Chapter 491
Inside the bright office, a large piece of thick plastic was laid on the deliberately cleared floor, on top of which was a pile of bamboos of uniform thickness.
The sound of the bamboo strips being cut was followed by a distinct "hissing" as the blade of the bamboo strips entered the bamboo. A middle-aged man wearing a dark blue linen apron was sitting on a bench, diligently demonstrating to the young man beside him, expertly slicing the bamboo strips.
The middle-aged man was unusually silent as he worked, seemingly absorbed only by the bamboo strips resting on his thighs. This master, a descendant of the intangible cultural heritage of fish lanterns, had been specially invited from Licheng by Director Fang. He was here to teach the actors some simple tool usage. Today was the first day, so the instructions were the simplest.
Traditional fish lanterns are handmade from start to finish, not because the inheritors are stubbornly unwilling to introduce advanced machinery. The bamboo strips themselves are far superior and more resilient than those made by machine. While machine-made lanterns may look good, they often prove ineffective in practice, a problem evident in the lifespan of the finished product.
Cutting bamboo strips may seem simple, but it lays the foundation for the quality of the entire fish lantern. Only bamboo strips that are hand-processed and have fewer knots will be more resilient and perform better.
Zhou Xiao stood outside the glass door, her gaze unconsciously drawn to the middle-aged man's rough, wrinkled palms. As his hands tore through the bamboo, calluses on the knuckles and fingertips flashed by. Though brief, the experience had left a profound impression on her.
During the reading period, Director Fang did not expect everyone to learn the craft in such a short time, but allowing the actors to experience this intangible cultural heritage craft up close could provide emotional support for the subsequent filming.
"Teacher Zhou, do you want Xiao Ji to try on some clothes?" Song Xiao, crouching at the doorway, filming, quickly put away his camera and looked over when he noticed someone approaching. Upon realizing it was Zhou Xiao, he remembered the tag he'd just sent to her in the group chat, and his guard dropped instantly as he asked.
Because it is a whole floor of a rented office building, although each floor of the building requires a password to unlock, it can prevent unimportant people from entering but it cannot prevent some people from looking around curiously.
Song Xiao's task today was to stand guard at the door to prevent people from bringing their own photos to ask Ji Shao for autographs or collaboration, thus disturbing the one-on-one teaching in the room.
Zhou Xiao nodded. Ten days had passed since the initial read-through. During this time, the actors had gained a general understanding of their roles. Choosing today to shoot was also a preparation for the filming start at the end of the month.
The decision to take the official photos had everyone busy. Although everyone thought Director Fang would ask Teacher Zhou from the team to come over for the shoot, it was impossible to just walk over, pat someone on the shoulder, and have them start preparing in the afternoon!
However, the person who was patted on the shoulder felt good. After all, when he saw Sister Xia from the clothing team directing several team members to carry a lot of boxes of things from the elevator in the morning, he vaguely guessed that the clothing had arrived.
Before the actual shoot, it's natural to try out the costumes. I heard Director Fang has partnered with Zhuang Guping, a Chinese designer specializing in combining traditional Chinese style with modern art. Some fashion brands are already eager to copy her.
If Xie Zhengyun, the character in "The Unparalleled General," weren't an ancient figure, Taobao would likely be flooded with identical items. Xie Zhengyun narrowly escaped unscathed, while Chang Xiaoluo, the character in "Interweaving," had already become a signature item in many stores before the show even aired. Fortunately, several lawyers' letters from New Town suppressed this malicious trend.
It was only through the education of his fellow choreographers that Zhou Xiao realized that this image theft and counterfeiting of duplicate products is actually a commercial tactic. Imitation and inferior products not only mislead consumers about the artists themselves but also affect their endorsement partnerships with high-end brands. It's true that Huayao should really learn from New Town in this regard. In their two years with the group, they've never issued a lawyer's letter regarding this issue.
"Okay, Teacher Zhou, you go call the others first. I'll go over with Xiao Ji later," Song Xiao responded, knocking on the glass door to remind Ji Shao inside, and waving to Zhou Xiao.
Zhou Xiao followed suit, making an "OK" gesture, and continued on to the next room. Director Fang hadn't specifically instructed her to call the others; it was simply because the end of this corridor was the temporary studio set up by the crew. Since it was on the way, she decided to just give everyone a heads-up.
…
With the turn of the key, a small studio of several dozen square meters came into Zhou Xiao's sight. Fortunately, it was located in a commercial building with a high enough ceiling to install background cloth and lighting.
One side of the room was piled high with photographic equipment. Zhou Xiao closed the door and squatted beside it, carefully examining these "big treasures." After long-term use by the crew, these equipment had seen considerable wear and tear. While not as good as the equipment in a large studio, it was more than enough for the final shots.
