dkrc Chapter 144 The Edge of the Screening Room and the Arrogant Tyrant
Chapter 144 The Edge of the Screening Room and the Arrogant Tyrant
Su Wan read out the last line.
Su Wan gripped the edge of the notification slip.
The paper made a slight rubbing sound.
The organizing committee cited incompatibility in film specifications as the reason.
Su Wan looked at Chen Yan.
"The dual-track cinema is located on the second basement level of the cinema complex."
Su Wan added.
"It's two kilometers from the main venue. There are only two hundred seats."
Zhang Yuan stopped pushing the luggage cart.
The swivel wheels of the luggage cart emitted a screeching sound.
"This is Harvey's tactic."
Su Wan put away the notification slip.
Fold it and put it in the trench coat pocket.
"He's clearing the way for 'Black Rain'."
Chen Yan took the metal briefcase.
Grip the handle with your fingers.
"Go to the second basement level."
Chen Yan turned and walked towards the terminal exit.
The four walked out of the airport terminal.
A black Mercedes-Benz van was parked on the side of the road.
The driver was wearing a gray uniform.
Standing by the car door.
Su Wan opened the car door.
Chen Yan sat in the back row.
The vehicle entered the urban area of Kansas City.
The streets were lined with promotional posters for the film festival.
The palm trees along the roadside swayed in the sea breeze.
"Harvey controls the votes of the six jury members."
Su Wan sat in the passenger seat.
I opened the notebook on my lap.
"His annual public relations budget in Cannes exceeds five million dollars."
Chen Yan looked out the car window at the street.
"The Lumière Hall is a standard feature of the main competition."
Su Wan typed on the keyboard.
"Losing that venue would mean losing 80 percent of our media exposure."
"The quality of a film determines its exposure."
Chen Yan looked away.
"The venue is just a container."
The vehicle was parked on the side road next to the cinema.
Chen Yan pushed open the door and got out of the car.
Carrying a metal briefcase.
The underground passage leading to the side entrance.
The passageway was dimly lit.
The incandescent light at the top flickered.
It emits a buzzing sound of electricity.
The walls were covered with old sound-absorbing foam.
Some of the sponge has detached.
The gray cement wall is exposed.
The sound of four people's footsteps echoed in the passageway.
At the end of the passage was a double wooden door.
Brass-colored lettering was nailed to the door panel.
The letters have oxidized and turned black.
Chen Yan pushed open the wooden door.
The door hinges made a dry, grinding sound.
The screening room was filled with the smell of dust.
The edges of the rows of red fabric seats are worn.
Some of the seats have reclining backrests.
The yellow sponge inside is exposed.
The ventilation ducts in the ceiling are exposed.
The surface was covered with dust.
Zhang Yuan put down his backpack.
Walk towards the screening room ahead.
Chen Yan walked to the last row.
Stop in front of the mixing console.
The metal panel is covered with pushers and knobs.
Paint is chipping off the edges.
The gray primer is exposed.
"An old-fashioned analog mixing console."
Chen Yan's fingers brushed against the metal clippers.
Dust settled on my fingertips.
Su Wan stood in the aisle.
My gaze swept across the surrounding walls.
"The Lumière Hall uses a fully digital array."
Su Wan looked at the mixing console.
"The equipment here is too old. There's no surround sound. High frequencies are prone to distortion."
"Connect the power."
Chen Yan gave instructions to Zhang Yuan in the projection room.
Zhang Yuan pressed the red switch on the wall.
The roar of the projector could be heard from the projection room.
The green indicator light on the mixing console panel lit up.
Chen Yan opened the metal briefcase.
Take out the digital master tape.
"Connect the converter."
Chen Yan handed the mother tape to Zhang Yuan.
Zhang Yuan took the mother tape.
Connecting cables.
There are rust marks on the surface of the brass joint.
Zhang Yuan forcefully pushed the plug into the socket.
Chen Yan pushed up the low-frequency fader on the mixing console.
The screen in front of us lit up.
The scene shows an abandoned quarry.
Lin Qingqiu knelt in the center of the pile of rubble.
He held an octagonal iron hammer in both hands.
A hammer struck the granite.
A dull thud came from the wooden speakers on both sides.
Sound waves penetrate the air.
The red fabric seat caused physical vibrations.
The ventilation ducts in the ceiling were making a resonant noise.
Fine dust drifted down from above.
Chen Yan pressed his fingers on the clippers.
Move it down one centimeter.
Reduce high-frequency output.
"Digital devices will filter out background noise."
Chen Yan watched the images on the screen.
"The sound is too clean. It masks the realism of the physical collision."
Chen Yan pushed the low-frequency fader up again.
In the scene, Lin Qingqiu inserts her hands into a sharp crevice in the rock.
Pull it to both sides.
The sound of tearing fabric mingled with heavy breathing.
It poured out from the old speaker.
Lin Qingqiu stood in the third row.
Looking at myself on the screen.
She looked down at her right hand.
The gauze has been removed.
New pink skin covered the wound.
"Sound can penetrate bones."
Lin Qingqiu raised her head.
Looking at Chen Yan.
"It was even deeper than what I heard in the quarry."
