Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 330 Shooting
"Click! Lin Wu, when you hear the news that the band is disbanding, your expression needs to be even more exaggerated!"

In a theater, Wu Yuchen is filming the opening scene of the story "Departures," depicting the male lead's unemployment.

Although the film is told in reverse chronological order, Wu Yuchen definitely filmed it in chronological order this time, so he didn't need to save money or time. This is more helpful for the actors to develop their emotions when portraying their characters.

Upon hearing this, Winston Chao walked over and asked, somewhat puzzled, "Director, if we exaggerate any further, wouldn't that be going too far?"

He looked very surprised when he heard the boss say that the band was disbanding. It seemed like he had already gone all out, but Wu Yuchen wanted to exaggerate even more.

Wu Yuchen wasn't impatient at all, and explained with a smile: "If you only consider your character, you might think that a normal person wouldn't be so exaggerated. But it's not just about considering the character; you also need to consider the style and tone of the film."

Our film, "Departures," deals with the heavy topic of death. If we had filmed it in a realistic style, the whole movie would have become even more somber.

But this is not the effect I wanted. I hope the film can be more heartwarming, make people more accepting of the work of morticians, think more deeply about how to face the passing of those around them, and have more reverence for life and death.

Therefore, I needed to add some harmonizing elements to the whole movie, which were occasional lighthearted and funny scenes to adjust the audience's mood, such as the scene later where Lin Wu is a model.

So, the scene at the beginning where the male lead loses his job, although it's clearly something that would make him very depressed, I wanted the audience to see your exaggerated expression, to smile knowingly, and at the same time understand that you were the last person to find out, showing your naivety and obliviousness.

After listening to Wu Yuchen's explanation, Zhao Wenxuan suddenly understood: "Director, I understand. I'll try harder later."

Wu Yuchen nodded. Explaining things clearly at the beginning would allow Zhao Wenxuan to more clearly demonstrate the effect Wu Yuchen wanted later.

In his previous life, some people had commented on the style of "Departures," but now that Wu Yuchen has taken charge of directing the film himself, he feels the original director was quite clever. In fact, incorporating a lighthearted and humorous style into the film was the right decision.

If a film were to follow a consistently heavy tone, it would be very unfriendly to the audience, and many people might not even want to finish watching it. A lighter, more relaxed tone, on the other hand, allows the audience to continue watching, and the sudden shift to seriousness after the humor and lightheartedness is more likely to resonate with them. For example, "Dying to Survive" is exactly like that.

Whether the filming techniques are skillful or the plot is innovative is not always the only criterion for judging a director's success. How to use mundane plots to repeatedly highlight relatively profound themes and infuse them with delicate emotions sometimes requires more skill.

……

"Don't get caught again."

Zhao Wenxuan held an octopus in his hands and then threw it into the Suzhou River. But the next moment, the octopus, which had been alive at home, was floating motionless on the surface of the river.

In the footage, Zhao Wenxuan's expression turned dejected, his eyes lost their light, and he lowered his head, saying, "Let's just forget about it..."

Jiang Qinqin asked from the side, "What is it?"

“Cello.”

"What should we do next?"

"Crack!"

After Wu Yuchen called a halt, he said to Jiang Qinqin:
"Qinqin, watch your tone. It's gentle but probing."

The scene being filmed by the crew at this moment serves as a prelude to the male protagonist giving up the cello and returning to the suburban countryside from the bustling metropolis.

As Wu Yuchen called for a halt, crew members were already using nets to scoop up the octopuses from the river.

"Director Wu, do we still need the octopus?"

Wu Yuchen watched the footage again, shook his head, and said, "No need."

This scene actually uses the animal corpses to foreshadow the protagonist's emotions and subsequent actions. The octopus that he wanted to release but died made the protagonist, Lin Wu, seem to see himself, struggling on the road to pursuing his dreams, and perhaps his only fate was to die.

This is also a metaphor: the protagonist's attempt to release the animal fails, but he ends up personally sending away a corpse, hinting that he will later enter the funeral industry. Several more scenes in the film will use animals to reflect the protagonist's changing state of mind.

While Jiang Qinqin was making adjustments, Wu Yuchen was also looking down at the Suzhou River.

