Made In Hollywood

Looking at the past, although Liam Neeson was the only one in the crew who truly became a first-tier actor in the future, the others, even after ten more years, could still be considered some of the more outstanding second-tier actors.

According to the script, the film is divided into three storylines: the two main ones are the police officers Michael and James, and the robbers Larry Eugene Phillips and Emil Dekbal Matasalino, with Liam Neeson, Don Chandler, Jason Statham, and Gerard Butler playing the four roles. Then, there is the subplot with the mother-daughter duo, Catherine and her daughter…

The names of the mother and daughter were not unfamiliar to Duke. The actress playing the daughter was Ellen Page, though given her young age, it was hard to tell if she was the same person he remembered.

The actress playing her thirty-year-old mother, though she would likely never gain much fame or status in Hollywood, was extremely well-known in the East, much like an Asian diva. She was Catherine Beckinsale, or as it would be called in American terms, Kate Beckinsale.

Of course, Duke didn't find anything extraordinary about such an actor lineup. If you watched Hollywood movies or even Broadway and overseas theater productions, you'd often see a lot of familiar faces.

For example, Duke remembered that Natalie Portman, when she was a child, once served as a backup in Britney Spears' musical, and after patiently waiting for Britney to leave, Christina Ricci stole the chance to make her appearance.

Hollywood stars, especially those who started as child stars, likely couldn't even recall how many famous stars they had crossed paths with before they made a name for themselves.

In the midst of all the busyness, more than half of September passed, and after finalizing the actors for Critical Emergency, Duke insisted that all the main cast members stay in Wellington for preparation work and early rehearsals. Actors like Liam Neeson, Don Chandler, Jason Statham, and Gerard Butler also had to undergo a series of firearm and other training.

Compared to the Lord of the Rings crew next door and the finished The Matrix, the training for Liam Neeson and others was much simpler.

They only underwent basic training in handling guns, shooting, and police lingo, and even the oldest, Liam Neeson, didn't find it particularly strenuous.

"Compared to training, I find the dramatic scenes more troublesome," Liam Neeson said, standing with Duke as they watched two robbers learning to use AK rifles.

Duke pulled his attention away from Jason Statham and Gerard Butler and looked curiously at the taller Liam Neeson.

"A sharp, capable police officer with a rebellious daughter who needs to quit her drug addiction."

Remembering the character setting in the script, Liam Neeson spread his hands. "The father-daughter relationship is extremely tense and could break at any moment. It really is a unique experience."

"In Hollywood, behind every successful hero..." Duke crossed his arms and glanced back at the training area, "there's always a broken family."

Liam Neeson, a veteran in Hollywood, understood immediately and said, "And then the hero uses his actions to save his career and reclaim his family and relationships."

"Exactly," Duke laughed. "There's one emotion that resonates with everyone—family and relationships."

After chatting for a while, Liam Neeson checked his watch and excused himself. "I've arranged to meet a father whose daughter has a drug history. He might be able to help me."

Duke nodded approvingly as Liam Neeson walked off.

People outside the circle see the glamorous and carefree side of Hollywood stars, but how many know the effort they put in behind the scenes?

Not to mention a dedicated actor like Liam Neeson, even Jennifer Love Hewitt, who played his daughter, frequently visited a drug rehabilitation facility in the suburbs of Wellington through connections provided by the crew. She spent time talking with young girls there to prepare for her role.

By the afternoon, Duke also left the set and, accompanied by John Schwartzman, Hannah Serena, and production manager Dario Moan, went to several filming locations in the western suburbs of Wellington to inspect the spots for the upcoming shoot.

Since the film would be shot in Wellington, several key scenes would be shot on outdoor sets. The most important scene, in front of an American bank, required building several scenes that were difficult to recreate. These would be shot using green screen techniques, and in post-production, the background would be replaced.

With the development of CGI technology, the cost of green screen techniques was steadily dropping. Aside from the gunfight scenes, the film didn't require many special effects.

"John, when shooting outdoor scenes," Duke said, standing by the road next to typical Western-style houses and several conspicuous signs indicating Wellington, speaking to his cinematographer, "try to use close-up shots. No wide-angle shots, our budget is limited."

