The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 176: The Real Heavy Industry Cinema!

……

Pacific Rim is a true heavy-industry film.

What is a heavy industry film?
Lu Zhiyuan didn't know how other directors understood this concept.

In any case, in his eyes, the actors' importance in the movie "Pacific Rim" was compressed to the extreme.

It's fair to say that if you just randomly found a few amateurs to perform, the effect wouldn't be much different.

If it weren't for this film, which he carefully considered and decided to name "Upgrade 2: Pacific Rim," he would never have given Keanu Reeves such a lucrative contract.

This is a waste of limited filming funds.

……

China Film.

Huairou Base.

"Brother Yuan, the miniature city models you requested have all been made for you, working overtime to complete them."

"In addition, the super-large robotic arm and the model of the mecha's feet that you customized have already arrived. They were hoisted and tested yesterday. Would you like to try them out yourself?"

After the release of "Real Steel" at the end of December last year and the first week's box office results, the "Pacific Rim" project was officially launched.

In addition to the script, actors, and artistic concept design, the preliminary preparation work also includes the early stages of preparation.

Most importantly, and also the most time-consuming, are the key components of several Jaeger units and the miniature city models of several battle scenes.

In the original movie, there were about four battle scenes, and the total fight scenes should be around 40 minutes.

It accounts for one-third of the entire movie.

Lu Zhiyuan felt that it was too little!
When Lu Zhiyuan watched this movie back then, he didn't want to watch any of the long-winded emotional entanglements between the male and female leads.

I also don't want to watch the father-daughter relationship scenes between the black commander and the Japanese female lead.

I just want to see mechs fight monsters.

Of course, the most crucial point is that the romance scenes in this movie are poorly filmed, lacking any detail, and all the characters seem exaggerated and completely formulaic, lacking any sense of realism.

However, these heavy-industry science fiction films are not meant to create character designs; a few stereotypical characters are enough.

Lu Zhiyuan had realized this long ago.

Even if he were to make this kind of film, he wouldn't have enough time to develop the characters.

However, since there wasn't enough time for this film, he could have used his previous works to develop the characters earlier.

To film Pacific Rim, he spent two whole movies creating Alita, the battle angel, and Ophelia, the fighting prodigy.

And the decadent half-human, half-AI Keanu Reeves.

With these three main characters appearing in the movie "Pacific Rim," the audience won't forget the names of the main characters after watching the movie.

"Brother, how many sound stages did we build for this movie?"

Reba followed beside Lu Zhiyuan, looking around curiously as if she had entered a construction site.

Mainly, after walking out of the door, I entered a photography studio and looked around at the densely packed architectural models.

After the results came out, she went into another photography studio, which was filled with densely packed architectural models.

She had been shopping for over two hours and was still not done.

This is too much.

"Three cities, nine film studios."

"They are Tokyo, Hong Kong Island, and Los Angeles."

“每个城市，一个100:1的普通模型，一个50:1的高清模型，一个25:1的战损版超清模型。”

"Especially that last battle-damaged ultra-high-definition model... Did you see those movable billboards and the rain system? Once the special effects are done, it will be completely indistinguishable from reality."

This is a heavy industry science fiction film.

Industrial technology far outweighs the contribution of actors' acting skills.

After all, no matter how well an actor performs, it cannot replace the effect of destroying the world.

"Dilraba, have you seen this high-resolution model of Tokyo?"

Lu Zhiyuan excitedly pulled Reba along and pointed to one of the models.

"I saw it."

Dilraba nodded in confusion.

"What do you think this is?"

Lu Zhiyuan pointed to one of the antique buildings and then mysteriously said to Dilraba, "The first battlefield of the movie takes place in Tokyo."

"...Look up at your head."

"There's a crane up there. When the time comes, it will control a giant monster's foot and smash it down hard. Instantly, a huge crack will appear in the ground, the steel bars will break, and Pacific Ocean seawater will flood in. This ancient building will be crushed into dust in an instant."

