The richest person in Chinese entertainment

Chapter 509: Extreme lens aesthetics, fascinating musical interlude

With the last song of "Another Day Of Sun", all the dancers returned to their cars and returned to reality.

The title of the film was written in large letters - "LA LA LAND".

The movie officially begins.

"LA LA?" Quentin stroked his chin thoughtfully, "The sound made by a crazy person? Nonsense?"

"La La Land, this Duan Yu, should have appeared in the 70s, right?"

Spielberg on the side followed up Quentin's guess and continued the conversation.

One way this phrase is used is to refer to someone who has an out-of-this-world idea.

Another is to refer to a magical place where any dream can come true.

If we talk about the context of this phrase, it is the place in the scene at the beginning of the movie.

Then the phrase "LA LA LAND" perfectly suits this place.

Because the second "wonderful place" referred to is exactly the city where the movie was just filmed - Los Angeles.

But does the film really lack the first meaning of the phrase—"someone with a fantastic idea"?

not necessarily.

Quentin looked towards the young man not far away who made the movie and chose this phrase as the title of the movie.

The word "brilliant ideas" may be the most appropriate to describe him?
Whether it's his music or what he created for the world.

Music is known to everyone.

But many people overlook many other things.

But many people also know that epoch-making products such as Facebook, CGT Player, Morning Glory Music, and Tao Piaopiao were all created by this young man.

Now the young man has used this metaphorical phrase as the title of his new film.

Do you want everyone to understand him?
Or is it that the story or the protagonist in this movie is a person like him who has wonderful ideas or sets his dream land as his life goal?

But anyway, the first few minutes of the movie.

The audience was attracted by the beautiful music at the beginning.

They came for Zhang Chen's musical talent and the movie story.

They were looking forward to seeing how much more wonderful music like this one would appear in the rest of the movie.

I am also looking forward to whether Zhang Chen will use another perspective to tell a love story that is different from "Love".

Other directors and actors were attracted by the various metaphors that appeared in this film.

They also want to take it off. Zhang Chen will use a lot of lens language throughout the movie to tell them some deeper stories in the movie.

In just a few minutes, the anticipation of everyone present reached its peak.

"It seems that our Leon's understanding of Western culture is much deeper than we thought."

"The first few minutes of this movie amazed even those of us who have been in this industry for decades."

"Keep watching. I'm getting more and more curious about what kind of story Leon will bring us."

Quentin, Spielberg, Cameron and other famous Hollywood directors smiled at each other and refocused their attention on the big screen.

"Winter"

When this English word appeared on the screen, many viewers were stunned.

But they didn't have time to think about it, the camera had already started to shake downwards.

The male protagonist Seb finally appeared in the movie
And, another protagonist who appears as the camera moves - the heroine Mia.

At this time, Seb was in a traffic jam on the highway, fiddling with the radio in his convertible old car, playing a song over and over again.

Mia was in a Toyota Prius, in front of Seb's car to the left, practicing her lines for her next audition.

The cars they drive directly reveal some of the situations of the two protagonists.

First up, Seb's car, a 1982 Buick Riviera.

This is a famous "failed product" in Buick's history.

Equipped with a 4.1V-6 engine.

But it takes 0 seconds to accelerate from 60 to 15 kilometers.

This car, which was sold for US$2.4 at the time, now costs US$07 in 3.5.

This price is enough to buy a brand new BMW 3 Series in the United States today.

But Seb chose a Buick Riviera which is "good-looking but not practical".

Next is Mia's Toyota Prius, a popular model in Los Angeles.

The reasons for its popularity are simple: 1. Cheap, 2. Fuel-efficient.

Mia's Prius is an old model from 01.

The dashboard was covered in dust.

There isn't even a headrest.

Even though the story hasn't been fully unfolded yet, we can get a general idea of Seb and Mia's personalities from their choice of cars.

As the story continues, the traffic jam gradually eased and the blocked convoy began to move forward slowly.

But Mia, who was immersed in the script, didn't notice.

Seb, who was behind her, honked his horn frantically.

When Seb stepped on the accelerator and passed Mia, he stopped beside Mia's car and looked at the girl who had not moved the car at all because of his "reminder".

"Di-"

Without saying anything, just under Mia's gaze, Seb honked the car horn frantically again.

Mia responded by giving Seb an "international friendly gesture".

The first real line of the movie appeared when Seb stepped on the accelerator and drove away from Mia.

"Is there something wrong with this person?" Mia put down the script and said helplessly and suddenly, "I should go now."

