Hengdian Movie Town

Hengdian is a town in the district of Dongyang in the province of Zhejiang which is southwest of Shanghai. Hengdian was built up, if I remember correctly, by one of the top directors in China (Zhang Yimou maybe?). There is one main street, reminding me of England's small villages in Kent. The main street is somewhat different though - Chinese eateries, a "cafe" (the definition of cafe varies every place you go...), a supermarket and numerous DVD shops. I found "Sin City" there. It only premiered in the States last week. Haha. Someone else bought it - I want to see it, it's got one of our girls in it.

The sun was out today, splendid days in springtime. I love China. As soon as you go indoors, it's back to the fleece though, it's so cold...! Now it's night time, the fleece is out too...

It's been a hectic few days, what with going to Shanghai and coming back, then working one full day and then travelling the next. A full day of travelling (I left the house at 7:30am and arrived at our destination close to 6pm) and then work work work at night. I slipped in two hours of massage (RMB60!!! TWO HOURS!!! Doooooooooood!!!!!!!!) and regretted it intensely today for two reasons - 1. I couldn't work for the two hours I was getting the massage, thus prolonging my work time and delaying my sleep time until past 2am and 2. My legs were shaking today as I made my way to the top of a certain flight of steps we call the "Hero Steps" - 600 odd steps. Ack.

I came back to over 20 emails (it was only 8 hours of not checking my email!!!) and they are still coming in as I sit here and type. Sometimes I really wonder how they made movies in the time before the internet.

But well. I was so tired today. I fell asleep standing up. Honestly. I was walking around and around trying to stay awake, and while I was walking my eyes would just close... How could I have been THAT tired? I was squatting on the ground of the Forbidden City set - that's what Hengdian is famous for, a full-scale movie set of the Forbidden City and Chin Palace, madness much?! - and then gave up and sat down. Sitting there, I thought about how tired I was, and listened to the conversations going on around me: lighting department, art department, set construction/decoration department, director and ADs, production... all the different problems they have to tackle and I was thinking, WHY?! All this trouble... for a movie?!

And then I thought about my boyfriend. We once had a slight "discussion" - being in front of the camera, either as an actor or a stunt, he does not understand what goes on behind the scenes. He cannot fathom why I am constantly busy and does not comprehend why I get so stressed out. Perhaps the latter is understandable, I am but an assistant and all I have to do is schedule my boss's agenda plus deal with his communication to the outside (English speaking) world. I get stressed out because we are shooting in two and half weeks and we have no script. Who am I to stress?! He's not saying anything...!! Hmph. Anyway.

I got to thinking about my really good friend, Tim, who has been signed to a management company and the band's first song should be plugged next week or early May. It's so weird. Sometimes I wish I could work in the music scene. It's not like I know anything about the movies, so not knowing anything about music shouldn't be that much of a problem either... should it?! But then I realized it's just the tiredness talking, and so I proceeded to berate myself upon the patheticness of my state. I give things up so easily, change jobs so easily... and it's only because I can't deal. Argh.

Though I want to go back to Hong Kong to buy a phone, a mini iPod and a digital camera, I'm reaaaaaally glad I'm in China. Things were beginning to get stagnant in Hong Kong. Discussions were being prolonged and well, I earn less in Hong Kong because living standards are that much higher.

There was a mini-discussion that the director should go to Shanghai tomorrow. My eyes lit up. And then the idea got barred. And I shook my head in disgust - I am so pathetic!!

Anyway. Back to emails and scripts and other work. I'm rooming with a funny gal who's really nice and is so prepared for China - own towel, hairdryer... all the things I kept saying I should bring but didn't. I really have to learn that China is not all Shanghai...!!!

Okay. Gotta scram. God bless :)