novellhall Chapter 323 Father-Son Scene with Jackie Chan
Chapter 323 Father-Son Scene with Jackie Chan
Chapter 322 Father-Son Scene with Jackie Chan (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Inside the studio, a huge blue screen covered the entire shooting area.
In the ethereal blue light and shadow simulating deep space, the core iconic scene of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is being filmed.
The scene where Igor appears and reveals his biological father's identity officially begins filming.
All cameras were in place, and the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were on the two people in the center of the room.
Jackie Chan wore an interstellar outfit that fit the character of Ego. He didn't deliberately try to make himself look old, but his aura supported the background of the Celestial Race who had lived for millions of years.
He toned down the relaxed feel of the kung fu comedies that audiences were familiar with, his brows and eyes exuded just the right amount of gentleness, yet his eyes held a subtle, almost imperceptible, divine detachment.
Just by standing there, he completely broke free from his established labels and became Igor, the character who was both father and demon in the original work.
Chen Xun wore Star-Lord's signature red leather jacket, his fingertips gripping the Elemental Gun, completely immersed in the Peter Quill persona.
He knew all too well the significance of this scene.
This is the central plot point throughout the original work, the beginning of Star-Lord's identity crisis. There is no room for original plot development; all performances must perfectly fit the core of the character from the original work.
The clapperboard clattered down, and filming officially began.
Jackie Chan, playing Ego, slowly walks towards the camera, his steps unhurried, each one seemingly on the pulse of the universe, his voice gentle: "Peter, I've been looking for you for many years."
Chen Xun, playing Star-Lord, instantly raised his gun.
His face wore his usual nonchalant, roguish smile, but a panic he himself didn't realize was hidden in his eyes. His line slipped out: "Oh? Another cosmic madman trying to kill me?"
"I should warn you, I'm on a winning streak lately."
The back-and-forth scenes between the two actors were seamless, with the dialogue remaining exactly as it was written, yet the emotions progressed layer by layer.
Until the most crucial line of the entire film was slowly uttered by Jackie Chan: "Peter, I am your father."
The camera was fixed on Chen Xun's face.
His smile froze instantly.
The elemental gun in his hand fell uncontrollably, his pupils contracted sharply, and he felt as if all support had been removed from his body.
From disbelief and astonishment to the uncontrollable trembling of his lips, and then to the pent-up grievances and confusion in his eyes that had been building up for more than twenty years, he completely captured Star-Lord's state of mind at that moment in the original work.
The child who was raised by raiders from a young age and spent his whole life searching for his biological parents suddenly received an answer that was half a lifetime overdue.
He is Star-Lord, raised by Yondu, a raider who roams the universe, but he is also Ego's son, a descendant with Celestial blood.
Who am I?
Chen Xun, who plays Star-Lord, has a bewildered look in his eyes.
"Cut!"
Director Gunn shouted out.
A round of applause erupted from the audience.
However, neither Chen Xun nor Jackie Chan moved. Instead, they both went to the monitor to review the footage.
"Chen Xun, your handling of the situation just now was very skillful."
Jackie Chan spoke first, pointing his finger to the moment Star-Lord broke down in the replay, his tone serious: "But I think the emotions here could be toned down a bit more."
Chen Xun did not immediately refute him, but listened carefully to his analysis: "Star-Lord waited his whole life for these words, but he was also someone who was deceived his whole life."
"He was abandoned as a child and was raised under Yondu's control, so he is insecure to the core."
"If someone suddenly stood up and said I was your father, his first reaction would definitely not be to completely break down, but to wrap himself up with jokes and pretense. He was afraid that this was another scam. You reacted too quickly just now, and you lacked the sensitivity that Star-Lord had hidden in his roguishness."
Chen Xun suddenly had a sudden realization.
He almost overlooked the underlying nature of Star-Lord's character.
He immediately shared his thoughts, looking at Jackie Chan: "Master, I'd also like to offer an idea."
"Igor's tenderness here can be concealed a little more. He is a god who has lived for millions of years. His fatherly love at this moment has never been pure. It is a disguise with a purpose."
"Even if the performance is gentle, it should still retain a touch of divine detachment, which not only fits his villainous nature in the original work, but also lays the groundwork for the later reversal, so as not to make the character inconsistent in the beginning and the end."
Jackie Chan's eyes lit up instantly, and he immediately patted Chen Xun on the shoulder: "You're right! I was too focused on portraying the warmth of a father, and in doing so, I lost Ego's divine presence."
[God-level Empathy +8]
A purple attribute ball fell from Jackie Chan.
After absorbing the information, Chen Xun felt that his ability to empathize with the characters had greatly improved.
The two of them stood in front of the monitor.
They meticulously crafted the rhythm of each line, refined the emotional nuances of each glance, and even considered the camera work.
Chen Xun suggested using a single, continuous long take, from Ego's approach to his revelation of his identity, and then to Star-Lord's emotional turmoil, without cutting the camera, to maximize the tension of the scene between the two.
Jackie Chan added details to the design, such as Ego's hesitation in reaching out to touch Star-Lord and then pulling back, and Star-Lord's subconscious retreat followed by an involuntary half-step forward pull. These details are all in line with the relationships between the characters in the original work, without any original design that deviates from the original plot.
