"Cut!"
Steven's voice came from the hallway outside. The paper-thin walls did nothing to block the sound, so everyone in the bedroom, where the scene was being filmed, could hear him clearly. The next second, they could hear what he said next.
"No issues, let's move on to the next shot."
Simple and clear.
With Steven's words, the atmosphere on set noticeably lightened. You could see the joy in people's eyes as they exchanged glances. The toughest scene was almost done, and they could finally clock out on time.
The "divorce announcement" scene had indeed been challenging. It required perfect coordination between the actors, and everything from lighting to cameras to sound had to go off without a hitch. Even though they'd rehearsed, it was still a test.
They had already gone through seven takes for various reasons.
The eighth take had just wrapped. Without a doubt, this scene had been the most difficult and challenging one since the start of the "Catch Me If You Can" shoot, making everyone on set a bit tense.
So when Steven announced it was good, the whole crew was visibly relieved.
However, there was one exception—Anson.
Natalie had been by Anson's side the entire time and remained there for the next shot. She noticed the hesitation in his expression.
"What's up?" Natalie asked.
Anson hesitated.
Natalie waited patiently, quietly watching Anson.
After some thought, Anson finally spoke, "I want to do another take."
Anson knew what this meant.
He had been on set before and worked in the industry. The thing he hated most was when actors or directors thought they could do better, leading them to insist on "one more take." Of course, he understood that artists often need this process to find the best version, but for the crew, there was only one thought:
Stop making me work late.
But they, the crew, had no say. So they just grumbled silently. If the actor or director insisted on "one more take," they had no choice but to comply. Overtime was all too common.
The worst part was that after hours of hard work, the director often decided that the previous take was still the best.
This meant that all the extra effort had been wasted.
At times like that, the crew felt that even swearing was a waste of energy and emotions. The only thing they wanted was to stay far away from these artists—
Can't win? Can't even hide?
The harsh reality was, they often really couldn't hide. Sigh.
Now, with roles reversed, Anson was the one wanting to do another take, making him the difficult one they couldn't escape.
And the real reason Anson hesitated was that Steven had already approved the shot. Did he really need to drag the whole crew through this again?
Since "Friends," Anson had been quite content with his status as a pretty face, acting effortlessly, making easy money, and enjoying life. Yet, unknowingly, his mindset had changed.
Should he listen to his inner voice?
For Anson, this was a first. He felt strange, even unsure if it was because of Frank Jr.'s character that he was now feeling uncertain.
Was this what it meant to be in character?
Natalie didn't express her opinion, gently asking, "Are you sure?"
Anson didn't respond immediately but instead took a moment to think. He recalled the performance just now, knowing he could do better. The eighth take still felt too stiff. After so many takes and retakes, his performance was starting to feel rigid and tense. He felt like he was trying too hard.
A little slip, and it could go overboard.
Then, Anson gradually became more confident, "Yes, I'm sure."
Natalie had been closely observing Anson's expression. She wasn't surprised by his response. She patted his shoulder lightly, giving him an encouraging look.
Anson straightened up, ready to speak.
But Natalie beat him to it, "Director." She called out loudly, "Sorry, but I'd like to do another take. Is that okay?"
"I feel like I wasn't relaxed enough. I can do better. Really, I'm very sorry, but I think we need to redo this."
There was a rustle as all eyes turned to Natalie.
Anson knew what those looks meant and glanced at Natalie in disbelief.
She winked at him, signaling with her eyes: Leave it to me.
Anson was slightly taken aback, feeling a warmth in his heart. He understood Natalie's goodwill and knew he shouldn't refuse, or else he'd put her in an awkward spot. But he also couldn't just accept it, knowing how the crew felt—
Annoying the big shots might cost you your job, but annoying the little guys would make your day-to-day work a nightmare.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, what should Anson do?
"Sorry, I think it's my fault. My eye line was a bit off, which might have affected the scene." Anson raised his hand, echoing Natalie's sentiment.
Natalie didn't hide her surprise.
Anson smiled, "Director, it might not be obvious on camera, but the performance feels a bit disjointed. Sorry, can we do it again?"
This time, Anson could clearly feel all the eyes on him.
Natalie was a French actress, and Hollywood usually assumed European actors were difficult. Given her credentials, even complaints about her were more subtle. But when it came to Anson, no one held back.
Earlier, they were relieved that Anson had performed well so far without any slip-ups. But now, with the prospect of finishing on time at stake, Anson suddenly seemed a lot less likable.
Steven was taken aback.
This wasn't his style. He believed that as long as the performance was up to par, there was no need for more takes. He didn't like nitpicking at the details of a performance, so if he said it was good, it meant the overall effect was fine.
And now?
Steven wasn't one to indulge actors unless it was Tom Hanks. It wasn't about finishing on time but about keeping his progress and schedule on track. He didn't like the shoot slipping out of his control.
Simple, efficient.
That's always been Steven's style.
However, Steven didn't immediately shut them down. Instead, he calmly observed for a moment, closely watching the brief exchange of glances between Anson and Natalie.
He couldn't tell if the performance was too stiff—he hadn't noticed anything off in the monitor—but he could see the mutual understanding between Anson and Natalie. Whatever the truth was, it was clear that these two actors were on the same page.
Steven pondered for a moment, giving Anson another look, his thoughts briefly swirling.
Then, he said, "Alright."
"We'll do another take, but you'd better give it your all."
Oh.
A collective sigh of frustration rippled through the set, with anxious and impatient looks becoming more apparent. People turned their backs to Anson, rolling their eyes and muttering under their breath, eager to see what these two "artists" could possibly achieve with another take.
The pressure and the noise silently built up, heavy and intense, all of it bearing down on Anson.