To write about Andy Lan is difficult since so much has been written about him, I would just like to cite a scene to illustrate my impression of Andy: We were dubbing the mandarin for "A Simple Life", everyone was against Andy's doing the dubbing himself. We settled on first asking a dubbing aritist to do it, and then Andy could try one of his own later. I objected to his doing it because I was worried about the perfection of his mandarin, about how he could get back into character after a four months break,also about only having tow 8-hour sessions he gave us and there was a lot of dialogue. He did it(in one session), and he conquered, like Julius Caesar.How? We were supposed to start the session at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, right after he arrived on the plane to about 12 a.m. and resume again the next day. But he did it so fast, and so well, inventing some dialogue on the way but all in sync that we were cheering him on and laughing all the way. By midnight we were all pretty zonked out and thought to continue the next day. We asked Andy "should we continue tomorrow?" By that time we finished three-quarters already. He said no he'd rather continue and finish the same day. We kept asking him whether he was tired. Actually we were tired ourselves. Finally he finished at 3 a.m. with all of us falling all over the place, in hilarious defeat.
What does the episode say about Andy?
a)that he is really very good as an artist
b)that he can work harder than the rest
c)that he can multitask:he can go from one project to another full-steam without a break
d)that he does not quarrel but demonstrate by fact that he is right.
So,by being so bright and hardworking himself,he is of course a tough master. But working for him is also wonderful because he does not doubt once he has started something. And when he chooses to trust is complete.I can say that in the shooting of "A Simple Life" his trust in me is even stronger than my trust in myself. He also has a soft spot for people and appreciate them sincerely - as is so amply borne out by his observations on the cast and crew in this book. Enjoy reading it, but don't for a moment believe he is just so soft!
(编者译)
要写刘德华并不容易,因为有关华仔的文章早已汗牛充栋。
我索性举一事例表达我对华仔的感受。华仔有意为电影《桃姐》内地版亲自配音,其实大家都有所保留,最终敲定先由专业配音演员为他声演,容后再让华仔试配好了;我自己就颇反对由华仔来配,主要担心他的普通话口音始终跟内地的标准有点距离,而配音时已是电影拍摄后四个月,要重投戏里角色得花点功夫,而华仔又只能腾出两组8小时的档期为对白满满的配音,实在都是挑战。
华仔如期到北京配音,就在第一个档期,他竟完成了——就如此战无不胜的战神!怎么可能?!我们安排好华仔当天中午下飞机,下午3至4时开始配音,预计配到当晚12时收工,然后明天再续。华仔的进度竟出奇地快、还出奇地好,他往往能在原有对白上适时地作修饰,而不失剧情原意之余又配合口形,总叫我们拍案叫绝。工作至午夜,在场的工作人员都困态渐呈,进度已比原定的超额完成了四分之三,可以到此为止,翌日再续,就看华仔的意思了,他宁愿即日做好,到家都再三关心他是否太累,其实倦死的是我们!终于在凌晨3时全部配好,我们虽然都累透了,却人人啧啧称奇地为他喝彩!
这事例说明什么?
一、华仔毋容置疑是一位出色艺人;
二、他勤奋过人;
三、他一心多用,能同时兼顾多项工作而又能全请投入;
四、他不作无畏争辩,能用行动证明一切。
华仔有过人天赋,又如此勤奋,自然也是一位要求严格的老板;但跟他共事是十分美妙的。他决定了做一件事,绝不左摇右晃;他信任一个人,会信任到底。拍摄《桃姐》,华仔给我的信任,比我的自信还要强哩!华仔当然也有待人亲和的一面,在这书里你会看到他凡事观察入微,对人关怀备至,读者可以慢慢仔细体味,但不要以为跟他合作就是这样轻松平常才好。
许鞍华