This "love-hate relationship" style of couples meeting each other became popular during the golden age of Hollywood.

It is also Hollywood's favorite couple model at present.

If you look closely at the expressions of the audience, you will know that even in China, everyone is buying into this.

The camera turned and went directly to Mia's workplace.

From the scenery outside the window and the furnishings inside the store, you can tell that this is a cafe located in Hollywood.

The music playing in the background and the small pattern on the blackboard behind Mia all subtly tell everyone that the time in the movie is Christmas Eve.

In the picture, Mia is facing an elegant woman who is buying coffee.

From the attitudes of Mia and the store manager beside her, it is easy for everyone to guess that this woman, even though she did not show her face to the audience, is a well-known female star.

Mia fantasizes about the back of the female star of King.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang.

Pulled her back to reality from her fantasy.

The phone is an old Nokia model, but the shabby style once again reminds everyone that Mia is not wealthy.

"Mia, where are you going?"

"Oh, it's been five minutes."

"You come early tomorrow."

"Ok!"

Her cell phone rang just now, reminding her that the interview time had come.

After asking for leave from the store manager, she took out the script and started reading it, then began walking quickly out of the store.

but.
boom--

wow-

Mia's attention was completely focused on the script in her hand, and she didn't notice the customer carrying coffee on the way.

Because Mia was in a hurry, the guest couldn't dodge and the two bumped into each other.

As expected, the cup of coffee in the customer's hand spilled completely all over Mia's pure white shirt.

When the camera turned, Mia was already in a room with a small camera set up.

She herself was wearing a blue coat.

There is no way, time waits for no one.

The audition director will not change the audition process because of her accident.

As a last resort, she could only use her ugly blue coat to cover the pure white shirt underneath.

"She was completely drunk!" Mia held her mobile phone and expressed her emotions in front of the camera.

dong dong dong.
Just as she was getting into the mood, the assistant director knocked on the door and interrupted her performance.

The casting director didn't care and just gave a simple reply.

Mia knew that she had no chance this time.

She unzipped her blue jacket in frustration, revealing the shirt that had been completely stained brown by coffee stains, and walked through a corridor filled with girls in pure white shirts.

Come back home.

He fell headfirst onto the bed next to the wall with Ingrid Bowman wallpaper.

But the picture is focused on three girls wearing yellow, green and red skirts.

They were chatting in a bathroom.

"Two more minutes, darlings. Mia, you're coming too, right?"

The person who spoke was one of Mia's roommates, the girl from Huang Qun, played by Avril.

"no."

As Mia's voice responded, the camera quickly passed through the wall and came to Mia who had finished counting and was wearing a bathrobe.

“I want to work!”

Separated by a wall.

On one side are the roommates who are neatly dressed.

On one side was Mia, wrapped in a bath towel, preparing to go to the living room to continue working on the script.

Apparently, her roommates were planning to go to a party.

The roommates also began their persuasion to Mia, which was also the second song of today's movie - "Someone In The Crowd"

“You got the invitation
(Holding the invitation letter)

You got the right address
(Note the address silently)

"

Avril Lavigne and Liu Yifei, who played roommates, sat on both sides of Mia and began their "persuasion" with singing.

I have to say that both of them are singers themselves.

Avril Lavigne herself is a long-established European and American pop diva.

Liu Yifei is also the Chinese queen who brought surprises to people at this year's Grammy Awards.

Their singers quickly brought the audience into the situation.

“You need some medication
(Let’s go out and heal your soul)”

When the camera changed, Mia appeared on the side of the road wearing a blue dress.

“The answer’s always yes
(You must agree)

A little chance encounter
(Any chance I meet tonight)

could be the one you've waited for
(It may be the turning point in your life that you have been looking forward to for a long time)

"

Mia and three other roommates dressed in "yellow, green and red" danced to the song on the side of the road, and then the four of them got into Mia's car.

What followed was a crazy party.

"Tonight's the casting call
(The audition opportunity is calling you and me)

If this is a real audition
(If this is really an audition)
Oh God help us all
(May God bless you and me!)

Watching while the world keeps spinning 'round
(The world is changing, but you remain the same)

Somewhere there's a place where I find who I'm gonna be
(There is always a place in the world where I can see my dreams clearly)
A somewhere that's just waiting to be found
(There is always a place in the world, waiting for my call)

Someone in the crowd will take you
(The one in the vast sea of people, brought to you)

Flying off the ground,

(Let your dreams fly and start your career)
with only someone ready to be found
(As long as you prepare carefully, you will meet him)"

From home to the extravagant party.

