24 Inevitable hardships

"The Pacific" officially began production, and the entire crew operated like a meticulously tuned instrument.

However, after the first week of filming, Renly found himself with less to do. Eugene's role didn't appear in the second and third episodes after his debut in the first episode. It wasn't until the fourth episode that he made a brief appearance. Only in the fifth episode would Eugene, as a new recruit, join the fervent and arduous battles of the Pacific War, entering the long and grueling tug of war.

For nearly a month and a half, Renly had no work tasks on his plate; he simply accompanied the crew as they moved around. This was the first time Renly truly experienced the essence of filming: "Filming is waiting". This quote came from James, the actor who portrayed Robert Leckie.

In the process of filming, the majority of time was actually spent waiting – even for the lead actors. This was due not only to the extensive time required for each scene's setup and preparation, but also the numerous shots needed for each scene. Different actors, angles, and distances all required multiple takes, even for a scene that went off without a hitch.

Thus, waiting was a prerequisite for every actor. This reality was far from Renly's initial imaginings of life on a film set.

In truth, during this period, Renly could have taken a vacation. Although the entire crew was in Australia, he could have taken a jaunt to the Gold Coast and returned. Yet, after careful consideration, Renly entertained the idea of a vacation but ultimately decided against it – "The Pacific".

This series was unique. Spanning over two years, it provided an authentic depiction of the U.S. military's engagements with the Japanese in the Pacific, encompassing countless life-and-death battles. Every night and every encounter had an immeasurable impact on the soldiers.

Renly could have chosen a holiday, but doing so would detach him from the authenticity of the battlefield. Moreover, the disjointed timeline could affect his performance. Being someone who lived in times of peace, his understanding of war was based solely on images and words. He couldn't truly grasp the indelible effects of war on soldiers. If he were to slack off now, what meaning would being an actor hold?

Renly not only chose to stay with the crew, but also endured the grueling filming conditions alongside other actors. They faced wind and rain, genuinely experiencing the trials brought about by each battle.

For instance, two weeks ago, Renly, Jon Seda, James Badge Dale, and other actors spent a full forty-nine hours lying in the pouring rain and mud, sleeplessly enduring. Bathing was a luxury they could only dream of. The challenges of pushing oneself to the limit despite physical exhaustion, and worrying about one's life while on the brink, can't be comprehended through mere imagination; one can't truly understand the fear of teetering on the edge of danger when one is utterly depleted.

An additional benefit was that Renly truly made quite a few friends within the crew. Their shared experiences fostered a strong resonance among them. For a newcomer like Renly, this was indeed the quickest and most effective way to integrate into the crew. It also prevented the isolation and exclusion planned by Richard and his group from taking hold.

As September was nearing its end, Renly finally donned his attire again. This time, Eugene officially stepped onto the battlefield. This marked the transition from being a supporting character to gradually assuming the role that Robert Leckie held in the first half of the series. He was growing into the main protagonist, carrying the weight on his shoulders.

In the blink of an eye, the production of "The Pacific" had spanned over four months. When they first arrived in Australia, it was winter; now, they had transitioned into summer. If all went as planned, they would spend their first Christmas in summer here.

"Everyone, find cover! The explosion radius has been designated. Do not cross the boundary line! I repeat, do not cross the boundary line! Find cover ahead and proceed according to the route!"

The leader of the special effects team shouted through a megaphone. Over the past four months, they had experienced explosions big and small, numbering into the double digits. The actors were well-acquainted with them.

However, today's scene was a bit more special. It was set on an open field. While there were many ruined structures nearby, the context of the scene was that the military was caught in the middle of the road, facing an aerial assault from friendly forces in a completely open area. Due to a time discrepancy in intelligence, the friendly forces executed a devastating air strike, turning it into a catastrophe.

Since it was an open area, controlling the explosions was even more challenging. Especially since the actors had to cross the square during the explosions. The special effects team was on high alert, and for this scene, they had rehearsed and calculated for five days.

"Rookie, rookie," James' teasing voice reached Renly's ears. Since the first day, this nickname had followed Renly around, even though the whole crew praised his acting skills. However, this nickname also indicated that Renly had truly been accepted by everyone.

Renly was adjusting his straps. He played the role of a mortar gunner, with the mortar on his back as his weapon. Throughout the filming process, he had added a rifle to his repertoire for today's shoot, so he needed to adjust his posture. Without turning his head, Renly retorted, "Don, cut the crap." "Don Juan" was James' nickname, who considered himself a romantic.

