Chapter 270: Won't film movies anymore

On the morning of March 28th, Lu Kuan, Cao Jiuping, and Yao Jianguo from Tangshan had just inspected the film set.

"Are the props sent by Fan Jianchuan all here? Are they enough?"

"They are all here, and there is a surplus."

Cao Jiuping laughed: "We invited many grandpas and grandmas to identify and compare, to see if it looks like the one back then, and many people were moved to tears."

Yao Jianguo sighed: "It's not that they were moved to tears. This street was just built and made old. I couldn't help but shed tears after walking around!"

Seeing things and thinking of people, seeing things and thinking of things, is the simplest emotional impulse.

A Passat with Hebei B00001 stopped at the entrance of the film set, and Little Li got off the car to open the door for the leader.

Zhao Yong was in high spirits and greeted from afar: "Director Lu, it's been a while since you came, right?"

"Is your body okay?"

"It's fine, it's fine. Thank you, Secretary Zhao, for sending comrades from Tangshan to Chengdu to express condolences at that time. I was very moved!"

Boss Lu also held his hand enthusiastically, and the two walked away in front, and the others kept their distance sensibly.

"To tell you the truth, Director Lu, for today's boot press conference, I didn't sleep well last night!"

"As soon as I closed my eyes, I thought of the expectant eyes of the folks, and thought of the fact that the whole country's audience will see how strong and brave our people are!"

Zhao Yong sighed: "Director Lu, I want to thank you."

"Although I am a layman, just from the preparatory work in the early stage, I can see that you are a serious and responsible director."

"In many places, Jianguo and Little Li feel that it is okay, and it is already very similar, but you still disagree and want to strive for excellence. I admire you very much!"

Lu Kuan laughed: "Secretary Zhao, don't praise me. It's windy today, I can't stand it!"

"Hahaha, you can stand it, you can stand it!"

"By the way, Director Lu, look at this group of buildings with 70s style after restoration."

Zhao Yong looked around as if pointing to the country: "It has all been done according to your plan, and many tourists have already inquired whether it is a scenic spot."

Lu Kuan nodded: "If this movie can be a big hit, I think doing a film and television base can pick up some business."

Facts have proved that all praise is paving the way. Secretary Zhao is still old and cunning: "Director Lu, does Inquiry Realm have any plans to develop film and television cities and film and television bases?"

Of the total investment of 280 million in *Tangshan Earthquake*, more than 50 million from Tangshan, 70% is offset by the film set scenery under the feet and nearby.

For him, if he can pull Inquiry Realm to invest and recover funds, it is naturally another considerable political achievement.

The movie was filmed, the box office exploded, the reputation was good, and the money was collected.

Can't you take a rocket next year?

Boss Lu sneered in his heart, understanding his intention.

Inquiry Realm is now a small industrial chain closed loop. Compared with the Hollywood Six, there is still a field that has not yet been involved: film and television cities and theme parks.

Disney's theme parks don't need to be mentioned. Before the global mask, they always accounted for more than 50% of the company's total profits.

Universal opened Universal Studios in Hollywood in 1964, and the Orlando Universal Studios in 1990 was the second largest theme park after Disney.

There are also film and television cities including Warner's *Harry Potter* theme park, Sony's *Men in Black* and *Bad Boys* series, etc.

But for Boss Lu now, the entry timing of this project is far from mature.

It is cheap to get land now, but it is expensive to build houses and buy equipment! The total investment of the first phase of Disney in Shanghai is more than 34 billion.

The most critical thing is that Inquiry Realm does not have any systematic IP yet.

Xianxia? Now there are only *Chinese Paladin* and *Zhu Xian*;

Horror? North American Inquiry Realm only filmed *Paranormal Activity* and *Insidious*, and Justin Lin is going to be pulled to film *The Foreigner 2*;

And science fiction that is relatively easy to make into IP, but currently it is only a *The Foreigner*.

Without strong IP reserves, there is no fan group brought by these IPs, and theme parks and film and television cities lack core attraction.

Of course, there is no need to explain so much to Secretary Zhao in front of him.

