Chapter 135 Director at Work

"Well, this design is good, but..." Looking at the drawings of gun weapons on the round table, Wang Yang frowned and thought for a while, he looked at the prop artist Drew Petrota, art designer Kevin Kavanav and others at the table, and said: "I think it can be bolder. I mean its appearance, you know, it may not be the appearance of a human gun, let it go and design it!"

Since completing the acquisition of the image engine and blogger in mid-June, he has officially started to form the crew of "The Ninth District".

After the results of "When Happiness Comes Knocking" and "Juno", an Oscar winner, a 19-year-old Oscar winner, and a 21-year-old youngest Golden Globe Award for Best Director, the title of magic director continues, but not many people think he is just a baby worth mentioning. Coupled with his generous salary and enthusiastic attitude, he spent more than half a month looking for it and finally completed the entire crew.

In terms of actors, except for Robert Downey Jr., several other important actors such as father-in-law, wife, army colonel, etc. have found suitable candidates; as for the other small characters who will not get a complete script or a special character script, but will only get on-the-spot scripts, they are all handed over to the casting director to select and audition. He doesn't have so much time to do everything in detail, and just need to make the final review.

The photographer is still an old partner, Vale Fist. Although he has no experience in shooting blockbusters, Wang Yang himself does not. The tacit understanding between the two has reached a very high level, and it can almost be said that communication can be completed with eyes. Of course, this is an exaggeration. What effect should be needed, how to shoot, and language communication should be conducted.

Shortly before Wang Yang's invitation, Vale Fist had just finished his handheld for another movie. It is said that the first assistant Harry George was also responsible for shooting many sets of shots, and their hands were all hot. This time they were very excited and confident to join a big production like "The Ninth District".

The setter of the crew is also a familiar face, and he has worked with Wang Yang twice; art director Patrick Tatepoulos (representative works "Independence Day" and "Mechanical Enemy"); art design David F. Klasson (representative works "Yihai Heroes", "Charlie's Angels", "Iron Man" series), Kevin Kavanav (representative works "Mission Impossible 2", "Transformers", and "Dark Knight"); costume design Shana Milkovic Hayes (representative works "Star Travel 9", "Fight in Los Angeles"); and props are played by Drew Petrota (representative works "Big Fish" and "Transformers" series).

In addition, the starring Robert Downey Jr., the "genius destroyed by drugs" starring Robert Downey Jr. Although this team is not the top lineup in Hollywood at present, it can be called luxurious; if it is pushed for a few years, it will definitely be an All-Star lineup.

After all the crews in the filming stage were organized, Wang Yang brought the members who needed to prepare for the preliminary preparations, their assistants, employees and other teams to Vancouver in a mighty manner.

"The Ninth District" will take the order of shooting interior scenes first, the street scenes of Los Angeles, and the outdoor scenes of African slums. There are many scenes in the interior scene that need to be specially built, such as the secret research room at the Mnu headquarters, Christopher Foson's home, the interior of the spacecraft, etc. I came to Vancouver because the studio of Flame Film was built here. Although it will take some time before the first phase is completed, the original merchant has built many factory sheds, and the new scene is originally a brand new construction, so it does not delay things.

In addition to Gordon Sing, Shana Hayes wants to design the costumes of the characters, and Drew Petrota also wants to design all the props needed to organize the movie.

Drew, 33, is a well-known prop artist in Hollywood. He is the third successor of the Petrota family. His grandfather Vic Petrota and his father Bell Petrota (representative works "The Great White Jaws" and "Edward Scissor Hand") are all very famous top masters. When Wang Yang invited him, he asked him, "Is he good at science fiction movies?" He said: "I was 12 years old at that time, and you were still a newborn baby, but I was already busy looking for things in the prop antique shop on Santa Monica Avenue. Young director, I am good at everything!"

When he became an adult, he officially started this industry, which has been more than ten years. The work of a prop teacher is very hard and trivial. Basically, every thing he can see in the film, the prop team must pre-plan it, make a list and make it, such as gun weapons, and a small ring on the actor's hand holding the weapon. Nothing appears out of thin air.

After getting the script, Drew Petrota used a family-born method similar to cold reading, splitting every place in the script that he felt needed to support the props, slowly observing each character and each scene, feeling and understanding them, the dress, dress, decoration, and arrangement of the characters and scenes... This is an interpretation process that is easy to make people collapse and crazy.

But the job of a prop artist is not to work behind closed doors. His personal imagination and understanding cannot determine things. He needs to contact and discuss with various departments, what props are needed to set up a scene, what is needed on the costume, and the requirements of art director... But the most terrifying person is called "director", and he is also the one who has been contacted by a prop artist in the crew for the longest time.

His father, Bell Petrota, said: "You never know anything will happen. It's like directors going to bed. They're dreaming all night, and then in the morning, they'll suddenly say to you: I'm thinking about something new again, I need a girl who jumps out of the cake!" But no matter how wild the director's idea is, the props have to find a way to do it. Bell said: "It felt like walking in hell at that moment."

