Chapter 80

In the second scene, Chen Baoguo also went all out, his eyes wide with anger, feeling agitated just by looking at Ye Ming.

He launched another round of punches and kicks.

Ye Ming seemed to have become accustomed to the intense pressure of this powerful aura and dodged with much more ease.

The director, watching on the monitor, found it quite good, but couldn't quite put his finger on what made it so.

At this moment, a commotion outside made Guo Baochang extremely angry. They were in the middle of filming, and who could be so idle as to cause a disturbance? Did they still want to stay in the crew?

Just as Guo Baochang was about to lose his temper, He Jun hurried over and said, "Director Guo, Director Zhang is here. I told him you were filming, and he came along."

Director Zhang, a slim figure, emerged from the crowd.

At this point, even Sichen Gao Wa stood up and moved aside. The entire crew, except for Guo Baochang, who remained calm, began to show signs of tension. 'How did he come here?'

A person who could make the Oscar-winning actress Sichen Gao Wa stand up and give way was rare in the Chinese film industry.

But the person in front of them definitely had the qualifications.

Zhang Yimou, one of the most famous directors in China, a representative of the Fifth Generation directors, was a national-level director in China. Such a person, standing there without saying a word, could make ordinary actors dare not speak.

This was a powerful aura, a strong presence formed by Zhang Yimou's accumulated confidence over the years.

Approaching Guo Baochang, Zhang Yimou did not speak, as they were in the middle of filming. In a film crew, filming was the top priority.

As a director, Zhang Yimou was well aware of this. Therefore, upon arrival, he did not interrupt the performance due to his own fame and status.

This was a film worker's respect for art and for himself.

Thus, Zhang Yimou did not say anything but stood aside like a student, waiting for the scene to end.

Guo Baochang knew Zhang Yimou was a busy person and would not waste his time. He called a cut after less than two minutes.

The set regained some life.

At this moment, people began to whisper, and many looked at Zhang Yimou with admiration. He was a director of national significance, a symbol of Chinese cinema.

In the past, these crew members had looked up to him as a master director.

But now, this legendary director was standing right in front of them, and many actors' hearts were pounding, feeling nervous.

They whispered among themselves, wondering what the director was here for.

At this point, Zhang Yimou smiled and said, "Director Guo, I'm sorry for being late. Please bear with me."

Guo Baochang smiled and waved his hand, "You're so busy, and you still came. I should be the one to thank you. Your presence here is a great honor for me."

Zhang Yimou immediately replied, "You're too kind. If it weren't for your support back then, I wouldn't be where I am today. This is your film, and no matter how busy I am, I will find time to come."

Back in the film studio, Zhang Yimou had received a lot of help from Guo Baochang. Therefore, when he heard that Guo Baochang was filming "The Grand Mansion," he agreed to a cameo role with just one phone call.

Today, he came over as soon as he had the time.

Guo Baochang invited Zhang Yimou to sit down and said, "You came at the right time. I have a scene here that I need your opinion on. I feel like something is missing, and after two takes, it still doesn't feel quite right."

At this moment, Chen Baoguo came out from the set, about to say something, but suddenly saw Zhang Yimou. Even at his level, his heart skipped a beat. 'How did he come here?'

As for Ye Ming, who was walking behind, he already knew that the extras in this film were all big names. Zhang Yimou's arrival didn't surprise him at all, as Zhang was playing the role of Li Lianying.

Chen Baoguo was taken aback for a moment before smiling and saying, "Director Zhang, please give us your guidance on this scene."

Ye Ming, at this moment, was completely ignored by Zhang Yimou.

The gap between them was too great. In Guo Baochang's crew, with over a hundred people, only Sichen Gao Wa and Chen Baoguo had the qualifications to converse with Director Zhang. The rest were barely remembered by Zhang.

Even the newly crowned Best Actor, Liu Peiqi, might not have the chance to chat with Zhang Yimou.

At least, if there was no special reason, Liu Peiqi wouldn't actively seek a connection with Zhang Yimou. If Zhang was in a bad mood and ignored him, it would be a huge embarrassment.

At this moment, Zhang Yimou walked over, and someone brought out a chair identical to the director's chair.

Zhang Yimou frowned and said, "With Director Guo here, if you make me sit in such a chair, aren't you ruining me? If this gets out, my friends will complain. This stool is fine; I'll sit here."

In a film crew, the director's chair symbolized supreme authority. Only one chair represented the director, the person in control of the entire crew.

The chair He Jun brought out was actually Guo Baochang's backup chair. He thought Zhang Yimou should be treated well, but he didn't expect such a renowned international director to be so humble in front of Guo Baochang.

Zhang Yimou had no airs of a famous international director.

He naturally pulled over the stool Sichen Gao Wa had been sitting on and sat in front of the monitor to watch the playback.

After watching the playback, Zhang Yimou pondered and said, "Director Guo, this is already quite good. The beating is real, and Bai Jingye is quite dedicated. What do you think?"

He wanted to hear Guo Baochang's opinion because he didn't know what kind of shot Guo needed. Each director had different requirements for actors and the camera.

This formed the director's unique style, and every famous director had their own distinct style.

Guo Baochang thought for a moment and said, "Actually, there's not much. The first take was just for show, and I felt something was missing. Later, Ye Ming, who plays Bai Jingye, reminded me that the scene needed real action to portray Bai Jingqi's strict father. So I had them really fight. But after the fight, I felt it was just passable, not particularly impressive."

Zhang Yimou glanced at Ye Ming, forming a favorable impression of the actor. This was the benefit of hard work.

If not for Ye Ming's efforts, which Guo Baochang remembered, he wouldn't have mentioned Ye Ming at all.

But it was Ye Ming's dedication that made Guo Baochang remember him, and he recommended him at a crucial moment. This was a habit of Guo Baochang, who enjoyed mentoring younger talent.

Being noticed by a renowned director like Zhang Yimou was something many actors aspired to.

Zhang Yimou looked at Ye Ming and said, "Young man, you've done well. You've endured a lot, but hard work in your youth is not a big deal."

Then, he turned to the monitor and said thoughtfully, "Director Guo, in my opinion, this scene is already quite good. The fight is real, with no holding back. But if I have to point out something, I feel there are two reasons. If I'm wrong, please bear with me."

This was a polite remark, and Guo Baochang wouldn't take it seriously, nor would anyone else.

Even Sichen Gao Wa, Chen Baoguo, and Liu Peiqi, the three big names, were all ears.

An international director giving feedback was a rare opportunity, like seeing Halley's Comet.

For most actors, having such an opportunity once in a lifetime was already a great honor.

But in the "The Grand Mansion" crew, there was such an opportunity, and no one wanted to miss it.

Almost everyone moved closer to the director's position, eager to hear what Zhang Yimou had to say.

As one of the main actors, Ye Ming certainly wouldn't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

It was like finding a martial arts manual at the edge of a cliff, an incredible stroke of luck.

Out of millions of actors in the country, it was Ye Ming who got this chance.

He listened intently, not wanting to miss a single word, more focused than he had ever been in class.

At this moment, Zhang Yimou said in a slightly humble tone, "In this shot, the first point is that Ye Ming's portrayal of fear is very good, the fear of his father. But this is not enough. Just showing fear is not enough for a spoiled son.

What is missing? It's a rebellious attitude. Remember, Bai Jingqi is a very rebellious person. If the father is a hero, the son will be a good man. Bai Jingye cannot be just a fearful person.

This is inconsistent with the overall style of the film. Even if Bai Jingye can't learn other skills from Bai Jingqi, he must have a rebellious attitude, which is a must for a spoiled son."