"I bet you, Bambi will definitely fall later." James' words immediately sparked complaints from "Bambi" Rami. "Hey! I'm not that clumsy, okay? I promise you, I won't mess up today!"

Holding his rifle, Renly glanced left and right, confirming the path ahead. "Don, I bet you, Bambi will definitely be hit. A clump of dirt will land right in the middle of his forehead!" Navigating through explosions, though they wouldn't be harmed, being caught in the blast was inevitable. Even for the sake of realism, it had to be this way.

"Rookie!" Rami shouted in frustration, but both James and Renly ignored Rami's grand ambitions, discussing whether they could finish this scene in three days. Rami was left alone, feeling abandoned, which drew chuckles from the nearby actors. Then, the assistant director's voice sounded in their ears, "All departments, get ready."

Renly interrupted the conversation and slowed his breathing, focusing his mind as he resumed the filming rhythm.

Upon hearing the explosions, Eugene bent over and began running along the designated route. The swirling sand and dust obscured his vision, and he occasionally felt clumps of dirt hitting him. The intense sound of gunfire surrounded him, and the ruins beneath his feet bore rows of bullet holes, clearly indicating a concentrated aerial assault. This forced him to search for cover to temporarily evade the onslaught. The relentless attack felt like a dance on the edge of a knife, where a single oversight could result in death.

However, he had no time to contemplate the threat of death. A blankness swept over his mind, accompanied by the alarm of impending danger. Every cell in his body felt the impending fear. Strangely, this made his steps steadier. Emerging from cover once more, he continued forward, scrambling and crawling, devoid of meaning in the rhythm of his heartbeat and breath.

"Cut!"

The explosions and gunfire suddenly ceased. David's voice echoed through the loudspeakers over the open field. "Stay in position, everyone. Stay in position. We'll now shoot Robert's return scene. Camera crew, change angles. Actors, stay in position!"

Renly's shoulders relaxed slightly. Comparatively, shooting war scenes was simpler, as the authenticity required in the midst of gunfire wasn't about subtlety or depth of acting. It was about realism, working in tandem with the prop, special effects, and camera crews. That was enough. The true challenge lay in the aftermath of the battle, the sedimented scenes that differentiated "The Pacific" from "Band of Brothers". This required a substantial amount of psychological portrayal and character exploration, demanding more from the actors and the director.

"Ah!" A scream suddenly pierced through the cacophony, sharply slicing through the sky. Everyone turned their heads toward the source of the sound. Renly saw Rami, just five steps away, writhing on the ground, hands clamped over his mouth, seemingly in pain.

"Merriel's down, Merriel's down!" Renly immediately yelled, using Rami's character name from the show. He quickly ran over. "Buddy, are you okay?" Even though the force of the explosions was carefully calculated, accidents were still possible, and with war scene shoots, everyone incurred minor injuries to some extent.

Rami gripped the ground with his feet, soil flying in all directions, but he remained silent.

Renly scrutinized him from head to toe, not seeing any blood stains— a good sign. Suddenly, he noticed that Rami was repeatedly signaling to him urgently. Renly was puzzled. "What's wrong? Did you get injured or did you just fall accidentally?"

Rami's expression grew increasingly anxious. He released his hands, emitting a low moan, but still clenched his teeth and said, "I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't let anyone come over, don't..."

The information was sparse. Renly didn't understand Rami's intent. "Let a medic come check on you." Before he could finish his sentence, crew members and fellow actors were already rushing over, inquiring about his condition. Renly could only raise his head and explain, "I don't know what happened. Rami suddenly fell and cried out in pain. Let the medical personnel check on him."

James squatted beside Renly, asking with concern, "Rami, are you okay?" Jokes aside, this closeness demonstrated their relationship. In critical situations, they were more anxious than anyone else.

Renly frowned. Just last month, his arm was dislocated and his ankle sprained, which, though not major issues, had caused him to rest for two days due to his arm. Judging by Rami's current condition, things didn't look good. Rami remained prone on the ground, and several minutes had passed. He hadn't turned over or managed to stand up. It seemed serious.

Surveying the situation again, Renly tried to determine if it was an external injury or something else... Then, Renly noticed an odd detail: what was that, sticking out of Rami's buttocks? It looked like a twig?