The Best Director

Chapter 317: Wrap Up! (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

“Yang, seriously, this has been the happiest movie set I’ve ever been on.”

In the moderately bustling bar, a middle-aged male bartender wiped glasses with leisurely movements. Wang Yang and Heath Ledger sat in a corner of the bar counter, enjoying their drinks and laughs together. The film crew had finished a day’s work, and “The Battle of New Shanxi” was nearing completion. After three and a half months, “Firefly” was finally entering the countdown to the wrap, this sci-fi production having already broken the record for Wang Yang’s longest single-movie shoot, and the numbers continued to climb.

First to wrap was Heath Ledger, as the shooting for his character, the man in the blue gloves, had finished that day, which also meant he was leaving the set. There had been a simple farewell party for him on set, where a few of the key creatives and leads shared their experiences working with him; after work, as friends whose affection had quickly heated up, the two came to the bar for a drink. Clanking their glasses, Heath laughed and said, “At the beginning of the year, shooting ‘Brokeback Mountain’ at times really felt like torture. I was flipping through my phone book, and I couldn’t find anyone to talk to.”

“I think you have quite a few now.” Wang Yang took a small sip of his drink—he had at least some tolerance now, unlike before when a touch of alcohol made him go wild, but just some. Thinking about the early screening of “Brokeback Mountain” he had seen, he laughed again, “It’s just Ang Lee’s way to get you guys into character, he’s really nice.” Heath Ledger nodded, his dimpled smile appearing as he said, “That’s why I say your film set is good, you have other methods.”

Listening to the Australian’s compliments and clinking glasses with him, Wang Yang laughed out loud, “You have no idea, during the shooting of ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ in order to get Jessica into character, I did something that made her very, very angry.” It was obvious he didn’t want to share details of the incident, and Heath Ledger didn’t ask, instead laughing, “Oh? Sounds interesting, women can be terrifying when they’re angry, and you actually went out of your way to provoke.” Wang Yang raised his eyebrows with a laugh, “I agree! The only woman who isn’t scary when she’s angry is mom.”

“Ha, yes.” Heath Ledger tilted his head back and took a big gulp of his drink. Wang Yang suddenly remembered that Heath grew up in a divorced family and heartily patted him on the shoulder. Heath Ledger glanced at him with a smile, then said, “We must work together again. I’m awaiting the chance to experience your methods of helping to get into character.”

“There’ll definitely be opportunities, but try not to get too deep into character.” Heath Ledger’s occasional on-set nervousness and private emotional complications over the past few months seemed to stem from getting too deeply into character, and Wang Yang earnestly warned him, “Forget Blue Glove! He’s already dead, now you’re just Heath Ledger, OK?” Heath nodded appreciatively and said, “Don’t worry about me, I’m about to go to Sydney to have some fun with Michelle.” Wang Yang smiled knowingly, “Alright, enjoy your romantic time.”

He looked around mysteriously, making sure no one was paying attention, and then said, “Actually, I already have a plan.” Heath Ledger became interested immediately, his voice still deep and rough, “Oh, what plan?” Wang Yang shrugged with a smile, “A movie, not necessarily directed by me, but there’s a role that would really suit you. You did a great job with Blue Glove, and this role offers another opportunity for your talent to shine.” Heath Ledger followed up, “Which movie?” Wang Yang answered, “Have you seen the Hong Kong movie ‘Infernal Affairs’? 1.5 million US dollars, and Flame Hand has the overseas adaptation rights.”

“Infernal Affairs’?” Heath Ledger shook his head, vaguely recalling he had heard of it but hadn’t seen it. He was about to ask for details when suddenly, two tall, hotly dressed Latina beauties approached and chatted them up, “Hey, handsome, is this seat taken?” Wang Yang and Heath Ledger exchanged smiles; the two beauties had already sat down beside them, their eyes like silk sizing them up. The beauty beside Wang Yang actually recognized him early on and pretended to be a little surprised, “Aren’t you that famous director, Magic Yang? You look familiar!”

“What, is it forbidden for married men to come in here?” Wang Yang glanced at her, her figure was nice; if it had been his early days as a single man seeking fun in Los Angeles, he might have whistled by now; now? He lifted his left hand, making his marital status clear. The woman with the heavy eyeshadow ignored his gesture, exclaiming, “Oh my God, I’m your BIGGEST fan! I can’t believe I’m meeting you, oh my God!”

