Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 673 Director Chen Asks for a Script
After instructing Gulina to pick up the person, Zhang Chen turned around and went back to his room, carefully checking to make sure there were no hickeys on his neck or lipstick marks on his collar.

After tidying everything up, he hurriedly went downstairs. As soon as he reached the lobby on the first floor, he saw Gulina leading a group of people in through the revolving door.

Upon seeing the familiar figure, Zhang Chen immediately went to greet him. As soon as he got closer, he heard a warm greeting: "Senior Brother~"

The one who addressed him as "senior brother" was naturally Lu Yang, and Wen Muye next to him also followed suit, while Director Chen waved with a smile: "Zhang Chen~"

"Teacher Daoming~"

Zhang Chen first gave Lu Yang a big hug, "Why did you guys come? You didn't even tell me beforehand!"

"I was just trying to surprise you!"

When it was Director Chen's turn, he received another big hug, and the latter handed him a tote bag with a smile: "I brought you a gift, Toronto's specialty maple syrup and chocolate~"

"Thank you."

Zhang Chen took it and handed it to Gulina to keep safe.

Then there's Wen Muye, who calls him "senior brother" just like Lu Yang. He's also from Beijing Film Academy and is a graduate student of Director Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Zhang Chen patted him on the shoulder: "How was it? Did you learn anything from working on 'The Equalizer'?"

Wen Muye nodded quickly: "I have learned so much. My senior brother taught me a lot, such as the skills of on-site coordination, the use of camera angles, and how to communicate with actors. Teacher Chen also often tells me about the tricks of acting. I have written them all down in my notebook."

As he spoke, he waved the notebook in his hand, which was covered with dense writing.

Looking at Wen Muye's serious expression, Zhang Chen couldn't help but think of Lu Yang from many years ago.

Back when Lu Yang first entered the industry, he was just a greenhorn, running around as an assistant director.

He was like that back then, constantly taking notes in a notebook every day.

They studied both camera language and actor communication with great care.

Now he's a leading business director who can stand on his own.

This can probably be considered a kind of inheritance at Beijing Film Academy. Lu Yang served as his assistant director, and Wen Muye served as Lu Yang's assistant director. This is how the generation grows up.

Zhang Chen looked up at the three of them, and a sudden emotion welled up inside him: "It's so good to see you all~"

After working non-stop on a film set in a foreign country for almost a month, facing scripts and cameras every day, with English and the sounds of various equipment operating in my ears, seeing familiar faces of compatriots now feels really heartwarming.

As the group was talking, a familiar sound of footsteps came from the other side of the hall.

As filming was about to begin, the crew members gathered on the first floor.

"Director Lu, Teacher Daoming~"

A voice in Chinese rang out from the crowd; it was Zhang Jin.

Upon seeing that it was indeed these people, Zhang Jin quickly took two steps and came to stand in front of them.

"It really is you guys~"

"Haha, we came here specifically to visit the set~"

Zhang Jin embraced Lu Yang and Director Chen familiarly. They were all veterans from "Taken" and knew each other very well. Moreover, Director Chen, who played Old Chen, was nominally the mentor of Zhang Jin's character, Abu.

"You guys, has filming wrapped up?"

"Yeah, we just finished filming and the crew went straight back to China. The three of us just made a detour to see you guys. Actually, we wanted to visit the set when we were in Canada, but filming was so busy then. By the time we got over that, you guys had already gone to Dubai~" Lu Yang said affectionately.

Incidentally, both "The Equalizer" and "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" were filmed in Canada.

Canada has a significant advantage in the film and television industry, with policy subsidies, a well-developed industrial support system and workforce, and lower labor costs compared to the United States.

In addition, Canada boasts a comprehensive range of natural landscapes, from Vancouver's temperate rainforests and the snow-capped mountains and lakes of the Rocky Mountains to Quebec's aurora borealis and winter snowscapes, and the vast plains of the Prairie provinces, catering to the needs of various themes such as adventure, science fiction, and romance.

The cities are also highly adaptable to urban settings. Vancouver and Toronto have diverse architectural styles, ranging from modern skyscrapers to European retro neighborhoods, and are often used as "stand-in cities".

For example, Toronto is often used as a substitute for New York for filming, while Vancouver has been used as a filming location for Seattle and San Francisco many times, allowing for the recreation of similar urban atmospheres without having to travel all the way to the United States.

The Equalizer is a story set in New York, so he completed all the filming on location in Toronto.

Lu Yang patted his arm: "How's filming here?"

Zhang Jin nodded: "It went quite smoothly, but there were a lot of action scenes, and I was so tired every day that my back ached."

The group consisted of acquaintances who had known each other for many years, and they had endless topics to discuss as soon as they met.

The scene became incredibly lively.

Just then, the elevator bell rang, and Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie came downstairs. Accompanied by their assistants, they walked towards the lobby and greeted Zhang Chen and his group naturally.

