Chapter 161 Filming in Progress: The Storm Crew...
Chapter 161
The production team went back to Lin Yuan, but Lin Yuan didn't have the attitude of "ignoring them or thinking they were beneath him." The two sides couldn't reach an agreement simply because their schedules didn't match.
Lin Yuan just felt that the other party should have found a suitable actor long ago, so why did they come back to him?
He looked at his agent with a puzzled expression: "What's going on?"
Feng Zeng also shook his head.
Since the collaboration fell through, Feng Zeng stopped paying attention to the subsequent situation of the production team.
However, the agent's connections are not to be underestimated, and it wasn't long before the results were in: "There's been a bit of a problem with Chen Cong, so he's gone to film another movie."
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, waiting for his agent's follow-up.
"After you, the production team decided on Chen Cong."
Lin Yuan naturally knew this name as well.
The film industry is only so big, and there are only a handful of actors around 30 years old who can land leading roles. Lin Yuan is one of them, as is Chen Cong.
However, unlike Lin Yuan, Chen Cong has been known for his amazing resources since his debut.
Lin Yuan did film a few dramas that weren't well-received, while Chen Cong never went through that phase, having worked with numerous top directors and enjoying an extremely smooth career.
However, this development path also has its downsides. Among actors of similar status, Chen Cong has the fewest fans. When Lin Yuan browses forums, he occasionally comes across comments like, "Why is Chen Cong everywhere?"
"Because of the director?" Lin Yuan casually typed in Chen Cong's name. The latest news was about Chen Cong having dinner with a director surnamed Shi, and the news also mentioned that the two would be working together next.
Objectively speaking, the only drawback of the two scripts that Lin Yuan was satisfied with this time was probably that the directors were not well-known and were not recognized as big directors in the industry, but Lin Yuan himself had no problem with it.
Those who can become film directors and successfully establish themselves in this industry all have some skills.
Emerging directors, on the contrary, have many ideas and are closer to the audience's hearts.
Big-name directors have more mature performance skills, richer filming experience, and equally discerning aesthetic sense, which are their advantages.
Lin Yuan, holding a glass of juice, casually poured one for his manager as well: "I can't squeeze out any time either."
"What they mean is that we can wait," Feng Zeng said in a low voice. "I heard... that the investors wavered after Chen Cong left."
Lin Yuan's eyes widened, switching to gossip mode: "Isn't that a bad sign?"
The agent nodded: "That's right."
The agent guessed that the production team's return to Lin Yuan was also due to this consideration.
With Lin Yuan's name on the team, investors are unlikely to leave easily.
Lin Yuan's schedule is quite full this year, which is a comfortable situation for him. He has more than enough time to film a TV series and a movie in a year, but it's not completely full yet.
If you really want to squeeze in the time, you can.
In any case, whether it's a movie crew or a period drama crew, they all hope that Lin Yuan can finish filming as soon as possible. From the first half of the year to the summer vacation, Lin Yuan really didn't have any free time, but in the second half of the year, the time can be spread out.
Lin Yuan let out a bloodcurdling scream.
The agent remained remarkably calm: "Just tell me if you want to film it or not."
The agent knew that Lin Yuan had been very interested in the script from the very beginning.
"Take the picture." Lin Yuan finished his glass of juice in one gulp. "We absolutely have to take the picture, even if it means being a bit busier."
...
Lin Yuan told his friends about his plans for this year—the three of them have fewer and fewer opportunities to have dinner together these days. Last year, when he was writing songs, Lin Yuan was at least free, so he invited He Xun and Yu Ying out for dinner, and both of them were able to make time for it.
But once Lin Yuan gets busy, there's nothing he can do.
He has always been the busiest of the three, and his career development has been the smoothest.
Lin Yuan mentioned the movie he was making this year, and He Xun asked him, "Is it the one called 'The Detective with the Magic Eye'?"
Lin Yuan sent a question mark.
“I play a role in it,” He Xun said.
"You're not going to play the murderer, are you?"
"...Nobody knows who the murderer is right now, okay? The screenwriter didn't say."
Lin Yuan actually knew who the murderer was; he had obtained the complete script. However, he was not yet clear about the specific roles played by each actor.
It is estimated that, for filming considerations, the production team only gave the actors corresponding storylines, creating an atmosphere where everyone believed they were the murderer.
"Why didn't you call me?" Yu Ying slowly logged on. "What's going on with this film crew?"
Lin Yuan: "Maybe it's because in the movie, I was the one who was responsible for subduing the murderer."
