Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 549 Combination Effects
The promotional campaign for "Inception" was launched quickly.

As the first rays of dawn touched the white lettering atop the Hollywood sign.
Warner Bros. Pictures' official YouTube channel, Facebook page, and global media press release distribution system all pushed out the same material precisely at the same second:
The final trailer for Inception.

The film is two and a half minutes long.

Unlike any previous version.

At the beginning, the screen suddenly plunges into pure black.

A moment of silence.

Then, two lines of white regular script slowly emerged with unprecedented clarity:
Director: Christopher Nolan.

Screenplay: Christopher Nolan; Wu Chen.

The trailer then officially began.

The streets folded and closed like mirrors, and the water flowed in torrents, submerging the long corridors.
The short two and a half minutes was a great experience for moviegoers.

Warner's move was significant; within minutes, major media websites pushed the news to their headlines.

The titles are strikingly consistent.

Warner Bros. unveils its star-studded lineup: Christopher Nolan's new film "Inception" features Wu Chen as the core screenwriter.

Wu Chen, the director of the $2 million film *Interstellar*, is also the mastermind behind *Inception*!

[Nolan + Wu Chen, what kind of combination is this?]

Wu Chen's identity as a screenwriter was actually revealed when filming began, but Warner Bros.' large-scale global promotion has completely established his reputation.

For a time, countless movie fans who don't usually pay much attention to pre-production news were greatly surprised and delighted when they saw this news.

On social media, related discussions have exploded.

"To be honest, I don't know exactly what kind of power Nolan and Wu will bring as a pairing, but it's definitely something to look forward to."

"Wu's script is undoubtedly excellent; his screenwriting ability is top-notch. With him involved, to be honest, my expectations for Inception are already at their peak."

"What an outrageous cast! I didn't even notice the screenwriter! All my attention was previously focused on Nolan and the cast, but Warner Bros.' promotional efforts have finally made me realize this hidden 'trump card'!"

"."

The collaboration between two top directors with huge global fan bases has produced a chemistry that far exceeds expectations.

However, some professional film review publications in North America have a more insightful perspective.

The Hollywood Reporter soon published an online column with the incisive title: "Warner's 'Wu Chen Insurance': A Textbook Example of Global Marketing."

The article writes:

"Without a doubt, Christopher Nolan's name is a golden brand in itself."

But for an original film with a $1.6 million budget and a high-concept storyline, you can never have too much insurance.

Wu Chen is the most expensive and effective 'box office insurance' Warner Bros. bought for this film in the global market.

Just two days ago, Li An's 'learning' journey had already earned Wu Chen's name master-level recognition in Hollywood's technical circles.

His Interstellar project was itself a global media focus. Warner Bros.' decision to reveal his identity as the screenwriter of Inception on such a large scale at this time is no coincidence.

This is a brilliant strategy that achieves '1+1>2'.

Early in the morning, Wu Chen, who was at the center of the storm, was unusually calm.

Inside Studio 15 at Universal Studios, the cockpit of a starship is set up in front of a huge blue screen.

Wu Chen was sitting in front of the director's monitor, his brows slightly furrowed.

On the screen, there are close-up shots of Liu Yifei and Matthew McConaughey.

This is a scene between Cooper and Dr. Brand before they travel through the wormhole. It needs to show Brand's professional judgment under immense pressure, as well as Cooper's transformation from doubt to initial trust in her.

"Cut!"

Wu Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it was incredibly penetrating.

He got up from his chair and strode into the center of the set, where the lights were focused.

He didn't speak to the actors first, but instead gestured to the camera crew. "I need the light to be colder, coming from Crystal's left at a 45-degree angle. I want to see a sliver of unnatural cosmic ray light coming from the porthole in her pupils."

Although Park Song-il was still getting used to it, he had worked with Wu Chen for a long time and was already very familiar with Wu Chen's various requirements. He quickly explained and got to work with everyone.

Having an acquaintance makes things easier; sometimes that's just how it is.

Seeing this, Wu Chen walked up to Liu Yifei, who was pursing her lips in annoyance.

"Don't be nervous." Wu Chen's voice was very low, only the two of them could hear it. "I told you before, the balance point. Brand is first and foremost a top biologist, her professionalism is instinctive."

But she is also a human being; faced with the unknown, she experiences human fear and uncertainty.

As he spoke, he gently tapped her forehead with a light laugh to help her relax.

"The other day you asked me about the details, so I told you that when you need to look calm, you can make a barely perceptible twitch at the corner of your mouth."

Use this detail to reveal the storm raging within you.

"understood!"

Liu Yifei suddenly nodded vigorously, as if she had already processed his instructions in her mind.

"Don't worry, as I said, on set, I only let a shot pass if I say 'it's right,' and if it doesn't, we just reshoot it."

Wu Chen stood up and smiled.

He knew that everyone in the crew was under a lot of pressure.

This $200 million blockbuster put immense pressure on the core departments both on and off screen, including actors, cinematographers, lighting technicians, and prop masters.

Wu Chen could only gradually help the crew relax physically, but what surprised him was Matthew McConaughey's exceptionally stable performance.

"Crystal, you can tighten the corners of your mouth just a little bit."

"Just back on the spaceship, take a deep breath," Matthew McConaughey suggested, which surprised Liu Yifei.

"Matthew, you're saying the same thing as the director!"

Not only was Liu Yifei surprised, but even Matthew McConaughey was taken aback.

He had been observing from the sidelines and pondered for a long time before figuring out this detail that could elevate the performance. He never expected that Wu Chen, who was now standing at the center of the backstage department and directing a huge team, would understand it so thoroughly.

He has worked with many great directors, but it is rare to find one who can break down an actor's inner feelings and outward performance in such detail.

No wonder Wu became a great director.

Matthew McConaughey exclaimed in genuine amazement.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei smiled with pride: "Right? I think so too!"

Meanwhile, in Burbank, California, at the headquarters of Warner Bros. Pictures.

Inside the spacious conference room, the atmosphere was not as frenzied as outside, but rather a strange mix of excitement and frustration.

Several producers and executives from the international distribution department were sitting around a long table, with a huge screen in front of them displaying real-time social media sentiment analysis data from around the world and "want to see" indices from pre-sale ticketing websites.

“The data curve is very beautiful,” a gray-haired producer said with a satisfied smile, holding a coffee cup.

"The name Wu has a global market appeal that is at least 10 percent higher than our most ambitious estimates. Especially in the Asian market, it is simply dominant."

But as soon as he finished speaking, someone next to him added quietly.

"It's a pity that the Chinese distribution rights were sold to China Film Group; they must have sold them at a loss."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the conference room felt a strange sense of unease.

The intensely red heat map on the screen, representing the Chinese market, looked particularly jarring at that moment.

"If it's sold, it's sold. Just think about the recent frustrations of Paramount and Marvel regarding Iron Man 2."

Selling the distribution rights to China Film Group might not be a bad thing; it saves them all the trouble, only the returns are a bit lower!

"."

The producers of "Inception" muttered to themselves, trying to console themselves.
(End of this chapter)