Chapter 499: Three Sneezes

"Clang!"

The thunderous sound echoed throughout the soundstage as Matthew pulled down a heavy iron shutter over a window, locking it securely. Moving to another window, he yanked the metal barrier with force, blocking out the setting sun's last rays.

"Clang!"

The metallic clash resonated again, severing the connection to the outside world. Matthew turned back and pulled down the third iron shutter, then picked up an M4A1 rifle from the table and headed towards the staircase.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Carl, the German Shepherd, barked loudly as he ran out of a room, following Matthew under the trainer's guidance.

Matthew exited the room, his expression somber, as if the sunset had drained all his vitality. Just as he stepped out, director Guillermo del Toro called out, "OK! That's a wrap on this scene!"

Del Toro then directed, "Prepare for the bathtub scene!"

As del Toro gave a thumbs-up in Matthew's direction, Matthew acknowledged it with a slight nod before heading into the bathroom.

Today was the first day of filming, and del Toro planned to shoot scenes where Matthew was alone and without dialogue—scenes that weren't too demanding, allowing Matthew to ease into his role and find his rhythm.

Matthew felt good about his performance. Over the past week, he had been adjusting his mindset. Since starting his acting career in 1999, he had amassed considerable experience. While he wouldn't claim to be a masterful actor, he was certainly competent.

Entering the bathroom, Matthew, clutching his automatic rifle, approached the bathtub. The trainer and Carl, the German Shepherd, were crouching by the tub, whispering. Matthew gently patted Carl's head, and the dog responded with a bark.

"Carl!" the trainer commanded, pointing to the bathtub.

The German Shepherd promptly jumped in and lay down at another signal from the trainer.

Without saying a word, Matthew climbed into the tub beside Carl. Unlike the dog, he curled up, clutching the M4A1 as if it provided a sense of security.

Suddenly, Carl stood up, its eyes shifting cautiously towards Matthew, almost wary.

Matthew sat up abruptly, locking eyes with the German Shepherd, prepared to defend himself. With his reflexes and training, he could send the dog flying with a single kick if it tried to attack, even from a seated position.

No matter if it was a filming partner, Matthew was ready to break the dog's legs if it dared to bite him.

The trainer immediately stepped in, soothing Carl by gently stroking its neck. "Carl, relax… relax..."

Matthew stood up and left the tub first. Lying next to a dog was part of an actor's basic professionalism, but calming the dog was best left to the experts.

He was unsure why Carl, who had been friendly until now, suddenly showed signs of hostility.

The trainer continued to calm the German Shepherd, but Matthew was reluctant to stay so close to the dog in the tub. Even with his quick reflexes, he might not dodge a sudden bite from the dog during filming.

Just then, Guillermo del Toro entered the bathroom. Matthew waved him over, and del Toro, moving his slightly rotund frame, approached.

"Guillermo," Matthew pointed to the tub, "there's a problem."

Del Toro glanced at the bathtub and asked, "The dog?"

Matthew felt an itch near his nose, lightly brushed it off, and noticed a dog hair on his hand. Shaking his head, he suggested, "I remember you guys made a batch of prop dogs modeled after Carl. How about we use those?"

As the biggest star on set, Matthew's request was reasonable. However, he remained courteous in his tone and manner.

He got along well with del Toro, who, unlike Francis Lawrence, didn't have any issues with him. Mutual respect between them was beneficial.

Del Toro didn't hesitate. He turned to his assistant director and instructed, "Have the German Shepherd stand down for now. Bring in the prop dog."

The trainer had no objections to the request, and soon the real German Shepherd was led off set. A props master then brought in a lifelike prop dog. This model was so realistic that its joints could move, allowing it to be posed like a real sleeping dog.

Matthew returned to the tub, lying next to the prop dog with his automatic rifle. He decided that for any future scenes requiring close contact, the prop dog would be used for both his and the real dog's safety.

Given Hollywood's advanced prop-making skills, there was no need to worry. The dinosaurs in "Jurassic Park," filmed in the early '90s, were all made with animatronics and then refined with CGI. Those effects still held up well today.

And that was technology from over a decade ago.

"Matthew…" del Toro's voice came from outside the tub. "Ready?"

Matthew, preparing himself emotionally, didn't respond verbally but gestured with his hand. The assistant director immediately called out, "I Am Legend, Scene 1, Shot 2, take one!"

Curled up in the bathtub, clutching the rifle and the prop dog, Matthew appeared to be asleep but visibly uneasy. Using his years of muscle control training, his brow twitched slightly, as if he were having a nightmare.

This shot didn't need to be long. Just as del Toro was about to call cut, Matthew abruptly sat up, sneezing three times in a row.

He waved to the people outside the tub, shaking his head. "It's okay, just a dog hair got up my nose."

Matthew looked towards where Bella Anderson was standing. She quickly brought over a cup of water, and he took a few sips.

Del Toro also approached, tilting his head in concern. "Are you alright?"

Matthew nodded slightly. "I'm fine."

He glanced at the prop dog, relaxing a bit. It was just a fake dog, after all.

Filming resumed, and Matthew once again curled up in the tub, holding the rifle. This time, del Toro called cut after less than thirty seconds.

Matthew got out of the tub and called the makeup artist over to clean any stray hairs on him. The crew then started rearranging the set to continue filming scenes depicting the protagonist's solitary existence in the post-apocalyptic world.

For the rest of the shoot, any scenes not requiring close interaction with the dog were filmed with the real German Shepherd. However, for all scenes involving direct contact, Matthew insisted on using the prop dog.

As a top-tier star, this request was well within reason.

Besides, since moving to the USA, Matthew had never had such close interactions with animals like cats or dogs. His previous experiences mostly involved walking Carl around the soundstage or studio lot.

As filming progressed, Matthew began to suspect he might have an allergy to dog hair. He frequently sneezed and had the on-set doctor check him out. The doctor advised avoiding direct contact with the German Shepherd.

Outside of filming, Matthew and del Toro frequently discussed the script and the character. Producer Akiva Goldsman had established the film's framework, granting del Toro some creative freedom within these bounds.

Though this freedom was limited, it allowed del Toro to infuse some of his style and ideas into the film.

As the almost sole character in the film, maintaining smooth communication with del Toro was crucial for Matthew.

Matthew knew his artistic skills were relatively limited. He needed to adapt to the crew and the director, rather than expecting del Toro to adapt to him.

Matthew was well aware that if the entire production followed his pace, "I Am Legend" would likely flop.

Through his interactions with del Toro, Matthew gained a deeper understanding of the film, the script, and his character.

In times of disaster, people yearn for heroes to restore peace and stability. When facing catastrophe, human resilience is revealed. The protagonist battles solitude and continuously overcomes himself to find solutions.

Another theme of the film is the importance of companionship or someone to talk to when facing loneliness. While the protagonist combats the undead, the real terror is the inner loneliness and darkness.

The protagonist is undoubtedly a typical Hollywood hero but is also human, experiencing his own emotions and moments of helplessness.

As del Toro eloquently put it, the character might seem to be going through the motions every day. The once bustling New York City is now desolate and forlorn. Loneliness is omnipresent. Danger is ever-present. Pain, isolation, despair, fear, and the uncertain future loom large. If the character focuses solely on these negatives, the film and the character would lose their meaning. The essence of such stories lies in the hope amidst darkness and the refusal to give up even in despair.

Matthew understood that while stars were crucial to commercial films, they were not everything.

Film was a collective art form, and actors were just one element. For an actor, landing such a role was a thrilling challenge and a growth opportunity. Even with the best acting skills and profound understanding of a character, a strong team was essential to manage all the other elements.

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