The two men had been so conspicuous going to the bar, surely it wasn’t just for drinks! The excited woman said, “I am so eager to talk to you about movies, I’ve always been really interested in acting, can you teach me?” She made a cheeky winking kiss gesture.

“I don’t know, I don’t talk about work after hours, maybe you can ask Heath Ledger,” knowing she didn’t come with good intent, Wang Yang didn’t want to say more. He didn’t even know if there were paparazzi in the bar, let alone be in the mood for banter. Heath Ledger, being stared down by two beauties, coughed heavily. Wang Yang glanced at his watch and said to Heath, “I need to get going, buddy, see you next time!” Heath Ledger, who had temporarily adopted the Playboy persona, also reached for his wallet to pay the bill: “Let’s go together.”

“Bye, ladies! A performance tip, safety first!” Wang Yang patted his right elbow, looking at the two stunned beauties, and seriously said, “Really, my elbow is injured, and my wife is still in the hospital. Remember to always stay safe, just like they teach us in school!” With that, he pointed his index fingers at them like pistols, “Unless you are an elephant, there’s always something suitable… Piu piu piu piu piu!” The two settled their tab, turned around with a laugh, and walked away. Heath Ledger laughed, “You’re such a jerk.” Wang Yang shrugged, “That’s just who I am.” Heath Ledger said, “You’re drunk, aren’t you?” Wang Yang laughed, “Maybe.”…

The two beauties were so angry they were breathing heavily, exclaiming, “Such jerks! They must be GAY!” “Disgusting!”

“And then we left, so tell me, how irresistible am I! Married and still, I’ve got women approaching me.” Back at Thomson Hospital, to avoid the paparazzi taking photos and spinning stories like “Wife ill, heartbroken Yang indulges in flirting,” Wang Yang reported the situation directly to his boss lady. Upon hearing his account, Jessica couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Finally calming down, she threw him a sultry look despite her slight puffiness: “You want it? It’s been many days.”

“Not now.” Wang Yang rolled his eyes, watching her right hand make an up-and-down gesture as he suddenly grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at her, bursting into laughter: “You better lie down and rest!” Jessica reflexively closed her eyes, hugging the pillow: “Okay then.”

Although the “Firefly” production crew attracted some paparazzi to the small border town to take photos of the filming set, luckily, Wang Yang and Heath Ledger going to the bar for drinks didn’t make it onto the gossip magazines. However, a blogger claimed online that she encountered the two men at the bar and said Wang Yang was full of hostility. She tried to chat with him as a fan, but he responded rudely, arrogantly, and with disdain, “I really didn’t expect him to be that kind of person, so disappointing, I’m not his fan anymore.”

This Texas beauty truly wasn’t the charitable sort; she also leaked information to gossip magazines like “OK!” hoping to attract some attention. Yet, she chose the wrong focus point for her leaks. If the juicy news were about Wang Yang flirting, spending the night, getting someone pregnant, or having an illegitimate child, that would be newsworthy. Being arrogantly rebuffed hardly counted, and without photographic evidence, the gossip media all shook their heads, merely including it as a rumor online, at least Wang Yang’s statement wasn’t bad.

Wang Yang ignored these silly rumors and continued filming the “New Shanxi Battle” with the crew, minus Jessica and Heath Ledger. This huge action scene was shot entirely on 65mm film. With Jessica ill, he personally took part in the action scenes, also bringing in Channing Tatum, Evangeline Lilly, Megan Fox, and others to “hold up the fort,” an unprecedented struggle. When the cry signifying the end of the scene, “Cut!” was called, Robert Downey Jr. and others cheered and yelled.

The crew finished all the fight scenes, and Jessica had already been resting in bed for two weeks. Fortunately, due to proper treatment, family care every day, maintaining a cheerful mood, and the benefits of her yoga and fitness regime, her illness did not worsen and instead headed in an optimistic direction. After two weeks, she got past the acute phase, and with swelling going down, she showed improvement in all areas and was able to leave her bed for walks and other activities.

