How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 342 Temporary Extras
"Look, it's Chen Zhenghao!"

"That's... Wang Haoyu. He looks even more handsome in person than on TV."

"Director Han, it really is Director Han Xiaohua."

"..."

Upon entering the film set, Zhou Lingyi, He Xingyi, and others were so excited they almost jumped for joy.

Some people stood on tiptoe and craned their necks to look, while others couldn't help but gasp softly, their eyes shining with excitement and their fingers trembling slightly with excitement.

They stared intently at the stars they usually only saw on screen, their faces beaming with uncontainable joy. If they hadn't remembered Teacher Zhang's instructions to follow the rules on set and not wander around, they probably would have already rushed over to their favorite stars.

So happy.

Qiao Shuxin quietly moved to the other side of Teacher Zhang, distancing herself from the other students. She turned her head away, pouting, as if she didn't recognize any of them.

Seeing the stares from the crew members around her, she couldn't hold back any longer and whispered, "Calm down, everyone calm down. We're all actors in the future, and we all have the chance to become stars. Don't look like you've never seen anything like this before, okay? It's embarrassing."

"Uh……"

The other trainees paused, and after thinking about it carefully, they realized that what Qiao Shuxin said made some sense.

What's wrong with celebrities?
They are destined to become stars.

"Shuxin, have you visited the film set before?" Zhou Lingyi asked curiously.

"Mm." Qiao Shuxin nodded. She had been to TV drama crews and movie crews, and more than once.

"What was your reaction when you first arrived at the film set?" Zhou Lingyi continued to ask.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Shuxin's lips twitched involuntarily.

Is this your first time on a film set?

Several years ago, I overheard that my aunt was going to work on a film set, and one of her favorite stars happened to be the lead actor in that film. I spent an entire afternoon pleading with her before she finally agreed.

The next day, when she went to the film set, she excitedly grabbed her aunt's arm so tightly it hurt, and her legs seemed to be nailed to the spot, unable to move...

It's a bit embarrassing.

Coming back to her senses, Qiao Shuxin coughed and said calmly, "Aside from being a little curious, I didn't have any particular reaction."

"Don't you get excited when you see celebrities?" Zhou Lingyi pressed, because she always gets very excited when she sees celebrities, just like yesterday and today.

"I'm not excited," Qiao Shuxin shook her head.

"..."

Zhou Lingyi was speechless.

But upon closer reflection, it's understandable. After all, the other person comes from a family of entertainers and has seen countless celebrities since childhood, so they're probably used to it.

Unlike them, they can only see celebrities on TV and mobile phones.

"Brother Zhang."

Han Xiaohua smiled as she approached Zhang Wen, pointed to the young faces around her, and asked, "Are these your students?"

“Yes, Director Han,” Zhang Wen said.

When the nine trainees saw Director Han Xiaohua arrive, they were so excited that they straightened their backs and showed their best side. Even Qiao Shuxin was no exception this time.

This is director Han Xiaohua!

One of the best TV drama directors in China, whose dramas have launched the careers of countless stars.

If they were chosen by Director Han to be the male or female lead in a TV series, even if it's just a minor role, they would gain a lot of attention and embark on a path to stardom.

The parents standing behind the students were more surprised than usual.

Brother Zhang?

Director Han actually called Teacher Zhang "little brother"? Are they that close?

Before this, they all thought Teacher Zhang was just an ordinary screenwriter, but now it seems that he is definitely not an ordinary screenwriter.

The way the parents looked at Teacher Zhang completely changed.
Han Xiaohua's gaze swept over these students one by one. They all had excellent physical appearances, no wonder they were able to get into Beijing Film Academy and Huaxi Academy of Drama.

Especially that pretty young woman in the white dress, with her upright posture and a cool, aloof demeanor, is a rare sight even in the entire entertainment industry.

"Not bad." Han Xiaohua nodded, then added, "I heard there are freshmen from the Beijing Film Academy's directing department among you?"

After speaking, his gaze landed precisely on He Xingyi and Zhou An.

There was no way around it; among a group of handsome men and beautiful women, these two ordinary-looking people stood out too much.

