NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 169: PUBLIC PERSONA
Even with Federico’s protagonist status and his own advantages, the most important thing was that the Morenza family was willing to invest in this movie! A lot of rich people lived in Hollywood and many celebrities were backed by a consortium. However, if things involved Wolf Morenza, these people were willing to take a step back and give him face.
Federico also played a role in Hollywood commercials before. His acting was average and not that outstanding, but even so, he’s still a superstar in North America. He received two Grammy Awards and did uncountable tours and concerts.
When the script was being written, for Federico to perform well as the double S-class protagonist, Hulakan, they tailored it according to Federico’s temperament, so his performance was stress-free.
“Costume pictures, selfie!” Assistant Lin animatedly grabbed his phone and came over.
Federico’s arrival to China was kept a secret to the circle since last month, the crew hasn’t released the explosive news.
Today all stage makeup and costume photos were released globally. Although the shooting of some countries had been completed, the big post-production was very long. If they want the perfect special effects, it will take at least a year, so before the previous propaganda slowly cooled down, the United States was not ready to release the stage makeup and costume photos.
Jian Hua took his phone and quickly went to several foreign actors. During this period, he only stayed with Li Fei for a few seconds.
When Li Fei took a photo in his costume, Jian Hua was also there. This photo became Jian Hua’s new screensaver. It’s just that when Jian Hua was beside someone wearing a military uniform, he can’t help but have a severe look.
Li Fei’s face was black.
Assistant Lin was on the side, very clear of his family’s style. If changed to someone else, shouldn’t they have a happy face when taking a photo with their lover at this time?
The Film Emperor once again ate his own vinegar.
Isn’t that your own character? At this rate, would Li Fei get drowned by his own vinegar?
Assistant Lin was anxious about Li Fei’s mental health. When his eyes fell on Jian Hua, Assistant Lin was immediately relieved. Jian Hua’s character was cold, didn’t think of climbing up, and very polite no matter who he talked to. Even if Li Fei grabbed a bottle of vinegar while following Jian Hua, he estimated that there’d be no chance to drink it.
Jian Hua turned over the photos of “Major” and stopped at the last one: Federico playing the piano while dressed in a tailor-fitted suit.
The picture was excellent, but this protagonist……
“An American superhero usually has the route of ordinary people transforming into a different person. This rich and powerful second-generation character attribute was a huge change and he even had soldiers, secret service agents, and scientists. Even with the attribute of being betrayed by someone he trusted and becoming an express delivery guy who ran everywhere in town and becoming exhausted every day, only when he returned home will this character grow. Before the disaster, everyone wouldn’t bother watching this type of movie. But now, this hero character must give the audience a sense of security, ah!”
Director Lu sighed. He really admired how China proposed this Major role. Basically, all members of the National Abilities Team wouldn’t engage in individual heroism to not overshadow the novelty of the American protagonist.
“Hulakan is a musician?” Raising his head from the photo, he felt uncomfortable.
The impression of the “original plot” was deeply rooted. Johnson Brown was of common birth, had a good character, and a very charismatic American. Although reality disillusioned him, Hulakan, the leader of one of the two leading factions of the future American Abilities Bureau, was still a thin boy, persecuted by school violence, and fleeing to the Abandoned World. Although these things were difficult, it’s nothing compared to everything that the original protagonist had experienced.
Hulakan suffered countless betrayals; his kindness was used, he was framed by people and misunderstood, he faced unimaginable dangers alone and fought against all forces of darkness. Attacked by the enemy and getting a knife from behind…… he had experienced prejudice and death. The protagonist grew up after all these misfortunes.
The teenaged Johnson didn’t have this opportunity. There was no such opportunity, so he was far from the protagonist in the book.
Everyone had impressions of the protagonist regardless of seeing Johnson, so the skilled pianist in the script felt very ridiculous.
Geng Tian was still trapped in the other setting, but Li Fei understood why Director Lu approved it.
——hurricane and thunderstorms, a storm like Sonata, this image’s impact was very high.
Coupled with the Western world’s respect for classical music, a musician who came out of the slums and school violence was just a part of the play.
While talking about it, the staff and crew shouted thanks for their work.
At this time, they would wait for the American crew to finish shooting before publishing the promotional photos and then the joint shooting would go according to the schedule. The movie’s plot for the Global Abilities Summit would use a three-dimensional virtual projection that transcends the times to conduct the global conference.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
The people of Guangshi Administration greeted the Directors and the crew.
Director Lu was uneasy. As a director, not being able to edit his own film made his heart uncomfortable. Not to mention that he still had a psychological shadow. Last time, he shot 《Black Bamboo》 halfway, and their plans kept being delayed which made Director Lu very unhappy.
Li Fei inadvertently went to chat with Director Lu after packing his things. After a few words, the old man couldn’t stop and continued to talk about 《Black Bamboo》 while sighing.
“The company and the studio responsible for post-production had suffered monster attacks. Half of the original film was damaged, so even if there are investors who want us to shoot, we can’t complete it.”
“The script is still there, and you’re still here Director Lu. If you really have the chance, would you do it?”
Director Lu thought for a moment, then replied. The original film was destroyed, and some actors were gone. For example, the one acting as the villain, unfortunately, fell to his death when the disaster occurred. If he had to remake it, he’d have to start over.
“If Director Lu wanted to film it, even if I can’t fork out the money, I can introduce you to a few people…… the situation is not good right now, but everyone wanted to make an appearance, so the cost should not be as much as before.”
“Okay.”