When he was a prop artist for "Jaws", Steven Spielberg was still very young, very good and demanding. In one scene, he said: "In that scene tomorrow, I need some crabs. When filming, the crabs would crawl from seaweed to the actor's arms." So Bell found the crabs, but when it was time to shoot, Spielberg pointed to the crabs and said to him: "They didn't move, they were just standing there. Find a way to make them move, I want them to crawl around!" Then Bell immediately thought of a solution. When the camera was ready, he picked up a cup of hot coffee and poured it on the crabs. They quickly crawled up, and Spielberg was satisfied.

This is the wisdom and responsibility of the props. No matter how many ideas and requirements the director has put into their design, they must do it accordingly and do it well. This is the motto of an excellent props family.

So these days, Ridru Petrota has no slight refusal or complaints about Wang Yang's various requests. He looked at several weapons on the drawings that borrowed from the German rifle style, and heard Wang Yang continue to say: "We need guns, but we don't just guns either... I mean, it's too 'gun', let's try to add some insect-style decoration?"

"Yes, that's it!" Wang Yang's eyes lit up. The weapons of aliens should have their national characteristics! He clicked the drawings and said excitedly: "More characteristics, their national characteristics! When the audience sees it, they will feel that 'This is definitely a gun of another civilization', not a human being on earth! It is not a human being today, nor a human being hundreds of years, thousands of years later, no! We have to jump out of the shadow of future human civilization. This is a cimex civilization!"

cimex (bed bug) is a name given to that alien race by humans.

Hearing Wang Yang's new ideas, Drew Petrota and Kevin Kavanav couldn't help but smile and found the problem! It was not difficult to solve it. Drew immediately picked up the pencil and drew it on the drawing paper, and said with a smile: "Yang, I understand what you mean. Give me one day, and you will see a few new weapons tomorrow." Kevin Kavanav also smiled and said: "I have no problem here, I understand the cimex-style mecha."

"Okay!" Wang Yang smiled and nodded, watched them draw for a while, and expressed some opinions. At this time, assistant Ian Murphy walked in and said, "Director, Gordon asked you to go over." Wang Yang glanced at him and patted Drew Petrota's shoulder: "Brother, remember, cool!" After that, he and his assistant left the art design room and went to the viewing side.

In fact, it is in the studio, through the busy departments, and a distance of more than 100 meters will be reached immediately. The scenery that Gordon Xin and his set team are now building is the secret research room of Mnu headquarters. At this time, the scene has been completed with moving set boards on three sides, and there are also tables, chairs, instruments and other items. What kind of scene should be built? Wang Yang and Gordon Xin have already drawn and determined in advance, but when actually building it, there are often many details that need to be discussed and solved again.

"Godden, what's wrong?" Wang Yang walked to Gordon-Shin, and saw him holding his hands in his chest, staring at the set board in front of him with a deep impression, frowned tightly, as if he couldn't figure out anything.

Hearing the director's voice, Gordon Hinn immediately came back to his senses. He whispered, pointed to the set board and said, "I just think this wall is a little empty, only this mnu logo, it seems a bit insufficient, but specific..." He grabbed his hair in distress and said, "I can't think of the problem now, so I'll call you here."

"Well, it's indeed a little empty." Wang Yang nodded, held his right hand and touched the fibrous root of his chin, and slowly got into the divine thought. This wall would be the first view that Vigs had seen when he escaped from the small room and came out to look at him... He suddenly thought of something, and couldn't help but snap his fingers and smiled: "It's there!"

Under the eyes of several setters such as Gordon-Shin, he walked to the side of the set board, pointed his fingers and planned it, and said, "Beside this mnu logo, add something that represents all humanity, and the United Nations flag is good; then on the walls on both sides of their left and right, some aliens will be added with special effects, and they will hang here."

Gordon Xin and others smiled in agreement when they heard this. Wang Yang became more and more excited as he spoke. He circled the position on the set board and said, "There is only half a body here, and the intestines are swaying like that; there are no hands here, and the eyeballs here are dug out..." Gordon Xin nodded and smiled, "This is cruel and disgusting, but it is very impactful!"

"And here..." Wang Yang was completely immersed in his mind. Looking at the messy tables and chairs around him, there were scenes of scenes in front of him. He walked to the table and knocked on the table and said, "There is a large plate of eyeballs here, each of which is round, and then there is a little alien sitting next to him." He suddenly laughed a few times, saying, "When Wiggs came out, he saw the wall, and then saw these eyeballs and the eyes of the little aliens, with eyes that were so blank that they were not afraid..."

Everyone was silent, but imagining the scene and the director's weird laughter made them feel irritated. Gordon Xin couldn't help but shivered, and smiled with a thumbs up and shouted: "Yang!"

