I’m a Director, I’m Not Bad

Chapter 778 775 An email

Chapter 778 775. An email

In Li Pingdong's view, Xu Xin can make people feel a real evolution in every movie.

From the first time "Secret" met him, he was surprised that in this young director's debut film, he could see his talent for movies, lenses, aesthetics, etc. But I can't say that I felt particularly horrified.

There are not many talented directors in this circle.

Some people may be at the top of their game as soon as they debut, while others may be driving trucks for others before the age of 30. However, after the age of 30, they enter the industry by chance. Once they reach the top, no ordinary person can catch up.

There are many geniuses.

Or even say something exaggerated.

Those who win the Golden Horse Award for Best New Director every year can also be said to be geniuses.

But... as time went by, the two collaborated on the second film "The Wind", and now the third film "Heart of the Burning Sun"...

Only then did Li Pingdong truly feel what kind of talent this young man had in his mind that could make many ordinary directors despair.

He is old.

Although outsiders didn't know it, he knew that he could no longer carry the ten-pound camera.

In the past, he would carry the camera all day long, and occasionally even work overtime. He could carry the camera for 10 to 20 hours without feeling tired. Now, he may only work for three to five hours in person, and his back will be sore when he wakes up the next day. pain.

The cruelty of time is destined to take away his healthy body, and will not give him any kindness.

But Lin Li was different.

My apprentice is still young.

Xu Xin's talent is too high, and his ideas are destined to not need any photographer to be a catalyst to help him succeed.

But he must have some photographers that he can use easily.

A master should always find a home for his disciples.

Just like he said.

Not to mention becoming a destination.

I dare not say that it is specially used by the emperor.

But... the director thought he was comfortable with it. Once you get used to it, you have feelings for it, and you feel it suits you.

If Lin Li can do this, that's fine.

Wang Lei can’t.

Although he has also seen "The Hawthorn Tree", it is indeed amazing.

but……

Li Pingdong understood and was confident that Lin Li would be better than him.

At this time, Xu Xin's voice came from the intercom:

"Okay, the lights will stay like this. Jiaojiao, come up. The camera crew is in place and the other staff will retreat to the first floor."

After hearing this, Li Pingdong said to his apprentice:

"Let's go. Let's get to work."

…

"Jiaojiao, are you nervous?"

Hearing Liu Zhishi's words, Zhang Jiao, who was wrapped in a bathrobe and her hair was still wet, forced a smile:

"It's... not bad."

"That……"

Liu Zhishi thought for a while and said:

"Then can I go up with you later?"

"……ah?"

Zhang Jiao was stunned.

Liu Zhishi was a little embarrassed:

"Don't forget, I also have a nude scene in this drama. I want to get used to it in advance."

"Uh, okay, no problem."

Hearing this, Liu Zhishi showed a grateful look:

"Jiaojiao, thank you so much~"

"hey-hey……"

Zhang Jiao laughed twice, then fell silent again.

Are you nervous?

I'm so nervous.

At this time, Xu Xin's voice came from the intercom in the dressing room:

"Okay, the lights will stay like this. Jiaojiao, come up. The camera crew is in place and the other staff will retreat to the first floor."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jiao jumped up from her stool.

She took the lead, followed closely by Liu Zhishi. The two quickly walked out of the dressing room on the first floor and quickly went up to the second floor.

But instead of going to the lobby on the second floor, he went to a small staircase on the second floor.

This scene was shot in the attic.

As soon as they went up the stairs, they saw Xu Xin, Li Pingdong, Lin Li, and Wang Lei at the entrance of the stairs.

The three of them stood in front of the camera, and Xu Xin sat at the monitor beside him.

Hearing the noise, he glanced at the two of them, thought about it, and said:

"Jiaojiao, you go there first, and I'll see if I can add some reflections."

"OK."

Zhang Jiao nodded and then asked:

"Want to take it off?"

"No need for now, I'll take a look and then talk. Shishi, just stand next to me and don't get in the way."

