lcionline Chapter 69 She is also a victim
Chapter 69 She is also a victim
Yanjing, the old Shougang factory.
"This place is really great, much better than the ones we saw before."
Dapeng, wrapped in a coat, held his hands to his mouth and breathed on them to warm them.
The filming location of the original "Old Boys" is now lost to history, but Ren Pingsheng found a place that is even more suitable than the original.
The building is a low-rise red brick building with shops, billiard halls, video arcades, and barbershops.
Without having to travel to different locations or spend money on set construction, most of the scenes for "Old Boys" can be filmed here.
The rows of flat-roofed low-rise buildings, with no tall buildings to block the view, were perfect for filming the rooftop scene.
What's even more interesting are the chimneys emitting white smoke in the background; these weren't in the original version, giving it a strong sense of age.
If it weren't for the cold weather, Dapeng could have jumped right into the Yongding River next door to retrieve his guitar.
The school that was supposed to be there was also on winter break, so communication went surprisingly smoothly.
Because production here will be completely shut down at the end of the year.
Many employees and their families are facing the choice of going to the new factory or paying to buy out their jobs, and the entire factory area is filled with an indescribable atmosphere.
Many of them were born, grew up, and started families here; the factory was their whole world.
The logistics leader who liaised with Ren Pingsheng was an old man who had worked in the factory for thirty years.
When he heard that these young people were going to make a movie to reminisce about their youth, the old leader remained silent for a long time.
The factory didn't have much money, but he didn't hesitate to expedite the procedures and even personally went to Shougang Experimental Primary School to help them coordinate the filming location.
Before leaving, the old leader held Ren Pingsheng's hand, his eyes reddening, and made a plea.
"Director Ren, please try to include as many scenes of the factory as possible. After this place is renovated in the future, we old guys can still see the place where we struggled in our youth through your movies and find some memories."
These words brought tears to the eyes of Dapeng, who was usually carefree.
Ren Pingsheng didn't say anything sentimental, he just nodded solemnly.
This is not just the story of two middle-aged men pursuing their dreams.
It is also the backdrop of an entire era.
"Old Boys" is a eulogy sung for them.
As planned, filming began with Cecilia Cheung.
The filming progressed from her solo scene of crying alone in bed to a large group scene on campus, seamlessly connecting the filming of other characters. This method was the most cost-effective in terms of personnel and scene scheduling.
The most important scene this morning was when Xia Luo, played by Da Peng, was playing guitar and singing at the school gate, and Qiu Ya, played by Cecilia Cheung, the school beauty, brushed past him.
In the original version, this was a recurring mystery throughout the main storyline, with the truth only revealed at the end.
Ren Pingsheng made some changes here, intending to embed an Easter egg linking to "Goodbye Mr. Loser".
Eight o'clock in the morning.
Dapeng had already changed into his oversized school uniform, and was squatting at the school gate, rubbing his hands together, carrying a broken wooden guitar.
"Pingsheng, what time is it? Why hasn't Sister Zhi arrived yet?"
Ren Pingsheng frowned slightly, and just as he was about to take out his phone, his pocket vibrated first.
It was Qiao San calling.
To show his respect for the "Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress," Ren Pingsheng specially rented a film crew RV and had Qiao San drive to pick her up from the hotel.
"San'er, where are you?" Ren Pingsheng answered the phone.
On the other end of the phone, Qiao San's voice sounded strained, "Director Ren, Sister Zhi hasn't come down yet. Her assistant just told me that it's too cold today, bad for the skin, and she'll wait and see if the sun gets warmer before deciding whether to go out!"
The surroundings were quiet, but Da Peng and Bai Ke both heard the voice on the phone, and their expressions instantly turned grim.
Should we wait until the sun is brighter before going out?
Is this guy here to film a movie or on vacation?!
A dozen or so people were freezing like dogs outdoors in sub-zero temperatures, just to wait for her to feel that the sun was getting warmer.
"Okay, then come back first," Ren Pingsheng said calmly into the phone.
"Back?" Qiao San was stunned. "Don't we have to wait? What if the sun comes out later and she..."
"No need to wait," Ren Pingsheng interrupted him. "Come if you want, don't come if you don't."
After saying that, he hung up the phone.
Bai Ke's expression changed when he heard the last sentence.
Dapeng quickly stepped forward, "Pingsheng... how about... I call Master and talk to him? After all, he was introduced by Master, and it wouldn't look good for anyone if things got awkward."
"No need," Ren Pingsheng patted Dapeng on the shoulder, then turned and shouted to Zhang Yibo, "Yibo, let's move to the dormitory building."
Zhang Yibo paused for a moment, then pointed to the already set-up tracks and lighting positions. "Aren't we going to film this scene?"
"Let's not film this scene yet. Let's go to the dormitory building and film a scene with only Xia Luo."
At the command, the crew sprang into action.
Half an hour later, in the staff dormitory that had been decorated like a high school boy's bedroom from the 1990s, posters of Leslie Cheung and the Four Heavenly Kings were pasted on the walls.
"Ready," Zhang Yibo raised his hand.
The clapperboard fell.
"The first scene of 'Old Boys' was filmed in one take."
Snapped.
The room fell silent immediately.
Dapeng sat on the bed, his fingers plucking the strings.
"There's a girl in the village named Xiaofang, she's beautiful and kind..."
The young male protagonist practices singing in his dormitory, fantasizing about singing for the school beauty.
This scene wasn't supposed to be filmed today, as planned.
But now that the school beauty isn't here, it's actually more appropriate.
A teenager's crush is mostly a one-sided affair.
Ren Pingsheng stood behind Zhang Yibo, staring at the screen on the monitor.
My heart, too, grew cold with this sense of desolation.
The original intention of choosing Cecilia Cheung was to leverage her fame to force-feed this short film, which had no star quality whatsoever.
The fact that a Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress would agree to star in a low-budget online short film is itself a highly topical issue.
In addition, this is her first work after the "photo scandal," so whether she is praised or criticized, she can make a fortune in terms of online traffic.
Moreover, Ren Pingsheng also planted a hidden clue to break the fourth wall.
Zhang Baizhi, the school beauty in "Old Boys," and Qiu Ya in "Goodbye Mr. Loser" are all essentially "darkened" versions of the white moonlight.
Beneath that innocent exterior lies a calculating ambition and a harsh reality.
The striking similarities between their real-life lives and on-screen characters will undoubtedly spark a frenzy of interpretations among netizens after the film's release.
Ren Pingsheng could even imagine the intense contrast that would occur when the audience looked at the innocent school beauty on the screen and had those indecent photos flash through their minds when the movie was released.
Although this move may cause her some negative public opinion, "Old Boys" can indeed provide her with an excellent opportunity for a comeback.
After all, even a darkened moonlight is still a bright moonlight.
As long as she cries in the film in a way that evokes sympathy, the simple statement "she is also a victim" can help her return to the public eye.
This was originally a mutually beneficial arrangement where each party got what they needed.
If someone doesn't treat themselves like a human being, then don't blame them for not treating her like one either.
Talented people and skilled individuals are actually the same thing.
As long as it helps him achieve his goal, that's fine.
As for how this talented individual will ultimately be burned by the raging fire of public opinion.
It's no longer worth caring about.