Chapter 39

Subject 3 failed, and I'm almost becoming a professional retake candidate, feeling quite depressed... Everyone, please give me more recommendation tickets to comfort me.

The others looked over, and with Jessica Chastain's assistance, Murphy removed the Steadicam from his body, put the camera down, and looked up at the temporary lights set up on the ceiling, "The lighting is problematic."

Sitting at the counter, Carey Mulligan couldn't help but lightly pat her chest, letting out a breath, and the tension on her face eased considerably.

It was her first formal shoot, and she didn't want it to be interrupted because of her mistakes.

Murphy glanced at Carey Mulligan, taking everything in, but said nothing. Carey Mulligan had decent acting skills and talent, but she was a complete newcomer, young, rebellious, and sensitive. At this moment, encouragement was more important than creating pressure.

He decided to temporarily ignore Carey Mulligan and first address the lighting issues on the temporary set.

In fact, from the start of the shoot, Murphy noticed problems with the lighting but continued until more issues arose, then called for a stop.

"John..." Murphy called his lighting technician Douglas, "The lighting needs a complete revision."

As he spoke, he glanced at Douglas, silently lamenting that often, you get what you pay for. This lighting technician, hired cheaply, was really quite mediocre.

During the early preparation and site inspection, Murphy had already explained the lighting considerations to him. When there were no actors on set, the lighting through the camera lens looked fine, but once Carey Mulligan appeared, the shot did not meet expectations.

However, Murphy didn't get angry or say much. After all, the shooting effect created by the on-set lighting was not only related to the lighting technician's setup but also to environmental changes. Carey Mulligan, wearing a red dress, also affected the color of the light.

"I told you before," Murphy crossed his arms, first looking up at the main lights hanging from the ceiling, then at the auxiliary lights on the floor, "The film we are shooting can be categorized as a film noir! John, the lighting you used is too bright and soft."

The use of lighting in low-budget, noir-style films like "Hard Candy" is a profound and complex task, but it is extremely important for both the filmmakers and the actors.

Due to budget and technical limitations, some filmmakers created film noir, but this did not limit their talent, which led to lighting becoming a very important element in film noir.

Murphy had studied this area before, which is why he chose this type of film as the beginning of his project. Unlike the bright lighting seen through the camera, low-key lighting is the appropriate lighting for "Hard Candy."

Douglas wasn't entirely incapable. After a moment, he pointed to a row of large lights on the ceiling directly above the counter, "Changing the main light setup should help."

In the common "three-point lighting" setup used in film production, the main light is usually the brightest, hence its name.

"No, no, no..." Murphy shook his finger, dissatisfied with Douglas's suggestion. He walked around the counter and said, "Not just the main light, the fill light needs to change as well, and we need to add some background light appropriately."

The fill light is typically set opposite the main light to soften the shadows created by the main light. The back light is used to illuminate the entire scene's outline, separating the subject from the background.

This way, Carey Mulligan would stand out in the entire scene, emphasizing her role as the lead actress.

Seeing Douglas at a loss, Murphy sighed. Film noir not only requires low-key lighting but also hard light. "The main light can use halogen lamps, so the light only comes from one point, making it harder and better at highlighting the clear contours of the lead actress."

The lighting technician Douglas clearly lacked experience, just nodding and taking notes.

Murphy walked to the fill light stand opposite the main light on the floor and said, "Change the fill light to a frosted bulb, which will produce softer light, making the lead actress more appealing while highlighting her contours."

The relative use of hard and soft light is a hallmark of film noir lighting.

Seeing Murphy finish, Douglas walked to his toolbox to prepare to make adjustments.

"John, wait a moment." Murphy stopped him, as he wasn't sure if these methods would work. He turned and waved to old Lynch, "Do you have a boom pole? A long stick will also do."

"There is,"

Old Lynch, confused by the technical terms, felt that Murphy was not only devious but also had real talent. He didn't hesitate and called a staff member, "Bring the long boom pole from the back kitchen."

The boom pole was quickly brought to an intern on the set.

