Chapter 8, my friend, I will keep an eye on you

However, while studying at the University of Southern California, Wang Yang also became aware of the drawbacks of storyboards. It is quite simple: the method of drawing storyboards constrains the director's creativity. With a storyboard, the director merely mechanically translates the content depicted on paper into shots. However, when the story, actors, and reality interact, many interesting and unpredictable collisions and images arise, at which point the storyboard becomes a stumbling block. The director merely mechanically translates the content depicted on paper into shots, but when the story, actors, and reality interact, many interesting and unpredictable collisions and images arise, at which point the storyboard becomes a stumbling block.

After seeing off the Alba siblings, Wang Yang finished the remaining tidying up, took a hot shower, and hurriedly ate the takeout he had ordered, a large pizza

"Joshua, you are overthinking this. Jessica and I are just good friends," Wang Yang said with a smile, shaking his head. He then cautiously asked, "We have only reunited for two days; I don't even know if she has a boyfriend"

"Oh, am I filled with hostility? What kind of treatment can you expect?" Joshua said disdainfully, "How do you treat a student expelled from USC? And the reason is racial discrimination against Black people? Buddy, my dad is Mexican, and so am I."

Wang Yang went to a large furniture and appliance rental company named "Entrepreneur". This company primarily serves young entrepreneurs, alleviating their burden regarding office equipment; it also caters to individual households, including the couple's double bed and other furniture that Wang Yang needs.

After taking a shower and having dinner, Wang Yang walked around the house with the home DV camera he rented from the photography equipment store today, taking pictures everywhere. The deposit for this DV camera is 1,000, and the rental fee for one month is 300, which means the film cost has reached 1,800 USD, with working capital at 4,200.

After spending a whole day, I finally managed to renovate the walls of the hall and several areas in the bedroom that will be used for filming. Fortunately, I had the help of the Alba siblings; otherwise, I would not have been able to accomplish it alone. Now the walls are a bright white, sufficient to meet the requirements of the film

Wang Yang shrugged and explained, "I am not racially biased; I am being wronged." He then calmly recounted the events leading up to the situation.

I feel very sorry," Wang Yang said comfortingly, "but Jessica, remember there are many opportunities ahead." That character is merely one of the many female classmates of the female lead in a campus comedy film, with only one or two lines and no more than three appearances on screen, and the director is quite picky.

Then, the teacher made another joke, causing the classroom to burst into laughter: "Of course, you can also fall in love with the storyboard, because all you need to do is wait for the cameraman to set up the equipment and for the actors to be in place. Then you can hand out the storyboard without even looking at the monitor! What? You ask whether the actors should stand a little to the left or a little to the right? Leave that question for the assistant director to solve! I'm going home!" You ask whether the actors should stand a little to the left or a little to the right? Leave that question for the assistant director to solve! I'm going home!

Wang Yang also felt very tired, but not as exaggerated as Joshua. He said, "In your condition, it would be very dangerous for you to drive back by yourself. Would you like me to give you a ride? I can take the subway back."

"What is it?" Wang Yang turned his head and glanced at him with a questioning look, then continued to sift through the pile of sofas, contemplating which sofa could exert subconscious pressure on the audience in the darkness

Oh, so that's the reason! Wang Yang asked, "Did Jessica tell you?"

This house indeed gives a sense of a new home! Wang Yang is shaking the DV back and forth, experimenting with the unique shaky camera technique of DV films, in the first person perspective, which can make you feel dizzy!

With a bang, the door was shut. Wang Yang rolled his eyes, wondering how he could be unaware of what he wanted to do

He primarily focuses on writing the storyboard, also known as the "director's script." Just as cells compose the human body, shots make up a film; each of these shots is designed by the director. Wang Yang is currently responsible for this design work. However, since he is the only one in the entire crew, this storyboard can be written quite simply, as long as he understands it himself

After finishing his meal, Wang Yang came to the computer desk and began writing the script. The later film "The Entity" did not have a finalized script during its shooting; all the lines were created on-site. This is because the focus of such horror films is not on the dialogue, but on the frightening atmosphere created by the camera work, allowing the audience to "scare themselves." Moreover, DV films emphasize the colors of everyday life, so one should not expect profound or interesting lines; everyday language suffices. Therefore, there is not much to write in the script; it is sufficient to clarify the story flow so that the actors understand the situation.

"The school did not give me a chance because of my skin color; they are the ones exhibiting racial discrimination." Wang Yang, feeling weary of the conversation, added, "I didn't do it, believe it or not," and then continued to select a sofa.

Recalling those classroom experiences, Wang Yang shook his head and smiled. Although he had little filming experience, he strongly agreed with that teacher: a storyboard should not become a constraint. As long as the shooting angles and visual effects are well defined, during the actual filming, one should communicate their shooting intentions to everyone and provide the actors with sufficient room for creativity. Mastering this flexibility is what a good director should prioritize. As long as the shooting angles and visual effects are well defined, during the actual filming, one should communicate their shooting intentions to everyone and provide the actors with sufficient room for creativity. Mastering this flexibility is what a good director should prioritize

Joshua understood the reason: Jessica was very unattractive in her childhood and was often mocked and bullied by her male peers. However, as she grew more beautiful, those same boys began to fawn over her, and this experience made Jessica somewhat enlightened. Yet, he could not comprehend what was so different about this Yang that caused Jessica to completely change her attitude towards boys.

