The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 266 The most unique male lead in film history! He can't stay low-key any longer; he's probably going to become a global sensation!

……

The movie has just begun, and Lu Zhiyuan exudes the extraordinary aura of an S-class art master, as well as the S-class roguish charm emanating from Guy Ritchie...

The combined aura of two S-class individuals was absolutely explosive!
The biggest difference between movies and novels is that in a novel, it takes a lot of writing to make the male protagonist particularly handsome, charismatic, and charming.

For a visual art like film, sometimes all it takes is a single shot, a fleeting moment of a specific atmosphere.

That will make all viewers fall in love with this character!

……

"Teacher, you're so cool!"

To prevent Gao Yuanyuan, a habitual mistress, from secretly trying to do something to Lu Zhiyuan.

After obtaining authorization from Reba, Hanikezi came to Los Angeles and stayed close to Lu Zhiyuan.

Now, to Lu Zhiyuan's left is Hanikezi.

On the right is his new little darling, Zhang Ruonan.

Hanikezi was seeing Lu Zhiyuan's performance in a movie for the first time, and she couldn't help but widen her eyes.

My heart started racing.

The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic.

In real life, Lu Zhiyuan is already uniquely handsome and has an unparalleled temperament. Looking at the entire entertainment industry, you can't find a second person as outstanding as him.

At this moment, in the movie, Lu Zhiyuan amplifies his extraordinary artistic master temperament by at least 10 times through the effects of light and shadow, close-up shots, and the creation of atmosphere!
The effect is amazing.

Before Gao Yuanyuan could even react, Hanikezi had already grabbed Lu Zhiyuan's arm.

"Honey, take your hand away."

Do you know how hot your hands are?

It's late June now, the height of summer, with temperatures outside exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Lu Zhiyuan doesn't want any physical contact with anyone.

Even though Hanikezi was his beloved apprentice.

However, before Lu Zhiyuan could finish speaking, Zhang Ruonan, who was standing next to him, excitedly grabbed his hand.

"Brother Yuan, you look so handsome as the male lead in movies, why don't you become the male lead in 'Real Steel' yourself?"

What do you want with Keanu Reeves?

“Brother Yuan, if you were the male lead yourself, I estimate that the box office of the entire Real Steel film series could be even higher.”

Keanu Reeves is almost 50 years old, how can he compare to a handsome young man in his 20s?

Moreover, Lu Zhiyuan paid Keanu Reeves nearly $1 million in salary for the four films!

That's such a bad deal!
"You're such a little money-grubber."

Girls from Wenzhou are different; they immediately started helping Lu Zhiyuan with the accounts.

If he were to play the male lead himself, he could receive both the director's fee and the male lead's fee.

By making the Real Steel series, Lu Zhiyuan could earn at least an extra $1 million.

……

In the second row.

As invited guests, Keiko Kitagawa sat with Yoshimitsu Sakano and several staff members from Toho Corporation.

At this moment, just as the movie began, Keiko Kitagawa sensed a rhythm and visual style unique to Lu Zhiyuan.

Although the lighting effects and visual signatures in each of Lu Zhiyuan's films vary slightly, a closer look reveals that these visual signatures are all systematic.

It is extremely difficult for outsiders to imitate.

It's a mysterious and enigmatic feeling.

"My teacher, Akira Kurosawa, once said that as a director, to be irreplaceable, you must be different!"

"An artist must have spirit; even if they are mentally ill, they are still better than those mediocre people who follow the crowd!"

For a master like Yoshimitsu Sakano, sometimes a single shot is enough to clearly reveal a director's skill level.

At least in Yoshimitsu Sakano's eyes, even just the opening few minutes of the film exuded a unique spirit that was palpable.

obviously.

In Yoshimitsu Sakano's eyes, Lu Zhiyuan's directing style is very unique.

It belongs to the kind of master-level style that can be recognized after watching just a few seconds of countless movies!

"Mr. Sakano, am I right? Director Lu is definitely one of the world's top visual arts masters."

"This is just a drama film, which doesn't showcase his greatest strengths at all. Special effects blockbusters are where he truly excels."

Although Keiko Kitagawa had her own selfish motives, she wanted Lu Zhiyuan and Yoshimitsu Sakano to have a long-term partnership.

But her respect and admiration for Lu Zhiyuan were also heartfelt.

"Lets see."

