Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 26: The Wedding Night Pranks (Revised)

Four days have passed.

On the afternoon of May Day, Chen Liang took the T15 train to Guangzhou. After a journey of more than 30 hours, he arrived in Guangzhou late the next night.

On the third day, the inspection work began. After confirming that all the equipment was as Qian Qianjin had described, Chen Liangcai signed the contract on behalf of the company.

Wang Sheng transferred the payment to the other party's office account in Beijing, saving time compared to cross-regional wire transfers, allowing Chen Liang and his team to board the train back to Beijing today with their equipment.

Although there were occasional hiccups along the way, things were relatively smooth thanks to the protection of the security officer who held the truth in his hand.

……

May 5, 1996, Sunday, the 18th day of the third month in the lunar calendar.

The almanac reads: "Suitable for marriage, betrothal, engagement, fasting, consecration, sacrifice, praying for blessings, and seeking offspring."

Before dawn, most of the living quarters of the Beijing Film Studio were already awake.

At the entrance of Shengying Media's office, three spotlessly clean Jinbei vans were already running, their engines revving low. A gaudy yet festive red flower was adorning the front of each van.

Two vehicles were used to transport people, and one vehicle was used to transport equipment.

Wang Sheng stood by the vehicle, taking a final count of the personnel and equipment.

"The groom's team followed me in the car. The photographer was Zhou Wei, the lighting technician was Liu, and there were three apprentices who were responsible for carrying reflectors, handing things over, etc."

"The bride's team, led by Monkey. Photographer Liang Wei, lighting technician, and three apprentices. Once we arrive at the bride's house, follow Monkey's instructions. Stay calm and capture as many emotions and details as possible. Xu Ling, you'll go directly to the bride's house with the bride's team and be responsible for guiding the makeup artist sent by the wedding company. Make sure you deliver a film makeup artist's level of professionalism, understand?"

This is an extra service offered to Ms. Chen free of charge.

"understand!"

Xu Ling responded.

Wang Sheng: "Okay, everyone check the equipment again to make sure the Betacam SP battery is fully charged, there are enough spares, and the tripod head is locked!"
Today marks the first day of our "Shengying" brand launch, and also the first order of the "Golden Jubilee Collection"!
Only success is allowed, no failure is allowed!
If something goes wrong, not only will I be letting down my 50,000 yuan loan, but I'll also be letting down the entire factory of men and women who invested 2 million yuan! Do you understand?

"Understood!" A dozen or so young people, their eyes filled with tension, barely suppressed excitement, and eagerness to try, responded in unison, wearing matching red vests with a barely noticeable "Shengying Media" logo.

"Okay! Let's go!"

Wang Sheng waved his hand, and everyone quickly and orderly boarded the car.

The convoy drove out of the Beijing Film Studio and merged into the traffic flow of the capital city as it gradually awakened in the early morning.

Wang Sheng sat in the passenger seat of the lead car, watching the street scenes rushing past the window.

In May in Beijing, locust flowers begin to bloom, and the air carries a sweet warmth.

……

The motorcade first arrived at the groom's home in Haiding District.

At the entrance of the residential compound, Ms. Chen and her husband were already waiting. When they saw the convoy of cars with Beijing Film Studio access passes, which looked very professional and impressive, they breathed a sigh of relief and their faces lit up with smiles as they hurried over to greet them.

"Mr. Wang! You've finally arrived! Please come in, please come in!"

"Aunt Chen, congratulations! Let's proceed according to plan. There's plenty of time, don't rush." ​​Wang Sheng smiled and shook hands, signaling the team to get to work.

Zhou Wei carried his camera upstairs to find the best vantage point and began filming behind-the-scenes footage of the groom getting ready.

Liu, along with several apprentices, did odd jobs such as lighting. The narrow hallway and living room were instantly illuminated by professional lighting, giving it a film set feel.

……

Meanwhile, the bride's group also arrived safely at the bride's home in Xicheng.

The process is almost identical.

Led by a monkey, the broadcast-grade Betacam SP camera made its appearance, and the professional lighting immediately commanded attention.

Many of the bride's relatives and friends gathered around, whispering among themselves.

"Wow! This is quite a different way they film videos!"

"I've seen that machine on TV; it's used for filming news!"

"I heard it cost nearly ten thousand! How could it not be professional?"

"Juanjuan's in-laws are really rich."

"..."

After Ms. Chen called her in-laws and explained that Xu Ling was a makeup artist who specialized in making makeup for movie stars, the bride's original makeup artist became Xu Ling's assistant, helping to do makeup for the other bridesmaids.

