鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人
Iwasshotbyagun.Threeshotshitmychest.Theyimmediatelydrewblood.Icouldfeelthem.Theshotswerealsoverysharpandloud.Iremembersmokerisinginfrontofmyeyes.AndIsmeltthefaintsmellofgunpowder.Ireactedbyrecoilingbackwardsandfelltotheground.Myheadhitthewaterofagold-fishpond.Myhandoutstretchedintothewateramongstlilies.Idied.
Well,Ididnotactuallydie.HowelsecouldIbewritingthisnow?Itwasallforafilm!Iheldmybreathasthecamerafixeditselfonmybody.Ihadalwaysnoticedhowstilldeadpeoplewereinfilms.SoIwantedtomakesurethatmydeadposewasrealistic.IhadtoimaginethatIwasdivingwithoutanyequipmentandnotbreatheforaslongasIcould.IthinkIdidwell,judgingbytherushesIsaw.Iseemedasdeadasadodo.Itwasallaratherexcitingexperienceactinginafilmforthefirsttime.Iwasn'tjustawalk-onpartnorevenadumbcameo.Ihadabout12linestodeliver-abigdealforme.Thedirector,brilliantVietnameseTranAuhHung,whohadwonatCannesandVenice,becamemymentorimmediately.Hetaughtmestraightawaynottousemyhandstogesticulate.Hetaughtmetodelivermylinescalmlywithouttoomuchinflexions.Hetaughtmetorelax.Hetaughtmetostareoutandnotmove.Hetaughtmethatyouhavetoactinfrontofthecamerainordertoappearrealistic,asifyouarenotacting.Fortwodays,Ihungaroundthesetandmuckedinwithallthecast,sittingdownonplasticstoolsatthebasiclunchesservedbytheroadsideoutsidethestudio,andwalkingarounddarkcorridorsbehindflimsysetswhichhoweverlookmarvellousoncamera.Isawsomanypeoplerunningaroundandcratesofequipmentstrewnallover.Iwasastonishedhowsensitivemicrophoneswere.Iwasequallyamazedatallthemonitorsthatplayedsequencescapturedbythecameras.Irealizedthatsceneshadtobeshotoverandoveragain,notonlybecauseofimperfectacting,butalsofordifferentangleshots.Ibegantounderstandthehighlysophisticatedandlaboriousartoffilm-making.Andthewholeprocessinvolvessuchavastnumberofpeople-technicians,assistants,wardrobeartists,make-upartists,engineers,electricians,carpenters,caterers,actors,extras,producers,assistant-producers,directors,cameramen-theywereacrowdofpeopleseeminglythrowntogetherinrandomness,butintruth,meticulouslyselectedandcast,andeachhavingaspecificprofessionalpurpose.
TherewerealsothingsIdidn'tunderstand.Forexample,theyspentUS$20,000buyingtwoRobertCavallisofaswhichwillnotbeusedagainaftertheshooting.AndfancyBang&Olufsenhi-fiequipmentandfancycrystallamps-allofthesepropswhichmightnotevenbenoticedinfilmwillalsobedisposedofafterthefilm.Nowonderitcostssomuchtomakeamovie.Iwasconvincedtherewasanenormousamountofwaste.Yetfilmcreatorscarryonexactlywhattheyhavebeenusedto!
Ialsomadesomenewfriends.JoshHartnett,thestarin"PearlHarbour",andabitofaHollywoodheart-throb,whose2lastgirlfriendswereGiselleandScarlettJohansson(irritatingly),wasabletotellmemoreaboutactingandtherelationshipbetweenactoranddirector.ThedirectorHungwasabletoopenmyeyestofilmdirecting.Hewasaquietandsmallman,yetwhenhespoke,youfeelasenseofunquestioningauthority.HartnettwasrightwhenhewarnedmethatHungwouldimmediatelyassumetheroleofamentor.Tome,hedidpreciselythat.
It'sgoodtoknowthatforeignproductioncompaniesarecomingtoHongKongtomakefilms.Wehaveofcoursealwayshadadecenttraditionofmakingmonies.RunRunShawandRunmeShawwerepioneers.Andnow,therearesomeverysophisticatedfilmsemerging.Iwasthrilledtohavecaughtaglimpseofthatindustryandprocess.Mindyou,beinganactorisnotexactlyfun.Thereisalotofwaitingandtakesandre-takes.Everythinglooksglamorousonthescreen,buttheprocessinvolvedisfarfromglamorous.It'slikethelifeofmodel,waitingandwaiting,andwaitingjusttobephotographed.Iactuallyhavemanyfriendswhoareactorsandmodels.Ihavenowcometorealizethatalthoughtheyseemtoleadaratherglamorouslife,theirworkisactuallyahardslog,althoughcunninglyandbeautifullycamouflagedbyoneofthegreatestinventionsofman:thelens.
Ican'twaittosee"my"film-evenifmypartinitprobablyconstituteslessthan2%oftheentirety.Butthethoughtofseeingmyselfonthebigscreenwillbeveryamusingindeed.IdaresayImightcringewithembarrassment.Butit'stoolatetofretnow.Iamdeadalready!
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