The Genius Manager Who Sees Algorithms 017
— — —
17. A Sharp Eye
— — —
We walked around the filming set side by side.
Of course, I made sure to drape a thick jumper over her shoulders so she wouldn't catch a cold.
"Are you cold?"
"I'm fine. How about you, manager?"
"I'm fine. I tend to run hot."
She’s so kind. Such a gentle heart.
But people with personalities like hers are usually the ones who suffer internally.
Is that why she just silently puts up with the Road Manager who smokes?
It’s a pity, but if I started worrying about things like that, it would be nothing more than meddling.
"I feel like I might have woken you up too early when you were already tired."
"No, it’s fine. Honestly, I can work on my acting, but there’s nothing I can do about facial swelling. I think this is better than sleeping an extra 30 minutes and showing up all puffy."
The hardships of a job where you are constantly on display.
I pulled the drink I’d prepared from my pocket and held it out.
"Have some of this, too."
"What is this?"
"It’s a tea that’s good for reducing swelling. I put in all the good stuff—mushroom mycelium, dandelion leaves, bamboo leaves, and so on. It’s safe enough for pregnant women to drink, so it should be effective."
"……."
Yang Jimin looked back and forth between me and the drink.
Why is she doing that? Does she dislike it?
"Do you not like this?"
"No, it’s not that. It’s just that you’re more attentive than you look."
"My mom always nags me for being a dull son. You know."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Her one and only wish is for me to get married, but she says I always pretend not to hear her... Ah, sorry for the TMI."
"No, it’s interesting. But do people still want to get married that early these days?"
"She’s from the countryside."
"Where in the countryside?"
The conversation naturally flowed all the way to my hometown.
I wondered if this was okay, but thanks to it, time passed without any awkwardness.
Well, this was a pretty decent walk, all things considered.
* * *
When we returned, the Road Manager’s gaze was unusual.
Every time I walked ahead, I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head.
That guy, is he jealous?
Surely it’s not because he hasn't been able to take a walk with his own actress.
I calmly ignored the Road Manager’s gaze and focused on Yang Jimin.
After that, Yang Jimin filmed two more scenes.
It was the same scene, but because they had to shoot it multiple times from various angles and sizes, it was already evening.
It was a shoot where both the actors and the production crew were suffering in the biting cold.
It was because of everyone’s efforts like this that a decent piece of work was created.
Now, only one scene remained.
According to the original schedule, it was supposed to be an afternoon shoot, but because the overall schedule had been pushed back due to a local event, it was changed to a night shoot.
"They said to wait a moment until the sun goes down completely."
Waiting again.
Suddenly, the words of a senior from the production team, who said the set is a battle against waiting, came to mind.
It took dozens of people’s entire day for a scene that would only appear on TV for barely three minutes.
In the meantime, the director and the cinematographer were discussing the changed visuals.
I used the spare time to read the script for today’s shoot.
---
Scene/102 Park (Night)
Hyun-seo is waiting for Jang-woo to arrive.
Time passes.
The number of people around gradually decreases, but Jang-woo doesn't show up.
Hyun-seo: (Muttering) Why isn't he coming... He said he would.
Even the park lights turn off.
She drops her head with a look of despair.
Just then, a beam of light enters the park.
A luxury sedan enters slowly.
The car, which seemed to be passing by indifferently, turns back and eventually stops in front of Hyun-seo.
Hyun-seo’s heart pounds with anticipation.
The dark tinted window slowly rolls down.
Simultaneously, a close-up of Hyun-seo’s face.
A smile plays on her lips, but tears stream down her eyes.
----
The scene where Jang-woo, who was thought to be dead, returns.
In terms of emotional arcs, it was the climax of the final episode.
That was why the director was being so cautious.
"The visuals are great."
I was especially looking forward to seeing how Yang Jimin would pull off that acting—crying while smiling.
It was a sequence that suited a night shoot better than an afternoon one anyway.
6:00 PM.
The winter sun began to set slowly.
It wasn't dark enough yet, so everyone was on standby.
Thanks to the delayed shoot, Team Leader Dokgo, who had finished his business and returned, joined us.
"Whew. I drove like crazy. Hand these out."
Team Leader Dokgo held out the lunch boxes he was carrying in both hands.
Wow, isn't this the steak brand you only go to on anniversaries?
There were four more such boxes in the 9-seater van, along with drinks.
With 12 in each box, that made 72 lunch boxes in total—the exact number of people on set today.
