Hilary won over the cast and crew with her dedication.
Someone with a professional actor's spirit often found favor with directors, and Lyman was no exception.
He always enjoyed working with dedicated actors because it felt worthwhile.
Cooperating with such actors was also quite comfortable, much better than dealing with those who only cared about their paycheck and hired stand-ins whenever they didn't feel like acting.
December 28th, downtown Los Angeles, the set of the film "Million Dollar Baby".
After several days of shooting, the production had hit a rough patch. It wasn't due to the actors flubbing their lines too often or crew mistakes but rather because of frequent location changes. Most of the time was spent setting up the scenes.
Moreover, Lyman wanted to focus on filming the boxing scenes first and then shoot the rest. This would help Hilary get into the competitive mindset.
At noon, after a quick meal from the crew's catering, filming resumed.
"Move camera position one here, and raise that poster a bit higher... Yes, place it there."
Lyman directed the on-set crew while Thomas worked on dissecting the script into shots. A few actors gathered together, rehearsing their lines.
Finally, everything was set.
With a bit of makeup applied, Ashley, who played Maggie's emotionally distant sister in the film, took the stage. Her character was emotionally detached, even when witnessing Maggie's devastating spinal injury. Her words were sharp and hurtful, reflecting a strained family relationship.
Her mother was more concerned about not being burdened by Maggie's disability. She handed Maggie a contract, intending to divide the money Maggie had earned from boxing.
Under the camera's lens, a pale Hilary lay on a hospital bed, unable to move anything below her neck. Her performance relied solely on her voice and subtle facial expressions, devoid of any physical movements.
"Why did you take so long to come?" she asked with teary eyes, full of disbelief.
It had been five days since her spinal injury, and her mother had only just brought her sister to visit. Instead of offering comfort, her mother brought up a damned property transfer contract.
"Well, what's that supposed to mean?" Ashley stepped closer, her tone incredulous.
Finally, Maggie had given up.
"Mama, you take Mardell and J.D. And get home."
"You never signed those house papers. Once you do, we'll leave."
Her mother held out the contract, offering Maggie the pen to sign her own name.
The camera slowly zoomed out, capturing the scene in the hospital room. Maggie's agony and sadness, Ashley's cold determination, and the stunned lawyer.
He wanted to say something but didn't know what. He watched the scene of Maggie being emotionally manipulated by her family in the name of kinship.
"Cut. That's a wrap," Lyman said, nodding satisfactorily as he watched the monitor.
These actors were all impressive, and the chemistry between them was excellent.
"Let's switch to a close-up shot," he directed towards Thomas.
This meant that the medium wide shot they had just filmed was sufficient, and now they could focus on capturing a close-up of Hilary's facial expressions.
Upon hearing this, several actors on the set breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course, this didn't include the leading actress; her scenes were about to intensify, with close-ups magnifying every inch of her subtle expressions.
Thomas adjusted the camera's position, preparing to shoot the upcoming scenes from different angles and distances.
It seemed like an easy task since it was primarily a one-person scene. However, it took nearly half an hour to complete.
After finishing the shoot, it marked the end of Ashley's scenes. She changed out of her costume and walked directly towards Lyman, who was stationed behind the director's monitor. He rarely left that area.
"Ashley, well done," Lyman greeted her as he saw her approach.
"Is there something you'd like to discuss?" Lyman asked again when he noticed her silence.
Her inquisitive gaze made Ashley slightly nervous, but she remained determined. "Director Lyman, after my scenes are completed, may I stay on set to observe the filming?"
Seeing her hopeful expression, Lyman chuckled. "What's this? Are you finding it hard to leave because of the delicious catering on the set?"
Ashley was left unsure by Lyman's laughter but continued, "I know my performance wasn't great, so I'd like to learn more on set."
"Why?" Lyman was somewhat puzzled. It was his first time encountering an actor who wanted to stay on set even after their scenes were finished.
"It's just... it's just..." Just as Ashley was thinking of a better reason to provide, Lyman suddenly said, "I agree."
With that, he went to find Thomas to discuss the upcoming shots.
It seemed that this young lady had her own motives, whether networking or something else. However, Lyman didn't mind her approach. Advocating for one's career direction, even if it appeared deliberate, was not something to be rejected.
Ashley was momentarily stunned but soon realized that her request had been approved. A smile crept onto her lips.
As the days passed by, they entered the year 2004 amidst all the buzz and excitement. The various controversies and awards season parties in December had nothing to do with them. In the midst of their busy and fulfilling shooting schedule, it was as if they had been forgotten.
Hollywood never lacked hot topics. Even though Lyman had recently been the focus of newspapers and media, he was quickly overshadowed by more current and sensational news.
After half a month of release, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" had surpassed $200M at the North American box office and was heading towards the $300M mark. Almost all industry insiders and forecasting agencies believed that the final market performance wouldn't be disappointing.
New Line Cinema was ecstatic watching the daily increase in box office revenue. They had already held two celebratory banquets, and with their current momentum, a third one was not far off.
As for the month, following "The Matrix Revolutions", "The Last Samurai" swiftly climbed the box office charts, reaping a final harvest of box office earnings. However, it quickly declined, even Tom Cruise's appearances on talk shows urging people to watch couldn't save it.
The final tally wouldn't likely exceed $150M, but considering its target audience was primarily the Japanese market, it was a success. Neither Tom nor Warner Bros. had lost out on this deal. On the contrary, they had profited handsomely. Only the Japanese investors may have felt some regret.
Their original intention was to promote the Japanese Bushido spirit and spread Japanese culture while building a sense of identity. It wasn't about profit or loss; it was about achieving their respective goals.