In Yoshimitsu Sakano's mind, Lu Zhiyuan had already been given a very high evaluation.

But as a senior figure, he needs to be more reserved and absolutely cannot act like a little fangirl like Keiko Kitagawa.

But... this guy is absolutely stunning in the movie!

It's a unique kind of handsomeness.

It seems that no male protagonist like this has ever appeared in the entire history of film.

That's so unique.

……

On the screen.

The movie continues to play.

In Lu Zhiyuan's version, the Thai prison scene was removed, and the story was set directly in a prison in Florence.

As a legitimate prison, how could inmates simply obtain a stamp and send a letter out if they wanted to communicate with the outside world?
Of course, the police inside the prison will conduct investigations!
"Dong dong!"

At this moment, a prison guard staggered to the cell where Lu Zhiyuan was being held and knocked on the iron door with his baton.

There are no lines.

Lu Zhiyuan handed the letter to the prison guard, and at the same time, he took out a sketch portrait and a photo of a seven or eight-year-old girl.

The person in the portrait looked somewhat like the little girl, and also resembled the prison guard in the eyes and brows.

"Is this what my Sarah looks like now that she's grown up? She looks exactly like the Sarah I met in my dreams. How did you draw this?"

Although there are only a few words, by comparing two photos, one large and one small, the audience can roughly understand what kind of accident happened to the prison guard's daughter.

The male protagonist, Li Wen, uses his extraordinary painting skills to observe the appearance of a seven- or eight-year-old girl and depict what she will look like when she grows up.

"Although the bones of a person change during the growth process, the facial features from childhood will still leave traces on the face."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled easily and explained in the language of a professional art student.

That freehand and elegant appearance seemed to transcend the screen and reach into the hearts of the audience.

“If she were still alive, you should be able to find her through this painting.”

Lu Zhiyuan said confidently.

Clearly, that policeman also had his weaknesses.

His daughter may be missing.

He wanted to know what his daughter would be like when she grew up through Lu Zhiyuan's paintings.
Knowing what she looks like allows them to use the police's internal system for searching, greatly increasing the chances of finding their daughter.

"Thank you."

The prison guards, who were in charge of controlling the prison, said "thank you" to Lu Zhiyuan, a prisoner, for the first time ever.

……

At this moment, melodious music begins to play.

The camera slowly panned in, revealing Lu Zhiyuan inside the iron gate with a faint smile on his face, the light shining entirely on his profile.

Outside the iron gate, the prison guard looked down at the painting in his hand, while stuffing the letter that Lu Zhiyuan had handed him into his pocket.

Clearly, this is a transaction.

Lu Zhiyuan held the initiative from beginning to end!
……

From the perspective of light and shadow, the two figures are positioned in opposite directions, one in light and the other in shadow.

Caravaggio-esque light shone through the iron bars of the cell, piercing Lu Zhiyuan's profile and landing on the prison guard.

Just then, a portion of the light fell onto the drawing paper.

Meanwhile, from a visual composition perspective, Lu Zhiyuan is in the center of the picture, while the prison guard is in the lower left corner.

……

Although there aren't many lines in this part of the story.

However, Lu Zhiyuan has made this little story very clear through the language of the camera!
At the same time, this small transaction completely established Lu Zhiyuan's public image!

A genius painter.

Despite being in a filthy place, it was filled with a religious solemnity and sanctity.

Despite being a criminal, he possessed the aura and radiance of a saint.

Through light and shadow and visual imagery, Lu Zhiyuan directly portrays the duality of sin and holiness in the character of Li Wen.

……

Two minutes into the show.

Yoshimitsu Sakano couldn't help but sit up straight, raising his understanding of Lu Zhiyuan to a new level.

Among the entire new generation of directors, Lu Zhiyuan is absolutely unique.

A master-level existence.

Perhaps only Christopher Nolan can be compared to him.

As for Asia, he is the only one.

To this day, no one else has ever seen his back!
In Yoshimitsu Sakano's eyes, Lu Zhiyuan's skill and artistic style were so strong that they even had the air of a master.

Even though Lu Zhiyuan's latest film is a crime drama, it still carries a strong religious atmosphere.

This unique visual style is no different from the Real Steel trilogy.

It is filled with the sacredness of light and shadow.

This is what his teacher, Akira Kurosawa, repeatedly emphasized: a director must possess an irreplaceable and unique visual style!

