Chapter 006
Of course, the media reported that the director had left the project due to personal reasons, but everyone who knew the situation knew that the real reason was Yoo Hae-in.
However, Yoo Hae-in had a strong fanbase and considerable box-office power, so from the production company's perspective, they had no choice but to cast Yoo Hae-in.
‘Ah, so this is when Yoo Hae-in's habit of acting like a director started···.’
Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered hearing some behind-the-scenes stories about Director Song's movie, ‘Home Sweet Home,’ from an acquaintance a long time ago.
According to what that acquaintance had told me, Yoo Hae-in didn't like the ending of the script, and in the end, the director had reluctantly changed it.
Well, considering that Yoo Hae-in was willing to appear in a feature-length independent film for almost no pay, it was understandable that they had to change the script to keep him.
However, several people close to Director Song later said something about it.
Because Yoo Hae-in appeared in it, ‘Home Sweet Home’ became unusually successful for an independent feature film and attracted a large audience, but the movie itself had been much better before the changes were made.
If the story had remained unchanged, it would definitely have become a film good enough to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival or the Berlin International Film Festival.
Director Song's acquaintances also said that although he couldn't openly say anything because of his relationship with Yoo Hae-in, whenever he got drunk, he always regretted this part.
And if he could go back to the past, he would rather lose Yoo Hae-in than change the script, and he would want to complete his own story exactly as he had intended.
While I was lost in thought, Scriptwriter Jung-in opened her mouth.
“Just what did he ask the director to change the ending into for him to look like that···.”
“But if he's asking for something completely ridiculous, then···”
“Senior, isn't this a matter of having to change it no matter what?”
At the assistant director's words that they absolutely had to change it, Jung-in became furious.
“What do you mean, we absolutely have to change it?! What if he's asking us to change it in a direction completely different from the director's intention? Are you still saying we have to change it?!”
“Senior, think about it rationally.”
“It's Yoo Hae-in.”
“Yoo Hae-in! Can't you imagine how much having Yoo Hae-in in our movie would help us?”
That was true.
Just having the rising star Yoo Hae-in appear in the movie could bring product placements from the companies currently using him in advertisements.
It might even attract additional investment.
Then they could afford to pay the staff more generously than they could now, and they could even build the set they couldn't dream of building because of the lack of production funds.
Moreover, if they promoted the movie as Yoo Hae-in's first film, some level of success would surely be guaranteed after its release.
Well, in reality, the movie had indeed become quite successful thanks to him.
After considering all of this, Director Song must have eventually changed the script reluctantly.
“Hey!”
“Park Young-soo!”
“You're someone who wants to become a director someday, and you're saying something like that?!”
“Senior, why are you bringing that up right now?!”
Just then, Producer Jung came back into the office alone after going outside with Director Song.
A heavy silence immediately filled the office, which had been full of shouting just moments before.
“What is this atmosphere?”
“Did something happen?”
“Nothing much happened.”
“But what about the director···?”
Quick-witted Cha Seung-jun quickly tried to move past the situation.
“Ah, I sent him home.”
“He seemed to need some time to think.”
And so, the situation came to an end for the time being, and we each returned to our work.
When it was time to leave work, Producer Jung suggested having a small welcome party to celebrate the production department's first day.
Perhaps because it was a weekday, the inside of the bar was quiet.
Naturally, our conversation in the corner turned to the script changes proposed by actor Yoo Hae-in earlier that day.
Scriptwriter Jung-in persistently questioned Producer Jung and eventually found out exactly what kind of changes Yoo Hae-in had suggested.
“So basically, the protagonist dying at the end doesn't make sense.”
“He wants the protagonist to take revenge in a cool way and proudly finish the story as the new boss of the organization, right?”
“That's such a typical and predictable good-versus-evil ending.”
“I think the current ending is much better···.”
Encouraged by Tae-soo's words, Scriptwriter Jung-in began getting worked up again.
“Is he crazy?”
“Does he think he's the director?”
“Why does he think he can tell a director to change a work that he wrote with a clear intention?!”
“Senior, don't just look at this emotionally.”
Assistant Director Park Young-soo once again challenged her.
Jung-in responded sharply.
“You think I'm saying all this just because I'm emotional?”
Jung-in began by quoting Jean Giraudoux's famous saying, ‘There is no such thing as a work, only the artist.’
She then quoted Truffaut, who had said that even if a film failed, he found the films of directors like Jean Cocteau and Robert Bresson more interesting than films without any distinctive character like those of Jean Delannoy.
She passionately explained her thoughts about auteur cinema.
“Auteur cinema is great.”
“But you know how important this opportunity is for Jae-hyun hyung.”
The assistant director passionately argued that there were very few directors who could make movies exactly the way they wanted from the beginning.
He said that even directors whose artistic abilities were recognized today couldn't make the movies they wanted from the beginning.
“They were able to make the movies they want now because they managed to get their start somehow. Don't you agree, Producer?”
Producer Jung, who had been watching the situation with interest the entire time, cautiously responded to the assistant director's question.
“I'm not sure···.”
