Chapter 59: The Director's Chair
Preparations continued even after the full script reading was over.
The actors began rehearsing scene by scene.
The camera tests were completed.
The final versions of the costumes and makeup were decided.
One by one, the palace sets being built by the art department were completed as well.
Summer passed.
Then autumn quickly slipped by.
November.
The first day of filming for The Night the King Died had finally arrived.
Geonwoo had been on set since before sunset.
The set was already crowded with people.
Filming equipment had been arranged along the palace corridors.
The lighting team was preparing for the night scenes.
Extras playing soldiers and palace servants had already changed into costume and were gathered on one side.
Geonwoo was checking the monitor with the cinematographer.
On the opposite side, several members of the directing team stood holding the shooting schedule.
One of them looked across the set and spoke.
"We're really starting with this scene on the first day."
The person beside him looked up.
"Seriously. We're starting with one of the scenes with the most people."
"It's not like only two actors are moving either."
Soldiers and palace servants were already taking their positions along the corridor.
The camera also had a long path to travel.
One of the staff members looked at Hyunsoo.
"Jung Hyunsoo, aren't you nervous?"
Hyunsoo didn't even look up from the shooting schedule.
"Not really. We've been preparing together for months."
The staff member beside him laughed.
"Preparing and actually starting production are completely different things. And I heard our director's previous film was a small production. Isn't this his first time handling a shoot this big?"
"That's true. What if today's shoot turns into a disaster?"
Hyunsoo glanced at him, then folded the schedule.
"Don't worry. Our director is extremely thorough."
Just then, Geonwoo walked toward them.
The directing-team staff naturally fell silent.
Geonwoo looked as though he hadn't heard their conversation.
"Hyunsoo."
"Yeah."
"Finished checking the blocking along the corridor?"
"Yeah."
Hyunsoo pointed toward the far end.
"The soldiers enter after the historian passes, and the palace attendants exit in the opposite direction."
Geonwoo nodded.
He looked at the first assistant director standing nearby.
"Let's do a camera rehearsal."
The first AD folded the shooting schedule and raised his radio.
"Prepare for camera rehearsal."
The people on set immediately began moving.
Geonwoo headed toward the actors.
Min Jaeha was dressed as the historian and talking with a staff member.
Yoon Jaehyuk stood a short distance away.
He was already in Lee Gyeom's military uniform, with a sword hanging at his waist.
Jaeha spotted Geonwoo first.
"Director! We're finally filming."
"Looks like it."
"Please take good care of me today!"
Jaehyuk bowed as well.
"I look forward to working with you."
Geonwoo looked between them.
"You're both ready, right?"
"Of course!"
Jaeha answered, then glanced at Jaehyuk.
Jaehyuk's hand was resting on the hilt of his sword.
It was already the several-th time Geonwoo had seen him do it.
"Jaehyuk, are you all right?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
His answer came immediately.
But his hand remained on the scabbard.
Jaeha watched him for a moment and smiled.
"You look pretty nervous."
Jaehyuk froze.
"Is it that obvious?"
"A little."
Jaehyuk finally laughed.
"This feels different from going onstage."
"It's your first movie shoot."
Jaehyuk slowly lowered the hand resting on his scabbard.
"That's true."
Jaeha smiled.
"Once we actually start, you'll settle down quickly."
"If a movie veteran says so, I'll trust you."
"Veteran? You debuted in theater before I debuted as an actor. Don't say things like that. You're putting pressure on me."
Jaehyuk finally smiled a little more naturally.
Geonwoo looked at them.
"Let's start with rehearsal."
"Yes."
Jaeha headed toward his starting position first.
Jaehyuk followed.
A moment later, the first AD's voice rang across the set.
"Starting camera rehearsal!"
Jaeha stood in front of the King's side hall.
The camera waited for him near the entrance to the corridor.
Jaehyuk took his position on the opposite side.
The palace attendants and soldiers moved into place as well.
The scene took place immediately after the King collapsed.
The historian was escaping the King's side hall with a document pouch containing the final royal edict.
Soldiers were searching the corridors for him.
