Return of the Genius Photographer

Film production is a massive collaboration of many people.

It’s not just the actors and the director holding the megaphone.

Various departments, like direction, lighting, sound, art, and cinematography, all contribute to making a movie.

Because of this, no matter how small the production, the set was always bustling with people.

“Can we get the staff moving a little faster?”

“I told you to organize the equipment as soon as it’s done being used.”

“Rookie! Where’s the rookie?”

On the set of Director Kim Yong-deok’s current shoot, people were already busy from the early morning.

And the busiest among them was the rookie staff member, Hyung-ki.

“Yes! Coming!”

Hearing his name, Hyung-ki rushed off, wishing he had two bodies to keep up with all the demands.

“Hyung-ki, follow the lighting team and help set up. Looks like they’ve got a lot to move.”

“Yes!”

“Hyung-ki, once you’re done with lighting, help us next!”

No matter how many people were around, the most lacking thing before filming was always manpower.

Just setting up the equipment and props—of which there were dozens—took a significant amount of time, especially since today’s shoot was outdoors, meaning they had to start setting everything up from scratch.

While the senior staff were busy with their respective tasks, the more mundane jobs and tidying up naturally fell on Hyung-ki’s shoulders.

‘Huh? Who’s that?’

It was then.

As Hyung-ki moved about the set, his eyes caught sight of someone entering.

From afar, he could see a man with a strikingly pale face.

The man, carrying a large bag on his back, nonchalantly crossed the staff’s “no entry” tape.

‘An actor? No, that doesn’t seem right…’

He entered the set so naturally that for a moment, Hyung-ki wondered if he was an actor.

But racking his brain, he couldn’t recall seeing him before.

It wasn’t like today was a scene for extras either.

Even the supporting actors had minimal roles today, and Hyung-ki had made sure to memorize the faces of all the cast and crew to avoid any mistakes.

So, he quickly concluded that this person had nothing to do with the shoot.

‘Ugh, we’re so busy right now… I better get him out of here.’

With a slightly annoyed expression, Hyung-ki made his way towards the stranger.

It wasn’t uncommon.

To the average person, a film shoot was a fascinating sight and a rare chance to see actors up close.

Sometimes, people would get bored watching from a distance and just wander into the set, like this guy.

But the presence of outsiders could disrupt filming, and sometimes, expensive equipment would go missing because of them.

So it was also Hyung-ki’s job to chase out anyone who didn’t belong.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry, but we’re filming, so you can’t come in.”

Hyung-ki stepped in front of the man, blocking his path.

‘What’s this? How old is he? He looks pretty young…’

The man, now up close, looked delicate and youthful—maybe a college student, if that.

‘Ah, it must be summer break.’

Now that he thought about it, schools were probably on break around this time.

Having only recently graduated from university himself, it was an easy conclusion to make.

The guy was probably just a curious high schooler.

It made sense for someone that age to sneak onto a film set out of excitement.

With that in mind, Hyung-ki spoke again, his tone more tired than before.

“Hey, kid. Just because you’re curious doesn’t mean you can come in. You’ll disturb the shoot. Go watch from over there.”

But the man simply smiled at Hyung-ki and replied gently.

“No need to worry. I’m here for the shoot too.”

Then, he tried to walk past Hyung-ki.

Startled, Hyung-ki grabbed the man’s arm.

‘Wow, this guy is a smooth liar.’

For a moment, he almost believed him.

The guy’s attitude was so natural, as if he really was part of the cast or crew.

But Hyung-ki wasn’t about to be fooled by such an obvious lie. He had memorized the entire cast for today’s shoot.

There was no way this guy was one of them.

“Kid! Before I lose my temper, you should get out of here. Do you really think you can get away with such a blatant lie?”

Hyung-ki’s voice became more forceful as he tightened his grip.

The young man looked startled by the intensity, but before Hyung-ki could drag him out, a voice called out from a distance.

“Hey! What are you doing over there?”

It was Assistant Director Lee Jae-seok, running over.

“Ah, Assistant Director! I was just about to throw this kid out. He tried to sneak into the set.”

Hyung-ki spoke confidently, eager to show off how he’d caught an intruder.

Maybe he’d even get a bit of praise for his sharp eye.

But Jae-seok’s reaction wasn’t what Hyung-ki expected.

“I’m so sorry, Photographer Nam Woojin. Our rookie didn’t know any better.”

Far from a reprimand, Jae-seok bowed deeply to the man who looked no older than a high school student.

In the hierarchy of the set, the assistant director ranked just below the director.

When the director was focused on filming, the assistant director handled everything else.

To the staff, he was often a more intimidating figure than the director himself.

So seeing Jae-seok bowing to a young man who looked barely out of school left Hyung-ki stunned.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to apologize?”

Jae-seok snapped at Hyung-ki, who was still frozen in confusion.

