The Best Director

After two more days of shooting, only the basketball court, the auditorium, and a duet set during the New Year holiday remained for the musical segments. Both the basketball court and auditorium scenes were highlights with several song and dance routines, including Troy Burton and his teammates¹ practice, all the audition scenes, and the final grand ensemble. The basketball court shots were still to be filmed at East High, whereas the auditorium portion was to be completed at another high school in Salt Lake City, at “Morris High

School’s” auditorium.

But the crew had taken a break from work, as Christmas had arrived. The crew had a three-day holiday to allow everyone to go home for Christmas. Of course, staying in Salt Lake City was an option, too; some people, like Michael Pitt and Harry George, had decided to spend Christmas there to save on travel expenses.

And naturally, those with higher incomes chose to go home to spend a joyful Christmas with their families.

Rachel went back to Toronto, her attitude towards Wang Yang getting even colder these past two days, barely voicing her opinions even on work-related matters, mostly just listening silently; Tom Wilin returned to New York; Jessica and others went back to Los Angeles, and Wang Yang boarded the plane to San Francisco, deciding to let go of all work during this break and have a good reunion with his family.

In San Francisco’s Chinatown, filled with buildings featuring red walls and green tiles, Chinese cultural elements were everywhere. With Christmas around the corner, Chinatown was festively decorated, Christmas embellishments visible all over, and “Wong’s Restaurant” had also placed a Christmas tree decorated with colorful lights by its entrance.

Wong’s Restaurant was a two-story building, with the restaurant downstairs and the home upstairs. When Wang Yang entered his room and saw everything that was familiar, he couldn’t help but take a deep breath. The familiar air, the familiar smells, all brought him a warm feeling throughout his body and an unparalleled sense of tranquility in his heart.

The room was actually quite small, with dust settling on the walls, but Wang Yang felt very comfortable in it. He carelessly tossed his backpack aside, walked a couple of steps, and leapt onto his bed, burying his head into the pillow and mumbling indistinctly, “Oh, my God, this is great!” He smothered himself for a long while until he could bear it no longer and suddenly sat up.

While breathing deeply, Wang Yang scanned his room with a smile; he had grown up here, and it was filled with lovely memories.

The small room was filled with many things, with bookshelves by the wall crammed with books in English and Chinese; several trophies and medals graced the top shelf, each awarded for some curious and peculiar achievements; the desk next to the bookshelves held many models, including cameras and soldier figurines; and there was a well-used basketball in the

corner of the room.

The walls were covered with movie posters, arrayed like the waUs of a movie theater, leaving hardly any empty spaces.

Wang Yang stood up and walked to the wall, looking at the movie posters-one of Forrest Gump sitting on a long bench, the smiling faces of Alfredo and Toto from Cinema Paradiso….all his favorites. He reached out and gently touched the posters; not a speckle of dust, obviously well cleaned, and he said with a smile, “Thank you, Mom.”

He turned and took a few steps, picking up the backpack he had thrown on the floor, pulling out a brand-new movie poster—of Paranormal Activity.

Holding the poster, Wang Yang familiarly opened the drawer of his desk, took out a tube of glue, applied it to the comers of the poster, and found an empty spot on another wall. He grabbed a stool and posted it up.

“Beautiful!” Jumping down from the stool, Wang Yang looked up at the poster with a smile of satisfaction. Thinking of the past year’s journey, of the bitter and exhilarating memories, he stood smiling for a long time. High School Musical was nearing its end, and perhaps soon, a new poster would be put up here.

He suddenly remembered the last day of shooting Paranormal Activity, when he had wondered when he could again shout “Action,” “Cut”; then he remembered Rachel, and he abruptly shook his head, telling himself, “Stop it! Don’t think about that!” He wasn’t going to disturb Rachel’s life anymore. She was right, things had changed, and he couldn’t continue to pretend, deceiving himself while hurting a girl.

