The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 265: The Screening of "Peerless"! Holy crap! Nolan-esque immersive cinematography?
……

"Boss, if the schedule is set for August 16th, how about we try attending the Venice Film Festival?"

James couldn't help but ask a question.

The Venice Film Festival is also usually held in late August.

Lu Zhiyuan has already won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, so who knows, he might also want to win the Golden Lion at Venice?
Many great directors of art films have this collecting obsession, wishing they could collect all the awards.

"To be honest, given the quality of this film's content, is it even likely to win an award?"

Lu Zhiyuan had never even considered taking a trip to the Venice Film Festival.

He is no longer the novice he once was.

After so many years, he has long been aware of the shady dealings in many film festival selections.

To be honest, given his current status in the industry, winning a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival is not impossible for him.

But he will certainly have to pay a huge price to get the Venice Film Festival jury to favor the film "Project Gutenberg".

Normally, the Venice Film Festival tends to favor films with serious themes, but "Project Gutenberg" is, in essence, a commercial crime film.

Although it's filmed in an artistic style and has an elegant tone, it's fundamentally a commercial film.

If he insists on winning the award, it will not only undermine the fairness of the Venice Film Festival, but also damage his public image!
Totally worth the loss.

"Boss, the chances of winning the Golden Lion are very low, but making it into the main competition shouldn't be a problem."

James gave an awkward laugh.

The main reason is that going to the Venice Film Festival provides them with a huge amount of free exposure, which can at least help them save millions of dollars in advertising costs.

Lu Zhiyuan, not being in charge, doesn't understand the cost of daily necessities. James, as the CEO of YD Pictures, naturally has to consider the company's financial statements!

It's worth saving a little bit.

"James, please read those two words 'YD Pictures' again. What do they represent?"

James wanted to save money, and Lu Zhiyuan sensed that.

All I can say is that Jews are just stingy.

"Boss, I understand your philosophy. From now on, I will not mention competing for awards again."

YD Pictures, besides being a combination of Lu Zhiyuan's and Dilraba's names, also represents Lu Zhiyuan's dream.

YD...Your Dream!

What is Lu Zhiyuan's dream?

He surpassed Steven Spielberg to become the highest-grossing director in history!

Can all the award-winning art-house film directors combined have a global influence greater than Spielberg alone?

"Boss, in addition to that, we also need your personal approval for our marketing and distribution expenses with Universal Pictures."

Universal Pictures did not acquire a stake in YD Pictures, but as a strategic partner of YD Pictures, it will promote and distribute YD Pictures' films in Europe and America.

However, the amount of publicity and distribution fees must be discussed in detail.

Unlike ordinary commodities, movies are highly personalized cultural products.

Even with the same production team, director, and cast, different themes and filming methods can result in vastly different box office results.

Therefore, every film needs to have very detailed negotiations with the distribution and marketing company before its release.

"No problem, I'll be in Los Angeles in a couple of days."

In some countries, Lu Zhiyuan's personal influence has even surpassed that of Universal Pictures, a major film studio!

Does Lu Zhiyuan, from China and Japan, still need Universal Pictures to help him with publicity and distribution?

There's no need to elaborate on China, of course.

In Japan, he has already reached a strategic cooperation agreement with Toho and is preparing to film the Godzilla series.

Toho's influence and distribution channels in Japan far surpass those of Universal Pictures.

Universal Pictures' main influence remains in Europe and America. Therefore, many terms in this agreement require careful negotiation.

……

Three days later, Lu Zhiyuan, along with the main creative team of "Peerless", flew to Los Angeles.

In addition, there are some domestic partners.

For example, Mr. Li from Starlight Media, Mr. Cao from New Classics Media, and Mr. Wang from Huayi Brothers... all of these companies invested in the movie "Project Gutenberg".

Now that the film's post-production is complete and a test screening is about to take place, they naturally want to see how their film turns out.
“Brother Yuan, you suddenly got your marriage certificate with Reba without saying a word. I was really caught off guard and didn’t even prepare a decent gift for you. I feel really bad about it.”

Mr. Wang found Lu Zhiyuan's sudden decision to get their marriage certificate utterly unbelievable.

