"Quiet! Quiet!" the bearded man raised his megaphone and shouted, "Everyone quiet down!"
There were hundreds of extras on site, and any chaos could lead to serious consequences. Immediately, staff members stepped forward to maintain order, and the noisy crowd gradually calmed down.
During this time, Matthew had squeezed his way to the very front, standing diagonally across from the bearded man, Helen Herman, and Ridley Scott. Michael Sheen was standing next to him, staring at Ridley Scott as if he wanted to swallow him whole.
This was a major Hollywood A-list project, and everyone wanted a chance to appear on camera, not just someone with a purpose like Matthew, but even those who treated being an extra as a hobby.
The hundreds of extras gathered were mainly from three groups: people like Matthew and Michael Sheen, who dreamed of stardom; pure movie fans; and some local residents from the town.
Those who pushed to the front were mainly from the first two groups.
The bearded man was an executive producer. He came to the edge of the woods, lifted his megaphone, and loudly announced, "I'm adjusting the lineup now. Anyone who doesn't follow commands will be dismissed!"
Starting from the front, he pointed at a burly man whose beard looked like a bird's nest and directed, "You, move forward!"
Then, he pointed to a noticeably shorter person next to him and said, "You, go to the back."
He made his way down the line, sending many who had squeezed to the front to the back and calling some from the back to the front.
"Are we going to be moved to the back?" Michael Sheen was worried.
Matthew kept his eyes on the bearded man and shook his head, "Don't worry, we won't."
Michael Sheen didn't understand where his confidence came from and asked, "Why?"
"Didn't you notice?" Matthew gestured with his eyes, "The bearded man called those tall and strong to the front. Those who were sent to the back were all smaller and skinnier."
Michael Sheen took a closer look and realized it was true.
"You really observe closely," he admitted with some admiration. "I didn't notice that."
Matthew just smiled and said nothing, instead turning his attention to Helen Herman, who was talking to Ridley Scott. Her demeanor showed no sycophancy, suggesting she was quite familiar with the old man.
She must have secured these roles for Angel Agency through more than just good luck, as she claimed.
"You, move back!" the bearded man approached Matthew and Michael Sheen, then pointed to a short person on their left, "You too, move back!"
He glanced at Matthew and Michael Sheen and then walked away.
Michael Sheen looked at Matthew, who just shrugged, "Being strong is also an asset."
The bearded executive producer personally managed the lineup of barbarian extras, making it more orderly. Ridley Scott stood on the periphery, not getting involved.
After the bearded man's adjustments, the lineup of extras was finalized. Those who stood at the front and were directly visible to the camera were all burly men over six feet tall, each wielding a weapon with a fierce demeanor.
Ridley Scott then came onto the field to direct the shooting.
"Remember!"
As shooting was about to begin, the bearded man gave a final instruction, "Bring the energy you showed during rehearsals and shout with all your might!"
The scene involving the extras was simple: they were to stand at the edge of the woods and angrily shout across the clearing at the Roman legions, a show of defiance from the barbarians.
The bearded man retreated to the edge of the set, lifted his megaphone, and after Ridley Scott nodded, he shouted, "Action!"
Matthew grabbed a battle ax, raising it above his head, and opened his mouth wide, contorting his face into a fierce expression.
"Oh—ah—oh—wa—"
He let out various thunderous roars, his loud voice drowning out Michael Sheen's next to him.
"Whoa—"
All the extras raised their weapons, emitting all sorts of bizarre cries!
For a moment, the set was like a gathering of lunatics, all severe cases.
As the camera slid past them on tracks, those in the front row shouted even louder and more energetically.
Matthew put down his ax and changed his stance, pointing the blade forward and mimicking chopping motions. Michael Sheen removed the shield he had been carrying on his back, drew the sword from his waist, and began to strike the shield forcefully...
Those with shields also began to bang their weapons against their shields!
This Germanic barbarian troop was full of vigor.
"Cut!" Ridley Scott's voice suddenly rang out. "Good! Well done!"
