Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 7, Section 07: Mom Forbids Early Romantic Relationships

"Miss Li..."

After shaking hands with Li Xiaoran, Wang Sheng took a prepared document from Chen Yu: "This is the labor contract for this advertisement shoot. Take a look."

Li Xiaoran took the contract; the paper was slightly rough, the kind of common carbon paper contract.

The title is "Actor's Labor Contract".

Party A: Shengying Media Co., Ltd., Party B: Blank.

The terms and conditions are not complicated. They clearly list the duties of Party B, including acting as the female lead in the advertisement, cooperating in the filming, the filming date being April 9, 1996, the estimated filming time being one day, the remuneration being 4 yuan, as well as confidentiality clauses and copyright ownership, with the ownership of the finished film belonging to Party A, etc.

The pay wasn't much.

Li Xiaoran's fixed monthly salary at the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe is 800 yuan.

The advertising shoots I did before could earn me several thousand yuan.

But as I said before, this is an opportunity.

Li Xiaoran could also see that Wang Sheng and his group were probably children of Beijing Film Studio employees. They might take over their elders' jobs at Beijing Film Studio in the future. Even if they didn't get into Beijing Film Studio, they could still make a living in the film and television industry right now just by relying on their elders' connections.

Many film crews currently working in Beijing need to borrow personnel and equipment from the Beijing Film Studio, which involves a complex network of relationships.

"If there are no problems, sign here and put your fingerprint on it." Wang Sheng handed over a pen and inkpad.

Li Xiaoran carefully reviewed the document, confirmed that it was correct, neatly wrote her name in the signature area for Party B, and then pressed her red handprint on it.

Chen Liang, as the company representative, also signed the document on behalf of Party A.

Wang Sheng signed his name as the "person in charge".

Two copies were made. Li Xiaoran carefully folded her copy and put it in her bag. This simple written agreement was considered quite formal in similar collaborations in 1996, where verbal agreements were more common.

"Alright, it's a pleasure working with you." Wang Sheng extended his hand and shook hands with Li Xiaoran again: "We'll be heading to the filming location at six o'clock tomorrow morning. It's early, so we'll need your help."

"Six o'clock? That early?"

Li Xiaoran was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, you need to capture the best light in the early morning to achieve that soft, hazy texture, which is very difficult to achieve in post-production."

Wang Sheng explained, his tone professional and leaving no room for doubt: "Leave your address, and I'll come pick you up with the company car first thing tomorrow morning."

Li Xiaoran gave the address of the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe's dormitory. Wang Sheng took notes, his handwriting messy but accurate.

"Oh, right," Wang Sheng added, his tone like a director's admonition: "Don't stay up late when you get back, and whatever you do, don't drink alcohol. Drink less water before bed to avoid swelling. Don't put on makeup tomorrow morning. Just apply a face mask, get a good night's sleep, and stay in good shape."

His serious demeanor as he explained his work, coupled with the final "have a good night's sleep," made Li Xiaoran chuckle. She immediately found the young Director Wang both interesting and thoughtful: "Okay, Director Wang. I'll head back now. See you tomorrow."

……

After seeing Li Xiaoran off.

Everyone gathered again for a meeting to review the preparations for filming.

Wang Sheng chaired the meeting. He first asked Chen Liang, "Liangzi, has the car been arranged?"

"nailed it……"

Chen Liang patted his chest and said, "I rented three Jinbei vans from the factory's fleet. It's 150 yuan per van per day, and we'll cover the fuel costs ourselves. They'll be waiting at the factory gate at 5:40 tomorrow morning. They can carry people and equipment, which is enough!"

"it is good."

Wang Sheng nodded, then looked at the monkey: "Monkey, double-check the equipment and props list."

The monkey, holding a notebook, read aloud: "Two Betacam SP cameras, 10 batteries, one charger; two tripods; two portable interview lights with one reflector; one simple track; 10 spare videotapes; one set of recording equipment; props needed for set design..."

To capture the classic veil kiss scene of the Chen couple, at least two cameras are needed: one main camera to capture the front and medium shots, and another camera to capture close-ups and side angles, in order to capture the delicate emotional flow and beautiful imagery from all angles.

Therefore, Wang Sheng rented a Betacam SP camera from the factory's equipment department at market price, spending 1,000 yuan.

The head of the equipment department is the monkey's uncle, and all the necessary supplies are purchased through this channel.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly: "Monkey, the lighting must be done well. The light ratio and softness are key. Whether it can create a cinematic feel depends on you!"

Monkey's father is the "Lighting Master," and he also studied lighting at the Beijing Film Academy's training program. In terms of experience and ability, he is already a qualified lighting technician, but he is still a bit far from being called the "Lighting Master."

"Don't worry, Brother Sheng, I've been thinking about the lighting setup for days!" Monkey assured him.

