raknovel Chapter 30 MV Shooting
Chapter 30 MV Shooting
With only two days left until the recording of the Children's Star program in June, Xie Anran and Qianqian still didn't go to school. The two took a long leave and made a special trip to a local photography studio in Jiangcheng to prepare for the music video shooting for their exclusive album. Although Jiangcheng does have film and television shooting bases, they are not large in scale and the facilities are not top-notch. However, for Xie Anran and Qianqian, who were stepping into a professional shooting location for the first time, it was already magnificent and grand, and everything was new and exciting.
"So many cameras!" Qianqian clung tightly to Xie Anran's hand, her little head darting left and right, her eyes full of curiosity and surprise. Not far away, Liu Xiaoli and Zhang Yun were busy coordinating details with the filming team, finalizing the day's shooting schedule and camera placement.
The music video shoot was not complicated. All the outdoor scenes had already been filmed and produced in advance. On the day of the studio shoot, we only needed to add close-ups and interactive scenes of the two children indoors.
In addition, there's a simple and cute dance segment. Xie Anran refused to participate in the dance segment early on, ultimately deciding that only Xixi would perform the dance solo. His price was to match the MV's style by performing a series of simple, adorable movements. Sometimes he'd be hopping around in a cute chick costume, other times he'd be striking cute poses in a soft cat costume. He didn't need to put in any effort to dance; his body language and expressions were enough to create the desired visual effect.
This music video doesn't have a complex or convoluted storyline; its core tone is simply the heartwarming daily life of two children laughing, playing, and being innocently adorable. Its main purposes are twofold: first, to be broadcast on various television stations for continuous promotion and to generate buzz for the album; and second, to be edited and included in a limited-edition collector's edition album. Whether anyone will specifically purchase the collector's edition is uncertain, but the actual production costs are undeniably substantial. In this era, digital filming equipment didn't exist; the entire production relied on traditional film, and every frame was incredibly expensive. Even the simplest and most basic music video is exceptionally costly to produce.
Before long, Liu Xiaoli and Zhang Yun finally finished coordinating all the filming details. Neither of them were familiar with the industry's procedures for film and television production, so they had specifically inquired about each step carefully to tailor a reliable and hassle-free filming plan to the child's needs. Even the smallest film crew requires meticulous and thorough scheduling and division of labor to operate smoothly.
"Anran, Qianqian, let's go, I'll take you to get your makeup and hair done!" At this moment, Liu Xiaoli and Zhang Yun were both managers and assistants, doing everything themselves and taking care of all the little things for the two children.
Xie Anran followed obediently behind, quiet and well-behaved. In contrast, Qianqian chattered incessantly with questions the whole way, her little mouth never stopping. One moment she was pestering her mother to wear a pretty little dress, the next she was complaining of being thirsty and wanting to drink AD calcium milk, and then she kept asking how much longer they had to wait before the filming started. She was full of childlike fun but also unusually noisy.
Xie Anran sat in the makeup chair, letting the makeup artist style his hair and apply his makeup, all the while being bombarded with Qianqian's incessant chatter. What impressed him most was that Liu Xiaoli, facing Qianqian's endless stream of trivial questions, showed no sign of annoyance whatsoever; instead, she patiently and gently responded throughout, her temper ridiculously good. Xie Anran couldn't help but think to himself: Her emotional stability is just too amazing.
After a round of styling and makeup, Xie Anran's appearance didn't change much. She simply styled her hair, applied a thin layer of foundation to even out her skin tone, and, with the studio lighting, looked clean and fresh—that was enough. Qianqian, however, presented a striking contrast. Her long hair was meticulously styled, adorned with delicate crystal hair clips, her lips were painted with pink lipstick, and a small flower adorned her brow. A sparkling princess dress completed her look, making her radiant, charming, and captivating. Xie Anran completely agreed that she was a true, exquisite little princess.
Xie Anran looked at the completely transformed Xixi and thought to himself, "This little girl is really pretty." He also inexplicably recalled an old saying: the prettier a child is as a child, the more ordinary their appearance becomes as an adult. He wondered if this saying was accurate.
