Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 16: Lao Mu, you are really sinister!
A crack appeared in the lead-gray clouds, and pale sunlight slanted across the school emblem relief on the roof of the school building.

The north wind brought the smell of car exhaust from the direction of Jimen Bridge.

Wu Chen and his companions wrapped themselves like dumplings and staggered along the road to the college.

At the same time, Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang stepped into the administrative building of the school.

As soon as I stepped onto the stairs to the fifth floor, I heard cursing.

"Ok?"

Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang looked at each other and quickened their pace tacitly.

"It really came from Lao Zhang's office. How come it was so clear? Didn't Lao Zhang close the door?" Mumudeyuan frowned and muttered in confusion.

"It's hard to say, but don't you think that voice sounds familiar?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang asked uncertainly, "Do you think it looks like that?"

"Teacher Zhou Chuanji!" Mu Deyuan's eyes widened as he confirmed the owner of the voice. His eyes were filled with confusion. "Why did Teacher Zhou come back from Yunnan?"

"Have you forgotten? Tomorrow is the farewell ceremony for Mr. Xie Tian's body!" Tian Zhuangzhuang replied softly.

"Well, Teacher Zhou is here, should we still go?"

"Go, why not? He's our teacher, what are you afraid of?" Mu Deyuan chuckled. "But let's not go in yet. It's more important to stand at the door and listen to the teacher's teachings!"

"Old Mu, I didn't expect you to be such a sinister person!" Tian Zhuangzhuang was filled with emotion, but his leg skills were not a bit slower than Mu Deyuan's.

"Zhang Huijun, Zhang Huijun, what did you promise me? Did you keep it? The Beijing Film Academy doesn't have an editing department, and you once discussed this with me.

Vice President Wang told me about the shock he felt during a meeting in Paris. The presidents of more than 50 major film academies around the world were present. When they heard that such a large film academy did not have an editing department but had an acting department, they burst into laughter.

Think about which film and television school abroad doesn't have an editing department first, and they are all key departments. You should know that editing is part of the film curriculum, and it is a training of audio-visual thinking, language training, structure training, and ontology training."

"Teacher, this matter is not as simple as you think!" Zhang Huijun was also in a dilemma. If he had known earlier, he should not have made the promise so easily.

Only after sitting in the principal's chair did I realize that there were many factions within the department and that the higher-ups were watching closely. The establishment of a department involved numerous conflicts of interest.

He had just taken office and was so busy that he had no time to take care of this mess.

"I told you, I will teach even if there is no approval. Even if it is not recognized by the higher authorities and it is not allowed to set up this course, I will still teach it. Nothing can stop me. How can I listen to an outsider and let an outsider ruin this group of young people?

I dare to challenge any first-year film and television student from a small art college in this remote town to a fourth-year graduate from your school on the issue of editing. I may be taking advantage of my seniority in this matter;

You can send a few young teachers to my short-term training class. As long as they have your Zhang Huijun's business card, I will waive the tuition. Don't hire outsiders anymore. If a new department doesn't have a solid foundation from the beginning, then the Beijing Film Academy will never be able to make a name for itself."

Zhou Chuan's voice was as loud as a bell, and he almost pointed at Zhang Huijun's nose and spitted.

Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang were also laughing and whispering outside.

"You two outside, come in if you have something to say. I want to see who it is!" Zhou Chuanji had sharp ears and suddenly opened the door. He saw that it was Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang who were already standing there.

"Teacher Zhou!" they both shouted in a low voice.

"Haha, it's you two. You're not good people either. You haven't done anything remarkable in these years. Come in."

Zhou Chuanji's attitude was as sharp as ever, and the two of them were used to it. They had been scolded by him many times in class. Zhang Huijun glared at them fiercely. They were just laughing at him outside.

"If you have something to say, just tell me now. I don't think you will listen to what an old man like me says. Forget it. I'd better go back to my remote town and teach."

Zhou Chuanji waved his hand dejectedly and was about to leave when his peripheral vision caught sight of the script in Mu Deyuan's hand. He adjusted his reading glasses and his eyes narrowed. "Hey, Deyuan, are you planning a new film? 'The Dark Side'—that's a rather catchy name!"

"Uh, teacher, it's not mine. I came to see Principal Zhang about this matter!" Mu Deyuan hurriedly explained.

"It's not yours? It belongs to a student in the photography department?" Zhou Chuanji blurted out subconsciously. After all, Mu Deyuan is the director of the photography department. He came to Zhang Huijun specially, probably for the students in the department.

If he is from the directing department, then the one who should get the script should be Tian Zhuangzhuang.

"Students from the department? Just go through the formalities. It's not like the academy doesn't have funding for this!" Zhang Huijun said calmly. Suddenly, he thought of something and added, "Underground films? The academy can't fund underground films. It's discipline!"

"Neither!" Mu Deyuan shook his head and smiled, "It's mainly because the student who wrote this script is only a freshman!"

"what?"

Zhang Huijun and Zhou Chuanji were both stunned and said in unison.

"Luckily I came here with Lao Mu. I listened to the gossip and also let Lao Zhang feel what I felt at noon!"

Tian Zhuangzhuang stood there contentedly, but he always felt that something was missing. His hand involuntarily reached for the cigarette box, but when he thought of Zhou Chuanji and others who were still present, he shyly retracted his hand.

"Deyuan, you're serious, right? Have you read the script?" Zhou Chuanji asked first, turning to glare at Zhang Huijun. "Isn't your attitude towards education too casual?"

"How about you and Principal Zhang take a look at the script and storyboard first?" Mu Deyuan handed them over. "I think... well, in my teaching career, Wu Chen is a pretty good student, right?"

"Heh, Mu Deyuan is showing off again!" Tian Zhuangzhuang looked at Mu Deyuan. If Zhou Chuanji and Zhang Huijun had not been here, he would have turned around and left.

"You are the principal, you take a look first." Zhou Chuanji calmly pushed it to Zhang Huijun.

"Teacher, you read it first. I'll sit next to you and watch it together." Zhang Huijun sat down with a smile and moved the script and storyboard in front of Zhou Chuanji.

Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang found a place to sit down and waited quietly. The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

Scene 1 - Interior - Villa - Night - Thunderstorm (shallow focus); the precision of a rainy night is like a copper spoon soaked in black coffee.

Zhang Huijun and Zhou Chuanji both watched silently, and both of them remained silent.

After a long while, Zhou Chuanji looked up and asked, "Deyuan, you marked these circled areas, right?"

"Teacher, it's me!" Mu Deyuan explained, "Although these images are intended to be more artistic, they're not easy to pass the review. I've circled them so he can be more careful and not overdo it."

"Well, it seems that you have accomplished something over the years. You haven't fallen behind in your studies, and you've taught your students very well."

Zhou Chuanji nodded, and after a barrage of praise, Mu Deyuan almost looked down upon Tian Zhuangzhuang.

"You are the principal, why don't you think about what to do?" Zhou Chuanji directly threw the question to Zhang Huijun without giving any advice.

"Old Mu, why didn't you tell me about this potential earlier?" Zhang Huijun sighed, his eyes full of complaints.

(End of this chapter)