novellhall Chapter 336 This movie has to be filmed!
Chapter 336 This movie has to be filmed!
Chapter 335 This movie has to be filmed! (Seeking monthly votes)
"You acted exceptionally well!"
Chen Xun spoke first, his tone full of encouragement: "The progression of emotions is very precise, from helplessness to determination, which perfectly matches the growth trajectory of the character Han Duoduo."
Upon receiving Chen Xun's approval, the little girl's eyes lit up instantly, and her face revealed undisguised joy.
Looking at Zhao Jinmai in front of me.
Chen Xun had a sudden inspiration.
Chen Xun immediately summoned the assistant sent by Robert and whispered, "Check if Zhao Jinmai has signed with a management company yet."
The assistant returned quickly and whispered, "Brother Chen Xun, I've checked. Zhao Jinmai hasn't signed with any agency yet. Her parents have been handling her entertainment affairs. She's only signed a few short-term film and television contracts and doesn't have any long-term contracts."
Chen Xun nodded.
In her previous life, Zhao Jinmai had a very good reputation, no messy scandals, and her professional skills steadily improved. She was a rare talent among her peers who could focus on acting.
She hasn't been signed by any company yet, which is the perfect time.
If we sign her into our company and nurture her well, she will definitely become a backbone of the Chinese film industry in the future.
He turned to his assistant and said in a low voice, "Later, you should contact Zhao Jinmai's parents and discuss the contract. Make sure the contract terms are the highest possible, giving her maximum freedom and resources. Avoid any unfair terms, and focus on long-term development."
The assistant nodded immediately: "Don't worry, I'll make the contact tonight and I guarantee I'll get it for you."
The selection of Han Duoduo has been basically finalized.
Guo Fan held a mostly finalized cast list in his hand, but his brows remained furrowed.
The role of Han Zi'ang has not yet been confirmed.
He sighed deeply: "The casting for Liu Qi and Duo Duo has been finalized, but for the role of Han Zi'ang, we've tried out nearly twenty veteran actors, but they still just haven't quite found the right one."
He pushed a stack of audition materials in front of Chen Xun, his tone full of helplessness: "Some actors have good acting skills, but they are too serious and can't portray the down-to-earth and relatable nature of the old driver in the underground city."
"Han Zi'ang is the emotional foundation of the entire film, the anchor connecting space and the ground, the past and the future. If this character is not established, half of the film's emotional foundation will collapse."
Chen Xun flipped through the documents in his hand, then looked up at Guo Fan: "There is someone who can play this role well."
"Who?"
Guo Fan sat up straight instantly, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"Ng Man-tat, Uncle Tat."
The moment those three words were uttered, the judging room fell silent.
The casting director and production team looked at each other, a hint of amazement flashing in their eyes before being replaced by concerns.
Guo Fan's eyes lit up first, then dimmed again. His fingers tapped the table unconsciously, and his tone was full of trepidation: "Uncle Da—it's not that I haven't thought about it. He's played ordinary people his whole life. That gentleness and down-to-earth nature in the stock market is etched into his bones. Looking at the entire Chinese film industry, no one is more suitable for the role of Han Zi'ang than him, but—"
He paused for a moment, then poured out all his concerns: "Uncle Da is already 65 years old this year. He was hospitalized for heart failure a couple of years ago, and the doctor repeatedly told him that he absolutely cannot take on high-intensity filming work."
"Our production involves a lot of green screen studio shooting, requiring actors to wear protective suits weighing dozens of kilograms, as well as low-temperature scenes and underwater scenes. The shooting intensity is extremely high. Even young actors couldn't handle it, let alone someone in his physical condition. How could he possibly be willing to take on this role?"
"Secondly, and most importantly."
"We all know what domestic science fiction has been like in recent years. It's all just bad movies that use the science fiction label to make money, or they buy discarded scripts from Hollywood, make some minor changes, and start filming."
"Uncle Da has been in this industry his whole life and has seen a lot of this kind of thing. He would definitely think that our project is the same kind of thing. If he doesn't want to ruin his reputation in his later years, he won't take it at all."
Guo Fan's words addressed the concerns of everyone present.
Who is Ng Man-tat?
He was a beloved supporting actor who accompanied several generations through their childhood, a symbolic figure of the golden age of Hong Kong films, and starred in hundreds of productions throughout his life, earning him a deep-rooted popularity with audiences.