Why did you have to get a marriage certificate?

Look at Kun, he's having so much fun every day!
He couldn't understand what Lu Zhiyuan was thinking.

However, a talented director who is focused on his career and doesn't like to have casual relationships with women is simply perfect for his partners.

That's so reassuring!

If Yuankun Media didn't need external financing, Mr. Wang would have gladly handed over his entire fortune to Lu Zhiyuan and let him lead him to make a fortune.

All I have to do is sit back and win.

"Mr. Wang, there's no need to be so polite. Huayi Brothers' stock has increased almost fivefold so far, making our Dilraba a profit of about 400 million yuan."

"What kind of gift could exceed 4 million?"

After the release of "Chinese Zodiac" and "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons", Huayi Brothers' stock directly followed Enlight Media, which had seen a surge due to "Lost in Thailand", and entered a major upward trend after the Chinese New Year.

Currently, Huayi Brothers' stock has rebounded from its bottom and risen by 500%!

Everyone made a fortune!

However, Mr. Wang still envied Lu Zhiyuan.

Because Netflix, in which Lu Zhiyuan holds shares, has also risen by 300%... Although it doesn't look as fierce as Huayi Brothers, it can't compete with Lu Zhiyuan's $4 million stake.

Now, $4 million has become $12 billion!
This can be converted into cash at any time.

In addition, Lu Zhiyuan also holds shares in several other companies... those companies are all highly valued and are leading enterprises in their respective industries.

For example, the special effects company, Event Horizon Black Hole.

For example, production companies like YD Pictures and Yuankun Media.

For example, robotics companies like Far East Technology.

In addition to these, Lu Zhiyuan also made some other random investments.

Among these people, Lu Zhiyuan may not have the most apparent wealth. But when all the hidden wealth is added together, Lu Zhiyuan is the richest among them.

As the old saying goes, "Respect the clothes before you respect the person." Of course, we should show some respect to the richest person in our social circle.

"By the way, why didn't your sister-in-law come along?"

Mr. Wang didn't see Dilraba on the plane. Now that he's off the plane, he's looking for her everywhere, but he can't find her anywhere.

This made him a little strange.

"Reba, she's been a bit tired lately and is resting at home."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled and gave a reason.

Dilraba didn't want to come to this preview screening at all because she didn't want to see Lu Zhiyuan and Gao Yuanyuan kissing on screen.

"I understand, I understand."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Wang immediately began to make connections.

It's highly likely that Dilraba is pregnant, which is why she's resting at home. It's precisely because Lu Zhiyuan got Dilraba pregnant that he's in such a hurry to get a marriage certificate with her.

That makes sense!

"Mr. Wang, let's go take a look over there. It seems James has prepared a big gift for us."

Xin Yukun and Xiao Wang had their arms around each other's shoulders, and they kept giving each other meaningful glances at a corner where there were many beautiful women.

Seeing so many blondes with long, wavy hair seemingly waiting for someone, Mr. Wang's eyes lit up: "Let's go take a look."

Having grown tired of domestic travel, and having finally made it to Los Angeles, I naturally wanted to try out some Western women and change things up.

"Mr. Cao, is there something you want to say?"

Xin Yukun deliberately pulled Xiao Wang away because Cao, the general manager of New Classics Media, hesitated and wanted to go up and talk to Lu Zhiyuan.

"Mr. Lu, post-production for 'Love O2O' is finished. After you return to China, would you like to come to our company and see the final product?"

Lu Zhiyuan owns about 6% of New Classics Media's shares, and together with Dilraba Dilmurat's about 4%, they hold a total of 10% of New Classics Media's shares.

He is the third largest shareholder.

"Of course. But we can talk about these things when we get back."

Lu Zhiyuan wasn't very interested in TV dramas.

However, considering that the female lead of this TV series is Yang Mi, and that Yang Mi's management contract is also with Yuankun Media.

As the company owner, he also needs to spare 1% of his energy to pay a little attention.

"Mr. Lu, besides 'Love O2O,' what are your plans for the movie 'Your Name'?"

