wavenovel Chapters 1313 and 1322: "Jurassic Park," filming begins!!!
Chapters 1313 and 1322: "Jurassic Park," filming begins!!!
Chapters 1313 and 1322: "Jurassic Park," filming begins!!!
More than two months later, Naoki Nagayama, who had returned to Jurassic Island, couldn't help but remark:
"This place has changed a lot!"
Before filming began, all the facilities on the island were basically simple and undecorated.
During these two months, as preparations for filming began, the entire island came to life. The once simple port town was now more than twice as vibrant as when he had visited, with graffiti murals adorning the surrounding buildings and colorful flags hanging in the streets.
Masataka Komori, who came to pick up Naoki Nagayama from the small airport, said:
"Naoki-san, we've moved all the filming equipment, props ordered from Tokyo, and even the SUV for transportation over the past few days."
"The scene has been set up according to the script, and we are ready to start filming at any time!"
With that, he invited Naoki Nagayama and the others into the small SUV that was waiting nearby.
Naoki Nagayama nodded in satisfaction and said to Yuko Tanaka beside him:
"Yuko-san, for the next few months, this island will be our film studio! What do you think?"
"Naoki-san, you've really turned an island into a film set!"
Yuko Tanaka, who had lost a lot of weight, was seeing this Jurassic Island for the first time and was curiously looking around.
As the off-road vehicle moved forward, the sights of parks, dinosaur statues, exhibition hall-like venues, and zoos enclosed by barbed wire reminded her of the novel "Jurassic Park."
When Naoki Nagayama called her a while ago to ask her to play the female lead, he explained that there were many sci-fi scenes, and she thought that most of the filming would be taking place at the Ota Ward filming location.
"This island will become a theme park after the movie is filmed!"
Naoki Nagayama introduced it to Yuko Tanaka in the car.
"So these scenes are all set up in real life and are almost exactly the same as in the book! And the supporting facilities are also very complete. Today we will stay in a resort hotel."
"It will be open to the public?!"
Yuko Tanaka was surprised. Just then, she saw the Ferris wheel that had been erected in the distance.
"Is that Ferris wheel real?!"
"Yes. You'll find out when you get there. There are roller coasters and pirate ships inside."
Naoki Nagayama said with a smile,
"This is only the first phase of the project. Once the second and third phases are completed, this place might become as famous as Disneyland!"
"I think this place will definitely become famous once Jurassic Park is made! It'll be just like the Jurassic Park in the novel!"
Yuko Tanaka had great confidence in Naoki Nagayama's talent; otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to star in the film so readily when he mentioned it.
"Has Yuko-san finished reading the script these past few days?"
"Well, I've already read the novel, so I'm much more familiar with the script."
While enjoying the scenery of Jurassic Island and discussing the script, the SUV soon arrived at the resort hotel, where a large group of people had already gathered, including Japanese and even foreigners—all members of the film crew.
They didn't have the convenience of a private jet; they arrived early and had already checked into a hotel.
"Naoki-san!" "Director Nagayama!" "Director..."
As they walked along, Naoki Nagayama naturally received a warm welcome, and everyone in the crew looked at Yuko Tanaka standing to the side, knowing that she was the female lead of the movie.
When Harrison Ford was spotted, he was chatting with other extras of the same skin color.
Although the hotel staff all speak English, I still feel more relaxed chatting with Americans.
"Director Nagayama!"
Harrison greeted Naoki Nagayama warmly, giving him a bear hug.
"Finally, it's powered on! I've been so bored I'm practically rusting!"
"Haha, isn't it great to have a vacation here? Beach, sunshine, and wine."
Naoki Nagayama joked with a smile.
"If the service team is not up to par, you can give feedback!"
"No, no, no~" Harrison shook his head, "The service is very good, and the scenery here is also very nice, but I'm a little not used to being on vacation for too long. I feel more at ease when I'm filming!"
"He's definitely a dedicated actor!"
Seeing Harrison's expression, it was clear he had another reason, such as the lack of women around. However, Naoki Nagayama naturally wouldn't expose him at this moment. He turned around and introduced Yuko Tanaka beside him.
"Harrison, this is Ms. Yuko Tanaka, the leading lady of the movie!"
"Yuko-san, you should know Harrison Ford, right?"
"Hi!" Yuko Tanaka extended her hand gracefully and said in English, "Mr. Ford, hello! It's a pleasure to act opposite you this time!"
"Hello there!"
Harrison shook hands in a friendly manner.