So, Wang Yang’s gaze wandered everywhere, looking for something else to focus his attention on, but he suddenly frowned and muttered, “Come on!” He walked over to the bedside table and picked up a wooden picture frame that rested atop it. The photo inside showed a blond girl with her arms around him. They both leaned against each other, smiling very happily and sweetly, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

“Yang, you’re such a jerk! I hate you, just go die…

Wang Yang strode to his desk, opened the bottom drawer filled with miscellaneous items, tossed the photo frame in, and with a bang, closed the drawer. He spread his hands and said, “There, all clean!” He pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and said with a smile, “Hey, Jessica, I’m home. Yes, to a warm home…”

He chatted with Jessica for a while when suddenly he heard his mother’s voice calling from downstairs, “Yang, come down for dinner!” Wang Yang replied loudly, “Oh, I’ll be right down!” From the other end, a confused Jessica asked, “Yang, what does that mean?” Wang Yang chuckled into the phone, explaining, “Oh, that’s Chinese for I’m going to eat dinner now. Okay, Jessica, bye! Wait, give me a kiss first.” Jessica laughed and teased, “No! I’ll have Danny kiss you. Ha, it says no, too. Bye!”

Wang Yang laughed as he put away his phone and headed downstairs.

After spending a delightful and relaxed Christmas holiday in San Francisco, Wang Yang returned to Salt Lake City. The cast of High School Musical regrouped, ready to finish the last phase of filming.

In the coffee shop of the hotel, Wang Yang looked across at Jessica wearing a big sweater. He made a “ding ding ding ding” sound as if he was about to pull something from behind. Jessica’s face was filled with curiosity and anticipation. Finally, he placed a gift on the table and mysteriously smiled, “Christmas present!”

“Thank you, what is it?” Jessica glanced at him happily, took the gift box and started to unwrap the colorful paper. Suddenly, a fragrant aroma hit her, and she slightly furrowed her brows, “This smell…” Upon opening the gift box, her heart raced with surprise, “Oh, my God!”

Wang Yang looked at the box of pastries and smiled, “Yes, Wife Cakes, specially made by me for you.” This time he wasn’t lying. He had indeed personally made these pastries at an old bakery, whose owner was a friend of his dad. He got to knead the dough, beat the eggs, and finally put it into the baking oven. He had participated in every step, hoping to make up for the lie he told in the past. Watching the delighted Jessica, he said, “Even though they’re not hot, they’re still fresh. Want to try one?”

“Of course!” Jessica nodded joyfully, took one and bit into it, exclaiming with endless praise, “Wow, it’s delicious! Yang, you did a great job.” Wang Yang shrugged and smiled, “It’s nothing, I am the son of a chef.” Jessica looked at him with a sweet smile, “Yang, you’re so nice.” Wang Yang joked, “Oh, is that all? I want a Christmas present too. What happened, did Santa Claus forget about me?”

Jessica laughed and rolled her eyes at him, stood up and walked over, glanced around, bent down, and quickly kissed Wang Yang’s cheek, her smile sweetly saying, “This is my gift.”

Wang Yang touched the cheek she kissed, exclaimed, “Wow, thank you, what a nice gift! But Jessica,” he laughed heartily, “you’re destined to lose… because I have another present!” Jessica paused and asked, “Another one?” Wang Yang laughed as he rummaged through his pocket and said, “Of course, unlike other Santas, I’m a very dedicated one.” He pulled out a rectangular box and took out a silver necklace, earnestly asking, “Do you like it?”

Jessica looked at the necklace, and then at the box of pastries, feeling the love and thoughtfulness Wang Yang had for her, her heart instantly filled with happiness. She nodded and sweetly said, “Thankyou, it’s a beautiful necklace.” “Come.” Wang Yang stood up smiling, eager to see, “Let me put it on you, and see what kind of camera effect it will have.”

“OK, director!” Jessica smiled and playfully rolled her eyes.

Time quickly advanced to mid-January 1999- The filming of High School Musical was going smoothly. After completing all the musical scenes in the East High School basketball gym and the New Year’s holiday party duet, the crew moved to the auditorium of Morley High School to shoot the final scene.

