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On January 10, the crew of "The Vanished She" quietly started filming in Hainan.

For the filming team under [Wei Ming Tian Xia], Hainan is a very familiar place. In recent years, several of the company's dramas have been filmed there.

The reason is simple: movies like the "Sheep Without a Shepherd" series and "Extreme Rescue" starring Gu Wei cannot pass censorship in China if they are set in a Southeast Asian country.

Hainan's unique geographical location and environment, similar to those of Southeast Asia, make it the best choice for filming this type of movie.

The story of "The Vanished Woman" is set in a Southeast Asian country. After careful selection by the location scouts, the main filming location was finally set in Lingshui County in the southeast of the island.

The scenery here is beautiful, the climate is pleasant, and many of the distinctive buildings perfectly match the scenes described in the script.

The Clearwater Bay Liberty Lighthouse could serve as a filming location for the "Mosa Lighthouse" in the drama.

In the movie, "He Fei" and "Li Muzi" go diving, and in the end, "Li Muzi" is locked in an underwater shark cage. The camera captures a beautiful "underwater starry sky" scene, which can be filmed at R&F Ocean World.

There are also scenes in the hotel in the film. The local Raffles Hotel, whose design blends Balinese style with Hainan ethnic elements, served as a perfect filming location.

Temperatures in Beijing had already dropped below zero in January, but Hainan was still sweltering.

The crew first filmed several scenes in the hotel.

"How do I look in this red dress?"

The staff were setting up the filming location, each doing their own job. Gu Wei was getting his makeup done when Meng Ziyi, who had already changed her clothes, came over.

"Not bad, very appealing~" Gu Wei looked her up and down.

Wearing a red dress, with long wavy hair, a curvaceous figure, and a somewhat sassy face, she was very suitable to play the role of "fake Li Muzi" in the film.

"How well do you understand the script? Have you memorized your lines?"

"I've already memorized them. I don't have many lines, so they're not hard to memorize."

I've read the script many times.

I joined the crew many days in advance and even consulted with Director Cui and the screenwriter.

Meng Ziyi looked very confident.

Gu Wei raised an eyebrow: "Then tell me, what kind of character is the 'fake Li Muzi' you're playing, and how should you portray her?"

Meng Ziyi tilted her head slightly, pouted and thought for a moment: "Well, this person was originally Chen Mai's friend. In order to help her investigate the truth behind her good friend Li Muzi's disappearance, he disguised himself as Li Muzi and stayed by He Fei's side."

She needed to deliberately imitate Li Muzi's habits, while intentionally revealing flaws to create confusion for He Fei.

The goal is to break down He Fei's psychological defenses through provocative language and actions, forcing him to reveal his panic and inner conflict.

From these perspectives, the fake Li Muzi must be a charming yet ruthless beauty, referring, of course, to how she appears in front of He Fei.

But essentially, this character should be a loyal and righteous woman; girls help girls!

"Not bad, it seems you've put in the effort!" Gu Wei nodded in agreement.

"Of course, I work very hard!"

Mencius was somewhat pleased with the praise.

The new generation of actresses under the [Wei Ming Tian Xia] brand are all professionally trained, so they not only have unique appearances, but also have basic acting skills.

Meng Ziyi, for example, has been praised by many fans and netizens for her good acting skills and is a "separate actress from variety show personality".

In variety shows, she is a representative of the "socially awkward" type, absent-minded yet quick-witted, constantly throwing out jokes, a perfect variety show personality.

But as soon as she returned to the show, it was as if a switch had been flipped, and her entire demeanor changed drastically.

From "Wen Qing" in "The Untamed" to "Lei Chun" in "Heroes of the Ages," and "Qu Xiaofeng" in "Goodbye My Princess" where she collaborated with Gu Wei and became a huge star, she brought each character to life. Most importantly, these characters were vastly different from the personalities she displayed in variety shows.

Some netizens commented that Meng Ziyi is "like a silly, carefree older sister on variety shows, but her expression changes immediately when she acts, and her eyes are so fierce that you don't dare to blink!"

These qualities really showcase her acting skills.

The two chatted for a while longer before filming officially began. Gu Wei, who played "He Fei," and Meng Ziyi, who played "fake Li Muzi," lay in bed and started the first scene of "The Vanished Her."

Inside a modern office building.

Gu Wei was dressed sloppily, looked listless and dejected, and his eyes revealed panic and unease.

That's the whole story. I still can't figure out how she did it.

Across from him, Ni Ni, dressed in a white women's suit, slowly and methodically brewed coffee, a stark contrast to Gu Wei.

"She wouldn't, but they might."

"them?"

Ni Ni nodded slightly: "A sophisticated criminal organization with meticulous planning and precise execution, a very powerful organization."

