novellhall Chapter 335 Zhao Jinmai
Chapter 335 Zhao Jinmai
Chapter 334 Zhao Jinmai (Seeking monthly votes)
His voice was rather low.
Without the awkwardness often seen in newcomers, he gave a slight bow to the judges' panel, his eyes open and honest.
Even when she saw that Chen Xun was sitting in the main seat, only a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes before she quickly regained her composure.
Guo Fan and Chen Xun exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of approval in each other's eyes.
In terms of appearance and temperament alone, Qu Chuxiao has surpassed all the actors who auditioned this morning.
"Once you're ready, you can begin."
Guo Fan raised his hand to indicate: "The scene we want to see is scene 37 of the script, the scene where you sneak out of the underground city with Han Duoduo, get caught by Grandpa Han Ziang and taken to the police station, and have an argument with him."
This scene is crucial in establishing Liu Qi's character.
On the surface, it's a rebellion against his maternal grandfather and a resentment towards his father, with a mouth full of sharp and sarcastic remarks.
But hidden within is the resentment of being left in the underground city by his father since childhood and not seeing his parents for more than ten years, the longing for home, and the fear of life and death separation.
The emotional layers are extremely complex. If the performance is too shallow, the character will not stand out; if it is too deep, the character will appear repulsive.
Qu Chuxiao took a deep breath, walked to the marked point in the center of the judging room, closed his eyes, and adjusted his breathing for two seconds.
When he opened his eyes again, his entire demeanor had changed.
With his shoulders slumped, hands in his pockets, chin slightly raised, and eyes brimming with impatience and arrogance, he spoke angrily into the empty space ahead: "Don't mention him to me! I don't have a father!"
A single line of dialogue instantly transports the viewer into the standoff scene at the underground police station.
He took half a step forward, a mocking smile playing on his lips. His tone grew increasingly hostile, venting all the resentment he'd harbored for his father over the past decade onto his grandfather: "He abandoned me here back then, running off to enjoy himself in heaven. Now he wants to come back? Too late! I don't know him!"
"Mind your own business! I'll go wherever I want! I've had enough of this lousy dungeon!"
The last line of dialogue fell.
He abruptly turned his head, his neck taut and straight, and even with his back to the judges, you could feel the thorns emanating from him.
The entire performance was smooth and natural, without a trace of a newcomer's awkwardness. He portrayed the wildness and rebelliousness of youth with remarkable depth.
The casting director and producer on the judging panel couldn't help but nod, exchanging hushed conversations, their eyes full of approval.
Guo Fan frowned and turned to look at Chen Xun beside him.
Chen Xun didn't speak, but gently tapped the table. After Qu Chuxiao turned around and bowed, he slowly spoke, his tone calm: "You acted very well, and your temperament was right, but there's a problem."
Qu Chuxiao immediately stood up straight, his face showing no sign of resentment, only earnest inquiry: "Teacher Chen Xun, please speak."
He knew better than anyone that the person in front of him was a top actor who had swept through Hollywood.
A single word of guidance from him is more useful than months of practicing on your own.
"You portrayed Liu Qi's rebelliousness, but you didn't portray his true nature."
Chen Xun stood up and slowly walked to him, the sunlight falling on his face: "Liu Qi's rebelliousness was never due to being born bad; it was just an act. He lost his mother when he was young, and his father went to space. He was raised by his maternal grandfather. He cares about his grandfather and this family more than anyone else."
"He argued with his grandfather and said he was going to leave, but he never really thought about abandoning his grandfather. He hated his father, but behind that hatred was more than ten years of waiting and anticipation."
"Your performance just now only showed your sharp edges, without the softness hidden within them. The audience will only think you're an immature fool, and they won't feel sorry for you."
Qu Chuxiao stood there, stunned, as if struck by lightning.
He spent half a month working on the script over and over again.
I always feel like something's missing.
Now, Chen Xun's two sentences have instantly enlightened me.
"I'll set up a scene for you, and you can try it again."
Chen Xun smiled, took two steps back, and simply stood there, his entire aura instantly changed.
Without any lines or actions, just by looking at Qu Chuxiao, he instantly became Liu Peiqiang, the father who had spent more than ten years in space.
Her eyes held tenderness, apology, longing for her son, and helplessness across the vast starry sky.
With just one glance, the entire scene was filled with emotion.
Qu Chuxiao looked into Chen Xun's eyes, his heart skipped a beat, as if he were really standing in front of his father whom he hadn't seen for more than ten years.
The anger that had been radiating just moments before dissipated almost entirely in an instant, and his throat tightened. He couldn't bring himself to say the prepared words, "I have no father."
He instinctively looked away, his eyes involuntarily reddening slightly, and stubbornly uttered, "Don't mention him to me—"
The previous hostility was gone from her voice, leaving only barely concealed grievance and trembling.
"Yes, that's the feeling."
Chen Xun smiled and nodded, his tone full of encouragement, "Don't be hysterical. The more you try to hide your feelings, the more stubborn you become, the more believable your character will be."
Just then!