The New Year’s holiday party scene was filmed at a resort hotel at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains. It happened to be snowing in Salt Lake City, and the surrounding mountains were blanketed in white, making for a fantastic visual effect that indoor sets couldn’t match. As for the shot where the male and female leads watched fireworks, following Wang Yang’s well-designed plan, they filmed an upward-looking shot with a crane, then a full side view. Although there were no fireworks in the sky, after post-production special effects, I believe the final outcome would be even more beautiful than real fireworks.

At Morley High School’s auditorium, the crew had been shooting for several days. Today, at this very moment, they were on the last set of shots. Once this was done, “High School Musical” would be declared completely finished.

This set of shots captured Troy Bolton and Gabriella’s close-ups during their second audition. On the auditorium stage, a piano sat on the left, played by Zoe Deschanel in a red women’s suit; Tom Welling and Jessica held microphones, walking back and forth as they rehearsed, singing the song “Free” composed by David Lawrence.

In the audience seats below the stage, the lead actors and extras sat with smiles on their faces; two cameras were set up in front of the stage. Valery Fister was shouldering one, recording Tom and Jessica, while the other was operated by an assistant cameraman capturing the audience’s expressions; Wang Yang and Annie Fletcher stood to one side, eyes pinned on the main actors to ensure their dance moves were correct.

Jessica’s gaze drifted past Tom Welling’s shoulder, looking at Wang Yang standing in the back with arms crossed and a smile. She sang joyfully, “We spread our wings and soar— ” and Tom Welling, dressed in the basketball team’s uniform, jumped and sang, “Into the sky—”

Valery Fister, shouldering the camera, circled them, causing the lens to spin. Seeing Jessica look over, Wang Yang smiled and gave a thumbs up, then continued to watch their performance. All was well; whenever Jessica needed to perform with her eyes, she would look in his direction. It seemed she had found the key to acting.

As the song ended, loud applause erupted from below the stage, and Wang Yang excitedly shouted, “Cut!” He glanced at Valery, who nodded to signal all was good. He couldn’t help but punch the air, stepping out from the side of the stage and announcing to everyone with a smile, “That’s a wrap! It’s over!” Suddenly, cheers broke out among everyone; all the crew members, main actors, and extras were clapping and smiling non-stop, and the whole auditorium boiled with excitement.

“It’s finished, the shoot is over.” Wang Yang exhaled deeply. After one and a half months, the filming of the movie was complete. His feelings were indescribable, a satisfying mix of excitement and pleasure. He and Annie Fletcher hugged, then he walked to the center of the stage and smiled at Valery, saying, “Valery, you worked hard.”

“You did too, Yang,” Valery Fister said as he set down the camera. He and Wang Yang hugged, laughing, “It’s been a pleasure working with you. You’re not a hothead director, buddy, and that’s great.”

The two men patted each other on the shoulder, and Wang Yang laughed, “Valery, don’t say that too soon, work isn’t over yet; there’s even more to do in post-production.” Valery Fister laughed, “Yes, I know, so keep it up.” Wang Yang let go of him and then playfully slapped him on the backside. During the past month, he had become good friends with this 37-year-old guy. Valery hadn’t looked down on him and taught him a lot. He was very grateful to this “old guy.”

Wang Yang then walked over to Tom Welling, hugged him, and said with a smile, “Thankyou, Tom. The performance was great; you’ve worked hard.” He then turned to Jessica beside him. She wore a sweet smile, quietly watching him. Wang Yang opened his arms and gave the girl a big hug, whispering with a laugh, “Thank you, my sweetheart. Your recent performances have been fantastic.”

Jessica closed her eyes with a smile, leaning contently on his shoulder. She had finally become Wang Yang’s leading lady in a movie and shared this moment with him. She’d never felt such joy before. She laughed, “Yang, that’s because of you.”

“OK!” Wang Yang laughed and let go of Jessica, looking at the crew members below the stage, Rachel, Zachary, and other main actors, and those youthful extras, seeing their happy and beautiful smiling faces, he shouted, “Thankyou, everyone!” At that moment, Jessica handed him the microphone. Wang Yang nodded, taking it and tapped on the mic, saying, “Wow, can everyone hear me?”

