SEC Chapter 640: A Scene Worth a Billion
Chapter 640: A Scene Worth a Billion
……
……
"Director Chen, are you really not going to change it?"
"Not a single word will be changed!"
"..."
Seeing Director Chen's unwavering and righteous demeanor, Wang Huiling fell silent.
It seems she has no other choice but to believe.
Even the most stubborn screenwriter can't go against the director, especially in this production team, where Director Chen is the absolute authority.
Although she is a prominent figure in the screenwriting circle, she is ultimately inferior to Director Chen.
But Wang Huiling's ability to establish herself in this industry is not solely due to her writing skills.
She has her own methods.
"Director Chen, you are a gentleman, I believe you."
Say it in one sentence.
It was neither too light nor too heavy, and even carried a hint of sincerity.
Director Chen's expression changed.
What a vicious woman!
His sword-like eyebrows twitched slightly, and the muscles beneath his face twitched almost imperceptibly, causing his expression to subtly change for a fleeting moment.
This is flattering him and trying to elevate himself!
"Teacher Wang, you don't need to trouble yourself."
Director Chen's expression turned indifferent. He put his hands behind his back, turned to the side, and looked at the setting sun on the horizon.
A wise man deceives others with principles.
But he never intended to change the script.
That vicious woman, she really judges a gentleman by the standards of a petty person!
In all his decades of acting experience, when has Mr. Chen ever done anything like stealing or altering scripts?
He never intended for his films to be constrained by a script from the very beginning.
The script is static, but the camera work is dynamic.
The images, the light and shadow, the indescribable emotions and meanings in his mind—how could any script possibly contain them?
Director Chen snorted inwardly, not wanting to lower himself to the level of this vicious woman.
"Director Chen, then I won't bother you any longer."
Wang Huiling smiled nonchalantly, showing no sign of embarrassment at being ignored.
She never cared about Director Chen's attitude towards her; she only cared whether her "child" was being abused.
This script, which she spent six years writing, embodies so much of her hard work.
She meticulously crafted every word and every line of dialogue.
She would never allow anyone to scribble on her script, not even the famous director Chen.
But then again,
Since Director Chen said in front of so many people that "not a single word will be changed,"
At least on the surface, he has to give himself that face.
As for whether they'll do anything underhanded...
Wang Huiling's gaze swept around the set and finally landed on a folding stool not far away.
She walked over unhurriedly, bent down and sat down, looking like she intended to stay for a long time.
She wanted to see what Director Chen really wanted to film.
Just then, the light and shadow on the horizon suddenly changed.
Wang Huiling was slightly taken aback and involuntarily raised her head.
The setting sun is like blood.
The setting sun pierced through the gaps in the clouds, casting its rays precisely upon the two figures.
She first saw the figure in the beige monk's robe.
Shota Ranya stood beside a dead tree on the downhill slope, holding a tin staff, his eyes lowered.
He wasn't tall, and could even be described as somewhat thin, but the monk's robe he wore somehow exuded an aura of solemnity and reverence.
Wang Huiling nodded to herself.
This Japanese actor is quite something.
But this feeling didn't last two seconds before her gaze was uncontrollably drawn to another figure.
Wang Huiling was stunned.
Above the high slope,
The withered yellow grass at Gu Qing's feet was blown down and then stood up again by the mountain wind, and most of his body was shrouded in the setting sun.
From behind, all you can see is a silhouette outlined by light.
With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, she had a slender figure. A jade belt was tied around her waist, her skirt fluttered in the wind, and the red ribbon tied at the base of her hair also danced and swirled.
Wang Huiling couldn't see Gu Qing's face, but the silhouette itself...
"Like a jade tree in full bloom," "with a graceful and elegant figure"—
These two words suddenly popped into her mind.
Having worked as a screenwriter for so many years, she has written countless classical Chinese phrases to describe the demeanor of characters.
But when those words were written down, Wang Huiling didn't actually have much concrete perception of them.
Words are ultimately just words; everything depends on one's own imagination.
But now, she saw that figure from behind.
She suddenly understood.
Wang Huiling unconsciously sat up slightly, wanting to see more clearly.
As more and more people see,
The crew gradually quieted down at this moment.
In front of the monitor,
Director Chen leaned forward slightly, his eyes reflecting the images on the monitor screen.
The static image lasted for a full minute.
The wind on the mountaintop grew stronger, making the flags flutter more and more rapidly.
Shota Ranya stood at the bottom of the slope, trying his best to maintain his posture, and snot bubbles were about to run from his nose.
He sniffed hard, feeling his brain start to spin and his vision becoming blurry.
