novellhall Chapter 224, read in one go! [5000]
Chapter 224, read in one go! [5000]
Chapter 224, read in one go! [5000]
"Whoosh~"
A loud splashing sound came from overhead.
The icy water instantly enveloped the ruins area, drenching Chen Xun, who was standing outside the starting point.
The water was cold and the impact was quite strong, but that's exactly what got him into the zone instantly.
He walked awkwardly, crouching low in the rain.
Chen Xun wore a specially made helmet with two red lights flashing on it.
This headgear was custom-made by Propshop, a famous British prop company.
This company also had props made for Thor.
The helmet weighs about three pounds.
The outer shell is made of lightweight fiberglass with a resin coating.
The goggles are made of double-layered transparent polycarbonate, similar to bulletproof glass, and have a color-changing film inside.
The lining also thoughtfully uses memory foam and breathable mesh to ensure that Chen Xun is comfortable to wear.
The most distinctive feature of this hood is that the goggles can slide up and down, increasing flexibility.
The wind and rain made his coat rustle, and Chen Xun gradually immersed himself in the scene and the role.
The character card that belonged exclusively to Pete in his mind flickered slightly.
At that moment, Chen Xun felt that he was Pete himself.
The surrounding staff were also drawn into the scene by Chen Xun's appearance.
They all held their breath, watching Chen Xun's performance.
Chen Xun took out the projection scanner from his pocket and shook it for a while in the wind and rain before he was able to turn it on.
The staff around him smiled slightly.
This natural performance style is particularly fitting for Star-Lord's identity, a thief covered in all sorts of rags and vintage items.
Chen Xun held the projection scanner as if he were holding a flashlight, shining it around.
Later, a miniature version of the city will be created directly in front of him to recreate the movement patterns of the people who once lived there.
He wandered among the ruins, seemingly marveling at the beauty of life that once existed here, an emotion that reminded him of the Earth he lived on as a child.
Director Gunn sat behind the monitor, watching intently.
The photographer is now following Chen Xun into the interior of an abandoned building.
This is a long take, which increases the audience's sense of immersion.
At that moment, Chen Xun touched the mechanism by his ear and froze.
"Cut!"
"You did an excellent job!"
Director Gunn repeatedly praised it.
At this moment, staff members quickly came up and removed the helmets, and then the next shot was taken from the front.
Chen Xun didn't have time to rest.
The next shot begins immediately.
"Action!"
Chen Xun looked around to make sure he was safe, then took out a Sony retro Walkman and a red headset from his pocket.
Hang the Walkman on your waist.
Press lightly with your finger.
Then the music started playing—
The music wasn't just heard in Chen Xun's headphones; it was playing simultaneously throughout the entire film set.
Everyone was immersed in this retro music.
The moment the music entered his ears, Chen Xun's body moved.
It was no longer the precise breakdown of dance steps taught to him by his dance teacher during rehearsals, but rather a natural state that came from within.
His head bobbed slightly in time with the drumbeats, his shoulders swayed naturally, his left toes touched the ground, and he made a light turn of his body. His right hand drew an arc in the air as if interacting with an invisible dance partner.
His face didn't have any deliberate expression; instead, it carried a self-satisfied smile, and his eyes were even a little vacant, as if the music had truly transported him back to the youthful garage parties on Earth.
Footsteps moved across the slippery gravel, carrying a sense of casualness reminiscent of 80s disco.
A few simple sliding steps and hip twists were seamlessly connected.
He even added an impromptu finger-gun gesture, pointing it at the empty audience.
Seeing a puddle on the ground, Chen Xun went straight over, kicked the water with his dance moves, and kicked away a prop bag that he pretended was a monster.
The dance itself is not complicated.
It's even a little clumsy and cute.
But the feeling of Chen Xun being immersed in his own world made everyone feel incredibly real.
Just then, a staff member made a mistake and threw the bag that was pretending to be a monster directly at Chen Xun's face.
This is an action completely outside the script.
If Chen Xun hadn't caught the bag and been hit in the face, the entire scene would have had to be reshot.
Even if Chen Xun dodges it, a monster flying past him would affect the audience's viewing experience, and cutting it out would affect the integrity of the entire shot.
The staff member's face turned pale.
Getting into a film crew is not easy, let alone a big-budget Marvel production.
Once he's fired from the production crew, he could very well be homeless on the streets in the next second.
Director Gunn, watching from the monitor, didn't yell "cut"!
At this moment, everyone's eyes were on Chen Xun in the arena.
At this point, Chen Xun had already fully immersed himself in the role.
