1novels Chapter 18: Parents' Hearts
Chapter 18: Parents' Hearts
Time flew by and it was December 8st.
The weather in Beijing was bitterly cold. Liu Yu stood on the dormitory balcony doing his morning exercises, his breath billowing out like smoke.
For the past two months, he has been working like an animal. In the morning, he learns camera language from the photography department, in the afternoon he spends time in the editing room watching Teacher Zhou edit films, in the evening he goes back to his dormitory to draw storyboards, and on weekends he goes to the Beijing Film Studio to wait on film crews and learn from them.
I've learned most of the directing skills; I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but at least I won't make any embarrassing mistakes on set anymore.
……
On January 10th, the school started its winter break.
Liu Yu packed a suitcase, carried a backpack full of scripts, storyboards, and proposals, and boarded a plane back to Changsha.
On the day she arrived home, Zhang Yan cooked a whole table of dishes.
Stir-fried pork with chili peppers, fish head with chopped chili peppers, water spinach with garlic, and pork rib and winter melon soup are all dishes that Liu Yu loves to eat.
Liu Jianhui rarely left work on time. He changed into his pajamas and sat at the dining table, holding the remote control and constantly changing channels, but his eyes kept glancing towards the door.
As soon as Liu Yu entered the room, Liu Jianhui put down the remote control.
Zhang Yan poked her head out of the kitchen and looked Liu Yu up and down: "You've lost weight. Were you not eating properly in Beijing?"
"Mom, I eat at the cafeteria every day, why aren't you eating properly?"
"Can the food in the cafeteria be as good as what I cook?"
"That's definitely not the case."
Liu Yu put down his suitcase, washed his hands, sat down at the table, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of stir-fried pork with chili peppers, chewed a couple of times, and said, "Hmm, this is still the most authentic taste. The Hunan restaurants in Beijing all serve modified versions that aren't spicy at all."
Zhang Yan laughed, her eyes crinkling, but she didn't mince words: "Didn't you used to hate eating stir-fried pork with chili peppers? You said it was too spicy and made your throat hurt."
"That's because I was ignorant back then."
Liu Jianhui remained silent, but his chopsticks moved faster than usual, and he took away more than half of the plate of stir-fried pork with chili peppers.
...
After finishing the meal, Liu Yu helped clear the table, returned to the living room, and sat down, pondering for a moment how to start the conversation.
He'll have to tell his family about making the movie sooner or later.
He could lie and say he raised millions in startup capital, but once the film was made, it would eventually be released. When his parents saw the words "Producer and Director: Liu Yu" in the opening credits while sitting in the movie theater, they wouldn't be able to hide it from him anymore.
Rather than catching them off guard, it's better to give them a heads-up now.
"Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you." Liu Yu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down a beat slower than usual.
Zhang Yan was wiping the dining table when she heard this, and she stopped wiping.
Liu Jianhui turned off the TV again and leaned forward slightly.
The couple's reactions were perfectly synchronized, as if they had been rehearsed.
"I'm going to shoot a movie next semester. I wrote the script, cast Liu Ye and Yan Danchen, and I'm also the director."
The living room was silent for five seconds.
Zhang Yan was the first to react: "You? Make movies? You studied film production, what kind of movies are you making?"
"I wrote a script and felt it would be a shame not to film it."
Liu Yu spoke as casually as possible, "The school is also supportive, Qingying Film Studio contributed some money, and we also secured sponsorships from several brands such as Samsung and Hyundai, so the funds are sufficient."
"How much?" Liu Jianhui asked.
"Total budget: seven million."
Liu Jianhui's eyebrows twitched.
Seven million yuan was enough to buy several villas in Changsha in 2003.
He was silent for a few seconds, then asked in a precise tone, like a doctor examining a patient, "You just said you secured investment and sponsorship?"
Liu Yu remained expressionless: "That's right. I didn't contribute much money myself; it was mainly the school's endorsement and Liu Ye's contract that played a role."
.....
That evening, after Liu Yu finished showering, he passed by the master bedroom door and overheard Zhang Yan whispering inside: "...Did you see him like that? The way he talks and acts is nothing like a twenty-one-year-old. Today, when I listened to him talk about that project, a seven-million-dollar deal, he sat there talking about it like it was nothing, and my palms were sweating."
Liu Jianhui's voice was low and hard to hear, but Liu Yu vaguely made out a few words: "...They've grown up...they don't need us to take care of them anymore..."
Before the Spring Festival, Zhang Yan took Liu Yu to visit a key figure, Mr. Li, the general manager of Xiaoxiang Cinema Line.
Xiaoxiang Cinema Circuit is the largest local cinema chain in Hunan Province, covering more than 30 cinemas across the province. Although it is not as prestigious as China Film Group or Shanghai Film Group, its influence in Hunan is not to be underestimated.
Zhang Yan and General Manager Li have known each other for many years. That's how Chinese dinner parties are: after a few meals and drinks, and a few favors done for each other, a relationship is formed.
Mr. Li is in his fifties, speaks with a heavy Changsha accent, and laughs loudly like thunder.
He received Liu Yu and her son in his office and brewed three cups of Junshan Yinzhen tea, the aroma of which filled the air.
"Liu Yu, right? Your mother has mentioned you to me many times." Mr. Li looked him up and down. "From Beijing Film Academy?"
"Yes, first-year students in the Management Department."
"Making a movie in your freshman year? That's incredible, truly incredible." Mr. Li picked up his teacup and blew on the foam. "What kind of subject matter?"
Liu Yu summarized the story of "The Eraser" in just a few sentences.
After listening, Mr. Li nodded: "Romance films have a market. There are few domestically produced romance films now, so audiences want to watch them but can't. Your cast is also good; Liu Ye has box office appeal."
