Once the contract with the crew was officially signed, Martin's full attention was dedicated to the initial preparations for the upcoming project.
Compared to any of his previous roles, Benjamin Button's transformation was an intricate process.
Industrial Light and Magic dispatched a team of dozens of special effects experts to Paramount Studios.
Martin's first two weeks primarily revolved around collaborating with this team to perfect the facial modeling required for the film.
The focus was primarily on his face.
In the specialized effects room, Eric, the project director from Industrial Light and Magic, guided Martin to a setup. He instructed the operator, "Get ready to commence." A face-shaped platform rotated into position in front of Martin.
Eric clarified the task, "Martin, lean in, rest your chin on the support, and look directly at the camera. We need to capture your elderly smile."
Martin nodded, stating, "No problem."
This was distinct from live performances, and it was his first experience with it. Initially, he felt a bit uneasy, and the results from the motion capture shots were not quite satisfactory.
However, he possessed strong adaptability and made a firm decision, "Give me a few minutes to adjust."
Eric had overseen special effects capture modeling for numerous films and understood that actors accustomed to traditional performances often faced challenges when transitioning to special effects capture.
The modeling process demanded precision and could not be rushed.
Not everyone possessed the innate talent of an Andy Serkis.
After a brief break, Martin stood up, walked around a bit, and asked Eric, "Will this save a lot of time in makeup during filming?" Eric responded, "It will save a significant amount of time. You won't need to apply non-breathable silicone gel daily, and you won't have to wear a headpiece either. Just don the hat." Eric fetched a hat and continued, "Wear this during shooting. We'll create the hair and other effects through post-production special effects."
Upon seeing the hat's color, Martin's expression mirrored its shade, and he inquired, "I remember blue screens can be used as well, right?"
Eric explained, "If the protagonist's eyes are blue…"
Martin clarified, "My eyes aren't blue. They're dark brown."
Eric realized that it wasn't worth arguing with a celebrity over such minor details. After inspecting Martin's eye color, he concurred, "There's no real difference between green and blue." Martin added, "Maybe blue."
Eric nodded, "Alright, I'll have them prepare a blue hat for the shoot."
Martin commended him with a thumbs-up, "Smart choice."
Even though Eric didn't fully comprehend, he sensed the warmth in Martin's gesture and smiled in return.
Feeling at ease, Martin settled back in front of the camera. This time, he swiftly found his rhythm. With Eric's guidance, he conveyed various expressions, from joy to anger, sorrow, and delight.
The expressions captured on camera would be processed using Industrial Light and Magic's professional software to generate corresponding models.
When the time came for actual filming, Martin's face could seamlessly fit into the special effects model.
Compared to traditional filming, which entailed three to four hours of daily makeup and various constraints, digital technology saved both the crew and the actors substantial time and effort.
There would be fewer and fewer directors who insisted on traditional shooting, akin to Christopher Nolan's approach.
In the afternoon, Martin donned the blue hat provided by the crew once more to test the shooting effects.
As the day's work concluded, Eric walked alongside Martin out of the special effects room and mentioned, "This week focused on capturing and modeling your expressions. Next week, we'll shift our attention to your actions and dialogue." Martin responded confidently, "No problem; I've made extensive preparations during this period."
As they left the studio, Eric assured Martin, "We have sufficient time to complete the preparations before commencing shooting."
Martin responded, "This is my first experience with special effects shooting. If there's anything I need to improve, please don't hesitate to let me know." Eric smiled and replied, "You adapted quickly today; just maintain that during the afternoon session."
Exiting Benjamin Studio, Martin met up with Bruce and waited briefly. Thomas emerged with representatives from Coca-Cola and Brioni in Los Angeles.
The group headed to a nearby coffee shop for a brief discussion.
Coca-Cola would continue sponsoring a major film featuring the Coca-Cola Cult's leading figure.
Brioni would provide costumes for several key male characters.
These sponsorships offered significant cost savings for the production and the potential for substantial commercial revenue.
When David Fincher selected Martin, it wasn't solely based on his acting skills and auditions; the business aspects played a crucial role.
Practically every director wished for their film to fetch a substantial price at the box office, barring a few exceptions.
After seeing off the business representatives, Martin and Thomas hopped into the Escalade driven by Bruce.
Thomas received a call and informed Martin afterward, "Elizabeth Olsen's agent, who is also part of WMA, reached out, requesting a favor. Elizabeth Olsen is auditioning for a role in the Benjamin crew – the character of Caroline, Daisy's daughter during her teenage years."
Martin recalled this character; it wasn't extensive, perhaps just a step above an extra. He likely had fewer than 20 lines, and after post-production editing, he might just be a background presence.
After a moment's thought, he offered, "If it's not too much trouble, I can assist."
Thomas nodded, saying, "I understand."
