Capítulo 7: Director Zhang
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Some people gathered around them. A young man asked Jiang Se with a mischievous smirk, "Are you here to see the best actor as well, young lady?"
In no time, many others went there to try and strike up a conversation. Jiang Se was about to pull Lu Baobao up when she heard the revving of a car engine from her right. She turned to look and saw the car from the production team.
The director, who had been sitting under the beach parasol with his legs crossed, quickly got to his feet and hastily went over to greet the newcomer.
The car door opened. Lu Baobao, who had stubbornly refused to stand up just now, nearly leaped at the sight.
"Ahhhh! So, that's Zhang Jingan! Zhang Jingan is here! How's that possible?!"
She suppressed her excitement with some effort and whispered into Jiang Se's ear, "We were right to come today!"
Jiang Se did not know if she should laugh or cry when she looked at her enthusiastic friend.
"Is that Zhang Jingan, the famous director you've been talking about? Who's the guy that's been sitting there then?" She gestured to the beach parasol to the right with her chin. She clearly heard the script supervisor address the middle-aged man as "director" just now.
Before Lu Baobao could answer, someone politely offered an answer to the beautiful girl, "That would be the executive director.
"There are usually two executive directors under the chief director in a production team, and they're in charge of the set. With a production as huge as "Rescue Mission", there'll also be several co-directors. The famous Director Zhang doesn't usually show his face here. He's in charge of the main storyline in which Liu Ye and the others are involved."
The young man seized the opportunity to share what he knew with them. Then, he looked at Jiang Se and said with a smile, "My name's Wang Chujie. Wang as in 'king', Chu as in the 'Chu Nation', and Jie as in 'outstanding'. I've been with the production team for some time now. If there's anything that you don't understand, you can just ask me."
Another person broke out in laughter. "What do you mean you've been with the production team? The only difference between you and the other extras is that you're a contributing extra and that your pay is $100 more than the others!"
When Wang Chujie heard this, he appeared resentful. He turned to glare at the person who tore him apart in front of the beautiful girl. "At least, I'm a contributing actor. What does it matter if I'm only an extra?" He glanced at Jiang Se from the corner of his eye. "Extras may even make it big someday, you know? Many of the current stars were once extras as well."
Jiang Se knew what this young man was playing at. She merely thanked him politely. Nearby, the script supervisor was urging the people with bloodstains on their clothes to change their costumes. Meanwhile, those who had fallen into the river had their makeup patched.
The makeup artists were already waiting for orders on the set. They were not far from where the executive director had been moments ago.
When Jiang Se looked in that direction, she saw Zhang Jingan getting down from the car while being escorted by the others. What surprised them was that the award-winning Best Actor, Liu Ye, was also in the car. Liu Baobao had nothing but praise for him.
Liu Ye's appearance instantly caused a buzz of excitement in the production team. Many of the others stared in his direction. Some of them wanted to have his autograph, but Liu Ye was flanked by two bodyguards and an assistant who politely separated him from the crowd.
When Zhang Jingan arrived, the executive director naturally had nowhere to sit.
When Jiang Se re-emerged with her costume, Zhang Jingan was seated where the executive director was. He frowned at the camera screen with a slightly sour expression.
The executive director seemed to be saying something to him. He appeared nervous as he kept wiping his sweat away with his hands.
In his shades, the award-winning Best Actor sat on the beach chair and drank a bottle of chilled mineral water. He occasionally moved closer to look at the screen as well.
Zhang Jingan turned and gave the executive director a few instructions. The latter nodded. Soon after that, the script supervisor took out the clapperboard. Jiang Se glanced at it and noticed that it was clearly the same clapperboard used during the scene of the woman and Gao Rong.
The famous director was clearly not satisfied by the woman's performance and had requested a retake.
From the makeup tent, the woman saw this as well. She bit her lip anxiously.
The makeup was done and Jiang Se was once again bound by the river. The blood bag was reattached to her. The others trodded carefully over the camera tracks on the ground and took their places.
The second the director gave a signal, Gao Rong recited his lines.
The woman with the line was currently feeling very pressured. Zhang Jingan sat behind the camera. Although he made no sound, the camera that was currently focused on her would clearly capture the expressions on her face. This famous director would see every minute reaction on her face.
After the first few failed takes just now, it was understandable for her to feel slightly pressured. Coupled with her nerves, this take was no exception to receiving a "cut!" from the director.
The script director did not reprimand her. However, the stare he shot her was much more terrifying than giving her an outright scolding.
Zhang Jingan remained silent. The executive director helplessly instructed the shot to be repeated.
Time ticked by. It was now midday. Jiang Se felt that her costume was now drenched in her sweat while her mouth and tongue were parched. She was finding it slightly uncomfortable right now.
Lu Baobao, who was tied to the pike, nearly cried. However, she gritted her teeth and bore the discomfort due to the pressure she was feeling from the production team.
After a series of failed takes, the famous director did not burst out angrily just as the executive director had although he was frowning. After a while, he turned and gave the executive director some directions. As he spoke, he occasionally turned to look at the extras. Anyone who was paying attention could tell that the famous director was already thinking about switching the actress for the shoot.
Hungry yearning registered in the eyes of the female extras bound by the river and at the pikes.
However, for some reason, the famous director did not immediately ask for the actress to be switched out. Instead, like the executive director, he decided to shoot the scenes of the villagers being slaughtered.
When the crew members came up to them to fix the blood bags to the extras, Jiang Se clearly felt that the contraption was different from the ones used before.
However, she was only an extra, so the crew members showed no signs of wanting to give her an explanation. The script supervisor called the extras in the Japanese soldier uniforms onto the set. The bayonets in their hands were now replaced with rifles.
The firearms expert went up to inspect them to prove that the rifles were real.
The explosive device attached to Jiang Se's chest right now was a squib. After the firearms expert's inspection, another person came to measure the distance. The atmosphere grew heavier in an instant.
The crew brought the script over and gave Jiang Se and the others some instructions. They told them to detonate the explosive devices on their bodies when they heard the gunshots. After they did that, blood would splatter out from within.
The actors nodded.
When the preparations were completed, the clapperboard was slapped and bangs of gunshots were heard. The barrels of the rifles blazed with fire. Amidst the gun smoke, many people were frightened by the sudden gunshots.
Jiang Se did not let herself be stunned by the gunshots. As she detonated her explosive device, she heard a soft pop. The squib on her clothes exploded and blood sprayed. The recoil impacted her left chest so much that even with the thick costume, Jiang Se could still feel the pain.
She undid the knot around her hands and fell into the water with a loud splash.
Jiang Se held her breath before she fell in. When she was in the river, she exhaled, kicked, and floated to the surface even before the rescue personnel could reach her.
She swam to the riverbank and stretched her hand toward land where she was pulled up. She got onto dry land, wiped her face, and did not even have the time to thank the person when someone raised a megaphone in the distance and shouted, "You there! Come over here!"
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