The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1818 Camera Interaction
Emmanuel dislikes Anson.

Or to be more precise, it's not that he dislikes her. Words like "like" and "dislike" are too strong and have a clear personal bias. Emmanuel is wary of Anson because Anson is an uncontrollable variable, like chaos, whose next move can never be predicted.

Even with full concentration, it may be impossible to control the situation.

This is a perfect example right now.

They were talking, they were confronting each other; the air grew tense, a sense of impending battle quietly filled the air, and tensions were palpable, threatening to spiral out of control at any moment.

However, Anson laughed.

Without warning, inexplicably.

Emmanuel: ? ? ?
fall!
Emmanuel dislikes this situation the most:
Whether Anson looks like a fool or he looks like a fool, he doesn't like it.

“I’m sorry, it was my fault.” Anson suppressed a smile and apologized. “What I mean is, we have the same goal. It’s not just about getting the job done. We both want to do an excellent job, present a great work to the audience, and leave something on the big screen.”

"Right?"

"So, even though you're feeling heartburn right now and every cell in your body is unhappy with my presence, we still need to continue working together."

“I know your profession; you wouldn’t allow personal emotions to affect your work.”

"Next, I need your help."

Emmanuel: ...

He didn't respond immediately because his thoughts couldn't keep up. That's why he didn't like Anson. Anson's brain worked much faster than the average person's. Even though he was highly attentive and immersed in the conversation the whole time, Anson still went off track and got out of control.

Emmanuel hated this feeling of being out of control.

Emmanuel took a deep breath, barely managing to regain his composure. "I'm listening."

Anson stared silently at Emmanuel without saying a word. Just when Emmanuel thought Anson was playing another prank, Anson finally spoke.

And this is no joke.

"If I'm trying to portray the sense of chaos in Theo, can the camera help?"

Emmanuel remained silent, his brows furrowing slightly as he patiently waited for Anson to continue.

Anson has just found some inspiration from Michael Kane—

On the surface, Michael Caine is the quintessential British gentleman, especially after he turned sixty, when he often played the same type of role.

But in reality, Michael Caine always had a rebellious and unruly spirit in his blood.

Unless you get really close, no one else can see it, and even the crew members might not know it.

In Michael Caine, Anson was reminded of Theo. Perhaps he should relax, perhaps he should reduce his intensity, perhaps he should reduce the performative elements. There's no need to impose those emotions, feelings, and complexities onto Theo.

Sometimes, more is more; but sometimes, less is more.

Can changing the way you perform a role give it a different feel?

Anson wanted to give it a try, but this attempt required the help of a photographer.

On the big screen, the cinematographer's lens is like the audience's eyes; only when the lens captures something can the audience understand it. From another perspective, the cinematographer is like a magician; only what his lens allows the audience to see can be seen. This lens can be a microscope, revealing everything in minute detail; or it can be a smokescreen, a means of deceiving the audience and concealing the characters and plot.

Anson wasn't a photographer; he didn't know how Emmanuel did his job. But Anson was an actor; he could tell the photographer what he was trying to express, and then the photographer and director would capture it.

“What I mean is, Theo thinks he doesn’t care, and he’s deceiving himself. He believes he doesn’t care, but the emotions he inadvertently reveals prove that he still does care.”

"Theo thought he had forgotten everything and accepted it calmly. Julianne was the one who was escaping reality, but in fact he was the one who had been trying to escape the sadness all along."

"He deceived himself, and even he thought so."

"But we all know that we can deceive everyone in the world, but we can't deceive ourselves. The emotions that naturally flow out unintentionally, without our own awareness, are the real ones. I don't know, but they are confusion, sadness, bewilderment, despair, and bitterness."

Emmanuel is a photographer, and one of the top photographers in the industry; he grasps things instantly.

A photographer's job is not only to capture landscapes and people, but also to capture space and time, the atmosphere and emotions that permeate the air, and so on.

Emmanuel glanced at Anson. "You need a close-up?"

Anson spread his hands. "I don't know. This should be your decision. You should discuss it with the director."

“I just think that in this scene, Theo’s emotions, which he might inadvertently reveal, should be more restrained, more complex, and more subtle. I need to pull my emotions inward, I need to relax as much as possible, and then in a relaxed state, let the fleeting truth inadvertently emerge.”

“Maybe we need to change the way the camera is shot, maybe we don’t, but I can assure you that what you need to capture is different.”

Anson has always known that the interaction between actors, photographers, and directors is very important, but this idea is not clear and is just an instinct. Most of the time, he still believes that actors should focus on their performance.

But slowly, Anson realized that the interaction between actors and the camera was crucial, and that different ways of interacting could convey vastly different emotions.

To give a simple example, the first-person perspective shot in the bathroom in "Psycho" that shocked the film industry, where the camera replaced the killer as he raised the dagger and launched the attack, truly created a dazzling and dizzying experience. The perfect collaboration between the director, cinematographer, actors, lighting, and sound team sparked a perfect synergy.

Therefore, acting is not just acting; actors need to collaborate with the production team.

Emmanuel considered the situation in his mind for a moment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but he understood Anson's meaning: "Are you planning to reduce the overall emotional tension?"

Anson: "Yes."

Emmanuel: "I understand. I'll discuss it with the director."

After a pause, Emmanuel added, "Can you do it?"

This was a question, a suspicion, thrown at Anson without any attempt at concealment.

Anson didn't mind; being blunt might hurt, but it also made things seem simple. "I don't know."

One sentence was enough to enrage Emmanuel.

Anson's lips curled into a smile. "I'm telling the truth. I'm sorting out my thoughts, adjusting my mindset, and trying to break free from my last project. I have some ideas now, but the specifics will only be known through performance. What do you think?"

Emmanuel understood that this was the truth, and he could also sense Anson's sincerity.

But Emmanuel didn't let up verbally, saying, "The whole crew is watching with bated breath."

After saying that, Emmanuel didn't linger any longer. He turned around, pushed open the door, and went straight towards Alfonso.

(End of this chapter)