If "The Trilogy of the Gods" is an ancient epic with classical mythology as its backbone and modern images as its wings; the movie " Under the Stranger" is based on the passion of youth as its soul and superpowers as its pen. The best urban fantasy picture scroll. The two seemingly different works are both directed by Wu Ershan. In a recent exclusive interview with a reporter from the Beijing Youth Daily, director Wu Ershan said with a smile that the filming of the movie "Under the Stranger" was driven by curiosity and the promotion of Zhong Erhun, "I am a curious person, and I hope that every time I make a Each project tackles a new topic, which I enjoy and find very interesting.ā Over the years, Director Wu Ershan has continued to challenge new themes and types, but he believes that his creative purpose has never changed, āI have always been there. To do one thing is to explore a new realm of Chinese films. The inner core has not changed, but it has taken on different forms in different works."
The filming of "Under the Stranger" laid a solid foundation. It's important, so I decided to start from the beginning honestly.
The movie "Under the Stranger" is currently in theaters. The film is adapted from the popular Chinese comic "Under One Person" created by Mi Er. The comic series has received more than 30 billion views in just 8 years. In the film, Zhang Chulan (played by Hu Xianxu ), who has been hiding his identity as a foreigner, has been involved in the vortex of fighting between different alien sects since he met the mysterious Feng Baobao (played by Li Wanda). The intricate world of national customs and supernatural powers.
Director Wu Ershan feels that this is a work that he must make. "I admire the author Mi Er very much. His comics bring me a very strong desire to create. The original comic "Under One Person" is in the daily world , opens up a particularly imaginative parallel world for us. It is not only fascinating in terms of ideological depth, but also unparalleled in artistic expression. It also deeply touches on the complexity and richness of culture. It can be called a world-class masterpiece. He is an outstanding cartoonist and his works are full of charm. I think it is necessary for more people to understand intuitively and deeply through movies. At the same time, the original comic "Under One Man" also provides valuable inspiration and resources for movie creation. The film transforms these precious cultural resources into more vivid and fascinating visual stories, allowing more people to feel the unique charm of Chinese comics and film art. "
's original comic "Under One Man" has a grand world view and rich story lines. , director Wu Ershan said with a smile that he is still chasing "weekly updates". How to present the vast fantasy world of aliens on the big screen? Director Wu Ershan said that a solid foundation is very important, "so, I decided to start from the beginning honestly." According to Director Wu Ershan, film creation is like brewing a basket of fresh grapes into fine wine. It needs to be refined, concentrated, and strengthened to make it emit a richer aroma and touch the audience's emotions in more than 130 minutes.
"In the movie "Under the Aliens", I first focused on describing the basic structure of the world view, such as the nature of 'Qi', the definition of aliens, and the complex relationship between their internal factions. These elements form the skeleton of the story , the two core characters Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao, are the emotional nerves. Zhang Chulan, a young man burdened with family secrets and guilt, his hiding is not only an adherence to his grandfather's last wish, but also a kind of response to the tragedy of the past. Self-redemption. Feng Baobao is a guardian who is always around. The family and guardian relationship between her and Zhang Chulan is the emotional cornerstone of the story. I hope that by deeply exploring the background and inner world of these two characters, the audience can truly understand it. Get to know and fall in love with them. "
uses two emotional scenes to highlight the baby's protection of Zhang Chulan
The content of the movie "Under the Stranger" takes place on the eve of the Stranger Conference. Director Wu Ershan believes that this story is very suitable for the capacity of the movie, "This is Zhang Chulan's journey from hiding to the light. He was once a strange person hidden in the ordinary world, but his unexpected encounter with Feng Baobao made him... There were waves in his heart.He went through a profound psychological struggle, from adhering to his grandfather's death to standing up bravely. In order to protect the most precious person in his life - Feng Baobao, he decided to step into the unknown alien world. Zhang Chulan's psychological struggle is an indispensable part of his growth process, and his heart has undergone earth-shaking changes. I chose this passage as the theme of the entire movie because it touches on a question that everyone may face: Should we continue to pretend and hide, or should we be our true selves? This is not only crucial to Zhang Chulan's growth, but also an inspiration to the audience, encouraging everyone to pursue their inner truth, embrace themselves, and care for their family when facing challenges of fate. "Director
Wu Ershan revealed that in the creation of the script, he added some details, "We explored his psychological motivations and emphasized that the deeper reason for Zhang Chulan's hiding was that he accidentally exposed his grandfather. After passing away, his life was always accompanied by this heavy feeling of guilt. In the flashback part of Xu Xiang, I specially added two emotionally rich scenes. One scene involves Feng Baobao selling sweet potatoes outside the welfare home. This detail was not included in the original work. I hope that through this scene, I can convey a message to the audience and Zhang Chulan: Baobao is always by his side, accompanying him in various ways. Guard him. There is also a scene where when Zhang Chulan was addicted to comic books, Feng Baobao stepped forward and stepped on the car that hit him, which also strengthened Baobao's protection of him. Feng Baobao is not only the guardian in Zhang Chulan's life, but also his only relative, the most sincere emotion deep in the heart. I hope to enrich the inner world of the character and let the audience feel the unspoken love between them. metaphorās emotional depth. "
How actors are selected: Long-term course training, and three key assessments are also set up
" Conferred Gods Part 1: Chaoge Fengyun" is a mythological epic movie, the actors are in the performance style of a serious drama, classical And solemn. The Chinese style superpower movie "Under the Stranger" has a humorous and relaxed temperament. In the process of comic characters jumping onto the screen, the casting process is particularly critical, which is similar to that of "Fengshen Part 1". Like the "Proton Gods Acting Training Camp", the movie "Under the Strangers" convened outstanding young actors to join the "Strange People Training Camp" to interpret vivid portraits of strange people and young people.