Finally snapping out of it, Hyung-ki let go of the man’s arm and quickly bowed his head.

“I’m sorry for not recognizing you.”

“It’s fine. Where’s the director?”

The man, speaking as politely as before, asked about the director’s whereabouts.

“He’s over there with the orange megaphone. We haven’t started filming yet, so you can speak to him freely.”

Jae-seok answered, and the young man nodded slightly before walking off in the direction of the director.

“Uh… Assistant Director, who is that?”

Once Woojin was out of sight, Hyung-ki asked cautiously.

Who on earth was he, that the assistant director was being so respectful?

“Whew… I thought there’d be trouble. You should be grateful I helped you out there. That guy’s… pretty particular…”

Jae-seok seemed to recall something as he shook his head.

“Never mind. He’s the photographer who’s shooting the poster. Director Kim trusts him, so be careful around him. That’s all you need to know.”

“Got it. What was his name again?”

“Photographer Nam Woojin. Remember it. And make sure to apologize properly later.”

With that, Jae-seok walked off, leaving Hyung-ki standing there, repeating the name in his head.

***

“Ah, Woojin, you’re here?”

“Hello, Director.”

The film set was buzzing with activity, with everyone preparing for the shoot.

As soon as Director Kim Yong-deok spotted me, he greeted me warmly.

“Did you have any trouble getting here?”

“No, thanks to the arrangements.”

Since our somewhat bumpy first meeting, Director Kim had fully agreed to my conditions. He provided everything I needed, from the script and schedule to a manager to assist with transport—an exceptional level of treatment for a mere poster photographer. Thanks to this, it hadn’t been hard for me to get here.

“So, what kind of shoot do you have in mind?”

Director Kim asked me, curiosity evident in his voice.

“For today, I’m planning to take some still cuts. I’m still mulling over ideas for the poster.”

“Is that so? Well, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Feel free to. I think you’ll like it.”

With a smile, Director Kim nodded at my reply and quickly turned his attention back to the bustling set, clearly preoccupied with overseeing the final preparations before the shoot. After finishing my greetings, I stepped back and quietly observed the scene.

The set was a whirlwind of activity. Staff were busily setting up equipment, while the actors, with their makeup done, sat reading their scripts, awaiting their turn.

Even though it was still early morning, with the sun just starting to rise, the air on set was filled with an undeniable energy.

‘This is why I like being on set.’

I took in a deep breath of the on-set air and nodded with satisfaction.

The movie currently being filmed by Director Kim, Blues of the Slums, depicted the life of a young man struggling to escape poverty, only to lose everything in the end.

From what I gathered, it seemed to explore the consequences of ambition and the bitter end that often follows greed.

The depth of the story made it difficult for me to envision the right kind of poster just from reading the script, which is why I had come to the set.

After all, nothing beats the atmosphere of the actual filming site for understanding the movie’s essence.

‘So, what kind of poster should I create?’

As I carefully observed the surroundings, I started organizing my thoughts again.

A movie poster, in essence, is the face of the film. It’s the first image the audience sees before even watching the movie. In just one frame, it needs to encapsulate the character and tone of an entire film that spans over one or two hours. Although the internet has introduced many new ways to promote films, the influence of a movie poster remains just as critical as ever.

‘What were some of the big hit films this year?’

I began to methodically think through the most memorable films.

Movies like Night at the Museum, 300, Transformers, Harry Potter, and D-War came to mind, but none of them felt like something I could draw inspiration from for this project.

‘I’ve made quite the promise, so I can’t settle for anything ordinary.’

I’d already boasted about delivering something exceptional during the meeting. Given that, creating a run-of-the-mill poster wouldn’t satisfy anyone, least of all myself. It was only natural that I found myself deep in thought, searching for the right direction.

While I was lost in contemplation, a voice interrupted my thoughts.

“We’re starting the shoot! Everyone, stand by!”

The earlier chaos quickly dissipated as the set grew quiet, a palpable sense of tension in the air.

Director Kim, holding his megaphone, called out, and the actors, who had been waiting patiently, stepped in front of the camera, preparing themselves emotionally for the scene.

The sharp clack of the slate echoed through the set, signaling the start of filming.

“What did I do wrong?!”

One of the actors, glaring fiercely at the camera, delivered his lines with a voice full of anger and pain.

It was Song Sang-hyun, whom I had briefly met during the meeting.

But the gentle demeanor I had seen back then was gone, replaced by raw emotion as he shouted, his performance charged with a mix of fury and desperation.

“Damn this life!”

The entire crew seemed mesmerized, completely drawn into the intensity of his performance.

His acting wasn’t just good—it was riveting.

To witness it live, right here on set, was like being hit over the head with a hammer, leaving a lasting impact.

‘That’s it.’

As I absorbed the full force of his performance, I suddenly knew exactly what kind of photo I needed to take, and what kind of poster I had to create.