Dennis appeared here because he had a role in "The Shawshank Redemption." This brings up his agent, Roger Seder, who signed with him not long ago.
On April 5, AC Media officially acquired MCM Agency. Although the latter had only about 20 employees and was not prominent in Hollywood, their agents were of good quality. Thus, Claude, who temporarily took on the CEO role after the acquisition, had one of the outstanding agents sign with Dennis.
The first thing Mr. Roger Seder did for Dennis was to secure a role for him in "The Shawshank Redemption." As he put it, "Why not use the advantage you have?"
It must be admitted that this guy was very astute. Although Adrian froze for a few seconds when he received the news from his assistant, he quickly agreed. "The original cast" largely referred to the three main actors, and he didn't mind Dennis taking on another role, like Tommy, who made Andy determined to escape from Shawshank.
Besides, Adrian greatly appreciated Dennis's performance during this time. Despite having some wealth, Dennis moved to the West Forest District without indulging in extravagance. Instead, he hired a nutritionist and fitness coach, often bought books to read, and although he partied more with new friends, he never caused any trouble. Just for this last reason alone, Adrian felt Dennis was worth cultivating. You can play however you want as long as you know moderation and discretion.
"I suggest you get more familiar with the script, Dan. Don't let what happened last night happen again during your scene with Bob tonight," Adrian advised. He wanted to appear serious, but seeing Dennis with his Elvis hairstyle made him laugh involuntarily.
"Elvis's music is actually quite good, although a bit dated. There are quite a few I like to listen to," Dennis replied, half helpless, half self-mocking. After coming out of makeup, he got teased by staff from the previous two movies he worked on; Adrian was neither the first nor the last to laugh. It wasn't just about sporting the "Elvis" hairstyle; it was the stark contrast with his previous film image that made him look a bit ridiculous to those familiar with him.
"All right, let's drop this," Adrian said with a smile, turning to the set and making a gesture to the script supervisor.
"Scene 112, Take 47!" As the script supervisor called out, the clapperboard snapped shut.
Bathed in golden morning light, the prisoners at Shawshank Prison sat sweating on the repaired rooftop, comfortably drinking chilled beer, with the surrounding guards resembling mere security guards.
"Drink while it's cool, you bitches." Even though the guards were the same as usual, at this moment there was still something different.
And that special person leaned against the short wall, refusing the beer offered by another prisoner, with a mysterious smile on his face, as if he were free.
"Very good!" Adrian couldn't help but applaud. Although he wasn't operating the camera himself, the cameraman was an old hand who had shot two movies with him. Having rehearsed twice, he wasn't worried about any deviations.
It had to be acknowledged that this shot was indeed flavorful. Especially when linked with the plot before and after, the imagery imparted a sense of inexplicable tranquility, beauty, and hope. Robbins agreed as well, being not only an actor but also a director and producer, he naturally noticed the unique charm of this scene.
"Great, take a break. Now we'll finish the rooftop scene, and then we can wait until evening to resume," Adrian said after replaying the footage on the monitor.
The remaining shots weren't very challenging. They involved the chief guard discussing his inheritance from his brother and complaining about high government taxes. Then Andy exploited this opportunity to help him receive the full inheritance. The shot of the chief guard pushing Andy to the edge of the rooftop seemed dangerous, but the actual filming had all necessary safety precautions.
It took about a whole morning to complete the rooftop scenes. Adrian allowed everyone some free time for the afternoon, and after sunset, he had the crew set up equipment near the barbed wire under the watchtower to prepare for Dennis's scenes.
This part of the story was about Tommy, a young man imprisoned for robbery who, after establishing good relationships with Andy, Red, and others, was taught to read and eventually became friends with Andy. When Tommy heard about Andy's story, he recalled hearing a robber in another prison boasting that he had killed someone and hadn't been caught, which had led to the banker husband of the murdered woman taking the fall. Andy immediately sought the Prison Warden to prove his innocence, but how could the warden let go of such a good tool, leading to Andy's punishment in solitary confinement for his rebellion? In retaliation, the warden made a ruthless decision, seeking to speak with Tommy under the guise of understanding the situation, and the meeting place was…outside the prison.