Television dramas provide a stable cash flow, helping the company operate smoothly. But if the company wants to make a fortune, it needs movies!
Only movies can produce miracles and generate returns of more than 10 times!
"Guo Fan will be the director of this film, Dilraba will be the executive producer, Kun Ge will be the general producer, and I will be the producer and art director to help endorse it."

"New Classics Media is responsible for publicity and support."

Lu Zhiyuan knew what Cao Huayi was worried about. He was simply worried that Cao Huayi was too lazy to put in the effort for a mere youth film and wanted to take it easy.

"Mr. Lu, you've worked hard."

Upon hearing that Lu Zhiyuan was willing to serve as producer and art director, Cao Huayi immediately felt relieved.

From a certain perspective, Lu Zhiyuan's role as producer was to promote Guo Fan and give him support.

If Lu Zhiyuan hadn't been the producer, would Guo Fan, a director with no experience, have been able to manage such a large crew?

Especially the female lead, who is none other than the big star Liu Shishi!

After working with Lu Zhiyuan and filming several Hollywood movies, Liu Shishi's domestic star status was only slightly lower than that of Dilraba and Hanikezi.

Far surpassing Liu Yifei and other female celebrities.

Now, Liu Yifei's fans can only secretly despise Liu Shishi every day, who debuted with the nickname "Little Liu Yifei".

However, they can only keep their own little world to themselves and entertain themselves.

If Liu Shishi's fans really target her, all she has to do is say, "Our senior sister is a Palme d'Or winner and has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Hollywood."

What does Sister Niu have?
It can make Liu Yifei's fans break down.

……

"Zhiyuan, are you standing here deliberately waiting for me?"

Dilraba didn't come, but Gao Yuanyuan, as the female lead, appeared in front of Lu Zhiyuan with a smile.

Today, she wore a black dress, her long hair flowing over her shoulders. She looked gentle and quiet, and her round eyes when she smiled were captivating at first sight.

It feels like it's full of oxygen.

Following Lu Zhiyuan to film a Hollywood blockbuster and attending a preview screening in Los Angeles—this is currently the highest level of treatment a female celebrity in China receives.

If she can get into Lu Zhiyuan's preview screening, she will most likely become an international A-list actress in no time.

This is even more prestigious than walking the red carpet at the three major European film festivals!

The fans of those female celebrities would absolutely rave about this kind of treatment!
But Gao Yuanyuan is an exception.

She doesn't have many female fans, so she's been at the top of Hupu's goddess rankings for years.

"Gao Yuanyuan, you go in first, I'm waiting for my leading lady."

When Lu Zhiyuan saw Gao Yuanyuan walking over with a smile, wanting to take his arm, he took a step back and kept his distance.

"Reba isn't here, what are you afraid of?"

Gao Yuanyuan rolled her eyes at Lu Zhiyuan, then whispered, "I have no objection to you two getting married. But you promised me you'd take care of me for life. Even if you're raising a pet, you should at least pet it occasionally and cuddle it, right?"

Gao Yuanyuan doesn't like socializing with others; she prefers chatting with Lu Zhiyuan and even flirts with him from time to time.

She's gotten used to it now.

She knew that Lu Zhiyuan would not hurt her or deceive her feelings... She didn't care if she was rejected 100 times, as long as she was lucky one day and Lu Zhiyuan accepted her.

She's made a fortune!

“You’d better tone it down. I’m a married man now. If you have any more scandals with me, your reputation will be completely ruined.”

This isn't the first or second time Gao Yuanyuan has been a mistress.

Although, in most of her experiences as a mistress, she was probably deceived by men... After all, if she is good at being a mistress, she should also be good at juggling multiple relationships.

However, she has almost no history of cheating.

Once she falls for someone, she will silently stay by his side... until finally, she is disliked by him.

Really satisfied.

In both of his lives, Lu Zhiyuan had never encountered a woman like Gao Yuanyuan.

Moreover, Lu Zhiyuan is now somewhat worried that after the movie "Project Gutenberg" is released, Gao Yuanyuan, as the female lead, might suddenly become a sensation.

After several days of research, he discovered a phenomenon.

The higher a female celebrity's status and the stronger her international fame, the more potent the effects of that S-class poison!

After Jing Tian's two consecutive failures, she was ridiculed by netizens, and her celebrity aura was almost shattered.

