After the visit from Mr. Jiang, Ye Zhou once again threw himself into the intense filming schedule.
Time was money for the crew; once the movie started shooting, every minute was precious. From equipment rental to labor costs, for the crew of “The Most Beautiful,” they were not fighting for money but for time.
Since Director Sang fell into a coma and was rushed to the hospital for treatment, his health deteriorated rapidly. Ye Zhou learned from Sang Yu that within a few short months, there were dozens of critical condition notices.
This heavy news weighed like a giant boulder on the hearts of everyone in the crew of “The Most Beautiful.” They were afraid that if they didn’t shoot fast enough, due to Director Sang’s current health condition, he might not be able to see the movie he poured his heart and soul into, even risking his own health to make it happen.
In such a special crew, time was the most precious commodity.
Due to the urgency, Ye Zhou no longer had the luxury of hesitation and contemplation. All he could do was to rely on his instincts and push forward.
From the start of filming to choosing co-directors to collaborate with, every move regarding this movie was closely watched by numerous media and industry professionals. When it was revealed that Director Sang had ultimately chosen the controversial commercial film director Ye Zhou as his partner, doubts and criticisms were voiced incessantly, with many waiting to see a debacle unfold.
With Director Sang incapacitated, the pressure on Ye Zhou was undoubtedly immense. He lost the mentor he could discuss and seek advice from, leaving himself as the sole decision-maker in a large crew.
With a misstep, he risked being the target of ridicule and mockery during the rest of the shooting. Reputation may not be something Ye Zhou cared about, but he could not bear to see the movie Director Sang held in such high regard be stained with shame and subject to mockery because of his mistakes.
Before Ye Zhou lay a cruel dilemma.
Should he meticulously select and polish each shot to ensure no major errors or should he compress time, sacrificing a certain level of quality for the sake of expediency?
Neither option was acceptable to Ye Zhou, so he chose a third path.
To balance quality while compressing time as much as possible might sound like an empty promise, but to achieve both, Ye Zhou had sacrificed too much behind the scenes. It would not be an exaggeration to say that filming this movie was at the cost of exhausting his own body.
During filming, Ye Zhou prioritized shooting scenes that he felt confident about, while starting to prepare for the more challenging scenes a month or two in advance privately. During the days when Director Sang was absent from the set, Ye Zhou’s average daily sleep time might not even reach four hours.
Whenever he faced difficulties, he would make phone calls for advice, seek inspiration from conversations with friends, and engage in countless research and discussions, rehearsing scenarios in his mind until it became almost mechanical.
Memorizing the script is generally an actor’s responsibility, but Ye Zhou, as a director, knew the script even better than some of the actors. Every detail, dialogues, and emotional expressions were imprinted in his mind.
When the words “It’s a wrap” were shouted out, after a brief moment of cheers, the entire crew fell into a prolonged silence.
No one spoke, and no one left. This silence lingered for about two minutes until someone started, and the sound of sobbing filled the quiet set, becoming increasingly audible. This seemed to be a signal, as the sobbing grew louder. Many staff members, unnoticed, had reddened eyes, with the more sensitive ones shedding tears.
Ye Zhou stared at the monitor at first but was brought back to reality by the escalating sobs. He opened his mouth, intending to offer some comforting or humorous words to lighten the heavy atmosphere, “Everyone…”
But as soon as he uttered two words, Ye Zhou felt his voice falter. He shifted his gaze from the monitor to each member of the crew, their familiar and lively faces coming into view one by one.
Unable to articulate words of comfort, he thought about the year-long journey of hardships and sacrifices made by everyone involved in the movie from the start of filming to its completion, and his eyes welled up.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
Ye Zhou’s voice was soft, the excitement causing a slight tremor in his tone.
It had been so challenging, truly arduous. Whether it was the director, actors, or other crew members, everyone had endured tremendous difficulties over the past year. Overcoming technical obstacles, costume and set design challenges, and various unforeseeable factors required resilience.
Facing skepticism and what seemed like an almost impossible task, they persevered through countless challenges, pouring their hearts into the project day and night until finally, today, they had accomplished the seemingly unfeasible.
“The Most Beautiful” had successfully wrapped up filming.
Normally, after completing filming, a crew would hold a wrap-up banquet, whether grand or casual, where everyone gathers for a lively meal to bid farewell. It had become a customary practice. However, the crew of “The Most Beautiful” did not have a wrap-up banquet, not because they couldn’t afford it but because they had no time to spare for such indulgences.
Forget about a banquet, the crew members barely had a decent meal together. Hastily consuming the cakes provided by catering, they began to leave the set one by one.
As each person prepared to depart, they would approach Ye Zhou to express gratitude, bid farewell, and offer words of encouragement.
“Director Ye, thank you for your hard work.”
“Director Ye, we will definitely succeed.”
“Director Ye, keep up the good work!”
…
Until the last person had left, only Ye Zhou remained in the set.
The props and equipment had been packed up and taken away, leaving the once vibrant set looking somewhat desolate without them.
The previously bustling set, filled with various sounds, was now unusually quiet.
Before leaving, Ye Zhou slowly walked around the entire set, his steps unhurried. His gaze moved at a similar slow pace, seemingly committing every scene to memory.
With his backpack on his back, Ye Zhou reached the door. He cast a final glance at the empty set, then reached out to switch off all the power, plunging the brightly lit set into darkness instantly.
Waiting outside the set’s entrance was his lover who had been waiting for some time.
After locking the set’s gate, as Ye Zhou turned around, he saw a slender, fair hand. As he held that hand, the next moment he found himself wrapped in a warm embrace, accompanied by a steady heartbeat. In a soft voice, someone whispered in his ear.
“Let’s go, let’s go home.”
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