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"In proportion to my hand" was not just an empty statement. "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Memento" had already proven this well. Although "The Shawshank Redemption" had a big investment and large scenes, Adrian did not think this would hinder him; the only bottleneck was the state of the actors.
"At this moment, Red, while not feeling much goodwill toward Andy, also didn't have any malice. So the tone and expression should be business-like, do you understand, Morgan?" Adrian explained the scene to Morgan Freeman, occasionally using exaggerated gestures to engage the actor's emotions.
"Like a store manager dealing with a customer who doesn't meet the store's conditions?" Before Freeman could respond, the young black man next to him interjected.
"Alfonso is right, that's a good way to think about it, but don't overdo it. You need to find the right balance." Adrian said, giving the young man a thumbs-up, and the young man beamed and returned the gesture.
He was Freeman's younger son, Alfonso Freeman, who had "previously" appeared in a cameo role in "The Shawshank Redemption," playing the black youth who shouted "fresh fish" when Andy first entered prison. Out of a playful interest, Adrian still cast him in this role, which was no big deal and could even be a favor to Old Morgan.
"As for you, Tim, do I need to explain anything?" Adrian then turned to Tim Robbins.
"Let me think..." Robbins gestured, spinning on the spot for a moment with his chin in his hands before looking up. "Ed, does this expression work?"
He closed his eyes, coughed lightly, and after a beat, opened his eyes with a faint, detached smile at Freeman, looking relaxed yet inscrutable, "You'll understand once you have it."
"Very good!" Adrian couldn't help but clap his hands. Using the "original cast" was indeed the best choice. Comparing and then integrating and guiding based on memories made filming much more efficient.
"Places, get ready." He waved his arms and shouted, "Everyone else, make sure nothing goes wrong again."
Filming had been going for about five days now, and Adrian had begun to handle the coordination of large scenes with ease, as long as the extras didn't make basic mistakes like appearing where they shouldn't or holding props from incorrect time periods. The footage met his requirements.
The scene currently being shot was Andy's initial encounter with Red after entering prison, where Andy wants Red to obtain a small rock hammer for him, and Red, through Andy's behavior, discovers something extraordinary about him.
"I can understand why everyone would think he's aloof. He exudes an extraordinary temperament; every move he makes sets him apart as if he's just a carefree tourist in a park." This was Red's monologue as Andy walked into the crowd after exchanging pleasantries.
Though this monologue would be recorded in post-production, operating the camera himself, Adrian couldn't help but think back to it. Robbins' performance was truly remarkable, particularly his mildly ambiguous smile and his turn to walk into the crowd, perfectly capturing Andy's calm demeanor.
"I can feel the protagonist's inner world, serene, sad, yet never giving up, reflecting a part of me." Robbins once said in response to an inquiry, "Luckily, I didn't miss it."
In Adrian's recollection, Robbins was known for being low-key, and although his reputation soared due to "The Shawshank Redemption," he rarely promoted himself in front of the media except when it came to politics. There were many types of low-key personalities; most people were low-key for the sake of being low-key, merely as a means of attracting attention. Robbins' low-key nature was genuinely authentic, which might be why he and Sarandon, despite their age gap, maintained a nearly twenty-year relationship. Unfortunately, Hollywood was ultimately a realistic place, and what should happen would inevitably happen.
Although Robbins was in the best state among the main actors, the other two veteran actors weren't far behind—James Whitmore didn't have exterior scenes; otherwise, it would be three veteran actors. There was nothing to say about Freeman; he had been contemplating the role since agreeing to the part, and Adrian's instructions based on memory fit him perfectly. He had already infused the character's personality from the script into himself; only the integration remained.
Bob Gunton also excelled as the Prison Warden. Though younger than Freeman and less seasoned in leading roles in films, looking at the roles he played, it was clear that if Bob portrayed a positive character, he wouldn't come across as a villain. If he played an antagonist, he would certainly be detestable. Although Warden Norton didn't have many exterior scenes, Bob perfectly captured that surface-level respectability with a sinister core.
"No matter what, from start to finish, you all have to listen to me." During the break while shooting the scene outside the correctional facility where the prisoners labored, Bob jokingly remarked when discussing acting skills.
