The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 91 The Aesthetics of Death by Frida Kahlo
……

From this moment on, the tone of the movie "Upgrade" is completely different from the original.

The plot of the film began to be infused with fatalism.

After Lu Zhiyuan shared his new idea with the main actors and the staff present, everyone was silent for a long time.

However, once work resumed, everyone's enthusiasm for work was aroused.

Today's filming went particularly smoothly.

It only took one morning to shoot enough footage.

"Hey, Tom, how are you feeling today?"

As an opposite actor, Keanu enjoys chatting with Tom Hiddleston.

The main reason is that except for Tom Hiddleston, the others are not actors, so there is a natural gap between them.

"Keanu, I need to re-evaluate our director."

"Yesterday, I said he was a crazy artist, but now, I think we should add the word genius before artist."

"Yes, he is a talented artist!"

"I haven't made many movies before, and I've always been active on the stage... This time I came to film this science fiction movie, and I thought I would be playing a clown."

"Now, it suddenly dawned on me that I might be on my way to creating a classic villain."

Tom Hiddleston was also invited to star in the movie "Thor".

He doesn't know yet about the special effects and visual effects of that crew, but after reading the script, he thinks it's a bit childish.

However, his god of trickery, whose IQ was barely raised, seemed out of place with the protagonist of the entire movie.

Such a contrast will definitely make him occupy the peak of IQ and live on another level, becoming one of the highlights of the entire movie.

Plus……

In the movie "Upgrade", Lu Zhiyuan created a cold-blooded mechanical male villain for him.

Also a cool character.

Tom Hiddleston is very much looking forward to it. He thinks that by next year, he might become a big star!

"Although I haven't seen the specific special effects footage yet, based on my years of filming experience, I can conclude that this movie will be good... The director has a very good aesthetic, is very creative, and has strong execution."

"The producers might have to increase the budget!"

Keanu Reeves couldn't help laughing when he thought of James's frowning face because of budget issues.

$1000 million is definitely not enough to make a special effects movie like this.

At most, we can do three or four special effects shots.

But it's clear that this movie is much more than just these special effects shots.

Apple only gave 1000 million in sponsorship fees, and it is estimated that only half of it was filmed at most.

As for the rest, James might have to bleed a lot!
But it's also a good thing for Keanu Reeves.

Originally, he was shooting a B-level film, the kind that made a small investment for a big return, but now looking at the situation, it is likely to be upgraded to an A-level blockbuster!

Maybe, thanks to this movie, he can regain his status as a top Hollywood star!

"Hey, Keanu, what's our heroine doing?"

The two chatted for a while, and Tom Hiddleston saw that Reba seemed to be chatting with a local staff member, not in English, but in the local language.

His eyes widened immediately.

Although Reba spoke a little haltingly, her pronunciation was indeed quite standard.

"Oh my goodness...it's incredible. She's learned the local language and is chatting with that gypsy girl?"

"It's only been a few days? Her talent for languages ​​is terrifying!"

"Isn't she really an AI robot?"

Tom Hiddleston made a joke.

Keanu Reeves was completely unimpressed by the British guy's dry humor.

However, at this time, Keanu Reeves also looked at Reba from time to time, with a complicated look in his eyes.

Because he has learned the true core of this movie.

Although he got the main storyline, the spiritual core and high-concept setting of the entire movie are all on Reba.

Although Reba's character does not appear on screen for a long time, she is full of energy throughout the story, and all the key points and turning points of the plot are on Reba.

So many highlight scenes made him a little jealous.

Originally, if he didn't grab this main plot...

This crazy scientist, the guide of this AI world, will be another classic role of his after Neo in "The Matrix"!
He is in a very complicated mood now.

Of course, I can’t say I regret it.

After all, he has the most scenes.

The entire movie, from beginning to end, describes how he deals with all the cyborg villains after getting the AI ​​chip.

However, Reba’s character is too perfect.

Whoever plays this kind of role will become famous.

"I don't want to think too much about it... No matter what, this movie can bring me back to the public eye and prevent me from being stuck in a state of being without films."

Keanu Reeves quickly adjusted himself, returned to the stage, and filmed another scene with Tom Hiddleston.

Although these fighting scenes may only last a few tens of seconds in the movie, they are basically shot over and over again from every angle when filming on location.

very troublesome.

It is convenient to choose the best angle when producing special effects in post-production.

Using special effects is too expensive.

It’s hard for these real actors!

……

This scene was supposed to take three days, but was actually shot in two.

After shooting enough footage, Lu Zhiyuan edited some of the shots he wanted and sent them to Industrial Magic Light's special effects team.

"Excuse me, how long will it take to complete the special effects shots I need?"

Time is life, Lu Zhiyuan needs to be efficient enough.

In particular, it was necessary to get this high-energy fight scene to Focus Features before the film's funds ran out.

Let James pay!

After filming the first scene, Lu Zhiyuan knew that 10 million US dollars was definitely not enough.

"Pre-processing takes one week, modeling and rigging takes about six weeks, solving the architectural model takes three weeks, and simulating the integration of the robotic arm and flesh takes an estimated two weeks."