This is what heavy industry movies are like.

A critical hit right from the start!
The visual effects are stunning and require no dialogue.

Presented with 3D special effects, there is no doubt that the audience in the movie theater will be deeply shocked by the first scene.

The first act opens with the destruction of Tokyo.

Lu Zhiyuan received an S-level talent from [Emmerich]: extraordinary destructive aesthetics.

The destruction of iconic landmarks represents the direct annihilation of humanity's authority as the masters of the earth.

What are Tokyo's landmark buildings?
Tokyo Tower, Imperial Palace.

The monster stomped and destroyed the royal palace.

Then, with a gentle exhale, the Tokyo Tower instantly melted like chocolate.

After the Tokyo Tower melted, the viscous molten metal splashed out and landed among the crowds, causing widespread panic.

Ordinary humans, if touched even a trace of it, would instantly turn into a puddle of mud, without even uttering a wail.

The entire city of Tokyo was like a living hell, with countless people scrambling to escape.

"Three minutes into the film, a monster lands in Tokyo. The Japanese army frantically tries to drive it away, but to no avail. Three minutes later, Tokyo becomes a hellish place."

"At the 4-minute mark, Keiko Kitagawa will pilot the Onimusha mecha hunter to engage the monster in combat."

"The battle will last about 8 minutes and destroy the second high-definition model."

"And the Onimusha, this mecha hunter, will eventually cut off one of the monster's arms, and then be pierced directly into its heart by the monster's other arm."

"Keiko Kitagawa tragically sank to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean along with the Jaeger amidst a sea of ​​blood that resembled cherry blossoms."

"To fulfill her mission."

Keiko Kitagawa only gave her $100 million. Lu Zhiyuan had already given her a beautiful character design last time, but this time he sacrificed her right at the beginning.

In any case, Japanese viewers should like this ending.

From a certain perspective, the character of Keiko Kitagawa is truly strong, beautiful, and tragic!
Its strength is beyond doubt.

The army was helpless against the monster, but Keiko Kitagawa, piloting the Jaeger, was able to fight such a powerful monster for 8 minutes.

That is enough to prove her strength.

Finally, before her energy ran out, the Jaeger Hunter managed to cut off one of the monster's arms, forcing it to retreat and leave Tokyo.

He's a hero of humanity!
He's at least a hero in the city of Tokyo!

She sacrificed herself for her hometown at the most beautiful age, her life as brilliant as fireworks. Isn't this a kind of beauty that blooms to the extreme?
……

"The first 12 minutes of the battle."

"After the battle ends, starting at 13 minutes, you will appear on the streets of Tokyo with Keanu Reeves, look at Keanu with that icy gaze, and ask him, 'What is your choice?'"

Before Keanu could answer, you quickly went to the spot where the monster's blood had been spilled, collected some of its genetic samples, and prepared to return to the lab for research.

For Dilraba's current acting skills, this kind of plot is very simple.

Because there's absolutely no need for her to display explosive acting skills.

Her character has been very well-developed in the previous two films.

The moment she appears on screen, the audience instantly expresses their anticipation.

A cybernetic AI with an IQ of 250 took the monster's genetic sample... she's bound to create some weird and wonderful things.

Movies and TV series are different.

All the images and details are necessarily connected in sequence.

Even if it doesn't appear in this movie, it will definitely be shown in the next sequel.

"Brother, is a miniature city only used once?"

After listening to what Lu Zhiyuan said, Reba imagined the battle scene in her mind.

The very first major battle destroyed Tokyo and sent Keiko Kitagawa and her Onimusha mecha directly to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

This movie is indeed epic!
The scene was grand enough.

It was filled with sacrifice and heroism.

"That's right, just once."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded, then hesitated for a moment before saying, "Hopefully it will only be used once. Because if it's not filmed well, it will need to be repaired using 3D printing, which will take a long time."

