Generation Z Artists

Chapter 398 Filming Completed

"Props, adjust the hardness of the target again!"

On set, the assistant director was yelling at the props team.

The Fang version of "Taken" contains several exceptionally violent close-up shots, used to allow the audience to vent their emotions.

One of them is the scene where Zeus finds Kim (the handsome scoundrel who seduced Mia outside the airport) and executes him.

In order to lower the film's rating and allow minors to watch it, Fang Xinghe could not make it too bloody, but at the same time, he had to make the audience feel satisfied enough. This placed high demands on the filming approach.

Fang Xinghe's approach was to use oppression as the main method, without resorting to overly bloody torture. The final execution was not marked by external injuries, but it was still quite brutal.

Therefore, during the torture, Zeus merely dismantled Kim in a very casual manner, using purely Chinese-style methods.

In martial arts terms, this is called the "Dislocating Tendons and Bones Technique".

[Key Scenes]

1. Zeus took Kim's hand, examined it closely, and spoke slowly in a commanding voice.

Zeus: "Beautiful hands, smooth and delicate skin, you've never done any rough work. Your family is well-off, how come you do this?"

Kim (terrified and trembling): "I...I...I was short of money. They brought me to Xidu. I didn't want to. I'm not a bad person. I'm a victim too!"

Zeus: "That's really bad. Besides all that, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Kim (sobbing): "I can't say, I really can't say, they'll kill me!"

Zeus: "My friend, you may already know that there are many things in this world that are far more terrible than death. You have experienced the pain of drug addiction, but you have never experienced the despair of extreme pain itself... Tell me what I want to know, and I will grant you liberation."

Kim: "No, no, don't do this!"

2. Zeus began with the first joint of Kim's index finger and, with a very decisive movement, twisted it open joint by joint.

At the same time, we slowly explained the science to him.

Zeus: "The human body is a very sophisticated and flexible system with a total of 78 major joints that support us in various activities. In an anatomical sense, the number of joints in the human body is even greater, about 360."

Kim cried out.

Zeus continues disassembling and explaining, his gaze indifferent and cold in close-up shots.

Zeus: "These are the interphalangeal joints of your fingers, one on the thumb and two on each of the other four fingers, a total of 18 on both hands. Removing them is the simplest and, similarly, the least painful."

Clap, clap.

Kim (pleading): "Please, don't do this, ah!"

Zeus (ignoring him, focusing on his own rhythm): "A long, long time ago, when I was still in training, the instructors often threatened us: If you don't behave, I will break every single one of your bones."

Then one day, I realized that it wasn't a threat, but the truth—he had personally dismantled every joint of one of his friends right in front of us.

The unfortunate guy was given anesthesia, so it was a lesson, not an interrogation.

However, when the 40th joint, the fourth segment of the costovertebral joint, was being disassembled, the guy cried and begged the instructor to kill him quickly.

I still remember his crying; it sounds just like you now.

"Dude, you're lucky. Because I'm short on time, if you can hold on until the 40th section, I'll grant you liberation. Now, your right hand is gone, next is your wrist joint..."

Kim (wailing): "Please, don't do this, please!"

Zeus: "So, have you now remembered something you should tell me?"

Kim: "Yes, yes!"

3. Having obtained the answer he wanted, Zeus slowly rose.

Kim (weakly): "Please, forgive me, I was wrong, really, I'm guilty, I'm willing to repent..."

Zeus (indifferently): "Go and repent to Satan, and I will send you to see Him immediately."

Zeus raised his right fist high as if drawing a bow, the action was frozen, cut to a close-up of his clenched fist, then to a close-up of his full body, and then he slammed it down.

4. Close-up of the effect of a powerful punch hitting the heart.

The chest collapsed, smoke and dust spread, ribs broke and pierced internal organs.

Kim did not die immediately, but convulsed in agony, slowly experiencing death.

5. At the bottom of the screen, Kim vomits blood and convulses, her eyes filled with despair as she follows Zeus's departing figure. Zeus slowly walks towards the door and finally fades into the light.

……

The handling of this scene is completely different from the original.

There are three hidden elements.

First, the background for constructing Zeus.

Originating from a mysterious training camp, behind which lies a vast dark world.

This worldview not only helps to increase the protagonist's mystique, but also lays the groundwork for a cinematic universe.

Making sequels later will unveil more mysteries, and once the Taken, John Wick, and Wanted series are all released, the Killer Universe can be upgraded.

