Actor in Hollywood

"The Butterfly Effect" officially begins filming—

It's going smoother than expected.

Mackie and Eric, two rookie directors with a background in screenwriting, are figuring things out as they go.

They aren't complete outsiders without any vision for the film. During the long process of revising the script and waiting for their chance, they had imagined scenes more than once, building a movie world in their minds and converting their words into real images.

There's still a gap between imagination and practice, but all they need is some time and patience. That's it.

Filming and learning as they go.

Collaborating and studying along the way.

Surprisingly, things are slowly falling into place.

The most important and valuable aspect is that Mackie and Eric understand the importance of the actors. Anson's respect and trust earned their cooperation, and they, in turn, are willing to give the actors more space to perform—

Not much, just enough.

The successful first scene gave Mackie and Eric more confidence, establishing a successful example and setting a benchmark for future collaboration.

Little by little, the two directors are also discovering some tricks.

For example, right now.

Up ahead, Anson and the other two actors are rehearsing their positions, demonstrating the flow of the scene's actions and emotions to ensure the accuracy of their performance.

This particular scene has been shot six times already with Anson, Heath, and Rachel. Apart from four NG (no good) takes, the other two went smoothly, and both directors believed they had captured it, but the actors disagreed, feeling it still wasn't fluid enough.

Actually, this was the key scene they had discussed before—

Tommy comes to cause trouble and, in a fit of rage over Rachel defending Evan, loses control, attempting to kill Evan in a final, desperate move. Evan, furious, retaliates, and in the heat of the moment, makes a fatal mistake.

From a narrative standpoint, they had already sorted everything out. The emotional journey and transformation of the three characters formed a perfect loop. After much adjustment through performances, they successfully completed the scene.

At least twice.

So, what's missing?

"Don't look at me, I don't know either."

Eric was completely confused and glanced at Mackie for help. But clearly, Mackie was just as clueless, his face full of innocence.

Eric mumbled to himself.

Mackie didn't pay attention to Eric and stayed focused.

He believed Anson wouldn't insist without reason. If Anson was so adamant, there had to be a good cause. Moreover, Mackie had noticed something:

He had always stayed true to the characters, believing the camera should be used to showcase the storyline—such as character relationships or dramatic conflicts. This was his foundation as a screenwriter and one of his strengths as a director. He didn't want to change that.

After all, trying to fly before you can even walk would only end in a disastrous fall, maybe even worse.

But now, he realized the camera could also be used to capture mood—

Explaining it in detail would be very complicated, but Mackie found a simple solution: just follow Anson with the camera. When the light locks onto Anson, the camera will naturally capture the details missing from the script, filling the gap between text and image.

More precisely, this applies not only to Anson but also to Heath and Rachel.

Mackie knew he wasn't a professional. He didn't know much about shot composition or camera angles. It seemed like his brain just didn't work that way. But he knew, as long as he focused on the actors' emotional states, that would be enough.

So, Mackie observed carefully, ensuring he wouldn't miss the key.

Then—

"Eric..."

"Eric!"

"Get ready."

Mackie noticed Anson and the others had finished their conversation and quickly called for his partner.

"This time, pay attention to their eyes. Keep the camera movements smooth, and wherever their eyes lead, follow. Make sure the tension remains high."

Eric: …

To Eric, the actors' performance and the flow of the scene were already perfect. There was no need to waste more energy on it. Even if they continued filming, it wouldn't change much.

He was getting a bit lazy.

Mackie knew right away that Eric's laziness was kicking in and gave the leg of his chair a kick.

"Eric!"

"Ah!"

"Focus!"

"...%@%#&$."

No one knew what Eric muttered under his breath. Mackie just looked up, meeting Anson's gaze, and flashed him a smile, signaling "OK" with his hand.

"No problem, all set?"

Mackie cleared his throat and quietly said to his right,

"Eric, we were worried the actors wouldn't put in the effort, and we were worried the crew wouldn't cooperate. Before the film started, we imagined all kinds of worst-case scenarios. Now we're practically living in our best-case scenario. We have the chance to make something truly exceptional."

Eric took a deep breath but didn't respond directly.

"I'm awake. I'm awake!"

Mackie: …

One second, two seconds, the whole crew was ready—

Fully focused.

As Mackie had mentioned earlier, the crew had initially seemed somewhat lax, filled with concern.

From all appearances, this was likely just a small project that wouldn't make much impact. Even having Anson involved wasn't clear whether it was a good or bad thing. So, this was just a quick gig for them. They'd get it done and move on, not even acknowledging the movie afterward.

After all, Hollywood churns out hundreds of projects like this every year.

But reality turned out quite different.

Anson's focus and dedication made the shooting process enjoyable. Not just Anson—other actors also showed their enthusiasm. Various members of the crew found spaces where they could truly shine. Before realizing it, they had already thrown themselves in 100%—

Putting in unimaginable effort and passion.

Maybe they should be more proactive.

Maybe teamwork could spark some real chemistry?

Maybe "The Butterfly Effect" wouldn't become a project they wanted to forget.

Without a word, this sense of possibility began to grow, taking root and slowly changing their attitude. Things had already begun to shift.

Sometimes, work is just work. But other times, it's more—a passionate pursuit, full of immersion and struggle.

This current scene they were shooting was a perfect example.

People couldn't help but wonder what exactly Anson, Heath, and Rachel were looking for.

Lights, ready.

Sound, ready.

Camera, ready.

Everything was set.

"...Take seven, action."

Night, with total silence.

Evan was escorting Keller back to the dorm, both of them exhausted.

Everything was supposed to be fine. They had finally found long-lost happiness and joy. But Tommy, in his violent outburst, destroyed Evan's car, stirring up old worries again.

Evan feared past tragedies would repeat themselves, but Keller didn't understand. The shadows Evan described had never materialized. Seeing Evan's anxiety, Keller also began to feel uneasy.

Tired. Confused.

And, worse, drained.

"...Tonight, I want to be alone."

Keller said, needing some quiet.

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