"So, before filming, I spent a lot of time thinking about the storyboard."

"However, you don't need to worry about anything. Monster movies have universal shooting techniques. Just focus on close-ups. For example, use the perspective of an ordinary human, looking up at the monster's enormous size like an ant."

"This will create a natural sense of oppression."

"However, most monster movies, because the monster models are not realistic enough, dare not use a lot of close-ups and often use long shots."

“Our movie is different; the monster suits cost me a lot of money. I even felt like they were ripping me off. But once you see the monster suits, you'll understand... they're absolutely lifelike.”

"Furthermore, as an advanced cosmic being, that monster's body surface also produces a kind of slime similar to that of a loach, which it uses as a surface defense system when entering an alien planet."

To prepare for filming this monster movie, Lu Zhiyuan not only studied physics and relativity, but also paleontology.

I consulted many experts in the relevant field.

For commercial films like this, audiences might not care about much else, just how the visual effects are... However, as a director, Lu Zhiyuan must do his best to create a realistic world for the audience.

The realism of the machine hunter.

The selection process for drivers.

What changes will occur to Earth's magnetic field and geographical environment because a spacetime wormhole has appeared at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean?

Besides that, there are the monster's biological characteristics.

As a cosmic organism, its evolutionary path is bound to be vastly different from that of Earth's organisms, yet it also shares a great deal of similarity in certain aspects.

How to strike the right balance?

The more in-depth the research into these details, the more realistic the cinematic world becomes.

"Brother, when do I join the filming crew?"

After hearing Lu Zhiyuan finish speaking, Reba couldn't wait any longer.

"Not in a hurry."

"The core of this film is the interactive shots of the mechs, monsters, and city; the human actors are not that important."

"After I finish filming these physical models, I will add some CG, especially the speed at which the fragments fly and the low-frequency vibrations of the sound waves... Once these things are shown in the cinema, they will be able to give the audience an ultimate immersive experience."

"After doing all that... the overall artistic style was set, and the filming of the human actors was a natural progression."

Lu Zhiyuan is not worried about the actors' acting skills in this film.

Filming with human actors is mostly done inside the cockpit; what kind of acting skills does that require?

If these weren't all people I knew, and if the audience didn't enjoy seeing them, it would be a problem.

Lu Zhiyuan even wanted to find a few ordinary people, pay them 200 yuan a day, and let them experience the hydraulic power system in the cockpit.

seriously.

If given such an opportunity, many people might give Lu Zhiyuan 200 yuan to experience it.

"Oh." Dilraba lowered her head in disappointment.

Ruined.

That guy Kun is really a menace!

Pacific Rim is a true mecha movie, with the theme of robots fighting monsters.

Who are the human actors?

The audience doesn't care.

Director Lu Zhiyuan didn't care either.

Taking the picture is the same as not taking the picture at all.

wrong.

I still need to get paid.

"So this is what industrialized filmmaking is all about. Every prop, including the actors, is a cog in an assembly line; there's no such thing as someone who can't be replaced."

Dilraba seems to have grasped the true essence of Hollywood's industrialized filmmaking.

It can be filmed without actors.

In the future, actors might not only fail to receive payment for their roles, but also have to bribe production companies.

Fortunately, she has already transformed herself into a top-tier female star through two films.

If she were to make a robot movie as her first film, Dilraba doubts that even if the movie becomes a hit, the audience would say that it has nothing to do with her.

She was just a supporting actress.

At this moment, Dilraba finally realized why Keanu Reeves is so keen on making art films... It turns out that only art films can truly showcase an actor's charm.

Commercial films like this.

When Dilraba was filming "Upgrade" and "Real Steel", she didn't have any particularly strong feelings about them.

It wasn't until "Pacific Rim" that she finally developed a strong sense of crisis.

"no!"

"Being an actor is too unstable."

“Even though Brother Yuan has been working with me on movies all along, his understanding of film is constantly evolving. His artistic aesthetics are also constantly being updated and iterated.”

