Chapter 264: Detective Chinatown

Thailand.

The "Detective Chinatown" crew.

Wearing multiple hats as screenwriter, lead actor, director, and investor, Su Chen was run ragged.

Directing in particular required overseeing the whole picture and coordinating with many departments.

Making sure every detail was airtight.

It was just like fighting a war.

Even before the actual battle had begun.

The pre-battle preparations alone were massive enough.

If the pre-battle preparations weren't handled well.

Once the fighting started, it would only collapse in a rout.

Still, Su Chen had previously fused the Director skill.

Possessing abilities that surpassed those top Hollywood directors like Cameron and Spielberg.

Handling this suspense-comedy, whose shooting difficulty wasn't all that high, was still very easy.

A truly top-tier director needed extremely well-rounded abilities.

Spanning every field.

And each one had to reach near-top, or even top, level.

For instance: acting, scriptwriting, cinematography, aesthetics, literature, mechanics, engineering, architecture, mathematics…

Plus super-strong communication skills, super-high emotional intelligence, and a rich network of contacts.

Those top Hollywood directors.

Had extremely strong attainments in all these fields.

Domestic directors like Lao Lao Mouzi and Sunglasses Wong did pretty well in these fields too.

But in recent years, bad films had been multiplying.

The bar for becoming a director had dropped shockingly low.

Many already-famous actors felt the pace of raking in money still wasn't fast enough.

So they simply switched careers to become directors and investors.

They started cranking out bad films like crazy, and even raked in decent results.

People like Bao Beier, for instance.

Even complete outsiders who had barely acted before.

Had set their sights on the directing profession.

Backed by capital, they transformed overnight and crossed over into directors.

They even pulled in respectable box-office numbers.

Da Peng, for example.

Su Chen not only had extremely high popularity and traffic himself.

In terms of directorial craft, no one could even come close.

Against any director, including Lao Lao Mouzi and the like, it was a dimensional-reduction strike.

Moreover, Su Chen's physical stamina and vigor were freakishly abnormal.

He slept only two or three hours a day.

Every other waking moment was spent working.

As a result, the film's prep progress moved very fast.

It wrapped up five or six days ahead of schedule.

Su Chen gave the whole crew a few days off.

They went out to have some fun nearby.

Once the actors had trickled into the set one after another.

A start-of-production ceremony was held, and the kickoff banquet was eaten.

Ready to begin official filming!

This film's lineup was still quite massive.

Besides Su Chen, Wang Baoqiang, and Sister Xiao Ya.

There were also Chen He, Xiao Yang, Xiao Xiao Shenyang, little sister Zhang Zifeng, and so on.

Of course, some of these actors didn't yet have the huge fame they had in the previous life.

Otherwise Su Chen wouldn't have invited them.

Because the budget was too big!

In the previous life, Wang Lihong only cameoed for a few minutes in "Hello Mr. Billionaire."

And walked away with several million.

If a pile of big names were invited to cameo, it would be way too expensive!

Wang Baoqiang, as the senior.

Was the first to raise his glass.

"Come on, let's all drink one with the director."

"Wishing our film a smooth shoot and a massive box-office hit."

Su Chen raised his glass and clinked with everyone.

Two liang of baijiu, downed in one clean gulp.

Wang Baoqiang laughed so hard his facial features seemed to fly apart.

"Director, I heard you have a huge tolerance for alcohol?"

"This is your debut work; you must value it highly. Shouldn't we all take a round?"

"Show some sincerity, and the movie will be a hit."

Su Chen smiled faintly.

"Brother Bao is digging a pit for me again, isn't he?"

"I can drink, but I'm afraid you lot can't hold up."

Wang Baoqiang gave a simple, honest smile.

"With so many of us, could we all be drunk under by you? Come on!"

Su Chen immediately joined everyone in taking a round.

Sister Xiao Ya's face showed a look of heartache.

"Director Su, drink less. Don't really ruin your health and delay the filming."

"You are the soul of our movie."

Su Chen laughed heartily: "We are all the soul."

"This movie cannot do without any one of you!"