Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 602 Fan Xiaopang's Confession

"I'm so envious~"

"I'm so envious~"

"I'm so envious~"

Before anyone knew it, Ning Hao, Lu Yang, and Wang Jing all came over and started joking about Guo Fan.

Guo Fan was like a wronged little wife, not knowing how to retort.

To say that I am not envious is a lie.

Everyone has already achieved great success and has had their own shining moments, but none of them can do what Guo Fan did: start with a $5000 million science fiction masterpiece.

Forget envious, I'm practically jealous!
"Alright, the premiere is about to begin. Everyone, go back to your seats. Guo Fan, you need to get ready too; you'll be giving a speech later."

In the end, it was Zhang Chen who helped him out of the predicament with a single sentence.

……

Ten minutes later, the premiere officially began.

Tu Jingwei warmed up the audience, and then Zhang Chen, the producer of the film, appeared.

Star Entertainment has always been the practice to play complete films and avoid any gimmicks.

This is one of the reasons why many famous directors are willing to come here.

Giving face was certainly part of it, but more importantly, they all wanted to see what domestically produced space science fiction was like and how it differed from that of the Americans.

Instead of starting directly as usual, Zhang Chen unusually expressed his gratitude first.

"Before the main feature begins, I'd like to take a few minutes of your time to say a few words. On behalf of Star Entertainment, I would like to thank the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and the Film Bureau for their strong support during the filming of this movie."

As Zhang Chen said this, he gestured to the location of the leaders of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. The camera panned to them, and the leaders waved in response.

"Many people may not realize how difficult it was for us to make this film."

I have repeatedly emphasized on various occasions that "Gravity" is the first domestic science fiction film on the subject of space. Some people thought I had forgotten and even reminded me that "The Moon" should be the first one, but that is not the case.

Moon is, strictly speaking, soft science fiction. It focuses on the story and doesn't need to delve into many technical aspects.

But Gravity is different; it's a story that truly takes place in space and involves a lot of specialized knowledge.

This aspect must be approached with rigor.

We thank CASIC (China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation) for providing us with a great deal of professional guidance in this regard.

Before filming began, in order to help the actors find the feeling of weightlessness, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation specially arranged for two actors to undergo training in a gravity chamber, including eating, drinking, and orientation exercises, with excellent results…”

At this point, the leaders of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) in the audience suddenly stood up and walked onto the stage, seemingly having something to say.

The host was unprepared, but still improvised and handed over his microphone.

The leader said, "Director Zhang Chen's description here is not quite accurate. Let me explain. It's not a gravity chamber, but a gravity aircraft, a training device used by astronauts. It mainly uses the addition or removal of counterweights and buoyancy devices to make the body's weight and buoyancy equal, that is, neutral buoyancy, to simulate the feeling and effect of weightlessness. However, it does not eliminate the effect of gravity on the human body and its tissues. Therefore, it is different from a real weightless environment and is only used for training in movement and other aspects."

After the leader from China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation finished speaking, there was a moment of silence, followed by a burst of laughter from the entire audience.

It seems this leader is a tech enthusiast.

Zhang Chen, smiling on stage, chimed in, "Yes, my explanation wasn't clear enough, and it wasn't professional enough~"

The leaders of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation stepped down from the stage amidst well-meaning glances, wiping away non-existent cold sweat from their brows.

This needs to be made clear: the gravity chamber and the gravity plane have completely different meanings for him.

The gravity aircraft is training equipment, so there's nothing wrong with opening it to the public.

But the weight compartment involves classified information, and it wouldn't be good to cause misunderstandings.

After praising the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and the Film Bureau, the main feature finally began to play.

The first shot is a panoramic view of Earth from space.

The vast universe, the blue planet, so beautiful!
The first shot is so beautiful it could be used as a desktop wallpaper.

Needless to say, this shot is CG composite. In fact, over 80% of the shots in this movie require the use of CG.

But based on the effect of just the first shot, viewers can already tell that the special effects of this movie are in no way inferior to those of Hollywood movies; the rest depends on how well the story is told.

The scene then shifts to two people conducting maintenance work in space.

The two characters are American pilots. The female lead is played by Fan Xiaopang, and it's already a bit illogical for an Asian face to appear at NASA, so the male actor must be Western.

I still used George Clooney. (I forgot if I mentioned this before.)
David introduced us.

Although George Clooney has faded somewhat recently, he still enjoys high popularity in Hollywood and can be a good fit for promoting a film.

Moreover, he has extensive connections, and if the film goes on to win awards, he can benefit from that connection.

As the plot unfolds, a storm breaks out, plunging the two into crisis.

In the original "Gravity," the storm was caused by Russia detonating its own expired satellite.

In Hollywood, criticizing Russia is politically correct.

However, it would be inappropriate to change the producer to China Film Group.

Therefore, in Guo Fan's version of "Gravity", the debris storm is caused by a meteorite impact.

George Clooney sacrificed himself, giving the chance of survival to Fan Bingbing.