But precisely because of this, his requirements for scripts far exceed those of ordinary actors, not to mention the serious heart problem he faces.
"It's normal to have concerns, but this role is perfect for Uncle Da."
"Who is Han Zi'ang? He's an ordinary driver who drives a transport truck in the post-apocalyptic world, and a grandfather who has protected his granddaughter all his life."
"He wasn't a hero, just an ordinary person. He would make seaweed dances for his granddaughter in the freezing cold, and when he was trapped in a frozen Shanghai building, he was still listening to old Shanghai songs that his wife loved to listen to before he died."
"This gentleness etched into his bones, this vitality that remains even in dire straits, and the natural sense of closeness that makes the audience trust him—in the entire Chinese-speaking world, only Uncle Da can portray this."
Chen Xun put down the documents in his hand and looked at Guo Fan: "Send the invitation normally first. Attach the complete script, project plan, materials we learned in Hollywood, and equipment list. Let Uncle Da see that we are not joking, but really want to make a Chinese science fiction film."
Guo Fan took a deep breath and nodded emphatically.
Even if there's only a one percent chance, he'll give it a try.
That afternoon, the production team of "The Wandering Earth" sent the official invitation letter, along with the complete script and the entire project plan, to Ng Man-tat's studio in Hong Kong.
Everyone waited for two whole days with a glimmer of hope.
But what I received was a polite rejection.
The reply was polite and considerate. First, the crew was thanked for the invitation, and then the crew formally declined the invitation, citing serious heart problems and the doctor's order against high-intensity work, making it impossible for the crew to take on the filming duties. There was no room for negotiation between the lines.
The moment Guo Fan received the reply, he was completely dejected.
He sat in his office, looking at the rejection letter in his hand, and called Chen Xun, his tone full of undisguised frustration: "Chen Xun, Uncle Da has still refused."
"I asked my friends in Hong Kong, and Uncle Da said after reading the script excerpt that he had seen too many jokes about domestic science fiction in his life and didn't want to get involved in such a mess at his age."
"I knew it would turn out like this."
Guo Fan's voice was full of helplessness: "Now, veteran actors in China either think that science fiction films are just children's games, or they are afraid of ruining their reputation. It's really too hard to find the right people."
Chen Xun on the other end of the phone showed no surprise, his tone remaining calm: "Give me Uncle Da's private number, I'll talk to him personally."
Guo Fan was taken aback: "You're going to do it yourself? But you guys..."
"We met once before when I was in Hong Kong and chatted about acting. We weren't close, but we weren't strangers either."
Chen Xun smiled. "He doesn't believe in the project, so we have to convince him that the people working on it are serious."
Half an hour later, at Ng Man-tat's home in Hong Kong.
The afternoon sun shone on the coffee table in the living room, where an empty medicine cup and a fragment of the script for "The Wandering Earth" were placed.
Wearing his reading glasses, Ng Man-tat tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. Looking at the unfamiliar caller ID flashing on his phone screen, he hesitated for a few seconds before pressing the answer button.
"Hello, Uncle Da, this is Chen Xun."
The voice on the other end of the phone was gentle and polite, without a trace of the impetuousness of a young person.
Wu Mengda was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "Mr. Chen Xun, I've heard so much about you. Congratulations on making a name for yourself in Hollywood and bringing honor to Chinese actors."
"Uncle Da, you're too kind. I'm just a junior in front of you."
Chen Xun didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point: "I'm calling you today because of the role of Han Zi'ang in 'The Wandering Earth.' I know the production team sent you an offer, but you declined."
Wu Mengda sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Mr. Chen Xun, it's not that I don't want to give you face, it's just that my body is failing me. I had heart bypass surgery, and the doctor has repeatedly said that I can't overexert myself. Your film involves wearing protective suits and shooting scenes in low temperatures. My old bones really can't handle it. I don't want to delay your filming schedule."
He paused for a moment, then voiced his most genuine concerns: "I've acted in too many films and seen too many projects that use various pretexts to make money in my life."
"We've been talking about domestic science fiction for so many years, but we've never produced a single watchable film. They're all just things that fool the audience."
"I'm getting old, and I don't want to end up taking on a bad movie and ruining my reputation that I've built up over the years."
These words were spoken frankly.
Chen Xun didn't rush to refute him, but instead followed up on his words: "Uncle Da, I completely understand your concerns."
