Episode 110: Clue
“Me? Why?”
Kang Lim tilted his head in confusion at the sudden casting proposal.
The film Charlotte mentioned had already begun filming.
The fact that shooting had started meant that the planning and investment decisions had been made and the production phase had been completed.
In other words, all the actors and staff had already been set.
‘From location scouting to pre-production, everything must have been planned out… why bring me in at the last minute?’
Especially for such a Hollywood film, which involves astronomical capital, the production period is usually over a year.
But now they want to add a stand-in actor? It seems like the shooting site is full of unpredictable variables.
Charlotte, as if reading Kang Lim’s mind, explained.
“Of course, we held auditions and selected painters long ago. However, we couldn’t get the desired shot for the live painting scenes. Since your face won’t be shown, you can do it without any pressure, Kang Lim.”
Feigning ignorance, Kang Lim asked.
“What kind of movie is it? What exactly would I be doing if I joined?”
“It’s a film featuring several 19th-century impressionist painters. There are a total of 10 artists including the main character. You’d be responsible for the main scenes where painting is done live, Kang Lim. The exact amount of work will be decided after I have some meetings.”
The intriguing offer made Kang Lim’s ears perk up.
Being cast by a famous art director after seeing his painting skills at the site made him secretly happy, feeling his skills acknowledged.
Kang Lim calmed himself down before speaking.
Acting nonchalant and playing hard-to-get seemed like the best approach.
“Hmm… but I’m also quite busy preparing for an exhibition. I’d like to see the script before making a decision.”
“Of course. If you give me your email address, I’ll send it to you.”
Wow, I just threw it out there, and she agreed to my request so easily. Is this normal?
Kang Lim found Charlotte’s promptness remarkable. She seemed to be in quite a hurry.
“Oh, and one more thing…”
Charlotte scratched her head as if pondering before speaking.
“The work you just did, was it with gouache?”
“Yes.”
“If you have any other works made with different materials, could you show them to me? It would be even better if you could show me your studio.”
Seo-yeon, who was next to him, was startled by the request to see the studio.
Seo-yeon whispered quietly in Kang Lim’s ear in Korean.
“You know you can’t show your unpublished works, right?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll just show the portfolio I made for my materials science assignment in school. It includes prints, sculptures, ceramics, and oil paintings.”
“Oh, right! That would be perfect.”
Kang Lim told Charlotte.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t show you my entire studio since I have many unpublished works. Instead, I’ll send you my portfolio.”
“I understand. That’s fine. I’ve already seen your skills today.”
“I’ll try to include a variety of works in the portfolio, including some three-dimensional pieces.”
“Thank you very much.”
Kang Lim and Charlotte exchanged contact information.
After confirming the email address via text, Charlotte felt at ease.
It felt like she had obtained an important clue to untangle the complex situation.
Kang Lim told her.
“The address below the email is where I’m currently staying. I’ll read the script and discuss it with the director before getting back to you.”
“Yes. I’ll discuss it with Frazer as well. I hope we can talk about the contract then.”
No way, is Frazer going to personally review my paintings? Kang Lim’s heart naturally started to race.
Such an unexpected turn of events, life really does have its surprises.
A production designer. The art director of a film creates all visuals except for the actors and directors.
From gigantic sets to the tiniest props… the mood and image of the entire film are born under the hands of the chief art director.
One reason Kang Lim liked Director Frazer was because he worked with Charlotte.
Her stage designs maximized his incredible direction.
Making a film is a collaborative effort of many people to produce the best results.
‘I really enjoyed filming that thriller back then…’
Kang Lim recalled the “Psychopath’s Room” Charlotte had created.
It was the room of a serial killer living as an ordinary architect. Except for the wallpaper that looked like it had bars of concrete, there was nothing special about the place.
It was so meticulously tidy that it appeared desolate.
‘That’s why the wardrobe in the corner of the room looked even more strange and eerie.’
There was a large oak wardrobe in the room. The distorted wood grain seemed to expose the abandoned monster’s inner world.
When the wardrobe was opened, grotesque dolls and toys representing the victims poured out.
Seeing that scene in the middle of the film had startled him… the characters he had created were incredibly creepy.
The shape of the mobile hanging outside the window was also unique.
When the killer fell asleep, the shadow of a dead bird was cast over his face, harmonizing well with the overall cold lighting of the film.
‘A character grown up in a violent and cruel environment, the protagonist’s unstable psyche was directly reflected in the space…’
It was the same for this film. Charlotte had put in immense effort to accurately recreate the 19th century.
Her costumes and props were so notable that they were often talked about, and there was much to learn from seeing them up close.
‘And this film also broke even, so it wasn’t a total commercial failure. Although it was criticized for not being up to Frazer’s usual standards, if I could help create the desired scenes, it might change things a bit…’
While Kang Lim was deep in thought, Seo-yeon was searching for articles related to Frazer’s new film.
There were many eyewitness accounts of seeing certain actors at various filming locations.
“Wow! So the woman we saw earlier created the set we saw in Giverny? It really must be fate.”
“Yeah, meeting her again in Paris, this place must be really small.”
“Of course! It’s really tiny here. It’s probably one-sixth the size of Seoul. You can visit multiple tourist spots within a few minutes’ walk. Everything is crammed together.”
Seo-yeon looked more excited than Kang Lim. She seemed thrilled, chatting all day long.
