Classmate

Before she officially took the director's chair, Irene had observed her father Francis on set and witnessed how George Lucas directed his films.

Perhaps it was their effortless grace that gave her a certain illusion about the job of a "director," as if one only needed to issue commands for the team to execute them perfectly.

But in reality, that sense of ease was built upon years of tacit understanding and trust. And she was clearly still a long way from reaching that level.

Every lighting position, the movement of extras, and even the slightest shift of the camera required her to adjust and confirm repeatedly.

Although she patiently reassured herself time and again that this was a necessary stage for every production and that everyone makes mistakes, the day-to-day high-intensity communication and constant correction of details still left her physically and mentally exhausted.

There were new challenges every day, and plans could never keep up with the changes. Irene's nerves were stretched tighter and tighter, almost to the breaking point.

Just as Francis was preparing to intervene before his daughter lost control of the production, a turning point unexpectedly occurred in the second week of filming.

Perhaps the team had finally grasped Irene's rhythm, or perhaps her instructions were becoming increasingly clear and effective. The previously recurring issues with blocking and prop errors gradually diminished, and the entire crew seemed to suddenly find its breathing rhythm and began to get on track.

The new actors certainly had many shortcomings: stiff facial expressions, inaccurate positioning, and frequent bouts of breaking character or forgetting lines.

But they also had a rare advantage: while the director was still in the exploration stage, they wouldn't put on airs, go on strike, or abuse their stand-ins.

Everyone worked through the friction together and grew together; no one was quick to blame anyone else. Coupled with their similar ages, a camaraderie akin to that of soldiers in the trenches quietly blossomed as they overcame difficulties together.

When the shoot transitioned to the campus scenes, the date had already turned to December.

Irene's classmates had caught wind of the news early on and gathered in droves outside the set, hoping to say hello to her.

However, Irene had no time for distractions at the moment, as George Lucas had suddenly announced he was coming to visit, which made her incredibly nervous.

"I've never seen you get this nervous because I came to visit," Francis couldn't help but interject with a hint of sourness.

"That's because I see you every day, Dad." Indeed, even though the production was now on track, Francis still showed up on set every single day without fail.

"Looks like someone is starting to find me annoying? Even though you were chasing me around asking questions about everything at the start."

"I didn't, Dad." Irene sighed helplessly. Whenever Uncle George was involved, her father seemed to have a "childish" switch flipped, as if he were a completely different person.

"Quiet on set!" Irene had no heart for continuing this pointless bickering and quickly pulled her focus back to the shoot.

This scene was the moment the protagonist Elle first arrived at Harvard, requiring a strong contrast between her look, the atmosphere, and the surroundings. Beyond the hairstyle, outfit, and pet dog, a car that could truly turn heads was the finishing touch.

Parked in the scene at this moment was a Ferrari F355, the hottest model of the day. With its low-slung chassis, fiery red paint, iconic square headlights, and the low growl of its engine, it was a heavyweight presence that seized everyone's attention at every moment.

She had originally planned to rent an ordinary sports car from a dealership, but a young actor in the crew named Edward Nelson had offered to let the production use his new car for free.

Adopting a "save where you can" attitude, Irene accepted Edward's suggestion, never expecting that the "sports car" he spoke of was a limited edition model with only 20 units produced worldwide.

The moment Edward drove the car onto the set, Irene clearly remembered the look in some people's eyes—it was as if they were spitting fire.

Probably just another rich kid here to experience life.

But the fact that the Coppola family had spent millions to film for their daughter had already raised the "envy ceiling" for everyone, so a single luxury car didn't seem quite as jarring.

Just the nonchalant way Edward handed over the keys made people green with envy.

"Hey, student in the blue hoodie, you're blocking the shot."

The extras were all hired on a temporary basis, and just coordinating their movement had taken an hour of practice. Making Elle stand out while naturally blending into the crowd to create that subtle sense of opposition and harmony was no easy task.

One blocking sequence was filmed repeatedly until Irene captured the feeling she wanted before she called it a wrap.

By the end, Reese's lips were purple from the cold, and she only recovered after being wrapped in a thick quilt. Being "frozen" for the sake of beauty was truly not something everyone could handle.

After moving to the indoor classroom scenes, the chaotic set finally became much more orderly. Sometimes, you really shouldn't skimp on the budget for extras.

Taking advantage of the gap while the cameras were being repositioned, the assistant finally squeezed over to the slightly idle Irene to inform her about the classmates wanting to visit.

Irene thought for a moment and didn't refuse, but she couldn't help but be surprised when she saw the turnout—almost the entire class had arrived.

"Hi Irene! Long time no see! We waited outside for hours before they let us in!" Hannie Charles stepped forward the moment she saw her, taking her arm with a tone so intimate it was as if she were scolding the assistant for being inconsiderate.

Irene used the motion of picking up a file to naturally pull her arm away, signaling the assistant to get back to work.

Hannie seemed completely oblivious and still tried to lean in to show off their close relationship. Irene didn't give her the chance and directly invited the classmates to take seats in the lecture hall; the camera positions were still being adjusted, so there was a little time.

"Why did everyone come? I told Vivian it wasn't necessary to make such a big fuss; it wouldn't be good to miss class." Irene asked first.

Before anyone else could react, Hannie answered first: "Classrooms aren't as intuitive as this! Didn't you say last time that you'd have time to show us around the set? Since we didn't have class today, I just brought everyone along."

She had indeed mentioned it casually to Vivian and Hannie before filming started, but she had been too busy to keep track once she joined the production. She had sent messages to explain during that time, but clearly, the other party hadn't understood—or had chosen not to.

Irene looked at Vivian with a questioning gaze. The latter only pursed her lips and glanced in Hannie's direction; the answer was self-evident.

She sighed inwardly. Ambition wasn't a flaw; in the entertainment industry, it was practically a required skill. But being forced into a corner didn't feel good, especially when it came from friends she thought she got along with well enough.

She beckoned the assistant over and asked if all the extras were in place. The assistant was no novice; he took one look at those shining eyes and understood immediately, responding quickly: "Director, we're still missing a few."

Hannie immediately chimed in: "Mr. Assistant, do you think we'll do? No need to pay us as extras, just consider it helping Irene out!"

What else could Irene say? She could only wave her hand and let the assistant take them to get made up.

Vivian didn't follow, staying behind as if wanting to explain, but she hesitated and stopped.

"If you don't want to be on camera, just stay with me. It's just a few more extras, it's fine." Compared to the logistics of the production, this little scheme from her classmates was at most like a sparrow chirping—a bit annoying, but easily dismissed with a wave of the hand.

By the time all the crew members were finally in position, two hours had passed. She even felt in a good enough mood to eat a boxed lunch before diving into the afternoon shoot.

"Cut! The male student in the black windbreaker in the top left corner, your expression is too mean-spirited. Tone it down. You might not agree with her, but she is your classmate, not your enemy. OK?"

"Let's do this take again! Everyone, watch your expressions! If you really don't know how to emote, just widen your eyes and go blank!"

By the time the day's filming tasks were completed, the sky had already turned pitch black. The students dispersed, feeling satisfied; some even managed to get Reese's contact information, which she likely only gave out for the director's sake.

George Lucas, who had originally planned to visit the set, was also urgently recalled by the company due to editing matters.

Irene returned to her residence and soaked in hot water, finally bringing the long day to an end.