……

"Xiaoqiang, what do you think? Isn't this version much more visually elegant than the one from a month ago?"

Xin Yukun sat with Zhuang Wenqiang.

After arriving in Los Angeles, Zhuang Wenqiang was like a ghost; no one greeted him at all.

He could only follow Lu Zhiyuan silently, like a lowly henchman.

However, he believes that after this film, he will make a name for himself in Hollywood and rise to fame, rather than remaining an unknown.

But at this moment, he was somewhat uncertain.

Being a director isn't actually that difficult.

As long as someone believes in him and invests in him, he can gather a large number of actors in Hong Kong Island and make the movie he wants.

However, to become a great director and be recognized worldwide, you need to have some real talent.

If you're not good enough, you'll be laughed at when you go out into the world.

Foreign media won't tolerate this, just like they do in China, talking about conforming to the world.

If a movie is badly made, people will curse you out and laugh at you for being a country bumpkin!

Before meeting Lu Zhiyuan, Zhuang Wenqiang was very confident that he could go beyond Hong Kong Island and at least become famous in Southeast Asia.

However, at this moment, Zhuang Wenqiang had some doubts. He was the one who directed this movie. So how did it turn out like this?

It was completely unfamiliar to him.

It has lost all its Hong Kong crime film feel.

This gave Zhuang Wenqiang a strange feeling. Even though the child was his own, it didn't look like him at all, as if he had taken on a surrogacy job.

He clearly wanted to portray Li Wen as a cowardly and timid person to highlight the painter's rage and leadership qualities.

However, after Lu Zhiyuan made a slight change... he suddenly realized that Li Wen had become too charming!
More charming than a painter.

However, after careful consideration, he felt that this change seemed to be better.

Because Lu Zhiyuan had told him from the beginning that the art style of this film was Baroque.

In particular, the artistic style of Caravaggio, a representative figure of the Baroque style, should be utilized repeatedly.

Caravaggio's artistic style was full of subversion.

One of the most subversive aspects is that he often superimposed the faces of street thugs or prostitutes onto saints.

And placed in this movie...

Essentially, Li Wen, this saint, was elegant and composed.

The "painter" is a dirty criminal, full of violence and madness.

They are two sides of the same coin!
However, both must be exceptionally charming and equally matched!

However, in his original conception, he did not consistently implement the idea of ​​"two sides of the same coin".

At least in his character design, Li Wen is a coward who gets scolded like a dog by the "Painter" every day and has no charm whatsoever.

Lu Zhiyuan only slightly modified Li Wen's character design, and the overall quality of the film, as well as its structural symmetry, was instantly elevated.

Of course, Zhuang Wenqiang couldn't help but secretly suspect that Lu Zhiyuan probably just wanted to look cool in the movie.

However, he played it really well.

Even Zhuang Wenqiang, a man, was somewhat captivated by Lu Zhiyuan, let alone the normal female viewers.

Movies that can attract female audiences generally do well at the box office.

And such a handsome protagonist is very likely to attract teenagers... Teenagers generally feel a strong sense of identification with handsome protagonists.

At this moment, Zhuang Wenqiang murmured, his eyes shining with a reverent look of pilgrimage: "Brother Yuan, you truly deserve to be called a top-tier director in history."

Lu Zhiyuan precisely grasped the psychology of each audience group in order to boost box office revenue. How could this movie possibly do poorly at the box office?

"Being a director is really difficult."

"Not only do you need to understand the script, the cinematography, and the art, but you also need to know how to grasp the audience's psychology..."

Zhuang Wenqiang is also a director and has made his own films.

He certainly couldn't be as versatile as Lu Zhiyuan.

Most people, if they can master two of these points, are already good enough to become a commercial film director.

"Also, the new title of the movie is very interesting."

The title of the movie, "Project Gutenberg," was intended by Chuang Wen-keung to express the concept of "uniqueness."

There is only one real thing.

Just like Van Gogh.

The first Van Gogh was an art master. The second and third are worthless.

The same applies to counterfeiting money.

There is only one real type of US dollar: the one issued by the Federal Reserve.

No matter how real something is, it's still fake and can't replace the real thing... The same goes for feelings. No matter how good Wu Xiuqing is, she can't replace Ruan Wen's place in Li Wen's heart.

However, Lu Zhiyuan felt that the name "Peerless" was a bit too pretentious.

