The Actor's Road

"Is this place out of focus during filming?"

Sitting in the editing room, looking at the film's filmed part, Theron suddenly asked Clark.

"It's the blurred background, and the characters are prominent; what an obvious place."

Regarding her question, Clark reprimanded her with some dissatisfaction.

Typically, actors are not allowed to enter places like the editing room, but sometimes there are exceptions. Theron and Levi have a good relationship, and she sometimes goes overboard, and no one will say anything. As far as Clarke is concerned, even if she enters the editing room, it is still acceptable as long as she keeps quiet.

Sensing Clark's dissatisfaction, Theron stopped talking. She knew that although Levi could allow her to enter the editing room because of her curiosity, in this room, even Levi had to give way to Clark — this is Clark's job, and even a director must respect an editor's work.

Theron also knew this but still couldn't restrain her curiosity sometimes. Since entering the editing room and looking at the part of the movie that has been edited, her curiosity has become more and more apparent.

If you just browse through this movie roughly, you will likely ignore quite a lot of details, but if you analyze it carefully, you can see the highlights of the details.

Theron didn't pay attention to many things during filming because the film was cut into many scenes while shot, but watching the connected movie in the editing room is another matter.

The police officer appears on the roof, and what is filmed is not his shadow walking on the roof but on the glass wall. Almost illusory shadows; two undercover agents looked at their own shadows in the mirror and saw their own shadows on the wind chimes, all kinds of images.

Repeatedly intertwined, three of the four protagonists died, and each died so succinctly, but not as much as when a supporting character died; the elevator, between straight up and down, seemed to communicate with hell instead of the rooftop. The date on the tombstone, the date when the two people first met, the weird arrangement...

Those things didn't feel like much when the movie was being shot. What the actors see is an unformed movie, and many of the director's intentions are still difficult to understand. But sitting in the editing room and looking at the edited parts of the film is an entirely different feeling.

The virtual image in the mirror represents the contrast between real and fake life, the meaning of the elevator should be a direct link between life and death, and the sudden death of the protagonist represents the impermanence of life...

The deep meaning behind these things will take shape once edited. Looking at these clips, it can actually remind people of the meaning of life.

This movie is definitely more than a simple commercial film.

For a movie, the lens language is where the director speaks. What to shoot and what kind of things to use to represent your own meaning are the differences between a good director and a bad one.

Theron also expressed some emotion: people say the film Levi shot is a commercial movie. But these details are not at all like the treatment of a commercial film, but more like the seriousness of an art film.

As a director, Levi has become highly proficient in using various lens languages.

Just looking at these shots, Theron can tell, too. The difference between a famous director and a small director. As a great director, what he wants to do is no longer tell a smooth story. Instead, what he wants to do more is to give the film a core - this has nothing to do with business or literature. It is the pursuit of the director.

"Nick seems to be paying more attention to this movie than the previous movies." Looking at the camera of the movie, Theron suddenly said.

Clark didn't answer; he just nodded slightly without even looking back at Theron. How serious Levi is, as an editor, he knows it all too well, and who can understand every shot of the movie better than him?

Clark didn't answer, nor did Theron expect it. She also just browsed silently without opening her mouth.

Not long after, the door was suddenly pushed open. Theron turned her head and saw Levi walking in with a smile.

"Is the Oscar luncheon fun?" Theron stood up and greeted him.

"It's meaningless, just flattering each other and putting on a show in front of the media." Levi hugged her, "I only smiled when I saw you."

"What a sweet mouth." Theron rolled his eyes at him and, at the same time, stopped his further actions: After all, this was still in the editing room, "How about it? How many nominations did your film get?"

Levi was at the Oscars luncheon — as a very profitable award, the Oscars make things quite complicated. Various skirmishes are the first hurdle, and luncheon nominations are the second hurdle. This time, participating in the luncheon is to learn about his own films and how many nominations he has won.

"Best picture, best director, best soundtrack, best original screenplay, best art direction, a total of five nominations - this is the most miserable time for me."

