Extracting skills from movies

Du Sheng, on the other hand, was happy to be relaxed.

With no rush to film, beautiful women around, and picturesque scenery, who wouldn't want this kind of life?

During that time, I received a call from the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games and went to Beijing again.

He didn't even rest when he arrived; he went straight to the IOC meeting building.

As soon as I pushed open the office door, the aroma of fine tea wafted out.

Inside the room sat two leaders from the Olympic Organizing Committee, leisurely brewing Kung Fu tea.
Several bigwigs, including Zhang Yimou and Zhang Jigang, sat around the side, drinking tea and chatting in a relaxed atmosphere like a gathering of old friends.

But as soon as Du Sheng entered the room, everyone's eyes immediately focused on him.

The leader, with a beaming smile, said warmly:

"Ah Sheng, we've been waiting for you!"

As he poured the tea, he got straight to the point:
"We're all on the same side, so let's not get into any formalities."

The Organizing Committee made the final decision: the opening ceremony theme song would be your "Together Towards the Future," and the closing ceremony theme song would be "You and Me."

Upon hearing this news, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.

Actually, choosing this song was not easy. There were all sorts of arguments beforehand, with experts holding different opinions and almost slamming their fists on the table.

The reason we were able to finally decide on "Together Towards the Future" was because its melody is indeed catchy and makes people feel excited and motivated.

Secondly, it also depends on Du Sheng's prestigious reputation.

The whole country knows him as a "creative genius." Having him compose the Olympic theme song makes people feel at ease, and the satisfaction level is off the charts.

Du Sheng quickly waved his hand:

"The leader is too kind to me. It is my honor to be able to participate in such an important matter."

This song was actually the designated theme song for the Asian Games in its previous life; the original song was called "Together in Love".
Since this is the Olympics, the lyrics about Asia and a family don't quite fit.
He then made slight modifications, replacing it with a more universally meaningful expression such as "shared love, shared heart, shared creation, shared strength, and shared direction."

The song is powerful yet warm, and it resonates with listeners from different cultural backgrounds, which makes it quite good.

The leader pushed the teacup in front of him and said with a smile:

"I called you here not just for this song."
There's an even more crucial task: designing the lighting ceremony.

He paused, then his tone became serious:
"You're one of the planners for the opening ceremony. You're quick-witted and full of ideas, so you need to keep up with this."

With the Olympics fast approaching, the torch lighting plan needs to be finalized quickly; we still need to allow enough time to build the main torch at the Bird's Nest.

As everyone knows, the torch design and the ignition method are a set.

Usually, an idea comes first, and then the torch is designed based on that idea.

Zhang Yimou once mentioned an idea called "Phoenix Returning to Its Nest," which sounds romantic, but it's too difficult to put into practice.

The wire work, the high altitude, and the need for coordinated movements made it too risky, so we had to abandon the idea in the end.

At this moment, Zhang Yimou took over the conversation and said to Du Sheng:
"Ah Sheng, you know the overall structure of our opening ceremony, right?"

It is divided into two main sections: 'Brilliant Civilization' and 'Glorious Era'...

These two ideas were proposed by Du Sheng, and Xiaoxiao did not interrupt.

He knew that the other party was reporting the progress to their superiors.

Zhang Yimou glanced at the people present and continued:
"Our current preliminary plan is to build a giant LED screen around the top of the Bird's Nest to create a dynamic historical scroll."

The person lighting the torch, suspended by a steel wire and holding a torch, "runs" around the scroll once before finally igniting the main torch.

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng raised an eyebrow:
"Isn't this job too physically demanding?"
Running a lap suspended in mid-air, and with graceful movements at that, requires considerable core strength and stamina; otherwise, it's impossible to sustain it.

He knew in his heart that in his previous life, this job was originally intended for shooting champion Xu Kaifeng.

But he was a shooting athlete, and his physical fitness and balance were not suitable for high-altitude movements. He couldn't master it after several attempts, so in the end, they had to switch to Li Ning.

But Du Sheng has never been a fan of the Li Ning brand.

Hiring Japanese executives at inflated prices and producing a bunch of controversial designs is really disgusting.

Zhang Yimou nodded:
"It is indeed difficult, but it can be overcome through special training."

Du Sheng was silent for a few seconds, then his eyes suddenly lit up:
"I think Xu Kaifeng is still the first choice."

We can get him a specially made 'firework gun'.

He doesn't need to run; he just stands in a fixed position and controls the gun to fire fireworks.

Fireworks exploded in the sky, flames spreading in layers, eventually forming the shape of a phoenix...

The main torch was pre-filled with a gas that ignites upon contact with fire. As soon as the phoenix flew above the torch, the sacred flame ignited with a 'boom'.