If translated into English, foreigners simply wouldn't understand it.

Don't say that foreigners don't understand; in fact, Chinese audiences wouldn't understand this name either when they first see it.

I thought it was a movie like "Dynasty Warriors".

To increase the effectiveness of its dissemination, Lu Zhiyuan directly changed the name of the film to "Man about Paint" in English.

This is not a commonly used syntax.

However, there is a phrase in English called "Man about Town," which gives the impression of a playboy or spoiled brat who roams the city.

A sense of ease and leisure washes over you.

Moreover, both painting and counterfeiting involve the word "paint," which means dealing with ink, making them very fitting for the theme.

……

On the screen.

The movie continues.

Because the character "Li Wen" was involved in multiple international crimes, Interpol dispatched several officers from its headquarters in Lyon, France, to remove "Li Wen" from the prison in Florence.

However, during this process, a heated argument broke out among the police leadership.

Because the counterfeit money activities of the "Painter" team have harmed many countries, including France, Britain, the United States, and Colombia.

Every country wants to bring this international criminal group to justice.

"Form a joint investigation team! Take the person to the anti-Mafia prosecutor's office in Rome for interrogation."

"Delay him a little. Dig out everything he knows, then have Interpol take him away."

"I want them to know that the Italian police are not to be trifled with!"

Because Li Wen was arrested in Italy, according to Article 453 of the Italian Criminal Code, Italy has territorial jurisdiction and can directly prosecute Li Wen.

France wants to extradite Li Wen; let's just go through the process. According to EU law, the process takes 60 days.

……

Inside the offices of high-ranking police officers, a heated argument is taking place over the ownership of [Li Wen].

Meanwhile, inside a prison van.

Li Wen sat quietly in the back row, flanked by police officers who were detaining him. They were menacing and looked like they were not to be trifled with.

In the passenger seat sat a beautiful blonde policewoman.

It was played by Emily Blunt.

Lu Zhiyuan was sitting in the middle of the back seat, looking at the rearview mirror in front of him. He was actually looking at Nicolas Cage, who was playing the driver, but he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Emily Blunt.

"What are you looking at?"

Emily Blunt was very sensitive to Lu Zhiyuan's gaze, and at this moment she couldn't help but turn around and give him a cold look.

Lu Zhiyuan met her gaze calmly, a sunny smile spreading across his face: "Your eyes are a deep emerald green, very beautiful, like Lake Baikal. Your hair is also beautiful, not pure gold, but like a wheat field."

"Have you read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice? You look just like the heroine Elizabeth."

"It's a pity the occasion isn't right now, otherwise I would sincerely invite you to have a drink and dance a waltz."

He spoke at a measured pace, his praise so sincere.

It's like meeting a girl you like at a cocktail party.

This relaxed demeanor and nonchalant attitude gave off a powerful sense of confidence... Zhuang Wenqiang was completely dumbfounded.

If things continue like this, Li Wen's performance is about to explode.

All the pressure fell on the painter, played by Nicolas Cage.

……

"Wow, what a spoiled brat!"

"But he's got quite a personality, isn't he? As a wanted criminal, how dare he harass Interpol officers on the prison van?"

"I love this kind of crazy person!"

However, listening to the whispers around him, Zhuang Wenqiang knew that Lu Zhiyuan's version of Li Wen was not a big problem.

Because foreigners like this kind of style.

They weren't that afraid of the police. The calmer and more composed Li Wen was, the more confident he seemed and the more he could withstand interrogation.

in contrast.

Given the cowardly, timid, and hesitant personality he initially assigned to Li Wen... Under normal circumstances, the police would likely be even more suspicious that Li Wen has a problem!
Lu Zhiyuan's composure and even his willingness to tease Interpol officers demonstrate his extraordinary inner strength.

Unless the police can produce solid evidence, it's best to release him... There's no point in keeping him in jail any longer; they can't extract anything useful from him!
……

The camera cuts to the next scene.

The scene shifts to the Rome anti-Mafia prosecutor's office.

Several extras kept bringing up the crimes committed by the counterfeit money ring in front of Lu Zhiyuan.

Lu Zhiyuan was initially calm and composed while sitting in the interrogation chair, but gradually, he seemed to sense some danger and became somewhat uneasy, glancing out the window from time to time.

"What are you looking at?"

Emily Blunt asked, somewhat puzzled.

