N-A-A Chapter 66: Donghai Road Film and Television Base
Chapter 66: Donghai Road Film and Television Base
Two days later.
Zhang Ze made thorough preparations for everything he needed to bring: his mobile phone, power bank, ID card, and even a few packs of compressed biscuits and bottled water, just in case something went wrong and he had nothing to eat.
Chen Ge brought even more things.
A blood-stained butcher's knife, a white cat, a skull crusher, a set of clothes, and a full set of live streaming equipment.
At first glance, I thought it was a hiking trip along the Aotai Trail.
"I checked that place on a ride-hailing app, and it's said that security is very strict and outsiders are not allowed to enter."
"We need a recommendation from a film crew, a director, or anyone in the industry to have a chance to get in," Chen Ge said.
Zhang Ze had already considered this. "I've already arranged for someone to receive us, so there's no need to worry."
Take a taxi to your destination.
Although the Donghai Road Film and Television Base is also located in the western suburbs of Hanjiang City, it is a good 17 or 18 kilometers away from the New Century Amusement Park, and it takes more than an hour to drive there.
From the outside, the entire film and television base looks like a large modern shopping mall.
At the main entrance, a girl wearing a reporter's hat anxiously looked around, and only when she saw Zhang Ze did she excitedly wave:
"Boss Zhang, you've finally arrived!"
"Oh? Boss Chen is here too. Are you two relatives?"
Lin Xiaomei looked on with curiosity. Why did Chen Ge appear next to Zhang Ze? It gave her the feeling that a brother-in-law was taking his nephew out shopping.
"I've never been to a film and television base before. I heard that extras in Hengdian can earn a lot of money every day and get boxed meals from the film crew. I wonder if they do that here." Zhang Ze smiled.
Lin Xiaomei wasn't intimidated at all. She took Zhang Ze's hand and said earnestly, "Our studio also got in through an inside channel, thanks to our investor, Yue Pan."
"Yue Pan has invested in many news studios, film crews, and directing teams. Recently, we received a job to participate in the guidance of a mockumentary."
That's why I had the opportunity to enter the film and television base.
A mockumentary?
Zhang Zegang remembered this word.
Chen Ge has already sent this information to his phone.
"Mock-off documentaries are films made using techniques similar to documentaries, aiming to replicate the scientific rigor and accuracy of documentaries, but in essence, they are products of live performances and special effects."
Zhang Ze remembers watching a mockumentary called "The Mystery of Monsters" on the science and education channel when he was a child. It talked about many UMA urban legends, such as lizardmen, Bigfoot, vampires, werewolves, lake monsters, and so on.
The filming techniques are very similar to those used in documentary films.
It usually involves a team of journalists or scientific researchers carrying cameras deep into areas where strange tales are told, only to be attacked by unknown creatures and ultimately die tragically.
Because the filming was so realistic, Zhang Ze believed it to be true when he was a child and was often so frightened that he couldn't fall asleep.
"When you come in later, if anyone asks, just say they are actors you hired."
"Remember, if your identity is exposed, you can easily be kicked out. These film crews are very secretive, and leaking their films will result in huge penalties, so they are very strict about it."
Lin Xiaomei gave repeated instructions.
Pass through the security booth.
Zhang Ze followed Lin Xiaomei into the film and television base.
The first thing you see is a lot of small, square cubicles. The walls inside the cubicles are covered with soundproofing cotton, and there is a lot of equipment, some for filming, some for lighting, and some for wire work.
The machines made a heavy buzzing sound, and even though the air conditioner was trying its best to release cool air, the entire venue was still very hot, making people sweat profusely.
Zhang Ze was alright; he was already dead, so his skin was like a corpse and he wasn't bothered by the heat at all.
Lin Xiaomei's skin was soaked with sweat, and her clothes clung to her skin, vaguely revealing her girlish figure.
"Don't look at his face!!"
"ah!!"
Suddenly, a scream came from the distant corridor.
Zhang Ze looked in the direction the sound came from and saw a woman with a ponytail and makeup somewhat resembling Lara Croft from Tomb Raider running towards where they were.
Behind the woman, a monster with abnormally pale limbs, its entire body resembling a plucked chicken with bald, grayish-white skin, at least two meters tall, was frantically chasing after her.
The woman stumbled and fell to the ground.
A mouthful of blood spurted out seven or eight meters away, leaving a splattered trail of blood on the ground.
"What the hell?" Chen Ge was taken aback.
Zhang Ze paused.
Even though he didn't understand the situation, he couldn't just stand by and watch someone die.
A crow suddenly flew out of nowhere, its claws piercing the monster's head like daggers. The monster lost its balance and fell flat on its face, its limbs flailing wildly.
"Card!"
"Damn it, that's not how the script was written! We finally achieved such a seamless effect, and now it's all ruined!"
"Which film crew are you from?!"
A middle-aged man wearing sunglasses emerged angrily from around the corner of the corridor.
Under Zhang Ze's astonished gaze.
Behind the middle-aged man was a whole filming crew: a cameraman carrying a camera, a script supervisor with a small notebook in his hand, and a lighting technician carrying professional high-beam equipment. Everyone was staring at Zhang Ze with wide eyes.
Zhang Ze was instantly embarrassed.
"Director Sun, Director Sun, it's my fault. Put it on my tab and I'll ask Brother Yue for reimbursement later."
"This is a new actor we hired. He's a bit rough with his hands, sorry about that."
Lin Xiaomei quickly ran out to smooth things over.
"An actor? What good actor keeps a bird around, especially a crow?" The director, known as Director Sun, was clearly hot-tempered, cursing, "You're filming 'The Battle of Two Cities,' are you? Playing Swain here!"
"Director Sun, please calm down. I'll treat you to dinner another day..."
Lin Xiaomei quickly pulled her over and coaxed her with kind words.
Zhang Ze saw that the "monster" had somehow produced a zipper from behind its head. When the zipper was opened, a short but very muscular actor crawled out, covered in sweat.
He climbed out and immediately started yelling at Zhang Ze.
"I took seven or eight tries to get this card working, and I was finally about to succeed, you bastard!!"
The actress on the ground wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, stood up nonchalantly, and spat out a plastic bag containing artificial blood plasma.
Looking up at Zhang Ze with some curiosity, she asked, "Is that crow your pet? That's interesting, carrying a crow around with you all the time. I wonder if it will bite?"
"My name is Bai Xiaoxiao, I'm a short drama actress, let's be friends!"
"Uh, never mind that." Zhang Ze said somewhat awkwardly, declining the friend request.
After clearing up this misunderstanding.
Lin Xiaomei ran back, "Luckily, Director Sun is very magnanimous and didn't make things difficult for us because of the studio."
"If someone is filming a movie and you accidentally kill one of their actors, the cost of filming that movie can be hundreds or thousands of dollars."
Chen Ge nodded. "That monster was clearly a realistic leather suit. The texture was made to resemble human skin. The manufacturer was very generous with the money. Your crow almost caused a hole worth hundreds of thousands with one swipe of its claw."
"However, after all, your haunted house uses virtual reality technology, unlike mine which runs a traditional haunted house. These costume props are easy to spot at a glance."