He paused, then smiled and concluded:

"It achieves the auspicious meaning of 'a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix' without requiring people to risk their lives by hanging on steel wires. It's safe, impressive, and saves trouble."

After these words, the entire room fell silent for a moment, and then everyone looked at Tsai Kuo-chuan.

This man is a "gunpowder master" in charge of designing the Olympic fireworks.

Tsai Kuo-chuan stroked his chin and slowly began to speak:

"The idea is quite novel and sounds exciting, but to actually implement it, it will require repeated trials and meticulous design."

I reckon the direction is right, and it will work.

But there's a big problem: the firework projectiles are too small, making it quite difficult to assemble a decent-looking phoenix.

If it explodes and looks like a newly hatched chick with wet feathers, it would become an international laughing stock.

He paused, then continued his analysis:
"To create that overwhelming and awe-inspiring effect, at least dozens of 'firework guns' would need to fire simultaneously to outline the complete phoenix silhouette."

However, this caused the risk index to skyrocket.

If one of the guns jams or the design is missing a part, nobody can say for sure when the Olympic flame will be lit.

This is the opening ceremony; the whole world is watching. There's no room for error.

It was clear from Tsai Kuo-chuan's words that she had reservations about Du Sheng's idea of ​​"lighting the firework gun".

But the leader seemed to suddenly remember something, and changed the subject:
"Speaking of the person who will ignite the fire, the person has not been decided yet."

Actually, it doesn't necessarily have to be an athlete.

Look at the Sydney Olympics, the final torch was lit by a little girl of seven or eight years old. How lively and symbolic!

If you ask me, if we were to rank the candidates, Ah Sheng, you'd definitely be ahead of Xu Kaifeng.

Zhang Yimou immediately chimed in:

That's right!
With Ah Sheng's physique, she could run a lap on top of the Bird's Nest, or even do ten somersaults without getting out of breath.

Besides, you're the only Chinese world boxing champion; you're absolutely capable of handling big stages.

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng didn't refuse and directly stated his position:
"I will follow the organization's arrangements and fully cooperate."

If I'm lucky enough to be the last one to leave the baton, who do you plan to have sing the theme song?

Upon hearing this, the leader's eyes narrowed into slits with laughter:
"If you really become the one who starts the fire, then the theme song will be sung by Girls' Generation!"

These four girls are incredibly famous internationally now. They're beautiful, talented in singing and dancing, and have great poise. They truly represent the charm of Eastern girls.

Letting them sing is the perfect thing for them!

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng was secretly delighted.

This group is truly his brainchild. Watching them gradually rise to the international stage, and now they might even be the ones singing the Olympic theme song, he is naturally happier than anyone else.

You should know that being able to sing the theme song at the opening ceremony of the Olympics is a peak moment that many singers can never reach in their entire lives.

Girls' Generation has the ability and the qualifications.

The official selection process will definitely consider them, but since nothing has been decided yet, Du Sheng suppressed her thoughts.

He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said:

"The singing skills of the girls in Girls' Generation are all the result of hard work and practice."

If it were really their turn to sing, they would give it their all, perfecting every note and every word, and they would definitely not embarrass themselves.

In fact, the leader had already planned this matter.

Girls' Generation is an option, provided that Du Sheng is the right person to ignite the flame.

If Du Sheng hadn't appeared, he would definitely have had to sing the theme song himself.

Such a major event as the Olympics cannot be taken lightly.

If he were to voluntarily decline, Girls' Generation might not even have a chance.

So the best outcome would be for Du Sheng to be the one to ignite the fire, and for Girls' Generation to sing the theme song – a double celebration.

Du Sheng pondered for a moment, then had a new idea:
"Actually, I have quite a few ideas in my head, such as archery, throwing, and burning, which can all be used to start a fire."

He recalled the classic events of the past, and the most impressive one was the 92 Barcelona Olympics.

The athlete drew his bow and shot an arrow, which launched a rocket that ignited the torch platform, which was dozens of meters away and several meters high!
The scene still gives me goosebumps when I think about it now.

Although it was a bit risky, the Olympic spirit of 'human beings challenging the limits' was all in that one arrow, and it was also extremely entertaining.

He became interested and started talking quite enthusiastically:

"I can ride on a panda, leaping and galloping, draw my bow and shoot a flaming arrow straight at the main torch."

This is not only handsome, but it also echoes the "Six Arts of a Gentleman" in ancient China—rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics.

Pandas are a national treasure and a symbol of China, so I won't go into that.

"Cycling" is "riding," and "archery" is "shooting," both perfectly embodying traditional culture.

Although giant pandas may seem slow when walking normally, they can sprint up to 36 km/h over short distances, which is more than enough to make them the clear winner.

Du Sheng's mind was brimming with ideas, as if he knew them all by heart:
"If you want something even more amazing, you can try javelin throwing."

