Eunuch, do you really know these martial arts?

If we could give these students a chance to prove themselves, they might do quite well.

After all, apart from Hu Yifei and Zeng Xiaoxian, their school has quite a few promising talents, and naturally they hope that they can also have the opportunity to perform on stage.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zheng was overjoyed: "Really? Is that possible?"

He glanced at the film crew and other people beside him.

The vast majority of directors come to their school to select actors, but they don't have the opportunity to use the school's platform.

It's worth noting that the group of renowned directors next to them were only given a rehearsal room number one because of their long-standing fame.

Other directors even had to build their own open-air platform.

Wei Zheng never expected to receive such a great honor.

"Of course no problem."

Teacher Wang's answer was very straightforward.

He didn't want Wei Zheng to leave so easily, and offending Jiang Nian would be even worse for them.

Soon, with the school's coordination, Wei Zheng and Tang Youyou began their intense audition in a rehearsal room.

Seeing that Jiang Nian personally supported the film crew, the school was not foolish and immediately arranged some larger rehearsal rooms for them.

The scale of the event was even half again as large as the No. 1 rehearsal room of the film crew next door.

Not only that, but many teachers and professional teachers also came to watch, with the clear purpose of observing Jiang Nian and Wei Zheng's interviews.

Jiang Nian sat to the side, seemingly casual, but actually paying close attention to everyone's performance.

More and more students rushed to the scene after hearing the news, including some senior students who were already quite famous or had even acted in films or TV series.

Most of them had heard that Jiang Nian was here and wanted to try their luck. If they could be noticed by Jiang Nian, even if it was just to play a role in a movie he invested in, it would be a great opportunity.

Some people are even making calls to contacts outside, urging them to seize this opportunity.

“This opportunity is different from the past. Although Wei Zheng is an unknown director, Jiang Nian is not!”

"If we can get Jiang Nian to take a liking to us, wouldn't our future development in the entertainment industry and even the performing arts industry be soaring?"

"In what way is this not better than the director and crew next door?"

Meanwhile, the usually bustling No. 1 rehearsal room was now almost deserted.

Only a few students who had made prior arrangements with them were still there for their interviews and rehearsals.

Even so, their eyes kept turning towards Wei Zheng and his group, clearly indicating that they all wanted to come over for an interview.

This face made the assistant director next to him turn pale.

They received a lot of investment money and were even certain that their production team could produce a good show.

This time, the selection of actors here was just a formality, and we just wanted to poach some promising talents along the way.

Unexpectedly, he became the one being compared to, and even the promising talents were snatched up by Wei Zheng and his group.

"Assistant director, this can't go on. If this continues, where will we put our reputation?"

The staff members nearby couldn't stand it anymore.

Some screenwriters were also dissatisfied, as they generally wouldn't come to such places.

The assistant director specially rushed them over, with the aim of demonstrating to the entire school just how big their film crew was.

But now, all that pomp and circumstance has had no effect whatsoever; Jiang Nian drove them away all by himself.

Moreover, the drama academy is a mixed bag, and there are many paparazzi taking photos secretly, and a lot of news has already spread online.

This made these renowned screenwriters lose face.

"So many screenwriters couldn't outshine Jiang Nian and an unknown new director."

"Don't worry, I'll call Mr. Li right away. He's got plenty of money, he'll definitely have a way."

The assistant director shook his head in frustration. At this point, he could only place his hopes on the powerful businesswoman in Beijing.

Although he didn't know what had happened between Wei Zheng and that powerful female boss, he was quite clear from their previous conversation that the powerful woman didn't have good feelings towards Wei Zheng and even wanted to find a way to get rid of him.

Since that's the case, we'll have no choice but to ask them to take action themselves.

The audition proceeded smoothly.

Wei Zheng's requirements are indeed very high, especially in terms of grasping the comedic rhythm and the naturalness of the performance, which caused many students who were used to formulaic performances to frequently have to NG (take a break).

A boy was performing a comedic scene from the script with excessive force, making exaggerated facial expressions and gestures.

Wei Zheng frowned and called for a stop:
"Stop right there, classmate! Comedy isn't about making faces; it's about coming from within, believing in the situation, and your reactions need to be genuine!"