He put down his teacup, looked at Liu Yu, and said, "Don't worry about the distribution. Once the finished film is out, send it to me. I'll arrange it for you at Xiaoxiang Cinemas. I'll also put in a good word with the other cinemas. We're in touch, so helping each other schedule screenings won't be a problem."
Liu Yu raised his teacup and offered a toast to President Li, saying, "Thank you, President Li. Once the film is finished editing, I'll deliver it to your office first."
As Liu Yu stepped out of the Xiaoxiang Cinema, he remarked, "Mom, it's true what they say, having connections in high places makes things much easier."
Zhang Yan rolled her eyes at him: "What do you mean by 'having connections in high places makes things easier'? This is called resource integration. I've told you so many times, the most important thing for a producer isn't how many people you know, but whether you can use those people in the right places. As for President Li, I've known him for ten years and have never asked him for a favor before. This is the first time I've asked, so he'll definitely help."
After the Spring Festival, Zhang Yan took Liu Yu to Hunan TV again.
Liu Yu had visited the Hunan Broadcasting building countless times in his previous life. Zhang Yan took him up to the twelfth floor and visited the leaders of several departments one by one: the editor-in-chief's office, the program center, the GG department, and even the TV drama acquisition department.
Liu Yu followed behind his mother like a little wolf cub being led around to claim its territory.
Every time she entered an office, Zhang Yan used the same script: "This is my son, Liu Yu. He's studying film production at the Beijing Film Academy. He made a movie this year, starring Liu Ye. Please help promote it."
The tone was casual, as if saying, "My child got first place in the class this year." Every leader had the same reaction after hearing this: first, they were surprised, then they said, "Sister Zhang, your son is so amazing!" Finally, they patted their chests and said, "No problem with publicity. When he comes back to Hunan, he can be on any of our station's programs."
......
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Liu Yu returned to Beijing.
The school put in a lot of effort.
Yu Li personally stepped in and helped Liu Yu invite Tian Zhuangzhuang to be the producer.
Tian Zhuangzhuang is a senior alumnus of the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy and one of the representative figures of the Fifth Generation of directors. His works include "The Blue Kite" and "Spring in a Small Town".
He had just returned from Japan and was teaching at the school when Yu Li mentioned this project to him, and he agreed without hesitation.
"Just lend your name as producer," Tian Zhuangzhuang said when he met with Liu Yu. "I'll help you with the parts you need me to check; I won't interfere with the parts you don't need me to do."
Liu Yu almost stood up and bowed to him. That's what a senior should be like; he doesn't act superior or boss people around, but he's there when you need him.
Liu Yu made another trip to the directing department, asking the department head to recommend a few senior students to be assistant directors.
For these senior students, going through the entire process of Liu Yu's project, from planning to filming to post-production, was a rare opportunity for practical experience.
As for the equipment and machinery, Liu Yu had no choice but to rent them.
The school's equipment is so bad that the footage probably won't even be able to capture Liu Ye's facial expressions clearly.
Finally, through Tian Zhuangzhuang's connections, they rented an Arri film camera set from the Beijing Film Studio, including lenses, a follow focus system, a lens hood, and a lighting system.
The lease term is forty days, and the rent is 150,000.
...
February 16, Tianjin, at the foot of a residential building in the old city.
Liu Yu arrived at the scene before dawn.
Wang Chaowen was there even earlier than him, already directing the stage crew to lay cables and move props.
Xin Hao was standing by the roadside smoking when he saw Liu Yu arrive. He put out his cigarette, walked over, and asked, "Nervous?"
"I'm not nervous," Liu Yu said.
"I'm nervous," Xin Hao said.
"Why are you so nervous? You're not the director."
"I'm nervous for the audience."
Liu Yu smiled, patted Xin Hao on the shoulder, and walked into the scene.
At 8:08 a.m., Liu Yu chose an auspicious time and raised the clapperboard.
The clapperboard displayed the film title, scene number, and shot number: Scene 1, Shot 1. He held the clapperboard up to the camera and shouted something that everyone in the theater could hear.
"The Eraser, Scene One, Scene One. Begin!"
The clapperboard snapped shut.
Liu Ye walked out of the building entrance, wearing a dark gray coat and carrying a bag.
He didn't look at the camera, but walked straight to the silver-gray Sonata parked by the roadside, opened the trunk, put the bag inside, closed the door, and then leaned against the car to light a cigarette.
The entire scene was as quiet as a library, with only the buzzing of the cameras.
Liu Yu sat behind the monitor, staring at the small black-and-white 9-inch CRT monitor, his heart pounding.
The images on the screen were the scenes he had drawn in 420 storyboard panels and had replayed in his mind countless times; now they had become real, flowing, and vivid images.
"Click," Liu Yu said.
Liu Ye turned to look at him.
"Brother Ye, you should have been a beat slower when you lit that cigarette. You were waiting for someone, you had something on your mind, your hand shouldn't have been so steady when you lit it." Liu Yu's tone was more like a suggestion than an instruction.
Liu Ye nodded, stubbed out his cigarette, and lit another one. This time, his fingers trembled slightly, and the lighter only lit after two tries.
"Okay, passed."
Liu Ye laughed, Wang Chaowen gave him a thumbs up, and Sun Yang looked up from behind the viewfinder at Liu Yu, his eyes saying, "You're really something, kid."
We filmed all day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., twelve hours in total, and completed the planned nine scenes.
My phone vibrated.
He took out his phone and saw a text message from Zhang Yan: "How did the first day of filming go?"
Liu Yu stared at the line of text for a few seconds, then slowly curled the corners of his mouth up and replied with a single word: "Smooth."
He put his phone in his pocket, finished the rest of his coffee, and walked towards the makeshift director's car.