Generation Z Artists

Chapter 324 Unexpected Castings
"Annyeonghaseyo, Kim Tae-hee, a rising star actress from South Korea..."

Cao Baoping looked up wearily, and then his eyes lit up.

Even though he had seen so many beautiful women from all over Asia recently, Kim Tae-hee, who was without makeup, still amazed him.

Please introduce yourself.

The translator beside her relayed Cao Baoping's question, and Kim Tae-hee nodded obediently like a well-behaved girl.

"Yes, I am a third-year student majoring in fashion design at Seoul National University. I am 23 years old this year. I entered the modeling industry by chance in 2000 and appeared in commercials."

She currently has one starring role in "The Screen of Dreams" and plays the second female lead in "Stairway to Heaven," which achieved a peak viewership rating of 42.4% in South Korea…

42.4%?

Cao Baoping was startled.

Although South Korea only has three major television networks, this is still an achievement that not everyone can attain.

He asked with great interest, "So, you're already a household name and a rising star in South Korea?"

"Yes." Kim Tae-hee nodded shyly, "I've gained some recognition."

Why are you interested in our show?

"Because I want to cooperate with Fang Xinghe."

The fifteenth... Cao Baoping counted silently in his mind.

She was the fifteenth girl to give the same answer among the East Asian actresses interviewed recently.

"Okay, now follow my instructions and perform a simple act."

Galaxy Pictures' interview process is professional and standardized.

Actresses must attend without makeup, give a brief self-introduction, then face the audition camera for full-length and close-up shots from the front and sides, followed by a display of their physique, and finally a basic performance assessment.

After the exam, Kim Tae-hee almost got eliminated by Cho Bo-pyeong.

How can I describe her acting ability?
Well, in two words—not very good.

However, after much deliberation, Cao Baoping did not make a hasty decision. He marked her name as "pending" and placed it at the bottom of the interview list.

Even without makeup, she looks this beautiful; surely the boss will take a look.

Poor acting skills aren't a huge problem; acting can be improved. Our Director Fang is a master of the unorthodox school of acting, and he's good at manipulating silly beauties.

After finishing today's interviews, Cao Baoping took the list of candidates upstairs.

"Director Fang, can we start the final interview now? When should we set a date?"

"Let's get this over with quickly. Send the word that the audition will be held the day after tomorrow with makeup on. Tell the actors to arrive early without makeup and wait for further instructions."

"Okay, I'll talk to the costume and makeup teams right away. Here's the cast list, would you like some feedback?"

Fang Xinghe took the list and glanced at it briefly. As expected, he saw many familiar names.

"Noriko Sakai is joining in too? Who does she want to play?"

"Huang Rong, I guess."

"Kadokawa Tsuruhiko is really good at messing around."

Fang Xinghe shook his head and casually crossed out her name.

"Her head-to-body ratio is really bad. With an updo and headdress in an ancient costume, how bad would her proportions look? Let her be a good wife and mother."

Cao Baoping laughed and said, "Hey, aren't all Japanese actresses like this? I've interviewed so many, and only two of them have decent body proportions."

Fang Xinghe didn't ask which two; he planned to go see them himself.

Cao Baoping continued to ask, "We have quite a few supporting actors who haven't been given roles yet. What are your plans?"

"I have some candidates in mind, you can go and ask them directly."

Fang Xinghe picked up a pen and wrote a few lines on the list.

Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, played by Jiang Wen.

Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic, is played by Feng Yuanzheng.

Gongsun Zhi, Zhang Yimou.

……

The moment Cao Baoping saw Mou Zi's name, his mind went blank.

Who is Gongsun Zhi?

After Li Mochou was poisoned by the Love Flower, Gongsun Zhi, the master of Love Flower Valley, clung to her like a sycophant, trying to use his daughter Gongsun Lü'e to trick her into giving him the only Heartbreak Pill to cure her.

The lover was lecherous, lewd, selfish, and ruthless. After becoming infatuated with Li Mochou, he was willing to abandon even his family's wealth and his daughter.

However, he is also the only character in the entire book who chooses Li Mochou as his first choice.

Casting Zhang Yimou as this character is utterly absurd, ridiculously absurd.

Cao Baoping imagined that scene and subconsciously shuddered.

"No, will this work?"

He mumbled haltingly, "You could let Zhang Yimou play an old farmer, but with that honest, hard-looking face, how could he play Gongsun Zhi?"

"Hahaha!" Gou Fang laughed heartily. "Don't you know that the more honest a person looks, the more secretly horny they are? Besides, if we let Director Zhang flirt with Sister Li, maybe he'll actually do something amazing?"

"This, this, this..."

Cao Baoping stared wide-eyed, speechless, utterly impressed by the BOSS's wildly imaginative ideas.

Whether it will work or not is hard to say, but the story is definitely top-notch, who wouldn't want to watch it?

Wow, Director Fang is awesome!
……

Time marched on relentlessly, and the day of the final interview soon arrived.

