Chapter 229
Chapter 229
A cold wind whistled through the cracks of the dilapidated old house, sending shivers down everyone's spine.
"You don't get it! We need this outdoor setting to capture the right atmosphere. Those indoor theaters can't give me the effect I want!"
"We have to shoot here, and time is tight. The owner is only letting us use the house for a week. After that, they hired a construction crew to renovate it into a photography studio. When my friend handed me the new script, he reminded me that our old filming equipment needs updating. A lot of it is malfunctioning, but we don't have time to worry about that now. We'll just have to make do..."
"Yeah, the actors are all here, fifteen in total. We got lucky finding these young, hardworking actors..."
"The screenwriter and Eugene Bailey left a while ago. I told them to go; they had some urgent family matters. The cameraman and I are staying to make sure we get the raw footage. We'll hand it over to them for post-production later... Don't you trust me? I swear we'll finish filming this week!" A gaunt man with a hint of anxiety in his eyes hurriedly hung up the phone, exhaling deeply. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead under the dim light.
He then turned to the overgrown, desolate house and clapped his hands to get the attention of the fifteen actors. "Everyone, I'm Ralph, the director of this production. Please quiet down and listen for a moment—"
"Sorry for dragging you all the way out here, but it was unavoidable. The script was chosen by the company, and the house was rented by them. I have no authority to change that, so we need to work quickly and finish as soon as possible. Rest assured, our company never delays payment. You'll be paid in full once filming is complete."
"We have five days to shoot, with five scenes and ten acts planned. One scene per day, and we'll be done in five days."
"As for food and lodging, the company has set up temporary tents nearby and provided plenty of food."
"The water source is on the other side of the hill behind the house, just a ten-minute walk away, so it's fairly convenient."
"I've organized the script and will distribute it shortly. We'll start filming the first act as soon as it gets dark." Ralph's excitement was barely contained as he finished speaking.
This play was a low-budget project he was forced to undertake after the company rejected his previous proposals. His words not only absolved him of any blame but also made the actors feel indebted to him.
Ralph's insistence on filming this play stemmed from his passion for cult art. Shooting a horror play in such a creepy, haunted house had always been his dream.
The actors took the scripts Ralph handed out and quickly skimmed through them, getting a sense of the plot.
It was a pure horror suspense play.
The characters were cursed due to their family's grave sins. They entered the house under the guise of an adventure group but were actually seeking redemption. As they tried to uncover the truth, they were drawn into the house's terrifying hauntings, with the male and female leads being the only survivors after sincerely repenting, ultimately earning the spirits' forgiveness and escaping.
As filming began, Ralph was accompanied only by a silent cameraman, who stood at a distance, constantly adjusting the equipment with a heavy expression, as if burdened by a great weight.
Charles held the script for a supporting role, with relatively few lines. After quickly reviewing his part, he discreetly observed his surroundings and immediately noticed the cameraman's unusual behavior.
The cameraman's somber expression wasn't just focused on his work; it seemed to be overshadowed by an unknown fear.
What was he afraid of?