Nassau International Airport, the capital of the Bahamas.
Around the empty venue, several high-power bright lights illuminate the enclosed area of the airport as bright as day. This is already the third day that the crew has been stationed in Nassau International Airport for filming. The crew members of "Casino Royale" are nervously preparing Arranging the scenery for a play.
The scene filmed at this time is the first part of "Casino Royale", where Bond traced all the way to Miami International Airport and shattered the terrorist plot against Sky Arrow Airlines.
This part of the scene involves thrilling scenes such as car chases, gun battles, and explosions. It is relatively difficult to shoot. In order to avoid accidents that affect the filming process of the crew, Eric arranged the shooting of this part of the scene in the middle two weeks of the Bahamas shooting cycle. After filming this scene, the crew will continue with the unfinished literary drama.
Because this episode is a night scene, in order not to affect the normal operation of Nassau International Airport, after negotiation with the Bahamas, the crew can shoot in the designated area for eight hours from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. the next day.
The scene at the airport totals about ten minutes in the script. Among them, the six-minute action scene in which Bond prevents the bomber from crashing into the prototype of the Sky Arrow with a refueling truck can be regarded as a classic in the car chase scene.
In a short six-minute scene, the fight between Bond and the bomber, the release of the Sky Arrow prototype, the interception of the refueling truck by the police, the riots at the airport, and other branches are perfectly integrated through fast and sharp camera editing. In the stimulating soundtrack, as the refueling truck approaches the Sky Arrow prototype step by step, all audiences' minds will be firmly suspended in this situation. In the end, as the bomber detonates the bomb hung on him by Bond, With a bang, it was like an extremely suppressed and refreshing vent, which made people involuntarily feel a hearty sense of pleasure.
Of course, although this car chase scene looks very cool, it is extremely cumbersome to shoot. A large number of difficult shots usually take several hours just for preparation. The scheduling is a big test of the director's ability to control the field.
Before the shooting, Eric and his team had entered the airport for many times to study the shooting plan, and at the same time made fine adjustments to the shooting plan based on the shots in memory. Only two weeks after the filming started, the crew officially entered Nassau International Airport for shooting .
On a runway at the airport, Eric and Nicole Frank discussed with the special effects artist in the digital field the shooting location of the next shot.
This is a shot of the refueling truck rushing towards the prototype of the Sky Arrow and passing by a passenger plane that is diving and landing.
This shot is definitely not a real shot, and the landing airliner will be fully CG-produced in post-production. Nicole had just entered the battle in person and was hung in the air. It took two hours of repeated repetitions to complete the shooting of the subjective perspective of the pilot of the airliner. Later, this shot will be modified by the special effects team to the view inside the cabin.
What is about to be shot now is the moment when the passenger plane dives, a police car is blown up and thrown by the terrible reaction force of the passenger plane's engine.
Looking at the police car that has been installed on the pop-up device by the special effects artist, although it has been tested in other places before, there is no visual effect based on the scene after all.
Eric discussed with Nicole and the special effects team for a while, and he was a little uncertain. He hoped that a camera position could be placed on the route where the police car was thrown, and the effect of the police car rushing towards the camera after being thrown was displayed on the big screen. It looks more visually stunning. But it is also easy to cause the expensive camera to be crashed by the flying car. After hesitating for a moment, Eric said: "Temporarily stop shooting, first pop the car out to see the effect, and in addition, let someone adjust another prop car Come and spare."
The cheapest camera for the production crew is also worth more than 100,000 US dollars, while the average cost of the props and vehicles customized by General Motors for film shooting is actually only 5,000 US dollars. While Eric doesn't mind a camera or two being damaged during a shoot if necessary, it's something to be avoided if possible.
Following Eric's decision, the assistant producer in charge of props left the crowd to prepare a spare vehicle, and Eric, Nicole and others retreated to a safe position.
After the special effects artist confirmed that everything was ready, he pressed the remote control button of the pop-up device.
There was a muffled sound, and everyone nearby felt the ground under their feet tremble slightly. The police car on the elastic device flew into the air, and after being thrown seven or eight meters away, it slammed into the ground. Rolling forward, when the scene came to a complete stillness, the originally good-looking police car had turned into a mass of scrap iron, with various parts scattered all over the place.
Eric was not in the mood to feel any emotion about this scene. He hurried over with Nickel and others, and saw a shallow pit smashed into the concrete floor where the car landed.
Recalling the trajectory of the car flying just now, Eric walked a few steps near the shallow pit, then stood still, and asked the person in charge of the special effects team behind him: "Toby, can you determine the trajectory of the car every time it is thrown?" Are they all the same?"
A middle-aged white man named Toby probably saw Eric's intentions and said, "Although I can't guarantee it, I think the position you stand in should be regarded as relatively safe, and we can adjust it." Press down on the stress point of the chassis of the car, so that the trajectory of the car can be slightly deflected, and the seat will be safer."