On this day, Xinghe Pictures was filled with beautiful women, and the air was filled with the fragrance of perfume.

Dozens of beautiful women from all over the world filled the corridors and halls. Some chatted together, seemingly enjoying themselves, but their eyes were full of vigilance.

Dozens of media outlets were gathered downstairs, their cameras and microphones pointed at the entrance of Galaxy Pictures, waiting for the final results.

The makeup and costume teams for "The Return of the Condor Heroes" were extremely busy, working in groups of three to do period costumes for the actors.

Park Han-byul, a fresh-faced newcomer from South Korea, was so stunned by the room full of gorgeous clothes that she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.

Wow...what a beautiful dress! How expensive must it be? This is incredible!

She didn't know how she got to the final interview; all she knew was that she had never seen so many dazzling ancient costumes in her life.

Senior actress Son Ye-jin, from the same country, kindly reminded her: "Be careful during the interview. I heard that each of these outfits costs at least a million won."

"hiss……"

Park Han-byul gasped for air, her whole body stiffened, and she dared not move, letting the stylist do as she pleased.

In the large room, there was a similar stiffness and exclamation everywhere; everyone was stunned by Galaxy Pictures' grand gesture.

The makeup and costumes in Fang's version of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" can be described as the pinnacle.

The team that Zhang Yimou directed "Curse of the Golden Flower" is probably slightly inferior to that of "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

Seven major intangible cultural heritage research institutes, four universities, 17 top professional researchers, and a costume manufacturing team of over 400 people in China embarked on this grand journey of modernizing ancient costumes.

The fabrics alone, such as silk, satin, brocade, and gauze, come in more than ten different types.

It's not about showing off, but about conveying imagery through different outfits.

For example, Yang Guo wore hemp as a child, symbolizing his status as a homeless child from the lower class. After being adopted by Guo Jing, he wore silk and satin, which reflects Guo Jing's guilt and desire to make amends, and also serves as a metaphor for the wealth of martial artists.

After joining the Quanzhen School, one should wear cotton clothing, as Taoists do not favor elaborate attire.

After entering the ancient tomb, wearing the silk robes that his grandmother had personally tailored for him, Xiaolongnu, though not good with words, gave him the best...

Take Huang Rong for example. Her clothes were mostly made of Yun brocade and Song brocade. On the day Xiangyang fell, she wore her bright red wedding dress and died on the same day as her husband.

When Guo Jing died in battle, he was wearing heavy armor, which symbolized that he had transformed from a chivalrous knight into a patriot and sacrificed himself for his country. However, Huang Rong did not have any sense of national sentiment; she only wanted to live and die with her husband, so she wore a wedding dress to express her determination.

There are many similar details, because Fang Xinghe really disliked the perfunctory approach to makeup, costumes, and sets in Hong Kong martial arts films.

A costume was passed down for three generations, worn from the 70s to 2000. Everyone was covered in dust and grime, regardless of their social status.

But what does correct logic look like?

The saying goes, "The poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts." Most martial arts practitioners come from powerful and wealthy families, and even if they don't, they inevitably become rich after becoming chivalrous heroes in the martial arts world.

The horse Huang Rong rode when she first appeared was comparable to a modern Ferrari. It was understandable that she wore hemp clothes when she played a beggar, but in her normal life, what about her food, clothing and daily necessities was not exquisite?

Moreover, setting aside logic and focusing solely on the goal—if you want your work to have output value, then you must make sure to showcase what you want to showcase.

Ancient China made such great strides in clothing, food, housing, and transportation, and developed such a splendid culture. You can't replicate the jade burial suit, but you must have the top-notch craftsmanship of silk and satin, right?
If you don't showcase the beauty of traditional Chinese clothing, narrow-minded fools will always think that only Hanbok and Kimono are beautiful.

Fang Xinghe's personality is such that if he's going to do something, he'll do it to the best of his ability. As a result, he has invested more than 2000 million yuan in clothing alone.

Well, if you spend it normally, it's enough for Ning Hao to make six Crazy Stone movies...

Accessories other than clothing are priced separately.

Because it's a martial arts drama, the accessories for the main characters won't be too numerous or complicated; a mere 500 million yuan was enough to cover everything.

The props are not relevant to today's theme, so let's leave them aside for now.

The remaining makeup team is responsible for adjusting the makeup and styling to best suit the individual characteristics of each actor.

For example, Park Han-byul has a classic oval face. If her forehead is fully exposed, her face will appear long, and if her hairstyle is too thick, her head will appear large. Therefore, she needs to style her hair with bangs to highlight her youthful vitality.

However, no matter how she dresses in ancient costumes, she always looks the same, even though she looks extremely beautiful in modern makeup.

The makeup artist remained calm throughout, as focused as a robot.

The reason is quite simple—all team members have been amazed by Liu Yifei more than once.

Only by seeing Liu Yifei in ancient costume in person can one understand just how exceptional her skull and facial features are.

Her head completely covered her face, with her forehead fully exposed but not at all puffy. Despite having large features, she looked very soft. Her 16-year-old skin was flawless, as white as a porcelain doll.

