Redoing My Life (Modern Family)

"So, it's done then?" I asked, holding my phone close to my ear as the cold wind whipped around me. My breath escaped in visible puffs, the icy air biting at my skin. The rugged landscape stretched out before me—endless white ice fields under a pale gray sky, dotted with jagged peaks of glaciers in the distance.

On the other end of the line, Mitchell's voice came through clearly despite the occasional static. "Yeah, everything's sorted. We've trademarked the titles you wanted."

"Good," I said, my eyes scanning the frozen wilderness around me. A few feet away stood Margot, bundled up in thick layers of winter gear. She wore a padded ice-blue jacket, a woolen hat pulled low over her blonde hair, her cheeks rosy from the cold. She waved at me with a smile, her breath misting in the frigid air as she called out something I couldn't hear over the wind. I gave her a thumbs-up, my gloved hand stiff from the chill.

Mitchell's laugh came through the phone. "How's Iceland treating you?"

I exhaled sharply, watching the white plume of my breath swirl in the air. "It's fucking cold, Mitch," I said, half-joking but fully serious. The wind was sharp, cutting through even the thick layers I had on. The ground beneath my feet crunched with ice as I shifted my weight, preparing for the hike we were about to start across the frozen fields toward the glaciers.

"Sounds like a blast," Mitchell said, chuckling. "Well, enjoy freezing your ass off. Oh, and before I forget—you'll be here for Cam's birthday, right?"

"I don't know, if i can't i'm sure mom will," I replied.

"Well that's all right. Take care, Daniel. Don't get frostbite or anything," Mitchell teased before hanging up.

I pocketed my phone and turned my attention back to Margot, who had already started heading toward the group gathering for the hike. With one last look at the icy expanse, I followed her, pulling my scarf tighter around my neck as the wind howled around us.

I was here in Iceland because I'd tagged along with Nolan, who was scouting for locations. We also needed to capture some key footage for the teaser that we were planning to debut at Comic-Con. 

We had decided on a simple yet impactful teaser: shots of Bruce Wayne's journey in the first part of the movie, trekking through frozen wastelands with voiceover, with the final reveal being Jensen Ackles as Batman. Jensen's part would be filmed in the studio back home.

Liam Neeson had ultimately been selected to play Ra's al Ghul. Nolan had been pretty insistent on it, and honestly, I couldn't argue. Liam brought a certain gravitas to the role—he was someone who could be both menacing and wise, the perfect balance for Ra's. I had no doubt he'd do an incredible job.

Margot had come along for the trip since she was heading to the UK for a month-long shoot on the movie she was casted in. So we decided to make this a small vacation for us.

I walked over to Margot, my boots crunching over the frozen ground. She flashed me a grin as I approached. "Ready to go?" she asked, adjusting the straps on her backpack.

"Yeah," I replied, though the icy wind stung my face and made me question my decision to do this hike. I did not like the cold very much.

We fell in behind the guide, a rugged-looking local dressed head to toe in thick, weatherproof gear. He led our group toward the glacier, the landscape around us both breathtaking and intimidating. The ground beneath our feet was a thick layer of ice and snow, stretching out in all directions like a vast white desert. In the distance, towering peaks of ice jutted into the sky, the glacier's blue and white hues shimmering against the gray clouds.

As we hiked, the cold seeped deeper into my bones. My breath came out in frosty clouds, and every step seemed to crunch louder than the last in the stillness of the ice field. I tried adjusting my scarf, pulling my hood down tighter over my head, but nothing seemed to block out the biting wind that cut through my layers.

Margot, walking beside me, seemed completely unbothered by the cold. She glanced over and noticed my discomfort, a playful smile curling on her lips. "You're already turning to ice," she teased.

"How are you okay in this?" I muttered, pulling my gloved hands closer to my body. "You're from Australia, of all places. Shouldn't you be freezing?"

Margot laughed, her breath coming out in a soft puff of mist. "I've done my fair share of traveling to cold places. Plus, I think you're just not tough enough for this."

I gave her a mock glare. "Yeah, yeah. Remind me why I thought this was a good idea again?"

"Because," she said, nudging me playfully, "the views are worth it."

I had to admit, as miserable as the cold was, she had a point. The landscape was stunning in a stark, desolate way. The glacier ahead of us was like something out of a dream—massive, with deep cracks and crevasses cutting through the ice, revealing layers of blue beneath the white surface. The sheer scale of it made me feel small, like a tiny speck in this frozen wilderness.

We trekked onward, the crunch of our boots on the ice the only sound besides the occasional gust of wind. Every now and then, the guide would stop to point out a particular formation or explain something about the glacier. Massive chunks of ice towered above us, sculpted by time and nature into jagged cliffs and smooth, almost otherworldly shapes.

