Ordinary heroes on the small screen
A new TV drama chronicles how regular people joined the fight against COVID-19 from the front line in Wuhan during the outbreak's early days, Xu Fan reports.
A scene in The Amazing Rabbit Uncle, one tale of the seven-story anthological TV series, Heroes in Harm's Way, recounts the story of a young cartoonist (front), who cheered up children infected with the novel coronavirus with his heartwarming paintings.[Photo provided to China Daily]
"Like others, I was self-isolated at home under the quarantine protocols earlier this year. So, I spent most of my time watching TV news, closely following what was happening in Wuhan," he recalls.
"Touching stories and heroes emerged every day. I struggled to hold back tears daily."
The production schedule was tight. The crew started shooting in late May.
Different teams shot the seven stories in various locations, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hengdian World Studios, the country's largest film-and-television shooting base, in Zhejiang province.
The crew underwent COVID-19 tests several times before they began working.
Despite time constraints, they worked feverishly to create realistic portrayals, including building a replica of Huoshenshan Hospital, one of two makeshift hospitals built to receive Wuhan's COVID-19 patients, and recruiting up to 2,000 extras for some scenes.
"All of the main actors are professional and devoted," Ju says.
