Chapter 433: Feng Xuan’s Strict Requirements
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Since a long time ago, Feng Xuan had been well-known for his taking good care of the newcomers. Otherwise, Guan Biao wouldn’t have blended into the film and television industry so easily. Right now, he was comforting Zhang Zian, telling him not to be nervous, but to just treat filming as an everyday thing.
Zhang Zian really was not that nervous. He wasn’t going to perform, and he didn’t rely on this job to support him. Even if he did screw up and was dismissed from the crew, it would not be a big deal for him.
While they were talking, they arrived at the shooting site. Most of the work for filming scenes in the backyard had been properly arranged by the deputy director, who was standing and talking with the production director, Nie Yuan. They were waiting for Feng Xuan. Since it was not the first day of filming, everyone seemed to be getting along well with each other, and the staff members were walking around methodically.
Feng Xuan sat on his exclusive chair. In front of him was a small coffee table with a copy of the script, a storyboard derived from the script, a walkie-talkie, a loudspeaker, and a monitor. On one side of the table was a pair of headphones for monitoring. In addition to these, the coffee table also had a thermos bottle made of aluminum alloy. It was unknown whether the bottle was filled with tea or coffee. Zhang Zian wondered if Feng Xuan had learned this habit from Christopher Nolan.
Looking around and not seeing any chair for him, Zhang Zian had to stand with several other people beside Feng Xuan, and pretended to look at the monitor.
Zhang Zian felt that the busiest and most tired people in the crew should be the lighting technicians and their assistants, who were holding lamps and reflectors to enhance the brightness of the filming venue.
Feng Xuan instructed Zhang Zian to bring Famous in. After he did that, Zhang Zian assumed that his task was done. Just when he was about to leave, Feng Xuan told him not to move. In addition to Zhang Zian and Famous, the cinematographer, lighting technician, art designer, and Lin Feng were all called into the acting area by Feng Xuan, who would personally walk Famous and Lin Feng through their role.
The first shot of the fully-grown Lighting was the scene when Lightning saw Lin Feng walk into the police dog training base. It would rush towards him from afar, and Lin Feng would timely open his arms. Lightning would jump into Lin Feng’s arms and lick his face affectionately. Before this scene, Lighting had always been a puppy on camera, so at this time, the main camera would adopt the low height tracking method to film Famous as it ran, to emphasize its strength and beauty as a full grown dog.
Walking through the actors’ roles, also as known as blocking, was conducted by a director who would lead the actors in the certain scene to roughly interpret the story so that the actors have a basic idea about what was to happen. In the past, movies were shot by film cameras, coupled with a tight budget, so neither the director nor the producers could afford to waste the films. They would make sure everyone present knew exactly what to do before they actually started shooting. Although movies nowadays were made with digital cameras, and they didn’t need to consider the issue of the number of films, the filmmakers from the older generation still retained the habit of blocking. So did Feng Xuan. Having practiced this habit for many years, he wasn’t able to change even if he wanted to. He was the soul of the crew, so everyone must follow his habits.
In fact, in addition to saving films and time, blocking could also save shooting time and money, especially in some difficult and spectacular scenes, such as blasting scenes, or car chases that required the road to be blocked off. Several blocking practices and rehearsals must be conducted before the formal shooting of such scenes.
Feng Xuan asked Lin Feng to stand still. He led Zhang Zian and Famous to the starting point and said, “Wait for my instruction, and you tell Famous to run the route so the videographer will have a rough understanding of its running speed. During the real filming, the camera can keep up with it.” Feng Xuan stepped back a bit to observe the venue through the monitor. When he felt it was almost ready, he shouted, “Run!”
Without waiting for the instruction from Zhang Zian, Famous set off, but its speed was slower than in the audition, and it also leapt higher as it ran so that its posture was more beautiful and that the camera could track it more easily. This was exactly what Feng Xuan wanted to tell Zhang Zian. Feng Xuan could not help but be amazed by Famous. It was as if it had read his mind. After running to the designated position, Famous returned to the starting point, waiting for the next instruction.
Feng Xuan was very satisfied with Famous’s impeccable performance, but he found that there was a trace of fear on Lin Feng’s face. After all, it was frightening when a fully-grown dog was about to lunge into him.
Feng Xuan went to the camera position and instructed the camera operator in detail to slightly change the position of the camera, and to remind him about ascending and descending the track, even including the matter of the focal length of the lens. According to his request, the camera assistant marked the changes of the movement of the camera.
Due to the excellent performance of Famous, the blocking went well. And then it was time to adjust the lighting.
In this scene, there was only one line. Lin Feng held Famous in his arms. He was in tears as he said excitedly, “Lightning, I miss you so much!”
