Actor in Hollywood

Gus was slightly taken aback: How did things get to this point?

Where was the supposed "vase"? Where was the supposed "big star"?

The Anson in front of him was a bit off.

Gus looked at Anson, who seemed to sense Gus' confusion. Even before Gus could speak, he took the initiative to bring the conversation back on track.

"That's what I thought too. The elephant in the room is clearly there, but no one talks about it until one day, the elephant gets angry."

"That's why the film uses this title."

As Gus spoke, he had already forgotten the beginning of the topic, but Anson hadn't.

"Since the film's title itself is a metaphor, it shows that the director wants to use the film to initiate a conversation. It's not some kind of chicken soup for the soul, nor does it need you to be preachy. Present the problem, and leave the space for thought to the audience."

"Just like Alan Clarke."

"Therefore, the long take at the end is naturally unnecessary."

"Firstly, this long take is different from any of the previous ones. The previous ones were from a subjective perspective, each shot had a protagonist, maybe me or maybe Eric. But this shot has no protagonist. It's the director's perspective, or rather, God's perspective."

"It not only disrupts the artistic conception of the entire film but also brings out a didactic tone."

Gus: This!

The switch from subjective to God's perspective! No wonder he had been feeling strange, sensing something was off but unable to pinpoint it.

"Secondly, if someone doesn't understand the message conveyed by the entire film, even adding this impactful long take at the end won't make them understand."

"And those who can understand it, don't need this ending to understand it either."

"So, adding such an ending, in my opinion, is completely unnecessary. Just like the film's title, it's a creative stance."

After going around in circles, Anson finally delivered his conclusion in a calm and unhurried manner.

Gus chewed on it carefully, a thoughtful expression appearing between his brows.

Gus still needed some time to think about how the film should end, to organize his thoughts and consider the overall picture. Perhaps after the post-editing was completed, the answer would naturally surface. But undoubtedly, Anson had pointed out a key point and given him a new perspective.

Then, Gus looked at Anson again, suddenly becoming curious.

"What's your plan next?" This was the first time Gus was genuinely curious about Anson's future plans, not out of politeness, but sincere curiosity.

An actor like this, his every next step was worth looking forward to. Just like no one expected him to appear in "Elephant," no one could predict Anson's future direction.

Everything was like how he hadn't expected Anson's performance to bring surprises, nor had he expected Anson's understanding of film to refuse to stay on the surface. Just when he thought he knew Anson well enough, this young man could bring even more surprises.

Like an adventure.

So, Gus became curious.

Anson shrugged slightly. "Waiting for the unknown."

Gus: ???

Anson: "Waiting for those possibilities to come. There's no need to rush. Isn't that exciting?"

Gus couldn't help but chuckle. It was indeed Anson, the answer once again brought a surprise. But he still nodded. "Indeed."

This kind of vision and open-mindedness was unique. Gus admitted that he was still narrow-minded.

A smile crept onto his face, and then Gus saw the actors leaving the school space in droves, their gazes sneaking glances at him but not daring to approach. He immediately understood.

Gus patted Anson's shoulder. "I won't stay here and be an obstacle, after all, you don't have many hours left in the crew."

With a little joke, Gus put his hands behind his back and strode away.

As soon as Gus left, the surrounding crowd started to stir.

Alex and Eric took the lead, rushing forward in a race-walking manner. The confusion and bewilderment between their brows revealed their true feelings beforehand, their heads full of question marks as they continuously looked around.

"Is this all?"

"It's over just like that?"

Alex was completely clueless, looking around while throwing out question marks.

"It's just over like this? I thought there would be something special for the wrap."

Anson chuckled and shrugged. "There's really nothing special."

Making a movie was probably like this. The actor's part was indeed nothing unusual. The truly exhilarating and exciting part was the director's part.

That was the magic.

Although his stay in the "Elephant" crew was short, the gains were abundant. Now Anson was full of energy, in a state of excitement and joy.

Especially the conversation with the director just now gave Anson a new perspective on acting.

His mood also lightened up.

"Two eyes, a nose, a mouth. There's no need to make a fuss."

Anson deliberately went off track and made a joke, and Alex foolishly laughed.

Eric let out a soft sigh. "It feels a bit unreal. It didn't feel real when it started, and it doesn't feel real when it ends. If it weren't for you standing right in front of me, I wouldn't believe we made a movie."

Pausing for a moment, Eric hesitated to speak: Even with Anson right in front of him, he still couldn't tell if his collaboration with Anson was a figment of his imagination or a scene from real life.

Anson noticed this.

Actually, Eric was suitable for the big screen. Although he lacked confidence in himself, Gus chose him, probably because he saw something special in him. His eyes were clear and held a story.

Anson was also looking forward to the final result of the film.

Anson: "When the film is released, the feeling will be different. Especially when you see your own face on the big screen, it feels even stranger. It's not like a TV. The entire light and shadow effect fills the theater, creating an oppressive visual experience."

Alex thought about it seriously, then made a disgusted sound, goosebumps appearing all over his arms, and he couldn't help but stomp his feet on the spot.

It seemed that Alex wasn't interested in watching "Elephant."

But Eric didn't pay attention to Alex. He nodded slightly, his gaze unfocused, lost in thought. His expression showed a hint of reluctance, and he muttered in a low voice, "If only we could keep filming."

Alex jokingly retorted, "Sure, why not? You can go lie down there now, and I can keep shooting some more footage."

Eric didn't mind being teased. He turned to look at the other students who were wiping off fake blood in the classrooms and corridors, then looked down at the camouflage uniform he was wearing and the prop gun in his hand. The sense of incongruity finally brought some impact, and the reality of making a film became clearer.

"Okay, wake me up when summer ends."

Involuntarily, Anson thought of the classic line from "Blue Gate Crossing":

"I feel so unwilling. Summer is almost over, and it feels like we haven't done anything."

Summer, unrestrained and gorgeous, bright and brilliant, life seemed to burn unrestrainedly, and the whole world was different during those times. Naturally, when summer ended, it was inevitable to feel melancholic.

Reluctant to part.