Lu Zhiyuan leaned forward slightly, bringing his head close to Lu's face, and asked earnestly, "Is this place safe enough? Can you guarantee my personal safety? Can you be sure there aren't any Mafia spies among your people?"

“I know you want to know about the painter from me.”

"But I can't say."

"Because, if I say it... I will die. You will die. Everyone here will die!"

"Instead of that, you might as well send me back to jail."

“What’s the sentence for counterfeiting? I remember, the maximum penalty for counterfeiting in Italy is 14 years in prison. I was at most forced into it, not even an accomplice, so I’d get five or six years at most. If I’m lucky, I might get a three-year suspended sentence.” At this point, Lu Zhiyuan shook the silver handcuffs on his hands and said to Emily Blunt, “Send me back. Between death and jail, I’d choose jail.”

Lu Zhiyuan's acting style has remained consistent throughout.

No matter what disadvantageous the situation, they always maintain a firm grip on the initiative.

He doesn't want to end up like Aaron Kwok, where someone steals the spotlight!

The male lead must have the aura of a male lead!

Is it possible for him to play a supporting role to Nicolas Cage?

He was the director, the editor, and the color grading director... He made this movie just to have some fun.

How could we possibly entrust the key plot points to someone else?
This is the only film directed by Lu Zhiyuan, and both the main and subplots revolve around the male protagonist.

If he can't have some fun, why would he bother playing the lead role himself?

……

Italian police were helpless against Lu Zhiyuan.

So they sent him back.

After waking up in a daze, the Italian police re-interrogated Lu Zhiyuan and presented him with a flawless drug investigation report.

"Now, the prosecution is formally charging you with drug trafficking with Colombia. The evidence is all here."

"Under Italian law, those involved in large-scale drug trafficking can be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison for serious offenses."

Emily Blunt slowly pushed the investigation report in front of Lu Zhiyuan.

She finally smiled: "Now, do you still choose to go to jail?"

A three-year suspended sentence is a completely different concept from serving 30 years in prison.

……

In this atmosphere, whatever Li Wen says will cause his previously established persona to collapse.

However, as both the director and the male lead, Lu Zhiyuan certainly wouldn't want to completely destroy the persona he had painstakingly built up.

Faced with Emily Blunt's threat, Lu Zhiyuan remained calm and smiled faintly: "I like intelligent women. Although you are framing me, you are incredibly charming at this moment. I would like to invite you for a cup of coffee sometime."

Even in this situation, how dare this guy flirt with me?

Emily Blunt kept frowning.

Where does this guy get his confidence from?
The next moment, someone gently knocked on the door, interrupting their interrogation.

Emily Blunt learned where Lu Zhiyuan's confidence came from.

……

The camera cuts to the next scene.

A Chinese woman dressed in a black coat, looking like a British aristocrat, stood in front of the police station's glass window, carrying a limited-edition Hermès bag.

It's Gao Yuanyuan.

She was wearing large black sunglasses, her arms crossed over her chest, standing by the window, gazing into the distance with a somewhat unnatural expression.

Behind her, two bodyguards in black suits stood guard as usual.

Below her stood a chubby, senior police officer, repeatedly questioning her: "Miss Raven, I need to confirm again, are you and [Li Wen] really friends? He's suspected of multiple murders, counterfeiting, drug offenses..."

The name 【阮文】 is really hard for foreigners to pronounce; it has a distinctly Vietnamese flavor.

Lu Zhiyuan changed it directly to [Raywen].

If it were released in China, foreigners would hardly notice any difference in the pronunciation of "Raven" and "Ruan Wen," so the subtitles would just need to be changed.

"Yes!"

Gao Yuanyuan was silent for a moment, then spoke firmly.

At this moment, the camera slowly zooms in, and the shot of Gao Yuanyuan changes from a medium shot to a close-up.

As the camera zooms in, it guides the viewer's attention, gradually drawing them in with her beauty.

The moment she uttered "yes," the camera was already pressed against her face, bringing the intensity of her fiery red lips to its peak!
Gao Yuanyuan's temperament is more gentle and elegant, so she is not really suitable to play this kind of woman with a strong and imposing aura.

Lu Zhiyuan can only guide the audience to reshape Gao Yuanyuan's image through the language of the camera.

Lu Zhiyuan, seeing the effect of this shot on the big screen, thought it was quite good.

……

"Fuck!"