After discharge, it was all about medication and nursing care. Only when all indicators like blood pressure and urinalysis returned to normal could she be considered recovered. If she didn’t relapse or turn to chronic nephritis within six months, then it would be suitable to get pregnant. Naturally, she couldn’t get too tired during the nursing recovery period, and should avoid strenuous physical labor within the first three months. Yet, insisting on contributing, Jessica returned to the crew to participate in half a day of standard walking and standing scenes, helping “Firefly” finally smooth the completion of all Texas shots.

After leaving Texas and returning to Los Angeles, Jessica’s mood improved a lot, embracing Danny, whom she hadn’t seen in nearly two months since leaving Vancouver.

As summer drew to a close, the “Firefly” crew continued shooting some urban street exterior scenes in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and of course, to accommodate Jessica, they slowed down the work pace. Movies played everyday at the cinemas, and with the summer blockbuster season, “The Hangover 2” failed to maintain the box office champion spot from July 2-8, with “Spider-Man 2” taking the crown with a box office of $147 million and keeping the lead from July 9-15; it wasn’t until the third week, July 16-22, that it gave way to Will Smith’s new movie “I, Robot.”

The last full week of July, from the 23rd to the 29th, saw “The Bourne Supremacy” take the crown, while Warner Brothers’ $100 million production “Catwoman” suffered a disastrous defeat. Halle Berry, whose star had been on the decline since winning the Oscar, became the latest target for jokes and sarcasm—a double whammy of 10% freshness and 34% audience approval said it all. As we moved towards August, a final round of summer blockbusters was ready to roll out; meanwhile, with the 04-05 fall season approaching, the marketing campaigns for television series had already begun.

This year’s San Diego Comic-Con still wasn’t the new main battleground for movie studios, although Marvel’s absence due to his wife’s illness didn’t prevent Flame Films from easily stealing the show. Their movie booths featured films like “Saw II” for Halloween, “Mr. Hughes 2” for Christmas, and early promotions for next year’s “Firefly,” “Kung Fu Panda,” and “Assassin’s Creed,” with posters and trailers to build hype. On the TV series front, collaborating with NBC to promote “Prison Break 2” and “The Big Bang Theory” also drew attention.

Since production began in the studio, some emerging lines had been leaked online, and “The Big Bang Theory,” with its “hilarious, fresh, and fun” image, finally lifted its veil of mystery. Its pilot and highlights from subsequent episodes were test-screened at the Comic-Con, greatly relieving NBC executives and almost completely dispelling the concerns they had after “Freaks and Geeks.”

“The Big Bang Theory” not only sparked bursts of laughter from the audience and garnered coverage from numerous media, including “TV-Guide,” but also received overwhelming interest in the post-event surveys—over 95% of geeks and young people were curious, with 90% saying they’d definitely watch the premiere, and their continued viewership would depend on the quality of the series. At the very least, “The Big Bang Theory” had successfully captured this demographic of young viewers, hadn’t it?

“CUT—!” On a summer street in Los Angeles, the “Firefly” crew was shooting in a cordoned-off area, and like before, Wang Yang shouted into the white megaphone, this time particularly long and forceful. Vale Fest and other crew members, as well as actors in the performance area like Robert Downey Jr., Ellen Page, and Jessica, all looked his way before bursting into laughter: “Thank you all, we’re done! You were fantastic!”

“Yeah! Woo-hoo—” Even though there was still some non-performance filming work to be done, the crew cheered and clapped happily—the end of a phase! From April to July, after four months, “Firefly” had finally wrapped up all performance shots! All the previous action sequences and dramatic scenes had been filmed against green screens; the background of these shots would be fully CGI-composited by the special effects team, creating terrains and townscapes of planets on the edge of future galaxies that were not of this Earth.

All the raw materials provided to the special effects team still needed to be shot. Now, there was mainly the China stop left—to capture some scenes with an Eastern feel, which was also the last task for the production team. Due to seasonal reasons, an important “plum blossom forest” scene had to wait until the plum blossom season in January or February of the following year, such as the scheduled Wuhan Plum Blossom Festival. The crew’s photographers would then regroup and head to China to capture these scenes. As for the performers, their work was complete.

However, the lead actors were not that excited, instead sighing with exhaustion—it had been 4 months!

