FYN Chapter 63 MV Finished Product Release
Chapter 63 MV Finished Product Release
January 11th, morning.
When Li Si'an arrived at the editing room of Beijing Film Studio, Zhang Yibai was already sitting there. The curtains were drawn tightly, and the only light in the room came from the monitors.
The screen freezes on a scene—Zhou Xun is lying on a hospital bed, her hand loose, and the silver-gray Motorola StarTAC falls onto the blanket.
"You're here?" Zhang Yibai stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, gestured with his chin toward the screen, and said, "Take a look."
The editor pressed play.
The entire music video is a little over four minutes long. Li Si'an leaned back in her chair and watched it from beginning to end.
It's about 70-80% similar to the version by Michael Wong that he remembers—the rented house, the convertible truck, the kissing and nosebleed, the concert hall, the hospital room with hands hanging down, all the main scenes are there.
However, Zhang Yibai's camera work is different from the original, and the transition rhythm is also different. In some places, the editing is more crisp, while in others, he is more willing to leave blank spaces.
Zhou Xun's performance was far more sophisticated and vivid than the original.
In the scene at the rented apartment, she reached out a finger from the side and pressed the intro, tilting her head to look at him, the corners of her mouth turned up, and her eyes carrying a smug look of "See, here it is."
That playful charm wasn't something she acted out; it was something she brought into herself.
The original female lead was also sweet, but Zhou Xun's sweetness had a lively quality to it, like a cat that would rub against you and then run away, only to turn back and glance at you again.
The image finally focused on her face. Her eyes were closed, her hand was loose, and the phone had fallen onto the blanket. The screen was still lit, and the word "Calling" was clearly visible.
The scene faded out. A few seconds of silence followed in the editing room.
Li Si'an leaned back in her chair and didn't move for a long time.
He knows everything about how this film was made from beginning to end, how each shot was designed, and how Zhou Xun's performance was delivered.
Logically speaking, creators are least likely to get into the story when looking at their own work.
But the moment Zhou Xun released her hand on the screen, his nose still stung slightly. A faint, rising sensation from his nasal cavity made him swallow.
If even he can be moved by a film, what will the average viewer think?
This film is a sure thing!
"How is it?" Zhang Yibai lit a cigarette and took a puff.
"It's even better than I expected," Li Si'an praised.
Zhang Yibai put a cigarette in his mouth, took another tape from beside the editing table, and put it into the VCR. "This is the 30-second GG version."
The GG version is more compactly edited. Six shots, clean and crisp.
The final shot focuses on the phone, a silver-gray Motorola StarTAC, flip-open, standing on a piano lid, the screen lit up, the word "Calling" clearly visible.
Then the image fades out, and a line of text appears: "Motorola, bringing hearts closer."
Zhang Yibai ejected the two tapes from the machine, along with the master tape of "Fairy Tale," and put them into a small black box, then pushed it to Li Si'an.
"The master tape, the finished music video, and the GG version—two copies are all inside. Here you go."
Li Si'an took the box: "Director Zhang, I have an appointment with Motorola tomorrow morning to discuss the GG sponsorship. Would you like to come with me?"
Zhang Yibai leaned back in his chair and took the cigarette out of his mouth. "Why should I go? You can talk to them."
"You're a director," Li Si'an said, looking at him.
"Why is this film so moving? How are the emotions conveyed? What makes Zhou Xun's performance so good? You need to explain these things to them professionally. I can't explain them clearly."
Zhang Yibai didn't respond.
"Besides, Motorola is such a big multinational company. If you go there and become a familiar face, then if they need to make a film or TV show, you'll be the first person they think of, right?"
Li Si'an leaned back in her chair and smiled. "Isn't filming 'GG' for them better than filming a music video for a nobody like me?"
Zhang Yibai stared at him for two seconds, then put the cigarette back in his mouth and smiled.
"Okay. I'll go with you tomorrow."
Li Si'an stood up, carrying her suitcase. "That's perfect. We finished our discussion this morning. This afternoon, come back to the company with me, and I'll settle the remaining payment for you."
Zhang Yibai waved his hand. "Hurry up and go."
Li Si'an pushed open the door and went out. The corridor was quiet, with the fluorescent lights humming. After walking a few steps, she heard Zhang Yibai's voice coming from the half-open door of the editing room.
"Did you see that? This kid, only eighteen. He's got a better grasp of social dynamics than we do. He's a real shrewd one."
The editor chuckled twice and said something, but it was unclear.
Li Si'an didn't stop walking, her lips twitched slightly, and she carried her suitcase downstairs.
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When Li Si'an returned to the store with her suitcase, she pushed open the door and saw Zhang Ziyi sitting behind the counter, legs crossed, holding a bottle of Beibingyang soda, and flipping through a copy of "Popular Cinema".