The two actors went back and forth, corroborating each other's points.
[International-level acting duo +10]
A golden attribute ball fell between the two.
absorb!
While Jackie Chan was speaking, Chen Xun directly absorbed the attribute orb.
He felt as if there was a line between himself and Jackie Chan, as if with this line, he could perfectly match Jackie Chan's scenes and adapt to his performance rhythm.
The Marvel creative team members watching nearby nodded in approval.
No one expected that the two Chinese actors could understand the core scenes of a Hollywood A-list production so thoroughly.
After adjustments, filming resumed.
The long shot slowly zooms in, and Jackie Chan, playing Ego, walks slowly towards us.
His gentle tone concealed a subtle distance, and every line perfectly replicated Igor's disguise and cunning.
Chen Xun's portrayal of Star-Lord shows a character who goes from being carefree and irresponsible at the beginning to freezing instantly upon hearing the word "father."
Then she tried to cover up her inner turmoil with jokes, but her eyes welled up with tears the moment she turned away.
The entire film was shot in one continuous take, without any stuttering.
The two exchanged impromptu glances perfectly.
Only when the last shot froze did the director suddenly yell at the top of his lungs, "Cut! Perfect!"
The next second, the entire studio erupted in thunderous applause.
Even the Marvel producers stood up and applauded enthusiastically.
Chen Xun looked at the middle of the set and saw several more attribute orbs fall down at some point:
[Control of camera storytelling +11]
[Relaxed Performance +9]
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Xun declared, "Absorb it all!"
In an instant, the essence of performance experience, camera movement techniques, and emotional control flooded into my mind like a tide.
Previously, his understanding of Star-Lord's identity crisis was limited to the surface level of the father-son conflict.
But at that moment, he instantly grasped the soul of the character.
Star-Lord's confusion has never been about whether or not to acknowledge his father, but rather whether or not to abandon his fundamental humanity for the sake of so-called divinity. This is the core theme that runs throughout the original work.
He could even clearly predict the rhythm of each scene's shots and accurately catch any impromptu performance adjustments made by Jackie Chan. His acting skills had reached a completely new level.
With the main scenes filmed, the day's shooting mission was successfully completed.
Chen Xun had just returned to the dressing room and removed half of his makeup when his phone started vibrating incessantly in his pocket. The caller ID showed it was Director Yang Chao.
He casually picked up the phone, and before he could even say "hello," Yang Chao's excited voice, barely containing his excitement, came through the other end: "Chen Xun! You finally answered the phone! Where are you?"
"Just finished filming, in the makeup room of the Marvel Studios, they're removing their makeup."
Chen Xun placed the makeup remover pads on the vanity, leaned back in his chair, and guessed most of what was going on just by listening to the sounds on the phone: "The Berlin Film Festival is about to open?"
"The official letter from the Berlin International Film Festival organizing committee just arrived. The opening ceremony red carpet is scheduled for three days later, followed immediately by the world premiere. My entire creative team is ready, just waiting for you and Xin Zhilei, the two core leads!"
"Can you coordinate your current filming schedule?"
Seemingly worried that Chen Xun would refuse, Yang Chao interrupted him before he could speak, saying, "We can't do without you, you have to come!"
The Berlin International Film Festival is one of the three major international film festivals in Europe.
The Golden Bear in the main competition is the pinnacle that countless art-house filmmakers strive for throughout their lives.
He worked with Yang Chao and Xin Zhilei on the film for almost half a year, and being able to get into the role is the highest recognition of his acting skills.
This is also a crucial step for him to completely break free from the label of "traffic star" and establish himself as a true performer.
"Don't worry, Director Yang, there's no problem with the schedule."
Chen Xun immediately agreed, and casually added, "Jackie Chan will go too."
There was an instant silence on the other end of the phone.
Immediately following was Yang Chao's almost voiceless shout of ecstatic joy, which startled Chen Xun, who instinctively held the phone a little further away: "What did you say?"
"Is Jackie Chan going too?"
"Really?"
Why would I lie to you?
Chen Xun couldn't help but laugh: "We just finished filming the core scenes for 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' today, so I invited him along the way!"
"My God! Chen Xun, you're truly my lucky charm!"
Yang Chao's voice was trembling uncontrollably.
He slammed his hand on the table, and the exclamations of the staff next to him could be heard clearly over the phone.
Their film is an art-house film, and even though it made it into the main competition, its voice was ultimately limited in the star-studded Berlin Film Festival.
But who is Jackie Chan?
He is a globally renowned international kung fu superstar and a recipient of the Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. His influence and connections in the European film industry are unmatched by most domestic creators.
Even if Jackie Chan were to appear alongside the film, just seeing them on the red carpet would multiply the film's exposure several times over!
With this international tycoon's endorsement, not only will the European release be more impressive, but even the award competition will be much more credible!
"I was worried that our film wouldn't get much attention in Berlin, and that the premiere wouldn't be big enough to draw a large crowd!"
Yang Chao spoke at breakneck speed, his joy practically overflowing from the receiver: "That's great! With Jackie Chan involved, everything's settled!"
"Chen Xun, you absolutely must finalize the itinerary with Jackie Chan for me—flights, hotels, and hospitality—all to the highest standards. I'll have my team arrange it tonight!"