Just when he felt he was about to give up.
"Cao Yu, come here."
Director Chen's voice finally rang out, summoning his go-to cinematographer.
Director Chen turned his head and whispered something to Cao Yu.
Immediately,
Director Chen picked up the walkie-talkie and cleared his throat.
"Rakuten, for this scene, I'll only give you and Kukai one scene and two lines of dialogue."
"You suddenly had the idea to take Kukai mountain climbing so that you could reach the top first and then look out at the distant Tang city."
Kukai will then come up the low slope, pause for two seconds to freeze in your current position, and then Kukai will ask you…
He paused.
"What are you looking at?"
"And your line is—"
"The Great Tang Dynasty".
Everyone pricked up their ears, waiting for the rest of the story.
But Director Chen put down the walkie-talkie.
Gone.
Just these two sentences.
"After you finish your lines, the two of you go down the mountain."
Director Chen added one last sentence:
"You can express your emotions, expressions, and actions as you please; I only pursue naturalness."
"But remember... you are Bai Letian, and he is Kukai."
A faint static crackled through the walkie-talkie, then it went completely silent.
"What are you looking at?"
"The Tang Dynasty?"
The crew members looked at each other, their expressions a mix of bewilderment and excitement.
There is no cause, no effect, and even the basic context is vague.
With just two lines of dialogue, the actors were given free rein to improvise, with the main theme being "belief."
What kind of shooting method is this?
Wang Huiling jumped up from the stool.
Her brain exploded with a bang after hearing Director Chen's words.
No changes to the script?
You son of a bitch, just write a side story already!!
What the hell is this plot?
Wang Huiling couldn't understand how these two sentences had any connection to the crime-solving stories she had written.
"This guy's totally caught up in his artsy, pretentious phase!!"
Wang Huiling cursed inwardly through gritted teeth.
Having worked in the industry for so many years, she is very familiar with Director Chen's "past offenses".
The biggest problem with this guy when filming is that he gets carried away while filming.
It was a masterpiece in its early stages, went off the rails in the middle, and ended up being a disappointment.
I like to cram all sorts of "artistic conception" and "sentiment" into movies.
To put it bluntly, they don't care about the script's quality; they only care about their own enjoyment.
Wang Huiling took a deep breath, strode forward, and prepared to confront Director Chen.
But she had only taken half a step when she couldn't help but glance at the tall, upright figure on the high slope.
Wang Huiling's face was conflicted, and her steps were hesitant.
She is a screenwriter, and she has her own principles and bottom line. She cannot tolerate others arbitrarily changing her work.
But...but...
Adding just one shot like this to highlight the charm of the Hermit of Fragrant Hills in his youth seems... not such a bad thing, right?
A voice echoed in Wang Huiling's mind.
She hesitated for a long time before sitting back down on the stool.
It's just one shot, how much impact can it have?
It's not worth getting into a fight with Director Chen over a single shot.
Wang Huiling decided to bear with it for now.
……
"What are you looking at? How do you say in Japanese... 何を见ているの?"
"okay, I get it."
After exchanging a few simple words with Ran Gu, Gu Qing turned around and returned to his high ground position.
He glanced down at the terrain beneath his feet, then took two steps back to make sure he wasn't standing directly on the highest point of the slope.
But to be honest
Gu Qing felt similarly to Wang Huiling at this moment, perhaps even more confused.
This plot,
He searched through all his memories of his past life, but he still couldn't find it in "The Legend of the Demon Cat".
Neither the main film nor the deleted scenes contain a scene of climbing a mountain to enjoy the scenery.
This was clearly an original plot point that Director Chen suddenly came up with today.
The issue is--
What is the meaning of this scene?
What is it trying to express? How is it related to the overall story?
Gu Qing was completely baffled.
He even felt that even Director Chen himself might not be able to explain it clearly.
But since things have come to this, there's no other way but to go ahead.
Even if this movie flops, there will definitely be more people criticizing Director Chen online than criticizing him.
After all, Director Chen has a large number of haters.
"All departments, prepare—"
Director Chen's voice came from the direction of the monitor, carrying an unquestionable air of authority.
"Three, two, one—"
"Action!"
The hum of the machine starting up filled the wind, and the camera focused on the high slope from various angles.
Gu Qing stood two steps below the high slope, took a slight breath, and lightly lifted her foot to reach the higher ground.
The wind made his eyes involuntarily squint, and the corners of his eyes were pulled slightly upward by the wind, making them appear particularly long and narrow in the setting sun.
His wide sleeves were filled with wind, billowing like wings, and the warm jade pendants hanging at his waist jingled as his skirt fluttered.