Zhang Chen added, "Let me introduce you. This is Tom Cruise, and this is Angelina Jolie, the lead actress in our film. Tom, Angela, these are my compatriots and friends: Lu Yang, Director Chen, and Wen Muye."

Tom Cruise walked up with a smile and shook hands with everyone: "I know you all. Taken 2 was fantastic!"

Julie nodded and smiled in agreement.

After exchanging pleasantries, Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie left first, leaving the others alone.

Lu Yang then explained in detail why he came: "Our film 'The Equalizer' just wrapped up filming last week, and the post-production has been handed over to the team. I was talking to Teacher Chen about you, and Teacher Chen had something he wanted to discuss with you. I also wanted to come and learn from you, so we decided to visit the set together."

Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow: "Was it going smoothly?"

"Smoothly. Unlike your Mission: Impossible 4, The Equalizer doesn't require filming in multiple countries. The Equalizer is a story set in New York, so the entire filming took place in Toronto. The only minor problem was that the temperature in Toronto was quite low, making some of the outdoor scenes particularly difficult to film."

Zhang Chen then smiled and looked at Director Chen: "How is Teacher Daoming?"

Director Chen waved his hand with a smile: "My old arms and legs really can't take it anymore. I regret it so much now. Why was I so curious in the first place and took on the role in 'Taken'..."

As soon as he said that, everyone burst into laughter.

"Let's not stand here anymore, come on, let's go to my suite~"

Zhang Chen led the way, and the group entered the elevator.

Upon arriving at the suite, Zhang Chen invited everyone to sit down.

Fortunately, he cleaned up the battlefield while he was tidying up.

Gulina was very perceptive and took the initiative to make tea.

Zhang Chen helped distribute the tea to everyone before asking, "You said earlier that Teacher Daoming came over to talk to me about something. What is it?"

When this topic came up, Lu Yang and Wen Muye both shut up and silently drank their tea.

Director Chen put down his teacup and said with great interest, "Have you been following 'Whiplash' lately?"

"Whiplash?"

"Hmm~"

Director Chen could tell from Zhang Chen's expression that he hadn't paid attention: "Whiplash became a dark horse at the Golden Horse Awards. Jay Chou was nominated for Best Actor, and the film won Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor. He Bing's performance was really good. He brought the strict and obsessive drummer teacher to life."

"Not only the Golden Horse, but also the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards, He Bing also won Best Supporting Actor, achieving a grand slam. This film is now receiving excellent reviews in the industry."

Zhang Chen was genuinely unaware of what Director Chen was saying; he'd been incredibly busy lately. But what did all this have to do with Director Chen's special trip? At this point, Director Chen seemed a little embarrassed: "I heard you wrote the script for 'Whiplash.' You little rascal, I always thought you directed commercial films; I never imagined you could write such a profound script."

I came here today to ask if you have any other scripts that are similar to what I'm looking for.

Honestly, I've acted in several commercial action films in the past two years. The box office was good, and my salary increased a lot, but I always feel empty inside. I still miss acting in art films that can explore human nature in depth.

As you know, I've always preferred playing complex characters, roles that delve into the inner world of the characters. Commercial films may be lucrative, but I always feel like something's missing.

Zhang Chen suddenly realized that's how it was.

Director Chen is tired of commercial films and wants to return to art films, and he also wants to commission a script from someone else.

Does he have a similar movie script?

Of course there are.

Putting aside everything else, he has quite a few Oscar and Big Three award-winning films in recent years on his mind.

Director Chen is the kind of person who wants to delve into the depth of a character, and there just happens to be a script like that.

"Just a moment~"

Zhang Chen turned on his computer and started searching through his emails. After a while, he finally found it and printed it out.

When the last page was printed, Gulina took the script over.

"Take a look, does it meet your requirements?"

Director Chen curiously took the script, only to see two large characters written on the cover—"The Hunt".

The title reveals nothing about the film, which fits the tone of an art film.

He looked up at Zhang Chen, who smiled and nodded: "Take a look first, I've kept this notebook at the bottom of my drawer for a long time."

Director Chen didn't speak, but began to flip through the pages, passing the contents he had read between Lu Yang and Wen Muye.

All three of them watched very attentively, with Director Chen particularly engrossed in the reading, pausing from time to time to think about something.

And watching it once wasn't enough; they started watching it a second time from the beginning.

It wasn't until the second viewing that he looked up, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"This script is amazing! The story is so compelling, it vividly portrays the complexities of human nature and the prejudices of society, especially the protagonist's journey from being trusted to being isolated, which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat."

Zhang Chen added from the side: "This script is actually very similar to my previous film, 'Caught in the Web,' both focusing on the theme of 'the power of public opinion.' 'Caught in the Web' is about the violence of public opinion in the internet age, while 'The Hunt' is more brutal. It sets the scene in a seemingly harmonious town, where a child's lie ignites the panic and malice of the entire community. The protagonist is like a wild beast being hunted, with nowhere to escape."

