Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 203 A gentleman takes revenge without delay.

The following day, at the China Film Group building.

Han Sanping sat on the sofa, with the morning's "Literary Observation" newsletter still spread out on the table. His gaze fell on the line "Lu Xun's new film's 2 million yuan investment sparks heated discussion," and his face grew colder and colder.

"Where does he get the nerve?" Han Sanping cursed as he threw down the documents.
"Who gave him the 200 million? Qin Hong?"

"Mr. Han, Director Lu is asking when the bureau's review will be approved."

Gao Chengsheng was not surprised by this; his junior brother Han Sanping had done such things before.

"You're only now realizing the approval hasn't been granted yet?"

Han Sanping was furious when he heard this. "Damn it, they dare to announce an investment of 200 million yuan before the approval process is even over. What kind of idiot are they?"

"How am I supposed to know when the bureau will approve it if I let him figure it out himself?"

Han Sanping said coldly, "By the way, was that his exact quote, 'A good film production must be big-budget'?"

"Uh, yes, that's what Director Lu said to the reporters."

"That idiot's brain is rusty."

Han Sanping couldn't help but burst into a tirade of curses.

Meanwhile, inside the Huairou base, Wu Chen was watching the camera's movements, because this film was still shot on film.

Park Song-il is still working as a photography assistant and hasn't reached the point of being the cameraman yet.

However, the current camera angles did not meet Wu Chen's expectations.

"I'll do it, you guys watch." Wu Chen immediately called a halt and took over the camera himself.

"The camera needs to move in from the gray-blue morning mist," Wu Chen explained to the photographers, then shouted to the lighting crew, "Make sure the lighting is on point!"

Everyone listened quietly. They knew Wu Chen's photography skills; this was a rare master-level teaching opportunity, something they wouldn't get in other film crews.

"Scene 3, Move 1, First Time—Action!"

Wu Chen wields the camera, slowly advancing along the track, passing through the theater doors in the morning mist. The streets are quiet, the telephoto lens zooms in, and the light has the texture of a thin mist.

A peeling red plaque with gold lettering hangs at the entrance of the tin-roofed theater—"Jinghua Kunqu Opera Troupe".

The film crew held their breath in concentration.

With a long telephoto lens and slow zoom, I zoomed in from the mottled plaque all the way to the old door under the red palace lanterns, and through that corridor.

The mahogany floorboards in the corridor creaked, and several old stage backdrops leaned against the wall, their edges frayed, with faint ink-wash peach blossom patterns from "The Peony Pavilion" still visible.

The flowing sleeves on both sides hung on the costume rack, swaying gently with the air currents, whispering silently in the morning breeze.
"Do you understand now?" Wu Chen exhaled. "You know what I want, right?"

"Understood!" The photographers nodded slowly.

"It's okay, everyone will get used to it after a few more times."

Wu Chen wasn't in a hurry, since filming had only just begun.

How to reconcile the director's vision with the cinematographer's captured image depends mainly on how well the director can explain the composition of the image to the cinematographer.

At this point, directors who understand photography have a certain advantage; it's more direct to get hands-on experience than to just tell a story.

"By the way, remove the overly bright LED lights and replace them with old-fashioned tungsten bulbs; the light should be softer that way."

"Okay, Director Wu!"

Wu Chen gave repeated instructions, while Liu Yifei and Li Qin continued to study their scripts, working hard for their upcoming performance.

With the help of Zhang Jiqing and Cai Zhengren, Wu Chen directly used personnel from the Northern Kunqu Opera Troupe and the Jiangsu Kunqu Opera Troupe for the supporting roles in the Kunqu Opera troupe, because nothing is more authentic than reality.

You can tell whether someone has practiced or not just by looking at their walking posture.

At 3 p.m., part of the crew of "The Sun Also Rises" also arrived in Huairou.

"Damn it, at least we don't have to stay in this mountain village anymore." Jiang Wen twisted his neck and let out a long breath. "After finishing these two shots in the studio, we'll be done."

"You must have felt really wronged in Yunnan," Zhou Yun said with a light laugh, giving him a reproachful look. "I'm not wronged, I just feel so stifled. We spent tens of millions on this, and now it's all ruined. We won't break even unless we win an award at one of the three major film festivals."

