Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 561: The Light of Humanity

During his few days in Los Angeles, Wang Sheng's time was precisely divided into blocks and efficiently allocated to different projects.

In addition to the recently launched "The Hitman's Bodyguard," the collaboration with New Line Cinema also includes the second installment of the "Saw" series, which is scheduled for release in North America just before Halloween.

This low-budget, high-return horror film IP has become a shining jewel in New Line Cinema's financial report.

Wang Sheng participated in the review of the final trailer and gave key comments: "Maintain the sense of oppression of the confined space and the ingenious design of the mechanism in the first film, but deepen the motivation of the 'Jigsaw' disciples, so that in addition to the bloodshed, there is an additional layer of moral questioning."

He knew that the core appeal of this series lay not in mere sensory stimulation, but in its chilling "philosophy of survival."

However, the most important thing for him on this trip was the preparation for the second Twilight movie.

In the script discussion room at New Line Cinema's Burbank headquarters, Wang Sheng sat down with series producer Kevin Brown, screenwriters hired by New Line, and representatives from the Sheng Ying screenwriting team sent by the original "author" Wang Sheng.

On the table lay the first draft of the script, written based on the story outline and details provided by Wang Sheng.

According to Wang Sheng's "memory," the core plot of the second book, "New Moon," is that Edward is forced to leave to protect Bella, who falls into deep depression and develops a warm relationship with the werewolf Jacob. In the end, she risks jumping off a cliff in order to "hear" Edward's illusory voice, triggering a crisis in the Volturi family.

That's why it's called the American version of "Tiny Times"...

In Wang Sheng's opinion, Edward's reasons for leaving in the original story were somewhat far-fetched, and Bella's passivity and self-destructive tendencies throughout the process weakened the character's charm, making her particularly unsuitable for Fan Xiaopang's portrayal of the more independent "Bai Xiaochai".

"Edward's departure cannot simply be due to the cliché of 'for your own good' in a romantic tragedy,"

Wang Sheng offered his creative direction: "We need a more solid, more compelling reason."

For example, the Volturi family—the ancient guardians of the laws of the vampire world—for some reason took notice of Bai Xiaochai, a special human who could block mind-reading, and believed that her existence might break the rule of vampire concealment and pose a real threat to Edward and his family.

Edward's departure was a deal struck with the Volturi family, a sacrifice of his love in exchange for the safety of the Cullen family and Bai Xiaochai.

This change instantly escalated the conflict from a simple internal misunderstanding to a confrontation with a more powerful external force, making the overall picture more expansive and the logic more self-consistent.

Kevin Brown's eyes lit up: "This is a great concept! The introduction of the Volturi family not only enriches the worldview of the vampire world, but also lays the groundwork for a more significant conflict later on."

“As for Bai Xiaochai,” Wang Sheng continued, his gaze sweeping over everyone, “her state after Edward left cannot simply be one of wallowing in grief.”

She should be more proactive in exploring and growing. Her closeness with Jacob, besides seeking comfort, should also include a deeper understanding of the werewolf pack and the dangerous environment she is in.

Her impulse to "hear Edward's voice at all costs" likely stemmed from a burning desire to unravel the mystery and take control of her own destiny, rather than simple self-harm driven by romantic infatuation.

He paused, then threw out an even more disruptive idea: "We could even have Bai Xiaochai, at the end of the second book, demonstrate courage and wisdom beyond that of ordinary humans when dealing with the Volturi family crisis, instead of just waiting for rescue."

For example, she could use her unique understanding of the boundary between the human and supernatural worlds to provide crucial strategies for the alliance between the Cullen family and the werewolves.

This explanation aims to further emphasize the initiative and highlights of the character played by Fan Xiaopang, showing her growth from a girl who passively accepts her fate to a woman who gradually awakens and dares to use her own strength in times of crisis.

“In addition,” Wang Sheng added, “this is part of his plan to add Chinese elements, “during Bai Xiaochai’s lowest point and period when she feels out of place, we can add a student from China as her temporary classmate or neighbor.”

