….
Tring—!
The alarm chimes, making Andrew Garfield's eyes flutter open.
Today is the official start day for the filming of - [Spider-Man: Web of Destiny] - other than for a test shoot, where he simply had to give his all for the day.
However, what is looming now is continuing non-stop for three to four months doing the same thing over and over.
He breathes in, savoring the moment - part excitement, part nerves.
He looked outside of the window from the modest on-site trailer.
Yeah, he didn't even go to the hotel last night, after the final checkings of stunt equipment for his body finished.
But still, a personal trailer for a debut actor?
Regardless, the trailer itself is simple: with a small kitchenette, a makeup station in one corner, and posters of old Spider-Man comics taped to the wall.
…that gotta be something only mega godfathers could afford, right?
Well, in his case - his godfather is obviously - Regal.
….
Pushing away those thoughts, Andrew lies there a moment longer - running through the mental checklist: suit fittings, warm-ups, stunt briefing, wardrobe prep.
He recalls fragments of workshops and conversation with Regal, where he mentioned tapping into his own youth, energy.
And more so to find - Peter Parker - a normal youth in himself.
Over time, that statement had become his sense of direction and answer for every doubt he had in playing the character.
Once that was finished, Andrew got up from his bed, and fixed a cup of strong sugarless black tea, with just a pinch of lemon.
He sips and glances over his day's schedule, printed neatly on bright paper and pinned to the bulletin board by one of the ADs - Lena of Regal.
===
5:30 AM - Morning Activities.
6:00 AM - Arrival on the main stage.
6:15–6:45 AM – Makeup & suit fitting.
6:45–7:15 AM – Physical warm-ups & stretching with trainers.
7:15–7:45 AM – Stunt briefing with coordinators.
8:00 AM – First shot: rooftop jump.
12:00 PM – Lunch break.
1:00–4:00 PM – VFX-heavy shoot interiors.
4:00–4:30 PM – Costume touch-up/warmdown.
5:00 PM – Wrap for the day.
====
Andrew nods to himself, already feeling that rising rush of adrenaline.
By now, he could somehow manage to ignore the weight of expectation that was placed on him and focus more on things that needed to be done.
And that just gave him a feeling of thrill and excitement.
….
Soon he finishes his tea, then heads to the bathroom - quick shower, short shave, splash of cold water to wake up fully.
He dresses simply in sweats and T-shirt, muscles unconsciously tensing with thoughts of the suit's ergonomics, the harness, the rollouts.
A knock at the trailer door snapped him out of it.
He swung it open to find Rock standing there.
"Morning."
Rock didn't answer, just jabbed a thumb over his shoulder.
With that he reaches the location according to the schedule - which is a few streets away - as he slept in the trailer.
He walks in, steady but eager, the makeup trailer door swings open, his key team - makeup, costume, stunt coordinators - are already there, waiting.
…the one who made his suite Seren Seraphsail.
Obviously, there is Regal - leading the whole crew.
….
Seren gave him a quick nod, then scanned his frame for what must have been the tenth time, every adjustment, every micro-check mattered now.
Finally, he straightened.
"Okay… that's done." Seren said, exhaling like she had just finished fine-tuning a race car.
Outside, the murmurs and shuffling hinted at the waiting crowd, crew members who didn't need to be there but weren't about to miss this.
The trailer door creaked open.
Andrew stepped out, shoulders draped in a thick blanket that concealed everything beneath it.
A ripple of chatter shot through the gathered crew.
"There he is…"
"Oh man, this is it!"
"Come on, Spidey!"
"I have been waiting for this all week."
Phones weren't allowed on Regal's set, same rule as always, but one official camera rolled quietly, capturing every second for the behind-the-scenes reel, Regal was planning on using it for the promotion material when the movie is about release or after it's out.
The air was charged with that same giddy buzz you get before fireworks.
Andrew paused at the top of the small metal steps, looked over the crowd with that crooked half-smile he had perfected, and said.
"You know… this thing's really comfy, thinking I might just wear it to bed."
A laugh broke out across the group.
Someone yelled. "Quit teasing, man!"
He glanced at Regal, who raised an eyebrow as if to say 'You're milking it'.
Andrew's grin widened.
Then, with a flick of his hands, the blanket slipped away.
Gasps, cheers and even whistles erupted.
The deep red and black popped under the morning light, the new web pattern catching every glint.
