pjbooks Chapter 95 Filming Completed
Chapter 95 Filming Completed
Chapter 95 Filming Completed (20 Chapters Finished, Please Subscribe)
With the final crisp click of the clapperboard closing, the dozens of high-wattage tungsten filament lamps that had been scorching everyone in the studio for two months finally went out.
The moment darkness descended, everyone seemed to emerge from the deep sea, letting out a long, relieved sigh.
Juzo Itami stood up from behind the monitor.
He took off his glasses, which were slippery from sweat, wiped them haphazardly with the corner of his shirt, and then, speaking hoarsely into the loudspeaker, said, "Alright, it's all over. You can go back to sleep now."
Kitahara Shin stood in the set-up corridor, bowing his head and unbuttoning the first button of his uniform collar.
This film set was arguably the most oppressive one he had ever experienced.
Everyone is constantly under high pressure and working beyond their capacity, but everyone is willing to do so.
Because everyone knows that they are creating art, not the kind of formulaic commercial blockbuster.
Kitahara Shin took off the "Sato" name tag that he had been wearing on his chest, the edges of which were worn and faded. He weighed it in his hand and then handed it back to the prop master who had come over.
The moment it was handed over, the soul that had been bent over for two months in the Hotel Okura and suppressed for sixty days in this shed seemed to be detached from the body along with this plastic sign.
"Give."
I hadn't even taken two steps.
An ice-cold beer was pressed against his cheek.
Kitahara Shin shrank back, turned his head, and saw Itami Juzo holding two cans of beer, grinning at him.
"Thank you. By the way, are we having a celebration party or something tonight?" Kitahara Shin asked, taking the beer, pulling the tab with a crisp "crack".
"No, I imagine you're all tired. Going back and getting some rest is the most important thing, isn't it?"
Juzo Itami took a big gulp of sake, let out a burp, and said, "To be honest, I really didn't expect that you, as a young actor, would have the air of a seasoned veteran."
Why do you say that?
"I don't know, it's just a gut feeling. The older generation of actors are different from the modern actors. But I guess I wasn't wrong about you, kid. Looks like my judgment is still pretty good."
After saying this, Itami Juzo glanced at Kitahara Shin and said, "You've been cooped up for the past two months, haven't you?"
"You can go back and relax, adjust yourself appropriately, and then embrace the next project with a completely new mindset. This is a required course for any actor."
"You're completely immersed in this concierge role now; it's time to wake up."
Kitahara Shin paused for a moment, then smiled, raised his beer can, and clinked it against the director's.
"I will."
"thank you."
However, despite this.
But after filming wrapped, Kitahara Shin didn't immediately have time to relax.
Because he still had a promise on his lips.
As for Rie Miyazawa, empty promises won't be enough to keep that crazy woman, Mitsuko, in check; we need concrete projects to materialize.
A few days later, in the afternoon, Kitahara Shin appeared in a producer's office at NTV.
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Sitting opposite him was Tanaka, a veteran producer he had met once before.
"Kitahara-kun, although I really want to cooperate with you, but—"
Tanaka looked at the proposal Kitahara Shin had handed him, his face showing difficulty. "You want to make a short film? And you even want to specify that Miyazawa Rie as the female lead?"
"Is there a problem?"
"This is a big problem." Tanaka sighed and pointed to a pile of documents on the table. "You know Miyazawa's reputation now. There were even rumors recently that she went crazy at a dinner party. The TV station executives are very worried about her, afraid that using her will cause trouble."
"Furthermore," Tanaka paused, his tone becoming sincere, "with your current market value, wouldn't it be better to just take on a TV series? Why do you choose to make this kind of thankless, low-budget short film? I personally don't have high hopes for its box office performance."
Kitahara Shin did not answer directly, but instead casually flipped through the pile of abandoned cases on the corner of the table.
The place was piled high with project proposals that had been rejected due to insufficient budgets, niche themes, or difficulties in adapting the original works.
His gaze lingered on the cover of a novel with a refreshing art style.
It was a publication by Tokuma Shoten, with a cover featuring a girl in a sailor uniform against a backdrop of a deep blue sea.
"Hear the Sound of the Waves" (海がきこえる).
