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Chapter 184: The Little Genius Haley
🕑 Added 2025-01-06 18:25:18 +0000 UTCA road in Philadelphia was closed off as the Sixth Sense crew was filming here.
The previous few shots had gone well, and both Toni Collette and Haley Joel Osment had performed excellently.
However, Gilbert wanted the scene to be more impactful, so he insisted on multiple takes to capture the best performance from the actors.
After another shot was deemed NG (not good enough), Gilbert gathered Toni and Haley again for a discussion.
"This scene is very important. It's one of the few moments where Lynn has a conversation with her son, Cole. It's the moment she realizes what her son has been through," Gilbert explained. "Cole, you're now the voice of your grandmother. She misses her daughter, she misses you. Through your eyes, your tone, we need to capture that emotion." He pointed to his eyes.
Gilbert had chosen Haley over another actor because of the boy's incredible eye expressions. He was a natural-born actor.
In a way, it was like a Hollywood superstar had been reborn in this child actor.
Gilbert continued, "What's the core of filmmaking? Some might say it's the special effects, the action scenes, or even the strength of the director and the creative team. But none of that is the core. The core of filmmaking is emotion. It's the driving force. All the actions and decisions of the characters come from this emotional core."
Toni and Haley nodded. Toni said, "Director, give us a little more time."
"Great, let me know when you're ready," Gilbert replied, leaving them to gather their thoughts.
Not long after, the two actors indicated they were ready. Gilbert called for the next take.
The camera started again with a handheld shot of fireworks in the distance. The lens slowly zoomed in. Gilbert also made a brief cameo, performing a small Easter egg for the audience.
This time, the camera moved to the mother and son inside the car. Toni, playing Lynn, started her line: "You're very quiet. Are you upset that I didn't make it to your performance?"
This line was crucial, as it set up the next moment of dialogue.
As the camera moved closer to the car, Haley subtly shook his head.
Lynn explained, "I have to work two jobs, darling. It's very important for us."
The camera had now moved right up to the window of the driver's seat. Lynn sighed, saying, "I really wanted to be there..."
The atmosphere became heavy, and Gilbert quietly exited the car, returning to the monitor to observe the performance.
At this point, Haley added a small touch: he first looked at his mother, then shifted his gaze outward, as though he were seeing someone outside the window.
After a moment, he refocused on his mother and said, "I can talk to you now."
Lynn lowered her hand from the steering wheel, her head turning toward Cole, surprised, and asked, "Talk?"
Cole replied, "I have a secret to tell you."
"What is it?"
Cole made an exaggerated swallowing motion, which in acting psychology, indicated a shift from hesitation to determination.
He said, "Do you know what happened earlier? There was an accident."
"What happened?"
"Someone got hurt."
"Really?"
"It was a lady. She died."
Toni's profile was shown in the shot, her face half-obscured by her hair, so the performance relied on her line delivery.
In acting, the term "saying lines" is misleading because it's not just about speaking; it's about delivering those lines as part of the performance. A lot of young, inexperienced actors have been criticized for not truly acting, only reciting lines, and relying heavily on voice-over artists to make up for it.
Gilbert, during his time working in web movies, had suffered through the frustrations of actors who failed to deliver authentic performances. He used to dream of improving their acting, but eventually, he gave up.
However, he didn't have to worry about that here. Haley, born in 1988 and only eight years old, delivered an outstanding performance, far beyond what many of the young actors in the past could manage. His line delivery was on point.
Toni Collette, an experienced actress, was just like those seasoned actors who worked with younger ones, providing stellar performances.
The dialogue between mother and son continued. After Cole's revelation, Lynn looked toward the window, asking, "Oh my God, can you see her?"
"Yes."
"Where is she?" Lynn looked around but couldn't see anyone.
Cole's gaze shifted again, not to his mother, but out of the window. "She's standing by the window."
"Cut, that's great," Gilbert shouted. "That's a wrap for this take. Let's move on while the actors are in the zone."
The next take continued as Lynn leaned back against the seat, saying, "You scared me."
At this moment, a ghostly figure, a woman wearing a helmet and covered in blood, passed by the window.
Cole looked at her leaving and said to his mother, "Sometimes, they scare me too."
"They?" Lynn asked, confused.
Cole hesitated before saying, "The ghosts."
Lynn was speechless, but after a pause, she asked, "Can you see ghosts?"
Cole nodded several times. "They want me to help them."
Lynn was even more puzzled. "They want you to do something for them?"
Cole nodded again, "They scared me before."
This was when Haley's natural ability shone. As he delivered this line, Toni's eyes revealed doubt. The subtle shifts in her facial expressions told the audience everything about her internal turmoil.