"Sister Cha, this outfit is absolutely stunning!"

Women understand best the destructive power of other women.

At that moment, when Hanikezi saw this scene, he felt like slapping his thigh in frustration.

I was extremely anxious.

Because, through this shot, Lu Zhiyuan created a strange sense of contradiction in the character of Gao Yuanyuan.

Gao Yuanyuan was clearly a gentle and virtuous woman, but for the sake of her lover, she transformed into a fierce and ruthless Black Widow.

This is a very contradictory quality.

The actor's own temperament is completely incompatible with the character's temperament, even creating a huge discrepancy.

But for some reason, Gao Yuanyuan was very attractive at that moment.

……

"Haha, Mr. Gao is truly charming!"

Hanikezi couldn't understand why Gao Yuanyuan was so attractive at this moment.

However, as a top expert in this field, Xin Yukun understands best why Gao Yuanyuan is so attractive.

"Xiaoqiang, doesn't she look like a widow? She's clearly a weak person, but she's pretending to be strong, which makes people want to protect her."

A woman who is very assertive is not necessarily liked by everyone.

But if a woman is actually weak but pretends to be strong, then this protective shell seems to be seen through by everyone.

Who wouldn't like a woman who looks gentle and virtuous, is fragile at heart, yet pretends to be strong and wants to be cared for by a man?
At this moment, Gao Yuanyuan's charm on straight men reached its peak.

"Ah."

Zhuang Wenqiang had no choice but to nod, even though he was reluctant.

Originally, he felt that Zhang Jingchu was more suited to this kind of assertive and stubborn woman. However, he met Lu Zhiyuan through Gao Yuanyuan.

Therefore, he had no objection to giving the female lead role to Gao Yuanyuan.

This can be considered one of the unspoken rules in the industry.

However, Zhuang Wenqiang never expected that he would accidentally achieve the right result.

The Black Widow character played by Gao Yuanyuan is more complex than the one played by Zhang Jingchu.

Seeing Gao Yuanyuan in this outfit on the screen made him want to know what kind of story Gao Yuanyuan had.
A seemingly weak woman suddenly turns evil, giving people a sense of anticipation for a beautiful, strong, and tragic character!

This is clearly more captivating than simply seeing Black Widow's stubborn face!
……

The camera cuts to the next scene.

They moved into the indoor negotiation room.

Gao Yuanyuan brought a large team of lawyers, including several high-ranking Italian politicians, all for the purpose of securing Lu Zhiyuan's bail.

A group of people were engaged in heated negotiations, with a very noisy background.

However, Gao Yuanyuan, wearing sunglasses, acted like an outsider, impatiently twirling a silver ring on her finger.

The camera gave this antique silver ring a close-up.

Clearly, this silver ring has a story behind it.

……

However, when Hanikezi saw this scene, he almost jumped up.

"It's over, Sister Tea has gone mad!"

Because Reba also had this antique silver ring. It was a souvenir that Lu Zhiyuan gave to Reba on the streets of Florence.

Dilraba would show it off every few days, saying it was the engagement ring Lu Zhiyuan had given her as a gift.

Now, she and Lu Zhiyuan have registered their marriage.

This engagement ring, a testament to their love, was treasured by Dilraba and kept in a safe, rarely worn.

Who would have thought that Gao Yuanyuan also had one?
Gao Yuanyuan definitely bought it herself!
"No, I'm going to report this to my teacher's wife!"

Hanikezi took a picture of the screen and immediately reported it to Reba.

……

the other side.

Upon seeing this scene, Zhuang Wenqiang nodded repeatedly: "Brother Yuan is indeed more thoughtful than I am."

Zhuang Wenqiang had originally designed a love story for the policewoman, using the small symbol of a lighter to evoke memories between the two.

Unfortunately, Lu Zhiyuan felt that the policewoman's love story was completely unnecessary to show, so he deleted that part.

However, the visual labels remained.

At this moment, a simple silver ring was placed on Gao Yuanyuan's finger.

The love story between the two main characters, [Raymond] and [Li Wen], is certainly more appealing to the audience than the love story between the policewoman and the extra.

……

On the screen.

Next, Gao Yuanyuan's team reached an agreement with the police: as long as Lu Zhiyuan revealed the painter's story, he could be released on bail.

Just wait for the court hearing.

It will most likely be a suspended sentence; he won't have to go to jail and will just need to report to the police station periodically.

