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Chapter 96: Extraordinary
🕑 Added 2024-12-05 17:52:13 +0000 UTCDion found himself completely baffled by the events that had unfolded.
What should have been a clear case of Ethan overestimating himself by challenging the arrangement of the mirror dance had somehow turned into him being crowned MTV's Best Director and gaining the full support of Bert, the notoriously strict producer.
In reality, the MTV Best Director title alone wasn't enough to make Bert back Ethan, but James Cameron's public praise couldn't be ignored.
The story behind this was quite simple. Recently, when a journalist asked Cameron about his future filming plans, he casually mentioned spending time at home watching some movies and music videos with his kids.
One of the things he mentioned was how his children had recently become obsessed with Avril Lavigne's music videos.
At first, Cameron wasn't interested in music videos. But since his children needed his company, he joined them and ended up watching. To his surprise, he found himself quite impressed.
He praised the vivid use of colors and the creative camerawork, especially the fireworks explosion in the final scene, which he thought was fantastic. It even gave him inspiration for his own work. However, when reporters pressed him about whether this inspiration was for a new movie, he steered the conversation elsewhere.
After seeing this news, Bert decided to watch Ethan's music video. Just as Cameron described, it was shot with a cinematic flair. In fact, many of the shots and visuals were even better than what you'd see in most films.
With someone like Ethan in the crew, Bert realized it would be foolish not to utilize his talents to the fullest. After all, the studio had very high expectations for Chicago.
After Bert's statement, the entire crew finally understood who Ethan was.
It turned out he was MTV's Best Director! No wonder his technical skills and knowledge were so advanced.
Generally, award winners like Ethan would begin their movie careers as assistant directors, and it wasn't uncommon for them to head straight into directing low-budget films. But Ethan had quietly joined the crew as an assistant cinematographer without ever boasting about his background.
This earned him the respect of the entire crew.
"Ethan, for heaven's sake, why didn't you say anything earlier?" Rob Marshall exhaled in relief, feeling validated in his decision to trust him.
"Right? Ethan, you're incredibly humble," Colleen said, summarizing what everyone else was thinking. The group nodded in agreement.
Even the crew members who had been skeptical softened their attitudes. The stage designer even suggested, "Maybe we should reconsider adjusting the mirror placements."
"Yes, I think Ethan is right. The choreography for the mirror dance isn't as visually striking as the other scenes."
Perhaps it was the producer's and director's support, but everyone quickly shifted their stance. Still, the key factor remained Ethan's credentials and Cameron's public praise. People with proven achievements always got preferential treatment.
And just like that, the storm surrounding Ethan disappeared. Only Dion felt like a thorn was stuck in his side.
"FXXK! Damn it!" he cursed to himself, then watched the others praising Ethan and couldn't resist chiming in, "But we only have a few hours left!"
"Exactly!" Bert was reminded of the tight timeline, and his expression turned tense again. "Ethan, you said you wanted to change the mirror dance shots—do you already have a plan? We can't afford any delays."
"Of course!" Ethan said confidently. Under the crew's puzzled gazes, he went to the props team, gave some instructions, then returned to the camera and spoke briefly with Renée.
Afterward, he clapped his hands. "All right, let's run through it once, using the original choreography."
"Got it." Renée, dressed in a dazzling dance costume, stepped back to center stage with confidence.
"Director, we're ready for a test shoot."
"Places, everyone! Stick to the original choreography. Music!"
At Rob Marshall's command, music began playing backstage.
Renée began dancing, weaving through the mirrored maze. She occasionally leaned against the mirrors or caressed her reflection.
Behind the scenes, some of the mirrors were moved manually by props team members, while others were suspended on cables to create motion. The dark surroundings hid these movements from the camera.
However, when Renée reached the line, "My hair, my teeth, my chest, my nose," the crew noticed something unusual. The rectangular mirrors had been replaced by circular ones Ethan had introduced.
The circular mirrors, arranged in a geometric pattern, created an elegant and striking visual effect. When Renée turned to face them, her body parts reflected in perfect alignment with the lyrics, stunning everyone.
After reviewing the footage, Rob Marshall and the stage designer exchanged looks before turning to Ethan.
"Thank God! I have to admit, this is brilliant," Rob Marshall exclaimed. The stage designer gave Ethan a thumbs-up, saying, "This would even work on Broadway. Ethan, thank you for the idea."
With the director and designer's approval, the crew visibly relaxed, smiles spreading across their faces.
Bert immediately said, "Then let's start shooting!"
"Absolutely. Ethan, you handle the camera. These angles are even better than my original setup," Rob Marshall said, handing over the responsibility.
The stage designer called Renée over. "Renée, we'll need to tweak the choreography a bit. Let's go."
Not long after, the official shoot began.
The hypnotic mirrored maze, the chaotic yet artistic circular mirrors, Renée's captivating dance, and the massive neon sign all came together in a stunning sequence.
The scene took two hours to film, and when Rob Marshall finally announced it was a wrap, the crew broke into applause.
The applause wasn't just for Renée's incredible performance but also for their collective effort.
A week had passed since Ethan joined the crew, and they had now completed all scenes except those set in the prison.
After a one-day break, they would move on to the prison scenes.
Finally, Ethan could catch his breath. Back at the hotel, he called Jimmy to check in on the company.
"Ethan, we've got a problem with Heinz," Jimmy said seriously.
"What's the issue?"
Jimmy explained that a competitor, Deitz, had copied their three-act creative ad concept and turned it into a comedic video.
The video went viral, and Deitz products were flying off the shelves, causing a major dip in Heinz's sales and affecting the broader market.
Ethan pondered for a moment. "I bet Henry is panicking."
"Absolutely. In advertising, every minute counts. He needs us to deliver a comedic ad in three days. Failure could affect next year's contracts."
While Henry had invested in Supreme Creativity, it wasn't his primary company. The Heinz Group remained his main focus.
Ethan anticipated this, so he instructed, "Jimmy, contact Carl and arrange for a crew and location. I'll give you the director's name. It has to be her—no one else. I'll also send the script later tonight."
"Got it… but can we really manage in such a short time?" Jimmy hesitated without Ethan's direct involvement.
"Don't worry. Trust my judgment."
After finishing the script late that night, Ethan sent it to Jimmy via fax, along with instructions for casting and production details. He emphasized calling him if any issues arose.
Assured of Jimmy's cooperation, Ethan received another call—this time from Kane, reporting on Angel Declaration's progress.
Kaden had secured an invitation from Victoria's Secret, although Cindy unfortunately didn't make the cut due to her physique.
However, Cindy and Lilina received invitations from Fox to appear on Bikini Destination, a TV show that later gained immense popularity and even spawned a photo book in 2005.
Ethan was satisfied with Kane's work, encouraging him while hinting at rewards depending on the year-end results.
Just as Ethan finished his work, he received a surprise text from Anne Hathaway:
"I heard you're in Chicago?"
"How did you know?" Ethan asked.
"Oh, maybe because my friend is on your crew? And she mentioned someone today?"
"Haha, what a coincidence. So, are you in Chicago too?"
"I'm heading out for dinner. Are you free?"
"Of course."
Never one to refuse an invitation from a beauty, Ethan changed his clothes and headed out to meet her at the restaurant.
