Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Chapter 419: Director Nolan

Hulunbuir grassland.

The first stop chosen by the crew of "The Legend of Tang Dynasty" for filming is this place known as "the most beautiful grassland in the world".

Here is the Nuogan Lake, known as the "Emerald Green Lake". Its waters reflect the green grass and blue sky, which is fascinating.

Here is also the Morigele River, which is known as "the most winding river in the world". The winding river wraps around the grassland like a blue ribbon, creating a picturesque scene.

Of course, the most beautiful thing here is the endless lush pasture, which satisfies all people's fantasies about the prairie.

So much so that many years later, when netizens complained about the vast grassland above their heads, they all used the name "Hulunbuir".

This shows how green and lush the grass on this grassland is, and how deeply rooted it is in people's hearts.

The first stop for the filming of "The Heroes of Tang Dynasty" was chosen here. On the one hand, it is the Tang Dynasty filming area of ​​Fanyu Film and Television City, and many buildings need to be added and adjusted according to the needs of the script, which takes some time.

On the other hand, Lin Yuan wanted to prioritize completing the horse battle scenes, which required the most extensive staging and were the most challenging to shoot. Starting with the most challenging parts allowed for better control over the project cycle, making it easier as the film progressed.

The main story of "The Heroes of Tang Dynasty" takes place in 736 AD, the th year of Kaiyuan reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty.

This year was the peak of the Tang Dynasty. The great poet Li Bai entered Chang'an for the first time. Under the prosperous atmosphere of Kaiyuan, everything seemed to be flourishing.

But in the invisible corners, the cornerstone of the empire has quietly collapsed due to corrosion.

The increasingly rampant land annexation is leading to the gradual collapse of the equal-field system, and the fubing system based on the equal-field system has naturally also been impacted.

Faced with military pressure from the border areas, the central government of the Tang Dynasty was, on the one hand, continuously carrying out military reforms such as the conscription system, and on the other hand, continuously giving greater power to the military governors of various border towns.

The conscription system also means greater room for manipulating military pay.

Yuchi Yuan, played by Lin Yuan, is a middle-level military officer in Hedong Town and a fifth-rank guerrilla general.

Because he was unwilling to collect empty salaries and exploit the blood of his soldiers, he was disliked by his superiors, who sent him to lead his soldiers on a military mission to wipe out the enemy, in an attempt to eliminate him with the help of foreigners.

The story begins with Yuchi Yuan leading his troops to war. It can be said that this is a very simple story.

Lin Yuan does not intend to create any complicated narrative tricks, nor does he intend to preach any values.

Simply telling a simple story, showing the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty and the magnificent war scenes, coupled with the thrilling action scenes he designed, would be enough to make this movie a success.

The failure of many domestic directors is that they want too much and don’t know how to subtract.

Lin Yuan would not make such a mistake.

"Lin Yuan, let's discuss the script again." Director Nolan followed Lin Yuan with the script in his hand.

"Discuss? This script is so simple, isn't everything written in the script? Is there anything else to discuss?" Lin Yuan asked puzzled.

"The details, some of the details I need are not clear. I must understand why you wrote it this way in the script, so that I can perfectly restore your requirements. Every shot must have a reason." Director Nolan said seriously.

Lin Yuan was stunned.

He has worked with so many directors, from Ang Lee, to Cohen, to Johnston, Verbinski, and Zhang Mou...

This was the first time he had seen a director as serious as Nolan.

"I'm glad you're so serious, but I have to go choose a horse now, and the trainer has been waiting for me for a long time. Can I discuss the script with you in detail when I come back?" Lin Yuan said.

"Let me go with you to choose a horse, and we can talk while we walk," said director Nolan.

"That's fine. Let's go." Lin Yuan replied.

Lin Yuan walked to a Hummer off-road vehicle, opened the door and sat in the driver's seat, while director Nolan immediately climbed into the passenger seat.

"Boom~" the engine started and carried them from the crew's residence to the temporary horse farm.