Director Wu Ershan said, In the process of readers reading comics, characters and stories appear at the same time, which is very concrete. "In the casting of the movie "Under the Stranger", a very important point is that the actors should maximize their image. To get closer to the comic image, and to show the strong style of the character in terms of temperament. Because comics tend to highly refine the characteristics of characters, for example, they are particularly beautiful, with perfect body proportions and appearance. Or, it is strange and exaggerated, especially fat, short, thin, or small, which will highly stylize a visual image, which requires actors to accurately present the image. "
For this reason, the movie "Under the Stranger" conducted a long-term audition for actors. "We conducted targeted recruitment based on the characteristics of each character. Each character has three places to enter the training camp. middle. "The course design of the training camp is divided into two major sections: performance and martial arts, six days a week to fully shape the actor's skills and temperament. Director Wu Ershan told reporters: "The acting class is a three-hour immersive training in the morning, designed to awaken The potential within an actor. We encourage them to break the rules, try diverse comedy performance styles, and dig deep into the soul of the characters through rehearsals, so that every performance is full of freshness and creativity. In the afternoon, it is time for traditional martial arts. Four hours of rigorous training allow these modern youth to reconnect with the spirit and power of Chinese martial arts. Our action designs are all rooted in the essence of traditional Chinese martial arts. This kind of training is a new experience for most young actors in their 20s. Many of them had rarely had the opportunity to come into contact with traditional Chinese Kung Fu before. Starting from the basic leg press, stretching, and splitting, they built up their own martial arts foundation bit by bit, learning Bajiquan, Bagua Zhang, Xingyiquan, etc. wait.As the training progresses, their unique boxing techniques will be further honed based on the characteristics of their respective characters, so that each action is perfectly integrated with the character's personality and story. "
After a long period of course training, the crew also set up three key assessments. Director Wu Ershan said: "Each assessment is a test of the actors' comprehensive abilities. The first is the makeup test assessment, which requires the actors to appear in makeup. This is an intuitive test of whether they can blend into the character's look. Those unique images in comics, whether they have pink hair, orange hair or white hair, all need to be presented through careful makeup. After the makeup try-on, the actors will undergo performance and martial arts assessments. During the performance assessment, we observed their sense of comedy rhythm, mastery of lines and ability to convey emotions. The martial arts assessment tests their physical coordination, accuracy and strength of movements. This series of assessments not only tested the actors' skills, but also tested their understanding and investment in the roles. "
During this assessment process, Director Wu Ershan was also exploring how actors can achieve the performance style of comics, "The characters in comics are exaggerated and expressive, and every frame is full of drama. However, when these exaggerated elements need to be translated into continuous performance art, finding the right sense of proportion is particularly important. To this end, we have arranged intensive comedy courses and training to help actors expand their character expression and improve their comedy acting skills. We conducted an in-depth analysis of comedy movies of various styles and explored how they use different means to produce comic effects. Is it physical exaggeration? Is it the cleverness of the lines? Or is it the precise control of the performance rhythm? Through careful study and practice of these elements, the actors learned how to maintain the authenticity of their characters while incorporating just the right amount of exaggeration to create a performance that was both entertaining and engaging. "
After experiencing the devil's training, the actors have to go through countless rehearsals and attempts. Director Wu Ershan said that in the two months before the start of filming, the creators were immersed in home rehearsals, and each scene was carefully rehearsed. Elaboration and interpretation. āWe work with the acting teachers and the actors to get into the essence of each scene, auditioning over and over again to explore the best way to perform. While observing, I thought: Is this design exciting enough? Or, does it need to be replaced with another form of representation? We tried various performance methods. The photographers are also deciding the most appropriate shooting techniques and lens selection based on the actors' performances, hoping to capture the richness and fun of the performances. "
In addition to the outstanding "personal abilities" of the actors, the creation of the movie "Under the Stranger" also needs to pay attention to the overall coordination. Director Wu Ershan said: "The most taboo thing about comedy is different styles. If each actor If you only act in your own way, the whole show will lose its unity. We need all actors to perform in the same style, so as to create a world that makes the audience feel comfortable. Through continuous rehearsals, the actors gradually found the most suitable performance proportion, so that every action and every line can accurately convey the character's character and emotion. In addition to superb performances, we also need to show a kind of performance. The leisurely and rhythmic performance style allows the audience to feel the depth of the characters and the charm of the story while laughing. "
There is a clear distinction between the cultural origins and expressions of movies from Marvel and DC.