Seeing the bag rushing towards him, it seemed to have truly transformed into a monster in his eyes.
He grabbed it and used the monster as a microphone to sing his heart out.
Just then, the background music reached its climax!
This doesn't look like an act at all!
It's like something that actually happened.
Everything was just right.
"How come he suddenly seems to have had a breakthrough? Is he possessed by the character?"
Director Gunn didn't say anything; he just stared intently at the self-absorbed figure on the screen, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.
This is exactly what he wanted!
"Cut!!!"
The entire shot ends.
Director Gunn roared.
He jumped up from the director's chair and swung his fist forcefully.
The entire studio was silent for a second, then erupted in enthusiastic applause and whistles.
The staff member who made the mistake earlier breathed a sigh of relief.
Unexpectedly, his mistake led to Chen Xun creating a classic scene.
As Chen Xun walked back from the scene, the staff immediately handed him a towel.
Gunn strode over, slapped him hard on the shoulder, and exclaimed excitedly, almost incoherently, "Perfect! God, how did you do that? That feeling—it was just right! You're practically Peter Quill himself!"
Chen Xun smiled and didn't explain further: "The music was probably too good, and I couldn't stop."
He could feel that just now, the [character credibility] and the [imprint of 80s pop culture] were perfectly integrated.
He wasn't performing Star-Lord's dance; he became the Star-Lord who would dance in the pouring rain while listening to his Walkman.
This is a completely new experience.
"One take! The first shot, one take!"
Gunn announced this to all the staff, which drew even louder cheers.
The first shot went smoothly, a good omen.
Dave joined in at some point; he wasn't in a role today, but he came to watch.
He grinned widely: "Chen! Your dance moves are even more flamboyant than our WWE entrance show! Teach me next time!"
Zoe stood not far away, arms crossed, watching with a blank expression, but a rare hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
She seemed to have also noticed that Chen Xun's state was unusual just now.
Chen Xun, wrapped in a towel, walked to the monitor to watch the playback.
The figure dancing alone amidst the desolate ruins and torrential rain in the scene possesses a peculiar power to move the viewer, evoking a sense of both awe and loneliness.
[Visual impact +10]
Character immersion +15
[Trendsetter +5]
A series of attribute orbs seemed to have just been released, scattering all over the ground with a clatter.
Chen Xun quickly absorbed the information.
With the panel just upgraded, he desperately needs these attribute orbs to completely fill his empty progress bar.
The opening scene, which was filmed in one take, gave the crew a good start.
The filming went exceptionally smoothly that day.
Director Gu En finally understood why Chen Xun was so popular in the previous film crew.
Even Marvel advocated casting Chen Xun in the role.
One is Chen Xun's level of dedication.
Regardless of the environment or the duration of filming, Chen Xun carried out the task without uttering a single complaint.
Some shots were even reshot because the crew wasn't satisfied with them.
Compared to other actors who are less well-known than Chen Xun and whose professionalism is only average, the difference is too obvious!
But making a Marvel movie, especially a freak show like Guardians of the Galaxy, means facing countless trivial, time-consuming, and torturous technical challenges.
First up is Rocket Raccoon.
When Chen Xun first saw the 1:1 scale mechanical puppet on set, he was still shocked.
A highly complex engineering product.
It is about the same size as a real raccoon, and its fur has a realistic texture.
The key is that three puppeteers can use a sophisticated remote control device and internal mechanical structure to achieve actions such as blinking, turning the head, slightly twitching the ears, and even slowly swaying the tail.
In shots that require close-ups or direct interaction with the actors, the puppet will appear first, and then be completely replaced by a rocket created by CGI in post-production. However, the actors' gaze and interactive reactions must be directed at the rocket.
"It's called Little Rocket One."
The puppeteer in charge of operating the head and face was a tall, thin British man named Clive. While carefully adjusting the controller in his hand, he explained to Chen Xun, Dave, and others who were watching: "We try our best to make it come alive and help you perform, but it is not alive after all. Its reaction is delayed and its range of motion is limited. You need to cooperate more and use your imagination."
The difficulty of this coordination became apparent during actual filming.
Chen Xun soon had a personal experience of it.
"Action!"
Chen Xun got into character and reached out to grab the air that the puppet's claws were holding.
He needs to simultaneously observe the direction of the puppet's eyes, anticipate its reaction of turning its head or baring its teeth, and deliver provocative and hilarious lines: "Hey! You furry little thief! That's my Earth artifact! Worth more than your fur coat!"
This was Chen Xun's first time acting opposite a semi-motionless robot.
This is harder than facing thin air.
The Little Rocket One's response always had a subtle delay and an unnatural quality.
