An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 205

205. Broaden Your Perspective (2)

A sprawling film set stretched before them.

Rows of trailers lined the perimeter.

A man stood, gaping at the impressive sight.

It was Hiroto, the Japanese actor.

“Wow, this place is amazing!”

He was completely mesmerized, looking around and speaking to his manager.

Hiroto’s manager was equally impressed, nodding in agreement.

“I know. No matter how much our country develops, we still have a long way to go to catch up with Hollywood.”

“I wish we could introduce something like this in Japan, too.”

They compared their country’s film industry with Hollywood’s scale and resources.

“How was the script? Is it similar to what you’ve done in Japan?”

“Well… it definitely seems more challenging than what I used to do in Japan. But I’ve been working hard on my English, so I think I can handle it.”

His manager smiled, pleased with his confident response.

“Don’t just handle it, you have to excel.”

Hiroto, his determination burning bright, continued.

“There are already some rumors in Japan that the Korean actor abandoned this movie, which is bothering me.”

The manager frowned and replied dismissively.

“Don’t worry too much about it. That guy only came to Hollywood because of Director James, not Director Jeffrey.”

“Still…”

Hiroto grimaced, thinking of Jin Hee-sung.

“I heard this project is a direct competition with Director Jeffrey’s. I will surpass Director Jeffrey and that Korean actor.”

They reaffirmed their resolve, thinking of Jin Hee-sung and the challenge he represented.

Just then.

“Hiroto, you’re here?”

Director James approached him, greeting him warmly.

“Yes, Director. Hello.”

“Good, have you been practicing a lot?”

Hiroto nodded with a confident expression.

“Yes, of course. I’ll do my best to get through today without any mistakes [NGs, short for ‘no good,’ refers to unusable takes].”

“Haha, good. Let’s start filming as soon as we’re ready.”

“Yes.”

Director James, Hiroto, and all the staff began preparing for the shoot.

Several minutes ticked by.

The cameras were all set up on the set.

The staff and Director James were in their positions, ready to go.

“We’re finally starting our first scene. I hope everyone performs as well as they’ve practiced and follows along smoothly.”

Director James shouted loudly so everyone on set could hear.

Everyone shouted back in unison.

“Yes!”

“Then let’s get right into filming the first scene.”

James’s gaze went straight to Hiroto.

Hiroto approached the set, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Director James approached him with the script to give him directions before filming.

“Hiroto, here, you don’t know you’re a terrorist yet, so you need to look innocent and clueless…”

He looked back and forth between the script and Hiroto, explaining his vision for a while.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Then let’s give it a try.”

Director James finished giving directions and returned to his seat.

“Ready, action!”

He gave the signal with an excited expression.

Director James raised his eyebrows, watching Hiroto on camera.

Hiroto, who had been chatting and laughing with Director James, instantly immersed himself in the role.

He slowly began to speak.

“I’ll go first.”

Hiroto pushed past the extras standing in front of him and walked forward.

“Ouch!”

The extra who was pushed glared at him.

“Hey, are you just going to push me and leave?”

At the extra’s words, Hiroto turned around.

“Are you talking to me?”

“Then is there anyone else here who’s rudely pushing their way through?”

Hiroto bit his lip at the extra’s words.

Then, he quickly changed his expression and said.

“…I’m sorry.”

In that moment, Hiroto’s face filled the camera.

“Cut, NG!”

Director James’s shout immediately rang out.

Puzzled, Hiroto looked at Director James.

“Um… Hiroto, you can’t bite your lip there. You have to make it so that no one suspects you’re the villain…”

Director James once again explained his intentions to Hiroto.

He nodded repeatedly in response.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I’ll do it again.”

Director James forced a smile and returned to his seat.

“Let’s try again. Ready, action!”

Hiroto’s acting began again.

But soon, James gave the signal.

“Cut, cut!”

His voice began to get agitated.

“NG!”

With continuous cuts, Hiroto’s expression also began to harden.

“Haa… NG. That’s not it…!”

Director James sighed and shouted at the continuous NGs.

“Let’s take a short break.”

Then, he stared blankly at the set, frowning.

‘What is it… is Hiroto lacking in skill? This is starting to go wrong from the beginning?’

Director James stroked his chin, deep in thought.

After Jin Hee-sung didn’t attend the meeting.

They urgently cast another Asian actor.

However, they didn’t hold auditions between the newly cast Asian actor and Hiroto to decide on the roles.

Since Jin Hee-sung was out, they immediately put Hiroto in the high-profile villain role.

He didn’t want to admit that his choice was wrong.

But he also didn’t like Hiroto’s current acting, so Director James sighed in frustration.

***

“Hyung [Korean term for ‘older brother,’ used by males], let’s go!”

As soon as we left the house, we marveled at the clear weather.

“Wow, the weather is really nice today.”

“I know. It’s been three days of going to the set, and today’s the best weather.”

I smiled at Manager Kim.

He raised his eyebrows and continued.

“Is the weather finally helping because it’s Hee-sung’s first day of filming? Haha.”

“I guess so. I practiced hard all night because it’s my first shoot today, so I hope it goes well. I’m a little nervous.”

I got into the car, patting my rapidly beating heart.

Director Jeffrey’s filming had already been going on for three days.

But today was my first day of filming.

For the past two days, I had just been going to the set to watch other actors’ performances and study.

