After the Cannes Film Festival ended, Lee and Cheung flew to Bangkok the morning after the awards gala, and then spent just one day adjusting to the time difference, and then continued filming on the set of "Three Billboards".

On this night, the night sky of Amphawa was filled with a white crescent moon, accompanied by stars, like the lights of a thousand homes.

In a wide meadow outside the town, the crew of "Three Billboards" was setting up the set.

Tonight's scene is very important, and it can be said to be the scene that best reflects the power of the heroine.

The plot is that the heroine spends 2,000 yuan to rent three billboards outside the town that have been abandoned for a long time, and she writes about her daughter's case on the three billboards, and also accuses the town's police chief of inaction.

The chief of the small town police is actually a good man, he has helped a lot of people and has a good reputation in the town.

Because of the heroine's accusations, her relationship with the rest of the town is much more strained.

The small-town dentist tried to tease her, some people smashed the glass in her house, some people attacked her, and her ex-husband laughed at her, and then the lease period expired, and the billboard had to be renewed, but her money was not enough.

In such a situation, the heroine still insisted on erecting three billboards.

These three billboards are symbols of her feelings against the world, against unfair fate, and for her daughter, which can be said to be her belief in living.

On a dark and windy night, three billboards were set on fire.

The heroine happened to be passing by with her son, and when she saw the raging fire, she was furious and hurriedly took out the fire extinguisher from the car, and her son was afraid that she was in danger and prevented her from putting out the fire, and she yelled at her son.

That's the story.

In Lee Shengyao's previous life, McDormand, the heroine of "Three Billboards", performed very well when performing this scene, with a shocking effect, especially a roar at her son, as if the heroine burst out from the depths of her soul after ten years of unwillingness, grievance, anger, and sadness.

Just one sentence made the audience goosebumps.

Li Shengyao has now written the script of the Chinese version of "Three Billboards", in order to make the heroine's performance more tense, his heroine is more feminine, and she usually looks like an urban woman.

Instead of being like the American version, the heroine is the image of a man's wife.

Since there are gentle scenes, it is natural that there must be explosive scenes, so that there can be contrasts and better highlight the character of the heroine.

So this scene is very important, whether this movie can stand up or not, this scene has at least fifty percent of the factors.

Zhang Manyu is very clear about her current situation, she also understands the quality of her acting skills, and knows her strengths and weaknesses.

Comparatively speaking, her explosiveness is not that good.

And this scene requires her to have a strong outburst.

In order to play this role well, she knew that Liang Jiahui's family was traveling in Tyrande at this time, so she invited Liang Jiahui to come over and help her staff officers.

At this time, in a corner of the set, Liang Jiahui's wife and two daughters were sitting together eating fruit, and next to them, Liang Jiahui and Zhang Manyu were discussing in a low voice.

Lee was on the other side of the set, and he was moving around the filming set.

Regarding this scene, Li Shengyao has long taken Zhang Manyu to familiarize himself with all the performance steps, but in order to present the best effect.

At this time, there was time, and Li Shengyao moved alone.

William Chan stood behind Zhang Manyu and Leung Jiahui, listening quietly, he played Zhang Manyu's son, a total of only three minutes of play.

But two of the most important plays are the most important.

Even though his performance wasn't difficult, he was nervous.

Fortunately, in order to keep him from dragging his feet, Li Shengyao played with him for three nights in a row, and kept praising him, which gave him a little confidence.

Soon after, the cast was ready.

Lee then asked the prop master to light the fire, while waving his hand for the film crew to prepare.

"Whoa!"

The billboard poured with gasoline burned up, and it was very conspicuous in the flat night.

Zhang Manyu had already entered the performance state, opened the trunk of the car, picked up the fire extinguisher, and then rushed over.

William Chan followed, and after being stunned for a moment, he stepped forward to stop Zhang Manyu.

"Danger, Mom, don't go over."

"Don't stop me, get out of the way."

"Mom."

"Xiaohui!"

Xiaohui is his son's name, the light and dark firelight, Zhang Manyu looked at his son and roared.

Seeing this, William Chan was stunned.

Li Shengyao was worried that William Chan's acting skills were not up to standard, and the audience watched the play, and the role of "son" here was more wooden and had no expression.

Under such an arrangement, William Chan finally did not lag behind, and Zhang Manyu's performance was even better, she shouted Mandarin, and she was still full of various emotions, which could make the audience feel her mood at this time.

After the performance of this part of the plot was completed, Li Shengyao was stunned for a few seconds before he reacted.

"Card, it's good, the show is great, touch up the makeup, let's do it a few more times."

Li Shengyao shouted, waking up the others, these people came back to their senses, and then subconsciously clapped their hands.

Ten minutes later, the second shot began.

"Xiaohui!"

