novellhall Chapter 297 I Want to Learn Acting from You
Chapter 297 I Want to Learn Acting from You
Chapter 296 I Want to Learn Acting from You (Happy New Year, Please Vote!)
"Need not!"
Chen Xun placed his suitcase at the foot of the bed and patted the bed frame with a smile: "This place is pretty good."
"Living here, I truly feel like I belong in Gaochun. Staying in a hotel makes it inconvenient to drive here every day."
Chen Xun, however, thought it was quite good.
This also makes it easier to understand the character.
Since he had never lived on a ship before, this was a way for him to experience life.
Chen Xun raised his hand and touched the damp wall, his fingertips covered with a thin layer of moisture.
That's definitely trendy!
As they were talking, Yang Chao rubbed his hands together and walked over, looking a little embarrassed. "Chen Xun, this place is really inconvenient for you. I've partitioned off a small private room next to the cockpit. It has a proper window, is bigger than this, and blocks out the wind a bit. Why don't you—"
"Need not!"
Chen Xun interrupted him with a smile, pointing to the small cubicle: "I'll stay here."
"Being close to the cockpit makes it easier to get into character and also makes it convenient to discuss the shots with you at any time."
"Don't try to get special treatment. The whole crew lives in the same place. It's not right for me to get special treatment."
Yang Chao stared at him, stunned for a long time, feeling both touched and guilty.
He had seen too many actors who acted like divas once they became slightly famous, let alone someone like Chen Xun, an Oscar-caliber actor. It was perfectly normal for him to stay in a dilapidated cabin like this, or even to pick and choose a room type and make demands in a five-star hotel.
But he didn't utter a single complaint; instead, he chose a cubicle to get closer to the role.
"OK!"
Yang Chao patted him heavily on the shoulder, all his unspoken words condensed into one: "Don't worry, I will definitely make this film worthy of your dedication!"
While the two were talking, Xin Zhilei also dragged her suitcase down from the cabin.
Standing at the bottom of the cabin, looking at the cramped compartments and listening to the girls' quiet complaints coming from the stern, she felt quite helpless.
It's not that she can't endure hardship, it's just that there are indeed too many inconveniences for women living in public class.
Moreover, the Yangtze River nights in late autumn are bitterly cold, with no heating and even hot water available only for limited hours.
The next few months were predictably difficult.
But when she looked up, she saw Chen Xun squatting in the cubicle, making his own bed sheets and duvet covers.
He didn't even have an assistant to help him, and he lived in the smallest and most drafty compartment in the entire ship.
Those feelings of unease and complaint vanished instantly.
She suddenly understood.
Why was Chen Xun able to go from being an extra in Hengdian to attending the Oscars?
He can stand under the Hollywood spotlight, or squat in a dilapidated cabin on the Yangtze River, making his own bed. For a role, he is willing to live in such an environment and immerse himself in the character.
"Teacher Chen."
Xin Zhilei dragged her suitcase over, a little embarrassed: "Can I choose the cubicle next to yours? It'll be convenient to ask you if I have any questions in the future."
"sure!"
Chen Xun stood up, glanced at the cubicle she had chosen, and pointed to the cubicle diagonally opposite her. The ventilation hole was directly facing the wind, and it would be especially cold at night when the river wind blew in. He said, "That cubicle is better. The ventilation hole is sheltered from the wind, and it's closer to the public restroom. It's more convenient for girls to stay in."
He also helped her carry her suitcase over, and found two unused old wooden boards to block half of the ventilation holes, leaving only a gap for airflow: "This way, it won't blow directly on you at night, and you'll be warmer."
Xin Zhilei stood beside him, watching him squat on the ground, earnestly shielding her from the wind. His fingertips were covered in wood chips and dust, yet he was completely unpretentious. Her admiration for him deepened even further.
"Thank you, Teacher Chen!"
She whispered something, her eyes slightly warm.
She had seen too many male celebrities in the entertainment industry who, once they gained a little fame, would boss around their staff, let alone help a new actress by shielding her from the wind or making her bed.
But Chen Xun is different. He stands at the top of the industry, yet he is more humble than anyone else and knows how to respect everyone around him better than anyone else.
That evening, the entire crew moved into the "Five Stars" series cargo ship.
The temperature on the Yangtze River dropped sharply at night, and the river wind rushed into the cabin through the ventilation holes, scraping against our faces like knives.
Without heating, everyone could only cover themselves with all the thick clothes they had brought and huddle in bed, shivering.
The boat swayed with the river, like it was sleeping in a cradle, but there was no comfort at all. Only those who were seasick were vomiting into trash cans.
The hot water supply in the public restrooms also went wrong. On the first day, it was only hot for half an hour. Many people queued for a long time, only to take a cold shower, and returned to their cabins cursing.
Despite the complaints, the entire crew got up on time the next morning, before dawn, and boarded the Guangyun ship for filming.
Not a single person was late, and not a single person gave up.
Some people even found humor in the situation, filming videos of the cabin and posting them on their WeChat Moments: "Exclusive five-star river view room on the Yangtze River, with the Yangtze River right outside the window, the same accommodation as Hollywood stars, you deserve it."
