Extracting skills from movies

After the meal, Du Sheng politely declined the Hearst sisters' offer to see her off at the airport.
With a flourish, Taylor, who was making a guest appearance as the "White Queen," joined the main crew.

It takes 13 hours for the plane to reach Wellington Airport.

The United States and New Zealand are 18 hours apart. It was evening when we took off here, but it was early morning when we landed.

The timing was perfect.

Everyone slept soundly on the plane, and as soon as they got off, they were full of energy, ready to start a new day of filming.

February in Xinxilan coincides with the end of summer, with temperatures hovering around 24 or 25 degrees Celsius. It's neither too hot nor too cold, and the breeze feels soft and gentle, making you want to roll around in comfortably.

The group walked out of the airport and boarded the bus that the film crew had rented in advance.

Du Sheng and Taylor sat next to each other, and the latter's eyes never left the window as soon as he sat down.

New Ceylon is like a palette that God spilled.
Blue skies, white clouds, green mountains, and blue sea—it's breathtakingly beautiful.

Whether she'll get to act with Du Sheng or not, she seemed quite excited today, pointing here and there:

"Brother Sheng, look! That sea is as blue as glass!"

"Hey, doesn't that mountain look like a castle from a fairy tale?"

They chattered incessantly.

This was Du Sheng's first time here, and looking out the window, he felt incredibly refreshed and relaxed.

The sky was a clear, bright blue, the sea was emerald green, and even the air had a fresh, pleasant scent.

The bus had just left the airport when it entered the coastal highway.

On one side lies the shimmering South Pacific Ocean, its waters so clear you can see the coral reefs on the seabed, and schools of colorful fish swimming about.
On the other side are rolling green hills, with vegetation so lush it looks like a thick green velvet carpet.

The scenery of mountains and sea complementing each other is so beautiful that it brightens one's heart.

The morning light slanted through the car window and fell on Taylor's face.

Her profile was clearly defined, her skin was so white it seemed to glow, and the sunlight gave her a golden glow, making her look like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.

Du Sheng was initially admiring the scenery, but soon her gaze fell on Taylor.

After his prolonged and uninterrupted massage, the girl developed quite well.

She is no longer the Princess Taiping of her previous life.

Before long, Taylor's ears turned slightly red and her cheeks flushed, but she kept smiling.

She had noticed that burning gaze long ago, but unfortunately there were too many people around.

Du Sheng reached out and gently ruffled her hair, smiling as he said:
"We're filming here, and we get weekends off. We'll rent a car and take a spontaneous trip."

Taylor immediately rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes sparkling:
"It's a deal! I'll start planning right now!"

New Zealand, the entire country, is only 28 square kilometers.
An island nation, after all, emphasizes refinement.

Du Sheng will be staying here for almost a month this time, and will take a few road trips on weekends to basically visit all the essential attractions.

The bus drove along the coastline for a while, then turned into the city and finally stopped at the "Wellington Film Production Centre".

The filming location for this season of "Wolverine" is right here in New Ceylon.

February 22nd, just as dawn was breaking.

The Wolverine crew officially began filming in New Ceylon.

On the red carpet, champagne bottles were opened, director Gavin Hood said a few polite words into the microphone, and the camera clicked, officially starting filming.

That's the pace of Hollywood filmmaking.

Take your time, like simmering a pot of old soup; the heat must be controlled slowly.

Want to catch up on the schedule?

There are no doors.

If the director doesn't give the nod and the script supervisor doesn't yell "cut," the actors have to start over again and again.

Du Sheng was already used to this routine, so he wasn't in a hurry and just did what he was supposed to do.

While he was busy acting, Li Yixin and the Hearst sisters, who came here to play, were also busy "making dirty tricks" in the financial market.

They made a fortune shorting oil and real estate during the subprime mortgage crisis.

During breaks on set, Du Sheng would take the girls to the wilderness to chat, and he was living a pretty comfortable life.

Although there were more outdoor scenes and the workload was heavier here compared to the studio shooting in Los Angeles,

But for him, it was a piece of cake, something he could easily handle.

Filming wasn't too difficult in the early stages, so on weekends we simply drove around the island, eating, drinking, and enjoying the scenery. Life was even more comfortable than a vacation.

What Du Sheng found most unforgettable was taking Taylor to Lake Tekapo in the South Island to see the stars.

Lake Tekapo, in the local language, means "a place of rest under the stars".

This place is a world-renowned "Starry Sky Reserve" and one of the world's top ten stargazing destinations.

Looking up at night, the Milky Way stretches clearly across the sky, the Southern Cross shines exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, and the stars are so dense it's like a handful of crushed diamonds have been scattered.

What's even more amazing is that this place is at a high altitude and surrounded by natural hot springs.

