Entertainment from Divorce

In late October, the autumn colors in Beijing were already deep and intense.

The ginkgo leaves along the street have turned golden yellow. A gust of wind blows, and the fallen leaves swirl and fall, carpeting the asphalt road with a soft layer.

Brilliant Entertainment.

Television drama department.

At this moment, however, it was a scene of bustling activity.

After more than a month of polishing, the storyboard for "The Three-Body Problem" has finally undergone final review.

In the conference room, Lu Chuan, Qian Tao, storyboard designer Li Ran, and core team members sat around a long table. On the table was a thick storyboard script, each page marked with dense revision marks.

The projector projected the last page of the storyboard sketch onto the whiteboard. The scene was of Wang Miao standing by the canal, gazing into the distance after "Operation Guzheng" had ended. The camera slowly zoomed out, merging the insignificance of the figure with the vastness of the universe.

"Let's double-check the shot logic of the core scenes one last time." Lu Chuan's voice carried a hint of fatigue, but couldn't hide his excitement.

Qian Tao flipped through the script, his fingertips tracing the pages: "I just checked the matching of the actors' movements and the scene layout, and there are no problems."

Li Ran immediately took out his tablet and pulled up a 3D model of the filming location: "It's been confirmed with the location team that the actual filming location for the Red Coast Base will be an abandoned military industrial base in Zhangjiakou."

Team members spoke one by one, checking details such as shot transitions, dialogue annotations, and special effects prompts. By 3 p.m., everyone had nodded in confirmation.

"No problem!"

Lu Chuan breathed a sigh of relief, tidied up the script, carefully put it in a blue folder, stood up and said, "I'll send it to President Tan now, I hope it will be approved on the first try!"

Qian Tao patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, we've polished it so meticulously, President Tan will definitely be satisfied."

In the CEO's office on the eighth floor, Tan Yue was reviewing the publicity plan for "Time Ticks".

The competition during the New Year's Day holiday was fierce, with five films being released at the same time, including two comedies and one action film.

As a heartwarming and healing film, "Time Ticks" needs a precise marketing strategy to stand out from the competition.

He annotated the proposal: "Add interview segments with the real-life inspiration for the old watchmaker to enhance the sense of authenticity; place 'Memories of Time' themed posters in subways and shopping malls to resonate with the audience."

I had just put down my pen when there was a knock on the office door.

"Mr. Tan, this is Lu Chuan. The storyboard is complete."

"Come in." Tan Yue looked up and saw Lu Chuan walk in carrying a folder, his face showing obvious weariness, but his eyes were shining.

He pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit down. Thank you for your hard work. You finished so quickly."

Lu Chuan placed the folder on the table, his tone filled with anticipation.

"The team worked overtime for more than a month, polishing every shot repeatedly, and checking with the special effects, location, and actors' positioning. There should be no problem."

Tan Yue opened the folder, took out the storyboard, and carefully flipped through each page.

He watched very slowly, pausing from time to time, tapping lightly next to the lens number with his fingertips, his brows sometimes relaxing and sometimes furrowing.

Lu Chuan sat to the side, his hands on his knees, feeling somewhat uneasy.

He knew that Tan Yue had extremely high standards for his works, especially for major projects like "The Three-Body Problem," where no detail could escape his notice.

The office was quiet, with only the rustling of papers turning.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the script. Lu Chuan's heart pounded faster and faster as Tan Yue flipped through the pages.

More than half an hour later, Tan Yue finally turned to the last page. He closed the script, looked up at Lu Chuan, and said calmly, "Overall, it's well done. The camera logic is clear, and the visual presentation is in line with the hard science fiction tone of 'The Three-Body Problem.' I can tell you put a lot of effort into it."

Lu Chuan breathed a sigh of relief and was about to speak when Tan Yue changed the subject: "But there are two issues that need to be revised."

He picked up his pen and marked the script: "The first scene is the one where Ye Wenjie sends a signal at the Red Coast Base. The scene number is 67. You designed a panoramic shot with a close-up of her face, but the core of this scene is Ye Wenjie's inner struggle. A panoramic shot would weaken the emotional tension."

"I suggest starting with a close-up of her hand, slowly moving the camera up until it finally focuses on her eyes, conveying her hesitation and determination through the changes in her gaze, and then switching to a wide shot to show the scene of the signal being sent."

Lu Chuan nodded quickly and took out his notebook to write it down: "Understood, this can indeed better highlight the emotional layers."

"The second question is about the sequence of shots of Wang Miao and Shi Qiang observing from the shore during the Guzheng operation."

Tan Yue continued, "In storyboard numbers 89-92, you used a fast-paced montage, but this scene needs the audience to clearly see the process of the ship being cut and the reactions of the two people. Fast-paced switching would make the scene look cluttered."