The Road Manager and I hurriedly took the boxes and delivered them to the production crew.
"Thank you. We’ll enjoy it."
I wasn't the one who bought them, but pleasant greetings were exchanged between the givers and the receivers.
Team Leader Dokgo, who had gulped down cold water and caught his breath, finally spoke.
"Nothing happened, right?"
"Yes, of course."
The Road Manager replied.
"But why was it so delayed?"
"It overlapped with a local event in the middle. We were on standby for over an hour."
The Road Manager answered again.
Then, Team Leader Dokgo looked at me.
"You didn't have any trouble either?"
"No. I learned a lot and it was interesting."
"What did you learn?"
Just then, the Road Manager started in without a hint of tact.
"The wait was long, so I taught him how to read the schedule. It’s the basics of the job, after all."
Oh? Look at this guy? He’s acting up again.
Is this revenge for me going on a walk with Yang Jimin?
Thanks to that, Team Leader Dokgo’s brow furrowed.
"What? The seniors didn't even teach you that? These guys..."
"No, sir. They did teach me."
I tried to smooth things over late, but it just sounded like an excuse.
I guess that’s why they say whoever strikes first wins.
Still, I couldn't openly pick a fight in front of the Team Leader.
Whether it’s the one picking the fight or the one fighting back, they both end up looking the same.
For now, holding back was the right answer.
"So, there are no issues? No changes to the schedule?"
"Yes, only the final shoot is left. The order is the same as well."
The Road Manager answered confidently.
"You checked it properly, right?"
"Of course. I checked it meticulously several times. I’ve almost got it memorized."
Team Leader Dokgo nodded as well.
With those words, I checked the schedule once more.
---
S#: 101, 102, 103
Location: Paju Park (N)
S/O/L: L
Scene Content: Hyun-seo and Jang-woo. Jang-woo and Jin-tae’s father.
.
.
.
Note: Service provider for park maintenance, phone booth, swing, 5t water truck
---
Good grief.
There wasn't much content, yet he’s acting like he’s accomplished something by memorizing it.
The schedule content didn't look much different from the script.
But then, something strange caught my eye.
Specifically, it was the content in the 'Note' section.
[Note: Service provider for park maintenance, phone booth, swing, 5t water truck]
Huh?
I could understand everything else.
But why is there a water truck?
There was definitely no mention of rain in the script I read.
Then it had to be one of two things.
The first was that the director called it in to enhance the production value.
'Sometimes they call in a water truck to create an atmosphere where the lights reflect off the wet ground.'
In that case, the actor didn't need to worry too much.
However, I had to consider the other possibility as well.
'Did the script get revised, but only Yang Jimin didn't receive it?'
The problem was this second case.
If the script had been changed, it could lead to a catastrophe.
They would have to redo the makeup, costumes, and hair to match a scene where she gets rained on.
Of course, the one who would suffer the most was the actor.
'If the content was revised, she’d have to memorize all the changed lines.'
For an actor who has to worry about every detail of pronunciation, tone, and breathing, it would be a huge deal.
I had to check immediately to prepare for any eventuality.
'Of course, I should report it first.'
I was taught to report it first if I discovered something strange.
Ah, come to think of it, I learned that in the military, too.
"Team Leader, why is there a water truck here?"
"What water truck?"
"If you look at the note here, it says there’s a water truck."
"……."
Team Leader Dokgo fell into thought for a moment.
He was picturing the same scenario I had in my head.
"What is this? There was no rain scene in the script, right?"
"Yes, there definitely wasn't..."
Yang Jimin shook her head as well.
It was a situation no one could understand.
I quickly called over a passing assistant director.
"Excuse me, but why is the water truck coming today?"
"That? Scene 103 was changed to a rain scene."
"What? We didn't hear about that."
"Oh. Don't tell me you didn't get the revised script? I definitely told the manager I sent it..."
At the assistant director’s words, a chill instantly filled the air.
The startled Road Manager hurriedly checked the group chat.
"Ah..."
The Road Manager’s expression stiffened.
It seemed he hadn't checked it because there were so many variables today.
Team Leader Dokgo, who grasped the situation at once, raised his voice.
"Hey, why are you just standing there blankly? Go and get the script, now!"
"Ah, yes... I’m sorry!"
As soon as he answered, the Road Manager scrambled away.
Team Leader Dokgo, who had been clicking his tongue, looked at me.
His gaze was slightly different from when he looked at the Road Manager.
