Li Zhizhou said that he felt too constrained when filming art films and documentaries, and many of his ideas were not fully realized.
Liang Liang was prepared to give him a chance to showcase his talents.
"Ah! You really want me to make a movie?" Li Zhizhou looked like a silly boy, his snot practically flowing down his face.
Are you overjoyed?
"Bullshit! I've only made two art films. Now you want me to make movies? That's ridiculous."
"Didn't you say being a director is really interesting? I've given you an opportunity, why aren't you interested?"
"It's not that I'm unwilling, it's just that I've never done it before."
"Once this film is finished, it'll be over."
"Making a film costs a lot of money. If the director is good, it's fine; if the director is bad, the money is wasted."
"Why are you worrying about money? It's mine, you don't have to pay for it. Nobody is born knowing how to do anything. Everyone has to go through an adaptation process. Just do your job, I'll help you."
"Huh! You can direct yourself? Then why did you hire me!"
"I can't direct, but I can watch. If you do something wrong, I can correct it."
With Liang Liang as his guarantor, what did Li Zhizhou have to be afraid of?
It's not his money that's lost.
"When do we start? I need to go back and ask for leave."
"Wait a couple of days, and once we've gathered everyone, we'll get started."
Actors are easy to find, but production crew is harder to find. Anyway, we're going to film at Pingshan Film and Television City. If all else fails, isn't the Opium War crew there? We can just hire a couple of knowledgeable people from that crew to direct the film.
"Where were those people working on those giant objects when you were filming your documentary?"
"It's from the TV station."
"Can we hire him?"
"Probably not! They all have regular jobs. You can ask them to take a few days off, but can you finish filming this movie in just a few days?"
“We can’t finish filming! It will take at least two months, but that’s not a problem. Let me contact the people at the Municipal Party Committee’s Publicity Department and see if we can borrow a few people over, right?”
Li Zhizhou can be a director, but at least he needs a cameraman.
As for the rest, you can go to the film studio to solve them.
"Then why don't you transfer me here too? That way I won't have to go back and ask for leave."
That's not a problem.
"Then let's do it this way. Go back and get ready."
"Alright! I'll go back and prepare."
After Li Zhizhou left, Liang Liang suddenly remembered a question.
Filming takes two months to complete, which means it will be close to November. Then it needs to be submitted for review, and it's scheduled for release during the Chinese New Year...
Is it too late?
After thinking for a moment, Liang Liang made a phone call.
He needs to make sure things are done properly, otherwise he might finish making the movie, only to find that the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television doesn't have time to review it and it can't be released, which would be a waste of his time.
This needs to be seriously investigated, as he has a very wide network of connections in Beijing's entertainment industry.
Actually, Liang Liang knows a few people in the broadcasting industry, but their relationships aren't very good yet.
We need to get Han Chui to put more effort into this in the future.
Two days later, Ge You arrived in Lianwan. When he saw the group of actors who were going to film the movie with him, his eyes widened like a glutinous rice ball for the first time.
"Holy crap! I mean, Han... Hammer, these people are actors?"
“They used to be my employees, now they’re actors. Don’t worry, they’re all supporting roles, you’re the only lead.”
"It's all over! It's all over! Aren't you just using me as a practice subject? My lifelong reputation is going to be ruined by you. I can't film this movie no matter what."
That's what they say, but with a contract in place, it's impossible for him not to film. The 100,000 yuan compensation fee would be a real problem for him.
The main actors are here, but we're still missing a female lead.
Han Chui meant to cast Hannah in the role.
Are you kidding me? I'm making a New Year's comedy and you're putting a blue-eyed, blond guy in it?
Liang Liang asked Xiao Yu if she wanted to act, and Xiao Yu shook her head like a Dutch windmill.
Just when we were wondering who to use, Ming Hongling appeared out of nowhere.
Lanzhi and Zhang Hua have already returned home to prepare for their wedding in the fall.
Ming Hongling should have followed the same pattern, so why did she come back again?
It seems that Ming Hongling and her suitor have run into some trouble, possibly involving a third party.
She came to Haiyun Company seeking comfort when she was angry, which is how she ended up getting involved in this incident.
Liang Liang directly placed her in the film crew.
Once everyone is here, we'll set off.
Liang Liang also returned to Yahe with the film crew and checked into a hotel in the film and television city.
It had only been about twenty days since he last came back, and the film studio had already changed completely.
The Qin Palace and Modern City are already taking shape. Although they are far from being completed, at least outsiders can tell what is being done here.
"I didn't expect your place to be so big!" Ge You said after touring the film and television city.
"This is nothing. Come back in three years and this place will be even more prosperous than the city."
Ge You is a big name in the film and television industry, so Liang Liang gave him a detailed introduction to the film and television city's plans.
"Such a large investment?" Ge You couldn't help but exclaim in amazement when he heard Liang Liang say that the total investment here would exceed one billion yuan.
While Liang Liang accompanied Ge You on a tour of the film and television city, Han Chui swiftly and unexpectedly hired an assistant director and a veteran crew member from the "Opium War" production team at a high price.
Then they had them pick more than ten people from the extras to do odd jobs.
And so a ragtag troupe was formed.
The director was Li Zhizhou, and the camera and sound recording were borrowed from Lianwan TV Station.
Then, we hired an assistant director and an old production assistant from the "Opium War" film crew; the rest of the staff were all brought in on the spot.
This is a ragtag bunch, it's like a joke.
Han Qiang, as the screenwriter, naturally came along as well, and he was there to provide some explanations about the plot.
After the ceremony, regardless of whether the troops were ragtag or not, filming officially began.
The first story in the movie "The Dream Factory" is about a bookseller who dreams of being a U.S. general during World War II.
The scene was quite grand, even involving tanks.
But this is the version from the previous life.
Liang Liang couldn't find any tanks; it wasn't something that could be done with money. Even making fake tanks would take a lot of time, so he simply canceled the project.
Get some green trucks, cover the truck beds with cloth tarps, and drive them across the fields, billowing thick smoke, which looks quite impressive, like a large army advancing.
There was some chaos when filming began.
The actors Han Chui hired were good at bragging and talking nonsense in front of others, but they were just as trembling in front of the camera.
This is normal. They'll probably get used to it and it will become natural.
Liang Liang's role was to tell Li Zhizhou how to shoot this shot and how to set up that shot.
His guess was absolutely right. Two days later, Li Zhizhou had mastered the basics, and the other actors followed suit as well.
Comedy can sometimes be easily fooled with a few laughs, but if you ask these guys to act out a tearful scene, they'd probably be so anxious they'd poop their own intestines.
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