madnovel Chapter 139 Filming
Chapter 139 Filming
Chapter 139 Filming
"Understood. What about the routed soldiers? How many were there?"
"Two of them. Not professionals, but deserters, hungry and scared, they would try to rob any lone woman they saw."
The actions can be fierce, but the technique is amateurish.
Old Wu nodded: "Understood. I'll explain the positioning to Teacher Qin later, and demonstrate a few falling and self-protection techniques."
The bamboo forest was even more secluded than I had imagined. An endless expanse of bamboo, straight and tall, its leaves blocking out the sun.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps, forming slanted beams of light.
The ground was covered with thick bamboo leaves, which felt soft and spongy underfoot, and was a bit slippery after the rain.
The art team had already set up the scene: a slightly worn bamboo basket, a small hoe, and several prop herbs scattered around the rocks.
Qin Hailu changed into his costume:
He wore a dark blue coarse cloth shirt, with the cuffs and trouser legs tied tightly. His hair was wrapped in a cloth, and his face was covered in dirt, making him look travel-worn.
She was moving her arms and legs while listening to Lao Wu explain the movements.
"Teacher Qin, when the fleeing soldiers rush over from this side, your first reaction should be to retreat, but you might slip and fall down."
Then the soldier grabs your shoulder, and you use the hoe in your hand to hit his arm—not really hit him hard, just make the motion; we'll film it using camera angles.
Old Wu explained and demonstrated. Qin Hailu watched attentively and followed along with the gestures.
"Then you get up and run, but another soldier blocks you from the front."
You turn and run deeper into the bamboo forest. There's a fallen bamboo stalk here; you try to step over it, but you trip over a branch and fall.
Old Wu pointed to a marked spot on the ground.
"When you fall, you use your hands to brace yourself, but your palms will get cut by sharp bamboo shavings. We'll use fake blood packs for that."
Qin Hailu crouched down to look at the spot, then looked up to observe the surrounding bamboo: "How will the camera focus when I fall?"
"A medium shot follows you as you run, then cuts to a close-up, you fall, your hand presses down, and blood seeps out."
Li Jun walked over.
The key is the expression on your face:
Pain, fear, but even more so, resentment.
Wanrong was not a weak woman; she possessed an inner resilience.
"I see."
Qin Hailu took a deep breath.
"Shall we walk through it?"
"Go through it once."
The first rehearsal did not go smoothly.
Qin Hailu hesitated a bit when stepping over the fallen bamboo, and his fall was not natural enough. Old Wu patiently adjusted him again and again: "Teacher Qin, when you fall, relax, don't use your hands to brace yourself, let your body fall naturally."
We will lay down soft mats, so safety is not a problem.
After the fifth try, it finally went smoothly.
The two stuntmen who were supposed to be deserters also arrived. They were local young men, strong and muscular, and when they put on their tattered military uniforms, they did indeed look like the disheveled and fierce deserters.
"All hands on deck!"
Xiao Chen shouted.
The camera was set up in two positions:
One person was filming Qin Hailu running outside the bamboo forest, while another was capturing close-ups of him falling inside the bamboo forest.
The lighting technician applied soft lighting to several key locations to simulate the dappled light and shadow of a bamboo forest.
"Scene 58, Shot 1 of 'Dreams of Mountains and Rivers,' begin!"
Qin Hailu carried a bamboo basket and squatted by the rocks to collect herbs.
Her movements were practiced yet alert, and she would occasionally look up and glance around.
The bamboo forest was quiet, with only the sound of the wind and birdsong.
Suddenly, footsteps and heavy breathing came from afar.
Qin Hailu got up alertly and saw two ragged soldiers stumbling into the bamboo forest.
Their eyes lit up when they saw her.
"stop!"
"A soldier shouted, his voice hoarse."
Qin Hailu turned and ran.
The bamboo basket fell to the ground, scattering herbs all over the ground.
First shot:
She ran frantically through the bamboo forest, the camera following behind her.
Bamboo poles swept quickly past on both sides, creating shimmering light and shadow.
Her breathing, footsteps, and the rustling of bamboo leaves blended together.
Second shot:
A soldier lunged at her and grabbed her shoulder.
She turned around and struck him with a hoe, causing the soldier to release his grip in pain.
Another soldier blocked her way from the front, and she turned and rushed into the depths of the bamboo forest.
The third shot:
She stepped over a fallen bamboo pole, but her trouser leg got caught on a bamboo branch, causing her to lose her balance and fall heavily to the ground.
In a close-up, her hand is pressed against a sharp bamboo splinter, and blood immediately seeps from her palm.
She gasped in pain, but gritted her teeth, looked up at the pursuers, and her eyes held not fear, but a fierce determination.
"Cut!"
Li Jun stood up from behind the monitor: "Passed!"
Qin Hailu was still lying on the ground when her assistant rushed over to help her up.
Her palm did indeed get a small cut from a bamboo splinter. Although a soft mat had been laid out, the bamboo forest floor was complex, and accidents were inevitable.
"Are you alright?"
