The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 147 "Real Steel": A true man is indomitable.
……

"Master Cat, as a martial arts master, shouldn't you think about how to play this role well?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, your character will definitely become a hit, and even a global phenomenon."

"You'll see then how right the choice you made today was."

Duan Yihong patted Sun Honglei on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

As he walked, he teased the orange cat in his arms.

"My little darling, after filming is over, I will take you home and let you enjoy a life of luxury and wealth, and I will take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days."

"However, for your health's sake, I need to castrate you first."

Duan Yihong himself really likes cats.

Last week, after arriving at the Dunhuang Film and Television Base, he saw stray cats running around everywhere and had a little idea.

Every now and then, he would prepare some boiled chicken breast and feed it to the stray cats.

Over time, he became familiar with these wildcats.

It is precisely because of this act of kindness that he has received such a great reward today.

"Damn it, Duan Yihong, who are you trying to neuter? This is your cat master! Shouldn't you find him seven or eight wives and make him have a house full of offspring?"

Sun Honglei looked at Duan Yihong, who was so unruly in the ways of the martial arts world, and directly used this move against him.

He was somewhat speechless, but ultimately couldn't help but play his strongest trump card.

Finding a corner, Sun Honglei called Jing Tian directly, his tone full of melancholy: "Sister Tian, ​​I failed my audition. Someone deliberately sabotaged me."

Sun Honglei explained the specific reasons for his failed audition to Jing Tian.

"What? Really? That cat really looks that much like you? Now that you mention it, I really want to watch the movie."

"Hahaha!"

Miss Jing Tian has absolutely no sympathy; she was laughing so hard she was doubled over on the other end of the phone.

This is absolutely hilarious.

After laughing for a while, Miss Jing Tian realized that it was a bit unfair of her to make fun of Sun Honglei like that.

She offered a tactful apology: "Brother Honglei, I'm sorry. I just couldn't help it. It was just too vivid."

What else can Sun Honglei do?
He could only laugh at himself, saying, "There's nothing I can do; I'm naturally kind of friendly. That's why I often look like someone in the animal kingdom."

Sun Honglei's humor made Jing Tian laugh again.

I think Sun Honglei is a pretty interesting person.

After thinking for a moment, Jing Tian decided to say a few words of comfort to Sun Honglei.

“Brother Honglei, the role has already been decided, and there’s nothing I can do for you. Our robot is easy to talk to about everything else, but when it comes to making movies, he won’t give face to anyone. However, I can give our robot a call and ask him to make that cat look a bit more handsome in the film.”

Jing Tian knows Lu Zhiyuan very well.

How could he possibly let go of such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
This cat is hilarious!

Given Lu Zhiyuan's personality, it's highly likely that he will abandon the real Sun Honglei in the movie and instead focus on creating the cat.

Sun Honglei only needs to appear in one or two shots to make the audience realize that this strangely-looking cat is actually a person.

Moreover, he was a martial arts master who looked extremely fierce.

In this way, this cat is bound to become a sensation.

Because something so abstract can no longer be described as a coincidence; most people wouldn't even imagine it.

Once discovered, it turns out the cat wasn't a special effect, but a real one.

Then, netizens all over the world will probably go crazy sharing comparison pictures of this cat and Sun Honglei.

In this way, whether it's the cat, Sun Honglei, or the movie, they will all gain huge attention online.

From a communication studies perspective, photographing cats is much more cost-effective than photographing Sun Honglei.

"Thank you very much, Sister Tian Tian."

Sun Honglei quickly composed himself.

He couldn't help but think that if the cat became a hit and stole the spotlight from Duan Yihong's Great Wall Guardian, then he would have gotten revenge through a movie.

……

Two award-winning actors engage in healthy competition, showcasing their acting prowess in the film.

This was a scene that Lu Zhiyuan was delighted to see.

"30 minutes later, when the sun sets at a 30-degree angle to the city gate, the camera will be ready to shoot against the light."

"The goal is to capture the entire shot in a dreamlike, fantastical way, perfectly capturing the feeling of pursuing youth and dreams without leaving any regrets."

I explained it to the film crew several times.

Lu Zhiyuan turned around and asked Duan Yihong, "Old Duan, how are you getting along with Master Cat? Can you let it give you a fist bump like a human?"

"If that doesn't work, we'll use a perspective trick, have the staff wear green gloves and raise the cat's paws. Then we'll have them composite the cat's paws in post-production."

If we could film it on location, that would be the best.

But if he can't do it, Lu Zhiyuan won't force him.

After all, cats are not dogs, and they are not as easily tamed.

He couldn't possibly hire a cat trainer just for a single shot.

"Don't worry, director, there's no problem."

Duan Yihong placed the cat on a stone stool next to him, then stretched out his right hand, tilted his head, and smiled, as if looking at a child.

He called out softly, "Xiao Lei, let's bump fists."

