Chinese Entertainment: Academic Director

Chapter 444 I can’t help it anymore
Over the next two days of filming, Chen Hong remained amazed by the acting skills of Wu Qihua and Li Xiaoran.

She debuted in 85 with her first film, "There's a Spring Here," and it's been over twenty years now.

Over the past two decades, she has worked with actors who came from model operas, actors who came from drama schools, actors who came from academic backgrounds, and of course, actors who came from self-taught backgrounds.

Especially in recent years, after she became "Mrs. Chen," she has participated in Old Chen's movies to varying degrees, and her mindset is different from that of a pure actress.

Therefore, he also developed his own understanding and opinions on performance.

When it comes to acting skills, that might be a bit subjective.

Overall, actors from drama and model opera backgrounds undoubtedly have better diction skills. Chen Hong used to think that acting in dramas could not only improve diction skills but also hone acting skills.

This view is correct to some extent.

From another perspective, for example, if she identifies herself as "Mrs. Chen," she will be elevated to the "height" of a director or producer to some extent. However, she will find that in filmmaking, good dialogue skills do not necessarily equate to good acting skills.

For example, actors who come from a theatrical background and are used to performing in plays do have good lines, but out of ten, at least eight will still show obvious signs of acting.

It's obvious he's acting!
In other words, most of them unconsciously overexert themselves during their performances.

This is related to their habit of performing on the stage – if you don't "deliberately" put in a lot of effort, the audience in the back rows may not be able to see your movements or hear your lines.

In terms of acting skills, Li Xiaoran and Wu Qihua are definitely not top-notch.

For some reason, their performances in the film seemed to have very little trace of acting. Chen Hong felt that they were natural, so natural that it was as if they were the characters in the film themselves.

This is what Chen Hong finds most unbelievable.

She used to watch Cao Yang's movies, and the male and female leads and important characters all acted extremely naturally. She always thought that the excellent acting was only one aspect, but also the effect of the post-production and the overall smoothness of the film.

Old Chen thought so too.

Now Chen Hong knows that it wasn't like that at all.

Li Xiaoran's acting in "Mei Lanfang" was excellent, and Lao Chen praised her more than once, but compared with her performance in "Like Father, Like Son", there is a clear gap.

Chen Hong has always felt that her acting skills are quite good.

Sometimes, you really can't compare people.

At this moment, all she wanted to do was chat with Huang Bo, who had also been listening to her lectures on acting for two weeks.

Furthermore, there was something that Chen Hong found unbelievable: most directors, especially at the beginning of filming, would "dragging out" scenes because the crew needed to get used to each other and the actors weren't yet in character.

In other words, if we can't finish filming today, we either have to work overtime or postpone it to tomorrow.

In the first few days of filming, there was usually no overtime work. Instead, the filming schedule was adjusted, and scenes that were not completed today were postponed to tomorrow.

Or many directors try to minimize the amount of footage shown in the first few days when they are making a shooting plan.

However, Cao Yang actually had the production coordinator revise the filming plan. Instead of dragging out the scenes, he moved the later scenes forward and added more scenes!
To be honest, this was the first time Chen Hong had ever seen such a scene.

What an eye-opener.

As a result, Huang Bo's scenes, which were scheduled for the day after tomorrow, were moved to tomorrow afternoon, and his own scenes, which were scheduled for the afternoon of the day after tomorrow, were moved to the morning of the day after tomorrow.

I hadn't even figured out how to act yet, and now the filming schedule has been moved up again. What should I do?

"what?"

She suddenly noticed that Huang Bo, who was not far away, looked different from the previous two days.

Just two days ago, this guy was all frowning; he was clearly shocked.

What's going on right now?
Why does this guy have such a big, doting smile on his face, looking completely relaxed?
"Like Father, Like Son" was recorded live.

It's not that if the actors perform well and their lines are correct, the scene will definitely be filmed. Even very small factors, such as someone coughing on set or a car horn honking in the distance, can cause the scene to have to be reshot.

Therefore, during filming, unless the director yells "cut," to put it dramatically, the crew members and actors waiting in the wings have to hold it in, even if they need to fart, so as not to affect the sound recording and cause the scene to have to be reshot.

Chen Hong had been holding back, and only after Cao Yang called "cut" and said they would take a twenty-minute break did she quietly approach Huang Bo and ask in a low voice:
What did you think of their acting?

"Okay, of course!"

Huang Bo replied without hesitation.

Then he turned around, saw it was Chen Hong, and quickly smiled.

"Sister Hong."

"I'm a little confused. A couple of days ago, I felt you... seemed a bit restless. What's wrong with you today..."

Chen Hong didn't say it explicitly, but she made it very clear.

As a representative of high emotional intelligence, Huang Bo was naturally able to understand what Chen Hong meant.