"I suggest slowing down the pace of the shots, using a medium shot with a fixed camera to film the reactions of the two characters, while inserting their dialogue with voice-over, and interspersing close-ups of the ship's hull being cut. This will ensure the information is conveyed while creating a tense atmosphere."

"It was my oversight. I was only focused on the pace and neglected the clarity of the information," Lu Chuan said somewhat embarrassedly. "I'll go back and revise it right away, and I can send it to you tomorrow."

"No rush, polish it carefully." Tan Yue waved his hand, his tone becoming gentler.

"The storyboard is the foundation of filming and cannot be taken lightly. After revisions, we check it again with the visual effects team to ensure the feasibility of the shots."

"Okay, Mr. Tan!" Lu Chuan picked up the script, stood up to leave, and his anxiety turned into full enthusiasm.

Tan Yue's comments were accurate and insightful, giving him a deeper understanding of camera design.

Two days later, Lu Chuan returned to the president's office with the revised storyboard.

This time, Tan Yue flipped through the pages quickly, nodding occasionally. When he reached the last page, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Great, that solves the problem."

He signed his name on the title page of the script and handed it to Lu Chuan.

"Now, preparations can begin in full swing."

"The crew members were selected from within the company based on their experience, such as director of photography Zhang Lei and lighting technician Wang Yong. They had previously worked on the filming of 'Interstellar' and were familiar with the requirements of shooting science fiction films."

"The props team needs to finalize the prop designs for the radar antenna model and nano-blades at the Red Coast Base as soon as possible, ensuring they are faithful to the original setting."

"The costume team needs to refer to the clothing styles of the 1970s to design costumes for Ye Wenjie and the staff of the Red Coast Base. At the same time, they also need to prepare costumes for the modern scenes to ensure the sense of the era and authenticity."

"Understood!" Lu Chuan took the script, his heart filled with excitement. "I'll convene a preparatory meeting right away, assign tasks, and strive to officially start filming in the middle of next month."

"The pace can be slowed down a bit, quality comes first," Tan Yue instructed. "If you encounter any problems that you can't solve, report them immediately. As for the actors, have Qin Tao arrange script readings as soon as possible so that everyone can familiarize themselves with their roles and the plot, especially the new actors, who need more rehearsals."

"Yes, Mr. Tan, I will keep that in mind." Lu Chuan nodded heavily, turned around and strode out of the office, his steps so light they seemed to be flying.

Watching his retreating figure, Tan Yue smiled.

From polishing the storyboard script to casting actors, and now to the start of preparations, every step of the Three-Body Problem project has been taken very solidly.

He believes that as long as this rigor and dedication are maintained, this work will surely live up to expectations.

In the days that followed, everyone at Brilliant Entertainment threw themselves into the preparations for "The Three-Body Problem." The television drama department became the busiest place, with Lu Chuan leading the team in daily meetings to coordinate the progress of various departments.

The props team traveled all over the country to find suitable old objects to recreate the scene for the main control room of the Red Coast Base.

The costume team designed and produced hundreds of costumes, referencing a wealth of historical materials and old photographs.

The visual effects team then began creating preliminary visual effects previews based on the storyboard.

Tan Yue also frequently takes time to visit the preparation site to check on the progress.

Seeing the props team's accurate proportions and lifelike details of the Red Coast Base radar antenna model, he couldn't help but nod in praise.

Meanwhile, the promotion and distribution of "Time Ticks" is also progressing steadily.

Taking advantage of the remaining popularity of "Star Idol Camp", the variety show department invited Lin Qingye and lead actors Zhou Ming and Wang Hao to participate in the variety show recording to promote the movie.

The days slipped by quietly in our busy lives, and before we knew it, it was mid-November.

As agreed, Tan Yue was to take Chen Ziyu to a private hospital for her second prenatal checkup during the second trimester.

On Saturday morning, just as dawn was breaking, Tan Yue woke up.

He got up quietly, afraid of waking Chen Ziyu.

When I walked into the living room, Chen's mother was already busy in the kitchen, and the faint aroma of millet porridge wafted from the pot.

"Mom, good morning." Tan Yue walked over and took the spatula from Chen's mother's hand. "You rest, I'll cook."

"No need, no need, go back to sleep for a while, Ziyu hasn't woken up yet." Chen's mother said with a smile, "The prenatal checkup requires fasting blood tests, so I cooked some millet porridge for Ziyu to drink a small half bowl to fill her stomach, so she won't faint during the checkup."

Tan Yue nodded, sat down at the dining table, and looked out the window at the gradually brightening sky, his heart filled with anticipation.