"Anran, Anran! Am I pretty?" Qianqian had just finished showing off her new look to her mother when she lifted her princess dress and ran to Xie Anran, tilting her little face up with expectant eyes, waiting for his praise.
"It's beautiful, exceptionally beautiful," Xie Anran replied earnestly.
"Hehe, you're super pretty too!" Sisi smiled sweetly, her eyes crinkling. She turned around and ran excitedly to Zhang Yun, continuing to ask for praise, looking like a child who loves to whine and beg for compliments.
"This little girl, she can't sit still for a moment." Xie Anran sighed with a helpless smile, then turned and went to the changing area to change into her shooting outfit.
About ten minutes later, the two children changed into their special photoshoot outfits and returned to the studio's shooting area to wait for their turn.
"Hello, kids. My surname is Guan. You can call me Uncle Guan." The bald director stepped forward, looking at the two young actors with an exceptionally kind and approachable attitude. Xie Anran stared at Director Guan for a few seconds, feeling that his face looked inexplicably familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him before.
"Hello, Uncle Guan!" Xie Anran and Qianqian greeted him politely in unison.
"Good boy/girl. Just do as I say from now on. Don't be nervous or look at the camera. Just play around and have fun." Director Guan patiently and meticulously instructed the key points of the shoot, his tone gentle and without any of the sternness of a director.
Not far away, Liu Xiaoli and Zhang Yun huddled together, whispering about the director's background. "I heard he's a top student from the Beijing Film Academy and has even directed theatrical films," Liu Xiaoli said in a low voice. "Crystal Records really goes all out, hiring a professional film director even for a music video," Zhang Yun said, her tone full of curiosity as she met a formally trained director for the first time. Liu Xiaoli, however, knew a bit about the industry and said calmly, "When these directors don't have stable projects, they'll take any job; making money is the priority."
Although this director has a portfolio of legitimate films, the overall domestic film market was in a slump, making it difficult for industry professionals to survive. It wasn't until the release of "Hero" that the domestic film industry truly entered the era of commercial films, giving many directors a chance for stable development. While Zhang Yimou's later works have received mixed reviews, his early contributions to the domestic film market were indeed milestones.
Filming officially began. Xie Anran, following the director's instructions, ran small steps in front of the camera, deliberately striking childlike, silly poses, feigning innocence throughout, which left him feeling utterly helpless. Qianqian, on the other hand, was completely different. Naturally gifted in acting, she was completely immersed in her role, requiring no repeated guidance from the director. She perfectly captured the innocence, liveliness, and cuteness of a little girl. The music video's format was simple to begin with—running, jumping, and playing around—and then adding cartoon animation effects in post-production, a mainstream production method for music videos these days.
After only an hour of filming, the crew announced a break. The record company had long forbade the director from rushing to work overtime, so Director Guan naturally complied with the requirements, filming slowly and meticulously. Not only was the pace relaxed, but he also received his full pay, making it exceptionally worry-free and pleasant.
"Phew..." Xie Anran slumped into the recliner, leaning back to recover his strength. Qianqian squatted beside him, clutching a bottle of AD calcium milk, her big eyes blinking as she looked at him worriedly: "Anran, are you feeling better?"
"I'm just a little tired, it's okay," Xie Anran waved her hand and gently reassured her.
"Okay." Sisi obediently got up, walked to Xie Anran's side, and pressed her little face against his. Xie Anran subconsciously dodged to the side, looking helpless: "What are you doing?"
Xie Anran has always had a strong sense of personal space. He's uncomfortable with even holding hands, let alone face-to-face contact; he's completely unaccustomed to such close physical contact. Qianqian, however, explained earnestly, "Whenever I'm uncomfortable or tired, Mommy touches me like this, and I feel better immediately."
"Ah... I don't need this, please don't..." Xie Anran was about to refuse when Qianqian leaned in again and pressed her cheek against his, her little hand gently wrapping around his arm as she earnestly comforted him, "Anran, be good, it won't be tiring if you stick your cheek against me."
Not far away, Zhang Yun saw the two little ones interacting affectionately and said to Liu Xiaoli with a smile, "Your Qianqian is so young, but she's quite good at taking care of people." Liu Xiaoli was both amused and exasperated. Looking at the two children getting along so well, a strange worry quietly welled up in her heart again.