"Inquiry Realm has plans in this regard, but the timing is not mature yet, and..."

"Secretary Zhao, I'll just say it straight. Tangshan is not a good choice for us."

"Oh? What is the reason?"

Lu Kuan explained: "Look, except for the digital base developed by China Film in Huairou this year, almost all the larger film and television bases in the country are south of the Yangtze River."

"Wuxi's Three Kingdoms City, Water Margin City, Zhejiang's Hengdian, Shooting Eagle City, Dali's Dragon City."

Zhao Yong understood: "You are talking about climate reasons, right?"

"That's right. The weather in the north is too cold. The time suitable for filming every year is only 7 months after cutting off the head and tail."

"Hainan and Guangdong and Guangxi are too hot. Only the Yangtze River Delta region has distinct seasons, developed economy, and sufficient talents, which is the best geographical location."

Secretary Zhao knew that this was a big hand in the industry, and he had to believe what he said.

But this piece of land always has to find a way to operate after filming the movie.

"Director Lu, give us some tips on how to attract more crews and make this piece up?"

"Simple, first tax refund, second scarcity."

Boss Lu laughed: "Now when you go to Hollywood, if you ask about a crew, they are all filming in Canada. My movie *The Foreigner* was filmed in Vancouver."

"Now the film industry in the United States has a trend of hollowing out, because the crews have been attracted to several tax refund states and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc."

"Actually, you have a learning object in the country, which is the Zhenbeipu Film and Television Base in Ningxia. Fan Bingbing's *Ping Zong Xia Ying* was filmed there."

"Why can he survive in the north?"

"The first is that the local government's tax refund ratio is high, and the second is that Western-style, yellow sand-filled plays can only be filmed there. Scarcity!"

"So you just follow the gourd to draw the ladle. Tax refund is not much to say. In terms of architectural style, don't be greedy for size and completeness. Just make the 70s and 80s style out of the circle, and naturally there will be crews coming to the door."

Secretary Zhao can understand, but these things are not easy to implement.

Just talking about the resistance of tax refunds is extremely great.

Hebei Province is siphoned by Beijing and Tianjin, and it is not rich.

Tangshan is a major tax province, not a planned separate city like Qingdao or Ningbo, and tax aspects still have to be managed by the province.

Zhao Yong saw that he really couldn't take advantage of Director Lu, and got some pertinent suggestions, so he gave up.

After lunch, the actors and staff participating in the boot ceremony arrived. Zhou Xun led Hu Jun, Wang Baoqiang, Song Jia, and others to knock on Lu Kuan's room door.

"Big director, so diligent?"

Boss Lu looked up: "You're all here, please sit down."

"Song Jia, you seem to have lost weight? And you're dark, not bad."

This sentence is a bit nonsensical, and it doesn't sound very normal, but this is the task Lu Kuan gave her after the last meal.

A rural girl in the 70s, who just gave birth to a child, what could she eat at that time?

Being dark and thin is the normal actor image.

If you ask Liu Yifei to play, you have to make up well, otherwise the audience will be too out of the play.

"How is everyone's Tangshan dialect practice?"

Boss Lu laughed: "I suggest, from now on, you all speak in Tangshan dialect."

"Zhong!" Baoqiang was the first to enter the play.

"Xing (first tone) lei!" This is Hu Jun.

Zhou Xun was speechless: "Te hao lie!"

"This sentence is okay, like Teacher Zhao Lirong." Boss Lu praised.

"But you don't need to work hard to practice. You are a petty bourgeois lady. In the movie, most of them speak Mandarin."

Zhou Xun laughed: "Learn it, it's quite fun."

Song Jia was still a little unable to let go, cleared her throat: "Yo, Director, I'm Song Jia, hehe, I finally saw you today, so happy, looking forward to working with you."

She was afraid that Lu Kuan would not be satisfied, so she used all the modal particles in one breath, making everyone in the room laugh.

"It's okay, it's just that there is a Northeast flavor, practice more."

Song Jia laughed: "Director, why don't you write this role as having Northeast blood? I really tried my best."

Boss Lu chatted with them about some trivial matters of filming. Except for Zhou Xun, almost everyone was collaborating for the first time.