When the flame was burning, Zhang Manyu shouted out her son's name, just like just now, hearing her shout made people feel goosebumps.

The onlookers thought that they had watched it before, and there should be no reaction at this time, but looking at the performances of Zhang Manyu and William Chan, they were stunned again.

After the assistant director shouted the card, the scene remembered the applause again.

Liang Jiahui also clapped his hands.

Li Shengyao walked over, "Liang Sheng, what do you think?" ”

"Very good, Ayu hasn't acted for a few years, but her foundation is still there, and after a few years of training, I feel that her spirit is stronger, and she naturally performed this scene, I think it's great."

Li Shengyao smiled and nodded.

The experience of an actor is very important, although Zhang Manyu has not acted in recent years, she has experienced all kinds of things, which makes her more mature, maybe not as spiritual as when she was young, but in terms of the explosiveness of acting, she is better than when she was young.

"Liang Sheng, do you think there is anything that needs to be improved?"

Liang Jiahui thought for a while, "I'll sit behind the director's monitor with you and take a look." ”

When Zhang Manyu performed for the third time, Li Shengyao and Liang Jiahui sat behind the director's monitor to watch.

Because there is a large close-up of the face, all the expressions of the actors can be seen, and it is clear at a glance whether the emotions are in place.

Zhang Manyu acted very well.

Lee felt that it was similar to the McDormand he remembered, and he wasn't sure if he would still maintain this view in a month or two months, at least for now, he thought it was great.

In order to find the best performance, he still wants to try it a few more times.

Not only the actor, but also the photographer and the gaffer have to try.

From different angles, different camera positions, and different ways of moving, to find the best viewing effect.

And, of course, ask the actors what they think.

After Liang Jiahui finished reading it, he closed his eyes and thought about it, "Director Li, this scene is very exciting, but I think there is a little less Ayu's style." ”

When Li Shengyao heard this, he quickly understood what Liang Jiahui meant.

Zhang Manyu's delicate performance and smart and rich facial expressions are top-notch in the world film industry.

This scene has always highlighted a sense of power, and the expression is much simpler.

Li Shengyao was influenced by McDormand, and he was not sure which one would have a better effect, so he and Liang Jiahui found Zhang Manyu, told him what he had just said, and then asked Zhang Manyu what he meant.

Zhang Manyu thought for a while, "No problem, I'll come back a few times." ”

Then I shot it four more times, and in these four times, Zhang Manyu's performance was more delicate, and she still yelled at her son, but when she turned around, there was a circle of tears in her eyes, she snorted, and moved her mouth slightly, as if to comfort her son, but after all, she didn't turn around, but continued to move forward.

The change in expression is very short, about two seconds.

Several assistant directors, Dapeng, Bi Gan, and Wen Muye, they all looked stupid, and they felt like they were watching immortals.

Li Shengyao was the first to react and applauded.

……

"Three Billboards" is progressing very quickly, there is no difficulty in this scene, mainly because of the actors' acting skills, and the most important thing is Zhang Manyu, sixty percent of the scenes are on her, and thirty percent of the scenes are on Ren Dahua, and only one percent is assigned to other roles.

Under such circumstances, Zhang Manyu and Ren Dahua performed well, and the filming work progressed very quickly.

Entering June, "Three Billboards" has reached the end of the set.

At ten o'clock in the morning of this day, the crew members of "Three Billboards" prepared in a small building.

Today's real scene is also very important, and this is a very important reversal of this movie.

"Three Billboards" won the Best Screenplay Award at the Venice Film Festival, which is definitely well deserved, and the script of this movie is really well written, with constant reversals and full of tension.

The roles are constantly changing.

In the plot, at the beginning, the heroine looks vulnerable, her daughter was raped and killed, and the murderer has never been found, so she has to rent billboards and use insulting words to stimulate the police chief, hoping that the police station will continue to investigate her daughter's case.

And the residents of the town are disgusted with the heroine, they feel that the police chief is not wrong, and the other police are also troubleshooting the heroine, and the police chief is in a strong position at this time.

Just when the audience sympathizes with the heroine, the story ushers in the first big reversal.

The police chief finds the heroine and wants her to take down the billboard, and tells the heroine that they have done their best, but their ability is limited, and they just can't solve the case.

The heroine doesn't believe it.

At this time, the two negotiated, the police chief was condescending and still in a strong position, and the heroine was thin and in a weak position.

Suddenly, the chief of police who was talking coughed up a pool of blood, and the blood sprayed on the heroine's face.

Only then did the audience know that the chief of police had an incurable disease and had at most half a year to live, and he had submitted his resignation to his superiors and would leave at the end of the month.

The plot ushered in the first major reversal.

What I'm going to shoot today is the plot of the police chief coughing up blood.

