Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Plans Change

"Blinken, over here! Get that light stand set up! And you… what's your name again? Right, Andy, move that thing over there. Tell them to clear the set, and make it snappy!"Under the watchful eye of Wally Pfister, the film's second unit director and visual consultant, a flurry of activity consumed a Disney soundstage. The crew of "Angels and Demons" scrambled to prepare the set for the next scene, each member a cog in Pfister's well-oiled machine.Milo, the director himself, stood apart, deep in conversation with Tommy Lee Jones. In the film, Jones portrayed Robert Langdon, a role destined for Tom Hanks more than a decade later.But in 1995, Hanks was simply too expensive. A card-carrying member of the twenty-million-dollar club, and now, fresh off his Golden Globe win, securing his services would likely require an additional ten percent of the box office gross. With a total budget of only forty million, such a hefty price tag was out of the question. Besides, Hanks was too young for the role at this point, and his schedule was full.Tommy Lee Jones, on the other hand, was considerably more affordable. He was the highest-paid member of the crew, commanding a respectable five million dollars, but without any percentage of the profits. This sensible budgeting allowed Milo to keep the combined salaries of the entire cast under ten million, freeing up more funds for post-production and set design."You're a professor," Milo explained, gesturing emphatically. "A university professor. You can be urgent, even agitated, given the circumstances. But even in your urgency, you must maintain the demeanor, the bearing of an academic."Tommy considered this, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. "How about this, then?" he murmured, closing his eyes for a moment. He tilted his head back, rubbed his face with his hands, and then opened his eyes, fixing Milo with a calm, intellectual gaze. A subtle air of scholarly refinement radiated from him."Perfect!" Milo clapped his hands in approval. "Exactly! That's brilliant."Tommy chuckled, running a hand through his thinning hair. "Glad you're satisfied.""Alright, let's get this show on the road." Milo caught Pfister's signal—a subtle nod indicating that everything was ready—and clapped Tommy on the shoulder before heading towards the camera."Angels and Demons" told the story of Professor Robert Langdon's race against time to decipher ancient codes within the Vatican City and prevent a terrorist attack. It was, in essence, a prequel to "The Da Vinci Code."But this was 1995. Dan Brown was still teaching music at a high school in New Hampshire, his first novel, "Digital Fortress," yet to be published. The books that would catapult him to fame—"Angels and Demons" and its sequel, "The Da Vinci Code"—were still years away.After confirming this fact, Milo had taken the initiative. He had, in effect, "written" them himself.Harvard University Press had already printed "The Da Vinci Code," its release imminent. Milo, however, had chosen to film "Angels and Demons" first."The Da Vinci Code" was a proven commodity, one of the best-selling novels of contemporary times. Its explosive sales had paved the way for the subsequent films in the original timeline. Much like the "Harry Potter" phenomenon—first the books, then the movies—Milo planned to capitalize on pre-existing popularity.His strategy was to release "Angels and Demons" around the time "The Da Vinci Code" was reaching peak sales and influence. Billing it as the prequel to a best-selling phenomenon would undoubtedly boost box office numbers.Of course, he hadn't forgotten the immense success of "Harry Potter," a franchise that had made fortunes for Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic Press, Warner Bros., and, of course, J.K. Rowling herself. He knew the "Harry Potter" books already existed in this timeline, with the then-impoverished Rowling shopping her manuscript around London. He'd opted not to preemptively write the series himself, instead sending Wendy's people to locate Rowling the previous month. They hadn't found her yet; after all, before fame and fortune, J.K. Rowling was struggling.Back on set, the St. Peter's Square depicted in the film was a complete fabrication, constructed on the soundstage. The Church would never have allowed a film crew to shoot within the actual square. Fortunately, with Disney's backing—and the studio's current desire to remain in Milo's good graces—he had secured the use of the Hollywood Park racetrack as a makeshift studio lot. Here, the crew would build both St. Peter's Square and Piazza Navona, while the Los Angeles Sports Arena would stand in for the Vatican City itself.Milo wasn't a trained director, but he'd observed directors at work, even if it was just on short films and music videos. And, he reasoned, did the likes of Guo Jingming or Han Han have formal training? And yet, they made movies.They proved one thing: a lack of directorial experience wasn't a barrier, as long as your second unit director and cinematographer were up to the task.That was why Milo had chosen Wally Pfister. By 2024, Pfister would be recognized as one of the top five cinematographers of all time. He also possessed directorial talent, though it was overshadowed by his mastery of visual storytelling.Moreover, Milo had the finished films in his mind, along with the numerous fan reactions and criticisms. He could use this knowledge to refine his own production, addressing the shortcomings identified by future audiences. With this advantage, he felt confident challenging any director in the world."Angels and Demons" wasn't a film that relied on nuanced performances or complex directorial techniques. It wasn't a character study or a dramatic piece. It was a thriller, a mystery steeped in religious symbolism and conspiracy theories. What it needed was visual flair, a palpable sense of religious atmosphere.And that was precisely Wally Pfister's forte.Over three days, with Pfister's expert guidance, Milo found his footing. He successfully filmed the opening scenes: the Pope's death and the research on antimatter at the Italian research facility.While filming the latter, Milo couldn't help but think that if Italy truly possessed the scientific capacity to create antimatter, they wouldn't have been the subject of mockery during both World Wars.But novels and films, he reminded himself, were about creating a believable illusion. As long as it made sense within the story's context, logic could be stretched.After completing this portion, the next scenes, in chronological order, would have involved the kidnapping of the cardinals, the reappearance of the Illuminati, and the ensuing chase. However, Milo decided to shoot the scenes set in the squares first. These required a large number of extras, allowing him to consolidate the crowd scenes and film them within a few days, saving money and improving efficiency.But as always, plans, whether long-term or short-term, were subject to change.On the second day of filming the square scenes, Milo's first "creation," the novel that blended mystery, thriller, conspiracy, and religious theory, hit the shelves."The Da Vinci Code" had been released.