However, Wang Baoqiang is an artist of Inquiry Realm and has heard of his style. Hu Jun's professional ability is resistant, needless to say.

Perhaps Song Jia needs to adapt for a while, maybe she will cry a few more times.

"Director, it's time to go." Zhao Fei knocked on the door and nodded to the actors with a smile.

"Go!"

Boss Lu looked at the few people and saw that there were no bright-colored clothes, thinking that they were all professional actors, and these details were taken care of.

Today's boot ceremony will have wreath offering and silent tribute, and the clothing should be mainly black and plain.

Around 3:40 pm, in front of the main monument of the Great Earthquake in the south of Xinhua Road in the city center, the sky also met the people's remembrance and grief, appearing extremely gloomy.

Forty-two minutes, the host of Tangshan TV station announced the official start of the boot ceremony.

Lu Kuan, Zhao Yong, and Gao Chengsheng represented the three film investors and offered flower baskets to the Anti-Earthquake Monument.

The whole audience stood up and stood in silent tribute to the 240,000 compatriots who died in the earthquake twenty-nine years ago, for three minutes.

Immediately followed by Secretary Zhao and Mayor Chen representing Tangshan to thank the *Great Earthquake* crew for their hard work.

Thank the hometown folks for their heartfelt support, and believe that under the leadership of Director Lu Kuan, they will definitely be able to film successfully.

Boss Lu's speech was relatively short. For him, the significance of this movie is more important, and the pressure he bears on his shoulders is also more.

"Twenty-nine years ago, the soldiers who rushed to the front line for earthquake relief set a military order to the people of the whole country, never retreating, and shouldering the heavy burden of saving lives."

"Today, I represent the *Tangshan Earthquake* crew to set a military order here, and I will definitely not disgrace the mission and film the movie well."

"The silent tribute just now is our silent oath and guarantee to the deceased compatriots and all the Tangshan folks present!"

Before the Tangshan host could choke and report the curtain, the black-pressed Tangshan people sitting under the stage stood up and applauded, and the older ones had already started to wipe their tears.

The number of online viewers in front of the Inquiry Realm video just exceeded 2 million, which is not much compared to award ceremonies or other programs.

The barrage that kept floating up, almost didn't see the word washing machine.

Usually, teasing Boss Lu is for the entertainment of public figures.

But in the face of major national events, everyone gave sincere recognition to the young director who bravely shouldered the heavy burden and initiated the Inquiry Realm teaching building donation project.

The establishment of this positive image and the creation of reputation are accumulated from these small things.

The remembrance and silent tribute activities ended, and entered the interviews and questions on the theme of the movie, mainly to highlight and point out the gimmicks of the movie, which is convenient for media and crew publicity and hype.

*China Film Report* reporter asked: "Director Lu, what is the special effects budget for this movie? What parts are worth looking forward to by the audience?"

This is a media and reporter with a good relationship, knowing your purpose of holding a press conference, and specifically picking questions that are easy to stand out.

Car and horse fees arranged!

"The total investment is 280 million RMB, and the special effects budget is about 90 million, which is because part of it is produced by Butian Film in China."

"The special effects costs of foreign departments are very high, and this figure has been compressed as much as possible."

Boss Lu paused: "As for the parts that the audience can look forward to."

"Last year, many audiences should have watched Director Roland's *The Day After Tomorrow*, and felt the thrilling and realistic special effects in disaster films."

"The special effects scenes and realism of this *Tangshan Earthquake* are only more than *The Day After Tomorrow*."

There are still reporters who like to get to the bottom of things: "Director Lu, tell me the details."

Boss Lu glanced at *Beijing Daily*, good at holding, car and horse fees plus 200.

"First of all, we use the RED-ONE 4K camera. This camera is specifically born for special effects film production."

"We also used this camera in *The Foreigner*, which can greatly improve the convenience of special effects production on the basis of ensuring the same clarity as 35mm film."

"At the same time, a good horse is equipped with a good saddle. I also encourage the audience friends at the scene, in front of the TV, and in front of the Inquiry Realm video to watch the film at our Inquiry Realm Wenjie Jiahe IMAX giant screen when the movie is released."

