Chapter 271
There is always no way to resist the passage of time. In September, Jeff Robinoff came to Sydney and had an interview with Duke. Then Warner Bros. began to discuss matters related to the Harry Potter series. After formal contact, Duke simply sent Tina Fei back to Los Angeles to assist and supervise the negotiations between Nancy Josephson and Warner Bros.
At the same time, after four months of preliminary preparation and more than three months of actor training, "The Matrix" officially started filming at Fox Studios.
There were no reporters, no special ceremonies, no noisy press conferences, and the film was shot in an extremely quiet atmosphere.
Due to the issue of Keanu Reeves's hair, Duke first filmed a scene that was entirely virtual.
Although it is possible to make Keanu Reeves wear a green hat and wipe off his hair in post-production, it will definitely increase the cost and it is better to stagger the shooting.
Taking advantage of the training has just been completed, whether it is a few protagonists or stunt doubles in just the right state, Duke first shot a lot of action scenes.
"I know, you still don't know exactly what the film is talking about."
When the various departments of the crew were about to prepare, Duke walked to the set up of the studio. Like most crews in Lywood, many actors only have role scripts, not the full version of the script. I don't understand the overall framework of the film, but these are not important. "You only need to complete the scenes of the script and complete your respective scenes according to my requirements, and then you can leave this hell."
Although the amount of training exercise for a hundred days is incomparable to the professional level, for these actors, it is tantamount to a kind of physical and psychological torture.
"tiger..."
Duke tilted his head to Tiger Chen, who walked in front of Keanu Reeves and Lawrence Fishburne, confessing his movements for the last time, and he left the dojo. Came behind the camera.
Yuan Heping is sitting here in charge of this scene. Professionals are naturally responsible for completing professional matters.
Since there was enough communication in the past few months, Duke nodded to Yuan Heping and walked directly behind the monitor on the other side. After Yuan Heping notified the assistant, Changji quickly called the start.
Hong Kong-style martial arts film. After the production is completed, it is very fancy and beautiful, not to mention that it is not in accordance with the principles of human mechanics. In short, it is quite eye-catching, but the shooting is definitely not beautiful. Under the guidance of Tiger Chen, Keanu Reeves and Lawrence Fishber En's fight seemed to be in slow motion, and the two of them did not even learn the fur of Kung Fu as Duke expected, and the fight was soft and weak. It looks pretty empty.
However, this fits the setting of the virtual world, and what Duke wants is ostentation. Anyway, it is a science fiction movie. No matter how stupid the audience is, they will not think that kung fu can really fly around.
Not only that, the shooting of Hong Kong-style action scenes, because the movements are too complicated and fancy, the shots are much shorter than those of Hollywood's reckless fights. Yuan Heping would stop when shooting ten seconds or even a few seconds. Then let Tiger Chen correct the actions of the two leading actors.
Duke sat behind the monitor, just in control of the overall situation of the set, and the action scene was completely handed over to Yuan Heping.
This can be said to be one of his greatest strengths. Although living longer may not be better than the real elite in this world, his psychological maturity is not the same. He knows that he has talent and accumulation in film. But he is also not all-rounder. Perhaps Yuan Heping can make a complete movie, which is not even as original as his original one, but the other party is undoubtedly better than him in this kind of Hong Kong-style fighting shooting.
Sit here. Duke is watching and learning. He has a deep Hollywood stigma, and he naturally has the inclusive side of Hollywood.
Learning to absorb the strengths of others for their own use is what any successful director is constantly doing.
Of course, Duke will not use these Hong Kong-style shooting methods in the future, and he will not make pure kung fu movies.
The first day was only the ground action with a well-designed routine. By the second day, a large number of scenes of wire hanging appeared, although Keanu Reeves and Lawrence Fishburne had also undergone certain training, but unless It is necessary to have a close-up of the front or side face, and Duke is mandatory to use a professional stand-in.
The filming period of the film is only two and a half months. If there is an accident, there are stunt doubles that can be replaced. Once the main actor is injured, this part of the scene will be interrupted.
Every time the crew drags on for a day, it consumes money.
Observing the shooting time of two days, Duke had to admit that Hong Kong-style production did have its own uniqueness when shooting scenes like Neo and Morpheus, and it was even clearly ahead of the routine and simplification of action methods. Hollywood is of the same magnitude. It is not a fluke that Hong Kong-style action films at the turn of the century became popular in Hollywood and even in North America. It's just that Hollywood regards them as outsiders, and they also regard themselves as outsiders. Various reasons have contributed to the popular time. Too short.