Looking out the car window at the endless green grassland and the winding river in the distance, Director Nolan couldn't help but say, "This grassland is so beautiful! I swear I've never seen such beautiful grassland. Just seeing this grassland makes me feel that this trip to China is worth it."

Lin Yuan nodded. This was director Christopher Nolan's first visit to China, and he was immediately shocked by the magnificent landscape of China.

In his previous life, he first came to China in 2014 to promote "Interstellar", and he only traveled around big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and did not have the in-depth experience of China's magnificent scenery like he does now.

"By the way, you wrote in the script that when the protagonist heard that his boss sent troops to wipe out the enemy in October, he immediately realized that something was wrong, so he secretly prepared a backup reserve and turned the tide. Why is that?" asked Director Nolan.

"Why is sending troops to wipe out the enemy in October an abnormal order?" Director Nolan asked further.

"It's like this. The Tang Empire is an agricultural civilization, and the enemy is a nomadic civilization. The best time for an agricultural civilization to launch a war against a nomadic civilization is in spring, and autumn is generally the defensive season." Lin Yuan explained.

"Why?" Director Nolan continued to ask.

Lin Yuan explained in detail, "Because the nomadic war horses, after a winter lacking high-quality fodder, generally lose a lot of weight in the spring, their speed and endurance plummeting. The war horses of the agricultural Tang Empire, however, enjoyed a sufficient supply of fodder thanks to the country's strength."

"We chose spring as the time of year because the nomadic peoples' livestock were in their breeding season and not suitable for large-scale migration, making it easier to find targets. It was also because the nomadic peoples' war horses were at their weakest at this time. If they were found by the Tang army, they would be in a situation where they could neither fight nor escape."

"In autumn, there's an old Chinese saying: 'Autumn brings the heights and the horses grow fat.' This is when the nomadic peoples' war horses are at their strongest. To survive the winter, they often initiate raids on the Tang Empire's borders. If we want to start a war at this time, we don't need to go out and annihilate them. We can just wait and see within our own control."

"That's why the protagonist feels something is wrong. I wonder if I have explained it clearly?" Lin Yuan asked.

"You said it very clearly, I completely understand it." Director Nolan said, "So I should set up a few more shots to show the lushness of the autumn pasture and the majesty of the horses. Give the horses' chests and buttocks a few more close-ups, so that the audience can feel that it is not wise to start a war at this time, because the enemy is also in its prime."

After hearing Director Nolan's reply, Lin Yuan was stunned.

I didn't expect that his seriousness actually made some sense.

Many directors actually only read the script and don’t care about the creative details behind the script. This results in the final product shot by the director losing a lot of what the screenwriter wanted to express.

From this perspective, Director Nolan's seriousness is also the biggest guarantee for him to continue to produce excellent works in the future.

"Next question, I would like to know why the transition from the military conscription system to the recruitment system will inevitably lead to an increase in the level of ghost soldiers? And to what extent will it affect the combat effectiveness of the army?" asked Director Nolan.

This question could be the subject of a whole paper...

Lin Yuan couldn't really answer him in such detail, so he said, "The essence of military issues is political and economic issues. Do you agree with this statement?"

Director Nolan nodded and said, "Yes, that's true."

"You can think of it this way: under the fubing system, everyone is a small shareholder in the company, while under the conscription system, everyone becomes a wage earner. If workers are paid adequately, their motivation may not be less than that of small shareholders, but their superiors have more room to exploit them."

"I understand. Therefore, the protagonist's refusal to take a salary without working is against the interests of everyone except himself. If he doesn't take a salary without working, not only will his superiors be uncomfortable, but his subordinates will also not be able to make any money. And the country is unwilling to pay for this loyalty, so the protagonist is destined to be under tremendous pressure." Director Nolan said.

"That's true, but my movie didn't intend to show so much. You've over-understood." Lin Yuan pulled Director Nolan back helplessly. He was really thinking too much. They agreed to just make a simple commercial film!