"Don't even mention you, if it were me, I would also hesitate looking at the chaos in the domestic science fiction market in recent years. Too many people have used science fiction as a gimmick to make quick money, consuming the audience's trust and ruining the reputation of domestic science fiction."
His tone was very sincere.
On the other end of the phone, Ng Man-tat's tense body gradually relaxed.
"Uncle Da, this 'The Wandering Earth' is different."
Chen Xun paused, then said firmly, "It's not a discarded script from Hollywood, nor is it a money-grabbing flop. This is China's first truly hardcore sci-fi blockbuster, a sci-fi story of our own."
"In Hollywood science fiction, when Earth is about to be destroyed, humanity escapes in spaceships. But in our Chinese stories, when Earth is about to be destroyed, we take Earth with us. We equip Earth with engines, take our homes, and go to the universe to find a new home."
"This contains the deep-rooted patriotism and love for our homeland that is ingrained in the Chinese people, our attachment to our home and land, and stories that only the Chinese could make."
"This film is worth making, and it's also worth you starring in it."
These words struck a chord with Ng Man-tat.
He spent his entire life playing supporting comedic roles and countless minor, comedic characters.
But he always harbored a strong desire to act in a truly significant work that could represent the Chinese people.
He is 65 years old this year.
He has made hundreds of films.
But there are very few films that he can truly proudly tell younger generations that these are his representative works.
Chen Xun's voice continued on the phone, gentle yet powerful: "Han Zi'ang is not a dispensable tool; he is the warmest ray of light in the entire film."
"He never did anything earth-shattering in his life. He just risked his life to raise his two children in the apocalypse. He was worldly and shrewd, and knew how to get close to people at checkpoints, but deep down he was kinder and more protective of his own than anyone else."
"He embodies the most ordinary family affection of us Chinese."
"Only you can bring out the soul of this character."
Chen Xun's tone was full of sincerity: "As for your health, you don't need to worry at all. During filming, all your scenes will be filmed separately and in a concentrated manner. We will not rush the schedule."
"A dedicated medical team will be on hand 24 hours a day. If you feel even slightly unwell, we will stop work immediately. For all the high-intensity scenes, we will use stunt doubles whenever possible, and we will revise the shooting plan whenever possible. We will never let you tough it out. We invited you here to bring Han Ziang to life, not to have you risk your health."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a long time.
Only Ng Man-tat's soft breathing could be heard through the receiver.
After a full half minute, Ng Man-tat finally spoke, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of emotion: "Chen Xun, are you serious about what you're saying?"
"Uncle Da, as an actor, I assure you that everything I said is true."
Chen Xun said earnestly, "I also starred in this project, and I hope it succeeds more than anyone else. I also respect every actor more than anyone else, especially you."
"good!"
Ng Man-tat said softly, "Have your team send me a complete script. I'll read it tonight and give you my answer."
After hanging up the phone, Ng Man-tat sat on the sofa, motionless for a long time.
He waved to his assistant beside him: "Print out the complete script of 'The Wandering Earth,' make the font size bigger, I need the whole thing."
The assistant hesitated for a moment, then quickly nodded: "Uncle Da, are you really going to take this? Your health—"
"Let's look at the script first."
Wu Mengda waved his hand and put on his reading glasses: "That kid is right. This is our own Chinese science fiction film. If it really works, it's worth it for this old man to give it his all."
That night, the light in Ng Man-tat's study stayed on all night.
Wearing reading glasses, he sat at his desk, pen in hand, reading the complete script word by word, pausing from time to time to write annotations in the blank spaces, from the characters' tone and actions to the emotional details of each scene, writing densely.
When he saw the scene where Han Zi'ang, in the frozen Shanghai building, gave his oxygen mask to Duoduo, leaned against the wall, listened to old Shanghai songs, and closed his eyes with a smile, he took off his glasses.
He took off his glasses and wiped his reddened eyes with the back of his hand.
He has acted his whole life, but there has never been a character like Han Zi'ang, so ordinary as to be as dust, yet as warm as the sun.
There are no exaggerated comedic scenes or attention-grabbing moments, only the most simple family affection, the most touching tenderness, and the unique Chinese people's sense of family and country hidden in the story.
As dawn approached, Ng Man-tat put down his script, looked out at the morning light, and softly said, "This film can't be shot!"
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