"Huh! I'm a little perverted." Wang Yang shook his head and smiled, and got out of the world of the storyboard scene. He looked at Gordon and others and said jokingly: "But don't be afraid, I obviously won't put your eyes down." Everyone smiled, and he thought again: "Well, I have to tell Drew, I need some big eyes!"

But before he could go back to Drew Petrota, assistant Ian Murphy found him again: "Director, Shana has something to do to ask you to go to her place!"

"Okay." Wang Yang responded, then gave Gordon Xin a signing look, and walked towards the fashion design studio. When he arrived at the fashion design studio, he knocked on the door and walked in. Looking at Shana Hayes, who was cutting clothes on the table in front, and asked, "Shana, what's wrong?"

Several long clothes hangers in the room were hung with various clothes, including the Ninth District managers of Mnu, the research room scientists, security teams, soldiers' uniforms, etc., as well as some clothes for major characters such as Vigs, all of which were designed and produced here. The person in charge of this department was Shana Milkovic Hayes. When she heard the knock on the door, she looked up at Wang Yang who was walking in, picked up the clothes in her hand, and said, "I have some new ideas, soldiers' uniforms, how do you see this one change?" Wang Yang nodded and said, "Okay, I'll take a look."

Throughout the morning, Wang Yang walked around the various departments of the studio, communicated with everyone, solved their problems, and put forward his own opinions and ideas. These days he has become accustomed to this. This is a job for the director and led the crew to complete these preliminary preparations. It is just that the workload of science fiction movies is very large. This is the beginning. There is too much effort to do for a movie and a big production.

In addition to these now, he still has a lot of other work to do by the director, such as determining the shooting style and plan with Vale Fist, purchasing or renting required photography equipment; continuing to improve the scene of the storyboard and answering the actors' questions about the role...

Some directors will be unable to coordinate various departments and make up; some directors will lose their temper because of tediousness and pressure; some directors just don’t have the ability. Wang Yang does not want to be those directors. Whether he is tired or annoyed or not, he must keep releasing positive energy and drive the entire crew to operate actively and vigorously; he must also maintain learning and improve his knowledge and ability in all aspects, so that he can better coordinate everyone and be a director.

After lunch in the studio, Wang Yang left the studio and came outside. The weather in Vancouver was still very cool in July, but it was extremely hot in Los Angeles. He smiled and pulled his coat, walked quickly to the parking lot, picked up the car and headed to Fifth Avenue in West Vancouver, where the Image Engine Company was located.

After the acquisition of Fire Movie was completed, Sean Walsh officially joined the Image Engine a few days later, serving as the visual special effects producer, and also served as the computer production director and the special effects team captain of "The Ninth District". Of course, the special effects team at that time was just an empty shell. In nearly a month, Sean Walsh was forming this team. He went to many places around the world and gathered experts from all over the world to join, and finally completed it a few days ago.

The special effects team has basically been formed, and what remains is whether the number of CG animators has increased. If you want to make special effects quickly, add more money and add people; if you want to take your time, continue to maintain it. After building the team, their work will begin. The first step is to transform the designed 2D alien into a 3D image, and today is the director acceptance day for the "Alien Head".

"It's cool!" Wang Yang looked at the 3D alien head on the computer screen, dragged the mouse to turn it around, and praised again: "It's cool." He turned to look at Sean Walsh standing next to him, modeler Brian Mike, and Julie Klex in charge of the alien appearance development, and said: "They look good, but they just don't look high enough, and they feel a little soft. Can the actual texture be higher?"

There is a head sculpture on the desk, which is exactly the masterpiece of modeler Brian Mike. He first pinched the sculpture and then scanned it in 3D. After topologicalization again, he used software to complete the biological boneization work, and then the prototype of the 3D graphics on the screen. Next, the work was handed over to Julie Klex and other members responsible for texture maps.

Hearing Wang Yang's question, Sean Walsh chuckled and nodded, "Yes, this is actually not completed yet." He looked at Julie Klex, and Julie took the conversation and explained: "We also need to do higher and more detailed texture maps. This model will have 21 bitmap map materials, and each one will have more than 4,000 pixels. You know that the more pixels, the more real it is."

Wang Yang nodded, listening carefully on his face. She continued: "These maps will include color, bumps, displacement, various parameters, moisture, roughness..." She took the mouse and clicked a few times, and said: "There are also reactions to various substances, such as eyes, shells, skin, hair, wounds, blood, soil, dust, mucus...it will become more and more realistic."

"Okay, go and do it, I absolutely support it!" Wang Yang smiled happily and said seriously: "This head is very good, I have no objection; of course my requirements are more textured and more realistic, nothing else." Julie Klex shrugged and said, "This is the highest requirement." Everyone laughed immediately. Wang Yang smiled and touched the clay sculpture head, looked at Brian Mike, and said, "Can I take this work of art away later? It is very beautiful."
Chapter completed!