"Stop! Be careful when placing it down!"
In the open-air film set, the mammoth's enormous trunk was lowered from a crane, and a team of workers quickly assembled it onto the mammoth model lying on the ground. This was a giant creature built to a 1:1 scale, and even in a lying position, it was taller than a person.
Duke stood not far away, signaling the camera assistant to capture the entire scene. This would serve as great material for promotion and behind-the-scenes footage.
"Hey, Duke."
A greeting came from behind and to the side. Alexandra Ambrosio, dressed in a trench coat, jeans, and knee-high leather boots, walked toward him. Duke nodded at her, "Hello, Alex."
Since the crew confirmed her role as Arwen, Alexandra Ambrosio had been appearing on set frequently, especially during scenes involving elves. She was eager to observe the portrayal of a race that didn't exist in this world.
For someone like her, who was relatively unknown among the Victoria's Secret Angels, this was a chance to raise her profile.
"This mammoth looks so real," she said, standing just behind Duke with an incredulous tone. "Before shooting this movie, I could hardly imagine this scene."
"Too bad it can't move," Duke sighed.
In addition to the CGI integration, the crew had crafted numerous mammoth models of various sizes. The one on the set was the largest, and these had all been meticulously sculpted by the prop team at their workshop in Wellington using polystyrene, with lightweight steel frames for support. They were transported to the set in eleven parts by trailer.
After assembling the mammoth, the workers inserted long spears and arrows into its body, all of which was done to shoot a few realistic scenes of the mammoth's death.
To create a polished film, there's never any shortcut in terms of time or effort.
The back of the model had been arranged to resemble a giant mammoth shot with arrows by the Rohan cavalry, while the head area was set for another scene—the moment Legolas shoots and brings down the mammoth.
Duke never wasted resources where they could be saved.
It took half the afternoon to assemble the model, but only 20 minutes for shooting, after which the rest of the crew continued to capture behind-the-scenes footage. Duke and John Schwartzman headed back to the studio. Alexandra Ambrosio, seeing that Duke didn't object, followed along with Tina Fey.
Inside the studio, Orlando Bloom, now transformed into Legolas, was standing in front of a green screen, discussing with action director Jimmy Carter. The next scene to be shot was Legolas facing the mammoth in a one-on-one battle.
Previously, this reshoot had been heavily criticized by North American film critics, who saw it as unnecessary and purely for star appeal. However, Duke, far from scrapping the idea, was determined to make it even better, ensuring Orlando Bloom would have plenty of chances to show off his skills and good looks.
When he approached, Duke directly asked, "Do you need a stunt double?"
"No need," Orlando Bloom said confidently. "I can do it myself! I've had training!"
To everyone on set, Orlando Bloom was the lucky one. Having just graduated from school, he landed such an important role.
At this point, Orlando had little fame or capital to rely on, so the only thing he could depend on was impressing Duke with his performance.
After a brief chat with art director Hannah Serina and action director Jimmy Carter, Duke crossed the set surrounded by blue screens and sat behind the pre-set director's monitor. He signaled for the crew to finalize preparations for the shoot.
Though the scene involved Legolas fighting the mammoth, it was impractical to have Orlando Bloom standing on the mammoth model, as it would be too difficult to control the large model's movements.
Thus, they used the simplest, most efficient method—filming with blue screens.
Standing behind Duke, Alexandra Ambrosio seemed like she had something to ask but was about to speak when she noticed Tina Fey putting a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. She held back her question.
Despite being just an assistant, Alexandra knew that if the director wasn't present, the person holding the power was Tina, a person who had risen through the competitive modeling world.
After the crew was ready, the shooting began. This was an action scene with minimal acting required. Orlando Bloom simply had to keep his balance while showcasing his most handsome and graceful side.
The scene was shot against a massive blue screen, with Orlando suspended by a balance wire, jumping onto a pile of blue sandbags and making dramatic moves while fighting the stunt actors playing enemies...
