Huayu: This director is pretty strong.

Chapter 3 The Foundation of Beijing Film Academy

Ten minutes later, a steaming bowl of tomato and egg noodles was served.

Chen Yan wolfed down his food, sweating profusely as he ate.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Su Wan smiled and handed him a tissue. "I've finished reading your notebook... Chen Yan, you're really amazing."

She paused, then said seriously, "This male lead requires exceptionally high acting skills; most people can't portray him like that."

"I know," Chen Yan nodded.

Most students in the Performance Department of Taipei Film Academy tend to be idol-like and outgoing, and are not suited to play such introverted, repressed, and multi-layered roles.

You'll have to go to the Central Academy of Drama to look for it.

Directors from Beijing Film Academy and actors from the Central Academy of Drama—this is a tradition in the industry that cannot be broken.

"Can you do me a favor?" Chen Yan grasped Su Wan's hand.

"Are there any guys in your department from the classes of '97, '98, and '99 who have solid acting skills, a reserved demeanor, and can hold their own in close-ups?"

Su Wan thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up: "Yes! Deng Chuan! Class of '97, his acting is exceptional, but he's too proud and usually doesn't take on small roles. And Wu Lei, class of '98, he's a drama fanatic; he'll act even if there's no money, as long as the script is good."

Chen Yan's heart skipped a beat.

Deng Chuan, the future heartthrob of art-house films, won every major domestic award in his past life.

Wu Lei is a veteran actor, incredibly steady and reliable.

"Help me hand the notebook to them."

Chen Yan said, "If that doesn't work, ask your homeroom teacher, Ms. Li, to put in a good word for you."

Su Wan has an excellent relationship with her homeroom teacher, Ms. Li, and has a wide network of connections at school.

"no problem!"

Su Wan nodded immediately, then leaned closer, smiling with narrowed eyes, "So... how are you going to reward me?"

Chen Yan put down the bowl, reached out and cupped her face, then lowered his head and gently kissed her.

"Is this enough?"

Su Wan's cheeks flushed red, and she gently pushed him away: "Ugh... your breath smells like noodles."

"Then give me another kiss to get rid of the smell."

"don't want!"

Laughter filled the small house, the lights were soft, and the winter night of 2000 was unusually warm.

The next morning, Chen Yan returned to Beijing Film Academy.

In 2000, the Beijing Film Academy campus was small, with fallen plane tree leaves, and students everywhere carrying cameras and scripts, full of youthful vigor.

The graduating class of '98 in the Photography Department is busy preparing their graduation projects.

In the classroom, everyone gathered together to discuss, the atmosphere both lively and anxious.

"I still want to make art films; my teacher said they have a good chance of winning awards."

"I don't have any money. I can only film for five minutes at most. I'll just do a sloppy job and call it a day."

"I want to make a romance film. It's simple, easy to make, and the actors are easy to find."

The approach is uniformly academic: niche, marginal, personal expression, and obscure.

Chen Yan pushed open the door and entered, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

"Chen Yan, you're back! Have you finished your graduation project?" Class monitor Zhang Yuan asked.

"I've decided. I'll shoot a suspenseful crime short film, seventeen minutes long, called 'The Night Watchman'," Chen Yan said calmly.

The whole class fell silent instantly, then burst into laughter.

"A suspenseful crime? Chen Yan, are you out of your mind?"

"Why would we, in the photography department, shoot that kind of stuff? It's difficult to shoot, it's not flattering, and the teachers don't like it either."

"Exactly, just make an art-house short film and graduate peacefully."

In their eyes, making commercial genre films is a waste of time, a loss of face, and a self-destructive career.

Chen Yan didn't explain, but placed the printed script and storyboard on the table.

"I wrote it yesterday, you can take a look."

Someone picked it up casually and flipped through it carelessly.

At first, he looked disdainful, but as he watched, his expression gradually froze, and he unconsciously sat up straight.

"Holy crap..."

"This camera design... is too ruthless."

"This plot twist, this underlying theme, this emotion..."

