As June 15th approached, the City of Angels slowly transitioned from early summer to the height of the season. Besides the shorter and lighter clothing worn by pedestrians on the streets, the number of visitors to San Bernardino National Forest Park in the east also increased. Among these visitors were movie crews.
"Listen, Hank, I need girls, girls! Understand? The script's summer camp is a girls' summer camp! There shouldn't be any boys in a girls' summer camp!" In front of the Arrowhead Lake Resort in the eastern part of the forest park, a middle-aged man with a seemingly kind face was loudly berating a young staff member.
The poor young man, probably having never seen this usually polite middle-aged man so angry, could only apologize repeatedly, "I'm very sorry, sir, very sorry."
"I've never seen Charles like this. Did something happen?" asked George, who had just arrived by car and stood with Nancy.
"Nothing has gone smoothly today. First, the car broke down on the road, then the photographer brought the wrong lens, followed by communication issues with the park management," Nancy sighed. "I just hope Catherine can arrive on time."
At this moment, two honks from a car horn came from behind. They turned to see a silver-gray Chevrolet approaching slowly. After parking, a middle-aged man in his forties got out from the passenger seat and opened the car door.
They both knew this man—Vincent Mason's daughter's agent, Jack Sparrow. George knew a bit more, but that was beside the point.
As the car door opened, a loud voice came from inside, "God, we made it on time. I thought we'd be late."
Then, an eye-catching little girl jumped out. She was still wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, jeans, and running shoes, but her lively demeanor, with her long blonde hair bouncing as she moved, made her look incredibly cute. Another little girl also got out of the car. She wasn't as dazzling as Catherine but was equally adorable, with a clearly mixed-race face showing a bit of excitement and nervousness.
"Hey, Jess, the scenery at Lake Arrowhead is really nice. I've never been here before," Catherine said, holding Jessica's hand and looking around excitedly.
"Casey, I think we should report in first," Jessica replied.
"Alright, alright, I know," Catherine nodded repeatedly. At this point, she was very obedient to Jessica, feeling deeply ashamed of her own pettiness. A few days ago, when she finally decided to call Jessica and explain everything, Jessica had not been angry as she had feared. Instead, she was thrilled and had never complained, making Catherine's excuse of "the crew needs secrecy" unnecessary, which made her feel guilty.
In her previous life, Catherine knew that Jessica had few friends due to frequent illnesses and family moves. Without her, this situation would have continued for a long time. Jessica's unreserved affection and trust in her as an older sister filled Catherine with a determination to help her realize her dreams more fully.
"I will help you realize your dreams more fully," Catherine thought, holding Jessica's hand tightly.
"Hello, Mr. Wells! Hi, Nancy!" Catherine greeted with a big smile as she approached Nancy, then pointed to Jack Sparrow, who had already started chatting with them, and said, "I don't need to introduce him, you already know him."
Then she pointed to a woman who had just gotten out of the car, "You've met Aunt Jennifer, too." She stuck out her tongue playfully. "Dad insisted she come along."
Finally, she pulled Jessica forward, "Although Nancy has already met her, I want to formally introduce my best friend, Jessica Alba!"
Jessica's face immediately turned red, but she gracefully bowed to Nancy and George, saying, "Hello, Ms. Meyers, hello, Mr. Wells, I'm Jessica Alba."
"Welcome to the 'The Parent Trap' crew," Nancy said with a smile, shaking Jessica's hand. Nancy had already visited Jessica's home once regarding the stand-in issue, so they had indeed met before.
George also shook hands with her, simply saying hello. Then the little girl looked at George curiously and asked, "Mr. Wells, why are you here? Aren't you the head of the script review team?"
George smiled, "I was sent by the company to be the production manager for the crew."
"Isn't Nancy an independent producer?" Catherine knew a bit about film production and its specific classifications.
"Yes, but the company wants to oversee the financial aspects, which is understandable, right?" George replied with a smile.
At this moment, Nancy's husband, Charles, the director, walked over with a somewhat displeased expression. When he saw Catherine, he smiled slightly and extended his hand, "Hello, Catherine, I'm Nancy's husband, Charles Shyer. You can call me Charles. I'm glad you arrived on time."
