"Bernari, in a moment, I'll need the lighting to be dimmer, matching the color of the house but still distinct—dark and heavy. Got it?" David Fincher patted the lighting technician on the shoulder, emphasizing his instructions.
"Alright, David, calm down. This is your first time directing a movie—don't mess it up," Bernari, his longtime friend and collaborator, knew exactly what was on his mind.
"Hey, who's nervous?" David leaned forward, spreading his hands as if he was slightly annoyed.
"Okay, you're not nervous—it's just me overthinking." Bernari quickly raised his hands in mock surrender. At nearly six feet tall, David's imposing presence always made the 5'5" Bernari back down when he got like this.
Luckily, the script supervisor interrupted them, "Director, Mr. Al Pacino has arrived."
"Alright, I'll be right there," David nodded, gave Bernari a final reminder, and walked out of the house.
On the open space in front of the house, Al Pacino had just taken off his sunglasses and was talking with his assistant. His chiseled features gave him a rugged look, yet his warm smile exuded an undeniable charm. As a few locals recognized him, they eagerly approached for autographs.
"Hey, Al, how've you been?" David greeted him, shaking his hand.
"Same as always. But look at you—finally getting to direct a film. I remember just six months ago you were shooting a music video for Madonna." Al laughed heartily, patting David on the shoulder.
"You mentioned this is my first time, so…" David shrugged, giving him a look that said, you know what to do.
"Alright, alright, I'll follow your lead. You say the word, and I'm all in," Al chuckled again, then asked, "So, should I get into makeup and do a test shot?"
"We'll have to wait a few more minutes. The crew's still setting up the equipment, and your screenwriter-daughter isn't here yet. She called about 20 minutes ago saying her car broke down." David shrugged again.
"Screenwriter… daughter?" Al looked puzzled.
"Catherine Mason, the actress playing Emily, she's also the screenwriter," David replied, noticing Al's confusion. "Didn't Warner Bros. make that clear? At the very least, the script should have her name on it."
"You're saying the screenwriter Catherine Mason and the actress Catherine Mason are the same person?" Al touched his nose thoughtfully. "So, the rumors about that genius girl are true?"
"You didn't believe them?"
"An 11 or 12-year-old girl? It's hard to believe."
"I didn't believe it either, at first. Although I've heard James Cameron mention her in different settings—how she wrote and starred in 'The Parent Trap,' and how she gave insightful and brilliant feedback on 'Terminator 2' at a party, even coming up with a high-quality story on the spot—I still thought it was a bit exaggerated. That was until I got my hands on the original script for 'Hide and Seek,'" David paused, recalling his experience. "I was blown away. The writing was smooth, the scene breakdowns were spot-on, not only creative but also filled with director's notes that really resonated with me. There truly are geniuses in this world."
"Hey, David…"
"No, no, Al, don't question my judgment. Even though I've only directed music videos, I know quality when I see it."
"Don't get me wrong, David. I was just going to say, it sounds like you're a bit… captivated by her?"
"What?" David stared at Al, who seemed dead serious, but when he caught the twinkle in Al's eye, he realized he was being teased and couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, David, just pray that this genius girl's acting skills match her screenwriting abilities," Al spread his hands, only to hear a clear voice from the side: "If even a father doesn't trust his daughter, the world would be a scary place."
Both men turned in surprise to see a young girl already standing there. Her green eyes blinked as if they were speaking, and her face bore a mischievous smile, making her look adorable. Her golden hair was tied into a ponytail, adding to her lively appearance. Seeing them look at her, the girl confidently extended her hand to David Fincher: "Hello, Mr. Fincher, I'm Catherine Mason. I apologize for being a few minutes late; our car broke down, and we had to call a cab to get here."
"Hello, Miss Mason, it's great that you're here. I think we'll be starting soon," David Fincher shook her hand and was about to introduce Al Pacino, but Catherine jumped in, "I know, this is my father—just say 'action.'"
She smiled and turned to Al, "So, dear father, if I stop mingling with others and stop going against the family, will you love me then?"
Al looked at the little girl in surprise. The line was a reversal of his famous quote from "The Godfather." Had she seen The Godfather? Had her parents allowed her to watch it?
Catherine seemed to sense his thoughts and smiled as she raised her fingers, "Scarecrow, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Bobby Deerfield, …And Justice for All, Author! Author!, Scarface, Revolution, Sea of Love, Frankie and Johnny, and the The Godfather trilogy. Except for The Panic in Needle Park, which is too old to find a tape of, I've seen almost everything."
"Impressive, Al. It seems Miss Mason is quite the enthusiastic fan," David exclaimed.
"Of course, so…" Catherine pulled out a notebook and pen from her backpack, handing them to Al Pacino.
"Alright, I admit you've surprised or rather amazed me," Al said, still in disbelief, accepting the notebook and signing his name. "Honestly, I've never had such a young fan before."
"Well, now you do." Catherine smiled as she took back the notebook.
"So, when you watched these movies, were your parents with you?" Al asked seriously.
Catherine understood his concern. Al's films were mostly rated R, meaning viewers under 17 needed an adult to accompany them. Al was asking out of genuine concern; no one wants a child watching violent films alone and potentially being negatively influenced.
The little girl hesitated, then shrugged and said, "Basically… no. But don't worry, I have a complete self-awareness and worldview to distinguish what's good and what's bad. I know what I'm doing."
"I must admit, you've surprised me again, Miss Mason," Al sighed.
"If you could, please call me Catherine." The little girl glanced at the approaching cab driver, Spyro, and whispered, "Please keep today's events to yourself."
"Alright, Catherine. Are all kids as mature as you?" Al chuckled.
"I don't think I'm an exception, but…" Catherine shrugged helplessly, her expression of feigned distress making Al gently pat her head.
Just then, David, who had been called away by the crew, returned. "Alright, both of you, please get into makeup. We'll be rehearsing Scene 15, Act 5."
"Okay, understood," Al said, turning to Catherine. "My dear daughter, we need to get into makeup. Are you ready?"
"I'm curious if I'll meet a mob boss-like father," Catherine teased, sticking out her tongue.
Despite her playful remark, when Al emerged after makeup and costume changes, Catherine was taken aback. The ordinary Al Pacino, like most middle-aged men, transformed completely. With his hair styled and wearing glasses and casual clothes, he became a different person—gentle, polite, with a hint of anxiousness, perfectly fitting the role of the father in the script.
The makeup artist likely played a part, but more importantly, Al's own demeanor had changed entirely. Catherine had known Al and Robert De Niro were representatives of method acting, but seeing Al showcase his talent in person was still a revelation. She remembered someone once said that both Al and De Niro would go to great lengths to embody their characters, like how De Niro trained for boxing to play a boxer and even participated in official matches, making his role in Hide and Seek vastly different from his role in Heat.
And Al, judging by how he changed his demeanor, was no less dedicated than De Niro. No wonder people mention De Niro when talking about him and vice versa—they were truly star-crossed twins. Although Catherine also admired De Niro, Al Pacino, who better fit her aesthetic preferences, held a special place in her heart. Otherwise, she wouldn't have insisted on Al playing the father's role while she took on the daughter's role.
Now, seeing Al on the set, Catherine couldn't help but worry—could she really hold her own against him in their scenes?