At the summit, 400 meters high, the wind was so strong that it was almost impossible to open one's eyes.
Gu Qing steadied himself and looked up into the distance.
He saw Tang City.
The once magnificent Tang city seemed so small at this moment.
"The Tang Dynasty lasted for 289 years. After the An Lushan Rebellion, there was a 152-year period of constant warfare, displacement of the people, the decline of the Tang Dynasty, and the relocation of emperors nine times..."
Gu Qing's mind was inexplicably filled with this historical record.
He didn't even have time to think about it carefully.
"What's the matter with you?"
A weak voice came from behind me, with a heavy Japanese accent.
Shota Rangu felt he was about to die.
He leaned on his cane, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his eyes unfocused, and his lips pale.
Was the plan to eliminate the Japanese devised by the Chinese?
He wanted to cry but had no tears.
Gu Qing turned her head to the side, the red ribbon at the end of her forked hair swirling in the wind, obscuring her cheeks and eyes.
"The Great Tang Dynasty".
Seeing his miserable state, Gu Qing reached out and grabbed the annoying hairband in front of her, then turned and strode down the slope.
"Crack!"
Director Chen jumped up from his chair, grabbed the walkie-talkie, and shouted with barely concealed excitement, "That's a wrap!"
Before he finished speaking, a loud crash came from the bottom of the slope.
Everyone's attention was drawn to the loud noise.
Ran Gu Jiangtai had already dropped the tin staff in his hand to the ground. He supported himself with one hand on the dead tree beside him, and clutched his stomach tightly with the other hand, bending over.
"vomit--"
A heart-wrenching sound of vomiting was quite noticeable on the quiet mountaintop.
Ran Gu Jiangtai vomited violently, his stomach contents gushing out all at once.
His face was a mess of snot and tears, and he looked extremely disheveled.
This terrified the crew.
"Quick! Go see!" "Master Ran Gu, what's wrong?"
"Where's the translator? Translator, come here right now!"
The crowd surged forward, and the accompanying Japanese translator, pale-faced, pushed his way through the throng, babbling in broken Japanese, his voice trembling.
"Please make way, don't crowd together, let's keep the air circulating!"
The accompanying medical staff reacted the fastest, rushing over with their medical kits.
"It must be from sweating while hiking and then being exposed to cold wind, causing gastrointestinal spasms."
"Keep him warm first, then give him some electrolyte water to prevent dehydration. Call an ambulance at the foot of the mountain, or better yet, take him to the hospital for a check-up."
Fortunately, the production team arranged for medical personnel to accompany Gu Qing throughout the entire process to ensure her safety.
"Quickly, call an ambulance!"
Director Chen stood on the periphery of the crowd, looking at Ran Gu Jiangtai, who was lying in the arms of a staff member and was about to collapse, with an extremely awkward expression on his face.
But soon,
Director Chen's gaze swept across the crowd, and suddenly, as if he remembered something, his expression changed drastically.
"and many more--"
He turned his head abruptly, his voice changing tone.
"Where's Lotte?!"
Director Chen's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, "Medical staff! Quickly check on Letian's body!! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Where is Teacher Gu? Where is Teacher Gu?"
"Damn it, Teacher Gu can't have any problems!!"
"Teacher Gu was playing the flute on the mountaintop for quite a while just now!"
The crew members then belatedly realized that they had been so focused on watching Ran Gu Jiangtai that they had completely forgotten about Gu Qing.
The crowd scattered again with a whoosh, even more chaotic than before.
Everyone started looking around, searching for Gu Qing.
"Teacher Gu!"
"Teacher Gu, are you alright?"
"Come on, come on, hug your fellow villager first!"
Even the staff member who was holding Shota Ranya looked around and, without saying a word, shoved Shota Ranya into the translator's arms.
The Japanese translator instinctively caught his artist, then looked down at Shota Rangu, who was pale and had food residue on his lips.
translate:"……"
Rangu Jiangtai: "..."
The two of them stared at each other for a second.
……
"Beep beep beep~~"
The ambulance from the foot of the mountain arrived quickly.
Ran Gu Jiangtai was lifted onto a stretcher, hooked up to an IV drip, and sent off amidst the ringing of the bell.
"It's okay, I'm really fine."
Despite the concern from the surrounding employees and Director Chen, Gu Qing patiently replied, "I'm perfectly healthy. A little breeze won't affect me."
He was drinking ginger tea from his thermos, and he had a heat pack stuck inside his clothes.
Although I was a little dazed from the wind, it wasn't enough to cause a cold and vomiting. At most, I would recover after a good night's sleep.