Jiang Wen was somewhat discouraged, but since Ying Huang dared to give him money, he gritted his teeth and charged forward.

Zhou Yun was taken aback upon hearing this; this cost had been a laughing stock in the industry more than once.

The project went from a budget of over ten million to a budget of sixty million; everyone in the industry is waiting to see them fail.

"By the way, I heard that Director Wu is filming a movie here recently. Should we go and take a look?" Zhou Yun changed the subject. She knew all too well that Jiang Wen was under a lot of pressure because of this.

The cost was as high as 60 million, which is higher than Wu Chen's current film "Black Peony".

"It's in the northeast corner, right? Let's go. We're just going to do two more shots here anyway, so it doesn't matter whether we do them sooner or later."

Jiang Wen smiled, told the crew to make the arrangements, and then led Zhou Yun from the west side to the "Black Peony" film crew.

"Wow, they've even set up a cordon and have people watching over them. They've done a really good job keeping it a secret," Jiang Wen said as he arrived and glanced around. There were quite a few reporters waiting to take pictures.

Upon seeing this, the stagehand quickly ran over to inform Wu Chen.

“Jiang Wen?” Wu Chen was taken aback for a moment, then stood up.

"Director Jiang, Sister Zhou Yun," Wu Chen greeted with a smile.

"I just got back from Yunnan yesterday. I was planning to wrap up filming two more scenes when I heard you were filming here, so I came to check it out."

Jiang Wen chuckled, his gaze falling on the set, and couldn't help but exclaim, "It must have cost a lot of money!"

"It's alright, as long as it's worth the price." Wu Chen gestured for Jiang Wen to sit down, while Liu Yifei propped her head up with her hand, glancing at Wu Chen from time to time with a faint smile in her eyes.

Zhou Yun didn't interrupt their conversation about directing. She strolled around the venue alone and soon noticed Liu Yifei and Li Qin. Especially Liu Yifei, whose profile, with its smiling expression, had a familiar feel to her.

She glanced at Wu Chen again and couldn't help but smile.

"Hehe, the content in your newspaper is quite interesting." Jiang Wen said, noticing the newspaper spread out to the side, this morning's issue.

Because he saw a familiar name.

"Tsk tsk, filming Nanjing? With his audacity, he thinks he can film Nanjing well? I wouldn't even dare to do it."
Two hundred million? Do they really think people in the industry are fools?!

Jiang Wen held it in his hand, marveling at it.

"Director Wu, if you don't respond, 'A good film production must be big' feels like it's targeting you." Jiang Wen seemed to enjoy the drama and was encouraging Wu Chen.

"Director Jiang, if a dog barks at you, do you have to bark back?" Wu Chen replied, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

"Haha, you really are a cultured person. Your cursing is much dirtier than mine. If I had learned to curse like you back in the day of 'The Missing Gun,' I wouldn't have been at a disadvantage."

Wu Chen was speechless after hearing this. "You call that being at a disadvantage? You clearly stole their directorship!" he thought. Then, glancing at the report, a meaningful smile appeared in his eyes.
"Director Jiang, don't you think he's mocking you too? He invested 200 million, while I remember 'The Sun Also Rises' only cost 50 or 60 million."

"Hehe, Director Wu, your provocation is too obvious, I'm not falling for it." Jiang Wen shook his head.

"No, I just had a great idea. Director Jiang, would you like to hear it?"

Wu Chen blinked, immediately piquing Jiang Wen's interest.

"Director Wu, please tell me, I'm listening first," Jiang Wen said, tilting his ear.

"Let's go give it to the bureau first."

Wu Chen moved a few steps closer and whispered something in his ear.

After hearing this, Jiang frowned slightly: "It's feasible, but its effect is limited. His father, Lu Tianming, still has quite strong connections."

"I didn't really expect it to work out, but it wouldn't hurt to try and sabotage him a bit."

"No, Director Wu, didn't you just say that the dog barked at you?"

"Director Jiang, this is what they call a gentleman's revenge doesn't wait overnight."

(End of this chapter)