As expected, two days later, the crew of "American Beauty" sent a notice that Chris had been selected to play the role of Richie, asking him to sign a contract. Pen~Fun~Pavilion www.biquge.info Chris finally joined "American Beauty" with a salary of 300,000. This is still won under Allen's hard negotiations, after all, the budget of a movie is limited, and after guaranteeing a high salary for a protagonist like Kevin Spacey, giving Chris 300,000 is already good. Excluding the 20% paid to Allen and some other expenses, Chris can almost receive more than 200,000 from the Actors Guild, which is a lot of income, which makes Li Ping, who was just a teacher in his previous life, both excited and sighing. After that, Chris returned to his aunt's house for a happy Thanksgiving, and only returned to Hollywood in the reluctance of his family to inform the crew that the movie would start filming soon.

Filming of "American Beauty" is scheduled to begin on Dec. 14, and it was shot primarily at Warner Bros. locations in Los Angeles and Burbank, California. Prior to this, Chris had been in contact with the crew, especially the cast of the film, for some time. A film is the result of a team collaboration under the direction of the director, and it is difficult to achieve the desired effect if you are not familiar with each other. Some directors like to close off the actors before the filming of the movie, so that they can eat and live together, so as to cultivate their tacit understanding. Thankfully, Sam Manders didn't, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to spend Thanksgiving with our families.

The hotel arranged by the crew was a little far away, and when Chris arrived in a hurry, the main actors and main creative staff of the movie had basically arrived, which made Chris feel a little embarrassed. Fortunately, the crew didn't mind much. For a big crew like "American Beauty", there are almost more than 100 people who arrived first. At first, Chris was a little reserved in the face of a large number of strangers, but now he is much better.

"Come on, Chris, I'll introduce you to Mina Suvali, our Angela actor, Mina, this is Chris Vince." As soon as Chris appeared, Sam Manders called him to him and gestured to a blonde girl.

"Hello, Mina, nice to meet you." Chris greeted her with a smile, this was the first time he had met Mina Suwali, who had missed the meeting because she was going to shoot a commercial, so this beautiful figure only existed in the films he had seen.

"Hello, Chris." At this time, Mina Suvali looked very shy, with two small dimples on her cheeks when she laughed, far from her confident, arrogant, and pretended to be mature in the movie. She looked particularly beautiful in a light yellow jacket with a youthful touch of light blue jeans.

"Hi Chris! Someone seems to be late. Kevin Spacey stepped up from behind him and slapped him hard, followed by Annette Bening and Sola Burch, whom Chris had already met.

Every time I see Kevin Spacey, Chris thinks of Francis Underwood in the American drama "House of Cards", which was released at that time by Li Ping. He was cold and treacherous, and Li Ping was deeply impressed by the image of a politician in the city. Unexpectedly, in private, Kevin Spacey is an excellent person to get along with. Although he has won an Oscar for acting, he has no style, can talk to anyone, and has a great sense of humor, and can often make everyone laugh. Director Sam Menders is also very happy with Kevin in the crew to adjust the atmosphere of everyone.

And Annette Bening is also the kind of actor that Li Ping admires very much, who shines in the play, but seems very ordinary in life. Her acting skills are undoubted, and the achievement of 4 Oscar nominations is not something anyone can achieve, but her luck is too bad, and until Li Ping crossed, she still did not realize her dream.

Although Sora Birch is the youngest member of the crew, she is a child actress, performing on stage at the age of 4 and winning an acting award at the age of 6. She has beautiful reddish-brown hair and looks attractive.

"Oh! It turned out to be Uncle Lester, aren't you smoking enough marijuana? I still have good stuff, would you like to try it? After Chris turned to greet the three of them, he suddenly made a joke about Kevin Spacey with the scene from the movie, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his expression extremely serious.

"Richie, what's your new purchase, and the price is the same as the last time I got from you?" Kevin Spacey was slightly startled, then leaned forward, and lowered his voice as if he really wanted to make a deal.

"Haha...... Haha...... "Everyone around them was amused by the two of them, Mina and Sora laughed the loudest.

The whole morning was spent in the crew and actors communicating with each other and getting acquainted with each other. After lunch, the main creative staff saw that everyone knew each other, so they gathered everyone together, and the director team informed everyone of tomorrow's shooting plan. An hour later, the director asked everyone to rest and get ready for tomorrow's shooting, and the crew dispersed.

"Hey! Chris, what are you going to do next? Chris walked to the door and was about to go upstairs to his room when he was stopped by Sora Birch. He turned to see Mina Suvali with blonde hair snuggling up to her.

"I'd like to go back to my room and familiarize myself with the script again." Chris looked at the two of them and said with some confusion.

"Just familiarize yourself with the script tomorrow, otherwise the state will be gone before the start of filming, which I know best." Sora waved her hand lightly in front of Chris, "Mina and I want to go outside, we need a gentleman to accompany us." ”

Chris was a little amused by Sora's appearance as a senior, but he was a little confused when he heard them call him out together. "Why me?" He wondered.