Three attribute orbs, gleaming with a soft light, quietly fell from Chen Xun's body:
[New Actor Performance Guidance +12]
[Ability to instantly evoke emotions in a scene +15]
[Character Core Disassembly and Transfer +9]
It's amazing that attribute orbs can drop like that.
Chen Xun was somewhat surprised.
"absorb!"
Chen Xun silently recited in his heart.
[To be recorded in history] The improvement brought about by this level of achievement is not only an enhancement of his own acting ability.
It is also about a thorough understanding of the character and the logic of performance. Even with just a few simple words or a glance, one can accurately point out the problems of a newcomer and instantly pull them into the character's emotions.
Qu Chuxiao took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Chen Xun: "Thank you, Teacher Chen Xun! I understand!"
-
He took a deep breath, stood back at the marker, and reenacted the scene.
This time it's completely different.
He still had that unruly, youthful spirit, and his words were still full of sharp wit, but at the end of every line, there was a barely perceptible tremor.
Behind every fierce look lies the unconcealed grievances and tenderness of a young person.
The rebelliousness is real, but so is the care for family.
After the last line was spoken, there was a two-second silence in the judging room, followed by enthusiastic applause.
Guo Fan slammed his hand on the table, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "Great! This is exactly the feeling! This is the Liu Qi I've been looking for!"
Qu Chuxiao's face revealed barely concealed excitement.
He bowed deeply to the judges' panel once again, his eyes filled with heartfelt admiration as he looked at Chen Xun.
He finally understood why this actor, who was only a few years older than him, could stand at the top of Hollywood.
His understanding and control over performance is something he can't even come close to.
The selection of Liu Qi's successor has been basically finalized.
The next audition was for the role of the female lead, Han Duoduo.
This character is the emotional link between the entire film.
An ordinary girl who grew up in an underground city, innocent and lively, with curiosity about the surface world, and also with growth and courage in desperate situations.
The most crucial part of the film, the global radio broadcast, is entirely carried by this character, which demands a high level of talent and emotional depth from the actor.
They tried seven or eight actresses in a row, but they were either too mature to portray the naivety of a young girl, or too stage-frightened to carry the weight of the final, globally broadcast scene.
Guo Fan and Chen Xun both shook their heads.
Until Zhao Jinmai's name was called.
The door was pushed open, and a timid little girl walked in.
The girl had a simple ponytail, wore a white sweatshirt, and had a chubby face. Her eyes were big and bright, like a little deer's. She timidly bowed to the judges' panel: "Hello, teachers. I am Zhao Jinmai, 14 years old. The role I am auditioning for is Han Duoduo."
Her voice was soft and sweet, tinged with nervousness, and her hands were tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.
Standing there, she was exactly like Han Duoduo, the naive and curious junior high school student from the script.
Chen Xun looked at her, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.
He knew all too well the girl's future potential.
In her previous life's "The Wandering Earth," her portrayal of Han Duoduo was controversial, but her unique girlish charm was irreplaceable.
Her subsequent works proved that she is one of the few actresses of her age who can carry the film screen.
"Don't be nervous."
Guo Fan softened his tone and said with a smile, "What we want to see is scene 112 of the script, the scene about global broadcast. Once it's ready, we can begin."
This scene is one of the most difficult to act in the entire film.
A teenage girl, facing the dire situation of global extinction, broadcast her plea to the world. From her initial timid, tearful, and incoherent pleas for help, to her later resolute and hopeful cry, she awakened rescue teams around the world.
The film's greatest challenge lies in its ability to portray a wide range of emotions, which, if not handled well, can appear hollow and awkward.
No one present had high expectations.
After all, even the experienced actors who came before couldn't perform this scene well, let alone a 14-year-old newcomer.
When Zhao Jinmai closed her eyes and opened them again, her entire demeanor had changed.
Her shoulders trembled slightly, her hand clutching a non-existent walkie-talkie tightly. When she spoke, her voice was choked with sobs, broken and filled with desperate helplessness: "Hello? Is anyone there? Can you hear me?"
"Our rescue team can't hold on any longer—"
Tears streamed down her cheeks, her voice trembling uncontrollably, perfectly portraying the fear and helplessness of a girl in dire straits. The audience was instantly transported into that apocalyptic scene.
But as the dialogue progressed, her voice gradually stabilized, her sobs subsided, and even though tears were still flowing, her eyes held a newfound resolve as she shouted the core line to the world: "Hope is something as precious as diamonds in our time!"
"Come back! Join us in igniting Jupiter! Save our home!"
As she finished her last line, her eyes, still filled with tears, shone with an astonishing light, brimming with an undying hope in the face of despair.
The judging room was completely silent.
Everyone was stunned.
No one expected that this 14-year-old girl would perform this most difficult scene with such depth and nuance.
Guo Fan sat up abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief and surprise. He turned to look at Chen Xun, who smiled and nodded, his eyes full of admiration.
After the scene was over, Zhao Jinmai finally came to her senses, quickly wiped away her tears, bowed to the judges, her cheeks flushed, and said a little embarrassedly, "Dear teachers, I've finished performing. Please point out any shortcomings in my performance."