"Sooner or later, I will fall out of favor."

"I need to do as many business deals as possible and earn more money! I can't waste a single moment while I'm still popular!"

Reba suddenly awakened her innate Ox-Horse Divine Body!

Making movies and engaging in art are things for artistic youths like Lu Zhiyuan.

In Altay, a mountain of her own, she has to rely on herself to ensure she has support in her old age!

make money!

I'm going to start doing sales tomorrow!
I can't stay lazy anymore!

Given this situation, Reba doesn't blame Lu Zhiyuan.

Although Lu Zhiyuan is a very artistic person, he also likes to create a charming character arc for his roles.

But whatever.

Whenever he makes a commercial film, as the director, Lu Zhiyuan is responsible for the entire project.

Even if he had the heart of an artistic young man, he had to force himself to give it up.

Creating an ultimate audio-visual feast for the audience is the underlying logic behind Lu Zhiyuan's commercial filmmaking.

In a visual and auditory feast, handsome men and beautiful women are just the most basic surface.

For example, in mecha movies like Pacific Rim, handsome men and beautiful women can only ever be supporting characters; no matter how great their character arcs are, it's all for naught.

Because the audience comes in to watch robots fight monsters!
"Brother Kun, you've really screwed me over!"

"If I had known, I would have preferred to have Brother Yuan only make one film!"

"Now, I'm shooting three movies at once. How long will it take me? Besides, all my highlight moments in this series are in the post-credits scenes!"

Reba suddenly realized that she seemed to have become another Jing Tian.

In Lu Zhiyuan's films, she no longer plays a pivotal role, but becomes a dispensable supporting character.

This made her a little unhappy.

"Brother, how long are you planning to stay here?"

They had already been wandering around the studio for more than two hours, but Lu Zhiyuan showed no sign of leaving.

Dilraba sighed silently and asked a question.

"I don't know, I'll tell you when I figure it out."

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan squatted down next to a miniature model.

This is a miniature model of Hong Kong Island.

It is also a battle-damaged ultra-high-definition model.

The model street even has moving billboards and various time-honored shops, all made to look incredibly lifelike.

Even when using a high-definition camera for close-ups, it doesn't break the immersion.

This model is incredibly realistic; I wonder how much it cost.

It's such a waste to only take one shot!

Reba couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

No wonder most production companies can't afford to make this kind of movie. And most directors wouldn't dare to make it.

The requirements for the director are far too high.

"I was thinking, since the monster destroyed Tokyo, should we also break through Kowloon? Let the magma underground erupt, let the pillars of fire pierce the sky, and completely submerge Victoria Harbour."

“From this day forward, Hong Kong Island will no longer exist.”

When Reba heard Lu Zhiyuan's idea, she immediately wanted to cover his mouth.

Brother, please don't do this!
Destroying Tokyo is one thing, but if you destroy Hong Kong Island too, people will criticize you!
"Reba, I know what you are worried about."

"But since I've destroyed Tokyo and am prepared to destroy Los Angeles, I can't simply preserve Hong Kong Island."

"Three iconic cities in the Pacific Rim have all been destroyed. You've been with me for so long, you should know very well what that means."

What else could it represent?
Does this mean humanity is doomed?
Dilraba thought to herself.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan continued, "The last major human city on the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt is Sydney, Australia!"

"Humans will amassed a large army there to fight the monsters to the death, but the monsters swam directly to Antarctica..."

"Humans thought the monster was seriously injured and prepared to find a place to recuperate. But a few days later, a huge stress earthquake occurred in the Circum-Pacific seismic belt."

"The crustal stress energy accumulated over 300 years was released all at once."

"As a result, human cities throughout the entire Pacific Ring of Fire were instantly reduced to ruins, with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occurring everywhere."

"Human society is on the verge of collapse!"

"And the final battle... will be your and Honey's stage!"

There are a total of 4 important battles in the entire movie.