"Letian, I'm relieved to see you're in such good health."
Director Chen breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's not particularly good, just average."
For some reason, Gu Qing felt a little uneasy after Director Chen said that.
By the time we got back to our accommodation, it was completely dark.
Gu Qing had just pushed open the door and hadn't even had time to change her shoes when she heard hurried footsteps in the hallway.
Jing Tian and Tong Liya were also startled.
Having heard some rumors, they thought something had happened to Gu Qing and rushed over to check on her in a panic.
Seeing that Gu Qing was alright, he was finally relieved.
"Little brother, you should get some rest."
"Take a nap first. After you wake up, I'll have someone make you some ginger tea to warm you up, otherwise you'll easily catch a cold."
As Tong Liya was leaving, she grabbed Da Tiantian's arm and said, "Tiantian, come with me."
She was afraid that if Da Tiantian stayed, there wouldn't be Gu Qing sleeping alone in the bed when she came back later.
"You should think more about your brother's health."
Tong Liya whispered something.
"Sister Ya Ya, am I such an irrational person?"
Jing Tian's pretty face turned bright red, and she obediently followed Tong Liya.
The room fell silent.
Gu Qing shook her head helplessly, took off her coat, hung it up, and lay down on the bed.
The room was heated just right, neither too hot nor too cold, and with the fluffy blankets covering me, I felt much more comfortable.
The fatigue and chill that had accumulated on the mountaintop were gradually dissipating under the warmth of the heater.
Gu Qing was indeed a little sleepy, but she was far from being able to fall asleep immediately.
He pulled his phone out from under his pillow to check his messages.
After learning that Gu Qing had posted a statement on her WeChat Moments saying she was "filming in seclusion," most people were sensible and didn't bother her too much.
I occasionally send one or two messages, but they're always brief and to the point; I don't keep pestering you endlessly.
There was one person, though...
Gu Qing scrolled through the screen, her gaze falling on a certain chat box, and her eyelids twitched involuntarily.
Li Xin.
The frequency with which this famous Kunqu Opera performer sends him messages every day is almost surpassing that of Sister Zhao.
Gu Qing clicked into the chat box, and what greeted her eyes was a dense array of Kunqu Opera materials and video links to performance pieces.
Each time a classic track is released,
Li Xin would type out a long string of notes below, detailing the characteristics of the singing style, points to note, common mistakes, and methods of correction.
The message history is so long that you can't scroll up to the end; the total number of messages has long exceeded a hundred.
Gu Qingzhen had never met an artist who was so persistent in sending him messages.
I've already called people I know well, and I wouldn't dare send so many messages to strangers every day.
He could still sense the other party's good intentions.
Back then, it was something I really wanted to learn.
"Teacher Li, are you going to train me to be the successor of Kunqu Opera?"
Gu Qing typed this line and sent it over, her tone slightly teasing.
The message was sent and received a reply in less than three seconds.
Li Xin first sent a string of ellipses.
"..."
Then, he awkwardly added, "You...you knew?"
"Teacher Li, you've become humorous."
Gu Qing smiled and typed a reply, "I've read all the materials, but I'm still filming on set and can't attend classes."
"It's alright, it's alright!"
Li Xin replied almost instantly, "Just let me know when you're free."
I've been reading the script at home lately; filming doesn't start until after the New Year, so I'm available anytime.
"Okay, thank you, Teacher Li. I'll come see you when I have time."
Gu Qing put down her phone, feeling sleepy, and prepared to take a nap.
But he didn't expect that,
The opportunity to attend class came so quickly.
……
The next day,
Ran Gu Jiang Tai collapsed.
His agent went directly to Director Chen and politely asked for leave.
Even though it was their own artist who fell ill, they didn't dare to utter a single complaint or make a humble request.
"Of course, if Supervisor Chen really needs Tai back, I'll give him a call right now."
"No need, let him rest well first, and come back when he's fully recovered."
Director Chen was in a difficult position; he wasn't some evil capitalist who would simply approve the leave.
Ran Gu Jiang Taiyi fell,
Gu Qing's scenes were naturally interrupted.
Their scenes were almost inseparable; neither of them could be missing.
"Teacher Li, I'm here for class."
Upon learning this news, Gu Qing simply started tutoring Li Xin.
at the same time,
Director Chen, who was troubled by the follow-up script, happened to have some free time today and planned to come and chat with Gu Qing to express his feelings.
However, her assistant informed her that Gu Qing had gone back to the hotel for a traditional opera class.
"Traditional opera class?"
Director Chen was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly slapped his forehead, exclaiming, "I've really outsmarted myself!"