Prison Warden: Tommy, I'm asking you to keep our conversation tonight confidential, alright? This matter is quite tricky.
Tommy: Yes, sir, I promise.
Prison Warden: Our position is awkward; I hope you understand. We never anticipated this situation. If we are to take action, we must clarify every detail. Now let me ask you, was everything you told Dufresne the truth?
Tommy: Yes, sir, every word of it.
Prison Warden: Would you dare to say that to a judge and jury in court? Would you swear on the "Bible"?
Tommy: As long as you give me the chance, sir!
Prison Warden: Good, that's all I needed to hear.
After the conversation, the Prison Warden glanced at the watchtower and walked away. Tommy turned his head, then gunshots rang out, and the chief guard, waiting at the watchtower, unhesitatingly fired several bullets into his body.
"Very nice, Dan, you did an excellent job," Adrian complimented Dennis after calling a halt.
The role of Tommy was significant. Though appearing carefree and indifferent, with no ambition, he secretly longed for effort and rewards. That's why Andy began teaching him to read, encouraging him in exams, and even mailing his discarded test paper. It could be said that Tommy's death prompted Andy's resolve to escape.
In Stephen King's novel, Tommy wasn't killed by the warden, and there were three changes of wardens, while Norton did not face punishment. But this alteration in the movie made the entire story more convincing and impactful. Fans hailed "The Shawshank Redemption" as the most perfect movie because of its storytelling style, which paints layers of hope, oppression, hope, oppression again, hope, despair, and finally a turnaround. As Andy gazes up into the rain, releasing the accumulated negative emotions, the feeling of euphoria is unparalleled.
Dennis acted well; although it was his first time playing opposite Bob, after several takes, he grasped the essence of the character. Considering his previous roles, this guy was indeed promising.
"Alright, let's take a few more shots from different angles." After discussing it with the assistant director, Adrian called out again.
Soon, this relatively easy scene was completed. The next day, after shooting some scattered shots on the correctional facility playground, the outdoor scenes for "The Shawshank Redemption" were finished. This gave everyone a sigh of relief to some extent. Adrian worked at such a pace and had a knack for keeping everyone's spirits up, so when busy, it didn't feel too troublesome, but during complete rest, people realized they were more exhausted than usual.
Considering this, and since the staff at Mansfield State Penitentiary had helped a lot, Adrian specially arranged a farewell party and invited everyone to attend.
"Hi, darling, how have you been lately? The location filming for the new movie is done. The rest will be in the studio, and it's expected to finish by early June...Yes, I miss you too, unfortunately, I can't get away right now...No worries, once this shoot is over, I'll take a proper vacation and come to London to see you...Alright then, I love you."
Putting down the phone, Adrian exhaled. Although earlier in April, during the film's preparation stage, he had visited London to meet Kate, it was almost a month ago, and he still missed her, especially in bed...
Smacking his lips, Adrian turned and walked to the makeshift bar below. The bar was bustling at this time as if the energetic music was about to lift the roof off. Many were jumping along with the intense rhythm, looking very happy. They weren't those well-dressed high society folks, needing elegant conversation to classical music; they sought freedom and relaxation.
Asking the bartender for a drink, Adrian sat in a corner. He didn't mind party revelry; his adaptability was quite good in both past and present lives.
"Hey, Ed, you called?" Dennis appeared in front of him, his face flushed, clearly having drunk a lot. "Who did you call? Kate?"
Adrian shrugged with a smile, not directly answering: "Don't get drunk, Dan."
"Don't worry, I've been quite moderate," Dennis waved carelessly. "You know."
Pausing, he then sighed, "Oh, God, I can't believe it, a year ago I was still working in a café, and now a year later I'm already..."
"Enough, Dan, you've said that many times. I thought you had come to terms with things," Adrian chuckled.
"Just a little sentiment. You know, Roger got me a commercial, and there's a talk show negotiating, so..." Dennis gestured, eyes full of emotion.
"It seems Roger is indeed an excellent agent," Adrian agreed, meanwhile secretly contemplating that if Roger continued performing well, he might consider letting him handle his screenplay.
(New book chart ranked fourth, thanks to everyone, keep recommending)