Inhale. Exhale.
Inhale! Exhale!
Michel Gondry stood with his back against the wall, like a child being punished, head hanging low, eyes shut tight, repeatedly practicing deep breathing. His lips moved faintly as he muttered something under his breath, almost like he was reciting a mantra.
When Charlie Kaufman came upstairs, this was the scene he walked into.
He was full of confusion.
Charlie walked forward without disturbing Michel and glanced at the apartment ahead, still with no idea what was happening. Finally, curiosity got the better of him, and he tapped Michel on the shoulder.
"Ah!" Michel jumped in surprise, his heart nearly exploding.
"Ah!" Charlie was startled too and leaped back a step.
Michel opened his eyes and saw Charlie's panic-stricken face, which startled him again. He clutched his chest and leaned against the wall, almost unable to stand. With a pained expression, he protested, "What the hell are you doing?!"
Charlie looked even more innocent. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? What are you doing standing here, mumbling like you're casting a spell? Don't tell me you found a magic book and you're switching careers."
Michel gave Charlie an exasperated look. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Charlie replied, "The truth?"
Michel: ...
Seeing the seriousness in Charlie's eyes, Michel finally gave up and confessed, "I'm just a bit nervous."
Charlie didn't get it. "Nervous about what? This isn't your first movie."
Two years ago, Michel had already filmed his debut feature. Though the cast was a bit more high-profile, the crew size was about the same.
Michel sighed softly. "But this time, the cast is completely different. I really want to make it work, Charlie. I'm worried I'll mess it up."
True, during the first film, even if the quality wasn't great, it could be chalked up to inexperience. But with the second film, expectations were different.
Besides, the cast for this movie was near perfect, and everything was going according to Michel's vision. Even the producer wasn't interfering much, and the incredible actors only added more pressure.
Charlie understood this.
But Charlie seemed much more at ease. "With this script, it won't be a huge success, but it won't flop miserably either."
Michel shot Charlie a glance, full of resignation. "Two million dollars. If this fails, that's two million down the drain. Even if I sold myself, I wouldn't be worth that."
Charlie shrugged lightly. "Who knows? Maybe someone's into that."
Michel snapped, "Charlie!"
Charlie remained expressionless. "Anyway, you'll know once you try. Standing here breathing deeply isn't going to help. What if someone comes out and sees you?"
Michel: Uh...
Charlie didn't hesitate to roll his eyes again. "And if you don't trust anyone else, you should at least trust Anson, right?"
Michel's mind was in a jumble, and he struggled to keep up. "You mean his work with Steven and Tom?"
Charlie sighed. "Of course not. I mean you. Yourself. For God's sake, you didn't even like Anson at first, but after one meeting, you were sold. You pushed hard for him to be the lead. If you could get him on board, what's there to worry about with the rest of the cast?"
Wait, that's true!
Though Michel acknowledged this, he still paused, trying to regulate his breathing—
Kate Winslet, Anson Wood, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood...
One by one, the names flashed through Michel's mind. He wasn't sure how he'd manage to bring them all together, but it was too late to back out now, right?
No, no, no. It wasn't time to regret—he should be grateful.
Opportunities like this didn't just fall into anyone's lap.
But before Michel could clear his thoughts, Charlie had already lost patience and pushed open the apartment door, nearly causing Michel to cry out in shock. His heart clenched tightly, then exploded all at once.
"Charlie..."
It was too late. Michel could only watch as Charlie opened the door. He tried to stop him, but ended up standing right at the entrance. And what he saw inside the apartment left him stunned, frozen in place—
Laughter and joy filled the room.
A lively, bustling scene greeted them, showing no sign of chaos despite the director's late arrival. Michel didn't know where to look, and the overwhelming warmth left him stiff, staring blankly.
No one noticed Michel and Charlie entering. Everyone was engrossed in the party atmosphere, spread across the room in small groups, yet there was a clear center of gravity—everything quietly revolved around Anson, even Kate.
There was no alcohol, no snacks, no music, yet they were still enjoying the party.
Charlie turned to look at Michel, his eyes brimming with teasing amusement: See? So what was that little solo act you were doing outside?
Too much drama.
Michel instantly read Charlie's sarcasm and instinctively wanted to retort, but Charlie beat him to it, smirking as he said, "Good news, huh?"
Michel didn't have time to counter Charlie's jab. He paused to think seriously—
It really was good news.
Before filming even began, the actors and crew had already developed a camaraderie, creating a positive work environment. This was the best possible start for both getting into character and fostering collaboration.
At least, it was a good beginning.
This meant Michel could finally set aside some of his towering worries, even if only temporarily. He could finally breathe again.
Then—
"Hey, Mr. Screenwriter!"
Anson spotted Charlie.
Charlie froze.
Clearly, Charlie wasn't comfortable in such social settings. The more people there were, the more he wanted to disappear. Instinctively, he tried to retreat to the corner, but Anson's greeting gave him away. Instantly, the room's attention turned toward Charlie, surrounding him with curious gazes.
Charlie's face remained expressionless, but the slight twitch of his lips betrayed his discomfort. He turned to look at Michel.
The message was clear: The director is right here. Aren't you guys going to greet him?
Michel, however, wasn't the least bit jealous. He patted Charlie on the shoulder with gleeful sympathy, his expression clearly saying:
"We both know you're the biggest name in this group. The actors are all here because of you, and I'm just riding your coattails."
But the twitch of Michel's mouth and the sparkle in his eyes were anything but sympathetic.
Charlie sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically before begrudgingly walking toward Anson.
Michel smiled, his mood lifting as he followed behind. It was as if the anxious person standing at the door just moments ago was a completely different person.
One second, he was feeling crushed by the pressure of working with such a star-studded cast.
The next, he was ecstatic at the thought of working with so many talented actors.
Everything was that simple.
Michel was already rubbing his hands together, eager to dive into the production.
And as it turned out, both Michel and Charlie were right—
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind had officially begun filming. With everyone in good spirits, the project started smoothly. From Anson to Kate, everything was perfect, and the first three days of shooting flew by without a hitch.
But after three days, the challenges began.