From Shadows To The Spotlight

[Chapter 10: The Price of Greatness. (V)]

Last Time on Chapter 009 of From Shadows To The Spotlight —

"You really brought Arwen to life, and hearing you speak elvish, so naturally.. I can tell the amount of effort you've put in, keep it up."

He gave encouraging nod and grin, before turning towards to discussing how the color grading of the final scene should be like and how the CGI would be.

She nodded, with a grin, "Will do, sir," a surge of satisfaction filling her as she dismounted, knowing that she had done justice to the character—and to Alex's vision.

This role was already becoming the opportunity of a lifetime, and she couldn't wait to see what they would achieve together next.

Now Continuing —

It was around midday, when was the crew was finally ready for the filming of the next scene, they had already shot a cinematic shot that would be accompanied by Catherine's voice over as Arwen.

In she would be explaining how Frodo won't last till she could reach Rivendell as her magic keeping the dark poison at bay had been weakened in its efficacy when she used it to call the power of her ancestors to defeat the Ringwraiths.

As such the cinematic shot, covered her journey to a nearby village where a dear friend of hers lived. She was a talented and brave half elf that chose to leave her home so she could journey around middle earth and improve her abilities as a healer.

Her friend had succeeded and had even found a partner for life, a dwarf warrior who loved her friend more than anything in the world.

The stubborn little oaf had grown on her over their adventures and even become someone whom she would call her friend, though it had been many decades since she last saw them so she was happy to see them again.

After the cinematic shot was done being filmed the crew had spent the rest of the morning finishing up the set of the village that Arwen was supposed to visit.

The set designers and prop masters were going through every little detail to ensure that the place looked old and well lived in.

They were also careful not to leave behind any personal items as they were scolded by Peter because of the juniors had left behind his lighter and now he was forbidden from carrying a lighter or smoking for a month unless he wanted to take a pay cut.

Meanwhile, Catherine was going over her lines for her next scene that would show her meeting with Föl, the dwarven warrior.

She had been informed that the actor playing the role had recently arrived on the set and had gone through the footage they had already shot to get a "feel" for their work.

-----------------

Robin Williams sat quietly in the makeup chair, studying the note in his hand with an intensity unusual even for him.

He had already gone through the raw film in the morning and what he had seen just blew him away, it wasn't the finished, or edited yet, but he could see the ambitious vision of it's maker.

And he was glad he chose to become a part of it's saga, even it was only for a small yet impactful. The words on the page described the character he was about to play —

Föl, is an old dwarf who rarely ever speaks and gives off the impression of a senile old man, however he is an experienced warrior that is still capable of combat and has a strong desire to...

He was warrior with a deep, unbreakable loyalty to the small village where he lived—a place he'd protected for far longer than most people could even remember.

Yet it was more than a simple act of loyalty or kindness; it was a vow, a promise rooted in love. Föl's wife, a half-elf healer who had passed long ago, had loved the village, and even now, all these years later, Föl was determined to keep it safe for her, as it was the last keepsake he had to remember her by.

His thumb ran over the words, "strong desire to faithfully protect the village his late wife loved." It hit him squarely in the chest; there was a powerful, haunting simplicity in it.

Rob could imagine the life Föl must have led: the late-night vigils, the countless battles, the relentless solitude that wore on a person.

And then, there was the part that struck him even harder, that made him choose to accept Alex's offer to play the character despite its limited on screen presence or impact on the larger world of Middle Earth and that was hidden detail of Föl's failing memory.

When Alex had met him for the first time to discuss wanting to hire him for the role he told him about how the audience will be kept guessing entire time if Föl is truly senile or just slightly forgetful because of his age.

It is done so until Frodo's condition stabilizes and Arwen is ready to leave and even then it is never said outright but only heavily implied.

And yet despite it all, despite his failing memory of her, he still remembered the love he held for his wife, even though her face had faded from his mind.

Robin took a deep breath, feeling the familiar mix of excitement and nerves rise within him. He knew that Alex had gone out of his way to bring him in for this role, a part that wasn't in the original script. The role had its weight—a certain gravity—and he knew Alex trusted him to bring that to life.