Director Lu’s nose was sour. He was old and nearing retirement, so he didn’t want to have any regrets. His eyes fell on the two substitutes of Li Fei not far away. Others couldn’t tell the difference between Jian Hua and the Red Dragon member, but Director Lu was clear. He could see who played well and who played poorly. If he couldn’t see it, then he’s already too old to be a director.
In fact, during the shooting, the more difficult scenes were performed by Jian Hua, while an ordinary chase scene would be done by the other stuntman.
“He’s the……” Director Lu found that he still didn’t know Jian Hua’s name. He only knew that everyone called him by his English name Joe. Director Lu vaguely asked, “Can I have him perform a role in my movie?”
“It depends on what he wants.”
Director Lu was very surprised. Didn’t Star Entertainment initially let such a person follow Li Fei for him to find opportunities to enter the entertainment circle?
Li Fei was not the kind of person who didn’t let others get a chance. Director Lu instinctively felt that Li Fei’s decision of arbitrarily making decisions for the other was very rare. He couldn’t help but look at Jian Hua in the distance.
It just so happened that Assistant Lin was talking about the schedule of the American crew. Jian Hua was not interested in this topic, so he turned around and subconsciously looked for Li Fei.
When he saw Li Fei beside Director Lu, Jian Hua turned his eyes away after meeting his eyes.
The studio was not big, but also not small. The short eye contact between Jian Hua and Li Fei hardly caught anyone’s attention.
Except for Director Lu.
Director Lu’s expression became weird. Li Fei’s popularity in the circle was outstanding. He had no temper on set, and even when the makeup artist looked at him dazedly, Li Fei would still subconsciously smile. But that smile was a little different, ah!
Not like the usual gentle elegance. The arc was not right, probably——not the standard smile.
It’s like he’s showing off to someone but felt embarrassed in the next second?
Director Lu thought that he had seen Li Fei’s acting skills. If it’s not standard for Li Fei, that means it’s real.
——sure enough, the stuntman was not ordinary.
Due to Li Fei’s clean record, Director Lu didn’t overthink it that much.
***
The response caused by the promotional pictures were bigger than expected.
Li Fei was wearing a military uniform, holding a silver gun in his right hand with the parts scattered, separated by a distance, and suspended in Li Fei’s hand. The bullets lined up and seemed to enter the magazine. It looked as if the gun could be formed in the next second. And in Li Fei’s other hand, a burning red flame bloomed.
There was a line of text in the photo. They were the Chinese words “红龙 (hóng lóng)” and the English words “Red Dragon.”
In the West, dragons were evil, but in China, they were the opposite.
The National Abilities Team in the film was not called Red Dragon. Red Dragon was the code name of this Major. At first, headquarters did not agree to directly disclose the name of Red Dragon. Still, Colonel Lu argued in one sentence——the book transmigrators already spread the name of their Secret Service Department. It’d create confusion later on, so it’s better to use this. Their Secret Service Department could just change its name and go underground.
After much deliberation, the actor who represented the image of their country directly used the name of Red Dragon.
When he first knew about it, Li Fei was a little stressed.
The one who felt more complicated than Li Fei was Zhang YaoJin.
“Major, look at your photo.” His competent subordinates ran over during lunchtime.
Zhang YaoJin maintained a straight face, glanced at it, then asked in an elongated tone, “Nonsense, where am I in this?”
“Yes, ah. His momentum is enough to look like the Major, but others can’t be like you!” Major Zhang’s subordinates immediately chimed in, then added a sentence, “But when Guan Ling saw the photo, she said that the Film Emperor performed well but still not the same as Major.”
Zhang YaoJin crossed his arms, his eyes sharp, not talking.
In fact, among the people who were in the studio all day, Guan Ling, who was Film Empress Wen Tong’s bodyguard and life assistant, was also there and had a say. This is because the role played by Wen Tong was Guan Ling’s character.
The script was following the original plot, so Li Fei’s, the “Major’s” fiancee, was a B-class spatial ability holder. The two worked together and had a lot of shots.
Red Dragon members, as early as when they saw the “original plot,” knew that Zhang YaoJin would get married to Guan Ling, but the “wheel of fate” had changed once again. They had long observed the two and no longer thought that this was true. They even believed that Major Zhang was obviously unhappy right now because he heard Guan Ling’s name.
“*Cough*, don’t you think…… something is missing here?” To shift the topic, Zhao Wen pointed to Li Fei’s eyes.
“Ah!”
The Red Dragon members present at the scene looked at each other while liking Zhao Wen’s guts in their minds.
What was missing was the mole tear, ah.
Speaking of the mole feature, people would rarely notice it when they meet people in real life. If there was, then there is, but if there wasn’t then there isn’t. However, everyone here was an exceptional soldier. It’s an advantage to remember how others looked, so they certainly would not miss any facial details. With Major Zhang’s atmosphere amidst the horrors of the battlefield, when one focused on his eyes and saw the mole, people would feel a subtle sense of disharmony. Everyone kept it to themselves, so no one said it aloud before, but now that Zhao Wen broke the paper window……
“Ah, I’m sorry, I’m just used to it!” The skinny man said with a smile, “Colonel Lu will not reveal Major Zhang’s appearance. Even if Li Fei wants to add that, Guangshi Administration would not agree.”
“……”
Li Fei would not even recommend it!
This character had sublimated and symbolized the image of national justice, how could this matter……
Wait, if there’s no mole, then it’s better!
Zhang YaoJin couldn’t help but glance at the glass panel on his desk, looking at his eyes in the reflection, and getting caught up in the mystery.