He was always thinking about adding more exciting moments to the play and more shining points to the characters; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone hiking yesterday.
But now,
If you want to portray a character, isn't this a ready-made example?!
Director Chen didn't care at all about the crime-solving aspect of "The Legend of the Demon Cat".
Even that vicious woman Wang Huiling has turned him into a gentleman, and Director Chen doesn't even have the heart to change anything.
Filming "The Legend of the Demon Cat"
What he most wanted to showcase was the prosperity and extravagance of the Tang Dynasty, with the "Night of Bliss" being the most important part of the climax.
But a film cannot consist solely of "a feast of ecstasy".
Otherwise, why would he go through all that trouble to build so many Tang Dynasty buildings?
From culture, clothing, architecture...
What Director Chen wanted to do was to subtly and imperceptibly showcase the story through the visuals, in every little detail and aspect.
to this end,
He prepared the following for the film: Sogdian whirling dance, Japanese envoys to Tang China, the romance of emperors and poets, Sogdian taverns and street scenes, including costumes and makeup.
He wanted to encompass the public's entire imagination of the Tang Dynasty in his film.
But he overlooked something, which was also the most important thing.
"Liyuan Opera!!"
Director Chen's face turned red with anger. Luckily, he never swore, otherwise he would definitely have sworn out a curse.
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang!
Yang Yuhuan!
The Pear Garden!
How could he have forgotten that?!
Besides being famous because of Yang Guifei, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang had another, more important identity throughout his life:
He is the founder of Liyuan Opera!
Historically, the Pear Garden was established by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, who personally selected three hundred disciples.
The opera profession was taught in the Pear Garden, hence the name "Pear Garden Profession" in later generations.
The earliest Liyuan Opera was the predecessor of Huiju Opera!
The old masters in the opera world worship Emperor Xuanzong of Tang as their patron saint.
This tradition continues to this day, with almost all opera troupes venerating Emperor Xuanzong of Tang as their founding father.
Therefore,
How could the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty be complete without the Pear Garden Opera?
And what about himself?
What is his most famous work?
Farewell My Concubine!
A director who is best at directing Peking Opera.
An actor who is best at singing Huizhou opera.
A script set during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.
These three conditions together were practically God pointing a finger at his forehead, clearly telling him—
Isn't the best thing right in front of us?
Director Chen began pacing back and forth in place.
"Gu Qing can perform sword dance, ride horses, recite poems and sing folk songs..."
Director Chen thought to himself, "Skilled in both literature and martial arts, capable of both stillness and movement—isn't this the most perfect image of a Tang Dynasty scholar?"
Who was Bai Juyi in history?
He is a poet, and he writes excellent poems.
He was an official, having served as a Hanlin Academician and Left Remonstrance Official.
He indulged in poetry and wine, frequented brothels and taverns, and spent his time with singers and dancers.
He left behind countless poems related to courtesans, such as "Cherry lips of Fan Su, willow waist of Xiao Man," which describes the courtesans in his household.
How could someone like that not know how to appreciate opera?
How could I not know how to sing?
How could he not be thoroughly familiar with Peking Opera music and dance?
"Instead of using irrelevant shots to showcase the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty, why not use Bai Juyi to depict it?"
Director Chen stopped and looked up. "This is truly killing two birds with one stone!"
"Quick! Go and invite Teacher Wang here! Go now!"
Director Chen felt as if his Ren and Du meridians had been opened, and his mind was clearer than ever before.
He wants to add Liyuan Opera to it!
If you can,
Horseback riding and archery, sword dancing and calligraphy...
He wanted to include anything that could showcase Bai Juyi's strengths!
A moment later, the door was pushed open.
"Director Chen, you wanted to see me?"
Wang Huiling's tone was somewhat wary.
She knows Director Chen too well.
This person usually ignores her and tries to avoid seeing her whenever possible.
The fact that she's in such a hurry to call someone to see her today can't be anything good.
"Teacher Wang, come and sit down."
Director Chen pointed to a folding chair next to him, a rare smile on his face.
Looking at his smiling face, Wang Huiling felt even more wary.
"Teacher Wang,"
Director Chen turned around, clasped his hands together, and looked at her intently. "I would like to talk to you about the script."
Wang Huiling's eyelids twitched violently.
script?
Let's talk about the script?
Didn't you say yesterday that "not a single word will be changed"?
It's only been one night, and they're already talking about the script?
She took a deep breath and forced herself to smile: "Director Chen, please speak, I'm listening."
Director Chen picked up his teacup, took another sip, and slowly uttered a sentence.
"I want to add a scene."
……
...(End of this chapter)