The boy was a little unconvinced and muttered under his breath, "I think it's pretty funny... it's just a little exaggerated, isn't it?"

The students who came on stage next performed only moderately well; some were too forceful, as if they wanted to cram all their performance skills into just a few minutes.

Wei Zheng's brows furrowed more and more. He held a pen and unconsciously scribbled on the list, occasionally exchanging a few words with Tang Youyou beside him in a low voice, but mostly just shaking his head.

The natural flow of life and humor that he envisioned was almost entirely absent from these performances.

These students may have the technical skills, but there always seems to be something separating them, preventing them from reaching the true core.

This actually reflects Wei Zheng's inner helplessness.

In fact, if he could, he would certainly like to find more famous actors, but those successful actors charge too much money, and he can't afford it now.

I only came to the drama academy to find promising talents among these students.

But reality told him that it was very difficult to find promising talents.

These students have not yet experienced the realities of society; they are only learning formulaic skills from textbooks.

While there are some talented actors, there are still some problems to varying degrees.

Even Tang Youyou herself is currently unable to grasp the role well; she only accepted it because she felt she could manage.

If things continue like this, he will still find it difficult to choose a suitable person.

"We have neither money nor suitable actors, what can we do?"

Wei Zheng rubbed his head, looking somewhat troubled.

And it wasn't just him; the students around him were also somewhat dissatisfied.

The whispers gradually grew louder:
"Your requirements are quite high..."

"It's just a commercial, why be so strict?"

"I think he's just a new director; he probably hasn't even figured out what he wants yet."

"Exactly, why are you acting all high and mighty? Even Director Liu isn't this picky."

"If it weren't for Teacher Jiang Nian being here, who would be willing to try such a small project..."

Although the whispers were not loud, they clearly reached Wei Zheng's ears, making his face even more unpleasant.

Is it really too idealistic?

Is this obsessive pursuit of long takes and natural performances inherently a mistake?
Just then, the straightforward Hu Yifei couldn't stand it anymore. She had always been very interested in and looking forward to Wei Zheng's project, especially after Jiang Nian officially endorsed it.

Seeing everyone's doubts, her competitive spirit immediately kicked in.

"I'll try!"

She spoke loudly and strode onto the open space that had been temporarily used as a stage.

She was going to audition for a female role in the drama that was outspoken and straightforward, which was a perfect match for her own personality.

As expected, Hu Yifei's performance was extremely powerful.

Her lines were loud and clear, her movements were exaggerated, and her eyes were piercing, perfectly showcasing the character's straightforwardness and strength.

After finishing a scene, she seemed quite satisfied, slightly out of breath, and looked expectantly at Wei Zheng and Jiang Nian.

The students below were also inspired by her imposing presence, and they let out a few small gasps and exclamations of admiration.

"Wow, it's really good. I was a little dissatisfied when I saw Jiang Nian choose Hu Yifei. I felt that Jiang Nian was choosing people before the game even started, so was there some kind of pre-arrangement?"

"But now it seems that Hu Yifei is actually very suitable for this role."

Several students who also wanted to audition for the role lowered their heads, knowing the gap between themselves and Hu Yifei.

The difference here is not just in the techniques of the model, but in the spirituality that the teacher has mentioned countless times.

For some reason, after Hu Yifei received the audition clips from the production team and began to portray the character, she seemed to become the person in the film, causing those of them who were also auditioning to feel a strange sense of frustration.

This role seems tailor-made for Hu Yifei.

However, even with such perfection, Wei Zheng's brows did not completely relax.

He hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words: "Very good, very powerful, the personality is captured very well. But Yifei, isn't she a little too extroverted?"

"This character has a sharp edge, but her strength should be more of an inner confidence and disdain, rather than relying entirely on her voice and actions."

“At times, we may need to tighten our belts a bit more.”

Hu Yifei was stunned for a moment. She thought she had acted very well, but she didn't expect to be pointed out for her mistakes.

She has a strong personality, and although she didn't refute, her face clearly showed a hint of disapproval.

She glanced at Jiang Nian subconsciously, seemingly hoping to get a different evaluation from him.

At this moment, Zeng Xiaoxian also jumped out, grinning and saying, "Director, director, I'll do one too!"

