Chapter 32

"Hello, Director Ahn Byung-gi, I'm Li Zhong," Li Zhong said.

"Hehe, why are you calling me now? I heard your movie has wrapped up, and it should be in the editing stage, right?" Ahn Byung-gi had just finished his breakfast.

"Yes, it should be in the editing stage. I want to edit it myself. I've always done the editing for my music videos, but since this is my first time directing a movie and editing one, I thought I should find an expert for some guidance, and that's why I thought of you," Li Zhong said.

"I see. I can't claim to be an expert, but I can give you some advice. I can introduce you to a real expert," Ahn Byung-gi immediately understood what Li Zhong was trying to do.

"Alright, when can we meet for a meal?" Li Zhong knew that some things were not up to him to decide, so he decided to see how it goes.

"No need for that. When you're free, bring a clip to me, and I'll take you to him. His name is Kim Min-sang. He's a board member of a film production company and one of the most famous editors in Korea," Ahn Byung-gi said.

"Ah, Kim Min-sang? SeonMinKim?" Li Zhong was surprised. This man was a master, having edited films like "Sex Is Zero," "The President's Last Bang," "Memories of Murder," "The Host," and Ahn Byung-gi's "The Apartment." He truly deserved the title of master.

"Alright, how about today? I have nothing to do today, and I have some ideas..." Li Zhong was eager.

"Today? Let me check. I'll call you back in a bit." Ahn Byung-gi didn't expect Li Zhong to be so eager. It was only 8:30 in the morning, and he didn't know if Kim Min-sang was awake. Yes, awake, because Kim Min-sang's habit was to work late at night and sleep during the day, just like Li Zhong's schedule.

Li Zhong quickly went home to fetch a clip. This was a segment he had edited himself during the post-production shooting, without any sound. It was the scene where Jung-ho found the room filled with Jesus paintings while searching for Chi Young-min. He brought the raw footage as well. By the time Li Zhong arrived at Ahn Byung-gi's company, it was only 9:30 in the morning.

Ahn Byung-gi was waiting for Li Zhong at the door. Seeing Li Zhong get out of the car, he quickly walked over. "Don't get out of the car. Did you bring the clip? Let's go. Kim Min-sang hasn't gone to sleep yet. We need to find him before he does, or today will be wasted."

"Ah?" Li Zhong was surprised. Masters really have a lot of rules... Li Zhong didn't realize he was also a bit particular.

At a small film company in Jongno, Ahn Byung-gi and Li Zhong stood in front of a large black door. Li Zhong felt like he was about to enter hell, the door looked so strange.

Ahn Byung-gi pressed the doorbell, and a sound like an animal's growl came from inside. After a moment, the large black door creaked open, and a middle-aged man in a black sweater walked out.

This man was Kim Min-sang, about 175 cm tall, slender, with bloodshot eyes. He looked at Ahn Byung-gi and said, "Why are you here again? Didn't we agree to wait until your next project was finished before you came to me?"

"Hehe, come on, Min-sang. Today I brought a junior. A very talented junior," Ahn Byung-gi smiled at Kim Min-sang.

Kim Min-sang welcomed Li Zhong and Ahn Byung-gi into the room. The black door closed with a thud behind them. This was Kim Min-sang's editing room, where only the large screen in front was lit, and the rest was pitch black.

Kim Min-sang led them to a small resting room. As they moved from the dark to the light, Li Zhong rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the change.

"This is Li Zhong, a new director who has just completed his first film. He's at the editing stage, so I brought him here to learn from you. He wants to edit it himself," Ahn Byung-gi introduced Li Zhong to Kim Min-sang.

"Li Zhong? The one Liu Xiuli tried to trip up?" Kim Min-sang looked Li Zhong up and down, then smiled. "Good, I like that. That guy is not a good person. He deserved to be stood up and to suffer."

Li Zhong felt awkward. While Liu Xiuli's actions to blacklist him were wrong, Li Zhong himself had also made mistakes. Hearing someone praise him now, he felt a bit sympathetic towards Liu Xiuli. Why did so many people dislike him...