After they crossed the frame, Lee Gyeom was supposed to appear and block the historian's path.
What Geonwoo wanted was a single image where the historian's hurried movement collided with Lee Gyeom's complete stillness.
Geonwoo sat in front of the monitor.
"Let's go."
The door to the King's side hall opened.
Jaeha stepped outside.
The moment he turned into the corridor, the camera began moving too.
Two palace attendants entered from the opposite direction.
Jaeha passed between them.
Then the soldiers moved.
The camera rounded the corridor.
Jaehyuk stepped forward.
But half of his body was blocked on screen.
One of the soldiers had crossed in front of him.
"Hold on."
Everyone stopped at Geonwoo's voice.
Geonwoo replayed what they had just filmed.
"You two playing the soldiers moved too early."
One of the extras playing a soldier bowed.
"Sorry. I started first."
"It's fine."
Geonwoo said,
"Let's go again with the timing we rehearsed earlier."
The camera rehearsal restarted.
The door opened.
Jaeha came out.
The camera followed him.
Two palace attendants crossed in front.
Jaeha rounded the corridor.
Hyunsoo raised his hand.
Only then did the soldiers move.
As they crossed the frame—
Jaehyuk appeared.
"Stop right there."
Jaeha halted.
Their positions matched perfectly.
The camera also stopped exactly where it had been planned.
Geonwoo watched until the end.
"Good. Let's shoot it like this."
The first AD immediately spoke into his radio.
"We're using that exact blocking!"
Everyone moved again.
The lighting team made one final adjustment.
The extras returned to their places.
One of the directing-team staff who had been worried about Geonwoo earlier whispered to the person beside him.
"He caught the mistake immediately."
"Yeah."
That was all they said.
Both of them soon returned to their positions.
The shoot was ready moments later.
Jaeha went back inside the King's side hall.
Jaehyuk stood at the end of the corridor.
His hand rose to the scabbard again.
Then, perhaps remembering his conversation with Jaeha earlier, he slowly lowered it.
"Phew..."
"Don't be nervous."
The first AD checked the set.
"Rolling!"
The crew cleared the shooting area.
A camera assistant stepped in front of the lens with the slate.
Geonwoo looked at the monitor.
"Action."
The door opened.
The historian quickly stepped outside and rounded the corridor.
Palace attendants crossed ahead of him, and soldiers followed behind.
The camera reached the end of the corridor.
Lee Gyeom turned first.
The historian hadn't even entered his field of vision yet.
And before the historian's hand moved toward his chest, Lee Gyeom's gaze was already dropping.
"Cut."
The cinematographer checked the image.
"Camera was good."
Geonwoo paused the footage at the exact moment that bothered him.
"Jaehyuk, could you come look at this?"
Jaehyuk approached the monitor.
On screen, Lee Gyeom was already turning before the historian had appeared.
His eyes also moved downward before the historian's hand reached toward his clothes.
Jaehyuk pressed his lips together.
"I moved first."
"Yes."
"You were trying to match the timing from rehearsal."
"I'm sorry."
Geonwoo pointed to the historian on the screen.
"Don't think about timing."
Jaehyuk looked at him.
"I'm the one who chose you to play Lee Gyeom."
Geonwoo continued.
"Move when you see Jaeha."
"Look down when you see his hand move toward his chest."
"What if I'm late?"
"You won't be."
Geonwoo answered simply.
"The moment you see it and react is the right timing."
Jaehyuk looked at him for a moment.
The hand that had risen to the scabbard slowly dropped.
"Understood. I'll try again."
Jaeha rose beside him.
"We just do it again, right?"
"Yes."
The two returned to their starting positions.
Jaehyuk stood at the end of the corridor.
He let out a quiet breath and looked ahead.
The first AD checked the set.
"Ready."
Geonwoo turned back to the monitor.
"Let's go."
The camera assistant stepped in with the slate.
Clap.
The slate snapped shut, and the assistant immediately left the frame.
At the same time, Geonwoo called,
"Action."
The door to the King's side hall opened.
The historian stepped outside.
He looked behind him once, then quickly moved along the corridor.
Two palace attendants passed in front.
