, swiftly turning away and making her way inside the house.
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Only after she was safely indoors did she let out a relieved sigh. Her heart was still racing. Warner Bros. had been exceptionally generous, considering Jodie had recently won her second Best Actress Oscar and was in high demand.
Despite Dr. Catherine's role in the film being limited, probably around ten minutes or so, Angela knew her paycheck would undoubtedly be astonishing
However, all of that wasn't her main concern. Why did the word "Lesbian" keep resounding in her mind?
Yes, she was aware that Jodie was a lesbian, and it was rumored that the assassination incident had influenced her feelings toward men, leading her to embrace her true self. But... why couldn't she shake off these thoughts? It felt like something was on the verge of bursting out from her heart.
Angela placed her hand on her chest, attempting to take two deep breaths, but her nerves refused to settle. The anxiety was directly affecting her ability to get into character for the upcoming shoot.
The next scene was crucial, where Dr. Catherine, the female psychiatrist, paid her first visit to Emily in the small town. Angela was determined to portray it differently from the previous version in《Hide and Seek.》
In the past, Emily had enthusiastically thrown herself into Catherine's arms, a detail that received criticism since after experiencing so many strange events it seemed unrealistic for the little girl to act so happily and it didn't align with the overall tone of the movie.
Therefore, when Angela took on the task of writing the script, she made a significant change to this part. The girl would now embrace the female psychiatrist calmly displaying subtle happiness while also holding a hint of concern and caution in her demeanor.
However, Angela's emotions were never on point. Every time she hugged Jodie it felt stiff and awkward. They had tried filming the simple scene three or four times, but it didn't come out right. David was getting impatient, though he didn't show it. Al had mentioned several times that the young girl was deeply immersed in her character, and it was rare for her to be so off her game. Perhaps it would be best to let her take a break for a while.
After discussing with the crew, David immediately called out, "Al, Jodie, let's shoot your scenes indoors first and let Angela relax."
Al had no objections, and naturally, Jodie agreed as well. However, before entering the house, Jodie hesitated for a moment. Maybe it was because she had hugged Angela three or four times, and her intuition told her that this little girl had something on her mind. It seemed like... Jodie shook her head and dismissed the thought, deciding to go inside. After all, she couldn't imagine an 11-year-old girl having such complex worries, perhaps she was just overthinking things.
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Meanwhile, Angela followed behind, feeling a bit dejected as she stayed with the crew and watched Al and Jodie act out their scenes. In this moment, the more she tried to push away her distractions, the more they seemed to demand her attention, leaving her feeling increasingly restless.
However, her troubles for the day were far from over. After Al and Jodie finished shooting their scenes in the living room, the two actresses portraying the victim Elizabeth and her little niece arrived on set one after the other, as notified by the crew.
First came Ellie Green, playing Elizabeth. She was a newly signed actress under Warner Bros. Then came the young girl the crew had directly found in New York, who played Elizabeth's niece.
As the girl appeared with a beaming smile in front of Angela, the little girl was taken aback. To her surprise, this girl turned out to be the same one she had encountered at the record store on Christmas Day, bearing a striking resemblance to Scarlett Johansson.
"What's wrong? Don't recognize me?" The girl waved in front of a stunned Angela.
"Are you... Scarlett?" Angela tried to discern the girl's features. She desperately wanted to convince herself that it wasn't her, but unfortunately, those exquisite features already had the allure of a potential "second Marilyn Monroe."
"I'm so glad you remember me," Scarlett said, giving Angela a warm hug. In the past, Angela would have hugged her back without hesitation, secretly feeling excited about it. But now, she quickly pushed Scarlett away and coughed, trying to compose herself. "I'm really glad to see you again. Are you shooting a movie now?"
Though she could clearly sense that Angela was acting strangely, Scarlett didn't dwell on it and continued cheerfully, "After begging my dad countless times, he finally agreed to let me do stage plays. But I'm still so lucky, right?"
"Yes, I never expected that the crew would bring you to play this role," Angela forced a smile.
"I never thought I'd get to be in your movie either. I only saw you after I got here, it was such a pleasant surprise," Scarlett said, excitedly taking Angela's hand.
However, Angela pulled her hand back as if she had been electrocuted. Faced with Scarlett's puzzled expression, she awkwardly smiled and said, "I've been getting too immersed in my character while studying it recently, so I'm a bit guarded. I'm sorry."
Before Scarlett could say anything, Angela added, "You can go prepare for your scenes first. Let's chat after we're done filming, okay?"
"No problem," Scarlett smiled, she shrugged her shoulders and walked away.
Angela let out a soft sigh, gently touching her forehead. Little did she know that every move she made was being observed by Jodie, who was not too far away.
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More than half a month had quickly passed. Although horror movies were much harder to shoot than comedies, the main conflict in《Hide and Seek》revolved around the father and daughter.
As long as Al and Angela got into their roles, the shooting progressed much faster. Nevertheless, it remained an utterly exhausting endeavor.
