OBS Chapter 6: So this is how filming works
Chapter 6: So this is how filming works
In Zhang Jun's previous life, film cameras had become a hobby for a select few.
The widespread adoption of digital cameras, coupled with the application of AI technology, has led to a more convenient model for film and television production.
Coincidentally, Zhang Jun was a film enthusiast, and in his previous life he had collected several antique cameras made in the 1970s.
This includes the Peace 35 camera and the Hongqi S-16 camera.
Antique dealers offered high prices to buy it, but Zhang Jun refused to sell.
Therefore, Zhang Jun still knows how to use a film camera, and he is quite skilled at it.
However, Zhang Jun still needed to familiarize himself with the film production methods of the film reel era. No one doubted that although Zhang Jun had shown great talent, he was, after all, a novice.
It's understandable that beginners might feel a bit flustered when first taking photos.
However, after adapting, Zhang Jun quickly demonstrated his abilities, and he carried out the filming with ease.
Although none of the actors had experience, their performances under his guidance were quite convincing. Zhao Liangchen, in particular, brought out his dark and brooding personality to the fullest.
Although Ye Xiaoyi did not act in the film, she served as a script supervisor, doing odd jobs on set, such as applying makeup to the actors.
After watching two days of filming, Ye Xiaoyi noticed that Zhang Jun rarely got angry and was very patient.
As the president of the film association, she also knows about film directors and knows that many film directors are actually very short-tempered.
Her favorite movie is "Titanic," directed by James Cameron, who is known as a tyrant on set, but Zhang Jun seems quite different.
Watching Zhang Jun discussing the scene with Lao Hu, she asked cinematographer Li Dahui curiously, "Is this normal for him? He seems different from the directors I know."
Li Dahui said, "Every director has a different style, but it's rare to find someone as good-tempered as Director Zhang."
Lighting technician Wang Guoqiang said, "Don't let the director's good temper fool you, he's really skilled at directing, it doesn't seem like he's directing for the first time."
"It was indeed his first time directing, at least that's what he told me."
Ye Xiaoyi looked at Zhang Jun, and the girl's intuition told her that Zhang Jun was hiding a secret.
Zhang Jun didn't care about any of that. After finishing his discussion with Zhao Liangchen and Lao Hu, he called for filming to begin again.
Besides director Zhang Jun, there are two other professionals in the crew: Li Dahui and Wang Guoqiang. The rest of the crew are basically members of the film association who make cameo appearances.
However, Zhang Jun explained everyone's tasks very clearly, so no problems arose.
The short film crew is small, but if you want to make a feature film, no matter how capable Zhang Jun is, you still need to find a group of professionals.
Even a big director like Zhang Yimou needs professional talent under his command; he couldn't manage a group of college students.
"Alright, listen up, scene four, shot two, get ready!"
Filming took place in a coffee shop next to the school, and Zhao Liangchen was already wearing sunglasses to pretend to be blind. The manager, played by Lao Hu, was simply named Lao Hu; Zhang Jun was too lazy to come up with a name, so he took a shortcut.
The film shows the two talking in a coffee shop, when a student acting as a waiter throws down some pastries and walks away.
Zhang Jun had already explained the scene four or five times, and the two actors basically understood the feeling he wanted, resulting in a good performance.
The entire audience fell silent, watching the two perform.
"This waiter is really something."
Zhao Liangchen grasped the details of the performance; his character was pretending to be blind. But he would still subconsciously glance at the waiter, who confirmed that he wasn't actually blind.
In this scene, Manager Hu asks Xiao Zhao why he suddenly has more clients.
"Have there been any customer complaints?" Xiao Zhao continued eating his candy.
"not yet!"
"Is it because my performance improved that you're firing me?"
Old Hu suddenly became agitated: "Nonsense, I just received a call this morning saying they were looking for a blind piano tuner."
"stop!"
Zhang Jun called a halt, then walked over to the two actors and said to Lao Hu, "Make your tone more intense, and slam your hand on the table while speaking to better express the character's emotions."
Lao Hu said he understood.
Zhang Jun then said to the students playing customers around him, "Although the camera can only see your general figures, I hope everyone can immerse themselves in the role."