"Uh-huh."

Liu Zhishi nodded quickly and came to his side.

The space in the attic is limited, so everyone is relatively compact.

As soon as she came over, Xu Xin rubbed his nose:

"Are you wearing perfume?"

"No, Luofu Mountain Baicao Oil. Anti-mosquito~"

"It smells pretty good..."

"hey-hey."

"Jiaojiao, stand forward, stand next to the gauze curtain... yes, that's the... prop, come here and adjust it, the angle of the fan is wrong..."

Xu Xin began to direct and arrange the scene.

And when it was almost done, he pushed the props away again.

After thinking for a while, he said:

"Brother Lei, Lin Li, you two go down."

"OK."

Wang Lei nodded.

In fact, logically speaking, a photographer of his level should be the cameraman of a crew.

However, this time there is a grandmaster-level Li Pingdong.

In front of Li Pingdong, he could only be the second mirror.

Not to mention, it was Director Xu’s order.

After going downstairs with Lin Li, the entire attic space became much wider.

Xu Xin then looked at Li Pingdong:

"Director Li?"

"OK."

Li Pingdong looked at the picture in the camera and responded to Xu Xin.

"Okay, Jiaojiao, take it off."

Hearing Xu Xin's words, Zhang Jiao nodded slightly and untied her bathrobe.

Liu Zhishi glanced at Xu Xin and acted as an assistant in a tacit understanding. She walked into the camera and took over Zhang Jiao's bathrobe.

With no cover, Zhang Jiao's silhouette, wearing flesh-colored underwear, so skinny that her skin and bones were slightly turned out, with nipple pasties on her chest, appeared in everyone's sight.

"Tsk..."

Seeing her body, Xu Xin didn't see any intoxication or lust in his eyes, but instead felt a little emotional:

"When this scene is finished, ask your sister to find a nutritionist to give you a good treatment. You've suffered, girl."

He was really distressed.

But at the same time, I admire this girl's hard work.

She is so thin just because after she chose her, she asked:

"Brother Xu, are there any requirements for this role?"

And his reply was:

"Skinny, the kind that causes heart disease."

Then the girl lost weight and became skinny and flabby.

But after Zhang Jiao heard this, she felt at ease:

"Hey, thank you, Brother Xu~"

"Ha~"

Xu Xin chuckled, then pointed to the window:

"Stand forward."

Hearing this, Zhang Jiao nodded and took a step forward.

Xu Xin looked at the monitor and said:

"Director Li, let's change this lens to handheld. Someone bring a reflector. And bring a towel."

His original design here was that the girl had just taken a shower.

But after watching the scene, I found that the footage was too rigid.

In fact, that's how shooting a movie is. No matter how many shots there are, you still have to make adjustments based on different situations on set.

Soon, a female stage manager came up with a reflector in her hand and held it under Zhang Jiao.

Under the refraction of light, a shadow appeared in the indentation of Zhang Jiao's ribs.

The effect Xu Xin wanted was achieved.

"Okay, just shoot like this, Jiaojiao, just wipe your hair with a towel."

"OK."

Zhang Jiao nodded.

With the countdown shouted by Xu Xin herself, she stood in front of the window and started wiping her wet hair with a towel.

In the monitor screen, the girl's body, which was obviously malnourished at first glance, began to sprout a very morbid beauty in the black and white film screen.

Her skin is very delicate.

He was so thin that he was just skin and bones.

However, when she was wiping her hair, she could clearly see the tightness of her buttocks and her smooth profile...

Very beautiful.

But very morbid.

Filled with an unhealthy feeling.

Liu Zhishi is not a director.

But the moment she saw the picture at this moment, she suddenly understood.

The girl's health is very poor.

But very young.

Very beautiful.

And very unhealthy...

This scene was filmed for only ten seconds before Xu Xin shouted:

"Okay, that's enough. Jiaojiao, you behaved well."

After hearing this, Zhang Jiao stopped wiping her hair.

