America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 401 The film crew's environment was too harsh.

New Orleans, Louisiana.

At the Michald Studios, just as dawn was breaking and the sun had not yet risen, several trailers drove in and parked near the largest soundstage.

At 7:30 a.m. sharp, Martin arrived on set and got into the largest trailer to get his makeup done.

Bruce saw that the stylist was the same one from the audition, so he followed him into the trailer and kept staring at him.

The stylist's effeminate mannerisms vanished rapidly under Old Brooks's fierce gaze, and he returned to being a normal man.

Bruce sat in the corner watching the whole time. He had said he would guard Martin's back, and he would definitely do so.

The other two assistants were also diligently styling Martin's hair.

The makeup session lasted an hour and a half. Just before leaving, the stylist brought out a blue hat and carefully placed it on Martin's head, covering all his hair.

Martin got up, picked up his cane, and took a few steps.

The stylist clapped his hands: "Perfect."

Bruce opened the trailer door, and Martin got out of the trailer carrying his cane.

Upon entering the studio, various behind-the-scenes cast and crew members were busy at work.

Martin naturally slipped into character, like an elderly man in his twilight years, shakily entering the set with a cane.

David Fincher is giving instructions to a blonde girl, with the girl's mother or tutor nearby.

"Director, you don't need to have my mom talk to me," Elle Fanning said to David Fincher with a serious expression, tilting her little face up. "I've acted in many movies, and I can understand what you're saying."

David Fincher laughed: "Okay, from now on I'll just talk to you about the scenes directly."

He looked at Martin, who was walking shakily towards him, and examined him carefully. His expression, his gait, and even the vicissitudes and innocence in his eyes were no different from those of elderly people who were about to reach the end of their lives.

Martin walked over slowly.

David Fincher was not in a hurry at all; instead, he praised, "Indeed, my judgment was correct."

Elle Fanning's eyes were full of curiosity as she asked, "This blue-hatted...grandpa, are you going to act in this play with me?"

Martin said in a hoarse voice, "You are Daisy."

Elle Fanning, who is at most ten years old, tried her best to appear mature: "Hello, I'm Elle Fanning, who plays Daisy."

Martin remembers that she also had an older sister named Dakota, and the two sisters were particularly talented child stars.

Because of his appearance, his forced smile looked a bit awkward: "My name is Martin, and the character I play is called Benjamin."

Ellie Fanning circled around Martin. "You don't look like Martin at all, you look more like my grandfather... no, you're older than my grandfather."

David Fincher did not interrupt the conversation between the male and female leads, believing it was beneficial for the filming, given the age difference between the older and younger actors.

Martin asked, "How old are you? Not ten, are you?"

Elle Fanning deliberately added, "She'll be ten soon."

Martin asked curiously, "I remember Daisy has quite a few roles where she's around fourteen or fifteen years old. Is it your sister who's playing those roles?"

Elle Fanning stopped. "You know my sister?"

"Dakota Fanning," Martin said frankly. "I've seen a few of her movies, like War of the Worlds."

Elle Fanning shook her head: "Dakota won't be in this role. Her schedule is much tighter than mine. She always has so many other projects to film."

She said with a hint of envy, "It seems like she's more popular than me."

Martin had seen many of Dakota Fanning's movies before. Fanning's childhood was extremely memorable, but he couldn't remember what she had acted in after she grew up.

David Fincher looked around, clapped his hands, and said, "Guys, get ready to shoot."

Before leaving the set, he came up to Martin and said, "Keep in good shape."

Martin nodded slightly and, together with Elle Fanning, walked twice through the group of actors in the background to familiarize themselves with their positions.

As the script supervisor clapped the clapperboard, filming began.

Martin was well-prepared and got into character quickly, and Elle Fanning was also very talented. The first scene, in which the two walked hand in hand and chatted in the nursing home, was quickly approved.

The following sections, although occasionally interrupted, went relatively smoothly overall.

Child and animal actors are generally considered to be the two most unpredictable and difficult elements to control on set, but none of that is seen in Elle Fanning.

Martin believes there's a reason why the Fanning sisters receive so many film offers.

The crew entered a break period. Martin returned to the rest area, threw away his cane, and plopped down in a chair. Playing a frail old man for most of the morning was actually very tiring.

The stylist rushed over to touch up the makeup.

Bruce handed Martin a sippy cup with a straw.

After the stylist and two assistants left, a young man who seemed to have Tourette syndrome sat to Martin's left.

Shia LaBeouf chimed in, "Cool old man, I heard you formed a trio of bastards with Nicholson and Leonardo?"

This was no secret in the industry, Martin replied, "That's right, we were just fooling around together."