He hesitated for a moment, then thought that Chen Kai was Director Cao's senior, and Chen Hong was Director Cao's sister-in-law. He was also considered to be part of Director Cao's faction. So, they were all on the same side.

There's nothing to hide from those who are on the same side. The key is that there's nothing to hide about this matter itself, and talking about it can even highlight the identity of "one of us".

"Sister Hong, to be honest, when I first saw Teacher Wu and Teacher Li acting in front of the camera a couple of days ago, I was truly stunned. I never knew, and never dared to imagine, that actors could act so convincingly in front of the camera..."

Huang Bo tried hard to find the right word, gesturing with his hands for a long time, but he couldn't find the most suitable and appropriate one.

"Like the characters in a script coming out to reenact the story?"

Chen Hong thought about it for a moment and suddenly felt that the sentence was very appropriate, so she murmured it softly.

"Yep!"

Huang Bo slapped his thigh excitedly, attracting the attention of the staff nearby.

He quickly nodded and smiled apologetically at the staff before lowering his voice and saying, "Sister Hong, your description is so apt."

After saying that, he gave Chen Hong a thumbs up.

"Director Cao explained the play to the four of us together. At that time, there was no such thing as focusing on any particular point or explaining any particular point. But Teacher Wu and Teacher Li really taught me a lesson."

He then shook his head with a wry smile and continued, "You have no idea how devastated I've been these past two days. I've even started to doubt whether I'm suited for this line of work."

At that moment, Chen Hong suddenly felt a sense of empathy. Cao Yang was widely recognized as a skilled actor trainer, and indeed, Wu Qihua and Li Xiaoran had undergone a complete transformation in just two weeks...

With such a stark contrast, how could one not begin to doubt oneself?

However, Chen Hong could still sense something different in Huang Bo's words: he had been depressed after being hit hard a couple of days ago, but today he seemed to have recovered.

Chen Hong's heart sank. A thought suddenly popped into her mind: Could it be that Huang Bo had suddenly "gotten it" today?

Am I the only idiot?
Ha, that's ridiculous.

So, she looked intently at Huang Bo and asked unwillingly, "You... have finally figured it out?"

Huang Bo was taken aback, then gave another wry smile.

"I wish I could figure it out myself."

He pursed his lips before whispering, "I was afraid I would drag the crew down, so I went to see Director Cao last night."

"Ok?"

Chen Hong's eyes widened instantly; she actually wanted to ask Cao Yang the same question.

However, after being "caught in the act" by Li Xiaoran last time, although she appeared calm and collected, she was actually angry and ashamed inside, and simply couldn't muster the courage to go find Cao Yang.

If Li Xiaoran were to run into her again, or if word got back to her, she was really afraid that Li Xiaoran would lose her temper again.

Li Xiaoran was naturally unafraid of making a big fuss. She didn't have a boyfriend, and Cao Yang didn't have a girlfriend. Even if things got out of hand, the rumors would definitely be that she had "seduced" Cao Yang and was caught by Li Xiaoran, who was suspected to be Cao Yang's girlfriend...

Chen Hong was scared.

What did Director Cao say?

Chen Hong was eager to know what Cao Yang had said that had given Huang Bo, who was deeply discouraged, confidence.

"Director Cao asked me some questions about my understanding of the character, and told me a lot of details that I hadn't noticed. Then he told me that I now have a very thorough understanding of the character, and I just need a trigger."

Huang Bo whispered to Chen Hong.

"Opportunity?"

"Well, Director Cao said that this opportunity is like a thin layer of paper, and maybe I'll suddenly understand it after a good night's sleep. He'll also take some time tonight to explain it to me again, to make sure I don't hold the crew back when filming starts."

Huang Bo explained with a smile.

Chen Hong frowned. This sounded too unreliable. This wasn't a martial arts novel. How could someone have an epiphany after just one night's sleep?
And then there's the opportunity... Chen Hong felt that Cao Yang might be trying to comfort Huang Bo and give him confidence.

She couldn't believe it.

She has been in the industry for over 20 years and has worked with so many great directors. To achieve the desired effect, she has to go to the set and rehearse again and again.

The following afternoon, Huang Bo had a scene with Wu Qihua.

After his makeup was done, Huang Bo had a stubble beard and looked a bit unkempt.

That's secondary.

Chen Hong couldn't help but look Huang Bo up and down several times. She felt that Huang Bo was a little different today. He was less shy and tactful, and more casual and carefree.

Weird.

How can a person's temperament change?
And it has changed so much.

Suddenly, Chen Hong remembered that Huang Bo's character, despite his shop's slow business, still adhered to the mantra "Don't do tomorrow's work today" and was content with the status quo.

In other words, this character's personality, to put it bluntly, is irresponsible, but such people are often carefree and unconventional!

Mom!

Chen Hong's eyes widened. This...this can't be, right?

Then, the actual filming began.

Chen Hong was in a daze.