Fan Xiaopang escaped the wreckage of the American space station, drifted to the Russian space station, changed his equipment there, continued his escape, and finally used China's Tiangong-1 space station to successfully save himself and return to Earth.

Can you still play like this?
The plot development left the audience speechless.

Did American astronauts return to Earth wearing Russian spacesuits and flying back to Earth in Chinese aircraft?

Is it easier to switch spacecraft in space than to hail a taxi on the ground?
The story of Gravity is actually very simple: I just want to live, without any unnecessary distractions, just to survive.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it's a one-man show; the plot is tense, and the audience will feel tense along with the story.

After the hour-and-a-half-long movie ended, applause rang out in the audience.

The guests present had various expressions.

The actors were blown away by Fan Xiaopang's performance, while the directors were amazed by the avant-garde techniques used in the film.

Fan Xiaopang has clearly transformed in this movie.

She used to act in commercial films, which, while requiring acting skills, don't demand a high level of skill.

But Fan Xiaopang's performance in "Gravity" was completely different.

To put it bluntly, this movie is a one-man show. Apart from a ten-minute cameo at the beginning, George Clooney is the only one who carries the rest of the movie.

If your acting skills aren't up to par, you simply can't carry the show.

But Fan Xiaopang did it.

He perfectly captured a range of emotions—panic, fear, confusion, and resilience—and portrayed a person struggling to survive in dire straits with remarkable depth.

Many people were shocked. Is this really you, Fan Xiaopang?

We all agreed to play together, but you secretly study after school. Can we still have fun together?

You're so outstanding, you'll have no friends.

The actors were surprised, while the directors were deep in thought.

They were thinking about the cinematic language and expressive techniques used in the film.

The layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

The director's approach to the film was quite novel to them, and they couldn't understand how many shots were filmed. Some even suspected that Zhang Chen was the helmsman, and the film was simply credited as a new director.

But he immediately overturned his own decision.

When "Gravity" was being filmed, Zhang Chen was also filming "White House Down." No one can film two movies at the same time, and Zhang Chen was no exception.

So that means "Gravity" really is the work of that new director? But look at the quality of this movie, is this really a new director?

After the movie ended, the lights in the venue came on, and the main creators were invited onto the stage.

The atmosphere at the scene was a bit somber, as everyone was still immersed in the movie's atmosphere and hadn't come out of it yet. The host, Jingwei, tried to liven things up.

Guo Fan and Fan Xiaopang shared some interesting stories that happened during filming.

"Director Zhang Chen, could you please set aside your role as a producer and give your opinion on what this film is really like?"

Zhang Chen held the microphone, paused for a few seconds as if organizing his thoughts, and finally said, "This isn't the first time I've seen it, but I'm still deeply moved. I can only say that this film, from the director to the actors, has greatly impressed me. I think the guests here today surely share the same sentiment."

The host immediately turned his gaze to the audience and quickly locked onto one person: "Ms. Jing Tian, ​​could you share your thoughts after watching the film?"

Jing Tian took the microphone: "I think Sister Binbin's acting skills are really amazing, she's my idol!"

The audience burst into laughter.

Fan Xiaopang on stage was laughing so hard he was shaking.

The microphone was switched to another person: "Ms. Jiang Wenli, what's your opinion?"

Jiang Wenli gracefully took the microphone: "I think Fan Binbin's performance in this film has made a huge breakthrough. I think she deserves to win Best Actress. She has already proven herself to be a powerful actress through her films..."

As the words fell, applause broke out.

Jiang Wenli is a veteran in the film and television industry. She is a top-tier TV actress and also works as a producer. Her husband is a well-known director.

Given her status, she didn't need to say anything flattering, but she still said it anyway.

That means she truly approves of Fan Xiaopang.

At that moment, tears welled up in Fan Xiaopang's eyes. She hurriedly covered her face to prevent the media from capturing her disheveled state, but they still managed to take pictures.

The projection of Fan Xiaopang wiping away tears of emotion appeared on the big screen, which immediately drew applause from the audience once again.

"Thank you, thank you everyone, thank you Sister Wenli, thank you for your recognition, I..."

Fan Xiaopang choked up a little, and the audience was also drawn into her emotions.

While wiping away tears, Fan Xiaopang softly recounted: "After 'Princess Pearl,' I had no roles to play for a while. I was terrified at that time. I was afraid of being forgotten by the entertainment industry and being replaced by newcomers. During that period, I was anxious every day."

In order to avoid fading into obscurity, I could only rely on scandals and excessive media exposure to maintain my popularity, but the price was a terrible reputation, making me a negative example in the industry.

I feel like I'm doomed. I've tried so hard, but I can't see any hope of success.

Just when I was feeling lost and helpless, a ray of light appeared in my life.

Director Zhang Chen approached me and invited me to star in "The Shallows".

At that time, he was just a penniless student at the Beijing Film Academy, but I had a feeling that he would succeed.

And then he actually succeeded, and I also had my own representative work.

As he said this, a smile appeared on Fan Xiaopang's face.

This smile is infectious, and everyone smiles along with it.

