A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Director Who Dominates OTT

Episode 21

* * *

Drama production is largely divided into three stages.

Pre-production.

Production.

Post-production.

Simply put, you can think of it as the stage of preparing for filming, the stage of filming, and the stage of turning the footage into a product.

The supervising CE is responsible for the process up to pre-production, so since filming had begun, my role was essentially over.

What remained was becoming an on-site assistant CE and serving as a communication channel with SSK?

Post-production that would begin after filming was truly the technicians’ time.

So I started watching the filming with a light heart.

To be honest, I deliberately adopted a light-hearted attitude.

If I, who had seen the final product, became obsessed with details, there would be no end to it.

There would be times when Director Jeong Hee-su’s direction differed from what I had seen.

But if I interfered every time, the set wouldn’t function.

So I planned to acknowledge the director’s authority and stay in the background no matter what happened.

“Do CE. Go to the actors and…”

What?

“CE-nim, could you help me run through some lines for a moment?”

I’m busy though?

“Hyeon-u. This furniture was arranged as you suggested, but doesn’t the texture stand out too much on screen?”

Excessively?

* * *

The 3-day Gangwon location shoot that started at 6 AM on Monday ended at 6 PM on Wednesday.

“Ugh, it’s cold. What’s with this March weather.”

“Feels like being back in the military, right?”

“That place over there was my military base…”

“I’m going to a sauna as soon as I get to Seoul.”

“Me too, me too.”

“Let’s go together.”

The actors, who had to wear light clothes because the story’s season was autumn, boarded the bus while crying out for saunas.

Usually they’d ride in vans driven by their managers, but well, you know.

We’re on a group charter bus.

I took a look around the filming location and got on the bus, speaking to the actors.

“Saunas are nice, but if your body temperature changes suddenly, you might catch a cold, okay? Please be careful, everyone.”

“Body temperature changes!”

“Watch out for colds!”

The staff chuckled as they watched the actors repeat the instructions.

It wasn’t mockery, but smiles filled with fondness.

Everyone was saying this was the first set they’d been on that felt this comfortable.

I know too.

How much actors abuse their power over the set staff.

This doesn’t mean all actors have bad personalities.

If you look closely, there are often understandable circumstances.

For example, if I canceled an important schedule to come for additional filming, but my scene partner is late because of their own schedule?

And I’ve been waiting on set for hours because of it?

Especially if that scene partner is my junior or of lower status?

Wouldn’t you be angry?

It’s the set staff who have to hold back actors who are so furious they want to walk off.

Saying “I’m sorry” about a hundred times when they did nothing wrong.

Is it over once you barely manage to keep them and start filming?

Not at all.

Because of the soured atmosphere on set, the okay cut won’t come easily.

Then the director will start going crazy, and the staff have to handle all of that too.

By the way, this is putting it mildly.

There are many actors who torment staff for no particular reason.

However, nothing like this happened on Accomplice.

Instead, they often smiled and joked with staff or helped with work.

Because they were all people who knew well the hardships of being at the bottom.

Of course, these people might change once they become famous.

But at least not right now.

However…

“Do CE-nim.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Dinner together is fine, right?”

In this industry, results were more important than character.

* * *

After arriving in Seoul and dismissing the actors and staff, I sat down alone with Director Jeong Hee-su.

Over the past three days, we had formed quite a good rapport.

Director Jeong was a much better director than I had expected.

Not just in terms of skill, but in terms of character as well.

It’s not that he didn’t have the typical director’s sensitivity and irritability, but the fact that it wasn’t displayed due to personal emotions made him an excellent person.

When filming was delayed due to endless deer calls, instead of getting annoyed at the staff, he was the type to suggest having dinner early.

Conversely, Director Jeong had also begun to trust me.

Whenever there were problems with the actors’ performances, he always called on me as a messenger, and I performed that role well.

Thanks to this, the awkwardness that had started at the script reading had disappeared, and it wasn’t too uncomfortable to have a meal alone together.

But I had a feeling.

That the director’s main point, despite his current smiles and jokes, would be uncomfortable to hear.

Sure enough, the director, who had moistened his throat with wine, lowered his voice a tone.

“How did the filming results look to you, Do CE?”

“I don’t have the ability to infer the final product from watching the filming process.”

“If you don’t have it, let’s talk about it anyway. Would you give it about 70 points?”

