Chapter 013
After the auditions, for several days, we struggled to make the final selections for the lead and supporting roles while repeatedly watching the audition videos.
Although I had recommended Moon Hyun-bin to Director Song during the profile screening, I had no idea whether Director Song would actually cast him, so I was anxious.
Fortunately, it seemed that Director Song had also recognized Moon Hyun-bin's potential.
“Even though he’s young, there’s a subtlety to his acting.
I think he can express Sun-woo’s dilemma very well.
His physical appearance and visuals are good too.”
And so, Moon Hyun-bin was officially cast as the main character, Sun-woo.
For the role of Sun-woo’s wife, Mi-seon, actress Jo Hae-young was finally cast.
Jo Hae-young had built a reputation for herself in Daehangno.
Although this was her first movie, she was chosen because she suited the mature image of Mi-seon very well.
The assistant director strongly pushed for Gil Bo-young to play Mi-seon, but she wasn't cast because she looked too young.
Instead, Gil Bo-young was cast as Hyo-rim, the daughter of the organization's boss, Jang Gil-tae, who becomes obsessed with Sun-woo.
Although the role wasn't very large, Gil Bo-young seemed to think it was a good opportunity to break away from her image as a child actress, so she willingly accepted the role of Hyo-rim.
The casting for Jang Gil-tae, the boss of the organization, as well as all the other supporting roles, was also completed.
Time passed, and only one month remained until filming began.
By then, we had finished securing every location except for the model house.
The storyboard and daily shooting schedules had also been completed.
Moreover, thanks to one of PD Jung's acquaintances, we were able to obtain a considerable amount of 35mm film for free, which allowed us to save a lot of money.
At that time, far more movies were still being filmed with film cameras than digital cameras.
Movie film was expensive, so even a few retakes could cause the budget to skyrocket.
Of course, movies with plenty of funding could simply purchase more film without worrying.
But independent movies, which were always struggling with their budgets, couldn't afford to do that.
So although it was something unimaginable today, back then, if an actor made more than three mistakes during a shoot, the atmosphere on set could become extremely tense.
“Wow~.
Exactly how many canisters are there?
At this rate, it looks like we have enough for about sixty minutes of footage···.”
“Exactly sixty minutes.”
Dozens of silver, round metal canisters containing 35mm film filled an entire refrigerator, and we all cheered.
Was this what it felt like to have a rice storage room completely filled with grain?
That evening, we celebrated our good fortune by drinking together at a bar near the office.
“I’m telling you, that’s not true.
No matter what people say about digital, it can never match the delicate texture of film.
Film will never disappear!”
In 2004, with the rapid expansion of the digital market, the possibility of digital replacing film had become a common topic of discussion among filmmakers.
The assistant director happened to bring up the subject.
Everyone nodded as if they agreed with him.
But I quietly sipped my beer.
‘Hyung··· I’m sorry, but in just ten years, there won’t be movies being made on film anymore···.’
That was how it turned out.
Digital, which seemed like it could never catch up with film, caught up within just ten years.
And in 2013, with ‘Snowpiercer’ marking the end, the era of film in Korean cinema came to a close.
We were in the middle of our conversation when PD Jung’s phone suddenly rang.
After checking the caller, PD Jung went outside to answer the phone.
A short while later, he returned to his seat.
His expression looked troubled as he glanced at Director Song.
“Why?
What’s the call about?”
“It was the person in charge of the model house we visited a few days ago about the location···.”
“Why?
Did they say we can't film there?”
“No, it’s not that···.
They have a condition.”
“A condition?
What kind of condition?”
“Well··· they want us to make a promotional video.”
“A promotional video?”
Everyone's attention turned toward PD Jung.
Following the guidance of the information desk employee, we crossed through Daeho Construction's apartment model house and headed toward the office.
“Wow, it really feels like a movie set.”
Scriptwriter Jung In had come along for the location scouting instead of the assistant director.
She looked around the model house, which had been divided into 24-pyeong, 36-pyeong, and 48-pyeong units and built to look exactly like real apartment interiors.
“I wonder when I’ll ever be able to live in an apartment like this.
Every time I come here, I feel so pathetic.”
PD Jung grinned.
The information desk employee walking ahead of us stopped in front of an office door with a sign that read ‘Public Relations Department.’
“You can go inside.”
Following the employee's instructions, we entered the office.
Despite the sign saying ‘Public Relations Department,’ the office contained nothing more than an office desk and a large conference table.
“Welcome.”
The person in charge, who was sitting at the office desk, greeted us as if he had been waiting for us.
“Yes, hello.
How have you been?”
PD Jung and Director Song, who had met the person in charge during our previous visit, greeted him.
“You must be busy, but thank you for coming all the way here.”
“Not at all.
