The online drama that Fang Xing is planning to shoot this time is "The Beginning".
This drama is adapted from the novel of the same name by Mr. Qiu. It tells the story of the male and female protagonists who are resurrected from the dead after a bus explosion and endlessly loop on the bus to find the cause of the explosion.
After the director is decided, the crew construction is basically completed.
The actors are being finalized one after another, and the filming location has been selected.
However, the filming locations are not consistent.
Since there are a lot of bus shots in "The Beginning", it needs to be shot on the highway.
Therefore, the crew communicated with the transportation department and decided to set the filming location on a newly built secondary highway.
Since this secondary highway is newly built, the traffic volume is not large.
The crew communicated with the traffic department and closed one lane for two hours every day during off-peak hours for filming.
Therefore, shots on the highway need to be concentrated to reduce the impact on traffic.
The bridge filming location was chosen separately, not in the same place as the highway filming location.
Therefore, the road shots and the bridge shots need to be shot separately.
Of course, after the film is cut out, the bus travels on the road to the intersection, then turns and goes onto the bridge, which looks coherent.
These shots that would affect traffic were all gathered together and shot in the shortest possible time.
Moreover, with simultaneous shooting from multiple cameras, aerial photography and post-production special effects, shots shot once can be edited and used repeatedly.
After that, the shots inside the bus were much easier to shoot and could be shot on any similar road.
You can even shoot in a studio without worrying about affecting traffic.
…
Fang Xing had already discussed with Zhang Yigao the number of shooting scenes and the split-shot script, and only after they were finalized, the filming officially started.
March 21st, the Spring Equinox.
Ark Culture's new drama "The Beginning" has officially started filming.
The first scene was filmed where Tao Yinghong, who had lost her beloved daughter, got on the bus carrying a pressure cooker.
At eight o'clock in the morning, the actors started putting on makeup.
Fang Xing and Zhang Yigao sat under a sun umbrella and discussed how to shoot this scene.
Since there are two directors, how to cooperate with each other needs to be adjusted.
In this regard, Fang Xing is relatively experienced.
I have worked with He Rongchang before, so I know exactly what part of the work each is responsible for.
"You don't have to worry. Our division of labor actually doesn't overlap much. I'm mainly responsible for talking to the actors about the scenes, and you're responsible for camera placement and shooting. I'll be responsible for telling the scenes, okay?" Fang Xing took the initiative.
Divide the scope of work.
When Zhang Yigao heard this proposal, his eyes gradually began to show confidence.
In fact, what he was most afraid of was being used as a puppet by Fang Xing and pinned down in a chair.
Of course, what he is more afraid of is that he will be used as a puppet and he will be blamed for the bad movie that will be made in the end.
Now, Fang Xing is mainly responsible for lecturing the actors, and Zhang Yigao agrees.
Because Zhang Yigao has carefully studied Fang Xing's performance in "Wulin Gaiden".
His acting skills shown by Fang Xing are highly praised.
Therefore, Zhang Yigao felt that Fang Xing was competent when it came to narrating plays for actors.
At nine o'clock.
The actors' makeup was completed. Liu Lanying, an actress from the National Theater who was dressed as Tao Yinghong, walked to the bus stop to look around and familiarize herself with the shooting location.
In "The Beginning".
The character "Tao Yinghong" was originally a chemistry teacher, but later moved to the city where her daughter had an accident and worked as a quality inspector in a chemical factory.
The character Tao Yinghong is undoubtedly a tragic character. Her beloved daughter passed away in a bus accident.
From then on, she embarked on the road to find the truth, and in the process, she became more and more desperate and crazy.
However, her madness is hidden under her calm appearance, forming a strong contrast.
Fang Xing saw Liu Lanying already in place, stepped forward and asked, "Teacher Liu, we are ready to start, is that okay?"
Liu Lanying nodded and replied: "No problem."
As an actor at the National Theater, she memorized the script by heart as soon as she got it. She is an absolute model in terms of professionalism.
Fang Xing waved to the prop team and shouted, "Bring the pressure cooker over here."
The props team brought over a pressure cooker with a red plastic island and placed it at Liu Lanying's feet.
Fang Xing bent down and lifted the pressure cooker and said, "Teacher Liu, please try this weight first to see if it works.
“When we start shooting later, we need to show that the pressure cooker is a bit heavy and you need two hands to lift it on the bus.
"If the props are too heavy, you can ask the prop team to lighten the weight a little."
When actors perform lifting heavy objects, they don't need to actually lift a heavy object. They can perform the appearance of being overwhelmed by lifting a foam box.