Five nominations for any movie are not bad at all. However, for Levi, this is indeed his most miserable Oscar journey - the previous two times, he received far more nominations than this, and this time the nominations are too few.

"There is no best photography and best editing?" Clark, on the side, discovered something.

"No."

Clark nodded and said nothing.

Apparently, the Oscars aren't all that fair, either. First of all, because Jim Carrey made jokes about Oscar many times, and he was too nonsense, Oscar was afraid that his grand ceremony would be disturbed by him, so he was not invited to participate in the Oscar. Secondly, the Academy obviously does not want Levi to win the best picture for two consecutive years, so it also set up some obstacles for Levi. Without nominations for best photography and best editing, winning the best film is undoubtedly a challenge.

"It's a pity, Jim Carrey performed well in this movie, and the filming was okay, what a pity..."

"Five nominations is not too small." Theron was a little dissatisfied with the conversation between the two.

It's infuriating - they already have five nominations for their film, and it's less? Among the movies he has filmed, apart from The Lives of Others, only The Cider House Rules, which she participated in recently, has such a reputation. These guys have already received five nominations and are still picky.

"I'm not unhappy. I'm just sighing. Those people in the Academy are really too much. Oscar's reputation won't be much better if things go on like this." Levi said, and Clark also nodded, nodding his head to agree. Perhaps for others, the Oscar is a symbol of honor, but for these guys who go to the Oscar almost every year, they don't need the affirmation of the Oscar. On the contrary, their identities can deny the Oscar.

"No matter how bad its reputation is, it is still the Oscar, and there will still be people willing to go." Theron glanced at them and retorted.

The two guys in front of her go to the Oscars every year, so they naturally have such confidence, but it is really unforgivable to say this to herself, who has never been nominated.

"Charlize, this question is exactly what I want to ask you." Levi's smile narrowed, "Are you interested in going to the Oscars with me?"

Oscars... There was a smile on her face, and Levi's ability to propose this invitation was enough to make her very happy.

However, she shook her head resolutely and rejected his invitation, "I won't go, I told you I'm a movie actor, and I can accompany you to attend the Oscar party, but I will definitely not go to the Oscars. If I want to go, it's not like I don't have a crew, but I won't go."

Theron is still as proud as she was two years ago... Although Hollywood has not fully appreciated the movies, she acted in in the past two years. Of course, people still regard her as a vase more than an actor, but she has not forgotten her desire to pursue acting skills.

"You can find someone else to go. Among your friends, is there anyone willing to go with you?"

Theron's question seemed to be an understatement, but it was pretty meaningful. Clark was behind her, shaking his head at Levi, telling him not to admit it.

But Levi just smiled and said, "I remember Ms. Bündchen mentioned to me that she was very interested in this kind of banquet."

"Giselle Bündchen? Is that a model with a good figure?" Theron's facial expression changed. She couldn't have a good expression when other women's names were mentioned. She didn't know the relationship between Levi and Bündchen, and she was smart enough to never ask, but no matter what Levi said, she would not be pleased.

But doubts are doubts. She can clearly distinguish the priorities of things. Gisele Bündchen is the host of America's Next Top Model. She often shows her face in public, which greatly benefits Enigma Company's programs.

Levi was serious about his career, and Theron made no mistake about it. Maybe he was thinking about his career?

"She's a model; she can go wherever she wants; I'm not like her. I'm an actor; if you really want me to go to the Oscars, shoot a movie with me after this movie is done."

Having said that, Theron still spoke to Levi slightly provocatively. When other women were mentioned, she still couldn't calm down. Therefore, at this time, it is also good to make some demands on Levi.

But looking at her, Levi laughed.

"It's settled like this - after I finish filming this movie, the next movie will definitely belong to you."

*****

Thanks and kudos for my patreons

Cherif Doghri

Scott DePaepe

MMMCMXCIX, or 3,999

Britanna

Mandy G

Adam LV

The Main Man

You can read advanced chapters on my Patreon account: https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.