Generation Z Artists

Chapter 397 An Unrepeatable Action Film Miracle
"Super Girl Spotted by Superheroes: A Rising Star in the Making!"

Zhang Hanyun's fortunes turn around; she joins a major Sino-US co-production!

"The next superstar: Zhang Hanyun may replicate Liu Yifei's path to fame!"

……

Overnight, entertainment media stopped focusing on Zhang's negative points and chose to capitalize on this surge in online traffic.

Entertainment media and mainstream media may belong to the same news corporation, but their operating logic is completely different.

For example, media outlets like Nan Du Di mainly focus on social news, targeting urban middle-class individuals and so-called progressive youth. Their survival strategy revolves around criticizing the system, the government, and Fang Xinghe; the more they criticize, the more attention they generate, and the more they demonstrate "a sense of public duty."

Entertainment Daily and Weekly are different; they focus on entertainment news and their audience is mostly fans of celebrities, so they wouldn't dare to be provocative in front of Fang Xinghe.

Brother Fang really has the ability to shut them down.

Praising the powerful and belittling the weak, chasing traffic, and seizing opportunities for exclusive content—these are the core of their work. No one would be foolish enough to offend a super top influencer.

Therefore, when Zhang Hanyun was chosen by Fang Xinghe, all the entertainment media in mainland China became obedient.

Well, there might still be some tabloids that have taken bribes and are hesitant, but Tianyu itself has backed down—Wang Peng isn't stupid. After being scolded by Brother De, he may hate him, but he doesn't dare to cause any more trouble.

Even if you wanted to, you couldn't beat them, so why bother?

After the mastermind withdrew, Xiao Zhang's living environment suddenly improved dramatically, with only a few noises remaining on the internet.

As everyone knows, if you want to latch onto Fang Ge's golden elephant leg, you have to endure a little bit of backlash—from Fang Ge's haters, and also from those extreme female fans.

A new batch of rumors quickly appeared online.

"Zhang Hanyun sold herself to get ahead, and she pleased Fang Xinghe very much."

"That's not the case at all. Fang Shen doesn't even like Liu Yifei, so why would he like her?"

"Fans: First of all, we haven't offended anyone..."

"That little bitch looks innocent but is actually scheming. She slept with everyone at Galaxy Pictures to get this opportunity. What a slut!"

"There's definitely something going on inside!"

The logic is absurd, but there are definitely some idiots on the internet who believe it without question. However, it's not a big problem. Every celebrity has these kinds of die-hard haters. As long as it doesn't form a massive wave of hate, it's just a minor ailment.

For celebrities, as long as they have work, the rate at which new fans are added is greater than the destructive power of haters, and a positive cycle can be formed very quickly.

Xiao Zhang's misfortune stemmed from two aspects: firstly, his company was about to go bankrupt, and secondly, Tianyu Media was keeping a close eye on him, resulting in him not having a proper job for many years, which led to his tragic situation.

Although the pace of the internet is fast now, the level of positive exposure is unprecedentedly explosive, making it a huge profit.

Xiao Zhang began sending Fang Ge a text message every day to report his thoughts.

"Director Fang, thank you so much! I'm not good at saying nice things, but my parents told me to work hard and listen to you, and I will definitely do that!"

"Director Fang, I'm not someone who can endure hardship very well, but if it's up to you, I'll accept any filming method you require!"

"Director Fang, I want to report for duty as soon as possible. There's so much I need to learn!"

"Director Fang..."

Director Fang seems kind of cute.

He receives all sorts of romantic confessions from actresses from China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States every day, and Xiao Zhang is the most clueless of them all.

However, considering her age and experience, it doesn't seem so strange.

He'll only turn 16 this April, right? Tianyu Media is a real beast...

After several days of her clumsy attempts to please him, Director Fang finally replied, "Get ready to depart."

It was so simple it had no meaning, but Xiao Zhang seemed to have found his backbone and eagerly followed in his older brother's footsteps.

On January 10, 2007, actors gathered in Hollywood.

In terms of legitimate investment, "Taken" is a low-budget action film with a very limited budget available for filming.

Therefore, there are no well-known actors in the entire film.

She will continue to work with actress He Qing for the role of the mother. Her portrayal of Huang Rong is somewhat famous in Europe and America, but her salary is extremely low.

There are three Chinese characters in total: the younger sister Zhang Hanyun and the older brother Fang Xinghe.

Those young actresses who only showed their faces briefly were easy to find; Hollywood has plenty of actors who fit the bill, but the final boss was Vinnie Jones.

Chinese moviegoers may not be very familiar with this guy. He is Big Chris, the opening henchman in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels", and also Juggernaut in "X-Men 3".

A former Premier League player who has received practical combat training, he has explosive power, good coordination, and a fierce-looking gangster-like face.

If he were to actually fight Fang Xinghe, they definitely wouldn't be a good match. However, this movie is quite special; it's almost a one-man show for the male lead, and anyone else would just get beaten up. So, as long as his demeanor matches, it's fine.