“Hard work doesn’t betray you. Besides, you’re such a good actor, Hee-sung.”

Manager Kim looked at me through the rearview mirror and said.

He relieved my tension, encouraged me, and drove quickly to the set.

Soon, the car arrived at the set.

I immediately approached Director Jeffrey and greeted him.

“Director, hello.”

“It’s nice to see you every day, Hee-sung. Haha.”

“I’m glad too. The weather is amazing today, Director.”

He looked up at the sky at my words and smiled.

“I know, right? I wonder if the filming will go well today? Haha.”

Director Jeffrey knew that my shoot was the first scene, and he put his hand on my shoulder and continued.

“Let’s do well today.”

I nodded at his words and replied.

“Yes, I’ll do my best!”

I moved to the set.

The first scene I had practiced countless times.

Because it was a line I had to say in English, memorizing the English lines was basic.

Paying attention to the English pronunciation was a condition that was several times more difficult for me than for other actors.

But of course, I had come to Hollywood accepting that.

I loosened my tongue and focused my mind to immerse myself in the role.

Then, someone approached me.

It was Charles.

“Hee-sung, good morning.”

He approached me with a bright face and greeted me.

“Charles, it’s finally our first scene together.”

Today’s shoot was with me and Charles.

And a child actor who plays his daughter.

Liam, who was always by his side and cursing at me, was not visible today.

It seemed he didn’t come to the set because he didn’t have a shoot in the morning.

Perhaps that’s why, since Liam, who always chattered beside Charles and glared at me, wasn’t there.

He talked to me more brightly and closely than usual.

“That’s right. I wanted to act with you, and we’re finally doing it.”

Charles reached out his hand to me and continued.

“Let’s do well today.”

I immediately shook his outstretched hand.

“Please take care of me, Charles.”

I was also honored to be acting with a famous actor in Hollywood.

With half excitement and half worry, I braced myself.

As soon as I finished talking to him, I closed my eyes again to immerse myself in the role and reviewed the lines.

Charles, as always.

Was laughing and chatting with other actors and staff.

Even if he was chatting like that, he would transform as soon as the camera started rolling.

Director Jeffrey finished preparing and sat down, shouting loudly.

“Let’s start filming. Okay, ready… action!”

With his signal, I frowned and looked at Charles.

“Haa… do you have the documents I asked for yet?”

At my words, Charles made a troubled expression and stammered.

“Ah, that’s… I’ll have the files by the afternoon, no, by the morning…”

I cut him off and shouted.

“Is it still not done?”

Then, I jumped up from my seat and glared at him.

“I told you to handle it by morning. Don’t you know how much effort I put into this project?”

He kept his head down and replied to me.

“I know. I know very well that you stayed up several nights to make it…”

“If you know, how can you be so slow to respond? You know I’m sensitive because the data was wrong yesterday, don’t you?”

Charles still kept his head down and apologized again.

“I’m sorry. My daughter suddenly came to the company this morning…”

Charles’s mistake in the line.

“No, because she came to the company, I had no choice but to…”

And he quickly tried to fix the line again.

Director Jeffrey shouted at us.

“Cut, NG!”

At his cut, Charles immediately shouted to Director Jeffrey and the staff.

“I’m sorry. I’ll do it again.”

Because it was the first NG, Director Jeffrey started filming without any response.

“Okay, let’s go again. Ready, action!”

At his signal, we immediately immersed ourselves in the role again and exchanged lines.

After that, the child actor who played Charles’s daughter made several NGs.

“Cut, NG!”

No one got annoyed or angry at the child’s NGs.

They continued filming while comforting the child.

“It’s okay. Don’t cry, let’s try again.”

I smiled with the child and continued filming together.

In the end, the filming received an okay sign on the fourth take, with one mistake in Charles’s line.

And three mistakes by the child.

“Cut, okay!”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

I smiled brightly and bowed to them.

I was constantly smiling with relief and joy that my mistakes were not made in the first filming.

And so, the first filming in Hollywood ended successfully.

***

“Hee-sung, it was your first shoot today. You worked so hard.”

Manager Kim greeted me as I got into the car and clapped.

I smiled and shook my head.

“No, I’m glad it didn’t have as many NGs as I thought and it ended well.”

“You practiced hard, and it would be strange if you had NGs with your acting skills!”

He praised me.

I smiled at his words and leaned back in my chair.

“Haa… I guess I was nervous because it was my first shoot in Hollywood.”

Manager Kim, who saw me in the rearview mirror, quickly opened his mouth.

“Of course, you can’t help but be nervous. Get some sleep until we get to the dorm. You must be tired.”

“Okay, thank you.”

With those words, I felt all the tension in my body released and I closed my eyes in an instant.

After a while.

I couldn’t hear Manager Kim’s driving anymore.

I opened my eyes wide because I was struggling to breathe.

Red light in front of my eyes.

Not just one light, but the whole world seemed to be dyed red….

What is all this?

And I could soon realize.

This is not reality.

It’s in my dream…!

Thump, thump-!

“Kyaa!”

“Save me….”

Tragic screams coming from all directions.

And thunder and lightning were constantly raging in the sky.

Lava was flowing around me, as if a volcanic eruption had occurred near my body.

I covered my mouth because I felt more and more suffocated.

And soon I could sense it.

“This… is hell…!”