It was the kind of role that could leave an impact, not through grand gestures, but through the quiet strength that filled each line, each little glance and pause. He really wanted to do justice to Alex's vision.

Peter approached his chair alongside the makeup artist, who was smiling kindly as she held up a prosthetic beard, thick and streaked with gray and asked. "You ready for this, Mr. Williams?"

He returned her smile with a warm one of his own. "Call me Robin, please. And yes, I'm more than ready." He then turned to Peter and said, "Let's make Föl's story as heartbreaking and real as possible, shall we?"

The make-up artist nodded as she gently began to attach the beard while another one approached with a helmet that had a silvery white haired wig attached to it.

Robin let his eyes wander back to the note, holding it up as he imagined Föl's mannerisms, his gait, the slight weight in his steps and bend of his posture that came with age.

He thought about the idea of a warrior who rarely spoke, who exuded a quiet, almost senile demeanor that belied the fierceness of his heart.

"This is a big one, isn't it?" Robin murmured, almost to himself.

The makeup artist, adjusting his hair to a wilder look, glanced up but remained silent as she knew it must have been a question of Peter.

"What do you mean?" He asked taking a sip for his mug to tea.

"This film.. this scene," Robin replied, holding up the note for him to see. "It almost feels like there is a lifetime of memories in these few words. An entire story waiting to be told, but only through whispers and silence."

Peter paused, studying the note with him. "It is truly something else.. and this role does come with a lot of depth. But I know if anyone can pull it off, its you. Alex considers you to be one of the best character actors he's ever seen on screen, he told this to me in confidence."

"You're perfect for this, Robin and I'm glad you could make time for us. After seeing your performance in Dead Poet's Society I couldn't agree more when he asked for you to play this role... I just didn't know if you would join us... considering how it is such a small role with only a few minutes of screen time."

Robin shook his head with a smile, "No, that's actually better for me, as I already have prior commitments so I can't commit to a bigger role anyway. What can you tell me about the actress that's playing as my old friend.. Arwen was it?"

Peter nodded as he gestured for him to follow along, "Yes, her name Catherine, Catherine Zeta Jones, she's Welsh and a new face, hasn't had much experience on big films but she somewhat talented and rest she makes up for with pure grit and stubbornness."

Robin chuckled as he took in the sights around the set and despite his decades working on film sets he was left wondering how real it all looked. "Sounds like someone I will have fun working along with."

"I hope so as well, now please, come along," Peter said heading into the village proper. "I would like to give a tour of the set and introduce you to the villagers and give you a little backstory about the place and its people."

"Also don't hold back from improvising your lines if you'd like, Alex is very hands off with his actors wanting them to perform with some creative freedom and agency."

Robin gave a slight, appreciative nod, grateful for him having faith in his skills. He respected Alex, not only for his vision but for his ability to see potential where others might not.

Robin till now had been known for his comedic timing, his quick wit, but he could see that Alex wanted something more from him here—he was tasked to play character who would reveal the weight of his soul, not through laughter, but through the haunting silence between his words.

After the tour was done, he simple sat down under the shade of the tree that overlooked the village set and closed his eyes, sinking into the character, imagining what Föl might be think at time like this. The note mentioned that he had even begun to forget his wife's face.

And Peter seeing him fall silent left him to it, knowing that the man would pull through for them, he just hoped that he is as good in dramatic role as he was in a comedic one. But he trusted Alex's vision and knew that he must've seen something in Mr. Williams that very few people have.

Meanwhile, Robin had just immersed himself into the persona of Föl and felt a sharp pang as he considered his tragic fate, imagining the sadness and strength it would take to live with such an ache. To have once known his wife's smile, her warmth, her very essence, and to lose it bit by bit over the years.

When the makeup artist had finished her work, she had given him a small mirror to keep track of his appearance and to call for her whenever needed to "fix" his appearance. Robin decided to take a look at himself and when he finally did, he was struck by the transformation.

With the white beard, the grey old hair, and the deeply etched lines of age around his eyes and the slightly bulbous nose... he could actually see Föl staring back at him—an old, tired dwarf who had seen too much and was beginning to forget what was most precious to his heart.

