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Chapter 253: On-Set Play
🕑 Added 2025-03-24 17:38:09 +0000 UTCAfter finishing the hotel scenes in Seoul, the crew reassembled the hotel's décor and set.
In the revised script, this location would now serve as the battleground for Scarlett's showdown against the minor villain after her awakening.
However, because this scene involved extensive special effects, the hotel interior was temporarily converted into a green screen studio.
Of course, compared to CGI, Ethan preferred practical effects.
So for this fight scene, he insisted on real, bone-crunching combat to showcase the cold indifference of a being who had evolved beyond pain.
At the same time, he placed high demands on Rob Sari. Since he had to perform many combat maneuvers while wearing mechanical prosthetic legs, it tested his balance far more than simple movements in normal conditions.
Especially for aerial stunts, Rob Sari had to be suspended by wires while executing one deadly move after another. This had everyone on set holding their breath in nervous anticipation.
But Rob Sari completed the sequence flawlessly.
After he finished showcasing his full arsenal of stunt techniques, dripping with sweat, Ethan gave him a thumbs-up and encouraged, "Excellent work, Rob you did great."
Quentin, watching from beside him, looked at the monitor.
On the screen, Rob Sari performed a full 360-degree aerial flip, extending his arm mid-air. Several small, specially designed knives instantly shot out from his cybernetic limbs, flying straight toward the camera.
A closer look, however, revealed that these knives were actually attached to thin prop wires, controlled by off-screen crew members to simulate flight.
The action had a powerful visual impact. Quentin could already imagine the shock on the audience's faces when they sat in front of the screen, watching these blades seemingly fly toward them.
For the next few days, the crew remained at the hotel to complete this crucial battle scene.
And every night, Ethan's room was never occupied by just him alone.
Scarlett always accompanied him.
"Honey, you were really busy today," Scarlett lay on the bed, her delicate, fair feet playfully curled behind her. Their smooth and flawless appearance made one want to hold and admire them.
Ethan, focused on his laptop, nodded. "Yeah, a bit."
"What is it?" Scarlett was curious.
"It's about a clown," Ethan said, looking at the screen filled with investigative reports from Tom and his team. "That former screenwriter, Victor—you know him, right?"
"Of course. What did he say this time?" Scarlett had been discreetly keeping tabs on Ethan's company, so she was well aware of the troubles Norton's Eye had been facing recently.
"The Writers Guild has decided to provide Victor with legal assistance."
Scarlett frowned. "So they really plan to take you to court?"
"That's right." Ethan stroked his chin. "But that's not the main issue."
"Then what is?"
"I had someone investigate Victor's recent bank transactions and found that he hasn't received any direct payments. However, his 68-year-old mother recently received a 'gift' of $350,000."
"68 years old?" Scarlett couldn't help but chuckle. "That money is obviously meant for Victor."
"Exactly. He's just using his mother to collect it." Ethan shook his head. "But they were very cautious."
"So what now?"
"No rush," Ethan leaned back against the headboard. "I also had them look into the users commenting on Victor's website and found that one of them was linked to Clooney Capital."
"Clooney Capital?" The name sounded unfamiliar to Scarlett.
"Yes, a private equity firm."
"What's wrong with this company?"
"I don't know." Ethan narrowed his eyes. "I just find it suspicious. They have no ties to Hollywood, yet they're going out of their way to support Victor."
"Maybe someone there just happened to see his case and got interested?" Scarlett thought Ethan might be overanalyzing.
"Maybe. But if there's even a hint of suspicion, I won't let it slide."
Ethan chuckled and closed his laptop.
"Aren't you going to deal with Victor now? He's been ranting about you non-stop on his blog."
"Let him rant." Ethan was indifferent. "This is the price of fame. There will always be people who dislike you. You should know this better than anyone—don't people constantly call you just a pretty face?"
He pulled Scarlett into his arms.
