In the following scenes, the challenges gradually increased.
With more complex settings and a larger number of extras, errors were bound to occur. These issues encompassed not only the actors but also the set design, props, and filming.
However, this was not their first time dealing with such challenges.
Lyman still managed to handle it with ease.
The bustling life on set truly felt fulfilling.
Gradually, a week passed, and the cast and crew's performances improved, including the actors themselves.
Despite the fatigue, everyone was accustomed to the rigors of filming, including Clint Eastwood, who didn't seem to mind the level of hard work, and no one complained of being unable to endure it.
Occasionally, they finished shooting early and gathered for a meal, trying out different restaurants to break the monotony of the crew's food, which consisted mainly of pizza, hamburgers, and various fast food items.
Enjoying something delicious like Mexican or German cuisine was a welcome change.
After all, it was a chance to savor local delicacies, and the production company footed the bill.
However, alcohol was off-limits this time.
Their filming schedule was demanding, and Lyman wanted to finish it as soon as possible.
So, the merriment was limited, but no one seemed to mind.
If there were any complaints, no one dared to voice them in front of Lyman.
Over these past few days, Lyman had been observing the atmosphere within the crew.
The filming team had worked on several movies together, so they had a strong sense of camaraderie, but the real focus was on the actors.
In reality, Clint was quite easygoing, unlike his on-screen persona, which was tough and unapproachable. Within the crew, he had the most engaging conversations with Morgan Freeman, perhaps due to their relatively close ages and shared interests.
As for Nicolas, he stayed for about a week, completing his sparse scenes early on. After some delay, and with his agent's prodding, he finally flew to New York, claiming to meet with the PR team.
Hilary, on the other hand, had earned Lyman's increasing admiration, and Lyman had a favorable impression of Ashley as well.
The filming continued...
One day.
The day broke early, and the crew began their work.
The location had changed to a professional boxing gym in Los Angeles, as they were set to shoot a regular women's boxing match for Maggie.
Originally, they had planned to shoot from various angles one by one, but it proved too cumbersome and yielded unsatisfactory results.
Just as Lyman was contemplating how to change their approach to filming, Hilary unexpectedly suggested shooting it live.
"Are you sure about this?" Lyman wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea; it could be dangerous. Her opponent was a real lightweight boxer and also a member of the coaching staff, a professional.
Hilary still wore a smile. "No problem, I can handle it."
Lyman thought for a long while and then approached Thomas. "What would be the filming difficulty if we go with this approach?"
Thomas was straightforward and didn't hesitate to respond, saying, "Shooting it live will undoubtedly yield better results, even though the boxing ring is quite narrow. I personally handling the camera should not be an issue. The crucial aspect here is the performance of the actress. Every move of hers will be etched in memory, and we cannot afford any unprofessional boxing actions. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I can do it," Hilary reaffirmed confidently. "I've been training for a long time, so I'll be fine."
That wasn't an exaggeration. Aside from the two weeks of training, she had continued to hone her boxing skills during filming.
"Alright, let's go for it then," Lyman decided, seeing how proactive the actors were.
"Let's have a few medical professionals from the nearby community hospital on standby, and..."
He approached the female boxer who was about to perform next, repeatedly reminding her, "When you throw punches later, make sure to hold back. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Soon, a few doctors arrived.
Many members of the crew watched the actress in the ring with silent admiration.
They were astounded by her determination, knowing that boxing matches were no child's play. Although it wouldn't be as real, getting hit by a punch could still be quite painful.
"Let's go."
Hilary put on her boxing gloves, adjusted her mouthguard, and mentally pumped herself up. "I can do this, I can do this. Let's go."
With Thomas shouldering a camera, the actors preparing to film were also impressed.
Morgan considered himself a dedicated actor, but he found it incredible how determined she was. When had Hollywood's actresses become so fierce? They didn't complain or fuss and even demanded better filming conditions.
As for Ashley, there was no need to mention it; he respected her for securing the role.
"Everyone's ready."
Five minutes later, the script supervisor rushed over and said, "Action!"
At that moment, on the boxing ring, two fully-equipped women were warming up.
Underneath the ring, Clint stood, while the crew members and a group of extras, recruited by CAA to act as spectators, occupied the seats nearby.
Lyman stood behind the director's monitor, observing Hilary, whose eyes were growing more determined with each passing moment. He couldn't help but marvel at her dedication, which was on par with a 50-something Tom Cruise doing his own plane stunts and low-altitude parachute jumps. They both shared this unwavering spirit.
"Action."
As the script supervisor clapped the slate, Lyman quickly discarded any distracting thoughts and focused entirely on the monitor.
Hilary, under the referee's signal, bumped fists with her opponent.
They took their positions, testing each other's stances.
Advancing and retreating, moving left and right, their gaze remained intensely fixed on each other.
Suddenly, with a feint move from her opponent, a left-hand feint followed by a real right hook, she broke through Hilary's defense, landing a punch on her left temple.
In an instant, she staggered, grabbing the ropes for support, her body unable to muster any strength.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," her opponent rushed over, apologizing.
It should be noted that she had held back a lot of her strength with that punch; otherwise, it could have caused a concussion and sent her straight to the hospital.
Even so, Hilary, who had no experience taking punches, still felt somewhat dizzy.
It was clear that they couldn't continue shooting like this.
After a quick examination by the doctors, they assured her there was nothing serious. About two to three minutes later, Hilary had recovered.
And she insisted on continuing the shoot.
At this point, the left side of her face was notably flushed, clearly showing the discomfort she had just endured.
"Both of you, be more careful and hold back on the punches," Lyman reminded them, but he didn't have any better solutions.
Fortunately, after this incident, both of them gained some experience.
Their punches looked fierce, but they were holding back or evading skillfully. Coupled with makeup and camera angles, the shots turned out quite impressive, conveying the intensity of the fight.
In the end, both actresses had some minor injuries, but what showed on their faces was exaggerated, while sweat continued to pour down as they continued filming.