"But the complete supply of food and wages that comes with not drawing empty salaries was the strongest guarantee of combat effectiveness in ancient times. Therefore, I will focus on giving close-ups of the protagonist's soldiers, who are well-armored and full of morale.

The camera will also be used to show the soldiers' strong physique and muscle strength.

Then you can compare it with soldiers from other units, which will better highlight the protagonist's leadership ability and better convince the audience why the protagonist's soldiers are so capable. "Director Nolan continued.

This is indeed necessary. Lin Yuan nodded again to affirm Director Nolan.

On the way to the racecourse, Director Nolan asked detailed questions along the way, and Lin Yuan patiently answered each one. The two deepened their understanding and appreciation of each other through their communication.

This made the two partners, who were working together for the first time, already have a preliminary feeling of mutual appreciation.

When the vehicle arrived at the stables, the stable manager immediately came up to greet them: "You're finally here! If you don't choose a horse quickly, the filming plan will be delayed. You'll need a few days to get used to your mount, right?"

"I'm here now. I've already mentioned the requirements before. Now I'll go choose the horse." Lin Yuan replied.

"Come, follow me this way." said the person in charge of the horse farm.

During the filming of "Heroes of Tang Dynasty", the crew rented a total of 1000 horses.

These more than 1000 horses were selected according to the standards of war horses, and it can be said that every one of them is a good horse.

But what Lin Yuan has to do today is to select the best from these high-quality war horses.

With so many horses, it is impossible for Lin Yuan to select them one by one. He can only put forward his requirements first and then select according to the on-site situation.

Lin Yuan has only one requirement for horses: strong, the stronger the better.

The main breeds of war horses during the Tang Dynasty were: Mongolian horses and Hequ horses.

Mongolian horses are mainly produced in the Inner Mongolia grasslands. Their average shoulder height is 120 to 135 cm and their weight is 267 to 370 kg.

The Mongolian horse is only small to medium-sized in the world's war horse family. It does not run very fast, is not strong enough, and has relatively short legs, which makes its appearance look rather rustic and not photogenic.

But on the other hand, Mongolian horses have strong limbs, great adaptability and endurance, far superior to the majestic Western war horses. They can march 120 miles in eight hours and continue for many days without lowering the standard, and can eat very bad feed without getting sick.

After a little training, it can be calm and unpredictable on the battlefield, and can be extremely brave! Therefore, although it is not a good racehorse, it is a first-class warhorse, especially suitable for light cavalry.

In this movie, Lin Yuan has a large number of Mongolian horses, mainly for the actors who play nomadic soldiers to ride.

Director Nolan understood this a long time ago, and these are the details he will restore perfectly.

Lin Yuan himself and his soldiers will ride the taller and more load-bearing Hequ horses.

The elite soldiers of the Tang Dynasty had a high armor rate, so the load-bearing capacity requirements for horses were also higher, and horse breeds such as Mongolian horses would not be chosen.

The Hequ horse is native to the grasslands near Hequ in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, at the junction of Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan provinces. Its average shoulder height is 134 to 142 cm and its weight is 350 to 450 kg.

The Hequ horse is larger than the Mongolian horse, has a stronger load-bearing capacity, and is more powerful in short-distance sprinting, but its endurance is slightly lacking. It can travel 100 miles a day when loaded.

Compared with Mongolian horses, Hequ horses are more delicate, require better feed, and are more prone to illness.

It is difficult to say which of the two war horses is better. There is no best choice, only the most suitable choice.

The person in charge of the stable brought Lin Yuan to the front of the 20 or so carefully selected Hequ horses and asked: "Can you choose? Or do you want me to choose for you?"

"Let me do it. My horse judging skills are pretty good." Lin Yuan replied.

In fact, he was too modest. The ability brought by master-level riding skills certainly could not be limited to just riding horses.

How can you become a true horse riding master if you don’t know how to identify and train horses?