"I hope everything goes smoothly in the upcoming filming."
After the two met, Naoki Nagayama looked up at the sky and said:
"It's almost time; the blessing ceremony should be ready soon."
As he spoke, he began searching for Masataka Komori in the crowd:
"Has Matsuzaki Toshio, Masataka-kun's apprentice to Granny Murata, arrived yet?"
"Yes, Priest Matsuzaki is already making preparations." Masataka Komori nodded. "The blessing ceremony can begin as soon as the auspicious time arrives. Ah, he's already out!"
Just then, Matsuzaki Toshio, dressed in brightly colored shrine robes, came out from the back of the hotel and went to the altar covered with offerings. He placed a shrine tablet and began making final preparations.
Meanwhile, the crew members, at the call of the production manager, began to line up in a square formation. Several cameramen began adjusting the camera positions, preparing to record the blessing ceremony for publicity purposes.
Harrison, standing nearby, looked puzzled:
"What is this going to do?"
"Oh?" Naoki Nagayama asked in surprise, "Didn't they tell you? This is supposed to be a launch ceremony?"
"Director Komori did indeed tell me that a launch ceremony would be held."
Harrison watched with some surprise as the film crew began to line up in a square formation, staring at the shaman ahead, as if they were about to perform some kind of religious ceremony.
"But it wasn't mentioned that a ritual would be performed. I only found out about the ritual after I came out from that mysteriously dressed sorcerer."
Having acted in so many films, Harrison has some understanding of the religious customs of various cultures, and he also knows what religious rituals in Eastern cultures are.
There are opening ceremonies in Hollywood too, but most of them are just gatherings for the crew. The producers and directors give speeches, then it's a party, and the reporters come to take pictures.
Naoki Nagayama found it somewhat amusing:
“An offering table, along with offerings and a ritual altar, had already been set up in the garden. Didn’t you notice?”
I thought it was food for the party.
Harrison shrugged.
"This is in Japan, so I think this might be a Japanese party."
"Haha~ This is a blessing ceremony in Japan, to pray to the gods that the film's production will go smoothly and that it will be a big hit after its release!"
Yuko Tanaka was so surprised by the conversation that she laughed and explained to her future partner,
"These are offerings for the gods and spirits; you cannot eat them!"
"Luckily I didn't eat it."
Harrison's comical expression of lingering fear made Yuko Tanaka laugh heartily. But, how could someone who's made "Indiana Jones" not know about offerings and such?
Naoki Nagayama thought this guy might be pretending to be innocent; he was deliberately teasing Yuko-san, and he wanted to pick up girls!
Actually, you can't blame him. Although Yuko Tanaka's features aren't particularly striking, they blend together very harmoniously, creating a unique charm.
Otherwise, how could he have attracted the attention of Kenji Sawada, the Japanese king of countless conquests, to the point that he was willing to pay 18 billion yen to divorce his ex-wife, even abandoning their children?
"OK OK."
Naoki Nagayama interrupted Harrison's performance.
"The blessing ceremony is about to begin, let's go line up. You two are the main characters, so line up on either side of me."
"Okay~" "Hi!"
After Naoki Nagayama joined the formation, the blessing ceremony truly began.
As the small drum began to beat, the shaman standing before the offering table started chanting incantations no one understood, his body seemingly moving uncontrollably. Then he began to perform a shamanic dance.
Matsuzaki Toshio is a one-eyed man with a hollow, frightening eye. Wearing the shrine robes inherited from Granny Murata, he appears both mysterious and terrifying, and his shamanistic dance seems to have surpassed his master's.
Naoki Nagayama was also very satisfied:
"He already possesses nine-tenths of Grandma Murata's power!"
Instead of waiting for the Jurassic Park movie to become a huge hit, Toshio Matsuzaki could directly take over from Granny Murata and continue working for Juyu Pictures!
The frenzied dance lasted for about ten minutes. As the apprentice's drumbeats became more urgent, Matsuzaki Toshio's dance steps became increasingly intense. His exaggerated movements carried a mysterious and awe-inspiring quality, leading everyone else to believe that Matsuzaki Toshio must have made contact with some kind of deity or spirit.
Finally, with the sound of a gong, Matsuzaki Toshio stopped, but he was covered in sweat.
"Mr. Nagayama."
Matsuzaki Toshio mustered his last bit of strength,
"You can offer incense now!"
"Thanks for your hard work"
Naoki Nagayama nodded, picked up the three thick incense sticks offered by the apprentice, bowed three times, and then placed them in the incense burner on the offering table!