No matter how well you plan, without actual shooting, you can't identify the problems. Murphy completely rejected the original lighting plan and started over, using the boom pole to test the lighting from different angles by fixing a work light to one end and changing its position.

A director with little experience leading a team of equally inexperienced staff will inevitably encounter many detours during filming.

The lighting wasn't set up by noon, and according to the agreement between the production team and old Lynch, lunch and drinks were provided free of charge by Merton Café.

Working on an empty stomach is impossible; it would affect the work attitude. Murphy didn't believe these people could work hard without eating.

After finishing the morning work, the production team had lunch. When Murphy ate the free lunch, his anxious mood due to the mistakes improved slightly.

Mistakes mean wasted time; wasted time leads to budget overruns...

"Free lunch, my favorite."

Sitting at a coffee table, Murphy ate while talking to Cara Fies, who was enjoying a fruit salad across from him, "It means I can save a lot of money."

Cara Fies looked at her salad without raising her head, "You're almost a miser."

"I don't want to be like this," Murphy's words carried a hint of helplessness, "But without money, I have no choice."

After the morning, he was even more doubtful that the $300,000 budget would be enough.

Originally, Murphy had already underestimated his abilities and anticipated many difficulties, but in practice, he found himself too optimistic. Just the lighting issue alone took several hours and wasn't fully resolved...

Thinking about this, a hint of worry appeared on Murphy's face.

Cara Fies looked at him, put down her spoon, took out a napkin to wipe her mouth, and threw one to Murphy, "I've been promoted to deputy director of Channel 6, still in charge of news."

Murphy looked at her in surprise; the promotion was too fast.

"Congratulations," he said.

"I should thank you," Cara Fies crossed her hands on the table, "Without the Bill Road incident, I might still be the head of the night news department. You helped me open this path."

Putting down his knife and fork, Murphy took a napkin and said bluntly, "How do you plan to thank me?"

After saying this, he deliberately gave Cara Fies a strange look, looking her up and down.

"I need a manager," Cara Fies didn't buy it, repeating her previous offer, "I need someone with drive, responsibility, and a willingness to take risks."

Murphy thought for a moment, "If my project fails, I'll consider it."

Cara Fies shrugged, saying nothing more.

The person across from her had helped her a lot, and she admired him. They had a certain level of friendship, so she prepared a backup plan for him.

Murphy understood this, and Cara Fies knew he understood her meaning.

The two gradually fell silent, occasionally exchanging glances. Not far from Murphy, a pair of bright eyes occasionally looked over.

Carey Mulligan sat in a high-backed chair, scooped up a spoonful of beans, and swallowed it without chewing. James Franco, sitting at the same table, immediately reminded her, "Hey, eat slowly, be careful not to choke."

"Mind your own business!" Carey Mulligan glared at James Franco and asked the intern on her left, "Paul, who is that woman?"

"Which one?" Paul Wilson didn't know who she was talking about.

Carey Mulligan indicated with her eyes, "The one sitting across from Murphy."

Paul Wilson shook his head, "I don't know her either."

"I know her," James Franco interjected, "I know her."

"Who is she?" Carey Mulligan couldn't help but ask, "Is she Murphy's girlfriend?"

"No..." James Franco subtly belittled, "Murphy has put all his money into our film and is now a pauper. Which woman would be foolish enough to like him?"

"That's Murphy's ambition!" Carey Mulligan defended, "Daring to pursue his goals no matter what."

James Franco gave a slightly mocking smile, "Ha ha..."

Carey Mulligan immediately glared at him, "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Hey, dear," James Franco said, dissatisfied, "Don't forget, I got your lunch box for you, and I prepared the water you drank this morning..."

"I didn't ask you to do it!"

Before he could finish, Carey Mulligan interrupted him, "If you didn't want to do it, no one forced you."

"I'm going to get ready," she jumped off her chair and walked to the temporary makeup room.

After seeing off Cara Fies, Murphy announced the start of the afternoon work, but the challenges remained numerous.