On the day of the assembly, Chen Xing arrived outside the school on time. The camera crew sent by the TV station arrived early. When Chen Xing arrived, he saw them stuffing suitcases, tool boxes and other things into two vans. One of the seniors arrived earlier than him. After seeing Chen Xing, he He said hello and said.
"Chen, come and put your luggage on it. The car will leave soon." Chen Xing followed suit and put the suitcase containing a change of clothes and the shuttle machine in the back of one of the vans.
As for the camera, lenses, and a laptop, of course you have to take them with you. Chen Xing likes the current Hasselblad very much, and even signed an agreement, so he will not let her out of his sight easily.
After Chen Xing put his things away and closed the trunk, the two cars drove away. Chen Xing looked around.
There are also some private cars that should take them to the airport soon. Look at the senior next to him.
I was very impressed by this senior Chen Xing. His name is Ford. He should be the oldest person in the photography department. He was admitted to the school at the age of 25. He is now in the fifth grade... Yes, this person is already thirty this year.
He had been in the studio before, but he really didn't like the atmosphere. He also heard that Professor Nobel was going to make a documentary, so he took the initiative to come over.
Chen Xing knew him, but it was just an acquaintance. He also carries his camera with him, and there is a large camera bag slung across his body. It is estimated that there must be a lot of lenses in it.
Chen Xing asked: "How many people are we going to have this time?"
"The TV station doesn't know, but there are three people from our school going there, me and you, and Leifbold. Do you know Lefbold?"
"I've heard of it." He is also in fifth grade. His mother is Professor Likoda from the school. This professor was also one of the examiners who interviewed Chen Xing. The one who has a good impression of Chinese culture teaches visual design. Composed with colors.
Leifbold came out of school with the professor. The professor looked at the time and counted the number of people.
"It seems that everyone is on time. The truck with the equipment has already left?"
"Just left."
"Okay, let's go." Before Chen Xing got to know the film crew, he followed the professor into a car.
Three students are sitting in the back. Chen Xing's position is by the window on the right, with big brother Ford in the middle and Leifbold on the left.
The two had never met before, so they shook hands across Ford.
"Senior, this is our first meeting. Please take good care of me."
"You're too polite. We often hear your name in the studio." He and Ford were both in the school's photography studio last year, doing either art photography or commercial photography. He said that Chen Xing's name was definitely heard so often. Not to be polite.
Professional photography is a small circle, and if something happens, it will spread quickly. However, Leifbold was still a little unconvinced with Chen Xing.
There are rumors in the school about Huaxia Chen's excellence, whether it's from appearance or grades, but is a Huaxia really so good?
Leifbold still maintains a skeptical attitude, believing that the school is attracting more applicants from China.
With different personal aesthetics, it is difficult to find an artist that can convince everyone. The professor had been watching something in the car on the way, and when he was about to arrive at the airport, he said: "Don't run around when filming a documentary this time. Sudan is different from France. It is not a very safe country." Chen Xing turned over in his mind. Roll your eyes.
Not much better.
"But don't be too nervous. Our filming of "Exploring Sudan" this time was jointly decided by the governments of both parties. The two filming locations we chose are very safe. Don't be too picky about the accommodation environment. The crew members all understand, so I just Remind you." The three people said in unison: "No problem." The professor looked at the information again and said casually: "Nowadays, everyone likes to shoot animals, savannahs, the Great Rift Valley, and the human environment in documentaries about Africa. No one has taken pictures for a long time. This time we can go over and see the living environment of the people in East Africa and inspire your creative ideas." France is not far from Africa. Across the strait is Algeria, and then it takes a while to fly to Sudan.
As a powerful player in the Age of Discovery, France has a large say in Africa. But this right to speak will not affect Sudan for the time being.
After the plane landed, the airport was visibly dilapidated and the yellow sand was flying all over the sky. It was exactly what Chen Xing thought Africa should be like. It was also hot. It felt very hot as soon as I got off the plane. The sun hit my body and it hurt every now and then. Several people silently put on a thin coat to protect themselves from direct sunlight.