To the loneliness after coming out of the bathroom.

And finally, there is the carnival with the camera spinning wildly in the swimming pool.

This song has a lot of emotional ups and downs.

At the same time, it also tells everyone again the theme of this story - dream.

When the music stops, reality returns.

Mia was standing on a dim path at this time.

"what--"

A wail filled with anger and helplessness.

Her car was towed away.

She had no choice but to walk home.

On her way, she passed a wall covered with pictures of Hollywood superstars.

If you look closely, you can see that many of the people painted on it are currently sitting at today's premiere.

The audience looked at the screen and then at the Hollywood stars in the front row.

At this moment, the movie and reality seemed to be intertwined, although only for a few seconds.

But it also made many people look dazed for a moment.

The background music also changed again, and Mia's song "Mia&Sebstian's Theme" was played.

Mia also walked into a bar next to the wall of Hollywood stars.

Just when the audience thought the story would continue in the bar.

The camera turned and the scene at the beginning of the movie appeared again - the highway.

"Has the narrative style changed?" many people murmured to themselves.

Those present were both fans of the film and senior industry professionals.

Everyone knows this lens language.

Sure enough, this time the camera no longer follows Mia, but starts the narrative from the moment Seb honks his horn frantically because his road is blocked by the car in front.

Also, the "time reset" of the entire movie.

A day that tells the story from the protagonist's perspective.

Seb drove his favorite Buick convertible after leaving the "nasty woman" on the highway.
He looked at his favorite jazz bar that had been turned into a restaurant and shook his head.

Driving home, his sister was waiting for him at home.

"Stop sneaking into my house all the time, okay?"

After Seb put down the key, he looked at his sister who was leisurely drinking coffee in the living room with anger and helplessness.

"Do you think Mom and Dad would consider this a home?"

"What are you doing, stop it, don't sit on it, okay?"

"Are you joking?"

“Don’t sit on that stool, please don’t sit on it, okay? That’s the chair that Leon Zhang sat on!”

"Oh my God, are you serious? Leon is not the representative of jazz. How can a guy like you who regards jazz as everything like Leon as much as girls like us?"

"Leon is a genius, I believe he understands jazz!"

"It's really hard to imagine that a down-and-out jazz musician like you expects the king of pop to understand you?" My sister teased, but still stood up from the chair obediently.

"It's hard to imagine that you, a practitioner of a declining music genre, can actually afford a spacious apartment like this." My sister paced casually in the living room, "In Los Angeles."

"You don't understand. Banks are happy to provide loans to people like us." Seb explained without looking up as he tidied up the living room that was a little messy because of his sister's arrival. "I didn't pay a penny for the down payment of this house, but its appreciation in the past few years is more than enough to cover my expenses in the past few years."

"You still need to pay the mortgage every month, right? What about your source of income? I remember you were fired? Are you still holding on to your jazz music?"

"This"

Even though the audience couldn’t understand the plot of the previous movie, the director and actors could understand it.

This conversation left everyone a little confused.

Does this have anything to do with today’s film?

But even if everyone doesn't understand it, they will remember some key information of this sentence.

"Provide zero down payment loans to people with no income to buy houses", "Houses have appreciated rapidly in recent years", "Cannot repay the loan".

But they didn't have time to think about it, the movie continued.

As Seb practices his jazz piano, the scene cuts to the restaurant.

The mean and rigid restaurant manager refused Seb's request to play some of his own songs and left indifferently. Seb had no choice but to play traditional Christmas songs such as Jingle Bell.

The other people in the restaurant were concentrating on their own things at this time.

No one even glanced at Seb.

Next, the camera slowly pans from the right side of Seb's shoulder to the left.

The surrounding sounds faded away.

"Mia&Sebastian's Theme" sounded.

Slowly, the lights around dimmed.

A spotlight shines on Seb.

Many viewers can understand that this is not a real story scene.

Rather, it tells them that Seb is in a state of complete concentration at this moment.

When the song ended, Seb stood up excitedly, as if he was on stage.

But, this is in a restaurant.

The screen lit up again at this time.

There was not much reaction from the customers to Seb's performance.

They were just stunned for a moment and then continued chatting with their companions.

But the restaurant manager heard it.

He hooked his finger at Seb with a cold face and called Seb to his side.

"I know what you said, but I don't think you meant it."

"I don't think you know what I said, you're fired."