The next scene is a confrontation between two men, Wu Qihua and Huang.

Logically speaking, given Wu Qihua's performance in the previous two days, Huang Bo would never have been able to keep up.

However, as it turns out, Huang Bo really did break through that barrier; he really did understand it after just one night's sleep!

In her scenes with Wu Qihua, she held her own in no way, not only keeping up with the action but also delivering a performance no worse than Li Xiaoran's.

Then, Chen Hong turned her head and stared intently at Cao Yang.

She certainly didn't believe that Huang Bo had "broken through" on his own. Huang Bo had said that Cao Yang had given him acting lessons again and promised that he would be able to master it after a good night's sleep.

That despicable man, he actually did it!
This is incredible.

This man is handsome, extremely capable in one area, and even more capable in another. No wonder women as charming as Li Xiaoran, Gao Yuanyuan, and Yu Feihong don't have boyfriends...

If I weren't married...

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but want to tighten her legs.

But the occasion is inappropriate.

Chen Hong decided that she would go find Cao Yang that night no matter what.

I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted him to give me some pointers on my acting. I haven't found my footing yet, and I can't let the crew down, can I?

Well, even if Li Xiaoran knew, she could understand, right?

However, Chen Hong's plan failed.

After filming wrapped up in the afternoon, Cao Yang sat in the director's chair and, in front of many people, called out to Chen Hong, "Sister Hong, come here for a moment."

When Chen Hong came in, he took out a printed document, handed it to her, and said, "Sister Hong, you'll have scenes tomorrow. Your role is very important. This is an analysis of the character; you can take a look."

Chen Hong really didn't want to ask for help. She wanted Cao Yang to personally explain the play to her that night, and it would be even better if he could give her a more in-depth explanation.

However, with so many people in front of her, she couldn't refuse.

Hmph, don't think that just because you gave me this, I won't come looking for you tonight...

"Old Li, Old Gu, and Old Xie, let's get together tonight and revise the filming plan..."

Cao Yang, that bastard!
Chen Hong cursed under her breath as she left.

That night, before going to bed, Cao Yang summoned the system and added two more immersive experiences for Chen Hong in one go.

One would have been enough, but Cao Yang felt that Chen Hong's gaze was off, so he decided to give her two to experience the role and ensure she was completely immersed in it.

As for the aftereffects, it turns out that the aftereffects of immersive experiences can be eliminated with time and should not cause any substantial harm.

When Chen Hong woke up, her eyes were full of confusion.

After a long while, she frowned and muttered to herself, "Arthur's personality is nothing like mine. Was there a mix-up at birth?"

……

On October 24, German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid her third official visit to China.

In the morning, Cao Yang finished filming today's schedule and asked the coordinator, "Director, are we on holiday this afternoon?"

He wanted to confirm it again.

Cao Yang nodded. "Okay, that's enough for today. Let's call it a day."

Old Gu walked over and asked with a smile, "What day is it today? Why did you suddenly cancel the afternoon's filming?"

He then nudged Cao Yang with his shoulder and whispered, "Want to relax tonight?"

Don't get me wrong, it's a legitimate foot massage.

It can relieve the fatigue of the day and reduce mental stress.

During filming, both the director and the cinematographer face considerable pressure.

Back when Ning Hao was around, he liked to drag Lao Gu to get his feet washed.

"Go find Li Mingyi and Liu Shan. I have things to do this afternoon and evening."

Cao Yang stretched and said with a smile.

"what's up?"

Old Gu asked curiously.

"I'm going to a reception dinner later."

Cao Yang checked the time and said, "They'll be here to pick me up in about ten minutes."

"What kind of reception banquet is this? Could it be more important than a foot bath? Besides, if you're going to a banquet in the evening, why do you have to go in the afternoon? What kind of rule is that?"

Old Gu was a little confused. Was the banquet starting early?

Ten minutes later, Old Gu looked at the license plate of the car that picked up Cao Yang, rubbed his eyes, and looked again.

This license plate...

Forget it, forget it, this is not something I should be asking about.

Filming continued the next day.

However, Old Gu seemed somewhat distracted.

He couldn't hold back any longer. During a break, he came up to Cao Yang and, without asking any questions, just stared at him.

"Are you crazy? Let me make this clear beforehand, I'm a real man, you better not try anything with me, or I'll go have a chat with Sister-in-law Wenli tonight."

"I bother!"

Old Gu retorted, "I'm a real man too, but my Wenli is actually quite interested in you..."

"Get lost."

Cao Yang laughed and cursed, "Don't give me that crap, what exactly do you want to ask?"

"Merkel came yesterday..."

"You already know, why are you asking?"

Old Gu couldn't help but look up at the sky.

I couldn't help but ask because I had a guess!
Yesterday, Merkel visited China for the third time. Top leaders met with her at the Great Hall of the People and hosted a state banquet.

(End of this chapter)