It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1421 The New "Imperial Advisor" - Chen Fei!
Looking back, at the opening ceremony of the 08 Beijing Olympics, Zhang Yimou's stunning "scroll unfolding" concept made the world remember China!

The breathtaking sight of 2008 performers striking drums and singing, the display of a thousand-year-old cultural heritage through movable type printing, the classic moment of Li Ning lighting the torch in mid-air... every scene is a perfect fusion of art and technology!
This opening ceremony not only amazed audiences worldwide, but also firmly linked the name "Zhang Yimou" with "grand occasions in China," and the title of "National Master" has since spread throughout the streets and alleys.

The opening ceremony of the later Winter Olympics, although lacking the extreme awe of 08, had more of the blank space and romance of Eastern aesthetics.

The countdown to the 24 solar terms, the poetic scene of snowflakes as large as mats on Yanshan Mountain, and the environmental protection concept of the main torch being passed on with a "small flame" were all steadily implemented.

At the opening ceremony of this second Olympic Games, Zhang Yimou showcased another side of China's charm through his delicate expression.

However, in recent years, the reputation of Zhang Yimou's works has been inconsistent.

From the ongoing controversy surrounding "The Great Wall" to the box office failure and criticism surrounding "Man Jiang Hong," audiences have gradually stopped readily calling him "National Master" and have become more rational in their expectations of him.

Even so, no one in the industry or outside the industry dares to question his ability to handle big events.

After all, there are very few directors in China who can organize the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and the Winter Olympics in a way that is both international and retains the Chinese spirit.

Now, by the time of the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Zhang Yimou, now in his seventies, is getting old and his energy can no longer keep up with the high-intensity preparations.

Therefore, the responsibility of "taking the lead" naturally fell on Chen Fei's shoulders.

However, Chen Fei's situation is different from Zhang Yimou's back then.

He is too young, not even 40 years old, and his reputation is too great.

A three-time European Golden Globe director, a Hollywood Grand Slam winner, and a lifetime achievement Golden Lion at Cannes, Hollywood, and Venice, he has directed numerous films that have been both commercially and critically successful... and his wife, who recently won a Golden Lion, further heightens audience expectations for him.

Therefore, everyone not only hopes that he can maintain the high standards of "China's grand stage", but also hopes that he can come up with new ideas that surpass the 08 Olympics and Winter Olympics, and inject different vitality into the Asian Games opening ceremony from the perspective of young people.

That's why everyone in the industry knows that this Asian Games opening ceremony is actually a double-edged sword for Chen Fei.

If successful, it would be a case of "the student surpassing the master," directly taking over Zhang Yimou's "baton of grand scenes" and becoming a new generation of "national director," or even a second-generation "national director."

But if it doesn't work out, or even if it's just mediocre and doesn't meet the audience's expectations, the reputation built up before will be affected, and there will likely be a lot of criticism online.

If nothing unexpected happens, criticisms such as "not living up to its reputation" and "the higher you're praised, the harder you'll fall" will flood in.

So at this moment, in the director's tent at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, as Chen Fei stared intently at the monitor, he knew better than anyone else:

This opening ceremony must succeed; it cannot fail!

……

At this moment, the sound of walkie-talkies rose and fell in the director's studio.

Ning Hao's voice carried a hint of competence: "The audience entry guidance process is fully prepared, and the staff are in place."

Guo Fan then replied: "The digital effects team has completed the debugging, and the signals of all devices are stable."

Finally, it was Dumpling's voice: "The warm-up animation playback process is confirmed to be correct and can be started at any time."

Chen Fei listened to everyone's words, holding the walkie-talkie, his gaze still fixed on the monitor, his tone calm: "Check everything again, from equipment wiring to personnel coordination, no detail can be overlooked, we must ensure zero problems..."

"Yes!"

The voices of several people came out in unison.

Meanwhile, outside the venue, a steady stream of people was pouring in.

Audience members holding tickets looked on with anticipation, while guests from various countries walked steadily in formal attire. Media reporters carried cameras and searched for the best shooting positions. Athletes, meanwhile, gathered in small groups, excitedly discussing the upcoming opening ceremony.

Liu Yifei held Xiao Shitou's hand and followed the crowd into the venue.

As soon as the little one entered, he looked around curiously, and at the same time, he tugged at his mother's clothes and asked, "Mommy, where is Daddy? I want to find Daddy."

Liu Yifei knelt down and gently patted his head: "Daddy is busy with something very important. Let's go sit in the audience first, and we'll see him after the opening ceremony..."

There were many familiar faces from the film and television industry in the audience today.

For example, Zhang Yimou and his longtime partner Sha Xiaolan were also invited to attend the ceremony.

However, after the two sat down, their eyes swept across the interior of the venue, and they were momentarily stunned.

