yournovel Chapter 410: My Mum Makes Films Now
Chapter 410: My Mum Makes Films Now
....
The filming of the [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix] had begun under the new director, Lena Crawford.
The first scheduling of the filming mostly contained indoor shoots.
This had been the production team’s suggestion and Lena had agreed with it completely; she understood that it wasn’t that they lacked faith in her ability, but because she understood the difference between confidence and recklessness.
The start had to be confident, and the team needed to get onto the same page. It was the first statement of a directorial voice, and she wanted that statement to be intentional rather than improvised.
And also the Regal team made sure the script had been finalised to her satisfaction and her involvement.
Honestly, it was pretty much similar to the first one, except for a few minute changes.
Hmm, can it even be called changes? Chris Columbus thought as he scanned the ongoing shooting.
He could see Lena being busy with DOP for the next shoot.
She is good.
Well, obviously Regal opted for her because she is good.
However, maybe she is a woman, but the small and minute changes happening in the script were mostly concerning the emotional beats of the characters.
She wanted them to land harder than any of the films, while making sure it still matches the style of previous films.
Right, on her debut film itself, Lena didn’t hesitate to ask what she needed; which is what makes her every more special.
....
Chirs eyes landed elsewhere.
It was on the main trio.
Daniel Radcliffe, Lily Harris, Rupert Grint, sat outside of the caravan in their costumes.
And amongst the trio, there is another little girl about five years old.
It was just the first week of official shooting, and Chris had been passing by every now and then to check up on the team.
No matter he might not be part of it, [Harry Potter] franchise is something he really likes to call his own; that was the luxury he had, and he knows it will be the same for Lena continuing forward.
Anyway, not waiting to disturb the set atmosphere, he moved towards the trio, while his previous team members gave him a nod while passing by, without breaking their work.
Indeed, the set atmosphere of [Harry Potter] really is something else. He nodded to himself, slightly being proud once he was part of it.
....
As he stopped in front of them, the main trio looked up and smiled.
However, nestled between Daniel and Lily was a small girl of approximately five years old who was wearing a very serious expression and a pair of oversized headphones that were clearly not producing any sound.
Must be for noise cancellation.
Sometimes, a set can get chaotic for a child.
"Chris." Daniel straightened slightly. "
"Hey kids." Chris greeted them.
He looked at the girl. "Who’s this?"
"This..." Rupert said, without opening his eyes. "Is Mae. She is the daughter of Lena, our director. She had been with us since our reading sessions."
"It’s you guys who are always with my mum." the girl said, with the patient correction of someone who had made this point before.
She looked at Chris with the direct assessment of a person evaluating a new arrival’s credentials. "You don’t have an ID."
Chris looked down at his chest, and she was right.
It’s just that no one dared to point that out or even ask him to wear one...
"Mister, people without IDs aren’t allowed." she informed him, as the headphones shifted slightly as she tilted her head.
"Look, even I have one." She held up her lanyard; a bright yellow visitor pass with her name on it in large letters and a small sticker of a star that she had clearly added herself.
"I left mine at home." Chris said.
Chris didn’t know it, but on the first day she had complained about being bored on set, so Lilly had quickly invented a ’job’ for her: checking whether everyone was wearing their ID badge and reporting anyone who wasn’t to an adult.
The strategy had worked perfectly. It kept the little girl busy and made her feel important.
She considered the gravity of this. "Okay. I will ask my mum to allow you."
"Would you? That’s very kind of you."
"Hehe..." She seemed satisfied with this, and returned her attention to whatever she had been doing before his arrival.
Chris sat down in one of the folding chairs.
Daniel offered him a coffee from the thermos on the step, which he accepted.
"How is she doing?" he asked. Keeping it general but meaning Lena specifically, which Daniel understood.
"Hmm, honestly? She is brilliant."
Chris looked at him over the rim of the cup. "Brilliant, huh? You know, when your lot first showed up on my set, I remember getting a very different reception. I’m trying not to take the comparison personally."
Daniel opened his mouth to respond, but Rupert beat him to it without even opening his eyes.
"Oh, come on. We were kids."
"As if you’re not still one now." Chris shot back immediately.
"Hey-"
"Leave it, Dan." Lily said, still focused on the notebook in her lap.
Chris smirked. "Funny hearing that from the person who looked the most devastated when Regal stopped directing."
Lily slowly looked up at him. "Ugh... why do you always bring that up?"
"Because teasing you is entertaining." Chris replied shamelessly. "Your reactions are priceless."
"You’re making me angry."
"No, actually, you’re kind of adorable when you’re angry." he said thoughtfully. "Dan can confirm that if you want."