"No need to deflect, just install it according to the position just now," Eric decided decisively, and then ordered all departments to prepare for the official shooting.
The special effects team began to install a new prop car on the elastic device. The scene crew quickly cleaned up the wreckage of the original car, and temporarily repaired the shallow pit that had just been smashed.
Eric and Nicole set up several camera positions together. In addition to the camera that threw the trajectory towards the police car, there were two other cameras that recorded the shot from different angles.
It was already forty minutes after everything was ready.
Eric stood in front of the monitor, checked the layout of several cameras for the last time, and then made an OK gesture to the director.
"Casino Royale, Act 54, Scene 7, Action!"
On the side camera, the refueling truck and another police jeep moved at the same time. A few seconds later, with the familiar tremor coming from under the feet, the police car on the ejection device was thrown out again.
Eric stared at the most critical position No. 3, and saw the car flying towards the camera. Immediately, the monitor screen suddenly went black as the rear of the police car approached infinitely.
Not far away, the rolling clang of the police car was still going on after it landed, and Nickel, who was standing beside Eric and also watching seat 3, couldn't help but blurted out: "Oh, my God, my Bonnie."
After the monitor screen went black, Eric had already looked up, because the shooting at the third camera position was more dangerous, the photographer did not operate it himself, but just fixed the camera on the corresponding camera position. At this time, the camera and its fixing bracket have been knocked apart, and it is estimated that it will be difficult to repair. In this case, the insurance company will not pay compensation.
Although he also felt sorry for the Kodak professional camera worth 150,000 US dollars, Eric looked at Nicole and said bitterly, "This camera has a name?"
Nicole and Eric walked towards that camera together, wanting to see if there was still room for saving that camera, their tone was still sad: "Of course, every camera I've ever used has a name."
"Oh, then I'm really sorry, but you should know that the first rule of the last days, don't name anyone or anything around you, it will make you weak."
Nicole came to the scene, picked up the camera lens that fell on the ground, and said to Eric: "Don't tell me that you will often have 'end of the world' on the filming scene in the future, then I will go crazy."
Others gradually gathered around, Eric patted Nicole on the shoulder reassuringly, and said to Toby, the head of the special effects team, apologetically: "Accidents are always inevitable, let's prepare again, I hope We can finish this set of shots smoothly next time."
Nicole found the film box on the camera from the mess, checked it, and said: "Eric, although the camera is broken, the film just shot should still be usable."
Eric took it over and took a look. There was no damage to the outside of the film box. However, Eric looked at his watch, and it was already 2:40 in the morning. Except for the present, several sets of shots planned for today have been completed. So he said: "Let's take one more shot, and call it a day when it's done. Everyone can go back to rest early today."
After a burst of cheers, everyone quickly got busy.
Although Eric did not adjust the camera position, there was no camera damage accident in the subsequent shooting, and the lens effect was satisfactory.
Although it was nearly half an hour before four o'clock, Eric still announced the end of work in advance.
After all, night shooting is a very exhausting thing. After simply arranging the affairs of the set, Eric took the speedboat back to his residence on Paradise Island, and fell into a deep sleep as soon as he was glued to the big bed.
Wake up on time at twelve o'clock noon.
He simply took a shower, changed into a set of casual T-shirt and trousers, left the residence, and walked towards the restaurant of the resort.
The sun was shining on Paradise Island at noon, and there were no people on the white sandy beach not far from the resort. Although summer is a good time for vacation in the Bahamas, tourists rarely stay outdoors after ten o'clock in the morning.
Although a large part of the crew was still resting, other shift workers showed up at the restaurant on time for lunch.
Eric walked through the trails of the resort, greeting passers-by from time to time. Miranda, who had just entered the restaurant and was chatting with Ivanka's mother and daughter, immediately waved to Eric excitedly.
After the release of the new issue of "VOGUE", Giselle quickly became famous in the fashion industry with her outstanding talent and qualifications, and soon received a series of cooperation invitations.
A few days after shooting that scene, Giselle and Alexander left the Bahamas in a hurry, only Ivanka, mother and daughter and Miranda stayed here, because the shooting schedule was reversed day and night these days, Eric did not see him for a few days After a few of them, it is estimated that they went to play on other islands in the Bahamas.
Eric walked over, rubbed Miranda's little head in a light pink dress, asked the waiter for a lunch, sat down and asked Ivana Zelnikova opposite: "Recently Did you have a good time?"
"Of course, thank you for your hospitality, Eric," Ivana Zelnikova said, and added: "By the way, Ivanka and I are leaving this afternoon, and this time I want to say goodbye to you of."
"Are you in such a hurry to go back, why don't you play for a few more days?"