In this situation, her obsession with herself seemed to have subsided somewhat, and she became much calmer.

Despite the explosive news of her getting a marriage certificate with Dilraba, she only made a small fuss and didn't do anything too outrageous.

Therefore, it is clear that the effects of that S-class poison are not insurmountable.

All we need to do is let those female celebrities keep failing, and they will gradually wake up!
but……

Now the trouble is here!
Gao Yuanyuan's poison effect is already much more intense than others. Now, she may become an internationally renowned actress because of "Project Gutenberg"... At that time, the effect of this poison may double.

Whether I can handle it is a question.

"Teacher, you waited for me here especially for me?"

Just then, Hanikezi appeared at the door, pulling Zhang Ruonan along.

She went up to him with a smile, wanting to take his arm.

"I'm not waiting for you."

When Hanikezi came over and tried to hug his arm, Lu Zhiyuan stretched out a finger, gently tapped her head, and jokingly scolded her.

"You silly girl, you don't go home to be with your parents during summer vacation, you insist on coming to Los Angeles with me. Is Los Angeles really that fun?"

Despite his complaints, Lu Zhiyuan had to admit that Los Angeles was indeed a lot of fun. If you have money, it's paradise.

"Xiao Nan, come here and stay next to me."

Lu Zhiyuan ignored Hanikezi and beckoned Zhang Ruonan to come inside with him.

Zhang Ruonan was flattered and pretended to hesitate. She glanced at Hanikezi and then ran over quickly.

Like a little tail, it followed behind Lu Zhiyuan.

"Xiao Nan, this is our company's North American branch. You'll be coming here often from now on, so don't be shy."

Besides Gao Yuanyuan, only Zhang Ruonan is a newcomer and has never been to YD Pictures before.

Lu Zhiyuan took Zhang Ruonan for a walk around the company.

"This location is great. It's next to Hollywood, across the street is the headquarters of Universal Pictures, and on the next street is the Dolby Theatre, which is where the Oscars are held."

Lu Zhiyuan casually introduced the various buildings near the company to Zhang Ruonan.

"Wow, Brother Yuan, our company has such a prime location."

At this moment, Zhang Ruonan was like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, constantly exclaiming in amazement, her eyes wide open, looking around in all directions.

She felt like she was dreaming.

"Boss, who is this adorable little princess? She looks like an angel."

When James saw a cute little girl with Lu Zhiyuan, he immediately realized that she must be the female lead from "Godzilla".

"Xiao Nan, this is James, our company's CEO."

Lu Zhiyuan introduced it to Zhang Ruonan.

"Hello, Uncle James."

Zhang Ruonan was very well-behaved and greeted James.

That "Uncle" immediately brought a smile to James' face: "What a little angel, speaking so gently and politely. I feel like I can see lots of dollars flying towards us."

Hanikezi is their little sprite, lively and adorable.

Zhang Ruonan is their company's little angel, gentle and kind.

While the actresses chosen by Lu Zhiyuan may not be the most beautiful, they all possess a unique charm. This charm, amplified by his cinematic style, is amplified in the film.

It will hit the fragile heart of every boy.

Like Cupid's arrow.

"Hey, I'm the female lead."

Gao Yuanyuan used to be jealous of Dilraba, and now she can't help but be jealous of Zhang Ruonan.

If Lu Zhiyuan had treated her with even half the warmth he showed Zhang Ruonan, she would have been so excited she couldn't sleep.

……

"Xiao Nan, stay close to me and don't wander off."

After the "Real Steel" series ended, Lu Zhiyuan became a legend. This preview screening was attended by many international partners.

If it weren't for Lu Zhiyuan's influence, a typical drama film probably wouldn't even have half of its partners involved.

"Director Lu, it's been a long time."

As soon as Lu Zhiyuan entered the company, a Japanese woman with delicate features bowed slightly to him and greeted him respectfully.

"Miss Kitagawa, it's been a long time."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded at Kitagawa Keiko.

Then, he leaned down and asked Zhang Ruonan, "What do you think of this Japanese woman?"

Next, Keiko Kitagawa and Ruonan Zhang will collaborate on "Godzilla".

