Enforcer Manual
Chapter 223: The Fate of the Villain_1

Chapter 223: Chapter 223: The Fate of the Villain_1

After much deliberation, the crew at Kolo Film and Television Media decided to make a change.

With the role and the direction of the plot settled, the test for Song Lan came down to his acting skills. The image of Chai Ke was different from that of a clown; in this drama, he was more like a calm yet cold-blooded madman.

No matter the situation, he would maintain composure and calm, but his actions formed an extremely stark contrast with his demeanor.

Once the overall direction had been established, there was no need for him to expend more effort on the specifics of the scene design. This was the director’s and screenwriter’s area of expertise. In 2166, the level of excitement from special effects and scenes was much greater than in 2020. As a benchmark in the industry, even films with almost no plot twists or motives for the characters could still attract the audience with heart-stopping scenes.

After participating himself, Song Lan also came to understand the differences in filming methods in 2166.

Almost all of the scenes were synthesized using technology, eliminating the need to travel far and wide for locations. By simply staying in the studio of Kolo Film and Television Media’s subsidiary, almost all filming could be completed. The flexible application of holographic technology allowed actors to immerse themselves in the scenes designed in the script.

Song Lan felt that being an actor in this era should be much easier than in the past. Previously, limited by technology, many scenes required actors to perform without physical props, so for a good actor, immersing oneself into the character and environment was a necessary skill to develop.

In 2166, advanced technology could bypass this process entirely, allowing actors to be placed in real scenes.

Aside from the main characters involved in the movie, the less important supporting roles and passersby were all synthesized using technology. The crew did not need to hire a large number of extras; with just a few keystrokes, they could simulate the reactions of passersby to different scenes.

Song Lan felt that the filming process was like being in another real world, where the surface of the earth, the sky, the buildings, and even the passing pedestrians seemed genuinely existent.

The actors were placed in such a world, and their lives were directly recorded through shooting.

The director highly praised Song Lan’s acting skills.

Even though they knew that what was being filmed was fictitious, some scenes still sent chills down their spines.

They had seen many highly skilled actors, but they had never seen anyone quite like Song Lan, whose way of conveying thrills and fear did not rely on bloody and violent scenes but rather on the contrast between behavior and expression.

The strong contrast made them feel as if they were dealing with two different people.

This kind of thrill often went beyond the scope of the film camera, striking directly at their hearts. Several times after the shoot ended, when Song Lan greeted them, they struggled to quickly distinguish whether they were speaking to Song Lan or to Chai Ke from the film, making them worry that Song Lan might suddenly go on a rampage like the villain in the film and take out the entire crew.

It made them suspect for a moment whether Song Lan was some sort of monster in human skin or a kind of super AI.

Thanks to holographic imaging technology, the filming period was greatly shortened.

In less than a week, the version of Chai Ke for the movie had been completed.

"Hard work."

On the last day of filming, the director shook hands and expressed his gratitude to the cast members. When it was Song Lan’s turn, he pulled him aside and asked, "I wonder if you have any thoughts on becoming an actor in the future? Our company really needs someone like you."

Who wouldn’t like an actor with exceptional acting skills who also actively participates in script discussions?

He believed this film could create a stir in the current movie environment, and after witnessing Song Lan’s acting, he was sure the company would want him to star in a series.

Although the crew knew nothing about Song Lan’s background until the end of filming, that did not stop him from extending the invitation.

"You can go to the core area for better opportunities."

"No need, this was only because I owe Su Li a favor."

Song Lan appeared resistant.

If it hadn’t been for Lu Xiang’s insistence, he wouldn’t have wanted to get involved in this matter, and as far as they were concerned, Chai Ke had already met his end in the film.

Enveloped by the roar and rising flames, death seemed like the best ending for a great villain.

It also meant that there would be no sequels about Chai Ke.

Consequently, he strongly opposed the director’s and screenwriter’s idea of an open ending, firmly putting a full stop to the epic yet brief life of Chai Ke in the film, and also severing the possibility of his return in the next movie.

Despite the director’s and screenwriter’s strong internal objections, after seeing Song Lan’s performance, they feared that Song Lan would deal with them summarily, just like Chai Ke in the film, compelling them to sorrowfully design the final scene.

As professionals in the film industry, they never wanted a character with potential to simply pass away.

Especially for the "concerned citizen," Chai Ke was not only an enemy but also brought about significant changes, preventing him from looking down upon the city’s sins from an aloft position with a presumptive gaze.

But they had one last trick up their sleeve.

They handled Chai Ke’s death with a method that was both heroic and romantically tinged.

In this movie, Chai Ke might indeed be dead, yet a saying circulated in the entire industry: a death not witnessed in person by the audience doesn’t count as a real death, and even sometimes seeing the body doesn’t guarantee it either.

They were professionals when it came to handling these issues.

In the grand scheme of series films, they had to deal with not just the films themselves but often had to face sudden character removal due to scheduling conflicts or unexpected personal accidents, causing some well-liked characters to suddenly "bite the dust."

However, they often left a backdoor for these characters.

This allowed the actors to return to the film when schedules didn’t clash, and it also served as a gimmick to earn a round of box office revenues.

Often, the audience didn’t really care about the reason or method of a character’s resurrection. As long as the filmmakers offered a plausible explanation, the audience would be pleased.

Song Lan had no intention of actively participating in post-production. Today was a good day for him; he could finally go home.

Previously, to avoid tipping off the crew and linking him to the Law Enforcers, he lived in a luxury apartment next to Su Li during filming, avoiding any contact with the Law Enforcers, and his communication with Lu Xiang was limited to phone calls and messages.

After today, this temporary identity created to play Chai Ke could finally retire unsuccessfully.

After today, even if the crew wanted to find him, it would be impossible.

Because you can’t find a person who has already been deleted in reality.