I'm not a drama freak, I can really see through the script

Chapter 230, Yu Hua: It seems a bit different from the movie version.
At this moment, on the film set.

After Li Xuan officially joined the group.

Actually, people's impressions have softened a bit, since being good-looking can indeed be pleasing to the eye.

When I saw that beautiful face.

I couldn't help but feel more tolerant.

Zhu Zhengwen recalled a popular drama he had helped film years ago called "No Escape." Lu Yi in the drama gave people that feeling; he didn't have much acting skill, but he was very popular. After "No Escape" aired, countless wealthy women in Beiping went crazy for him.

Being good-looking really does give you the freedom to do whatever you want.

This is the privilege of appearance.

However, Zhu Zhengwen still wanted to remind Li Xuan.

You should really think about the challenges of filming this project and the pressure it will put on the actors.

You want them all.

Understood.

Li Xuan nodded at this moment.

I took out paper and pen and began to copy the script.

To understand the character of Fugui, one must imitate everything about him.

"The biographical sketches are quite professional."

Zhu Zhengwen was somewhat surprised when he saw Li Xuan take out paper and pen.

Opinions on the matter of creating biographical sketches are subjective.

Some people think it's a good thing, but others think it's unnecessary.

Zhu Zhengwen himself did not think this was unnecessary, but it depends on the situation.

Especially for works with an original source, this seems even more redundant.

The essence of character biographies is to incorporate one's own understanding of the character to create a more complete character. However, if the character is already fully developed, then this would be superfluous.

Fugui is just that kind of character.

Yu Hua has portrayed him perfectly.

He is already so perfect that there is no room left for further control or shaping.

Adding personal character development would only be a burden.

It's just an unnecessary thing to do.

This made Zhu Zhengwen feel very strange.

Can you possibly understand "To Live" better than Yu Hua? Can you possibly understand it better than Ge You or Zhang Yimou?
There's already a ready-made, award-winning template in front of us, with both film and novel versions, so there shouldn't be much room for modification.

If the feeling you find doesn't match the script, and you have to revise it, then for the actor, it means finding that feeling all over again, which is ultimately a loss.

Who can guarantee that the feeling you find is correct? That it fits the script perfectly?

I can't
Director Zhu Zhengwen said.

"Don't stray too far from the original work."

As they were talking, Li Xuan had already walked away.
At this moment, Li Xuan took out paper and pen and began to write.

The realism of a simulation is related to one's understanding of the character. In other words, the deeper one's understanding, the more profound the character can be, and the better one can act.

Ultimately, it all comes down to one's own skill—whether one can portray the character with depth.

"To Live" is a bit like "Rickshaw Boy". Both characters are incredibly unlucky, like some people in a century. Oh no, being born in a chaotic era is unlucky enough.

Many people compare the two, after all, they do seem to have some similarities in terms of the era and the degree of misfortune they suffered.

You are indeed quite frustrated.

After all, this is the kind of life they've been given.

Because of this commonality, Lao She and Yu Hua were able to write such synchronic works.

It focuses on the ordinary people of that era.

At this moment, Li Xuan thought of starting with ordinary people.

This is the key starting point.

At this moment, Li Xuan began to write.

The granary is piled high with red sorghum; I am the landlord's son, Fu Gui.

Blue sky, white clouds, fields, and grain.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a place piled high with grain.

The granary is full of grain.

I am the son of a landlord.

My surname is Xu.

His name is Xu Fugui.

The greatest hardship I've ever endured in my life.

It means taking medicine.

I have loving parents, lots of land, and a mansion. I don't have to worry about not having enough to eat.

Happiness and carefree.

No worries.

Childhood memories.

Run in the wheat field, rest in the wheat field, wake up in the wheat field.

You can eat as much oil-splashed noodles as you like.

Father, I heard there's a war going on outside, is that right?

Yes, but it's okay. Our town wasn't affected. We're really lucky!
For those who were not among those affected on the main battlefield.

Old Xu felt that our family was really lucky.

This small town.

It's a lucky place.

I think so too.

I am such a lucky person.

smile.

It was written all over Xu Fugui's stupid face.

Just like the name and hopes that Lao Xu gave him.

I wish you good fortune and wealth.

But in the end, good fortune came first.

I hope you live a happy life.

Even when he turned eighteen, Fugui still retained his innocence.

Innocence untainted by knowledge and human nature.

Also known as Dingzhen.

At this moment, Li Xuan felt a long-lost sense of happiness, a feeling he had experienced in the world of the drama.

fantastic.

happiness
At this time, the crew of "To Live" was preparing to officially start filming.

Liu Mintao forced a smile, trying to get into character.

Forget about what happens next in the story.

In the early stages, Jia Zhen was a strong, hardworking, and brave woman.

