novellhall Chapter 279 Having Many Friends Makes Things Easier
Chapter 279 Having Many Friends Makes Things Easier
Chapter 278 Having Many Friends Makes Things Easier (Happy New Year)
Chen Xun understood.
If the opening sequence of a musical film can't be filmed, the film is half ruined.
All the money that investors poured in, all the three months of rehearsals, all the dancers who practiced until their feet were blistered—it was all for nothing.
"Not even two days?"
Chen Xun was also a little curious.
After all, the American film industry is quite mature, so it's normal to close a road to make a movie.
Who would have thought that something unexpected would happen at this stage?
Not even for a single day!
"They said Los Angeles has never closed this road for a movie; it's a main road with hundreds of thousands of cars every day."
"Even if a lockdown is to be implemented, an application must be submitted six months in advance, and an exorbitant deposit must be paid."
Chazelle's voice was tinged with frustration. Even though he wasn't superstitious, a poor start to the film would inevitably affect the subsequent shooting schedule.
Chen Xun leaned against the car, looking at the overpass.
At 4:30 a.m., cars were already on the bridge, their red and white taillights forming a flowing ribbon of light.
Upon seeing the car, he suddenly remembered something.
"You asked the transportation department why it's not allowed?"
"I asked!"
Chazelle said, "A bunch of official jargon, all this talk about safety hazards, citizen complaints, and so on—"
"I mean, did you ask who specifically put the card in there?"
Chen Xun interrupted him.
Chazelle paused for a moment.
"I was asking about the office."
Chen Xun took out his phone, found a number, and dialed it.
"List?"
A man's voice, tinged with impatience at being just woken up, said: "What time is it?"
"Old Joe, I have a question for you. Do you have any connections in the Transportation Bureau?"
There was silence on the other end of the phone, then the tone became more formal: "Yes, what's wrong?"
"We wanted to cover the scene where 105 and 110 intersect at the beginning of 'La La Land,' but it was rejected after two days."
2
There was another two seconds of silence on the other end.
Then Old Joe laughed.
"You fucking called me to block the road?"
Chen Xun smiled and said, "You're the only person I know who has connections in the Transportation Bureau."
"Alright!"
There was a rustling sound coming from Old Joe's end, like someone rummaging through something: "I'll ask around for you, but don't get your hopes up too high, that stretch of road is definitely—"
"I know!"
Chen Xun said, "Just pass on a message for me, saying it's a movie I'm in, the crew is filming in Los Angeles, using Los Angeles actors, telling a story set in Los Angeles, and it'll only last two days!"
Old Joe didn't say anything.
Chen Xun hung up the phone.
Chazelle watched from the side, looking completely bewildered.
Who did you call?
We met when we were filming "Fast & Furious".
Chen Xun put his phone back in his pocket: "That guy is a local from Los Angeles. He used to work as a production assistant on film sets, and later switched careers to start a car rental company. He has business dealings with the Department of Transportation."
Chazelle opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Fifteen minutes later, Chen Xun's phone rang.
Old Joe's voice came through: "It's done!"
"So fast!"
Chen Xun was a little surprised.
"I asked a friend for help, and that friend asked another friend, and finally we got in with the deputy director of the Transportation Bureau."
Old Joe said, "Guess what? That deputy bureau chief's wife is your fan."
Chen Xun was stunned for a moment.
Old Joe laughed: "She really likes 'Fast & Furious' and 'The Ancient One,' her house is full of your posters."
"I heard you were making a new film, and she approved it for her husband without hesitation!"
"Tomorrow and the day after, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., on the condition that you treat her to a meal and sign your name."
Having many friends makes things easier!
Chazelle watched his expression from the side, growing increasingly nervous.
"How is it?"
Chen Xun put his phone away and glanced at him.
"It's done!"
Chazelle paused for two seconds.
Then he suddenly jumped up and threw a punch.
"YES!"
The staff around were all startled. They turned around and saw the director spinning around in circles like a madman.
Chen Xun leaned against the car, watching Cha Zelei go crazy.
The next morning at six o'clock, at the No. 105 Expressway interchange.
The road closure has officially begun.
