Huayu: I rely on hit-movie tactics to interweave...

Chapter 67 Filming Begins in the US

In the last week of September, the sky over Beijing finally took on the look of autumn.

The sky was high and the clouds were light, a cool breeze was blowing, the ginkgo leaves by the roadside were beginning to turn yellow, and the sunlight shone through the branches and leaves, spreading a layer of broken gold on the ground.

Liu Yu stood downstairs at the apartment building, dragging his suitcase, waiting for Zhong Lifang's car.

I'm heading to Los Angeles today; filming for "The Witch" is about to begin.

He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, jeans, sneakers, and carrying a backpack. He didn't look like a director heading to Hollywood to make a film; he looked more like an ordinary passenger catching an early morning flight.

My phone vibrated.

He took out his phone and saw a message from Yan Danchen: "Have a safe trip. Let me know when you arrive."

Liu Yu stared at the line of text for a few seconds, his lips twitched, and he replied with two words: "Okay."

Feeling it was too dry, I added, "It's getting colder where you are, wear more layers."

Zhong Lifang's car arrived on time.

A black minivan with dark tinted windows, obscuring the interior from the outside.

The car window rolled down, revealing Zhong Lifang's face. She was wearing sunglasses and her hair was tied in a ponytail. She didn't look like she was going to see her boss off on a business trip, but rather like she had just finished shooting a magazine cover.

"Boss, get in the car. Luo Jing and Yu Nan are already on their way; we'll meet at the airport."

Liu Yu opened the car door, got in, and placed his suitcase beside his feet.

The air conditioning was on in the car, and the cold air made his knees feel a little chilly, so he pulled his hoodie up a little.

"Didn't you sleep well again last night?" Zhong Lifang glanced at him in the rearview mirror, her gaze landing on his eye bags.

"I'm asleep. I slept well." Liu Yu leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed.

"Your eye bags are practically drooping down to your chin, and you're still sleeping well?"

Liu Yu opened one eye and looked at her. "Sister Zhong, why are you being so harsh today?"

"I call this caring." Zhong Lifang started the car and drove out of the residential area. "The harshness was just a side effect."

Upon arriving at the airport, Luojing was already there.

Liu Yu spotted him from afar. He was wearing a black jacket, a baseball cap pulled low, and sunglasses and a mask, making him look like a secret agent on a mission.

Next to him was a large suitcase covered with shipping labels, making him look like a seasoned traveler who had been on many long trips.

"Luo Jing, are you going to film a movie or move?" Liu Yu walked over and kicked the big box with his foot.

Luo Jing took off his sunglasses and mask, revealing a smiling face.

"Director Liu, this isn't all my stuff. My mom asked me to bring some chili sauce, and I also brought you two bottles." He squatted down, unzipped the suitcase, and pulled out two glass bottles from a pile of clothes. The bottle openings were wrapped with several layers of cling film, and then covered with plastic bags. "I wrapped them three times to prevent leaks."

Liu Yu took the bottle and looked at it. There were handwritten labels on the bottles, one saying "mildly spicy" and the other saying "extra spicy." The handwriting was crooked and messy, like that of an old man.

"Which one was written by your mother?"

"The extra spicy one. My mom says you're from Hunan, so you're not afraid of spicy food."

"Thank you for me, Auntie." Liu Yu carefully put the chili sauce back into the box. "I'll survive on these two bottles of chili sauce when I get to Los Angeles."

Yu Nan was the last to arrive. She was wearing a white T-shirt, black sweatpants, white sneakers, carrying a backpack, and dragging a medium-sized suitcase.

There wasn't much luggage; it looked like only a little more than Liu Yu's.

She walked over, nodded to Liu Yu, greeted Luo Jing, and shook hands with Zhong Lifang.

Just as the group reached the check-in counter and hadn't even had a chance to put down their luggage, a commotion arose behind them.

The sound of high heels striking the ground was rapid and frequent, like someone beating a small drum behind you.

"Director Liu! Director Liu! Wait!"

Liu Yu turned around and saw three or four reporters running over with cameras. The female reporter in the lead was panting heavily, her face flushed, and her recording pen almost poked Luo Jing in the face.

Luo Jing subconsciously took half a step back, almost bumping into Yu Nan's suitcase.

"Director Liu, I heard you flew to Los Angeles today to film 'The Witch,' can you say a few words?" The female reporter caught her breath and shoved the recording pen in front of Liu Yu.