Of course, there is a difference between lifting real heavy objects and lifting foam.
Liu Lanying reached out to lift the pressure cooker, shook her head and said: "It's too light, you can add a little more weight."
The person in charge of the props team ran up and asked: "Teacher Liu, this pot weighs six kilograms now. Do we really need to add more? If it is too heavy, it will be very tiring."
Liu Lanying smiled and said: "If I buy a watermelon weighing more than ten kilograms, I can carry it upstairs. It's not like walking ten kilometers. How tiring will it be to get on the bus? Let's add it to twenty kilograms first."
The props team leader gave a thumbs up and said: "Teacher Liu is so dedicated, I will join you now."
Adding weight to a pressure cooker is easy, just put a few bricks in it.
After adding the weight, Liu Lanying raised it with both hands, nodded and said, "That's it for now."
Fang Xing continued to talk about the play: "In the first scene, I hope to show the cold and calm side of the character Tao Yinghong, the kind of coldness with a heart as cold as death, hiding all the emotions under the expressionless face."
Liu Lanying nodded while listening, and finally replied: "Okay, okay."
"If there's no problem, let's start." Fang Xing confirmed again.
Liu Lanying expressionlessly lowered her head, without looking at Fang Xing, and raised her hand to make an OK gesture.
Fang Xing knew that she was starting to get into the scene, so he stopped talking, took a few steps back, and then signaled the recorder to prepare for the call.
"The first scene of "The Beginning" is shot for the first time, let's begin!"
the other side.
Zhang Yigao has already made arrangements and communicated with the cameraman on how to move the camera later.
After the board was laid out, the camera started shooting.
Tao Yinghong, played by Liu Lanying, was waiting for the bus at the bus stop with an expressionless face.
Fang Xing looked at the picture on the monitor and Liu Lanying's micro-expression, feeling very satisfied.
This kind of heart-broken, cold and determined look is very expressive.
After this part of the scene was taken, Fang Xing picked up the walkie-talkie and said: "The bus is entering."
It didn't take long.
A bus with the number 45 printed on it drove into the camera and stopped in front of the bus stop.
After a sound, the front door of the bus opened.
Liu Lanying held the pressure cooker in both hands and boarded the bus with some difficulty.
"Ka! Very good, let's have another one."
Fang Xing hurried up and planned to take another picture, looking for subtle changes: "Teacher Liu, when you get in the car later, we will take a picture of you and the driver making eye contact, a very subtle eye interaction."
In "The Beginning", the driver of bus No. 45 is actually Tao Yinghong's husband, the father of the dead girl.
However, there was no interaction between the two at the beginning, as if they didn't know each other at all.
Liu Lanying thought about it and said, "Do you want the feeling of knowing someone clearly but pretending not to know them?"
Fang Xing nodded: "Yes, I want this feeling. However, it needs to be a little more subtle. This part needs to be suspenseful. In the first few episodes, the audience will not know that the two are related."
Liu Lanying nodded: "I'll give it a try."
In fact, this was what Fang Xing wanted to add.
If it is just to conceal the relationship between the two from the audience, it can actually be filmed without any interaction between the two, and it can be filmed as if there is no relationship.
However, Fang Xing felt that the two of them were husband and wife after all, and since they were going to die together, it would be appropriate for them to have some emotional ups and downs.
Of course, this eye interaction needs to be very subtle, so subtle that the audience cannot see it at first glance.
Especially Tao Yinghong, played by Liu Lanying, must be absolutely cold and desperate.
Her husband "Wang Xingde" can have more emotional ups and downs.
After all, in "The Beginning", the character of the driver "Wang Xingde" is not as crazy as "Tao Yinghong". He is relatively more rational and more humane.
…
On the first day, after shooting the scene of Liu Lanying getting on the bus.
Because in the entire play "The Beginning", the entire time cycle is repeated 25 times.
Therefore, many shots are repeated, but the repetitions are not exactly the same 25 times. There will be a little difference each time, and finally form a complete story line.
The next day, I started shooting scenes of the male and female protagonists on the bus.
For shots on the bus, the camera position needs to be arranged on the bus.
First of all, the first scene on the bus is when the male protagonist "Xiao Heyun" and the female protagonist "Li Shiqing" wake up on the bus.
In order to perform this scene well, Fang Xing had already tried it with Lu Xiang'er many times at home.
No matter how stupid a bird is, it can learn arithmetic if taught a few times, even if it doesn't understand the principles.