Li Jun walked over quickly.
"It's nothing, just a small wound."
Qin Hailu shook his head, looked at the bloodstains on his palm, and then smiled.
"That's more realistic. Wanrong had been collecting herbs for many years, and her hands were already injured."
Old Wu handed over disinfectant swabs and band-aids.
Qin Hailu quickly processed the footage and then filmed a few more close-up shots:
His bloodied hands gripped a handful of dirt as he trembled, propping himself up.
His face was covered in bamboo leaves and mud, but his eyes were clear.
By the time all the filming was finished, it was nearly noon.
As the sunlight shone directly down, the sense of seclusion in the bamboo forest diminished, but the temperature rose, making it stuffy and hot.
Everyone sat on the open ground by the bamboo forest to rest, drink water, and eat dry food.
Qin Hailu changed his clothes, had a band-aid on his hand, and sat down with Xie Tingfeng.
Nicholas Tse handed her an apple: "That scene was great. Especially that look in your eyes at the end."
That was Wanrong's most authentic side.
Qin Hailu took a bite of the apple.
"She is usually gentle and good at managing the household, but when danger comes, her inner strength comes out."
She was able to stand by her husband not through submission, but through this inner strength.
Li Jun listened to their discussion and felt very gratified.
The deeper an actor's understanding of a character, the more nuanced their performance.
He walked to the side and sent Zhang Liangying a message: "Just finished filming a major scene, it went very smoothly."
He quickly replied: "Congratulations. I'm in the recording studio today recording 'Ink Marks,' which is about the resilience of the painter's wife."
It seems we're in different places, but telling the same story.
Li Jun looked at the screen, a smile appearing on his lips.
Indeed, they are exploring similar spiritual cores through different art forms.
"Director Li,"
Xiao Chen walked over and lowered his voice.
"Brother Yuan Tao called and said he needs to talk to you."
Li Jun walked to a place with a better signal and dialed back.
"Li Jun,"
Yuan Tao's voice sounded somewhat tired.
"Two things. First, Lionsgate is urging us to finalize the publicity plan for China. They want to finalize it before the Cannes Film Festival to leverage the event for publicity."
I'll give you the plan next week.
What's the second thing?
"The second thing—Wang Zhonglei's side acted faster than we expected."
Yuan Tao paused.
The Republican-era drama "Huayi New Life" has already started filming.
The lead actress is Zhang Ziyi.
Li Jun was taken aback: "Zhang Ziyi? Didn't she get a role in a Hollywood film?"
"It's been pushed back. Or it was just a smokescreen all along."
Yuan Tao said.
"Moreover, they released information saying that Zhang Ziyi will break through her image this time," playing a woman who "exchanges her body for survival in the midst of war."
It's generating a lot of buzz; it's already being hyped up.
Li Jun remained silent.
Zhang Ziyi's acting skills and box office appeal are beyond doubt, and coupled with her highly controversial persona, she is indeed easy to attract attention.
"besides,"
Yuan Tao continued.
"They hired Cheng Guoqiang as their martial arts instructor."
This was unexpected. Cheng Guoqiang and Li Jun had worked together on "Bodyguards and Assassins" and had a good relationship.
"Did Master Cheng answer the call?" Li Jun asked.
"I accepted. I heard the pay is very high."
Yuan Tao sighed.
"Li Jun, I'm not saying Master Cheng is wrong, everyone has their own choices."
But this is a bit of a slap in the face.
Li Jun looked at the bamboo forest in front of him. Sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on the ground.
"understood."
He said.
"We'll film our own."
"Aren't you angry?"
Getting angry is useless.
Li Jun said.
"Master Cheng has his considerations, and Zhang Ziyi has her choices. Making our own film well is more important than anything else."
After hanging up the phone, Li Jun stood there for a while.
A breeze blew through the bamboo forest, carrying a cool sensation.
He recalled Cheng Guoqiang's appearance on the set of "Bodyguards and Assassins":
Despite his gray hair, he remained agile and patiently taught Nicholas Tse martial arts moves, just like an old father.
On the day filming wrapped, he hugged Nicholas Tse tightly and said, "Good lad! It's over!"
That was genuine.
But now, he's helping his competitor.
That's how the entertainment industry is. There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.
Or rather, it's not about interests, but about everyone having to walk their own path.
Li Jun walked back to the rest area.
Nicholas Tse and Qin Hailu were discussing the next scene, both of them engrossed and focused.
He suddenly realized that compared to the conflicts far away in Beijing, this bamboo forest and these earnest people were the real ones.
"Have you rested well?"
He raised his voice.
"We're filming the scene this afternoon where Lin Shen is searching for Wanrong. Time to move to another location!"
The afternoon scenes were filmed on the other side of the bamboo forest.
The plot is as follows: Wanrong has not returned from gathering herbs, and Lin Shen is worried, so he goes out to look for her.
He found his injured wife deep in the bamboo forest, and the two helped each other home.
This scene has no dialogue; it relies entirely on body language and eye contact.