David Fincher, an innovative director, was granted abundant creative freedom by Warner Bros. Throughout his career, Fincher had been known for embracing audacious challenges, exemplified by his commitment to capturing demanding shots.
One remarkable instance involved an entire day dedicated to filming the climactic scene, wherein the father's alter ego chillingly revealed his fangs while leisurely pursuing his daughter up the stairs.
Multiple cameras were strategically positioned from different angles to capture the scene, necessitating repetitive takes. The exhaustive process took a toll on the entire crew, including Al, who was typically unfazed by fatigue.
Playfully, even he couldn't resist jokingly voicing his complaints. Without the fortunate advantage of the little girl's school dismissing early by two hours every Friday, the team might have considered calling it quits long before completing the arduous endeavor.
Angela was protected under child labor laws, but apart from her filming work, she also had two hours of study time every day. Mrs. Brown, who was always strict never went anywhere on weekends spending her time in Angela's room repeatedly studying with her. So, in the eyes of many, she was also working very hard. Besides, she was very likable and everyone adored her.
Nonetheless, during script discussions with director David, her brilliance occasionally shone through as she offered valuable ideas and insights.
David recognized Angela's talent as a budding screenwriter, but sometimes his enthusiasm for her ideas led to intense shoots. His passion for bringing her suggestions to life pushed the team to their limits during the next filming sessions.
While some crew members were resentful of the extra effort demanded by these scenes, they couldn't help but acknowledge the young girl's remarkable talent and contribution to the project.
Sponsored Content
The little girl hardly gave it much thought. In her free time, she found herself constantly practicing her lines in front of the mirror. Although she was remarkably talented and had already memorized all her lines perfectly, she took genuine pleasure in the process and never grew weary of it.
The connection between her and Emily, the character she portrayed, ran deep. She could keenly sense Emily's fear as she faced her father's transformation, despite Al having discussed it with her numerous times.
She was aware of the risks of delving too deeply into her character, particularly in horror movies, as it might lead to unwanted consequences, like what happened with the late Heath Ledger.
Nevertheless, she couldn't resist the urge to fully immerse herself in Emily's persona, as doing so seemed to clear her mind of all other thoughts.
Apart from calling home twice a week and Brian's weekly visits on Sundays, she maintained minimal contact with the outside world. Even when her grandfather called and expressed a desire to visit, she politely declined the offer. She believed that by keeping herself isolated until the end of the shooting, she could reconnect with her former self and rid her mind of those perplexing thoughts.
But as they say, plans can never keep up with changes, and no matter how well you plan, unexpected situations can catch you off guard.
"Hey, Al. Hey, David," a stunning woman emerged from the car, her radiant smile warmly greeting both Al and David. Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of azure blue, held a captivating charm akin to the sea's allure.
"Hey, Jodie, you're a whole day late. David and I were just teasing about replacing you if you didn't make it," Al joked good-naturedly.
"I took a break from the crew, Al, you know that," the woman replied with a playful grin, then turned to David, "David, do you mind if I join for a few extra rounds later?
"As long as you don't load the gun, feel free to shoot ten rounds if you want," David shrugged.
The three of them shared hearty laughter. While they couldn't be labeled as old friends, their shared background in the industry led to numerous interactions, fostering a natural camaraderie and openness in their conversations.
Inside the house, Angela's eyes widened upon hearing the laughter, and she instantly recognized the woman – it was none other than Jodie Foster, who had received another Academy Award for her role in《The Silence of the Lambs》last year!
Sponsored Content
The little girl's mind swirled with conflicting thoughts for a moment. She was well aware of Jodie Foster's fame and had heard about the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan from her mother. Now, as she saw Jodie in person, an involuntary word flashed in her mind – "Lesbian!"
"Is this Miss Angela Mason?" Jodie had already noticed Angela and approached her with a smile, extending her hand. "Hello, I am..."
"Miss Clarice Starling, yes, I know. Did you catch Mr. Hannibal Lecter?" the little girl shook hands with her, trying to look serious while hiding her accelerated heartbeat.
Jodie blinked in surprise, momentarily taken aback and unable to respond. Al, stepping in from behind, broke the silence, saying, "Isn't it surprising? Well, it's not unheard of. This little one can recite lines from all my films and even gave detailed reviews of each one just last week. I'm starting to suspect she might be lying about her age."
"Perhaps geniuses do mature early," Jodie smiled and remarked.
Now it was Al's turn to be pleasantly surprised as he looked at her, saying, "You seem to be quite well-informed, Jodie."
"Of course, Al. You see, some topics spread faster among women than on telephones," she replied with a playful wink.
"Such as?"
"For example《Sleepless in Seattle》which was released last week on Valentine's Day, was written by Miss Mason specifically for Meg Ryan."
"Wow!" Al widened his eyes and whistled, then looked at Angela, "Hey, little daughter, is there anything else I don't know?"
