The Face Genius Actor

Episode 110

As the new year dawned,

Finally, in the second week of January, the first shooting of “I Am Not a Villain” began.

While moving to the set in Osan where today’s shooting was taking place, Yeo Kyung-chan cautiously spoke up.

“Will today’s shooting be okay?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I’m worried about what we’ll do if the director finds it difficult. She doesn’t have much experience, after all.”

Perhaps because Director Choi Seo-young looked like a new employee at their first meeting,

Yeo Kyung-chan was expressing uncharacteristic concern.

“Don’t worry. The director will overcome any difficulties.”

“Yes, that’s right. She will. But I’m a bit worried. It’s the first work where you’re debuting as a screenplay writer.”

Certainly, this work held many meanings.

It was not only the work where I was making my debut as a screenplay writer, but also the first independent film that Festa Entertainment was investing in.

It was also the work where I was challenging myself with an independent film for the first time.

Yeo Kyung-chan had many reasons to worry from various angles.

So I spoke in a slightly stronger tone to reassure Yeo Kyung-chan.

“The director will be really fine. Let’s not mention this anymore.”

Yeo Kyung-chan seemed to understand my intention and nodded.

“Yes, I understand. Actor. I’m sorry for unnecessarily troubling your mind.”

“It’s okay. I know what you’re worried about. I’m just saying there’s really nothing to worry about.”

I spoke to Yeo Kyung-chan with a gentle smile, and shortly after, we were able to arrive at the site.

As expected, Director Choi Seo-young was directing the site without any particular difficulties.

“Props team! Please check the placement again! There are many parts different from the script directions!”

Watching this, Yeo Kyung-chan nodded and muttered.

“It’s just as you said. There’s nothing to worry about at all.”

“I told you so.”

So I approached Director Choi Seo-young and spoke to her.

“Hello, Director.”

“Ah! Actor! Hello! You’re here early even though it’s not the first scene shoot?”

“It’s the monumental first shoot of our movie, of course I should come early. I couldn’t sleep a wink last night because I was so excited after the ritual yesterday.”

“Still, you should sleep well. You’re the face of our movie. Anyway, if you have any questions during filming, please feel free to ask anytime.”

Yesterday, after the ritual, we immediately had a full company dinner for “I Am Not a Villain”.

The dinner ended not too late, but it was meaningful in that we could unite in purpose.

So I practiced the scenes to be shot today while getting my hair done early by Song Jin-ah.

Soon after, the actors who would be filming the first shoot started to arrive one by one.

So the actor playing the homeroom teacher and the actors playing the classmates arrived.

Scene 1 was a scene where the homeroom teacher and classmates worry after learning that Han Ho-hoon is absent.

We had to capture the scene where people around exaggeratedly worry about Han Ho-hoon even though he’s just absent.

‘Moreover, it’s not just capturing a scene of worry. We need to portray this scene as beautifully as possible.’

The core of “I Am Not a Villain” was to deal with a missing person case within a beautiful school scenery that looks like a painting.

The more out of place the beauty feels, the better.

This fact itself would act as a kind of symbol denouncing our society that tries to show only beautiful things,

While hiding poor and struggling people in the shadows.

Therefore, Director Choi Seo-young was already working hard with the filming team to capture the most beautiful scenery around the school.

I wrote in the script directions, “Sprouts grow on the dry ground and frogs start croaking again.”

But if we could capture even more beautiful scenery, I was thinking of using that for the scene.

‘Completing a good movie is more important than filming scenes exactly according to my screenplay.’

I had already expressed this thought of mine to Director Choi Seo-young several times.

Seeing the filming site operating as per my expectations, I realized once again that choosing to work with Director Choi Seo-young was the right decision.

* * *

“Good work everyone!”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

From Scene 1 to the scene where Han Ho-hoon’s disappearance is announced and the whole region is shocked,

We were able to film all scenes satisfactorily.

I nodded after checking the results captured on camera with Director Choi Seo-young.

The filming was progressing well in the direction we wanted.

“All scenes came out well, and now it’s your turn, Actor.”

“That’s right. I’m nervous as it’s the first filming of ‘I Am Not a Villain’.”

“You’ll do well. Don’t worry too much and go for it.”

Encouraged by Director Choi Seo-young, I moved towards the front of the camera.

Today’s last filming scene was the scene where the police are dispatched to the school after receiving the report of the missing person case.

It was also the scene where Kang Tae-nam first appears in the movie.

“We’ll start filming Scene 5! Everyone please standby!”

So the on-site staff moved busily, and so did the actors.

This was because Scene 5 was set up with everyone gathering at Myungsung High after hearing the news of Han Ho-hoon’s disappearance.

People gathering like this when only a missing person report has been filed,

It could be somewhat exaggerated, but “I Am Not a Villain” was aiming for exactly this point.

The sad reality where the same incident receives more attention if a rich, well-connected, and kind person goes missing,

We had to show this.