"Sister Xu, are all the outfits ready?"

Wang Sheng looked at the second female colleague in the company.

Sister Xu, whose full name is Xu Ling, is an apprentice under the Queen Mother. She is skilled in costumes and makeup. Because she couldn't get a formal position for a long time, the Queen Mother consulted Xu Ling and sent her over to help. She is not officially a member of the company. If business is good here, Xu Ling will stay. Otherwise, she will continue to work at the Beijing Film Studio.

Xu Ling was five or six years older than Wang Sheng and the others. Her clothes and makeup were very trendy. She smiled at Wang Sheng, opened her bright red lips, and teased, "Don't worry, groom, I'll definitely make you look handsome tomorrow!"

When Xu Ling first came to learn skills from the Queen Mother, she often practiced on the handsome Wang Sheng.

Meeting her gaze, Wang Sheng couldn't help but recall some romantic memories hidden in his mind. Without changing his expression, he said, "Then I'll trouble you, Sister Xu."

"Da Liu, you'll be in charge of installing the reflectors tomorrow."

"Xiaobing, you'll be in the second car, responsible for set design and recording."

"Chen Yu, you stay at the company, keep an eye on the house, and keep your phone accessible."

"Chen Liang, you will be in charge of one camera position."

Wang Sheng quickly assigned tasks: "Everyone, get some rest tonight. We'll meet at the company at 4:50 tomorrow morning to check the equipment and load it onto the truck! We'll depart promptly at 5:40! Meeting adjourned!"

……

The next morning, before five o'clock, the Beijing Film Studio residential area was still shrouded in a quiet, deep blue, with only a few windows showing light.

After a good night's sleep, Wang Sheng was the first to arrive at the office. He carefully checked all the equipment again to make sure the batteries were fully charged and there were enough videotapes.

Soon, Chen Liang, Monkey, Big Liu, and Little Soldier also arrived, yawning repeatedly.

Subsequently, Xu Ling, along with a director's assistant borrowed from the factory, a professional cinematographer, and three children of Beijing Film Studio employees who worked as laborers, also arrived.

The assistant director was there to serve as the executive director, responsible for assisting Wang Sheng.

Another photographer was in charge of another camera position.

The three new members from the Beijing Film Studio were all close to Wang Sheng and others, and came to assist them in their work and learn from their experience.

No one was late; everyone knew the importance of today's battle.

Silently and efficiently, they moved the heavy equipment case out of the office.

At 5:40, three slightly worn Jinbei minivans pulled up in front of the Beijing Film Studio right on time.

Together, everyone carried the equipment and props needed for the set onto the train carriage.

Wang Sheng glanced at his watch and waved his hand: "Let's go, first pick up Li Xiaoran!"

The car drove into the gradually awakening streets of Beijing.

The cool morning breeze blew through the car windows, making everyone more awake.

I arrived at the dormitory building of the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe at exactly six o'clock.

Li Xiaoran was already waiting at the door, wearing a simple coat and without makeup, yet she looked fresh and lovely. There was a small bag next to her, which showed that she had prepared it carefully.

"Miss Li, you're right on time," Wang Sheng said, jumping out of the car.

"Director Wang, you guys are very punctual too."

"Absolutely, we are a professional team, please get in the car."

"Ha~"

Li Xiaoran smiled and got into the more spacious Jinbei van behind her, which had specially reserved a passenger seat for her.

Wang Sheng and Xiao Bing switched places and got into the car as well.

The three cars started again and headed towards the resort in the suburbs. On the way, Wang Sheng took the opportunity to communicate with Li Xiaoran again about the details and emotional requirements for the upcoming filming.

When we arrived at our destination, the eastern sky was just beginning to lighten. Dewdrops clung to the lawn of the resort, and the air was crisp and fresh.

The lighting and photography teams immediately began selecting a location and setting up equipment and lighting fixtures.

Wang Sheng and Xu Ling then took Li Xiaoran to a place to change clothes and put on makeup.

It was only then that Li Xiaoran realized, "Director Wang, you're playing the male lead?"

Wang Sheng nodded: "It's a startup company, so we need to save costs."

Li Xiaoran had already signed the contract, so Wang Sheng wasn't afraid of showing any weakness.

"Oh."

Li Xiaoran responded but didn't say anything. A faint blush rose on her pale face.

She slept fairly soundly last night, but after passing through the deep sleep stage and entering the light sleep stage, she inevitably started having dreams.

After returning to her residence from the Beijing Film Studio yesterday, she kept thinking about that feeling. Under the influence of strong psychological suggestion, Li Xiaoran actually dreamed that she and Wang Sheng were getting married, and they were about to take the final step when she woke up...