This word sounds too strange, let alone the audience at the scene, many film enthusiasts watching the live broadcast don't know it.

In front of the Inquiry Realm video, Gu Xiaobai popularized science on the barrage:

"IMAX is larger than the screen of ordinary cinemas, usually 22x16, and the resolution is far higher than ordinary film formats, which is very suitable for watching special effects films."

Boss Lu, the opinion leader on the screen, is also patiently introducing: "The field of view of IMAX is wider, and it is more realistic when playing blockbusters, especially showing grand war scenes, magnificent natural scenery, or super-large disaster and science fiction scenes."

He inserted an advertisement: "Now almost all provincial capital cities and sub-provincial cities in the country have at least one IMAX screen in Inquiry Realm Wenjie Jiahe cinemas. Welcome everyone to experience it."

The first IMAX screen in the country was born in the Shanghai Peace Cinema in 2003. In later generations, there were no more than twenty in the country until 2010.

In this life, Lu Kuan handed over the development of Wenjie Jiahe to Gao Jun and senior company management.

Except for giving instructions on the location of the cinema in the mainland, the IMAX big screen is his only strategic decision. Of course, it is only a small amount of paving at present.

This is naturally out of the strategic vision of leading the domestic film industry:

First is to cultivate the audience's viewing habits.

Starting from *Hero* in 2002, the domestic film market entered the blockbuster era.

Not to mention the distance, just take the 2006 New Year file, there will be the 300 million *The Promise* and the 280 million *Tangshan Earthquake* fighting each other, and the 150 million *The Banquet* after the new year.

By cultivating the audience's viewing habits in advance through the giant screen hall of Inquiry Realm Wenjie Jiahe, when entering the blockbuster era, Inquiry Realm Wenjie Jiahe will naturally be the first choice for the audience.

Secondly, book friends who like to drink and buy wine all know that no matter what white wine brand, it basically has to cover the civilian price segment of 100 yuan, the mid-range of 300-400, and the high-end of 800-1000 per bottle.

Whether there is high-end determines the image and status of your brand.

Why do you know it is hard currency when you mention Moutai, and you know it is ration wine when you mention Niulanshan?

One principle.

In 2005, starting to lay out IMAX giant screen halls in provincial capital cities in small steps is to enhance the scarcity of Inquiry Realm Wenjie Jiahe cinemas and position the high-end image.

At the same time, among the Hollywood imported films with blockbusters, Inquiry Realm Wenjie Jiahe will also become their first choice for communication and cooperation, which is convenient for bargaining.

A reporter from a local media in Tangshan asked: "Director Lu, what is the style of the film? Is it a Hollywood disaster blockbuster, or our traditional anti-earthquake and disaster relief main melody film?"

"This question is asked well, and this is also the tone set by me and screenwriter Liu at the beginning of the creation."

"Simply put, this movie of ours uses Hollywood technology to tell Chinese stories."

Boss Lu changed the microphone to the other hand: "I can only say that if the whole film has to be constrained by a standard, it is reality."

"Our script interviewed no less than two hundred survivors, and collected the stories of that year from their mouths."

"Swimming to save danger, digging people from ruins, parents saving children, all are real stories, not exaggerated or dwarfed."

"What everyone sees is the real earthquake, real emotions, and real hope."

The unique boot press conference ended quickly.

In the evening, the crew gathered for the first time. Boss Lu led Zhao Fei and others to toast a few rounds of wine, and fell asleep in the hotel.

At 8 o'clock the next morning, all members of the crew gathered on time. No matter how big they drank yesterday, there was not a single late one.

The film set performed their duties, and the order was orderly, which made Hu Jun and Song Jia, who were collaborating for the first time, secretly click their tongues, as if they had entered the barracks.

Especially Song Jia, this is her first movie, although she didn't expect how the pie fell on her head and smashed herself.

Must act well, act desperately, and strive for another chance to collaborate with Director Lu!

Routine positioning, lighting, preview, fine-tuning, nearly 9 o'clock, the first scene and first shot of *Tangshan Earthquake* started filming.