That night, they soaked in the warm spring water, saying nothing, just looking up at the stars.

The Milky Way seemed so close, as if you could reach out and touch it; the countless stars in the sky were so dazzling they melted your heart; the romance was indescribable.

The only regret is that I missed the snow scene.

If you come in winter, surrounded by snow, soaking in a hot spring while gazing at the stars, the scene is simply breathtaking.

Taylor clung to his arm, her face filled with longing.

"I must come in July next time! To see the snow!"

Du Sheng nodded with a smile:

"Sure, next time we'll bring the whole group along, since we'll be running back and forth between the two places quite often anyway."

During this trip to Lake Tekapo, Du Sheng took many beautiful photos of Taylor with a professional camera and also recorded a time-lapse of the starry sky.

Taylor then tweeted everything.

The fans were in an uproar when they saw it:

"This is too ethereal! We absolutely have to arrange for a new version of Ciel!"

"I need the address! I want to see the Milky Way too!"

Even the members of Girls' Generation couldn't help but say they wanted to come and vacation there after seeing the photos reposted on Renren.com.

.........

The scene being filmed that day was a major fight scene.

Wolverine carries the little girl Lucy on his back as they run wildly through the woods, dodging pursuers and fighting as they go.

Zhao Shi had to be carried on Du Sheng's back the whole time, and she also had to act out panic, shout, and even "kick the enemy."

For a 9-year-old child, this is quite physically demanding.

After filming wrapped, Du Sheng immediately put her down, squatted down, and asked her carefully:

"Did you bump into anything just now? Does your shoulder hurt?"

Zhao Beishi's face was flushed, and she was panting as she shook her head in a childish voice:
"It's okay, big brother, I'm just a little tired."

"I didn't do it right just now, let's try again!"

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng couldn't help but nod in agreement.

This girl is only 9 years old, but she has a lot of energy.

He had previously thought the child was a bit of a social climber.

But after getting to know her, I found that although she was calculating and goal-oriented, her strengths were even more prominent:
'Extremely hardworking, unafraid of hardship, and not at all delicate.'

She had a significant role in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine".

Not only do they have to act in action scenes, but they also have to be responsible for the comedy, occasionally throwing out a witty remark or an innocent question to lighten the mood.

If it were any other girl her age, she would probably be exhausted and crying after just two days of filming, and her parents would have already demanded more money or a change of script.

But Zhao Bei's poems are different.

Although her mother is a nag, she herself is very obedient.

Du Sheng taught her a few simple martial arts moves, and she practiced them over and over again. If she made a mistake, she would start over, never complaining.

In one scene, she fell twice, and her knees were bruised and red. Du Sheng told her to rest, but she waved her hand and said, "It's okay, I can do it."

The stagehands were stunned, saying that the young girl had " guts."

Because of her high level of cooperation and stable performance, the filming progress of the entire crew was much faster than expected.

Du Sheng noticed this and his impression of her gradually changed. He squatted down, gently pressed her shoulder where the backpack strap had been digging into it, and rubbed it for her.

"Alright, let's rest for ten minutes, have some water, and then we'll continue filming later."

Zhao Beishi nodded obediently and ran off to find her mother.

Du Sheng had just sat down to catch her breath when Taylor bounced over, her eyes sparkling:
"Brother Sheng! When I saw you carrying her and running just now, a melody suddenly popped into my head!"
This is perfect for this movie! I need to write it down right away!

Du Sheng smiled and looked up:

"Oh? Writing songs?"
This movie is all about hardcore violence and revenge; playing country music like that just doesn't really fit in.

Taylor, unconvinced, plopped down on the floor.

"Who says the countryside can't be full of affection?"
The song I wrote is about the father-daughter relationship between Wolverine and Lucy. The melody is gentle and a little sad, and it can make your nose tingle after listening to it.

Believe it or not, the audience will be watching the action scenes while wiping away tears!

As soon as she finished speaking, Ivy Heard walked over in high heels, wearing a tight leather outfit, and walked with a confident stride.

She glanced at Taylor, her tone indifferent:

"Your musical talent is only good for fooling your fans."

Compared to Du, he is worlds apart.

With Johnny Depp in "Wolverine," how could they possibly use your theme song?

Taylor rolled her eyes upon hearing this:

"I may not be as talented as Brother Sheng, but I'm still better than a 'big-breasted, brainless' vase like you, right?"

Instead of being annoyed, Ivy deliberately puffed out her chest, creating a very vivid image, and she smiled happily:

"I'm talented, so what?"
It's better than some 'apple-shaped' or door-panel-sized people who are trying to look good, isn't it?

Taylor sneered:
What's wrong with apple-shaped?
I'm taller than you! And my legs are longer than yours!

