novellhall Chapter 61 Prince Jing's Audition
Chapter 61 Prince Jing's Audition
As the autumn wind swept away the leaves of the paulownia trees, the audition notice for "Nirvana in Fire" arrived as scheduled.
The email came from director Kong Sheng's studio, and the attachment contained the complete script and audition schedule.
The audition is scheduled for early November at a film and television company conference center near the East Fourth Ring Road in Beijing.
Chen Nianbei closed the email page and took a deep breath.
On the computer screen were audition clips that he had repeatedly studied and annotated over the past few days.
Prince Jing, Xiao Jingyan, is a prince who survived the Chiyan case but was neglected. He is upright, loyal and righteous, and has a great injustice and hidden pain in his heart. He must endure and restrain himself on the outside. It is not until he meets Mei Changsu that he gradually reveals his hidden iron will and sharp edge.
This is a role with a heavy inner monologue, a wide range of emotions, and an extreme test of the actor's skill and presence.
In the previous life, this role was played by Wang Kai, who performed it very well.
In this life, he will use his own understanding to strive for and interpret.
He closed his eyes, and in his mind was not Wang Kai's face, but the "Xiao Jingyan" that he had repeatedly pondered and gradually built up over the past few months.
The prince who was as silent as iron in the court, who polished his long sword alone in his mansion, who clenched his teeth with red eyes in front of his best friend's spirit, and who was filled with grief and resolute determination when he finally learned the truth.
He meticulously analyzed the emotional logic of each scene, designed subtle facial expressions and body language, and even wrote several pages of character biographies.
Three days before the audition, he received a call from Kong Sheng.
"Nianbei, how's your script reading going?"
Kong Sheng's voice was as usual, revealing little emotion.
"Uncle Kong, I've seen enough, but there are still some parts I'd like to think about further."
Chen Nianbei spoke the truth.
"Yes. For this audition, besides director Li Xue and me, producer Hou Hongliang was also there, along with some representatives from the investors."
Kong Sheng paused for a moment, then said, "There are quite a few people eyeing this role, some with more experience than you. However..."
He changed the subject slightly, "Your advantage is that I watched you grow up, and I know your potential and character."
To portray the character of Prince Jing, acting skills alone aren't enough; one also needs that stubbornness and righteousness. I think you possess those qualities.
When the time comes, bring out everything you've prepared. Don't be nervous, but don't underestimate your opponent either.
"I understand, Uncle Kong, thank you," Chen Nianbei said solemnly.
"Prepare well. On the day of the audition, dress smartly, but not too flashy."
Kong Sheng hung up the phone after he finished speaking.
The audition day arrived in the blink of an eye.
Chen Nianbei chose a dark blue casual suit, which made him look fresh and upright without being overly formal, fitting the low-key and reserved image of a young prince.
There were already quite a few people waiting outside the audition venue, mostly young male actors, some with assistants and some alone, and a faint sense of tension and competition filled the air.
Chen Nianbei saw several familiar faces, all of whom were actors of the same age or slightly older.
They nodded to each other, their smiles polite but distant.
He found a corner to sit down, took out the script, but didn't look at it anymore. Instead, he closed his eyes to rest and reviewed the key points in his mind.
"Next up, Ms. Chen Nianbei, please get ready."
Staff members came out and called out numbers.
Chen Nianbei stood up, straightened her clothes, and walked steadily into the audition room.
The room was larger than I had imagined, and brightly lit.
Behind the long table sat seven or eight people. In the center were director Kong Sheng and another capable-looking middle-aged man, who should be co-director Li Xue.
Beside him was producer Hou Hongliang, and several unfamiliar faces, presumably representatives of the production company and investors.
"Hello everyone, I am Chen Nianbei."
Chen Nianbei walked to the center of the room, bowed slightly, and maintained a humble yet assertive demeanor.
Kong Sheng nodded, his gaze lingering on him for a moment, seemingly satisfied with his composure in this situation.
Director Li Xue looked him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Chen Nianbei, have you read the script? What's your interpretation of Prince Jing, Xiao Jingyan?"
Hou Hongliang spoke first, asking a direct question.
Chen Nianbei paused for a moment, then spoke in a steady and clear voice:
"I believe that the core of Prince Jing, Xiao Jingyan, lies in the concepts of 'trust' and 'concealment'."
He firmly believed in the innocence of the Chiyan Army and the loyalty of his elder brother Lin Xie and his brother Prince Qi. This belief was the foundation of all his actions and also the source of his suffering.
