novellhall Chapter 15: This is not scientific
Chapter 15: This is not scientific
in the afternoon.
A dilapidated Iveco van wobbled and swayed as it stopped at the film crew's residence for the TV series "14 Blades".
As soon as the car door opened, Zhang Jianni jumped out carrying her suitcase.
She was a recent graduate of the vocational acting program at the Beijing Film Academy.
I was able to get a special role in the "14 Blades" production team thanks to the connections of my mentor, Xu Xiaodan.
She didn't have any scenes a few days ago because she had something to do at home.
She went back to her hometown and just got back today.
As soon as she entered the film crew's office area, the coordinator greeted her, "Jiani's back? Hurry up and change your clothes, it seems you have scenes to film today."
"Okay, thank you, Sister Zhang," Zhang Jiani said sweetly and obediently.
But the more she looked at the film crew, the more she felt something was off.
Normally at this time, the assistant director would be shouting at the top of his lungs through a megaphone, and the production crew would be busy moving things around, barely having time to breathe.
But today, the entire film set was eerily quiet.
Besides the film crew setting up the equipment.
The others gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves.
People kept glancing towards the filming area.
Their faces were filled with expressions of "I've seen a ghost."
Zhang Jiani was puzzled.
Suddenly, I saw a familiar figure strolling over to the tea stall.
He had short hair, looked energetic, and was wearing a director's vest.
It was Zhang Li, the director of "14 Blades" and a renowned fifth-generation director!
Zhang Jiani almost popped her eyes out.
Instead of sitting behind the monitor, Director Zhang has come here to have tea?
Who's filming inside?
Her doubts grew wildly like weeds, and she dragged her suitcase straight to the back of the monitor.
I just walked to the back.
Then I saw another assistant director, Li Ya, sitting there smoking with a dark face, his ashtray piled high with cigarette smoke.
Li Ya also graduated from Beijing Film Academy, so he's Zhang Jiani's senior.
"Senior Brother Li," Zhang Jianni leaned closer, her voice soft and sweet, with a hint of ingratiation, "Busy?"
Li Ya looked up at her, exhaled a smoke ring, and said, "Oh, Jia Ni, you're back?"
"Just got back. Senior brother, my scenes for today..."
"Oh, two scenes." Li Ya pointed to the script. "One scene is about serving tea and water, with one line; the other is about being a background character. Simple, not difficult."
"Thank you, senior!" Zhang Jiani nodded quickly.
After settling into her work, she boldly and curiously pointed towards the filming area:
"Senior brother, what's going on today? Why is Director Zhang drinking tea over there? Who's the cameraman inside?"
Mentioning this made Li Ya's already dark face even darker.
He stubbed out his cigarette hard, lowering his voice as if pouring out his grievances: "Who else could it be? That genius Wei, of course."
"Director Wei?" Zhang Jiani was taken aback.
"Yes, that's our current 'living ancestor' of Beijing Film Academy."
Li Ya rolled her eyes. "You don't know, this morning at the beginning, Director Zhang probably wanted him to practice and give Huang Zhizhong a demonstration of Wei Zhongxian."
"And guess what? Wei Yi's acting... tsk, it sounded about the same level as the art students in our school during their exams, all just plain, textbook-style talk."
Li Ya became increasingly agitated as he spoke: "But that's the weird part! After hearing that kid's words, Huang Zhizhong acted as if he'd been possessed, and he nailed that scene in one take! It's bizarre!"
"Director Zhang was stunned at the time. Later, he simply gave him the opportunity to shoot the next few scenes."
"I was initially a bit skeptical," Li Ya said. "I thought it might be because Huang Zhizhong is a good actor, but I really didn't expect..."
"Look at it now..."
Li Ya pointed to the filming area: "Ma Yili and Wen Zhang's scenes are quite important. Wei Tiancai is just gesturing wildly, and what he's saying is so superficial. I even wanted to go up and say a few words for him. But look at the actors now..."
Zhang Jiani followed his gaze.
In the center of the set, Ma Yili, dressed in costume, was speaking to the emblem.
Zhang Jiani didn't say anything, but she was stunned.
As a performing arts student, she knew Ma Yili's usual level all too well.
Although he is a talented player, he can sometimes appear dry and lackluster due to poor performance.
But now...
Ma Yili stood there, delivering the same lines as before, with little change in her movements.
But the despair and restraint that emanated from his very bones, along with the overflowing love in his eyes, were so intense that they seemed to draw you in!
The emblem on the opposite side was even more exaggerated, all of its usual arrogance gone, replaced by the decadence and deep affection of a young prince.
The tension between the two was palpable.
"this……"
Zhang Jianni swallowed hard. "These two teachers are amazing!"
"Awesome my foot!"
Li Ya grumbled sourly, "His acting is usually just so-so. But you know what, this is just too weird."
"I watched from the sidelines for ages, and I couldn't even listen to Wei Tiancai's acting instructions. All that 'you have to think of this as the last time you see him,' and 'you're angry inside, but you can't let it out,' it's all just clichés!"
"The strange thing is, the actors understood it immediately, and their performances were surprisingly good!"
"I even suspect that the guy might have used a spell on the actor."
Li Ya became increasingly sarcastic as she spoke, lighting another cigarette. She explained that Wei Yi's job was originally supposed to be hers, "but now Director Zhang doesn't care anymore, he's given it all to him. And me? I'm just doing odd jobs..."
Zhang Jiani was stunned.
She was only eighteen years old and had just graduated from a vocational college.
But having studied at the Beijing Film Academy for two years, he had some experience.
She knew that when famous directors explained a scene, they would peel back the layers and guide the actors into the role.
Judging from Li Ya's words, Wei Yi's acting instruction was completely at the "elementary school level."
But the actors' performances were "Hong Kong Film Awards level"?
This doesn't make sense!
"Alright, stop standing there, hurry up and change your clothes and put on makeup." Li Ya waved her hand to shoo them away, "You can go on set after that scene is finished."
"Okay."
Zhang Jiani answered absentmindedly, dragging her suitcase toward the makeup tent.
After changing into her coarse cloth maid's outfit and putting on simple makeup, Zhang Jianni was still itching to try it out.
Before it was her turn to go on stage, she secretly slipped back behind the monitor.
Just then, the key scene was finished filming.
"Cut! Passed!"
Zhang Li, holding a teacup, shouted over there, his voice brimming with barely concealed excitement, "Great! Excellent! Ma Yili, Wen Zhang, that last line was spot on! Keep it up!"
Ma Yili and Wen Zhang were both a little dazed after leaving the scene.
Especially the emblem; he wiped the sweat from his forehead and stared intently at Wei Yi, who was standing next to the camera.
During the filming just now, he felt a sudden flash of inspiration, as if his Ren and Du meridians had been opened up.
What Wei Yi said was very simple, even a bit rough.
But for some reason, it seemed to have a magical power to enter my ear.
It made him instantly understand the character's pain.
It felt like I was being controlled by someone.
Being controlled by someone to become a character in a play allows you to instantly understand the emotions and circumstances of the characters.
This is seriously weird!