How important are actors to a film? Undoubtedly. The success of a film, aside from the script and the director, largely depends on the actors, especially in narrative films. Only good actors can understand what the director intends to convey, and with top-notch acting skills, they can effectively express it to the audience; whereas a poor actor will only ruin everything.

"Just keep staring at me and see if you can find a glass pipe (a tool for smoking marijuana)." Wang Yang casually remarked, finally selecting a dark red sofa. He removed the tag from the sofa and called the waiter, saying: "I want to rent this one, that one, that one..."

Thank you, I am fine... Jessica smiled bravely.

"I do not know what tricks you are playing, but if you attempt to harm my family, you will certainly regret coming into this world." Joshua spoke fiercely, but unfortunately, his youthful voice betrayed him

Wow, really? I didn't expect your charm to be so great. Haha, so you mean to say that I am quite charming? Wang Yang asked with a smile. Interestingly, he was not the least bit angry about Joshua's words.

Of course, the maximum salary he can pay, along with those deposits, is only around 8,000 US dollars... ? ... A good actor. ? There is still a long time until Christmas; that old fellow Santa Claus is still on vacation.

Oh, I guess that's how you explained it to Jessica, right?" Joshua chuckled and shook his finger, saying, "I've seen many people like you. You might fool an ignorant girl, but you think you can fool me? Spare me. USC is a prestigious school; how could they wrongfully accuse you? Moreover, they expelled you immediately, which shows you must have a checkered past, so the school didn't give you a chance. I suspect you're not just guilty of racial discrimination; perhaps you also use marijuana?

Wang Yang did not fall asleep until late at night. The next day, he continued the work of setting up the scene, with the task of renting these props from a furniture and appliance rental company. The only companion was Joshua, who had been sent by Jessica to assist. He drove a blue small truck, ready to transport the furniture; meanwhile, Jessica was going to an audition today for a minor role in a comedy film and had no time to help.

In fact, Joshua had never seen his sister Jessica treat a man with such enthusiasm; her attitude towards other men had always been lukewarm and quite cautious. She had stated that 90% of the time, men are thinking about women's bodies, which disgusted her

Wang Yang couldn't help but laugh out loud, turned around to look at Joshua, and asked with an open hand: "Why do you think that? Please, why would I want to hurt Jessica? How could I possibly hurt Jessica?"

Joshua looked at the enormous red sofa before him, furrowing his brow and wearing a pained expression: "God curse him! It turns out that today I am not only the driver, but also a laborer!"

Hi, Yang! How are you today? Is Joshua able to help? Jessica's voice is still so pleasant, reminding one of her sweet smile

Oh, is that so? Wang Yang could not discern the truth of this statement; although he leaned towards believing it was false, Jessica was indeed not 8 years old. She was 17, and being so beautiful, it was quite normal for her to have a boyfriend.

And Joshua followed behind him, idly poking at the sofa, touching the chairs, and even lying down on a large bed, pretending to sleep.

He exclaimed loudly, "You know what? Jessica really likes guys who can play basketball! So their relationship is incredibly good." He then laughed and said, "Anyway, I'm telling you, buddy, you're out of the game."

After several trips back and forth, all the rented furniture and appliances were finally moved back to the apartment. As for the old furniture and appliances, Wang Yang stuffed them all into a small room. In any case, the more chaotic and dilapidated that small room is, the better it looks on camera

He had hardly spoken along the way, but Wang Yang knew he was merely contemplating. Sure enough, as Wang Yang was picking out a sofa, he sat at one corner of a sofa, clasping the backrest with both hands, and said: "Brother, now it's just the two of us, perhaps there are some matters that need to be clarified."

A long time ago, when I understood this, I tore up my storyboard. From that moment on, I tried to avoid drawing storyboards. These were the words of the teacher who taught about shots, and Wang Yang remembered them clearly. The teacher said with a look of ecstasy, "Life itself is richer than anything else. When you connect your thoughts with reality on site, it is a truly wonderful feeling"

The necessary scenes for the film have been prepared, and the script is nearly complete. It seems that we only need two actors before we can start filming

Alright, we have signed a short-term contract, but we need to move these big items back home ourselves, let's get started! Wang Yang rolled up his sleeves, patted the sofa, and gestured to Joshua to lift it up.

Oh Lord, oh Lord... I am exhausted, utterly exhausted..." After a whole day of hard work, Joshua lay on the sofa, eyes closed, breathing heavily, completely worn out, not wanting to move at all

Joshua changed his sitting posture, resting one hand on his chin, and scrutinized Wang Yang from head to toe, adopting the demeanor of an expert as he commented: "Oh, you? Your physique is not exactly weak, and you don't have any major flaws in your appearance, but you are still far from the word 'charm'; one could say you are completely unrelated to it!" He gave Wang Yang a sympathetic look and shrugged, saying: "But you know, women are born with a certain curiosity; they always yearn for things they do not understand, such as a person of Asian descent with a different skin color and hair color from their own."