Chen Xuntian sat in the cockpit of the Guangyun before dawn.
He was wearing work clothes from Gaochun, clutching the poetry collection in his hand, his fingertips tracing the yellowed pages, looking out the window at the Yangtze River shrouded in morning mist.
The boat swayed gently with the river, the sound of the water lapping against the hull filled my ears, and the smell of engine oil mixed with river water filled my nostrils.
[Gaochun in perfect condition now open]
At this moment, he is Gao Chun.
He opened the poetry collection.
"The cities on both banks have been extinguished; only I and the boat remain, sailing upstream on the river!"
The Guangyun was on the third day after it left Jiangyin Wharf.
It has officially entered the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.
The river widened and the current became more rapid. The autumn wind, carrying a biting chill, slapped against the deck of the boat.
Even film cameras need to be wrapped in three layers of waterproof cloth to prevent the lens from being damaged by water mist.
The first major scene to be filmed that day.
In Gaochun, after a rainstorm, he retrieved his father's lost poetry collection from the river.
Yang Chao insisted on filming the actual scenes from the very beginning.
No green screen keying, no water tank simulation, and no stand-ins needed for filming.
What he wanted wasn't the exquisite beauty of the camera lens, but the roughness of the Yangtze River carrying silt, the icy coldness of the river seeping into his bones—
The feeling of stagnation.
It is the sense of destiny that Gao Chun felt when he struggled in the rapids, entangled with his father's past and his own obsessions.
"Director Yang, you really can't film it like this!"
The production manager squatted in front of the monitor, sweat beading on his forehead: "The river water is only three or four degrees Celsius, the current in the middle reaches is rapid, and there are hidden currents and loose rocks at the bottom. It's too dangerous for anyone to go down!"
"Find a body double for the long shots, and then add a few close-ups of Chen Xun's face; the audience won't even notice!"
Before Yang Chao could speak, Chen Xun had already taken off his coat, revealing the faded thin work clothes he was wearing underneath.
He walked to the side of the boat, bent down and reached his hand into the river. The biting cold instantly shot up his fingertips, making the muscles in his entire arm tense and his fingertips go numb.
[Full dedication to filming +12]
A golden attribute ball fell from his body and landed in the river.
Chen Xun absorbed it quickly.
He felt his frozen body relax a little.
The previously tense muscles also relaxed.
There was an unexpected surprise!
Chen Xun smiled and withdrew his hand, shaking off the water droplets. His tone was calm and without the slightest hesitation: "No need for a stand-in. What Gao Chun retrieved wasn't just a tattered book of poems, but the last bit of sentiment his father left him, the root he can never escape in this life."
"A stunt double can't capture this feeling; I have to do it myself."
"But bro, you—"
Robert was pacing anxiously beside him.
He couldn't understand why Chen Xun, who had already reached this position, would suffer like this.
"If you catch a cold, how will we film the rest of the scenes?"
He began to persuade Chen Xun.
"Don't worry, I'm fine!"
Chen Xun patted him on the shoulder.
With the attribute ball falling and relieving his body, he was more confident in filming the scene well.
If he can't do it, then no one else can!
Chen Xun turned to Yang Chao: "Lifeguards in position, equipment set up, let's try to get through in three runs and not waste everyone's time."
Yang Chao looked at him, his eyes overflowing with praise and gratitude, and suddenly waved his hand: "All departments, prepare! Lifeguards, take your positions on both sides! Ginger soup, thick cotton-padded coats, and hand warmers, all ready on the side of the boat! Start the engine!"
The moment he finished speaking, Chen Xun leaped into the Yangtze River.
The icy river water instantly swallowed him up, like countless needles piercing his skin, the biting cold seeping into his bones through his pores.
The rushing water swept him downstream, mud and weeds clinging to his ankles.
But he clung tightly to the aged prop poetry book in his hand.
While struggling to adjust her posture in the river, she acted out the distraught panic of Gao Chun, yet her eyes held a stubborn refusal to let go.
Even Chen Xun, who possessed the perfect state of Gao Chun, was somewhat at a loss at this moment.
He has little experience performing in water and is currently relying entirely on his character's condition to get by.
Just then!
A purple attribute orb dropped:
[Water Show Highlights +7]
Chen Xun, who was struggling in the water, quickly absorbed the attribute ball. He felt his body relax in the water, and his body, which was originally helpless, gradually returned to his control.
The water flow began to have less of an effect on his body.
Chen Xun seized this opportunity and began to perfectly portray Gao Chun's panic.
Everyone in front of the monitor held their breath.
Xin Zhilei stood at the ship's side, gripping the rusty railing tightly with both hands.
She is both anxious and nervous.
She looked at Chen Xun, who was being tossed about by the waves in the river, his lips were purple from the cold, and the river water was filling his mouth and nose, but his eyes still remained calm.
