[Chapter 72: Film Crew Shoot]

All the indoor scenes of the movie Step Up were filmed in Los Angeles. Soon, the few outdoor scenes were completed as well.

Next, the filming moved to a large studio at Universal Studios, which had been converted into a spacious dance studio. Most of the main actors' scenes took place there.

After several intensive rehearsals for the large group dance scenes, Linton and the others had become quite skilled. After discussing some key points with the crew, he handed the directing reins over to Anne.

...

Today's shoot was the lift scene.

"Departments ready, action!"

"Lift me up!" Naomi dashed forward and was caught perfectly around the waist, lifted into the air.

She let out a surprised gasp, their eyes locking.

Linton quickly spun around, then smoothly transitioned to a classic princess carry.

...

As filming continued, everyone grew more confident and performances improved. The shoot went increasingly smoothly.

To the accompaniment of the music, Naomi danced joyfully. At the end, she turned and leaned into Linton's embrace, hooking one leg around his waist.

Linton's right hand instinctively held her close, the two sharing a tender moment frozen in time.

...

"Great! That's a wrap!" Anne said with satisfaction.

Linton gazed at the beautiful figure in his arms, his breathing quickening. Both were lightly dressed; the extended intimacy was definitely stirring things up.

He sensed Naomi's growing emotions, and amid the crew's laughter, he pulled her along toward the trailers to take a break.

Soon, the trailer began to shake erratically...

...

An hour later, they returned to the set. Zack immediately shouted, "Get ready for the next scene, everyone move quickly!"

This was the first time the male lead saw the female lead on screen. Among the many dancers, Linton immediately noticed Naomi. Though white, he'd grown up in a tough neighborhood with Black friends, used to their straightforward ways of approaching women.

They kept it simple: if they saw someone attractive, they'd just walk right up and talk to her. No games, no fancy tricks. If rejected, they moved on and never felt embarrassed.

It might sound childish or funny, but that was the blunt honesty of the underclass. Of course, the elites were different.

You might think their approach wouldn't work, yet there were plenty of success stories with pretty decent odds. Maybe the woman was lonely, heartbroken, or just looking for a wild night.

Seeing how gorgeous Naomi was, Linton saw no reason to hesitate, even though he was still wearing his janitor uniform. He immediately searched for a chance to approach her.

But just as he was about to make a move, her ex-boyfriend showed up. They started kissing, and Linton silently gave up.

...

Matt Damon played the female lead's ex. He warmly greeted Linton and Naomi. Zack explained the scene: Remember to act natural. When the couple meets, start with a warm kiss to build chemistry."

At this moment, Tim quietly arrived with two others, not disturbing the crew but watching from the sidelines.

Halle Berry and other dancers arrived bit by bit.

Naomi and Matt Damon chatted quietly in a corner...

"We just talked it over, can we film the kissing scene from different angles?" Naomi came back to suggest to Linton, knowing he didn't want to see her get close to someone else.

Matt Damon looked annoyed but knew who was boss. As a rookie, he complied.

...

"Great, approved," Zack nodded.

"Okay, that's it for today!"

Though many actors participated, the schedule and scene arrangement were well organized. Everyone's performance was excellent.

...

Suddenly, applause broke out. Everyone turned to see Universal's producer Tim walking out from a corner with two white men.

One seemed imposing. Linton recognized him as Levitt Gore, the head of Universal's distribution department. He smiled and shook his hand warmly.

"Welcome, Mr. Gore. Why didn't you give heads-up before your visit?"

"That way I get to see the crew in real action. Very impressive. Linton, I was worried if you could pull this off, but watching your live shoot, I feel much more confident."

...

Linton called Robert, Zack, and Anne to escort the trio to a meeting room for a brief discussion, to hear Gore's advice.

Linton briefly updated them on the crew status and shooting progress.

Gore nodded frequently. He combined what Tim had told him and what he'd just seen and was convinced of Linton's genuine talent.

The lead actors weren't just randomly cast as the media had claimed; they fit the script characters well and acted competently.

This movie's quality should be guaranteed, though final judgment had to wait until the finished product.

He didn't say much more but encouraged the crew to keep up the hard work and produce a quality film. If there were difficulties, they could use Tim to communicate with Universal.

Universal would provide strong support and not to worry about distribution. Of course, final distribution plans would be discussed after the movie was complete.

This reassured everyone, especially since most of the media were pessimistic.

They worried Universal might drop or half-ass the release. Gore's words completely dispelled these doubts and boosted confidence.

---

After Gore's surprise visit, the crew's morale visibly lifted, the actors performed even harder, and filming progressed faster.

By late April, Linton began shooting the final indoor scene.

He and Naomi went to the Director Gordon's office to request changing Linton's janitorial duty to being Naomi's dance partner.

...

Naomi thanked her, then at the door turned back and reminded Linton, "Tomorrow at 2 PM, Bring your tights."

"Tights? Wait, what?"

Naomi said nothing and pushed open the director's door, striding away.

"That's a wrap!"

Zack and Linton exchanged excited looks and happily announced to the crew, who cheered.

...

After wrapping this scene, the Los Angeles shoot ended, and the crew moved to Baltimore for location filming.

Thanks to smooth cooperation, they were three days ahead of schedule. But since the Baltimore outdoor locations were already booked, the schedule couldn't be adjusted.

Linton announced a 3-day break, with the crew regrouping at the Baltimore hotel on April 25.

*****

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