Most importantly... it's cheap.

Ultimately, the total cost for all the actors was $3200 million.

Fang Xinghe received 3000 million, and everyone else received 200 million.

Don't think it's outrageous; the list of Hollywood A-listers who just want to make cameo appearances in this film is enough to fill the entire cast, and there are countless well-known supporting actors willing to lower their fees.

The main reason is that Brother Fang didn't want to do favors, so he found a group of low-priced but highly capable actors through legitimate channels.

Before the official start of the project, various small meetings are held as usual.

Hollywood's filming process is very different from that in China, but Fang Xinghe can adapt to it all, except for one particular feature that must be prohibited.

Fang Xinghe solemnly emphasized to all members of the crew—

"In my film crew, there is absolutely no room for things like 'mas' or 'gu'. Anyone who affects my mood will have their job ruined, understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

All the members responded loudly, and Brother Fang's expression softened slightly. He then began to offer them empty promises.

"This is not a film that can compete for any awards. The media says it's a pure commercial popcorn movie. Yes, I, the Cannes Palme d'Or winner, am leading you to make a pure popcorn movie with no thought and only exhilarating killing!"
Cherish this opportunity! You were selected only because I wanted to save money. If you miss this chance, I believe most of you will never get the same opportunity again.

How many media outlets are blocking the way outside? 30? 50? I don't care, but you have to care!
This is the best opportunity you've ever had in your life. With tremendous attention and a huge fan base, it's already guaranteed at least $3 million in global box office revenue!

Help me make this a success, and you will truly open the door to Hollywood!

So if I say to one of you, 'Go get it done,' don't make me repeat myself. Go do it right away, don't make mistakes, don't cause trouble, and then take your masterpiece home and tell your mom or kids: I made an amazing action movie with Star River!

At that time, you will receive the fame, money, status, and opportunities you deserve, and you will no longer be nobody at the bottom, but elites of various associations.

All you need to do is give it your all for a month and focus your energy on the right things.

That's it, meeting adjourned!

After the departments dispersed, whispers continued.

"He was a true tyrant."

"Yes, but I prefer a tyrant who can completely control the crew."

"Of course, I like it too; his toughness makes me feel secure."

"So, is there any hope that we can become part of his regular team?"

"I don't know, but I think I'll do my best." "Metoo, good luck, buddy!"

Hollywood film crews are no more difficult to manage than Chinese film crews, at least not for Fang Xinghe.

The collaboration between departments went very smoothly. No one dared to cause trouble for Tyrant SR. Everyone was 100% committed to their work, and the filming went very smoothly.

……

The core emotion of "Taken" is very clear: family.

The righteous assassin brother, carrying the intense expectations of all viewers, sets out to rescue his adorable sister, killing anyone who stands in his way.

In fact, all action movies follow the same logic of emotional release. The difference in "Taken" lies in the way the emotion is released—a clean and decisive instant kill.

This is a groundbreaking style.

In the past, Hollywood action movies have placed great emphasis on "back-and-forth fighting," habitually creating combat difficulties for the protagonists to demonstrate the difficulty of victory.

Taken doesn't do it that way. The director pushes the fast-paced, swift kills to the extreme, maximizing the tension and excitement.

What Fang Xinghe needs to do is to promote this style and even use his inhuman attributes to bring the feeling of instant kill to the extreme.

This requires a more specialized shooting method.

Fang Xinghe experimented with using more medium shots and close-ups of his opponents while maintaining absolute control over his own movements.

It's difficult to describe, and it's also very difficult to film.

For example, in the first action scene of the film, Zeus finds the kidnapper's informant (the taxi driver who had previously spoken to Kim) and quickly gives chase, causing the driver to flee in terror.

The two chased each other through the narrow alley.

In the original version, the photographer held the camera and swayed it to follow the rhythm of the run, highlighting the tension.

In the new version, the camera remains stable on the slider, always locking onto Fang Xinghe's body, and the rhythm changes according to his movement speed.

The reason for filming it this way is that Liam Neeson is an ordinary person, and his pace and speed of pursuit are not fast enough or imposing enough, so the camera work and editing are used to highlight this.

But our Brother Fang is no ordinary person; he is a martial saint, capable of perfectly showcasing the "super killer" qualities of the protagonist Zeus.

So, how can we shoot to maximize the effect?

Leave the parts that require camera manipulation to the actors themselves.

Fang Xinghe introduced a modified mud-walking technique, showcasing a pursuit skill that can be described as "fast and slow beats".

Scene 1: Focusing on Zeus's back view, a long shot, his figure appears at the alley entrance, a pause.

Scene 2: Locking in, cut to medium shot, Zeus suddenly bursts forth, crouches down and wade over the debris thrown at him by the driver, then resumes his stroll.

Scene 3: Cut to a close-up of the driver looking back, his expression terrified; cut to a medium shot of the driver, his steps unsteady.

Scene 4: A metal railing appears ahead, with spikes on top, which the driver struggles to climb over.