The recording assistant helped Lin Feng put on a wireless microphone. The art designer and camera operator were coordinating the clean-up of the venue according to the track that was just confirmed. The cinematographer and the lightning technician were discussing the issues of lighting and supplementary lighting.
Seeing that everyone was super busy except him, Zhang Zian was a bit embarrassed, and he tried to find something to do. He saw that Xu Junyu was smiling and waving at him, indicating for him to go to her.
Leaving Famous, Zhang Zian excitedly walked over to her and asked, “Do you have anything for me to do?”
“No, I think you seem restless because you are idle. So, I decided to call you over to give you a few tips. Just consider it me repaying your favor,” Xu Junyu said calmly as if she was an older sister with more life wisdom.
Zhang Zian was puzzled. “Instruct about what?”
Xu Junyu raised her chin towards the busy crew members and said, “You are embarrassed because they are busy and you are not, so you are trying to act busy too, right?”
Zhang Zian was shocked that she could tell. “How did you know?” he asked.
“Oh, how did you know why I named my cat Charlotte? Because you know the habits of Sphynx cats. Likewise, I understand how a crew works, so I can figure out what you are thinking.” She said confidently, “Newcomers, such as yourself, often worry about others saying that they are slacking off, so they want to find something to do. But as a result, get in the way of the normal work of others. I was just like you when I started with the crew. I saw an actor whose hair was messed up by the wind, and I passionately rushed into the acting area to reapply makeup for him. I blocked the camera, so I was severely scolded by the deputy director. Hence, if the director or deputy director asks you to do something, just do it. If there’s nothing for you to do, just feel at ease and watch from the side. As for how much you can learn from observing, that depends on your own ability.”
“Well, okay, I see.” Zhang Zian humbly accepted her instructions.
“You see, unlike you, your dog is very composed and squatting quietly.” She laughed. Famous was quietly sitting at the starting point. Though people were coming and going around it, it remained calm.
The deputy director gestured at Xu Junyu. She nodded at Zhang Zian, picked up a cosmetic bag, trotted into the acting area, and deftly reapplied makeup for Lin Feng.
This was the first time Zhang Zian caught a glimpse of the complexity and professionalism in filming. To shoot such a simple scene, it took dozens of people such a long time and great effort before the formal shooting started. The process was not as easy as he had imagined.
After checking several times and confirming there was no problem, Feng Xuan finally sat back in his director’s chair. He picked up the loudspeaker and said, “Attention all divisions! Lighting, art design, green screen! Get ready! Act six, scene one. 3…2…1…action!”
To avoid making Famous seem too intelligent, Zhang Zian stood at a position near the finishing point that was not on camera, in order to give signals to Famous. In the eyes of the others, they would think that Famous behaved according to his command.
As the “action” was shouted, and after Zhang Zian waved at it, Famous rushed towards forward as it had before. The camera closely followed it at a low position to shoot its close-up image. Through the monitor in front of him, Feng Xuan could see that Famous used every muscle as it ran, completely displaying its strength and beauty. The look in its eyes that was full of the attachment to its owner made it seem especially marvelous.
Famous’s running speed was almost exactly the same as in the rehearsal, so the cinematographer smoothly controlled the camera, and was looking at the world from its perspective.
Carrying an army green package, Lin Feng appeared at the entrance of the police dog training base. He saw Famous running to him, so he put the package down, and knelt on the ground. He opened his arms and shouted, “Lightning, I miss you so much!”
Before Famous really lunged into his arms, Feng Xuan shouted, “Cut!” Lin Feng looked at him confused, not sure what went wrong in this scene.
Feng Xuan picked up the loudspeaker and shouted, “Lin Feng, your action was wrong! Don’t just put down the package. Bang! you should throw it on the ground to show your joy as you’re about to be reunited with Lightning. Again!”
Zhang Zian made a gesture, and Famous obediently returned to the starting point.
“3…2…1…action!”
“Cut! Lin Feng, you knelt too slowly! Act six, scene one again!
“Cut! Lighting division, what happened to the light? Too dazzling! Again!
“Cut! Dressing division, arrange Lin Feng’s clothes! Again!”
…
“Pass! Take a rest for 10 minutes, prepare for the next scene!” Hearing the long-awaited sentence, people were relieved to be able to relax their aching arms and legs.
Such a simple scene was filmed six times before Feng Xuan was finally satisfied. Famous’s performance was impeccable. Its running speed was the same in every retake.
Apart from the crew members, there were also other dogs that served important supporting roles who had their owners present. Watching Famous’s performance, especially its cooperation with Zhang Zian, unless some owners held prejudice against them, all the dog owners felt that if their dogs were going to play this scene, they certainly could not meet the strict requirements of Feng Xuan.
“How do you feel?” Xu Junyu laughed.
“Tired! So tired!” Zhang Zian shook his head.