“I think I could give it about that much? It’s still practice, after all.”

That was right.

It was a story the actors and staff didn’t know, but this Gangwon-do location shoot was practice filming.

To be precise, good scenes would be included in the drama, but failed scenes could be reshot.

Just because the drama’s setting is a Gangwon-do mountain cabin doesn’t mean the entire drama is filmed in Gangwon-do.

Scenes with the background visible must be shot in Gangwon-do, but interior cabin scenes are filmed on a Seoul set.

That way, precise scenes could be shot without weather changes or external noise issues.

Moreover, camera work would inevitably be limited without a set designed with camera movement lines.

However, we didn’t inform the actors of this fact.

In other words, we gave them a chance to practice as if it were real.

It was a luxury made possible because we had saved so much on production costs, and rumor had it that the Finance Team Leader wanted to kill me after seeing the call sheet.

There was also talk that SSK’s CEO Han Seong-hun was the one who stopped that.

Anyway, the important thing was that the actors had one more chance.

“Do CE. You know what? The idea that veteran unknown actors are sincere and act well is a prejudice created by the media.”

“I think I’ve heard that.”

“Not very well-known among actors? It’s famous among directors.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course, it’s not like there aren’t any treasure-like unknown actors out there. People who are buried for all sorts of reasons—lack of opportunity, bad luck, poor social skills… There are many like that. But directors aren’t blind either. They’re good at what they do, you know? They recognize talent quickly.”

Director Jeong chuckled as he continued.

“So this might sound cruel, but if someone’s been unknown for a long time, in most cases there’s usually a reason for it.”

I was about to ask if perhaps the actors’ performances weren’t that great, but Director Jeong was faster.

“That’s why I was so surprised during filming. They were all so good. To the point where I couldn’t understand why they were unknown.”

“Ah…”

“I have no idea what kind of person CE Do is, picking out only people like that for casting.”

“Thank you. I’m really glad you liked the actors.”

“Is it because of that attitude that such casting was possible?”

“Haha…”

“About half of the indoor footage we’ve shot so far can be used as is. It would have been more than half if not for those damn roe deer—too much noise got in.”

Those roe deer were crying annoyingly loud.

We can control civilian access, but we can’t control wild animal sounds.

“But… the scenes centered around Eum Seong-hyeon are problematic.”

Right, I knew this would be the main point.

I had similar thoughts myself.

“Let’s be honest. Without Eum Seong-hyeon, it wouldn’t be 70 points but around 90 points, right CE Do?”

“…Yes.”

Director Jeong Hee-su nodded.

“I understand CE Do’s character now. At first I thought maybe Eum Seong-hyeon had paid you or something, but I know it was a decision made purely for the drama.”

Director Jeong continued.

“Eum Seong-hyeon’s acting peaks are high. There were many scenes where I could give him 120 points.”

“But his lows are too low.”

“If he were playing the 4th or 5th role, I would have applauded. Saying an amazing newcomer appeared. That his future looks promising.”

“But he’s the first lead.”

“He’s the protagonist who drives the story forward.”

“At this rate…”

Eum Seong-hyeon will drag down Accomplice.

This was what Director Jeong Hee-su wanted to say.

* * *

After parting with Director Jeong, I pondered for a long time on the street.

March in Gangwon-do was deadly cold, but Seoul’s cold air actually felt refreshing.

Or maybe I was so frustrated that even the bitter wind felt cool.

Actually, there wasn’t a major problem with Eum Seong-hyeon’s acting.

Acting quality fluctuating depending on immersion level is something all actors experience.

The problem was that Eum Seong-hyeon was the protagonist, and Accomplice was a sensitive script.

All the characters needed to fit together perfectly, but Eum Seong-hyeon’s acting was standing out awkwardly.

But should I relay this story as is?

He already seems to feel burdened—would this be the right directing approach?

While having such concerns, I suddenly thought of President Yun from D.P.

As far as I know, he’s the person who knows the species called actors best in this world.

When was it that I visited President Yun with my first paycheck? A few months ago?

Would it be okay to call him?

My deliberation was short, and my action was quick.

-Hey you rascal! How many months has it been?!

After the warm greeting, when I explained the situation, President Yun burst into hearty laughter.

-You’re really funny. You completely shattered Seo Jae-yeon and Choi Jae-hyeok’s mentals when you were a rookie, so why are you being so considerate of this guy?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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