The actor naturally can't really cough up blood, here Ren Dahua is a coughing action, and then blood splashed and splashed on Zhang Manyu's face, using editing to complete the plot.

The focus is on the expressions of the two characters.

The police chief was stunned, and there was a hint of despair, he didn't expect that he would cough up blood uncontrollably, and realized that the condition was more than the doctor's diagnosis.

The heroine was stunned, there was a trace of pity, a trace of remorse, she didn't expect the police chief to be seriously ill, she knew that although this person did not solve her daughter's case, he was a good person, she felt sorry in her heart and regretted it a little.

The American version of the treatment, the heroine shouted "baby" here, and the Chinese version naturally can't shout like this, Li Shengyao shouted "Lao Liu" instead.

The police chief's surname is Liu.

Zhang Manyu and Ren Dahua have practiced many times before, and at this time they are sitting on a chair and preparing with their eyes closed.

In another corner of the set, Lee and Ang Lee stood together and talked in a low voice.

Ang Lee was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with a pair of slacks, looking like an ordinary grocery shopping uncle.

This time, he came to Bangkok to participate in the Wanwan Film Festival and give the Wanwan Film Platform.

Soon after, the on-site workers were ready, and then the official shooting began.

Ang Lee stood aside and watched quietly.

The more he looked, the more surprised he became, and occasionally looked at Li Shengyao's gaze, full of approval.

The crew of "Three Billboards" is composed of Chinese, Tyrande locals, Mandarin, English, and Thai, but the whole is very quiet and there is no noise.

Whether it's the main actors, or extras, they are very focused.

The field workers are very orderly and efficient.

If he hadn't known that this was Lee Shengyao's crew, he might have thought that this was a full-fledged Hollywood production crew.

The division of labor between actors, field workers, assistant directors, and directors is very clear, everyone knows what they have to do, and the set runs smoothly and efficiently.

Ang Lee has seen a lot of sets in the mainland, Hong Kong Island, and Hollywood, and he feels that Lee Shengyao's control over the set has reached the top level.

He couldn't help but think of when he was in his early thirties, when he was still studying, watching movies and writing scripts at home, and relying on his wife's work to support him.

He didn't start directing his first film until he was thirty-six years old.

People are more than people, and they really can't be compared.

Thinking of the plot of "Three Billboards" just told by Li Shengyao, Zhang Manyu and Ren Dahua's excellent performances, if such a movie doesn't win awards, what movie can win awards?

Li Ang waited for Li Shengyao for two hours, and they had dinner together at noon, and after eating, Li Ang said the purpose of this time.

"Director Li, I came here this time to invite you to serve as the chief seal of the jury of this year's Golden Horse Awards."

Ang Lee is an elegant person, speaking slowly and leisurely, with his rhythm.

"This year's Golden Horse Awards must be fair and just, the mainland, Hong Kong Island, and crooked films will compete together, and they will not divide pork, will not operate in the dark, will not discriminate against mainland works, and will not praise crooked actors and directors."

When Li Shengyao heard this, he frowned slightly, "Director Li, I'm afraid I'm not suitable, I'm a representative of the country, and I should be making "La La Land" in November, and I don't have time to spend about ten days to bend." ”

Li An looked left and right, and then said: "Director Li, everyone knows your ability, and a ten-day delay will not affect your film production. ”

To bend and mix, it is better to exert force in the new Malaysia.

"Director Li, I know what you think, but I really can't."

When Li An heard this, the disappointment on his face was overflowing, "Director Li, we can develop together." ”

This time when he came to the crew of "Three Billboards" to visit the class, he was even more sure that Lee Shengyao had a great future and an unlimited future.

He hopes that Wanwan Film will befriend Li Shengyao, which will be beneficial to Wanwan filmmakers.

Li Shengyao smiled, "Director Li, there will be a chance in the future." ”

When the high-speed rail is repaired to the chicken coop, then you can go to the bend.

Li An was stunned when he heard this, thought for a while and said, "Director Li, we still have to help each other in the future." ”

"Of course."

In 2007, Lao Mouzi was the chief seal of the jury of the Venice Film Festival, and "Lust and Caution" won the Golden Lion Award.

In 2009, Ang Lee was the chief judge of the Venice Film Festival, and mainland director Du Haibing's "1428" won the best documentary.

It doesn't mean that there must be a deal behind the scenes, it's okay for everyone to help each other.

Li An was slightly relieved to see Li Shengyao's refreshment.

Before he came here, he had heard many people in the film and television industry say that Li Shengyao was not good at talking.

That is, a few years ago, I cooperated with Chai Zhiping and made a few youth movies, which made a lot of money, and I didn't cooperate with crooked filmmakers in the future.

But he had several interactions with Li Shengyao, and he felt that Li Shengyao was very easy to talk.

(End of chapter)