Strictly speaking, the bridesmaid is actually a foreign concept, formed in modern times by the fusion of Western customs and the traditional Chinese role of "wedding attendant".

In the pursuit of fashion and sophistication, the imported roles of best man and maid of honor became increasingly popular and standardized after the reform and opening up, especially in the 90s.

……

When the auspicious time arrived, the wedding procession set off in a grand procession.

Wang Sheng and his groom's team followed the entire process, filming the wedding.

convoy, blocking the entrance, handing out red envelopes, searching for shoes, reading out guarantees...

As the two teams merged, the scene became even more lively.

The advantages of dual cameras were fully utilized: the main camera captured panoramic views and the flow of the process, while the auxiliary camera moved around to capture details and emotional moments.

……

Ms. Chen's son's wedding was held in the lobby of a long-established restaurant.

When the wedding procession arrived at the hotel, Wang Sheng keenly sensed that something was wrong.

At the hotel entrance, in addition to the festive archway and the welcoming purple house staff, there were also many people carrying video cameras, holding cameras, and wearing press passes. They were chatting in small groups, their eyes constantly scanning the arriving convoy and personnel.

"Holy crap! Why are there so many reporters?" Monkey, sitting in the second car, couldn't help but exclaim into the walkie-talkie.

Wang Sheng picked up the walkie-talkie and said calmly, "As expected. Stay calm, do what you need to do, and ignore them. Focus on filming our own stuff, that's the important thing. Remember, the more professional and composed we are, the more positive content they'll be able to write."

Yesterday, the Saturday edition of the Beijing Evening News followed up with a report on the news that the nation's first "sky-high priced wedding" was held today.

In an instant, it attracted the attention of onlookers from all over Beijing, and industry colleagues had already found out the location of the wedding and were waiting there.

At this moment, the group included not only local Beijing reporters, but also reporters from other city newspapers stationed in Beijing to join in the excitement of the nation's first "sky-high wedding".

In short, the Beijing Evening News has gone all out to create a sensation, elevating it to a national level.

In order to maintain the prestige of its high-end business and cope with the impact of print media traffic, Wang Sheng made emergency revisions yesterday, strictly limiting the number of orders: 'Golden Jubilee Collection' is limited to 16 orders per month, 'Platinum Image' to 8 orders per month, and 'Personalized Customization' to 3 orders per month, while supplies last.

Ms. Chen, who got out of the car, was startled to see the group of reporters at the door. She briefly explained why there were so many reporters.

But the next second, an expression of excitement and pride appeared on her face. Especially when a close friend pulled her aside and exclaimed, "Oh my goodness, Old Chen! Your Qiangzi's wedding has attracted the TV station and newspapers! That's quite an achievement!"

Ms. Chen suppressed her smugness and waved her hand nonchalantly, saying, "Oh! It's nothing, it's just that the people from the newspaper who booked the wedding movie thought it was interesting and came to check it out..."

The corners of her mouth turned up, but she couldn't suppress them.

……

The wedding ceremony officially begins.

The lights in the lobby dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the entrance.

The bride and groom walked hand in hand into the wedding hall.

Wang Sheng made a hand gesture, and Zhou Wei and Liang Wei immediately controlled the camera to follow.

One camera captures the panoramic view, while the other zooms in on close-ups, steadily capturing all the subtle expressions of happiness, nervousness, and anticipation on the newlyweds' faces.

With the help of professional lighting, the picture quality far surpasses the dullness and blandness of ordinary wedding videos, appearing bright, clear, and full of cinematic feel.

Below the stage, cameras from various media outlets frantically captured the scene, taking advantage of the stage lights.

If you didn't know better, you'd think it was some important event.

At the main table, Ms. Chen looked at her radiant son and daughter-in-law on the stage, at the envious and amazed eyes of her relatives and friends, and at the constantly flashing media cameras. Her vanity was instantly and greatly satisfied.

Worth it!

The heartache and hesitation I felt when I spent those 9,999 yuan have long since vanished, leaving only a secret sense of satisfaction: "It was worth it! It was so worth it!"

The emcee was working hard on stage, and the program proceeded step by step.

Offstage, Wang Sheng used a walkie-talkie to control two cameras, capturing every important moment, including the exchange of rings, the serving of tea, and the parents' speeches.