Back when the opening ceremonies of the 08 Olympics and Winter Olympics were being prepared, various equipment and props were piled up in the backstage corners to present complex stage effects. It was only because the cameras didn't film them and the lights didn't shine on them that the audience saw the perfect picture.

The Hangzhou Asian Games venue looks simple and orderly, completely lacking the "chaotic feeling" of previous "large-scale" preparations.

Zhang Yimou turned to Sha Xiaolan and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Didn't you and Chen Fei compete for the position of chief director of the opening ceremony? What exactly was his proposal?"

Sha Xiaolan recalled the scene from that time, her eyes still filled with a hint of amazement:

"It's so amazing, I don't even know how to describe it. He said he wanted to 'hide technology in the details,' and he actually found a way to bring to life those scenes and special effects that I never even dared to imagine."

For example, using digital technology to replace some physical props not only saves manpower and resources, but also creates a more stunning effect. I still haven't fully figured out the underlying principles..."

Zhang Yimou became increasingly confused as he listened, his brows furrowing slightly.

Sha Xiaolan's description was too abstract and failed to depict a concrete scene, which only made him more eager to see Chen Fei's design.

Not far away, Chen Kaige and Chen Hong also sat down side by side.

During the 08 Beijing Olympics, although he did not become the chief director, he participated in a lot of work as an artistic advisor and had his own judgment on the artistic presentation of the opening ceremony.

I came here specifically to see what new tricks Chen Fei could come up with by combining "Chinese style" with "Asian Games".

Meanwhile, in the capital city, thousands of miles away, Feng Xiaogang was sitting on his sofa at home, staring at the television screen.

Although he disliked Chen Fei, he also wanted to see just how high this highly anticipated opening ceremony could go.
What's even more heartbreaking is another scene.

Riku Taro, who is currently serving his sentence in prison, is sitting on a small stool in the activity room, watching the live television broadcast under the supervision of the prison guards.

Back then, he had ambitiously competed for the position of chief director of the Asian Games opening ceremony, but now he is imprisoned for embezzlement and can only watch from afar as his former "competitor" stands on the stage he once dreamed of.

As the lights in the venue gradually came on on the television, Lu Chuan's eyes were filled with complex emotions: resentment, regret, but mostly a sense of melancholy at the changes in circumstances.

……

Time passed quietly amidst everyone's anticipation. When the countdown on the big screen reached "0", all the lights in the venue suddenly went out!
Just as everyone was holding their breath and waiting, a clear hissing sound suddenly came from above.

Immediately afterwards, the two sides of the originally open opening at the top of the Olympic Sports Center slowly closed towards the center... forming a huge sphere made of metal structure and transparent material, enveloping the entire venue.

This is not a simple roof enclosure, but the prototype of a giant dome theater!

Before everyone could recover from their shock, a soft light suddenly shone from the inside of the dome.

A series of dynamic ink paintings slowly unfolded on the dome screen:
The Qiantang River tide surges in, and the spray seems to burst out of the screen and splash onto the audience's faces... The ten scenic spots of West Lake appear one after another, and the poetic beauty of Broken Bridge in Snow and the tranquility of Three Pools Mirroring the Moon come to life in the 360-degree panoramic view!
Even the air seemed to be filled with the moist moisture of Jiangnan.

The audience couldn't help but gasp in amazement, and many reached out to touch the "tide" in front of them, momentarily unable to distinguish between reality and virtuality.

"How...how did they do that?!"

In the audience, Chen Kaige stared wide-eyed at the screen above his head, completely baffled as to how it worked.

He had seen many 3D movies, but this was the first time he had ever seen a scene where he could experience 3D effects without wearing 3D glasses!
There are only two words in my mind:
Shocked!

It’s too shocking!

At the same time, as the ink wash on the scene gradually faded, the dome screen slowly switched to a green forest.

This is the "environmental protection chapter" of the opening ceremony.

Countless virtual saplings took root and sprouted in the venue, growing into towering trees.

A children's choir sang "Green Asian Games" on site, their voices echoing the "forest" on the dome screen, conveying the concept of "low-carbon Games".

After recovering from his shock, Zhang Yimou looked at the scene and nodded slightly: "Making the environmental theme so dynamic and without any stiff preaching is indeed more impactful than our presentation using physical props back then."

Sha Xiaolan, standing beside her, could only nod, overwhelmed by the sights before her...

Next, the athletes' entrance ceremony began.

As the Chinese delegation entered the venue, the dome screen instantly switched to a red theme.

Virtual Chinese knots and auspicious cloud patterns surrounded the athletes, and the cheers of the audience intertwined with the dynamic special effects on the dome screen, as if the passion of the entire country had gathered at this moment.

