1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

How fast can the camera move? You have to be just as fast as you can when you wave.

Upon hearing Cheng Xuemin's request, the Yuan brothers were clearly surprised. They nodded in unison and said, "Hurry up and do it. I have no problem with it, and Li Lianjie and the others should have no problem either. This will really test your skills as photographers!"

Cheng Xuemin nodded, glancing at Huang Jianzhong who was accompanying him. Huang Jianzhong understood his meaning and continued, "I hired Old Zhou from the factory as the photographer. His photography skills are top-notch in the entire factory!"

"Furthermore, considering that Lao Zhou is getting old and it would be difficult for him to film our action scenes, Xuemin, you asked me to call Xiao Zhang from the Beijing Film Academy over for special training. During this period, Xiao Zhang has indeed been very hardworking. His filming skills have not improved much, but his physical strength has definitely improved a lot. He can also keep up with the fast-paced action scenes of Xiao Li Zi and the others!"

The photographer Lao Zhou that Huang Jianzhong mentioned is Zhou Bailing from Yan Film Studio. Coincidentally, this photographer Zhou Bailing is also the chief photographer for the second version of "Shaolin Temple" next year.

As for Xiao Zhang, who was called in from the Beijing Film Academy, he is Zhang Mouzi, who studies photography.

This is the future national advisor. Cheng Xuemin should first call him over to assist him and do odd jobs for a year or two. He will surely become Cheng Xuemin's right-hand man and be able to take on responsibilities independently.

"Then, Teacher Cheng, what is your second requirement?" After hearing Huang Jianzhong say that there was no problem with their photographer, Yuan Heping asked about his second requirement.

"The second requirement is simple special effects!"

Movies of this era can't afford special effects. Let alone our classic old movies, even Hong Kong martial arts movies are still stuck in slow-motion action, one move at a time. How can we compete with them in terms of special effects?

However, Cheng Xuemin knew just how terrifyingly eye-catching special effects could be!
So, for his first martial arts film, which was also intended to be sent abroad to earn US dollars, he definitely had to bring out something of real substance.

I don't expect Yuan Heping and his team to create any exaggerated special effects, like "a sword's light chills nineteen provinces," that would be too ridiculous.

But the final touches, like autumn leaves falling in the wind, are simple special effects that should be enhanced.

"Special effects?"

Sure enough, upon first hearing this unfamiliar term, the Yuan brothers were once again taken aback and filled with doubt. Were they simply ignorant?
Mainland Chinese films are all getting special effects, but they've never even heard of them. Yet, it sounds really high-end and interesting.

"Simply put, it's about playing some tricks and showmanship, combining the real and the fake!" Cheng Xuemin explained to them succinctly.

But the Yuan brothers still couldn't quite understand how he was playing tricks, combining the real and the fake!

Immediately, without being ashamed to ask, he inquired, "For example?"

"for example……"

Cheng Xuemin was eloquent, but when suddenly asked to give an example, he was momentarily stunned. However, he quickly came up with one and stood up, saying, "Let me demonstrate for you!"

"For example, Yang Yuqian was practicing his martial arts in the forest, surrounded by endless falling leaves. He had a specific intention, so he grabbed a clump of leaves and used Tai Chi to twirl and gather them. Suddenly, he let go, and the clump of leaves, propelled by his internal energy, formed a slightly rotating sphere around him..."

Cheng Xuemin gestured to Yuan Heping and the others while describing the scene to them verbally.

"Wonderful! Teacher Cheng, your move was simply a stroke of genius, absolutely brilliant!" Yuan Heping flashed through the scene of practicing martial arts in his mind, his eyes lit up instantly, and he clapped and praised with sincere admiration.

"So, Master Yuan, this can be used?"

"It works! It works!" Yuan Heping nodded repeatedly, praising, "Teacher Cheng, the special effects scene you designed is truly amazing!"

Cheng Xuemin simply depicted the scene of Yang Yuqian practicing martial arts in "Tai Chi Master", using the simplest special effects.

But such simple special effects, which were already highly difficult to achieve in the film and television industry twenty years later in the millennium, were actually accomplished by Cheng Xuemin twenty years ahead of schedule. They may seem simple, but they could be quite challenging to actually film.

"Can you capture that scene's effect?" So, Cheng Xuemin had to ask another question while he was still excited.