Honestly, if this movie had been filmed a few years earlier, it wouldn't have been possible to shoot on the Suzhou Creek at all, because a few years prior, the Suzhou Creek was just a stinking ditch. Starting in 1998, Shanghai invested 7 billion yuan and spent four years on the first phase of the project to clean up the black sludge in the Suzhou Creek, and green corridors were built on both sides. Second and third phases were planned after that.

The cleaning of the Suzhou Creek is still in its second phase, but some sections are already quite clear. The section that Wu Yuchen's crew chose is one that was good enough to film.

A moment later, after Jiang Qinqin was ready, Wu Yuchen resumed filming.

……

That evening, after returning to the hotel, Wu Yuchen had just come out of the bathroom when Jiang Qinqin, who was looking at a newspaper, asked him:

"Have you decided on the female lead for 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' yet? I saw that Zhou Xun practically quit the role. Director Zhang has really kept her on the hook!"

Wu Yuchen immediately knew what it was all about: Zhang Dahuzi was using various actors to hype up "The Return of the Condor Heroes"!

He laughed and said, "The male and female leads have already been decided. It's just that Director Zhang is creating hype to increase the buzz."

This time, the bearded man really tried to piggyback on the popularity of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" by mentioning every actress of suitable age, including Liu Qianqian, Zhang Baizhi, Wang Fei, Zhou Xun, Zhang Ziyi, and even Jiang Qinqin. However, after Jiang Qinqin announced her participation in "Departures," the rumors about her playing Xiaolongnü were dispelled.

The same applies to male celebrities; Huang Xiaoming, Lu Yi, Nie Yuan, and even Liu Xiang, who recently became a national sensation, were all mentioned by him.

Just before, Zhou Xun announced that she was the Little Dragon Girl and that the production team had confirmed with her. However, not long after, Zhang Dahuzi said that it was not confirmed that it was Zhou Xun. This angered Zhou Xun. Since the production team had clearly informed her that she was the Little Dragon Girl, she simply resigned from the role and said that she would have no further connection with the "The Return of the Condor Heroes" production team and that they should stop using her name for publicity.

The bearded man's actions were hyped up for more than half a year, with several different preferred candidates appearing every month, keeping netizens and the media on the edge of their seats and making the casting process a hot topic, attracting a lot of attention.

To be honest, in his previous life, as a mere spectator, Wu Yuchen had some aversion to Zhang Dahuzi, mainly because his publicity and hype methods were too damn underhanded. He tricked a lot of people, and in the end, it was all predetermined.
However, as an investor, Wu Yuchen, from the perspective of a boss, naturally appreciates that his employees can generate so much buzz for the show before it even airs!

Jiang Qinqin asked curiously, "Who did you cast as the male and female leads?"

"Yang Guo is Huang Xiaoming, and Xiaolongnu is Liu Qianqian."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qinqin immediately asked, "Liu Qianqian? Is she the one who played Wang Yuyan before? How did they end up casting her?"

Jiang Qinqin wasn't surprised that Huang Xiaoming would play Yang Guo, since Huang Xiaoming's appeal is definitely leading among his peers and he has a good image. However, she still had some doubts about Liu Qianqian, such a young girl, playing Xiaolongnu.

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "The reason we cast her is that she has joined Miracle Films and is now one of our own. In addition, she has a really good appearance and temperament, and is a good prospect. Our company plans to focus on cultivating her, so naturally we decided on her this time."

In her past life, Liu Qianqian was always unwilling to join other companies. Whether it was Tangren or Huayi Brothers, she didn't consider their invitations. As a result, she ended up getting Huayi Brothers' "The Forbidden Kingdom" resources for free, which caused a rift with Huayi Brothers.

To be honest, she and her mother still look down on the mainland entertainment industry and are determined to go to Hollywood. In Liu Qianqian and Liu Xiaoli's minds for many years, Hollywood has always been superior to the Hong Kong entertainment industry, and the Hong Kong entertainment industry is superior to the mainland entertainment industry. In fact, this is also the general view in the industry.

But things are different now. Miracle Films has Wu Yuchen, a renowned director who has made his mark in Hollywood. So why go through all that trouble? Joining Miracle Films and getting on Wu Yuchen's good side is the shortcut to Hollywood!
Therefore, Liu Qianqian and Liu Xiaoli joined Miracle Films without much hesitation.