"I."

"And I."

He Xingyi and Zhou An excitedly raised their hands high.

Han Xiaohua smiled and said, "I am also a student in the directing department of Beijing Film Academy. I hope you can study hard at Beijing Film Academy, uphold your love for art, and make works with depth and warmth, so that you can shine on the path of directing."

Upon hearing this, Zhou An and He Xingyi were immediately thrilled and bowed in thanks in unison.

"Thank you, Director Han."

"Director Han, we will definitely live up to your expectations."

The other trainees present looked at Zhou An and He Xingyi with envy in their eyes.

How they long to be blessed too!

Han Xiaohua patted Zhou An and He Xingyi on the shoulders, then looked at the other students and said, "Since you are freshmen from Beijing Film Academy and Huaxi Academy, I can't let you come for nothing. I wonder if you would be interested in acting as extras in my TV series?"

Upon hearing this, the previously quiet crowd erupted in excitement. Some clenched their fists in joy, while others beamed with delight.

Although I was just a temporary extra, being able to participate in the filming of a TV series and even have the opportunity to appear on screen felt like a dream come true, and my blood was boiling with excitement.

"interested in!"

"Thank you, Director Han."

The trainees said happily.

Zhang Wen didn't expect Director Han to say that, but it wasn't a big deal. After all, he was just an extra, a background character, and it wouldn't affect the plot. Even when it aired, no one would notice.

For the trainees, this sense of participation has long transcended their status as extras.

“Since you all agree, then when filming starts, you can watch from the sidelines for a while. I’ll call you when I need you, okay?” Han Xiaohua asked.

"it is good!"

All the students spoke in unison.

I never expected to have such a pleasant surprise during my visit to the film set today.

Everyone was eager to get started, ready to make a big splash. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were the main characters.

"Brother Zhang, why don't you take the students around and show them around first? I'll go back and make preparations," Han Xiaohua said to Zhang Wen, then turned and left.

Once everyone had gone far away, the trainees finally couldn't contain themselves and jumped up and cheered, looking like they had won the lottery.

"yeah!"

"Great!" "We can film a movie now!"

"..."

As newcomers to Beijing Film Academy and Huaxi Opera, they would all have opportunities to participate in film and television dramas in the future, but no one expected this moment to come so suddenly.

It was so fast it caught you off guard, yet it was full of surprises and anticipation.

People are like that with first times.

"Teacher Zhang, this is my first time acting. Is there anything I should pay attention to?" Han Zhixue asked in a low voice, her expression very serious.

Upon hearing this, the other students stopped celebrating and gathered around Teacher Zhang, hoping to receive his guidance.

Zhang Wen thought for a moment and said, "Didn't Director Han ask you to watch for a while first? Pay attention to the assistant director's requirements for the extras, and observe how the other extras act, understand?"

"clear."

"Of course, you shouldn't feel too much pressure or be too reserved. Just be natural. After all, you're just extras, not the main actors."

"..."

All eyes turned to the camera not far away.

Be more natural?
How can it be!

It's like being pointed at with a gun. A seasoned general is naturally not afraid, but it's impossible for these new recruits not to be nervous.

For actors, the film set is their battlefield.

Zhang Wen also saw this, so before filming started, he took the students and parents on a tour of the various departments to divert their attention. He thought that once the excitement subsided, they would be more stable in their emotions and not become as nervous as robots.

"All departments, get ready. Today's scenes are very important, so please pay close attention..."

Director Han Xiaohua's voice rang out on set, and everyone immediately got into work mode, creating a tense atmosphere.

The crew members, who had been chatting and laughing, jogged around carrying props, while the actors quickly straightened their costumes, stood properly in their designated positions, and quietly awaited the director's instructions.

Zhang Wen led the students to the back of Director Han, but to avoid disturbing Director Han, they kept a slightly greater distance than usual.

Following Teacher Zhang's instructions, the trainees stood obediently in place, not daring to move around or even breathe loudly, for fear of disturbing the staff around them.

