Chapter 231 Discussing how to shoot
On the way, I asked Chen Xiaoxia to arrange relevant matters, including confirming two single rooms with the housekeeping department, booking a private room for 10 people with the catering department, and inviting General Xiao and Zhang Qingruo to accompany the guests at noon.
Director Lu said, "You need an assistant."
I smiled and said, "I am still an assistant."
When they arrived at the hotel, Chen Xiaoxia came to greet them personally. Everyone went up to the 17th floor, where a waiter had already led Director Lu and Bai Yun to check in.
When Bai Yun entered the room, I immediately told him that if this could be done, Director Gu would be the most suitable person to play the role of the Women's Director. He clapped his hands and said, "This is a good choice."
I said, "Then let's talk in my room first."
Bai Yun said, "Director Lu can't wait to hear the story."
I called Zaisheng over and he made me some tea. A little later, Director Lu and Baiyun came in, and I introduced them to each other.
The four of them sat down, and Bai Yun said, "This is a very good opportunity. Director Lu is in need of a good script. This kind of serious drama is definitely worth investing in. I didn't hear the details over the phone, so now, let's hurry up. Who's going first?"
"Let me tell you the story, because there are some things that Teacher Zhang finds it difficult to praise herself."
Director Lu said, "Okay."
I adjusted my mood, drank some tea to moisten my throat, placed a recorder on the table, and began to narrate:
Zhang Yimin, my friend, used to run a factory, and business was always good. But as he got used to it, he sometimes got bored and would take time off every year to go on road trips, leaving the factory to his younger brother.
Once, he came to Daliang Mountain and saw that the local children were out of school. When he asked, he found out that either their families could not afford to send them, or there were no teachers willing to teach in the mountains.
Zhang Yimin suddenly had an idea. His younger brother was already fully capable of managing the business, and there was no limit to the money he could make. Why not do something meaningful?
He happened to be having a conflict with his wife, and they broke up peacefully. He decided to go to the mountains to teach. So, he came to Tianshang Village.
Director Lu pressed his hand down. "Stop, stop. Are you planning to teach for the rest of your life, or just for two or three years?"
Zaisheng said, "Two or three years."
Director Lu said: "This is a highlight, very real."
I continue:
When he arrived here, he encountered his first problem. If he didn't know how to climb the suspension ladder, he wouldn't be able to stay here for two or three months, let alone two or three years. So, the first thing he did was to learn how to climb the suspension ladder.
I described the process in detail.
Director Lu said, "Stop, stop, this detail is great. Use all the shots from above and below, it will be shocking."
I also recounted his interviews with writers.
Director Lu said again: "Stop, stop, stop. It would be best if it were spring, with rape blossoms in bloom, and the girl Camellia holding Teacher Zhang's hand. The camera moves from far to near, and the voice-over is introduced, with the sound of birds cooing.
The girl ran in the rapeseed field and shouted: Teacher Zhang is here at my house——Teacher Zhang is here at my house——
When Zaisheng and I heard this, my goodness, it was no longer a question of whether to shoot or not, but they were designing the shot sequence while listening.
I continued to tell him that he led the villagers to develop "sweet tea".
Shengsheng immediately made a cup for everyone. Director Lu took a sip and asked, "Did you really develop this?"
Zaisheng nodded, and Director Lu said, "That's great. This is not only a story about teaching in rural areas, but also a story about how to revitalize a village."
Although Bai Yun put down the recorder, he continued to record on the notebook.
I continued my story: there were more students, school buildings, computers, and tea was developed. Tianshang Village held the ancient "Weiwu Mu" ceremony to thank Mr. Zhang.
After I finished talking about the film "Weiwumu", Director Lu said to Bai Yun, "This film deserves the award from the two of us. No one else will invest, but we two will, and I'll pay the lion's share.
What an ancient ritual, what a beautiful scene! I want to go there and teach, and enjoy the three most beautiful girls pouring water for me."
Everyone laughed and blushed.
I recounted the last scene: in order to keep Teacher Zhang, the village arranged for Qian'er to fall in love with him. They even held a Torch Festival for him to celebrate their marriage.
At this point, Director Lu asked me to stop and told him to think about it.
Everyone was silent, and he suddenly slammed the table and said, "The ending needs to be changed. Art is the distillation of life, it doesn't have to be realistic. The beginning can be realistic, but the end can't be realistic."
Bai Yun said, "Yes, it must have a romantic touch. Art can be expressed in extreme ways."
Director Lu was afraid that I didn't understand, so he explained:
"The truth is that which goes against common sense. For example, when a person is extremely happy, they cry, and when a person is extremely sad, they laugh. And they laugh out loud."
I said, “Yes, just like writing a novel, some people only know how to find flaws, this is not true, that is fake.
In fact, fiction is the art of exaggeration. Only by exaggerating to the extreme can it arouse others' love or hatred."
Director Lu smiled and said, "It seems I don't need to explain to the master."
I smiled and said, "I am just adding insult to injury."
Bai Yun pondered for a moment: "Is this a good ending? Teacher Zhang still has to leave. After all, he can't stay in Tianshang Village forever." So, the village head and the women's director decided to use ancient customs to keep Teacher Zhang.
This ancient custom is that once a man sees a woman's body, he must marry her.
On a spring evening, Qian'er was ready to sacrifice herself for the development of the village. She knocked on Teacher Zhang's door and tearfully begged him to stay.
Teacher Zhang was very conflicted. On one side was a prosperous city, and on the other side was a backward mountain village. Moreover, he had already completed the three-year teaching mission he had promised.
While Teacher Zhang was hesitating, Qian'er began to unbutton the first button, close-up, and then unbuttoned the second button, close-up.
When she had discarded the first top, she knelt down and unhooked her bra.
Teacher Zhang stopped her and said, "Qian'er, don't be silly."
At this moment, thousands of torches lit up outside the house. Thousands of voices shouted in unison:
Teacher Zhang, married her,
Teacher Zhang, married her,
Teacher Zhang, marry her!
Teacher Zhang put his clothes on Qian'er and knelt down opposite her, tears streaming down her face. He choked and said, "Get up. I promise you."
As Bai Yun finished speaking, Director Lu and I applauded vigorously. Meanwhile, Shengsheng was already in tears.
Director Lu slammed his fist on the coffee table and said, "I can't wait to start filming tomorrow."
I said, "The director of women's affairs is the key to this play."
Bai Yun understood: "Yes, it has to be beautiful, but not too beautiful."
I said, "Marrying an 18-year-old daughter to a 32-year-old man was too hasty. The audience thought she was after Teacher Zhang's money. It was too passive and did not reflect her ideological realm for the progress of the mountain village.
So when Teacher Bai was writing, she had to give the director of women's affairs more scenes. It took a lot of thought to get the audience to accept it. And when the actors performed, they had to get the timing right."
Bai Yun said, "It's a difficult task."
Director Lu's enthusiasm also dropped a lot. It is not difficult to write it, but the difficult part is to find suitable actors.
I said, "Director Lu, I have someone to recommend. It's Director Gu from our provincial troupe. His acting is impeccable and he's even won the Plum Blossom Award. As for whether he's up to the task, you have the final say."
Bai Yun said, "I know him too, and his age matches. He's probably in his 30s."
Director Lu asked, "Can we get in touch?"
"I think I saved her number. Let me try."
Just dialed and said a few words.
Director Lu said, "Tell her to come over immediately."
I said, "Come over even if you're rehearsing. We're about to have dinner, so come over here and eat. Oh, you want to change clothes? No need to change clothes, just keep your clothes on."
Everybody laughed wildly, even Shengsheng started laughing.
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