Jiang Qinqin nodded upon hearing this, admitting that the young girl's appearance and temperament were indeed outstanding. However, she then asked, "Your looks and temperament are good, but how is your acting? Does she have any talent?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen immediately shook his head: "I can't compare to you."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qinqin laughed and modestly said, "She's so much younger than me, there's definitely no comparison now."

Wu Yuchen added, "I reckon she grew up in relatively good conditions and lacks life experience, so it won't be too easy for her to pursue a career as an acting talent."

To be fair, Liu Qianqian's acting skills are somewhat lacking, and she certainly tries her best. However, most of her roles are carried by her temperament and appearance, and she is a good fit for the characters. For example, in "Chinese Paladin," the role of Zhao Ling'er suited her very well. As for Xiaolongnu in "The Return of the Condor Heroes," she was basically cold and aloof throughout, relying entirely on her looks and temperament.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy series is now complete and will be broadcast on Hunan TV around this month. With Liu Qianqian as the female lead, her fame and status should rise even higher, which will also be beneficial for her subsequent role in The Return of the Condor Heroes.

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "Don't think about that now. Just focus on playing your role well!"

Jiang Qinqin laughed and said, "I'm not worried, she's 10 years younger than me. But I reckon Bingbing will have to compete with her for resources~"

Wu Yuchen patted Jiang Qinqin on the shoulder: "Isn't Bingbing being helped by you? Besides, they're not the same type of people. Don't worry about it."

Speaking of Fan Bingbing, her film *New Police Story* was recently released simultaneously in mainland China and Hong Kong, and her portrayal of the beautiful female robber left a strong impression on audiences. She now aspires to further her career and gain opportunities to participate in more films. However, with Wu Yuchen and Jiang Qinqin currently filming *Departures*, she doesn't have many opportunities for the time being.

……

Inside the house lay an elderly man who had been dead for two weeks; his body was rotting and maggots were everywhere.

At this moment, the photographer, carrying a video camera, followed You Benchang and Zhao Wenxuan. The scene being filmed was Lin Wu's first experience participating in a mortuary preparation with his boss after joining the company. Upon witnessing this scene, he vomited uncontrollably, immediately experiencing firsthand the extreme difficulty of the work.

Wu Yuchen requested that this segment be filmed entirely handheld to highlight the male protagonist's inner turmoil and instability.

"Crack!"

After calling a halt, Wu Yuchen called Zhao Wenxuan and the cameraman over, then pointed to the hanging light cable in front of them and said, "Later, whether it's the camera or Lin Wu's movements, we need to pay attention to this light cable. It will directly guide the audience visually and is an external symbol of the male protagonist's inner emotions."

Wu Yuchen then said:
"Let me reiterate the process. When Lin Wu first entered the room, his slight physiological reaction mainly came from the smell, maggots, and other objective things. Before Teacher You lifted the blanket off the corpse, Lin Wu's physiological rejection reaction was not strong, so the light cord was still at this time."

When Teacher You lifted the blanket covering the deceased, the intense sensory stimulation caused Lin Wu, who was encountering the same thing for the first time, to instinctively avoid it. At the same time, when Teacher You got up and touched the light cord, it began to sway erratically, reflecting Lin Wu's extremely panicked state of mind.

"You three need to pay attention to your positioning later, otherwise we won't get the effect I want."

After Wu Yuchen finished speaking, everyone said they understood again, and then the three of them communicated with each other again.

Wu Yuchen glanced at the room, which was decorated in a foul and messy manner, but didn't react much. After all, he had felt much worse when he went to help repair the bodies of people who had been in car accidents.

As for what's under the blanket this time, it's a prop. This scene won't be filmed with a live actor; the two-week-old decomposing corpse won't even be on camera, otherwise it would be absolutely disgusting for the audience.

This film mainly showcases the male protagonist's initial reaction to being placed in a coffin. What Wu Yuchen just emphasized is the visual technique he used. Most viewers won't notice these details while watching the film, and the sensory guidance is completed unconsciously.

(I definitely didn't write this part about Zhang Yimou to whitewash him, but rather to set the stage for later plot developments. Think about what might happen in the next two years? Do you really think I'm just padding the word count? Isn't it easier to pad out a movie plot than this? I'd have to research Zhang Yimou's breakup information and waste brain cells making up the story. But since nobody wants to watch it, I'll just reveal the outcome later. You can use your imaginations to fill in the details.)
(End of this chapter)