Sora's wide eyes widened and she rolled her eyes in disbelief, "Hey! Wouldn't you like to accompany us, Chris! ”

Mina Suvali tugged at Sora's sleeve and shook her head slightly, as if she was nervous about her friend. Looking at Mina's small movements, Chris couldn't help but think of the personalities of the two of them in the movie, and it was hard to believe that the personalities of the two in reality were just opposite.

"Of course not, it's my pleasure to walk with two beautiful women." Chris stepped over, wrapped his left hand around his back, raised his right hand forward, half-arched in a gentlemanly motion, and smiled.

"Good, keep up." Sora straightened up and looked like a haughty aristocratic lady, while Mina, who was beside him, had only time to throw a shy and apologetic look at Chris before being led forward by Sora.

In '98, Burbank already had the appearance of the "media capital of the world", and from time to time you can see staff carrying photographic equipment walking by on the street. The two girls chattered non-stop in front, and Chris basically couldn't wipe the words, and could only slowly enjoy the style of Burbank in the late 90s. Looking at the figures all over the street wearing some retro clothes for Chris, who has the soul of the 21st century, he was in a trance in front of him, as if there was an unreal and very special feeling.

Sora and Mina were walking in front of them, and suddenly they felt no movement behind them, and they turned to see Chris alone and stopped there like a goose. Seeing him like this, Sora ran to him a little angrily, "Hey! Chris, what are you thinking? Mina asks you! ”

"Huh? What the? "Chris hasn't come to his senses yet.

"Poof!" Seeing him like this, Sora and Mina suddenly sneered.

"Hey! What are you laughing at? Chris asked, frowning.

"Haha...... You should look at the look on your face, you look so stupid......" Sora said with a smile on her face.

"Hehe, I'm thinking about something." Chris didn't care, smiled and waved his hand.

Mina also lowered her head and snickered, she was a very sensitive, shy, somewhat introverted girl, but she felt very comfortable in front of Chris and Sora. Maybe it would be nice to be filming with them, she thought to herself.

After chatting, they gradually became familiar with each other, and the three of them became lively. They talked and laughed and walked around the place where the studio was, and did not return to the hotel until the sun stretched their shadows.

Early the next morning, the entire crew hurried to the set. The actors prepare their makeup, and the crew begins to set up the scenes and adjust the equipment.

"Alright guys, it's time, it's time for us to get to work." Director Sam Menders is very happy with the harmonious atmosphere of the current crew, he attaches great importance to this film, he has a lot of ideas for this story that need more editing time to realize, and in order to be able to reserve more editing time, it is important to finish the film as soon as possible.

The director briefly explained to the actors and crew what he was going to shoot today. Chris plays Richie, who only has a few scenes.

After the actors put on their makeup, everything is ready, and the filming officially begins.

The first scene: Caroline cutting flowers outside the Leicester house in her well-tended flower bed.

With the director's "action! ”

Cinematographer Conrad Hull focuses on the scene where Caroline, played by Annette Bening, cuts flowers. First, a close-up of a beautiful, dewy "American beauty" rose appears on camera, full of shape and bright colors. Then the camera slowly descended, and a pair of gloved hands and a pair of gardening scissors entered the frame to cut out the rose. Then the camera continues to pull away, and we see Caroline in the garden in front of the house, who is cutting flowers and putting them in a flower basket; There was no hesitation on her face, which lacked a sense of humor; Even when she was working in the garden, she was impeccably dressed, dressed in a color-coordinated gardening outfit, surrounded by a large number of useful but expensive tools.

“cut！” Director Sam Menders suddenly shouted.

"Anne, although you have to be expressionless and clean when you cut flowers, when you pick up the flowers in your hand, you can have a slightly smug and intoxicated look. Do you understand? He gestured to Benin.

Each director has their own characteristics on set, they will have a serious expression or shout or be silent, and at the end of the day, they want to keep the process and the outcome under their control. Perhaps because of his background as a stage director, Sam Menders has a mild-mannered and delicate temperament, and he will express his opinions in the subtleties.

"Conrad, note that when Rose and Caroline are in the same shot, focus on Caroline's face, okay, let's do it again." After seeing the expressions received by Benin and Hull nodding, the shooting continued.

Chris watched from the sidelines and sighed that Annette Bening's acting skills were really extraordinary, and although Sam Mendes was directing a film for the first time, he didn't look jerky at all. Only the first scene was shot, showing his excellent art direction skills, and the experience of directing stage plays made him more refined and aesthetic in terms of pictures.

Sam Menders' style meant that the shoot was bound to be a long one, with almost every shot he had to try several times before he got through. This also made the scene that Chris was originally going to shoot in the morning moved to the afternoon. However, Chris enjoyed watching other actors act, and while watching, he was also comparing and learning, and gradually he found that although his performance was very emotional, it lacked some technical things, and sometimes it could cause the role to get out of control.