"Yes, yes, we should be able to get the effect you want by shooting a few more scenes, Teacher Cheng!" Yuan Heping nodded repeatedly, speaking with confidence.

"Also, I've designed a few comedic scenes for Yang Yuqian to make him laugh out loud. I'll demonstrate them to you, Master Yuan, and see if you can use them!"

Then Cheng Xuemin began to demonstrate, trying to bring out all the famous scenes from "Tai Chi Master" that he knew, so as to broaden the horizons of the two newcomers, the Yuan family brothers who claimed to be the best martial arts choreographers in the world.

We need to let them know that it's not that we can't design fight scenes, nor that we're really relying on their martial arts instructors from Hong Kong. We need to make them understand that it's not that Cheng Xuemin begged them to come and help.

"Yang Yuqian is practicing his kung fu again. He's assumed a horse stance, and he's spinning around with a big watermelon in his left hand and a big watermelon in his right hand!"

"While practicing... uh, the watermelon on the right fell. Yang Yuqian was anxious to save it, but he didn't pay attention and the watermelon on his left also fell. In the ensuing chaos, he and the watermelons both crashed to the ground, causing him to fall flat on his face, watermelon rinds spilling all over himself!"

"This is great! This is really funny! It'll definitely make the audience in the movie theater laugh out loud!"

Seeing Cheng Xuemin's flustered and overwhelmed state after just a few gestures, Yuan Heping almost burst out laughing. If this could be filmed directly, the effect would definitely be amazing!
"Furthermore, Yang Yuqian learned from the experience that watermelons are easy to break, and then he thought of using a large water vat. He filled it with water, and then used his hands to stir it in to practice his kung fu. He stirred and stirred, faster and faster, and the faster he stirred, the deeper the whirlpool became. Finally, he suddenly raised his hands and smashed them directly into the water vat, instantly creating a huge wave. The water vat also exploded, splashing everyone with water!"

"Great, great, great, great!" Yuan Heping listened and imagined the scene, finding it very exciting and funny, and kept praising it. He couldn't help but admire the young man's imagination, which he truly envied.

"They all work, right? I was just demonstrating for you, I'm just showing off my limited skills!" After Cheng Xuemin finished demonstrating, he stopped giving examples, which should have conveyed the meaning.

"They all work! Teacher Cheng, you're too modest. You're not just showing off your limited skills, you're really making us brothers feel ashamed!" Yuan Heping waved his hands repeatedly. If this was showing off their limited skills, then they might as well quit making a living.

Yuan Heping then sincerely asked, "Teacher Cheng, the special effects scenes you designed are really ingenious and amazing. They have added a lot of humor and comedy to our martial arts film, adjusting the audience's viewing atmosphere and emotions!"

"Really, that's amazing! Professor Cheng, your design is so good, why don't you try it yourself?"

This was indeed Yuan Heping's doubt. If they didn't have good martial arts instructors, then it would be understandable that they insisted on bringing them north. But in fact, this young man from the mainland not only wrote excellent scripts, but also had very good insights and skills in martial arts direction and action choreography.

Just like the scene effects he designed, Yuan Heping admitted that he couldn't have come up with them and had to admit defeat.

So if this young man is so capable, why doesn't he try it himself instead of going to all that trouble to bring those two brothers from Hong Kong?

"I do have a dream of being a scholar and a knight-errant, and I can write about chivalrous adventures on paper, but when it comes to real skills, I still need masters like Master Yuan!"

Cheng Xuemin waved his hand. He knew his own limitations. The scenes he was talking about were all copied from the famous scenes in "Tai Chi Master". He could describe them roughly, but he would have a hard time designing a set of fighting moves to completely replicate the scenes and bring them to the big screen.

Therefore, we still need top-notch martial arts instructors like Yuan Heping.

"Professor Cheng, you are too modest!" Yuan Heping cupped his hands in respect again.

"Master Yuan, I'm not being modest! As you all know, we only have these conditions right now, so there are some things that we'll need you to put in the effort and thought of!"

"Anyway, I'll be honest with you all. Our factory really values ​​this movie. We've cast some of the top martial arts masters in the country, and they're all really eager to put in the effort, just waiting for Master Yuan and your team to come and train them!"

