Chapter 57: Noise Maker

"What the audience likes is the first factor I consider when making a movie," Duke replied matter-of-factly.

"Like explosions, for instance?"

"Yes, explosions."

"Where do you plan to blow up next?" the reporter asked curiously.

"I think the White House is a pretty good target."

It was an awards ceremony full of jokes, and no one would take a comment like that seriously, but Duke still added, "In a movie, of course."

"We look forward to seeing those shots."

"Thank you!"

After dealing with the reporters, Duke led Naomi Watts toward the side exit. MTV was hosting an afterparty, but he was heading to San Francisco tomorrow and didn't plan to attend.

"I heard from Nancy..." Naomi linked arms with Duke, her eyes sparkling. "You hired two writers and are fleshing out two scripts? Are you really going to blow up the White House next?"

"Actually, one script is already finished." Duke shrugged. "The White House, Congress, Manhattan, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument—they're all my targets. I'm going to destroy all of North America."

A rented RV was waiting outside the side exit. Duke opened the door, letting Naomi Watts get in first before climbing into the back himself.

"North Hollywood." Duke raised the partition separating the front and back seats.

Naomi Watts hadn't forgotten their earlier topic. After a moment of thought, she asked tentatively, "Is the new script another male-driven movie?"

It was another intoxicating night. Like most men and women in this circle, they didn't think about tomorrow or look at the past; they were temporarily aligned simply out of current interest and need.

The next day, Duke returned to San Francisco. Filming for The Rock had entered its final stages. Even during the two days he was away, the crew hadn't stopped; under Zack Snyder's direction, they had shot quite a few dramatic scenes on Alcatraz Island.

Another morning of shooting wrapped up. While everyone else rested after lunch, the core members of the team—Zack Snyder, Sofia Coppola, and John Schwartzman—sat with Duke in front of the monitors, reviewing the footage from the past few days.

"Look here, Zack."

Pressing pause, Duke pointed at the screen, which showed the Marine Corps rappelling down a building. "You used a parallel shot here. If you changed the angle to a low shot from the ground, looking up at the descent, wouldn't it give a completely different feel?"

"The rappelling team dropping straight toward the lens." Zack Snyder had accumulated plenty of experience shooting commercials and figured it out quickly. "In a theater, it'll create the illusion that they're landing right in front of the audience."

"Exactly." Duke gave him a thumbs-up and added, "We can slow down shots like this in post-production to increase the pressure on the audience."

"The helicopters and the Navy SEAL Team are still on set." Zack Snyder clearly agreed with Duke's view. "I'll reshoot these takes this afternoon."

"Zack, you have a naturally keen sense for the use of color."

They had built a solid foundation of trust as partners, allowing Duke to speak bluntly. "But camera movement is your weak point."

After discussing a few more things about camera work and shooting, Zack Snyder and John Schwartzman left first. Sofia sat diagonally behind Duke, having barely said a word.

"Duke, can I make a copy of the film we've shot?" she suddenly asked.

"Doing another experiment?" Duke knew that Sofia never let a chance to learn and practice slip by. "I'll let Robin and Charles know. You can get a copy processed, but you're paying for it yourself!"

"And another thing!" Duke pointed at Sofia behind him. "If any footage leaks, I will definitely kill you, Sofia! I promise!"

"There's no rush right now." Sofia ignored Duke's threat. "After you wrap, I'll take all the reels to the Warner Bros. Film Lab to process a copy, and then edit a movie that suits my own tastes."

"You're not planning to cut an action movie into a romance, are you?" Duke teased.

"That depends on my personal preference." Sofia shrugged, then reminded him, "Lunch break is almost over. We should head to the set."

Following the MTV Awards Ceremony, thanks to the live broadcast and media hype, the name of The Rock spread even further. Coupled with the chain reaction Duke had sparked with Speed, the film gained considerable recognition among the massive demographic of action movie fans.