More and more people gathered around, and the classroom went from laughter to deathly silence, with only the sound of turning pages remaining.

Everyone was stunned.

This doesn't look like student work at all.

This is clearly a script for a theatrical release directed by a professional director!

Light and shadow, composition, camera movement, rhythm, emotion, and plot twists—everything is terrifyingly precise. There isn't a single wasted line or a single wasted shot.

"Chen Yan... did you really write this?" Zhang Yuan's voice trembled.

"Otherwise what?" Chen Yan raised an eyebrow.

"You're too crazy..." someone murmured. "We're still struggling with how to shoot a single shot, and you've already figured out the whole short film."

"If you make this film, it's definitely yours for first prize in our department."

"Not just in the department, but across the entire university, and even at external short film festivals, we can dominate them all!"

Chen Yan smiled faintly: "Let's film it first."

He doesn't need praise; he needs a solid team.

"I need a photography assistant, lighting technician, sound engineer, and script supervisor. They're all my classmates. Anyone interested?"

As soon as he finished speaking, almost the entire class raised their hands at the same time.

"Me! Me! Me!"

"Count me in! No money, I'll do it for free!"

"Chen Yan, take me with you! I want to learn something from you!"

In his past life, Chen Yan was not outstanding in his class; he was unremarkable and no one paid him any attention.

In this life, his first move was a devastating blow.

Strength is the best form of authority.

Soon, Chen Yan assembled his graduation project team:

Director/Cinematographer/Screenwriter: Chen Yan

Photography assistants: Zhang Yuan and two others

Lighting: The best lighting team in the class

Recording: Students from the professional recording department

Script supervisor/producer: Su Wan (part-time)

Actors: We are currently in contact with Deng Chuan and Wu Lei from the Central Academy of Drama.

Equipment: Rented from within the Nortel campus, cheap and affordable.

Scene: A convenience store off campus that is about to close down. The owner hears that students are filming their graduation projects and offers to provide the venue for free, only asking for credit in the end credits.

Everything went ridiculously smoothly.

A week later, Su Wan brought news.

After reading the script, Deng Chuan couldn't sleep all night. He took the initiative to meet with Chen Yan, not to talk about money, but only about the play.

Wu Lei was even more direct. After reading the script, he said, "If you let me act in it, I'll join the crew right now. I'll even pay for my own travel expenses."

Two of the most powerful actors from the Central Academy of Drama have been recruited into his team.

When the news reached Beijing Film Academy, the photography department was in an uproar.

"Chen Yan is awesome! He even got the top students from the Central Academy of Drama to come!"

"Our cinematography department has never before cast a top student from the Central Academy of Drama as a lead actor!"

"This film was a hit even before it was made!"

Upon hearing this, the department head summoned Chen Yan to his office, reviewed his script and storyboards, remained silent for a long time, and finally said only one sentence:

"Take good photos. The future of the Beijing Film Academy's photography department depends on you."

Chen Yan stepped out of the office building, the sunlight shining on him, warm and bright.

In 2000, the golden age of Chinese entertainment was about to begin.

Countless classics are about to be born, countless superstars are about to rise, and countless amounts of capital are about to pour in.

Having missed everything and suffered half his life in his previous life, in this life, he stands at the forefront of the starting line with twenty years of experience and vision, top-notch directing and cinematography skills, his lover, and his dreams.

He won't wait any longer.

I will not tolerate this any longer.

We will not let this regret happen again.

He wants to capture the best shots, tell the most moving stories, win the most prestigious awards, and stand at the highest point.

Let the entire Chinese entertainment industry remember his name—Chen Yan.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for one week from now.

At the entrance of the convenience store, a simple red cloth was hung, and firecrackers were set off.

Chen Yan stood behind the camera, looking at the actors and scenes in the lens, and took a deep breath.

"All groups, get ready."

"The stage manager strikes the clapperboard."

"The Night Watch, Scene One, Shot One, Action!"

The camera slowly rotated.

The era belonging to Chen Yan has officially begun.