Red and pink static in a circle, eye of an electromagnetic field, a mackerel sky; BOSE headphones over a crown of thorns blasts Creed’s “My Own Prison” in Legion’s ears. A camera assistant catches the flicked-away headphones, holds up a monitor on a selfie stick to an immobile Legion on the gore-soaked lumber, awaiting approval.
“Let’s do this,” says the redeemer-director.
All those on set steel themselves to shoot the crucifixion in a single, uninterrupted take.
First AD queries the crew: “Is everybody ready?”
(Earlier, in the garden of Gesthemane, Legion huddles with his followers, giving them props for enduring the last forty days in the desert: “I say to you today you will be with me in paradise,” leading them with the morning chant for the last time: “Say who, say ha! Say who, say ha! Say who, who, who, 1-2-3-GOLGOTHA!”)
“Speed,” yells the sound recordist, followed by “Camera A rolling!” and “Camera B rolling!”
The clapper loader fills the frame with a digital slate: ‘Scene two twenty eight, take one.”
The first AD bellows: “Action!”
Start on Legion’s exposed ribcage.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”
Legion turns to the thieves Gestas and Dismas execrating God for their crucifixion.
“I thirst!” cries Legion, his eye-line clear, storm clouds in the distance.
Extras raise a sponge dipped in sour wine on a sprig of hyssop to the star’s parched lips.
The one-take bravura shot continues.
Legion recognizes Larry Mersault playing a Roman centurion among the crowd of local hires, reluctant expression on his face, unclean blade attached to his pike.
All at once, the set disappears.
The sun is no more.
Gestas and Dismas, gone.
The extras.
The trailers.
The camera equipment.
The camera operator.
The focus puller.
All gone, as if making movies never existed.
Legion: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Shafts of sunlight knife through aboriginal darkness.
Gestas and Dismas reappear, cursing their predicament.
With spear of destiny upturned, the extra-turned-assassin Larry Mersault makes his move.
Everyone is back on set.
The epic one-take shot pulled off.
Mersault: “You’re dead, Antwon.”
Only then does the biggest movie star in the world unleash a thousand watt smile.
“It is accomplished—”