Chapter 42: Intimacy

[Chapter 42: Intimacy]

Three days before arriving in San Diego, Link guided Chris Barnes and two interior designers to rearrange the furnishings in the villa, including the sofa, dining table, chandelier, and bed.

Instead of simply replicating scenes from the original film, he adjusted everything based on his understanding of the script and his personal aesthetic, doing whatever was convenient for him.

During those three days, he lived with Monica Bellucci as a couple, waking up for morning exercises, cooking meals, playing tennis, and rehearsing lines, which deepened their intimacy.

However, every time Daniel DeVito saw them together, he hesitated to speak, his expression growing more serious each day. Link could guess his concerns, worried that the film might flop and negatively affect the company's future.

Regarding Daniel's anxiety, Link didn't offer explanations. He didn't say the movie was great, or that it had huge box office potential, nor did he explain that his interactions with Monica were essential for the plot. It hadn't been easy to explain before the film's release.

...

"Hey, how does my body look? Are my thighs too thick?"

Monica lounged on the sofa, holding a fashion magazine, lifting her leg and playfully kicking Link's leg with her toes.

"Not at all, very sexy."

Link fiddled with his recording equipment. The gear from the nineties didn't compare to what would come a decade later. The biggest challenge as a director was managing all the cumbersome equipment on set.

"How do you know that if you haven't even looked?"

"You're 5'8", weigh 132 pounds, and your measurements are 35-24-35. You have a tall, curvy figure. Just looking at the numbers, it's clear you're sexy."

"I'm down to 129 pounds. After I got the script from you, I started dieting and lost about three pounds."

"That's great."

Link continued tinkering with the gear.

"Link, you definitely don't have a girlfriend, do you?"

"How did you know?"

"With how much of a workaholic you are, only focusing on work and equipment, girls probably don't stand a chance to get close."

"I used to be broke; now I'm busy. I really have no time for a girlfriend."

"Want me to set you up with someone?"

Monica propped herself up, resting her chin on his shoulder while her warm breath tickled his ear, her soft body against his back making him a bit shaky.

"Sure, but I have high standards for a girlfriend."

"What kind of standards? Tell me."

"Beautiful, beautiful, and more beautiful."

"Come on, do you think I'm beautiful?"

Monica embraced him, turned her face towards him, and winked, her stunning features and perfectly shaped face nearly flawless.

"Very beautiful!"

"Thanks! We have a few kissing scenes in the film. Should we practice a bit now? I'm worried I might mess up when it's time to shoot."

Monica pouted her lips, making them appear even redder and more seductive.

"Alright, practicing a bit sounds good."

Link set down his recording device and casually pulled Monica close, wrapping an arm around her waist, leaning down to kiss her full lips.

Monica wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back enthusiastically. The temperature in the San Diego villa rose dramatically along with the chemistry between them.

Pulling away from the kiss after a moment, he heard footsteps coming from the stairs and released Monica, who had a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

...

"Link, the lights upstairs are ready. You should check them out."

Chris Barnes descended the stairs with two workers.

"Okay!"

Link headed upstairs to check on the lighting. Since most of the scenes in Paranormal Activity were shot in the bedroom, the lighting had to set the right mood.

It couldn't be too bright or too dark; they needed a cold, eerie color, like a forest under moonlight at night, to create a sense of horror.

After a thorough inspection, he guided the crew in making some tweaks to achieve the desired effect.

"Looks good. Monica, shall we start filming now?"

"I'm ready anytime."

Monica smiled, crossing her arms.

"Then let's get rolling. Chris, you and Daniel can take a break. I'll call you if I need you."

"Alright, we're out. You two enjoy your date -- err, I mean shoot -- nobody will bother you."

Chris winked at him.

Link chose not to explain further. After sending Chris and the others off, he and Monica began shooting.

...

"Scene one, take one, action!"

Beep beep beep!

Monica drove a red convertible back onto the property, and Link stood at the door with the camera ready.

