The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 60 Holy crap, how could Bingbing be so mean! (34)

It's also one of Chen Kun's entrance scenes at the beginning of the movie, when the young Chen Mo leaves the stage, "saving the cat".

To be precise, it was about saving the female lead, Xu Zhicui.

If this scene is filmed after Chen Kun appears, Fan Bingbing won't need to be played by a young actor, because Chen Kun would make Fan Bingbing's youth stand out.

If the scene is filmed before the actual performance and the actor is paired with Yang Yang, then another actor will have to be chosen.

"Director, I want to experience that penetrating feeling again."

Fan Bingbing invited Shen Shandeng to give her acting advice, and they went to her room to conduct business.

This scene is the first shot she leaves for the audience, and it has to be stunning!
We must not be inferior to Chen Hao.

The rivalry among female celebrities has always been so direct, especially among the leading actresses of this era, who often personally engage in public feuds.

Fan Bingbing needs Shen Shandeng to impart knowledge, teach skills, and resolve doubts!

"In the hotel lobby bar."

Shen Shandeng saw through Fan Bingbing's little scheme at a glance.

Hmph, you wicked woman! You underestimated the immense power he gained from abstinence.

They were discussing the play right there in the hotel lobby, in a public place. What could Fan Bingbing do?
"Alright." Fan Bingbing had no choice but to put aside her ulterior motives and resort to some underhanded tactics.

However, as Shen Shandeng delved deeper into the analysis, she also became serious.

"I don't use any fancy camera work, but only the simplest and most effective methods: precise composition, extreme control of light and shadow, oppressive environmental contrast, and close-ups that strike straight to the heart, to present Xu Zhicui's beauty."

Shen Shandeng's logic is very clear.

After nearly two months of filming, his skills have also improved.

"The audience needs to be shocked, needs to be attracted by beauty, broken, heartbreaking beauty."

"Bingbing, your beauty is a nuclear weapon, it just needs to be unleashed. I want to bring out the full power of this weapon in this extremely 'unfavorable' styling and situation."

"This 'disadvantage' is in quotes. As the saying goes, if you want to look good, you'll look beautiful even in a burlap sack."

Fan Bingbing felt good; this man is so talented!

"You really aren't coming to my room?"

"."

Shen Shandeng refused!
Leave!

He conquered his desires!
The passageway between the walls of the Forbidden City, noon.

In April of the third year of the Jiajing reign, the towering vermilion palace walls cast a huge, cold shadow, dividing the alleyway into two distinct halves of light and shadow.

This is the most inconspicuous corner of the imperial kitchen, a spacious and oppressive space, and also the place where palace servants who have made mistakes are punished.

Fan Bingbing, who plays Xu Zhicui, makes her appearance.

A very imposing overhead shot of a distant view.

In the scene, the magnificent palace walls occupy more than two-thirds of the space. Below, in a narrow and cold alley, an extremely small figure dressed in a drab linen palace maid's dress kneels alone on the cold stone slab where shadow and sunlight meet.

The stark visual contrast of the imposing palace instantly creates a sense of individual vulnerability.

To find the best lighting and composition, we conducted numerous experiments.

The point is not to highlight the oppression of individuals by the system, but to showcase vulnerability and evoke sympathy from the audience.

Shen Shandeng precisely positioned a beam of light at a low angle, slanting it towards the front of Xu Zhicui's kneeling body.

The beam of light was like a divine oracle, precisely outlining the contours of her body in the mid-range shot, her slender yet upright back.

A close-up shot shows half the light illuminating her cheek, while the other half remains in her silhouette.

Xu Zhicui was wearing a gray-brown coarse linen dress.

But the costume designer carefully handled the texture and color of the linen, creating an earthy, matte, and rustic feel.

The loose-fitting dress looked empty on her slender figure, adding to her sense of loneliness.

Under the precise lighting, a few strands of hair, damp with sweat, clung messily to his pale cheeks and slender neck.

The under-eye area is shaded with a very light bluish-gray to create a tired and malnourished look; the area below the cheekbones is slightly sunken with a darker shadow to emphasize thinness; the lips are a pale pink with a bloodless appearance.

However, with Fan Bingbing's impeccable bone structure and facial features, the light and shadow and the camera lens highlighted the breathtaking beauty of her stubbornly blooming amidst hardship.

The camera slowly zooms in, finally focusing on Xu Zhicui's face in a close-up.