She looked enviously at the possibility of seeing actors up close.
“Lim-ah, this is like a Hollywood debut, let’s brag to our friends!”
“Come on, no. Don’t. It’s just a painting stand-in role, my face won’t even be shown.”
“Still! You get to work with John Ford. Unnie Jang-mi is a huge fan, she’ll go crazy. Hyunseong will be super jealous too.”
“Let’s wait for the director’s approval first. I need his permission to do it.”
“Mom would probably say okay right away… Honestly, there’s so much to learn on a film set. It would be incredibly helpful for future video projects.”
While the two were chatting, Ryu Miyeon entered the planning office.
Her usual inscrutable expression. It was hard to predict her reaction from the look on her face.
That evening, after checking Kang Lim’s portfolio, Charlotte rushed to Frazer.
This person wasn’t just good at drawing people; he didn’t only paint.
He was like a golden ticket, adaptable to any artist.
“Frazer! We can shoot the scene you wanted right away.”
Charlotte burst into the room, panting.
She clutched a file folder containing the portfolio to her chest.
Frazer sighed deeply, seeing her expression like someone who had found an oasis in the desert.
She had been like this during the auditions too. She was thrilled when good painters applied back then as well.
Frazer spoke in a disinterested tone.
“So, did you find another painter?”
“Yes. This time, it’s the real deal!”
Frazer put his large hand on his forehead and said.
“Charlotte, enough… Little was good during the audition too. He had practiced specific paintings a lot. But once we started shooting and he had to absorb various styles, his lack of practice showed.”
“No, this is a skill that can’t be created through practice. You can’t compare him to Little. This person has an eye like the geniuses of the 19th century.”
“Impossible. Those painters saw real landscapes and painted them on the spot.”
“Just have a look.”
Charlotte lowered the presentation screen and connected it to the computer.
She was about to play the video file she had recorded, but Frazer’s voice grew louder.
“Charlotte! I told you to stop! You should have tested more than just copying famous paintings. You should’ve used more diverse methods to test the painters!”
Frazer closed his mouth, showing he didn’t want to say more.
Taking a deep breath, deep wrinkles formed between his brows.
He didn’t want to get angry with her anymore. Who could he blame? It was his fault for not providing detailed direction.
‘I’ve been too complacent due to consecutive successes. I should have clearly separated personal and professional matters and viewed my wife as the art director…’
Just as Frazer was feeling dejected.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
A strong beat that echoed through his heart was felt.
Charlotte had played the video after all.
‘…….’
Frazer slowly raised his head.
In front of him, a vast Place du Tertre on Montmartre Hill unfolded.
In the middle of the square was a man dancing in clothes so thin it was hard to believe it was winter.
He appeared to be from West Africa.
He performed acrobatics that matched the primitive music well.
It was a difficult dance that looked exhausting.
As people cheered, Charlotte’s camera slowly rotated.
A young man with black canvas and black hair appeared.
His intense dance, somewhere between sports and acrobatics, was replayed on the black canvas.
‘What’s this… Is he painting the dancing man?’
Frazer’s body instinctively leaned forward.
The expressionist colors emitted by the young man were powerful enough to draw him into the video.
He captured the movements quickly with free and bold lines.
When the dancer made a high jump, his heels rose behind his waist in a distorted posture.
It was a scene highlighting dynamic transitions.
‘Drawing a twisted body from behind like that could make it look like a contorted pose, not a dance…’
Drawing the human body is difficult.
Because we observe it daily, even a slight mistake can make it look abnormal.
However, this drawing did not.
It reflected accurate anatomical knowledge to capture the bizarre dance.
The tension in the thigh muscles, bulging under the thin clothes, was palpable.
What about the neck heavily inclined on the trapezius muscle?
The intense pose maintained a precarious balance thanks to the flexible curve of the spine.
The brush outlining the figure moved delicately and tenderly.
Frazer was amazed at the subtle depiction of muscles and bones.
It felt like a burst of heat was erupting inside him.
‘It’s not just the exact movement…’
The spatial sense of light the painter felt on site was also vividly conveyed.
A foggy, misty atmosphere. Through it, a ray of sunlight fell.
The breath of the dancer, panting heavily, made his fingertips flicker in and out of sight.
It freely expressed the unconventional appearance of light.
‘It doesn’t look like the body is cut off; it fades away like mist. He controls the paint density freely. The dark background makes it feel like you’re falling into a black hole…’
It was similar to Degas’ compositions that freely drew figures cut off by the frame.
The ambiance of the scene even reminded him of his fondness for the subtle gaslight.
‘It might even be a superior observer… Acrobatics show more intense movements than ballet.’
Frazer couldn’t take his eyes off the screen until the long video ended.
After the screen was raised, he appeared quite disheveled.
His breath was damp and hot, as if he had danced on the spot.
Charlotte handed Frazer the rest of the portfolio and said.
“He’s not just good at drawing. These are works he did as assignments… from marble sculptures to ceramics, prints, and of course, oil landscapes.”
“He looked young… Can he communicate well?”
“Yes. He seems to speak English better than I do.”
“…….”
Frazer slowly flipped through the portfolio.
His sharp eyes keenly gauged the talent displayed in the works.
Now, he could clear his troubled mind.
Frazer took a deep breath and told Charlotte.
His voice was full of determination.
“Leave the detailed clauses in the contract blank. Make sure to meet most of his demands and bring him in.”
