1990: Starting from Baojia Street

Xu Feng was most afraid that the director would not ask for anything. She felt that the more requests, the better.

The experience of filming The Heroine twenty years ago left a deep impression on Xu Feng.

Hu Jinquan, the director of The Heroine, is a very strict and demanding director, who can even be said to be picky.

This movie was shot for four years. The length of the shooting alone can make people imagine how demanding Hu Jinquan's requirements were.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the shooting time of most movies was not long, especially in Hong Kong. In the early days, there was even a saying that a movie only took seven days from shooting to release.

This shows how exaggerated the four-year filming time is.

At that time, there was a scene in the movie in which an eminent monk bleeds and appears with the Buddha's light. Hu Jinquan actually waited for a week until the sun was right behind the actor to film it.

There was also a scene that required the reeds in the yard to feel desolate. Hu Jinquan felt that the reeds were not tall enough, so he waited until the reeds grew taller before starting filming.

In the first year of filming this film, Xu Feng basically spent his time under Hu Jinquan’s scoldings. Sometimes Xu Feng had problems with her position, and Hu Jinquan would even pull her, just like the teacher in elementary school. Just like dragging students.

There are not enough people in the props team, so Xu Feng has to work part-time as a props master to help create smoke effects.

But precisely because of this experience, Xu Feng believes that only a director with strict requirements can produce good works.

Of course, Zhou Yan doesn't have no requirements, but he's just a newcomer, so it's not easy to ask for too much.

Now that Xu Feng said this, he let go.

Sister Xu Feng, do you think it's possible for us to change the paraglider into a small plane?

When Xu Feng heard this, he was startled. Good boy, Zhou Yan doesn't want to make any demands. If he does, he will go straight to the big move. On the one hand, the cost of the aircraft itself is a factor in switching to aircraft. On the other hand, the mainland does not have such conditions. If you want to change, you have to go out.

Ahem, I think paragliding is more in line with the national conditions.

Zhou Yan smiled: Well, I think so too, but for the scene where the young male protagonist goes on stage to perform with the orchestra at the end, I hope to invite a professional orchestra to come, and the quality of the instruments should be better. Also, there is For the film, I want to use 35, and as the photographer, I want to hire Zhao Fei from Chang’an Studio.”

Xu Feng nodded immediately, Okay, no problem. I agree to both of your requests, Zhao Fei, right? I'll contact Chang'an Studio later.

Changing the paraglider into a small plane, Zhou Yan knew that this would definitely not be possible, but he still mentioned it because he knew that if you want people to meet a request, it is best to make a bigger request first.

As expected, this trick worked, and Xu Feng readily agreed.

In fact, when Zhou Yan came up with the idea of ​​making a new short film, he had already built his own team in his mind.

The higher the level and the more famous the production team, the better. The key is whether they can work together, so Zhou Yan wanted to invite those acquaintances he had met on the crew of Raise the Red Lantern to come over.

Especially Zhao Fei, who is young, experienced, and of high standard. The key is that their personalities are compatible.

There are also Liu Qing, Hong Xin, and Lin Juan. Zhou Yan also wants to attract them. These people are all in tune with him and don't require much running-in time. However, it is troublesome to recruit people in such a detailed manner, and most of them may be in other crews. .

The key is that the priority of makeup and props is not particularly high, and Zhou Yan doesn't want to mention these to Xu Feng. At worst, he will decide it himself later.

Xu Feng took a sip of tea and asked again, Do you have any candidates for executive director and assistant?

Zhou Yan smiled and said, I just thought about this last night.

Before yesterday, Zhou Yan thought that he only needed to make a short film. Since it was a short film, there was no need to find an executive director or assistant director. He could do it by himself.

But now that we are going to make a feature film, it will be very difficult for him to be the only one in the directing team. It doesn't matter whether there is an assistant director or not, but there must be an executive director.

Then have you thought of anyone? If not, I will ask someone to recommend two to you later.

Executive director, I have a candidate in mind.

Who?

Senior Lu from Yanjing Studio.

Xu Feng thought for a while and said, Senior Lu? I don't have much impression.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, Sister Xu Feng, you have an impression. Can you come and be my executive director?

Xu Feng has been to Yanjing Studio many times, but she only interacted with the leaders of the factory and some relatively famous directors.

Senior Lu graduated from Yanjing Film Academy the year before last and was assigned to Yanjing Film Studio in September this year. In less than a year, Senior Lu has not participated in the filming of any movie.

Moreover, Mr. Lu is a relatively low-key person. He rarely talks in the director's office and has a relatively low sense of presence.

Not to mention Xu Feng, an outsider, even inside the studio, except for the director's office, our colleagues in other offices didn't know much about Senior Lu.

It can even be said that Zhou Yan, who has been working in Yanjing Studio for half a year, is much more familiar than Senior Lu.

