wavenovel Chapter 58 This place is really best avoided.
Chapter 58 This place is really best avoided.
The group was startled by the flies buzzing around them and quickly covered their mouths and noses. Poor Tony even had a fly fly into his mouth, causing the assistant director to cough loudly and unceremoniously.
"Please wear hats, masks, and your glasses. Summers in Australia can be a bit... tough. Also, please be mentally prepared, because no matter where you are in Australia, there will be some adorable people to greet you."
An art director who had worked in Australia offered them heartfelt advice, while taking out masks from his bag and handing them to the group. During this time, he also waved to shoo away the annoying flies.
Less than three minutes after landing, Jiang Youzhen was already extremely grateful that he was only there to scout locations and not to film permanently.
The work here must be completed quickly! Then we can go back to Manhattan immediately! He can rent a large film set and have the props company build and modify the set on-site. Even if location shooting is required, he can find a place in the suburbs that meets the script's requirements for filming.
But absolutely not in Australia! He'd be driven crazy by these crazy little cuties!
The plot of "Lost in the Delta" mainly takes place on a cruise ship, so the set design wasn't particularly difficult. Since the crew was still in Australia, Tony suggested comparing the Australian location with the Columbia Pictures set in New York.
But Jiang Youzhen was very resistant. From the moment he got off the plane to the pier, even while riding in a car, he could feel how dangerous the roads in Australia were.
It's not about the traffic situation, but... who would be so kind as to see so many lizards on the main road?!
"Luckily, we didn't encounter kangaroos; those animals are terrifying."
"Don't be complacent. To be honest, Australia might be a really good country if it didn't have so many unsightly little animals, but I hate flies."
As he spoke, Jiang Youzhen saw several more flies fly onto the car window, and there were even mosquitoes inside the car.
It's at least as big as a fingernail! I can't even imagine how painful it would be if it pricked my skin.
During his three-day stay in Queensland, aside from exchanging ideas with local authorities, he spent the rest of his time filming at sea. Meanwhile, Kang Woo-jin was also in contact with the prop master in New York.
He had seen the design drawings and was very satisfied with them. He also added some small details. These props were the most expensive part of the entire production. At least three sets of the same props had to be made.
The good thing is that they were all built indoors, so in reality, the cost wasn't that high.
In the end, even the prop master who listened to Kang Woo-jin's advice felt a little pressured, as the new director, who was making his first film, demanded meticulous attention to detail in every nook and cranny.
Of course, Kang Woo-jin was very generous in terms of emotional value, with constant praise and the contractual compensation was also what the prop master liked, with coffee and afternoon tea provided every day.
A new film crew is never something a new director like him can accomplish on his own. It relies on the hard work and dedication of the staff in all aspects, as well as the professionalism of the actors.
Some miscellaneous tasks were handed over to Tony, the assistant director. After finalizing the props, Kang Woo-jin focused on communicating with the actors.
Before returning to New York, because of the close time difference, Kang Woo-jin tried to contact the girl. Seeing that she replied quickly, he made a phone call directly.
The two chatted on the phone for a long time. Kim Tae-yeon was a little surprised to learn that Kang Woo-jin was in Australia. She had suggested in a text message that Kang Woo-jin change the filming location, but she did not expect him to be so quick.
Compared to Kang Woo-jin, who is busy with film crew matters every day, she still practices every day as usual, with very little time to rest. It's boring and tiring, but every day is fulfilling.
Both of them had little desire to express themselves, and mostly talked about trivial things. Occasionally, Kim Tae-yeon would talk about gossip she heard at the company, but most of the time it was Kang Woo-jin talking about the people and things he encountered during the preparation of the drama.
The call, which lasted less than half an hour, ended only after the assistant director called him. Kang Woo-jin told Kim Tae-yeon on the other end of the phone to take a break before hanging up.
He turned around and saw Tony and the others standing in the doorway, looking at him with mocking expressions. He couldn't help but ask, puzzled, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Tony pointed towards the suitcase and said, "Our flight is at 5 PM. Don't forget, we need to leave."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Youzhen glanced at the time on the wall clock, nodded, and quickly grabbed his luggage and left the room.
As the group walked towards the elevator, Tony asked with a smile, "Were you just on the phone with your girlfriend?"
Jiang Youzhen paused for a moment, then shook his head with a strange expression. "Uh, no..."
"Was that a girl on the other end of the phone?"
"Um..."
"Anders, you like her?" Tony said this with certainty. The crew members next to him all turned to look at Kang Woo-jin. They were quite curious to hear about the director's love life.
Kang Woo-jin opened his mouth, then nodded in acknowledgment, "Yes, I like her."
"So, how does she feel about you?"
"I have no idea"
Perhaps there was mutual attraction, because she didn't reject the hug that day. Perhaps because of their trainee status, neither of them said anything.
Jiang Youzhen thought about this, shook his head, and said, "She's a trainee, and the company is very strict, so dating is forbidden."
After he finished speaking, he saw several puzzled faces. After realizing what was going on, he quickly explained.
"In South Korea, entertainment companies train young kids through auditions or talent shows. They train them for a few years, and then they can debut as idol groups. They are good at singing and dancing, and they are also very good-looking."
That last sentence was entirely added by Kang Woo-jin out of his own selfish motives.
After hearing this explanation, Tony and the others were stunned. In their opinion, it was something they couldn't understand.
On the way to the airport, there were still many flies flying around. Jiang Youzhen wrapped himself up very tightly, and even though it was hot, he covered his face, afraid that the flies would get close to him.
To his shock, there was a large lizard running on the airport runway, but the staff did nothing about it.
Seeing this, Jiang Youzhen decided that he would avoid coming in the future if possible.
...
Back in New York, everything was prepared in a short time, and the crew officially began filming at the end of the month.
Although it was a low-budget film, Columbia Pictures still sent a producer with some experience. After a brief exchange, Kang Woo-jin understood.
Columbia Pictures also invested some money this time. They came here to see how this new director performed on set. If he was good and the film he made met their requirements, then they could continue to work together in the future.
Apart from Mads-Oh, there were no big-name actors in the entire crew, and there weren't many staff members either. Tony and the others had a pretty good relationship with Kang Woo-jin, and the group interacted like peers, without any arguments or disputes.
However, if this film fails, he can say goodbye to the role of director for good.
Most of the filming took place on the cruise ship. Although it was a low-budget production, the investment still exceeded one million. The ample resources and compensation allowed the prop company to produce exquisite and perfect work in this area.
Even though Jiang Youzhen was picky about some details and decorations and demanded perfection, they still succeeded.