Old-age makeup is not uncommon in films.
But the effect Wen Bing wanted was quite rare.
"In this segment, I want to use a long take to show Xiao Yun appearing in the guise of an old person, mingling amid the crowd to escape the assassins' chase. Only when she breaks through the blockade and successfully escapes will she begin to remove her wig and facial molds, revealing Xiao Yun's true identity," said Wen Bing. "Through such a long take, the audience can directly experience the shift from 'Who is this old person?' to 'Oh, it's Zhou Yun,' and be utterly shocked when Zhou Yun reveals her true self."
Zhou Yun imagined the scene Wen Bing described, and from the mental picture, she somewhat understood Wen Bing's intention.
Indeed, if the long take was executed in one go, it would definitely be shocking on the big screen.
The cinematographer Qin Jiang raised an objection: "But this would make the shot very difficult to film."