"The final synthesis may take a month."

"It will take about four months to complete the entire special effects shot."

4 months?

This is too long!
Lu Zhiyuan estimated that it would take him about two months to shoot the movie.

It took 4 months to complete the special effects, and the daylily was already cold.

"Can you expedite the process for me? I need to see these composite shots within a month. You know..."

Lu Zhiyuan believed that the other party could understand his subtext.

The technician from Industrial Magic Light smiled and said, "Hey, buddy, I understand what you mean. Okay, I'll find someone to use the materials you provided and create a minimalist special effect for you in a week."

"Don't worry. It's a minimalist special effect. If you use a computer, the effect won't be much different. But you can't zoom in, or many details will be distorted."

The staff obviously knew that for a director like Lu Zhiyuan who made a science fiction film, the budget would definitely go over.

How to get more money from producers?
Of course, it’s with the most gorgeous special effects shots!

As long as the producer is excited, he will throw any money into it.

There are too many such routines in Hollywood.

The technicians at Industrial Magic Light are already used to it.

"Thank you."

Lu Zhiyuan felt that the other person was a nice person.

He also thought that this kind of technician would straightforwardly reject his various expedited requests.

"You're welcome, buddy. Say hello to my good brother A Kun for me. The nightclub he took me to last time was quite unique."

Good guy!
Brother Kun’s social skills are really amazing. He had contact with Industrial Magic Light last month and took down their technician.

And they became good brothers?
His social talent is definitely S-level!
……

Overnight flight from Bulgaria to New York.

After a night's rest, I adjusted to the time difference.

On the second day, Lu Zhiyuan led the team and started work directly.

A ruined factory in a chaotic neighborhood of Brooklyn.

It looks ordinary from the outside, but inside the factory, in a corner, there is a high-tech laboratory.

This visual design focuses on contrast.

If you pay attention, you will find that all the characters in this movie are full of contrasts.

Tom Hiddleston, a seemingly polite British man, is actually a cold-blooded killing machine.

Reba, this enthusiastic and cheerful girl, is an AI evil god worshipper and a cold-blooded cyber priestess.

Keanu, the taciturn maintenance worker, becomes a chatterbox when he kills people to relieve stress, just like the chatterbox gangsters in Quentin's movies.

"It's OK, the props are well made."

Lu Zhiyuan entered the laboratory and checked the scene layout.

At first glance, it seemed pretty good, quite in line with his expectations. However, when he asked the staff to turn on all the lights, he immediately frowned.

"I clearly wrote in the work manual...highly saturated fluorescent lighting."

"Do you know what high saturation means?"

"Props...change the lights within half an hour!"

In addition to the lighting, Lu Zhiyuan focused on checking the laboratory background he needed.

In the laboratory, in addition to various mechanical parts and circuit boards, there are also some plants and flowers... Because of the role of Reba, she lied to her old father and said that she worked in a flower shop.

In such a high-saturation fluorescent light and a high-tech laboratory, the appearance of complex patterns such as flowers will actually create a sense of visual oppression.

Lu Zhiyuan is equivalent to increasing the local [detail density].

Such a density of images suddenly appears on the big screen. If the audience looks carefully, not only will they not find the truth, but they will also become impatient.

This is the backlash effect caused by excessive filling of colors and details!
But this is the effect he wants.

"Brother, I feel a little uncomfortable in this lab."

"Except for feeling a little breathless."

"Besides that, I always feel that the color and style of the painting are a bit inconsistent... Well, according to your words, this is called a sense of visual dissonance!"

After Xin Yukun took a tour here, he felt that this laboratory must be very interesting.

Lu Zhiyuan is doing some mysterious art experiment again.

Just think about this guy, he is actually in the movie, and he designed Reba to look like an AI evil god priest... He himself is the evil god painter!

Always doing strange rituals.

“Visual images are the most sincere way for me to convey the truth.”

Lu Zhiyuan was very satisfied with the layout of this laboratory.

This is the feeling of being torn apart.

Regardless of the true identity of the character Reba (mad scientist) and the identity she wants to disguise (florist).

Or the contrast between her image as a good girl in front of her father and her true identity, an AI mechanic and a murderous maniac...

In fact, all the settings of this character are full of a sense of tearing.

The images, the identities of the characters, and their inner emotions are all filled with a sense of tearing... In a sense, this can also be considered a unity of style.

As for whether the audience understood it...

You may not understand it at first, but if you read it a few times, you will definitely understand it.

At that time, they will shout, Wow, awesome, the director has such a great idea!

This is the feeling you want.

Of course, if these artistic styles are abandoned, the audience will not have any doubts about the content of the movie.

The plot of this movie is very easy to understand.

The multiple metaphors in the art style are just Lu Zhiyuan’s little idea to improve the quality of the film.

"Ayuan, we came to visit you at work. Did we disturb you?"

After checking around, Lu Zhiyuan was about to leave, but at this moment, the rich young woman Lisa appeared at the filming site with Liu Yifei.

At this time, the filming had not yet started and the crew members were making preparations on the side.

Reba is also putting on makeup.