“Actor Lee Si-joon! Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’ll begin! Standby! Cue!”

The principal, teachers, and students rush down the stairs and gather in the main playground.

Not just this.

Villagers and even local newspaper reporters are all gathering at Myungsung High without exception.

“Is it true that Ho-hoon is missing?”

“Seems so. Look at all these people gathering.”

“How could such a thing happen to such a good kid…”

“Oh no! Ho-hoon! Oh no! Please!”

There are even people crying as if there’s already been a funeral.

That’s how heavy and urgent the atmosphere at the scene is.

It feels as if a murder has already occurred.

As if to mark the peak of this atmosphere, police cars appear with sirens blaring.

There are as many as six police cars arriving.

Clack.

I step out of the last police car to arrive and close the door.

Reporters busily snap photos of us, their shutters clicking rapidly.

I cover my face with my hand and mutter.

“My goodness. How have so many people gathered already?”

Hearing my words, Detective Choi silences me.

“Shh! Detective Kang. Watch what you say. Han Ho-hoon is missing, you know.”

“I know. I know the missing person’s name is Han Ho-hoon. That’s why we’re here to investigate his whereabouts.”

Normally, we’d have to run around everywhere, going door to door to investigate the whereabouts of a missing person.

But the situation has changed as everyone in this area has gathered at Myungsung High.

It’s natural since all the people who should be cooperating with the missing person investigation are here.

So the police had no choice but to gather here too, and I approach the nearest person to ask about Han Ho-hoon.

“Police. Have you seen student Han Ho-hoon around 6 PM on the 12th?”

As I start this investigation,

Someone suddenly grabs my arm.

I turn to see it’s an elderly man.

“Huh? Grandfather, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, Detective. Please find our Ho-hoon. My heart aches thinking about that good kid shivering somewhere right now.”

“Are you a family member of Ho-hoon? What’s your name?”

“I’m Kim Pil-joon and…”

“Yes.”

“I’m just someone who knows Ho-hoon. From the same neighborhood.”

“What?”

“From the same neighborhood, I said. Isn’t it enough that I’m from Ho-hoon’s neighborhood? What else matters?”

I sigh, feeling deflated by the elderly man’s words.

I already have a feeling that this investigation won’t be easy.

“Cut! Let’s do it one more time!”

* * *

Contrary to what I thought, I repeated filming Scene 5 nine times.

It couldn’t be helped.

The scene didn’t come out as I had practiced.

Something felt off.

I had practiced to focus on Kang Tae-nam, but it wasn’t working out that way.

Thoughts about the surrounding situation kept popping into my head, causing worry.

‘The scene where Police Officer 13’s hair is grabbed should be framed well here.’

Normally, I would never have had such thoughts.

But these kinds of thoughts kept swirling in my mind.

Even when I tried hard not to think like this, it didn’t work well.

As a result, I couldn’t help but have continuous NGs.

I even made the mistake of getting the lines wrong for the first time since my regression.

‘Why am I like this?’

I asked myself, breaking out in a cold sweat.

And soon I could understand the reason.

I was feeling confused between being a writer and an actor.

If not for this, the current situation couldn’t be explained.

After that, filming Scene 5 became a battle of whether I could successfully erase my thoughts as a writer.

But unfortunately, these thoughts weren’t easily erased, and instead, new ideas came to mind.

It was a question of whether the scene we were shooting now was really okay.

Scenes that seemed better than what we were filming now kept coming to mind.

So, during the eight NGs, I encountered difficulties I had never experienced before, and

Finally, after the ninth attempt, I was able to get the okay sign.

When I checked the scene with Director Choi Seo-young, Scene 5 was filmed well, just as I had practiced.

But I was greatly disappointed that I had to have eight NGs to achieve this result.

I didn’t feel good about causing delays in filming because of me.

Above all, I felt like I had become the biggest troublemaker for “I Am Not a Villain”.

‘This won’t do. I need to find a way.’

After returning home.

Sitting on one side of the bed, blaming myself, I reached out for the Method Mask.

The reason I grabbed the Method Mask was simple.

As of now, the only way to solve this problem was to repeat practice until these thoughts stopped appearing.

Of course, if I practiced like this, my ability to respond to on-set direction might decrease.

And if so, it would be difficult to act from the producer’s perspective as I wanted.

But now there was no other way.

If I couldn’t act even in this way, I could become a burden to the set.

So I put on the Method Mask and familiar letters appeared before my eyes.

[Synchronizing Method Mask System]

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[Verifying Method Mask User]

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[Method Mask Access Complete]

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[Loading Content from Work Analysis Notes]

And I couldn’t help but be surprised.

[Director Mode is available. Do you want to execute it?]

Director Mode.

These were letters I had never seen before while using the Method Mask.

But I intuitively felt that there was some clue in these words, and I nodded as if entranced.