From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

“Cut!”

Gary hadn't even realized it; the words had barely escaped his lips when he immediately regretted it. There were no problems with the filming, yet he had interrupted it.

However, there was no time to feel remorse at this moment; his entire mind was consumed by the scene he had just witnessed, his heart pounding with a sudden悸动.

And so.

Gary didn't say anything but sat in front of the monitor, quickly replaying the footage.

Unlike before, this time his gaze was one hundred percent focused on that figure—

Anson.

Anson Wood, he still remembered the name clearly.

In the footage.

Michael's expression was so focused and so immersed, even the books and music seemed to be paused. Inadvertently, a hint of tenderness was captured in his eyes. Although the corners of his mouth weren't raised, there was a faint smile.

Who was he looking at?

The camera didn't capture it because this scene wasn't in the script at all. Naturally, the camera's movement route didn't include this shot.

But Gary followed Michael's gaze, across the entire school gate, past a dozen students, and still easily found the answer.

—Mia.

Yes, Michael had a crush on Mia.

Eyes don't lie.

His gaze couldn't leave Mia, quietly watching her every move, sometimes unable to help but smile, sometimes restless, as if the whole world followed Mia's expressions and actions, and time lost its meaning.

Gary hadn't noticed these details at all just now.

Then, Gary saw that scene, the one that firmly grabbed his attention.

Careful, cautious, afraid that even the slightest detail would reveal his feelings, ruining the little possibility that remained, but unaware that the emotions he thought he had hidden so well had already been exposed in the details.

After briefly, futilely hiding himself, he couldn't resist, and without realizing it, he raised his eyes again and looked over.

Focused and deep.

The azure eyes seemed to be filled with stars and the sea, the morning sunlight also paled in comparison, but all those rays shone for one person.

At this moment, in that brief, fleeting instant, Michael was still Michael, but he radiated light, firmly grabbing attention.

And then.

Michael looked at Mia, immersed in this way, his shoulders gradually relaxing, the corners of his mouth gently rising, his whole person uncontrollably loosening up slightly, quietly immersed in his own world, slowly falling—

Falling in love.

One glance, one action.

That was all, but it seemed as if one could glimpse the entirety of a world, firmly grabbing Gary's attention. That power was so strong and so turbulent.

A crush is perhaps the loneliest thing in the world. Nothing has happened, but in your own mind, the world has already collapsed and the seas have turned into mulberry fields.

A crush is also perhaps the happiest thing in the world. No response is needed; even just quietly guarding and watching from afar can bring happiness.

Both bitter and sweet, both calm and turbulent.

All of this fell into those eyes.

Gary was stunned—

Unintentionally, his gaze and thoughts drifted over involuntarily.

And then, succumbed.

A fleeting moment, yet a momentary brilliance.

Replay it once.

Then replay it a second time.

And a third time.

Gary tried to confirm whether it was his illusion, his imagination, but again and again, that delicate handling of the eyes still awakened goosebumps, making people's blood boil.

Suddenly, Gary stood up.

“Anson!”

The call blurted out—

Before him, there were fifty-odd people bustling about, nearly twenty meters away from the monitor, across an entire street, but Gary still saw Anson.

That low-key, introverted, geeky Anson.

Although Anson was his personally selected choice, and he believed in Anson's charm, truly seeing Anson in the camera, able to fill limited frames with infinite color, giving the character and the plot life, that kind of amazement still surged uncontrollably.

Exhilaration!

Various thoughts surged in his mind, and Gary actually fell into a brief blank.

Countless gazes looked at Gary, and also at Anson, who stood straight and stood out from the crowd, the probing, speculative gazes surging.

“Director?”

Someone called out from the side, which finally pulled Gary back.

Gary took a deep breath, centered his energy in his dantian, “Excellent.”

He said.

The scene was in an uproar: What?

Gary repeated it again.

“Your performance just now was excellent. Wow, I especially liked it.”

The scene: … …

Dead silence.

Everyone thought Anson was going to be in trouble. The first NG of this morning's scene came from Anson, but no one had expected the development of the situation.

Actually!

The gazes that had been gloating a second ago turned into envy the next.

Perhaps Annie was an exception, giving Anson two thumbs up to express her praise, her smile fully blooming.

Gary couldn't care about any of this. He took a deep breath and quickly sorted out his thoughts:

Inspiration, like a spring.

“Anson, wait a moment.”

Gary called out loudly, then quickly summoned the people around him, not suppressing his voice, but speaking in a volume that everyone could hear, slightly louder because he was too excited and too亢奋.

“Sorry, I was mistaken.”

What?

In a flurry of bewildered gazes, Gary didn't stop.

“We need to add some close-ups. The camera should be aimed at Anson, I mean Michael.”

From Anson's eyes, Gary thought of something—

How should they show Michael's crush on Mia?

Of course, the script had a plot about this, and they had also conceived some shots, but now Gary realized that it was far from enough.

If they wanted the two young lovers' final happy ending to move the audience, then not only did the audience need to perceive Michael's wholehearted crush, but Mia also needed to perceive it, so that the final love could become mutual.

Gary was a little annoyed—

He had chosen Anson in the first place because he believed that the male lead's charm was the finishing touch to impress female audiences, but they had completely forgotten about this during filming. Wasn't that a waste of talent?

However, it wasn't too late to realize it now.

Gary was still experienced. From television to film, he had handled countless emergencies. After a brief daze, he immediately reacted and came up with a solution.

He was a little excited.

Gary believed that such a change would not affect the structure of the film, but it could make the plot full and the arc smooth, and the final product quality could also go up a notch.

He had even more confidence.

Quickly, Gary made some adjustments to the original filming plan and added two shots, his thinking completely clear, and inspiration flowed constantly.

After ending the brief meeting, Gary left the monitor, walked across the street that had been blocked off by the crew, and strode towards Anson.

Where could you see that he was already sixty-six years old from those firm and heroic steps?

First update.