"I think she looks quite shrewd and not easy to get along with, similar to Yang Mi."

Keiko Kitagawa is the only Japanese actress in Lu Zhiyuan's films.

As a big fan of Lu Zhiyuan, Zhang Ruonan was naturally well aware of this.

She strongly suspected that Lu Zhiyuan went to Japan to find a substitute because he disliked Yang Mi's expressionless face but also particularly liked her looks.

"Stop talking so much."

Lu Zhiyuan chuckled lightly, not taking Zhang Ruonan's little complaint to heart.

When Kitagawa Keiko saw the cute-looking girl in front of her, she seemed to harbor a hint of dissatisfaction and hostility towards her.

She chuckled softly, tossed her hair aside, and felt a surge of pride: "My damn beauty is so stunning, even middle schoolers are jealous."

Zhang Ruonan looks so young, she doesn't look like a high school student, she looks more like a junior high school student, which made Kitagawa Keiko misunderstand.

This was a minor incident, and Keiko Kitagawa didn't take it seriously at all.

She led Lu Zhiyuan into a nearby lounge, where a stern-faced old man sat, looking as if someone owed him millions.

Keiko Kitagawa formally introduced him to Lu Zhiyuan: "Director Lu, this is Mr. Yoshimitsu Sakano, the producer of the Godzilla project at Toho Company."

"Mr. Sakano, it's nice to meet you."

Akira Kurosawa's students may have held high positions in Japan, but to Lu Zhiyuan, they were just ordinary people.

At this point, he greeted them politely.

"You're director Lu Zhiyuan?"

Yoshimitsu Sakano sized up Lu Zhiyuan, his gaze as stern and cold as a hawk's.

Lu Zhiyuan frowned slightly, wondering, what kind of trick is this?
A moment later, Yoshimitsu Sakano suddenly laughed, stepped forward and gave Lu Zhiyuan a hug, then explained, "Before coming here, the Japanese media were discussing who is the number one director in Asia?"

"A staggering 55% of people voted for you! While only 35% voted for my teacher, Akira Kurosawa!"

Akira Kurosawa is nicknamed the "Emperor of Cinema" and has consistently ranked as Asia's number one director on various authoritative film websites.

But clearly, Lu Zhiyuan's appearance has shattered everyone's perception of Asian directors!
Even if Yoshimitsu Sakano greatly admired his teacher Akira Kurosawa, he had to admit that in Kurosawa's time, his influence was far less than that of Lu Zhiyuan in this era.

In his own era, Lu Zhiyuan's influence was probably slightly stronger than that of Akira Kurosawa!
"Director Lu, I've seen your movies, they're fantastic."

"I'm here today because Kitagawa told me that you painted a very beautiful picture in your upcoming movie."

"As everyone knows, my teacher Akira Kurosawa was not only a great director, but also a genius painter."

In Lu Zhiyuan, Yoshimitsu Sakano seemed to see a younger version of Akira Kurosawa.

The same Asian luminaries, the same painter who changed careers!
It was precisely because Lu Zhiyuan and Akira Kurosawa had many similarities that Yoshimitsu Sakano finally agreed to grant Lu Zhiyuan the copyright to "Godzilla" for free, and the two parties cooperated to develop it together.

"I believe the movie 'Project Gutenberg' will not disappoint Mr. Sakano!"

Yoshimitsu Sakano was clearly there on behalf of Toho Corporation.

If the film is of good quality, Lu Zhiyuan can skip Universal Pictures and hand over the film's promotion and distribution in Japan to Toho.

This will save at least 10% on marketing and promotion costs!
……

"Honey, what are they saying in their gibberish?"

Lu Zhiyuan and Yoshimitsu Sakano communicated in English.

Yoshimitsu Sakano's Japanese-accented English was so strangely pronounced that it gave Zhang Ruonan, a vocational high school student, a real headache.

"That Japanese devil was praising the teacher, saying that the teacher was the light of Asia. The teacher neither confirmed nor denied it, and invited him to go to the movies together."

Hanikezi used to have terrible English, just like Zhang Ruonan, but she studied hard to improve her English for a long time in order to film Lu Zhiyuan's movie.

