raknovel Chapter 147
Chapter 147
Chapter 147
Chen Zeshi couldn't find an adjective.
"It's not just the soundtrack; it's another dimension of the film."
Old Zhou was convinced: "I was worried before that the movie would be too quiet, but now I'm not. This kind of quiet is quiet with sound, it's a rich kind of quiet."
Yuan Tao was the most direct: "Li Jun, this film is a success. Absolutely."
Li Jun looked at Su He.
The young composer stood in front of the control panel, focused, fine-tuning the level of a certain track.
He walked over and extended his hand: "Su He, thank you."
Su He looked up and smiled: "I should be thanking you for giving me this opportunity. This film made me rethink the relationship between sound and image."
"Next comes color grading and audio mixing," Li Jun said. "There's still a long way to go."
"I'll accompany you to the end," Su He said.
V. BJ outside the window
After the soundtrack was completed, post-production entered its final stage: color grading and mixing.
The colorist was recommended by Zhao Xiaodong. His name was Afeng. He was in his thirties, didn't talk much, but had a special skill.
He spent two whole weeks setting the color tone for each scene.
He tuned the operas of southern Anhui to a bluish-gray tone, like the natural color of Xuan paper, or the sky after rain. But different scenes had different subtle adjustments; the operas in the studio were warmer, with the yellow light of an oil lamp.
The play in the bamboo forest is rather cold, with the verdant green of the bamboo leaves;
The scene of burning the painting features a fire that is the only bright red in the entire film, but it is not glaring; it is like the sunset, like blood, like the final burning of life.
Mixing is more complex, requiring the perfect integration of dialogue, ambient sounds, background music, and sound effects.
Mixing engineer Lao Zheng is a veteran who has been in the industry for twenty years.
He and two assistants spent ten days and ten nights in the mixing studio.
Li Jun was involved throughout the entire process. This was the final step in the film's creation, and every detail had to be closely monitored.
Meanwhile, the outside world was also changing.
The Chinese premiere of "Looper" is scheduled for next month, and Lionsgate is urging Li Jun to go to Shanghai for promotional activities.
Carter even made an overseas call: "Li, you are the co-producer for the China region, you must attend the premiere."
Furthermore, Villeneuve also wants to see you; he says he greatly admires *Bodyguards and Assassins*.
The promotion for "Beauty in Troubled Times" is getting more and more intense.
Zhang Ziyi has appeared on several variety shows, constantly generating buzz.
Wang Zhonglei also released a trailer for the movie, featuring a steamy scene, intense conflict, and gorgeous visual effects.
Despite polarized opinions, it is indeed very popular.
Yuan Tao reported these things to Li Jun every day, his tone always revealing undisguised anxiety: "Li Jun, how should we handle our publicity? We can't lose to 'Beauty in Troubled Times'."
Li Jun remained calm: "No rush, let's talk about it after the movie is finished."
He had a gut feeling that "Dreams of Mountains and Rivers" and "Beauty in Troubled Times" were two completely different types of films, with different audiences and different evaluation standards.
Forcing a comparison is meaningless.
However, there is good news from Cheng Guoqiang's side.
After two months of treatment and rehabilitation, he is now able to sit up and speak simple words again.
Li Jun took some time to visit him once. Cheng Guoqiang held his hand and said, indistinctly but clearly, "Thank you."
"Master Cheng, please take good care of yourself and get well soon."
Li Jun said.
"We'll work together again once you're better."
Cheng Guoqiang smiled, a smile that carried a unique, all-knowing serenity characteristic of the elderly.
At the end of November, Beijing had its first snowfall.
That night, Li Jun finally finished all the post-production work for "Dreams of Mountains and Rivers".
The final version is exported, with a runtime of one hour and forty-nine minutes, and all subtitles, audio, and video are in place.
He sat at the control panel in the mixing studio, staring at the "Export Complete" message on the screen, without moving for a long time.
Old Zheng walked over and handed him a cigarette: "Director Li, it's done."
"It's done." Li Jun took the cigarette, but didn't light it; he just held it between his fingers.
Six months. From preparation to filming to post-production, it took a full six months.
A fictional story has been turned into a real movie.
Now, it has to leave him and face the audience, the comments, and the market.
Like a child growing up, one must travel far away on one's own.
"Would you like to watch it again?"
Old Zheng asked.
"Not today."
Li Jun shook his head.
"Let's do it tomorrow. Let's call everyone to come tomorrow and watch it one last time."
It was 2 a.m. when he walked out of the mixing studio.
The snow was still falling, not heavily, just fine and scattered, drifting down slowly in the glow of the streetlights.
