The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1840 Intertwined Brilliance
Originally, the conflict in the checkered wooden house was more like a private feud; but now, the three people, representing three different situations, are placed in the context of society/the world.

The scope of my thinking immediately broadened.

However, not all viewers will immediately recognize such psychological cues. After all, when watching a movie, the plot and character relationships are the main focus, and viewers are often too busy to notice these details. But the cinematographer's job is to create atmosphere and lay the groundwork—

When the subsequent plot unfolds, the audience won't feel it's abrupt; instead, they'll feel it's natural and inevitable—that's the cinematographer's success.

The so-called "layout" relies not only on the script, but also on the cinematographer, actors, and director. Filmmaking is not that simple.

Emmanuel held his breath, his gaze intently trying to discern the relationship between the three.

Pay attention to the details. Your gaze is drawn to Anson. He stands there casually, needing no words, no actions, nothing at all, yet he still captures your attention. The details are full of surprises.

Anson was like that, and so was Scarlett.

Even the ski mask behind it seemed lost and inexplicable, to the point of being completely invisible, which perfectly matched the feeling of the scene before us.

Everything was perfect.

Emmanuel completely forgot the pain in his body and focused intently on the camera, as if the camera were an extension of his eyes and hands, quietly and meticulously capturing the tension spreading in the air, that unseen and intangible yet real tension, and involuntarily held his breath.

Theo was rummaging in his pocket, and then he started rummaging again, still not knowing what he was looking for. But if you looked closely, you could see that Theo was looking around, secretly scanning the landscape with his peripheral vision.

A spacious rooftop with an open view overlooking the gray London sky. Armed personnel were scattered around, and at least four could be seen in sight. Whether there were more hidden in the unseen corners was unknown.

At a glance, Theo knew there was nowhere to escape.

To Theo's utter surprise, Julianne had mobilized such a large force against him, showing no sign of letting up and being fully armed. This only confused Theo more, as he couldn't understand Julianne's intentions.

Theo's perspective is that of someone directly involved; Emmanuel's perspective is that of an observer. The same situation and the same scene, but the perspectives they come into view are completely different.

Standing to the side, Julianne noticed Theo's little movements, but she didn't mind. She neither stopped him nor exposed him. She simply scanned Theo's unstoppable hand movements and raised her eyebrows with a half-smile.

"cigarette?"

The others watched for a long time but still couldn't understand what Theo was looking for, but Julianne figured it out immediately.

Theo paused for a moment, then reached into his coat pocket and found his cigarettes. He took one out, put it in his mouth, and his eyebrows furrowed again. "Yes, but it doesn't work."

Natural, tacit, familiar.

The atmosphere between them was so focused on each other that it was hard to believe they were a divorced couple who hadn't seen each other for ten years. They seemed more like soulmates who had known each other for a lifetime.

Despite saying it wouldn't work, Theo still resolutely lit a cigarette.

Julianne watched Theo's actions, a faint smile appearing in her eyes, and did not stop him. "I heard about your mother's situation, and I'm very sorry."

The topic was unexpected, yet it carried a familiar intimacy.

Theo, too, frowned and lowered his eyelids. "When this happened, your parents were in New York, right?" Julianne's smile was somewhat bitter. "Yes."

Theo swore.

In their back-and-forth exchanges, no explanation was needed; a tacit understanding naturally flowed between them, establishing their own private space.

What happened to Theo's parents? What's going on in New York? How are Julian's parents doing? Is New York here an allusion to 9/11? So what happened?
Question marks appeared one after another, but neither of them intended to explain.

Emmanuel looked at the camera and, pulled back by his two assistants, kept maintaining a steady distance. In the shot, Theo and Julianne walked side by side, like a perfect couple. Even though one was disheveled and the other was dashing, the chemistry between them was still strong.

One step, then another.

The two seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll and chatting, the tense atmosphere quietly dissipating, appearing to be just old friends exchanging greetings and small talk.

One step, another step.

Emmanuel no longer cared about the content of their conversation, because it was unimportant; these familiar and intimate exchanges were merely a display of their tacit understanding.

As the camera continues to move forward, the view captured by the lens becomes wider and wider, with the skylight and the sky taking up more and more of the frame. The wooden cabin becomes smaller and smaller, looking particularly petite and cute. Theo and Julian, however, maintain a consistent distance and proportion, creating the illusion that the surrounding scenery is constantly receding.

The world is becoming increasingly vast, but Theo and Julian remain the protagonists of the story.

Comfortable, pleasant, and casual.

The wooden huts, ski masks, and armed personnel behind them are all blurred in the field of vision. They still exist, but they have no meaning or value; they are just a bunch of symbols. The two figures in the shot firmly occupy the core position, entering the audience's pupils with an absolutely dominant posture.

However, the world behind them is expanding little by little, with more and more sky buildings and backgrounds entering the frame. Theo and Julian continue to move forward, ensuring that their position and space relative to the camera lens remain stable. This means that the content in the shot is increasing, while the center position and proportion of the two people in the frame remain unchanged.

The relationships between people and the world, the issues and society, are all subtly broken free of the screen's constraints and left their mark in Emmanuel's lens.

Behind the monitor, Alfonso held his breath completely—

He never knew that this scene would be so intense and suspenseful, that the mystery and tragedy of the two characters would miraculously resonate and create a powerful synergy, struggling to break free from the constraints of the camera lens and come rushing towards him:

Their stories are reflecting the current state of society.

On the surface, the story focuses on Theo and Julianne, whose child died and who were never able to have a second child; not only them, but no newborns were born anywhere in the world, which means they can never escape the grief and shadow of their child's death, and they are forever trapped in the past.

The camera focuses on them, but the gloomy background and the empty, ruin-like attic are a reflection of the real world.

Their interactions with the environment, their roles and spaces, and their psychological reflections are all captured perfectly by the camera.

Alfonso's mind was buzzing. He realized that the scenes he and Emmanuel were discussing were gradually becoming reality, and the chemistry he was having with the two actors was also gradually becoming reality. In a daze, he seemed to have entered the story himself.

It was as if they had crawled down a rabbit hole.

(End of this chapter)