After the costume fitting, all the crew members began to believe that she was the chosen one, the Little Dragon Girl, and that she didn't need to care about any competition.

Of course, the BOSS's Yang Guo is no less impressive, with a refined and elegant demeanor.

With these two in charge, "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is at least a top-tier idol drama of its time, which is why the staff are extremely motivated and work diligently without any slack.

At 9 a.m., the first batch of interviewees had basically finished their makeup and styling and began their final auditions.

He Qing knocked on the door and immediately saw the boy sitting in the middle seat.

To his left was Zhang Jizhong, and to his right were assistant directors Yu Min and Cao Baoping. The camera operator in the room was Zhao Xiaoding, and his co-stars were Feng Yuanzheng and Gong Li.

The lineup is terrifying.

"Hello director, hello interviewers, I'm actress He Qing..."

Fang Xinghe carefully examined He Qing's ancient costume appearance and was generally satisfied.

At 39, she no longer possesses the radiance of her Bai Dailin days, but her gentle and dignified demeanor is tinged with shrewdness. While she may not be as beautiful as Zhu Lin, her temperament is more fitting for the character.

This version of Huang Rong is not a purely positive character; she is more complex.

He Qing's understanding of the character is flawless.

Fang Xinghe then moved on to the next step: "Please choose any scene from your personal script to perform. The requirement is to express Huang Rong's conflicting feelings of both wariness and guilt towards Yang Guo."

Sister He started acting in front of Fang Xinghe and performed very well.

However, Fang Xinghe did not make a decision immediately. Among the actresses present today, there were at least four who were top-notch enough to play Huang Rong. He would wait and see.

Next up, Zhu Lin, so beautiful.

Next up is Tian Hairong, who is overly shrewd and has an excessively sharp tongue.

And now, Chen Hong, her man is no good...

Chen Hong probably didn't expect to be selected. Instead, she performed with a deeper intention of easing tensions and left with a humble statement: "I hope to have the opportunity to learn from you in person."

That's really interesting.

Then, when it came time to audition for the role of Guo Fu, something even more interesting happened—

Zhang Baizhi arrived.

There are two reasons why she was able to enter the final selection: first, her appearance was too suitable; second, Mr. Yang brought the TVB president and the director of the Hong Kong office to visit her.

Yang Shoucheng has always stood in support of Fang Xinghe and has a close relationship with the mainland. Now that Fang Xinghe has opened a door and used Mr. Yong's copyright to film "The Return of the Condor Heroes", all parties are seeking a way out.

Old Yang was pushed forward as the vanguard to plead with Fang Xinghe to show leniency.

He didn't lift his head.

However, this does not prevent Fang Ge from sending a signal of reconciliation in his posture.

Therefore, a total of four actors from Hong Kong and Taiwan were selected for this audition, and Cheung Pak-chi was one of them.

As for whether or not to use actors from Hong Kong or Taiwan... it doesn't matter.

Fang Xinghe's idea was to use a small opening to give a carrot to the factions in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China that were worth winning over, thus encouraging them to move closer to the mainland in a positive manner.

The Chinese-language entertainment industry still needs the support of Hong Kong and Taiwan for the time being.

If we eliminate all the leading men like Liu Dehua, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Stephen Chow, and Hendrik Willem Van Loon, who will be left as the pillar of the family?

Completely banning Hong Kong and Taiwan is neither realistic nor cost-effective. It's good to inflict pain, and then it's time to offer some incentives.

Therefore, Fang Xinghe carefully examined Zhang Baizhi's abilities.

Well, her acting skills are so-so, but they can be improved. Most importantly, her temperament is really perfect for playing the role of a spoiled and willful young lady. It's natural and realistic, and she's not particularly annoying.

Guo Fu is a detestable character, but she can't truly disgust the audience.

The best effect is to make the audience dislike you emotionally, but tolerate you because of your looks. The ultimate effect is to make the audience conflicted, constantly teetering on the edge of breaking down and feeling stifled.

If viewers get so annoyed by her appearance that they simply change the channel, then it would backfire.

Zhang Baizhi's youthful face was precisely what drew the audience in.

So, after auditioning all the actresses who would play Guo Fu, Fang Xinghe discussed it with everyone and decided to make her the first actress they would cast.

The second is Huang Xiaoming, who plays Da Wu.

The third is Jia Nailiang, who plays Xiao Wu.

After circling the names, Brother Fang couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The others, not understanding why, asked their lord why he was laughing.

Fang Ge really couldn't explain it. He couldn't very well tell them that he had assembled a whole group of scumbags and betrayers, could he?

So I could only make up a story: "The three of them have very complementary personalities. One is charming and arrogant, one is willful and capricious, and one is timid and submissive. Their performance will definitely be outstanding."

Everyone suddenly understood and gave a thumbs up: "Our lord has such keen insight!"

Fang Xinghe shook his head, his mind already drifting to the day filming officially began...

(End of this chapter)