494 No Good

An Asian young man was watching through the window of an underwear store. The golden sunshine was falling down on his body, adding warmth to the scene. The Argentinians smiled knowingly, accepting Qin Guan like welcoming a younger generation.

"Lost Embrace" told the story of a Jewish young man who had been thirsty for his father's love ever since he had been a child. He had lived in Argentina with his single mother. His father had abandoned them and headed to the battlefield of World War II.

He had never seen his father in his life. He was planning on applying for a Polish passport, so he could go to Europe and seek him.

The crew got to work. Qin Guan and his "mother" stayed in the store for two days. During that period, the director shot scenes one after the other, which confused Qin Guan.

He felt like a prop. Whenever the old men remembered him, they would turn the camera to him to take some shots. As a senior actor, Qin Guan was worried about the prospects of the film.

During the shooting, following the orders of the directing team, the photographer didn’t take stills of any ordinary scenes.

That was terrible. Everyone knew that short films taken by DV would crumble at the slightest misstep. This was a formal 100-minute film, and half of the scenes had been shot like that. Would the audience be surprised while watching the movie?

Qin Guan raised this question directly. Director Luchant liked actors who were eager to learn and think for themselves.

Patiently, he explained to Qin Guan, "You can watch the film after it’s edited. The camera uses the main actor's viewing angle as a point of view. That way, the audience will feel personally involved in the scene."

Qin Guan was not optimistic. Literary skills were actually not a must for indie films. The simplest way was always the best way to express oneself.

Three days passed like that. The Batiste brothers were happy all day long, while Qin Guan was yawning in the underwear store.

Bang! The whole crew suddenly poured into the small store, ruining the peaceful morning.

"What's going on? Is the film finished?"

"No. The separate shots are finished. Now we’ve come to the main actors."

Suddenly, Qin Guan cheered up. Finally, it’s my turn.

A film was inserted into the VCR. Qin Guan sat in a chair before the television. Director Luchant sat behind the camera silently.

"Get ready, everyone! First scene! Three, two, camera!"

His words seemed to open a valve inside Qin Guan. After restraining himself for several days, he finally vented his surging emotions.

The old television was turned on. The film was the traditional baptism of a Jewish newborn baby. The baby was crying loudly. His mother and his relatives were there, but his father, the one he was most anxious to see, was absent.

The only sign of him was a shadow passing by. People said that this was his father. Qin Guan was absorbed in the film. His sparkling eyes were misty.

His slightly open lips were still. That boring film was very interesting to him. He was really eager to experience a father's love. While other kids were riding on their fathers’ shoulders, he could only ease his sorrow with that vague shadow.

His surroundings were dark. The small dirty store set the basic tone of the film. The suppressing environment bored the young man, who was tired of this monotonous life. To Qin Guan, this was not just a film about his father, but also an outlet to save himself.

Before he could burst into tears, Luchant suddenly shouted, "Cut!" Both the crew and Qin Guan were taken aback.

Was that it? The shot should be longer to allow the actors to express themselves.

Qin Guan turned around in confusion and found Luchant waving at him. Does this mean that it wasn’t good?

Qin Guan walked up to the directing team. "What's the matter, director? Is anything wrong?"

Luchant showed him the playback of the two-minute scene. "Can you spot any moment that’s not harmonious?"

Qin Guan looked at himself carefully. Proper feelings, sincere emotions... There is nothing wrong... He shook his head.