The orange cat looked up at Duan Yihong, then lowered its head, feigning helplessness, and stretched out a paw to gently touch Duan Yihong's fist.

God!

The staff present looked at Duan Yihong with immense admiration upon witnessing this scene.

Master.

Even cats can be tamed.

Only Sun Honglei, who was standing to the side, was so shocked by what he saw that his composure crumbled once again.

If things continue like this, how many more shots will I get?
This cat acted better than me!

Especially that little look in his eyes, it was exactly the same as mine, as if he were possessed by a spirit.

That damned Duan Yihong.

They even gave the cat a nickname, Xiao Lei.

……

"Hahaha!"

Reba and Hanikezi were watching from the sidelines, laughing their heads off.

This scene is absolutely hilarious.

But soon, Dilraba's smile faded.

"Senior Reba, I'm here."

Because Gulnazar came.

She didn't come alone; she brought more than 30 of her girlfriends with her.

They were all dressed to the nines, with amazing figures, just like models... no, they were models to begin with.

Right now, these 30 little models are gathered together, chattering away.

"Nazha, is that the famous director Lu Zhiyuan?"

"Director, you're so handsome!"

"Not only does he have a strong artistic vibe, but he also has a roguish charm... He's just too captivating."

"Does the director engage in any underhanded dealings? I'm open to it."

Really convinced.

Hearing what the young models said, Dilraba couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Even if there were unspoken rules, would it be your turn, you outsiders? I haven't even had a chance yet!
"Brother Kun, come here for a second."

Reba became increasingly unhappy as she listened, and called Xin Yukun over.

"My little darling, what's wrong now?" Upon hearing Reba's tone, which sounded like she was about to kill someone, Xin Yukun rushed over to check on the situation.

As soon as I saw Nazha arrive...

He instantly understood.

Naza also brought 30 girlfriends, all of whom had amazing figures and good looks, and they were discussing things related to unspoken rules in the entertainment industry.

No wonder Dilraba was unhappy.

"Babies, line up and follow me. We'll go get our makeup done first, and then we'll rehearse a bit. The actual filming will start in two hours."

Xin Yukun beckoned the 30 young models to follow him.

You like to engage in underhanded dealings, right? My brother doesn't like that kind of thing, but I do.

You're in luck tonight!
I hereby announce the end of the month-long fast.

Tonight we're having some fun!
"Nazha, why aren't you leaving yet?"

All 30 young models left, but Nazha remained, looking at Dilraba with hesitation, as if she wanted to say something.

Dilraba found it a bit strange and asked a question.

"Senior Reba, Brother Yuan said he wants me to learn something from you." Tonight, 30 young models will imitate the flying apsaras of Dunhuang and put on a dance show to showcase the exotic charm of Dunhuang and the splendid culture of Chinese civilization.

Naza is the lead dancer.

However, Nazha had already mastered this dance.

She just wanted to spend more time with Dilraba.

After Dilraba was nominated for an Oscar, Gulnazar became an absolute fan of hers.

She was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress, and although she didn't win, Reba is truly amazing. She is a source of pride for our Uyghur people!

"Since it was my brother who said so, then you can come with me."

Naza is quite well-behaved and admires herself quite a bit, while Dilraba doesn't dislike Naza.

However, the thought that Nazha was Xin Yukun's backup plan for Lu Zhiyuan made Dilraba particularly unhappy.

At this moment, Dilraba said in a cold tone, "Nazha, you're still a newcomer and haven't formally studied acting. Don't worry about acting skills for now. Just memorize your movements. Look at the ground; there are usually tape markings."

"Positioning is very important in my brother's movies."

"Because if the positioning is slightly off, the camera will go out of focus, and the composition of the whole picture will become unbalanced. This is the thing my brother can't stand the most."

"If you make a mistake in your positioning, even if he's in a good mood, he'll still give you a good scolding."

"In addition, during the movement, you also need to control your emotional fluctuations and the expression of your body language."

In short, acting is not that simple.

Having a pretty face doesn't guarantee you can deliver the performance the director wants.

Dilraba has never considered Gulnazar a rival.

The main reason is that Nazha, that silly girl, definitely can't multitask.

Positioning, emotions, and body language.

Naza probably thinks that it would be quite an achievement if she could do even one of them well.

All three together?

For Nazha, it would be better to let her take the postgraduate entrance exam!

"Besides this, you also need to pay attention to the angle of the lighting."

"Sometimes, there are many things to consider in sidelighting and backlighting scenes, especially avoiding blind spots in lighting, otherwise the photos will turn out really bad."

"If you can master these, then at a higher level, that is, the logic of movement, you need to integrate into the character's emotions and generate that dramatic explosiveness!"

"However, you definitely won't need it, and you don't need to think about it too much."

Don't even mention that Nazha doesn't need it; Dilraba thinks she probably won't need it in her lifetime either.

Although Lu Zhiyuan often praised her for being very talented, Reba also observed Zhou Xun teaching Hanikezi.