The detective in the movie is both intelligent and skilled in martial arts, capable of identifying and apprehending murderers. If Yu Ying were in the movie, she would probably be the one taking on the action role.
Yu Ying: "Hey!"
"I'm not an action actor, I'm famous for my dramatic roles, okay?" Yu Ying angrily berated Lin Yuan, then couldn't help but feel that it was lucky that Lin Yuan and He Xun could work together again.
After "The Powerful Minister," the two have almost exclusively played leading roles, making a collaboration highly unlikely.
He Xun has been filming TV dramas, and recently he has also started to consider making movies.
When he first debuted, he didn't have much of an advantage. He had a steady and upright face, which didn't quite fit the popular themes in the TV drama industry. But now it's different. Many of his contemporaries have changed their careers, but whether they switch to urban dramas or period dramas, many of them seem out of place. Only He Xun doesn't have this problem.
His transformation was a natural progression.
Lin Yuan entered the film industry earlier than him. He Xun originally wanted to seek Lin Yuan's guidance, but unexpectedly, the two of them met in the same movie.
"Then I won't bother anymore, I'll wait until filming starts before we talk about it."
The three checked their schedules and realized they couldn't all get together in a short time. Everyone had their own things to do. Lin Yuan would be joining the production team in a few days, as would He Xun, who was going to attend a TV drama awards ceremony tomorrow. Yu Ying was working frantically on set.
The deadline was fast approaching, but the movie wasn't finished yet. She didn't care, since the next film wouldn't be for a long time anyway. But the production team couldn't afford to delay any longer; they couldn't keep up with the costs.
...
That year, the first film shot was "The Storm".
The title is simple, just two words. It tells the story of humanity's self-rescue after an apocalyptic storm. Lin Yuan plays the protagonist named Qin Ri, who becomes a savior in this storm.
According to the production team's plan, Lin Yuan was supposed to undergo some simple training before filming began, including weighted running and testing in the snow. However, these procedures were omitted as much as possible just before filming started, mainly because Lin Yuan's physical condition was unexpectedly good.
He seemed quite used to shooting in such challenging situations.
The production company, including the director, was very curious.
Lin Yuan snorted coldly, offering no further explanation, only stating that he possessed extraordinary talent.
Testing in the snow? Running with weights?
Whom do you look down on?
He's the man who survived the filming of "Bloody Past".
Although he didn't have a similar experience for most of last year, Lin Yuan underwent rigorous physical training to make the album "1895" as perfect as possible.
Lin Yuan often wanted to slack off, but out of a sense of responsibility for his work, he usually didn't.
Lin Yuan was calculating the economic benefits.
If you put yourself in their shoes, what if he were a fan who spent money to buy his idol's albums, support every movie he makes, buy endorsements, and purchase VIP memberships on streaming platforms, only to find that his idol, who claims to be hardworking, refuses to lose weight, even though others are explaining that idols have the freedom to be fat as well as they have the freedom to be?
But Lin Yuan believes that if idols don't need fans to spend money, then they do have freedom regarding their body shape; they can be overweight, date, and do whatever they want.
But he is an idol supported by his fans, enjoying their attention and the halo of being a star, yet he is unwilling to make any sacrifices.
From a fan's perspective, how would he feel?
Fans have invested real money and genuine feelings; he can't possibly give nothing in return.
When you go to the mall to buy clothes and find they're damaged when you get home, it affects your mood. But if your idol can't keep a single promise, you can't even voice your complaints, because if you do, many people will defend the idol.
Lin Yuan felt that chasing stars like this was worse than not chasing them at all.
If he cannot present his best self to his fans, Lin Yuan feels unworthy of the money he receives from them.
He's not that thick-skinned.
In short, the entire crew of "The Storm" was very satisfied with Lin Yuan's condition.
Clearly, Lin Yuan is the kind of actor who is strict with himself, and there are many scenes in "The Storm" that are quite difficult for actors. Since Lin Yuan was prepared for this, he was very cooperative during filming.
Fang Qi had warned Lin Yuan before filming that his character would be quite rough in the movie, and that Lin Yuan should be mentally prepared.
The director meant well, but he didn't expect that as soon as he finished speaking, he would receive a half-smile from Lin Yuan.
director:"……"
He had felt that Lin Yuan was strange from the beginning, and now that feeling was even stronger.
What exactly is going on?
Lin Yuan's eyes held a mixture of mature confidence and a sense of utter disillusionment, as if everyone present was trash and the world was doomed.
In short, it can be summed up in two words—perverted.
