RPAGF Chapter 124 begins filming
Chapter 124 begins filming
After the filming of "Asking the Immortals" officially started, Bai Li, although she did not personally participate in the filming work, controlled the key aspects of the project as the producer and investor.
Her goal is not just to create a film, but also to pay tribute to Chinese culture through this work.
Therefore, before filming even began, Bai Li invested a huge sum of money to ensure that the film's quality met international standards.
Most of the funds were used for special effects production and set construction.
To recreate the grand world of cultivation in the novel, Bai Li hired top-notch special effects teams from home and abroad and used the most advanced CG technology.
Whether it's the extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth during the spiritual revival or the fierce battles between cultivators, every special effects shot has been repeatedly polished to achieve a breathtaking effect.
In addition, Bai Li has invested heavily in building multiple real-life filming locations, including ancient cultivation sects, bustling city streets, and mysterious underground spiritual veins.
To enhance the audience's immersion, Bai Li even invited the original author to participate in the scene design, ensuring that every detail conformed to the description in the book.
Such extravagant spending naturally attracted the attention of industry peers.
The first person to hear the news was Mr. Li, the general manager of Longtao Entertainment.
After all, he was the one who arranged the professional directing team for the filming, and he also invested 160 million yuan. Although this investment was mainly to apologize to Bai Li, he was still an investor.
When President Li heard that Bai Li had invested nearly one billion yuan in "Asking Immortals," he was first shocked, then couldn't help but swear: "Crazy, crazy, one billion yuan??? You mean Bai Li invested one billion yuan all by herself?"
He had actually heard that Bai Li seemed to attach great importance to "Asking Immortals," hiring top-notch special effects teams from home and abroad and building multiple real-scene shooting bases.
In his view, these actions were simply extravagant and wasteful, and even somewhat incomprehensible.
It's just a fantasy movie, does it really need to be made into this?
Which filming locations have to be demolished after filming? Isn't that just burning money?
Now that I've heard that Baili has invested nearly a billion yuan in this, in Mr. Li's view, this is no different from courting death.
Mr. Li has been deeply involved in the film and television industry for many years. As an investor, what he values most is the return on investment.
For Bai Li's reckless investment to yield high returns, the film would need to become a phenomenal blockbuster. But in the ever-changing film market, that probability is extremely low.
Moreover, market risks are even more difficult to predict.
Audience tastes change constantly. If this fantasy film doesn't meet current market preferences, then the billion-dollar investment will be lost.
The more Mr. Li thought about it, the more he felt that Bai Li's approach was unprofessional. In his view, it was a gamble with no chance of winning.
Mr. Li snorted coldly, leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and his eyes revealed a hint of sarcasm: "Does she think making movies is child's play? Spending money so extravagantly, it's questionable whether she can even break even in the end."
He paused, then added, "Besides, her company, which runs a live-streaming business, suddenly starts making movies, especially such a challenging fantasy genre. Isn't she just asking for trouble? I think she's going to suffer a huge setback this time."
The assistant asked cautiously, "Mr. Li, should we remind Mr. Bai? After all, we also invested 160 million. Although it's not a lot, it would be a pity if we lost it."
Mr. Li waved his hand dismissively and said, "A reminder? She's riding high right now, why would she listen to anyone else's opinions? Let's just wait and see. Once she hits a wall, she'll know how painful it is."
After saying that, General Manager Li picked up the report again, flipped through a few pages casually, and suddenly laughed: "But on the other hand, all her fuss has saved us a lot of trouble. Look, she's made a big splash on her end, attracting everyone's attention, which allows us to keep a low profile and focus on our project. Once her side collapses, we can take advantage of the hype to capitalize on it."
The assistant nodded quickly: "Mr. Li is wise!"
Mr. Li smiled smugly, tossed the report onto the table, stood up, walked to the window, gazed at the distant city skyline, and spoke with a hint of schadenfreude:
"Bai Li, Bai Li, do you think making movies is so easy? This time I'll see what tricks you can come up with."
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Although Bai Li's behavior is not well-regarded by her peers.
But the filming crew was thrilled.
Bai Li's generous investment brought unprecedented convenience to the entire filming process.
The director even admitted that this was the most thoroughly filmed project he had ever done in his career.
Thanks to those meticulously constructed real-life filming sets, directors no longer need to travel around looking for suitable filming locations, nor do they need to worry about rushing to shoot due to time constraints on location rentals.
These meticulously crafted sets not only faithfully recreate the world of the novel, but also provide great flexibility for filming. Directors can adjust the filming schedule at any time according to the needs of the plot, capturing the most beautiful scenes from various angles.
Furthermore, top-tier visual effects teams from both domestic and international backgrounds provide support. The director doesn't need to consider costs at all when designing visual effects shots.
Whether it's the extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth during the revival of spiritual energy or the fierce battles between cultivators, as long as the director has an idea in mind, the special effects team can use the most advanced technology and ample resources to bring it to life.
Every special effects shot undergoes repeated polishing until it achieves a breathtaking effect.
The same applies to prop preparation. In order to present a realistic world of cultivation, Bai Li spared no expense in purchasing and making various props.
From the magical artifacts in the protagonist's hands to the clothing and accessories of the cultivators, every prop is meticulously crafted to be exquisite and lifelike.
Directors don't need to worry about poorly made props affecting the quality of the footage during filming; they can confidently use these exquisite props in every scene.
With ample funding, the production team even invited the best staff in the industry, with top talents overseeing every aspect from cinematography and lighting to post-production.
During filming, the director can readily utilize these professionals to collaborate efficiently based on filming needs, greatly improving filming efficiency.
For directors, filming used to always involve careful consideration within budget constraints, and many creative ideas could not be realized due to funding limitations.
This time, facing such a generous investor as Bai Li, there was no need to consider the budget during filming. They could film however they wanted, making the filming experience unprecedentedly enjoyable.
The actors were also used very smoothly.
The actors trained at the training base not only perfectly match the appearance of the original characters, but also demonstrate remarkable resilience after months of hard work. They are capable of filming challenging wire work and intense fight scenes.
None of the actors were products of capital manipulation; the entire crew had a very positive and motivated atmosphere. Everyone shared the same goal: to make a good film!