The eye lenses gleamed white, crisp against the suit's darker tones.
"Holy hell, look at that."
"That's clean - so clean."
"It's like… an actual superhero just walked in."
Andrew just stood there for a moment, letting them drink it in, shifting his stance like a prizefighter before the first bell.
"Well." He said, voice casual but eyes alight, "Guess we're making a movie now."
Regal's lips curved, slow and satisfied.
"Yeah." He murmured, mostly to himself. "Now we are."
….
The stage lights bloom to full intensity, flooding the faux Manhattan skyline that dominates the center of the soundstage.
Painted backdrops of dusky blue melt into the scaffolding, with real brick façades built to half-height to give the illusion of towering city buildings.
A wind machine hums in the corner, ready to hit his body - giving a speed illusion on camera.
Andrew stands on the rooftop set, harness snug around his waist and thighs.
The stunt rigging team clips him in, checking and rechecking the carabiners with the same accuracy.
Regal, standing up from in his director chair, walks up holding a small handheld monitor.
He simply asks. "Ready?"
Andrew nods, absorbing the note.
Regal smiles. "Alright, Pete, we are starting this…"
The assistant director calls for quiet.
"Rolling!" - echoes through the cavernous space.
"Action!" (Regal)
Andrew takes three steps forward on the rooftop edge, tilts his head as though spotting something across the city, then leaps.
The harness catches perfectly - a weightless moment where his stomach lifts, where the illusion is so complete even he forgets it's a set.
The wind machine kicks in, tugging at the suit, creating that signature ripple in the red and blue. He swings forward in a controlled arc, tucking his knees before landing on the far ledge in a neat crouch.
Regal's voice cuts in. "Cut! … That's a decent start."
Andrew smiles behind the mask, trying not to let the adrenaline show too much - though the gleam in his eyes gives him away.
Crew members adjust his harness, and he runs the motion again, this time with a bit more swagger.
The stunt double watches from the sidelines, grinning - there is an unspoken respect when an actor throws himself fully into the physicality.
….
For the next hour, the shot is repeated from multiple angles - overhead cranes, dolly tracks, and a handheld for close-ups.
Between takes, Andrew tried to stay on his toes - doing whatever workout he could pull off.
He even played off a small ramp with his skate board.
The scenes he is filming for the day or for the coming days of about a week - are mostly no dialogue scenes - and Spider-Man Swinging.
So the scenes are more about body language.
In one break, Andrew removes his mask, which is very rare, as for some reason he mostly prefers it on, which alone portrays the seriousness of the current discussion.
Regal suggests. "Andrew, for these scenes, Peter is still new to being Spider-Man, so maybe look a little scared mid-jump. Like, not terrified, but… exhilarated and uncertain at the same time."
Andrew nods. "...right, leave it to me."
When the cameras roll again, Andrew channels that note - eyes wide, breath caught, landing slightly less gracefully, like Peter's still figuring it all out.
Watching playback, Regal nods in approval.
….
Between setups, Andrew somehow walked through the art department's corner of the stage.
For Andrew, who didn't know anything about the filmmaking process, the art department is something that truly marvelled him.
A capable team can really make a thermocol looking like a giant building.
Walls of fake brick panels, fire escapes on wheels, and props - from crumpled Daily Bugle newspapers to mock NYPD barricades - surround him.
All these really made him respect the team as a whole, including the small-time crew members.
He picks up a copy of the fake paper, grinning at the headline:
[Masked Menace or Hero? Public Divided]
Andrew, joked to the prop master. "Great, day one and I am already controversial."
The prop master laughs.
In these quiet interludes, Andrew jots notes in his journal.
Little reminders: "Lead with curiosity, Spider-Man isn't about the suit - it's about the kid wearing it."
….
Lunch is served in a communal tent outside the soundstage - holding a menu of grilled chicken and roasted vegetables.
Cast and crew mingle - stunt doubles with bruised shins, lighting techs comparing rig setups, extras in NYPD uniforms holding foam coffee cups.
Andrew, still in partial costume with the top half peeled down, sits at a long folding table with the stunt coordinator, his trainer, and a couple of grips.
Conversation drifts from childhood comic memories to the best pizza in New York.
An AD leans in, eyes wide. "So… what's it like, putting on the suit for the first time?"