When Lao Hu slams his fist on the table, you all glance in his direction out of curiosity.
"Got it, director!" The students laughed and joked, finding the filming process quite interesting.
Thanks to Zhang Jun's patient guidance, the filming of this scene was completed in less than a morning. Then the crew moved to another location to film the part where Wu Yao sacrifices herself for art.
On the way to the next location, Ye Xiaoyi asked curiously, "Senior, I feel like you can act? Brother Li said you could be an actor."
Zhang Jun shrugged: "Many directors can act. A certain director even won a Best Actor award. It's normal for me to be able to act."
You can consider this ability a talent; some people are born to act.
Although he was a director in his previous life, he could also act. Sometimes, when the mood struck him, he would even indulge in some cameos in the movies he directed, like the kind of Easter eggs that Stan Lee makes in Marvel movies.
Although he may not be at the level of an award-winning actor, he can still easily bully inexperienced extras like Zhao Liangchen.
Upon arriving at the filming location, Wu Yao was already prepared.
"Do we need to clear the area?" Zhang Jun asked.
Wu Yao looked at the large group of people and felt very shy, so she nodded.
So Zhang Jun ordered Ye Xiaoyi to clear the area, but the students who were watching the commotion were unhappy. However, Lao Hu maintained order and managed to get everyone out.
After the room was cleared, there were six people in total, including the two actors.
However, it was Wu Yao's first time acting in this kind of role, so it was inevitable that she was shy, and her performance in the first few takes was not good.
Zhang Jun stopped and patiently instructed Wu Yao: "Don't get too immersed in your role. In the film, your character is naked, but when we were filming, you were wearing safety underwear and safety pants."
Think about those bikini-clad women on the beach; your figure is hotter than theirs, you should be proud.
Wu Yao nodded: "Give me some time..."
"good!"
Zhang Jun then went over to Zhao Liangchen, who was sitting in front of the piano, and gave him some acting advice: "Don't keep staring at other people's chests and thighs. We're not making a pornographic film."
You admire the beautiful scenery before you, but you're pretending to be blind, so your gaze isn't focused, you know?
Zhao Liangchen was somewhat embarrassed after being caught.
He glanced at Ye Xiaoyi before replying softly, "Understood, Director."
Filming resumed quickly, and Wu Yao, now free of her inhibitions, performed well. This scene, a sacrifice for art, was completed in just three takes.
When the actors came out, the students who were waiting outside were very curious and surrounded Wu Yao and Zhao Liangchen to ask for information.
One of Zhao Liangchen's lackeys fawned over him, saying, "Brother Chen, wasn't this scene quite erotic?"
In the past, Zhao Liangchen would have boasted, but today he was different: "What are you talking about? We're not filming a porn movie."
This is an artistic creation; let's be serious.
"Yes, yes, Brother Chen is right, it is artistic creation."
The henchman verbally agreed, but inwardly he was cursing.
You didn't say that a couple of days ago. You said you could play with Wu Yao's legs for a year.
You're all perverts, why are you pretending to be innocent?
After this scene, Wu Yao's work was over.
Before leaving, she said to Zhang Jun with great interest: "At first, Xiao Yi told me that a senior in college had written a script and was going to direct it himself. I thought she was just teasing me."
But after these few days of filming, I've discovered that you are truly talented, and I look forward to seeing your films in theaters someday.
"You'll see, and I look forward to it, that there will be an actress named Wu Yao in the entertainment industry in the future," Zhang Jun replied.
After Wu Yao left, the most crucial scene in the film arrived.
The performance of Aunt Qian, the female employer played by Aunt Qian, is very important, and Aunt Qian's husband is a professor in the Department of Economics and Management.
Anyway, you don't need to say anything; just sitting there and pretending to be dead is enough.
The professor, surnamed Li, had heard about the commotion caused by the students. So when Ye Xiaoyi went to ask him, he immediately agreed.
"Xiao Yi, is that Zhang Jun?" Professor Li asked, pointing to Zhang Jun who was busy at work.
"Yes."