After about 15 minutes of build-up, the movie's plot officially begins.

……

At Rachel's request, Li Wen decides to tell the painter's story.

……

"In 2003, I failed the entrance exam for the Florence Academy of Fine Arts..."

The original version was released in 1985, which is far too long for Lu Zhiyuan.

He wasn't even born that year.

In 2003, it was relatively more reliable. The audience also felt more involved.

After all, this year is 2013.

……

"Ha ha!"

At that moment, after he said the words "failed the exam," the theater erupted in laughter; that's why everyone came to see this.

The re-employment of an art student who failed his college entrance exam.

As a Hollywood drama, 15 minutes of setup isn't too long.

In the first 15 minutes, Lu Zhiyuan completely established the protagonist's character.

An elegant and composed art student.

How could someone like that fail the exam?

A sense of curiosity arose in the audience's minds, and they were eager to know the answer.

……

On the screen.

As Li Wen begins to reminisce about the past, the camera filter also becomes warm and inviting.

It originally had some cool tones.

And at this moment, the world becomes colorful.

The drone footage first took 10 seconds to showcase the beautiful scenery of the streets of Florence.

Then, a small window opened, and light and shadow fell into a studio inside.

The camera shifts to an indoor setting.

This is a dilapidated but remarkably tidy studio.

Inside the studio, rows upon rows of incredibly beautiful oil paintings were displayed.

The one in the very center was placed on the easel by Lu Zhiyuan.

It stands out from the crowd and is surrounded by admirers.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan, with his back to the camera, is holding a paintbrush and carefully adding layers of color to the oil painting.

Each layer of color is relatively thin, and under the light, the viewer can clearly see the underlying colors of this oil painting.

Multiple layers of colors are stacked together, creating incredibly subtle variations in tone.

That's absolutely amazing.

This is the "transparent overlay" technique in oil painting, which is particularly suitable for expressing changes in natural light and depth of field.

The rendering of light and spatial sense is simply perfect!
Accompanied by melodious music, after a few seconds of close-up shots of the figure's back, the camera slowly zooms in.

At the same time, Lu Zhiyuan took a small step back and admired his work.

At this moment, the camera focuses on the easel, giving a long close-up shot of the painting "Sunrise in the Clouds".

Let the audience fully appreciate the extraordinary talent of this art student who failed the college entrance exam.

At that moment, light streamed through the small window of the studio and fell on the painting.

Fine dust particles were moving in the air, as if time had stood still, and even the universe had stopped turning.

Everyone was captivated by the painting and couldn't help but hold their breath.

At this point, after resting for a while, Lu Zhiyuan picked up his brush and continued painting for a bit, adding a few more strokes to the painting.

This makes the whole painting even more magnificent and moving.

……

This painting appeared in the movie.

Moreover, everyone could clearly see that the painting was created by Lu Zhiyuan, the male protagonist, using a transparent overlay technique, layer by layer.

Because it was a panoramic shot, Lu Zhiyuan couldn't find someone to write it for him.

Moreover, which ghostwriter could create such a magnificent and moving painting? They would probably already be world-famous.

At this moment, this painting appears on the big screen, and the visual impact it has on the audience is absolutely unprecedented!
……

"Oh my god!"

"The Florence Academy of Fine Arts actually let someone like this fail the entrance exam?"

"If I were him, I'd want to destroy the world!"

"I understand somewhat why the protagonist went into counterfeiting. Since his path as an artist was blocked, he decided to find another way!"

……

Logically, it makes sense why Li Wen joined the counterfeit money ring!
Because he failed the exam.

The reason for failing the exam wasn't because I lacked talent; it must have been due to some random, unrelated reason.

Therefore, he must have turned evil!

This reason is likely to resonate with audiences more than the original reason that drawing couldn't earn money.

After all, not making money could be because they couldn't find suitable buyers, or Li Wen's sales skills were lacking.

However, if you fail to get into university... you have to ask the school whether the admission process was truly fair.
In this world, unfair things are as numerous as carp crossing a river; they are simply countless. Everyone has encountered them, so naturally, everyone can relate to them.

……

On the screen.

Lu Zhiyuan finished drawing part of it and prepared to turn off the lights and leave.

Unexpectedly, Gao Yuanyuan, the female lead, appeared behind her, her gaze fixed intently on his painting and then on his face.