Scene 5: Cut to medium shot of Zeus. Zeus lightly leaps, performs a wall flip, and with great ease reaches out to grasp the top of the railing. Using one arm, he pulls his body over the railing.

Scene 6: Medium shot, Zeus steps onto the wall and walks on top of it, following along.

Scene 7: Cut to a close-up of the driver turning around. There's no one behind him. His terrified gaze suddenly freezes, and he hurriedly turns his head left and right, searching for Zeus's figure.

Scene 8: Shot from behind the driver, looking up, Zeus crouches down on the wall.

Scene 9: A shot from behind Zeus, showing the driver staggering backward and shrinking into a dead end of the alley, revealing his fear.

Scene 10: A level shot from the middle of the alley, Zeus jumps off the wall, walks slowly, and the moment his front foot lands, he suddenly bursts forward with a burst of speed.

Scene 11: Close-up. The driver suddenly throws a punch at Zeus. Zeus stops abruptly, waits for the fist to pass in front of him, then charges forward again, closing in on him.

Scene 12: Medium shot, a reshoot of the previous scene, mainly focusing on Zeus's lower body movements—he suddenly stops while charging forward, and then charges forward again a moment later.

Scene 13: Close-up, Zeus strikes the driver's chin with his palm as he gets close, the movement is so fast that it is difficult to capture, only a phantom is seen.

Shot 14: Close-up, hand tapping chin, driver's head tilted back, teeth sticking out.

Scene 15: Close-up. Zeus steps on the driver's hand, grabs the back of the driver's head with his left hand, pulls it up, forcing the driver to look up, and takes out a small pair of surgical forceps with his right hand to clamp the driver's only remaining front tooth, slowly applying force.

Scene 16: A cold, overhead view; the first appearance of dialogue.

Do you know where the gap lies between you and the world's top secret agents?

The driver was in pain, fear, and confusion.

Zeus said softly, "The KGB would have shot themselves in the temple the moment they saw me. They would never have tried to escape, much less fall into my hands alive. You made a big mistake."

The driver's pupils constricted sharply, and the sense of fear was palpable in the image.

……

This chase scene was executed flawlessly, with no unnecessary entanglements. The action was swift and decisive, and the enemy was subdued in just three moves: a dash, a palm strike, and a head grab.

But before defeating the enemy, Fang Xinghe used a lot of camera shots, combined with his unique movements, to create a sense of oppression.

His movements are characterized by simplicity and restraint, displaying a cat-and-mouse-like ease with explosive power and control that are hard for ordinary people to imagine.

All the composure was ultimately intended to break the driver's mental fortitude and cause the opponent to collapse.

This is a completely new style that has never appeared in movies before. Fang Xinghe describes it as a super killer with overwhelming overall abilities delivering a devastating blow to ordinary gangsters.

To successfully showcase this style and convince the audience, editing alone is not enough.

Of course, this is not to say that editing is useless, but fast-paced, fragmented editing is ultimately not as convincing as actual action frame rates.

To use a somewhat inappropriate analogy: Jordan's entire driving layup motion is on a completely different level from those dumb defenders, so the panoramic view is incredibly cool, and everyone else is just background.

However, if this whole sequence of actions is cut into fragments, changing every 0.5 seconds, with various close-ups cut randomly, it does look more flashy, but the actual impact is reduced across the board.

If the actors can't perform the moves well, then there's no other way but to rely on editing to show them.

If Jordan himself were to film the scene, then OK, no need for fancy tricks, just film it directly.

Now, Fang Xinghe is like Michael Jordan on the basketball court.

Oh wait, the difference between a defensive player and Jordan is only 10 points. After all, everyone who can get into the NBA is a monster. But the difference between Fang Xinghe and his opponent is far more than 50 points. It's a gap, or even two different species.

Even the high-speed camera couldn't capture the exact moment he struck.

So shot 13 actually shows a prop dummy, while shot 14 is a close-up shot in slow motion, which will then be composited in post-production.

It is indeed quite troublesome, but there is no other way. No one can withstand Fang Xinghe's attack, even if he did not exert his full strength when he attacked, and even if he had withdrawn his strength at the end.

A palm strike like that would inevitably cause a concussion, and if you're unlucky, your cervical spine could break on the spot, which could really kill you.

However, the advantage of the trouble was the amazing effect. After the entire scene was filmed, the cinematographer and action assistant director, who had some experience, immediately realized that this was a beginning that could be written into the history of action films.

Laymen may not see what's so good about it, but it will definitely stimulate their adrenaline to soar.

And those in the know... should all kneel down and look at the screen!
With its steady camera work and unexciting editing, it doesn't sound like a great action movie, but it is a miracle, a miracle that can only be replicated by Fang Xinghe.

In this movie, Fang Ge and everyone else are never on the same frame rate.

*****
I've been sleeping less than 20 hours a night for the past week, so I'll catch up on the chapters I missed during the New Year holiday.

(End of this chapter)