44 The Start of the Shooting (1/2)

Salt Lake City, Utah. As it approached December, it was getting colder and colder.

It was a beautiful, sunny morning, in Salt Lake City East High, the school bell had rung and classes had started as usual. However, this day, many students were obviously very absent-minded. Those who were sitting by the window were looking out of the window at the lawn outside, whispering to the classmates sitting next to them from time to time.

Seeing his students not focusing on his class, the white teacher who was teaching the class could not help but shake his head. He walked to the window. Looking out of the window, he said, ”My God, it seems there is a lot going on outside. Anyone wants to go out to check it out?”

The students in the classroom got excited right away. They raised their hands in unison. The white teacher smiled. Walking back to the front of the classroom, he said, ”Stop daydreaming, guys. Focus on the class.”

”Oh, I knew it!” The students expressed their disappointment, one after another. The teacher shrugged his shoulders. He picked up his chalk and went on writing the equations on the blackboard, complaining to himself that the headmaster had approved of the shooting of High School Musical in the school. Didn't he know it would interfere with the normal operations of the school to a great extent? Was it for the fame of the school? Come on, like the movie would be a huge success. Who knew whether it would even be a success?!

The arrangement of the buildings in Salt Lake City East High formed a concave shape. It had buildings on three sides, while at the center, there were roads and a lawn paved.

At this moment, teenagers in casual clothes were standing everywhere on the lawn. They were chitchatting, waiting for the start of the movie shooting. All of them were walk-ons of High School Musical. The crew contacted an agency that could provide them with walk-ons and got a reply from the agency, so they hired these students studying in a local acting school in Salt Lake City.

They would play the ordinary students in school, showing up in all scenes where a ”crowd” was needed in the movie.

And at the moment, High School Musical would start to shoot its first set of shots officially very soon. The New Year's vacation was over, and school started again. This set of shots was focusing on the leading actor, Troy Bolton. He would get off the school bus and then be surrounded by his friends, teammates, and some pretty cheerleaders. They would then walk into the school together, with Troy being the center. The first shot of this set of shots was to shoot East High from the front. The students would be either walking into the school or talking to each other, all in a great mood, and with a positive and energetic vibe. The crew would add some light, warm music into this scene in post-production. In doing so, the youthful vibe of high school would be presented to the audience.

Filming devices had been placed far away from the school gate, on the pavement leading to the school. The camera crew was adjusting the devices for the last time. Wally Pfister was communicating with the lighting engineer, Steven Tyler, to make sure about the lighting and exposure. The fatty, Harry George, was listening to their conversation attentively. He had finished the task to lay the dolly track, so at the moment, he was free enough to stay with Wally Pfister to study from the latter's shooting techniques and experiences.

Everyone in the crew was busy with their own things. Those who had finished their tasks for the moment were taking a break, standing far away from the camera. Tom Welling, Marcus Mansi, and other leading actors were also chitchatting together. Rachel was sitting on the lawn, reading the script alone, Zachary was practicing the dancing steps, and Jessica was in a trance, a smile pulling up the corners of her lip. She was gazing at Wang Yang; he was telling the actors who would show up in the first scene what he wanted them to do.

”When the shooting starts, you will pass by here on skateboards, like how you rehearsed just now. Then, you will jump over this rail.” Wang Yang patted the iron rail beside him. Looking at the skateboard masters they had specially hired, he said, ”I need a perfect jump.”

Those skateboard masters nodded. One of them, a white guy, said with a smile, ”Take it easy, man. This is a piece of cake for us.”

Wang Yang patted him on the shoulder with a smile. Then, he walked to those walk-ons that would stay close to the camera. He told those young people, ”You smile, give each other high fives, and hug like you haven't seen each other for a long time. You know what I mean?”

”Yeah, sure.” They all understood what he wanted. At this moment, the production manager Keir Thaddeus came over. He said to Wang Yang, ”Director, the walk-ons are ready. The school bus is also ready.”

Wang Yang nodded at him. Then, he walked back to the camera. By then, Wally Pfister had been done with the communication with the lighting engineer and checked the camera. He told Wang Yang, ”We are all set.”

Everything was ready. Wang Yang looked at the main school building in front of him. To shoot this scene, even the clock on the main building had been adjusted for the moment. He took a deep breath. Turning around to look at Wally Pfister behind the camera, he said, ”So, we will start shooting.”

Wally Pfister smiled at him. He encouraged Wang Yang, ”Yang, take it easy.”

Wang Yang smiled back at him. He exclaimed out of worry, ”Wally, I can't control myself. This is not Paranormal Activity, and that is not just a digital video camera. I've been looking forward to this for too long. It is a real movie! That is crazy.”

Wally Pfister nodded with a smile. He agreed, ”I can relate to you. The first time I shot on a film camera, even my hands were shaking.”

In the original television film, they only gave the front façade of the building a shot, and then it was the next scene. The shooting range was quite limited. The camera was only moved horizontally and vertically from the ground. The two buildings beside the main building were not captured at all. That was because TV screens were small. If they had shot the scene from a farther distance, the effect would have been worse. However, the big screen was different. For the remake, if they only shot the front façade of the main building, it would give the audience a suppressing feeling. So, this scene had been redesigned. After a medium shot of the front, the camera would be reversed at high speed, so that the medium shot would be turned into a long shot.

To get this effect, the dolly track of the camera was laid until far away. It went beyond the other end of the road.