"Hey, what's up?"

Link adjusted the camera's focus, aiming it at Monica in the car.

"What's that thing?"

Monica took off her sunglasses, peering at the camera in his hands.

"Hello, darling."

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, I'm not sure what model you want, but it's really handy."

Link moved to the front of the convertible to film Monica.

"I think that's a big camera. What did you do to that little handheld? Is it multi-functional?"

Monica gestured animatedly with her arms.

"Are you parking or are you just going to sit in the car and watch me?"

"Okay, I'll park."

Monica drove the car into the garage.

Link shot a few seconds of footage before returning to the living room. They had rehearsed the opening scene more than ten times, so when it came time to shoot, everything went smoothly.

Having spent these days together, their relationship had deepened, and Monica was more relaxed during her performance.

"Cut! Get ready for the second scene."

...

Time was limited; Link planned to wrap filming in seven days. The living room scenes needed to be completed in two days, leaving the remaining time for the eerie sounds and ghostly encounters in the bedroom.

"This house looks great and has amazing lighting."

Monica stepped inside, pulling the door shut behind her.

"Come kiss the camera."

Link called from behind the lens.

"I'm not doing that. How much did that camera cost? I'll kiss you instead."

Monica leaned in to kiss him.

Link turned the lens to capture their embrace, the kiss lasting four or five seconds.

"Do you think this camera is useful?"

"Yes, with this camera, we can capture real-time supernatural events as they happen."

Link pointed the camera down a dimly lit hallway, avoiding the dark staircase leading upstairs.

After the opening scene, he placed the camera in the kitchen, starting to cook while filming, like live streaming in the early internet days.

Before personal live streaming was a thing, this form of filming seemed innovative and heightened the immersion, increasing the horror effect. This was one reason why Paranormal Activity, despite its rough production quality, attracted many viewers when it hit theaters.

"Are we recording everything?"

Monica asked from beside the sink.

"No, we just need to capture what's happening to us. If someone encounters similar supernatural occurrences, we can help them handle it."

Link sliced meat and vegetables on the cutting board.

"Then we're going to keep reliving those spine-chilling events -- way too scary."

"You should understand that if things go well, as long as we record what's happening with this camera, we can figure out what's going on. As long as we find the cause, we can deal with it."

Link waved the knife in a determined manner.

"We have to get rid of it for good."

"Exactly! No matter what it is, let's clean it up. If it's the neighbor's kid bothering you at night, peeking through the window or something, we've got the evidence to teach him a lesson."

"That's impossible unless that kid has been stalking me since he was eight."

"That sounds creepy."

While filming in the kitchen, Link worried they might not have enough footage. He filmed continuously for an hour, showcasing everything from washing veggies to chopping and frying, until dinner was ready.

...

"Link, this food looks great."

Monica looked at the table filled with spaghetti with meat sauce, shrimp and vegetable soup, and half an egg pie for each person, all beautifully presented.

"Give it a try."

Link and Monica sat down to eat.

"Wow! So good."

Monica took a bite of her egg pie, her eyes squinting with delight, letting out an appreciative hum.

"If you like it, eat more!"

"What if I gain weight?"

"Don't worry. The female lead is just an ordinary college student. You just need to blend in, not look like a model. A little extra weight here and there isn't a problem."

These lines weren't part of the script, but to achieve a better performance, they casually chatted during filming, throwing in improvised lines. They discussed whatever came to mind, planning to edit it later with minimal impact.

"Link, does this actually count as shooting a movie? It's like home video compared to my past film experiences."

Monica said, glancing at the camera as she munched on her spaghetti.

"Don't worry, it's definitely a good movie."

"Now the industry and the media are very curious about what your second film will be. If they found out we were making it this way, they'd be shocked."

"Let them think what they want; we just focus on filming and let them be surprised when the movie comes out."

"I believe in you."

Monica rested her chin on her hand, smiling brightly as she clinked her juice against his.

*****

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