The narrative of disaster films is generally relatively boring, because everyone knows what you are going to talk about.

It is nothing more than the calm before the disaster, the special effects scenes in the disaster, and the touching and rebirth after the disaster.

How can we film new ideas?

The Golden Bear Award director is also considering this problem.

This is the opening, and it is also the audience's first impression of the movie. It must let them see some special things.

The so-called opening wins, this is the magic weapon of countless film and television classics.

For example, the eternal textbook *Citizen Kane*, the film opens with a long shot with great impact.

In the picture is a mysterious manor shrouded in darkness. The camera moves slowly upward, passes through the barbed wire, crosses the sign that says "No Entry", and finally stays on a window with a glimmer of light.

The long shot drags the audience's eyes into the room. A man is dying on the sickbed, and only says "Rosebud" before passing away.

The thick suspense atmosphere makes the audience can't wait to know what "Rosebud" refers to and what kind of story this man has.

It also paved the way for backtracking the protagonist Kane's life through the perspectives of different people later.

Therefore, Boss Lu used a long shot for the first shot to film a monologue of Zhou Xun.

In the script, Zhou Xun and her father Li Xuejian fell into trouble in ten years.

Yan University professor Li Xuejian, in order to protect his daughter who had experience studying abroad, married her off to Hu Jun of the 38th Army stationed in Baoding, who is currently a battalion commander in a certain unit.

Generally speaking, for a regular company-level cadre, with the approval of the political work department of the division level or above, the spouse can follow the army.

But Zhou Xun and Hu Jun have always maintained a state of living in two places.

Different cultural backgrounds and an age gap of more than ten years make this couple not very harmonious.

Zhou Xun thinks that there is no common language with her husband, and usually they are separated more and together less.

Hu Jun is also not very satisfied with his wife, thinking that he is still full of the arrogance and delicacy of the bourgeois young lady, and has not been deeply transformed.

The opening is the scene where Zhou Xun is very unaccustomed to taking care of her sister-in-law who just gave birth.

The camera is placed in the corridor outside the confinement room, using a fixed camera position and a panoramic view.

The woman played by Zhou Xun stands in front of the room door, takes a deep breath, and raises her hand to knock on the door.

This shot can explain the spatial environment where the story happened, so that the audience has a preliminary overall understanding of the confinement room scene about to enter.

At the same time, through the character's actions, it shows her somewhat reluctant mentality.

Boss Lu looked at the display in the picture and issued a fine-tuning instruction: "Teacher Zhao, let the character be in the center and upper position of the picture, and the door and surrounding environment should be reasonably presented, paving the way for subsequent entry into the room."

"OK!"

The push-track lens is combined with follow-up shooting, following the long shot into the room.

After Zhou Xun knocked on the door and heard the response in the room, the push-track lens started to start. The camera followed her slowly into the room, maintaining a relatively low shooting angle, probably at her waist position.

This is a narrative detail.

The gap between rural women in the 70s and petty bourgeois women like Zhou Xun is very large, which can be seen from this graceful waistline.

Follow-up shooting follows her footsteps from behind, filming the process of her observing the situation in the room while walking in, showing her unfamiliarity and some helplessness in serving confinement.

"Click!"

Boss Lu thought for a while and corrected the previous instruction: "After entering the room, do less shaking, otherwise the character's psychology will not stand."

Zhao Fei nodded, understanding his meaning in seconds.

Too much shaking, shaking the bed and furniture into the lens, can increase the richness and spatial sense of the scene, but it is not conducive to expressing Zhou Xun's depression at this time.

Zhou Xun returned to her original position, everyone was in place, but Boss Lu suddenly stood up.

I don't know why, today he filmed it wrong no matter how he filmed it, feeling that he couldn't enter the state.

Every frame, the preview in his mind before, and then to the lens are so strange and alienated, as if...

As if he returned to the first time he touched a camera at Beijing Film Academy in his previous life.

He paced over to check the lighting.

This scene is to place the main light source at the window of the room, simulating natural lighting.

Use a soft light box, and the light shines through the window curtains, making the whole room have a basic brightness.