The bearded man immediately smiled; the take was successful in one go, proving his rehearsal work was spot on
.
Matthew set down his weapon and cleared his throat; shouting so loudly had left him somewhat uncomfortable. Luckily, the production was well-funded, and someone had already brought over several crates of bottled water.
Since breakfast, Matthew and the other extras had hardly had any water. He walked over to the water station, picked up a bottle, carefully unscrewed the cap, and gulped down several mouthfuls to avoid messing up his makeup. The cold water soothed his burning throat and revitalized him.
After drinking, Matthew noticed Helen Herman leaning against a tree nearby, jotting something down in a notebook.
"She seems to have not had any water all morning, either."
Matthew picked up another bottle of water, hoisted the prop ax on his shoulder, and walked towards Helen Herman.
"What are you busy with?" he offered a bottle of water to Helen Herman. "Have some water."
Helen Herman looked up at Matthew, put away her notebook, took the water bottle, and nodded slightly, "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Matthew smiled, hoisted his ax, and walked away.
Unscrewing the water bottle, Helen Herman took a sip and watched Matthew's retreating figure, recalling his profile in her mind. He was one of the few extras in her Angel Agency's records who had appeared in roles with lines.
Matthew returned to the midst of the extras, and Michael Sheen approached him again, "Matthew, you're not really trying to hit on her, are you?"
"Cut it out," Matthew shook his head. "Haven't I told you already?"
Michael Sheen was skeptical, "If you're not trying to hit on her, why do you keep going up to her?"
"It's simple, just making an acquaintance!" Matthew stood next to Michael Sheen, glancing at Helen Herman, who was still drinking water. "Her company is newly established, and she's unfamiliar with the actors. If you frequently greet her, when she has suitable work or roles, she might think of you first."
"That makes sense!" Michael Sheen had an epiphany. "Why didn't I think of that?"
He was about to go over there when a staff member shouted, "Gather up! Gather up!"
Michael Sheen hadn't moved yet when another staff member loudly announced, "Put the water bottles back! Don't leave them on set! Everyone, gather up now!"
Minutes later, shooting resumed, but this time the direction was taken over by a younger assistant director.
Taking advantage of the break before filming started, Matthew noticed Helen Herman was once again close to Ridley Scott.
"How's your father?" Ridley Scott was very familiar with Helen Herman. "Is he in Los Angeles?"
"He's on vacation in New Zealand," Helen Herman smiled as she spoke. "He likes the summer."
Ridley Scott nodded, "Still the same."
Helen Herman turned her gaze towards the Roman army formation and curiously asked, "Aren't they starting to film over there yet?"
"Probably not until after noon." A flicker of displeasure crossed Ridley Scott's face. "These days, stars make more money and have greater influence than before, but their professionalism has declined."
Helen Herman knew who he was talking about. "Is Russell Crowe difficult to deal with?"
"Yes." Ridley Scott didn't deny it. "He's a great actor when filming, but otherwise..."
He shook his head, seemingly unwilling to discuss Russell Crowe any further, and changed the subject, "Why did you start a small talent agency?"
Helen Herman turned back to him. "I wanted to try my hand at it and gain some experience. I was just out of the mailroom, with no clients, and rather than waiting to climb the ladder, I thought I'd take a chance, even if I fail, it's valuable experience."
Ridley Scott appeared to appreciate Helen Herman's pragmatism. "Not many young people are as pragmatic as you these days."
Knowing her father was an old friend of Ridley Scott's, he thought for a moment and said, "We have a minor role whose actor has run into trouble; I'm planning to replace him. Do you have someone suitable?"
Helen Herman immediately realized that Ridley Scott was offering to help her. A frequent figure in her thoughts came to mind, along with his details—a man who had acted alongside Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder, even having a couple of lines. He would be more than capable of handling the small role Ridley Scott mentioned.
"I do," she quickly responded. "When do you need him?"
Ridley Scott checked his watch. "I need to get back; Russell Crowe should be arriving soon. How about we discuss it over lunch?"