Liu Yu adjusted the hood of his sweatshirt. Actually, there wasn't much to do with the hood; he just did it out of habit.

"Yes, that's right. We're leaving for Los Angeles today; filming for 'The Witch' starts at the end of the month." His tone was very calm.

"This is your second time filming in Hollywood. How is it different from the last time?"

"The pressure is a bit less this time." Liu Yu thought for a moment, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Last time was my first time, I didn't know anything, I was just feeling my way in the dark. This time I have experience, I know what the pace is like over there, and I'm more confident. But to be honest, there's still pressure, after all, the investment is bigger, and there are more people watching."

Another reporter turned the microphone towards Luo Jing, almost poking his chin.

"Luo Jing, this is your first time filming in Hollywood. How does it feel? Are you nervous?"

Luo Jing took off his sunglasses, revealing his eyes that were somewhat gleaming under the airport lights.

"I'm honored, but also very nervous. Director Liu has given me this opportunity, and I will definitely do my best." He paused, looked at Liu Yu, and said, "Director Liu is very strict on set. If I don't perform well, he will definitely scold me."

Liu Yu chimed in from the side, "It's good that you know."

The reporters laughed, and Luo Jing laughed too, though he seemed a little embarrassed.

The reporter then asked Yu Nan, "Yu Nan, this is your first time working with Director Liu, and also your first time filming in Hollywood. What would you like to say?"

Yu Nan's expression didn't change much, but her eyes softened a bit.

"Thank you, Director Liu, for giving me this opportunity. I will work hard."

The last question was directed at Liu Yu.

"Director Liu, is it true that you and Yan Danchen broke up? There are rumors that you're dating Fan Binbin? And some people say you're dating Liu Yifei?"

The air was silent for a second. Zhong Lifang's expression changed, and she was about to step forward to block him when Liu Yu spoke.

He wasn't angry; he even smiled slightly. "It's a private matter I can't disclose. Please focus on the movie, thank you."

He turned around and walked towards the check-in counter.

The check-in clerk was a young woman. She glanced at his passport, then looked up at him, her eyes lit up, and she whispered, "Director Liu, I'm your fan."

"Thanks."

She handed over the boarding pass, her fingers trembling slightly.

After passing through security, the group waited in the departure lounge.

Luo Jing bought a few cups of coffee and shared them with everyone.

He held the coffee very carefully, as if he were holding a bowl of soup, afraid of spilling it.

Liu Yu took the coffee and took a sip. It was hot, but he didn't frown because he was used to it.

"Director Liu, now that our film has been released in the US, do you think any Americans will ask me for autographs?"

Luo Jing sat next to Liu Yu, holding a coffee, with his legs crossed, looking like he was already imagining his life after he became famous.

Yes. Definitely.

"real?"

"Really. But I'm not asking for your autograph, I'm asking for directions."

Luo Jing was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant and almost spilled his coffee from laughing.

"Director Liu, you're really sharp-tongued."

Yu Nan sat next to him, holding her coffee but not drinking it, and gave a slight smile.

She was flipping through the book "The Remains of the Day," with the bookmark tucked in about a third of the way down.

Liu Yu glanced at the cover. "Is this book good?"

"It's a bit slow, very delicate. Like simmering soup over a low flame, the flavor only comes out at the very end."

"So, where are you cooking it now?"

"I just added the salt." She moved the bookmark a few pages forward. "Almost done."

Boarding.

The business class passengers were Liu Yu, Zhong Lifang, Luo Jing, Yu Nan, and two production assistants from the company.

The passengers in economy class were other accompanying persons.

Liu Yu's seat was by the window, next to Zhong Lifang.

Luo Jing and Yu Nan sat in the back row. As the plane taxied, Liu Yu leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

The entertainment section of the portal website has already posted the headline: "Liu Yu and the 'Witch' team go to the United States to start filming, with Luo Jing and Yu Nan accompanying them."

The accompanying photo showed them being surrounded by reporters at the airport. He looked calm, Luo Jing was smiling, and Yu Nan had her head down.

The plane accelerated, tilted up, and took off.

After an eleven-hour long-haul flight, I ate two meals, slept twice, watched a movie, and flipped through half a script.

Liu Yu went through the storyboard of "The Witch" again and marked a few places with a red pen.

After finishing writing, he leaned back in his chair and looked at the clouds outside the window.

