In 1999, when the Hong Kong film industry was on the verge of being in danger, when other directors chose to live in peace, Johnny To chose to go against the times.
He is determined to direct and act in a low-budget police film "Gunfire" to show the industry what the true spirit of Hong Kong is. At that time, there was not much left, and the budget for blockbuster films like "The King of Comedy" was only 29 million, and Johnny To's film cost only 2.5 million Hong Kong dollars! Compared with Wong Kar-wai's high-profile literary film "In the Mood for Love", the budget was as high as 100 million Hong Kong dollars.
Du Dao's actions are tantamount to hitting a stone with an egg.
However, at this stormy juncture, Johnny To's persistence and enthusiasm touched a group of friends in the industry. Wu Zhenyu, Huang Qiusheng and other veteran actors came to cheer one after another, not only did they basically not get paid, but even paid out of their own pockets to support the filming of "Gunfire".
They are happy to accept Johnny To's invitation to fight side by side with this enthusiastic young director. No matter the odds, they will support each other.
At the beginning of filming, the two major comedians Wu Zhenyu and Huang Qiusheng made a lot of jokes. They raised each other's words, and you and I livened up the atmosphere on the set. Once, Huang Qiusheng's birthday was just in time for filming.
In the play, Wu Zhenyu wanted to fight him, and he slapped him while chanting "Happy Birthday", which caused the audience to laugh. Wu Zhenyu had a serious and cold face, but there was a smile in his eyes.
Another time Lin Xue NG many times, the two of them gloated and made fun of him, you say a word and I add firewood. In the dormitory that night, they drank a few glasses to get in high spirits, and Wu Zhenyu learned Lin Xue's exaggerated performance, which made Huang Qiusheng unable to straighten his waist.
The two of them just played around like this, and the filming process was a lot of fun.
The popular group Wu Huang does not buy the account of newcomer Lin Xue. Lin Xue was mainly born in a trick before, and there were many deficiencies on the way to transform into an actor. He played an important role in "Gunfire", but his acting experience was inexperienced and his voice often broke.
When filming restaurant scenes, he NG many times in a row, although director To Qifeng did not blame, but Wu Zhenyu and Huang Qiusheng were not so tolerant.
"Cut, poor acting. Wu Zhenyu pursed his lips with a look of disdain. Huang Qiusheng suggested that after Lin Xue, he was delayed by an NG.
Wu Zhenyu gloated and quipped: "I told you not to teach him, this kid pulled you into the water!" Huang Qiusheng had no choice but to spread his hands, while Lin Xue looked embarrassed, bowed his head and quickly left the venue.
The road between the three of them is narrow, and there are sparks flying in the gap between you and me.
Time has passed, and one day 5 years later, the team of "Gunfire" reunited to start filming "Banishment". At that time, Lin Xue was already well-known and began to have the opportunity to take the lead. In a moving scene, he and Wu Zhenyu "collided" again.
The two of them were moving large pieces of furniture in the cramped stairwell, and Wu Zhenyu couldn't help but laugh when he saw Lin Xue's fat figure: "I'll go, what have you become in the past 5 years! Lin Xue was about to reply, but Du Qifeng shouted "Action".
This sudden change made Lin Xue angry. Wu Zhenyu was proud, jokingly saying that this kick was a debt owed to him 5 years ago, and he wanted to repay it twice as much today.
The scene burst into laughter, Lin Xue could only smile awkwardly, and secretly clenched her fists.
The arduous filming ended perfectly in 19 days, and by chance, "Gunfire", a small-budget award-winning film, undoubtedly created the peak of Johnny To's career and established his status as a new director.
What's even more surprising is that Wu Zhenyu won the Golden Horse Award for Best Actor that year with this film! He was so excited that he immediately called Huang Qiusheng to ask if he wanted to honor the bet he made that year.
Although Huang Qiusheng suffered from insomnia for a few days, he was sincerely happy that he could make his old friend soar into the sky after thinking about it. This middle-aged man who has been through vicissitudes for a long time finally waited for the first actor in his life, which is the fruit of many years of hard work.
This story eventually became a legend, and all those involved in the project, both in and out of the film, were integrated into Johnny To's love for film, and it became a popular classic.
During filming, Johnny To got into an altercation with a local gang and his studio was attacked. After hearing this, Ren Dahua immediately mediated and resolved the dispute between the two parties. Afterwards, Du Qifeng was very grateful to Ren Dahua and planned to increase his role in the next movie.
However, Ren Dahua refused, he said: "We are friends, we don't need you to repay you like this."
The post-production shooting was fully escorted by Wu Zhenyu and Zhang Yaoyang. They worked overtime every night to ensure Johnny To's safety. Late one night in the pouring rain, Wu Zhenyu was quietly guarding the door of the studio, the fire of the cigarette butt in his hand flickering in the darkness.
He took a deep breath of his cigarette and gently exhaled a smoke ring. This man has never been so determined, and he vows to protect his old friend Johnny To and fulfill their movie dreams.