This character doesn't need many scenes, but through her, we can introduce some Eastern comfort and philosophical reflections, such as the dialectical thinking of "a loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise," or the simple Chinese proverb "time heals all wounds," bringing Bai Xiaochai a touch of thought different from Western modes of thinking.

This character not only enriches the plot but also serves as a form of soft cultural export.

The scriptwriting team quickly noted down Wang Sheng's key points, based on which they would make sweeping revisions to the script.

After learning about the changes Wang Sheng had made for her role, Fan Xiaopang expressed her gratitude via an overseas phone call and said she would prepare in advance for more complex psychological scenes and possible action scenes.

After finishing his business in Los Angeles, Wang Sheng once again boarded a private jet, crossed the Pacific Ocean, and flew directly to Seoul, South Korea. Filming for "Seoul Farewell" has entered post-production.

When Wang Sheng arrived on set, Huo Jianqi was directing a crucial courtroom scene.

Li Bingbing, who plays Park Min-hee, and Ryu Seung-ryong, who plays Kim Ji-hoon, engage in a fierce battle in court. Their lines are precise and their emotions are full. The performance in the original Korean language is almost flawless.

Fan Xiaopang's portrayal of the nanny Han Jing'en perfectly captured the humility, panic, and slight stubbornness she displayed in the witness stand.

Wang Sheng watched quietly behind the monitor for a long time and expressed his satisfaction with Huo Jianqi's work.

He paid special attention to Lin Yoona's performance and found that after Wang Sheng left, the young girl not only did not slack off, but under Huo Jianqi's guidance, she portrayed the confusion, pain and precociousness of the young girl Jin Shuxian when facing her parents' divorce and her grandfather's serious illness in a more delicate and moving way, and her sense of camera presence was also stronger.

Wang Sheng privately praised Huo Jianqi and Lin Yun'er, and instructed them to pay special attention to preserving her most expressive eyes during post-production editing.

After spending three days in Seoul to ensure the direction of the post-production filming and initial rough cut of "Seoul Farewell" was correct, Wang Sheng did not return to China but set off again for Athens, Greece.

It was August 26, 2004, and the Athens Olympics were halfway through, but the climax was just around the corner.

Wang Sheng rejoined the observation group before the closing ceremony, and Vice Mayor Li and others welcomed his return.

August 27th is a day destined to be recorded in the history of Chinese sports.

The men's 110-meter hurdles final will be held that evening at the Athens Olympic Stadium.

Holding his VIP ticket, Wang Sheng entered the packed stadium.

A tense and expectant atmosphere, almost stagnant, filled the air.

He found his seat with an excellent view, clearly seeing the starting line and hurdles.

He knew that, following the trajectory of "history," a young man from China would create a miracle here tonight.

But being personally placed at this point in time and space, feeling the overwhelming atmosphere, the anticipation of that historic moment was far stronger than that of any "prophet".

When Liu Xiang appeared at the starting line, wearing his iconic red jersey and doing his final warm-up exercises, Wang Sheng, like all the Chinese spectators, unconsciously clenched his fists.

The starting gun fires!

Liu Xiang shot off like an arrow, a perfect start!
The attack was smooth!

His pace was breathtaking; he took the lead from the very first hurdle and his advantage only grew larger!

Wang Sheng stared intently at the red figure, watching him, like a red lightning bolt, leave all his opponents behind with an unparalleled momentum.

The rhythm between hurdles was textbook precise, and the hurdling movements were as smooth as flowing water.

In the end, Liu Xiang crossed the finish line first with a clear advantage! 12.91 seconds! He tied the world record at the time!
In an instant, the entire stadium erupted in cheers! The area where the Chinese delegation was located went wild!
Wang Sheng couldn't help but stand up and applaud enthusiastically. He had witnessed the birth of Asia's fastest man, the historic breakthrough in Chinese athletics, and the perfect embodiment of the Olympic spirit in a young Chinese man.

Inside the stadium, Liu Xiang, draped in the national flag, excitedly ran around the field; this scene will become an eternal classic.

Making a biographical film would be great...

(End of this chapter)