Forget about what came after that.
There's still some worry on your face.

At this moment, Zhu Zhengwen said with some contradiction, because it is normal to feel sad, but the early plot is not that depressing yet!
At this moment, Li Xuan, who had finished copying the script, put it together.

He still had a happy smile on his face.

It was this cheerful smile that made Zhu Zhengwen and Liu Mintao pause for a moment.

There was absolutely no intention to adjust their emotions.

After reading the script.

Others may experience some degree of depression, especially Fugui, whose character is the most depressed and the unluckiest person in the entire series.

Just reading his scripts makes me feel like I can't bear to finish reading about his life.

It's so miserable.

If you're going to play him, you'll have to experience all the misery in his life, and that's not an easy feeling.

Those kinds of life experiences that make you feel uncomfortable just by looking at them.

I want to experience it all.

Take a look.

As a result, the doctors treating depression were all ready to come over and tell Li Xuan that it was all an act, all fake, all scripted, and that his life wasn't that miserable.

Tell Li Xuan not to get too involved.

The psychologists are all ready.

Surprisingly, Li Xuan seemed completely unaffected, showing no signs of psychological distress or being deeply involved with Fu Gui. Well, he did seem to have some of that.

Because he looked especially happy.

From head to toe.

They all exude a sunny feeling.

Lotte Sunshine.

This optimistic and sunny disposition.

It's actually quite therapeutic.

The healing that occurred in Fugui seemed rather strange.

After reading the script and the character biographies.

How could someone come to such a conclusion?
Such an optimistic and sunny child from the bottom of his heart.

Is he really Fugui from the TV series "To Live"?
At this moment, Zhu Zhengwen and Liu Mintao didn't know what to say.

I can only say that I was somewhat surprised by the male lead's demeanor.

But if you have to put it that way, it seems that the male lead's appearance and demeanor aren't exactly off-putting.
And look at the protagonist's sunny and cheerful appearance.

Filming began.

The 1940s.

The more than 200 mu of fertile land in Xujiachuan that produced tribute rice belonged to the Xu family, making them a leading landowner.

However, last year there was a locust plague, resulting in a poor harvest.

Xu Mancang, the shopkeeper of the Xu family, planned to take his tenant farmers to the town to borrow rice from the grain store and return it in the fall.

for this matter.

Xu Fugui, one of the three wastes of Xujiachuan, took it upon himself to lead the tenant farmers to the rice shop to borrow rice, accompanied by gongs and drums and folk dances.

Why is Xujiachuan considered one of the three wastelands?

That's because of brothels, gambling dens, and taverns.

This won't do, that won't do. As a spoiled brat, even eating, drinking, and having fun are considered inferior, which makes people sigh with admiration when they see him.

This piece of trash is truly a piece of pure trash.

What utterly worthless trash.

"Is this a natural performance?" the handsome actor Geng Shengkai, who plays Chunsheng, muttered to himself.

He has this carefree, optimistic, and lazy attitude.

While everyone else was anxious about the food shortage, only this landlord's foolish son remained carefree and optimistic.

Everyone could see the overflowing jealousy in Geng Shengkai's eyes.

It's really just jealousy.

In terms of age, Liu Mintao and Geng Shengkai are the leading actors of this generation.

Li Xuan is considered a member of the new generation.
However, this new generation actor now occupies a more important role than him, being the lead in this film "To Live," while he, as a veteran actor and in his prime, can only play a supporting role.

Really unwilling.

I'm genuinely a little jealous.

Although we're in this circle.

There's no such thing as absolute fairness, but Li Xuan, this "star," came to the "Living" production team to steal the job of an "actor."

This is the territory of the acting masters.

Your presence here feels like a cuckoo taking over someone else's nest!
In addition, Li Xuan's face was extremely young.

This really made him feel that "To Live" was doomed.

"I think he acted quite well, and his resume is also quite good." Ye Chao, the actor playing Long Er next to him, said cheerfully, "This playboy really looks the part."

With his spoiled brat look, he seems easy to fool.

Geng Shengkai muttered something about playing himself, saying, "How could Fugui be so happy?"

"His resume is all commercial films, and he hasn't even been nominated for the three major awards."

That's certainly true.

Art films, as art films, have a greater advantage in winning awards.

Actors look down on idols who are superficial, while idols look down on actors who are old-fashioned.
You laugh at me for not achieving enough in my career.

I laugh at your low pay.

Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

As for stars who have both acting skills and star power.

Please.

It's not that easy.

In the eyes of those veteran actors, Li Xuan is still more of an "idol".

"Moreover, there are so many veteran actors from the Central Academy of Drama here, can he handle so many roles?"

Geng Shengkai actually only raised one crucial point.

