Rebirth of Chinese Entertainment, the Diary of a 95 Flower

Before Jiang Yang could answer the question...

The assistant director's voice came through the walkie-talkie, saying that the positions were adjusted and they could now rehearse the scene.

Zhong Shujia stopped chatting.

He immediately grabbed the megaphone and said, "Let's go through the scene first. You don't need to wear helmets. Pay attention to the camera positions. There are three cameras. One is over there by the tree, and two are at the gate. Don't look at the cameras. Okay, three, two, one, start! Let's go!"

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Yang wasn't busy on set.

Besides occasionally giving Gulnazar acting pointers, she also helps the production crew move equipment.

He was helping the stagehands, but actually he was helping the director.

Because the things the stagehands move usually belong to the director.

The camera crew's equipment, such as the camera slides and metal frames, are not allowed to be touched by the production assistants; those are handled by the camera assistants.

The lighting fixtures for the lighting team were also moved by the lighting assistant.

Needless to say, the costume department is another story altogether.

The number of palace maids, servants, noble ladies' undergarments, and guards' armor was all recorded.

Every time an item is taken from the clothing truck, it must be registered and the quantity recorded.

If the quantity is incorrect when returning the work, you will have to pay compensation.

Each part has a clear division of labor. Except for the very busy period at the beginning and end of filming, it is actually quite leisurely during the filming process.

Today's photos were taken at the main building of the Ming and Qing Palace.

The morning's scene was a large-scale production, involving not only seventy or eighty people, but also six large horses that were rented.

When there are too many people, it becomes difficult to manage them.

The horses urinated as soon as filming started, wetting the ground.

Two hours later, he defecated again.

With nothing else to do, Jiang Yang helped the crew clean up the horse manure. This scene stunned Zhong Shujia, who then invited Jiang Yang to sit back down next to him.

We've gotten to know each other better over the past few days.

Looking at the game on Jiang Yang's phone screen: "What are you playing?"

"Miracle Nikki, a recently released game."

"Isn't this a game for girls? It's a dress-up game." Zhong Shujia frowned.

I don't understand this young man.

Over the course of three days, I made a point of observing Jiangyang.

It's certain that she has exceptional talent.

I thought it would be arrogant like a young person, but it turned out to be very down-to-earth.

After instructing Gulnazar, she could immediately turn around and chat with the extras.

When shooting night scenes, I helped the set designer hang lanterns.

It's clear that he has a good relationship with Gulnazar.

He can freely enter Nazha's RV.

But most of the time, Jiang Yang would sit with a folding chair in the group of extras.

They will teach guest actors some acting techniques.

They would tell the foreground actors how to practice their Mandarin, and if they could deliver their lines well, it would be easier for them to get roles as extras.

As for the most ordinary extras, those with heavy accents or who are too short are destined not to become main characters or be selected for special roles.

I'm destined to be a background figure in this industry for the rest of my life.

Jiang Yang then chatted with them about some interesting things that happened on other film sets.

In the past two days, the word has spread among several guild groups and actors privately that coming to the "Fighter of the Destiny" group is particularly interesting.

There's a performance coach named Jiang Yang who's willing to talk to everyone about anything.

Every time meals were served, if anyone couldn't get mung bean porridge, Jiang Yang would specially ask his assistant to buy drinks for everyone.

They just used Gulnazar's assistant.

Zhong Shujia became more and more satisfied with Jiang Yang. He didn't have the arrogance of a genius, nor was he a troublemaker.

While Jiang Yang is known for being shrewd and diplomatic, he's not exactly glib or slick.

To say Jiang Yang is hypocritical.

Judging from the enthusiasm Jiang Yang showed when interacting with everyone, it didn't seem like he was faking it.

Every time there was a meal break, he never asked the crew to prepare a special meal for him, and he didn't eat the meals provided by the crew either. He just ate the boxed lunches from the extras.

If the extras run out of boxed lunches, he'll give up his own and just eat whatever's available.

I've never seen an actor like this before.

He's someone who can achieve great things.

Zhong Shujia suddenly asked, "Jiang Yang, have you thought this through?"