"The Broken Bridge needs a rough texture."
Chen Yan pulled down the pusher.
The image freezes.
"The low-frequency extension of this old-fashioned analog console can send the sound of a stone cracking directly into the audience's chest."
Chen Yan unplugged the cable.
Put away the master tape.
"This is the best screening room."
Chen Yan closed the metal briefcase.
The latch made a crisp clicking sound.
8 PM.
The banquet hall of the Martinez Hotel.
The crystal chandelier casts its light.
A champagne tower was placed on the long dining table.
Filmmakers from various countries gathered in the banquet hall.
Waiters carried trays and moved through the crowd.
The tray held stemmed glasses filled with wine.
Chen Yan was wearing a black suit.
He was holding a half-full glass of red wine.
Su Wan was wearing a dark blue evening gown.
Standing to Chen Yan's left.
She was holding a silver clutch.
Lin Qingqiu was wearing a black fitted dress.
She was wearing a pair of long velvet gloves on her right arm.
To cover up the scars on my arm.
Zhang Yuan was wearing a rented suit.
The tie is a little crooked.
He stood beside the long dining table.
Take food onto the plate.
Several independent publishers from France stood not far away.
His gaze swept over Chen Yan's team.
No one came up to talk to them.
The crowd parted to both sides.
Leave a passageway.
Harvey was wearing a custom-made tuxedo.
He was holding a champagne glass.
He was enormous.
Leather shoes stepped on the carpet.
The sound of heavy footsteps was heard.
Two bodyguards followed behind Harvey.
Wearing a black suit.
Wearing a communication headset.
A blond assistant walked to Harvey's right.
He was holding a black checkbook.
The producers and directors around them stopped talking.
Their gaze fell on Harvey.
Harvey stopped in front of Chen Yan.
One meter apart.
"Director Chen."
Harvey spoke.
The English pronunciation has a strong New York accent.
Chen Yan looked at Harvey.
He didn't speak.
"I looked at the information about 'Broken Bridge'."
Harvey took a sip of champagne.
The Adam's apple moves up and down.
"A decent student work. It's full of youthful anger."
Su Wan's gaze fell on Harvey's assistant behind him.
Harvey raised his left hand.
He snapped his fingers.
The assistant opened the checkbook.
Pull out the pen.
Write a string of numbers on a piece of paper.
The pen tip glides across the paper.
It makes a rustling sound.
The assistant tore up the check.
He handed it to Chen Yan with both hands.
The amount on the check was two million dollars.
Chen Yan did not reach out.
Miramax acquired the North American and European distribution rights to The Bridge.
Harvey swirled his champagne glass.
The liquid in the cup swirls along the cup wall.
"This is my gift to the newlyweds."
"What are the additional conditions?"
Su Wan asked.
Standard English pronunciation.
The film's release has been postponed to February next year.
Harvey looked at Su Wan.
"Avoid this year's awards season."
"You want to shelve this movie."
Su Wan spoke in a flat tone.
"This is commercial protection."
Harvey's facial muscles were squeezed together.
"Two million dollars. That's enough for you to make ten movies in that backward country."
Harvey took a step forward.
It shortened the distance between the two people.
"Take the check."
Harvey stared at Chen Yan.
"Withdraw from the main competition. Take your team back home. This is your only chance to get money."
The assistant's hand holding the check froze in mid-air.
The paper trembled slightly in the cold air from the air conditioner.
The music in the banquet hall was turned down.
The surrounding crowd quieted down.
They were watching the commotion over here.
French independent publishers stood on the periphery.
Looking at Chen Yan's reaction.
Chen Yan raised the wine glass in his hand.
The bottom of the glass is pressed against the paper of the check.
Chen Yan pressed down with his wrist.
The wine glass is tilted.
The red wine overflowed from the rim of the glass.
The wine spilled onto the check.
The paper was soaked through.
The black ink spread out.
The figure of two million is unclear.
Red wine dripped down the edge of the paper.
It fell onto the carpet.
The assistant released his hand.
Take half a step back.
A check stained with red wine fell onto the carpet.
Harvey's eye muscles twitched.
The fingers gripping the champagne glass tightened.
Scratching the glass with fingernails.
"You can't afford my viewfinder."
Chen Yan put down his wine glass.
The bottom of the cup landed on the long dining table next to it.
It made a crisp, clanging sound.
Chen Yan turned around.
Heading towards the banquet hall exit.
Su Wan followed behind Chen Yan.
Before Lin Qingqiu turned around.
His gaze swept over the checks on the carpet.
Zhang Yuan put down the plate.
He pulled out a napkin and wiped his mouth.
Hurry up and catch up with the group.
Harvey looked down at the discarded check on the carpet.
Red wine stained the white wool carpet.
It left a dark red stain.
The two million dollar figure was completely overshadowed by the red wine.
It turned into a blurry, blackish-red mark.
Harvey turned to look at his assistant behind him.
"Notify the broadcast team."
Harvey lowered his voice.
The assistant took out his phone.
Press the dial key.
"The opening red carpet tomorrow."
Harvey watched Chen Yan's departing figure.
"I don't want to see a single second of this movie on television."