No script.
Real-name performances.
Gus casually throws out a bombshell.
Moments ago, Gus was momentarily stunned by the sheer volume of information from Anson; now the roles are reversed, with Anson needing some time to process the vast amount of information from Gus.
Now, Anson finally understands where the sense of realism in "The Elephant" comes from—
Because Gus presents his interpretation of the entire event in a documentary-style format.
"Mockumentary"—it's only now that Anson feels a sense of reality.
Thump, thump.
His heart races uncontrollably.
Anson swallows hard, wondering if he's truly ready to show his real self in front of the camera.
Taking a deep breath, Anson looks at Gus. "So, you're saying I need to play myself on screen."
Gus nods, "Yes."
After a pause, he adds, "Not actor Anson, not Spider-Man Anson, but just an ordinary high school student Anson."
"Your youth, your worries, your struggles."
When filming "Catch Me If You Can," Anson had once awakened memories from a past life—memories that, while left in the past, profoundly affect the present.
He isn't planning to avoid or ignore them.
Because it's precisely those hardships and setbacks that have sculpted him into who he is today.
And now, he's taking it a step further?
Gus notices Anson's contemplation. "What's wrong, do you have any reservations? If you want to back out of the crew now, it's not too late."
"Heh." Anson chuckles, "No, I'm really looking forward to it. In fact, I should say I'm very excited. You know, when everyone else tries to fit me into the Spider-Man mask, you're willing to give me a chance to take off the mask, and even shed the actor's persona. I think this is an interesting challenge."
He pauses for a moment.
"Director, thank you for giving me this opportunity."
With grace and composure, Anson looks at Gus, his gaze clear and bright.
Gus, on the other hand, feels a bit embarrassed. The honest man rubs the back of his neck, "To be honest, until I met you, I was still a bit hesitant."
He actually just... said it out loud.
Anson is taken aback, a smile appearing in his eyes. "Then I'm very glad I could eliminate the director's last bit of hesitation."
Gus is stunned, but a smile slowly creeps onto his face—
He thinks he's beginning to like this actor.
Anson continues to ask out of curiosity, "Director, can you tell me about this movie? I mean, no script doesn't mean you don't have images or a framework in your mind, right?"
"Wait, or are you and Director Wong Kar-wai of the same style?"
With works like "In the Mood for Love" and "Happy Together," that always-sunglass-wearing director has become a significant name worldwide.
At the same time, the director's infamous slow pace, spontaneity, and lack of planning have also become well-known.
Back when Tony Leung went to Buenos Aires to shoot "Happy Together," he thought he was playing a nephew attending a funeral, only to find out that the director completely overhauled the script. Without a script, the first scene had the two lead actors filming an intense love scene.
After filming, Tony Leung sat on the bed, bewildered, smoking a cigarette.
Anson's casual joke makes Gus burst into laughter, waving his hands in denial, "I could never do that."
"Of course, I have images in my mind, and I'm trying to materialize them."
When it comes to casual conversation, Gus neither has the time nor the interest.
But talking about movies? Once the floodgates open, they won't close.
Who would have thought?
Just a few minutes ago, Gus was burdened with worries, fretting over casting, Anson, and the camera—everything. But now, Gus is beaming and chatting casually with Anson, gradually clarifying the images in his mind through their conversation.
Without a doubt, this is the smallest crew Anson has ever been a part of—
One camera.
Yes, you read that right.
Other crews typically have six or seven cameras operating simultaneously from different angles, sometimes even with additional teams shooting different scenes. Tracks, cranes, helicopters, tripods, and so on—just the filming equipment alone might require three trucks.
But Gus only needs one camera.
One cameraman, one camera, and maybe a sound technician at most.
The crew doesn't even have a professional lighting technician. Gus and the cameraman handle the lighting themselves, and if a reflector is needed, whoever is free will jump in.
The entire crew, at full strength, numbers less than ten people.
Forget about the four-hundred-plus people on the "Spider-Man" set; even compared to the usual "Friends" shoots, this crew is tiny.
Actually, this is the reality of most of Hollywood.
After all, projects with multi-million or even billion-dollar investments are still the minority. There are countless small crews with budgets under ten million dollars.
In the past few years, Brad Renfro has been active in such crews, either passionately pursuing his dreams or clocking in and out like a seasoned pro.
To Anson, big crews have their advantages, and small crews have their charm.
In those big crews, there are many people and clear divisions of labor, like a well-oiled machine where every screw has its role. Many crew members might never meet until the movie premieres—
It's purely a work relationship.
But small crews are different.
They see each other constantly, and often one person wears multiple hats. They must band together, working toward a common goal. These small, complete teams take care of each other through the challenges of filming.
For such films, regardless of the movie's success, the filming process will inevitably leave a deep impression, with each day and every scene vividly remembered.
Just like now.
The elderly man with the white beard, who looks like Santa Claus stepped out of a fairy tale, is carrying a camera, slightly out of breath but with an extremely focused expression, completely ignoring the sweat on his forehead.
This is the cinematographer for "The Elephant," Harris Savides. Despite his low profile, he's a blue-collar worker in the industry—"Se7en" is one of his works, and he later collaborated with David Fincher on "Zodiac."
Last year, Harris and Gus worked together on the experimental film "Gerry," so when Gus called on Harris to collaborate again, Harris agreed without hesitation.
Harris looks around.
"Anson, uh… Anson!"
"Perfect, you're not in this scene, come help out."
"The reflector..."
One moment, Anson is an actor; the next, he's a camera assistant.
He had heard that New York University's film school teaches this way, rotating students through every position on a film crew.
First, it helps students understand how a crew operates and the responsibilities of each position, making them more precise when giving directions.
Second, it allows students to explore their interests, discover what they genuinely enjoy and excel at, and eventually find their place.
Of course, Anson isn't from an academic background, so he's never had such an experience. But he never expected to get a taste of it while filming "The Elephant."