……

As the sun gradually rises, the golden morning light spills onto the grass, outlining a mesmerizing silhouette.

everything's ready.

Li Xiaoran had already changed into a rented white wedding dress, with her veil hanging down gently.

Wang Sheng also changed into a well-fitting black suit.

The two stood together, and in the morning light, they looked remarkably well-matched.

"All departments, get ready!" Wang Sheng shouted through a megaphone. "Actors, get ready! We don't have much time. The best sunlight lasts for a short while, so let's try to get it in a few takes!"

He walked up to Li Xiaoran and gave her his final advice: "Don't be nervous. Just like you were at the audition yesterday, get into the atmosphere and trust me."

……

The assistant director yelled, "Action!"

"Beat the board!"

"Action!"

The junior production assistant, who was temporarily acting as a script supervisor, quickly moved aside after finishing the clapperboard.

Shooting begins.

The final version of this advertisement is expected to be 15 seconds long.

There are two lines of dialogue before the veil kiss.

Male protagonist: "I do."

Female lead: "I do."

This part takes about four seconds.

Then came the veil kiss and the hugging kiss.

This part will take about five seconds.

The next six seconds show other interactions between the male and female leads, accompanied by advertising subtitles.

In actual filming, it certainly wouldn't be that tight.

Wang Sheng stood in front of Li Xiaoran, the morning light gilding his tall figure with a golden edge.

He gazed at Li Xiaoran with focused and affectionate eyes, as if she were the only person left in the world.

Wang Sheng said clearly in a calm and firm voice, "I do."

Li Xiaoran tilted her head slightly to meet his gaze.

Behind the thin veil, her eyes were like water, sparkling with happiness and anticipation.

She pursed her lips slightly, then replied in a sweet tone, "I do."

After the two simple vows, a sacred and sweet silence filled the air.

Next comes the most crucial shot: the veil kiss.

Wang Sheng lifted the veil covering almost Li Xiaoran's entire upper body, then bent down and kissed her lips from bottom to top. The veil fell with the wind, enveloping the two of them.

The moment the veil was lifted, Li Xiaoran lowered her head slightly, revealing the shyness unique to brides.

As the veil was fully lifted, she slowly raised her eyes, her long eyelashes seemingly still shimmering with the light of dawn.

Her gaze was locked on Wang Sheng's, filled with almost overflowing love, happiness, and a hint of nervous anticipation.

"Oh my god!"

Xu Ling, who was watching from a corner of the set, got goosebumps from this saccharine scene.

I must say, it's quite beautiful and romantic; it even made her want to get married.

It's a pity that he said his mother doesn't allow early relationships, otherwise he would have won her over long ago.

Just before they were about to touch, perhaps out of instinct, or perhaps out of muscle memory from previous practice, Li Xiaoran's shoulder twitched slightly and imperceptibly. It was the most genuine and natural physical reaction when surprise, tension and happiness suddenly surged, as if she had been gently struck by an electric current.

At the same time, she could no longer suppress the incredibly bright and happy smile that bloomed on her face. The corners of her mouth were raised high, and her eyes were filled with laughter, as if all the most beautiful emotions in the world had gathered on her face at this moment.

She obediently, even with a hint of anticipation, closed her eyes slightly, surrendering herself completely to the moment.

Wang Sheng's lips finally covered hers gently yet firmly.

It was a brief kiss, yet one filled with boundless love.

wrong……

How did they actually kiss?

Oh well, it's not a loss.

Li Xiaoran silently comforted herself.

"Cut!"

The executive director's voice rang out, brimming with barely suppressed excitement.

Wang Sheng and Li Xiaoran slowly parted ways.

Li Xiaoran's cheeks were flushed, her eyes were bright, and she lowered her head shyly. She raised her hand to gently tidy her not-too-messy hair, but the happy smile on her lips lingered for a long time.

Wang Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the direction of the surveillance camera. Although their conditions were rudimentary and they didn't have any surveillance cameras at all, he just habitually looked at the cameraman in charge of the main camera.

The two photographers looked away from the camera viewfinder and almost simultaneously gave an "OK" sign, their faces showing satisfaction.

The monkey excitedly pumped its fist: "The light is perfect! The effect will definitely be amazing!"

Wang Sheng didn't have that much faith in the Betacam SP camera. He said, "Let's do one take, then do it again, from a slightly different angle..."

Wang Sheng wasn't intentionally taking advantage of Li Xiaoran; it was simply because the Betacam SP camera was unstable.

They filmed this scene ten times in total.

Xu Ling went from wanting to get married to rolling her eyes incessantly, and finally simply turned away to look at the scenery.

Afterwards, some more footage was shot, such as exchanging rings and holding hands, to fill the last six seconds of the 15-second ad.

It took me the whole morning to finally shoot all the necessary footage.

……

(End of this chapter)