"So what is their purpose?"

"For money?" Gu Wei frowned slightly.

Ni Ni didn't answer directly. Instead, she looked down and flipped through her diary, picking up the photos tucked inside.

What kind of person is Li Muzi?

“She’s gentle, kind, introverted, doesn’t like communicating with strangers, likes to draw, likes…” “How did you two meet?” Ni Ni interrupted him without looking up from the photo of her hand.

"This doesn't seem to have anything to do with this case, does it?"

"Of course they're related! The key to this case is her, the one who disappeared!"

Ni Ni picked up the photo; it was a woman's back view, the back view of the real Li Muzi.

"Click! Passed!"
The photographer adjusts the camera position, preparing for the next shot.

The director's voice came through the loudspeaker, and everyone on the filming set got busy.

"Mr. Gu, Ms. Ni, would you like to take a break, or continue filming the next scene?"

Cui Rui walked up to the two lead actors with the script in hand and asked with a smile.

Before Gu Wei could speak, Ni Ni glanced at him and smiled, saying to the director, "Director, let's continue filming. There are only a few scenes on this set, and not many lines. We can film them all in one go."

After she finished speaking, Cui Rui looked at Gu Wei, and seeing him nod, she smiled and replied, "Okay, then let's film them one after another."

After finishing his conversation, he discussed the content of the next scene with the two actors, arranged their positions in front of the camera, jogged back behind the monitor, and instructed the other staff to begin the next scene.

Not long after, all the scenes in the office were filmed, and the crew moved to the next filming location.

"In all my years of acting, I've never met such a kind and approachable director."

The next filming location was a bit far away. Ni Ni and Gu Wei, who had just come out of the office building, sat in a van chatting.

What do you think a director should be like?

Ni Ni thought for a moment: "The first director I worked with was Zhang Yimou. Later, I also worked with directors such as Zhang Yibai, Chen Guohui, Yuan Heping, and Qiu Litao."

In my memory, directors are always very serious and have the final say on set.

Most of them have bad tempers, and it's normal for them to yell at actors and staff.

"I've never met anyone as gentle, even somewhat obsequious, as Director Cui."

Gu Wei laughed: "I disagree with you on this point."

In all my years of acting, all the directors I've encountered have had exceptionally good personalities.

Especially when communicating with me.

They are always willing to accept my suggestions.

It was a very pleasant experience working together.

Ni Ni raised an eyebrow at his words, somewhat incredulous.

It's normal for directors to have a bad temper while filming. Even if they are normally mild-mannered, they can easily lose their temper when filming.

Film crews are large organizations, with dozens or even hundreds of people, and the director has to worry about all sorts of things.

During filming, the director has to oversee everything from lighting and cinematography to the environment, props, and actors' performances.

Even ordinary people experience anxiety when they are constantly busy, let alone the job of a director, which is not just about being busy.

He needs to project the images in his mind into reality through filming, and this process will inevitably encounter various problems, such as the actors not acting well, the lighting not being right, or the camera angle not being right. Over time, anyone would become irritable.

Ni Ni stared at Gu Wei for a few seconds before realizing what was happening.

"Uh, I forgot, you're a tyrant on set."

With your status, even directors have to pamper you during filming. So that's how it was when we were filming "The Ex-Files 3".

Having been in the industry for over 10 years, this is indeed the impression Gu Wei leaves on many people in the film and television industry.

Especially after he kicked out the original female lead who got the role through the director's connections after filming "Better Days," and then after Chen Kaige implied that he was the only one who had any say in the crew and had taken over the director's power in "The Battle at Lake Changjin," his reputation as a domineering actor on set became even more deeply ingrained in people's minds, surpassing the impression that Jiang Wen had given everyone.

"Mr. Meow, even though we have a good relationship, I'll still sue you for defamation if you say that," Gu Wei said jokingly, not caring at all.

"However, I still think that Director Cui's attitude is a bit too humble."

His previous film, "Sheep Without a Shepherd 2," is currently showing in theaters and has achieved both box office and critical success; he should be riding high at this time.

Gu Wei explained with a smile, "Don't forget, I'm Cui Rui's boss."

When I went to the United States to film "Detective Chinatown 2", he was still studying at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

He worked part-time on my film set for a month, and I thought he was a talented person, so I told him he could come to my company after graduation.

He did indeed come looking for me after he graduated.

He was given several directing opportunities, and he worked his way up from assistant director of web series to film director, which eventually led to the success of "Sheep Without a Shepherd 2".

He might not act this way in front of others; he might be arrogant and conceited.

After all, he made a movie that grossed over 10 billion yuan at such a young age, and that achievement speaks for itself.

However, Cui Rui has always been like this in front of me. (End of Chapter)