"Can you really judge horses? I know nothing about it." Director Nolan asked in a low voice, a little unbelieving.

"Really, it's not difficult. I'll simply teach you some skills, and then you can choose a suitable horse for yourself." Lin Yuan replied.

"Okay, tell me the trick quickly," said Director Nolan.

"In fact, selecting a horse is the same as selecting a woman. You need to pay attention to the same four points: big breasts, thin waist, straight legs, and a big butt," said Lin Yuan.

"Pfft~" Director Nolan couldn't help laughing when he heard this.

"Don't laugh, I'm telling the truth. Let me explain it to you in detail one by one." Lin Yuan said.

"A horse with a large chest has a large lung capacity. This allows it to start slowly, stride wide, and exert force powerfully. Coupled with tennis-ball-sized nostrils and a broad chin, this allows the horse to breathe powerfully and unimpeded, enabling it to run fast and far."

"A good horse's waist is one that's 'tucked in.' This means the front of the abdomen and the lower chest line are aligned, the back gradually moves upward and back, and the sides are full and defined, creating a sense of definition. This makes a horse agile when harnessed, allowing it to quickly turn, jump, and perform other maneuvers."

"Straight legs ensure that the horse's leg bones and hooves can maintain a straight line. This way, the horse will not break bones and throw the owner off the horse due to uneven force when running with a load."

"To determine if a horse has a big butt, you need to look at its rump. A pear-shaped shape is best. A running horse's main thrust is from its hind legs, so a large rump is ideal."

Director Nolan looked shocked: "Although what you said makes sense, I always feel that you are not talking about horses."

"Don't disbelieve me, just choose a horse according to my method." Lin Yuan patted his shoulder and began to choose a horse.

The horse he is going to choose today will be his most important partner in filming for some time to come, so Lin Yuan must choose the best warhorse.

He quickly checked over twenty horses.

Although some of the horses were very good and had reached the lower limit of Lin Yuan's expectations, he always felt that they were not good enough.

So he asked the person in charge of the stable, "Are there any stronger horses? Preferably one weighing over 500 kilograms."

The stable manager hesitated for a moment and said, "There's another horse. It's five years old, 5 meters tall at the shoulder, and weighs 1 kilograms."

"Why didn't you bring such a good horse over here just now?" Lin Yuan asked.

"Because it has such a bad temper, and it's almost two years old, no trainer has been able to handle it. I dare not let you ride it," said the person in charge of the stable.

战马一般在4~5岁时成年，从3岁~15岁左右，有12年的壮年期。

Then they gradually enter old age, with a total lifespan of about 30 years.

"It's okay, bring it here. I'm confident I can handle it." Lin Yuan said confidently.

The person in charge of the horse farm wanted to give a few more reminders, but when he thought of Lin Yuan's bravery in filming the action scenes, he stopped talking.

Soon, he and another staff member came to Lin Yuan, leading a red horse with snow-white calves.

This horse has blood-red mane and unruly wildness in its eyes. It is 1 meters tall at the shoulder, which is more than 54 meters if the head height is included. Add to that its weight of 2 kilograms, and it is no wonder that horse trainers always fail.

The first time Lin Yuan saw the horse, he knew it was the one!
Such a good horse is almost perfect in all aspects except for its bad temper.

Lin Yuan felt excited just thinking about riding this horse, galloping across the prairie, and shooting the coolest action scenes.

So he walked quickly towards the red horse.

"Be careful, it's very strong. We've tested its load capacity and it can reach 170 kilograms," said the person in charge of the stable.

Lin Yuan nodded, it was true that he did have some brute force.

The load-bearing capacity of an ordinary warhorse is generally between 80 kg and 130 kg. This horse weighs a full 170 kg, which is considered to be extremely strong.

"Don't worry, I can handle it!" Lin Yuan walked to the red horse with a smile.

The red horse looked at Lin Yuan with disdain, and the emotion in his eyes was quite clear. The translation could be roughly understood as:
What are you looking at?
(End of this chapter)