"Old Wu, adjust it slightly if you look at the situation later. Zhou Xun is not tall. Avoid high-light areas that are too bright or shadows that are too dark, ensuring that the character can have suitable lighting effects in various positions and actions."

"Okay, Director."

Old Wu is also an old lighting engineer who has followed him for several crews. It is the first time he has seen him in this unpredictable state.

Did he drink too much yesterday or what?

The design of this one-shot is ingenious.

The opening is a fixed panoramic lens;

Then it is a push-track lens combined with follow-up shooting, following the long shot into the room, which is the place where it was just clicked;

Then it is a medium-shot surround lens showing character interaction, about 15-20 seconds, Song Jia enters the scene for the first time.

Finally, it is a close-up switching lens to capture character expression details, which requires handheld photography assistance, as well as a fixed lens for panoramic ending.

Zhou Xun didn't feel anything abnormal, and the second time was still a perfect performance, but she was clicked again in the medium shot.

She looked back suspiciously, seeing the expression of Boss Lu, who was usually chic and unrestrained on the film set, more suspicious.

He frowned and walked over, simulated it several times by himself, and looked at the position of the big rocker arm.

"The rocker arm lens follows Zhou Xun's actions. When she turns to take the hot water bottle on the table to pour water for her sister-in-law, the lens should slowly descend and pan, maintaining a medium shot."

"Then close-up shooting her taking the water bottle and pouring water but not skillfully and almost spilling it, highlighting her unfamiliar state of business."

"Understand?"

Photographer Little Chen was confused. You didn't say that just now!

"Uh... okay Director."

"Mm, come again."

After tossing and turning, it was clicked for five times, and finally filmed the details of Zhou Xun serving Song Jia confinement.

Steadicam equipment was used here, and the long shot was completed through editing later.

In the current complex indoor environment, through the stability of Steadicam, the lens can move smoothly with the actor, capturing continuous and smooth action pictures.

The atmosphere at the scene is very strange, and the air pressure is also very low.

Even if the long shot ended, no one dared to make a sound.

Boss Lu sat in front of the big monitor, frowning and staring at the playback, and sighed for a long time.

"This one passed."

Zhou Xun breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. This morning tossed her enough.

Song Jia on the bed was even more tormented. She didn't see where there was a problem at all. Why click?

As a genius director with a good reputation in the industry, he has been famous for four years and has many honors.

Everyone at the scene, including Zhao Fei, who had the oldest qualifications, found it difficult to doubt his every guidance and instruction.

The only time he questioned the overexposure and dead black in *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* was finally proved to be the flash of genius, which was the stepping stone for Lu Kuan to enter the master's hall.

But today...

The scene is really weird.

The first morning, which was tormented for all actors and staff, finally passed.

"Sister, was Director Lu this style before?"

Song Jia was a newcomer, so she was more familiar with Zhou Xun, and followed her whether resting or eating.

"No."

Zhou Xun also didn't figure out what kind of moth came out today, although she didn't cooperate with him too much directly, but from the reactions of Zhao Fei and several assistant directors.

This is not a normal situation.

"He used to be very confident on the film set."

Zhou Xun recalled the scene of filming *Shoplifters*: "Arranged lighting and lens setup, rarely overturned his own opinions."

"If an actor does something wrong, he can point it out immediately, and even act it for you to see."

Xun Ge sighed: "I still believe him, he should be able to adjust soon."

What Zhou Xun didn't know was that such a situation had existed since *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* was filmed.

That's

That is why he went to Jiuzhaigou to seek inspiration, strolled through the Berlin Cathedral, and mourned before his mother's grave at Niushou Mountain, wanting to dispel the unease and restlessness in his heart.

He never expected that months would pass, and this feeling would still be tugging at him, becoming even more severe after the car accident.

In the film crew's room, Lu Kuan and Zhao Fei sat opposite each other for a drink; the small table was filled with cold dishes like peanuts, Tangshan's specialty Wanlixiang roast chicken, and Hongyan braised pork knuckle.

"What exactly is wrong today? Was it because we discussed the Olympic opening ceremony too late yesterday and didn't rest well?"

