Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 192, Section 190: The Hospitality of Shanghai Filmmakers

In late August 1998, the air in Shanghai was thick and humid. The wind from the Huangpu River carried the unique fishy smell of the river water and the hustle and bustle of the city, blowing against the crowds along the Bund.

Unlike the dry early autumn in the north, summer stubbornly lingers here, displaying its last remaining power.

The production team of "The Pursuit of Happyness" resumed filming in early August after a two-month hiatus.

After completing all the planned scenes to be filmed in Northeast China, depicting Chen Jianguo's (played by Ge You) struggles and hardships in the early days of his layoff, Wang Sheng led the entire crew south to this city known as the "Paris of the East."

The scenes set in Shanghai are a crucial turning point in the film—Chen Jianguo grasps at the emerging stockbrokerage industry as a lifeline in dire straits, and through unpaid internships, ultimately stands out in fierce competition and achieves a life-changing turnaround.

The film crew stayed at a long-established hotel near Nanjing Road.

Upon arrival, the challenges were considerable.

The unfamiliar city, the different climate, and the numerous filming locations that needed to be coordinated in a short period of time all tested the production department's coordination abilities.

However, to Wang Sheng's surprise, the filming process encountered far less resistance than he had anticipated.

The Shanghai Film Studio showed extraordinary cooperation and enthusiasm.

Not only did they provide an indoor studio that fit the modern aesthetic at an extremely favorable price to set up scenes such as a securities company branch and a crowded "rescue station," but they also dispatched capable personnel to assist the crew in communicating with local departments, coordinating location shooting, and even organizing the extras in an orderly manner.

This act of kindness came in a rather subtle way.

The aftershocks of "Titanic" still resonate across China. Its box office miracle and the resulting movie-going frenzy serve as a giant mirror, reflecting the significant gap between domestic films and their industrial standards, genre exploration, and market operations.

This impact was unprecedented, making all filmmakers, including the once somewhat complacent Shanghai Film Studio, feel a chilling sense of urgency and crisis.

Perhaps it is this current pressure from "external threats" that has temporarily loosened the internal barriers.

Of course, Zhu Yongde's personal attitude also played a role in this.

Zhu Yongde attended a welcome banquet hosted by the Shanghai Film Studio.

The head of this Shanghai film and television company still maintained the shrewdness and propriety of a Shanghai businessman, but his appreciation for Wang Sheng, and even a hint of regret that was barely perceptible, was more obvious than ever before.

"Mr. Wang, welcome to Shanghai." Zhu Yongde raised his glass, his smile gentle and refined: "The '30 Days' project has truly broadened our horizons. The younger generation is indeed formidable; this phrase couldn't be more fitting for you."

"Mr. Zhu, you flatter me. I was just lucky and caught the right opportunity," Wang Sheng said, clinking glasses with him humbly.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly harmonious. Zhu Yongde waved away the waiter who wanted to pour more wine, personally poured Wang Sheng a cup of tea, and sighed:

"To be honest, seeing the Beijing Film Studio thriving under your and Han's leadership, producing great films like '30 Days' and 'Family Harmony Brings Prosperity,' I feel both envious and bittersweet."

He shook his head and looked at Wang Sheng with an honest gaze: "Sometimes I really can't understand what kind of luck Han Sanping had to be able to recruit a 'catfish' like you. This kid... he's really not one of our Shanghai Film Studio's people, what a pity, what a pity."

This was partly a joke, and partly the truth.

Several senior executives from Shanghai Film Studio who were present also showed complicated expressions upon hearing this.

Wang Sheng's existence, his vision, his courage, and his unconventional operating models are a strong stimulus to the Shanghai film industry, where traditional forces are deeply entrenched.

However, this powerful dragon crossing the river ultimately belongs to someone else. Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng simply smiled slightly, not taking the sensitive topic to heart, but instead steer the conversation toward the current cooperation: "President Zhu, Shanghai Film Studio has a profound foundation and a wealth of talent, but it just needs to find a suitable point of leverage. The filming of 'The Pursuit of Happiness' in Shanghai this time will rely heavily on the strong support of President Zhu and all colleagues."

