1RomanceEB Chapter 62: The Big Boss Sets the Tone
Chapter 62: The Big Boss Sets the Tone
People were already being let into the auditorium. Students from the Communication University of China were serving as receptionists and guides, and they were all both excited and nervous.
A senior broadcasting major hosted the red carpet event, her voice sweet: "Welcome all the guests to the premiere of 'The Witch'! Please come this way..."
The auditorium was decorated with a sci-fi feel, with a movie poster as the main backdrop: the female lead, played by Wang Zhi, stands in the rain with sharp eyes, and behind her is a faint, eerie light.
Name tags were already affixed to the seats, and the seating was clearly divided into sections: the production company and main creators were in the first row, celebrity guests were in the second to fifth rows, the media were in the back, and representatives of teachers and students from Communication University of China were on the second floor.
The seating arrangement was quite interesting. The seats for big shots like Han Sanye, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Principal Chen, and Dean Huang were in the middle, with two empty seats on either side, clearly reserved for Jiang Yu and Yang Siwei.
The seats in the celebrity section, however, were a battleground of unspoken tensions.
Huayi's people were arranged in the left area, Orange Sky in the right, and Rongxinda and Emperor in the back.
Wanda's Ye Ning and Lu Zheng, along with Jing Tian, were seated in the middle of the third row. Those who know, know what's going on.
At 3:20, the main creative team arrived.
Director Lu Yang led the way. The young director was wearing a well-fitting suit today, but he seemed a little uncomfortable. After all, this scene was far beyond what was expected of a director who had only ever made short films.
Behind him is the lead actress, Wang Zhi.
The little girl wore a white dress today, looking pure yet stubborn, which perfectly matched the "witch" vibe in the movie.
She was clearly more nervous and almost tripped while walking, but was supported by Jiang Wenli next to her.
"Don't be nervous," Jiang Wenli said softly. The veteran actress exuded confidence today, dressed in a long black dress, elegant and composed.
Next came Zu Feng, Zhu Yilong, Wang Zhiwen... Each time an actor came out, applause rang out from the audience.
Zhu Yilong is still a newcomer, and he was so nervous facing so many seniors and big shots that he didn't know where to put his hands.
Wang Zhiwen patted him on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "Treat this as a learning experience. Observe more and talk less."
After the main cast and crew took their seats, the auditorium gradually quieted down.
Everyone was waiting for the last two people, Jiang Yu and Yang Siwei.
At 3:25, the side door opened.
Yang Siwei was wearing a light gray suit skirt today, looking capable and neat. As soon as she entered, she nodded to everyone and then quickly walked to the empty seat in the first row.
She had just sat down when there was another noise at the door.
Jiang Yu walked in.
He wore a custom-made white shirt today, without a tie, and with one button undone, looking both formal and casual.
His expression was calm, with a faint smile on his lips. When his eyes swept across the room, there was no awkwardness or ingratiation; it was just a natural "I'm home" attitude.
"President Jiang is here!" A murmur rippled through the audience.
All eyes were on him.
Jiang Yu first shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Han Sanye, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Principal Chen, and Dean Huang in the first row, his attitude respectful but not humble.
After a brief greeting, Jiang Yu sat down in the reserved seat, right next to Third Master Han.
"Third Master, Teacher Tian, Principal, Dean," he greeted them one by one. "Thank you all for coming today."
"Of course," Han Sanye laughed. "The film also has investment from China Film Group, so I'll definitely support it. Besides, I've seen the finished product of 'The Witch,' and it's good. It's commercially viable and has great ideas. You've struck gold with this young man, Lu Yang."
"It's all thanks to Teacher Tian's excellent supervision," Jiang Yu attributed the credit to Tian Zhuangzhuang.
Tian Zhuangzhuang waved his hand: "I just supervised the process. Lu Yang handled all the filming himself. Young people have ideas and dare to shoot."
During the pleasantries, the lights dimmed.
The movie begins.
........
The plot of "The Witch" is not complicated: Zhou Tong experienced a major accident 10 years ago, escaped on her own, but lost all her memories, and even lost her own name and age.
She was adopted by an elderly couple and named "Zhou Tong." Now she has grown into a healthy high school girl. To help make a living, Zhou Tong participates in a talent show in hopes of winning prize money.
After the program aired, many unidentified people came to the door.