"Of course, on the other hand, it's a rare stroke of luck for an excellent martial arts instructor to meet such top-notch martial arts masters!"

"So I sincerely want to tell both of you Master Yuans that I hope you can do your best to help us make this movie a success and make it the number one martial arts film in the world!"

Upon hearing this, the Yuan brothers were also in high spirits, and they clasped their hands in greeting, saying, "No, no, we are only doing our duty to those entrusted with this task. We brothers dare not say anything else, but we will definitely do our best in terms of martial arts instruction and will not let you down!"

"Alright, with Master Yuan's words, I feel at ease handing the Tai Chi team over to you!"

After a long chat, they started discussing the main storyboards. This time, director Huang Jianzhong, who had been standing by dumbfounded, finally got a chance to chime in.

Just like the Yuan brothers, I was truly astonished by Cheng Xuemin's demonstration!

Huang Jianzhong never expected that Cheng Xuemin had already designed some eye-catching scenes in his mind.

And they even used a specific term: 'special effects!'

Does it mean special effects?

It has to be said that this particular term is truly apt.

After discussing it, the four of them decided to follow Cheng Xuemin's original plan and proceed with the martial arts first, starting with the martial arts challenges and breaking through enemy formations.

So the Yuan brothers will be very busy in the next few days!
On one hand, he has to work with Li Lianjie's Yang Yuqian to quickly design a set of Tai Chi that can catch people's attention. This is the main theme of the whole movie. The first half of the movie is basically the scene of the protagonist Yang Yuqian practicing his skills, so this Tai Chi has to be fun and good to watch.

Secondly, we need to build a Seven Star Tower in the street scene of Xipailou. This is for the exterior scene, and only one model is needed. The fight scenes inside the tower can be filmed in another location.

Another thing is that we need to teach the props team at Yan Film Studio how to use wire work. Action scenes involve flying around, and it's obviously impossible to do them without wire work!

But Yan Film Studio didn't have wire work, so they had to find another way. Anyway, they had to hang the actors up and beat them, otherwise it wouldn't look good.

Another thing was teaching them how to apply white powder to the actors. Anyone who has seen old movies knows that when actors are punching each other, white smoke often bursts out, accompanied by loud banging sounds, which is very exciting.

This is the effect of applying white powder to actors; it's a skill, and Huang Jianzhong and his colleagues said they've learned a lot.

Even from this initial contact, Huang Jianzhong and his team learned a great deal of knowledge they had never encountered before.

Now I know how they managed to make the white smoke coming out of people's bodies during fight scenes in those Hong Kong internal reference films.
Could it really be that he released his inner energy and caused the damage directly? Now I know, it was just applying white powder, it's that simple!
After a few more days of adjustment.

"Can we officially power it on now?"

In the old factory director's office, Wang Yang was immediately invigorated when he heard Cheng Xuemin's report. This was the moment he had been waiting for!

"Yes, we've almost gotten used to it. I discussed it with Director Huang and the others, and we decided to start filming today!"

"So I'd like to ask you, the old factory director, to say a few words and see if we should have a launch ceremony or something?" Cheng Xuemin came over to ask for advice. Actually, he wasn't that formalistic. Why bother with a launch ceremony? He just wanted to shout "Start!"

But out of politeness and respect, Cheng Xuemin still had to go to the old factory director to ask for instructions and see what the old factory director meant.
"Forget about the speeches, Xuemin, you guys figure it out yourselves! Anyway, my opinion is the same as the old leader's: we don't care about the process, we just want the result!"

"We'll handle everything else with leniency, we won't burden you, we won't ask about the process, we only care about the result!"

Alright, with such strong support from the old factory director, what are we waiting for!

Turn on!
First and foremost are the big scenes, and there are seven... no, eight fight scenes, with the last one featuring the villain Yu Chenghui wielding a two-handed sword.

This is a two-handed sword technique that has been lost for over a hundred years. Yuan Heping and his team had never encountered it before, so it would be a lie to say they weren't nervous when it came to actually using their skills.

In addition to the most challenging duel with two swords, there are also seven major scenes of breaking through seven levels of the tower, each with its own unique fighting style. This is truly the most challenging film that the Yuen Clan has ever taken on since their debut.

But like I said, since we're already here, let's just do it!
……

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