Ten days into the voyage, as Fang Yang was arranging filming for Tang Qiang, Ma Zhongyuan approached with a smile. "President Fang, the fleet is about to dock. When would you like to schedule the filming? I'll make the arrangements, and then we'll land for resupply and the next round of escort."
Fang Yang saw the land faintly visible in the distance and said happily, "It would be best if we could see the land. Give us an afternoon to finish filming. Thank you, Deputy Ma, for taking care of us along the way. You have truly made us feel the spirit of our soldiers."
Ma Zhongyuan laughed and said, "It's all as we should do. You're really filming our current situation. I also hope you can make a blockbuster movie so that our soldiers can go home with their heads held high and feel the envy of their fellow villagers."
Fang Yang smiled and said, "This is the responsibility of us entertainment workers. Not only here, but we are also filming a TV series about a female special forces team in the Southeast Military Region. After a series of publicity, the spirit of our soldiers protecting the country and making silent contributions will surely penetrate into every household. I believe that the idea that there are always people carrying the burden behind the lights of every home will inspire our masses to re-examine the profession of soldiers."
Ma Zhongyuan patted Fang Yang hard on the shoulder, "I thank you on behalf of our soldiers!"
Fang Yang opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then decided against it. This was a pure soldier, with no other thoughts in his heart besides the honor of being a soldier. This purity deserves respect!
Tang Qiang had already directed the crew to set up the camera, waiting for the warship to approach the mainland line to start filming. They were almost close to the land, but it still took them almost half an hour to reach the suitable location. People used to say that looking at a mountain makes a horse run itself to death, but here it was like looking at land and burning oil in vain. That was absolutely true.
According to the requirements of the footage, Fang Yang instructed Ma Zhongyuan to direct the other two warships to the designated positions to take the shots. Only then did he have the three warships line up in formation and release drones to film the formation of the ships advancing side by side from the air. Just before reaching the port, all the shots were taken. Then, at Ma Zhongyuan's reminder, they quickly packed up the drones. This was a military dock, so all photography was prohibited. Fortunately, after Ma Zhongyuan's inspection, there were no violations, so they were allowed to pack up and prepare to enter the port.
Everyone cheered after disembarking. After more than ten days of sailing, once the initial novelty wore off, probably no one wanted to stay on the ship anymore. The sense of security after landing was overwhelming, not only for those who were seasick, but even for those who weren't. The boredom of being on the ship was unbearable. Life without the internet was just too miserable!
The soldiers on board have a three-day rest period. Even though they spend most of their time at sea, they still habitually go ashore to rest for a while. This is the nature of land creatures, regardless of the circumstances or profession.
Fang Yang and Tang Qiang bid farewell to Ma Zhongyuan and Lin Hai, who had rushed over, thanking them for their care during this period. Although they were only carrying out military orders, their honest cooperation during this time had greatly facilitated the crew and enabled all the scenes on the warship to be filmed smoothly. These were favors, and although they did not need to be repaid, it was still necessary to express their gratitude.
After resting for three days at the hotel, the entire crew had recovered their energy and spirits. Producer Xiao Zhengguang, who was scouting locations in Rwanda, also rushed over and took Fang Yang to a place not far from the naval port. "President Fang, this is a good filming location that I found. Moreover, it is a safe distance away from the naval port, so there is no problem if we want to reshoot the warship scenes."
Fang Yang took a look and found that it was actually a hillside by the sea. The trees on the hill were not very dense, but it had mountains, sea, and trees, which was very fitting for the scene described in the script. The simple houses required for the plot had already been built, and filming could begin immediately.
"Have you registered with the local government?"
It was clear that Xiao Zhengguang had made all the preparations in advance, but Fang Yang still asked a few questions, mainly to avoid some trouble.
"Everything is prepared. The local government is very enthusiastic. When the filming officially starts, a group of police officers will come to maintain order."
Fang Yang was still worried, so he went up the mountain to take a look. "This place is nice. Go tell them that we'll start filming tomorrow."
Xiao Zhengguang agreed with a smile, but Tang Qiang said with a bitter face, "Now there is another problem, which is the guns and ammunition. I originally thought that we would only need them in Rwanda, but when I read the script, there are also many gunfight scenes here. Without guns and ammunition, how can we shoot these scenes?"
Fang Yang laughed and said, "I've already thought about this. If it were anywhere else, it might be difficult, but what kind of place is this? It's Pakistan! Applying for a batch of firearms and ammunition for the exercise from the government shouldn't be a problem. Producer Xiao, go and coordinate with the local government. We'll cover the cost, just be quick!"
Tang Qiang was dumbfounded. "You can do it like that?"
Xiao Zhengguang explained with a smile, "It's obviously not possible in other places, but it's still very likely in Pakistan. Besides, we also have a license from the Central Military Commission, which gives us a lot of face in some friendly countries."
Tang Qiang didn't dwell on the matter. Since it was already decided, he called the production crew to come and set up the set, and at the same time arranged for someone to find some extras. These things had to be arranged in advance, otherwise, every day of delay would cost the crew a lot of money.
The following day, Fang Yang began filming the scene of the evacuation of overseas Chinese at the dock. Due to the intensity of the battle, Fang Yang used a 3D camera lens for the first time in this segment. At first, due to the problems of the first collaboration, the footage was not ideal and a lot of shots were wasted. It wasn't until two days later that he found his rhythm and the filming gradually went smoothly.
After just two days of filming, Zhang Ze was exhausted. It wasn't just mental exhaustion; the weather was incredibly hot. Wearing the combat uniform that covered his entire body, he would be soaked in sweat with the slightest movement. To conceal the watermarks, all the combat uniforms were non-breathable. Filming in such high temperatures was like being roasted in a sweltering oven. The intense heat caused Zhang Ze to lose a significant amount of weight in just two days.
It wasn't just Zhang Ze; everyone else was having a hard time. The main problem was the heat. They would sweat profusely with the slightest movement, and the intensity of filming increased right from the start. Many shots involved a dozen or twenty people in the same frame, and if even one person didn't handle it well, the scene had to be reshot. It wasn't just the extras who made mistakes; the main cast members also made numerous errors. The sound of "NG" kept coming from Fang Yang's mouth. Not only Fang Yang, but even Tang Qiang had blisters on his lips. The weather was so hot that even drinking water couldn't stop the urge to curse.
The filming of this scene was a bumpy affair. It was originally planned to be completed in a week, but it ended up taking nearly twenty days. When Fang Yang announced that filming was over, the entire crew collapsed on the ground, unwilling to get up. It was just too exhausting. The real test was yet to come, but they never expected that even the simplest scene would take so long to film. This was something the entire crew had not anticipated!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com