"At that time, I faced two paths: either continue playing the glamorous character in 'The Shallows,' or transform into a serious actor. I chose the second path, but Director Zhang told me again, 'You made the wrong choice. It's not that transforming into a serious actor is wrong, it's that the timing is wrong.' He told me that what I need to do first is to make the audience remember me, not to be like 'Princess Pearl,' only popular for a short time and then fade away..."

Then I chose the first option, but he said that this one was wrong too. There are too many beautiful female celebrities. You're number one now, but can you stay number one forever?
Then he told me that I had to walk a different path from everyone else, and that I had to have my own unique identity.

Then came "A Quiet Place," "Pacific Rim," and "2012," in which I played female characters who struggled against fate and possessed an indomitable spirit.

It worked great, and I became a big star.

Then Director Zhang came to me again and said that my image is now deeply ingrained in people's minds, and no one will forget me. I should hone my acting skills.

Then came "Gravity." He said to act well, that this film would be a milestone for me, and that's how I came to be who I am today...

In acting, I don't have the same talent as Zhou Xun, but I'm very lucky to have Director Zhang as my mentor who has always supported me.

I've wanted to say all this for a long time. Director Zhang Chen, you are the most important person in my life besides my parents. Thank you!

As soon as Fan Xiaopang finished speaking, the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Everyone could tell that Fan Xiaopang was speaking from the bottom of her heart, and they also marveled at her good fortune, having Zhang Chen support her all the way.

The female celebrities in the audience had various expressions, some envious, some jealous, but if we were to say who resonated with the most, it would undoubtedly be Jing Tian.

Jing Tian also wanted to say, "Thank you, Director Zhang, thank you for giving me the opportunity to buy the role."

The applause was enthusiastic and lasted for a long time.

After Fan Xiaopang finished speaking, she gave him a big hug, and Zhang Chen smiled and hugged her back.

He hadn't expected Fan Xiaopang to launch a surprise attack. It was as if she was practically saying to him, "Zhang Chen, marry me!"
The applause continued. Zhang Chen waved his hand and released Fan Xiaopang: "Our beautiful Fan is a bit excited. Let's let her rest for a bit. And let's not just praise her, let's praise our new director too..."

Laughter erupted from the crowd, and the host, understanding the implication, immediately changed the subject: "Yes, we have so many renowned directors here, let's hear their perspectives on this film!"

After speaking, Tu Jingwei smiled and looked at the audience: "Director Yi Mou, would you mind sharing something with us?"

Zhang Yimou took the microphone with a smile and said, "To be honest, this movie really shocked me. This is not a compliment; I was genuinely shocked."

It's so realistic, especially the explosion at the beginning of the movie.

Before we came here, we learned that explosions in space are silent.

The film did a great job of conveying this, using music, action, and camera work to make the audience truly feel the power of the explosion—it's remarkable!
And that rolling shot, I still don't understand how it was filmed..."

Those who work in technology focus on specific problems.

Although the people present did not know the specific difficulties he was talking about, they could sense that the shot must have been really amazing.

At this point, Guo Fan was wide awake and immediately replied, "Thank you for your affirmation, Director Yi Mou. That rolling shot was also very difficult for us. We tried many methods and finally developed a set of electric sliding rail devices specifically for it."

The space capsule model has no top; instead, it is controlled by a wire harness via an electric sliding rail system.

Ms. Fan cooperated with the wires to create a weightless appearance. Opposite her, the camera responsible for filming was fixed to a boom that could be used for 720-degree advertising.

During the roll, Ms. Fan didn't actually move; she only made corresponding facial expressions. It was the camera rotating, combined with the surrounding displays, that created a realistic effect.

After Guo Fan finished answering, Zhang Yimou had a look of sudden realization and exclaimed, "Amazing! Amazing! The ideas are incredibly imaginative, and the actors' performances are superb. We old guys couldn't make a film like this; we have to rely on you young people..."

"No, no, no, we're just standing on the shoulders of giants~"

At this moment, Guo Fan finally demonstrated his industrial wisdom, and his answer made the guests present nod in approval.

Some directors silently shook their heads, saying they couldn't make a movie like that either.

Putting aside the budget, the difficulty of filming alone is beyond the reach of most people.

Some producers are also wondering whether such a film is possible to replicate.

Gravity is undoubtedly a good film, but the cost was too high and the difficulty too great; it seems that the people under my command couldn't handle it.

murmurs began to ripple through the crowd. The film bureau staff, noticing the expressions on everyone's faces, whispered amongst themselves.

Then, the exchange seemed to have reached a conclusion. Suddenly, someone in the film bureau area raised their hand, the microphone was passed to them, and the person stood up, turned around to face the camera, and said:

"On behalf of the Film Bureau, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify our position: Gravity is undoubtedly a good film that fills the gap in the domestic space science fiction genre. We thank Star Entertainment for its exploration in the film direction and hope that other film and television companies will be brave enough to try and produce some high-quality films like Gravity. This will be beneficial to the entire industry."

If any company is willing to explore this field, the Film Bureau will definitely provide corresponding encouragement and support. This is both our attitude and our commitment…

Applause erupted again!

(End of this chapter)