Sweat slid down her smooth forehead, past her slightly furrowed brows as she endured the discomfort, and down her tightly pursed lips due to the cold and pain.

Her eyelashes were long, and now they were covered with tiny water droplets—sweat, or tears she was holding back.

It trembled slightly in the sunlight, like a butterfly wing on the verge of breaking.

Fan Bingbing's signature almond-shaped eyes, which held a naive and innocent look, were now filled with physical pain: the sharp pain in her knees, the coldness in her body, and immense grievances.

She bit her lower lip tightly, not a single tear fell.

In the lens, it seems as if people are glowing, a beauty that is fragmented yet possesses a sacred aura.

Her identity as the daughter of a disgraced official, her undiminished innocence and resilience, combined with the stark contrast of black and white lighting, create a powerful impact.

"Cut! Excellent! Passed!" Shen Shandeng's voice was filled with suppressed excitement.

Only when Fan Bingbing's filming is good enough can Chen Mo's rescue actions be truly highlighted.

Therefore, this shot had high requirements. Fortunately, after shooting for two consecutive days, we finally got the version that Shen Shandeng was most satisfied with.

The actors also expended a great deal of energy and emotion. With the help of her assistant, Fan Bingbing stood up somewhat unsteadily, her brows furrowed in pain from her knees.

"director."

Fan Bingbing also wanted to see how her final presentation would turn out.

She was confident in herself, but she also knew that the look and state of this scene were "self-destructive," so she was inevitably a little uneasy, afraid that she wouldn't look beautiful enough or would look too disheveled.

"come and see."

Shen Shandeng showed it to her.

After this scene was filmed, filming in Hengdian was completed, which meant that most of the scenes for "The Eunuch" had been filmed, with only scenes left that could not be filmed at the film studio.

Fan Bingbing walked behind the monitor, and Shen Shandeng gestured to replay the close-up shot from earlier.

In the image, her pale, haggard face, streaked with tears, revealed a breathtaking beauty she had never seen on her own face before.

"What a nice view."

Fan Bingbing instinctively covered her mouth, never expecting to have such a beautiful shot.

Shen Shandeng not only captured her "form" but also the "soul" of the character Xu Zhicui. He combined her physical beauty with a powerful, commercially successful approach, creating a stunning effect that far surpasses the script's description.

Seeing her delighted expression, Shen Shandeng couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

Pointing to the heartbreaking yet incredibly beautiful face on the monitor, he said with great confidence, "Bingbing, do you believe it? Only I could film such a scene?"

“Of course I believe it,” Fan Bingbing said firmly.

Maybe Zhang Yimou can make it, but that has nothing to do with her.

Zhang Yimou prefers actresses with naturally expressive faces. His leading ladies are chosen through fierce competition, and if they don't seem right at first glance, he simply won't use them.

In contrast, Shen Shandeng has more techniques to make actors have roles later in life, which is more important to her.

The lingering sense of purity and vulnerability in Fan Bingbing's eyes startled him.

He then smiled.

I have more confidence in the film; I'm sure it will be able to engage the audience's emotions.

Filming for the scenes in Hengdian has wrapped.

The crew had a simple celebration.

For the final scenes, Wu Jing and Zhou Qifeng had already led the B team to prepare a few days ago.

Back to the hotel.

Fan Bingbing remembered something: "I can't open the can of yellow peaches I bought, can you help me take a look?"

"Tap it upside down."

Shen Shandeng had heard her mention this before.

Fan Bingbing said, "I've tried it."

Shen Shandeng took a look and twisted it open.

In a blink of an eye.

Startled, I asked, "What are you doing?"

“It’s too hot.”

Fan Bingbing complained, "I'm exhausted. It's so tight and uncomfortable. Can you help me untie it?"

Seeing that he didn't move.

"Can you do it?"

Shen Shandeng gritted his teeth and helped her untie it.

Damn, they skimped on the fabric.

Shen Shandeng had a strong will; he had heard that Mahatma Gandhi liked to test himself through such contact.

I only come into contact with it, but I can resist the urge.

After all, he had been abstaining from meat for more than a month, so his willpower was very strong. He asked Fan Bingbing to further help him cultivate and temper his will.

Seeing that he was already excited but not taking any action, Fan Bingbing was not in a hurry.

"Today is my safe period."

Shen Shandeng broke through the defenses.

Holy crap, how could Bingbing be so mean!

(End of this chapter)