"Cut!"
Sam paused the filming again, looking at the actors with a hint of frustration. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to remain silent, closing his mouth and keeping his thoughts to himself.
Sam understood how difficult this scene was to shoot. They had meticulously planned every aspect, running through the entire sequence on paper. But as usual, there was a gap between theory and practice. The actual filming process was proving more challenging than anticipated, with unexpected issues and disruptions in the acting rhythm, requiring more time to work through.
This was already the fourteenth "NG" (No Good), and even Sam couldn't help but feel a bit impatient.
Once again, the problem was coordination. Four actors were engaged in a fight on top of a train model, and due to the complexity of the scene, every department's efforts had to be perfectly synchronized. Yet, the four actors still struggled to keep their movements in harmony, making the action sequence appear disjointed and lacking fluidity.
In short, it didn't look good.
For a commercial film, it's forgivable if there's no depth or theme, but a lack of excitement and adrenaline during the climactic scenes can be fatal.
Sam needed the intensity and excitement of the scene to be palpable.
Taking a deep breath, Sam managed to maintain his composure, reminding himself:
The actors were the ones who were truly working hard. The longer the shoot dragged on, the more drained they would become. However, Anson and Alfred had shown no signs of complaint, continuing to focus on communication and staying dedicated to their roles.
It wasn't just the actors; the rest of the crew were also sweating profusely, their faces flushed as they stayed tightly wound and alert, unable to relax for even a moment.
So, at the very least, Sam could stay calm and not let his emotions cloud his judgment.
After all, as the director, he was responsible for setting the tone of the entire crew.
"Let's go again."
Sam called out, glancing around.
"Everyone, get ready."
The set buzzed with activity as each department mobilized.
The difficulty of this scene lay in the fact that Anson also had to coordinate with the wirework to perform his stunts.
If you've ever seen diving practice, you'll know that divers wear a belt around their waist, which is attached to wires. Coaches use the wires to pull the divers into the air, holding them aloft for a brief moment to give them time to execute their diving moves before controlling the descent. This helps divers practice their form and entry.
The principle of wirework is the same.
One, two, or even three experienced wire operators would control the wires, suspending the actor in mid-air for a short time so they could perform their stunts, then lowering them to the ground in a way that maintained realism — unless, of course, they were playing a character like Superman or Iron Man.
Here, the entire sequence of lifting, pausing, and descending was difficult to control, relying heavily on the operator's instincts. In traditional kung fu movies, the wirework crew were artisans, perfecting their craft through experience. But now, such artisans were becoming rarer, as CGI played an increasingly important role. Few productions still relied on practical wirework stunts.
However, Sam wanted to shoot the scene this way, and they had hired skilled wirework professionals to assist with the film.
Even with their expertise, the difficulty remained high.
In this scene, Anson needed to be lifted into the air, perform a 360-degree spin, and dive toward Alfred. After a brief hand-to-hand combat sequence, Alfred, using his mechanical arms, would pin Anson down, making the entire fight smooth and continuous.
Currently, Anson had four wires attached to him, each pulling him in different directions, controlling his movements in mid-air — no easy feat.
After Anson landed, his position relative to Alfred and two stunt actors became even more complex. If they weren't careful, the mechanical arms and wires could get tangled, making it impossible to continue filming.
After the latest NG, Anson didn't dwell on frustration. Instead, he gathered with his fellow actors to discuss what went wrong and made adjustments, hoping to improve in the next take.
Then, Anson walked over to the train carriage's connection point, creating some distance as he prepared for his entrance, where he would leap onto the scene from below.
"Ready!" Anson shouted, signaling to the wire operators and other crew members that he was good to go.
He took a deep breath, focused, and entered combat mode.
"And… action!"
With the command, the camera started rolling. Anson waited for a brief moment, leaving a small gap to aid the editing process later on.
One second, two seconds.
Whoosh.
The wires pulled tight, and Anson shot into the air. He seemed to defy gravity, moving lightly and gracefully, as if he were truly flying.
Harry Percy, standing hidden in a corner, was dumbstruck. His eyes followed Anson as he ascended higher and higher, lifting his chin to watch Anson soar into the air. Anson's fluid and elegant motion made it hard to look away. Even though the wires were visible to the naked eye, for a brief moment, it was easy to slip into the world of the movie's magic:
Spider-Man!
Instinctively, Harry looked up.
Way up high, Spider-Man soared freely without wings. Passengers inside the train and Doctor Octopus, standing atop it, all looked up, eyes fixed on the elegant figure.
Reaching his highest point, Spider-Man executed a flawless 360-degree flip. His hands shot out webs, yanking him forward in a diving position like a missile hurtling toward Doctor Octopus.
Doctor Octopus barely had time to gasp as Spider-Man grew larger in his view, closing in fast.
Direct hit.
Octopus raised his arms in a desperate attempt to block Spider-Man.
But the next second, Spider-Man had already seized Doctor Octopus by the arms, flipping forward and dragging Octopus with him, their bodies spinning like a wheel until Spider-Man pinned him down.
One punch, then another.
No hesitation. Spider-Man swung his fists hard, pummeling Doctor Octopus's face.
Dazed, Octopus couldn't react fast enough and took several blows in quick succession. But in the next moment, his mechanical arms shot out to help him.
Now, it was a fight of fists against arms.
Spider-Man couldn't continue punching Octopus, so he leaned back, dodging the mechanical arms as they lashed out, trying to land blows on the limbs instead of the body.
Punch after punch.
Doctor Octopus finally regained his composure, swinging his fists at Spider-Man.
With three heads and six arms, Doctor Octopus now had the upper hand, overwhelming Spider-Man's two fists. The tide had turned.
However, Spider-Man's agility and flexibility shone through. Amidst the barrage of punches, he ducked, twisted, and dodged, using his quick reflexes to avoid hits while searching for an opportunity to strike back.
A fierce back-and-forth, neither giving an inch.
The fight had reached a stalemate.
At that moment, two of Doctor Octopus's mechanical arms found an opening and swung a direct punch at Spider-Man's face.