There's "Young Master Zhu" who keeps lingering around Zhou Tong, and Dr. Jiang and Mr. Wang who are searching for their child lost in the accident...
"This girl acted quite well," Chen Kaige whispered to Chen Hong. "She captured that slightly smug yet somewhat guilty feeling perfectly."
"I heard it's a newcomer, a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama," Chen Hong responded. "Jiang Yu is quite willing to use newcomers."
The style changes drastically in the second half.
The mysterious organization "The Hive" has appeared, and Zhou Tong is drawn into a life-or-death struggle among ability users.
As the action scenes increased, the skill of the Light Chaser Pictures special effects team was truly showcased.
The scene of controlling objects with one's mind is not a simple, low-budget special effect.
The trajectory, speed, and interaction with the environment of an object all conform to the laws of physics.
The most stunning scene is Zhou Tong's duel with another ability user in the library. The two use books, bookshelves, and even entire rows of bookshelves as weapons, colliding, splitting, and reforming in mid-air...
"These special effects..." Ning Hao's eyes lit up, "They weren't outsourced, were they?"
"Light & Shadow Digital did it themselves," Feng Xiaogang chimed in. "I heard Jiang Yu has a company in 798 that specializes in special effects. The level is no worse than that of North America."
Xu Fan asked in a low voice, "How much will that cost?"
"I heard this film cost $2500 million to make," Feng Xiaogang exclaimed, "and half of that was for special effects. But judging from the results, it's amazing."
The film reaches its climax: Zhou Tong discovers the truth about "The Hive" and decides to rebel. A fierce battle ensues in a subway station, where she simultaneously controls more than a dozen carriages, engaging in a showdown with the organization's pursuers.
When she "lifted" a subway train, which spiraled through the air like a giant dragon, the entire venue fell silent.
Then, applause broke out.
The movie ended, and the lights came on.
The host came on stage: "Thank you all for watching 'The Witch'! Now, please welcome the creative team to the stage!"
Lu Yang led the actors back onto the stage, each of them beaming with excitement. From the applause they had just received, they knew that the film had been a success.
During the Q&A session, most of the media's questions focused on special effects and production.
"Director Lu, the special effects in the movie are truly stunning. Could you share the production process?"
Lu Yang took the microphone and said honestly, "To be honest, I basically left the special effects to them. Light Chaser Animation Studios has a complete process. When we were filming, there was a special effects supervisor on set. They had a set of standards for what data each shot needed and how to shoot it. As for post-production, needless to say, the Light Chaser Animation team is too professional. I just need to tell them what kind of feeling I want, and they can make it, even better than I imagined."
"As the producer, does Mr. Jiang interfere a lot with the creative process?" A reporter threw the question directly at the audience.
Jiang Yu took the microphone from the staff member and stood up.
"My principle is to leave professional matters to professionals." His voice was soft and steady. "Lu Yang is the director, and Teacher Tian is the producer; they are the core of the creative process. Light Chaser Pictures provides industrial support, from feasibility analysis during pre-production planning to process management during filming, and then to post-production special effects. What we want to prove is that commercial genre films that reach world-class standards can also be produced in China in a systematic way."
That was well said, and the audience erupted in applause once again.
Han Sanye took the microphone and added, "The 'Witch' project was operated from the very beginning according to the Hollywood producer-centric model. The director was responsible for artistic creation, and the production team was responsible for resource allocation and process control. This model is still relatively new in China, and judging from today's results, it has been very successful. I hope this can become a model."
A big shot setting the tone is equivalent to official certification.
The next problem started to go off track.
"Mr. Jiang, can you reveal more details about the casting for 'Inception'?" a reporter asked eagerly.
The entire room fell silent instantly.
Everyone perked up their ears.
Jiang Yu smiled and said, "Today is the premiere of 'The Witch,' so let's focus on that film. Regarding 'Inception,' director Nolan's team will begin the official global casting process in October, and relevant information will be released through official channels. As one of the investors, Light Chaser Pictures will fully cooperate with the director's casting efforts to ensure that the most suitable actors are selected."
To put it politely, the message is clear: follow the proper procedures; don't even think about using back channels now.
The formal part of the premiere ended at 4:30 p.m., followed by a cocktail party in the banquet hall next to the auditorium.
(Recommendation for my wife's new book: "Entertainment: I Became a Top Star by Reaching Debt")