Tang Yun squatted down next to the freezer, arranging soda bottles. She looked up at him, didn't say anything, but had a smile on her lips.
"Hey, Zhang, you're here again." Li Si'an put the suitcase on the counter. "What brings you here again?"
"What do you mean 'here again'? Just because you own this store doesn't mean I can't come here!" Zhang Ziyi snapped the magazine shut. "I came to see Tang Yun, not to see you."
Tang Yun chuckled beside her.
Li Si'an grabbed a bottle of cola from the freezer, pried open the cap, and took a sip. "By the way, what was your score on the college entrance exam?"
Zhang Ziyi placed the soda bottle on the counter, her chin slightly raised, showing no embarrassment whatsoever. "Two hundred and eighty-something."
"Two hundred and eighty?" Li Si'an raised an eyebrow. "What's the cutoff score for the Central Academy of Drama this year?"
"The minimum is 280." Zhang Ziyi crossed her legs, her mouth practically stretched to her ears in a wide grin.
"Director Sun had originally put in a good word for me, saying he could let me win the Taoli Cup and get a special admission. But I didn't expect that my own test score would also be above the passing line."
"Great job, Zhang!" Li Si'an picked up her soda bottle and clinked it against hers. "Then your place at the Central Academy of Drama is in the bag."
"It's all set!" Zhang Ziyi took a big gulp of Arctic Ocean water, exhaled, and said, "September is the start of the semester, and I'll be a student at the Central Academy of Drama."
Li Si'an leaned against the counter, watching her excited expression, and suddenly remembered a report she had read in her past life.
When Zhang Ziyi was a freshman at the Central Academy of Drama, she couldn't finish her coursework and would hide away and cry, even threatening to drop out. The Central Academy of Drama is a strict place with demanding coursework; it's not something you can just coast through.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
"Happy Zhang, I've heard that the Central Academy of Drama is a tough place to study. You should be mentally prepared."
Zhang Ziyi waved her hand dismissively. "Studying is tough? For six years at the Beijing Dance Academy Affiliated High School, every single day I got up at six in the morning to practice. I cried from stretching my legs, and rehearsed until midnight. What's a little bit of hardship?"
Li Si'an looked at her, wanting to say that what she was going to suffer was not physical pain, but the kind of pain of not being able to finish her homework, not being recognized by the teacher, and having classmates who were all better than her.
He thought about it and decided against it. Some pitfalls are best avoided; what others say doesn't matter. Besides, didn't she manage to navigate them smoothly in her past life and become an international star?
"Okay." Li Si'an picked up the soda bottle. "As long as you know what's going on."
Zhang Ziyi rolled her eyes at him. "Why are you acting like my mom?"
Tang Yun smiled to herself, standing to the side.
The next morning, at 8:30, a Santana was parked in front of the store.
Li Si'an changed into a clean white shirt and dark gray trousers, with the sleeves rolled up to her forearms.
He tucked the small black box under his arm, greeted Tang Yun, and went out the door. He opened the car door and got into the passenger seat, glancing at him.
Did you bring the things?
"I brought it."
The car started and headed towards Jimen Bridge. In August in Beijing, the sun was high in the sky early in the morning, shining brightly and glaringly. Zhou Weidong gripped the steering wheel and glanced at Li Si'an.
"Why did you suddenly decide to bring Zhang Yibai along?"
Li Si'an leaned back in her chair. "Zhang Yibai is talented. Taking him along is just a favor, why not? It won't cost us anything."
Zhou Weidong gripped the steering wheel and glanced at him again. His eyes held a mixture of surprise and relief. His lips twitched, but he said nothing, turning back to continue driving.
As the car turned onto Jimen Bridge, the gray buildings of the Beijing Film Studio's residential area could be seen in the distance.
Zhang Yibai was already standing by the roadside, wearing a dark gray T-shirt and holding a cigarette. Zhou Weidong pulled over, and Zhang Yibai opened the car door and got into the back seat.
"Director Zhang." Li Si'an turned around and nodded to him.
Zhang Yibai stubbed out his cigarette. "Let's go."
The car started again and drove towards Jianguomenwai Street. Li Si'an placed the small black suitcase on her lap and tapped her fingers lightly on the handle.
The car drove forward on Jianguomenwai Street. The Motorola Building came into view in the distance—a gray-blue glass curtain wall building, gleaming in the August sun.
The Motorola logo stands on the rooftop, with that prominent "M" letter that can be seen from a great distance.
Zhou Weidong slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road.
"arrive."
Li Si'an got off the car carrying his suitcase, stood by the roadside, and looked up at the building. Zhang Yibai stood next to him, lit a cigarette, and took a puff.
"nervous?"
"Don't be nervous." Li Si'an switched the suitcase to her other hand. "Let's go."
The three people crossed the road and walked towards the glass door.