The crowd on and off the stage applauded, and everyone quieted down, looking at Wang Yang in the middle of the stage; Jessica, Tom Welling, and others also stepped down from the stage with smiles. Wang Yang glanced around and, realizing he was the only one left, said with a puzzled face, “Oh, what’s this? It’s like I’m having a solo concert.”

“Ha ha!” The audience laughed, clapping and whistling, as the hefty Harry George shouted, “Sing for us, director!” Wang Yang shrugged and looked down at Valery Fister, saying, “Valery, make sure to get my singing on camera, the script has changed to my solo now.” Valery Fister replied loudly, “Got it!” Everyone chuckled, and Wang Yang then seriously added, “It’s done. The filming of ‘High School Musical’ is completely finished. Over the past month, everyone has worked so hard.”

Her voice echoed through the auditorium via the loudspeakers, and everyone listened quietly as Wang Yang continued, “We have put in countless hours of sweat, countless hours of hard work, and used countless reels of film.” Everyone laughed at that, and Jessica, who had the most NG takes, laughed and covered her face. Wang Yang also laughed and said, “But we’ve also gained a film, thanks to everyone’s hard work.

Wang Yang looked at the familiar faces below and said with a smile, “Valery, I think you’ll get the best cinematography award before long.” Valery Feist spread his hands with a smile, and Wang Yang shouted, “Tom! Ready to be a big star?” Tom Willing grinned like the boy next door, and Wang Yang glanced at Rachel, who was smiling, then looked away without pausing and said, “Zachary, your Ryan is just too funny…”

After joking with a few people, Wang Yang’s expression slowly calmed down and he said, “But what did those media say, tell me! A childish work, a shoo-in for the worst film of 1999- Jessica Alba with water on the brain because she didn’t choose ‘Idle Hands’.” Everyone started laughing, and Jessica twirled her hair, smiling. She sure didn’t have water on the brain—she shuddered at the thought of choosing ‘Idle Hands’ at the time.

“Hey, guys,” Wang Yang whispered, “let’s just see who’s worse, shall we?” Applause and whistles once again filled the hall, and when they subsided, Wang Yang continued with a laugh, “I believe in a few months, everyone will be able to see ‘High School Musical’ in theaters and witness our collective achievement!” He spoke louder, “Then, those bastard media will know that this isn’t a shitty movie, not some blind act of confidence by a naive kid director playing in the mud, no, it’s not! It’s going to turn those media and critics upside down, and kick their asses hard!”

Jessica looked at Wang Yang on stage with sweet eyes, clapping continuously, and shouted with a laugh, “Yang, you’re so cool!”

“Bro, well said!” Harry George shouted with joy, “Kick their asses!” Next to him, Michael Pitt leaned back in his chair with a smile, hugging his chest, then suddenly shouted, “Yang, we’ll definitely succeed!”

Rachel smiled lightly, clapping her hands, feeling truly happy for Wang Yang but also a little at a loss—the filming was over, and the script would not be spoken again. She looked at Wang Yang on stage and murmured, “Yang, good luck to you.”

Zachary, Tom Willing, Zoe Deschanel… Valery Feist, Annie Fletcher, David Lawrence… Everyone clapped and cheered, whether it was the old-timers who were skeptical or the young ones full of confidence, at that moment, they all gave their applause to Wang Yang and to themselves.

“Guys!” Wang Yang called out from the stage again, laughing, “Thankyou for your hard work! The concert is over, see you!” With that, he gave a military salute to the audience and headed down the stage.

Everyone stood up, and the applause grew louder and louder as the hall was filled with happy, smiling faces. People hugged and high-fived each other, saying their goodbyes. As the movie wrapped up, except for the lead actors who needed to do post-production dubbing and the staff who had to work on post-production editing and music, the rest of the crew would return to their regular lives.

Wang Yang came down from the stage and quickly walked up to Jessica, opening his arms and hugging her tight, “Jessica, I’m so happy!”

“Yang, I’m proud of you!” Jessica hugged him back tightly, her eyes filled with tenderness and bliss.