Viewers watching the live stream on their screens were sending out comments:

"Wow! This entrance ceremony was truly impressive! The 3D surround sound really enhanced the atmosphere!"

"This is the first time I've ever seen an opening ceremony like this; it's like watching a blockbuster movie in a theater!"

"How did they manage to do that? Has technology advanced to this level already? Could it be that the virtual reality games in novels will soon become a reality?"

The cheers for the Chinese delegation's entry had barely subsided when the next delegation appeared at the entrance.

At that moment, the image on the dome screen switched again.

Suddenly, the three adorable Asian Games mascots, "Congcong," "Chenchen," and "Lianlian," "jumped" out of the screen and transformed into three-dimensional light and shadow, surrounding the delegation.

"Congcong" held a small Asian Games torch and followed closely behind the athletes with cheerful steps.

"Chenchen" waved a flag shaped like the Qiantang River tide and occasionally waved to the audience.

"Lianlian" held a bouquet shaped like lotus leaves from West Lake, as if greeting friends from various Asian countries.

The unexpected appearance of the mascot instantly ignited the atmosphere at the scene.

When the South Korean delegation entered, "Chenchen" deliberately struck a surfing pose to echo South Korea's marine culture.

When the Indian delegation appeared, "Lianlian" was dressed in a new outfit with traditional Indian patterns, full of details.

When the Thai delegation appeared, "Congcong" even imitated the Thai gesture of wai (hands together in prayer), and her adorable appearance made the audience laugh.

As the Japanese delegation entered, "Lianlian" held a cherry blossom-shaped prop and walked with the athletes to the center of the stadium. At the same time, a pattern of traditional Chinese and Japanese designs appeared on the dome screen.

When the Malaysian delegation took the stage, "Cong Cong" picked up a miniature model of the gamelan, a traditional Malaysian musical instrument, as if playing a welcoming tune...

As each delegation enters, the mascot's design and movements are cleverly integrated with the country's cultural elements.

The dome screen's light and shadow intertwined with the real figures of the athletes, making it seem as if the mascots had truly "come to life" and were marching alongside athletes from various countries.

Every detail was precise and heartwarming, creating a strong visual impact and filling the scene with a joyful and friendly atmosphere.

As the last delegation entered the stadium, the three mascots reunited in the center of the venue, forming the Asian Games slogan "Heart to Heart, @Future" on the dome screen.

The applause and cheers erupted again!

This ingenious entrance ceremony not only extended the excitement but also subtly conveyed the friendship between Asian countries through light and shadow in a cute and heartwarming way.

The most thrilling moment was undoubtedly the ignition.

When the final torchbearer stood in the center of the venue, countless "digital torchbearers" suddenly appeared on the scene.

They are ordinary people from all over the world, who gathered here through online communication.

Countless virtual torchbearers ran from all sides of the dome toward the center, eventually joining the real torchbearers to jointly ignite the "virtual main torch platform" suspended below the dome.

Instead of the traditional roaring flames, there are "flames" made of light and shadow, which not only conforms to the concept of environmental protection, but also echoes the Asian Games' mission of "passing on the torch".

"That's brilliant!" Sha Xiaolan clapped her hands excitedly. "Using digital torchbearers to connect the world not only embodies the spirit of 'Asian family,' but also perfectly combines environmental protection and technology. This way of lighting the torch is truly spectacular!"

Feng Xiaogang sat in front of the television at home, his expression complex.

Although he didn't want to admit it, he had to admire Chen Fei; he truly knew how to use technology to tell China's story.

Without exaggeration, this opening ceremony was more spectacular than watching a top-tier Hollywood sci-fi movie!
The audience had already stood up, and applause and cheers rose and fell.

Little Stone nestled in Liu Yifei's arms, pointed at the dome above their heads, and shouted, "Mommy! So many torchbearers! Daddy is so amazing!"

Viewers at home were even more stunned by this scene, with the comments flooding the screen at a speed that was impossible to read:
"This is the true Chinese technological romance!"

"The opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games is guaranteed to be the best ever!"

"Chen Fei used visual effects to elevate the ceiling of the Asian Games opening ceremony to a whole new level!"

At the same time, as the "flames" on the dome burned steadily, the melody of "Asian Heroic Spirit" resounded throughout the stadium.

Looking at the excited crowd around him, Zhang Yimou sighed softly, "The younger generation surpasses the older, and directors like Chen Fei have indeed brought a new flavor to the grand scenes of China."

Meanwhile, behind the director's desk, Chen Fei looked at the perfect picture on the monitor, and his tense shoulders finally relaxed.

This opening ceremony, which carried countless expectations, ultimately did not disappoint everyone.

To his amusement and exasperation, amidst the flurry of comments, some suggested removing the title of "National Advisor" from Zhang Yimou and placing it on him instead...

(End of this chapter)