For such a minor task, Martin didn't need to exert much effort. As his agent, Thomas could handle the details, making it relatively easy for actors to join the cast.
Martin was Thomas's most valuable asset and the foundation of his success.
By the time they reached Century City, Thomas had already managed to secure the arrangement.
Reflecting on it, Martin realized he hadn't seen Elizabeth Olsen in some time.
This thought stirred up some lingering frustration towards Nicholson and Leonardo, making his blood boil.
He inwardly chastised himself for not being more assertive with those two. His kicks should have been much firmer.
He pondered how he could persuade them to take a flight together.
Bruce unexpectedly chimed in, "Shall we make a detour through West Hollywood?"
Martin agreed, "Sure. But a detour? Old Bruce, what's on your mind?"
Bruce turned around and replied simply, "Kim's video DVD was released yesterday. There's a store in West Hollywood, Sacred Valley, that specializes in selling these kinds of films. Let's drop by and take a look."
Martin's interest piqued, "Absolutely, we must go! Hey, Bruce, should I talk to Jenna and see if she can put in a good word for you to win the AVN Best Newcomer Award next year?"
Bruce dismissed the idea, "I didn't even show my face."
Martin teased, "It doesn't matter whether your face is seen or not. It's all about the performance!" He burst into laughter, "Just a small contribution!"
Bruce responded with a raised middle finger, and Martin playfully reciprocated, "Brother, no need to be shy. If you don't win an award, would you be worthy of Hart and Ivan? Are you worthy of Sophia's careful guidance?" The first part of the statement sounded ordinary, but the latter stirred up a reaction from Bruce, causing him to frown. He emphasized, "This has nothing to do with Sophia! Absolutely nothing!"
Seeing Bruce's reaction, Martin decided not to press further, saying, "There's no direct connection, but an indirect one, perhaps..." Bruce interjected sternly, "Shut up! If you keep going, I might just drive into a light pole."
Martin complied and fell silent, but he couldn't help but ponder the possibility of bringing up the Jenna AVN matter later.
The Escalade arrived in West Hollywood and parked near the Shoepeg Theater, where the AVN Awards Ceremony was held, just across from a video rental store.
At the moment, a large poster was displayed above the store, announcing the official sale of the hacker video. The image didn't reveal any of Kim Kardashian, but it was unmistakably her figure.
The DVDs and videos released by Jenna's company claimed to be sourced from so-called hackers and bore no direct connection to Kardashian.
A lengthy line had formed outside the store, with hundreds of people eagerly waiting to purchase the video. Among them were entertainment bloggers, many wearing special T-shirts adorned with phrases like "I love Kim" in a bid to attract attention.
These clever individuals had mastered the trade secrets and tactics of driving traffic from the Kardashian hacker.
Martin observed the scene for a while. As the evening approached, more people began to join the queue.
When a line formed outside, it indicated that the store had reached its customer limit.
Bruce silently counted the numbers and remarked, "Seems like it's selling quite well."
Martin casually quipped, "Kim is wealthy, don't you want a slice of her riches?"
Bruce responded, "Forget it." For a few years, he had been associated with the most prominent part of Kim's life, displaying a rare moment of conscience, "Just consider it a parting gift."
Martin playfully acknowledged Bruce, "I didn't expect you to be a man of integrity."
However, Bruce's next statement revealed his true character, "Regardless, Kim is Khloe's biological sister, and we'll have to cross paths with her in the future."
Martin nodded and said in a serious tone, "It turns out I had you all wrong, Bruce. You're the mastermind."
Bruce, feeling no need to entertain this teasing, started the car and merged onto the main road, leaving West Hollywood behind.
...
In Century City, at the WMA headquarters.
Thomas disembarked from the elevator, and before he reached his office, he encountered Elizabeth Olsen and her agent, Martha, standing in front of the office door.
Martha approached and expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, my friend. You've been a tremendous help. The Benjamin crew called and allowed Liz to audition in full makeup. If her acting skills are up to par, she's very likely to secure the role."
She placed one hand behind her back and gestured.
Elizabeth stepped forward and added, "Mr. Lane, thank you."
Thomas replied, "You're welcome, and there's no need to thank me." Being an experienced agent, he understood the source of all this, and clarified, "All of this was done at Martin's request."
Martha promised, "I'll thank Martin personally."
Elizabeth, looking pleasantly surprised, whispered to herself, "So, Martin has always had me in mind."
She had returned home disappointed that evening, wondering if Martin might take the initiative to invite her out again, just as he often visited Louise's house. Although Martin had called her a few times, he hadn't asked her out for a meeting.
Unexpectedly, Martin had been secretly keeping tabs on her.
Martha overheard something but didn't catch it clearly and asked, "Liz?"
Elizabeth sweetly smiled, "Martin and I have known each other for many years, and Martin even saved me."