Ang Lee returned on the second day.
He appeared weary and not in great spirits.
This time, he had been busy negotiating with the guarantor from Allianz Insurance Company.
What were they negotiating about?
The shooting location.
In the film, there was a scene where a herd of sheep was drinking water. After careful consideration, Ang Lee wanted to capture a sense of beauty in that scene—a shot from the mountaintop looking down, with a gentle breeze blowing, and Heath, playing the cowboy, herding the sheep to the creek to drink.
The idea for the shoot was, of course, good. Such delicate shots were abundant in his films and had become his signature style.
But when it came to reality, troubles emerged.
Who could have thought that the sheep on these ranches wouldn't drink from unfamiliar water sources, no matter how much pressure was applied.
Due to this, the crew had been delayed for several days, trying various methods to resolve the issue, all of which failed.
Only then did he realize that sometimes, sheep could be as stubborn as cows.
But there was no choice; he wanted that shot, and he wasn't going to settle for a rushed scene.
The frustration of being unable to realize his vision was already quite vexing.
What was even more frustrating was that the representatives from the guarantor had reached their limit and demanded that he wrap up filming soon. They couldn't keep dragging on like this. Otherwise, they threatened to call Focus Features and the distributor Paramount for intervention.
Yes, that's right. The guarantor had that authority. They could even remove the director from the crew.
Of course, the latter was an extreme measure. No one would resort to it unless absolutely necessary.
Just as Ang Lee was busy resolving this matter, he saw Lyman, who had come from a distance for a set visit.
"Director Lee, hello." He greeted warmly.
Near the temporary resting area set up on the filming site, there was a small sunshade next to several tents storing filming equipment.
A few chairs were placed around, and Lyman had just taken a seat.
"Hello."
He had discussed this with Heath, and Ang Lee had agreed, so it wasn't too surprising for him to be here.
"I brought some watermelon. Would you like to try some?"
One couldn't visit without bringing something. It was a matter of courtesy.
Lyman was thoughtful, specially arranging for a truckload of watermelons to be brought, inviting the entire crew to enjoy them.
Fruit was just perfect.
He pulled one out from the side, then grabbed a knife and sliced it open.
Ah, a vibrant red, a delightful sight.
"Here, have a slice."
Ang Lee was somewhat bewildered by his enthusiasm. He even wondered if they were that close, or if this guy was just naturally sociable. Extroverted, perhaps?
Nevertheless, he didn't refuse. These past couple of days had indeed left him quite agitated.
There was a simmering anger within him.
Ang Lee casually sat across from him, accepting the slice of watermelon. He glanced outside the sunshade at the sky, a deep blue expanse with the fiery sun hanging high.
He couldn't help but say, "The weather is getting hotter."
"Yes, it's August, and it's still this hot."
Sure, this line was tricky.
Exclaiming casually, they continued the conversation. How would the chat unfold?
However, Lyman was here with a purpose, not interested in these details.
"How much longer until your film wraps up?" he asked, both polite and direct.
The intention was clear: it was time to pull the actors, reschedule quickly.
Ang Lee didn't speak immediately, taking a few bites of watermelon. He knew exactly what this person's visit implied.
A few days ago, Heath had discussed similar matters with him. However, things were not going smoothly.
If they were, they would have been done by now.
"Perhaps it will be done in a day or two, or maybe a week or two," he provided an answer.
Lyman listened, somewhat comprehending yet not quite. One thing was clear to him: both were directors, and this guy was shooting a film without even a specific filming schedule. It all seemed quite casual.
"Ring ring..."
As they spoke, the sound of a vibrating phone filled the air.
Lyman's phone didn't have that setting, so he looked at Ang Lee.
"Sorry, I need to take this call," he said, shifting slightly.
"Hello... Yes, how's it going?"
"What? Cut off my funding?"
"Alright, I understand."
After about seven or eight minutes, Ang Lee returned to his original spot.
His brow was furrowed, clearly in a bad mood.
They were far apart, and Lyman didn't know what he had just said, so he could only vaguely speculate that it wasn't good news.
"Why is the creative process so difficult nowadays?" Perhaps because he was talking to another director, Ang Lee didn't hide his emotions too much.
Making this film was a matter of eating into his reserves out of necessity.
Back when "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" had achieved such excellent results, he couldn't fathom how many film companies had pursued him.
It exemplified the old saying: in prosperous times, everyone wants to contribute to the glory.
Ultimately, it was Warner Bros. that had moved him with their sincerity and convinced him to take on "The Hulk".
It was also his first time directing a major project with a budget over $100M. But he didn't anticipate that not only would the filming process have constant interventions, but even during editing, things wouldn't go his way.
In the end, he suffered losses, and ironically, he bore the brunt of it. It was truly damn frustrating. Ang Lee had himself complained in an interview about Warner Bros. management's meddling in the film. Considering Zack Snyder's dissatisfaction during the making of "Watchmen" and "Batman v Superman", one could deduce the authenticity of his words. After all, Warner Bros., being a veteran company, heavily adheres to a producer-centric system, and how much creative freedom they afford the director is hard to say.
However, to say there was absolutely no responsibility would be impossible. At least, Lyman knew that Ang Lee's style of filmmaking and his personal aesthetic had no connection to commercial popcorn films.
Warner Bros. probably chose him to direct "The Hulk" because of the outstanding performance of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", hoping to replicate that kind of market success.
Unfortunately, their pursuit of successful individuals' ideas had temporarily backfired.
"These Hollywood film companies rely too much on the market," Lyman nodded, agreeing.
This was also his innermost thoughts. That's why he could collaborate so pleasantly with EuropaCorp, and it's also why he seldom wanted to change collaborators.
At the very least, Luc Besson still half-counted as a filmmaker and had some principles.
Ang Lee grumbled a bit, then suddenly fell silent, returning to nibbling on the watermelon.
Lyman's mind had been focused on how to end Heath's filming schedule. His mind was racing, but he didn't want to open up directly.
Being too straightforward wasn't his style.
After hesitating for a while, he came up with a reasonable way to broach the subject. "Director Lee, are you free tonight?"
"Sure, we don't have any scenes to shoot today. What's up?"
"Well, I'd like to invite you for dinner."
"Dinner?" Ang Lee was even more surprised, but he agreed nonetheless.