Chapter 570: Saving the Situation

Liu Manbo has shoulder-length hair, a bit curly, but because he is quite burly and a bit unkempt, he won't be mistaken for a girl because of this.

But when sitting at the table, Lu Yan He could clearly feel his restlessness and unease.

Lu Yan He knew this was because in Liu Manbo's eyes, he had the ability to change his career situation.

"Have you had dinner? I've been recording the show and had some boxed meals prepared by the show crew. I didn't dare to eat too much, afraid of getting sleepy." Lu Yan He said with a smile.

Liu Manbo said: "I just ate a bowl of instant noodles at the hotel by myself."

Lu Yan He is actually not a person who is good at starting conversations with people.

Liu Manbo doesn't look like one either.

Lu Yan He immediately looked at Wang Biao.

Wang Biao, who was eating fish, heard this, immediately put down his chopsticks knowingly, and asked: "Teacher Manbo—"

"I don't deserve to be called a teacher." Liu Manbo immediately waved his hand.

Wang Biao smiled and said: "I called it wrong; I should call you Liu Dao."

Liu Manbo waved his hand even more embarrassedly.

"I haven't directed anything; what kind of director am I."

Lu Yan He asked: "The short films you directed before were highly rated by everyone."

Liu Manbo showed a bit of an embarrassed smile and said: "It's, it's okay, everyone is encouraging me."

"You should have seen the news about the opening ceremony of the drama 'Nineteen Years of Crime Records', right?"

Liu Manbo nodded.

"I saw it. Such a thing broke out on the first day of filming; I guess the crew is having a headache. Little Mr. Lu is one of the producers of this drama, right?" Liu Manbo asked.

Lu Yan He couldn't help but laugh when he heard himself being called "Little Mr. Lu."

"What's wrong?" Liu Manbo was a little nervous suddenly.

"Nothing, it's just that I've never been called Little Mr. Lu, haha." Lu Yan He laughed, "It sounds very fresh, thank you."

Wang Biao said: "Then Little Brother Lu, you are now the boss of Linghe anyway, and more and more people will call you Mr. in the future."

Lu Yan He: "I feel like I can take the domineering boss route in the future."

Wang Biao immediately said: "Better not, Little Brother Lu, being a boss is fine, but being domineering is greasy."

Liu Manbo looked at the two of them with some surprise.

Under the intentional "singing and harmonizing" of Lu Yan He and Wang Biao, Liu Manbo finally felt less restrained towards Lu Yan He.

"Director Chen Lingling said your photography foundation is very good." Lu Yan He asked curiously, "Why didn't you go directly to be a photographer, but came to 'Birth of an Actor' to be a director?"

Liu Manbo said: "To tell the truth, a photographer still cooperates with the director to shoot the style the director wants. I still hope to have more autonomy."

He added: "And, actually, I wanted to apply for the directing department at first, but I didn't get in and was admitted to the photography department."

Lu Yan He nodded.

"Your photography style is indeed a system of its own. At first glance, it is very plain, not the kind of big filter that is very eye-catching at first glance, but the picture is particularly clean and makes people look comfortable. It has a bit of that Japanese style, but their feeling relies more on the processing of light and tone, and you are different from them."

Liu Manbo looked at Lu Yan He in surprise and said: "Many people say the pictures I shoot are very Japanese. Every time I want to explain to them that it's not the same thing, I don't know how to say it. You actually pointed it out directly. I really don't like to modify the picture through post-production light and shadow and tone. I like to shoot natural light."

"Shooting natural light is much more difficult. Sometimes you have to wait a long time for the light, and you are very limited by the situation at the time of shooting."

"Hmm." Liu Manbo nodded, "If the conditions really don't allow it, then you can only adjust it through technical means."

Lu Yan He said: "Actually, if you shoot a TV series, it is very difficult to shoot according to your ideas. The shooting volume is large, and the time is tight."