"Sam is doing a good job at the moment." Bruce Cohen, who was also watching the filming from the sidelines, turned to his partner Dan Jinx.

"yes, I don't think we need to worry about shooting, I hope his editing skills are just as good." Dan Jinx seemed relieved, after all, it was the first time that their production company had made its debut, and using Sam Menders, a rookie film director, despite Spielberg's recommendation, was quite risky.

After refilming a series of scenes inside the Leicester house, it was already noon, and after lunch and a period of rest, the crew continued to work.

"Alright, here's the inside scene of the Colonel's family having breakfast in the kitchen!" The directing director shouted. The crew shifted to Fitz's house-kitchen, and Chris hurried to follow. His facial features are three-dimensional, and his face is also very clean, so he doesn't need to spend a lot of effort on makeup, just rubbing a little powder.

"Camera OK," Conrad said, "action!" The director shouted, and filming began. Chris let out a sigh of relief and immediately put himself into Richie's state. He slowly walked into the filming location - the kitchen.

Chris saw his mother, Barbara Fitz, standing in front of the stove with a blank look in her eyes, frying steak. My mother is in her 50s, and although she looks beautiful, she has no vitality, as if she has no soul in her shell. He watched as his mother mechanically churned the steak, but his eyes looked away. There seemed to be helplessness, depression, sadness, and a hint of anger in Chris's eyes. It was his father--- Colonel Frank Fitz, who caused all this. He was sitting in a small dining room watching the Wall Street Journal. They all seem to be locked up in their own little world, but they seem to prefer their own one. Chris didn't dare to disturb his father's world, he knew what the consequences were, and he hated himself a little for his cowardice.

He just walked up to his mother, and Barbara, as if suddenly noticing his appearance, said in surprise, "Honey, are you okay?" ”

"I don't eat steak, do you remember, Mom?" Chris said helplessly.

Barbara looked indifferent: "I must have forgotten, I'm so sorry." ”

Chris was no longer surprised by this, he served himself food, and then walked to the table to sit with his father.

"Any news, Daddy?" He saw his father reading the newspaper intently, and asked casually.

"The country is falling into hell." The colonel replied with an angry expression and a firm tone.

"Then nothing has changed." Chris Dao.

At this time, the doorbell suddenly remembered to ring. The family looked at each other in surprise.

Chris looked at his mother with surprise in his eyes, he was definitely not his father's friend, he hated others the most for no reason, could it be his mother? Is it a mother who has been oppressed by her father for a long time?

The Colonel shouted at Barbara, "Who are you waiting for?"

"No," Mom replied, and then she thought again, "No." ”

The Colonel got up and walked to the living room, a little out of breath. Curious, Chris followed. Mom was standing there, a little scared.

“good！ Conrad, let's take another exterior view, from the kitchen window to see Barbara cooking. The shot passed after two shots, and Sam Manders seemed pleased with the success of the shoot, shouting excitedly to the cameraman.

Although the performance of this scene is not very difficult for Chris, it is also very laborious to show Richie's psychological changes in just a few scenes. Chris came out of the play and sat down in a kitchen chair to rest, somewhat sluggish.

"That's nice, dear." Actress Alison Gianney, who plays Richie's mother, came to Chris's side and touched his head and said, "I can see your concern and helplessness in your eyes, Chris, I heard that this is the first important role you played, you are such a talented actor." ”

"Thank you, Alicent, for doing a great job." Chris immediately replied complimentarily.

"Alison, let Chris go, he's going to make a background for the next shot." The Colonel's actor, Chris Cooper, interjected in a serious manner. His face was naturally cold, making him look serious even if he was joking. Chris seems to remember that he will also have a wonderful performance in the "Spy" series in the future. Chris and Allison were both amused by Chris Cooper's expression.

"Come on, Mr. Chris Cooper, you're not fit for the humorous route." Kevin Spacey suddenly walked over and said with a smile.

"Really?" Chris Cooper muttered in a wry voice.

The people around him laughed even harder when they saw it......

Today's filming progress is good, and "American Beauty" is the first day of construction, so the crew ended early in the afternoon. Thanks to the sound union system in the United States, the rights and interests of American cast and crew are fully guaranteed. The actor's normal working hours are 8 hours a day, and if the working hours exceed 8 hours, the actor will be paid 1.5 times the salary, and if the work exceeds 10 hours, the salary will be doubled. Weekend work is double, and holidays may be triple. When the producer violates the relevant regulations, the union will ask a lawyer to file a lawsuit. Union members report violations to the producers in accordance with the union charter at any time, and the union regularly sends supervisors to inspect the filming site.

The crew arranged a hotel for the actors nearby. Chris was back in the staff's car, which made him realize that he needed to prepare a car to get around. Along the way, he was calculating whether he had enough money to spend.

"Fortunately, ordinary cars in the United States are still very cheap." Chris thought to himself, and the sense of savings from the Chinese in his body made him always think about spending money. He didn't realize that his days as a Hollywood movie star were coming soon.