Huayu: From an ordinary person to a happy director

Chapter 19 Finishing

"Don't worry, director. We have been practicing this since we were young." The two rough guys replied solemnly.

They cherish the opportunity to be in the movie very much.

"Okay, use the props to demonstrate it to the crew first. They haven't seen it yet!" Shi Lei ordered.

"Director, where did you watch the iron flower performance?" asked Jia Changbin, the inheritor of intangible cultural heritage.

"This is not important, let's start!" Shi Lei waved his hand and did not answer. Instead, he urged them to start quickly, as now was not the time to chat.

"Okay, you guys start."

Jia Changbin picked up the vessel containing the molten iron and shouted, "Here it comes."

After looking around and seeing that everyone was quite far away, he knocked hard and sparks appeared in the sky, somewhat like fireworks, but somewhat different.

The crew was stunned, and Dong Xuan and Liu Tao couldn't help but exclaimed: "It's so beautiful!"

Hong Jinbao couldn't help but sigh to Chou Zhaolong: "This young man is quite interesting! I wonder where he found such an intangible cultural heritage as iron flower making."

"I think this movie has the potential to be successful. Even though it doesn't have the grand scenes of "Hero" or the bamboo forest of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," the scene of forging iron flowers alone makes the movie worth watching," Zhou Zhaolong echoed.

"This is definitely a plus in China, but abroad, what kind of magical sights have they not seen?" Hong Jinbao couldn't help but mutter.

"The interweaving of white and red, the appearance of ice and fire at the same time, such a scene is really shocking." Zhou Zhaolong has a different opinion.

"Okay, let's just focus on filming first! You're the one who's going to act in it, and making iron flowers has some high requirements for actors. I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about others." Hong Jinbao didn't respond to Zhou Zhaolong's words, but started to worry about the filming.

Ideals are full, but reality is skinny. Whether it will work depends on whether it can be filmed.

After Shi Lei carefully admired the iron flower, he ordered the group of martial artists: "Stand next to Jia Changbin and don't move. The cost of this scene will be doubled. If you get burned, the crew will cover the medical expenses, and there will also be mental compensation."

The martial artists were still hesitating, but when they heard about the extra money, they became excited and walked directly to Jia Changbin, and a group of people surrounded Jia Changbin.

"One more time, all actors are not allowed to move."

"Bang." Molten iron flew into the sky like flowers of heavenly fire.

After the iron flowers dispersed, Shi Lei asked loudly: "How is it? Is anyone burned?"

The martial artists began to check, looking at the arms, legs, and touching the face.

No one mentioned being injured. Shi Lei nodded in satisfaction. Professionals are professionals, and making flower patterns is a performance that is controllable and dangerous.

"Director!" Suddenly someone raised his hand and shouted, "My hair is burnt, will you compensate me for it?"

Shi Lei's face twitched and he looked over to see who was asking such a question. It was normal for martial artists to get injured, as long as it was not serious, the crew would not care. Having burnt hair was not even considered an injury.

Taking a closer look, I saw a silly expression on his face. Is this Wang Baoqiang?

Yo, this is the key to the box office of the next two series, just wait and see.

"Compensation. I'll give you 500 each later as compensation for your hair."

"Thank you, director!" The martial artists expressed their gratitude excitedly.

Five hundred is not a small sum these days.

"Okay, let's get ready to shoot!"

After this personal experience, the martial artists were not so afraid and their performance was pretty good.

On the contrary, Jia Changbin was too nervous and did not grasp the timing well, so he failed to meet the requirements.

Shi Lei is not in a hurry, just take your time! ...

Time passed slowly. The filming of "No One" lasted for more than fifty days and is nearing its end.

The filming took forty-five days in the previous life. In this life, Shi Lei spent more time and money, and the production was more sophisticated.

But this is only compared with his previous life. Hong Jinbao has been filming for many years and has a certain understanding of the filming costs of the crew.

He found Zhou Zhaolong and asked, "How much are you paid for this movie?"

Zhou Zhaolong hesitated for a while, but still didn't say it: "This... I signed a confidentiality agreement and can't say it."

Even if it was Hong Jinbao who asked, it would be too unprincipled to answer it as soon as he asked. At least he should have pulled it back.

Hong Jinbao waved his hand and did not ask any further questions. "Forget it, this is not important. What is important is that I calculated the cost of filming. The cost of filming this film is only 1200 million RMB, which is 150 million US dollars. The difference between this and 1000 million US dollars is too big!"

Since he was not a new member of the crew, he did not get the entire shooting plan, and the martial artists were also not aware of the entire shooting plan. Zhou Zhaolong, who knew the shooting plan, did not tell anyone for confidentiality reasons.

He discovered the trick only after he heard that the filming was about to end.

Chou Zhaolong frowned and said nothing. In fact, he knew the inside story, but he was just a supporting actor who played a villain. It was a rare opportunity for him to play the leading role, so he pretended not to know.

Unexpectedly, Hong Jinbao has now exposed the inside story of the crew, making it impossible for him to pretend anymore.

"I know that, but it's a rare opportunity to play a leading role, and I can't refuse it."

"Alas... you are right." Hong Jinbao sighed and continued, "It just shows that the mainlanders are really unreliable. We still have to organize a group to shoot it ourselves. I already have an idea in mind."

"Is it also a martial arts film?" Zhou Zhaolong couldn't help but ask.

"I want to make a movie about the Imperial Guards. Once the script is ready, I will give you a role." Hong Jinbao was also inspired by "No One".

The protagonist Cheng Xiazi is the 'ghost writer' of the Tang Dynasty, which reminds him of the 'Jinyiwei', and the Jinyiwei is more famous than any unknown 'ghost writer'.

As for who would play the role, his first choice was of course Jet Li, and after Jet Li it was Jackie Chan... As for Chou Zhaolong, he would have ignored him if it weren't for Shi Lei's "No One in My Eyes".

Chou Zhaolong's expression darkened, but he didn't say anything. He had originally run to Hollywood because the Hong Clan couldn't make it. This time he came back he thought he would have another chance in the future. Now it seems that there is a chance, but it won't fall to him.

……

A few days later, the filming was officially wrapped up and the entire crew held a wrap-up party.

At the wrap-up party, Shi Lei gave Humboldt a red envelope and said all kinds of nice things to him, as if the movie could not have been made without Humboldt.

Hong Jinbao was flattered by Shi Lei and he did not expose Shi Lei in the end. Instead, he finished filming the movie step by step.

He had seen even more outrageous crews in Hong Kong, and Shi Lei was not an exception.

After all, he is not a founding member of the crew, otherwise he would have been able to get a share, but unfortunately he is not.

I just don’t know how much Zhou Zhaolong got?

I don't even know how to give anything to his master.

The wrap-up party was full of joy, and people kept toasting director Shi Lei.

There was even a pair of black stockings rubbing against him under the table, making him drunk.

After the wrap party is over, he will definitely be whipped severely. She actually dared to kick him with black silk stockings. This was testing his bottom line.

Liu Tao, who was next to Dong Xuan, glanced sideways, looked at Dong Xuan, then at Shi Lei, with a complicated expression.

(End of this chapter)