Chapter 00074: Filming a Movie is Also About Overcoming Challenges
# Filming a Movie is Also About Overcoming Challenges
Chapter 74
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 74: Filming a Movie is Also About Overcoming Challenges
Gong Xue's father was a photographer, and her mother was a painter.
From a young age, she had been learning calligraphy and painting, and she was quite skilled.
She could also dance. (An illustration is attached at the end.)
She took a look at the description and found it quite eerie.
It read:
"Jar People Some unscrupulous sorcerers would abduct children and place them in jars, forcing them to take medicine over a long period. Those who survived would grow up inside the jar, with only their limbs and head able to stretch out. Characteristics: Pale skin all over, two red patches on the face, ferocious appearance, child-like face, wearing a small melon-skin hat, a braid at the back of the head, and the jar is pitch black with a large '福' (fortune) character pasted on it."
"..."
Gong Xue frowned and asked, "Why are you drawing this? This is feudal superstition."
"I have a use for it. Can you draw this style?"
"If it's for a proper purpose, I'm afraid I might not do it well and delay your work."
"It's fine, just draw it. I'll come by again before you go home and give you the text. You can draw it at home, not here in the military. This feudal superstition stuff is quite sensitive."
"Alright!"
Gong Xue naturally agreed.
Chen Qi took back the draft and showed her some local specialties, smiling, "These are all good things. This is White Rabbit milk candy!"
"Five-spice beans from the Old City God Temple!"
"Tiao Tou Gao, oh, it's all squished out of shape."
"This is good, it's called Chongming cake..."
He turned into a repeater, not missing a single word, "It comes in two types: soft cake and hard cake. The soft cake is eaten cold, and the hard cake needs to be steamed."
Gong Xue pursed her lips and smiled, "I'm from Shanghai, and you're telling me this. Let me tell you, steaming the hard cake and adding some fermented rice wine to make a fermented rice cake soup is the most delicious."
"See, it would be a waste if I took it. You should have it."
After several refusals, she had no choice but to accept it.
Chen Qi didn't stay long and left on his bike.
When she returned to the rehearsal hall, her comrades noticed the extra bag and called out, "Xiao Xue, who gave you such good stuff?"
"Is it something delicious?"
"Something delicious? What is it?"
A few more people gathered around.
"It's just something a friend gave me. Let's all try it..."
In this situation, she had no choice but to share everything except the Chongming cake with her comrades.
She clasped her hands together and silently apologized, "Sorry, sorry~"
The White Rabbit candy was naturally the most popular.
A comrade with candy in her mouth laughed, "I bet it's from a male comrade!"
"Could it be Tang Guoqiang?"
"Don't talk nonsense, he's already married!"
"Oh, then it must be another male comrade. Does he have a crush on you? I must remind you, if you want to date, you have to report it to the organization. Only after approval can you start a relationship."
"Nothing like that, don't make a fuss..."
Gong Xue hugged the bag, squeezed in the middle and teased, her face turning red.
Fortunately, the rehearsal continued, and she escaped further embarrassment.
In the blink of an eye, it was evening.
In the collective dormitory, the military's routine was very strict.
Everyone washed up and lay in bed.
Gong Xue was on the top bunk, staring at the ceiling.
She could take leave and go home for the Spring Festival, and her mood had been quite good recently.
She hadn't expected Chen Qi to actually come to her and ask for her help with drawing.
What on earth was that jar person? It was quite frightening.
But since she had agreed, she had to do a good job.
…………
In the director's office.
Wang Yang held the script, maintaining the same posture for a long time.
He didn't feel tired at all; instead, he was full of energy and enthusiasm, occasionally exclaiming in excitement.