"You said it, but that wasn't what you meant. You meant to say"

Before Seb could finish his words, he was interrupted by the restaurant manager: "You're fired!"

"You want me to play a set piece?"

"No, I mean it's too late."

"Is it a warning?"

"Which planet are you from?"

'Don't fire me'

"It has nothing to do with you here."

"I'm so sorry, sir. But it's Christmas."

"I know. I see the decorations around me. I can see it. Good luck to you in the new year, too."

No matter what Seb said, the manager fired him without mercy.

Helpless and angry, Seb could only walk towards the bar door.

On the way, I bumped into Mia, who had just come in from the bar and had been paying attention to the performance on the stage.

Yes, it's not like Seb doesn't have an audience.

And this listener was exactly the "idiot woman" who made him extremely angry on the highway today.

Mia obviously didn't recognize the man on the stage as the man on the highway.

She also wanted to say hello when Seb approached.

But Seb, who was fired, was furious at the moment and didn't notice Mia approaching her at all.

And he didn't avoid the oncoming Mia when he passed by.

Their shoulders collided heavily.

Seb slammed the door and left, leaving Mia in shock.

The scene changed and showed several "montages" of Mia's audition.

As the recognizable prelude of A-HA's classic song "Take On Me" sounded, the scene changed again.

“Spring”

spring is coming.

Mia, wearing a yellow bed skirt, and her roommates are at a party.

Her roommate introduced her to a screenwriter who was just a tool.

The screenwriter talked about his project with great enthusiasm.

But the expression on Mia's face showed that she was not interested.

Turning her head, she saw the keyboardist of the band performing "Take On Me".

That’s right, it was Christmas Day when the unreasonable person bumped into him and left without apologizing.

Mia raised her hand toward the band.

The band's home base also noticed Mia.

"Girl, what song do you want?"

"I Ran"

"That's good advice."

This song comes from the British band A Flock Of Seagulls. Like the original singer of the previous song, A-HA, they are both new wave bands active since the 80s.

In fact, from the colorful clothes worn by people at the party in the movie scenes, we can see that trendy retro is one of the themes of this party.

Seb, who loves jazz music, came to queue today, but he actually came to take jobs to make a living.

From the moment he saw Mia raise her hand, the look on his face was incredible.

Confusion, perfunctory, helplessness, politeness, all these concentrated emotions are presented to everyone in just a few seconds.

Clearly, Seb had recognized Mia.

Ignoring his bandmates, Seb went straight off the stage and found Mia, who was taking a break and drinking nearby.

"Okay, I remembered you." He took off his sunglasses, a bit of provocation on his face, "I have to admit, I was a bit hasty that night."

"Rash?" Mia asked back.

“Okay, I admit I’m an asshole,” Seb admitted reluctantly, but with a hint of indignation, “But asking a serious musician to play I Ran is too much!”

"Oh my god, did you just say 'serious musician'?"

The two of them once again had a "love-hate relationship" style conversation that everyone loves to see.

But it was also this conversation that made them understand each other a little better.

The camera turned again and it was already evening.

During the day, the screenwriter was still talking to Mia about his own things.

Mia, who was already impatient, saw Seb was about to leave.

It was like grabbing a life-saving straw.

"Hey, can you get me the car keys?"

In this way, Mia also got rid of the screenwriter with the help of Seb.

"The shoes look uh.comfortable?"

The two of them strolled along the road looking for their car.

During this period, they were still bickering and arguing like a pair of bickering lovers.

Slowly, they strolled to a location that made all the audience exclaim in surprise.

"Wow--"

"What a nice view."

Many people recognized this as the scene from the movie poster.

Some people also know this as Casey's Corner on Hollywood Hill Road in Griffith Park.

“The Sun is nearly gone
(Dusk falls)
"

"A Lovely Night", the third original song in the film.

Although the song is called "A Night of Love", the lyrics are full of ridicule and sarcasm.

Very cute and very provocative.

The two sang the song and danced.

Many knowledgeable people have already seen this.

This shot did not use any special effects, but was shot from real life.

When Seb and Mia finished the dance, the most beautiful sunrise in Los Angeles just happened to rise.

They didn't know how much time Zhang Chen spent on this shot.

I don’t know how much rehearsal and practice the two actors put in behind the scenes for this shot.

Only when the weather, time and actors' conditions are perfect can a five-minute shot like this be shot, right?

Many directors were secretly shocked.

It's another big project.

Zhang Chen (Leon) really never minds the trouble.

But I have to say, this shot is truly beautiful.

