Japanese Entertainment: From special effects actor to action superstar

Chapter 377 This Time I Take Off

The dilapidated house had been completely cleared out, leaving no trace of a former residence. The roof had been completely removed, replaced by a taller, thicker, sunshade shed. Steel equipment for securing cables extended from the back of the house, suspended above the shed. Several cables were lowered into the house, leaving them in a blind spot beyond the reach of cameras.

Gu Ming raised his hand and tried to pull the steel wire. He felt that it had a good feel and should be able to meet the needs of filming.

"Dennis, let me tell you a little bit about the scene. You and your sister ran into this shabby house. Outside the house are villagers who have surrounded you. It's evening now. They are gathered in a group with torches held high and weapons in their hands, ready to besiege and kill you."

"You stay here and use these two candlesticks as weapons. They will rush in from the door one after another."

Gu Ming called a few martial artists over to demonstrate with him.

"Just do this, left, left, left, and right, chop a few times like this, and finally kick him away. The key is to move smoothly, and I believe you have no problem with this."

Zhen Zidan blew the bangs on her forehead, her face full of confidence.

No problem at all!
He has considerable confidence in his skills.

"Also...don't change the play without permission!"

Gu Ming gave some special instructions before calling over several martial artists from the firm to practice martial arts with Zhen Zidan.

These were the young men who had worked in the office back then. They were considered the lowest level killing formation masters. Compared to those in Hong Kong, they were just the common dragon and tiger martial artists who could only fight without showing their faces.

After Gu Ming finished making the arrangements, he turned around to look for equipment.

Tetsuo Hara watched again and again from the sidelines, completely confused.

"Isn't Mr. Jissoji the director?"

"Yeah, I'm the director, but Furuya-kun is also the producer."

"Um... isn't Mr. Furuya an actor?"

"Can he be both an actor and a producer? After all, the scenes in this movie were designed by an extreme action agency. Now that he's worth a lot, he's been approached by many movies, but either the price isn't right or the films aren't good. So he's had no choice but to invest in himself."

Jissoji Akio said, spreading his hands: "I was only responsible for filming the atmosphere and the drama. As for the fighting scenes, it was actually shot by Furuya-kun himself."

Akio Jissoji quite likes this way of cooperation. For works with horror elements, he can fully display his favorite camera techniques. However, Akio Jissoji himself is not good at designing action scenes and martial arts scenes, so he doesn't need to bother with this aspect.

This kind of cooperation is easy and enjoyable, and he can also put his name on the project. He is now a director with box office revenue of hundreds of millions of yen.

Not long after, Gu Ming finished his arrangements and squeezed in with the photographic equipment.

There are mainly two scenes to be filmed today, which take place in the same place but at different times.

Lin Shuyue, played by Zhen Zidan, battles fiercely with the crazed villagers here, ultimately dying in despair over her sister's fate. Even after death, her soul persists, transforming into an earthbound spirit and guiding the twins through the crazed village.

The other scene is when Gu Ming comes to the village and gradually discovers the abnormalities in the village. He finds Lin Shuyue's earthbound spirit here, and the two quickly fight and then reveal the truth.

"One, two, three... go!"

Gu Ming moved closer to look at the photographer's picture, and in the camera, Zhen Zidan also began to move quickly.

He used the two candlesticks he had picked up temporarily as daggers. Facing the two villagers who broke in, he used the same moves as in the previous scene, taking care of them with a few left and right slashes, and then kicked them away.

At this moment, the other martial artists behind the house pulled the steel cable, and the actor being pulled flew backwards immediately, broke through the broken wooden door, and lay motionless on the ground.

Hara Tetsuo had been watching, but at this moment he couldn't help rubbing his eyes.

So this is how action scenes are shot. He thought he could really kick someone away with one kick!

Such scenes are difficult to shoot in one shot, and the cables have to be readjusted from time to time to avoid mistakes or failure to achieve the desired effect.

But after the scene was over, there really were no problems.

