In front of the National Archives in Washington.
A long isolation tape separated the road from the sidewalk. Brianna Benter stood among the onlookers on the sidewalk, looking across the street where a temporary rail had been laid out. Several crew members were busy setting up cameras on it. Without asking, one could guess that a film or TV show was about to be shot.
The National Archives, nearby Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument are all famous landmarks in the U.S., often used as shooting locations by film crews. Brianna Benter, having seen many such occasions, wasn't surprised at all.
However, being a young girl who had recently started idolizing celebrities, Brianna didn't leave but instead decided to stay and watch.
From across the street, she could vaguely see many people bustling about in the crew. A tall man stepped down from a large trailer and spoke to a shorter man wearing a baseball cap, who appeared to be the director, issuing commands to others while talking.
For some reason, Brianna felt that the tall man's back was very familiar, resembling the male star she admired.
But without having seen him in person and unable to see his face, she couldn't be sure.
The crew seemed very efficient, and shooting began soon after. Brianna knew that filming in front of the National Archives couldn't last long due to road closures.
Upon the director's cue, the tall man, carrying a cylinder, dashed from the back of a truck and headed forward. From her angle, Brianna could clearly see the side profile of this tall actor.
Brianna's eyes widened, excitement burst across her face, but noticing the nearby crew, she quickly covered her mouth, muffling a scream that almost escaped.
A crew member had previously asked the spectators to be quiet during filming.
Scenes involving the National Archives and other significant sites in Washington were common, and though people were curious, they rarely disturbed the shooting.
Brianna kept her eyes fixed on the man in the scene, certain it was Matthew Horner, the lead actor she had become a fan of after watching "Pirates of the Caribbean" the previous year.
"I can't believe he's right here," she murmured to herself, wondering if she could get his autograph.
In the midst of her musing, she saw Matthew approach a van, cautiously looked around, and set down the cylinder beside the vehicle.
Then the director called a halt to the shoot, spoke briefly with Matthew, who stood still, and then filming resumed.
Brianna ignored everything else, still focused on Matthew. The man, just standing there, radiated a rugged, masculine charm that was utterly captivating.
"This must be another very manly role," Brianna whispered to herself.
She looked again at Matthew, who wore a simple jacket, yet his distinctly masculine presence was off the charts.
Suddenly, a well-dressed blonde woman entered her view. The woman was strikingly beautiful, with distinct Nordic or Germanic features. Whether it was her outfit or her acting, Brianna sensed a demeanor of elegance, nobility, allure, and sensuality.
Unquestionably, this was a very attractive and classy blonde.
Brianna murmured, "She must be the lead actress, right?"
It seemed likely, as the blonde woman and Matthew argued briefly before she snatched the cylinder from him.
Filming paused again, the short director intervened, the blonde left, and then they shot the scene once more.
During a break, many people left, but Brianna called her roommate, Alice, bursting with excitement. "Alice, guess who I saw? Matthew Horner, my favorite movie star!"
She glanced again towards Matthew, still looking dashing, and exclaimed over the phone, "He looks even cooler in person than in the movies! I must get his autograph! What, you want one too? Can't you come over? Stuck at work? Okay, I'll try to get two!"
After hanging up, her emotions calmed a bit as filming resumed. Soon, she noticed more young people gathering by the roadside, all excited about Matthew Horner.
Some even held signs aloft, proclaiming their adoration for Matthew.
About half an hour later, as the crew seemed to wrap up, crew members began collecting the isolation tapes. Brianna quickly crossed the street to where the crew parked.
Not just her, but many young people surged forward.
"Matthew Horner! Matthew…"
"Autograph, please, Matthew!"
The cries were chaotic, and security held Brianna and the others back.
But the noise seemed to catch the crew's attention, and Brianna saw Matthew descend from the trailer and briefly talk with a crew handler before walking towards them.
"Matthew! Matthew…"
Instantly, the crowd grew even wilder with shouts of "Matthew!"
Someone even yelled, "Will Turner! I want Will Turner's autograph!"
Amid the crowd, Brianna too hoped for an autograph from Matthew.
"Quiet! Quiet down!" one of the security guards bellowed, "If you keep this up, I'll have to take Matthew away!"
The threat seemed to work magic, as the area around Brianna quickly quieted down, and Matthew approached in an orderly manner to sign autographs.
Ten minutes later, Brianna happily obtained two autographs and even took a photo with Matthew, although she would have to wait for the photo as his assistant took her number and promised to mail it later.
"He's so charming!" Brianna walked away contentedly, "Absolutely manly!"
After signing for some fans, Matthew returned to the vehicle and moved on with the crew to the next location. Having been shooting in Washington for over two weeks, the crew constantly moved from one scene to another. As Washington D.C. is the political heart of the USA, even with local government support, the crew could not block an area for too long.
Jerry Bruckheimer and Joe Tedduba had chosen many historic sites for filming, but post-9/11, shooting in sensitive areas was challenging.
Before this, although the crew had permission to shoot at the Lincoln Memorial, the Park Service did not want filming to interfere with public visits, so they had to manage partial shots.
The previous day at the National Archives was even more restricted, as few people are allowed to bring film cameras into the Archives, let alone a large crew.
Inside the National Archives, only a few critical and hard-to-replicate scenes were shot in one afternoon. The rest would be shot in Los Angeles at a Disney studio.
As for the "Declaration of Independence" used in the film, a replica was made by experts due to preservation and security concerns.
The film aimed to tell a highly implausible treasure hunt story in a realistic manner, enhancing the authenticity and persuasiveness of the treasure-hunting scenes.
The crew hired a real treasure hunter to coordinate the treasure-hunting scenes with Matthew, much like a stunt coordinator would for action scenes.
To enhance the realism, Jerry Bruckheimer not only hired a real treasure hunter for Matthew's leading role but also a cryptography expert as a temporary tutor to help Matthew solve complex codes during filming.
Compared to the action scenes, these were even more challenging for someone uneducated like Matthew.
After filming in front of the National Archives, Matthew followed the crew to an FBI training base in Quantico to shoot the protagonist's theft of the "Declaration of Independence."
Hollywood has always been closely linked with the U.S. government, and
Jerry Bruckheimer had tight collaborations with institutions like the Pentagon and the FBI. Early in the preparation phase, he consulted with a crime expert from the FBI to design the theft of the "Declaration of Independence."
The "Declaration of Independence," displayed under the highest security measures in the U.S. National Archives in Washington, prompted the crew to consult industry insiders on how to enter the heavily guarded building. They then made suitable adjustments to an FBI training facility to use as the filming location for the theft.
The filming went smoothly, with Matthew successfully stealing the "Declaration of Independence" based on the experts' plans.
After a day's work, Matthew invited some main actors from the crew to a bar for a drink, returning to the Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C. where they were staying.
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