Like all action shots, the filmed scenes were short, and Duke would call "cut" every ten to fifteen seconds. Jimmy Carter would then work with Orlando Bloom and the stunt actors to plan the next sequence of movements.
During a break, Duke waved his hand behind him, signaling for Alexandra to come over. Tina Fey immediately led her to Duke.
"Legolas represents the male elves in the film."
After pointing to a chair, Duke asked, "Arwen, on the other hand, represents the female elves. Alex, you've been here for a few days—any thoughts?"
Alexandra thought for a moment, looking at Orlando Bloom, who looked dazzlingly handsome in the shot, and softly said, "You need to fully highlight the elegance, agility, and beauty of the elves."
She smiled confidently as she added, "Maximize the actor's physical advantages."
"Good," Duke nodded in approval, then reminded her, "Arwen's father is King Elrond, and her grandmother is Queen Galadriel. She naturally carries an air of innocence and nobility."
"I understand," Alexandra said, offering her most beautiful smile.
Unfortunately, Duke had already turned back to the set, shouting, "All departments prepare, we're starting the next shot."
These scenes, which would later be integrated with CGI, were just basic footage for now. Later on, there would be extensive post-production work. Orlando Bloom, having undergone nearly half a year of intensive training, was in excellent form from the very start, and since his scenes didn't require heavy acting, the shoot went smoothly.
After completing the mammoth scene, the crew moved to a nearby shooting location. This newly set-up blue-screen area was designated for one simple shot—Legolas sliding down the mammoth's trunk.
Of course, props wrapped in blue screens were used to simulate the scene.
After only a few practice runs, Orlando Bloom signaled that he was ready for the real shoot. He had adjusted his body perfectly and, holding a short bow, slid down the blue ramp with a staggering yet graceful pose.
The scene was shot three times, after which Duke called "cut," signaling the end of the afternoon's work.
After handing over the monitor and film to the assistant director, Duke patted Orlando Bloom on the shoulder, "You did great, even better than I expected."
Orlando scratched his face, smiling shyly.
"Keep up the good work."
Duke reminded him, then gestured to Tina Fey and headed outside the studio.
"Can I come along?"
Seeing Tina Fey hang up a brief call, Alexandra Ambrosio hesitantly asked, "Can I go ask Duke a few questions?"
Tina Fey glanced at her and nodded before quickening her pace to catch up with Duke.
"I just spoke with Warner Brothers," she said, walking beside Duke. "The global box office for Critical Emergency surpassed $200 million yesterday."
"Good news."
Though Duke said that, he shook his head lightly. As many media outlets had pointed out, if he hadn't directed Critical Emergency, it would never have reached such high box office numbers.
However, Duke wasn't about to downplay his accomplishments—his fame and appeal were part of his directorial prowess.
With Alexandra walking beside them, there was no need to keep these numbers a secret. Duke motioned for Tina to continue.
"Warner has already sold $6.75 million worth of DVDs and videotapes in North America," Tina continued.
These figures were etched into her memory; Tina didn't even need to think. "Warner Brothers also signed a first-round TV broadcast deal with NBC, generating $1 million in licensing revenue."
She added, "The film is still playing in several international markets, and the merchandise sales will start later."
The box office and merchandise income from Critical Emergency weren't very high and had set some of Duke's lowest records. However, considering the production cost of only $10 million, the return on investment for the film was extremely high.
"Tina, make sure to remind me to call Jeff Robinov and Doug Warner at the right time."
Due to the time difference between New Zealand and North America, even as a major shareholder in Warner Brothers, Duke still made sure to express appropriate gratitude for their support.
One always has to reciprocate in the web of relationships.
There was no such thing as being the top dog in Hollywood alone; not even Duke, nor James Cameron, could manage that.
Back in his office, Duke discussed a few character-related questions with Alexandra Ambrosio. The young model-turned-actress was smart and had a firm grasp on what it took to portray Arwen.
However, when Duke was ready to film the scene between Arwen and Aragorn the next day, an unexpected incident forced him to change plans.
.....
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