"Gwen, where's your chest? Stick it out! It's so flat, I can't even see it!" Gilbert called out to Gwyneth Paltrow, who was posing on the reef.
"You're the one with no chest!" Gwyneth Paltrow retorted, flustered, and involuntarily puffed out her chest.
Now that she had some 'chest' to show, Gilbert quickly motioned to the cameraman. "Good, stay like that! Camera, a close-up shot of her chest, focus on the cleavage in the middle."
Upon hearing this, cameraman Dool Randolph's expression turned odd, as if he thought he was shooting a film in the San Fernando Valley.
Gwyneth Paltrow, lying on a reef in the ocean, struck a graceful pose. Though her chest wasn't prominent, her long, slender legs more than made up for it.
However, her long leg had just been scraped by a shark, leaving a long, bleeding gash.
Of course, this was the masterpiece of Industrial Light & Magic's special effects models. They had extensive research in creating wounds.
They simulated the exact angle at which a shark would scrape to create such a wound, then applied a wound patch to Gwyneth Paltrow's leg.
Because the sky was dim during filming, and the lighting was specially adjusted, even close-up shots with the camera showed no flaws.
On this very reef, Gwyneth Paltrow had to perform actions like stopping the bleeding and stitching the wound.
The script established her as a medical student, so these necessary first-aid techniques naturally had to be showcased.
Before filming, Gwyneth Paltrow specifically visited a local hospital in Honolulu to practice, spending a long time practicing on dummies.
It has to be said, although this girl was rebellious, had a rather poor temper, and a bit of a princess complex, her dedication was far greater than that of the young stars thirty years later.
Spielberg also came to Kauai, Hawaii, to scout locations for Jurassic Park, and took the opportunity to visit the Shark Beach crew, as he was still credited as a producer.
After watching Gilbert skillfully direct several scenes, Spielberg felt much more at ease. At least Gilbert had proven he had the directorial chops.
During a break, Gwyneth Paltrow, now dressed in casual summer shorts and a T-shirt, ran over barefoot. "Godfather."
"Oh, little Gwen, how's filming been going?" Spielberg was quite fond of his goddaughter and very concerned about her well-being.
"It's great!" Gwyneth Paltrow said happily. "This movie is so fun to shoot! I get to surf, play in the sand, and enjoy the sun."
"Hahaha, you scamp! Making a movie isn't just for enjoying yourself."
"Of course I know that! That's why I'm very serious when I'm shooting. If you don't believe me, ask Gilbert," Gwyneth Paltrow said, tilting her head up proudly.
Gilbert chimed in, "It's true, Gwen is quite serious when she's filming. It's just that sometimes she can be a bit mischievous and play pranks."
"Who's mischievous and playing pranks? Explain yourself!" Gwyneth Paltrow chased after Gilbert, ready to playfully hit him.
Spielberg watched the two young people playfully bicker with a warm smile, feeling as if he had become younger himself.
Sun, sand, coconut trees, and the sea breeze—filming in such a setting was indeed enjoyable.
However, Gilbert's ability to remain serious and focused on the shoot still surprised Spielberg.
In the afternoon, Spielberg continued to follow the crew to the set to observe the scenes Gilbert would be shooting.
Before filming began, Gilbert specifically reminded the unit production manager, "Hal, find someone to clean up all the trash and take it away. I don't want environmental organizations protesting at our door later."
The unit production manager acknowledged, "Understood, Director. I'll have someone pick up the trash right away."
On set, preparations were complete. Gwyneth Paltrow changed into a sexy surfing outfit and swam in the ocean.
Cameraman Dool Randolph, carrying the camera, followed behind her and filmed the first take.
This shot, filmed handheld and deliberately shaky, created a wobbly perspective, as if a shark were chasing the protagonist.
Spielberg and Gilbert watched the live footage from the monitor together and found it very interesting.
"This shot, is this what you call the predator shot?" Spielberg asked.
Gilbert nodded, explaining, "Actually, similar shooting techniques have been used for a long time.
Hitchcock, when filming Rear Window, used a God's-eye view technique that made people feel despair and oppression, which could be considered an initial version of a similar shooting method.
Didn't you also use a similar technique in Jaws?"
Spielberg shook his head, saying, "At that time, due to technical limitations, it couldn't reach the level it does now, and the visual impact wasn't strong enough.
I've seen your shooting technique; it's definitely excellent at creating a tense and thrilling atmosphere. You've done quite well."
"Thank you for your praise, Uncle Steven..." Gilbert was very happy to receive Spielberg's approval.
During breaks in filming, Gilbert also fully discussed his ideas with Spielberg and sought advice on various issues from this top director.
Spielberg was also happy to mentor a junior. Although limited by the era, his answers still greatly benefited Gilbert.
"For a film, cinematography, editing, music, and performance are all important components of this organic system, and thriller and horror films are no different," Gilbert boasted to Spielberg about his concept for making Shark Beach.
"Generally, thriller and horror films fall into two categories: one uses terrifying sound effects and special effects makeup to scare people, and Japanese horror films are very skilled in this area.
The other uses superb camera work and editing to create a tense and thrilling horror atmosphere, just like this film, Shark Beach.
I lean towards the latter because films shot this way also have a very high-quality feel, and low-budget films can have a quality that rivals blockbusters."
Facing Gilbert's eloquent speech, Spielberg seemed to see right through him, saying with a half-smile, "Are you trying to get my support in the film's editing stage?"
"Uh," Gilbert, not embarrassed by being seen through, said frankly, "Editing is as important to a film as any other stage.
The same completed film, edited by two different people, can result in two completely different movies.
I am the creator of this film, and I know clearly what the final film should look like.
Of course, I'm not saying I must have final cut rights, but I hope my opinions are taken into account during editing."
After speaking, Gilbert looked nervously at Spielberg, knowing his request was excessive.
As a new director, he was completely unqualified to touch final cut rights; those belonged to film studios and top directors.
But Gilbert also didn't want his painstakingly shot film to be ruined in editing.
Spielberg pondered for a moment before agreeing, "Alright, Gilbert, I'll talk to Universal Pictures about your ideas. As long as they're not too outrageous, they'll accept your suggestions."
Gilbert's face lit up with joy, and he quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Uncle Steven..."
"You're welcome, Gilbert." Spielberg patted Gilbert's shoulder and said again, "Hollywood has no room for those who fail on their first try. To make a name for yourself in this industry, the first step is the most important."
"I understand, Uncle Steven..." Gilbert deeply agreed with Spielberg's words.
Spielberg left that evening. He still had a lot of work to do, and it was extremely rare for him to make time to visit the Shark Beach set.
And with Spielberg's approval, Gilbert's confidence grew, and directing the film became even more effortless for him.