This is how the director felt at that moment.
In the script of "The Storm," everything originates from a heavy snowfall.
At first, no one paid attention. Although snowfall in autumn is not common, it was not surprising given the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
Then it snowed for a week.
It never stopped for a moment.
Week after week, until a full month had passed, the whole world was crying out that a crisis was coming.
No one could predict when the heavy snow would stop. Weather forecasts had failed, and experts were predicting on television every day that the snow would stop the next day, but the people watching the television no longer believed it.
The heavy snow brought a host of crises, bringing the world to a standstill: shutdowns, flight cancellations, food crises, housing crises, trust crises... No one could have predicted the changes on Earth; the end of the world had truly arrived.
Humanity has chosen to explore the depths of the Earth.
Lin Yuan plays Qin Riyuan, who was originally just an ordinary person, but was chosen for various reasons to become one of the lucky ones who explored a way to survive in the storm.
Disaster stories often emphasize that unity is the key to success, and this is indeed true—in "The Storm," those chosen were indeed those with awareness, and Qin Ri was one of them.
A short passage in the script depicts Qin Ri's psychological fluctuations. He is a positive and good person, but he is not the type to radiate goodness in everyday life. However, his righteous side only shows itself in times of crisis.
There always has to be someone like that.
Moreover, in "The Storm," those living on the ground have lost their way out and can no longer retreat.
This movie relies heavily on special effects; the opening snow scene already uses special effects. The movie could have found a location similar to the filming location of "Bloody Memories," but to create a storm effect, they would have to go to the Arctic.
The Arctic didn't achieve the same level of impact the production team wanted.
However, for a few scenes, the production team still used real locations.
Comparatively speaking, the script doesn't have a particularly high proportion of dialogue scenes. The production team used a lot of actors and the scenes were large, but in reality, the story still revolves around a few main characters.
The first scene Lin Yuan filmed was the one where Qin Ri was chosen.
The explorer mortality rate is very high.
The explorers may die before everyone else.
Explorers may also find a glimmer of hope.
Explorers are humans who possess a certain degree of resistance to this anomaly; they have stronger physical attributes and the ability to survive for a long time in this storm.
Explorers can choose to give up; this is not a mandatory requirement.
Everyone wants to live, and everyone has the right to live.
All eyes were on the selected group.
Before Qin Ri, many people had already given up. Some thought that even if they couldn't do it, someone else would. Others knew its significance but still chose their daily lives.
It was Qin Ri's turn.
He merely shifted his gaze slightly to the right before saying, "I agree."
He didn't pronounce those three words with a strong and forceful tone; he simply spoke them in the calmest tone, as if those three words were insignificant to him.
But everyone knows that these are three very important words.
He didn't choose to stay with his family; instead, he chose to move forward.
In one scene of the script, Qin Ri's companion asks him if he regrets his actions.
Qin Ri said there was.
"Because I agreed, I have the chance to say I regret it." The young man smiled. "If I hadn't agreed, I wouldn't even have had the chance to say I regret it, and I would have been even more unwilling to accept that."
The moment he uttered those three words, his mind went blank, as if they were spoken by someone else, not him.
But strangely enough, he didn't feel any regret at all.
One of the reasons Lin Yuan took on this role was that Qin Ri was not a perfect and righteous figure, but he was a good person. His goodness lay not in how righteous and awe-inspiring he was, but in that he was not afraid and he was sincere.
It's already quite an achievement to be able to do that.
Next, Qin Ri embarked on a difficult journey of exploration.
He needed to break through the thick snow and keep moving forward. The storm brought not only snow, but also persistent cold and occasional even worse weather.
Despite having defensive facilities, Qin Ri faces a more difficult future than he imagined.
These all require special effects to be displayed.
"The Storm" tells the story of an approaching storm, but also emphasizes how humans survive under the storm.
Lin Yuan's filming time was not long, and his storyline was relatively concentrated; however, the overall filming period for "The Storm" was not short.
Filming this type of movie requires a high level of technical skill. Props production alone is very time-consuming, not to mention location setup, personnel allocation, etc. Not long after filming began, Lin Yuan realized that his investment of tens of millions was absolutely necessary.
As for the hardships of filming, Lin Yuan didn't have a deep understanding of them.
"You didn't feel anything at all?" His co-star An Ling stared at him incredulously. "Are you a physical monster?"
In the early stages, Lin Yuan and An Ling filmed many scenes together. Their daily routine involved climbing up and down, being blown into the air by strong winds, or falling into a pit more than ten meters deep. Although the crew had taken protective measures, the actors were always covered in bruises after a day of filming, either bumping into something or getting hit somewhere.