Those present were all veteran talents from the Central Academy of Drama, and the female lead possessed both beauty and acting skills. You, a student from the Beijing Film Academy, couldn't keep up with the performance, and you're in trouble.

Moreover, there are several stages.

Fu Gui, the foolish son of a landlord, faced an even more tragic fate after his downfall.

Can you still laugh?

How do you catch the play? How do you handle it?

His tragic fate.

But his tragic fate had not yet begun.

Liu Mintao looked at the person in front of her and suddenly burst out laughing.

Actually, she had a question from the very beginning.

That's why Chen Jiazhen liked him.

In the novel "To Live", Chen Jiazhen is a very traditional woman. Her unwavering devotion to Fugui stems more from the traditional Chinese belief that a woman should follow her husband wherever he goes.

Is there love in it?

I do not know.

The reason for watching the TV series is that, due to the length of the episodes, they need to develop the romantic relationship between him and Jia Zhen.

The feelings between the male and female protagonists.

Rather than the Three Obediences and Four Virtues.

This was originally something that really tested one's acting skills.

Even if Chen Chuang were to play the role, it would be the same.

Because of the character Fugui, it's generally difficult to truly fall in love with him.

He indulges in all sorts of vices, from eating and drinking to gambling and whoring. You're lucky if you don't slap him when you meet someone like that, let alone develop feelings for him.

impossible!

So there's another advantage to Li Xuan's performance.

That's one advantage, though.

That's the guy; he's really handsome.

In terms of emotions, it's much easier to get into character when it comes to this handsome guy.

Handsome guys are just so pleasing to the eye.

At least it's still easy to find the feeling of liking something.

Useless.

But being handsome is also a good thing.

Just like Xu Fugui right in front of me.

It's still easy to get into the groove.

It's this handsome appearance that...

However, when filming actually began, Liu Mintao discovered that his charm, it seemed, lay not only in his handsome appearance, but also in something that made people feel somewhat happy.

He is very sunny and cheerful.

Dancing a clumsy folk dance, he truly is one of the three useless people of Xujiachuan. Even his dancing is so clumsy.

But this clumsy way of doing things is actually quite cute.

A terrible dancer.

His name was Xu Fugui, and he was the mentally challenged son of a landlord.

Its most prominent characteristic is that it's stupid.

It's really a bit silly.

She's a bit silly, but kind of cute.

Liu Mintao couldn't help but laugh out loud as she watched.

Zhu Zhengwen, standing beside her, looked at the female lead. It seemed that under the influence of the young Fugui in front of him, his apprehension about the future of the script had lessened considerably.

She is the current Chen Jiazhen, the young lady of the rice shop.

Naivety.

They were also attracted by Fugui's "innocence".

"You still came with me. It just goes to show how true our friendship is."

"You really didn't treat me like a patient, or even like a human being."

"Oh hahahahahaha!"

At this moment, Shi Tiesheng's wheelchair was roughly thrown into the car by Yu Hua, who then carried the old man out the door without keeping his mouth shut.

Mo Yan, who was standing next to him, was in charge of carrying the luggage.

For Yu Hua and Mo Yan, rushing to the film set wasn't too difficult, but for Shi Tiesheng, who had a physical disability, it was quite challenging.

Faced with the "torture" from a close friend.

Shi Tiesheng was on the verge of tears but could only accept it; who told his two friends to be so "brutal"?

After arriving in Hengcheng.

The three of them sneaked onto the film set; Yu Hua was originally the literary advisor.

Of course, for him, it was just a legitimate reason to visit the set.

"This Fugui is quite handsome."

At this moment, Yu Hua watched Fu Gui, who was dancing a folk dance, with great interest.

Mo Yan was looking at Li Xuan at that moment.

Some trance.

Isn't this Murong Fu?

The actor who played Murong Fu in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" at that time.

Jin Yong once praised him, saying that he was practically the embodiment of Murong Fu, and even felt that the pen had been given to him.

You write it!

In the end, they really did change the ending for him. This was the first time that Cha Liangyong had ever changed a character for the sake of adapting a TV series.

This is unprecedented.

That's why he remembers it so vividly.

I never expected this guy to appear in Yu Hua's work.

"That's interesting. Can he handle this role?"

At this moment, even Mo Yan, who was standing next to him, was a little curious about how this young man could play both Murong Fu and Xu Fugui, two roles that seemed completely unrelated.

at this time.

Shi Tiesheng, standing nearby, looked at the set with a strange expression: "This young man, can he withstand the pressure of your work?"

Yu Hua, this cheerful person.

His greatest pleasure was watching his crew and readers cry.

He brought plenty of snacks this time, ready to enjoy this hellish scene.

Especially seeing how innocent the protagonist is.

After that, he was crying and sobbing.