Three days ago, she recalled filming a scene where she was standing on a shallow beach. The river water was only up to her knees, and she was so cold that she was shivering all over. She even stumbled over her lines and had to hide in the cabin for more than half an hour to warm up.
But Chen Xun willingly jumped into the icy Yangtze River, just for the sake of a realistic shot.
"Cut! Great! The emotion was right!"
Yang Chao's voice carried through the walkie-talkie.
The lifeguard quickly pulled Chen Xun onto the boat.
He was soaked to the bone, his work clothes clung tightly to his body, his hair dripping with river water mixed with mud and sand, his lips were a dark purple, and he was shivering uncontrollably, his teeth chattering.
Even after absorbing the attribute orb, Chen Xun still suffered greatly.
Staff immediately surrounded him, wrapped him in thick cotton-padded coats, and brought him piping hot ginger soup to his lips.
Chen Xun took two big gulps before he felt his body warm up.
"Chen Xun, let's do it again! Make that retrieving of the poetry collection a little heavier. Back in Gao Chun's case, he practically pulled half his life out of the water!"
Yang Chao stepped out from the crowd and cautiously spoke to Chen Xun.
They were afraid that this perfect male lead and considerate investor might quit in a fit of anger.
Chen Xun wiped the water droplets from his face and gave Yang Chao an "OK" sign.
"No problem, one more take!"
He said he would do one more take, but Chen Xun actually jumped six times!
We filmed from morning until noon, and even with the sun high overhead, it couldn't dispel the chill of the river.
After the sixth take was filmed, Yang Chao excitedly jumped up from in front of the monitor and shouted, "Perfect! That's a wrap!"
Chen Xun was half-supported and half-helped into the cabin by the staff. He was wrapped in two thick quilts and drank three large bowls of ginger soup before he recovered.
Xin Zhilei walked in with the script in her hand.
The scene she was going to film that afternoon was the most crucial scene in the entire film, featuring Anlu.
At Pengze Wharf, Anlu was harassed by local thugs. With nowhere else to turn, he jumped into the Yangtze River, embarking on a life-or-death journey to complete his fateful encounter with Gaochun.
In the script, Anlu is a girl who grew up by the river and is an excellent swimmer.
But the core of this scene is not how well she swims, but the despair she felt when she jumped into the river and the light that rekindled in her eyes when she was rescued by Gao Chun.
Xin Zhilei wasn't very confident about the plot, so she sought advice from Chen Xun.
Chen Xun naturally helped her understand An Lu's psychological journey without reservation.
Xin Zhilei suddenly raised her head, looked at him with an astonishingly bright gaze, and said, word by word, "Teacher Chen, I want to perform this scene myself."
Chen Xun paused, pen in hand, stunned for a moment, thinking he had misheard: "What did you say?"
Xin Zhilei cannot swim.
She doesn't even dare to go to the deep end of the pool, let alone jump into the fast-flowing Yangtze River.
Therefore, Yang Chao had made thorough preparations long ago, finding a female stunt double who was an excellent swimmer to film the long shot of jumping into the river and the scenes in the water. Xin Zhilei only needed to film a few close-ups of her face in front of the green screen and add a few close-ups of the shore.
Chen Xun was surprised when Xin Zhilei suddenly said that.
Xin Zhilei wasn't joking at all: "This morning I watched you jump into the river again and again, and I was thinking, if you can do this for Gaochun, I can do it for Anlu too."
"Anlu is someone who has given her life to the Yangtze River. I don't even dare to jump, and I can't portray her spirit at all."
The assistant director happened to be passing by the door and turned pale when he heard this!
He quickly came in and tried to dissuade her: "Xin Zhilei, stop fooling around! You can't swim!"
"This isn't a swimming pool, it's the Yangtze River. The current is so strong, and the water temperature is so low. What if something happens?"
"I can't swim, but Anlu can."
Xin Zhilei's gaze never left Chen Xun's face, her tone filled with a defiant determination: "I know there's danger, but the lifeguards are here. I'm not afraid. I don't want to just play An Lu's skin; I want to live like An Lu."
"Teacher Chen, if you can jump into the Yangtze River for a role, so can I!"
Chen Xun looked at the light in her eyes and his heart suddenly stirred.
He has seen too many young actors in the entertainment industry who rely on stunt doubles for filming, dub their lines, and complain about being wronged at the slightest hardship, as if they want to have the word "dedication" engraved on their foreheads and spread their praises all over the internet.
But this girl in front of me could have easily finished filming this scene with a stunt double, but she insisted on going to the most difficult and dangerous place, just to get closer to the character.
He didn't try to persuade her further, but simply looked at her and asked seriously, "Have you thought it through?"
"The moment you jump in, the suffocating feeling of river water rushing into your nose, the bone-chilling cold, and the fear of deep water—no one can help you with any of that; you have to find a way to overcome it yourself!"
"I've made up my mind!"
Xin Zhilei nodded without hesitation, her eyes showing no sign of backing down: "I want to learn acting from you and become an actor like you."
C
"If I can't even endure this little bit of hardship, I'm not worthy of playing Anlu, nor am I worthy of standing in front of your camera."