Ye Xiaoyi spoke with great pride, as if Zhang Jun's prowess was her own.
"Senior Zhang Jun is very talented; he wrote the script. He's the key to making our short film go so smoothly."
"Really?" Professor Li looked at Zhang Jun curiously.
This young man is tall and strong, handsome, and exudes maturity and confidence—qualities rarely seen in a young person.
Meanwhile, Zhang Jun was giving instructions to the nervous Aunt Qian: "Auntie, just act it out the way we're telling you, and let's see how it goes."
I'll explain any subsequent adjustments to you in detail later.
Aunt Qian was still very nervous. She hadn't thought much about the performances of actors in TV dramas back then. But she never imagined that one day she would become an actress herself.
"Xiao Zhang, this...is this going to work? I've never acted before!" When the time came, Aunt Qian started to back down.
Zhang Jun patiently reassured him, "Of course it can work. You've already auditioned, so I guarantee there won't be any problems."
Besides, I'm still here!
"Well... okay then!"
Aunt Qian thought to herself that since she was already here, there was no way to back down now, so she might as well put on a good show.
And so, the final scene of "The Tuner" began to be filmed.
When Xiao Zhao arrived at Aunt Qian's door, Aunt Qian refused to open it the first two times, trying to send him away. But he kept ringing the doorbell, attracting the attention of the neighbors next door.
Fearing exposure, Aunt Qian had no choice but to invite Xiao Zhao into the house. As soon as Xiao Zhao entered, he saw Professor Li, who was playing the role of a corpse. Startled, he tripped and fell, covered in blood.
Although Aunt Qian hesitated before filming began, once she got into character, she was even more enthusiastic than Zhao Liangchen, and her facial expressions were quite impressive.
Zhang Jun used the praise method, praising Aunt Qian's performance after each take, which made Aunt Qian's mood better and better.
After several days of filming, Zhao Liangchen seemed to have found the knack for acting, and the sweat on his forehead and the fear in his eyes were hard to hide.
But he remained calm and pretended to be nonchalant.
With Aunt Qian standing imposingly behind Xiao Zhao, he could only pretend he knew nothing and continue playing the piano.
The character has a lot of monologues, but Zhang Jun plans to use voice acting.
But this scene, accompanied by beautiful piano music, was incredibly powerful despite the two actors not uttering a single line. The students watching in the audience were so captivated that they barely dared to breathe, completely mesmerized by the performance.
Ye Xiaoyi got goosebumps all over her body. Although it was a suspenseful short film, she felt the atmosphere of a horror movie.
After the scene ended, all the students applauded, giving a round of applause to the two actors for their wonderful performance.
At the same time, let's give a round of applause to Zhang Jun.
Members of the two film associations clapped and excitedly exchanged glances: "I think we can win an award this time."
"I also think this scene was fantastic."
Zhao Liangchen grinned, looking at the admiring glances cast his way by the female students around him, and suddenly felt that it was all worth it.
He'll have something to brag about when he picks up girls in the future. Maybe he'll even become a real star and start dating female celebrities!
Ye Xiaoyi? The arrogant Zhao Liangchen had already forgotten about her.
Aunt Qian calmed down a bit, but she was still very excited. She felt that she could tell her husband and son about her wonderful experiences over the past few days for a long time.
Professor Li, having recovered from his near-death experience, spoke to Zhang Jun: "At first, I didn't believe you could cause any trouble."
But based on this one performance alone, I think winning an award is no problem.
Zhang Jun replied, "Not necessarily. What if there's an even better work?"
"Besides, I know a bit about things in the entertainment industry. Whether you win an award or not depends on connections, not so much on the quality of your work."
Professor Li replied arrogantly, "As long as your short film is of good quality, no one will dare to rig things behind the scenes. You are a student of Tsinghua University."
Oh right, Zhang Jun suddenly remembered that he was now representing Tsinghua University in the competition.
If someone pulls a stunt and selects a short film that is completely inferior to "Andhadhun", what do you expect the leaders of Tsinghua University to think?
Perhaps bigger awards and bigger figures can ignore Tsinghua University, but the judges of the College Student Film Festival probably can't ignore it.