That makes it even more agonizing.

That damn demon!
If I had legs, I would definitely stand up and kick him twice!

"Hehehe, hehehe, I'm the happy little gardener~~"

At this moment, Yu Hua started singing a little tune and sat in the center of the room watching the filming.

At this time, many people also noticed these three well-known writers.

Some of the younger crew members looked at the three of them with disbelief.

These three people look like characters from a high school textbook; they look so young, not much older than the veterans in the crew.

Everyone thought that those who could be included in textbooks would be very old, but unexpectedly these three are still so young.

Especially this Yu Hua, he really doesn't look old at all, people would believe he's in his 30s.

Yu Hua's response to this was quite simple.

Maintaining a cheerful and happy mood allows you to keep your mind fresh and your spirits uplifted, which is the secret to youth.

At this moment, Mo Yan said...

What do you think of this main character?

"I think it's great. He has a sunny smile and a touch of innocence. It's really good, no exaggeration. This innocent look is quite similar to the Fugui in my mind."

Yu Hua stared with great interest at Li Xuan, who was equally happy, his sunshine, his radiance.

warm.

It exudes a fiery tone.

Interesting.

Yu Hua was immediately wide awake.

It's different from the movie version of "To Live".

Filming is still ongoing.

The happy Fugui was still laughing and joking, displaying innocence and naivety, and there was a wonderful joy in his expression.

Light and lively.

This enlivened the atmosphere of the entire crew.

This kid seems pretty happy.

Regardless of what happens to him in the future, at least he's happy now.

This feeling is actually quite therapeutic.

However, it also gives people the feeling that this guy is a bit silly, and that silly vibe is just right, so right.

I wonder how long this guy can stay happy.

Because the first unfortunate thing in his life was about to happen.

Long Er, whom he met while borrowing rice, actually had ulterior motives. He befriended Fu Gui simply because he was attracted to Fu Gui's status as a wealthy but foolish man and his simple-minded appearance, making him very easy to deceive.

If Heaven grants it and we do not take it, it will be against all reason and law.

Above the casino.

Long Er swindled Xu Fugui out of all his family's wealth.

From now on, this unlucky fellow will no longer be a landlord.

Long Er also turned the tables and became the master, inheriting the Xu family's property and enjoying unparalleled glory.

The other side of Xu Fugui's innocence.

He indulged in all sorts of pleasures, including eating, drinking, gambling, and womanizing, but tragically, he was terrible at even the simplest form of entertainment, which is why he managed to lose all his wealth.

"Go and carry these copper coins to pay off the debt."

Mr. Xu aged many years overnight.

They exchanged all their family property for copper coins carried on a carrying pole, and made Fugui carry the coins basket by basket to pay off the debt. This was to let him know how much money and how much weight he had lost, how easily he had gambled away the entire family's hard-earned money.

It's very heavy.

One carrying pole at a time.

When the carrying pole was taken out, layers of fine sweat covered his body.

They also knew that those copper coins were quite heavy.

Even if it's just a prop.

Those were buckets and carrying poles.

I'm finished. I've gambled away all my family's wealth.

I'm afraid to go home; I want to die but I'm too scared to.

The cowardice of this innocent young master gradually became apparent to people. He was indeed protected by Master Xu and was very "innocent," possessing both a pure and kind side and a pure and evil side.

Long Er, who acquired Fu Gui's century-old ancestral home, "kindly" rented a piece of land to Fu Gui, thus turning Fu Gui from a landlord into a tenant farmer.

When Master Xu realized that Xu Jia had been completely defeated, he decided to go back and take one last look at the Xu family's fields. However, while he stepped over the threshold of the Xu family compound with one foot, he couldn't step over with the other. Master Xu sat on the threshold and never woke up again.

He died beneath the lintel of his house.

At this moment, Fugui stood in front of the door, stunned.

He stared blankly at his father's body, his micro-expressions quite peculiar.

That kind of sadness, almost twitching.

For an instant.

It's like being overwhelmed with sadness, and memories flash through your mind.

Master Xu, the man who doted on Fugui to the core, this father, has finally fallen.

This was Fugui's first real "loss".

They lost the power to protect themselves and the people who loved them most in the world.

father!
The silent sorrow was expressed only through lip movements, without uttering any sound.

This is a way of expressing acting skills.

It's also an unexpected way of expressing acting skills.

At least those present.

All a little shocked.

This acting is so expressive.

Even Zhu Zhengwen was somewhat shocked by the tension in that one second.

From the start of filming, Zhu Zhengwen had a vague feeling that Li Xuan was not simple, but he did not expect that the actual filming results would be so surprising.

His acting skills are impressive.

Micro-expressions of silent sadness.

Is he really just a junior in college?

(End of this chapter)