The blink was a beat too slow, the head turn was not wide enough, or when it was time to bare teeth, the mouth was only mechanically moved.
Chen Xun's emotions and rhythm were easily interrupted.
After filming seven or eight takes, Gunn frowned behind the monitor.
"stop!"
Gunn shouted, "Chen, your reactions are fine, but you lack that spark of instant interaction with the puppet. It's like an expensive prop, not a smart bastard that gives you a headache."
Chen Xun wiped his sweat; he knew where the problem lay.
When faced with a machine that is not responsive enough, no matter how dedicated his performance is, part of his attention is still on waiting for its reaction rather than actually responding to it.
It's like arguing with someone whose internet speed is slow.
I feel so suffocated!
At this moment, Chen Xun noticed that the puppeteer Clive was also sweating. He was operating the device very carefully, afraid of damaging this expensive and delicate instrument.
Chen Xun's mind flashed back to the [Interstellar Adventurer Background] and [Unreliable Leadership] he had obtained while clearing out the Guardians of the Galaxy dungeon. Those vague experiences about how to deal with non-human or troublesome teammates seemed to be surging within him.
He walked over to Clive and the other two puppeteers and said, "Hey guys, relax. We're not defusing a bomb. Maybe we should try something different?"
"You don't have to follow the rocket's reaction time exactly as set in the storyboard. Just give it a reaction based on my lines and actions, even if it's a little faster or slower, or even if it's a little exaggerated."
"Let's treat it like a particularly difficult pet on set. We'll try it a few times and see what it's like to argue with me."
Clive paused for a moment, then looked at Gunn.
Gunn stroked his chin and nodded: "Give it a try. Do as Chen said, loosen up a bit. What we need is the feeling, not mechanical synchronization."
Filming resumed.
Chen Xun stopped waiting for the puppet's reaction and focused more on his lines and emotions, treating Little Rocket No. 1 as a partner with a bad temper.
When he called out "the furry thief," Clive instinctively made the puppet turn its head sharply, baring its teeth with a larger movement than before.
"That's right!"
Chen Xun chimed in almost immediately, pointing at the puppet: "Look! It's glaring at me!"
The annoyance in his tone and the helplessness he felt made it all the more real.
After several encounters, Chen Xun and the puppeteer actually developed a bit of impromptu tacit understanding.
When Chen Xun's tone became harsh, Clive would make the puppet react more intensely.
Chen Xun showed a helpless expression, and the puppet made an arrogant little gesture.
Although it wasn't as smooth as a live-action scene, the sense of interaction was there, and Chen Xun's performance was more relaxed and natural.
[Adaptability to interacting with special performers +8]
[On-site coordination and impromptu leadership +5]
Gunn looked at the monitor and smiled: "Good shot! Keep it! Chen, well done, you've brought the puppeteer to life."
Clive also breathed a sigh of relief and gave Chen Xun a grateful look.
The worst thing about operating puppets is when the actors get impatient or complain. Chen Xun not only didn't complain, but he also took the initiative to find ways to solve the problem together, which made him feel much better.
Another daily torment belonged to Zoe.
Every day before work begins, she has to enter the makeup room four to five hours in advance, where the special effects makeup team will carefully apply special green silicone skin to her exposed skin, and then perform meticulous spraying and detailing to transform her into the real Gamora.
This process is extremely long, closed off, and uncomfortable.
After finishing work, removing makeup takes at least an hour, requiring careful peeling with special solvents, which is also a burden on the skin.
Chen Xun recalled that he had made a cameo appearance as an elf in one of Christine's earliest movies.
That kind of special effects makeup was better than the current ones.
He was glad that Star-Lord didn't need special effects; he was just an Earthling.
Furthermore, when filming fight scenes or intense sports scenes, the sweat under the silicone skin cannot evaporate properly, which can easily cause the edges to lift or the color to fade, requiring frequent breaks for touch-ups.
Chen Xun saw Zoe sitting there several times during breaks in filming, while the makeup artist touched up a small patch of faded green makeup on her arm. She would nod her head and almost fall asleep.
But she never complained about the process; she simply quickly re-entered Gamora's sharp and alert state after each touch-up.
Moreover, she insisted on performing all her own fight scenes and refused to use a stunt double, except for extremely difficult stunt flips.
"Gamera's movements are part of my performance,"
"You have to feel the power emanating from and being subjected to yourself for the audience to believe it."
[Actor's professionalism +10]
[Special Effects Costume Adaptability +12]
Chen Xun absorbed the information silently.
Next, we filmed a scene inside the Dark Star.