Liu Manbo nodded: "These are all technical problems. Anyway, when you arrive at the scene, you make trade-offs according to the situation at the scene. The priority must be to complete the shooting according to the plan."

"I see you have also been an assistant director." Lu Yan He smiled.

"Yes, actually, the filming of that drama was quite bumpy at the time. The chief director basically just had a name, didn't come to the scene half the time, and most of the scenes were filmed by the three of us assistant directors." Liu Manbo said bluntly, "I am very happy myself. After all, only when he doesn't come do I have the opportunity to be a director on the scene."

The corners of his mouth curled up.

Lu Yan He also smiled.

"Did you not encounter any opportunity to independently direct a drama later?" he asked.

"No, basically no opportunity." Liu Manbo shook his head, "I didn't sign with a film and television company or platform, so this kind of opportunity generally doesn't come to me. I also didn't catch up with the good time when video websites exploded. At that time, there were many opportunities. If you haven't been a director, as long as you have a good short film work, you can also get opportunities from the platform."

Lu Yan He nodded and said: "Now the projects of various platforms are decreasing, and it is indeed not as many opportunities for new directors as before."

Lu Yan He actually didn't have any questions he must ask him; they were just chatting together, chatting wherever they went.

Of course, there were also some questions about "Nineteen Years of Crime Records" interspersed in the middle.

"Have you read this novel?" Lu Yan He asked.

Liu Manbo shook his head, "I watched the movie."

"What do you think of the movie?"

Liu Manbo hesitated for a moment and said: "I feel the filming process was not very smooth, and the tone of the whole movie was not unified."

Lu Yan He nodded.

"Indeed."

"Actually, I was quite shocked when I heard that this novel was going to be filmed again. After all, the movie flopped. There are very few movies that are filmed as dramas after the movie version flops."

"It did take some effort in the middle."

"I know, you are very familiar with the author of this novel." Liu Manbo said, "Liu Jiazhen, he is also my clansman."

He smiled.

"I quite envy him. His first book was read and recommended by you by accident, and later he caught up with the hot sales of the magazine 'Jump Up'."

Lu Yan He said: "If you were asked to direct this story, how would you shoot it?"

"Hmm?" Liu Manbo looked at Lu Yan He in surprise.

"No other meaning, just curious, because the movie version was ruined, so I'm very curious, if someone else came to shoot it, what kind of style would they shoot this story of chasing the murderer into?" Lu Yan He explained.

Liu Manbo pondered for a while and said: "I haven't thought about how to shoot it specifically for a while, but I would definitely refuse the style of the movie, that kind of dark, decadent, heavy and painful atmosphere that looks heavy at first glance. Actually, I would prefer to use the most daily expression techniques to package all the stories, especially this kind of story involving a long pursuit of a murderer. Many heavy things happened in the middle, and the story itself is enough to make people feel blocked, so there is no need to create such an atmosphere in the picture and editing. I especially like the ending of the movie 'Late Spring', which is the ending shot where you actors look at each other in the classroom in turn, and the sunlight spills in from outside the classroom—actually, at this time, the movie has already told a cruel growth story, but this shot suddenly pulled the emotion out of the story's emotion and tone. These young students experienced a pain and collapse that perhaps no one knows, except themselves, no one can understand, and the sunlight is still sunlight." Wang Biao looked at Liu Manbo with some surprise.

"I am particularly afraid of this ending being filmed as a heavy rain, as if the whole world is shaking with the cruel youth of these people." Liu Manbo said, "This is also the reason why I like to use natural light. I think true expression is that the more daily and ordinary the picture is, the more it has a sense of reality that reaches the truth."

Wang Biao was inexplicably curious at this moment, did Liu Manbo come here after doing his homework?

His interpretation of the last shot of "Late Spring" must have reached Lu Yan He's heart.

As Lu Yan He's assistant, Wang Biao knows very well what he thinks of the movie "Late Spring". Especially this last shot.

Wang Biao thought to himself, if nothing unexpected happens, Lu Yan He should recommend Liu Manbo to the drama "Nineteen Years of Crime Records".