Although there are no lines in this shot.

But at this moment, all the viewers could see from Gao Yuanyuan's eyes that she had fallen in love with this man, madly in love with him!

……

Previously, viewers were wondering why [Raven] came to save [Li Wen]?
Now, the answer has been found.

Such a man, elegant and handsome, talented, with such a gentle and sunny smile, who wouldn't love him?
……

The movie had only been going on for 20 minutes.

However, James wanted to stand up and applaud Lu Zhiyuan.

He had a feeling that this film was unlikely to win Best Picture or Best Director... but there was a high probability that it would get Lu Zhiyuan nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars.

The charm of the male protagonist, Li Wen, as portrayed by Lu Zhiyuan, is as fiery as fireworks, captivating all who see him.

They are even willing to be like moths drawn to a flame.

……

"Xiaoqiang, in your original script, you wrote Li Wen as timid and submissive. Do you think Wu Xiuqing would like a man like that?"

Xin Yukun couldn't help but laugh when he saw Lu Zhiyuan's performance in the movie.

That's impressive!
After the movie was released, Lu Zhiyuan became an instant heartthrob.

Previously, Lu Zhiyuan almost never appeared on camera.

As a behind-the-scenes staff member, Lu Zhiyuan also protects his privacy very well.

Many viewers don't even know what Lu Zhiyuan looks like.

it's good now.

After this movie is released, the whole world will know... that the top-tier director in history is a handsome young man with outstanding temperament, artistic and sophisticated style, and who is also an exceptionally talented painter!

Aren't those female fans completely crazy about Lu Zhiyuan?

Not to mention Asian female fans, even female fans in Europe and America would probably be captivated by him... Rich, talented, and handsome, this kind of man is a nemesis for women!

"Brother Kun, please stop criticizing me."

Zhuang Wenqiang is now showing signs of a breakdown in his Daoist resolve.

He felt that his script was excellent and there was basically nothing that could be changed... However, after Lu Zhiyuan filmed it, although the story was still the same, somehow the whole atmosphere changed.

However, this change makes the story's logic much smoother.

Filming according to his script would always leave something unsatisfactory.

Now that he has seen the finished product, he seems to understand why his script was not smooth enough and why many parts felt strange.

This is because, in order to highlight the power of the painter's secondary personality, he weakened Li Wen's primary personality.

Lu Zhiyuan, on the other hand, did the opposite, greatly strengthening Li Wen's main personality!
After all, Caravaggio, this eccentric painter, liked to place the faces of prostitutes, thieves, and criminals on the bodies of saints.

But no matter what, saints are always the main characters.

As a film intended for a global audience, Lu Zhiyuan would absolutely not allow a manic and violent individual to play the lead role.

……

Throughout the film, following this tone, Lu Zhiyuan portrays the protagonist, Li Wen, as elegant and composed, placing him on par with the painter.

Although it differed somewhat from Zhuang Wenqiang's initial plan, the partners who attended the screening all expressed great satisfaction.

"Boss, you acted so cool!"

After the movie ended, James came up and gave Lu Zhiyuan a big hug, showering him with compliments as if they were free.

"Boss, I have a question. What was the meaning of that last scene?"

"A briefcase with an 'M' tag? It seems quite heavy. Could it contain counterfeit banknote dies? Also, where did that assassin come from?"

The film's structure is ingenious, with many hints given in the beginning being explained after the plot twists later on, making it quite amazing.

Many people who didn't watch it carefully will probably need to watch it a second time to experience the charm of this movie.

However, the last briefcase and the mysterious killer were completely unexpected.

It looks a bit out of place.

"No, if you look closely, you'll find that this assassin is infiltrated into Raven's legal team."

“If we were to make a sequel, we could start from this scene… and then, using the Italian Mafia as a starting point, make a film about global money laundering.”

The amount of money laundered globally each year is estimated to be between $1.5 trillion and $4 trillion, which is an enormous figure.

After all, China's foreign exchange reserves are only a few trillion US dollars.

If you just throw out those trillions of dollars, hype it up a bit, and then make a movie based on it, it's highly likely the box office will be good.

Because such film subjects have realistic models, they greatly increase the audience's sense of immersion.

"Boss, you've already planned out the entire series? That's fantastic!"

James loves sequels.

As long as the sequel isn't too bad, it can generally make money steadily.

(End of this chapter)