Before arriving at the film set, everyone thought filming was simple, but after arriving, listening to Teacher Zhang's introduction, and visiting the set, they realized that filming was far more complicated than they had imagined.

……

The filming continued scene after scene, and nothing changed despite the increase in visiting students and parents.

Whether it was the director, actors, or cinematographers and production crew, no one was affected, demonstrating a high level of professionalism.

Zhang Wen would review each scene with the students beside him at the end.

Of course, he wasn't talking about the lead actors, but rather the extras.

Although extras are just background figures, there are still many things to pay attention to.

For example, stay natural and authentic, avoid exaggerated movements, and don't try to steal the spotlight.

Also pay attention to the shooting environment and camera position, and avoid going out of the designated shooting area or blocking other actors, which would ruin the overall effect of the picture.

The trainees listened attentively, not daring to lose focus for even a moment, for fear of missing any important information.

In fact, most of us have read some books about acting and studied some things when we were in art exam preparation classes, but at that time it was all theoretical. Now that we are on set, experiencing it firsthand, and combining practice with theory, we have a completely different feeling.

As time passed, nearing noon, Han Xiaohua suddenly turned around and waved to someone behind her.

"Brother Zhang, have your student come over here."

The filming this morning went smoothly, and we had plenty of time, so we were able to let these students come up and give it a try.

Zhang Wen knew that Director Han was about to send the trainees up, so he looked at the nine trainees beside him and asked, "Are you all ready?"

Everyone was watching intently, but when suddenly asked this question, they became nervous and even forgot all of Teacher Zhang's previous instructions.

They looked at each other, neither of them saying a word, both appearing quite guilty.

"What, scared?" Zhang Wen found it amusing.

They were so excited and looking forward to it before, but now that they can finally go on stage, why are they all chickening out?
Seeing that Director Han was still waiting, he didn't want to waste the entire crew's time, so he said to Qiao Shuxin, "Qiao Shuxin, I can understand the others, but how can you be so cowardly?"

"I, I didn't back down!" Qiao Shuxin stubbornly insisted.

She just made so many boastful remarks in front of the other trainees, and everyone knows that she comes from a family of performers. If she backs down now, she will definitely embarrass her mother and grandfather.

"Okay, then you should take the lead and get on stage quickly," Zhang Wen said.

Qiao Shuxin unconsciously swallowed. Now that the knife was at her throat, she had no choice but to go for the sake of her family's honor.

"Okay, I'll do it."

Qiao Shuxin gritted her teeth, stepped out of the line, and looked at Director Han Xiaohua, asking, "Director Han, do I need to change my clothes?"

“No need,” Han Xiaohua said.

It's a modern urban drama, not a period drama, so there's no need to change clothes. Besides, they're just extras, only a few shots, so there's no need to go through all that trouble.

"I'm ready too."

At this moment, Han Zhixue also stepped forward.

Becoming an actress is her dream, and now that she has the opportunity to experience it, she doesn't want to miss it.

Isn’t there a saying like that?
The best way to overcome fear is to face it.

When the remaining trainees saw that there were two people leading the way, they all stepped forward.

"Teacher Zhang, I'm ready."

"I'm ready too."

"Alright," Zhang Wen said, "Now that everything is ready, let's go."

Han Xiaohua couldn't help but laugh when she saw the students' reactions. She then called over the assistant director and asked him to make arrangements for the students.

The assistant director noticed that the students were nervous, so he arranged for them to play minor, unrelated roles without any lines.

Of course, if the students can portray the passersby well, adding a few lines later is not out of the question; it all depends on their performance.

"Prepare."

Director Han Xiaohua's voice suddenly rang out, and the set instantly fell silent.

The students looked expressionless and extremely nervous, while the parents watching from the sidelines had their hearts in their throats, worried about their children.

"Don't be nervous." Zhang Wen looked at the trainees and said with a smile, "It's just a few shots. We don't even know if they'll be added to the final cut. Don't act like you won't get the Best Actress award if you don't perform well. You're not as important as you think."

"..."

The students were speechless after hearing this.

Is this encouraging them or discouraging them?
However, I did feel a bit more relieved.

……

(End of this chapter)