About the shooting plan, Wang Yang had talked with Wally Pfister. Wally Pfister was holding the control grip of the camera, waiting for the director's order to start. Wang Yang looked around. Everyone was looking at him, the walk-ons, the crew, and his friends…

Harry George mouthed to Wang Yang in a dramatic manner, ”Buddy, go!” Folding his arms across his chest, Michael Pitt thumbed up at him with a smile. Jessica was beaming. Rachel was also smiling at him.

Wang Yang walked behind the camera. His heart was beating very fast. He made it. He would be a real movie director very soon! Gripping his fist, Wang Yang called in a loud voice, ”Action!”

Holding the clapperboard, the script supervisor called the shot number and take number of this shot in front of the camera. This was for the convenience of post-editing. When the script supervisor had spoken out the information and clapped the film stick of the clapperboard shut, Wang Yang called again, ”Action!” As he called, the walk-ons all started to walk and act.

Wang Yang looked into the viewfinder. Wally Pfister aimed the camera at the sculpture in front of the main building of the school, and then slowly moved the camera to the right side and lifted it. The school showed up in the viewfinder. Some students passed by on skateboards. One of them jumped over the iron rail. On the farther end, students were talking cheerfully. Two girls did a high five and then hugged, talking about something. Behind them, the yellow school bus drove over slowly.

”Okay. Okay. Great…” Wang Yang said to himself. Turning sideways, Wally Pfister pulled the camera backward quickly. Wang Yang followed him, always staying parallel to him, focusing on the walk-ons' acting. They kept retreating until the end of the dolly track. Then, Wang Yang called excitedly, ”Cut!” Seeing everybody looking at him, Wang Yang grinned. He said with a nod, ”Great. It's done!”

Everyone cheered up, applauding and whistling. Wang Yang also clapped his hands, smiling. Thumbing up, he called, ”Get ready for the next shot.”

In the next shot, Troy Bolton would get off the school bus and walk into the school with his friends. It would be shot from the front of the yellow school bus. To do this, the crew needed to move all of the filming devices and recording devices there and readjusted the lighting, which would take a while.

”Hey, buddy, let me handle it.” The camera assistant, Harry George, walked over. The fatty's eyes lit up when he laid his eyes on the black film camera. He moved it with extra care. His fat body was extremely powerful. He moved the camera forward at a steady pace.

Other production assistants were also moving filming devices, while Michael Pitt was working on the dolly track. Watching Harry George walking away, he shouted, ”Look out, fatty!” Walking farther and farther, Harry George replied loudly without even looking back, ”I can do it!”

”Michael, don't worry about that. For Harry, a camera is like his wife. He will in no way let it fall on the ground,” said Wang Yang with a smile, watching mettlesome Harry in the distance. Then, clapping his hands, he said, ”Everyone, move faster. Come on. Come on!” He stood there watching. Then, he walked onto the lawn. Looking at the blue sky, he breathed out quietly. He had just finished the first movie shot in the first cine film directed by him. It was smooth and not any different from the 16mm he had shot in school, not so hard as he had imagined.

It felt amazing to see the camera capture the picture exactly the way he wanted it. Wang Yang was smiling, enjoying that indescribable feeling in retrospect. Suddenly he heard a gentle voice coming from behind him. ”Hi, Yang, you want some water?”

Wang Yang looked back and saw Jessica holding a bottle of mineral water. There was a sweet smile hanging on her face. Her eyes lit up with a unique light that people crazy in love usually had, which made her even more charming. Wang Yang pretended to frown. He shouted into the distance, ”Michael, where are you? Isn't this supposed to be his job? Since when do we have a pretty girl production assistant? I am afraid that I won't be able to afford her paycheck!”

Jessica burst out laughing. She said saucily, ”You don't need to pay. This is a girlfriend's job, not a girl production assistant's job.”

”Well, thanks, girlfriend.” Wang Yang took the water bottle from her with a smile. Opening the bottle, he murmured in a low voice in surprise, ”I thought it was open. It turns out to be a new bottle. How disappointing.”

Jessica rolled her eyes at him. She said with a smile, ”Okay. I'll give you Harry's bottle next time.”

Wang Yang pretended he was shocked. Shaking his head unceasingly, he said, ”No, no, no. The new one is good.”

Rachel, standing in the distance, looked at where Wang Yang was. She had felt lost and a little bit sad when she had seen him and Jessica talking cheerfully. Shaking her head, she squeezed out a smile. Then, she walked away toward the farther end of the lawn with the script.

”Yang, shall we go to the cinema when today's shooting is done?” Jessica looked at Wang Yang expectantly. She told him, ”A Bug's Life is on. The reviews are good. And I haven't watched Enemy of the State yet.”

Wang Yang thought for a while. Then, he shook his head, feeling sorry. He said, ”Jessica, sorry. I need to talk with Wally about tomorrow's shooting plan tonight. And I need to take care of some stuff about the company, too…”

Jessica waved her hand immediately. She said, ”Oh, it's all right, Yang. I was just asking you.” Smiling, she said, ”And I need to study the script, too. Tomorrow is a big day for me. I will have many scenes, won't I?”

”Jessica…” Wang Yang could not help but take her hand. He said with a smile, ”If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Anytime.”

Jessica held his hand, too. She said with a sweet smile, ”Yeah, sure.”

Looking around, Wang Yang said with a mysterious smile, ”I will give the crew one day off on the weekend. We will spend the whole day together. How does that sound?”