"Teacher Kim Min-sang, hello. I'm Li Zhong. I want to edit my film myself, but I'm afraid I might not be perfect in some areas, so I hope you can guide me. I will pay you for your help," Li Zhong bowed deeply.

"Money? Do I look like I need money? I'm only interested in seeing your work because you made Liu Xiuli look bad. If it's just about money, I won't look at it," Kim Min-sang said, a bit displeased.

"Ah!" Li Zhong stood there, feeling very awkward.

"Alright, Min-sang, don't say too much. Li Zhong doesn't know your temper. Let's let it go this time. He won't do it again," Ahn Byung-gi tried to smooth things over. Kim Min-sang's expression gradually softened.

"Did you bring the clip you edited?" Kim Min-sang asked.

"Yes, yes," Li Zhong quickly handed over the clip. Kim Min-sang didn't hesitate and played it immediately.

In the dim light, Jung-ho grabbed Chi Young-min's former cellmate and forced him to reveal Chi Young-min's whereabouts, beating him while asking. The walls were covered with images of Jesus' crucifixion... Then there was a scene where Mi-jin's daughter saw a woman getting out of a taxi who looked like her mother, and she ran out.

"Is this the final edit?" Kim Min-sang asked, his face expressionless.

"Yes, I edited this segment according to my script during the shooting," Li Zhong said carefully, looking at Kim Min-sang's expressionless face.

"Editing has four levels: first, the connection between shots; second, the logical editing of several scenes into a coherent sequence; third, the overall structure of the film; and fourth, the combination of visuals and audio," Kim Min-sang explained.

"Now, let's talk about the problems in your segment. First, there's no sound. Background music and dialogue are crucial components of editing. Second, the connections between shots are problematic, lacking smoothness, and feel disjointed. Third, are these shots meant to stand alone? I think it would be better if you intercut them with the scenes of the little girl chasing her mother," Kim Min-sang said, watching Li Zhong think.

Kim Min-sang and Ahn Byung-gi left the resting room and went to the dining area, where Kim Min-sang made Ahn Byung-gi a cup of coffee. "Do you really think so highly of him? You brought him to me and asked me to help him fully?" Kim Min-sang asked Ahn Byung-gi.

"I've read his script, and it's a very good film. There hasn't been a good film in the past year, and I think he has a lot of potential. His film has a lot of potential. Besides, I'm not helping him for nothing. When I need help, he won't ignore me," Ahn Byung-gi explained.

"Alright, I like this young man too, and it's a good choice to make things difficult for Liu Xiuli," Kim Min-sang thought of Liu Xiuli's frustrated expression and felt very satisfied.

"He has a long way to go. Now he's just at the editing stage, which he can handle. The real problems will come when it's time for review and distribution," Ahn Byung-gi said, sipping his coffee.

"You're right. Although I don't like Liu Xiuli, I have to admit he controls the largest cinema chain in Korea. If the film can't be shown in CJ's theaters, even if it's a hit, it won't have much box office success," Kim Min-sang also thought about this.

"It's up to him. There are other distributors and theaters. If the distributor has a contract with CJ, Liu Xiuli can't do anything. But I think he should go to Showbox," Ahn Byung-gi, with his long experience in the entertainment industry, knew that CJ and Showbox were always competing for the top spot in distribution. This could be an opportunity for Li Zhong.

"Ah, Director Ahn Byung-gi, Teacher Kim Min-sang, you're here!" Li Zhong had been deep in thought, considering how to make his editing more coherent, complete, and engaging. When he woke up, he found no one around.

"Teacher Kim Min-sang, thank you. I know how to edit it now. I'll go back and try to edit it, and I hope you can give me more guidance later," Li Zhong said earnestly.

"Good, I'm glad to see you thinking for yourself. But remember one thing: editing is about both cutting and joining. You need to trim and arrange the shots and scenes you've filmed according to your intended expression. That's the whole process of editing," Kim Min-sang said earnestly.

"Alright, I understand. Thank you, Teacher Kim Min-sang, and thank you, Director Ahn Byung-gi," Li Zhong thanked them and hurried back home to start his editing work. However, he didn't know that two groups of people had already started plotting against him...

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