By September, *Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace* had racked up $530 million in North America, though its growth had slowed to a crawl. Overseas, it was still chugging along, pulling in over $400 million so far. Beating *Titanic*'s box office legend—both in North America and globally—was off the table, but snagging the title of the second film ever to break $1 billion worldwide? That was looking like a sure thing.
Meanwhile, Dunn Films' *The Wedding Crashers* had been rolling out across the globe. In North America, it'd been out for three weeks, pulling in $26.4 million, $8 million, and $22.6 million—totaling $72.8 million. A romantic comedy like that wasn't going to explode like a blockbuster; it thrived on steady, trickle-down earnings. It hadn't topped the weekly charts, but its solid run was yet another win for Dunn Films. Reese Witherspoon's standout performance as the leading lady had won her a ton of fans—and word was, she'd already landed three new offers, all for those ditzy, sweet comedy roles. Dunn wasn't about to hold her back—her actress paycheck dwarfed her secretary gig's salary anyway.
"Dunn, we've got a snag with the stunt team," Andy Thompson, Dunn's go-to assistant director, said, walking over with a worried look.
The *Spider-Man* crew was set up in a derelict factory in Downey, California, prepping for a heart-pounding explosion scene. The script had this moment pegged for Times Square, but no way was the crew blowing stuff up there—especially with a building collapse in the mix. Dunn had hashed it out with the effects team: could they shoot it on a green screen and stitch the characters onto a crumbling building in post? Sure, they said, but it'd take ages. With *Spider-Man* locked for a May release next year, piling on too much post-production could throw everything off. After some back-and-forth, Dunn opted for practical shooting.
Not in Times Square, of course. The art director, visual effects crew, stunt coordinator, and storyboard artists had teamed up to recreate a slice of Times Square inside the abandoned factory, complete with a collapsible building. John Fraser, the stunt coordinator who'd worked with Dunn on *Titanic*, hurried over as Dunn approached. "Dunn, this shot? Hands down the biggest challenge of my career!"
The scene had Mary Jane, played by Jessica Alba, perched on a balcony rocked by a bomb blast, teetering on the edge of disaster. The balcony was high up—safety measures were in place below, but if something went wrong and it fell, Jessica could get hurt.
"Can't we secure the balcony better?" Dunn asked, frowning. "If it's too risky, let's put Jessica in a harness."
John shook his head. "I've got a computer-controlled hydraulic system in place. Even if it tilts 90 degrees, it won't drop. My worry's something else."
"Oh?"
"Miss Alba's too close to the blast. The glass shards from the explosion could fly her way—maybe even cut her."
Dunn went quiet for a moment. "No fix for that?"
John shook his head again. "It's a decent-sized blast—hard to avoid injury risk. I'd suggest a short male stunt double to stand in for her."
"No doubles," Dunn said. "I need a wide shot to catch Mary Jane's panic and fear during the blast—it ramps up the tension and danger."
He sighed, frustrated. Going forward, he'd never rush a blockbuster's schedule again. Green screen would've made this a breeze. Practical shooting saved post-production time, but the downsides were piling up.
Just then, Jessica Alba slipped over quietly. "Director, I can do it."
"Huh?" Dunn shot her a surprised glance.
After months together, Jessica hadn't left much of an impression beyond her pretty face and killer figure. Dunn had even planned to cut ties once the film wrapped—Hollywood was full of gorgeous girls, and Jessica didn't stand out enough to warrant his attention. Her EQ, IQ, and bedroom charm didn't hold a candle to Nicole Kidman's. But here she was, stepping up for a stunt most actresses would dodge.
Dunn studied her closely. "This could hurt you."
She shook her head firmly. "It's filming—small scrapes are fine. I'll turn my face during the blast. As long as it's not my face, it won't slow us down."
John glanced at Dunn, hesitating. "It's not guaranteed she'll get hurt—just a chance. If Miss Alba's up for it, I think we're good."
"Alright, let's do it!" Dunn clapped his hands, decision made.
---
To juice up the film's wow factor, Dunn had beefed up the action and Spider-Man's building-swinging scenes. Most of the budget was sunk into that. "Camera 7, shift right—yeah, ten more meters!" Dunn barked through a megaphone, standing on a mocked-up street on the factory's ground floor, eyeing the cameras rigged on the second floor and overhead.
An explosion scene had to nail it in one take—screw it up, and the crew was in deep trouble. Dunn was juggling every department to make sure it was flawless. Besides the big boom and the building collapse, the shot only needed Jessica Alba as Mary Jane, flashing panic, fear, and dread. Crowd reactions would come later—filmed on location in Times Square and spliced in with effects.
For this, Dunn had twelve cameras rolling: four in the air, four on the second floor, four on the ground, locking down every angle of the blast. Once it went off, the pricey model building would crumble—no do-overs.
"Looks good!" Dunn pulled back from the viewfinder and grabbed his walkie-talkie. "John, it's Dunn—everything set?"
John Fraser, manning the blast controls, rasped back, "Ready to go—can blow it anytime!"
"Great! After it's done, get Jessica down fast and check her over."
"Got it."
Dunn took a deep breath and hit the red button on the walkie. "This is Dunn—everyone, focus up. Explosion's starting. Countdown: 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Go!"
*BOOM!*
A deafening roar ripped through the sealed-off factory, loud enough to feel like it'd flip the whole place over. The blast's massive fireball and shockwave painted a wild, fiery masterpiece.
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