Hundreds of colorful old cars were neatly lined up on the bridge, ranging from Cadillacs in the 1960s to Fords in the 1980s, all of which the crew had sourced from Los Angeles.
The car's colors were carefully matched, with red, yellow, blue, and green, making it look like a giant palette from a distance.
More than a hundred dancers were already in position beside the car, dressed in bright yellow dresses, royal blue shirts, and purple coats.
Everyone looked serious and ready for action.
Chazelle stood behind the monitor, holding a walkie-talkie, his voice hoarse.
"Attention everyone, this is the first one, let's try to get it right on the first try."
Chen Xun stood in the crowd, wearing Sebastian's old gray suit, with the collar unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.
Standing next to him was a young Black girl, one of the lead dancers for the opening dance. She looked to be in her early twenties and still had a baby face.
Are you nervous?
Chen asked.
The girl shook her head.
"I'm not nervous, I've been rehearsing for three months."
Chen Xun smiled.
The sun began to rise.
In Los Angeles in August, at seven in the morning, the temperature was already approaching thirty degrees Celsius.
Chazelle looked at the sky, then at his watch, and picked up the walkie-talkie: "All departments, prepare—action!"
'
The clapperboard snapped, and the music started.
The melody of "Another Day of Sun" poured out from the hidden speakers, and the dancers who were originally parked in the car began to open the door and get out. Some jumped onto the roof, some stood on the hood, and some opened the trunk to take out their instruments.
Chen Xun stood in the crowd, motionless.
His scene is later.
But he watched the dancers, watching them leap, spin, and kick on the scorching asphalt, watching their sweat glisten in the sunlight.
The first person fell.
She was a white girl, and while she was dancing, her legs suddenly gave way and she knelt on the ground.
People nearby immediately helped her up, and the stagehands rushed over and carried her to a shady spot.
Chazelle yelled "cut".
"How is it?"
"Heatstroke!"
The stagehand shouted, "Your temperature is a little high; you need to rest."
Chazelle glanced at his watch.
The first take was less than three minutes.
He gritted his teeth: "Ten-minute rest, then get ready for the second one."
The girl lay on the ground, her face covered in sweat, her eyes still open, but her gaze was somewhat unfocused.
It's so hot!
Chen Xun touched the kettle beside him; it had been in the sun for half an hour, and the water was almost hot.
He stood up, walked over to the food cart, asked for a bucket of ice, and threw in a few bottles of water.
Then we arranged for staff to distribute it.
Originally, ice was only intended for the lead actors, but it was too hot, and Chen Xun couldn't ignore the extras and dancers.
He also worked his way up from being an extra.
The second point, let's begin.
They held on for four and a half minutes, but someone still ran into trouble.
A Black male dancer landed incorrectly while jumping off the car roof, fell to the ground, and was unable to get up while clutching his ankle.
The stagehands rushed over again.
Chazelle ran over to take a look, and his face darkened.
"You sprained your ankle!"
The dancer sat on the ground, her face contorted in pain, but still looked up at Chazelle: "Director, I can still dance!"
"Your feet are all swollen!"
"I can!"
He gritted his teeth: "I'm the lead dancer, and no one can take my place."
Chazelle looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.
"Okay, if you think it won't work, call a halt right now!"
The dancer was helped up and tried to take a few steps, but he was unsteady on his feet.
But he returned to his spot, standing next to the blue Chevrolet, waiting for the next shot.
Chen Xun saw a golden attribute orb fall from the lead dancer's body:
[Artistic Obsession and Persistence +15]
absorb!
Chen Xun felt that his understanding of art and dance movements had deepened.
They have also developed their own set of principles regarding dance moves.
These dancers have been rehearsing for three months for this opportunity.
Article 3, Article 4, Article 5 —
The sun is getting higher and higher, and the temperature is getting higher and higher.
The thermometer at the side of the field showed 38.7°C.
The road surface was scorching hot; you could feel the heat rising through your shoes when you stepped on it.
The soles of some dancers' shoes started to smoke—real smoke, the kind of white smoke that comes from scorched rubber.
But they kept dancing.
Chen Xun stood in the crowd, waiting for his turn to act.
Finally, Chazelle's voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Chen Xun, get ready!"
He took a deep breath and walked to his seat.