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Chapter 98: A large quantity and a full control
Chapter 98: A large quantity and a full control
That was the pleasant interview with this talented actor, and the next one was equally pleasant as well.
"You mean, you're planning to direct another film this year?"
"That's right, I find myself more passionate on set. I feel restless if I don't film for a day."
,
Hmm, it sounds like I'm talking to Jackie Chan. Since he started as a child star in the 1960s, Uncle Jackie has starred in or participated in more than 200 films, with more than 110 of them as the main lead.
During its peak, Golden Harvest produced 2-3 films almost every year, including "Project A," "Police Story," and "Rush Hour."
Many classic films were created during this period, and even after the age of 70, he was still able to maintain a production pace of 1-2 new works per year.
Although there were a lot of bad movies later on, the quality was good because there were plenty of them, and occasionally when he was in good form, he could even make a good movie like "Catching Shadows".
While quantity and quality are generally inversely proportional, this isn't always the case; it mainly depends on the creator's dedication.
Since 2010, Stephen Chow has basically only released one film every 3-5 years, and the quality of those films hasn't been particularly high. There's also the terrible film "The New King of Comedy," which is just rehashing old material and selling nostalgia. I wonder if the upcoming "Shaolin Women's Soccer" will be another "The New King of Comedy."
"You're bragging. I think it's the actresses who gave you the passion."
""
Nicole wore a minimalist light-colored outfit: a pale pink collared long-sleeved shirt paired with pure white rolled-up casual pants. She sat barefoot on a wicker chair, with one leg naturally crossed and resting on the side of the chair. Her arms were outstretched, and her posture was relaxed and generous, perfectly showcasing a high-end feel in her simple outfit.
"Not entirely. When I make a film, I mainly look at the script. As long as the script is attractive enough, I will make it even if it is an all-male film without any female characters."
David picked up a glass of juice from the stone table in the garden. "The core characters in my play are three men. The female characters have very little screen time. The only one with any weight was given to Catherine. Now that should prove my innocence."
""
"No," Nicole snorted. "This is only temporary. Before long, you'll definitely be making those kinds of movies where the female characters have a lot of screen time again."
,
"Oh my god, isn't this a good thing?"
David helplessly shrugged and said, "Otherwise, wouldn't you only be able to play some decorative roles?"
"So you mean the female lead in your movie is just a pretty face?"
Nicole suddenly asked him with a half-smile.
"Not entirely," David said, completely unconvinced. "The role is still quite important."
Because "L.A. Confidential" is a typical male ensemble crime film, Lynne's screen time is not high, so some viewers believe that she is always dominated by male characters and only exists as a symbol to promote the emotional storyline between the two male leads.
Actually, that's not the case. This character is a key softening element in the film's masculine narrative. She not only serves to differentiate and bring the main characters closer together, but also, through the setting of "a high-end prostitute who has undergone plastic surgery to become a star," strengthens the film's satirical core of the glamorous facade of 50s Los Angeles. She is not a useless decoration.
The best proof of this is that Kim Basinger, the original actress, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role, breaking her established label as a "pretty face actress".
"But she really has very few scenes," Nicole turned to look at him, her signature light blonde hair neatly styled up, revealing her full and defined facial features. "Does a female character with little presence have to be more than just a pretty face?"
Of course, it doesn't have to be just a pretty face.
The term "vase" is a derogatory term in the entertainment industry, specifically referring to a character who attracts attention solely through outstanding appearance, has a thin character design, lacks room for acting skills, and is more like a "pretty decoration" in the plot, with almost no substantial role in advancing the main storyline. This has nothing to do with the amount of screen time.
Take Jackie Chan's "Mr. Nice Guy" as an example. In the movie, Jackie Chan's girlfriend role is played by Li Tingyi. Not only is her screen time pitifully small, but the role's functionality is also extremely weak.
She hardly took any initiative throughout the entire story, appearing only as a "hostage prop" kidnapped by the villain. Her only purpose was to threaten the protagonist into handing over the videotape. Her character was so thin that it was frightening; she was undoubtedly just a pretty face.
Even if you put such a character in a Jackie Chan movie, or even in a global box office champion, it would probably be difficult for him to leave any impression on the audience, and he would hardly make a splash.