The clouds were thick, a vast expanse of white, like an endless cotton field.

Los Angeles time, 4 p.m. on September 28.

As the plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport, Liu Yu took a deep breath as he stepped off the jet bridge.

David was already waiting in the arrival hall.

He was wearing a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms and Ray-Ban sunglasses, making him stand out in the crowd.

He saw Liu Yu, strode over, and took Liu Yu's suitcase.

"Boss, welcome back to Los Angeles." David's British accent sounded a bit out of place on American soil, but Liu Yu was already used to it.

David paused, a slight smile playing on his lips. "The car's outside. There's a welcome party at Lionsgate tonight; Scarlett and the other actors will be there."

Liu Yu frowned. "Welcome banquet? I thought it was a launch banquet."

"The opening banquet is for when filming starts. This is a welcome banquet to welcome you to Los Angeles." David smiled, a smile that seemed to say, "This is the way Hollywood is, you'll get used to it."

Liu Yu shook his head helplessly. "Fine, we're already here."

The car was a black Cadillac Escalade, very large; sitting inside felt like sitting on a boat.

Zhong Lifang sat in the passenger seat, Luo Jing and Yu Nan sat in the second row, and Liu Yu sat in the last row by the window.

The car drove out of the airport and onto the highway.

"The sky here is so blue." Luo Jing leaned against the car window, like a country boy visiting the city for the first time. "I wish the sky in Beijing was this blue too."

"The sky in Beijing can be blue sometimes," Yu Nan's voice drifted over from the side, "when there's a strong wind."

Luo Jing was taken aback. He turned to look at Yu Nan, whose expression was exactly the same as before, as if she hadn't said those words.

Luo Jing glanced at Liu Yu, who smiled but didn't say anything.

The car went to the hotel first.

It's the same place as last time, near Hollywood, with windows facing the Hollywood Hills.

Liu Yu stood by the window for a while, looking at the row of white letters in the distance, and then drew the curtains.

It's not that I don't want to watch it, it's that I've seen it too many times and it's no longer new.

He took a shower, changed into clean clothes—a dark casual suit and a white shirt—and looked in the mirror. He thought he looked alright, nothing to be ashamed of.

The welcome banquet was held at a hotel in Beverly Hills.

The banquet hall was not large, but it was decorated exquisitely.

A long table was covered with a white tablecloth, and on it were fresh flowers and candlesticks. The candlelight flickered, and the light from the crystal chandelier danced on everyone's faces.

When Liu Yu walked in, he saw many familiar faces.

The Lionsgate team has arrived.

Michael Burns was wearing a dark gray suit, his tie was tied perfectly, and his hair was combed neatly.

When he saw Liu Yu, he smiled and came up to him, reaching out to shake Liu Yu's hand and shaking it vigorously twice, as if he were shaking an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Liu, welcome back to Los Angeles."

"Thanks, Michael. You look great today." Liu Yu patted him on the shoulder.

Scarlett Janssen stood next to Michael.

She wore a black halter dress that reached just to her knees, and her golden hair was loose, gleaming softly in the candlelight.

She saw Liu Yu, walked over, and extended her hand.

"Director Liu, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've read the script, and it's very captivating." Her voice was lower than Liu Yu had imagined, with a lazy, husky quality, like a cat that had just woken up.

Liu Yu held her hand; it was soft, and her fingertips were warm.

"Thank you. I look forward to working with you. Just call me Liu Yu."

Scarlett smiled, revealing a row of neat white teeth. "Liu Yu, that's an easy name to remember."

The other supporting actors also arrived one after another.

The German actor playing the villain was tall and aloof. He stood in the corner, not saying much, holding a glass of water in his hand, his eyes scanning the crowd.

The middle-aged white male actor playing the detective looked very familiar. Liu Yu thought for a moment before remembering that he had played supporting roles in several American TV series. He recognized the face but not the name.

There were also a few actors whose names I didn't know, standing in twos and threes, chatting with wine glasses in hand, their laughter not loud.

Luo Jing and Yu Nan were attending this kind of event for the first time, and their expressions were somewhat unnatural.

"Relax." Liu Yu walked over, patted Luo Jing on the shoulder, and pressed his hand on his shoulder. "Have a drink and chat. They don't eat people."

Luo Jing lowered his voice, as if he were sharing a huge secret with Liu Yu.

"Director Liu, my English isn't very good, and I'm afraid I'll say the wrong thing. If I do, people will laugh at me."