"You're right." Scarlett licked her lips and breathed heavily near his ear. "That's why I need to prove them wrong. You'll help me, won't you?"
"Of course. But you know my standards are very strict."
"I'm ready, no matter how strict…"
Scarlett's hand slowly slid under the blanket, grasping Ethan's lifeline…
A month later, the crew moved to New York.
This scene was about Scarlett's awakening. While transporting CPH4, she was detained in a small prison cell.
When she rejected the warden's harassment, she was punched to the ground and then kicked in the stomach.
This caused the CPH4 packet inside her to rupture—triggering her awakening.
Although this scene appears to take place in a confined prison cell, in reality, because it involves spatial inversion, the prison was built separately as a set.
Of course, it's not like the rotating corridor scene from Inception, just a rotating room, so the difficulty isn't as high as that.
When Scarlett heard that she would be performing a rotating sequence, she was excited. After all, any competent actor would want to challenge different settings and roles.
Quentin was also present during the filming. He seemed to have found something more interesting than traveling, so he simply joined Ethan as a consultant and worked on the film together.
"Just looking at this small room already feels exhausting..." Quentin sighed as he stood in front of the rotating prison set. "I can't imagine how you managed to shoot that rotating corridor scene."
"The beginning is always the hardest," Ethan responded with a proverb.
"Is that a saying from China?"
"That's right."
"No wonder it sounds so concise, yet philosophical," Quentin said, shaking his head as he watched Scarlett being strapped to the chains with the help of the props team.
A metal ring clamped her arm, and the ring was connected to a chain fixed to the wall. There was also a wire attached to her back, securing her to the chain to prevent her from being flung out when the room rotated.
Unlike Heath Ledger's scene back then, Ethan didn't need Scarlett to run back and forth inside the prison. What she had to portray was a body losing control under the power surging within her—crashing against the walls, convulsing like someone experiencing a seizure or drug overdose.
Because of this, Ethan was extremely strict about Scarlett's performance.
"No, Scarlett, your body movements aren't unnatural enough! What I'm seeing now is you consciously controlling your convulsions!"
"Still not right! Your spasms are too exaggerated! You look like a fish flopping on a cutting board! This doesn't feel right at all!"
"No, lowering the frequency isn't enough! Do you understand? You need to lose consciousness! But right now, you look way too aware!"
"This is terrible, Scarlett. Stop for now. You haven't captured the essence of the movement!"
After being interrupted several times, Scarlett was starting to get frustrated. She waved at Ethan. "Let's talk privately, director."
Seeing Ethan's stern face as he got up, Quentin, ever the mediator, patted his shoulder. "Patience, Ethan. It's no big deal."
"Don't worry, I know," Ethan replied, following Scarlett into the dressing room.
As soon as they entered, Scarlett pushed Ethan against the door, staring at him sharply.
"Am I really performing that badly?"
Ethan shrugged. "I don't think you've captured the feeling."
"Let's make a bet…" Scarlett paused for a moment. "If I get it right in the next take, you have to praise me with words I've never heard from you before."
"And if you don't succeed?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.
Scarlett immediately crouched down…
Ethan instantly tilted his head back, letting out a long sigh.
Fifteen minutes later, Ethan and Scarlett returned to their positions.
Scarlett repeated the scene.
But when she looked at Ethan, she saw him shaking his head. "The feeling is still not right."
Without a word, Scarlett turned and walked back into the dressing room, her decisive movements making the crew think she was furious.
Ethan followed closely behind. Quentin tried to mediate again. "Ethan, talk to her properly."
"Don't worry."
The two disappeared inside, and no one dared to disturb the director and lead actress. They could only wait patiently.
This time, they were gone even longer. When they finally came out, their expressions had returned to normal. Scarlett spoke with the props team before getting strapped to the chains again.
This time, she seemed to have found the essence of the performance. In the rotating prison, she flipped, twisted, and trembled uncontrollably, just like someone overdosing.
After she finished, Quentin clapped lightly. "That was really good. Ethan, what do you think?"
