Rebirth: The Path to Hollywood Queen

This is true

As a complete newcomer with no background at all, he lacks the aura of a famous veteran. Eva knew she needed to catch people's attention, having shocked everyone from the very start. The opening of a movie is crucial, as it directly determines the artistic level of the film. Therefore, Eva decided to begin with a long shot that would continue all the way to the last shot of the short film—5 minutes, one shot. A long shot can create an immediate impact, but it's also a time-consuming and labor-intensive endeavor. It requires not just extensive manpower and resources, but also a director with a genius mind. Superb scheduling, strict calculations, and perfect control demand exquisite coordination among photography, art, lighting, actors, camera cars, sliding tracks, crane arms, and more. Every detail must be precise; any mistake could jeopardize the entire project.

The difficulty of long shots is why directors who successfully pull them off are often deified. Despite the challenges, many directors around the world remain mysteriously obsessed with them, as long shots offer a level of realism that no other lens can match. Eva didn’t make this decision lightly; she had experience with long shots. In a previous film, she utilized a 13-minute long shot at the end, which garnered acclaim as a masterpiece. It’s a pity she didn’t discover her talent earlier in her past life.

Now, to save costs, she planned to have the actors rehearse extensively before filming began. A 5-minute long shot could take at least 3 months to shoot for a large scene and about a month for a smaller one. As this was a musical short film, it required the cooperation of choreographers and the dance team. Eva chose music and dance from the Broadway stage play "Spring Awakening," which the dance team only needed to adapt according to the script. The choreography was handled by Arsha, the talented heroine chosen by Eva, who reminded her of Catherine Zeta-Jones in "Chicago," where Zeta-Jones choreographed her own dances.

Since Eva didn't rent a commercial venue, they used a small path in front of the school, which was convenient because not many people passed by on normal days. Every day, Eva and the singing and dancing troupe rehearsed from morning to night. The short film "City of Angels" has limited content; it opens with the heroine, played by Arsha, walking down the stairs of her home, then out onto the Dublin streets. Under the bright sunshine, she walks through winding streets, with people constantly passing by the camera. Suddenly, she begins to dance, singing as she moves, seemingly praising the beauty of the metropolis. Gradually, other dancers join in, and they perform together in all directions. During this time, Eva’s camera slides from Arsha to various other characters, constantly changing focus. Eventually, a group of boys and girls enter the school, dancing and singing together, leading to a series of winding scenes on campus, navigating stairs and classrooms, culminating as the bell rings and the short film concludes.

In this piece, Eva aims to express the vitality and youthfulness of Dublin, corresponding to the theme of "City of Angels." Throughout the 5 minutes, the actors cross streets, walk up school steps, and pass through classrooms, resulting in varied scenes with a large and complex cast of singers, dancers, and extras. Managing these elements seamlessly requires a director with an almost instinctive touch. Some actors voiced doubts about Eva's ability to execute such a challenging shoot. They questioned Arsha privately, “Do you think a newcomer like Eva can really pull off a 5-minute long take?” Arsha replied, “I can’t guarantee that, but since we’ve accepted this job, we need to work hard and not overthink it.”

At this moment, Eva called Arsha over to direct a shot. She praised Arsha’s emotional performance but noted a timing issue, advising her to pause behind a pillar to facilitate a smooth transition for the next camera focus on Jack. Arsha nodded in understanding, ready to pass the moment to Jack, who was advised to pay close attention to his expression while performing a basketball routine simultaneously.

As rehearsals progressed over two weeks, Arsha began to understand Eva better. Eva was highly focused, not authoritarian, and easy to talk to, even when addressing complaints. Despite being a newcomer, she organized the rehearsals with commendable professionalism. After two weeks, the 5-minute song and dance sequence was nearly ready. Eva then invited the booked studio crew, which included lighting technicians, makeup artists, artists, photographers, and track technicians. Integrating these elements with the actors proved to be a long and difficult process, highlighting the complexities of executing long shots.

It took Eva an additional three weeks to achieve perfect coordination among all crew members. While it might seem incredible to others that she completed a 5-minute film in five weeks, those familiar with long shots recognized this achievement as extraordinary. When the crew returned to the studio for post-production, the special effects artists couldn’t help but gloat about the tight timeline. However, when the photographer entered with the camera and revealed the footage, they were met with skepticism.

As Allen, a special effects artist, prepared to watch the film, he was doubtful. He expected a short film incomplete in execution, given the challenges involved. But as he watched, the initial mundane shot transitioned to Arsha walking down her home stairs into the Dublin street, her long golden hair and green eyes catching the light. The camera followed her seamlessly, capturing passersby before she suddenly broke into dance, her movements suggesting an unheard melody.

As the dance progressed, dancers began to appear, and the camera effortlessly glided from Arsha to a boy playing basketball, then to another girl, capturing the rhythm of the city. The choreography became more complex, with actors flowing in and out of the frame, yet maintaining the one-shot appearance. By the fifth minute, the camera froze on Arsha’s face, concluding the film cleanly.

Allen, transfixed, realized he had forgotten to breathe. One thought echoed in his mind: “Oh my god, where did this girl come from? She actually pulled off a 5-minute long shot!”