The streets were deserted; the snow had absorbed all sound, and the world was as quiet as a vacuum. Li Jun didn't hail a taxi; he simply walked slowly along the sidewalk.
The snow fell on my shoulders and hair, cool and melting quickly.
He thought of the rain in southern Anhui, the dewdrops in the bamboo forest, and the stream under the stone bridge. Now, it's snowing in Beijing.
Different places, different seasons, but all within time.
What is a movie? He asked himself again.
This time, he had a new answer:
Film is amber of time.
To preserve the light, shadow, sound, and emotion of a moment on film or digital files for future generations to see.
See the landscapes that have vanished, hear the sounds that have fallen silent, and feel the emotions that have passed away.
Perhaps, this is the meaning.
He walked into a convenience store that was still open and bought a can of hot coffee.
The shop assistant, a young girl, recognized him and her eyes lit up: "You are—Director Li?"
Li Jun nodded.
"I watched 'Bodyguards and Assassins,' and I really liked it." The girl was a little excited. "When will your new movie be released?"
"Next summer."
"I'll definitely go see it!"
The girl said.
"Could you... sign your name?"
Li Jun signed the receipt. The girl treasured it and carefully put it away.
As Li Jun walked out of the convenience store, he felt a warm feeling in his heart.
This is the driving force behind making movies: not awards, not box office, but the expectation of a stranger, the words "I will definitely go see it."
The snow is still falling.
He continued walking forward.
My phone vibrated; it was Zhang Liangying. She had just returned from Chengdu, and her tour was over.
"Is the movie finished?" she asked.
"It's done."
Zhang Liangying's voice was very soft.
"I'm waiting for you at home."
"it is good."
Li Jun quickened his pace.
Under the streetlights, snowflakes danced in the air. His shadow stretched long yet short across the snow.
Like a film reel, frame by frame, it records this night, this snow, this road.
The Chinese premiere of "Looper" will be held at Wanda Cinema on the Bund in Shanghai.
Li Jun arrived in Shanghai a day ahead of schedule.
The early winter in this city has a damp, cold, and sharp feel. The wind from the Huangpu River blows through the gaps between the skyscrapers, carrying the unique fishy smell of the river.
Looking out from the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel room, the Bund's collection of international buildings gleamed grayish-white under the gloomy sky.
The skyscrapers of Lujiazui across the river pierce the low-hanging clouds, while the Oriental Pearl Tower appears and disappears in the mist.
This is a city with a unique character, different from that of southern Anhui and Beijing, that is both nostalgic and avant-garde, both refined and rugged.
Standing by the window, watching the cargo ships slowly moving on the river, Li Jun suddenly felt that the city's atmosphere had a strange resonance with the sense of overlapping time that "Looper" wanted to express.
The phone rang; it was Carter calling from the United States.
"Li, Villeneuve's flight arrives at Pudong tonight. We have a small-scale media conference tomorrow afternoon, and the premiere is tonight."
Carter speaks very quickly.
"You need to attend two events, especially the media briefing. Many journalists are interested in the Sino-US co-production model, and you are a key figure."
"clear."
Li Jun said.
"I've read all the promotional materials and I'm familiar with the process."
"very good."
Carter paused.
"There's one more thing, Wang Zhonglei might also be coming to Shanghai."
Li Jun frowned: "What's he doing here?"
"The promotional period for 'Beauty in Troubled Times' has also begun, and Zhang Ziyi has been running around Shanghai these past two days."
As the producer, Wang Bilei will naturally come along.
Carter said.
"Li, I know you two have a history, but tomorrow is a big occasion, and I hope you can remain professional."
"I will."
Li Jun said.
"As long as he doesn't provoke us."
Okay. See you tomorrow.
After hanging up the phone, Li Jun looked out the window. On the opposite bank of the river, a huge LED screen was playing the trailer for "Beauty in Troubled Times".
A fleeting shot of Zhang Ziyi's cheongsam being torn, accompanied by sentimental promotional text.
The screen was huge and conspicuous, like a lock, as if declaring something.
He thought of Cheng Guoyi.
I remember the old man lying in the hospital bed, who was paid off by this person with 100,000 yuan.
The phone rang again; this time it was Zhang Liangying.
"Have you arrived in Shanghai?"
Her voice came through the receiver, tinged with laughter.
"We've arrived. How about you?"
"I went to the recording studio and made a final decision to revise the arrangement of 'Between Light and Shadow'."
Zhang Liangying said.
"I'll be in Shanghai tomorrow to attend your premiere."
"7
Li Jun was taken aback: "Weren't you preparing for the release of your new album?"
"The meeting of Yibu has been postponed."
Zhang Liangying said.
I want to see your movie.