Second, to emphasize Zeus's coolness.

The cold-blooded persona has been very popular in the last decade, and it also suits Fang Xinghe's looks and image very well.

As an idol, you absolutely cannot be like Deng Chao or Little Deadpool, acting silly and goofy.

However, the American tough guy like Rambo is outdated.

So, what should the characteristics of the new generation of action kings look like?

Core adjective: extreme.

Extremely tough, extremely ruthless, extremely rational, extremely sharp...

In short, this is a special dominant figure targeting Generation Z. Unlike Rambo, who is bursting with a sense of justice, or Batman, who is full of conviction, Zeus is simply an assassin who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Use any means necessary; this is the key point.

Generation Z no longer idolizes overly idealistic heroes; they are more self-aware, more realistic, and more knowledgeable about the true nature of society.

Zeus can solve problems in the most direct and quickest way, which is what Generation Z considers cool.

He's very good at fighting, but he's more than just a fighter.

Skilled at utilizing the environment, possessing a deep understanding of human nature, reacting extremely quickly, having exceptional adaptability, uttering no unnecessary words, and ensuring that actions and words always serve the core objective.

What truly constitutes a feeling of exhilaration and complete satisfaction?

Instead of simply picking up a machine gun and firing indiscriminately, they swept over like a hurricane, destroying all resistance in the shortest time and with the most intense methods.

The action scenes in "Taken" are not large and cannot be compared with the "Fast & Furious" or "Mission: Impossible" series, but this fierce temperament is the core of its legendary status in the hearts of movie fans.

Liam Neeson didn't do his best; Fang Xinghe's upgraded version was the real raging hurricane.

Third, it demonstrates Zeus's non-human physical characteristics.

Showcasing his action skills was a key reason why Fang Xinghe filmed "Taken".

There are too many wire stunts in period martial arts films, making them unrealistic. Westerners just watch for entertainment and don't believe in them.

They are more accustomed to the visceral, hand-to-hand combat of the octagon. Boxing has almost no audience in Asia, but it is a super lucrative sport in Europe and America. This is due to the difference in cultural foundations.

Taken is a realistic film about assassins, so the action had to be extremely concise.

So, how do you create enough impact with the simplest movements? A more powerful burst, a faster reaction, and a stronger sense of impact.

In other action movies, when the protagonist throws a punch, the stunt double is still three inches away from the stunt double's face when the stunt double screams and falls to the ground, achieving the effect through camera trickery.

There are none of these old-fashioned things in Taken.

They use real shots everywhere. If the actors can't handle close-up shots, they're put on human targets. Anyway, America has no shortage of these things.

After filming this close-up scene, both the crew and the martial arts master were shocked by each other.

"Holy shit! The director's punches are terrifying!"

"Wow, Hollywood's props department is really professional."

Fang Xinghe carefully examined the impact of the human target and was quite surprised.

The United States is indeed technologically advanced in this area. The simulated muscles feel very realistic, and the brittle bones break and cave in in a very reasonable way. The final effect is something that China will not be able to catch up with even in ten years.

Hmm, should we thank Gundam?
Fang suddenly wanted to tell the crew a hellish joke...

Of course, it wasn't mentioned in the end.

……

After the action scenes were sorted out, there were no more problems filming "Taken".

Zhang Hanyun is not very good at filming, but it didn't affect the shooting at all.

She only works 8 hours a day here, and the rest of the time she can prepare thoroughly, rehearse repeatedly, and confirm her work.

In the early part of the story, she needs to play a less willful little girl—most of the time she is sensible, lively, and innocent, only showing resistance when facing her brother.

For her, the joyful parts were simply her natural self.

The resistance and rebellion weren't difficult to understand. After talking to her carefully, Fang Xinghe asked her to imagine herself as a company agent.

As a result, she scored 90 points overall in this section.

She then went offline, and at the end of the video, she was tied to a chair and cried loudly.

This part is quite a challenge for newcomers.

The emotions that need to be shown must be layered: first fear, then collapse and tears, then shock and surprise at seeing her brother, and finally rushing into Fang Xinghe's arms to cry tears of joy.

Zhang Hanyun couldn't handle this situation, so Master Fang resorted to unorthodox methods on her.

Her fears are simple: she's afraid of snakes and insects. During filming, the crew member coiled a snake around behind the camera. When that guy stuck out his tongue and licked the snake's head like a pervert, Zhang Hanyun was so shocked that her whole body trembled violently.

