Chapter 15: Breaking Free—What Are the Duties of an Assistant Director?

Chapter 15: Breaking Out of the Shell—What Are the Responsibilities of an Assistant Director?

Qin Feng had moved to a new apartment—a two-bedroom unit with a minimalist personalized design, spacious and bright, featuring large floor-to-ceiling windows.

At this moment, he was lying on the bed, glancing at his alarm clock and preparing to sleep.

Ring ring ring…

It was a call from Scarlett, and his eyes immediately lit up.

“Hello? Scarlett.”

“Qin Feng, I saw the entertainment news—you’ve started filming your movie!”

“Yes, sorry, I forgot to tell you.”

“I noticed you look great on camera—you’re really handsome today.”

“No way, I’m not an actor; what use is being handsome?”

“Of course it matters! Haven’t you seen several media outlets commenting on you?”

“Ahem… today’s filming did make quite a splash. Maybe Hollywood hasn’t done a sci-fi movie in a while.”

“Yeah, I’m really envious of you. I hope your ‘Jurassic Park’ shoots go smoothly and that it’s a box office hit!”

“Thanks. If I finish work early one day, dinner’s on me.”

“Great, great!”

…

The film’s production officially began. Since the script and storyboards were already quite detailed, each day followed a set routine.

As the first assistant director, Qin Feng helped the director manage the entire crew. His main responsibilities involved time management, organizational coordination, and communication.

He relayed instructions from the director’s team to the actors and various departments and planned the daily schedule.

Some tasks were quite meticulous, but Qin Feng handled them all proficiently.

He often carried a large notebook filled with detailed workflows and charts, jotting down any issues as they arose.

Within less than a week, he had interacted with almost every crew member.

Everyone had a very favorable impression of him—sunny, handsome, and diligent.

Today’s scene was an indoor one:

The boss, Hammond, led several principal actors as they entered the dinosaur research facility for the first time.

The scene revealed Hammond’s true intention behind building “Jurassic Park.” Using modern genetic engineering, he demonstrated how dinosaur DNA was extracted from a mosquito that had once sucked dinosaur blood, then cultivated into dinosaur embryos for breeding.

Some shots were fully rendered in 2D animation.

But the key sequence was a close-up of a baby dinosaur breaking out of its egg.

Because these shots were close-ups, a mechanical model of the baby dinosaur was used.

Several actors gathered around the incubation container, preparing their emotions.

All departments were ready.

Spielberg sat solemnly before the monitors, holding a walkie-talkie.

The assistant cameraman called out the slate: “b036, Scene 2, Take 3! Ready… action!”

The camera slowly zoomed in.

Under the astonished gazes of the lead actors,

The eggshell before them gradually cracked.

A tiny dinosaur pushed through the shell, poked its head out, and let out a small chirp.

The group leaned closer, cheering the baby dinosaur on with all their might.

Boss Hammond clenched his fists, softly saying, “Yes, just like that.”

Laura Dern murmured, “Very good…”

Beside her, Dr. Wu, an Asian scientist, added, “We designed it that way.”

The baby dinosaur shook its head and blinked its eyes in bewilderment.

Laura Dern exclaimed in delight, “Wow! Look at them…”

At that moment, Spielberg picked up the walkie-talkie and called softly, “Cut!”

Filming paused.

Qin Feng stood beside the director. “Director, what’s the matter?”

Spielberg pointed to the ring light above the incubation platform. “The lighting is off—the ambiance is a bit dark, and the actors’ faces are shadowed.”

Qin Feng rose. “Understood.”

“Also,” Spielberg called out, “the baby dinosaur’s hatching movements are a little stiff. Talk to the model team and make the motions smoother.”

“Got it.”

Qin Feng quickly made his way to the set.

Laura Dern asked, “Qin Feng, is there a problem with the acting? Shall we do another take?”

“No, the actors did very well. It’s the lighting and props.”

He found the props and model teams and communicated swiftly.

“The lighting feels cold and dim. Let’s try switching to a warmer tone and brighten it as much as possible.”

“When the baby dinosaur hatches, can the movement be softer? The last take looked a bit rigid.”

“No problem.”

“Alright, Qin Feng.”

The two team leads gave an “OK” gesture and went to make adjustments.

After everyone finished, Qin Feng returned to the director’s side.

“b036, Scene 2, Take 4! Ready… action!”

With the actors’ excellent performances and the baby dinosaur’s fluid motions, the scene unfolded brilliantly.

Even Spielberg was captivated, nearly forgetting to call “Cut.”

Qin Feng gently reminded him, and the director snapped back, “Cut!”

Standing up, he applauded, “Wow, that was fantastic!”

“Everyone did very well!”

The crew applauded and encouraged each other.

Spielberg turned to Qin Feng, “Qin, you’re really getting the hang of the set. Very impressive!”

Qin Feng smiled, “That’s because I’ve learned a lot from you.”

“And… there’s always more to learn.”

“Ha ha ha…” The director laughed. “There’s an old Chinese saying… what is it… you’re getting better at flattery!”

The work was intense but full of joy.

Each day brought new challenges.

That afternoon, Qin Feng found time to call Scarlett.

“Hello, Scarlett, are you free tonight?”

“Yes!”

“I’ll treat you to dinner—Western cuisine near the Walk of Fame. I’ll send you the address.”

“Aren’t you filming tonight?”

“We finished today’s schedule.”

“Alright then, see you tonight! Bye~”

“Bye~”

The Walk of Fame is a pedestrian street in Hollywood, embedded with over 2,500 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars.

Each star honors someone with outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry—actors, musicians, directors, producers, bands…

Nearby, Qin Feng arrived early at a Western-style restaurant, waiting quietly for his beauty.

Before long, Scarlett entered wearing a long purple coat.

She looked around, spotted Qin Feng, and hurried over.

“Qin Feng, sorry to keep you waiting.”

Qin Feng smiled, “No problem, I just got here too. Before anything else, I have to say…”

“What’s that?”

“You look beautiful tonight.”

“Ah, ha ha… Was I not beautiful before?”

They each ordered steak, salad, and broccoli. Qin Feng ordered a bottle of red wine.

Scarlett looked at him. “So, how’s the filming going, Qin Feng?”

“Not bad. There are daily small issues, especially with the mechanical models and special effects. How about you?”

“I’m about to wrap up.”

“Oh, by the way,” she suddenly remembered, “Can you come to the set when I finish filming?”

“Uh?” Qin Feng hesitated, “Is it appropriate for me to come to the set?”

“It is! You’re part of the industry now. What’s not appropriate?”

“Can’t it just be for me?”

(End of chapter)