Hollywood: Behind The SpotLight Chapter 16

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 16

Making a movie was not simple in any way, shape, or form. Preparing for a movie was also far from easy, as every detail had to be ticulously planned and accounted for.

Before a movie could even begin production, it needed a solid concept, an idea that could evolve into a compelling story. In short, it needed a script, which served as the backbone of the entire production.

Most of the ti, a production studio would hire a team of writers, led by a head scriptwriter, to create a plot through multiple layers of revisions and feedbacks. But because Wyatt was the only person handling the script, they didn't have anyone to polish or edit it, which made the process slower but also more personal. They were keeping their expenses minimal to ensure they had enough for filming and wouldn't overspend before they even started rolling the caras.

They hadn't hired any writers simply because paying even one, let alone an entire team, was far beyond their budget.

Aside from the script, a storyboard was also essential to visually map out how each scene would unfold. A storyboard provided a visual representation of the scenes and served as a guide for the entire crew. Think of it like a comic strip or series of illustrations, but with the specific purpose of filmmaking, where each fra represented a shot or scene setup. It had to follow the sequence of the plot to make it easy to understand and translate into actual footage on set.

Wyatt had graduated from film school, so he knew how to make a story flow naturally with strong visuals and pacing. Directors typically participated in storyboard creation since they were the ones who envisioned the film and had to guide the cara in bringing that vision to life.

As for Wyatt's storyboard... His drawing skills were average at best, but his drawings clearly demonstrated an understanding of what needed to be fild. That made them passable enough to structure each scene. Wyatt actually spent most of his days polishing the drawings to ensure they were concise with the vision he had for the movie and coherent enough for the crew to follow without confusion.

Once the script and storyboard were completed, they needed funding to move the project from paper to screen. Wyatt and Collin had already tackled that part.

This was usually the toughest step, as money wasn't easy to co by, especially for small-ti players like them.

With those two foundations in place, pre-production could begin, the true groundwork before filming started. This stage included scheduling, casting, hiring crew, location scouting, set and background design, as well as costu and prop creation. All of it had to be done before production could begin.

At the mont, Wyatt was right in the thick of this stage.

Thanks to his reputation as soone who could fill jobs quickly and reliably, Collin had already found crew mbers for Wyatt. In just a week, they managed to fill all the essential filmmaking roles despite the limited ti and tight budget.

Assistant Director

Director of Photography

Cara Operator

Head of the Lighting Departnt

Props Master

Costu Designer

Set/Background Decorator

All of the key positions were filled, albeit with people hired on modest salaries. These crew mbers were capable in their roles, but they simply hadn't found opportunities in Hollywood due to bad luck and insufficient connections.

Collin told Wyatt that he should take care of these people, as they could beco his regular team in the future if he wanted to direct with a consistent, reliable crew who understood his work ethic.

As for hiring a Producer and Executive Producer, that part was significantly harder. The reason was simple, no one wanted to take on a project directed by a recent graduate.

Although Collin knew several Producers and Executive Producers, none of them expressed interest in handling the project despite his persistent follow-ups and best efforts.

With no other choice, Collin decided to take on the role himself, even though his experience was limited to talent managent.

He would later co to realize that hiring workers and managing them were two entirely different challenges. One looked easy on paper, the other tested his patience daily.

In addition to hiring crew mbers, they also had another crucial task during pre-production.

Casting.

They needed a cast that could embody the characters and carry the emotional weight of the film. A group of actors and actresses who would beco the face of the project.

Kazir had already secured two roles for his clients before pre-production officially began. He discussed it with Wyatt, who didn't mind, as it made casting more convenient.

In a way, Wyatt understood that by casting Collin's clients, he was helping not only them but also Collin. After all, Wyatt was also one of Collin's clients, so supporting each other felt fair and natural. It was a mutually beneficial arrangent.

However, before officially casting the two actors, Wyatt had to test their acting skills to ensure they were truly fit for the roles. If they failed, he'd simply have to say sorry and look elsewhere.

"They've been in Hollywood long before I beca an agent, they know how to act," Collin said to Wyatt, expressing his firm belief in his clients' abilities.

They were inside a small room that could comfortably accommodate ten people, though it wasn't exactly spacious.

Besides Wyatt and Collin, Gerald, the Casting Director, and Anthony, the Assistant Director, were also present.

This small space that Collin rented for the week would serve as their audition room. They had to improvise and make it work despite their limited resources.

The door opened, and the first person to audition was Axel Gunner. He was auditioning for the role of Sam, one of the two lead characters in The Accidental Wedding Crashers.

"Hello, I'm Axel Gunner. I'm going to audition for the role of Sam."

Wyatt had never t Collin's two clients before. This was his first ti eting Axel in person and the man certainly left an impression.

Wyatt's first impression? The guy was huge.

Collin, who was already 6'2", looked short next to Axel, who stood around 6'7". He was incredibly tall.

Beyond his height, Axel had a commanding presence. His muscular build, confident stance, and overall look radiated raw masculinity. He was like a walking action figure.

Axel had dark brown eyes, an army-cut hairstyle, and the posture of soone who had either served in the military or undergone intense physical training.

However, the mont the audition started, Wyatt was surprised at how completely Axel transford his deanor.

The scene he perford was the part where Sam gave a wedding speech while slightly drunk. To make matters worse, Sam wasn't even a friend of the groom, he was just a wedding crasher. A total stranger at the wedding.

"When we were kids, and the groom talked about our dreams. He said he wanted to be a novelist. He shared his novel with , it was titled 'Reincarnated as a Filipino '. When I read the story, I told him straight up to never cook again. His story is trash."

Axel delivered the lines with the perfect mix of slurred speech, awkward charm, and tipsy confusion. Like soone who had just taken a few tequila shots and was trying their best not to fall over.

Wyatt looked over at Collin and gave him a nod, signaling that Axel had passed the audition. There was no need to search further, Axel embodied Sam in exactly the way they had envisioned.

With one lead role secured, they now needed to find the actor who would play Jess, the other half of the chaotic and hilarious duo that would carry the film.