Chapter 109: Filming Routine 1

Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Filming Routine 1

Over the weekend, Irene had a delightful day at the park full of furry friends. She was so happy she didn’t want to leave.

It was Lucky’s first time meeting so many of his own kind. Even though he was already neutered, he still tirelessly followed behind the other puppies, making Irene, as his owner, blush with embarrassment.

Fortunately, Loren was there. He was clearly someone who had seen it all and could completely tolerate the little guy’s lecherous behavior.

Amidst the lively scene, their hands unknowingly found each other and intertwined.

"I start work tomorrow, so I might not be able to look after you for a while."

Having just confirmed their relationship, Irene was about to get busy with work, and once she started, she might not have time to see him for at least a few months. She inexplicably felt like she was acting like a jerk.

Upon hearing this, Loren hugged her even tighter and said with feigned ease, "From the moment I fell for you, I’ve been mentally preparing for this. You have to trust that I can manage it."

Irene asked with a smile, "So confident that we’ll definitely be together?"

"Because every time I look into your eyes, you tell me that you’re interested in me." Loren relaxed his arms and lowered his head to look into Irene’s eyes.

The moment they locked eyes, Irene’s brain went into dopamine overdrive, and the next second, they kissed.

When the relaxed feeling of the holiday was shattered by the early morning crew alarm, the Warner Bros. studio in Los Angeles was already bustling with activity.

The props department was busy adjusting the lighting for the warehouse scene. Imitation jewelry boxes and tool kits were neatly stacked on metal shelves, and the security monitors in the corner looped static images, creating a secretive and tense atmosphere.

Irene held the shooting script and paced back and forth on the set.

It was Vivian’s first time on set. Her folder was filled with actor blocking charts and script notes. She followed obediently behind Irene, ready to take instructions at any moment.

"Dim the lights a bit more. Hit the side light on the shelves to create interplay between light and shadow, highlighting the feeling of Charlie’s ’secret investigation.’"

Irene called out to the gaffer, then turned to the props department to add, "Open that jewelry box in the back just a crack, letting a bit of reflection show to draw the lens’s focus."

Vivian quickly noted down her requirements and turned to run and relay them, but stopped after two steps and turned back. "Director, Matt and Charlize are ready in the makeup room."

"Okay, I’ll go check on Matt’s state."

Irene walked quickly to the makeup room. When she pushed the door open, Matt Damon was adjusting his trench coat collar in the mirror. The dark gray suit made him look tall and straight, and his eyes already carried Charlie’s forbearance and sharpness. "How are you feeling?" Irene asked.

"I’ve been waiting for this. Just thinking about getting revenge on Steve gets my adrenaline pumping." Matt smiled.

At 10:00 AM, filming officially began.

The camera focused deep inside the warehouse, where Charlie stood watching the hacker Lyle squat in front of an old computer, his fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard, while dense lines of code and surveillance screenshots scrolled across the screen.

"Cut!" Irene raised her hand to signal.

"Matt, be more focused in your eyes. Charlie isn’t just ’searching’ right now, he’s ’confirming.’ He’s been looking for Steve for so long, and now that he finally has a clue, he needs to carry a sense of suppressed excitement."

Matt nodded and took a deep breath to adjust his state.

Shooting resumed. His eyes were glued to the screen. When the words "Steve Frazier, Los Angeles Branch, Cargo Terminal" popped up, his Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily, and the corners of his mouth curled into a cold arc. The emotion was spot on.

"Very good!" Irene nodded through the monitor. "Next take, Charlie contacts the team and proposes inviting Stella to join."

The scene switched to Charlie’s temporary base.

It was an attic decorated in an industrial style, with walls covered in information and newspaper clippings about Steve, and coffee cups and maps scattered on the table.

Matt sat at a metal table and picked up a retro phone to dial. The camera focused on his profile, his eyes holding complex emotions of hesitation and determination intertwined.

He spoke, his voice low. "It’s me. I’ve found Steve, but this time, we’re still missing one key person: Stella."

Doubts from the team members came from the other end of the phone.

Matt’s tone was earnest and unquestionable. "She is the best safe-cracking expert, and she’s also the daughter of Old Mark—the team’s former leader and Charlie’s mentor, killed by Steve himself. No one is more suitable to join us than her."

"She will agree. Even if she’s unwilling, I will convince her. If we want to get back what belongs to us, this is the only way."

After filming this scene, Charlize Theron had already changed into her costume and rushed over. She was wearing a black top with her long hair tied in a high ponytail, and a faint coldness on her face, perfectly fitting Stella’s "cold on the outside, warm on the inside, highly skilled" character design.

"Charlize, get ready. The next scene is Charlie coming to invite Stella."

Irene went up to her. "The core of this scene is the ’push and pull.’ Charlie brings sincerity and secrets, while Stella brings wariness and past trauma. Their dialogue should be like tai chi—probing yet hiding sharp edges."

The set quickly switched to Stella’s studio. The shelves were filled with various lock-picking tools and precision instruments, and a diagram of a safe hung on the wall.

Charlie stood at the door, watching Stella, who was focused on adjusting her tools, his eyes filled with admiration and entreaty.

"Stella, long time no see." He spoke, breaking the silence.

Charlize slowly turned around, her eyes acting as if he didn’t exist, her tone distant. "After Old Mark died, I considered you all dead too."

Matt stepped forward, his voice lowered. "I’m here for Steve. He stole everything from us, and that includes your share. And you are the only one who can help me defeat him."

Charlize’s body stiffened visibly, and her hand gripping the tool tightened.

"What makes you think I’ll help you?" She retorted, her voice trembling, yet she still maintained a tough stance.

"Because you hate him too," Matt looked straight into her eyes, his tone sincere. "He killed your father! I think our goal is the same: to get revenge! To make him pay!"

Charlize was silent for a few seconds, then slowly put down her tool and walked to the window, her back to Matt. Her figure looked especially lonely in the light. "You should go. My life is peaceful now, and I don’t want to live on the run like you."

"I can guarantee that even if there’s a possibility of failure, we will definitely not implicate you. And once we succeed, not only will you receive a generous reward, but you can also comfort Old Mark’s soul in heaven." Matt’s voice was full of temptation. "And we will never be traitors like him."

Charlize turned slowly, her eyes full of wariness. "Please leave."

"I’ll wait for you." Matt said and turned away. The camera zoomed in for a close-up of his eyes, then pulled back, fixing on the safe diagram on the studio wall, signaling that Stella wasn’t as completely uninterested in this matter as she claimed.

"Perfect!" Irene shouted cut excitedly. "Matt and Charlize’s emotional push and pull was spot on!"

"One more take for safety. This time, focus the camera on everyone’s eyes!"