"Use a director who has never independently directed a work to take over?"

There is a great divergence of opinion within Lighthouse Video.

"We are already communicating with Ji Huai; he is actually interested in taking over."

"Ji Huai? He has already flopped three dramas in a row." Someone immediately opposed this candidate, "Have you forgotten his 'Yun Luo' starring Zhen Hongyu? At that time, it was booming to create an S+ big hit drama, but the final broadcast results flopped, not even reaching the A-level broadcast data, causing Icefield Video to lose blood."

"But who is this Liu Manbo? I have never heard of him. Can a person like him with no experience, and only in his twenties, direct such a big drama right away? This is not a B-level small film; we have invested over 100 million in this drama."

"Li Zhibai and Jiang Jun have both expressed their support for Liu Manbo to direct."

"That's because Liu Manbo was recommended by Lu Yan He. With their relationship with Lu Yan He, of course they will support him."

"Since this person was recommended by Lu Yan He, it means he must have some skills."

"The position of director, before you have really directed a work, is fake. Whether you have this ability, whether you can be a director, only when you are on the film set will you know. Who knows how Lu Yan He took a fancy to him."

"He shot a short film in the show 'Birth of an Actor' before, and the feedback was very good." Someone immediately explained, "Not only Lu Yan He, but Director Chen Lingling also gave a very high evaluation. The short film he shot will be broadcast on the show this Friday."

"Then let's wait and see how the short film he shot is before talking. Moreover, shooting a short film and shooting a feature film are completely different in nature."

"Can we wait until Friday to make a decision? Now the assistant director is filming on the scene, completely unable to control the situation. Li Zhibai is very dissatisfied with the footage filmed and has reacted to us several times."

"Could it be that everything filmed in the past two days is waste?"

"Anyway, I can't wait any longer."

"Have any of you ever seen Liu Manbo? Ji Huai is definitely not okay. If there is no other candidate, then hurry up and arrange to meet Liu Manbo to see what his situation is. If it really doesn't work, we can only stop this project and stop losses in time."

"Stop losses in time? This drama is starring Li Zhibai and Jiang Jun. With the lineup of the two of them co-starring, we can sign the performance agreement before Jiang Jun's salary rises, and we have already saved eight figures. Moreover, we have already evaluated the script. This script is much better than that movie version. Isn't it said that if it is filmed well, it will definitely be a drama with good reputation?"

"The problem is that there is no director now, and it can't be filmed well."

No matter how big the divergence and controversy within Lighthouse Video are, time is tight, forcing them to make a decision.

Delaying one more day means wasting one more day.

The assistant director is too disappointing, forcing a duck onto a perch, unable to handle this job. The filming scene has become Li Zhibai and Jiang Jun guiding the filming.

But in fact, they don't know that much—

The actor's perspective and the director's perspective are completely different things.

It can only be said to be a mess.

By evening, Liu Manbo had urgently arrived at the filming scene.

He was called by Li Zhibai.

Once he arrived, the producer and supervisor arranged by Lighthouse Video were very surprised and said: "The company has not agreed to let Liu Manbo take over. This is—"

Li Zhibai said: "You discuss yours, I am too lazy to delay with you. I pay out of my own pocket to invite Liu Manbo to help. Let him help us get through these two days first. If you want to BB, go to your company leaders to BB. If you are not willing, you can, let the director you fancy be in place tomorrow morning. Otherwise, don't let us waste this time on the scene. I don't want the footage filmed now to be broadcast. Dragging me down is a small matter, don't drag down Teacher Jiang. He is a good acting school, don't ruin it in our garbage filming."

Li Zhibai has a very bad temper, and now he has no good temper at all.

After he finished speaking, he didn't continue to argue with them, grabbed the main people in charge of various departments of the crew, invited Teacher Jiang, and went directly to have a meeting with Liu Manbo.

