Global Movie Emperor - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Leading Students Into The Shoot?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“East… East… Hey?”

Lu Ze completed a full circle in the eastern section but didn’t find anybody. Thereupon, a careful inspection, he found Liu Le sitting alongside a group of teenagers for some reason.

“Big brother Le!”

Liu Le’s smile was grotesque, and the group of students beside him also smiled in response. Lu Ze was rendered somewhat stupefied, wondering if he’d eaten something wrong today.

“I’m sitting here. Didn’t you see after passing by so many times? Am I air? Whatever! Today, you will be leading them. No girls, all boys. You’ll be going with them in a few moments.”

“Ah, ok!”

Lu Ze was quite astonished. After all, this was the first time he would be seeing heaven’s proud sons — college kid — shooting the “running on the battlefield” scene for the first time.

He was worried. If they fell by any chance, and god forbid got hit by an explosion, then what? He would not be able to bear such a responsibility. Moreover, this bunch was still learning and had not graduated. They probably had no experience except for the training provided in the acting school. Compared to the band of extras, leading this bunch was undoubtedly far worse.

However, thinking for a moment, he looked around and found that their teacher was also present. Since the latter was not afraid, why should he be? Moreover, since Liu Le was allowing a group of students to shoot, the director must have given his consent as well. Every student had to cross this juncture while gaining experience. If they failed at the decisive moment, the blame would not lie upon Lu Ze. The curses of the director would not be for him either but these students. Therefore, all he had to do was his best in leading them. He didn’t have to take any responsibility. Thereupon, he simply agreed with a nod.

“Alright, the brothers running with me must heed my words later on. The site is filled with explosives. Firstly, if you run blindly, you won’t enter the camera. Secondly, you might get blasted with explosives. Don’t worry, just pay attention and you’ll be fine.”

Lu Ze’s words didn’t make the students scared, and instead, it made them a little excited. They were a bunch of greenhorns and had no idea that these explosives were quite powerful that could even blast off their entire legs.

Lu Ze did not tell them anything else. After all, he was not their teacher and had no obligation to teach them how to conduct themselves on the site. He simply sat beside Liu Le and smoked a cigarette.

“Brother, how long have you been doing this?”

A thirty-year-old man was also sitting beside Liu Le, greeting Lu Ze with a smile.

“I…Would you like a cigarette? You don’t smoke? That’s a good habit, pretty good habit! It’s been slightly over two years for me, not that long.”

He offered one cigarette to Liu Le and lit one for himself as he pondered for a moment with squinted eyes. He came to Hengdian in July 2014. Thus, his total time was more or less two years and two months.

“In that case, can you teach my students a bit, like your experiences here. These students of mine are second years, and this is only their second day in such a work. Do you have any tale or story to share with them?”

‘The hell do I teach them? Just lay down in comfort to play a dead man?” Lu Ze muttered to himself inwardly. Of course, he did not let it show on his face. Holding the cigarette in his mouth, he began organizing his thoughts.

“There is nothing to teach really. Just take your money and leave. Get cursed, get your money, and leave. It’s a positive for an extra, sigh! All you have to do is know your position on the set. Don’t complain, don’t hold grudges… there’s nothing good to say about it. You could count yourself lucky if you could eat your fill.”

These words were much duller than what Liu Le had told them before. The students did not take them too seriously as well. Perhaps they were still optimistic, feeling that they would be able to stand out instantly. However, the teacher faintly nodded. He was an experienced man and could understand the truth behind these words. Compared to the glorified tales of successful actors told by Liu Le, these words certainly seemed much more useful.

The absolute majority of aspirers would not be able to rise above others like those big-shot celebrities rapidly, and his students were no different. The young had vigor and drive, but without suffering setbacks, they were the same as newborn calves who didn’t fear tigers. 

“Remember these words, and it will serve well in your future work. Your career is just starting. Identifying your position will always help you in the future.”

“Understood, Sir Wu!” They gave a half-willing reply, probably feeling that even if they couldn’t rise to become a superstar, they would not be stuck as an extra their entire life as university graduates.

Lu Ze saw Liu Le glance at him with a mysterious smile on his face. This smile was targeted at him.

Thinking for a moment, he realized that these students were not taking him seriously. They only hoped to immerse themselves in the glory of stories related to superstars.

Liu Le could see through this. ‘You want to hear the inspiring stories of superstars? Then I’ll tell you those stories so that you can feel proud of yourself and believe that you can do it. With such an attitude, it would be quite possible that once your dream is shattered, you will not be able to stand back up.’

And if they could not stand back up, why would Liu Le care about it? They were not his children, so why should he care about them? At this point, Lu Ze discovered that this guy, Liu Le, was not only intelligent but also carrying a sinister side to him.

“Lu-er, didn’t you go to take an audition two days ago? What happened?”

“Can’t say for sure. Only the results will tell if I made it or not.”

Only a few people knew about Lu Ze going for the audition, and Liu Le could be considered one of them. Lu Ze had himself informed him but didn’t tell him that he was going to audition for ‘that’ crew.

Hearing Lu Ze’s tone, he didn’t get into the details and continued with the success stories of superstars. Taking out melon seeds from his bag, he jubilantly spoke while eating.

At noon, a few students went to buy water bottles. Upon return, they brought back one for their teacher, Liu Le, and Lu Ze. Perhaps buying water bottles equated to expressing goodwill in their minds.

At two o’clock, the temperature was not low despite autumn. Liu Le glanced at his wristwatch and led Lu Ze and the students to shoot the war scene out, leaving behind the teacher and girls who would be shooting a court scene. Liu Le left after taking them to the set, leaving Lu Ze to lead the students into the changing room. However, this routine task for Lu Ze made the students frown as they changed into their costumes.

“Director Wang, good afternoon!”

Lu Ze recognized the director this time as well. Although he had not worked for him before, they had come across several times while shooting right next to each other. Thus, they could be considered quite familiar with each other.

“Eh? The more one acts, the higher they climb. But how come you kids are back to leading extras again? What nonsense! Just change your clothes. I’ve got a role for you tomorrow, a seven-eight day job. Don’t show your face here.”

The director had an open role today. He had asked the union a few days ago, but there was no reply till now. Seeing Lu Ze, he felt disinclined to try out other people and just directly work with Lu Ze.

“Director… that’s a bit impossible. I can’t do that. It’s not like you don’t know who these extras are today. I can’t take such blame.”

Lu Ze indeed couldn’t shoulder such blame. After agreeing to lead them, if he dumped them for a bit of money, their teacher had the means to take care of him. He honestly did not dare take the risk.

The director pondered for a bit and truly did not have anything to offer. Accepting a cigarette from Lu Ze, he waved and told him, “Go check out the site with Demolition Expert. Pay attention to safety.”

“Then I’ll take my leave! For your next play, look for me, and I’ll work for free! Forgive me!”

Thereupon, the demolition expert walked them through the scene. After sorting out who would be killed by the explosion and where, who would be shot down and where, and how would Lu Ze die, he gestured toward the director.

“It’s about to begin. Don’t run off blindly! You heard what he said, right? If you run out of the camera, only the director’s curses will await you. Don’t lose your teacher’s face!”

Stretching his arms and legs, Lu Ze got ready to lead them, intently staring at the clapperboard. As the students began to feel the nervousness and excitement, the director’s command came.

“Hengdian, Scene Six, Act 5, start!”