It is said that Li Tingyi turned down the role of Xiao Yanzi in "My Fair Princess" for this role as a Dragon Girl, and later regretted it very much.
"No matter what you say, more screen time is definitely better than less," Nicole retorted. "If a character has enough screen time, as long as the screenwriter has a little ability, the female character's personality can't be one-dimensional."
"Well, being thin has its advantages too."
"David, are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?"
“I’m serious,” David added, “If the characters in a commercial film are too complex, it can, to some extent, raise the barrier to entry for viewers and limit the audience.”
"But if it's too thin, even if the movie is a box office hit, the actors won't get any improvement."
""
Not necessarily, that's really not certain. David didn't say anything, but he was still arguing in his mind as always.
The female lead in "The Mask" was initially conceived as a sexy, pretty face who was a mob spy planted in a bank. Her main role was to seduce the male lead with her beauty. She had almost no complex character arc. The production team initially only required her to showcase her appearance, with virtually no requirements for her acting skills. Even the song and dance scenes used a stand-in to sing and dance for her.
However, Cameron Diaz's screen debut was relaxed and natural. Her bright 21-year-old appearance and sweet and innocent temperament were highly recognizable. In particular, the scene of her appearing in red was filmed very well, instantly catching the attention of audiences worldwide. Her ability to attract attention was second only to Sharon Stone's crossed legs.
This shows that audiences actually have low expectations for actresses. As long as they are good-looking enough, they are willing to accept even a simple, goofy character.
"You're right, I'll pay more attention to that in the future."
F
David quickly changed the subject, "By the way, why are you dressed like this today?"
'
"What's wrong with this outfit?"
"It's too plain, it doesn't suit your style," David said, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at the other person's light-colored outfit. "But you know what, the warm-toned green plants and warm orange flower clusters create a soft atmosphere that really matches your cool and elegant outfit. They blend together perfectly."
Nicole's light gray eyes flashed with a hint of smugness. "I call this understated elegance, not plain or tacky. The kind of bright red and purple is only suitable for wearing on the red carpet."
"I did see you wear red last time, but not purple," David commented after examining you for a while. "However, I think you'd suit black better; black goes with you better."
"Is it because this makes me look even whiter?"
'
"Not entirely,"
David wasn't lying. "Black has a visually slimming effect, which can more precisely fit your tall and slender figure and fully showcase the advantages of your toned lines that you've developed through years of fitness training."
"Work out regularly? How do you know I've been working out regularly?"
"Her arm," Nicole said, reaching out her right hand to grab a juice. David grabbed her forearm. "The lines are still very defined, and it's quite firm."
After rubbing his hands together, he asked with a smile, "This effect must be the result of long-term strength training. How do you usually train? You don't lift weights, do you?"
"I practice that too, but not very often."
Nicole pulled her arm away, picked up the juice and brought it to her lips, then turned to reply, "It's mainly yoga and Pilates."
Pilates and yoga are somewhat similar, as both can be done using a yoga mat. However, the former focuses on strengthening core strength, precisely controlling muscles, and improving posture and motor function, making it more of a functional training approach.
"You're not lying to me, you really do practice this often."
""
Nicole lay flat on the yoga mat, her top slightly lifted, revealing a clear six-pack and V-line, showing obvious signs of her fitness journey.
"Why six pieces instead of eight?" David traced the grooves with his index finger.
"That's determined by genes," Nicole was about to explain this to him when she couldn't help but turn around and laugh. "Hehe—hey, it's itchy, can you be careful?"
""
"OK, OK, go ahead, I'm listening."
The abdominal muscles that the human eye sees are the shapes formed by the rectus abdominis muscle divided by white connective tissue called tendinous intersections. Three tendinous intersections divide the abdominal muscle into six sections, and four tendinous intersections are needed to divide it into eight sections.
The number and location of tendinous intersections are entirely determined by genetics. No matter how hard you work out or how much body fat you reduce, you cannot increase the number of tendinous intersections out of thin air. Therefore, people who are born with only three tendinous intersections will not be able to develop eight-pack abs no matter how hard they try.