"You have a sharp eye. That could have been a disaster."
A single sentence, tossed out casually.
It was a compliment worthy of Team Leader Dokgo.
* * *
The situation was this: the director had decided to add more impact to the production, so the script was changed suddenly.
Thanks to that, three pages of Hyun-seo’s lines had been revised.
The only saving grace was that there were still 30 minutes left before the shoot.
"What do I do now..."
While Yang Jimin was frantically memorizing the revised lines, the staff fixed her makeup.
They applied an extra layer to her forehead and the bridge of her nose, areas where makeup could easily wash off if she got rained on.
"We will begin filming. Please get ready."
A moment later, the voice of the assistant director holding the megaphone could be heard.
"Are you all set?"
At Team Leader Dokgo’s words, Yang Jimin recited the lines one more time.
Then, she nodded as if she were confident.
A stroke of luck in misfortune.
Yang Jimin stood in front of the camera, and the lighting board naturally illuminated her.
We watched the shoot, anxious.
"Rolling, and... action."
The director’s cue sign dropped, and the filming began.
Unlike a moment ago, silence descended, and all eyes were focused on Yang Jimin.
"What are you supposed to do if you come now? What were you going to do if I had already left? Do you have that much time? Or does it not matter to you whether I wait or not?"
In the revised script, Hyun-seo’s lines had increased. It was a directorial choice to heighten the emotional arc through the character’s dialogue, paired with imagery as delicate as a watercolor painting.
“You decide. What kind of ending do you want for us? A happy one, or….”
Hyun-seo’s expression, unable to bring herself to utter the word “sad.” In that brief silence, all of Hyun-seo’s feelings were contained. The camera captured her sorrowful gaze with a calm, steady focus as….
“Cut. Great work, everyone.”
“Wow!!”
As the director’s “OK” sign dropped, cheers erupted from the production crew. Fortunately, Yang Jimin had finished her shoot without any major mistakes. Her makeup, which hadn’t faltered even under the rain, was also impeccable.
“Phew.”
Only then did I let out a sigh of relief. But then, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to see Team Leader Dokgo. It seemed he, who had been watching silently the whole time, was finally at ease as well.
“You did your part properly today. Good work.”
Everything was contained in that blunt remark. This actually felt pretty good.
In the meantime, Yang Jimin had finished filming and returned. I handed her the dry towel I had been preparing.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, manager, we wrapped up the project well.”
A smile that made even the observer feel good. It was the brightest expression I had seen on her all day.
As expected, Yang Jimin’s character was truly A-list. I wonder just how well she would get along with our Arin.
* * *
On the way back to Seoul, we traveled in two cars again. The Road Manager and Yang Jimin in one, and Team Leader Dokgo and me in the other.
Watching from behind, the Road Manager drove with a sense of stability. He was practically at the level of a professional chauffeur. Plus, I noticed he was using three different navigation apps at once. He was clearly prepared to switch to another immediately if one crashed.
I should learn from that. Even the Road Manager had things to teach me. Well, I suppose not everyone is entirely bad. Though, by my standards, he was already out.
“But why did you buy coffee?”
Team Leader Dokgo, who had woken up from a nap in the passenger seat, asked. It seemed the payment notification had popped up on his phone.
“The wait was a bit long, so I handed out a box to the production crew.”
“What? Who taught you to do that?”
“It’s not so much that someone taught me, but I worked part-time in a production crew back in college, and that was the best thing to do back then.”
Team Leader Dokgo nodded.
“A sort of ‘putting yourself in their shoes’ tactic?”
“I’ve learned that no experience is useless.”
“Good grief.”
Even if he didn’t say it, I could read his inner thoughts from his expression. Team Leader Dokgo closed his eyes again, looking tired.
“But these days, they prefer cafe coffee over canned coffee. That’s why we usually prepare a coffee truck.”
“Ah….”
“Still, it wasn’t bad. Sometimes, analog is better.”
Right. I’ve always liked analog. It has a certain human touch, something persistent and warm, you know?
Late at night. A time when emotions run high. I was thinking of listening to some nostalgic songs to match the damp, sentimental mood, when…. I spotted a thick envelope carelessly placed on the dashboard.
‘What’s this? It’s too thin to be a script… Is it a contract?’
It wasn’t there when I was driving, so it seemed Team Leader Dokgo must have brought it when he got in.
And at that moment, light gathered over the envelope. As if it had been waiting for my gaze all along.
0 Comments