Global Film Emperor

Chapter 495, "Nothing to Hear," first draft complete!
7 p.m., a street in the western suburbs of Turin.

The streetlights weren't very bright, making the street look somewhat dim. The roar of motorcycles filled the air, followed by dozens of lights illuminating the road and startling a few small animals into scattering in all directions. Finally, the convoy stopped in front of a Chinese supermarket. Tall, tattooed men got out of their vehicles with their sexy mudguards, noisily taking bottles of drinks from the supermarket refrigerator. Before paying, they opened them and chugged them down in one go.

The boss leaned against the door, greeting the group warmly, chatting about the weather and business. He seemed quite familiar with these seemingly reckless guys and didn't mind their somewhat rude behavior.

"Teacher Lu, would you like something to drink?"

"I can do it."

At the very back of the convoy, Lu Ze didn't take off his helmet, mainly because his current hairstyle was really embarrassing. He just got off the bike to stretch his muscles and cool down his crotch. The young man responded and handed Lu Ze a bottle of low-sugar drink before rejoining the conversation.

This is a Harley-Davidson motorcycle team composed of people from Inner Mongolia. They often organize rides, setting off around 3 or 4 pm and returning around 7 or 8 pm. This is the second time Lu Ze has gone out for a ride with them.

It was quite a coincidence. The team leader was a part-time extra who unintentionally joined the cast of "Atonement." Since they were from the same hometown, he talked to Lu Ze about this topic during breaks from filming. Lu Ze didn't know many people in Turin, and the actors in the crew usually didn't invite him out. This meant that he didn't have much entertainment during his free time. At the team leader's invitation, he joined the team without much consideration.

He got his driver's license in just one week. Because Lu Ze had ridden a 125cc motorcycle to school during high school, he maintained his good driving skills and the knowledge he had acquired while driving a car. He also asked Fatini to help with the procedures. Soon, he was riding a large motorcycle through the streets and alleys of Turin.

He crashed a few times during that time, but fortunately he didn't ride those supersport bikes that could easily go 100 km/h in three or four seconds. Instead, he chose to ride a Harley that was cool but not fast. He could easily jump off the bike before he crashed, so he wasn't injured. Otherwise, Fatini would never have let him ride a bike out for fun.

It's actually quite difficult to have a conversation with this group of fellow car enthusiasts. As his fame continues to grow, the gap between him and ordinary people can't be bridged in just a few days of hanging out. Even these cheerful men from Inner Mongolia in the team think Lu Ze must be aloof, so they subconsciously avoid having too much interaction with him. They can only convey their friendly feelings to Lu Ze through gestures and signal lights. It's warm, but they don't really have that many words.

The ice-cold soda was gulped down in one go. You'll never know how hot your crotch can get if you don't ride a Harley. With the weather getting warmer, even though everyone pretends to be calm, their helmets are actually burning hot.

After resting for less than ten minutes, the group continued on their way. What warmed Lu Ze's heart was that ever since he joined the convoy, they would always take him home first on the return trip to ensure his safety. This time was no exception. Following the convoy, he unknowingly parked his car in front of his house.

"Teacher Lu, we're leaving now."

"Be careful on your way back. I'll treat you to a meal next time, all you can eat."

"That's a deal. We're not going to leave any room for ourselves; we have to go all out."

Chatting and laughing, the group of motorcyclists slowly left. This was one of the reasons Lu Ze liked hanging out with them: no speeding, no street racing, and helmets were a must. It was really hard to dislike such well-mannered and cheerful riders.

After parking the car in the underground garage, Lu Ze was finally able to let his head, which had been covered for half a day, breathe some fresh air. He casually touched his sparse hair. If it weren't for the fact that it was still firmly growing on his head, Lu Ze would really be worried that he would go bald from hair loss.

When they arrived in the living room, they could already smell the aroma of food. Wang Zixuan was playing on her phone on the sofa. When she saw Lu Ze return, she rushed to the insulated box and brought over the already plated Chinese takeout. She also opened a bottle of beer and filled Lu Ze's glass.

Have you eaten yet?

"not yet."

"Then let's have one together."

She was clearly not a good cook, after all, cooking while standing on a stool is tiring. With Lu Ze not having time to cook, they could only barely make ends meet by ordering takeout. Sometimes she thought about hiring a chef, but considering that they might not even be able to eat one meal a day, hiring a chef was not a cost-effective option.

The chopsticks moved around in the bowls, but almost no sound was made. The two ate quietly, their chewing sounds barely audible. Suddenly, the phone rang. This was the sound that Lu Ze hated most while eating. Only after swallowing all the food in his mouth did Lu Ze slowly take out his phone and answer the call from Mickey.

"Hello? Lu Ze, turn on the video! Turn on the video!"

"what?"

"Open it first, then we'll talk!"

There was nothing to be ashamed of when talking to Mickey, but it was a bit inconvenient to hold a phone. Wang Zixuan handed him the notebook, which he took, adjusted the angle, and made a video call. It was answered almost instantly, and the video screen appeared in front of Lu Ze. In front of him was not Mickey, but a huge... lobster?
"What are we eating? We're having a seafood feast today! Boston lobster! Want some? There's also king crab and oysters, and umm~ caviar, come on, Zhuang Yu, cheers! Wow~ this caviar with champagne is so delicious~!" "Idiot."