Liu Zhishi quickly handed over the bathrobe without realizing it.

But Zhang Jiao waved her hand and said no.

Then Xu Xin stood up and walked to the bed by the window:

"Next, you lie down in this position."

He lay flat on his back, his arms stretched out and placed flat on the edge of the bed, protruding from the head of the bed by about half an arm's length.

"Lie down, let me take a look first."

"Okay, Brother Xu."

Zhang Jiao quickly lay down and imitated Xu Xin's movements, stretching out her arms.

"Okay, don't move."

"Director Pan, come up, come down."

As Xu Xin said this, he took the bathrobe from Liu Zhishi and put it on Zhang Jiao.

Soon, Pan Lijun, the lighting director of the crew, walked up quickly.

"director."

"Director Pan, I want to shine the light on her hands."

Pointing to Zhang Jiao's palm resting on the bedside.

"Just a slap away. Then there will be a rotation similar to sunlight. You see, as the sun rises, the light shining on her palm will move from top to bottom. Every bit is shrouded in shadow. I want a period of uniform light movement..."

"Understood."

Pan Lijun nodded.

This is easy to do.

First adjust the angle of the fluorescent lamp, and then when the director needs it, they can slowly raise the rocker arm.

After writing down Xu Xin's request, he came to the window, took the walkie-talkie and began to instruct the lighting team outside to make adjustments.

Soon, a beam of light hit Zhang Jiao's palm according to Xu Xin's request:

"Okay, stop. ...Director, is that okay?"

Hearing this, Xu Xin walked back to the monitor, took a look, and nodded slightly:

"That's enough. Then you wait for my news."

"clear."

Pan Lijun stomped downstairs again.

Xu Xin then walked to Zhang Jiao and said:

"Jiaojiao, after a while you are going to make a free-falling movement with your arms. It's just... very abrupt. You originally raised it up, but suddenly your arms dropped weakly..."

"The death kind?"

Hearing Zhang Jiao's words, Xu Xin nodded:

"That's right. Then the expression will freeze and the camera will take a close-up of your face..."

"I understand, Brother Xu."

"Um."

After talking to her, Xu Xin discussed the seat issue with Li Pingdong.

In this section, he will still use the montage technique of expression.

At the beginning of the story, in addition to Xin Xiaofeng, Yang Zidao, and Chen Bijue, there is a fourth person.

That was the figure who fell into the reservoir.

After a while, the camera will shoot from under the bed to the bed.

Because the light hits this side, circles of halo will appear in the camera.

It will look blurry.

It is precisely this out-of-focus blur where the halo spreads, along with the sudden drop of Zhang Jiao's arm, will create a sense of instant impact.

At first, the light squeezes the arm covering the camera to produce an irregular, distorted line similar to abstraction or postmodernism.

And because it is a black and white filter, the lines will be very "distorted" and it is impossible to tell what they are.

It's like a group of demons dancing around, or like shadows growing.

Then, as the arm drops into the pre-focused frame, this irregular line will quickly turn into a black shadow of an arm.

This kind of naturally falling light and shadow will be very fast and sudden.

Visually, it gives people a "bang" sense of sight.

Then, here he will use montage editing techniques to edit a scene where the camera is underwater and facing the surface of the water to shoot the "fourth person" falling into the water.

Obviously it was still the shadow of an arm in the last frame, but the next moment, it turned into a human figure in the water.

The human form will still be blurry, and there will be reflections from the sun above and the camera shooting underwater.

Paired with the "gurgling" sound of a heavy object entering the water, and the reflection effect, the reflection of the sun shining on the water in the underwater shot.

In his mind, this scene will be shocking.

The editing technique of montage is used throughout, so that although the entire scene takes place at different times, it is performed in the same time and space, and the rhythm of the entire picture is extremely tight.

At the same time, his idea of scoring here is one of absolute silence.

Just sound effects, no noise.

At the same time, the background color should have a vague roaring sound similar to tinnitus.