Having talent really allows you to do whatever you want!

Zhou Xun's expressive eyes can withstand the director's repeated close-ups of her face.

Dilraba couldn't do that.

Lu Zhiyuan almost never gives her close-ups of her face, usually giving her medium shots. Giving her a close-up of her upper body is already Lu Zhiyuan's extreme favoritism.

Because Lu Zhiyuan had told her that.

Her face is the kind that is bright and striking, and it is very stunning at first glance... but if you take a close-up photo of her face, her features will appear too large and lack refinement.

After realizing this flaw in Dilraba, Lu Zhiyuan never filmed her face directly, at most only giving her a close-up of her upper body.

Or a fleeting close-up of the eyes.

Dilraba's eyes are still very beautiful and can withstand even a second of close-up.

This fleeting sense of mystery will deepen the audience's impression of her beauty, but it will prevent the audience from noticing that her eyes are big but not delicate enough.

"Senior Reba, I didn't know there were so many intricacies to acting."

Naza was completely stunned.

She thought that being good-looking meant she could arrogantly deliver a few lines on camera, then frown, turn around, and give a charming look.

They would be photographed looking absolutely stunning and become big stars, just like Dilraba.

That's what Nazha thought when she watched the movie.

I never imagined that acting was such a meticulous and technical skill.

“Nazha, you can also try acting with your instincts.”

Dilraba smiled at Gulnazar and said deliberately, "I heard that the great director Wong Kar-wai likes to let the actors move around freely without any pre-set plans, relying on their instinctive reactions to capture the authenticity of the moment."

That doesn't sound plausible at all!

Although I, Nazha, am not always so smart, I am not stupid.

……

"I lost."

"However, your final spinning slash was spectacular. I didn't lose unjustly."

Duan Yihong looked at Hanikezi with a complex expression, filled with countless regrets but also a trace of admiration.

After uttering that line about losing, his entire demeanor suddenly deflated.

When acting reaches this level, the body language and emotional tension blend together in a way that creates a truly ethereal feeling.

"Concession."

Hanikezi acted like a little adult, putting his fist and palm together in a salute to Duan Yihong.

In this scene, Duan Yihong's acting skills are on full display.

Especially that feeling of helplessness when you try your best but still can't overcome it, you can feel it just from your eyes.

In comparison, Hanikezi is far inferior.

However, Lu Zhiyuan probably knew what level Hanikezi's acting skills were, so he stopped forcing it and gave her a medium shot.

The central figure in the composition is not Hanikezi himself.

It is mainly placed in the open space next to Hanikezi.

In the later special effects, there will be a [Qin Palace Guard] here, who will join Hanikezi in a salute with their fists and palms together.

As the setting sun shines down from afar, it falls on the robot, giving it a cold, metallic sheen and a metallic blue reflection.

It also gave rise to a certain humanistic brilliance, like a warrior.

At this moment, the audience's attention is most likely focused on the robot.

Hanikezi's acting skills only deserve a 60 out of 100.

……

"Crack!"

"Old Duan, you acted well."

"Xiao Lei goes on stage to comfort his apprentice."

Lu Zhiyuan shouted into the walkie-talkie.

Sun Honglei thought to himself, "Finally, it's my turn to go on stage." He was bracing himself and ready to give it his all.

"Meow~~"

Unexpectedly, an orange cat jumped out and landed on the stone stool next to Duan Yihong.

Seeing Duan Yihong sitting there forlornly, the orange cat went up and patted Duan Yihong's head.

When Duan Yihong turned his head to look at him, the cat's small eyes glanced at him melancholically before it stretched out its paw.

He gave Duan Yihong a fist bump.

"Depend on!"

"This cat's acting is really good, it's practically a carbon copy of Hong Lei."

If you didn't look at the cat's face, everyone present would only think that the cat was very intelligent. But when the cat turned its face, everyone couldn't help but chuckle.

It's as if Sun Honglei has been reincarnated.

"Wow, this cat is amazing."

"Take a few more takes."

"Xiao Su, get the cat treats ready and give our hero a good reward."

Lu Zhiyuan was also very happy.

If you were to hire a well-known actor to play this kind of role, the normal price would be tens of thousands of yuan.

At that moment, the entire crew revolved around the cat, treating it like a mythical creature.

"I guess I came all this way for nothing."

Sun Honglei felt as if he didn't exist on this earth, as if his soul had been possessed by that cat.

Just then, Lu Zhiyuan finally called him to come on stage.

"Next match, Hong Lei, get ready. Gather your energy. After you transform back into a human, you need to act like a true master, possessing an indomitable will. Keep your eyes firm."

"Don't forget, the name of our movie is 'Real Steel.' A real man should be like steel, indomitable."

The theme of the movie has long since changed.

On the surface, it's about teenagers playing games and family affection between grandparents and grandchildren, but in reality, it conveys a kind of spiritual belief.

No matter what difficulties we face, we must never give up!

(End of this chapter)