In the movie "Under the Stranger", the first meeting of "Baolan" in the cemetery, the fierce battle between Yin and Yang and the Five Thunders, is thrilling. Famous scenes such as the thrilling abandoned factory battle broke through the dimensional wall one after another, giving the audience a visual and visual shock. After four years of polishing from 2020 to 2024, Director Wu Ershan said with a smile that he did not feel it was hard. Every time I work on a project, I hope to turn the project into a topic. āWhen I was working on "The Trilogy of the Gods," I studied what the film grammar of classical mythological epics is and how to present it. When making "Under the Stranger", I studied how to transform the essence of the concepts and settings in the comics, as well as the visual aesthetic style, into film language."
It is reported that there are more than 2,200 movie shots in the movie "Under the Stranger", of which more than 1,600 are visual effects shots. The challenge comes from creativity and stylization. Director Wu Ershan said: ""Fengshen III" "Part" pursues real technical difficulty and ceiling-level visual effects production. The movie "Under the Stranger" pursues how to present Chinese-style superpowers, integrating the energy transformation of Qi, traditional Chinese medicine meridians, and the five elements of yin and yang. Wait, creativity is key. We need to have a clear distinction from Marvel and DC movies in terms of cultural roots and expressions. Otherwise, the national style will not exist. "
Director Wu Ershan said with a smile that he has summarized four ways of Western superheroes. The first is the mutation effect of scientific experiments, such as Spider-Man; the second is life from extraterrestrials, such as Superman; the third is the transformation of Western superheroes. The first is mythical characters, such as Thor and Wonder Woman; the fourth is high-tech inventions that rely on strong economic conditions, such as Batman and Iron Man. In his opinion, these superheroes with super powers are not the same as Chinese super powers. The logic is completely different. "Western powers all come from the outside. China's powers are deeply rooted in a long inheritance, derived from the profound heritage of the family sect, and also from self-cultivation." This 'qi' itself is the life energy carried by every living thing, and strangers are people who can perceive and control this power. They acquired it through inheritance from generation to generation and personal practice. This kind of practice is not only external skill training, but also inner self-improvement. This inside-out logic reflects a unique Chinese way of thinking - a profound reflection on the relationship between the world and oneself, the exploration of inner potential and the questioning of the essence of life. This is a particularly valuable concept and a particularly powerful part of the Chinese people. "
Director Wu Ershan hopes to use movies to present these Chinese visual elements, so that the audience can feel the resonance and echo of both tradition and coolness. "For example, 'Yang Wu Lei' comes from the energy of the heart and lungs, and the heart belongs to Fire is red and Lung Metal is white. It will start with the energy of the heart and lungs, then mobilize the three yang meridians of the hands, and emit from the acupuncture points. It will appear red and white when it is finally performed. The 'Yin Five Thunders' are mobilized by the liver and kidneys. The liver belongs to wood, which is blue, and the kidney, which belongs to water, is black. It reaches the whole body through the three yin meridians of the hand, and appears blue and black when it is finally used. Another example is the Golden Light Technique, which has corresponding manual techniques when used. Each gesture of these manual techniques also has a real basis in traditional culture. "
However, director Wu Ershan believes that the movie "Under the Stranger" shows not only a visual spectacle, but also an exploration of spiritual values. The so-called superpowers are also the spiritual power deep in the soul, inspiring people to transcend themselves and reach out to others. Extraordinary, āFor example, Zhang Chulan calmly responded to adversity, condensed his inner energy in his heart, and rekindled the fire of hope. His powers come from love, faith and responsibility. When he was determined to use all his strength to defend his most sincere emotions and values, he burst out with energy beyond what he had ever experienced before. It was as if he had been blessed by the Yang Five Thunder Plus, and the Five Thunder Talisman appeared in the sky. This was the key to his spiritual sublimation. Visual presentation. "
Let young audiences realize that Chinese traditional culture is so cool and so handsome.