Boss Lu shook his head and poured himself a two-tael cup; as the liquor entered his sorrowful gut, the local specialty distilled spirit made him wince and grimace.

"There's a problem; there has been a problem for a long time."

The young director let out a long sigh: "It started right after I finished editing 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'; there's an indescribable feeling."

"It's like a painter who can't distinguish colors, or a writer who can't recognize characters; in short, it's very strange."

"Pah! Artists are just like that—sometimes divine, sometimes demonic; don't take it to heart."

Zhao Fei drank a few cups with him, trying his best to comfort the young director: "In 1993, Woody Allen made 'Manhattan Murder Mystery', which belongs to his usual brand of ironic humor."

"But when the film was released, he watched it in the theater and cried, saying that what he had filmed was just a pile of shit."

"He locked himself in his small house in Brooklyn for three months, and in '94, he filmed his transitional work 'Bullets Over Broadway', which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director."

"Every director I've met has had a low point; this is very normal."

Boss Lu certainly knew the story he was telling, but his own state was far beyond that; he was truly lost in confusion, even feeling a bit panicked.

"Old Zhao, to tell you the truth, I think I've lost my ability to self-examine."

Zhao Fei suddenly looked up at him, the liquor in his hand startled into spilling a few drops.

As artists like painters and writers, besides creative ability, excellent directors usually possess the ability for self-examination.

Just like when Wang Jing once discussed Zhang Yimou's 'The Great Wall' on 'Round Table Party'.

Host Dou Wentao asked him: You directors, when you are filming a bad movie, do you actually know that you are filming a bad movie?

Wang Jing's answer to Dou Wentao was that when Zhang Yimou was halfway through filming, he absolutely knew he was filming a bad movie.

Including the later 'A Simple Noodle Story', he needed to help Zhang Weiping pay off debts and had no choice but to rush into it; he himself was tormented during the process.

But for the sake of the investors and the crew members, he could only bite the bullet and keep filming.

Someone like Zhang Yimou is a director who possesses both creative ability and the ability for self-examination.

That is why he could be the general director of the Olympic Games, because he possesses extremely strong aesthetic design and appreciation skills.

How was the scroll concept?

Was the on-site effect of the fou drums good?

Why did he insist on cutting the large shadow play at the end?

He has the powerful judgment of an artist; such directors can generally also serve as producers—to put it bluntly, they can distinguish between good and bad work.

Another relatively opposite example is naturally Chen Kaige.

He belongs to the type of director immersed in creation: I only make things I think are good; if you don't appreciate them, it's because you lack vision.

I won't subjectively judge what kind of feedback this film will get in terms of artistry or commerciality; I only care about creation, and I leave the rest to the market.

Of course, in the end, the audience will vote with their feet, though he won't admit his failure.

Now, Lu Kuan has suddenly fallen into this kind of confusion.

A simple long take—let alone putting it into his previous films, even the him from his past life could handle it with ease.

But after filming all morning, it was truly just so awkward—indescribably awkward.

"Including the discussion of programs in the literary performance part later, maybe you think it is a genius idea in the last second, and you deny it yourself in the next second."

He always unconsciously and naturally negates his aforementioned decisions, and by the end of filming, he finds it hard to choose which take is more suitable.

A film is a director's personal creation; the actors, lighting, cinematography, and dubbing all serve him.

This work of self-examination cannot be replaced by others.

There was work the next day, so the two finished a bottle of liquor and went to rest.

After Zhao Fei left, Lu Kuan, who was sitting in a chair with his arms crossed in deep thought, received an overseas call.

"Martin?"

"Lu, I heard you're going to be the jury president at Cannes?"

The jury members for the Cannes Film Festival are usually announced 1-2 months before the festival begins; Cannes officials announce the results in early April.

Clearly, Martin Scorsese has his own news channels.

Boss Lu smiled: "That's right. Do you have a film you want to recommend to me?"

"In the Cinéfondation section, there's a short film called 'Buy It Now'; you can keep an eye on it."

The Cinéfondation section is a unique project of the Cannes Film Festival; contestants must register as representatives of the film schools they are attending.