Immediately afterwards, there is a close-up of the girl's face, as well as the light and shadow that represent the passage of time.

The light that hits the girl's still palm will move little by little as time goes by until it disappears.

Motionless, completely dead.

In the entire scene of the family's destruction, all the lights, shadows, and angles were highly unified under this design.

It represents the trinity of time, space and matter.

In the opening scene, the first two words of the film's title "Scorching Sun" are laid down.

Under the scorching sun, shadows appear, the Bodhisattva sits upside down, and all living beings are obsessed and refuse to look back.

This is his design and idea of the lens as a director.

It was realized through the hands of everyone on the crew including Zhang Jiao, Li Pingdong, and Pan Lijun.

His conception is mature.

And represents authority on the set.

Every order will be thoroughly implemented.

As Zhang Jiao's "assistant", Liu Zhishi, who did not have a role for her today, watched the whole scene shot by Xu Xin. To be honest, she didn't have that strong sense of déjà vu when it came to the scenes shot by Xu Xin.

Of course, the main reason is that a single clip is not enough to support the entire story of this opening scene.

Still have to rely on post-production editing techniques.

Her focus is mainly on Jiaojiao.

To be honest...

The photos taken by Jiaojiao... are very natural.

When Zhang Jiao was filming, she had been filling in for her.

Put yourself into Jiaojiao's emotions.

Nude scene...

Not really naked though.

But it was also her first time.

It's impossible to say I'm not shy.

But after reading the content that Jiaojiao took, she suddenly had a feeling.

Whether it's Xu Xin, who can't see any lust in his eyes, or Li Pingdong, who is calm and composed...

Everyone is serving the movie.

There shouldn't be any fear in my heart anymore.

Apart from anything else, Jiaojiao was wearing shorts.

I'm still wearing pants.

With this mentality, Zhang Jiao's scenes were quickly filmed under Xu Xin's excellent scheduling.

It only took less than half an hour in total.

Next, it’s time for Xin Xiaofeng to climb the building and the trio to escape.

Continuing to set up the set, Zhang Jiao, who had finished filming, put on her bathrobe again and followed Liu Zhishi back to the dressing room to change.

Looking at Zhang Jiao who was starting to change clothes, Liu Zhishi thought for a while and asked:

"Jiaojiao, how do you feel?"

"Very good...Sister Shishi, do you think I performed well?"

Looking at the worried girl, Liu Zhishi smiled and gave a thumbs up:

"I feel great!"

Zhang Jiao had a look of... astonishment on her face.

Immediately, this shock immediately turned into a smile from the heart.

"Well! Then I'm relieved...hehe."

She smiled happily.

But after Liu Zhishi saw her smile, he felt a strange feeling for no reason.

This is just one or two shots...

Although she can more or less understand that Xu Xin's drama is really not something that can be done just by thinking about it.

Let’s not mention anything else, let’s talk about the character Jiaojiao. Even if he asks to be released “completely naked”, there will be a group of people trying to get in.

Not for anything else, just for the audience to remember me.

Even if it's just for a second or two.

Then, Liu Zhishi unconsciously thought of herself.

Jiaojiao can work so hard for these few seconds of play...

Let’s not talk about whether to work hard or not... I must do better than her.

Otherwise, I’m sorry for the character Iguka.

Thinking of this, she said:

"Then you change clothes, and I'm going to prepare for my play."

"OK."

Zhang Jiao stood up subconsciously.

But Liu Zhishi waved her hand:

"Remember to eat more~"

After saying that, she couldn't wait to walk out.

Originally, she was not wearing makeup.

Because there is no role for her today.

But... even Jiaojiao can do this for these few seconds of footage, so she has no reason to slack off.

Therefore, she said directly to Bi Xiaolei:

"Xiao Lei, bring me the makeup bag in my car. I'm going to put on makeup."

Bi Xiaolei was stunned.

I thought there was no drama today.

But she didn't refute, nodded quickly and ran out.