In Lu Zhiyuan's setting, each battle is preceded by a few minutes of prelude.

For example, before the monsters appeared, there were changes in sea level and attacks on human defense bases; before the mechs appeared, there were various coastal artillery pieces and conventional armed forces.

Only after all these methods fail will the Jaeger appear and engage in hand-to-hand combat with the monster.

After the battle, the monsters leave, the city is destroyed, and the mechs are either severely damaged or killed.

In short, the monster must lose its fighting ability to demonstrate its power, ferocity, and invincibility.

The repeated battles and destruction pushed humanity to the brink of despair.

However, humanity has also gained something from this.

During the Battle of Tokyo, Onimusha severed one of the Angel Monster's arms, allowing humans to discover the monster's biological characteristics.

Especially its unique genetic makeup.

It can help humanity solve many difficult life science problems.

During the Battle of Hong Kong Island, the Templars pierced the monster's breastplate with their spears, revealing the monster's internal body structure.

It was discovered that it possesses extremely strong self-healing abilities, making it virtually impossible to kill with conventional weapons. However, it was also discovered that the Apostle monster has a fatal flaw: it seems to be intolerant of high temperatures.

The discovery of this fatal flaw in the Apostle Monsters foreshadowed humanity's eventual victory over them.

In the Battle of Los Angeles, the Planet Ripper and the monster fought an earth-shattering battle. The Planet Ripper severed one of the monster's tentacles, revealing to humans that it was transmitting electromagnetic signals, seemingly summoning its allies.

Discovering this will instantly bring the tension of the entire movie to its peak.

Throughout the film, the first three battles build up gradually with each stage of the fight.

The story emphasizes the monster's power, the humans' desperate efforts, and their preparations for a counterattack.

The Fourth World War.

The original plan was to hold the event in Sydney, Australia.

However, despite humanity's methodical preparations, the monsters suddenly stopped attacking human cities and headed towards Antarctica.

While this brought a sigh of relief to humanity, it also created an increasing sense of unease.

At this moment, Dilraba's character displayed exceptional intelligence and discovered the truth.

The monster went to Antarctica to disrupt Earth's magnetic field and then completely open a [space-time wormhole]!
Once the [space-time wormhole] is opened, you can imagine that countless monsters will flood in!
If even one is so difficult to deal with, let alone the large number of apostle monsters that flood in... Humanity will surely be wiped out!

"Brother, I understand what you mean."

"For a 120-minute film, you need to include 70 minutes of battle scenes. Guarantee a visually stunning aesthetic of destruction."

"Then, in the remaining 50 minutes, leave a little space for character arcs and scientific exploration, in line with the epic core of 'humanity's insignificance versus grandeur'?"

Dilraba is such a smart girl!

Lu Zhiyuan only said a few words casually, but she quickly grasped his overall concept for the film.

This is something that wasn't shown in the script.

This movie has a terribly thin script.

Dilraba's character used to have over ten pages of dialogue, but this script has less than 30 lines!
She even suspected that she had received a fake script.

Now she realized that she wasn't the female lead at all. The real protagonists were those Jaeger Hunters!

Ok!

If that's the case, I could earn $2000 million in film fees... That's easy money!

No wonder everyone wants to make Hollywood blockbusters!

"You go back and rest first."

Lu Zhiyuan spent some time in the studio and got into the swing of things.

Now that the miniature city model is complete and all the props are in place, he can directly gather the special effects team and start filming!
First, shoot the special effects.

Leave a marker point.

Then, using the principles of perspective, the shots of human characters are blended in during post-production!

Making monster movies like this doesn't seem too difficult.

In the early stages of preparation, many details need to be personally controlled, which is much more complicated than shooting a typical feature film.

It also lasts longer.

However, there is one advantage to making this kind of special effects movie.

His work environment is very simple.

No need to travel to outdoor locations; a few photography studios can handle everything.

(End of this chapter)