Someone from the film crew threw a piece of sunscreen to Chen Xing and said, "Put some on, you guys."
"Thank you!" The TV station sent a total of six people, two photographers, a sound engineer, a lighting engineer, and a translator. The remaining one also understands Arabic, but his job is mainly to deal with external matters. Wizard.
For example, if there is something to be shot tomorrow, he will communicate with people in advance to open up joints. Coupled with director Cliff Noble and his three followers, the team reached ten people.
They were waiting outside the airport and had already contacted a car to pick them up. There is a lot of equipment, is one car enough?
Chen Xing was thinking. But when he saw this car, he felt that enough was enough. The car that came to pick them up was not a pickup truck or a van. The car that came to pick them up was a serious truck, a big truck. It would be enough for another group of people. .
Leifbold blurted out: "Are we going to sit in this car? How can we sit in it?" Can ten people sit in a truck?
Do you want us to sit in the cargo box? He has obviously not been to Africa and does not know the sufferings of the world, and such behavior is prohibited in France... He obviously turned a deaf ear to what Professor Nobel said before, and did not realize that this place is different from France.
A photographer from the program team thought his words were a bit funny. He smiled and patted Leifbold on the shoulder. Then he walked forward and said, "Come and move things. The light stand is really heavy." The video recording machine is very big. , and the cameras brought by Chen Xing and the others are not at the same level at all. After putting the three cameras on, there are microphones, light stands, and other miscellaneous things, as well as everyone's luggage.
After everything was put on them, all ten of them climbed into the truck and each found a place to sit.
Chen Xing sat on the edge of the car in order to see the scenery outside the car. This truck is taller and has thicker baffles, so the feeling of sitting on it is almost the same as sitting on a bench, so it is quite safe as long as you maintain your balance. Many people also sit on it.
Leifbold sat on his suitcase in the carriage.
"Won't you get caught by the police?" He was a little worried. Professor Nobel laughed twice.
"Children, welcome to Africa." Africa, what kind of place is it... Chen Xing felt the vibration of the truck as it moved forward and looked into the distance.
A vast expanse of sand. It looks like a desert, but you can occasionally see trees and green plants on the road, so it is more appropriate to call this a desert.
Because the water and soil on the ground have not been lost a lot, the water can knead the soil together. It feels a bit like Northwest China.
Their vehicle's final destination was a small town in northern Sudan. On the way, they saw a lot of houses that looked like they were empty, but suddenly they saw someone walking out of such a house, wearing colorful local clothes. Only then did Chen Xing realize that there were people living in such a house.
But soon he was no longer in the mood to pay attention to the scenery outside the car. He occupied the rear of the truck with two or three people who were motion sick, and vomited until stars appeared in his eyes.
I didn’t have any strength at all... By this time, the vehicle had already set off for four hours.
"How much longer?" Chen Xing asked weakly. Ford sat next to Chen Xing, using his collar to block the dry air blowing from the front, and said: "You just asked two minutes ago, and we have only walked half way. Just keep holding on, and you will get used to vomiting. It's gone." Another person next to him who was motion sick almost cried.
No wonder the TV station offered so much salary but few people signed up. If I had known I wouldn't have come. Although Leifbold didn't get car sick, he stopped complaining and leaned against the edge of the cargo box without saying a word.
Professor Nobel sighed. Chen Xing and Ford's performance was quite normal. They were people who understood their situation and were mentally prepared for this land.
Leifbold was educated by his mother before he came, and he himself reminded him many times, but he still seemed unprepared.
Africa is not a nice place. If you shoot a documentary with the intention of taking a vacation, you will be punished.
The truck was driving crookedly on the bumpy dirt road, and the hot weather made everyone on the truck uncomfortable.
The weak Chen Xing kept wondering if he was wrong and if he had stayed in Paris, he would not have suffered like this.
I really want to lie on my little sister's lap instead of this damn suitcase. Chen Xing fell asleep in a daze. When he opened his eyes again, it was dark and the car stopped. The truck parked in an urban area with an auburn tone.
