"Boom—"
Amid the explosion, countless bits of earth flew up, falling like raindrops, hitting Matthew and his helmet, while a nearby actor trembled as if terrified by the explosion, motionless.
The explosions in the filming were all real shots. Although the explosives were not very powerful, under the pyrotechnics team's control, the sound and force were quite impressive. It wasn't unusual for new actors who had never experienced such scenes to be scared stiff.
Matthew held his CAR-15 rifle in one hand, freeing the other to point first at his eyes, then forward, shouting, "Cover me!"
From behind the director's monitor, Ridley Scott was about to call cut but, seeing Matthew's actions, let the filming continue. The scenario of a rookie soldier freezing up was realistic, making this shot a potential candidate for post-production editing.
"Boom—"
Another explosion sounded, followed by the rattling gunfire of AK-47s. Matthew looked up and yelled to a few actors dressed as rangers, "Follow me!"
He then darted from cover into the street, crouching low as he ran forward. Reaching a street corner, he knelt on one knee, adopting a perfect kneeling shooting position, and pulled the trigger repeatedly.
Bang—bang—bang—
Gunshots rang out, and casings flew but no bullets; the CAR-15 was loaded with blanks, specially prepared by the crew.
Matthew knew that the movie would use minimal post-production effects, relying mostly on live shots. Ridley Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer ambitiously aimed to recreate every detail of the battlefield.
After firing several shots, Matthew turned direction and looked back, "Stay low! Stay low!"
He led two soldiers onto another street.
"Cut!" Ridley Scott called the end of the shot, "This one's good!"
Matthew stood up, removing his helmet to reveal a sweaty head. A makeup assistant rushed over to wipe off his sweat, while his assistant brought over a straw-equipped water bottle, considering his makeup and full gear.
The actor stunned by the explosion was helped up, seemingly unable to participate in further shooting for a while.
The crew quickly adjusted the cameras, sliding them along rails to Matthew's street.
Ridley Scott, walking over leisurely, asked the bearded Jack beside him, "That's Matthew Horner, the one Helen recommended?"
"Yes," Jack responded, eyeing Matthew, "The helmet says 'Hoot'. Can't be wrong."
Each actor playing an American soldier had their character's surname on their helmet, a detail by Ridley Scott to help viewers distinguish characters in uniform.
"He's good," Ridley Scott was pleased with the shot, "Very adaptable."
Jack smiled, "Helen's recommendations are always spot on."
Ridley Scott nodded, then turned to address the actors, "Everyone, over here!"
Matthew promptly put his helmet back on and joined Ridley Scott, along with two other actors and the military advisor.
"Next, you'll be guiding an armed helicopter." Ridley Scott demonstrated, moving to a wall near a building by the street, crouching and pointing towards a group of African extras, "Move along this wall, all the way there."
Matthew crouched behind him, quickly responding, "Understood."
"Mister Scott!" The military advisor interjected, "Sorry, but this scene doesn't align with the actual situation."
Ridley Scott stood, "Oh? Let's hear it."
The advisors, from Delta Force, were there to ensure the film accurately reflected the battlefield, helping to identify and correct details.
The advisor explained, "The Delta operators wore lightweight plastic helmets, not bulletproof but good for impact protection, named 'High-Cut Ballistic Helmets'. In such situations, they wouldn't hug the wall due to ricochet risks. Bullets can travel along walls for a distance, increasing the risk of being hit!"
He paused, then added, "Standing in the open under gunfire requires immense courage to overcome fear. Hugging the wall feels safer but is actually more dangerous, yet provides comfort. This rational over instinct approach differentiates Delta operators from rangers."
Ridley Scott considered, then suggested, "Let's add a scene where Delta operators discuss this, to clarify for viewers unfamiliar with these tactics."
Jerry Bruckheimer, not interfering with the filming, left Ridley Scott in charge. Adjusting scenes based on authenticity was straightforward.
However, this scene wasn't assigned to Matthew. The shoot continued with him leading soldiers down the street until they engaged the African extras, marking the end of Sergeant Hoot's scenes for the day.
After makeup removal, Matthew joined James McAvoy and others under a large sun umbrella for a break.
"Water." Ben Foster tossed a chilled mineral water bottle to Matthew, who, after sitting beside Orlando Bloom and taking a sip, remarked, "Refreshing!"
Orlando offered an ice cream, "Want one?"
Matthew declined.
Suddenly, a burst of gunfire sounded from the street, where filming continued. Including Matthew, the group turned their attention there.
"Those African actors' shooting stance..." Ben Foster struggled to find the right words.
Orlando grimaced, "They're playing poorly trained militia." He observed the set, adding, "Most militia lack formal shooting training, firing wildly, hence the low accuracy. This explains why over a hundred U.S. soldiers, surrounded by thousands of militia, had only 19 fatalities."
"I've always wondered," James McAvoy pointed to the African actors firing AK-47s, "why do they always shoot with the gun over their head? Not just in movies, but in news footage too."
Orlando noted, "That seems to be the case."
Ben shrugged, "I don't know."
Matthew set his water bottle down, "I've thought about this."
The others looked intrigued.
Matthew wasn't just speculating; he had researched after noticing Africans, especially south of the Sahara, often firing guns over their heads in news footage of conflicts, a curious sight indeed.
"Go on," urged Orlando.
Matthew outlined three reasons, starting with belief and culture. In many parts of Africa, due to low literacy, modern weapons like guns and RPGs are seen as supernatural powers or white magic. Thus, aiming isn't considered necessary, with faith in the weapon's inherent power to destroy targets.
The others laughed, skeptical.
"Seriously!" Matthew insisted, "I saw it on a military show. Many, excluding some regular armies, firmly believe in such ideas, even thinking a gun wrapped in sheep's blood-soaked cloth guarantees a hit, regardless of aiming or enemy charms. This 'faith shooting' has nothing to do with stance or technique."
He then mentioned the desire for a cool pose and lack of training as other reasons, with the latter being the most credible explanation for such shooting practices.
James nodded, "The last point makes sense."
Orlando asked, "Faith shooting, then. Which is more powerful, faith or shooting technique?"
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