"Guess it yourself, Dad," Angela made a face and then shook hands with Jodie again. "I'm glad you could come, Miss Jodie. I really like your movies. You can call me Angela."
"Okay, Angela, you can call me Jodie then," Jodie nodded.
"Alright, then I'll go get ready," Angela shrugged, swiftly turning away and making her way inside the house.
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Only after she was safely indoors did she let out a relieved sigh. Her heart was still racing. Warner Bros. had been exceptionally generous, considering Jodie had recently won her second Best Actress Oscar and was in high demand.
Despite Dr. Catherine's role in the film being limited, probably around ten minutes or so, Angela knew her paycheck would undoubtedly be astonishing
However, all of that wasn't her main concern. Why did the word "Lesbian" keep resounding in her mind?
Yes, she was aware that Jodie was a lesbian, and it was rumored that the assassination incident had influenced her feelings toward men, leading her to embrace her true self. But... why couldn't she shake off these thoughts? It felt like something was on the verge of bursting out from her heart.
Angela placed her hand on her chest, attempting to take two deep breaths, but her nerves refused to settle. The anxiety was directly affecting her ability to get into character for the upcoming shoot.
The next scene was crucial, where Dr. Catherine, the female psychiatrist, paid her first visit to Emily in the small town. Angela was determined to portray it differently from the previous version in《Hide and Seek.》
In the past, Emily had enthusiastically thrown herself into Catherine's arms, a detail that received criticism since after experiencing so many strange events it seemed unrealistic for the little girl to act so happily and it didn't align with the overall tone of the movie.
Therefore, when Angela took on the task of writing the script, she made a significant change to this part. The girl would now embrace the female psychiatrist calmly displaying subtle happiness while also holding a hint of concern and caution in her demeanor.
However, Angela's emotions were never on point. Every time she hugged Jodie it felt stiff and awkward. They had tried filming the simple scene three or four times, but it didn't come out right. David was getting impatient, though he didn't show it. Al had mentioned several times that the young girl was deeply immersed in her character, and it was rare for her to be so off her game. Perhaps it would be best to let her take a break for a while.
After discussing with the crew, David immediately called out, "Al, Jodie, let's shoot your scenes indoors first and let Angela relax."
Al had no objections, and naturally, Jodie agreed as well. However, before entering the house, Jodie hesitated for a moment. Maybe it was because she had hugged Angela three or four times, and her intuition told her that this little girl had something on her mind. It seemed like... Jodie shook her head and dismissed the thought, deciding to go inside. After all, she couldn't imagine an 11-year-old girl having such complex worries, perhaps she was just overthinking things.
Sponsored Content
Meanwhile, Angela followed behind, feeling a bit dejected as she stayed with the crew and watched Al and Jodie act out their scenes. In this moment, the more she tried to push away her distractions, the more they seemed to demand her attention, leaving her feeling increasingly restless.
However, her troubles for the day were far from over. After Al and Jodie finished shooting their scenes in the living room, the two actresses portraying the victim Elizabeth and her little niece arrived on set one after the other, as notified by the crew.
First came Ellie Green, playing Elizabeth. She was a newly signed actress under Warner Bros. Then came the young girl the crew had directly found in New York, who played Elizabeth's niece.
As the girl appeared with a beaming smile in front of Angela, the little girl was taken aback. To her surprise, this girl turned out to be the same one she had encountered at the record store on Christmas Day, bearing a striking resemblance to Scarlett Johansson.
"What's wrong? Don't recognize me?" The girl waved in front of a stunned Angela.
"Are you... Scarlett?" Angela tried to discern the girl's features. She desperately wanted to convince herself that it wasn't her, but unfortunately, those exquisite features already had the allure of a potential "second Marilyn Monroe."
"I'm so glad you remember me," Scarlett said, giving Angela a warm hug. In the past, Angela would have hugged her back without hesitation, secretly feeling excited about it. But now, she quickly pushed Scarlett away and coughed, trying to compose herself. "I'm really glad to see you again. Are you shooting a movie now?"
Though she could clearly sense that Angela was acting strangely, Scarlett didn't dwell on it and continued cheerfully, "After begging my dad countless times, he finally agreed to let me do stage plays. But I'm still so lucky, right?"
"Yes, I never expected that the crew would bring you to play this role," Angela forced a smile.
"I never thought I'd get to be in your movie either. I only saw you after I got here, it was such a pleasant surprise," Scarlett said, excitedly taking Angela's hand.
However, Angela pulled her hand back as if she had been electrocuted. Faced with Scarlett's puzzled expression, she awkwardly smiled and said, "I've been getting too immersed in my character while studying it recently, so I'm a bit guarded. I'm sorry."
Before Scarlett could say anything, Angela added, "You can go prepare for your scenes first. Let's chat after we're done filming, okay?"
"No problem," Scarlett smiled, she shrugged her shoulders and walked away.
Angela let out a soft sigh, gently touching her forehead. Little did she know that every move she made was being observed by Jodie, who was not too far away.