"I understand," John Schwartzman nodded.

After inspecting two residential areas and three main roads, Duke and the others left the western suburbs of Wellington and returned to the set.

They had already inspected the locations a few times. After this last visit, they confirmed the outdoor shooting spots. Duke, John Schwartzman, and Hannah Serena exchanged opinions, especially about the places that needed to be redesigned, and Hannah was instructed to make changes based on Duke's requirements.

Back at the set, Duke then went to a studio where the Lord of the Rings crew had begun actor training to check on their progress.

At this stage, the main actors involved in training were Viggo Mortensen, Sean Davis, Orlando Bloom, and other members of the Fellowship of the Ring, along with their stunt doubles. The training mainly focused on horseback riding, physical fitness, running, and swordsmanship and archery.

According to Duke's plan and the actual preparation progress, shooting for The Lord of the Rings wouldn't begin until April or May next year. Most of the main actors and stunt performers had already been confirmed, but others wouldn't join the set until closer to the shoot.

Some of the actors still had other commitments. For example, Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf, had also been cast as Magneto in the 20th Century Fox film X-Men.

Although Duke frequently interacted with these main actors, he didn't want to disturb their training. Instead, he found the assistant director, Anna Prinz, who was in charge of this area.

"How are you doing with finding the stunt doubles?"

Upon hearing Duke's question, Anna Prinz immediately responded, "Charles' assistant contacted a circus and found four dwarf actors. From the photos sent, they should meet the requirements for Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin."

Duke nodded and reminded her, "Once they arrive, notify me immediately."

Various technical aspects, such as forced perspective shots, could make actors of different heights appear the same on camera. However, in scenes without clear close-ups, using actors of similar height to Hobbits was time-saving and efficient.

Duke stood by, watching the actors' training for a while before asking stunt coordinator Jamie Carter to come over.

After thinking for a moment, Duke said, "Jamie, can we adjust the archery slightly, as long as it's still within reason?"

"Adjust?" Jamie Carter asked. "Right now, Orlando is mainly practicing posture and accuracy."

"Accuracy isn't as important," Duke waved his hand. "Archery effects rely on editing and special effects. The props used are soft bows without any real power. What I need is for Legolas' archery to look stylish, and every time he pulls the bow, I want all the girls in the theater to scream."

"I got it," Jamie Carter replied confidently. "Don't worry, I'll redesign it."

As the sun set, a long day of work ended. The tasks for both films intertwined, and Duke's mind felt a little scattered. He walked to the parking lot, took his car, started the engine, and drove toward the hotel where he was staying.

The villa he had bought was still under renovation, so he wouldn't be able to move in for a while.

The hotel wasn't far from the set—only about a ten-minute walk—and the area around it was a relatively safe tourist zone in Wellington. As Duke drove by, he noticed several crew members walking toward the hotel.

Not far down the road, Duke saw a familiar figure ahead.

It was a female actress from the crew. She was wearing a white short shirt and tight blue jeans, paired with black laced long boots. Her brown long hair flowed behind her, occasionally fluttering in the wind.

She was tall and slender, her legs not only straight but astonishingly long. Even from behind, she could overpower the brilliant September spring sunshine in Wellington.

Duke slowed down. As his car approached, he honked. The tall woman on the sidewalk immediately turned around and looked in his direction. Duke waved at her through the windshield, then hit the brake. The car stopped just a little distance away from her.

"Hey, Kate."

The two had exchanged words about their roles over the past few days and had become familiar with each other. Duke opened the passenger door. "Hop in, I'll give you a ride."

Kate Beckinsale hesitated for a moment, but seeing Duke's sincere expression, she nodded slightly and got into the car, sitting in the passenger seat.

As she buckled her seatbelt, she said, "Thank you, Director Rosenberg."

"No problem," Duke started the car again and gradually accelerated. He glanced at her and said, "You can call me Duke."

Since the hotel wasn't far, just a few minutes later, they entered the hotel parking lot. After walking into the hotel and waiting for the elevator, Duke tentatively asked, "Would you like to join me for dinner?"

...

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