Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 10 Hidden Camera

The days flew by amidst the intense and well-organized filming.

Despite Qi Yue and Guo Fan working 18 hours a day and meticulously budgeting every penny, the filming schedule was kept as efficient as possible.

But the three million budget is like a leaky pool that's about to run dry.

The executive producer, Lao Liu, was sent by Juli Media to "assist" in the filming and also to supervise the use of funds.

His complexion has been getting worse every day, like a walking, dark-faced gatekeeper, loitering around the film set all day long.

He kept muttering "overspending," "cycle," and "difficult to explain."

His presence cast an invisible but heavy shadow of pressure over the entire production crew.

Finally, the filming of the movie reached a crucial final stage.

In order to select and hone the "special operations talents" he had his eye on, Xu Pingqiu ordered several troublemakers from the police academy, led by Yu Zui, to undergo a near-real-combat "extreme survival" training exercise in the complex urban environment.

This scene requires a lot of outdoor city shots, crowd reactions, and tense and exciting street chases and battles of wits. It is an important turning point in the plot and an important part of showcasing the ensemble cast and the texture of the city.

However, the biggest problem arose: the filming permit.

In a place like Beijing, filming in public areas, especially in busy downtown areas, requires prior notification and permission.

They applied, but the process was slow and the approval was delayed.

Time waits for no one; every extra day the crew spends is an extra day's expense.

Old Liu has made it clear that the deadline given by the investors is fast approaching. If it drags on any longer, either the location shooting will be cut, or the project will face serious cost overruns and delays, and may be halted.

"Qi Yue, we really can't wait any longer," Guo Fan said anxiously, his voice hoarse.

"Old Liu just contacted me again, saying that all filming must be finished by the day after tomorrow at the latest, and we must move on to post-production. I don't think we'll be able to wait for the permit."

Qi Yue stood on the top floor of the Fushi Building, looking down at the bustling traffic below, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the storyboard.

Cutting scenes? Absolutely not.

This scene is a crucial turning point in "Yu Zui's" transformation from a thug to a "special police officer." Cutting this scene would make many subsequent plot points lack credibility, and the entire show would fall apart.

Waiting for permission? Time is money, and it's the lifeline of a project.

He came down from upstairs, looked at the others who had come with him, and made up his mind, "I'm not waiting anymore."

"Huh?" Guo Fan exclaimed in surprise, "Without permission, in this kind of situation, what if..."

"Let everyone break up into smaller groups, and we'll take photos secretly."

"Taking photos secretly?!" Guo Fan gasped.

This is too risky. If the management finds out, the consequences could range from fines and equipment confiscation to the entire project being affected.

"Listen to me," Qi Yue said, unfolding a simple hand-drawn city map and storyboard.

"We broke down this 'city survival' scenario. For the chase scenes, we didn't close the roads. We used two handheld cameras, blending into the crowds and traffic during rush hour to film Jiang Qiming and his group weaving through the crowds. The cameraman was quick and decisive, shooting and leaving immediately. For shots that required crowd reactions, we brought a few reliable actors and cameramen, blending in with real citizens to capture their genuine reactions, which we then edited in later. The shots of Xu Pingqiu observing were taken from a high vantage point or through a car window, which made things easier."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the core members around him:

"The most crucial thing is coordination and cover. Van, you're in charge of overall technical control, ensuring all the hidden camera teams' equipment is concealed and their signals are clear. Old Chen (lighting technician), use natural light as much as possible, and small fill lights when necessary. Don't make a big fuss. Set crew, spread out, don't huddle together, keep your eyes open, and immediately give a signal to evacuate if anything happens. Everyone, wear plain clothes, hide your equipment if possible, and if you can't hide it, disguise yourself as ordinary tourists or vloggers filming for social media."

His plan was both bold and meticulous, breaking down a large-scale event that required formal approval into countless smaller units that could be operated "guerrilla warfare".

"Will this... work?" Old Chen asked somewhat nervously.

"We have to make it work, no matter what." Qi Yue's tone was resolute. "If Hong Kong filmmakers can do it, why can't we?"

"Remember, we're not filming illegal content; we're capturing the real pulse of the city for use in serious dramas. As long as we don't disturb the public or cause chaos, and we act quickly, we'll have a chance."

He gave a seemingly reasonable reason: to stabilize morale.

"But Lao Liu's side..." Guo Fan was worried that the producer would disagree.

Qi Yue took out his phone and dialed directly:

"Producer Liu, we really can't get the permit. But we can't cut this scene, or the whole production will fall apart. I have a backup plan, what do you think..."

He explained his plan, but never mentioned "secret filming," only saying it was documentary-style candid photography, and most importantly, it would save money.

Old Liu on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds, thought about the precarious numbers on the budget sheet, and finally squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth:

"If anything happens to you, it's none of my business!"

That's tacit approval.

"Understood! I guarantee I will have no relationship with you, Producer Liu!"

This guy wanted to shift the blame, but Qi Yue didn't care about that anymore.

The next two days became the two days when the "Yu Zui" crew most resembled "Yu Zui".

There were no convoys or filming signs. The actors, dressed in costumes from the play (deliberately chosen to be inconspicuous), blended into the real crowd.

The photographers, carrying disguised equipment, either hid in cars or mingled with the crowd, like hunters on a hunt.

The walkie-talkie was transmitting hushed instructions and code words:

"Group A, in position. Target: Wangfujing side street, ready for a 'stroll'."

"Attention Group B, there is a patrol car at the three o'clock position. Stop your 'sightseeing' and turn around."

"Team C, the market management staff are out. Withdraw!"

"Group D successfully captured the moment; the passersby's reactions are very genuine!"

Qi Yue sat atop a high-rise building overlooking part of the area, a map and walkie-talkie spread out in front of him, his sharp eyes scanning the streets below, like a detective directing a capture operation.

He must quickly assess and adjust his plans based on the fragmented information relayed from the scene to deal with unexpected situations.

Once, Jiang Qiming got into an argument with a "car thief" in an alley and was almost grabbed by a real neighborhood committee auntie who mistook him for a thug.

Fortunately, the staff providing cover on the perimeter were quick-witted and managed to fool them by pretending to be bystanders trying to break up the fight.

On another occasion, a group of paparazzi were filming under an overpass when their equipment was surrounded by several curious young people, almost exposing them.

Tense, exciting, and extremely efficient.

Everyone was on edge, yet there was also a subtle sense of excitement about breaking with convention and accomplishing the impossible.

As the last preset shot transmitted the message "Done" over the walkie-talkie, the setting sun was painting the sky orange-red.

Qi Yue slowly leaned back in his chair and let out a long, thorough breath, only then realizing that his back was already soaked with sweat.