He glanced down at the note again, letting the words settle in his mind like an anchor, as they would guide him through his first scene in the film.

"Glad to have gotten to see her before the end of his life…"

That line tugged at him. Despite Föl's hard edges, he could sense a quiet longing, a need for connection, for the past to somehow fold back into the present. Föl wasn't senile, not really. His memories were like fragments of glass, half-remembered shards from a time when his heart had been whole.

Robin understood that pain—the way love could bind a person to a place, a memory, even if the details had faded.

He stood up, his movements slower, a slight slump in his posture, he gently lowered the note and left it at the table as he grabbed the prop sword and left. He didn't need the note anymore; as the lines had already been etched into his mind.

"Alright, Föl," he murmured, his voice taking on the rougher, gruffer tone he imagined for the character. "Let's show these folks what you're made of."

The scene was to be shot in a quaint little village that was tucked into the outskirts of Rivendell separated by a stretch of forests and hills. A village that Föl had protected for years, a hidden refuge tucked into the mountains.

It would be here that Arwen would bring Frodo, wounded and on the brink, in a desperate attempt to find safety and healing. The extras playing as villagers were instructed to act wary of at first, as always, but Föl would vouch for her—just as he had done countless times before, for those who had been lucky enough to wander into his protection.

As he made his way to the set, he could see Alex standing by, watching him with a scrutinizing gaze that mirrored his own. After maybe having seeing in him whatever he was looking for, Alex gave him a small nod of encouragement, one that conveyed both respect and trust.

Robin took a deep breath, allowing the character to settle fully within him, feeling Föl's steadfast nature, his loyalty, his sorrow, all blending into a quiet storm.

"Action!" Alex called out, as the slate was dropped and the filming began, hearing it Robin instinctively opened his eyes as he slipped seamlessly into character, letting his entire being become Föl, the protector, the old dwarf warrior.

Catherine, as Arwen, approached him on horseback, her expression one of hope and desperation as she dismounted, holding onto the unconscious Frodo in her arms as she explained her situation. The weight of her character's plight mirrored Föl's own burden in a way that struck Robin deeply.

He looked at her, eyes narrowing in concern, and without a word, he turned and led her into the heart of the village. On the way he gave her the news of his wife's passing over 70 years ago, due to a magical enchantment gone wrong and he had to bury the love of his life.

His gaze swept over the villagers, some watching with curious eyes, others suspicious. As Arwen approached the small dwelling of Reifen, Föl's late wife, and her friend. She found that he had left her things untouched, her hand brushed against the old healer's books and tools, still meticulously arranged as if she might walk in at any moment.

Robin's eye's conveyed the pang of recognition and pain as Föl would have felt it—the sharp twist in his chest as he remembered the days when she had been alive, her voice filling their modest home with warmth.

"She was the best healer in these lands," he murmured, his voice gravelly with age and a subtle trace of grief. "Whatever wound or ailment ailed you, she'd fix you up right quick. Some say it was her elven side. I say it was her heart."

He watched as Arwen searched through the old healer's books, her movements swift, determined. There was a shadow in her eyes, one that spoke of the weight she, too, carried—a duty she could never cast aside. Robin let Föl's shoulders slump, the weariness of the years settling over him.

Having found the recipe for the cure she thanked him as she left on the hunt for ingredients and requested to keep watch as the elements of the dark that had been following them might be lurking nearby. Before she left she also apologized for putting the lives of the people of this village in danger.

To be continued...

{2.5k words}

{TRL: This is the new Hollywood story that has been bouncing around in my head. I really need to get this out so here's another chapter.

Also would you like to read ahead? You can do so for free up to 5 chapters ahead of the public release on my Patreon page as Free Member.

Yes, free. If you're interested you'll find the link in the Author's thoughts section or just google TheRamenLord and Patreon.

If you like my work and would like to support me then by becoming a paid member you read from 10 to 20 chapters ahead of the public release depending on tier you purchase.

There is a discount currently that I am giving for the first month to new patrons as well, if you like my work please do check out my page.

Get upto 16% off your first month. Ends at 2:19 AM on Dec 24, 2024. T & C apply.}