In 2000, Los Angeles, at the set of the film "The Fast and the Furious."
Lin Yuan sat in the resting area, playing with the Nokia 3310 phone in his hand.
"A divine phone that can smash walnuts, did I really get reborn?"
Even after more than ten days since his rebirth, Lin Yuan still found it hard to believe.
He turned his head to look at the mirror beside him; his reflection appeared slightly youthful yet strikingly handsome, and he couldn't help but sigh, "Youth is truly great; anything is possible."
This was not 2024, when he was confined to a sickbed; he was no longer that down-and-out middle-aged man who had wasted half his life and was on the verge of death.
Time had returned to October 2000; he had just turned 18, and the film "The Fast and the Furious," in which he participated, was about to wrap up filming.
As a reborn person, he naturally knew that this film would achieve great success.
Beginning with this film, it launched one of the most profitable film series of the next two decades.
Unfortunately, as a Chinese American, it was impossible for him to play any significant roles; he could only be an extra.
Was such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity going to be missed?
Absolutely not! He didn't want to live a cowardly life like he did in his previous one.
Lin Yuan's gaze turned towards the set; he was waiting for an opportunity that would allow him to soar, even if it meant risking his life.
"I wonder how the talk between uncle and the director went; we'll know after this scene," Lin Yuan murmured to himself.
At this moment, a car chase scene was being filmed on set.
"Boom~ Boom~"
Amidst the ear-piercing roar of car engines, the black Dodge Charger and orange Toyota Supra, moving like lightning, soared into the air.
"Bang!"
The fence in front of them was shattered into pieces.
Two speeding sports cars weaved through the flying wood fragments, then landed simultaneously with style.
At the same time, a train dangerously roared past from behind.
"Cut!"
The director gave a thumbs-up, indicating that the scene was perfect in one take.
A burly bald man got out of the black Dodge Charger and walked directly towards Lin Yuan.
The bald man, Vin Diesel, was 33 years old this year and played the gang leader in the film. He was burly, dark-skinned, and had an unruly expression, looking more like a football player—an American one.
As he approached Lin Yuan, a song entered his ears.
"Hey yo hey hey hey yo hey, nothing can stop me from forging ahead…"
"A vast unknown journey, I must face my life seriously…"
"Uncle, what did the director say?" Lin Yuan asked.
"Great song, is it Jackie Chan's?" Vin Diesel didn't answer immediately but instead asked.
"Yes, it's 'A Man of Determination' sung by Jackie Chan. You've heard it too?"
"Of course, he's my idol. But if you want to become a legend like him, the path is extremely perilous.
If something really happened to you, how could I face the trust your parents placed in me before they passed away?" His concern for Lin Yuan was evident.
"Compared to life-threatening danger, I'm more afraid of an ordinary life," Lin Yuan replied.
"The film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' in which you participated, was well-received at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and it's going to be released in the United States and mainland China these days.
You already have a very good starting point; wouldn't it be better to be stable? Why must you take such a dangerous path?" Vin Diesel advised again.
After his rebirth, Lin Yuan found that there were slight differences from his previous life. In this life, the role of Luo Xiaohu in Director Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was played by himself.
Because of this role, he had already gained some attention.
Lin Yuan knew that this film would ultimately gross two hundred million dollars at the box office and also win next year's Oscar for best foreign language film, achieving both fame and fortune.
And with the momentum of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," his career would naturally soar.
But Lin Yuan had no intention of just waiting for things to happen; to become a wind rider, one must learn to create their own wind.
He wanted to become the new generation of global action superstar in an era where Bruce Lee had passed away and Jackie Chan was gradually aging; he had to seize every opportunity and never retreat.
"Uncle, I appreciate your concern. But how many times in life does one get to fight? Please help me!" Lin Yuan's attitude was very firm.
"Alright, the director agreed to let you try, but you have to bear the consequences yourself." Vin Diesel took out an agreement and handed it to Lin Yuan.
The "Risk Assumption Commitment Letter" clearly stated that the upcoming high-risk scene was requested by Lin Yuan himself. If any accident occurred, the crew would not bear any legal responsibility.
Lin Yuan flipped through a few pages, signed his name, and then handed it back to Vin Diesel.
"Alright, I'll take you to see the director. Good luck."
The two got up and walked onto the set, approaching the director.
"Here comes our handsome young man. Are you really sure?" The bald director greeted.
The director and producer, Rob Cohen, had directed the biographical film "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" and had always had a good impression of Chinese action stars, which was also why he was willing to give Lin Yuan a chance.
"The Fast and the Furious" is a film primarily focused on car chase scenes, with electrifying duels on the quarter-mile track that make adrenaline and dopamine surge.
Director Cohen was very confident in the car chase scenes he filmed, but the two action scenes of the gang hijacking a cargo truck seemed too simplistic in comparison.
Originally, Director Cohen was going to make do, but this Chinese extra in the crew actually proposed an astonishing filming plan.
If his idea could be realized, then the highlights of this film and the selling points for promotion would have a significant addition.
It's just that this plan was too dangerous, wasn't it? Just reading the text could make one break out in a cold sweat.
Perhaps only Jackie Chan in his prime could complete such a scene; could he really do it?
"Yes, Director. I've thought it through," Lin Yuan nodded.
"Good, then I look forward to you creating a miracle. Get ready; your scene will be filmed next."
Lin Yuan nodded and walked aside to do warm-up exercises, replaying the action details of this shoot in his mind.
"The Fast and the Furious" opens with a scene where the gang leader leads three sports cars to hijack a large truck.
The original design was for the gang members to ride in sports cars, circle to the front of the large truck, and jump into the driver's cabin to directly seize the vehicle.
Filming it this way was indeed not very impressive, so Lin Yuan's proposal had two main changes.
The first change was that the gang member he played would jump onto the large truck from the rear, climbing all the way to the driver's cabin along the bumpy and swaying cargo compartment.
This made the action more thrilling, unlike the original where it was just a simple jump, significantly enhancing the visual appeal.
The second change was even crazier: instead of using green screen filming with post-production, it would be direct live-action long-take filming, unedited and completed in one go.
If Lin Yuan's plan could be successfully realized, it would definitely be one of the biggest highlights of the film.
Although it was an era where special effects were already mature, the results produced by post-production, under various limitations such as budget, would still be somewhat inferior to live-action filming.
It's just that action actors willing to risk their lives have become extinct now, because it's simply too arduous and dangerous.
If anything went wrong with this scene, Lin Yuan's best outcome would be to be paralyzed in a hospital bed for the rest of his life.
But what about it? He wasn't paralyzed in his previous life.
Compared to living a mediocre life, Lin Yuan would rather shine brightly like a firework for a moment.
At this moment, Lin Yuan calmly gazed at a golden text on his retina:
[Danger level of this action scene: D. Host success rate: 50%.]
[Completing an action scene of this difficulty will grant 1 attribute point reward.]
New book seeking collections, seeking continuous reads.
Many thanks!