"Let me show you what real-life humor is!"

He was auditioning for a character who liked to use his cleverness, was a bit cheeky, but was also adorably cowardly.

Zeng Xiaoxian made full use of his eloquence and facial expressions, making faces and delivering his lines very quickly, while also adding a lot of impromptu jokes, which indeed made many people in the audience laugh.

After the performance, he smugly bowed to the audience, as if he had already passed the audition.

Wei Zheng fell into thought again: "Xiao Xian, the comedic effect is there, but it feels a bit too deliberate, like you're trying too hard to make everyone laugh."

"This kind of humor should stem from the character's personality and the situation's natural reaction, or even be something that the character himself doesn't find funny, but the audience does."

"Your performance right now is a bit too rushed; it sounds like you're doing stand-up comedy instead of living life."

Wei Zheng tried his best to strengthen his words and make sure that he didn't sound too deliberate.

He knew that it was inappropriate to set these standards and requirements, but in fact, he himself had high standards for himself.

Moreover, the scriptwriters for this advertisement have very high standards; if they want to find the most suitable candidate, they cannot lower their standards.

But he also knew very well that Hu Yifei and Zeng Xiaoxian were definitely the most suitable candidates at the moment.

Zeng Xiaoxian's smile froze for a moment, clearly indicating that he hadn't fully listened.

Seeing this, the other students' disdain deepened.

Everyone felt that Wei Zheng was nitpicking.

Why would a new director make so many mysterious demands?
The atmosphere at the scene became somewhat awkward and oppressive.

Wei Zheng felt a wave of weakness wash over him.

Amidst this subtle atmosphere of skepticism, Jiang Nian, who had been quietly observing from the sidelines, slowly stood up.

He didn't look at the whispering students, nor did he immediately comment on Hu Yifei's or Zeng Xiaoxian's performance. Instead, he walked straight to the center of the venue.

All eyes instantly focused on him, and the whispers stopped abruptly.

"Why is Jiang Nian here too? Is he angry and trying to kick us all out?"

"Let them go if they want. I don't know where they found this new director. He has such high standards. Even if he's good at acting, he's not suitable. I think he'd be better off going to the film crew next door."

"Jiang Nian is crazy, he actually approves of this new director so much."

At this moment, Jiang Nian coughed twice, his gaze sweeping over them, and the whispers from before vanished instantly.

The rehearsal room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Jiang Nian first faced Hu Yifei with no expression on his face, but his eyes changed slightly as he imitated Hu Yifei's performance.

His imitation was so lifelike, even slightly exaggerated, that he instantly amplified and presented Hu Yifei's over-the-top performance.

Someone in the audience couldn't help but chuckle, and Hu Yifei's face flushed red.

She immediately realized where she had gone wrong.

That kind of performance was indeed superficial, lacking depth and a sense of proportion.

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Nian's imposing aura vanished.

He was still standing there, but his entire aura had suddenly changed.

He didn't make any large movements, just slightly raised his chin and calmly scanned the area ahead.

He perfectly captured Hu Yifei's expression in his own way.

In fact, Jiang Nian's interpretation of this role was not quite right. All he could do at the moment was to try his best to replicate Hu Yifei's performance in Love Apartment, which he had seen before.

However, even though it's just a remake, the character has already been captured perfectly.

Jiang Nian regained his usual composure and, looking at the stunned Hu Yifei and the others, calmly explained, "Strength is not about how loud your voice is or how fierce your movements are."

"It lies in what's in your eyes, in the certainty and unquestionable tone of your voice."

“A restrained performance often requires more power and is more moving than an unrestrained one.”

Hu Yifei was completely convinced.

He had previously thought that Wei Zheng's criticism of his acting was simply due to a new director's lack of understanding, since he himself often received full marks in his professional courses.

Only after seeing Jiang Nian's performance did he realize the gap between them, and he suddenly understood where he was lacking.

She nodded vigorously: "I...I understand! Teacher Jiang Nian! Thank you!"

Then, Jiang Nian turned his gaze to Zeng Xiaoxian.

A slightly cheeky yet pretentious expression suddenly appeared on his face, and he rapidly imitated a line Zeng Xiaoxian had just spoken. (End of Chapter)