Especially her right hand, which had to be covered with a special silicone leather cover.

Various reflective markers are affixed to it for optical motion capture. After the special effects are applied later, it becomes a handsome robotic arm.

"What are you disturbing? Can't we welcome you soon enough?"

He passed by Lisa and saw Liu Yifei at a glance.

At this moment, Xin Yukun's eyes widened and he immediately went up to greet him with a smile.

Lisa and Liu Yifei came in to take a look, mainly wanting to see how science fiction movies were made. It felt quite fresh.

"what?"

"The art style of this laboratory..."

"The highly saturated blue and red, paired with the rusty grey corners, seem to hint at painful memories."

"Crystal, let's have a competition. Who can guess first which painter's style this is?"

Lisa and Liu Yifei both feel that they are Lu Zhiyuan's close friends.

We are all abandoned disciples of painting!

They believed that the important scenes set up by Lu Zhiyuan were absolutely full of metaphors and hints, and it could not be a simple scientific laboratory as it appeared on the surface.

At this moment, the two looked at each other and gradually began to think about it.

“Frida Kahlo!”

A few seconds later, Lisa guessed something first and screamed excitedly.

"Ah! I thought of that, too!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei waved her hand in frustration: "Just a little bit. Can't you speak a little slower?"

Haha!

Of course not!

Lisa smiled proudly, pointing to some materials in the laboratory and showing off like she knew them all.

"Mechanical organs, plant backgrounds, animal specimens in petri dishes, and highly saturated reds and blues... this is definitely Frida Kahlo's style!"

"Besides that, I can bet that Reba's character, regardless of whether she's the heroine or not, will most likely die!"

After Lisa finished speaking, Xin Yukun next to her immediately turned around and was completely dumbfounded.

"How did you know?"

Although, many people in the crew knew that Reba’s character was bound to die.

She sacrificed herself to the AI ​​evil god, exchanged her flesh and blood body, and relied on AI machines to achieve immortality. This is a very crazy idea.

It is also the biggest highlight of the whole movie.

However, Lisa, an outsider, probably doesn't know this.

Lu Zhiyuan probably wouldn't tell her the details of this kind of movie.

Just based on the art style of this laboratory, Lisa can guess the ending of the character Reba?

Just because you studied art, you’re so awesome?
Is this scientific?

"I told you, but you still don't understand."

Lisa slapped Xin Yukun on the back of his head and said, "It's useless to talk to an uneducated person."

Liu Yifei, who was standing nearby, saw Xin Yukun's bewildered expression, smiled softly, and explained quietly, "Frida Kahlo is very famous in North America. She's considered one of the greatest female artists of the 20th century!"

“As a painter, her visual style is very special.”

"Other painters like to paint dreamlike scenes, leaving behind eternal legends of light and shadow. But she is not like that. She never paints dreams, but herself and reality."

"Moreover, she advocates the [aesthetics of death]!"

"So, if Ayuan were to embed the character of Reba in the artistic style of Frida Kahlo... then Reba would definitely die!"

Liu Yifei became more and more excited as she spoke, her eyes flickering constantly, revealing a hint of admiration for Lu Zhiyuan.

Hey.

My literary idol, why are you dating Jingtian?
Does she understand you?

I am your confidant!
Although you say that I have an empty head and no artistic thinking, there is a saying that goes, "When a man has not been away for three days, he should be looked at with new eyes."

How is it now?

Let’s take a fresh look at the person standing before you now. He is a man of great learning, who has read more than a dozen books in half a month, is familiar with more than a dozen art schools, and possesses strong aesthetic thinking ability.

A new generation of literary girls!

Liu Yifei!
"Afei, you said it very well. I want to applaud you."

Xin Yukun looked at Liu Yifei with admiration, and deliberately widened his small eyes to leave a deep impression on Liu Yifei.

Liu Yifei rolled her eyes at him.

Who are you calling Afei?
It sounds awful.

Turning around and looking at the layout of the laboratory, Liu Yifei murmured.

“[Frida Kahlo] suffered from illness herself, and her paintings often reflected physical pain.”

"I just saw that Reba's character seems to be wearing a silicone sleeve. In the future, her arm should be replaced with a robotic arm, right?"

"Her character, like Frida Kahlo, must have contracted some incurable disease and is dying soon, right?"

what's the situation?
Is Liu Yifei also so cultured?

Aren't you a minotaur?

Just by looking at the artistic style of the scene setting, you can tell that Reba’s character is bound to die?
Xin Yukun was completely dumbfounded.

It turns out that this scene has so much connotation and meaning. I can't understand anything, like an illiterate person!

But it doesn't matter.

"Afei, you are so awesome!"

At this moment, Xin Yukun couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

I didn't expect that you, this literary young woman, are not pretending.

You really have something!
"Brother Kun, you are so annoying."

Liu Yifei was a little speechless, but suddenly an idea struck her. She said to Xin Yukun, "Brother Kun, do me a favor. Next time you meet Jing Tian, ​​can you call her A Tian in front of A Yuan?"

puff!
Lisa next to her almost burst out laughing when she heard this.

(End of this chapter)