Even the two leading actors were attracted by the finished film when they saw it today.

"So we were so sweet back then?" Katie murmured to herself.

Chris didn't say anything, but his eyes were already wired as he looked at Mia on the screen.

Two months of day and night rehearsals and 27 lift shots.

Their efforts were not in vain.

His Mia too.
Just as the two people on the screen finished dancing, they looked at each other affectionately.

When everyone thought they were going to kiss.

Mia's cell phone rang.

The ringing interrupted the ambiguous atmosphere between the two.

Mia pressed her car key awkwardly.

The car, as it happened, was right in front of me.

In fact, both of them knew where their cars were.

But they all strolled around for a long time in a pretend manner.

If it’s not saying one thing and doing another, then what is it?
The next day, Mia returned to work as normal.

While working in a cafe, she met a lady who made things difficult for her.

At this moment, Seb suddenly appeared in the cafe.

Mia was extremely happy.

After switching shifts with my colleague, I went for a walk with him.

This time, the two finally got rid of the bickering pattern.

Start a genuine conversation.

About life.

About dreams.

"You can actually write a script for yourself, like...some interesting character. You don't even need to audition."

During the chat, Mia said that she actually doesn't like jazz.

And Seb immediately took her to his favorite jazz bar.

Taught Mia a jazz lesson by both words and deeds.

"It's dying! It's dying, Mia! It's dying little by little!"

"People say, let it go, it's past its prime."

"But don't even think about it under my nose!"

Mia looked at the determined man in front of her and asked, "So what do you want to do?"

Seb thought for a moment and replied: "I will create my own club."

Seb's statement about jazz also made many singers at the scene hear some of its flavor.

The "musical" movie has passed its golden age.

And "jazz" which has passed its prime?

They are all slowly "dying".

So, Zhang Chen wants to save jazz? And also musicals?
At this time, a phone call came and Mia was informed that she had passed the preliminary audition.

Seb was very happy for her.

But the content of the re-examination was a movie that Mia had never seen.

The two agreed to go to the cinema together tomorrow to help Mia study.

When the two walked out of the cafe, they walked out of the two ends of the picture.

The camera follows Seb to the seaside bridge.

Facing the slightly purple sea surface, he sang the fourth song of the whole movie.

“City of stars
(City of Stars)

Are you shining just for me?
(Will you shine only for me?)

There“s so much that I can“t see
(There are too many things in this world that cannot be understood)

who knows?
(Who can understand?)

I felt it from the first embrace I shared with you
(I felt it since we first hugged each other)
That is now our dream
(The dreams I have)

They've finally come true
(All have been realized)

"

Different from the previous songs.

This song "City of Stars" is so quiet, elegant and calm.
When the song ended, everyone present was completely immersed in the movie.

It represents the "summer" when the two fell in love.

Then came the "winter" when the two separated.

Each story unfolds in a way that the audience can't imagine.

Every frame of the picture is so exquisite that it can be used as a computer wallpaper.

Every piece of music in it, as the story unfolds, allows the audience to perfectly imagine the characters in the story.

unfortunately
Mia and Seb in the story did not have a perfect ending.

The two parted ways because of differences in ideas.

When we met again, Mia was already a wife.

Love that cannot be achieved may be the regret in this movie.

Especially the "montage" at the end of the film, accompanied by the beginning of a piece of music, brought all the audience into the "perfect solution" they imagined.

A story about two people who met in a bar and fell in love when Seb played the piano.

But at the end of the movie, Seb was playing the piano on the stage.

But Mia, who was in the audience, was next to her current lover.

The two said nothing, just smiled at each other tacitly.

Mia returns to her own life.

Seb continued with his music.

The film is over.

"Leon is so abominable"

“Why not let them be together?”

"Katie is still as beautiful as ever. Mia has captured my heart once again, just as she first touched me in 98."

"Chris is also good. It's hard to imagine that such a young actor can give such a perfect performance."

"The biggest surprise should be Leon, he is really amazing!"

“Indeed, we have to say that this film by Lyon once again gave us a huge surprise.”

“The images in this movie are so beautiful!”

“I don’t know how many metaphors I’ve seen in the scenes.”

"No, I need to watch it a few more times in the next few days. There are many scenes in it that I still don't understand!"

"How about asking Leon himself later?"

As everyone was chatting, their attention was focused on Zhang Chen, who had already walked onto the stage with the main creative team.

"I know everyone has a lot of questions in their minds, so..." Zhang Chen smiled at everyone, "Let's get started."

(End of this chapter)