Breaking down and crying is inherently difficult, but Fang Xinghe told her: "Think back to what you've been through recently. Have you ever curled up alone in bed late at night, feeling so helpless that you wanted to die, so broken down that all you could do was cry?"

Xiao Zhang nodded.

Fang Xinghe nodded: "Very good. Recall that emotion and state of mind, find it again. Don't worry about the camera or the performance. Just let yourself fall freely in your own world..."

Using the same method of immersion, the shock and surprise come in one go.

"This is how I felt when I received the notification that I had been invited to audition for Taken."

Xiao Zhang held back all night, and when filming started the next day, he suddenly lost control of his emotions and gave a score of 95.

The details in her expressions were so real that Fang Xinghe couldn't help but applaud her.

"Very good, excellent! Liu Yifei is far inferior to you. Keep it up, let's add one more!"

Xiao Zhang was overjoyed, but very insecure: "Really? Director?"

"Of course, it has to be true. Sisi has very poor talent in experiencing things, and it's too much trouble to take care of her."

Because there were still some scenes to be filmed, the dog didn't hold back his praise and compliments, leaving her completely bewildered.

But this isn't entirely a perfunctory effort; the young actress is indeed not as suitable as her to play Mia.

Zhang Hanyun's personality, image, and experience make her practically the chosen Mia of the Chinese entertainment industry; with just a little polishing, she could deliver a performance that scores over 90 points.

The sense of fragility and breakage on the auction stage, along with the host's introduction of the "Chinese doll," was particularly persuasive and captivating.

Xiao Zhang isn't the most beautiful, but she's definitely the cutest girl of our time. Fang Xinghe's act of kindness brought him the best Mia ever, truly a case of good deeds being rewarded.

Filming started on January 10th and wrapped up 27 days later—it went incredibly smoothly.

With a loudspeaker thrown down, the film crew disbanded on the spot, and Brother Fang happily went home for the New Year.

He ignored the editing process and left it all to Sony, letting them cut a version to test it out first.

The release date will definitely be during this year's summer season, with a simultaneous global release, in order to attract a wave of teenage moviegoers.

There's no time pressure at all; post-production for this kind of film won't take more than a month.

"SR, you can go home for the New Year. We'll make sure you're satisfied!"

Sony's production assistant patted his chest and guaranteed, watching Fang Xinghe board the plane.

I arrived home on February 11th, six days before the Lunar New Year.

Fang Xinghe originally planned to go back to the county to relax for a while this year, but he ended up being extremely busy.

Zhong Shi called him to the mountain, Wang Jie called him to her house, and the most outrageous one was Nen Xian, who came to the company before the New Year and asked with a glint in her eyes, "Where are you going for the New Year this year? Do you want to... come to Wuhan with me for the New Year?"

Fang Xinghe froze, turning to stare at her.

"Go to your house? What do you mean?"

If Fang Xinghe has any weaknesses, then his only weakness is his emotional intelligence—young Fang has never been in a relationship, and older Fang has been ill since childhood and has no concept of women; if the two of them are tied together, they're like curly-haired baboons.

It doesn't mean he can't understand Nenxian's words; it just means he's a complete straight man in this regard.

With a single glance and a few questions, he immediately threw the young fairy into a daze.

"Yes, yes, that's what my mother meant!"

Nervousness makes one's tone hurried. Nenxian clenched her fingers tightly behind her back and stammered as she explained, "My mother thinks we should thank you. Anyway, you have nowhere to go, so wouldn't you be less lonely spending the New Year at my house?"

Well, Liu Yifei is a straight woman too; the way she talks is something else.

"Why don't I have anywhere to go?" Brother Fang didn't like hearing that and pouted. "I have my own home, and many people have made plans to come and wish me a Happy New Year."

"Oh, that's true."

This topic, which should have been very heartwarming, was abruptly stopped.

Liu Yifei acted as if she was just asking casually, while Fang Xinghe acted as if he didn't care.

But actually...

Whoever is feeling the turmoil knows it best.

"Let's go, let's go."

Fang Xinghe waved his hand impatiently, his tone full of disdain.

"I'm swamped with work here, so please don't add to my troubles."

"Oh."

Liu Yifei took her leave expressionlessly, showing no sign of anything amiss.

Once the door closed, the little girl slumped her shoulders, her lips drooped, and she sighed silently.

(End of this chapter)