After Xiao Yao and Mu Ying had initial contact, they were very interested in each other, and seeing that the screening hall was ready to play the next short film, the two simply left the exhibition hall and went to a nearby café to continue chatting, and they also got to know each other better. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Mu Ying is twenty-eight years old this year, a native of Qilu, China, graduated from the directing department of Yenching Film Academy with a bachelor's degree, and has struggled in the film circle of Huaxia for several years after graduation, but because he has never got any decent opportunities, he has not directed a feature film. In order to make a living, he also worked as an advertising director in Huaxia for several years after graduation. After having a certain amount of savings, he gave up his job as an advertising director after always having the dream of directing feature films, and after a period of hard work, he was admitted to the directing department of the very famous USC School of Cinematic Arts in the United States for graduate school.

He has been at USC for more than two years and is not far from graduating. As a Chinese with no connections in the United States, although he has also joined several American crews as a student at USC, he has always been able to do work such as scene notes, not even an assistant director, let alone a director, so he carefully made an action short film and came to the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival to seek the opportunity to be the director.

Like Xiao Yao, his short film is also self-funded, written and directed, and even the actors are free to star in without pay. However, unlike Xiao Yao, he does not have such a star cast. His actors are all played by some of his classmates who have a good relationship at USC, and some of them are not even serious about acting.

Compared with Xiao Yao's unfamiliarity with Mu Ying, Mu Ying knows a lot more about Xiao Yao. Mu Ying came to the United States more than two years ago, and at that time Xiao Yao had just gone to the United States as an exchange student, and he was far less famous than he is now, but Mu Ying will also pay attention to the news and dynamics of the domestic entertainment industry in the past two years, and know that he is a talented musician who has been in the music industry in the past two years, which is why he immediately recognized Xiao Yao when he heard Xiao Yao's name just now. However, most of his impressions of Xiao Yao are still in music, and now he is naturally a little surprised to find that he appeared at the film festival.

He knew that Xiao Yao's grandfather and mother were both actors, and he had also acted in a TV series a few years ago, so it was not strange that he acted in short films, but the ID that Xiao Yao showed him was the director of the entry, indicating that the short film he directed was also one of the shortlisted works at this year's film festival, which was not as simple as him making a MV or spoofing United Airlines.

After an afternoon of talking, Mu Ying and Xiao Yao became much more familiar with each other. Xiao Yao admires his persistence and hard work for his dreams, and also admires his talent in film. Mu Ying also has a more specific understanding of Xiao Yao. Although Xiao Yao is not yet twenty years old, with a difference of nearly ten years with his age, after a conversation, Mu Ying quickly ignored Xiao Yao's age, whether it was his style of conversation or his views on movies, Mu Ying unconsciously put Xiao Yao in an equal position.

Compared with Fang Yi and Pei Minyi, Mu Ying is obviously more suitable to be Xiao Yao's companion at the film festival. The next morning, Xiao Yao and Mu Ying made an appointment to watch other short films screened at the film festival. After watching it, the two will also express some of their opinions on the short movies they have watched, so that the two have gradually become like-minded friends.

In the afternoon, when Xiao Yao's short film was screened, Mu Ying also appeared in the screening hall as scheduled and came to watch Xiao Yao's short film.

Seeing Xiao Yao's short film, Mu Ying, who has enough knowledge of the domestic entertainment industry, first expressed her amazement at Xiao Yao's cast. Just these people in the short film are casually enough to support the cast of a feature film.

Of course, Mu Ying didn't think that Xiao Yao's work could be shortlisted because it took advantage of the cast. Except for Lin Shaohua and Ye Jiaying, two Chinese stars who have appeared on the red carpet in Cannes, the other actors are basically unfamiliar to the French. And this short film festival will not simply look at the actors who are big enough to let a work be shortlisted, even those international big-name stars are not without supporting independent filmmakers to make independent films, and it is not uncommon for works not to be shortlisted.

Mu Ying's own short films are action movies, and his narrative rhythm is very distinctive, but the plot is relatively weak. And Xiao Yao's "Tuner" is a thriller, and the plot is precisely its biggest feature, which is very different from the style of his short film, Mu Ying also watched it with relish, and was easily attracted by Xiao Yao's short film.