Only a newcomer like Senior Lu, who had just graduated from school, could be the executive director for Zhou Yan. Who among the others who had made movies would be willing to serve as a deputy for a newcomer.

As for the Kurta Short Film Festival award that Zhou Yan won, after all, it was still a short film, and the award was not well-known. It might be good to bluff laymen, but people in the industry wouldn't take it seriously.

Xu Feng nodded, You are right. Then you can go find Senior Lu by yourself. If you encounter difficulties, I will come forward.

no problem.

At this time, Xu Feng picked up the tea cup and took a sip. The discussion with Zhou Yan for a while felt good.

She did things at a very fast pace, but what she didn't expect was that Zhou Yan's pace was also very fast.

Xu Feng mentioned the cast and crew selection to Zhou Yan today, not to ask Zhou Yan to decide immediately, but to ask Zhou Yan to start taking this matter to heart now, and not wait until other things are settled before thinking about it, because then he will be in a hurry.

But Zhou Yan's performance surprised her. Zhou Yan actually gave out half of the candidates so quickly.

Now Zhou Yan's production team, including director, screenwriter, chief photographer, executive director, soundtrack and producer, has basically been determined, which means that the main framework of the entire team has been determined.

In this way, everyone has peace of mind.

The two chatted briefly for a while, and the time reached eleven o'clock.

It's dinner time.

Xu Feng smiled, and then dialed another number. After the call was connected, she said to the other person, Boss, the food is ready to be served.

About five or six minutes later, someone knocked on the door outside.

The two people who came were carrying a wooden tray with plates placed on it. Although each plate was covered, it could be seen that it was filled with vegetables.

Zhou Yan originally thought that Xu Feng was going to take them to a restaurant, but he didn't expect that he would actually have the food delivered to his home.

The two men ran several times before finally delivering more than a dozen dishes.

Judging from their round trip time, the hotel should be very close to the courtyard.

The advantage of eating at home is that you don’t have to go to another place and no one else will disturb you.

Judging from the dishes and tableware, Xu Feng is definitely not looking for a big hotel, and there are no high-end hotels nearby.

However, the ingredients and taste are very good. It can be seen from this that Xu Feng is a very pragmatic person.

After lunch, Xu Feng invited them to stay for dinner, but Zhou Yan declined.

Xu Feng must be very busy when he comes to Yanjing. Being able to arrange a meal is already a great honor, and it would be bad to bother him any more.

When leaving, Xu Feng stuffed all the fruits and some boxed gifts that Zhou Yan and the others had brought into the hands of Zhou Qian and the others. She said that she didn't usually live in this courtyard and she would definitely not be able to finish all these things, so she asked them to take them with her. Keep it, otherwise it will be wasted.

Zhou Yan was not polite about this and asked Zhou Qian and others to carry it.

Taking my brothers and sisters back to school.

Entering the dormitory, Jia Guoping was writing a work summary, and Zhou Yan took a box of chocolates and placed it in front of him.

Seeing the chocolate, Jia Guoping did not rush to take it, but asked very vigilantly, Do you want my help with something?

Zhou Yan said seriously, Comrade Jia Guoping, don't use yourself to save others. Am I the kind of person who drives others away with benefits?

Oh, that was my mistake. Jia Guoping smiled and reached for the chocolate.

Zhou Yan held his hand down and said, However, I do have something to ask you.

Jia Guoping rolled his eyes, Just ask.

Zhou Yan said with a smile, I need a piano prodigy in the movie I'm preparing now. Please help me ask Senior Sister Zhang Xinning if she has anyone to recommend?

When he heard that he was looking for Zhang Xinning, Jia Guoping raised his eyebrows and nodded very simply, No problem, I'll take care of it. I'll go find her now.

After saying that, Jia Guoping stood up with the chocolate.

There's no need to be in such a hurry...

Before Zhou Yan finished speaking, Jia Guoping had already ran out of the door.

After Jia Guoping left, Zhou Yan shook his head with a smile and started writing the script of The Piano Boy Who Wants to Fly again.

Around four o'clock in the afternoon, Zhou Yan heard Jia Guoping shouting from downstairs of the dormitory, Zhou Yan, Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan got up and went out and saw Jia Guoping and Zhang Xinning downstairs. The box of chocolates he had given to Jia Guoping had already arrived in Zhang Xinning's hands.

Senior Sister Zhang. Zhou Yan greeted.

Zhang Xinning did not say hello to him. The first thing he asked was, Is Jiu Mei here?

At this time, Lao Jiu had already walked out in advance, holding on to the corridor wall, revealing half of his little head, Sister Xinning.

As soon as he saw Lao Jiu, Zhang Xinning smiled, Jiu Mei, do you want some chocolate?

Lao Jiu raised his hands and shouted, Yes!

Then you come down and play with your sister.

good!

Lao Jiu jumped downstairs again.

Afterwards, the box of chocolates was in Lao Jiu's hands again, and Zhou Yan witnessed the entire handover process upstairs.