novellhall Chapter 38 First Special Effects Makeup
Chapter 38 First Special Effects Makeup
The roles are set!
Chen Xun went from being a boyfriend visiting the set to becoming a special effects actor.
He was taken to the special effects makeup department.
The makeup artist was a bearded man named Greg, skilled but with extremely high standards.
He needed to give Chen Xun a full-body special effects makeup look, simulating the skin being corroded by dark energy, resulting in a partially woody effect.
The process was indeed long and uncomfortable.
The cold gel, the heavy prosthesis, the pungent smell of glue, and the long hours spent in a fixed position.
But Chen Xun didn't utter a sound and cooperated completely.
He even carefully observed Greg's techniques during the process, trying to understand how external styling could aid the performance.
Greg had no expectations for the actors who were added at the last minute.
But Chen Xun's patience and professional attitude surprised him.
"You're really great!"
Greg adjusts the edge of the implant:
"He's more tolerant than many big-name actors; some people complain about even a simple injury makeup look!"
[Greg's favorability: +15, current favorability 40]
As Greg focused on color mixing and precisely reproducing the texture of decaying wood, a green orb of light fell from his hand:
[Rhythm-related attribute - Patience +2]
Chen Xun absorbed the information silently.
After nearly four hours of makeup application, the makeup was finally finished.
Chen Xun looked at himself in the mirror and could hardly recognize himself.
His face and arm had a distorted, wood-like texture, and his skin was grayish-white.
Standing in front of the mirror, Chen Xun could almost feel the pain of being corroded and the lingering essence of his elven nature.
The special effects artist is so professional!
This scene depicts an elven scout ambushing the main characters in the forest, their movements swift and unpredictable.
Some of their movements were even inhumanly twisted.
Fortunately, to help Chen Xun immerse himself in the story, Christine and Chris Hemsworth, who were supposed to be resting, also joined in the acting.
Chen Xun quickly got into the zone.
Action!
Chen Xun mobilized all his physical attributes, especially [Control] and [Coordination], to make his movements both threatening and consistent with the corrupted character setting.
He tried his best to control his gaze, and amidst his fierce attack intent, a trace of the struggle and pain that originally belonged to the elf occasionally flashed.
"Cut! Great!"
Director Rupert called out from behind the monitor, "Chen, your inner conflict and movements are excellent! Keep it up!"
One take!
The moment he finished his performance, Chen Xun noticed two orbs of light falling from his body:
[Physical attributes - Character compatibility +2]
[Emotional Attribute - Pain and Struggle +2]
These are all attributes closely related to his performance just now!
absorb!
His scenes were filmed quickly.
It took almost two hours to remove my makeup.
When he regained his original appearance and walked out of the dressing room, he felt as if he had been reborn.
Director Rupert walked over and said with satisfaction:
"Chen, well done. This role may be small, but it's very well done. I'll have the post-production team do a good job! Hope we can work together again in the future."
Rupert Sanders' favorability: +2. Current favorability: 55
Chen Xun realized that this was more than just polite talk.
In the director's mind, he went from being an accessory to a usable actor.
When Kristen left the set, she had also finished filming for the day.
She looked at Chen Xun, seemingly surprised by his professionalism: "I didn't expect you to act so well!"
When filming her independent film, Christine didn't pay much attention to Chen Xun.
Moreover, big-budget theatrical films are completely different from low-budget independent films!
I didn't expect Chen Xun to be so professional in his first acting role!
She had only seen Chen Xun observe and learn on set and save people before, and today was the first time she had seen him perform in person.
[Kristen Stewart's favorability: +3, current favorability: 48]
"Just trying to make a living!"
Chen Xun smiled.
Sitting in the car on the way back to Beverly Hills, Chen Xun reflected on the day.
He successfully turned a crisis into an opportunity.
Not only did it improve the favorability of most people in the crew, but it also won a formal role in a big production based on its strength, and gained targeted attributes.