Perhaps it would be very appropriate to describe the situation of kung fu movies in North America in the future.
The future Hollywood action scenes have many shadows of kung fu, but they are no longer kung fu at all. From Batman's simple and rude fights to Captain America's fierce and quick attacks, they are all the fur of Hollywood absorbing kung fu stunts combined with other fighting methods Innovation.
The illusion of Hong Kong films' delusion to enter Hollywood was quickly disillusioned.
Not to mention the current Jack Chen, Jet Li, and Yuan Heping. Even Bruce Lee did not make Kung Fu movies the mainstream of the North American market in the most glorious era.
This is an extremely exclusive media market. With a little research, it is not difficult to find that North American theaters are insulated from over 99% of the films in other regions of the world. Hong Kong films entering the North American market are just a fantasy. That's it.
The decline of Hong Kong movies is unavoidable, and it cannot be saved by a single person or a group. Throwing away reasons other than movies. Since "Jurassic Park" landed in the city, Hong Kong movies have been approaching end. Waiting for this year The big ship rushed to the world, Hong Kong film has only one way to go-north!
It is ridiculous that the Chans of that city. There is no way to distinguish the situation. The north does not need them, but they must be the north.
Not to mention the film industry. Without the support of the north, other industries in that city would soon collapse.
Among them, there are a large number of people who can't distinguish the situation in their film industry. I don't understand that the outside is making progress every day, I only know that I'm guarding the poor thing in my hand, and I'm not trying to make progress.
For example, during the training and filming of "The Matrix", Duke heard people communicate in Mandarin more than once-to keep everything under the pressure box...
Is it useful to keep it? Totally useless!
Because the people in Hollywood don't need to understand the profound and complicated aspects of Kung Fu. They only need the most external fur. To put it more directly, that is how to make the shots more light, quick and beautiful!
These do not need to understand what Kung Fu is.
The current Hong Kong-style action coaching team has a crushing advantage over Hollywood action coaches in this regard, if they are willing to actively seek change. Combining the actual needs of North American audiences and absorbing the strengths of other action fighting, designing action routines that are more suitable for the world market before kung fu does not cause aesthetic fatigue, it may not be impossible to grab a huge piece of cake in the Hollywood action guidance market!
In Hollywood, there are indeed all kinds of discrimination, but there is one thing that can suppress discrimination, and that is interest! As long as it can bring benefits. Hollywood can treat black people as God!
For Duke, this is very simple. But Yuan Heping obviously didn't want to change, but Duke didn't mean to remind him that the two parties were originally purely commercial cooperation, and there would be no other relationship apart from that.
If the team is from the north, maybe he will remind it, but from that city. forget it.
Hollywood is the epitome of the business circle. Those who can adapt can stay, and those who cannot adapt will naturally be eliminated.
Every time it comes to Wenxi. Duke will take over control of the shooting.
"Lawrence!" He sat behind the camera and said to the black man who had just finished the test shooting, "Your expression is wrong! You are Neo's guide and firmly believe that he is the savior. Therefore, you lead him to understand the real world and the virtual world. When you want to show..."
After thinking about it for a while, Duke found the right wording, "Be more like a magic stick!"
Philosophical thinking is something that audiences and critics should pay attention to. In Duke's perception, the prophet of the film is a great stick, and Morpheus is a little stick...
"I know!"
Lawrence Fishburne closed his eyes and thought, and said, "I think I have found my status!"
It is completely different from "Chicago". In the filming of this film, Duke did not have high requirements for the actors' acting skills. First of all, it must be cool. From the actors to the costumes to the scene design, it must be cool and scumming; again, it must be relevant. The content of the film shows a bit of mysticism in a timely manner, but it can't really turn into a complete magical movie. After all, this is a standard commercial film. Just a touch of philosophical connotation is enough.
"Do you think I can knock you down, faster and stronger than you? More muscles?"
Although Lawrence Fishburne in the lens does not have a windbreaker and a magic mirror, the attitude of the magic stick can still be described as cool to the point, "Neo, do you need to breathe here?"
"Cut!"
With Duke's shout, the scene of this literary play was announced, and the martial arts scene ended.
Although Kungfu is displayed here, the martial arts venue is more like a Japanese-style building. Duke originally considered pure Chinese architecture, but after Robin Grand and the set designer reminded him, he voluntarily gave up. (To be continued...)