Estimating the time it would take to try on clothes and put on makeup, Zhou Xiao rolled up her sleeves and began setting up the equipment. Although the piles of equipment seemed daunting at first glance, for her it was more like a relaxing time without having to think.
After installing the headlight on the bracket and hearing the muffled "clicks" and "clicks" as she moved to check it, Zhou Xiaoqing breathed a sigh of relief. Even though the assistant director seemed to have it much easier than the photographer, she could still feel the joy bubbling up in her heart when she touched the camera.
Unable to resist, he reached out and touched the headlight. After confirming its stability, Zhou Xiao shifted his gaze to the side...
In the photography group.
A middle-aged man with a large belly, a filter cigarette in his mouth, leaned against the wall with dull eyes. He was someone who had always been expected to listen without watching or writing on other crews, and now he had gained several pounds from the torture.
"I finally understand how my son managed to gain weight even after the college entrance exam." The man didn't dare light a cigarette, and said with a look of deep resentment, "Isn't all this fat in his belly all from the internet...what do they say online? It's just overwork!"
"Oh..." A group of people sighed.
What kind of crew would ask the photographer to learn as well? They even arranged for "teachers" to teach them. And these "teachers" are all their apprentices. Now, some of the young "teachers" who haven't even graduated from junior high school are reading the script with a sad face!
"Director Renfang said we should take it more seriously than the fans," a skinny middle-aged man said indignantly. "Damn it! If I catch anyone still selling the script, I'll make them write a hundred reviews!"
Li Ling had only been here a short time, but because her book review writing was considered above average in the group, she had easily made it in. At this moment, she was burying her head, unable to suppress a smile.
I have to say, Director Fang’s move is really brilliant!
If you want to know how this got so big, it's of course thanks to the forum users who shared it. After reading the post, Li Ling couldn't help but praise the fans for their "true love"!
The crew is still in the reading stage. You have already bought the script at a high price and started analyzing the plot, although that version is far behind Teacher Mao's latest version.
If it's only posted on the forum, that's not a big deal. After all, the forum is small and the spread is usually limited to certain entertainment groups. But don't forget those marketing accounts that are constantly peeking at the entertainment groups.
Director Fang wasn't too upset when he found out, but he wasn't as relaxed as before. The people most affected by this, of course, were the camera crew. Since they had to work with the director, they had to understand the plot, right?
Opening her phone, Li Ling saw the message from Director Fang's assistant, Xiao Wang, in the group of 100 people. She looked up at her colleagues who were still grieving over their reading experience and said, "Hey, I see the official photo shoot is this afternoon. I'll be leaving now! You guys continue!"
"Go ahead," the skinny middle-aged man waved his hand, and suddenly, as if he had discovered a new world, he said with some surprise, "Xiao Li, why don't you ask Teacher Xiao Zhou for our review of the book when the time comes!"
Sharing book reviews within the group was allowed, but copying was forbidden. Zhou Xiao's review was so good that even Mao Ning praised it. Unfortunately, the photography team rarely interacted with Zhou Xiao, so borrowing the work of a "good student" was not only difficult but also embarrassing.
"No problem," Li Ling rubbed the back of her head and headed straight for the small study room without taking anything. When someone else in the room reminded her that Zhou Xiao might be setting up the studio, she hurried over there as well.
Over the past few days, Li Ling has received considerable support from Zhou Xiao. This has been especially true with script reviewing, and Zhou Xiao's help has helped her adapt so quickly. After hearing from a colleague that Director Fang had assigned her to the official photo shoot, she's been thinking about joining in. Being a photography assistant is something she's quite skilled at!
It's also because Director Fang's crew is unique; otherwise, a photographer like her, joining just before the shoot, would have faced considerable challenges. Is having apprentices teach masters really just for convenience?
Li Ling knew that this was because Director Fang wanted the masters to treat their apprentices better and let them know the benefits of learning. Only by learning can one learn real kung fu, which is the wisdom of the older generation in dealing with people.
Li Ling walked with his legs almost back to normal, and arrived at the last room in the corridor. Unlike the glass walls of other offices, this room was probably originally used as a warehouse, and all the walls were solid.
After knocking on the closed door, and hearing a "come in" from inside, Li Ling immediately realized that he had found the real person.
Pushing open the door, she was greeted by a completely different scene from the one she'd seen that morning when she'd brought the equipment in. The already installed lighting equipment was neatly arranged in a corner, and the previously empty shelves in the warehouse were now neatly filled with professional props.
Moving my gaze to the other side, I saw a pure white background cloth hanging neatly on the installed background stand, echoing the empty tripod in front of it, as if it was eagerly waiting for the shooting to begin.
In the middle of the studio, Zhou Xiao was looking towards the door, holding a broom in one hand. At this moment, Li Ling felt a little regretful. She should have brought her camera with her when she came here!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