He paused for a moment, then admitted, "This script was originally intended for director Yi Mou. I think he is best suited to direct this kind of profound subject matter."

Director Chen nodded in agreement, saying, "Director Zhang Yimou is indeed adept at handling such complex human nature themes; his cinematic language is very powerful."

Lu Yang echoed, "I agree with your opinion. The depth and complexity of the script for 'The Hunt' are not something that an average director can handle."

Wen Muye wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't; he had no right to speak here.

Zhang Chen nodded: "Yes, mastering 'The Hunt' requires sufficient skill and experience to grasp the rhythm of the story and delve into the characters' inner world."

He leaned back on the sofa, but in his mind he was thinking that, according to the original timeline, Zhang Yimou should already be preparing for "The Flowers of War".

That piece of junk called "The Flowers of War" was flawed from the start. Making that film only caused a lot of trouble. It would have been better to make "The Hunt," which has more real-world relevance. "The Hunt" reflects social issues that are closer to the present and are more likely to resonate with the audience.

Zhang Chen reiterated, "Moreover, only by entrusting this script to Zhang Yimou for filming can we perfectly combine its commercial and artistic value and maximize its benefits."

The three people present understood what he meant.

Although Zhang Yimou had a falling out with the Cannes Film Festival over "Not One Less," he still has a good relationship with the Venice Film Festival.

Back then, "The Story of Qiu Ju" and "Not One Less" both won awards at the Venice Film Festival, which shows that Venice highly approves of his style.

If "The Hunt" can participate in Venice, the probability of winning an award is very high, and at the very least, it will get a nomination.

In reality, everyone understands that art films are a niche activity.

When Xiao Gangpao appeared on the talk show "A Date with Luyu" in 2007 with the main cast and crew of "Assembly," he said something like this:

None of the awards in the world are based on rules; they're all shady dealings, all based on personal connections. For example, a famous director's film wasn't even finished when Cannes declared, "This is the opening film." Is that a serious matter? No, it's not; it's all about connections.

Is he right?

Of course that's right.

The three major European countries are essentially playing a game of circles.

Seven people can decide who gets all the awards—isn't that a clique?
No matter how fair they claim in their promotions, or how the judges argued over who should win the award, it's essentially a game of cliques.

Otherwise, Jiang Wen wouldn't have said, "Planning is up to me, and success depends on planning."

The top prize is decided by the chairman of the judging panel alone. With such a strong subjective element, it's impossible to avoid any shady dealings.

As the saying goes, art knows no borders, but artists do have national boundaries.

Director Chen felt a surge of anticipation: "I've always wanted to work with him again. The last time we collaborated was on 'Hero' in 2002. Although that film was a commercial blockbuster, it was very artistic. Director Zhang has high standards for actors, and I can learn a lot from him."

Speaking of "Hero".

Director Chen's face showed a nostalgic expression.

"That film remains an important memory in my acting career, and I also enjoyed working with Jet Li and Tony Leung."

Seeing Chen Daoming's expectant look, Zhang Chen smiled and said, "Then you should go directly to Director Yi Mou to discuss it. The script was given to Director Yi Mou a long time ago, but he was busy with other projects at the time. I think he should have time to direct it now."

Director Chen quickly thanked him, "Thank you so much, Zhang Chen!"

Zhang Chen quickly waved his hand: "No need to thank me. This book will be kept in a box even if I don't bid on it. Besides, I have my own little scheme."

People always say I make commercial films, which are not respectable.

I do make commercial films, but I also want to tell those idiots that I can write artistic scripts too, I just don't bother making them.

If you guys actually win the award, when they're singing your praises and then they find out the script was written by me, they'll feel like they've swallowed a fly, hahaha~”

Hearing Zhang Chen say that, Director Chen also had an idea: "Why don't you just direct it? The effect of 'slapping someone in the face' will definitely be better. Don't worry, I'll definitely give it my all to cooperate with you~"

Zhang Chen replied, "Forget it. I don't want to waste my time on art films. I think I have more time to make a couple more commercial films and raise the bar for domestic box office revenue. That's more meaningful than winning awards."

Zhang Chen didn't care about the so-called recognition from professionals at all.

In his opinion, art films are nothing but bullshit.

What he has always pursued is popular art.

Director Chen wanted to persuade him further, but Zhang Chen stood up with a smile: "It's getting late, and we still have filming to do today. Would the three of you be interested in coming to the set for a cameo role for a day, so I can relax a bit? I'll host a banquet for you all tonight..."

"Hey, I've been wanting to see how a Hollywood film crew works!"

The group stood up with smiles. Downstairs, the crew's vehicles were already in place. Everyone got into the cars and headed towards the film set.

(End of this chapter)