Zhen Zidan's skills are quite outstanding, so there will be no problem as long as she doesn't add any extra drama.

"Okay, next one."

Gu Ming clapped his hands and asked everyone to stop. He changed his clothes and prepared to go on stage. He would have a few simple moves with Zhen Zidan later.

"Mr. Fulia." Zhen Zidan suddenly called out, "Do I have to hang on the wire too?" "Of course, otherwise how will you fly when I punch you next time?" Gu Ming said, "Or we can just not hang on for real."

"Uh..." Zhen Zidan scratched his head.

That’s actually what he meant.

"Is it bad to really fight? I think we can fight for real. Of course, not too seriously." Zhen Zidan made a gesture that would make a Korean furious. "But you have to restrain your strength. Just use a little bit of force."

Gu Ming stopped and thought.

In fact, it would be quite outstanding if the action scenes could be shot in one shot, but this places high demands on both actors.

Zhen Zidan later had a fight scene with Chang Wei in "Flash Point". There was almost no cutting in the middle. It was all done by the two of them fighting for real. There was no wire or any equipment. The fight was so exciting with every punch hitting the flesh.

Flashpoint was also one of the rare action films at that time that surpassed Thai action films in action design.

——Many people may not like to hear this, but in fact, around the millennium, Hong Kong films declined, and the world's top action film was Tony Jaa's "Ong Bak". Therefore, the action films that impressed many overseas people born in the 1980s and 1990s the most were not Hong Kong films, but Thai films.

Ong Bak has little influence in the country, but it has a huge influence overseas.

Although Flash had average box office results that year, it surpassed Ong Bak in terms of action scenes.

Gu Ming actually wanted to fight for real, but there were not many such opportunities.

"Let's try it, then."

After a moment's hesitation, Gu Ming finally responded, "But this scene won't last too long, probably just a few seconds. After that, I'll use my Yin-Yang magic to subdue you."

"No problem, a few seconds will be enough!" Zhen Zidan moved his hands and feet.

Those who film and fight against fakes every day have their hands and feet rusted!

"Tai Chi gives birth to two opposites, and two opposites give birth to four symbols..." He stretched his arms, got into a stance, and prepared to fight.

Gu Ming was standing outside the hut.

One wall of the hut had been smashed open, and a track was installed on the outside for camera movement. After a fierce battle between Lin Shuyue and the villagers, the house had collapsed a lot and could not be entered directly from the main door, so Gu Ming grabbed the compass in one hand and jumped directly in from the window. He then discovered Zhen Zidan who had transformed into an earthbound spirit. The two of them had a brief exchange of moves and almost sealed him.

"One, two, three, go!"

At the command, Gu Ming leaped over in an instant, his body nimbly, and got into the window which was only the size of a table top. He landed on the ground, curled up into a ball, and rolled on the ground, using one hand to support the ground to relieve the force, just right.

When he turned around again, he looked at Zhen Zidan. The two of them took up their positions and started fighting in an instant.

Seeing Gu Ming's punch coming towards him, Zhen Zidan already had a picture in his mind.

"I raised my elbow to block his punch, then thrust my right hand forward. In traditional martial arts, this is called transforming energy! Receive, transform, and release. With one move, I can defeat the enemy. I receive!"

With one punch, Zhen Zidan instantly felt the shadows around him become hazy and the scenery shift. He slid away in an instant as if he was stepping on a slide, almost breaking through the wall.

Looking down, Zhen Zidan was instantly confused.

Alas, no.

I don't have any wire hanging here!

Did I just fly? Did I just fly?

Is it like there is a steel wire hanging around your waist and you are being pulled out by the steel wire?
Gu Ming touched his face.

Ouch.

Sorry, I couldn’t catch it!
Outside the field, Tetsuo Hara seemed hesitant to speak.

This is a tough guy!
He understood that he must draw macho men in comics!
A macho man covered in muscles, who can send dozens of people flying with one punch!

If you don’t draw macho men, your life will be wasted!

(End of this chapter)