The Boston lobster they were eating was really big, and it did indeed stun Lu Ze at first glance. But when he saw Mickey put his hand into the lobster claws he had already eaten and use the claws to clink glasses with Zhuang Yu, Lu Ze really couldn't stand this mentally challenged idiot anymore. He quickly hung up the video call, and Wang Zixuan, who was next to him, cooperated perfectly, slamming her laptop shut as she hung up the phone.

It wasn't that he was greedy; lobster wasn't anything special to Lu Ze. If it weren't for Mickey's excessive silliness, there wouldn't have been any problem with having more expensive ingredients on the table during their video chat. But once Mickey opened his mouth, Lu Ze found it hard to control his anger and had the urge to immediately book a ticket back to Liverpool to beat someone up.

The call came back immediately. Lu Ze put down his chopsticks and answered the phone with extreme impatience. Before Mickey could speak, he started yelling, as if he wanted to use his mouth to expel the dazed image from his mind.

"You called just to brag about having lobster tonight? Don't call me again, or I'll book a table right now and call you at midnight sharp to eat it for you..."

"The book 'Nothing to Listen To' is finished."

"Ok?"

"It's not finished yet. The first draft is done, but there are still many parts that need to be revised. However, once the character settings for the first draft are finalized, things will be much easier, and the subsequent process will proceed smoothly. The problem that's bothering us now is that the story's structure is still uncertain."

Finally, they got down to business. Lu Ze suppressed the anger that had just risen within him, took a few breaths to calm himself down, and then asked Mickey a question with a serious attitude.

How many plans have been finalized so far?

When Mickey called, it couldn't be that he was completely lost and seeking Lu Ze's help. Lu Ze, who knew Mickey's personality well, was certain of this. He definitely had a plan in mind when he called. He probably already had many good ideas that he wanted to discuss with Lu Ze and finally decide on the most suitable plan to move forward with the scriptwriting. Sure enough, Lu Ze got the answer.

"The most difficult thing to choose right now is the structure of the script. Actually, it doesn't really matter which one I choose, since the quality of the script is up to standard. It won't be too bad no matter which one I choose. First of all... the first one is the three-part structure: beginning, climax, and ending. This is the structure I dislike the most, you know? It's like a product produced on an assembly line, it's not very exciting, and I can't really get interested in it. But the advantage is that it's stable, the audience can understand it, and most importantly, the climax can be expressed relatively simply. The investors want me to shoot it this way, and they told me that if I choose the three-part structure, they can add some investment. The theaters are also on their side this time. In other words, if I don't choose this shooting method, the budget may be a bit tight."

"Um... wait a moment, Zixuan, get me a pen."

She quickly cleared the food off the table, wiped it down briefly, laid out a small stack of A4 paper, put down her pen, picked out some vegetables and put them in a bowl, then turned and went into the kitchen.

Lu Ze was making simple, segmented notes, first clearly dividing the advantages and disadvantages of the three-part narrative structure. But to be honest, Lu Ze thought about it for a long time and couldn't come up with many disadvantages to the three-part structure. As a mainstream shooting method, this most popular shooting method has been recognized by the market. This structure is too stable. As long as the story is good, it is basically a sure thing. Unlike other more difficult shooting methods, even if the story is top-notch, there may be situations where the audience does not understand it, making it difficult to improve the revenue of the work. Therefore, in Lu Ze's mind, the biggest disadvantage of the three-part structure is just that it is too popular.

"You go on."

“I considered using flashbacks to disrupt the timeline, just like in ‘Rebirth.’ Actually, I haven’t had enough of this filming technique. It’s fresh enough for me, and I’m confident that I can make a good story this way. Unfortunately, the investors don’t trust me and don’t want me to continue doing this. That’s my problem. Zhuang Yu and I think the same thing. We both think the flashback technique is good and worth trying. I’m also considering it. If it doesn’t work out, I’m willing to accept a smaller investment. If I like it, I’ll film it, regardless of the consequences.”

What are the advantages of a flashback structure? The filming techniques appear more sophisticated. Secondly, it increases the audience's level of thinking, allowing their thoughts to follow the plot and engage in their own reflections. Unlike a three-part structure, which can be rather dull and simply requires you to watch passively until the end, this structure provides a clear and straightforward conclusion.

What are the downsides? For viewers who just want to see a story and understand it clearly, this structure is a bit too brain-intensive. Many viewers don't want to use their brains when watching movies, and that's undeniable. Unless there are major logical flaws, ordinary viewers won't nitpick and play "spot the difference."

The average viewer's requirements are actually very low. As long as they enjoy the film and are moved by the story, they are satisfied. If the film makes them laugh or cry, then it is a good film for them. They are unlikely to be interested in intangible things like artistry before watching the film, unless the film is truly a good movie for them, in which case they will explore the deeper spiritual core that the film is trying to express.

Therefore, the biggest drawback of the flashback structure is that it is difficult to engage the thinking of ordinary viewers, which can lead to difficulties in attracting audiences and make it hard for box office revenue to surpass that of the ordinary three-part structure. This is also why investors do not want to make films in this style.

"What about the third one?"

"The third thing was actually Kesha's inspiration. He was planning to go to Africa after Cannes and then to the South American rainforest to film, and that reminded me that making a mockumentary would actually be a good idea..."

"..."

(End of this chapter)