He then picked up the proposal, glanced through it briefly, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
"This one seems pretty good."
"Oh, that one."
Tanaka glanced at it and waved his hand dismissively. "It's an experimental project by a group of young people at Studio Ghibli. They said they wanted to try making a realistic animation without Miyazaki's involvement. The TV station originally planned to do a collaboration and shoot a live-action version to generate buzz, but they couldn't find a suitable director and couldn't get the budget approved, so it's been sitting there ever since."
"After all, these kinds of shows that talk about the awkward feelings of teenage boys and girls are too slow-paced, so it's hard to guarantee high ratings."
Kitahara Shin opened the proposal.
His gaze fell upon the character biography of the female protagonist, "Rikako Muto":
[A top student who transferred from Tokyo to a rural area in Kochi Prefecture. Beautiful and intelligent, but also willful and aloof. Due to her parents' divorce and family misfortunes, she is prickly towards everything around her, working desperately to save money so she can escape back to Tokyo.]
Looking at these keywords, Kitahara Shin tapped his fingers lightly twice on the paper.
This personality that uses arrogance and willfulness to mask inner vulnerability, along with the core driving force of "wanting to escape one's family of origin," is exactly the same as Rie Miyazawa's current situation.
She doesn't need much acting skill; just put her in that environment and let her release the grievances she's suffered recently and the urge to "run away," and she'll be a perfect match for the female lead, Rikako Muto.
Moreover, Kochi Prefecture.
Come to think of it, I haven't had a proper chance to explore other places since I came into this world.
I've been stuck in Tokyo for so long, I'm practically getting moldy from staying here.
"Tanaka-san."
Kitahara Shin closed the proposal, looked up, and said with a determined look in his eyes, "I want to film this."
"Huh?" Tanaka was stunned. "Are you sure? But even the director can't find a suitable candidate."
"I'll play Taku Morizaki."
Kitahara Shin offered his bargaining chip: "I'll only accept a token amount of payment, but I have two conditions."
Upon hearing the words "Kitahara Shin will be starring," Tanaka's eyes lit up instantly, and he leaned forward involuntarily: "Tell me! As long as you're willing to act, let alone two, I'll negotiate ten conditions!"
Kitahara Shin is now synonymous with high ratings. For him to condescend to act in such a small production is practically an act of charity.
"First, the female lead must be Rie Miyazawa. No one else will do."
Kitahara Shin held up one finger. "You don't need to worry about her reputation. As long as I'm here, this show's popularity won't be low."
Moreover, she possesses all the qualities required for this role.
"This—" Tanaka hesitated for a moment, but faced with the huge profits, he quickly gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! Since you've put it that way, I'll handle things with the TV station! There should be directors willing to come and film it."
"second."
Kitahara Shin's eyes turned cold. "An additional clause must be added to the contract: During filming, apart from necessary assistants assigned by the agency, no family members of the artist are allowed to visit the set or interfere with the filming. Especially her mother."
"The filming location was completely closed off, and it was filmed on location in Kochi Prefecture."
Although Tanaka found the request a bit strange, it fell under the scope of crew management and was not difficult to handle.
"No problem, I can meet all those requirements, but I'll need to look for a director for now."
"Are you short-staffed here right now?"
"There is a real shortage, mainly because your previous film, Tokyo Love Story, was so popular that all the directors followed suit. This is the current trend, and everyone is extremely busy."
Kitahara Shin stood up, rolled up the proposal for "Hearing the Waves" in his hand, and said, "Alright then, I'll wait for your good news. If not, I can contact someone else."
Stepping out of the TV station building, the sunlight outside was a bit dazzling.
Kitahara Shin took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with car exhaust fumes, but found it exceptionally refreshing.
He took the number out of his pocket and dialed it.
"Hey, Itami-san, it's me."
"Exactly, I wanted to ask if you have any directors you could recommend?"
"Yes, I have a project, but we're short-staffed."
"Okay, no problem."
"Okay, then let's meet tomorrow afternoon."
After hanging up the phone, Kitahara Shin tilted his head slightly, a hint of emotion in his eyes.
This is perhaps the importance of connections.
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