At the same time, before his name is cleared, he must deeply conceal his conviction, his pain, and even his abilities and sharpness. Amidst his father's suspicion, his brothers' exclusion, and the court officials' observation, he must appear to be a seemingly upright and even somewhat "dull" prince.
His acting is mostly about 'concealing,' but the real outburst comes when he can no longer 'conceal,' and the heartbreaking and resolute moment when he finally learns the whole truth.
This understanding is precise and profound, capturing the essence of the character instantly.
The main creators behind the table exchanged glances, and Hou Hongliang nodded slightly.
"You understand well."
Director Li Xue began, "Let's get straight to it. Let's try two scenes. The first scene is Prince Jing wiping his longsword alone in his mansion, reminiscing about his past friendship with Lin Shu."
In the second part, when Prince Jing learns that Wei Zheng has been rescued and that he may be implicated, he confronts Mei Changsu and demands that he reveal his true identity.
The two sections have very different emotions. Get ready, you can begin.
There were no other actors, no props, only an empty room and a group of scrutinizing eyes.
This is the audition method that best tests an actor's imagination and conviction.
Chen Nianbei nodded, but didn't start immediately. He closed his eyes, as if adjusting his breathing, but in reality, he was quickly immersing himself in the situation.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes.
He turned slightly to the side, as if there were a small table in front of him, and made a slow, deliberate motion as if wiping a longsword.
His movements were meticulous, but his gaze drifted into the distance, where there were no specific images, only memories buried deep in his heart.
His lips tightened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then relaxed, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, as if he were swallowing some surging emotion.
Kong Sheng leaned forward slightly.
Director Li Xue also put down her pen.
Immediately afterwards, Chen Nianbei stood up straight and faced "Mei Changsu" in the void.
His back straightened even more, his chin slightly raised, and that melancholy instantly transformed into a sharp, questioning, and oppressive aura.
"Who exactly is this gentleman?"
He spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable force.
"You know Wei Zheng, you know Nie Feng, you might even know... Lin Shu."
His voice trembled slightly when he said the name "Lin Shu," and a trace of pain flashed deep in his eyes.
"Who exactly are you?"
This is not a roar, but a questioning that has been suppressed to the extreme and is on the verge of exploding.
The entire room seemed to be enveloped in the tense, painful, and turbulent atmosphere he had created.
The performance has ended.
Chen Nianbei suppressed all his outward emotions, reverting to his polite self as a young man, and gave a slight bow:
"My performance is over."
The room was silent for a few seconds.
Hou Hongliang was the first to clap, and although it was only two or three claps, it was enough to illustrate the point.
Director Li Xue looked at Kong Sheng, whose face was expressionless, but the satisfaction in his eyes was almost overflowing.
"The emotional transitions are very smooth and layered."
Li Xue commented, "Especially in the second paragraph, the anger and pain of being kept in the dark by a close friend are captured very accurately, without being superficial."
"The understanding of the characters is indeed spot on."
Hou Hongliang nodded, "Although he is young, he has a rare quality of 'uprightness' and 'stubbornness' in his temperament."
The other investors were also talking in hushed tones, their gazes toward Chen Nianbei now showing more approval.
Kong Sheng cleared his throat and looked at Chen Nianbei:
"Go back and wait for our notification. We'll let you know the result as soon as possible."
"Thank you, teachers." Chen Nianbei bowed again and left the room.
The moment the door closed, he could feel those gazes still lingering behind him.
He knew that his performance just now had exceeded many people's expectations of a "second-year film school student".
Stepping out of the building, the autumn sunlight was a bit dazzling.
Chen Nianbei narrowed his eyes slightly and exhaled a long breath.
Everything that needed to be done has been done. The rest is up to fate, or more precisely, to Director Kong's judgment and the possible power struggles between various parties.
My phone vibrated; it was a message from Nazha:
"How was the audition? Didn't you look incredibly handsome? (Starry-eyed)"
Chen Nianbei smiled and replied, "I've done my best. Let's wait for the results."
Almost simultaneously, Dilraba's message popped up: "Nianbei, how did the audition go? (Good luck!)"
He replied simply, "Just finished, waiting for news."
Just as I put my phone away, another call came in. It was Zhang Lei, his voice excited:
"Nianbei! Enlight Media says the publicity plan is finalized, and they're ready to start the pre-launch promotions!"
Good news followed one after another.