Next, the male and female leads, and then the rest of the crew, offered incense in turn.
Wisps of smoke rose slowly, drifting into the sky and dissipating into nothingness, as if the prayers had truly been carried away to the unknown.
After the blessing ceremony ends, as is customary among tree enthusiasts, a shot needs to be taken.
Masataka Komori immediately led Naoki Nagayama to a film set not far away, which had been set up as a sandy area.
"Naoki-san, for the first shot, we'll be filming an excavation of dinosaur fossils!"
Komori Masataka said,
"The camera positions are all set, the cameras are in place, and the dinosaur fossils have been buried!"
Meanwhile, several extras were already dressed in costumes, holding small brushes and cosplaying as archaeologists whose faces were not shown.
"."
Naoki Nagayama actually knew that this kind of archaeology was very unprofessional, and that if real archaeologists saw it, they would definitely find fault with it!
Who would find dinosaur fossils by simply brushing away sand with a small brush? And what dinosaur fossil looks so real without any processing?!
Having been buried deep underground for thousands of years, all dinosaur fossils were pressed together with soil before being unearthed, with the bones scattered in different locations requiring specialized tools to clean them out.
However, since it's not an educational film, let's leave it at that.
"Cough cough."
Naoki Nagayama picked up the microphone after a long absence; it had been a long time since he'd given orders since "Departures," and he even felt a little nostalgic.
"On your marks!"
The crew members immediately took their positions and reported the status. The script supervisor held the clapperboard in front of the camera and clearly read from the clapperboard:
"The first scene of Jurassic Park, the first filming."
The click of the clapperboard closing signaled the official start of filming.
"Ready. Action!"
As soon as the director gave the order, several extras half-lay prone on the sand and used brushes to remove the top layer of sand, revealing white dinosaur skeleton fossils underneath.
Another actor even used his hand to poke around the nostrils of the dinosaur fossil a few times, scraping out the sand.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry."
Naoki Nagayama comforted himself.
"It's just a scene-setting shot, so let's just cut it."
Then the camera slowly ascended, starting with close-ups of the entire archaeological site. It wasn't until the entire dinosaur skeleton was captured in the frame that the recording ended.
"Crack!"
Naoki Nagayama saw that the time had come and shouted loudly.
Then, the director reviewed the footage on the monitor:
"Okay, this one is passed!"
Upon hearing the director's words, the entire set erupted in applause. The very first shot of *Jurassic Park* was thus completed!
Since today was the first day of filming, and only one shot was being filmed, everyone on the crew was very relaxed. Next, naturally, they returned to the hotel for a banquet.
In the hotel's small garden, the original altar has been cleaned up and replaced with a long table and refreshments.
The crew members began sharing food, relaxing, chatting, and drinking beverages.
"This is what a launch ceremony should look like!"
Harrison had just watched the first scene being filmed with the crew. Although he found it a bit strange that they were going back to the hotel after only filming one scene, it was his first time working with a Japanese director, so he didn't ask any questions.
"Haha, Harrison, how did you feel about the filming just now?"
Naoki Nagayama came over to Harrison and asked.
"The crew of Shuyou's film crew is very professional; everyone knows what they need to do."
Harrison was deeply impressed by the orderly and efficient way the entire crew worked after Naoki Nagayama gave the order. In previous films, the entire set needed to rehearse many times to achieve a smooth shot.
Sometimes the director needs to repeatedly tell the actors the movements.
"And I was also surprised that the shot was completed in one take."
“That’s efficiency,” Naoki Nagayama said. “Harrison, I told you when we were talking that in Japan, the speed at which movies are filmed is beyond your imagination.”
"I'm familiar with the film crew; the filming location is on the island."
"We'll finish filming 'Jurassic Park' in a few months. Now you should believe me, right?!"
Harrison raised his goblet:
"Indeed, it surprised me! And now I believe the film can be shot quickly!"
"But Director Nagayama, why did you only shoot one shot?"
"Haha, it's just a habit!"
Naoki Nagayama smiled and said,
"Harrison, enjoy the delicious food, fine wine, and a good rest today. Starting tomorrow, we'll be filming non-stop!"
"Director Nagayama, I gave it my best."
After talking with Harrison, Naoki Nagayama chatted with the other members of the crew one by one. For the next few months, they would all be in the same boat.
"I'm counting on you all for Jurassic Park!"
(End of this chapter)