Shia LaBeouf said earnestly, "I'd like to meet Nicholson. Could you introduce us?"

Martin asked, "Why?"

"Last time, right here at Paramount Studios, you saw it too, I helped Blanchett up, and she yelled at me." Shia LaBeouf's anger was written all over his face. "Nicholson did a fantastic job, giving me a piece of his mind."

Martin nodded. "You want to express your gratitude?"

Shia LaBeouf shook his head: "No, no, I want Nicholson to be the teacher, really! You see, the main creators in this crew are all a bit off, only I... no, and you, Martin, are normal. There are too many people like Blanchett."

His thought process was different from that of ordinary people: "The working and living environment is too harsh. I want to learn from Nicholson how to protect myself."

Martin looked at Shia LaBeouf with surprise, making sure he wasn't joking.

Shia LaBeouf suddenly said, "I wish my Bumblebee was always with me."

Martin didn't respond to these nonsense, but simply said, "Nicholson might come to visit the set in a while, and I'll introduce you then."

Shia LaBeouf scratched his head and stood up: "I need to think carefully about what special way to greet Nicholson that will shock him."

Martin felt that old Jack might have something in common with Shia LaBeouf, but he and LaBeouf were completely on different wavelengths.

As he was leaving, Shia LaBeouf suddenly remembered something: he and Blanchett had a kissing scene.

Thinking about this, his stomach clenched, and he felt like vomiting but couldn't.

Martin reached for his cane, stood up unsteadily, and slowly walked into the film set to continue filming his scenes with the child Daisy.

One scene after another was completed successfully, and the actors' excellent condition ensured the smooth filming process.

Midway through, David Fincher called Martin over to the director's monitor.

Martin put on his headset and watched all the footage shot that morning with Finch.

After watching it once, Martin realized the problem: "The sound of my voice when I spoke my lines."

"Yes, you're trying to change, and you've done your best," David Fincher said, pointing out the undeniable objective conditions. "But your vocal cords are, after all, those of a young person. It's not difficult to fake being middle-aged, but for an old man who is about to be called by the Lord, they are still too young."

Martin had no choice, nor was it possible, to undergo voice surgery for such a role, so he asked, "Can't this be resolved through post-production?"

David Fincher called Martin over to resolve this issue, saying, "I've consulted with the technical department, and it can be resolved in post-production using voice-changing technology. You'll need to re-voice young Benjamin during post-production."

Martin replied, "I have no problem."

The film crew finished work at noon and had a two-hour break.

Martin couldn't remove his makeup, let alone go to the restaurant for lunch with it on, so he simply had Bruce bring the food back to the trailer.

In November, the midday temperature in New Orleans is just 20 degrees Celsius, and the natural breeze feels especially comfortable.

Martin and Bruce simply set up a table and parasol by the trailer and ate their meal at a leisurely pace.

The environment here is great. It is currently the third largest filming location in the United States, after New York and Georgia, and the tax refund rate here can reach up to 42%.

The film industry's contribution to enhancing local brands and boosting the tourism industry is undeniable.

New Orleans' most famous attraction, Oakwood Estate, gained fame because of "Interview with the Vampire" and has been a popular destination for over a decade.

Bruce then said, "I just overheard some of the producers on the crew discussing that New Orleans currently prefers productions with war scenes or lots of action sequences."

Martin, whose posture made eating inconvenient, ate very slowly and asked, "Why?"

"Like Atlanta, there are too many dilapidated and abandoned buildings and industrial parks. Demolishing them locally is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive." Bruce inquired more carefully: "If a Hollywood crew wants to demolish something, the local authorities only charge a garbage disposal fee, and the crew can do whatever they want with the rest."

Martin couldn't help but exclaim, "This is such a great deal!"

Bruce nodded: "We can clear out the abandoned buildings without spending a single penny."

Suddenly, Martin saw a familiar figure pass by on the main road next to the trailer.

"You! Come here!" he shouted.

She was a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl with long, golden-brown hair tied in a ponytail at the back of her head. She had a camera hanging around her neck, as if she was about to go into a photography studio for a shoot.

Strangers with cameras are not allowed into the photography studio.

Saoirse Ronan heard the voice, turned around, and saw an old man who looked somewhat familiar yet strange.

The old man's appearance was comical, with a blue hat covering all his hair.

But when Saoirse Ronan saw the person next to the old man, she realized who she had met.

At Pinewood Studios, she had several encounters with Bruce, and was even caught by him once.

Saoirse quickly removed her hands from the camera to avoid misunderstandings. Although somewhat reluctant, she moved over step by step and said, "Hello, Martin, your current look is really unique."

(End of this chapter)