From being treated as Christine's appendage to gaining recognition and opportunities through her own abilities, this feeling is even better than simply finding a golden attribute ball.
He knew he was on the right track!
In Hollywood, both talent and connections are indispensable!
……
In a secluded editing room in Los Angeles, James Wan, the director of "Insidious," is frowning as he faces a pile of data and reports.
"Lurking" will hit North American theaters this weekend.
Although he has already established himself in the horror film genre with the "Saw" series, this time the pressure is unprecedented.
The editing room was dimly lit, with only the light from the screen reflecting on his slightly tired face.
On the computer screen in front of him was the final trailer for "Lurking".
Below is the latest market forecast report.
"This isn't good, James."
His producer and longtime collaborator, Leigh Whannell, walked in with coffee, his tone equally somber:
"The theaters are giving us a two percentage point lower screening rate than we expected!"
"The youth comedy that was released in the same week was backed by six major studios, and its marketing budget was more than ten times that of ours."
Wen Ziren rubbed his temples and remained silent.
The budget for "Insidious" was so low that it was almost negligible in Hollywood, where production costs often reach tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.
There were no big-name celebrities, no dazzling special effects; all the bets were placed on the story and the director's name.
But he knew very well that his brand name could only attract a drop in the ocean compared to the massive mainstream market, which was just enough to draw in core horror fans.
Without a large-scale publicity campaign, ordinary viewers might not even know that this movie was released.
"Our early screenings received good reviews, but the reach was too small, and the word didn't get around. Right now, the media and online focus is either on that youth film!"
"unless……"
He paused and glanced at Wen Ziren.
James Wan chimed in, "Focus on the rumors between Chen Xun and Kristen Stewart."
"That's right!"
Whannell sighed, "The biggest draw in our movie is actually a supporting actor's private life, it's really..."
Ironic and helpless!
Without popular stars, even if the director is a great director, it's hard to achieve high box office returns!
James Wan took a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
The pressure on his shoulders goes far beyond this.
In order to secure more post-production resources and better distribution terms, he signed a performance-based agreement with the investors.
The agreement stipulates that if "Insidious" fails to reach $20 million in its opening weekend box office in North America, he will lose most of his box office revenue share.
The director's choice for the next film will be greatly restricted by the investors, and he may even be forced into a commercial project he is completely unfamiliar with.
Twenty million in the first week?
For an R-rated horror film with a budget of just over a million, lacking stars, and with weak marketing!
This is almost unbelievable to people in the industry.
A typical prediction would be that achieving ten million would already be considered a successful break-even!
His directing career seemed to have reached a precipice.
If successful, he will solidify his position as a master of horror and gain more influence.
Otherwise, he would most likely be exposed as a fraud, or even forced to direct projects that go against his original creative intentions.
What if they send me to the San Fernando Valley...?
He didn't dare to think!
James Wan's voice suddenly became tense: "Aren't we taking too much of a risk? Putting all our eggs in one basket with the film's quality..."
Warner paused for a moment, then patted his old friend on the shoulder:
"James, we took even more risks when we were making Saw!"
"Back then we had nothing, but now at least we still have your name, and an actor who unexpectedly gained some attention."
"Chen Xun..."
Wen Ziren murmured.
He remembered the young actor who was taciturn on set, but whose eyes were full of focus and tenacity.
His performance certainly exceeded expectations.
The monologue scene, in particular, was rich in emotional layers and added a lot to the film.
But now the fate of this film seems strangely intertwined with his high-profile romance.
A sense of powerlessness welled up inside me.
He looked at the trailer for "Lurking" on the screen again—the eerie atmosphere, the jump scares, and Chen Xun's face filled with fear and despair in the darkness…
He firmly believed that the film itself was good.
But now he can only await the judgment of fate.
The first three days of the weekend will determine the fate of "Lurking" and, to a large extent, the direction of his future directing career.
Only heavy breathing and the silent, flickering images on the screen remained in the editing room.