Especially when he reached the climax at the end, where it read:
"Under the mediation of Prince Rong, Yang Yuqian decided to challenge the Seven Heroes Tower. Prince Duan was obsessed with martial arts and had gathered six top masters from across the land to build the Seven Heroes Tower. The tower had seven levels, each guarded by a master, with Prince Duan himself guarding the seventh level. Over the years, countless heroes had attempted to challenge the tower, but none had made it past the fifth level. The first master, Jin Fengjin, a Korean ronin, excelled in leg techniques. He once kicked a black bear to death and was known as the Wind-Chasing Divine Leg! The second, Hao Erdu, a Mongolian warrior, was as strong as a mountain and as sturdy as an ox. He excelled in wrestling and had natural divine strength, known as the Unyielding Vajra! The third, Meng Meng, the King of Sticks from Miaojiang, had fierce and swift stick techniques, known as the Southern Heavenly Pillar! The fourth, Jiu Nama, known as the Heaven-Splitting Thunder Hand, had unparalleled hard qigong! The fifth, a female ninja from the Iga school of Japan, Kaede Hanaren, excelled in flying claws and hidden weapons, and was a master of stealth. The sixth, the Drunken Monk, had unparalleled lower body techniques and was a master of both fists and palms. The more he drank, the stronger he became, exuding the aura of a grandmaster. As the poem goes: 'When drunk, his heroic spirit cannot be contained, his breath like a rainbow piercing the stars!'"
"Excellent!"
Wang Yang was so excited that he slammed the table.
This was the script for "Tai Chi."
Chen Qi never delayed when it came to serious matters.
Before half of the month was over, he had already produced the script.
Wang Yang couldn't put it down and kept muttering to himself, "The Seven Heroes Tower! This plot is fantastic, absolutely fantastic!"
Overcoming challenges was a unique plot device.
The protagonist fights through level after level, with enemies growing stronger, showcasing different martial arts styles, and finally defeating the big boss...
This was a common trope in novels, movies, and games.
But in this era, it was very, very novel.
Bruce Lee's final work, "Game of Death," had a similar setup and could have been a milestone, but unfortunately, it was never completed.
Wang Yang continued reading.
Yang Yuqian naturally defeated the seven masters, obtained the antidote to save his master, and became famous throughout the land.
"..."
After finishing, he remained silent for a long time.
The story was truly a good one, and filming it would definitely blow people's minds.
But from the script, it was clear how crucial the fight choreography was.
This was the core issue.
He sent someone to call Chen Qi, and soon, he arrived.
"Old Director!"
"Sit!"
Wang Yang waved his hand and looked at him for a while before sighing, "If you hadn't brought up earning foreign currency, it would have been fine. If you hadn't written 'Tai Chi,' it would have been fine too. At most, I would have gone to the China Film Group and made a fuss to get them to raise the acquisition price a bit, just to fulfill my last wish. But you had to bring it up, reigniting this old man's passion. This movie must be made, and it must be made well! But the difficulties are obvious. Kid, you've given me a huge challenge!"
"Old Director, you're exaggerating!"
Seeing this, Chen Qi shed his usual laziness and said seriously, "Since you agree to make it, I will definitely do my best. If Yang Yuqian can challenge the Seven Heroes Tower, can't we overcome these difficulties? Besides, you're an old revolutionary. What hardships haven't you faced? You've even helped establish New China!"
"Hahaha, well said!"
Wang Yang laughed heartily.
They had overthrown the three great mountains; now, making a movie was nothing.
Then, he sent someone to call another person.
Soon, a man in his fifties entered.
Chen Qi had seen him during meetings.
His name was Zhu Dexiong, formerly of the Shanghai Film Studio, sent by the state to study in Moscow.
After returning, he stayed at the Beijing Film Studio, having worked as a director and art director.
Now, he was the deputy director.
The Beijing Film Studio had two deputy directors.
Zhu Dexiong was in charge of production, while the other, Sun Wenjin, who didn't like Chen Qi, was responsible for personnel, administration, and discipline.
Chen Qi had always been on the fringes of the Beijing Film Studio's system, not having much contact with the insiders.
Wang Yang calling Zhu Dexiong over could only mean one thing: he was his trusted aide.
"..."
Chen Qi understood but didn't care about taking sides.
They saw the unit as their entire world, wanting to live better within it.
But he wasn't like that.
(End of chapter...)