Soon, the makeup artist and Bi Xiaolei came over after receiving the news. He took her into another bedroom in the villa and started putting on makeup.

The makeup was great and the entire scene in the villa was filmed.

The crew then rushed to the direction of the reservoir.

Filming a threesome scene.

When Liu Zhishi went out, he happened to see Xu Xin who was also walking out.

Xu Xin paused and asked in surprise:

"Why are you putting on makeup? It's all their show today."

After hearing this, Liu Zhishi said seriously:

"Report to the director, I am always ready!"

"..."

Xu Xin was stunned for a moment and showed a speechless expression:

"To be courteous for nothing is to be either a traitor or a thief. Tell me, what do you want to do?"

Liu Zhishi rolled her eyes and slapped Xu Xin on the back:

"Leave quickly. Why do I need to explain to you what I am doing?"

Xu Xin's mouth twitched.

Oh my god.

This smell...

Too much.

…

"Yeah, it looks like a wheat flower. Isn't it pretty?"

"Haha, it's true."

Yang Mi looked at the "flowers" pressed out of wheat grains on the back of her hand, and laughed out loud with some novelty.

Then, she grabbed her daughter's hand and sat on the ridge:

"Baby, come here, mommy will give you a flower~"

Nuannuan is not interested in Huahua.

She was more interested in the little bugs in the wheat field.

Compared to Yangyang, who shouted "Mom is scared" when she saw an insect, this little girl was so brave that even Xu Daqiang sighed, "She doesn't look like a girl."

At this moment, she was on the Xujiawan side, on the land of Xu Xin's second eldest mother's family.

Xujiawan is very rich.

In fact, it has long been possible to make a living without relying on farming.

But there are always some old people in the village who have been farming all their lives and cannot bear to see the land at home being left in waste.

I always like to plant something.

What's more... whether it's home-made wheat or millet, although it's not as white as the flour in the supermarket, the steamed buns and pancakes baked with these flours are many times more fragrant than those high-white flours.

And coincidentally, this also gave Yang Mi a natural and good platform to prepare for the role of "Zhao Di".

Moreover, as a girl who grew up in the city, she has never experienced this kind of pastoral life.

Quite curious too.

So these days when I have nothing to do, I just run to the fields.

Otherwise, it would be crazy to take your children all over the mountains and plains.

Compared to Yanjing, this place is definitely lagging behind.

But the genes in her body that originated from the bones of the Chinese people gave her a heartfelt love for this relatively unfamiliar land.

I can't describe it in words, but I like it very much.

And just when she was holding her daughter's hand and using wheat grains to print wheat flowers on her daughter, Sun Ting came over with her work mobile phone:

"sister."

"What?...Don't move. Mom will beat me if you move again!"

Yang Mi held her daughter's hand and pressed the grains of wheat onto the child's delicate skin, raising her head and asking.

Then I saw Sun Ting hand over the phone:

"I received an email in English from the Screen Actors Guild in the United States."

Sun Ting has also been learning English one after another in the past two years.

However, she was worse than Xu Xin.

Xu Xin wanted to learn, and once he got his bearings, he never looked back.

But it was more like she was learning as she fished.

These few times I have been to the United States, my spoken English is very bad and I can barely communicate on a daily basis.

But this kind of written thing can only be said to be complete.

Yang Mi still has to do it herself.

Hearing this, Yang Mi was a little puzzled:

"The Screen Actors Guild? Are you urging me to pay my dues?... No, I just finished paying my dues for one year in Miami last year, and it's not even December yet."

As she spoke, she took over her cell phone.

Opened the email and started reading.

After reading it, I was stunned.

"this……"

Looking at her confused expression, Sun Ting asked curiously:

"What does it say?"

"I didn't say anything...just...someone found me through the Screen Actors Guild and asked me to audition for a movie."

Yang Mi said and added:

"Hollywood movies."

"Well……"

Upon hearing this, Sun Ting asked subconsciously:

"Do you have a name? Do you want someone from the company to check it?"