Star-Lord, Gamora, and Drax clashed over their plans in a narrow passage, resulting in pushing, shoving, and physical confrontation.
This scene is emotionally intense; the movements are not large, but it requires precise positioning and reaction.
Gunn was not satisfied with the three or four takes.
"The emotions were right, but the rhythm of the physical conflict was a bit chaotic. It looked like a real fight, not a fight in a movie."
He gestured to his face, saying, "I want that tension, but the start and end of each movement and the point of impact need to be clearer, giving the camera room to capture it."
Just as we were preparing for the next item, a little incident occurred.
While repeating a shoving motion, Dave, perhaps because he was wearing a heavy Drax costume and was emotionally invested, tripped over a pile of deliberately placed debris, causing his massive body to lose balance and crash to the side.
And that direction was right next to Zoe, who had just finished touching up her makeup and was silently acting.
The incident happened so suddenly that Dave couldn't stop himself and cried out in surprise.
Zoe turned her head when she heard the noise, but it was too late to get out of the way completely.
Just as Dave was about to collide with Zoe, an arm suddenly reached out from the side and forcefully blocked Dave's shoulder, while another hand quickly grabbed Zoe's arm and gently pulled her back a step.
It's Chen Xun.
He had been standing a little further away watching the blocking, his attention focused on the actors' interactions.
The moment Dave lost his balance, he moved almost without thinking.
This is an instinct based on long-term action scene training and scene prediction.
Dave was blocked, his center of gravity was corrected, he swayed for a moment but regained his balance and didn't actually crash into it.
Zoe was also pulled away from the collision trajectory.
Wow! Thanks, bro!
Dave, still shaken, quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, Zoe, are you alright? I almost became the Destroyer."
Zoe steadied herself, her expression obscured by her green makeup, but the shock in her eyes quickly subsided.
She glanced at Chen Xun's hand, which was still supporting her arm.
"I'm fine."
Her voice was calm, then she looked at Chen Xun and nodded slightly: "Thank you."
Zoe's affection level +2, current affection level 62
"It's good that you're alright."
Chen Xun breathed a sigh of relief and joked, "Dave, next time you get angry, look where you're stepping. The floor of the Dark Star is very expensive."
The minor mishap was resolved, and the tense atmosphere on set eased.
Gunn also breathed a sigh of relief. If they had really run into each other, Zoe's makeup would have had to be redone, which would have wasted time and the actress might have gotten hurt.
"Chen reacted quickly."
Gunn praised her, then addressed everyone: "Perfect timing for us to adjust. Chen, the way you pulled Zoe just now was swift and decisive, very much like Star-Lord's street smarts."
"Could we incorporate this instinctive reaction of protecting teammates, slightly, into the upcoming conflict scenes?"
"No need for much, just one or two small actions, like when Dave charges at you, you instinctively sidestep to block him or pull Gamora back, but you're still arguing!"
Chen Xun thought for a moment and nodded: "We can give it a try. Peter may not even realize it himself, but he has a kind of instinct for mutual help among his temporary teammates, even if he doesn't admit it."
"Yes! That's it!"
Gunn discovered that as long as he communicated the plot with Chen Xun, Chen Xun would understand it immediately. He became more and more excited: "Come on, let's adjust the positioning and action design a little."
The subsequent filming went much more smoothly.
With the addition of Chen Xun's instinctive intervention, the conflict between the three characters not only becomes more intense but also gains an unspoken sense of connection.
Dave also became more careful to control the range of motion in his movements.
During a break in filming, Dave leaned close to Chen Xun and said sincerely, "I really owe you a lot just now, Chen. I'll definitely be more careful in the future."
""
Chen Xun saw that Dave's favorability rating had reached 74.
During the break, Zoe made an exception and did not immediately look at the script or sit quietly alone. Instead, she walked over to Chen Xun, picked up a bottle of water, and said, "Your reaction just now was very much like that of an experienced stuntman."
This was a rare instance of her taking the initiative to communicate and acknowledge.
Chen Xun noticed that her favorability rating had quietly jumped to 65.
Director Gunn's appreciation for Chen Xun is quite evident.
In his daily report email to producer Kevin Feige, he specifically mentioned Chen Xun's performance in the puppet show and the minor mishaps on set, praising him for not only his excellent understanding of the character, but also his rare ability to solve problems on set and his teamwork.
After finishing work that evening, Chen Xun returned to his residence.
Looking back on the day, although physically exhausted, I felt fulfilled. On the panel, besides the attribute orbs I collected during the day, two more had quietly appeared:
[Crisis Prediction and On-Site Response +10]
Team cohesion +3
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