“Of course!” Zhu Yongde said decisively. “Mr. Wang, your project is located in Shanghai, so please feel free to ask if you need anything. I can’t guarantee anything else, but we at Shanghai Film Studio can certainly coordinate with local authorities and provide conveniences. We also want to see what new ideas your film, which focuses on laid-off workers and tells the story of turning adversity into opportunity, can bring.”

With Zhu Yongde's statement and the strong support of Shanghai Film Studio, the filming of "The Pursuit of Happines" in Shanghai progressed surprisingly smoothly.

The crew first filmed Chen Jianguo's initial arrival in Shanghai, and the bewilderment and shock he felt in the face of the dazzling and modern metropolis.

The camera follows Chen Jianguo, played by Ge You, as he walks along the Bund, looks up at the Oriental Pearl Tower, and wanders between the alleyways full of local flavor and the skyscrapers that suddenly rise from the ground. Ge You uses delicate body language and eyes to accurately convey the insignificance and helplessness of the individual under the great changes of the times.

Then comes the main event – ​​the story of the securities company.

Inside the studio provided by Shanghai Film Studio, the art department meticulously recreated the scene of a securities brokerage in the late 1990s: a huge handwritten stock quote board hung on the wall, with red and green numbers constantly changing; the crowded hall was packed with stock investors who looked excited or anxious, and the air was filled with the smell of sweat, cigarettes, and a restless atmosphere called "wealth".

The scenes between Ge You and the actor playing the securities company manager (played by a veteran actor from Shanghai Film Studio) are full of tension.

In particular, the hardships Chen Jianguo endured during his internship—having to cope with fierce competition while also using his time after 5 p.m. to pedal a pedicab to earn a meager living—were vividly portrayed through several cross-cutting shots.

As the executive producer and the soul of the script, Wang Sheng spent most of his time sitting behind the monitor.

He has extremely high standards, with strict requirements for capturing the actors' emotions, the rhythm of camera movement, and even the state of the background extras.

Sometimes, to achieve the desired "era feel" and "emotional intensity," a single shot might be filmed more than a dozen times.

The executive director and Huo Jianqi (who served as the film's art consultant) assisted him from the side; they were already used to Wang Sheng's working style.

Batu (Song Dandan's son), who plays the son Chen Xiaoqiang, became the life of the party on set.

The little guy inherited his mother's acting talent, and his interactions with Ge You and his father were natural and sincere. Especially in the touching scenes such as "spending the night in the bathhouse" and "sharing a tea egg on the street", his clear, innocent, and dependent eyes brought tears to the eyes of the staff on set several times.

Song Dandan, whose scenes had already wrapped up, also took time out of her busy schedule to visit the set. Seeing her son performing so enthusiastically under the guidance of Wang Sheng and Ge You, she was not only gratified but also extremely grateful to Wang Sheng.

Time flew by amidst the intense filming.

When the crew filmed the final scene at the Shanghai Stock Exchange, where Chen Jianguo was finally accepted into the role, wearing a slightly oversized but clean and crisp suit, holding his son, and with slightly red eyes, he walked into the bustling trading hall, it was already late September.

"Crack!"

At Wang Sheng's command, the entire set fell silent for a moment before erupting into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

"The Pursuit of Happyness," a film with a troubled history, which experienced filming halts and rescheduled locations, has finally completed all pre-production filming in the symbolically significant city of Shanghai.

Wang Sheng stood up from behind the monitor, looking at Ge You and Batu embracing and celebrating, at his tired but excited crew members, and at the Shanghai Film Studio coordinator with a smile on his face. He felt a complex sense of accomplishment and exhaustion.

"knock off!"

Wang Sheng announced to the entire crew, a long-lost, relaxed smile appearing on his face: "Tonight it's my treat, pick any place you like! We'll drink until we drop!"

His response was met with even louder cheers, instantly drowning out the low whistle coming from the Huangpu River.

(End of this chapter)