Moreover, Carter invited me to be a guest performer and to sing the Chinese version of the movie's promotional song at the premiere.
This was something Li Jun hadn't expected.
However, upon closer reflection, Zhang Liangying's vocal characteristics are indeed well-suited to the time-space intertwined atmosphere of "Looper".
"Did you sing 'Wrinkles of Time'?" Li Jun asked.
"Yes. Lionsgate has someone write the Chinese lyrics, and I'll sing them."
Zhang Liangying said.
"Li Jun, tomorrow will be the first time we appear together in public."
Li Jun understood what she meant.
The media will definitely seize this opportunity to make a big fuss about it.
The combination of a director and a singer, co-producer and theme song singer of a Sino-US co-production, is highly topical.
"Are you scared?" he asked.
"I'm not afraid."
Zhang Liangying said.
"We're acting openly and honestly, what are we afraid of?"
She had said this to Li Jun many times, but every time he heard it, he felt more at ease.
"Okay, see you tomorrow."
After hanging up the phone, Li Jun opened his suitcase and took out the dark gray suit he would wear tomorrow. It was well-tailored and had been custom-made in Hong Kong by Zhang Liangying when she accompanied him last time.
He hung up his suit and then checked his shirt and tie.
Everything is ready.
All that's left is to wait for tomorrow to arrive.
The media briefing was held at 2 p.m. the following afternoon in the banquet hall of the Hyatt on the Bund.
When Li Jun arrived half an hour early, the venue was already properly arranged.
The backdrop is a giant poster for "Looper," with the protagonist Joe's silhouette in front of the time machine in the center, against the backdrop of the Shanghai skyline.
The poster lists the main cast and crew at the bottom: director Denis Villeneuve, co-producer Li Jun, and the names of the lead actors.
Carter arrived and was talking to several people from the other side.
Seeing Li Jun, he walked over: "Li, Villeneuve's flight is delayed; it won't arrive until around 3 PM. Shall we begin?"
"Aren't we going to wait for him?"
"Let the media interview you first, regarding cooperation in the China region."
Carter spoke in a low voice.
"This is the main event. Many people want to know how a Chinese director can participate in the production of a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster."
Li Jun nodded.
At 2:30 p.m., the media began to enter the venue.
Long lenses and short microphones were set up in the front row, and reporters in the front row turned on their recorders and opened their notebooks.
Li Jun glanced at them briefly and saw that they were all from mainstream media:
CCTV Movie Channel, Xintong Entertainment, Tencent Pictures, Phoenix, and several film magazines are involved.
The meeting began. Carter gave a brief introduction and then handed the microphone directly to Li Jun.
"Hello everyone from the media, I am Li Jun, the co-producer of Looper in China."
Li Jun stood on the podium and adjusted the height of Mai Shifeng.
"First of all, I would like to thank Lionsgate and Legendary Pictures for their trust in giving me the opportunity to participate in this project."
The flashbulbs started flashing.
"My main responsibility is to help localize films in China, including script suggestions, filming coordination, and marketing strategies."
Li Jun continued.
"In the process of doing this, I deeply felt that good stories transcend culture."
While *Looper* is a science fiction film, its core themes are time, choice, and redemption—emotions shared by all humanity.
A reporter raised their hand: "Director Li, your previous films, 'Bodyguards and Assassins' and 'Dreams of Mountains and Rivers,' were historical dramas and art films, respectively. Does your participation in this Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster signify a shift in your career path?"
"It's not a transformation, it's an expansion."
Li Jun answered.
"Directing is my roots, but as a filmmaker, I want to try different roles."
My work as a film producer has given me a better understanding of the entire film industry chain, which has also helped my directing career.
"What are your views on the future of Sino-US co-productions?"
"I believe the key is respect."
Li Jun said.
"It's not just a simple insertion of elements, but a genuine cultural dialogue."
In this film, Chinese elements are not just background elements, but rather an integral part that drives the plot and shapes the characters.
For example, the protagonist's escape to Shanghai and the acupuncture scene in the traditional Chinese medicine shop were both carefully considered and designed.
Another reporter asked: "Director Li, there are rumors that you and singer Jane Zhang are dating, and she will be attending the premiere today as a performing guest."
Could you please respond?
The problem came suddenly, but Li Jun was prepared.
"Zhang Liangying is an excellent musician, and her voice is perfectly suited to the atmosphere of this film."
He downplayed the important issues.
"As for my personal feelings, I want to leave some space for myself."
We hope everyone will pay more attention to our work.
The reporters were clearly dissatisfied with the answer, but Li Jun gestured for the next person to ask a question.
The meeting lasted for an hour.