"So what if they made a mistake? They're Americans. Americans make mistakes when speaking Chinese too. Have you ever laughed at them?"

Luo Jing thought about it and it seemed to make sense. He picked up his wine glass and took a big gulp. The wine rolled around in his mouth, and he frowned before swallowing it.

Scarlett walked over, holding a glass of champagne, her steps light and silent, like a cat.

She looked at Luo Jing, smiled, and said, "You must be Luo. Liu mentioned you to me."

Luo Jing paused for a moment, opened his mouth, and then quickly pulled out the English sentence he had memorized many times in his mind, and stammered out a sentence.

"Yes, I am Luo Jing, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Scarlett smiled, a warm smile, "It's okay, I understand you."

"Your English is good," Scarlett said.

Luo Jing straightened his back a bit. "Thank you, I'm still learning."

Yu Nan's communication with Scarlett was much smoother. Her English was much better than Luo Jing's. Although she did not have long-term experience living abroad, her spoken English was fluent and her accent was not heavy.

After exchanging a few words, Scarlett asked her a few questions about the character: How do you understand this female doctor? Why is she willing to help the protagonist? Where does she struggle between morality and reason?

Liu Yu stood to the side watching this scene, feeling a mix of emotions.

When he came to Los Angeles a year ago to film "The Man from Nowhere," there were very few Chinese people in the entire crew.

Michael went on stage and said a few words.

Good evening, everyone. I'm delighted to see so many talented friends gathered here.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, lingering on Liu Yu for a moment. "Lionsgate takes the 'Witch' project very seriously. We have a good script, a good team, and a good director."

He raised his glass towards Liu Yu, "Liu, this is your stage. We're just here to help."

Some people in the audience applauded, and Scarlett clapped the loudest, the sound of her clapping clear and firm.

Liu Yu was also invited up to say a few words, and the lights shone on him, making him a little dazzled.

"I'm not good at small talk, so I'll keep it short." He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips. "This isn't just a movie. It's a bridge. A bridge connecting China and Hollywood. We're building it together. So let's make it strong."

Some people in the audience applauded, while others laughed.

As the banquet progressed, the atmosphere became more relaxed.

Scarlett walked over with her wine glass and clinked glasses with Liu Yu. The two chatted for a few minutes about their roles.

After drinking two glasses, Luo Jing's English suddenly improved, and he chatted with an American supporting actor for quite a while.

Yu Nan remained the same, occasionally chatting with people, sometimes remaining silent.

The banquet ended after 10 p.m. Los Angeles time.

Liu Yu got into the car and returned to the hotel. He leaned back in his seat and looked out at the Los Angeles night view.

Zhong Lifang sat next to him, scrolling through her phone. The light from the screen reflected on her face, making her expression appear both bright and dim.

"The news from China has already come out." She handed over the computer.

The screen displays a headline from the entertainment section of a portal website: "Liu Yu and the 'Witch' team arrive in Los Angeles; Lionsgate hosts a welcome banquet."

The accompanying photo is of Liu Yu shaking hands with Scarlett Johansson. The angle is good, and both of them are smiling naturally, as if they are talking about something very happy.

There are hundreds of comments under the news article, such as, "Well done, Director Liu, you deserve it."

"Yu Nan still doesn't get enough attention. Even when she's on the news, people don't know who she is," Zhong Lifang said with a hint of worry.

"They'll know once the film is released," Liu Yu said. His tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation.

The next morning, he squinted at his phone; it was 7:10 a.m. Los Angeles time.

He slept for less than six hours, but felt pretty good. He took a shower, changed into his workout clothes, and went downstairs for breakfast.

The hotel breakfast was a buffet, with bread, milk, cereal, fruit, and coffee. He took a cup of black coffee and a croissant, and sat in a corner to eat slowly.

Zhong Lifang also came down, dressed in sportswear, her hair tied in a ponytail, her face still flushed from running.

What time did you get up?

"Six o'clock. I went for a run; the air here is nice." She grabbed a glass of orange juice and a whole-wheat bread and sat down opposite Liu Yu.

"I went to the set this morning, and the actors started training this afternoon. Sammo Hung's team has arrived; they landed last night."

"Teacher Hong is here? So soon?" Liu Yu put down his coffee cup.

"They're more dedicated than you. They arrived three days early and started training the stuntmen at the venue." Zhong Lifang's tone was slightly teasing.

