novellhall Chapter 55 Preparing the Film Crew
Chapter 55 Preparing the Film Crew
With funding secured, the project's gears truly began to turn.
Zhang Lei was like a wound-up toy, throwing himself into the preliminary preparations.
With the revised script, project proposal, proof of funding, and a letter of intent from Teacher Li agreeing to be credited as producer, he began to go through various formalities.
The most crucial step is to submit the script for review and then obtain a "Film Production Permit".
This is the first step for a regular army, tedious but necessary.
Zhang Lei created a small spreadsheet and shuttled between relevant departments and schools every day, stamping official seals, filling out forms, and communicating script details with the reviewing teachers, keeping him extremely busy.
But a fire always burned in his eyes—this was his directorial debut, and he was happy to do it no matter how complicated it was.
Chen Nianbei is mainly responsible for liaising with the school.
Armed with a letter of recommendation from Teacher Li and a project approval document stamped with the official seal, he visited the Equipment Management Department, the Site Dispatch Center, and the Logistics Support Department one by one.
Film academies offer considerable support for students' practical experience, but they also have many procedures and rules.
Chen Nianbei demonstrated a composure and meticulousness beyond her years, clearly outlining the shooting plan, equipment list, and venue usage schedule, and repeatedly communicating with the responsible teacher to gain maximum support.
Ultimately, they were successfully approved under the name of "Joint Graduation Creative Practice Project":
You can use the school's two mainstream digital cameras and their lenses, basic lighting equipment, and recording equipment for four weeks free of charge.
Three photography studios of different styles, two standard classrooms, and some scenic areas on campus can be used during off-peak teaching hours.
Furthermore, the school's logistics department even agreed to provide the film crew with boxed meals at cost price during filming.
"It's done!"
When Chen Nianbei slammed the stamped final agreement onto the dormitory table, Zhang Lei excitedly punched him hard on the shoulder.
This can save you hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in expenses.
Wang Hao and Li Xiang were naturally dragged into it as well. Wang Hao had been itching to get started for a long time:
"A supporting role? Sure! What kind of role? Is it one with a lot of depth?"
After reading the script outline, he was eager to get started.
Chen Nianbei and Zhang Lei exchanged a smile. Wang Hao did indeed have that kind of naive and innocent charm.
Li Xiang was assigned to the production team, where he was responsible for some external liaison and on-site coordination.
He is quick-witted and eloquent, which is perfect for him.
"Don't worry, Brother Bei and Brother Lei, they'll make sure the logistics for our crew are perfectly arranged!"
Li Xiang was also full of energy.
With the core team initially established, the next crucial step is casting.
The role of the older brother, "Shi Fen," is played by Chen Nianbei himself, which is a familiar role for him and can ensure the quality of the character to the greatest extent.
However, the most suitable actresses had to be found for the two female characters, "Shi Miao" and "Miao Miaomiao," who had important roles and directly determined the emotional tone of the film.
They don't have the budget for famous actors, nor can they afford to hire established agencies to recommend them.
Zhang Lei suggested, "Let's hold an open recruitment? Post it on professional actor recruitment forums and Weibo."
Our script has some highlights, and it's a legitimate project, so it should be able to attract some promising newcomers or students.
Chen Nianbei agreed.
Soon, a well-written and clearly defined actor recruitment notice was produced, along with a brief project introduction and school support background, emphasizing labels such as "low-budget gem," "heartwarming fantasy comedy," and "opportunities for new directors and actors."
The announcement was posted on several film and television industry forums, internal BBS forums of art colleges such as Beijing Film Academy, Central Academy of Drama, and Shanghai Theatre Academy, as well as on the official Weibo account of the film project newly registered by Zhang Lei and Chen Nianbei.
"Recruitment: Main roles in the movie 'Take My Brother Away'"
Shi Miao (female, 16-18 years old, stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside), Miao Miaomiao (female, 16-18 years old, lively and cheerful, best friend).