Ivana Zelnikova said: "Ini's father called and said that he wanted to take her to Europe for vacation, so I had to send her back in advance."
"Oh, that's a pity," Eric looked at Ivanka, and said, "Where are you planning to go to in Europe? We happen to be going to Europe next month. Maybe we can meet again?"
Ivanka smiled shyly and said, "Norway, Dad said he would take us rafting."
"Norway," Eric shrugged regretfully, "then we might not be able to touch it."
Ivanka casually picked up the ice cream in front of her, looked at Eric, and whispered, "It's okay, Eric, next time you come to New York, you can come to my house as a guest."
Eric could feel a little hope in the girl's eyes, but he also realized that this invitation was more ordered by Donald, so he didn't care, nodded and said: "Okay, if I'm free, I will definitely go there .”
When Eric and Ivanka mother and daughter said this, Miranda listened obediently, but her eyes couldn't hide her envy.
Ivanka is about the same age as her, but it is only a summer vacation, but the other party can go around half a circle on the earth, almost going wherever she wants. Moreover, looking at the diamond-encrusted sterling silver bracelet on her wrist, Miranda sighed in her heart. It was given to her by Ivanka in the past few days. It was an ordinary sterling silver bracelet, of course she didn't mind, but This bracelet has a 'double C' logo on it. This is Chanel. Such a bracelet is estimated to cost thousands of dollars. It is said that it is just a very common gift for her 12th birthday.
Alas, when will I be able to live this kind of life.
Miranda glanced at Eric beside her, thinking with a little resentment.
Ivanka's mother and daughter's plane was at six o'clock in the afternoon. Although they were also boarding at Nassau International Airport, Eric couldn't spare time to see them off in person, so he didn't rush back to his residence after lunch. I deliberately chatted with them for a while.
It was already two o'clock in the afternoon when we returned to our residence.
Miranda followed Eric to his residence like a tail. Eric sat down on the sofa in the living room, turned on the TV, and waited for the assistant to deliver the documents in a while.
Seeing Miranda who ran to the refrigerator to get two bottles of juice and came over, Eric took a sip of the juice, put it on the tea table in front of him, and said: "They have all left, you should go back too Is it Los Angeles?"
"It's summer vacation now, Eric, and the filming of that TV series has already been finished, and I have nothing to do when I go back."
As Miranda spoke, she showed a pitiful little look on her face. She also took off her shoes and curled her two 'nine-month-old' long legs on the sofa, rubbing her knees against Eric's legs.
"Then go back to Australia, your parents must miss you very much."
"No, I don't want to go back," Miranda immediately shook her head, and then realized that it might be inappropriate to say that, as if she didn't miss her parents at all, although, this is the truth, after a pause, Miranda quickly added : "It's winter in Australia now, I'm afraid of the cold."
"Then you can't stay here all the time, everyone is so busy, there's no reason for you to hang around all the time."
Miranda rolled her eyes, put her arms around Eric's arm, leaned closer, and said, "Well, Eric, I want to visit Miami, and Orlando, I haven't been to Disneyland yet. "
These two cities are in Florida, which is adjacent to the Bahamas, and the airport scene being filmed is set at Miami International Airport.
However, Eric still frowned slightly, and said: "I don't worry about you running around alone, and I won't be able to explain to your parents then."
"Of course I'm not alone, Claire can accompany me."
Eric wondered: "Who is Claire?"
Miranda pouted dissatisfiedly: "Claire is the assistant assigned to me by the company. She came to the Bahamas with me. You have seen her before. Why did you forget?"
Eric recalled it, and then vaguely remembered the brown-haired white woman in her twenties who followed Miranda a few days ago. Although Miranda was arranged by Eric himself at ICM, the girl is not well-known after all. It is impossible for ICM to provide her with a long-term assistant, and it is impossible for Miranda herself to hire her. Someone came over to take care of her.
After thinking about it, Eric was about to say something when the doorbell rang.
Freed from Miranda's entanglement, Eric got up and went to answer the door. His assistant Peter Rich stood outside with a stack of documents.
"Come in," Eric turned sideways and let Peter Rich into the room.
However, as soon as Peter Rich walked in, he glanced at the sofa in the living room, and his footsteps were obviously hesitant.
Eric looked over suspiciously. A certain goblin was pretending to be busy arranging a pink dress that wasn't messy at all, and there was a slight panic in her eyes, as if she was afraid that others wouldn't misunderstand what she and Eric were doing just now. Same thing as shame.
"Hi, Peter, next time, good afternoon," Miranda was doing these small actions, and did not forget to say hello to Peter Rich. When Eric found Miranda in "DOLLY" magazine, it was Peter Rich who rushed to Brisbane handles this.
