Hearing Orlando Bloom's words, Matthew thought for a while and put on a very imposing air, "Faith can make thousands of people wield AK-47s and shoot wildly. Which do you think is more powerful?"
At this moment, a crew member came over to inform them that the shuttle bus back to the hotel had arrived. Matthew and the others chose not to continue watching and returned to the hotel for some air conditioning. However, they didn't rest upon returning; instead, they went to the hotel's second-floor bar, where Orlando Bloom treated Matthew, Ben Foster, and James McAvoy to drinks.
In the bar, the three of them ordered cocktails with a low alcohol content, as they were still during the filming period.
"I'm leaving Morocco tomorrow," Orlando Bloom said as he put down his glass. "I might not be able to return until January next year."
James McAvoy raised his glass, "Safe travels."
Ben Foster also said, "Orlando, safe travels!"
Matthew raised his glass as well, "Safe travels."
The three of them finished their drinks, chatted for a bit, and then dispersed, as they had work waiting for them the next day.
Throughout November and the first half of December, Matthew was in Morocco filming combat scenes. Some of the scenes seemed simple but were fraught with problems during filming, especially when filming with local African actors hired by the crew. These temporary actors often stole the spotlight from the American soldiers with their goofy faces, laughter, and seductive poses, causing the shooting to be interrupted.
Sometimes, Matthew felt that these Africans naturally had a talent for comedy, a pity that it was often misapplied.
However, their uniquely seductive faith shooting was excellently performed by the African temporary actors, as if they were born with the talent for such cool shooting poses.
In the original story he had read, American soldiers commented on the local African militias' shooting skills as, "Don't worry, their marksmanship is surprisingly bad. Just be careful not to get hit by a stone," coupled with the widespread use of AK-47s and Type 56 assault rifles in Africa, which are notoriously difficult to control due to their strong recoil, resulting in often poor shooting outcomes.
Like in this war.
About 160 U.S. soldiers were surrounded by four thousand armed militants, and after a day of intense fighting, 19 U.S. soldiers were killed, 70 were injured, while Somalia suffered over a thousand casualties. The U.S. forces were able to fight against larger numbers, not only because of their superiority in equipment and individual quality but also because the poor marksmanship of the African militants was a significant help.
In mid-December, Matthew received a call from Helen Herrman, who said she would visit the set before Christmas.
This was also good news. For a month and a half, except for one day off each week, they were almost always filming. The war scenes, for some inexplicable reasons, had to be shot over and over again, leaving everyone exhausted.
Ben Foster once suggested going out to find girls, but this idea was unanimously rejected by Matthew and James McAvoy. They were in Africa and didn't want to risk getting sick and bringing it back home. It was better to be disciplined.
As for developing relationships within the crew, that was also out of the question. Among the crew members from North America, there were very few women, half of whom were over forty, and the other half were not worth mentioning.
Among the hired temporary actors, there were indeed many women, but they were local African women. For safety reasons, it was best to stay away.
As the filming progressed, Matthew also had scenes with Johnny Lee Miller, but with Ridley Scott on set, both were very restrained, only interacting during filming and only having one private meeting.
Johnny Lee Miller again demanded the videotapes, which Matthew postponed again with the excuse that his girlfriend wasn't in Los Angeles, promising to return the tapes once they were both back in Los Angeles.
After all, once filming was over, they would go their separate ways, and Johnny Lee Miller couldn't possibly chase after him every day for a non-existent tape, and he couldn't talk about this matter with anyone.
In December, the production team organized a media meeting and even staged a piece of fake news.
An actor playing a Ranger was given an anonymous letter at the hotel entrance, thanking the crew and actors for their efforts and asking them to realistically recreate the battle. The letter was signed by all the Rangers who died in the battle.
This letter and the actor who received it naturally appeared at the media meeting and were widely reported by the media, not only in entertainment news but also in many current affairs media outlets.
The production team successfully generated early publicity, attracting many people's attention to "Black Hawk Down" being in production.
As for whether the person who mailed the letter was really a Ranger, no one cared.