"Send the boxed meals directly to the conference room." He told the crew, "Work is finished today, no filming. Those who are fine, go back and rest early. The pressure of filming later is high, so rest well when you can."

Once he spoke, the crew still listened.

After all, the status of producer + investor + lead actor is placed here. After the crew had an accident, Li Zhibai was the first to stand up, gathered all the staff for a meeting, and told them that this drama will definitely be filmed. Everyone doesn't need to worry about the impact on wages. If Lighthouse Video really withdraws capital later, he will not let everyone work in vain, and he will make up for everyone's wages out of his own pocket. In short, money will definitely not be owed to everyone, but now there is a difficulty, and everyone needs to work together to overcome it.

Once this attitude was expressed, the crew knew who to listen to.

"Liu Dao, you are a director introduced by Yan He. He is my brother, and his eye for people is even more impeccable. No one has ever misread people, so I fully trust you." Li Zhibai expressed his position in front of all the people in charge. Once the words were put down, others don't BB either. Listen if you should listen, "I have already communicated the specific situation with you on the phone. I don't know if Lighthouse Video will agree to let you direct in the end, but all of us are here. No matter what, filming cannot stop. If they still find another person in the end, I also promise you in front of so many people that I will definitely use all my energy to support you to be the director of another drama later. So, please help, at least starting tomorrow, we can film some things that can really be used."

Liu Manbo nodded.

"Thank you for your trust and the trust of everyone. Time is tight, so I won't say anything empty. In one sentence, I will do my best to do what I can. On the way here, I first pondered the whole story outline and the script content that has been set up. I will say my thoughts directly. Before I finish speaking, please don't interrupt me, because I just sorted out my thoughts, and I am afraid that I will be confused if you interrupt me halfway. After I finish speaking, if you have any questions, just ask."

He opened the script in his hand. In just a day and a half, the thick script in Liu Manbo's hand had already been pasted with many label stickers, and there were many notes on it.

"Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, I want to film scenes 24, 28, and 31 first. These three scenes are all literary scenes, indoor scenes, and the scenes are all on the two of you, not involving other actors. For me, in the case of not being familiar enough with the crew, the complexity of operation can be reduced to the minimum." Liu Manbo very frankly said that he wanted to film simple ones first when he took over, "But this is up to Zhibai and Teacher Jiang, because the emotions of these three scenes are not coherent. I saved my own trouble, but I put higher requirements on you."

Jiang Jun heard Liu Manbo point out these three scenes, and his heart immediately relaxed by half.

Filming such things, those who have done it and those who haven't can be seen from picking scenes, which part has the least technical execution difficulty—

These three scenes are all dialogue scenes between Li Zhibai and Jiang Jun, just one scene, all indoor scenes, site restrictions, meaning that camera movement and scheduling will not be complicated.

And the focus of these three scenes is also on the performance of the two of them, not on technical things.

Liu Manbo obviously understands.

"I'm OK." Jiang Jun nodded.

"I'm also OK." Li Zhibai also nodded.

Liu Manbo said: "Okay, Teacher Jiang, Zhibai, shall we go directly to the scene to try a shot later? I also happen to be familiar with everyone."

"I have already asked them to finish work and go back." Li Zhibai said.

"It's okay, I'm not going to film officially." Liu Manbo said, "My work habit requires standing in the scene to really explain clearly what kind of shots I want to film. It won't take everyone long."

Li Zhibai felt that he should support Liu Manbo's work.

So, he looked at Jiang Jun, and seeing that Jiang Jun had no objection, he nodded.

In fact, Liu Manbo's efficiency is indeed high.

Arriving at the studio scene, Liu Manbo walked around the scene by himself, looked at every place, and immediately put forward an opinion.

"Can this wall be pushed down?" He asked, "In the current space, the camera's moving line is too restricted. The three scenes happening here are all literary scenes, with a large amount of dialogue, and the characters basically have no moving lines. If the camera's moving line is still restricted, the lens will be too monotonous. I want to make the picture have more depth." ===== CHAPTER 571 =====