Director Wu Ershan believes that making this movie is a very good opportunity. Through modern expressions, young audiences can realize that Chinese traditional culture is so cool and so handsome. Handsome, and a unique spiritual wealth in China, "The future of movies is the carnival of young people. There should be film works and film types that are highly integrated with young people's lives." Comic culture is actually youth culture, but it has been in a subculture for a long time. If we can express it well in the form of movies and win more audiences, we can make it enter the mainstream movie genre. "
Director Wu Ershan hopes that the film quality of "Under the Stranger" will be like a disco, with a cool carnival or party experience. To this end, he highly integrated colorful popular elements into the creation "In the entire movie, we used about 23 pieces of copyrighted music of different styles.From the nostalgic Chinese pop songs of Teacher Tu Honggang to the rap music that is popular on the streets today, Famicom-style music, as well as hip hop, r&b, heavy metal rock, and the avant-garde rhythms of electronic music, they are all intertwined in the movie. We also let music participate in the narrative. Music actually plays a role in shaping characters. Each character has its own background music. For example, when Feng Shayan appears, it is "Loser", and the lyrics are actually very similar to her inner monologue. In addition, we also incorporate energetic dance elements such as hip-hop into the movement design. Looking at the subtitles at the end of the film, we printed them on the big screen in the form of barrage. This not only resembles the audienceās immediate feedback when watching the film on their mobile phones, but also continues the visual theme of the entire film. I hope that the film will show a deep understanding and respect for the cultural background of young people, so that contemporary young people in China can find themselves reflected in the film and feel a sense of belonging. "The
movie "Under the Stranger" also tried a new relationship between sound and pictures to achieve the metaphorical effect of sound effects. "Many sound effects do not simply simulate live sounds, but are cleverly designed to enhance the situational experience. For example, at the beginning of the movie, Zhang Chulan was robbed. When he handed over his meal card and bicycle keys, the sound that accompanied him was not the sound of reality, but the iconic sound effect of getting gold coins in a video game. This creative sound design not only gives the scene a surreal interest, but also allows the audience to immediately feel a unique sense of modernity and game-like humor. "
For the first time, live-action animation combined with artificial intelligence technology has been used in theater film production
. It is worth mentioning that an 18-minute memory segment in the film was presented using live-action animation. Director Wu Ershan revealed that this The animation is not a traditional hand-drawn copy, but an image realized by combining traditional film craftsmanship and artificial intelligence technology. āIn the production process, artificial intelligence must be continuously trained, and the 3D image of the actor must be scanned for the artificial intelligence to learn. In this way, it can complete the picture according to the desired painting style based on understanding the character. From actual filming of actors to animation production, all materials are original. "
Director Wu Ershan said that the film cleverly integrates vision and hearing, performance and the relationship between sound and picture to create a unique expression effect. This ability is the unique magic of the film and is an audio-visual feast purely belonging to the film. "From the previous movies "Painted Skin II" and the movie "The Secret of the Dragon" to "The Trilogy of the Gods" and the movie "Under the Stranger", director Wu Ershan said that his creations have always been "in the same vein" What they have in common: "First of all, I have always hoped to innovate the genre of Chinese films; second, I want to express contemporary Chinese traditional culture and use new concepts and new technologies to re-process our existing cultural resources. ; Third, I hope to recommend young and talented actors to the entire industry and the audience, whose overall quality is excellent; fourth, I hope to make a breakthrough in film industry technology"
And if there are "superpowers" available. If given the choice, what kind of "foreigner" would Director Wu Ershan hope to become? Director Wu Ershan said: "I hope to have Feng Baobao's ability to live forever. I still have too many movies that I want to make, including historical ones, biographies, etc. I want to do anything that I have never done before. Try. If I had more time, I could put a lot of ideas into practice."
Text by Beijing Youth Daily reporter Xiao Yang
editor by Gong Lifang
.