Now, she can basically understand other people's conversations.

"Oh."

Zhang Ruonan felt that the gap between herself and Hanikezi was really huge. She had to work harder, otherwise she would become a laughing stock of the whole world.

……

On the other side.

"Nick, are you confident you can win another Oscar?"

Nicolas Cage and Jean Reno, two Oscar-winning actors, are chatting casually together.

In the movie "Project Gutenberg," Nicolas Cage gave an excellent performance, powerfully portraying the manic and violent aura of an art student who has fallen on hard times and whose personality has split apart.

Lu Zhiyuan once suspected that he was imitating a real art student who failed the college entrance exam!

In particular, when Nicolas Cage gets excited in movies, he always places his right hand on his chest and repeatedly clenches and waves his fist.

That subconscious gesture is so incredibly lifelike.

"hehe."

Nicolas Cage chuckled: "If this movie wins the Oscar for Best Actor, it certainly won't be me. After all, we have a real art student in our film."

"Did you forget to check the movie's name when you came in? 'Man About Paint.' Do you even need to ask who the real male lead is?"

The movie is about art students, so it's pretty clear who the main character is.

Nicolas Cage had no intention of stealing the spotlight.

He signed a contract with YD Pictures for five films.

He had already used his $500 million salary to pay off his debts. Now debt-free, he was extremely grateful to Lu Zhiyuan.

If Lu Zhiyuan hadn't pulled him into making this movie, he would most likely have ended up making terrible films that had neither critical acclaim nor box office success, ruining his reputation and career.

"Nick, did Director Lu really paint a very beautiful picture in the movie?"

Jean Reno's role was small; he only appeared for a few minutes in Medellín, Colombia, before being killed by Wang Baoqiang with a drone.

The essence of this film is basically the part shot in Florence.

Unfortunately, Jean Reno did not see it.

"Absolutely beautiful! Indescribably beautiful!"

Speaking of this, Nicolas Cage immediately expressed his utmost admiration for Lu Zhiyuan.

In his eyes, Lu Zhiyuan was practically not human.

How can someone make such a good movie and also paint such a beautiful landscape painting?

That's incredibly talented!
Why is the gap between people so big?

He thought he was already very talented, having won an Oscar for Best Actor at a young age, but compared to Lu Zhiyuan, he seemed to be nothing.

In their family, perhaps only his uncle, who directed "The Godfather," can be compared to Lu Zhiyuan.

"What you said makes me even more excited for the movie."

Jean Reno only made a cameo appearance and didn't receive much pay; he did it as a gesture of respect to the renowned director.

He was actually quite surprised to be invited by Lu Zhiyuan to attend the preview screening, but after thinking about it, he understood.

Next, we'll probably have to rely on him for publicity in France.

If the movie is of good quality, he wouldn't mind making some small contributions for Lu Zhiyuan.

After all, at his age, making movies is more of a pleasure in life and a way to realize his life's value.

If he doesn't make movies, what else can a retired old man like him do?

Of course, the premise is that the movie has to be good. If it can become a classic, that would be even better!
Otherwise, what would he be after?

Hopefully, Lu Zhiyuan won't let him down.

……

Small groups of people continued to enter the theater.

Because this movie isn't a super sci-fi blockbuster, some of the merchandise copyright partners only sent a few small fry to attend this preview screening.

As for the real big shots, they naturally won't show their faces.

"Boss, isn't that a big drop in status?"

YD Cinema's theater is not small, with a capacity of 200 people, but it was only half full at the moment, making the entire theater feel quite empty.

You should know that during the preview screening of "Real Steel 3", the 200-seat theater was not enough to accommodate everyone. We had to go to the flagship store of Universal Studios and find a super hall with 500 seats!

This is what makes a blockbuster film different from a regular drama.

The number of copyright partners alone has decreased by more than half.

However, drama films also have some advantages.

They can make someone famous!
Some of Hollywood's most famous male stars... Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, all made a lasting impression with their roles in drama films, which led to their immense popularity.

"James, dramas have their advantages too. Don't be too surprised later."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled and didn't take it seriously at all.

The movie "Project Gutenberg" took less than four months from filming to completion, which is only half the time it took him to shoot a special effects blockbuster.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, this movie is not bad.

