Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 34 Making a "Bomb"

On the set of "Day and Night".

Episode 1, Criminal Investigation Detachment Conference Room.

The atmosphere at the scene was somber.

The long conference table was filled with key members of the Changfeng branch, and bloody photos of the "park dismemberment case" were projected on the wall.

This is the first important case analysis meeting that Guan Hongyu (played by Pan Yueming) has attended as his older brother "Guan Hongfeng" since becoming a wanted criminal.

Original script design: During the meeting, Zhou Xun (played by Duan Yihong) asked many sharp questions. Guan Hongyu barely managed to answer them with his quick wit and the notes left by his brother. The process was tense, with the focus on the exchange of lines and Guan Hongyu's psychological pressure.

Before filming began, Qi Yue gathered the main creative team and actors and presented the revised storyboard.

"The focus of this scene needs to change," Qi Yue said bluntly. "We're not just filming a question-and-answer exchange; we're filming 'chronic asphyxiation.'"

"Chronic asphyxia?" Duan Yihong looked interested.

"Yes," Qi Yue pointed to the conference room, "this is the dining table Hitchcock mentioned. The audience knows that the person sitting here is Guan Hongyu, not his brother Guan Hongfeng."

"And the bomb is every moment that Guan Hongyu could expose his identity due to subtle habits, blind spots in knowledge, or instinctive reactions."

He looked at Pan Yueming.

"Teacher Pan, your performance needs to present three layers: the outermost layer is to imitate Guan Hongfeng's calm authority; the middle layer is Guan Hongyu's own vigilance and thinking; and the innermost layer is to occasionally reveal a little bit of Guan Hongyu's street smarts, which is inconsistent with his identity as a former criminal police captain."

He then said to Duan Yihong and the other police actors...

"Professor Duan, the audience now 'knows' more than you do, so they will be drawn in by you to catch any slip-ups Guan Hongyu might make. But this kind of catching should be done in a more subtle way: a meaningful pause, a seemingly unintentional tap on the table, a question asked in a calm tone but with hidden traps."

Finally, he instructed Guo Fan's photography assistant and lighting assistant,

"The camera should create a strong sense of pressure, using more medium and close-up shots, focusing on Guan Hongyu's subtle facial expressions and body language details. The shots of Zhou Xun and others' reactions should be precise, but also sharp and piercing."

"The ambient light was cold, but a slightly different sidelight shone on Guan Hongyu, suggesting his 'heterogeneity' and potential crisis."

Anyone who has worked as a director knows that there are significant differences between Chinese and Western dramas in terms of lighting.

Specifically, this manifests in the fact that domestically produced dramas tend to use flat lighting, while Western dramas prefer a mix of light and shadow.

Flat lighting can make people look better (similar to the beauty light used on female anchors), while off-center lighting, with one side dark and the other bright, can make people look more story-like.

There's no question of superiority or inferiority, but between the beauty of the characters and the story, Qi Yue's "Day and Night" leans more towards the latter.

"Director Qi, isn't this way of filming a bit too subtle in conveying information?"

The scene fell silent for a moment as many staff members looked over.

This is an executive director surnamed Sun, in his forties, who has directed several well-received web series. He was sent by the company to assist Qi Yue in filming.

"After all, we're filming a web series. If the audience doesn't notice those micro-expressions, wouldn't this kind of filming slow down the pace?"

"So we need to plant the 'bomb' in a way that the audience will definitely see." Qi Yue pulled up his storyboard sketches.

"For example, here, when Zhou Xun mentions an old case number that only Guan Hongfeng is familiar with, the camera should quickly focus on a close-up of Guan Hongyu's unconsciously curling fingers, while a faint sound effect of his heart racing can be added to the background audio."

He looked at Director Sun: "Director Sun, this is the 'Hitchcock bomb.' When the audience sees the fingers curling up and hears the heartbeat, they know where the 'bomb' is, and they will be nervous about whether Zhou Xun will see it too. Whether Zhou Xun sees it or not, and whether he will investigate further, becomes the suspense."

Assistant Director Sun stared at the storyboard in silence.

This meticulous control over audience psychology and cinematic language truly surpasses the typical assembly-line approach to filming dramas.

"All departments, get ready; actors, take your positions." Qi Yue said no more.

Filming begins.

Inside the meeting room, the air seemed to freeze.

After his first body swap, Guan Hongyu walked into the police station with his back straight, trying to imitate his brother's little gesture of touching his hem.

But while the movements can be imitated, the slight unease between the eyebrows is subtly different from the absolute confidence that Guan Hongfeng should possess.

Duan Yihong, who plays Zhou Xun, leans back in his chair, twirling a pen in his hand.

"Alright, enough with the small talk. We've made some new discoveries during today's on-site investigation. Now, please let Team Leader Guan give us a detailed analysis."

The question was professional and specific. This was a blind spot for Guan Hongyu.

Behind the monitor, Guo Fan held his breath.

When he saw Guan Hongyu, played by Pan Yueming, his Adam's apple bobbed very slightly, and his eyes flickered for a moment.

But she immediately refocused and answered in a calm tone, quoting the case analysis her brother had made her memorize beforehand.

The close-up shot focuses on Pan Yueming's hand under the table—his fingers unconsciously gripping the seam of his trousers.

At the same time, a very brief, almost imperceptible shot pans across Zhou Xun.

Duan Yihong's performance was also extremely exquisite.

He seemed to be listening attentively, but his fingers paused for a moment as he twirled the pen. He slightly raised his eyelids and his gaze lingered on Guan Hongfeng's (Guan Hongyu's) face for a moment, but he said nothing and lowered his eyes again to continue twirling the pen.

The audience sees the "bomb," but the characters seem to notice it yet also seem not to. The suspense increases dramatically.

Immediately afterwards, junior detective Zhou Shutong posed a question, one that Guan Hongyu had been able to answer before.

But when Zhou Shutong raised the question, "Even if the murderer rode an electric scooter, wouldn't it be quite conspicuous if he was carrying so many bags?"

A low murmur arose in the conference room.

The camera cuts to Zhou Xun. Duan Yihong's gaze has just shifted from the projected image to the profile of "Guan Hongfeng."

"Old Guan, what do you think?"

The close-up shot focuses on Pan Yueming.

There was a very subtle stiffness in his facial muscles, and his pupils contracted for a moment when the portrait appeared—an instinctive reaction to a problem he couldn't solve.

But he instantly regained his expressionless face.

"How about we all take a break? I'm going to the restroom first."

"Stop!" Qi Yue shouted.

Replay. The crowd in front of the monitor fell silent.

Behind the monitor, Guo Fan let out a long breath and whispered to Li Qing beside him, "My hair stood on end... It felt just like I was there."

Li Qing nodded vigorously, her eyes fixed on the replaying footage, her admiration for Qi Yue reaching new heights.

How could he have thought of so many things! And the results were so good!

After reviewing his own performance, Duan Yihong nodded.

"Director Qi, the pacing and the way you use your eyes are spot on. The audience understands that I have doubts, but they're not sure what I'm doubting."

Pan Yueming also walked over, and looking at the effect produced by the camera magnifying his subtle changes in expression, he remarked:

"This kind of acting is very enjoyable; every frame must have content."

Director Sun didn't speak this time, but carefully watched each storyboard playback, his expression replaced by a mixture of amazement and contemplation.

He had to admit that this young man's directing style and understanding of the core of suspense had already surpassed that of many "veteran directors".