nucmednet Chapter 65 Zhu Xudan
Chapter 65 Zhu Xudan
There must have been a purpose in having Hu Ge and Liu Shishi appear in Ming Dynasty attire.
Ever since Wang Zhonglei asked about it at the last celebration banquet, this group of old-timers has been as silent as if they were dead.
If we don't make a fuss to put pressure on them, they'll all remain quite calm.
The news that Hu Ge and Liu Shishi have apparently switched allegiances has been trending on Weibo for over a week and has been discussed on and off for several days.
Not long after the opening ceremony began today, the hashtag #HuGeLiuShishiAncientCostumeLook# immediately surged to the top of the trending topics list.
Oh, by the way, before this, the top trending topic was #Li Xiaolu and Jia Nailü got married#.
At that time, no one realized how much "fun" this marriage would bring to everyone later.
From the moment the two got out of the car, Reuters photos began circulating wildly online.
Weibo, Baidu Tieba, and a host of other forums are buzzing with discussion about this topic.
The Reuters photos, coupled with the official announcement of the couple's "amicable breakup" with Sugarman, have caused a huge stir in the entertainment industry.
It's not that no one in the industry has ever produced a TV series set in the Ming Dynasty, but this is the first one to have such exquisite and beautiful makeup and costumes while also maintaining a sense of fashion.
These two ancient costumes have both classical charm and a touch of modernity, and are not at all like the tacky studio photo shoots.
The makeup was also very sophisticated, without the cheap feeling of heavy makeup, but rather it perfectly complemented the actor's own temperament.
This combination of tactics immediately generated a lot of buzz, and the TV series became a hit even before filming began.
Even happier than Lin Yu were the various brands. The biggest advantage of filming modern dramas is that product placement is also an important way to make money. If the cast is good enough, they can even break even just from the product placement fees.
The product placement in this show wasn't cheap.
Moreover, even if you offer a high price, you are not guaranteed a spot. You have to screen them one by one to see if the brand's performance can be adapted to the scenes in the drama.
However, the launch ceremony alone made the brand feel like it was getting more than its fair share. The promotional effect was definitely worth it!
As for the press interview session following the opening ceremony, it was also arranged well in advance.
Lin Yu and his PR team had already reviewed in advance which reporters would be called upon to ask questions and what those questions would be.
The goal is to ensure effective promotion of the drama while also satisfying everyone's curiosity about the "two people joining Wong Jing-fa".
More importantly, public opinion needs to be steered in a direction favorable to the production team, because even greater public opinion is yet to come.
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"Where did you find all these oddballs?" Lin Yufen squatted behind the head eunuch and couldn't help but ask Lin Yu next to her.
The scene they were about to film was the Qing army capturing Guangling. The male lead, Shen Xinghe, had his superpowers weakened due to drinking contaminated water for many days, while the female lead, Qin Chanjuan, died in his arms while covering his escape.
This scene is considered one of the most heart-wrenching climaxes in the entire series.
But Lin Yufen had no time to be moved, because her attention was completely drawn to the costumes of those "Qing soldiers".
"What do you mean by 'crooked and deformed'?" Lin Yu was somewhat unconvinced. "This is called makeup and styling. These are all 1:1 replicas of the Manchu Tartar costumes from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The consultant team I hired is arguably the most professional in the country."
It's understandable that Lin Yufen complained.
The extras playing Qing soldiers in front of the camera, their costumes were truly... indescribable.
The "money rat tail braid" is not the thick braid that is beautified in other TV dramas, but the real "money rat tail". The front half of the head is shaved shiny, leaving only a small tuft of hair at the back of the head, which is braided into a thin braid, just like a rat's tail.
Coupled with deliberately drawn, lewd makeup: slanted eyes, a flat nose, and a mustache, he looked fierce.
Finally, they were dressed in cobbled-together cotton and leather armor, some even wearing animal hides, and carrying all sorts of miscellaneous weapons.
The overall style is rugged and wild... in short, it's very faithful to the original.
This contrasts sharply with the exquisite and elegant Ming Dynasty costumes worn by the male and female protagonists.
Even now, stained with blood and dust, Brother Hu's moon-white robes still exuded a refined and elegant air, along with a sense of helpless 'brokenness,' making him incredibly pitiful to behold.
The actress playing the female lead Qin Chanjuan in the ancient version is Zhu Xudan. The character adopts the original setting. The ancient and modern female leads are similar but different, which better reflects the feeling of things changing.
Even though her lake-blue jacket was torn and tattered in the flames of war, it was still heartbreakingly beautiful.
It has to be said that idol dramas really hone a director's ability to capture aesthetics.
As for whether people of the male and female protagonists' social class would wear such exquisite clothes, use such fabrics, and match such accessories on such occasions?
Don't ask, it's just beautiful.
In any case, there are definitely historical precedents for its form. As long as the form is correct, everything else can be done according to the standard of being aesthetically pleasing.
Whether it actually fits the actual wearer is a separate price.
"Speaking of which..." Lin Yufen paused for a moment, her tone hesitant, "Will filming like this really pass censorship?"
This is what she's really worried about; topics related to this dynasty are always very sensitive to censorship.
The context of the Ming-Qing transition can easily lead to problems if not handled properly.
"Don't worry, it will definitely pass." Lin Yu's tone was very confident. "As long as it's not direct filming, I can guarantee it will pass the censorship."
Since the script was finalized, many people have been worried about whether the portrayal of the Manchus would pass censorship, after all, this group of former Qing dynasty officials has always been influential in the entertainment industry.
However, these worries are somewhat unnecessary. If this group were really as capable as rumored, the restrictions on Qing Dynasty officials would not have become stricter year by year. It can only be said that they are a group that makes a lot of noise but accomplishes little.
"Besides, I'm just researching real history, not deliberately trying to vilify or belittle it," Lin Yu added. "If anyone has any objections, let them confront my advisory team."
"As long as you know it, that's fine." Lin Yufen shook her head. "Anyway, I'm getting paid."
Lin Yu smiled and called out to the front, "Where's the script supervisor? Time to hit the clapperboard."
Only then did Wang Yanyang squeeze out of the crowd, carrying the clapperboard, and jog to stand in front of the camera.
"All departments, prepare!" Lin Yu shouted, holding up a walkie-talkie. His voice echoed throughout the room.
The scene immediately fell silent.
The lighting technician made a final adjustment to the angle of the fill light, the photographer checked the camera positions, and the sound engineer stood in the designated spot with the boom pole.
"Scene 3, shot 2, take 1!" Wang Yanyang shouted.
"The Death of Qin Chanjuan!"
"start!"
"Snapped!"
Wang Yanyang immediately stepped aside, making way for the camera.
The camera begins to zoom in.
The scene shows broken walls and billowing smoke.
The silhouettes of the Qing army can be vaguely seen in the distance, with their money-tailed cloaks flashing past the edge of the frame.
Zhu Xudan lay on top of Hu Ge, shielding him from the most fatal arrows. She struggled to raise her hand, wanting to touch Hu Ge's face one last time, but in the end, it fell limply to the ground.
Hu Ge lay half-reclined in the ruins, sensing Zhu Xudan's aura slowly fading away, while he himself gradually recovered thanks to his remaining self-healing abilities.
Finally, the camera focused on his face, and a single tear rolled down his cheek unconsciously.
The composition, lighting, and performance of the scene are flawless.