Besides a top prize of 15,000 euros, they are invited to Paris to participate in a residency.

The festival officials provide them with a residence in the city center, a monthly living allowance of 800 euros, and opportunities for the students to watch art films in theaters.

At the same time, winners of the Cinéfondation section naturally gain the opportunity for their first feature film to enter the Cannes Film Festival, which is why many young directors flock to it.

For the festival officials, it is mainly used to discover outstanding young directors from all over the world and also to foster filmmakers who are part of the Cannes lineage.

Human connections are universal; Boss Lu agreed immediately: "No problem."

"How is your new film? I saw the news; is it a disaster film?"

"Yes, but filming it has been a struggle, haha."

Lu Kuan shared his feelings with this film sociologist.

Martin Scorsese has been making films since 1963; he has seen countless directors and quickly understood his confusion.

"I met someone at the party after this year's Oscars who is in the exact same state as you."

"Who?"

"Von Trier, who filmed 'Dogville'; everyone calls him Von Crazy."

'Dogville' is an art film starring Nicole Kidman, featuring minimalist stage-play-style sets and a profound, sharp dissection of human nature.

This caused the film to attract widespread attention and much controversy after its release, becoming a highly topical work in film history.

Martin Scorsese is far more knowledgeable than Zhao Fei and gave him an example to comfort him: "Your situation has appeared in many geniuses who became famous young; I have seen too many."

"Quentin filmed 'Pulp Fiction' at thirty; it was only his second film, and it won the Palme d'Or."

"But after that, he was silent for nearly eight years, until he found the feeling of filming again with 'Kill Bill' when you met in Beiping."

"Terrence filmed 'Days of Heaven' in his thirties and won Best Director at Cannes; he remained silent for twenty years before bringing out 'The Thin Red Line', which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Director."

Martin greatly admired this young director's extraordinary talent: "Even Akira Kurosawa went through a low period of nearly seven years after finishing 'High and Low'; this is very normal."

"Lu, you are moving too fast, and your mind is too cluttered."

"Directors are easily driven crazy; you should examine your mental state and correct your course in time."

Lu Kuan listened to the comfort from the other side of the receiver and was silent for a long time: "If a master like Akira Kurosawa were still alive, it would be great; I think I could ask him what kind of feeling this is."

"Haha, Kurosawa isn't here, but you can go find other masters, like Bergman."

"Bergman? Isn't he a recluse?"

"I can help you ask; perhaps?"

Bergman is the master in the eyes of masters.

From the 1960s and 70s all the way to the new millennium, most top directors in the world, including Woody Allen, Coppola, Takeshi Kitano, Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, and Martin, almost universally recognized him as the best director and master in the world.

It is often said that there is no first in literature and no second in martial arts; in the art world where creative philosophies clash, gaining such recognition is not simple.

Woody Allen called him a spiritual mentor and the Shakespeare of the film world.

On Bergman's 70th birthday, Woody Allen stated that he was the greatest artist in the world since the invention of film.

Among Chinese-language directors, Ang Lee is his die-hard fan.

Ang Lee watched Bergman's 'The Virgin Spring' at 18; he described his feelings publicly in an interview like this:

That was the day I was enlightened; it was a day I will never forget.

I watched it twice in a row, unable to move, as if my innocence had been taken away.

In 2006, Ang Lee encountered the same situation as Lu Kuan is now while filming 'Lust, Caution'; he was once so pained that he went to find Jiang Zhiqiang to quit filming.

Later, through a friend's recommendation, he was able to make a pilgrimage to Fårö Island.

That's right, a pilgrimage, because there were simply too many people who wanted to visit Bergman, but very few directors were granted permission to enter.

Ang Lee poured out his confusion and bewilderment to Bergman, sobbing on his shoulder like a child, which was very moving.

The two chatted for a while longer before hanging up; the young director let out a long sigh and remained silent for a long time.

There is naturally confusion in the artistic realm.

But what Martin Scorsese didn't know was that in his heart, there was also a vague fear of a reborn person that had emerged since the dream after the car accident.

(End of chapter)