Freeman, who got along well with him, immediately countered with a friendly jibe: "But you still ended up a goner in the end, right, Andy?"
He intentionally addressed Robbins by his character's name, the implication of which was evident, drawing laughter from those around. Though Robbins smiled as well, he remained silent; he got along well with everyone but, like his character Andy, preferred sitting on the side watching others converse.
Well, aside from a few minor roles, Adrian didn't have to worry too much about the actors. His focus remained primarily on managing the set. As mentioned before, during the Ohio exterior shots, apart from a few scenes, most required a large number of people involved, such as prisoners on the yard for recreation, or working outside; Andy's escape and the police searching along the pond; or the Warden holding a press conference; or the most iconic scene of playing "The Marriage of Figaro," and so on.
Though Adrian had gained personal experience in managing large scenes due to filming during this period, it didn't mean he could let his guard down. After all, there were only so many extras. If someone appeared as a prisoner one moment and then as a policeman or microphone-holding reporter the next, that would be a glaring "bug" indeed.
Adrian had always intended to patch up the memory's "bugs," like the reading of the "Miranda rights" during the Captain's arrest or the muzzle flash in the Warden's suicide scene. How could he allow new errors to arise? Even if he couldn't control everything, he could not make such obvious mistakes.
After nearly three weeks of filming, most of the scenes requiring a large number of extras were more or less completed. Although the plan was delayed, Adrian wasn't worried. There were naturally more exterior shots than studio ones, and as long as filming didn't exceed two months, it was within an acceptable range.
During this period, Nathan had some private objections but did not interfere with Adrian's work. People at the movie company knew when to act accordingly. Moreover, he didn't have the authority to do so in the first place. Generally speaking, unless the director's actions could potentially harm the company's interests, they wouldn't meddle in front of the camera.
Adrian planned to finish the remaining scenes within three days. In fact, it had proven that even for a film like "The Shawshank Redemption," he could still validate the visuals from memory, narrate accordingly to engage the actors' emotions, and achieve the filming he needed.
"Clancy, I hope you understand what kind of emotion your character should have: happy, curious, and finding this person decent, not that of a good friend—don't make me regret shooting this part first." Standing in the rooftop shooting area, Adrian half-jokingly directed the actors.
"I guarantee I won't." The actor named Clancy, sitting on the ground, eagerly raised his hand to shout.
"Great," Adrian said, turning to Freeman. "Morgan, what you need to focus on is aligning your facial expression with the inner monologue, which I'm sure is simple for you."
"No problem." Freeman, also seated nearby Clancy, smiled and shrugged.
Adrian had a few more words with the others before finally looking at Robbins, who was sitting by the parapet: "As for you, Tim, oh, God, if only everyone else was as worry-free as you."
"Really? I always thought you were dissatisfied with me; otherwise, why would you have made me stand in the faucet gazing at the sky repeatedly that night?" Robbins humorously retorted.
Two days ago, Adrian filmed the movie's most exhilarating shot near the water's edge by the correctional facility, where Andy, after escaping the sewer, stretched his arms upward in the rain, gazing at the sky. Wanting perfection, this scene was shot more than twenty times, resulting in Robbins being drenched twenty times under the sprinkler. Though it was already spring, the temperature in the relatively northern Ohio was not as high as in Los Angeles, so Robbins sneezed multiple times after wrap but was luckily robust enough not to catch a cold.
Hearing this, those around couldn't help but laugh. Adrian merely shrugged, gesturing for these "prisoners" in their dirty white vests and blue cloth caps to prepare for action.
The current shoot was the rooftop repair, marking Andy's first redemption moment, where he used his wit to secure beer for the prisoners, allowing them a fleeting sense of peace and freedom.
"Good, guys, stay focused; this is a great chance to shoot, don't mess it up." Seated once again in the director's chair, Adrian shouted, the sun just rising, providing an opportune moment for filming these scenes.
"You're not overseeing the camera yourself?" a familiar voice asked nearby.
"Not every shot needs the director himself; otherwise, what's the cinematographer for?" Adrian whispered back, then turned to pat the person's shoulder. "Watch closely, Dan. Though your acting is quite good, compared to them, there's still a lot to learn."
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