Hollywood: Lights, Ink, Entertainment!

…..

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Scene 22: Bill's and Cobb's First Confrontation.

Extras: 6 people walking the streets (no dialogue) and 1 with a long shot (no dialogue).

Bill: Two lines of dialogue.

Cobb: One line.

====

Despite its outward simplicity, the scene was deceptively ambitious.

Regal had planned it as a single, one-minute, twenty-two-second-long take - a single, unbroken shot that demanded flawless precision and focus from everyone on set.

For a debut director, it was a bold, some would say reckless, move.

Long takes like this had fallen out of favor in recent years, not because they were impossible, but because they were draining.

Modern filmmaking offered easier alternatives. The sequence could be broken into manageable segments, filmed separately, and pieced together in post-production.

It would save time, energy, and a fair share of frustration.

Most viewers wouldn't even notice the difference.

But Regal wasn't interested in taking the easy route - not for this scene.

The fluid choreography, the raw immersion, the authenticity that only a continuous take could deliver.

Every step, every glance, every subtle shift in emotion had to flow naturally, uninterrupted - this wasn't about convenience.

It was about creating something that felt real.

And it wasn't just him who felt the pressure - the entire crew, though small, shared the tension in the air.

"Alright." For one last time, Regal once again leaned into the camera, ready to follow the actors. "One, two, and ACTION!"

The command echoed, snapping everyone into motion.

…..

[-A Few Minutes Before-]

.

Seren finished her final inspection of the extras' costumes before making her way to where the main cast was resting.

In her hand was a small camera handed by Regal, that had photos of Keanu and Andrew in their respective costumes.

Apparently her task was to maintain something called 'continuity' - a crucial part of ensuring that the costumes and the makeup looked consistent between shots.

After each scene wrapped, she was responsible for taking updated photos to use as references for the next day's filming.

As Seren approached, her eyes landed on Regal, who was finishing a conversation with Keanu and Andrew.

"Good." He nodded, informing them. "I will set up the next shot and call you both in when it's ready."

With that, he stepped away, immediately engaging in a brief conversation with someone named Darren.

Meanwhile, Keanu and Andrew shifted their focus, visibly preparing to immerse themselves in their roles.

Seren didn't waste any time. She moved closer to the duo, her eyes scanning their costumes, checking for any discrepancies or damages beyond what had been intentionally designed.

Satisfied, she gave a slight nod of approval.

"Looks good. Thanks for cooperating, both of you." She said before stepping back.

As she finished, Darren wrapped up his discussion with Regal and approached the duo, filling them in on their designated marks and movements for the upcoming scene.

Seren took a step back, her task finally complete. Without a word, she moved to the edge of the set, letting the flurry of activity unfold around her while she quietly observed from a distance.

It was then her eyes landed on Grace, who stood nearby, seemingly absorbed in what looked like scene notes.

Seren's brows furrowed slightly in thought.

Wasn't she done for the day? She clearly recalled Grace mentioning earlier that her scenes were finished and had even seen her remove her makeup.

Yet, here she was, poring over the notes with a focused expression.

Still, Seren didn't comment.

She was far too tired after the nonstop moving around she had done all day. The thought of any further exertion made her shoulders ache.

"He better pay me well for all the work I did, or else he is going to die in my hands." She murmured, her frustration slipping out.

Though she was grumbling about wrapping up her tasks, assigned by none other than her brother, the director, there was a faint sense of futility lingering in her mind.

Most of the work was already completed, or more precisely, her brother had already taken care of it.

He was obsessively meticulous about the costumes his actors wore. Precautions, double-checks, detailed instructions - he handled it all even before the shoot began.

Yet, despite that, she still found herself questioning: Was this normal?

Would most directors go to such lengths, or was her brother just absurdly fastidious, nitpicking over every small detail?

The thought circled her mind briefly before she dismissed it with a small shake of her head. It wasn't her place to know, and frankly, she didn't care to find out.

Her attention shifted back to Grace, still focused on the scene notes in hand.

For a moment, Seren's gaze softened.

She couldn't help but think: She is really beautiful.

Her gaze lingered for a fleeting moment before her womanly instincts kicked in.

Immediately, her focus shifted toward her brother, standing behind the camera.

Regal Seraphsail.

Her brother was living his dream, and it was written in every movement he made and every glance he cast.

It hit her then, this was the happiest she had ever seen him - though he never smiled all day she could tell it.

The thought brought a faint smile to her lips.

With that realization, the fatigue in her body and the lingering doubts in her mind melted away… if only for now.

She watched him for a few more moments.

Regal's eyes were glued to some intricate part of the camera, something she couldn't name or even pretend to understand.

He had mentioned a couple of days before with Keanu that he was both directing and handling the camera work himself.

It didn't seem like a big deal, definitely not the way Regal had casually brushed it off.

Her gaze shifted again, this time drifting toward the actors on set.

That's when her boyfriend caught her attention.

She hated to admit it, but she recognized that same madness in Keanu's eyes - the same relentless drive her brother had for filmmaking.

In the days leading up to the auditions and throughout the movie's preparation, he had worked himself to the bone.

She had helped a little, though not much.

In fact, she had assumed that her silence and patience were the best kind of support she could offer.

Still, it was hard to ignore the parallels.

The way he threw himself into every detail, every line, every moment, it was uncanny.

Just like her brother.

…and just like someone else she knew all too well.

They might have a passion for this world, but she knew how easily it could consume people.

It wasn't as intense yet, not quite. But she could sense it, simmering beneath the surface.

"What do you think… of him?" Seren blurted out, glancing at Grace, who stood like a statue, her sharp eyes fixed on the activity on set with an unreadable expression.

Grace didn't answer immediately. Her stoic demeanor gave away a flicker of hesitation, just enough for Seren to notice.

Ah, so she's just nervous around new people.

It didn't take long for Seren to piece it together, what had taken Regal half an hour of auditions to figure out.

Dealing with people like Grace? That was her specialty.

Rule one: Don't give them a chance to retreat. Keep them talking, no matter what.

It wasn't exactly a sophisticated strategy, more like sheer persistence, but it worked more often than not.

"Whom exactly?" Grace finally responded, unsure.

"Both." Seren pointed out with a shrug.

"I am jealous of one… and I admire the other." Grace answered, in a measured tone, as if carefully considering each word.

It wasn't hard to guess who belonged to which sentiment - jealousy for Keanu and admiration for Regal.

"I meant their skills." Seren rolled her eyes in clarification.

Grace tilted her head slightly. "True. But wasn't my answer closer to what you really wanted to know?"

…?That stopped Seren in her tracks.

Her eyebrows twitched as the realization hit, Grace had her completely pegged.

Caught red-handed.

Before Seren could respond, Grace added. "You don't have to worry. Regal's far too focused on work to care about anything, or anyone, on set."

Grace deliberately omitted any mention of Keanu.

It wasn't lost on Seren that Grace was subtly steering the conversation away from him, likely because she had picked up on Seren's true 'concern'.

Keanu, it seemed, was never even part of the equation in this exchange - he was already out of market.

Seren let out a warm laugh, shaking off the tension. "That's just a nice way of saying he is a pain, isn't it?

.

…..

[To be continued…]

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

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