"...Look, in this sequence, the camera will be positioned behind you at a slight angle, capturing the other people in the room from the back of your head."
"And then."
"It will move in a clockwise arc, starting with your mother and then your father. During this, your grandmother and the lawyer will keep crossing the frame, following a set path, creating interference."
"Pay attention—you need to appear as if you're searching for your father with your eyes."
"Next, the camera will pause at shoulder height on your left side, completing the clockwise movement, and finally capturing your expression head-on."
"So, do you have any questions about this shot's path?"
The filming continued.
From morning to afternoon, they were still inside that apartment in Queens. The shooting route had moved from the kitchen to the living room and finally to the bedroom of the Abagnale couple, setting the stage for the climax of the day's scenes—the most challenging and crucial part.
Because of this, Steven personally explained the entire camera position, track, and composition to Anson, ensuring that Anson understood how the three-dimensional space would be presented on screen. Only by doing so could Anson deliver the right performance at the right moment—Steven, after all, remained meticulous, with every actor's position and space within the frame being crucial.
Anson was in top form.
The entire day of filming had gone smoothly, and he was still very much in the zone. It didn't take much effort for him to grasp the image Steven had in mind.
Nodding lightly to show he understood, Anson asked, "And the performance? Do you have any specific direction?"
Steven shrugged slightly. "Surprise me."
With that, he patted Anson on the shoulder and walked away without saying more—there were clearly many details that still needed arranging for this scene.
This was the last scene of the day and also the final scene to be filmed in New York. Everything before this had been building up to it, preparing for this moment.
The divorce scene.
The thing young Frank feared most had finally come to pass: the Abagnale family couldn't hold together and had sadly fallen apart. For young Frank, it was a crushing blow.
But what was even worse was that, because he was underage, his custody had yet to be decided—would he choose his father or his mother?
Steven was capturing this very dilemma in the scene.
Just moments earlier, young Frank had learned of his parents' divorce.
Now, he had to choose between them.
Because of this, Steven's design and direction brought young Frank's inner turmoil and confusion to life, with auditory and visual disturbances emphasizing how his familiar world was falling apart.
Naturally, the performance was especially crucial—
This scene marked the turning point.
In Frank Abagnale Jr.'s autobiography, it was after this divorce that he couldn't accept reality and chose to run away from home. While staying in a motel, he saw a flamboyant pilot coming and going, which captivated him. He decided to become a pilot, but he didn't want to go through the hassle of flight school—it was too much trouble. So, he began to forge his identity.
Thus began an unbelievable criminal journey.
So, what exactly did young Frank experience in this scene?
In the past, Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed this scene with anger and fear, showcasing a teenager's instinctive reaction.
Accurate, but not nuanced.
More importantly, Anson didn't want to replicate DiCaprio's performance—he was Anson, not DiCaprio, and their understanding of the character was naturally different.
That's why Anson had asked Steven earlier, but it was clear that Steven wasn't interested and left the decision up to Anson.
Unintentionally, Anson began to recall the time when he was 25 years old and found out that his father's business had gone under. Overnight, he and his mother were left homeless, with no time even to pack their belongings. They were thrown out like dogs, surrounded by neighbors whispering ugly rumors. What state was he in?
Anger? Fear?
No, it wasn't like that.
When you go through something like that, you realize that everything happens too suddenly and violently; there's no time for anger or fear. The first reaction is confusion, and the second is bewilderment, with no room to deny reality.
They were like headless flies, swept along by a powerful current. Any resistance or fight seemed weak and helpless, and before they knew it, they were engulfed by the overwhelming waves.
So, in the script, the scene after the divorce is a running sequence.
It's not the kind of spirited run you see in Japanese movies, but rather an escape, a release, a helpless dash. As if by distancing himself from the whirlpool, he could pretend none of it had happened, or at least delay the inevitable. He was fleeing from the harsh reality chasing after him—
Steven knew this feeling couldn't be accurately described in words, nor was he sure what kind of performance would convey it in layers, but he understood how to capture it with the camera's movement, using instinctual running to portray it.
In other words, the third reaction was denial and escape.
Layer by layer; step by step.
His thoughts swirled in his mind, and before he knew it, Anson had quietly calmed down.
At this moment, looking back on the memories of his past life didn't bring pain, but rather a sense of disorientation. Those events that had truly happened felt unreal, like a dream playing out before his eyes. He watched this "movie" of his previous life, but the figure of his past self seemed utterly unfamiliar.
Yet, his heart slowly sank, submerged in the bitter sea of those memories.
"Are you okay?"
Suddenly, a voice broke through like a clap of thunder, pulling him out of his thoughts. Anson refocused and saw the face in front of him.
It was Nathalie Baye. The actress, who had won the prestigious César Award in France four times and claimed the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival in 1999, was now fifty-three years old. Having been in the industry for many years, like Christopher Walken, she was a seasoned and powerful actor. She was also one of the discoveries Steven and Tom had made during their visit to Paris—
She was playing Paula Abagnale, young Frank's mother.
Her greeting, spoken in French with a soft and gentle tone, brought Anson back to the present.
Anson was slightly taken aback, then offered a smile. "Just getting into the zone, you know, trying to awaken some memories."
Nathalie gently lifted her chin. "Method acting?"
She understood immediately—no wonder she was a seasoned professional.
Nathalie sat down beside Anson. "Relax. You've been performing wonderfully today. There's no need to dig up those old memories. Just go deeper into the emotions you've been building today. Those feelings accumulate gradually."
"You're just a child—you don't know what's happening."
A simple statement, yet it hit the core of the matter.
Anson nodded slightly. "Thank you."
Nathalie had been worried she'd overstepped. She'd felt today's collaboration had gone well and wanted to offer some help, but she had overlooked that American actors often have distinct personalities, each believing their own approach is unique and rejecting outside advice. However, she hadn't expected Anson to respond so openly and sincerely.
Nathalie was momentarily stunned, feeling a warmth inside. "Just trust yourself. You've got this."