“Durex condom?”
Director Li did not understand at first.
After a while, he roared, “Which bastard used the Durex condom and tossed it around carelessly? Pick it up right now!”
Unfortunately.
No one admitted to it.
Director Li had no choice but to tell the Stagehand to pick up the Durex condom and throw it into the trash can.
However, after this incident, Director Li looked at Chen Cheng with even greater admiration.
“Not bad.”
Although Director Li had felt somewhat displeased when he saw Chen Cheng first thing in the morning.
He had even thought.
If this fellow did a poor job as script supervisor today, he would reprimand him a few times.
But he had not expected.
Chen Cheng was not only extremely competent as a script supervisor, but had even far exceeded Director Li’s expectations.
Just like those continuity errors.
Let alone the script supervisor—even the Cinematographer or Director often failed to notice them.
Perhaps you might say.
Weren’t these continuity errors elementary mistakes? How could anyone still make them?
But precisely because they were so elementary, they could appear when one was careless.
It was just like writing.
As one wrote, typos would emerge.
Sometimes, even checking one’s own work would not reveal them.
“Did you hear me? What are you all doing? Do you think I was only talking about the Durex condom? Deal with these continuity errors immediately.”
After shouting once more at all the personnel behind the scenes, the various staff members hurried to fix the mistakes from earlier.
…
After a round of repairs, they started the first shot of the day over again.
With a sharp clap, Chen Cheng struck the clapperboard.
Fortunately.
Because of what had just happened, everyone became much more careful and attentive, and no continuity errors appeared in the next shot.
However, although the continuity errors on this side had been resolved, problems still arose during the continued filming.
“Assistant Director Yang, this shot won’t work. With the camera constantly pulling back, we can’t capture the actors’ movement details or expressions.”
Beside the monitor, Director Li looked at the shot they had just filmed and said to Assistant Director Yang, “The entire frame needs to move. Have the Cinematographer carry the camera and film while following the actors.”
“All right.”
Assistant Director Yang gave the order.
The Cinematographer tried it according to Director Li’s instructions.
Director Li watched the test footage and was fairly satisfied. “Yes, that gets the frame moving. Film it this way.”
So they continued.
But another problem soon appeared.
Although filming while running according to Director Li’s method did produce usable footage.
The Cinematographer could not keep it up for long.
“Director, I can’t run anymore.”
“What’s going on? You’re exhausted after running only a little?”
Director Li grew somewhat angry.
Assistant Director Yang noticed the situation and said quietly, “Director Li, the camera is rather heavy. Filming from a fixed position is no problem, but most people can’t handle running while filming.”
“Then what are we supposed to do? You can’t expect me to carry the camera and film, can you?”
“How about I find a stunt performer to try it?”
“All right.”
Director Li nodded.
Soon.
Assistant Director Yang found a stunt performer.
It had to be said.
This stunt performer’s physical fitness was far superior to that of the Cinematographer.
Even carrying the camera, running, and filming at the same time was no problem for him.
Unfortunately.
The problem that followed was even greater.
This stunt performer was indeed physically capable, but he knew absolutely nothing about Cinematography.
The resulting footage was either horribly shaky or crooked and disjointed, failing to highlight the important points.
Although the Cinematographer later gave the stunt performer some instruction.
He was still a nonprofessional, after all.
The man’s profession was stunt performance.
Fighting and killing was his specialty.
But filming? Sorry, that was his weakness.
“What a headache.”
Director Li was somewhat frustrated.
Even filming a slightly dynamic shot was this complicated.
“How about I give it a try, Director Li?”
Chen Cheng stepped forward at this moment.
“You?”
Director Li froze. “Try what? You want to film?”
“I learned a little Cinematography before.”
Chen Cheng explained.
In his previous life.
Although Chen Cheng’s acting career had not developed smoothly.
He had at least spent more than a decade in the industry.
Therefore, he understood a fair amount about Cinematography and related matters.
Perhaps you might say.
Chen Cheng’s Photography Attribute was only 30, the lowest among all his attributes.
But in fact.
Cinematography was different from the others.
Take writing, for example. Even without professional writing training, some ordinary people could reach 40 or 50.
Some talented people could reach 60 directly.
There were even prodigies who could completely surpass 70.
But Cinematography.
Sorry.
An ordinary person’s understanding of Cinematography would absolutely amount to an attribute value below 10.
The director attribute was the same.
Therefore, Chen Cheng’s 30 points in Photography Attribute were not actually low; they were merely lower than those of a professional Cinematographer.
But to complete today’s shot, Chen Cheng felt that he should have no problem.
“Director Li, Chen Cheng is physically fit enough. Why not let him try?”
Assistant Director Yang also spoke up.
“All right. Give it a try.”
Although he did not have high hopes, there was no better solution at present, so Director Li agreed.
“Cinematographer, give it to me.”
Chen Cheng walked over to the camera.
The Cinematographer looked doubtful. “You know Cinematography? I’ll adjust the settings for you.”
“Thank you. I know a little.”
After taking the camera, Chen Cheng followed the operating instructions he had learned from the equipment guide earlier and adjusted the settings with remarkable ease.
Seeing Chen Cheng adjust all kinds of settings so skillfully, Director Li was once again slightly surprised.
Although Chen Cheng had previously rejected his offer to become a supporting actor attached to the production.
Chen Cheng’s abilities now made that supposed role insignificant.
“Are you ready?”
“Ready.”
“All right, begin…”
Another staff member picked up the clapperboard Chen Cheng had used earlier.
With a sharp clap, Chen Cheng held the camera and began filming.
The action actor ran within the frame, and Chen Cheng ran along with him.
The actor in the frame jumped, and Chen Cheng jumped along with him.
The actor in the frame dropped prone, and Chen Cheng dropped prone as well.
The actor in the frame…
“Director Li, this Chen Cheng fellow is incredible. He’s so physically fit, and he knows Cinematography too.”
Watching Chen Cheng carry the camera around the film set as easily as if he were walking on level ground, Assistant Director Yang and action director Director Xie were both amazed.
“Of course. He came from being a Stagehand. He could even handle stunt performance; making him a script supervisor is a waste of his talents.”
Director Li laughed.
Action director Director Xie also said, “I really can’t understand it. Wouldn’t it be better for this fellow to be an action actor? Yet he chose to become a script supervisor.”
“I can’t understand it either.”
Assistant Director Yang nodded as well.
However, at this moment.
Looking at Chen Cheng filming ahead of them, Director Li suddenly seemed to understand something and said, “Heh. Do you really think this little fellow only wants to be a script supervisor?”
…
“Okay, that’s a wrap for this take.”
After filming ended, Assistant Director Yang announced loudly.
Although this shot was not very long, it had to be filmed properly from every angle.
Moreover, Chen Cheng was the only one filming this sequence, so there was only one camera position.
Therefore, if they wanted to show other angles, they had to film it again.
They repeated the process over and over.
Thus, although the shot lasted only a little over one minute, filming it took more than an hour.
Fortunately 《Wang Zhaojun》 was not a Wuxia production, but merely included action scenes occasionally.
After filming this sequence of action scenes, the shots that followed became much simpler.
Chen Cheng no longer needed to carry the camera and returned to being the script supervisor who struck the clapperboard.
After this day of filming, Chen Cheng completely earned the recognition of Director Li and Assistant Director Yang.
At the same time.
After personally practicing while carrying the camera that day, Chen Cheng’s Photography Attribute also achieved its first rapid increase.