With a tight schedule and heavy tasks, frequent issues with temporary actors, the production was not going smoothly and was even slightly behind schedule, which was why Matthew had to stay in Morocco.
As December approached, someone finally came to visit him.
"Ah, Helen..."
In the hotel's restaurant, seeing Helen Herrman in a professional suit, Matthew felt inexplicably warm, "I'm so glad to see you."
Last week, James McAvoy and Ben Foster also left the production.
"You look good," Helen Herrman said, pointing to the chair opposite her. "Sit!" After Matthew sat down, she continued, "You seem to be in good spirits."
She pushed the menu towards Matthew, who didn't hesitate to order several meat dishes, mostly mid-to-high-priced items on the menu, showing no restraint with Helen Herrman.
Helen Herrman finished ordering for herself and casually asked, "Is the filming going smoothly?"
"It's okay, just the temporary actors are a headache," Matthew rubbed his forehead, "Now whenever I see a black temporary actor with a gun, I feel like I could break down at any moment."
"It's fine to say that to me," Helen Herrman reminded him, "but don't talk like that outside. It could cause unnecessary trouble."
Matthew put down his hand and took a sip of water, "I know, I haven't really talked to anyone in a week, just venting to you. I can't complain to Ridley Scott, can I?"
Helen Herrman suddenly changed the subject, "Hasn't your girlfriend come to visit?"
"No," Matthew shook his head, "She's recording her second album, busier than me."
He continued, "Don't worry, we talk on the phone every day. Our relationship is very stable."
The waiter brought the dishes, and Matthew paused his conversation to focus on the food. He was truly hungry. Filming in Africa couldn't compare to England. Although the standards for food and lodging weren't low, the dishes sometimes didn't suit his taste.
After eating halfway through, Matthew looked up and asked, "Helen, you came here for more than just a visit, right?"
He knew Helen Herrman well enough to guess that her visit was probably just a convenient excuse, and there must be work-related matters to discuss.
"I had some business in England," Helen Herrman was direct, "and thought I'd visit you since I was nearby in North Africa. There are a few work-related things I need to discuss with you."
Matthew spread his hands, "I knew it."
Helen Herrman ignored his comment and started discussing work matters, "DreamWorks and HBO have confirmed the broadcast time for 'Band of Brothers' for the spring season next year. They are currently preparing a premiere to be held on Omaha Beach in Normandy, inviting many veterans from the 101st Airborne Division."
Matthew's interest was piqued, "Am I on the invitation list?"
"Of course, you are," Helen Herrman put down her cutlery and wiped her mouth with a napkin, "The 'Band of Brothers' production team has sent you a formal invitation, which is at the Burbank office. I'll give it to you when you return."
Hearing this, Matthew relaxed and casually said, "No rush."
Helen Herrman ignored his casual attitude and continued, "'The Mummy Returns' has also confirmed its release date."
"Really?" Matthew had been looking forward to this film's release, "When? Next summer?"
"Exactly, the summer season," Helen Herrman remembered clearly without hesitation, "The North American release date is May 4th. The global premiere is expected to be held at the end of April. According to the contract you signed with the production, you must attend the premiere."
Matthew immediately responded, "Of course, I'll attend! I must attend!"
Only a fool would miss such an opportunity.
"And there's more," Helen Herrman indeed had a lot of work-related news, "Universal Pictures requires you to participate in the pre-release promotion. They will notify you ten days in advance of which shows to attend."
"That's no problem," Matthew knew these were opportunities to increase his visibility, "Just help me coordinate the schedule when the time comes."
Feeling full and satisfied, with Helen Herrman bringing only good news, Matthew was in a great mood.
Thinking about the first half of next year, with two of his projects entering the broadcasting phase, he might become famous and embark on the path to Hollywood stardom...
Who in this industry doesn't want to become famous and a star? Perhaps there are some, but they are one in a thousand.
"One last thing," Helen Herrman spoke again, "I've received information that last month, Jerry Bruckheimer had several meetings with Disney Studios and Disney Group executives. It's rumored that they might be planning a new project, possibly related to a Disney theme park movie project."
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