Requirements: Acting experience or talent, suitable appearance, and able to commit to filming (expected summer).
Please feel free to attach your resume, a recent photo, and a short performance video.
Registration email: [email protected]
A few days after the announcement was issued, the registration email address began to receive emails.
Most of them are resumes of art school students, accompanied by clips of their performances, some awkward and some forceful.
Zhang Lei and Chen Nianbei would spend time together every night watching the interviews, selecting those with potential, making notes, and preparing to arrange subsequent interviews.
That afternoon, in a slightly old six-person dormitory at the Affiliated Secondary School of Beijing Dance Academy, Liu Haochun, who had just finished a day of basic training classes, was browsing a performance information forum he frequented on his roommate's old laptop.
She was slender, wearing faded training clothes, her hair damp with sweat and clinging to her smooth forehead.
Her eyes were large, with the clarity unique to a dance student and a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.
There were problems at home, and her parents had done everything they could to support her dance studies.
She knew that her career was short-lived and that the path of a dancer was fiercely competitive and cruel. She had always had other plans in mind—perhaps, she could try acting.
She practiced her expressions in front of the mirror and secretly imitated characters from TV dramas, but she never dared to actually take that step, always feeling that it was too far removed from her own life.
As she scrolled the mouse, the recruitment notice for "Take My Brother Away" caught her eye.
"The film...a legitimate project...supported by the school..."
She read it word by word, her heart quietly quickening its pace.
Especially when I saw the character description for "Shi Miao".
"Stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside," she inexplicably felt that this description was somewhat similar to her own state at times.
What touched her most was the last sentence, "You are welcome to attach your resume..."
She didn't have a formal performance resume, only dance competition award certificates and a few personal photos.
There are no performance videos available.
But... what if?
If I get selected, will I get paid?
Even if it's not much, it can still ease the burden on the family.
Once the thought arises, it becomes incredibly strong.
She bit her lower lip and pulled out her cleanest set of casual photos.
Wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, with her hair tied in a ponytail, and no makeup, she smiled shyly at the camera.
Then I found the certificates from the national dance competition and took pictures of them with my phone.
What to do with the performance video?
She hesitated for a long time, but finally mustered up the courage to record a video using her phone's front-facing camera while the dormitory was temporarily empty.
Without any lines, she simply faced the camera and tried to make simple facial expressions, such as a girl glaring when angry, pouting when wronged, and smiling with narrowed eyes when happy.
I recorded it several times before I could pick out a barely watchable segment.
She packaged the photos, certificate photos, and the ten-second video of her practicing facial expressions, created a new email, and briefly explained her situation in the body of the email:
Liu Haochun, 14 years old, is a student at the Affiliated Secondary School of Beijing Dance Academy. She has no professional performance experience, but she is interested in performing, hardworking, and obedient.
Before sending the email, she stared at the screen for a long time, her fingertips trembling slightly.
This is like a desperate gamble in a bottle, with no idea where it will drift to.
Finally, she took a deep breath and pressed the send button.
The email was sent successfully.
She closed her laptop, leaned against the bed, her heart pounding with a mix of emotions: a faint sense of anticipation, but also a great deal of unease and self-deprecation.
With so many professional actors signing up, how did it end up being someone like me who's a dancer?
But what she didn't know was that a few days later, when Chen Nianbei and Zhang Lei were looking through a pile of emails, they both lingered on the email containing a dancing girl's award certificate and a short, awkward but remarkably clean expression practice.
"From the Affiliated High School of Beijing Dance Academy? They study dance, so their physique should be quite good."
Zhang Lei stroked his chin. "That look... it's quite clear. It seems to have a bit of that 'everything' attitude that Shishao had in her early days?"
Chen Nianbei looked at the slightly nervous yet trying-to-perform expression on the girl's face in the video and nodded:
"Keep her information. Inform her that there are a few other candidates she thinks are also worth interviewing."
The casting process has already begun.
And the thread of fate may have begun its silent entanglement in some inconspicuous email.