Despite the cold, Margot seemed to be having the time of her life. She was constantly pointing out interesting details—the way the sunlight glinted off the ice in certain spots, the strange formations in the snow, and even the distant mountains looming on the horizon.

"Look at that!" she exclaimed, pointing toward a large crevasse in the glacier. The deep blue ice seemed to glow from within, creating an ethereal, almost magical effect.

I nodded, though my focus was more on keeping my hands from freezing. "It's beautiful," I agreed, though I couldn't help but add, "But I'll appreciate it more when I'm back somewhere warm."

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After two days of exploring Iceland with Margot, I met up with Nolan again. He had almost finished scouting locations for the movie and was now preparing to get the shots for the teaser we were going to reveal at Comic-Con.

A stand-in with the same build as Jensen Ackles was walking through the vast, icy landscape, his dark figure stark against the endless white. It looked like the character was isolated, trudging through the snow, his figure barely more than a silhouette against the overcast sky. Bruce Wayne's journey—a man lost, both figuratively and literally, in a desolate, unforgiving world.

Watching Nolan direct the scene, orchestrating every detail with his crew, made me realize how much precision went into crafting even a seemingly simple shot. Camera angles were meticulously adjusted, the way the wind caught the stand-in's cloak was taken into account to add depth to the shot. Every aspect of the scene was carefully considered, down to the smallest detail.

I had learned a lot from Ron Howard when I worked with him, but watching Nolan in action was something else entirely. His vision was clear and exact, and the way he brought that vision to life was seamless. It made me want to learn even more, especially since I had aspirations to direct a film myself one day.

After a few hours of shooting, Nolan called out, "Alright, that's a wrap. Let's pack it up."

The crew began to disassemble the equipment as the stand-in shook off the cold. Nolan and I walked over to the monitors where we reviewed the footage we had just shot.

"That's exactly what we need," I said as we watched the footage.

"I only wish we had Jensen and the rest of our cast here because I am not looking forward to returning," Nolan said, smiling.

"Yeah, I won't be coming with you next time," I muttered.

====

The car rolled to a stop outside Margot's hotel in the heart of London.

"Well, this is it," she said softly, her eyes lingering on mine. "A whole month of shooting."

I smiled back. "You're going to be fine. You are better than everyone else there."

She laughed, though there was a hint of nerves in her tone. "Ha, I don't think I'm better than Rachel McAdams."

I gently took her hands in mine. "I'll see you in a month."

Margot's smile softened. "I'll see you in a month," she whispered, leaning in to give me a peck on the lips.

"See you in a month," I repeated with a wink.

Margot stepped onto the sidewalk, her suitcase in hand. As she stood in front of the hotel, she turned back to wave, her fingers wiggling in that carefree way she always did when she tried to lighten the mood. I waved back with a smile, watching her retreating form as the taxi pulled away.

Later that day, I met up with Nolan, ready to scout for locations around London. After that, we went to Liverpool, and finally Glasgow.

After days of walking through unfamiliar streets, taking endless notes on lighting, architecture, and possible shots, I came to one conclusion: I was never going on these location hunts again. It was so fucking boring. Yet, I knew that if I ever wanted to direct a movie in the future, this was the kind of legwork I'd have to get used to.

There's no escaping the grind.

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"What's this?" Lucy asked, her brow furrowing as I dropped a manuscript onto her desk.

"That, Lucy, is something I've been working on for a while," I said, flashing a small smile.

She picked up the thick stack of papers and read the title aloud. "The Revenant?"

"Yup," I replied, leaning against the side of her desk, arms crossed casually.

"I thought you were focused on writing a fantasy series. Is this part of it?" she asked, flipping through a few pages.

I shook my head. "Nope. This is something else. I want to turn it into a movie, but we could also make some money off it as a book. Might even draw in a different crowd."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's it about?"

I leaned in, preparing to explain my well-thought-out pitch. "It's based on the life of Hugh Glass. Ever heard of him? He was a frontiersman back in 1823. The story is about survival, betrayal, and revenge—set in the rugged wilderness. It's intense, gritty—perfect for the big screen."

Lucy looked at the manuscript again, her curiosity deepening. "Sounds like a hell of a story. And this is your take on it?"

"Yeah," I said, leaning back. "I read about Hugh Glass, and it stuck with me. I turned it into an outdoor survival, historical drama. It needs some polishing, of course, and that's where you come in."

She nodded thoughtfully, running her fingers over the manuscript's pages. "I'll take a look. It definitely needs some tightening up, but there's potential here."

"Perfect. I'll leave that to you then," I said, smiling as I pushed off her desk and headed for the door.

Lucy called out as I reached the threshold, "Good luck at Comic-Con."

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I have decided to keep Rachel Dawes as a character in the first two batman movies since she is going to die any way. Any suggestions for the casting.

Next Chapter Comic Con

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p.a.t.r.eon.com/Illusiveone (check the chapter summary i have it there as well