Of course, this does not mean that Mu Ying's ability to make up stories is necessarily worse than Xiao Yao, it's just that the focus of action movies and feature films is different. However, in addition to the suspenseful plot, Xiao Yao's short film is also very distinctive in the composition of the picture and the use of light and shadow.

After the short film ended, Xiao Yao, like Mu Ying, walked to the stage to bow and thank the audience, and waited for the audience's questions and exchanges.

"May I ask the director, was the tuner killed by the old woman in the end?" asked a young white female audience member who raised her hand in concern.

"It's an open-ended ending, you think he's dead, he's dead. You think he survived, and he did. Xiao Yao said with a smile.

"I read that you wrote and directed it, but are you also a voyeur person? What do you think of these people with special fetishes? Do you think those people with special fetishes deserve to die?" another male viewer asked with a raised hand.

"Personally, I think we should all be tolerant of people with special fetishes, just like the transvestites and exhibitionists in the film, and I don't think it's a problem to do it in our own homes without affecting and hurting other people. As for voyeurism, I would say that probably everyone has a desire to peep into other people's lives, the difference is how far you let it go. Xiao Yao replied seriously, "I have secretly observed other passengers on the subway wearing sunglasses, which can also be regarded as a kind of voyeurism, but I don't think there is anything morally wrong." But if you take a telescope and peek at your neighbor taking a shower and changing clothes, that's a different story. ”

"Director, you look so young, can I ask how old you are, and I think you're even more handsome with a beard in the movie!" said a hot blonde viewer, who also drew a burst of laughter and a few teasing whistles from the audience.

"I refuse to answer the question of age, but it seems that if you look it up through the introduction of the video, you can find it out. Xiao Yao touched his chin and smiled bitterly, "As for my beard in the movie, it's fake." I don't think I'll be able to grow a beard like that in the next few years, so I feel hurt by your last words. ”

Listening to Xiao Yao's answer, the audience burst into laughter again.

Judging from the reaction of the audience, Xiao Yao's short film is obviously much more popular than Mu Ying's short film, but judging from the reactions of those professional film companies, the results of the two short films are still about the same for the time being. Now both have shown their short films once, and neither has yet aroused the interest of any studios or studios.

Fang still accompanied Xiao Yao to participate in the first screening of the short film, since no film company and film company came to Xiao Yao to talk about the film copyright and follow-up cooperation, she could leave without a job and continue to play.

On this side, Xiao Yao and Mu Ying got together again and chatted about topics related to movies.

"Is your movie really an open-ended ending?" Mu Ying asked Xiao Yao with a smile on the way around the film festival.

"Do you have a different opinion?" Xiao Yao also said with a smile.

"There are many clues in it, all of which indicate that there is only one fate for the protagonist in the end. Mu Ying said, "The protagonist failed in the piano competition because he was nervous at the beginning, which shows that his mental quality is not good." In that case, can he hide from the old woman who was unusually calm after killing someone? After the protagonist enters the door, the door lock rings three or four times, indicating that the old woman locked the door when she closes the door, but when she opens the door, it only rings once, indicating that she has no anti-lock, obviously she is suspicious of the protagonist, and the protagonist's schedule, the old woman takes the protagonist's clothes and comes out with a nail gun... With so many details, how is it possible for the protagonist to survive?"

"The director is the director, and he looks much more carefully than the audience. Xiao Yao smiled, "But it's boring to make it clear." ”

"This doesn't have a lot to do with whether it's a director or not, I'm just a detail controller. Mu Ying shook his head and smiled, "But it's amazing that you can think of so many small details when making up this story." ”

"Then are you interested in working with me on a project?" Xiao Yao asked Mu Yingdao.

"What kind of project?How to cooperate?" Mu Ying said with great interest.

"Movies, of course. Xiao Yao said, "Formal feature films, the kind that can be screened in theaters." We wrote the script together and co-directed it. ”

"Feature films? Of course I'm interested. Mu Ying said excitedly, "Do you have a film project in your hand?" So, let's find a place to sit down, and you can talk to me in detail." Let's go, I'll ask you for coffee. "Mu Ying came to the film festival to get the opportunity to direct a feature film, and now I hear Xiao Yao say that there is a project, even if it is a co-director, it is also the opportunity he dreamed of, how can he not be happy and excited?