Catherine politely shook his hand and smiled, "I'm happy to be in your movie." She found it strange. From what she remembered, Charles was described as a very amiable person. Why did he seem so unhappy now? She was unaware of the troubles the crew had faced that morning, and Charles naturally wouldn't explain, so after glancing at Nancy and George, he immediately said, "Let's get the children ready. We're about to start."
"Wait a moment, Mr. Shyer. If it's possible..." Despite Charles's apparent displeasure, the little girl couldn't help but ask.
Seeing her hesitant expression and the hopeful look on Jessica's face, Nancy laughed, "Dear, you'll be the star until Ms. Ryan arrives for the shoot at the Pallace Hotel. Until then, you're the lead."
Catherine stuck out her tongue. In her past life, she had been a huge fan of these stars. Although she had learned to be "indifferent" and "composed" since her rebirth, seeing her favorite celebrities in person still excited her. Her family had a villa in Beverly Hills, but she had never been there, which made her a bit frustrated.
Soon, the entire crew began to move. The temporary child actors were gathered and started shooting the summer camp scenes under the staff's arrangement. The boys originally cast were turned into kids who had accidentally ended up at the girls' camp, a creative solution by Nancy that relieved the stressed-out staff member named Hank.
Catherine was taken to the makeup artist for her transformation. Jessica, not yet needed, was free to observe the filmmaking process with keen interest.
"Nervous?" Nancy asked, checking on the little girl after her husband started shooting.
"Not at all," Catherine responded confidently. But after glancing at the makeup artist and then at Nancy's smiling face, she sighed, "Okay, I admit it. I'm very nervous."
"That's normal. This is your first time, and you haven't learned how to act," Nancy said with a reassuring smile.
In reality, Catherine's situation was more severe. This was her first time in decades. Despite her bold talk and determination when single, the actual execution brought a nervousness akin to mice nibbling at her heart. Of course, she wouldn't admit this and simply asked, "Nancy, can you give me some pointers?"
"I'm not an actress, so my advice is to never look at the camera and make yourself feel like nothing's different from usual," Nancy said softly.
"Can I imagine you're all carrots? I did that during my school performances," Catherine suggested suddenly.
"Think of us as potatoes. Carrots are too bright," Nancy replied with a laugh.
Despite this advice, when she arrived on set, her heart still pounded. The initial noisy scene had been shot, and now it was time for Holly's entrance. Living with her dad in California, she was trying to retrieve her travel bag buried under a pile of items, needing help to get it out.
As the script's author, Catherine knew it inside out. She had watched the movie dozens of times. Charles explained the blocking and dialogue, and she understood immediately. Once sure she was clear, Charles stepped out of the frame and signaled, "Everyone ready? Let's try a take."
Catherine took a deep breath, trying to ignore the people around her. When the clapperboard snapped and Charles called "Action," she adopted a relaxed, casual demeanor, quickly approaching the pile of luggage. Looking around, she muttered, "There are so many bags here. Where's mine?"
She looked up, spotting the corner of her yellow travel bag, and sighed with relief. Reaching out to pull it, she suddenly heard, "Cut!"
Startled, Catherine glanced towards the camera. Charles, who hadn't sat in his director's chair, shook his head slightly and said, "Don't rush, Catherine. This is just a trial. Relax, and let's go again."
Feeling embarrassed, Catherine touched her cheek. She had inadvertently glanced at the camera while tugging the bag, which was frustrating. Returning to her spot, she took another deep breath and began again at "Action," but once again, Charles called "Cut" during the bag-tugging scene.
Though his expression remained calm, Catherine sensed his slight disappointment. Her face flushed, and she bit her lip. Could she really not get through even a trial take?
Nancy, noticing her frustration, gently patted her and said, "It's okay, dear. It's your first time. Don't worry about it."
Catherine forced a smile and nodded silently. Looking around, she saw Sparrow and Jennifer offering encouraging looks, and Jessica clenched her fists, silently urging her on. Her heart warmed, and a surge of determination rose within her: Damn it, I refuse to believe I can't do this simple task!