As for Naomi Watts, she had certainly left an impression after walking the red carpet, and even appeared on a local TV station's talk show. She was a smart woman who knew that Duke, Nancy, and Warner were behind this to promote the movie, so she talked extensively about The Rock during the interview.

As an old Hollywood giant, Warner Brothers was not the least bit weaker than Twentieth Century Fox in terms of promotion and distribution. They had drawn up a comprehensive marketing plan for The Rock, and after seeing the many explosive shots Duke had filmed, they even listed the movie as one of Warner's most important projects for the summer season.

The fog rolling over the Golden Gate Bridge was unpredictable, bringing new surprises every day. Over the next two weeks, while commuting back and forth to Alcatraz Island, Duke took advantage of the sunrises and sunsets to shoot wide-angle scenery. This final stretch of filming on Alcatraz lacked the car chases, collisions, and explosions, making it feel extraordinarily quiet. Without the disturbance of noise—and apart from Duke feeling it was a bit dull—the rest of the crew's spirits noticeably improved, which in turn steadily accelerated the shooting pace.

After more than two months of hard work and torment, The Rock gradually reached the end of filming.

On the recreation yard of Alcatraz Island, Duke faced the sea breeze, pulled his lucky Los Angeles Raiders cap onto his head, gazed at the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, and turned to walk behind the monitors.

"Let's begin," he said to Sofia.

Sofia's nasal voice came through the megaphone.

"Scene one hundred and fifty-two, take fifteen, action!"

Amidst the crowd walking back and forth, Ed Harris found the group of young tourists. He crouched in front of a little blonde girl, his usually stern face full of friendliness.

"Could you do me a favor? It's very important. I need you to go tell your teacher to take you all back to the boat right away."

"Okay..."

The little blonde girl nodded.

Seeing that there were no issues with the little girl's performance, Duke slowly let out a breath. Kids and animals were the most uncontrollable factors during filming, but this little girl clearly had acting experience, and the final shot went off without a hitch.

"Cut!"

After calling cut, Duke asked Sofia for the megaphone, held it up, and said, "Over the past two and a half months, we've faced all sorts of difficulties, and everyone has been tormented by noise. Don't deny it, I know you all call me the Noise Maker in private..."

A burst of laughter erupted across the makeshift set.

"Thank you all."

Although they had run into a mess like the shutdown, compared to last time, this shoot had gone far more smoothly. The crew in particular had all been working in the same direction. "Every single one of you is an important part of this crew!"

"One last thing," Duke said. "Tomorrow we head back to Burbank, and at the Warner Studio, we've got a massive party!"

"Whoa..."

The crew let out a flurry of excited cheers. After being tormented by Duke with car crashes and explosions for over two months, they could finally relax.

The sun moved west, inching ever closer to the sea. The crew finished packing up and loaded all the equipment onto the boat. Duke and the cast and crew boarded the ferry, heading toward the San Francisco Bay docks over the roar of the engines.

"Sofia..." Duke spoke as he habitually walked to the bow. "The film and equipment will be temporarily sealed in the warehouse opposite the Warner Studio soundstage... Oh, right, if you have time, you can find someone to copy the reels for you. I've already let the two production managers know."

"Thank you."

"No need for formalities between us."

Reaching the bow, Duke noticed the little blonde girl who had shared the scene with Ed Harris standing by the railing. When she saw him, she waved. "Hello, Mr. Director."

"Hello." Judging by her accent, the girl seemed to be from the East Coast.

The little girl looked to be under ten years old. She had striking blonde hair and unusual blue and green eyes; she wasn't exactly beautiful, but she was very cute.

"Hey, sweetie..."

A middle-aged woman ran over, grabbed the little girl's hand, and led her toward the aft cabin. "Why did you run out here all by yourself..."

Looking back at the mother and daughter, Duke shook his head. As long as Hollywood had the demand, there would be droves of parents sending their children into this Vanity Fair.

Pushing aside these thoughts that had nothing to do with him, Duke looked out into the distance. Once the wrap party was over, an even more crucial post-production process was waiting for him.