The scene was set in a relatively open clearing in the woods, with several huge rocks covered in moss. An old vine grew out of a crack in the rocks, winding upwards and entwining around the bamboo next to it.
Nicholas Tse and Qin Hailu are positioning themselves.
Li Jun's requirements are:
Lin Shen's search was not a frantic cry, but a silent and anxious search.
He was familiar with this bamboo forest and knew where his wife often went to collect herbs, but the more he searched, the more anxious he became, and his steps went from steady to unsteady.
"Teacher Qin,"
Li Jun said to Qin Hailu.
"You're leaning against the rock, not unconscious, but just too tired and weak from blood loss."
When she saw her husband, her first reaction was to breathe a sigh of relief, and then she tried to stand up, but she didn't have the strength.
Qin Hailu nodded, leaned against the rock, and adjusted his posture.
Her face was pale, the bloodstains on her "wounds" had dried, and her clothes were covered in mud and bamboo leaves.
"Teacher Xie, you can start the painting from this side."
Li Jun pointed to the bamboo forest path.
"When I saw my wife, I stopped in my tracks, then quickened my pace. Not running, but walking fast."
When I knelt down, I looked at her hands first, then her face. All the worry, heartache, and self-blame were in her eyes.
Nicholas Tse closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and seemed to be getting into the zone.
"All hands on deck!"
"Scene 1 of 'Dreams of Mountains and Rivers,' begin!"
The camera follows Nicholas Tse's back.
He walked through the bamboo forest, his steps hurried but heavy. He stopped from time to time, looking around anxiously.
Sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting shimmering shadows on his face.
He walked to the edge of the rock and suddenly stopped.
Beneath the rock, his wife leaned against it, her eyes closed, her face pale, and her hands bloody.
His breath hitched.
Then he walked quickly over, almost lunging at his wife, and knelt down beside her.
He first took her hand, and when he saw the wound, his fingers trembled slightly.
Then he looked up at her face, reached out to touch her cheek, but stopped in mid-air, as if afraid of breaking something.
Qin Hailu opened his eyes at that moment.
Eyes facing each other.
There are no lines, but a thousand words are conveyed.
Nicholas Tse's eyes shifted from fear to relief, and then to deep heartache.
Qin Hailu's eyes shifted from confusion to relief, then to a hint of apology, as if to say: I'm sorry for making you worry.
She wanted to sit up straight, but she didn't have the strength.
Nicholas Tse immediately reached out to support her, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a fragile piece of porcelain.
Then he turned around, squatted down with his back to her, and gestured that he wanted to carry her on his back.
Qin Hailu hesitated for a moment, but still knelt down.
Nicholas Tse slowly stood up, adjusted his position, and made sure she was lying down comfortably.
His steps were steady, one step at a time, as he walked out of the bamboo forest.
The camera zooms out, and the two figures gradually disappear into the bamboo forest.
Sunlight, bamboo shadows, and silent support.
"Cut!"
Li Jun called a halt.
This one passed on the first try.
The staff on site breathed a sigh of relief, followed by hushed praises.
The difficulty of this scene lies in striking the right balance of emotions; too much and it becomes overly sentimental, too little and it becomes bland.
But Nicholas Tse and Qin Hailu captured the essence perfectly; the unspoken understanding and concern between husband and wife were all in the subtle details.
During the playback, Li Jun paid special attention to the shot of them making eye contact.
Nicholas Tse squatted down and saw the injury on his wife's hand; his fingers trembled.
That wasn't a planned action; it was a subconscious reaction.
Then he looked up, and their eyes met.
Qin Hailu's eyes slowly focused, and the moment he recognized the person, the relaxation and reliance he showed was incredibly real.
"This could be used as a poster."
Zhao Xiaodong said from the side.
"The lighting, composition, and emotion are all spot on."
As we finished work, the sun was setting.
The bamboo forest was dyed golden yellow, with the edges of the bamboo leaves edged in gold.
Everyone packed up their equipment and headed down the mountain along the same route. They were tired, but satisfied.
Li Jun walked at the back, glancing back at the depths of the bamboo forest.
The rocks, the old vines, and the ground strewn with fallen leaves—just moments ago, a tender moment unfolded amidst the chaos of war—but now, tranquility has returned.
It's as if nothing ever happened.
But it was recorded on film.
That's the magic of film—it turns a moment into eternity.
By the time we got back to the village, it was already dark.
Lights were turned on in every household, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys.
The air was filled with the aroma of stir-fried dishes and the unique coolness of the evening.
Li Jun returned to his residence. In the courtyard, the village secretary's grandson was squatting on the floor watching ants move their food. Seeing him, the child looked up and grinned, "Uncle Li, my grandma said you can come over for dinner!"
"Thank you, but the production crew has other plans."
Li Jun patted his head.
Tell Grandma that she appreciates your kind gesture.
The child nodded and continued watching the ants.
Li Jun went upstairs, took a hot shower, and washed away the sweat and fatigue of the day.
After changing into clean clothes, he sat down at his desk and opened his laptop.
There are several new emails in my inbox.