No, it's more of a village than a city. The houses here are almost wooden boards without foundations, and dry grass is scattered among them.
The roads on the ground were not repaired, and so were the black people who came to greet them. They may have put on their best clothes, which should be national costumes, but they were also very shabby.
This is a small village where you can see the bottom at a glance. Chen Xing was helped down by Ford. The only advantage of being motion sick and exhausted was that I didn't have to move things, but they didn't need to move them. A group of local black people rushed up to help move things.
Chen Xing was initially worried that they would take the equipment and run away, but they didn't. They just put it in the house next to the truck.
"Chen, can you still stand up?"
"I had a good sleep. Is there any water?" Leifbold, who was not far away, heard this and threw a bottle of mineral water over and said, "Don't drink the water here. I heard it's very dangerous." It's easy to drink and ruin your stomach... Sigh, the three of us are really miserable. There was no need to come." Professor Nobel came over to look at Chen Xing and found that Chen Xing was in better spirits than before. He said with relief: "It's okay, but You have to get used to it. We will have to take a lot of transportation in the days to come. You have also seen the road conditions here, it is like this." Chen Xing forced a smile and said, "Then can I graduate in half a year?"
"Come on, haha." Noble watched everyone move things and said to the three students: "This is the largest town in northern Sudan. The child with natural curly hair is the protagonist we are going to follow these days, a 15-year-old Giota." Leifbold looked at the excited black man carrying equipment and said in surprise: "You are so fucking 15 years old?" He was about 1.8 meters tall. Although he looked a bit thin, he could lift things. Chen Xing believed that he was twenty-five or six, but he didn't expect that he was only fifteen.
"Yes, he is only 15." Chen Xing focused on another point. He looked at the surrounding environment again and asked: "The largest town?"
"Yes, their houses are not dense enough. In fact, some of them are quite big." There are mud houses on both sides of the road, and you can hear the braying of cows. Many locals came naked to help. It didn't feel out of place to say that the scene was in a rural area, but in a town, a very big town, which really surprised Chen Xing.
Well, African dudes are poor, he realizes that. Chen Xing got out of the car and stayed for a while, feeling much better. Looking at the increasingly dark sky and the town without any light source except car lights, he asked: "Where will we stay tonight?"
"The hotel is ahead," Noble said. Just as he was talking, the guide came over and said, "Everyone has worked hard. Let's go to the hotel and have a rest early. Will we start working tomorrow? Director Nobel, how about we let these young men rest for a day?" Nobel thought about it. After thinking about it, I went to find the black protagonist to understand the situation, and then came back and said, "Okay, you can rest tomorrow." Chen Xing and the others cheered.
Nearly eight hours of bumpy truck rides were a hellish journey for Chen Xing. He was even willing to walk for several days rather than sit in a car like this for a whole day.
The hotel is a three-story brick house, which is not bad compared to the surrounding thatched houses, but it is still extremely simple and has no air conditioning. Chen Xing was not used to the heat on his first day here.
After lying in bed for more than an hour, it was too hot to sleep, so I moved the single bed downstairs and slept in the courtyard of the hotel.
Then hang up the mosquito net. It feels much more comfortable now. The temperature in Sudan now exceeds thirty-five degrees during the day, but it is relatively cool outside at night.
The starry sky is breathtakingly beautiful. This was the only comfort Chen Xing got after one day in Africa.
Chen Xing had a good sleep that night. The next day he was woken up by Leifbold. He shook Chen Xing's bed and said loudly: "Hey! How did you come up with this idea? It's too hot in the room. I can't sleep all night, Chen!" You are so noisy!
Chen Xing felt like he hadn't woken up yet, and saw that the time was not yet eight o'clock. Ford came down the stairs with a look of disbelief and said: "Do you believe it? There are no mosquitoes in my mosquito net, but I was bitten by seven or eight big ones. Are the mosquitoes in Africa poisonous? They itched me to death, you guys Who has medicine?"