Most importantly, the two of them were carrying heavy loads.
Physical strength is something that you can retain on the first day, but it gradually decreases as you go on. Anling felt that she was relying entirely on her willpower to keep going.
As a result, Lin Yuan next to him... looked quite composed.
Is it because Lin Yuan is younger than him?
Anling was puzzled.
After only a week of filming "The Storm," he began to wonder, "When will this end?"
Lin Yuan acted as if nothing had happened.
Although Qin Ri's character is portrayed as calm and collected, does he really need to act like this?
Today's scene was similar. The two were crawling around in a pit, and the crew arranged for several vehicles to come and create a strong wind that blew them around. The wind also carried water vapor, which in the script would later turn into an icicle effect.
Anling was being pulled by ropes on his body and feet, but even so, he still felt swaying and uneasy.
An actor's self-cultivation made him endure it, but he couldn't experience any enjoyment in performing, only pain.
He no longer cared about Lin Yuan's expression. His mind was racing, recalling the script and the director's instructions, and he was performing various actions as required. At that moment, he wished he could fall down rather than be suspended in mid-air, not knowing when it would end.
The feeling of being swayed and bobbing around is really unpleasant.
As a result—after the scene was filmed, he saw Lin Yuan standing to the side, briskly drying his hair.
The key point is that Lin Yuan didn't utter a single complaint.
Having worked together for so many days, he truly hadn't heard Lin Yuan utter a single complaint.
What kind of perseverance is this?
Just how much does Lin Yuan love performing?
Anling could hardly believe it.
He has worked with many actors of similar age to Lin Yuan, but this is indeed his first time working with Lin Yuan.
But in terms of diligence, acting skills, and respect for performance, Lin Yuan is undoubtedly number one.
Lin Yuan could only say, "Dude, you've really misunderstood."
The reason he dried his hair immediately was because when he was filming "Bloody Past", one day after filming he didn't take a shower and dry his hair in time, and the next day his head felt so heavy it felt like it would fall off.
The reason he could run so fast was that during the filming of a scene, someone in the crew said that there was a bear's home nearby—this bear had come down the mountain several times.
Coupled with some rumors about bears eating people, Lin Yuan ran like the wind, feeling like an Olympic champion.
The reason he remained so calm in the pit was because the mine pit itself was a pit.
They are indeed very hardworking. If you ask them, they say if they are not hardworking, they have to start over, and then again and again... The first time is already painful enough. Considering their lives, it's best not to do it too many times.
Lin Yuan has already accumulated a wealth of experience.
As for the misunderstandings others have about him... he certainly possesses those admirable qualities.
...
Of course, the filming styles of "The Storm" and "Bloody Memories" are different. "The Storm" involves being suspended in mid-air, while "Bloody Memories" involves being dropped around. Neither film used many stunt doubles, and the vast majority of the action scenes were performed by the actors themselves.
There wasn't much location shooting for "The Storm," but the director had very high standards for the characters' beliefs.
Qin Ri's persistence is quite different from Wei Liang's persistence.
Qin Ri is more reserved; no matter how the story unfolds, he remains positive and optimistic, while Wei Liang's life plunges into darkness the moment he is pushed down.
"start!"
At the director's command, Lin Yuan began filming for the new day.
The scene of Qin Ri parting with his family was naturally filmed.
Qin Ri lived in a happy family—Lin Yuan couldn't help but sigh when he took on this role, this time, he finally played a wholesome character.
"Then the wholesome characters have to be sacrificed." — He Xun concluded.
Lin Yuan told the other person to shut up, but He Xun told him not to get angry: "Isn't 'Just Right You' pretty wholesome too?"
Lin Yuan: "...That's true."
This scene was easy to film. To reassure his family, Qin Ri was the calmest character in the scene, while his parents and sister were crying their eyes out. He had to comfort them.
Qin Ri was not without sadness, but he knew very well that if he showed sadness at this time, his family would only become more uneasy.
He appeared more composed, which convinced his family that he would return safely.
The camera focused on Lin Yuan's face.
Lin Yuan was already very skilled at this type of scene that required emotional expression. He was already good at it, and after the experience of "Bloody Past", Lin Yuan felt that he had reached a new level.
Director Fang Qi stared at him intently.
In the scene, Qin Ri gently embraces his parents, his young face full of tenderness. He then turns around and gently pats his sister's shoulder, saying, "I'm entrusting Mom and Dad to you."
