boyutpedia Chapter 213, "Hurricane in Hong Kong," is finished filming.
Chapter 213, "Hurricane in Hong Kong," is finished filming.
The production team for "Hurricane Hong Kong" began internal auditions at Zhonghua Group, which lasted only one day.
It wasn't that they were perfunctory in their procedures, but rather that the acting skills of the artists under Zhonghua had been professionally trained in the training class opened by Zhang Manli, and that Lin Zhou had personally recruited them one by one according to the list from later generations.
Most people have some talent for performing, and with a little training, their talents and skills can be activated.
In addition, the plot of the entire movie almost revolves around the male protagonist, and the remaining characters are mostly supporting roles and extras. After watching their performances a few times, the director made the decision on the spot.
At its core, this film is a tough-guy action movie with the male protagonist at its absolute center.
The main storyline is clear: a soldier who once fought bravely in the Vietnam War was wounded and forced to leave the battlefield. He was then sent to the rear to recuperate. After recovering, he was required to leave the combat force due to health reasons and return to civilian work.
But when he got home, he found that no one was there!
After his investigation, he discovered that it was a rumor that he had died on the battlefield, that his mother had died of illness because she could not bear the shock, and that his daughter and wife had gone missing on their way to the county town.
Some say she was abducted by human traffickers, but after a thorough investigation, the protagonist discovers that she was eventually tricked into going to Hong Kong.
After he chased his wife and daughter to Hong Kong, he had many conflicts with various gangs for various reasons. Not long after he found his wife and daughter, his daughter was kidnapped by a gang leader because of the previous conflict.
Forced to return to the underworld, the protagonist single-handedly overturns the entire Hong Kong underground.
The plot is straightforward and fast-paced, without unnecessary romantic entanglements or drawn-out subplots, perfectly catering to the tastes of Hong Kong audiences today.
For this reason, the female lead doesn't have many scenes; she mainly serves to connect the emotions and trigger the male lead's outburst.
After discussions with the director and other members of the crew, Zhang Manli unanimously decided that Carina Lau would play the female lead in the film.
When she and Tony Leung were filming "A Step into the Past", they had already developed a great chemistry after a long period of working together, and they had a natural sense of being a married couple when they stood together!
With a gentle yet resilient temperament, she can portray the stability of an ordinary housewife, as well as reveal a heartbreaking vulnerability when threatened, making her a perfect fit for the role.
The key role of the male lead's daughter was played by a cute and spirited little girl who was discovered in a kindergarten in the Yuen Long Industrial Park.
The young girl was very young but had a natural talent for performing. There was a crew member whose wife was a kindergarten teacher, and it was she who strongly recommended her.
During the audition, this young girl's crying scene was extremely moving. Her line "Daddy, save me" was enough to make the staff on set feel a pang of anxiety. Therefore, everyone in the crew highly recognized her acting skills, and they used her crying scene to completely ignite the male lead's vengeful rage.
The remaining supporting roles—human traffickers and smugglers from the mainland, thugs, scoundrels, triad bosses, loyal henchmen, police officers, informants, and neighbors from Hong Kong—were all taken up by artists under Chung Wah Group.
Veteran actors provide support, middle-aged and young artists carry the show, and new actors help them become familiar faces.
From Zhao Yazhi's cameo appearance as a key insider to a newly signed newcomer playing a small-time hoodlum, everyone has a suitable role.
The entire crew, from the lead actors to the extras, was almost entirely covered with the "Zhonghua Production" label.
Their casting call was so high-profile, and Hong Kong is such a small place, so the news spread throughout the entertainment industry in no time.
The news spread throughout Hong Kong in less than a day, and many people in the industry secretly laughed at them.
It's quite arrogant of Zhonghua Group to say that they only use their own people in a movie and don't even hire any big-name foreign actors. They're afraid no one will watch it.
Some people say that while Chung Wah Group is indeed a behemoth in Hong Kong, they are now writing their own scripts and making their own movies!
Lin Zhou was an amateur after all, thinking he could make money just by taking some random photos. Just wait and see him fall flat on his face.
Lin Zhou didn't take these idle rumors to heart at all.
He only gave the film crew and director one instruction: shoot quickly, shoot well, and shoot clearly.
Hong Kong cinema in that era was dominated by "quick shooters," and the film crew held a simple opening ceremony without inviting any outsiders.
This film doesn't have any drawn-out, artistic shots, repetitive fight scenes, or shooting periods that often last six months to a year.
So as long as the script is strong enough, the conflicts are intense enough, and the actors are dedicated enough, the faster the filming, the more raw and powerful the effect.
Everyone in the entire crew was like a wound-up machine, operating at high speed.
They filmed around the clock, day and night.
Dramatic scenes were filmed in one take, and action scenes were performed by the lead actors themselves without the need for stunt doubles, with scenes switching back and forth.
From street chases to indoor brawls involving a group of more than a dozen people.
From ambushing in alleyways to dashing through bustling market stalls—all the footage was shot cleanly and efficiently.
The project, which was originally expected to take a month and a half, was completed in just one month.
When the director shouted the final "Cut!", the entire crew erupted in thunderous cheers.
Tony Leung, Carina Lau, and other popular actors were so exhausted that they collapsed on the ground, but they all had bright smiles on their faces.
This is not just the wrap-up of a movie, but also the first battle for all the actors and actresses to prove themselves.
At the wrap party, everyone in the film crew raised their glasses in celebration. After finishing her drink, Zhang Manli said with great enthusiasm:
"This film is the first truly independent film produced by Zhonghua Film & Television! From now on, we will only make more and better films!"
Everyone in the room raised their glasses again and loudly echoed the call.
Lin Zhou sent a message to everyone in the crew from home, telling them to eat and drink well!
Lin Zhou knew in his heart that the first part of the movie had already been filmed.
Next comes the real killer move of this movie: the "cheap special effects" haven't even been revealed yet.
The day after filming wrapped, Lin Zhou gathered the director and core production staff of the film crew. After watching all the rough cuts, he spoke calmly:
"The actual filming was great. Leave the post-production editing and special effects to me."
I have several professional friends abroad whose skills are far more advanced than those here in Hong Kong. I'll personally take them there and have them help refine the techniques, guaranteeing results that will exceed everyone's expectations.
Upon hearing that the boss wanted to hire a foreign film team for post-production editing and special effects, everyone had no objections; they were well aware of their own limitations.
In their view, the so-called special effects from abroad are nothing more than adding some smoke, explosions, and simple lighting. It's a good thing that Lin Zhou is willing to take care of it personally, as it saves them the trouble of troubling their own people.
Lin Zhou didn't explain much, but simply had all the master tapes organized and put into an encrypted box.
That afternoon, before he was supposed to leave work, he drove back to the villa alone and instructed the servants not to disturb him unless necessary. He also asked them to tell his family and Su Wanqing not to disturb him.
Carrying the suitcase, I went to his study, closed the doors and windows, and made sure no one could see the secrets inside.
He called Su Wanqing again, telling her that he was thinking about something in his study at home and not to disturb him after get off work, and that he didn't need to wait for him for dinner.
After hanging up the phone, the next second, he flashed into the space house that belonged only to him.
The flow of time here is different from that outside. If there is no one here, time is completely frozen. As soon as Lin Zhou's body enters, time will start to flow.
This place is fully equipped with modern household appliances and is completely quiet, making it the perfect location for post-production filming.