Your charisma is miles ahead of yours!

Ivy slowly tossed her hair:

"I'm 170cm tall, and my leg length is just right."

Any higher and it would appear flat, which would be counterproductive.

You should just stick to playing your 'White Queen' role.

The two exchanged barbs, creating a tense atmosphere that made the surrounding staff chuckle.

Actually, this isn't the first time.

Ever since Taylor came to the set for a cameo and started monopolizing Du Sheng, Ivy Heard has disliked her.

They compete openly and secretly, from fashion to acting skills, from physique to background, seizing every opportunity to roast each other.

To put it bluntly, they are both secretly passionate; one flirts openly, while the other secretly competes, and neither is willing to concede to the other.

Du Sheng sat in the middle, listening to the two bickering, treating it as a show.

He stood up from the chair and patted his trousers:

"Alright, get back to work."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fushi immediately ran over, tilted her little face up, and said in a childish voice:
"Big brother, you're so popular! Those two older sisters bicker about you every day."

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng smiled and shook his head.

This little girl, her words are as sweet as honey.

Who says she's a snob?

With that emotional intelligence and keen observation, she's practically born to be an actor!

He couldn't resist reaching out and ruffling her hair again.

"What does this little girl know?"
Focus on filming your movie, and don't worry about anything else.

The two repositioned themselves, ready to reshoot the forest escape scene they had just filmed.

This time, the coordination went exceptionally smoothly. Du Sheng carried her on his back, dodging left and right with swift and decisive movements.

Zhao Beishi was also very steady, shouting when she needed to and struggling when she needed to, without holding back at all.

Don't be fooled by the fact that she's just "hanging" on your back; you have to completely trust Du Sheng, or you'll fall if you lose your balance.

At the climax of the shoot, Du Sheng delivered a spinning kick, but the movement was too forceful, and he couldn't control the momentum, kicking the roadside telephone pole with a "bang".

There was a loud crash, as if someone had been hit by a vehicle.

The thick iron pole actually fell over, crashing to the ground and sending sparks flying!
The scene was filled with exclamations of surprise.

The staff and onlookers were so frightened that they quickly backed away; fortunately, no one was injured.

But this kick made the film crew famous!

Actually, fans and paparazzi had already been staking out the location where "Wolverine" was filming these past two days.

The city authorities also notified the authorities and cleared some sections of the road, but they couldn't handle the large number of people.

Du Sheng's kick was not only witnessed by fans at the scene, but also by several reporters who were waiting there, and the video was immediately uploaded to the internet.

Taylor and Ivy Heard were standing on the sidelines at the time.

The two men watched in disbelief as the iron pole collapsed with a "thud."

Taylor's legs felt a little weak, and she muttered to herself:
"My God... are these legs made of steel? Thank goodness I didn't try this last night?"

Although Ivy Heard was being stubborn, her eyes were already glued to Du Sheng, and her heart was pounding like crazy.

The two exchanged a glance, then quickly turned their heads away, pretending to be calm.

They were all thinking to themselves, "This man is really something!"

Filming was immediately suspended as soon as the utility pole fell.

The film crew quickly contacted the city to handle compensation, and they also had to rebuild the set.

It took almost half an hour of fiddling before filming resumed.

But right now, the internet is in an uproar.

[Du Sheng is as strong as an elephant; he kicked down a telephone pole while filming!]

This topic immediately went viral and became a trending topic.

The video was blurry at first, but a high-definition version appeared within minutes.

It was actually released by the Wolverine film crew themselves!
It also includes subtitles:
"The power of Wolverine! Do you dare to challenge it?"

This move is clearly a publicity stunt.

The effect can be amazing.

The comment section exploded instantly:

"Is the New Xilan city requisition project made of paper?"

Is this pole so fragile?

Du Sheng's kick must have had several tons of force!

"The point isn't whether it collapses or not, it's whether you've seen the HD version."

That dent in the lamppost! It's deep enough to fit a fist in!

How much force does that take?

"I've practiced Muay Thai for ten years, and I wouldn't dare say I could bend an iron bar with one kick, let alone knock it down."

"Du Sheng isn't an actor, he's a human tank!"

"A real-life Wolverine has been confirmed!"

That sense of power, that explosiveness—wasn't playing Wolverine tailor-made for him?

I've already started the countdown to the movie's release!

What does Wolverine represent? Freedom, rebellion, and defiance.

Du Sheng's energy is a perfect match for the role; my expectations are through the roof!

Many people initially thought that "kicking down the streetlight" might be a coincidence, or that the pole was not sturdy to begin with.

Soon, a bunch of bizarre videos of "challenging Du Sheng's style" appeared online.

Especially the "funnis" of New Ceylon, who were the first to get restless.

…(End of this chapter)