One significant advantage of creating a storyboard is its intuitiveness. For instance, during the filming of complex shots, such as special effects shots or those requiring post-production digital processing, without a storyboard, explaining the details to dozens or even hundreds of staff members, including actors and cinematographers, can be arduous and troublesome. In the end, the director might find themselves overwhelmed, wondering why no one seems to understand their intentions

I am grateful to the person who invented "leasing," and even more so to the first individual who established a furniture and appliance leasing company. With this leasing service, Wang Yang only needs to spend a small amount of money to obtain those furniture and appliances for a month. This month is already sufficient for him to complete the filming of "The Haunting: Ghost Shadow Record," which originally took only a week to shoot.

Observing Joshua's gloating expression, Wang Yang curiously asked, "Brother, why do you harbor such hostility towards me? Come on, be a man and just say what you have to say."

Finding two good actors is the highest cost that this film requires

"No, I saw it myself. There is a termination notice in that cardboard box of yours. Oh, I’m sorry, I took it without asking." Joshua crossed his legs and said "Sorry" with his mouth, but there was not a trace of remorse on his face

Fortunately, this storyboard script now only needs to be understood by him alone

Joshua stood up and grunted, "Brother, I'm keeping an eye on you! Don't think you can pull any tricks."

Upon arriving at the destination, Wang Yang eagerly began to select items. There were individual pieces of furniture and appliances, as well as complete sets, each marked with a sign indicating the monthly rental price in dollars.

Jessica over there let out a disappointed "hmm" and said, "No luck, that producer said I was good, but the director said I wasn't, so I still don't have a job"

After nearly an hour of selection, Wang Yang signed a short-term lease agreement with the "Entrepreneur" company. Since the items he chose were all quite new and the rental period was short, the rent was relatively expensive, with a deposit of 3,000 and a rental fee of 1,000, thus a total of 4,000 US dollars was spent.

According to the background of the story, a couple moves into a new home. The furniture in the house does not need to be brand new, but it should be at least 80% new; a sofa with several large holes is certainly not suitable. Essentially, the entire apartment's furnishings need to be replaced according to the design plan. Whether it is the sofa, cabinets, or the bed in the bedroom; or high-end large televisions, refrigerators, and so on, if they need to be purchased, none of them are inexpensive. Even spending all of the 9,500 USD would not be enough to buy everything. Essentially, the entire apartment's furnishings need to be replaced according to the design plan. Whether it is the sofa, cabinets, or the bed in the bedroom; or high-end large televisions, refrigerators, and so on, if they need to be purchased, none of them are inexpensive. Even spending all of the 9,500 USD would not be enough to buy everything.

Although "Paranormal Activity" is a horror film and a DV movie, it may seem that the actors only need to open their mouths wide and scream. However, that is not the case. Firstly, there are not many moments in this film that require the characters to scream; rather, it plays on psychological elements, which necessitates the actors' performance. Therefore, there are certain requirements for the actors; it is not simply a matter of randomly pulling someone off the streets of Los Angeles.

Wang Yang's storyboard is quite basic and reads like a mere account; he only sketches those horror scenes that he has thoroughly considered and will not change, such as the shot of "a dark room with a television screen reflecting eerie ghostly shadows," which is drawn rather poorly. Well, Wang Yang's art teacher commented that "the composition is beyond imagination, but the drawing talent is lacking, making him suitable for studying abstract painting"

"What do you want to know?" Joshua raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Let me tell you, of course there is! Jessica is no longer a child, and she's so hot! Oh, the number of people pursuing her could stretch from Los Angeles to China. Her boyfriend, well, Jack, Jack is really outstanding. He is handsome, witty, and has exceptional athletic ability. He is the core of the school basketball team, playing as a swingman, just like Michael Jordan."

No one is a worm in your belly; all language is less clear than images. When you depict the scenes in your heart, others will understand immediately. At this moment, the advantages of a storyboard become evident.

Regardless, Wang Yang will go to Hollywood tomorrow to look for actors

Just as he was thinking, his phone rang. Wang Yang held the DV in one hand and took out his phone with the other. Upon seeing that it was Jessica calling, he answered, saying: "Hi, Jessica"

Excluding the deposit, the production cost of the film has risen to 1,500 USD, while his working capital is only 5,500 USD

"No, no, no!" Upon hearing this, Joshua immediately sprang up, his eyes wide open as he exclaimed, "I know what you intend to do, but no way!" He rushed into the bathroom, splashed cold water on his face, and shouted a few times in despair before saying, "I’m leaving, and you better not follow me!"

"Oh, he is quite good, he is quite good." Wang Yang smiled as he sat down on the sofa. Speaking of which, I wonder how Jessica's audition went today? He then asked, "How did the audition go?"

Oh, I don't know about that!" Joshua snorted and said profoundly, "However, women are always susceptible to various kinds of harm. Well, there have been many women whom I have hurt.