Huayu: Everyone's been reborn, who's still going to be an actor?

The celebration banquet was quite lively.

Cheng Yuan was naturally interviewed by media reporters as well.

The first thing that comes to mind is his rumored relationship with Liu Yifei.

Miss Liu is really popular now.

"Yifei wasn't the only classmate who participated in the movie 'Taken,' there were others too. How did you end up dating her? Do you all think we're a perfect match, a match made in heaven?"

"Director Cheng, why did you choose her for such an important role in your film?"

A reporter looked at Cheng Yuan and asked.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman?

A match made in heaven?

That sounds a bit narcissistic.

Or perhaps Director Cheng Yuan has some thoughts about Liu Yifei?

"She's suitable," Cheng Yuan said. "Besides, she's famous."

"Is that all?"

Some reporters clearly didn't believe it.

After all, there are definitely people who are more popular and suitable than Liu Yifei.

"When a director is casting for a role, the first person that comes to mind is someone they know well," Cheng Yuan said. "Yi Fei is my classmate, so I'm naturally more familiar with her than with other actors. She's suitable, so why not choose her? Why waste time and effort searching among unfamiliar actors?"

"Has Director Cheng ever considered taking his relationship with Liu Yifei further?"

A reporter asked the question.

Cheng Yuan denied the rumors with Liu Yifei, which is not surprising.

"These things should be left to fate," Cheng Yuan said. "We're still young, and our focus should be on our careers."

Let it be?

This can be understood as neither admitting nor denying.

That leaves room for interpretation.

"Director Cheng Yuan, your previous three films had a maximum investment of only a few million. Suddenly directing a big-budget production like 'Taken' with a budget of 200 million, did you feel any pressure?"

This question was phrased tactfully, but it actually contained a degree of skepticism.

A low-budget art film costing a few million is obviously different from a commercial blockbuster costing two hundred million.

The reporter almost asked: "Can you handle such a big production?"

"There's definitely pressure," Cheng Yuan said. "However, pressure can also be a driving force. I'm quite confident about this film."

"This is your first time working with Brother Cheng Long. If you have different film concepts, whose perspective will you take?"

When asked by a reporter, it was not in the sense that this statement questioned Cheng Yuan.

Cheng Yuan's three films were so outstanding that he has already proven himself.

Moreover, even someone as assertive as Jiang Wen changed his acting style in his films.

At that time, he was still a newcomer.

Now that he has achieved great success, there's no need to elaborate further.

Ke Chenglong's personal style is much better than Jiang Wen's. The key point is that in Chenglong's previous films, the director was more like a tool.

He used his position as an actor to pressure the director.

The movies he starred in were basically "Cheng Long's works," not works by any particular director.

"I'm not someone who can't listen to advice."

Cheng Yuan replied with a smile, but the meaning was very clear.

He's the director, so naturally we'll listen to him.

However, if Chenglong can persuade him, then he will listen.

Cheng Yuan did not give many interviews. The movie has not even started filming yet. Excessive consumption would only consume the hype.

After the celebration banquet, Cheng Yuan continued to prepare for "Taken", and Cheng Long also got involved.

"If you've already designed this, what's the point of our motion graphics team?"

Cheng Long looked at the storyboards drawn by Cheng Yuan, especially the action scenes, which were very detailed.

"Let's brainstorm and fill in the gaps," Cheng Yuan said with a smile. "Besides, I only designed it, but the team also needs to present it."

"I think it's pretty good," Chenglong said. "I didn't expect you to actually be able to design the action sequences."

"Director Cheng must be a trained martial artist too, right?"

One of the members of Jackie Chan's stunt team looked intently at Cheng Yuan and spoke.

"I practiced martial arts when I was a kid," Cheng Yuan said. "But as I grew older, I realized that practicing martial arts was useless, so I gave it up."

"Oh?" Cheng Long asked, somewhat surprised. "What kind of kung fu do you practice?"

"Bajiquan," Cheng Yuan said, "isn't the kind of style that follows routines. It's all about fighting techniques; if you use it, you'll break the law. So either you can't use it, or you don't dare to, which is why I say it's useless."

"No wonder these movements have some elements of Bajiquan," Cheng Long said with a smile. "But now we're using them. Are there Bajiquan masters in your hometown? There are quite a few masters in the mainland."

He must have heard of the many masters in Hong Kong, if not everyone knew them.

But things are different in the mainland; he had seen it before, and it was in the countryside.

The saying "the mainland is full of hidden talents" is no exaggeration.

"I learned it from my maternal grandfather," Cheng Yuan said. "My grandfather went to the Korean Peninsula in his teens to fight 17 opponents. His Bajiquan was honed on the battlefield, so it is very practical."

Chenglong and the others nodded.

Kung Fu is inherently a killing technique; it's just that in peacetime, people only need to improve their health, so routines have emerged.

Cheng Yuan learned from veterans who came from the battlefield, so his skills were naturally highly practical.

"These movements should be fine, right?"

Cheng Yuan looked at Cheng Long and asked.

Cheng Long's movements have a comedic touch, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know traditional martial arts.

Cheng Yuan's action design referenced the original, but also incorporated some of his own ideas, and even showed influences from action films such as "John Wick".

It does indeed contain elements of Bajiquan, and even other traditional martial arts, but the movements are simple and concise, with the aim of quickly killing the enemy.

The action scenes are definitely far more exciting than the original.

"No problem," Chenglong said. "These are relatively simpler than the action scenes in my previous movies."

"Simple doesn't mean easy," Cheng Yuan said. "Besides, there are quite a few scenes to steal the show. Of course, what I'm most worried about is that you'll subconsciously bring your usual action habits into this film."

"This is indeed a problem," Chenglong nodded and said. "It's not easy to change a habit that's been ingrained for decades all at once. I can only try my best to adjust it, and I'll have to trouble you, the director, again when the time comes."

Cheng Yuan nodded, surprised by Cheng Long's attitude.

It wasn't just him, but also the attitude of his team.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Chenglong is preparing to transform his business through this, so he naturally gave his team a heads-up in advance.

Moreover, Cheng Yuan is no longer an unknown figure.

He has not only achieved remarkable success in awards, but also in box office revenue.

Chenglong is over fifty years old after all. How many more years can he fight like he used to?

Perhaps they are already feeling somewhat powerless.

But given Cheng Yuan's action style in this movie, he could definitely fight for several more years.

If he successfully transitions, his action performance career will continue for several more years.

This is something he cannot afford to ignore.

The film is being prepared in an orderly manner. As this is Cheng Yuan's first time directing such a blockbuster, he naturally needs to be fully prepared.

He doesn't want things to go wrong.

The plot of the film remains largely unchanged, but a lot of effort has been put into the action scenes.

He put his heart into it, and Chenglong's team did the same, striving for perfection.