The set fell silent, except for the sound of passing extras and the faint rustling of leaves and rain. These background noises would be muted or completely removed in post-production, relying entirely on the actors' performances to convey the emotions.
Gilbert's assistant, Anna, was moved by the scene and wiped away a tear.
After the brief initial dialogue, the most emotional part of the scene came, the part Gilbert wanted to present to the audience without any external enhancements—pure performance.
"Grandma says hello," Cole looked at his mother.
Lynn turned, surprised, and looked at him. She was actually looking at the camera.
To keep the emotional flow intact, Gilbert and cinematographer John Schwartzman had set up three cameras around the car, allowing for smooth performance and easy editing.
Cole continued, "She said she's sorry for taking the pendant. She loved it so much."
While Cole was delivering his lines, Lynn had to respond as well. She opened her mouth, unable to fully believe it. After all, seeing ghosts was quite a stretch.
"Sometimes, Grandma visits me," Cole added.
Lynn, still skeptical, said, "Cole, that's not right. You know Grandma passed away."
"I know, but she asked me to..."
"Oh no, please don't say that," Lynn shook her head, trying to stop him.
But Cole persisted, his tone shifting dramatically from calm to urgent: "She wants me to tell you she watched you dance."
Lynn looked at him, her expression one of shock. After all, Cole couldn't possibly know about this.
Cole continued, "She said that when you were little, you argued with her before your dance recital."
Lynn's expression cracked. Tears began to well up in her eyes.
"You thought she didn't want to see you dance, but she did. She hid in the back and watched. You didn't see her. She said you looked like an angel."
Lynn finally broke down. Tears streamed down her face, and she began to sob.
Since the cameras were positioned far enough away to avoid disturbing the actors, there was some quiet conversation on set.
James Gunn, not as emotionally sentimental as Anna and Anne, was still impressed. "My God, I can't believe this is an eight-year-old's performance. This scene with Toni is absolutely classic, Gilbert. You've really brought this to life."
Gilbert didn't respond immediately. He was too captivated by the performance, still in awe. Could this really be a naturally gifted actor?
Honestly, if it had been Scarlett, there was no guarantee she would have delivered a better performance than Haley.
The scene continued with Cole speaking again, "She also said you went to her grave and asked her a question."
Lynn, on the verge of collapse, couldn't stop the tears. She finally managed to speak, "I... I asked her if I made her proud?"
Cole, his eyes filled with tears, said, "Mom..."
Mother and son embraced, crying together. The scene was a perfect, seamless finish, without any breaks.
"Cut!" Gilbert called, and everyone turned to look at him, wondering what he would say.
The crew believed that Toni and Haley had delivered a flawless performance—nothing could top it. Some of the more emotional crew members were already wiping their tears.
But if Gilbert wasn't satisfied, they would likely have to do another take.
The two actors were still trying to recover emotionally, holding onto each other as they cried.
After a while, when the actors' emotions had calmed, Gilbert was the first to start clapping, saying, "Let's give a round of applause to our two actors. Thank you for delivering such an incredible performance."
The entire crew, including extras, followed suit and applauded.
It was Haley's first time experiencing this level of praise, and he felt a bit shy.
Toni, however, confidently stepped out of the car and led Haley in acknowledging the audience with a bow. She was happy and felt incredibly lucky to have found such a fantastic script and role.
She had a feeling this movie would become a defining moment in her career.
But what amazed Toni even more was Haley. He was only eight! There had been no rehearsal—he had nailed it in one take.
After the applause died down, Gilbert approached Haley, ruffling his hair. "Cole, you've really surprised us all. Keep it up. You're going to astonish Hollywood."
Anna, curious, asked, "Cole, how do you act? Honestly, are you being taught by a ghostly Oscar winner?"
"I think he might be possessed by a ghost," joked James Gunn. "There's a church nearby; maybe a priest needs to perform an exorcism."
The jokes helped Haley recover from his emotional performance, and he thanked Gilbert sincerely: "Thank you, Director."
This kid was smart. Gilbert patted Haley's head and said, "Just be careful with your weight. Don't let yourself get fat."
Haley, looking at his thin frame, was confused. "Am I going to get fat?"
After filming wrapped for the day, the crew returned to the hotel. Gilbert spent some time in the study of his suite dealing with other business issues.
The Apple MP3, led by Steve Jobs, was set to launch in the spring, with a Super Bowl ad already booked.
Facebook and Banana (the rival of Yahoo) were gaining momentum. Yahoo's leaders had made several missteps, which only benefited Banana more.
The search engine and portal war seemed to be nearing its end.
Meanwhile, Gilbert's investment in a book-selling website had now been rebranded as Amazon, setting the stage for a major retail shift.