“Four months!” Wang Yang walked towards the performance area, laughing as he spoke into the megaphone, “Looking back, there were laughs and tears—I certainly cried—NGs and great takes, cool moments and, well, shit! Everyone worked hard, and I genuinely want to say thank you for your dedication! All that sweat and effort, I believe, will forge a classic and prove that we really were building a skyscraper, a totally stunning and perfect one at that! And… I’m sure you’re all thinking ‘Please, finish up already.'”

“Hahaha!” Everyone burst into laughter; Vale Fest, Joss Whedon, and others weren’t feeling that way at all—direcctor’s encouragements were motivating. Young staff members like Harry George and Joshua enjoyed his speeches for the strength they provided. However, Wang Yang didn’t seem inclined to give a long speech today. Looking around, he smiled, “Alright, I know you’re all tired. One last thing—next summer, there’s an awesome movie to watch! Our names are in the credits! That’s a wrap!”

With a click, he switched off the power to the megaphone, and after another round of cheers and applause, the crew members started to pack up the set.

“Robert, great acting! Come here a sec.” Wang Yang raised his left palm, and the shorter Robert Downey Jr. smartly punched him on the shoulder, sporting his signature roguish grin: “Don’t waste my genius acting!” Wang Yang smiled and fist-bumped him back: “Absolutely not! But you’re not that much of a genius. Just kidding! No, seriously. Just kidding…” Downey shrugged nonchalantly and winked: “I gained a lot.” Wang Yang patted his shoulder and moved on: “Then cherish it.”

“Daniel, that was stunning, when do you have time for a game?” Wang Yang hugged Daniel Wu and laughed a few words, then praised Gina Torres who was beside him, “Gina, your performance was very eye-catching.” Next, he walked towards the languid doctor Michael Pitt, not far away, and they slapped hands with a smack and hugged tightly, Wang Yang laughed and said, “Buddy, you better get the band going, I think I’ll be looking for you soon for another film, don’t get scolded by your girlfriends again! I won’t save you this time.”

“Forget the women, I’m always ready for our business,” Michael Pitt said with a deep laugh, his scruffy face serious. Wang Yang gave him a surprised look, “Hey pal, don’t be so ambiguous.” Michael Pitt scolded with an uncommon smile, “Do you want me to kick you?” Wang Yang pretended to kick at him and then withdrew, laughing as he walked towards Ellen Page and joyously shouted, “Hey Ellen! You gave a great performance.”

Ellen Page chuckled happily, if anyone in the world appreciated her the most right now, it would definitely be the amazing Yang. Praised too much, she didn’t modestly retort with a smile, “I think so too, thank you.” Wang Yang feigned surprise, “You should be a little more humble. Unless, tell me, are you really just 17? Not 27?” Ellen Page, who was combative by nature, was not willing to back down at all, “Hmm, if you are 34, then sir, I am.” Wang Yang spoke in a strange tone, “I’m only 18.”

“Then it seems I haven’t watched ‘High School Musical’ yet.” Ellen Page quickly retorted, and Wang Yang smiled. He could really see some Natalie Portman in her; today’s young girls are really impressive, he laughed and said, “If you are 17, you don’t have to be modest; at 27, you should be.” Page nodded as if she had been taught a lesson.

After patting her on the shoulder, Wang Yang walked towards his Sweetheart who was smiling at him from not too far away. Without saying anything, he just wrapped one arm around her and lowered his head to kiss her on the lips. Many burdens were dropped with that kiss, and Jessica took a long breath. Hadn’t the filming wrapped up smoothly now? But Wang Yang was bothered by the microphone in his hand, “Why am I still holding this stupid thing?” Jessica laughed, “Don’t say that about it! I like it.”

“OK.” Wang Yang suddenly had a flash of inspiration, he lifted the microphone, clicked the power on, and with all his might, he yelled, “Jessica!!! Thank you for your effort!!! I love you——”

The huge sound immediately carried far and wide, the entire street, the entire film set—all eyes were suddenly on them, in utter silence. Jessica covered her mouth with her hands in surprise, shrinking her shoulders as if she had just done something naughty. She felt her heart leap to its limit and awkwardly said, “I love you too.”

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PS: I beg for your monthly tickets! I haven’t asked for two days, and I’ve fallen out of the top 50 again, how about we all smash back into it together! Thank you!! (