Feng Xiaogang on why he needs to turn to laowais to get the job done

“For an explosion scene today, we laid over a kilometre of explosives and called up more than a thousand extras, as well as a Chinese aerial video company. The result was a catastrophe as they couldn’t even maintain a steady hover height. This has taught me a lesson — you may want to give domestic companies a platform, but they won’t give you face, and eventually you’ll still have to do a u-turn and get the laowais in. If you don’t have the right techniques, you can practise, but what’s frightening is that these guys will tell you they can do anything, and then mess it up when the big moment comes. Right, I’ll just suck it up. Next time, I won’t believe anyone again.”
「今天拍轰炸的戏，埋了一公里的炸点，动用上千群演，请来国内航拍公司，结果搞砸。连基本的悬停保持直飞的动作都不能完成。这件事给我一个教训，想抬举国内的公司，但他真不给你长脸，还得调头请老外。技术不好可以练，最可怕的就是什么都敢应，事到临头掉链子。得，打碎牙往肚子里咽吧。再不敢相信。」