"Hi, Miranda," Peter Rich greeted awkwardly, wondering if he should leave for a while.
Eric glared at Miranda, and quickly made up his mind that he would not let the girl stay in the Bahamas anymore. Joy gave way to sorrow, and time to make trouble. Who knows what kind of mess this little fairy will make.
He's been too busy lately to have time to adjust this wild and unruly goblin.
"Let's go to the study," Eric said to Peter Rich, who was hesitating.
Passing by the sofa, looking at Miranda who was curled up on the sofa in the shape of a cute kitten, Eric knocked on her head casually, and said in the girl's painful cry: "Call that... Claire, wait for me and Talk to her."
When he came to the study, Eric sat down at the desk, and Peter Rich handed some documents to Eric, saying: "The box office of the first week of "Brave to Kill the Island" has come out, and the company is very satisfied An analysis of the film's box office performance."
From the first day of "Brave to Kill the Island", Eric already knew the news that the box office of this film was suppressed by Eddie Murphy's black comedy "Professor Fat".
At the beginning, Eric wondered if it was John Wu who suffered from the curse of his previous life again. After experiencing the success of several films, his life in Hollywood was exhausted. However, looking at the weekend box office data form in his hand, Eric realized that That should not be the case.
In the three-day weekend box office rankings, "Professor Fat" won the championship position with a box office of 30.13 million US dollars in three days, but the box office of "Into the Deadly Island" was 28.38 million, and the next third The three-day box office of "The Matrix" experienced a 37% drop in box office to $25.76 million due to the release of several new films.
From this data, it can be seen that although the box office is at a disadvantage, the gap between the box office of "Brave to Kill the Island" and "Professor Fatty" is only more than one million US dollars. Firefly's distribution department made a prediction based on this data According to reports, the box office of "Into the Deadly Island" should be around 42 million U.S. dollars in the first week.
Looking at the box office data in his hand, Eric asked Peter Rich: "I remember, "Into the Deadly Island" had a good reputation during the trial stage, right?"
"Yes, the comprehensive media score of "Into the Deadly Island" is around 7.5, and in the audience survey we arranged, the word-of-mouth is also very good. The media score of "Professor Fatty" is only 5.6," Peter Lee said. Qi didn't comment too much on "Professor Fatty". After all, if you lose at the box office, you lose. He continued: "The distribution department has probably calculated that the box office of "Into the Deadly Island" is not as good as that of "Professor Fatty". The reason, the information is below."
Eric found the document, looked up and noticed that Peter Rich was still standing respectfully opposite the desk, glanced around, but couldn't find the second chair, then gestured towards the sofa diagonally opposite, and said: " Sit down first, and I'll talk after I finish reading."
Peter Rich nodded, stepped back and sat down on the sofa.
Eric opened the information, and it turned out that it was the statistics of the age distribution of the moviegoers of "Into the Deadly Island" by the distribution department of Firefly, as well as a detailed comparison with the previous films directed by John Wu and the films of the same period in the summer. .
After reading these statistics, Eric roughly understood why the box office of "Into the Deadly Island" was relatively mediocre.
The key reason why the summer file becomes a popular time is that a large number of teenagers walk into the movie theater during the holidays. According to statistics, the annual summer box office data, the box office contribution from the student group under the age of 22 reaches 40%. , Only then did the summer file create an average box office total that is equivalent to two to three times that of other unpopular schedules.
It is also because of this that a film's success at the box office in the summer file largely determines whether it is loved by young people.
And this is precisely the short board of "Into the Deadly Island".
Although Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage, the two leading actors in "Into the Deadly Island", are Hollywood superstars, the two old men are not so attractive to teenagers, and there is no other character in the film. A vase heroine that is very attractive to teenage audiences. On the other hand, "Into the Deadly Island" explores the serious theme of the US government's unfair treatment of retired soldiers, and does not have the thrilling and eye-catching scenes of blockbusters such as the "Mission: Impossible" series.
Therefore, these have created the main reason why "Bravely Entering the Deadly Island" has a good reputation, but it cannot attract young audiences.
Among the comparative data, youths under 22 years old accounted for only 17% of the audience of "Into the Deadly Island", which is even far lower than the R-rated "Matrix" and "Matrix". The proportion of moviegoers in this audience range has reached 35%. At the same time, the ratio of moviegoers in "Brave to the Deadly Island" is also lower than several films such as "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" directed by John Wu.
Even so, "Into the Deadly Island" is definitely not a failure. Based on the word-of-mouth and box office data after the release, the Firefly distribution department made a box office estimate of 130 million in North America and 200 million overseas. In terms of production costs, Firefly can generally recover the cost at the box office.
"So, we lost after all, so," after reading the materials, Eric looked up at Peter Rich and asked, "Now, what's the reaction from Hollywood?" (To be continued.)