The other crew members also applauded. They could all see Scarlett's effort and skill. To them, this performance was flawless.
But Ethan still frowned, thinking for a moment before saying, "Very good, but it's still missing something."
"What's missing?" Scarlett looked at Ethan.
"Your facial expressions and body movements are on point, but you're lacking a certain sense of pleasure." Ethan's words were a bit confusing. "Because this isn't an overdose—it's helping you transcend. So after the initial pain fades, you start to feel a hint of euphoria. That's a tremor from deep within your soul, something your cells crave."
"Evolution. The relentless drive to evolve. When the CPH4 enters your system, your entire body begins to hunger for evolution." Ethan became more and more engrossed as he spoke. "That is the foundation of all your actions."
"Only by conveying this will your later mastery of various abilities feel natural. Because, at this moment, you've already undergone the most important evolution."
Scarlett was silent for a moment, then walked toward the dressing room again.
Again?
Everyone had the same thought. But seeing that neither Ethan nor Scarlett seemed angry—rather, they looked like they were heading off for a discussion—the crew didn't dare to interfere.
Only Quentin stroked his chin, sensing something was off.
After thinking for a moment, he suddenly regretted his earlier words.
"Damn it, those two are really playing games."
He had finally figured out Ethan and Scarlett's little act, but he hadn't expected to become part of their play.
Another twenty minutes later, Ethan emerged, rubbing his temples, his steps noticeably slower than before.
Meanwhile, Scarlett looked radiant, as if she had finally grasped the key to acting.
"Is this a reward for her, or a punishment for me?" Ethan sighed helplessly, but to ensure Scarlett gave her best performance, he had no choice but to sacrifice his own body.
"Alright, let's go," Scarlett said. After these rounds of "replenishing her energy," she finally understood the breakthrough point.
Once strapped to the chains again, she delivered a spectacular performance. Her expression during convulsions was one of extreme pain, yet her eyes revealed a hint of pleasure and excitement—the primal instinct of evolution.
The cinematographer captured this detail, then clapped hard after the scene ended.
"Fantastic!" Ethan stood up, meeting Scarlett's gaze as she hung from the chains. "You're the most talented actress I've ever seen, darling."
None of the crew members picked up on anything from his words—except Quentin.
Hearing Ethan's praise, Scarlett smiled, and those who had been worried about conflict between the director and lead actress finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, let's move on to the next scene," Ethan clapped his hands, bringing everyone's focus back.
The filming of Lucy was progressing at a decent pace. After wrapping the set pieces, they blocked off an entire street for a car chase scene.
This was where Chris Hemsworth finally got his screen time.
Dressed in a leather jacket, hair neatly combed, and sporting a scruffy beard, with some help from the makeup team, he looked several years older—like a frustrated middle-aged man.
But the moment he spoke, the illusion shattered.
"Director, what should I do?" He looked full of energy and enthusiasm.
Ethan studied him for a moment, then said, "Run two laps around the street first."
"Huh?" Chris was confused. "What's this for? An extra scene, director?"
"You'll understand after you run." Ethan didn't explain directly.
"Alright!" Chris didn't hesitate and started sprinting.
Quentin walked over. "I don't recall this scene being in the script."
"Oh, it's not." Ethan shrugged. "I just think he's too hyper. Let him burn off some energy."
"Hahaha, Ethan, you're cruel." Quentin watched Chris running around the set. "Ah, to be young again."
"What, feeling old?" Ethan smirked.
"Ahem… of course not," Quentin patted his belly. "Still going strong! Had three last night."
"Tsk," Ethan teased. "Be careful not to get drained."
"What are you guys talking about?" Scarlett approached, dressed in black with smoky eye makeup.
"Discussing the next scene. Ready?"
"Of course. No problem," Scarlett said confidently.
Soon, she would be filming one of the movie's most iconic moments—the scene where she traces the threads of fate on the glass to locate her target.
