Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 297 The film crew goes into the mountains

Wang Rui, Sun Wei, and Zhang Hao, as investors, had been waiting for a long time. The three of them were wearing windbreakers with the movie logo printed on them, and Wang Rui was holding a walkie-talkie, directing the staff to unload the equipment.

"Lighting team! Move the reflectors and softboxes to the side hall first. Watch your step, the stone path is slippery!"

"The costume and props team's vehicle will drive directly to the temporary dressing room set up on the back hill. Teacher Wei and the lead actors' costumes must be kept in special care!"

Chen Anran stood on the stone steps in front of the mountain gate not far away, quietly watching the busy scene below.

Wei Qingyi, dressed in simple modern attire, was talking quietly with the director. The director was a man in his forties with a thick beard, who used many gestures when speaking, while Wei Qingyi mostly listened, nodding occasionally, her expression focused.

Feng Xiaolu had somehow arrived beside Chen Anran, standing on tiptoe and peering down, her eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of nervousness that she herself couldn't quite pinpoint.

"So many people..." she whispered. "What would Second Senior Sister look like in her costume?"

Chen Anran smiled slightly: "It should look great."

Feng Xiaolu turned her head to look at him and saw his gentle gaze fixed on Wei Qingyi below. The subtle emotions in her heart stirred again. She bit her lip, turned her gaze away, and just then saw Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Xiaoman jogging over from the direction of the back mountain.

"Junior Uncle! Third Senior Uncle!" Zhao Mengmeng waved her hand. "Master Huiming said that the side hall is ready. For the next two days, worshippers will be temporarily guided to the side hall to offer incense. The main hall will be completely empty for the film crew to use."

Lin Xiaoman also said, "Mengmeng and I have checked the temporary dressing room and rest area on the back mountain. The water and electricity are connected, and the tables and chairs are all ready."

"Thank you for your hard work," Chen Anran said approvingly.

Before long, Wei Qingyi finished talking with the director and climbed the steps. She moved lightly and arrived at the mountain gate in just a few breaths.

"Is everything arranged?" Chen Anran asked.

"Okay." Wei Qingyi nodded. "Today we'll film a few group scenes in the side hall, the 'Heavenly Council.' My scenes are scheduled for the afternoon."

Her tone remained calm, but Chen Anran could detect a hint of tension in it. After all, this was her first time playing a major role in a big-budget film, and it was being filmed in her own sect, making it all the more significant.

"If you need our cooperation, just say the word," Chen Anran said gently.

Wei Qingyi glanced at him and gave a soft "hmm".

The crew began carrying equipment up the mountain in an orderly fashion. Although the stone steps were wide, some of the larger pieces of equipment still required the cooperation of several people. Seeing this, Chen Anran gestured to Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Xiaoman to help.

"Be careful, there's moss on the stone slabs," Chen Anran warned.

Feng Xiaolu rolled up her sleeves, wanting to help, but didn't know where to start. A young stagehand wearing a baseball cap was struggling to lift a box full of lights when he suddenly slipped.

"Watch out!" Feng Xiaolu reacted quickly, stepping forward and steadily supporting the bottom of the box with one hand.

The stagehand was startled. He looked up and saw a pretty young woman. What surprised him even more was that the box must have weighed at least a hundred pounds, yet she had supported it with just one hand.

"Th-thank you..." The stagehand blushed.

"You're welcome." Feng Xiaolu easily straightened the box and patted the young man's shoulder with her other hand. "The stone path is slippery, be careful."

The young man stared blankly at Feng Xiaolu's retreating figure, muttering to himself, "That girl on the mountain... she's so strong..."

An older lighting technician nearby chuckled, "Silly boy, didn't you hear what Boss Wang said? This Cloud Hidden Sect is a cultivation sect, full of immortal masters! That young lady looked young, but she might have been cultivating for longer than you!"

The young man shrank his neck, but he didn't believe it. He muttered, "Are there really 'immortals' in this world?" Then he dared not be negligent anymore and carefully continued to lift the equipment.

Once the equipment was moved, the side hall was transformed into a giant film set. The altar and statues were carefully moved to a corner and covered with dust cloths, while a green screen and tracks were set up in the center of the hall. The lighting technicians were busy adjusting the angles, trying to create lighting effects suitable for film scenes while preserving the ancient atmosphere of the hall.

The director's surname is Hu, and he is known as Director Hu.

The director of the previous film was changed because Wang Rui and his team felt that the previous director was too presumptuous, didn't understand his place, and didn't have the absolute idea of ​​"Wei Qingyi" as the core. So Wang Rui and his team decisively replaced him.

Director Hu held the curled-up storyboard in his hand, but instead of unfolding it, he first stepped aside to let Wei Qingyi move to a brighter spot. He then bowed slightly, a smile plastered on his face, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice:

"Teacher Wei, you see... in our upcoming 'Discussion of the Immortals' scene, according to the script, you'll be seated in the center, with several celestial officials flanking you to report. We've initially set up two camera angles: a full-view shot to highlight your majesty and the atmosphere; and a slowly advancing profile shot to capture your subtle expressions as you listen to the reports..."

As he spoke, he lightly tapped the script with the tip of his pen, but his gaze remained fixed on Wei Qingyi's face, observing the most subtle changes in her expression, ready to adjust his words at any moment.

As he spoke, he lightly tapped the script with the tip of his pen, but his gaze remained fixed on Wei Qingyi's face, observing the most subtle changes in her expression, ready to adjust his words at any moment.

"Of course, this is just a preliminary idea," Director Hu immediately added, his tone even more humble. "How to shoot it, how to set up the lighting, how to coordinate the blocking—it all depends on your habits and intuition, Mr. Wei. We'll do whatever you feel comfortable with and that best showcases the character."

An older actor playing the White-Bearded Immortal was listening to the director's instructions when he heard this. He couldn't help but glance at Director Hu and wondered to himself why this director, known as the "tyrant on set," was so gentle today, like a completely different person.

Wei Qingyi, however, remained calm. She wasn't stupid and knew what Wang Rui and his group were up to. She wouldn't force herself to suffer. If someone offered her a back door, so be it. She just needed to do her job well.

"Can."

With just two words, Director Hu seemed to have received some important affirmation. His smile became even more genuine, and his back unconsciously bent slightly: "Good, good! Teacher Wei says it's okay, so let's go with it. All departments, pay attention!" He turned to the staff, his voice regaining its usual booming tone, but his wording was noticeably more cautious. "Everyone, stay focused! The core of this scene is Teacher Wei. All the lighting, camera work, and blocking must serve Teacher Wei's performance, ensuring that Teacher Wei can perform in the most comfortable and precise state! Understand?"

"Understood!" the staff responded in unison, but many knew that the point of Director Hu's words was less of a request and more of a reminder—a reminder to everyone who was the real center of this film set that needed to be treated with utmost care.