"Boss, I'll be watching."

James isn't very interested in typical drama films.

As the former CEO of Focus Features, James has watched countless drama films throughout his life, some of which brought him to tears, while others thrilled him greatly.

He's long past that age of being so boisterous.

Lu Zhiyuan is truly amazing at making science fiction films; the visuals are so stunning they leave you speechless.

But the plot is...

James felt that this was not the approach Lu Zhiyuan was good at.

……

Everyone chatted casually, and everyone was in a relaxed mood.

After all, the production cost of this movie was only 3000 million US dollars.

Given Lu Zhiyuan's global influence, it's impossible for him to lose money.

It's just that you might not earn much.

……

However, after the movie started playing...

Within a minute, everyone fell silent, staring intently at the screen, speechless.

……

On the screen.

Inside the dimly lit cage.

A beam of light shone down from outside the iron window and landed on a quill pen.

At the top of the quill pen is a large hand with ten long, slender fingers, prominent joints, a flexible wrist, and remarkable composure.

In the shot, apart from the quill pen and the hand holding it, which are bathed in light, 90% of the space inside the iron bars is completely dark.

Then, the camera slowly panned up, revealing Lu Zhiyuan's face.

In this atmosphere, Lu Zhiyuan's face appeared exceptionally elegant and composed.

……

Cut back to the camera.

Lu Zhiyuan pulled a Bible from under the bed, opened one of the pages, and slowly pulled out three feather paintbrushes hidden inside the Bible.

Then, he began to slowly burn the paint that had fallen off the wall into liquid ink, and began to draw the flowers on the stamp on a piece of white paper, stroke by stroke.

……

The original "Project Gutenberg" had a very high-quality shot like this... The only regret is that Aaron Kwok couldn't draw it.

The director could only use montage editing to get away with it.

In this version, Lu Zhiyuan doesn't cut the camera at all; instead, he uses the first 15 seconds to showcase his precise drawing skills, which are as accurate as a printer's.

Actors are painters!

The realism is off the charts!
It will definitely give the audience an immersive experience!

……

"hiss……"

After watching for a few minutes, James couldn't help but gasp and once again looked at Lu Zhiyuan with new respect.

"Caravaggio's use of light and shadow!"

"Evil and holiness come from the same source!"

"Despite being a dirty place like a prison, it somehow gives people a sense of solemnity."

On the silver screen, Lu Zhiyuan devoutly sketched the stamps.

Although it was clearly a charade, his meticulous demeanor, along with the lighting and shadows under the camera, created a sense of spatial oppression, drawing the audience's attention involuntarily to his eyes.

Lu Zhiyuan's eyes were dark and bright, possessing a unique charm that irresistibly drew people in.

When he was drawing counterfeit stamps, he was serious and persistent, with a kind of pilgrimage-like devotion.

He looks like a saint who paints doors!
At that moment, the sunlight streaming through the iron bars fell upon him, as if some god of painting had showered his talent upon him.

At this moment, time seemed to slow down.

Everyone watched this scene intently.

……

Just now, there were some rustling sounds in the theater, people chatting casually.

The moment this shot appeared, the entire audience fell silent, instantly captivated by the powerful, immersive visual effect.

After a while, James was the first to come to his senses, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Something's wrong."

"This immersive visual experience... it's kind of like Nolan's style, isn't it?"

On the screen, the plot continues, and Lu Zhiyuan's performance, like that of an art master, is incredibly sensual.

Even when imprisoned, she remained elegant and composed, as if everything was under her control.

This single shot greatly enhanced the audience's sense of immersion in the film.

In drama films, whether they're high-IQ dramas or mindless action movies... the most important thing is for the male lead to look cool!

Boys can relate to it and think they can be that handsome too.

The girls really identified with him; this is their future husband!

But only experts like James could see that Lu Zhiyuan's cinematic language had evolved once again without anyone noticing.

When shooting feature films, Lu Zhiyuan was able to handle it with ease, effortlessly bringing out one of Nolan's signature techniques.

What kind of genius is this?
It's so enviable!

However, this is my own boss... so I can only cheer and let others be jealous!

(End of this chapter)