"I will definitely find that place, and by then, my family will still be together."
No matter how much his parents and sister cried, he always smiled.
This kind of Qin Ri matches the maturity and composure he showed during his exploration.
He doesn't need to be profound; it's enough for him to just show his side as a child and as a younger brother.
In this segment, Lin Yuan's performance was subtle and understated, but for the director, that was sufficient.
Qin Ri is gentle, cheerful, and steady—a truly excellent young man. The more the audience recognizes this, the more they will like him in the subsequent storyline.
Before inviting Lin Yuan, Fang Qi had naturally seen his performances in the films "Thousand Mountains" and "Ghost Arts". At that time, "1895" was making amazing profits, and the director also intended to get some investment from him before inviting Lin Yuan to play the role of Qin Ri.
Lin Yuan paid very generously, without being stingy, and did not make a lot of demands on the production team. He even showed an attitude that it didn't matter if the movie lost money.
At that time, Fang Qi felt that Lin Yuan's personality was nothing like the character he played.
Clearly, his portrayal of Qin Ri is the same.
Although Qin Ri is far less complex than the characters in the films "Thousand Mountains," Lin Yuan has handled the role very well. Fang Qi cannot see any trace of those dark characters in Qin Ri.
"The Storm" does not emphasize the individual heroism of any particular character. Qin Ri is not a hero who saves the earth, at least he does not think so. Although he took action to save the earth, in his heart, he was always just an ordinary person.
That's all.
Fang Qi felt that this scene was no different from the scene when he was traveling from a small city to the capital and his family saw him off at the station.
Lin Yuan's performance reminded him of his own grandmother. When Fang Qi was in college, his grandmother passed away. He rushed back the moment he received the news from his family and saw his grandmother one last time without any hesitation.
The atmosphere he felt at that moment was exactly the same as it is now.
Because Qin Riyou loves his family, and he loves his family too, he chose to go, and he will not regret it.
This is his support.
True love doesn't need to be repeatedly emphasized or constantly spoken; a single glance or a single tear is enough.
Fang Qi: "..."
In that instant, the director realized he had gone too far. For an actor like Lin Yuan, this shot was probably just an insignificant moment in his acting career, and the other party should have long been used to this kind of performance.
He probably had a lot of ideas because he was very satisfied with the performance.
Fang Qi couldn't find anything to complain about. He had a clear understanding of Lin Yuan's performance since joining the group.
The director was most impressed by the fact that Lin Yuan completed all the difficult scenes without uttering a sound.
An actor of his caliber should, in the director's mind, have at least several assistants personally surrounding him. Even if he is willing to endure hardship and sacrifice for the role, it shouldn't be to this extent.
That's incredibly persistent.
Directors usually keep their feelings to themselves. After all, Fang Qi is a young director. When facing actors in the crew who are a generation older than him, he can't bring himself to praise their acting skills. This is something that everyone acknowledges, so he doesn't need to say anything more.
But when he's acting opposite someone like An Ling, he has no reservations.
Anling is dedicated to telling every friend that Lin Yuan is a performance fanatic.
"Let me tell you, you have no idea how scary he is. I ran so fast my shoes fell off, but he wasn't afraid at all..."
"Wow, you haven't even worked with Lin Yuan yet? I'm telling you, I'm impressed..."
"His eyes could stare so wide, like they were shooting sparks, I was so shocked for a moment, let me tell you..."
Lin Yuan himself was completely unaware that his good reputation had already spread quite far.
It was only when He Xun asked him that he found out: "I heard you've become a follower of a performance religion, and now you're invulnerable to swords, spears, water, and fire. Give us a performance."
Lin Yuan: "?"
He Xun explained the reason to him.
Lin Yuan: "?"
He now understands that for every scene he films, he has to shout "It's so hard!" at least once more. This is his automatic defense mechanism, which at least helps avoid some misunderstandings.
But he still didn't understand: "How did it get spread like this?"
"Ask yourself." He Xun insisted that Lin Yuan perform something for him.
Lin Yuan said that a production team offered him 60 million yuan for a role, but He Xun had to transfer the money to him first.
From that day on, whenever Lin Yuan was on the set of "The Storm," he would start yelling "It's so hard!" As a result, the crew suspected that there were too many frogs in the ditch outside the hotel, and Lin Yuan was annoyed by the frogs, so he developed a habit of croaking.
Lin Yuan: "?"
#There's something wrong with this production crew#
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Author's Note: Update complete! [hugs][hugs][hugs]
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