He also had the auxiliary machine secretly scan the focused and envious expressions of the media reporters and guests in the audience—these were excellent materials that would be very persuasive whether shown to clients or used for self-promotion.

The wedding ceremony concluded successfully, and the banquet began.

Wang Sheng finally breathed a sigh of relief and arranged for team members to take turns eating, resting, and checking equipment power and materials.

Several familiar media reporters gathered around and handed over their business cards.

"Is this Mr. Wang? We're from the Beijing Youth Daily, and we're particularly interested in your wedding film business. Would it be convenient for us to have a brief chat?"

"Mr. Wang, we are from the 'People's Life' program on Beijing TV, and we would like to arrange an interview..."

"Mr. Wang..."

Wang Sheng accepted the business cards one by one and responded simply: "Thank you all for coming today. It's a joyous occasion for our client, and our duty is to serve them well. We can discuss the interview in more detail at a later time. We will definitely cooperate with everyone's work."

……

The hustle and bustle of the wedding banquet gradually subsided into a scene of scattered dishes and empty glasses, as guests, satisfied with their meal and having plenty to talk about, gradually dispersed.

The restaurant staff began skillfully clearing the tables and chairs, the air filled with the smells of leftover food and a faint scent of smoke and alcohol.

But for Wang Sheng and his team, the work is far from over.

……

The group returned to their new house.

Wang Sheng's team got off the bus first, and Zhou Wei and Liang Wei immediately looked for the best shooting position.

One person stood guard at the entrance of the building, ready to capture the moment the newlyweds got out of the car; the other quickly went upstairs, set up the equipment at the entrance of the new house, and prepared to capture the moment the newlyweds entered the bridal chamber.

The lighting team also acted quickly, setting up portable interview lights in advance in the corridors and new rooms where the lighting might be insufficient, to ensure that every corner was covered by soft and clear light.

As Qiangzi carried Juanjuan, amidst the laughter and blessings of relatives and friends, they stepped out of the wedding car, rushed past the few ribbons blocking their way, and ran into the apartment building. Zhou Wei's camera steadily followed them.

Entering the new house is the main event.

According to custom, the new house has already been decorated in a festive and warm style, with red dates, peanuts, longans and lotus seeds scattered on the bed, symbolizing "early birth of a son".

The young relatives and friends started to make a ruckus, with all sorts of harmless little games going on: biting apples, eating bananas, whispering sweet nothings, kissing for a certain number of seconds...

The laughter and jeers almost lifted the roof off.

To be honest, the city folks are playing a rather conservative game.

Wang Sheng watched silently, while making arrangements via walkie-talkie:

"Main camera position, follow the newcomer closely, close-up shots of their expressions are essential."

"Use a secondary camera position to move around and capture the reactions of relatives and friends, especially those who are laughing exaggeratedly; these are all good materials."

"Lighting, pay attention to the angle, don't shine directly into people's eyes, create ambient lighting."

The two professional cameramen, like veterans on the battlefield, remained as steady as Mount Tai in the crowded and noisy environment, keeping their lenses locked on the focus and capturing those joyful, sweet, slightly awkward yet incredibly real moments one by one.

The high image quality and professional lighting benefits of the Betacam SP are now fully apparent.

Whether it's the subtle blush and beads of sweat on the newlyweds' faces, the funny and exaggerated expressions of relatives and friends, or even the close-ups of the auspicious dried fruits on the bed, everything is clear, vivid, and colorful, full of life and cinematic quality.

The wedding night festivities lasted for nearly two hours, with a lively and joyful atmosphere.

……

After most of the relatives and friends left, the new house finally quieted down.

Wang Sheng instructed his team members to begin packing up the equipment and conducting a final inventory.

He then walked up to Qiangzi and Juanjuan and handed them two beautifully packaged gift boxes: "Mr. Su, Ms. Ma, congratulations again to you both."

This is just a small token of our appreciation from Shengying Media.

May you two be forever united in heart and grow old together.

Inside the gift box were two small crystal ornaments, engraved with the couple's names and wedding date, which sparkled under the lights.

"Oh, Mr. Wang, you're too kind! I can't accept this..."

Qiangzi and Juanjuan quickly declined, but their smiles only grew wider.

This meticulous service made them feel exceptionally comfortable spending their money.

"Of course," Wang Sheng said with a smile. "That concludes today's filming. Post-production will take about a week. Once the final cut is ready, we'll let you and Aunt Chen know so we can come and see the sample footage. If there are any adjustments that need to be made, please let us know."

"Okay, okay..."

(End of this chapter)