What's more, Lu Xiang'er is not stupid, and is a little smart.
More importantly, the heroine "Li Shiqing" is portrayed as a 20-year-old junior in college.
Lu Xiang'er doesn't even need to act, she is just a junior student now, she just needs to play herself well.
You don’t even need to put on makeup, all you need is a clean and delicate look.
Fang Xing and Lu Xiang'er were sitting on the seats next to the back door of the bus.
As with the previous filming, Fang Xing first told the scene: "You will sleep on my shoulder later. After starting, you will slowly wake up and show a surprised expression.
"Remember, we don't know this scene yet, but you've been through the cycle six times, and you know the bus will explode.
"So, in order to save me, you falsely accused me of being a pervert, forced the bus to stop, and then pulled me off...
"The most important thing about this scene is the feeling that the performer doesn't recognize me."
Lu Xiang'er nodded vigorously: "Okay, okay..."
"You're good, don't look at me with such affectionate eyes. We're not familiar with each other." Fang Xing scolded her with a straight face.
Lu Xiang'er's expression suddenly fell.
Although she knew it was done deliberately for show, she still felt a little unhappy, curled her lips and hummed: "Who is looking at you lovingly?"
The surrounding crew and staff were caught off guard and took a bite of dog food, and they all choked.
…
Although she had acted opposite her many times at home, it was Lu Xiang'er's first time playing the female lead, so her performance at the beginning was still a bit bad.
As a director, Zhang Yigao’s dissatisfaction is written all over his face.
There was no need for Zhang Yigao to speak. Fang Xing could also see that Lu Xiang'er was too nervous. Her performance in front of the camera and her performance at home were completely different.
Fang Xing could only try to calm her down: "Don't be nervous. When we acted alone, you performed really well. Just do it once and pass it like you did before. Don't be nervous."
Lu Xiang'er took a deep breath and hurriedly agreed: "Okay, okay..."
However, it failed five or six times in a row.
Fang Xing was not in a hurry, since it was not burning film now, so NG would do it again.
If it doesn't work ten times, then twenty times.
Of course, if the NG continues, it will definitely slow down the shooting progress.
"I'm sorry, I looked at the camera and I really felt different."
After NGing more than a dozen times, Lu Xiang'er almost cried.
Fang Xing did not lower his demands because of her expression.
Seeing her start to apologize, Fang Xing leaned back on the chair, put his hands on the back of his head, and said with a relaxed expression: "It doesn't matter, I'm not in a hurry anyway. If I slow down the filming progress, I will burn the investors' money."
When Lu Xiang'er heard this, her eyes widened and she suddenly became a little angry.
Because she is an investor and invested 10 million in this drama.
Moreover, the purpose of filming this drama is to save his father's company.
What slowed down the progress of the filming and eventually collapsed was Okawa Audio.
Lu Xiang'er's anger boiled up in her heart. She said to herself: Dad's company is about to go bankrupt, so what else is there to be afraid of? If you don't perform well, it's just embarrassing. If you can save the company by being embarrassed, it's actually not good.
It's not impossible.
After she figured it out, she took a deep breath, clenched her fists and said, "Do it again!"
After passing that mental hurdle, Lu Xiang'er's performance turned around 180 degrees and became much more natural.
Zhang Yigao was originally a little impatient and planned to discuss with Fang Xing to change the female lead after today's shooting.
He has already studied the entire script. The requirements for this script are not that high for the female lead, a salary of two to three million, a Dongxi opera graduate who is willing to star in, and a Beijing Film and Television graduate who can be assigned to the suburbs.
Unexpectedly, after being NGed for more than a dozen times, Lu Xiang'er's camera sense suddenly became better.
This surprised Zhang Yigao.
Fang Xing didn't feel surprised.
Because when playing at home, Lu Xiang'er's performance was very good. She belongs to the type who as long as she is not nervous, even her eyes look camera-like.
To say she is good at acting, that's not the case.
If she is asked to play some difficult roles, she will definitely not be able to do it.
But this time the character is a junior female student.
She doesn't need to act in any way, as long as she integrates herself into the plot as usual, and the effect she shows is enough.
After Lu Xiang'er passed the test in her heart, her performance got better and better.
Moreover, during the scene, Fang Xing deliberately guided her and constantly stimulated her expressively, but did not deliberately suppress her and gave her room to perform.
The filming of today's scenes became smoother and smoother, and I finally worked overtime for an hour to finish filming all today's scenes.
Zhang Yigao looked at the picture on the monitor and finally gave up the idea of asking for a female lead.