Daniel instinctively nodded in agreement, then immediately stopped the second he noticed Lily staring at him.
Chris burst into a quiet laugh and finally decided to ease off.
"Alright, alright, I will let you live." he said, taking another sip of coffee. "Now... where was I?"
Lily immediately used the opportunity. "Yeah... As Dan said, before he was distracted. Our new director is genuinely capable, and she’s been at the monitor all morning with the DOP, working through the lighting for the interior sequence."
"Regal picked well." Chris said.
"When does he not?" Rupert muttered. "I mean, the man picked me."
"I still remember the audition tape they showed me after I came onboard as director. I actually saved that thing on my phone." Chris laughed, making the other two giggle.
Rupert groaned while the others burst into laughter.
"Oh no." Daniel said through a grin. "You still have it?"
"Of course I do." Chris replied proudly. "That footage is cinematic history."
Mae looked up from her stones, and she had been listening with the half-attention of a child who appears occupied and isn’t.
"You said forgot your ID." she said to Chris. "But do you work here?"
"I used to." he said.
She thought about this seriously. "What did you do?"
"I made the first three of the four films."
She looked at him with the expression of someone who has received information that requires verification. "I am not going to believe that." she said. "My mum said it’s very tough to make even one film."
"Your mum is right."
"She’s making one now." Mae said. "We used to watch the ones she made before at home. Me and papa." Something in her face was simply matter-of-fact about this, the way children are matter-of-fact about the things they love. "Now she makes the big ones."
"Yeah you are right." Chris said. "And she’s very good at it."
Mae appeared to agree with this without it being particularly surprising news. "She also lets me watch sometimes." she said. "When it’s not the loud parts."
"Smart rule."
She looked at him with the patient tolerance of someone who had spent the week with these people and had developed a complete picture of each of them.
Then she picked up another stone from the step and handed it to Chris without explanation.
He looked at it, a small, grey, with a streak of white through the middle.
"It’s for you." she said. "Because you said my mum was good."
He looked at it for a moment.
"Thank you." he said.
She had already turned back to her arrangement, the transaction complete, a gift given and received and filed away, her attention fully on the next problem in front of her.
Chris held the stone and looked at the set; at the lights being adjusted inside, at Lena and the DOP still deep in their conversation, at the three actors outside the caravan who had grown up inside this franchise and were still growing up inside it, at the small girl on the step rearranging her stones in the morning light.
The set atmosphere of [Harry Potter] was something else.
He had thought that for years.
He still thought about it.
He put the stone in his jacket pocket and drank his coffee and let the morning continue around him.
.....
"What are you doing next?" Lily asked him, the notebook closed again.
"I already done one, remember? Mr. Bean." Chris said.
Mae, without looking up from her stones, said: "I know Mr. Bean too..."
Everyone looked at her.
She looked up, registering her attention.
"He falls down." she said, with the certainty of someone reporting an established fact. "And things go wrong." She thought about it. "I like it when things go wrong for him."
"Thank you for watching." Chris said.
She looked at him properly now. "Why are you thanking me, mister. Did you act in it?"
"I made the show actually."
She studied him for a long moment with the expression of someone conducting a thorough reassessment.
"Mister." she said. "You should not lie this much. My papa said lying is bad."
"Hhaahaa." - "Bhahahwwwa." - "Haaha."
The three of them broke simultaneously; Daniel first, then Rupert, then Lily, the laughter arriving in different registers but landing at the same time.
Mae looked between them with the dignified patience of someone who had made a reasonable point and was waiting for the room to recover.
Chris was laughing too, which seemed to be the most suspicious development of all.
She looked at him, then back at her stones, picked one up, studied it, put it back.
"I will ask my mum about you." she said finally, in the tone of someone who has decided the matter requires a higher authority.
"Please do, the name is Chris." Chris said.
....
.
[To be continued...]
●──────●◎●──────●
Hey everyone,
I wanted to ask for a small favor. A close friend of mine has just started their freelance journey in video/content editing. Skill-wise, I’d place them right between a beginner and an intermediate level; they’ve got the foundations down and are ready to grind.
If you or anyone you know is looking for an editor to help with projects, social media content, or videos, please consider reaching out to them! It would be a massive help.
You can reach out to them through their Reddit profile here: u/xnavxox
Note: Please make sure you both have a clear agreement and understanding of the project requirements and expectations before starting any tasks.
Thank you so much!
●──────●◎●──────●
Author Note:
Visit Patreon to instantly access +1 Chapter for free, available for Free Members as well.
For additional content please do support me and gain access to +15 more Chapters.
--> [email protected]/OrgoWriters