I designed flame patterns on the javelin, so that when it flew out, it looked like a phoenix circling in the air, and finally, with a "thud," it accurately struck the torch stand, and the flames roared up.

That scene was absolutely divine!

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yimou quickly waved his hand:

"No, no, no! You're oversimplifying things."

The Bird's Nest is nearly 70 meters tall, and the main torch tower will be even taller, at least 70 or 80 meters, or even over 100 meters.

Are you riding a panda and shooting arrows from below?
The distance is too far, and wind speed, angle, and air resistance are all variables, making it too difficult.

Besides, using arrows to start fires has been done before. Even if you were riding a panda to shoot, people would easily accuse you of "copying homework."

Little did Director Zhang know that Du Sheng's physical condition was far beyond that of an ordinary person.

He has "Dart Throwing Skill LV3/Blue" and "Arrow Never Misses LV3/Purple". His reaction speed, hand-eye coordination, and strength control are all superhuman.

Let alone seventy or eighty meters, even a hundred meters away, he could throw the javelin with perfect accuracy, as if it had eyes.

Precise, steady, and ruthless!

If Du Sheng didn't have some skills, he wouldn't have shown off in this kind of situation.

This is, after all, the opening ceremony of the Olympics; the whole country is watching, and the whole world is watching.

The lighting ceremony, in particular, was the highlight of the entire evening.

If things go wrong—the torch isn't lit, someone falls, or the movements are off—it's not just a matter of losing face; you might be branded a criminal for life and become a "historical sinner."

But Du Sheng knew what was going on.

The international javelin world record is just over 100 meters?
For him, that number was like a supermarket discount price—he could break through it with ease.

Forget about aiming accurately, you could hit the bullseye even with your eyes closed.

But he wasn't naive; he knew that being too high-profile could easily cause trouble.

If he were to actually fire a shot that doubles in length by 200 meters, the media would definitely treat him like an alien and study him.

Therefore, he softened his tone:

"After all, I come from a martial arts background and my riding skills are not bad. With the speed of the panda and my own strength, it shouldn't be a problem to accurately throw the javelin into the torch platform."

And I'm sure I'm not just making fun of this proposal.

If you are concerned, you can arrange for testing; feel free to do so.

He paused, then added:
"Of course, this is just my personal suggestion. Ultimately, the decision rests with the IOC. They can decide however they want."

Who among those present didn't know Du Sheng's temper?

This guy never brags; if he says something, he probably knows it.

He's now a world boxing champion, a movie star, and a pop star, with a net worth of tens of billions. Is it worth risking his reputation on such a nationally significant event?
So upon hearing this, everyone immediately took it seriously.

I started to wonder if this "riding a panda and throwing a spear to start a fire" theory was really reliable.

Tsai Kuo-chuan was the first to respond:
"We can do some fancy tricks with the javelin."

The spearhead is made into a phoenix head, and the spear tail is carved into a phoenix tail. When it is lit, all the lights in the room dim and flames rise up. Isn't that just like a phoenix spreading its wings?
The visual effects are absolutely stunning!

But then he changed the subject:
"But problems have arisen. First, it's more difficult to throw because the center of gravity has changed."

Secondly, with fire burning at both ends, wouldn't your hands get burned if you held it like that?

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng's mind raced, and he immediately came up with a new idea:

"How about this, instead of being a phoenix, let's get a 'dragon spear'!"
Adding a windproof glass cover to the faucet prevents the flame from being blown away when lit inside, while also allowing the faucet to maintain its imposing appearance.

Once the javelin reaches the torch stand, either the glass dome will shatter automatically, igniting the main flame.

We could install a sensor inside so that the javelin ignites automatically as soon as it hits the ground.

What the audience saw was a 'gunshot and fire,' maximizing the sense of ceremony.

He spoke more and more fluently as he spoke:

"The main torch platform could also be designed in the shape of a coiled dragon, spiraling upwards. When the fire is lit, flames will spew from the dragon's mouth. Wouldn't that be a spectacular sight?"
We are descendants of the dragon, and the venue is called "Phoenix Nest," which perfectly embodies the auspicious meaning of "dragon and phoenix bringing good fortune."
May your wishes be blessed with good fortune!

Zhang Yimou's eyes lit up when he heard this.

He already felt that "swinging on a steel wire" was too old-fashioned, no different from the idea from ten years ago, and had no novelty at all.

Now, upon hearing this, I immediately perked up:

"That's a brilliant idea!"

The dragon head should be made imposing, with flames spewing from its mouth, and the gun body should be shaped like a dragon's spine. Although it won't actually burn, a fluorescent coating or LED light strips can be used to simulate the effect of flowing flames.

If we could make the javelin three or four meters long, the force with which it flies would be absolutely breathtaking!

…(End of this chapter)