Maybe because Andrew is a debutant, the most of the crew often speak casually with him - which is something he himself is yet to realise.
Andrew pauses before answering. "It's strange… and it's not. You grow up imagining being a hero, right? Then suddenly you are wearing this thing, and the kid in you is screaming. But at the same time, it's work - you have got to respect the character, the fans, the story. It's not about looking cool, it's about making people feel something."
"The fans, huh?" - the AD muttered in a bittersweet memory. "I really hope they will enjoy what we will make."
The table nods, carrying the same emotion - coincident or maybe pure luck - despite the downfall of the MDC comics in this world, with most of the fans vanishing with disappointment - the team of the film mostly contains many fans that still hope for the revival of their childhood memory.
Soon, the conversation shifts to stunt bloopers from other films.
Andrew listens more than he talks, smiling easily.
….
After lunch, it's back inside.
The afternoon calls for a green-screen sequence where Spider-Man swings toward the camera, dodging an imaginary drone.
Andrew is strapped into a multi-axis stunt rig - a contraption that can tilt, roll, and spin him midair. The VFX supervisor stands nearby, holding a tablet with a pre-visualization of the final shot.
VFX Supervisor: "Imagine the drone's just behind you, firing, you twist left, shoot a web right, then drop down. We will track the web in post."
The rig moves in short bursts, mimicking the swing.
Andrew keeps his movements precise but fluid - the physical grammar of Spider-Man.
He improvises a small midair flip at one point, earning a "Nice!" from the stunt double.
They run the scene about fifteen times, each with slight variations.
By the last take, Andrew's breathing harder, sweat streaking his temples, he pulls off the mask, hair plastered, and grins.
Andrew comments, ignoring his chest heaving. "....that one felt good, can we check the playback?"
They huddle around the monitor.
Even in raw green-screen form, the movement has the right energy - light, fast, instinctive.
….
The final scene of the day is small but crucial: Peter alone in his room, mask off, staring at the suit draped over a chair.
This is filmed on a constructed bedroom set in a side wing of the stage.
The lighting is softer here - warm golds and shadowed corners.
Andrew sits on the bed, hands fidgeting with the mask.
Regal, again gives minimal direction. "Think about the cost, he has lost something already, the suit's not just a thrill, it's a responsibility now."
Andrew nods, takes a moment, then rolls into the take, his eyes linger on the mask as if it's whispering to him. He didn't speak a word, just the subtle exhale of someone feeling the weight settle in.
It's quiet when they cut. Even a couple of crew members seem still, as if not wanting to break the mood.
….
The last emotional scene wraps earlier than scheduled, but the crew decides to use the spare minutes for a few quick inserts:
Close-ups of Andrew's hands adjusting the web-shooters, the faint fabric stretch of the gloves as they slip on, and a couple of still poses for the VFX department to reference later.
The costume department carefully removes him out of the full suit - a slow, methodical process.
It's not just about comfort; the suit is delicate, and a torn seam can cost hours of repair time. The moment the cowl comes off, Andrew's hair flops damply forward, and he shakes his head with an almost boyish relief.
Costume Supervisor (smiling):
"Day one down, and the suit's survived, that's a good omen."
Andrew added. "Barely, I think it's already giving me a permanent ribcage imprint."
They laugh, the kind of easy, tired laughter that comes after a full day on set.
….
Soon after, Regal calls the wrap for Andrew.
Applause ripples through the soundstage - not the boisterous cheer of a final shoot, but that warm, genuine acknowledgment: the first brick in a long wall has been laid.
Regal steps over, claps Andrew on the shoulder. "Good work today, man, you found a couple of moments there that felt really alive."
Andrew nods. "Thanks, still figuring it out though."
Regal chuckles. "That's the job, and the fun."
As the crew begins their teardown for the day, Andrew lingers on set just long enough to watch a few grips coil cables, the stunt rig being lowered from the ceiling, the rooftop set dimming under the house lights.
…..
Outside, the early evening air has cooled slightly.
Andrew makes the short walk from the soundstage to his trailer, with his skateboard behind in his bag.
His body feels pleasantly spent - the kind of fatigue that comes from using both muscle and imagination in equal measure.
On the path, a couple of extras wave goodbye.
He waves back, smiling.
There is no entourage, no rush to get away.
Just the slow stroll of someone who wants to replay the day in his head before it slips into the haze of memory.
.
….
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
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