It has been a month since his last prenatal checkup, and he looks forward to hearing news of his baby's good health every day.

Not long after, Chen Ziyu woke up.

She walked slowly into the living room wearing loose loungewear, her face showing the languid look of someone who had just woken up.

Tan Yue quickly got up and helped her sit down: "Awake? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm just a little hungry," Chen Ziyu said with a smile, her hand unconsciously resting on her lower abdomen. "The baby seems to be very well-behaved today, not moving much."

"After the check-up, let the doctor listen to the fetal heartbeat, and we'll know how healthy he is." Tan Yue picked up a spoonful of warm millet porridge, blew on it to cool it down, and fed it to Chen Ziyu.

Looking at the two of them so affectionately, Chen's mother was full of relief: "Eat quickly, and then go to the hospital early so you don't have to wait in line."

After breakfast, Tan Yue helped Chen Ziyu into the car and drove to the private hospital.

Along the way, Chen Ziyu leaned back in the passenger seat, looking at the scenery outside the window, and said with a smile, "When the baby is born, we will bring him here for a walk. The environment here is really nice."

"Okay, then the three of us can come here to sunbathe together." Tan Yue held her hand, feeling warm inside.

Forty minutes later, the car arrived at the hospital.

The nurse was already waiting at the door, smiling as she greeted them: "Mr. Tan, Ms. Chen, Dr. Li is already waiting for you in the examination room."

As they entered the consultation room, Dr. Li was organizing medical records. Seeing the two of them come in, he smiled and said, "Ms. Chen, it's been a long time. How are you feeling?"

"She's doing well, just a bit sleepy lately, but her appetite is better than before," Chen Ziyu said, sitting on the examination bed in a relaxed tone.

"Sleepiness during the second trimester is normal, and a good appetite indicates that the baby is developing rapidly." Dr. Li took out the fetal heart monitor, placed the probe on Chen Ziyu's lower abdomen, and soon, a clear and strong fetal heartbeat was heard.

"Dong dong".

The rhythm is even and full of energy.

After all the inspections were completed.

"Thank you, Dr. Li."

"You're welcome. Your prenatal care is excellent. Keep it up." Dr. Li handed the printed ultrasound report to Tan Yue.

"Your next prenatal checkup is in a month. Also, you can supplement with DHA during the second trimester, which is helpful for the baby's brain development. I'll give you a prescription, and you can buy it at the pharmacy."

Tan Yue carefully took the ultrasound report, as if it were a priceless treasure, and put it into her pocket.

"Thank you, Dr. Li. We will be careful."

When I left the hospital, the sun was already shining brightly on the earth.

Chen Ziyu leaned back in the passenger seat, watching Tan Yue occasionally take out the ultrasound report to look at it, and couldn't help but laugh: "You've looked at it so many times, haven't you had enough yet?"

"I can't get enough of looking at her," Tan Yue said with a smile, turning his head to look at her, his eyes full of tenderness.

"When I saw the baby move in the ultrasound room just now, I suddenly felt that all the hard work was worth it."

“Me too.” Chen Ziyu held his hand and said softly, “After ‘The Three-Body Problem’ is finished filming, we will have more time to spend with the baby.”

"Mm." Tan Yue nodded, already planning in his mind that after filming of "The Three-Body Problem" wrapped up, he would take Chen Ziyu and Bao Bao to the beach for a vacation to relax.

The car slowly drove into the residential area, where Chen's mother was already waiting at the entrance.

Seeing the two return, she rushed to greet them: "How are you? Is the baby alright?"

"Everything is fine. The doctor said the baby is developing exceptionally well, even stronger than expected." Tan Yue took out the ultrasound report and handed it to Chen's mother. "Look, this is what the baby looks like. It's still moving."

Chen's mother took the ultrasound report, put on her reading glasses, looked at it carefully, and couldn't stop smiling.

"That's wonderful, that's wonderful. Look at that little face, it looks just like Tzuyu when she was little. I'll call your dad tonight and let him be happy too."

Back home, Chen Ziyu sat on the sofa to rest, and Tan Yue poured her a glass of warm milk: "Drink some milk to supplement your calcium. The doctor said your weight gain is very even now, just keep it at this pace."

"I know, you're even more talkative than a doctor," Chen Ziyu said with a smile, her heart filled with happiness.

Tan Yue sat beside her, gently stroking her lower abdomen, feeling the baby's faint movements, and felt a sense of peace in his heart.

In terms of work, preparations for "The Three-Body Problem" are progressing smoothly, and "Time Ticks" is about to be released.

In life, my family is safe and sound, and my baby grows up healthy.

These days are busy yet fulfilling, arduous yet happy. (End of Chapter)