Liu Yu smiled and shook his head. Fatty Hong looked round and chubby, but he moved faster than anyone else.

At 9:30 a.m., Liu Yu arrived at the film set. The film set was in a fully equipped soundstage near Hollywood.

The studio had a high ceiling, the lighting equipment was already set up, a green curtain was laid on the floor, and props and equipment were piled up around it.

When Liu Yu walked in, he smelled the familiar scent of glue and wood, a smell he always encountered when he entered a film set, whether it was in BJ or Los Angeles.

Sammo Hung is already here.

He was wearing a loose black sports T-shirt, his signature big belly sticking out, standing in the center of the field, holding a prop knife, explaining the moves to a few stuntmen.

The knife spun in his hand, then turned in a different direction, then spun again, and turned in yet another direction.

The stuntmen stared wide-eyed, their mouths slightly agape, as if watching a magic show.

"Director Hong." Liu Yu walked over.

Sammo Hung turned his head and saw Liu Yu smiling.

He handed the prop knife to the stuntman next to him, clapped his hands, and walked towards Liu Yu.

"Director Liu, you're here? Take a look at this space, is it enough?" He said, hands on his hips, glancing around the studio. Liu Yu also looked around. "It's enough. Teacher Hong, when do the actors' training begin?"

"Two o'clock in the afternoon. Let them warm up and stretch first, so they don't get injured right away."

Sammo Hung took a towel out of his pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That Luo Jing has a good foundation. He used to train?"

""

"He's learned a little martial arts before, but not much. You can guide him."

"Okay. What about that female PhD? Yu Nan?" Sammo Hung stuffed the towel back into his pocket. "She hasn't trained in action scenes, has she?"

"I haven't practiced before. You can start teaching me from the basics, no rush."

At 2 p.m., Luo Jing and Yu Nan arrived at the film set on time.

Both of them were wearing sportswear and looked like they were going to the gym.

Luo Jing wore a red vest, revealing his arms. Although he wasn't particularly muscular, his arms were in decent shape.

Yu Nan was wearing a gray long-sleeved T-shirt, black sweatpants, and her hair was tied in a ponytail.

Sammo Hung had them do stretching first, and he stood in front to demonstrate. His movements were slow and very standard.

"Come on, follow me. Spread your legs apart, shoulder-width apart, bend over, and touch the ground with your hands." When Luo Jing bent over, his fingers could touch the ground, but Yu Nan's fingers were still several centimeters off the ground.

She bit her lip and pressed down, but she couldn't hold on any longer and grimaced in pain.

"Take your time, no rush." ​​Sammo Hung straightened up, hands on his hips. "Action scenes aren't learned in a day. You need to loosen up your muscles and joints before you can do the moves. Otherwise, you'll strain your leg every time you kick, and then you'll have to rest for three days after filming for one day, which isn't worth it."

Yu Nan gritted her teeth and bent over again. This time it was a little better than the last, but she still couldn't reach it.

Luo Jing secretly compared his fingers to the ground; a smug look appeared on his face, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

"What are you so smug about?" Sammo Hung's voice drifted over from the side. "You can touch the ground because you're short, not because you're flexible."

Luo Jing's smile froze on his face. Yu Nan's lips curled up slightly, but she didn't laugh out loud.

Liu Yu laughed out loud.

Over the next few days, the actors entered a high-intensity training program.

Every morning there is physical training, afternoon is action training, and in the evening there are English and dialogue lessons.

Luo Jing was exhausted, like a dog. Every day after work, he would go straight to bed when he got back to the hotel, not even wanting to eat.

Scarlett arrived on the third day, dressed in a black tracksuit, her blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

When she walked onto the set, everyone's eyes turned to her.

Sammo Hung asked her to stretch, and without hesitation, she bent over, pressed her legs, and opened her hips, her movements even more precise than Luo Jing's.

Luo Jing watched from the side, his eyes wide open.

Sammo Hung glanced at Liu Yu, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Liu Yu shrugged; he didn't know Scarlett had practiced this.

He later learned that Scarlett had started training for more than half a month in advance to prepare for the action scenes in the movie, practicing for six hours every day without fail.

Scarlett was very serious during training.

She doesn't chat, doesn't use her phone, and doesn't do anything unrelated to training.

She listened attentively when Sammo Hung explained the movements, and asked questions about anything she didn't understand. After asking, she would practice, and then ask questions again.

]>