After one scene, the costume department's on-set supervisor was checking the actors' costumes for any continuity errors, and the assistant director was adjusting the actors' positions, moving them from the stairs of the main building to the open space in front of the main building.

We had to film three takes, keeping the queue in place and filling the entire area to make it easier to create the effect of thousands of people in post-production.

"Director, you mean the matter of developing your career in Hong Kong?" Jiang Yang put away his phone, realizing that Zhong Shujia hadn't given up yet.

Zhong Shujia laughed and said, "To be honest, if you were a few years older, and I had known you a few years earlier, whether you were in high school or college, I would have definitely put you in the cast of 'Bodyguards and Assassins' a few years ago, to play the role of Li Yuchun."

"Li Yuchun acted very well."

Chatted for a few words.

Zhong Shujia steered the conversation back to the main topic: "Jiang Yang, what are you thinking?"

Should I develop my career in Hong Kong?
Jiang Yang understood that Zhong Shujia had feelings for him.

It's not like Guo Jingming's thinking. As a director, Zhong Shujia is quite upright in the industry. He's in his early fifties and has a very good reputation.

It's clear that Zhong Shujia was probably just asking casually, just like a few days ago.

Before Jiang Yang could answer, the executive director's voice came through the walkie-talkie, informing him that the extras' positions had been arranged.

He continued directing the scene while watching the monitor.

This also gives Jiang Yang time to wait.

If Jiang Yang agrees, great; if he doesn't, there's no loss.

In Jiangyang's case, the answer is crucial.

I will definitely refuse.

In the past, the film and television industry in Hong Kong was indeed well-developed, but in recent years, it has begun to be overtaken by the mainland.

Especially with the arrival of the era of internet traffic, there are more opportunities for mainland companies to emerge.

In fact, Jiang Yang has already made a name for himself in mainland China and has a certain degree of recognition in the industry.

The girls sitting in the corner by the entrance were fans who had come to visit him on set; they were the ones who had waited for him at the Marriott Hotel.

The filming location at the Qin Palace was originally only open to staff and actors.

You need to show your identification.

Jiang Yang made a special effort to report to Hengdian Group and even paid for the tickets out of his own pocket to bring these little fans in.

Things are a bit more relaxed these days.

In a few years, the controls will be even stricter, and it will be virtually impossible for fans to get in.

Not to mention fans, even actors with actor's certificates are not allowed to enter before filming time.

Zhong Shujia could directly ask him if he had any thoughts on this.

But Jiang Yang couldn't openly refuse.

"To be honest, director, didn't you say before that I look like Zhang Guolong?" Jiang Yang didn't answer directly.

“You do have his temperament. After watching you for the past few days, I feel you are even more like him, although you are taller than him.”

“I’m reminded of a line my brother said in ‘Days of Being Wild’, which was spoken by my brother’s character, Ah Fei, while dancing alone in front of the mirror. He spoke in a languid and aloof tone, and it’s a metaphor that runs throughout the whole film.”

Zhong Shujia looked at Jiang Yang.

I roughly understand what Jiang Yang meant. As a filmmaker and a Hong Konger, I've watched Days of Being Wild many times and know which line Jiang Yang was referring to.

He didn't spell it out, but asked, "Which line? I've almost forgotten it."

"That's the line."

Jiang Yang imitated the way Leslie Cheung played Ah Fei in the original film, slightly raising his head and looking at the sky: "I heard from others that there is a kind of bird in this world that has no feet. It can only keep flying and flying. When it gets tired, it sleeps in the wind. This kind of bird can only land once in its life, and that is when it dies."

Zhong Shujia nodded, a smile of appreciation on her face.

Jiang Yang continued, "I'm a mainland actor who's just started down this path. Like this kind of bird, I have to put down roots in this land first."

"And director, I'm currently managing several newly signed artists."

"Those actors from your company? One of them even released a song called 'Calories'."

"Yes, the singer who sings 'Calories' is Yang Chaoyue."

Jiang Yang laughed and said, "None of the artists in my company are from formal acting schools. Some are factory workers, some are models, and some are art students like me. And this one, look."

Jiang Yang took out his phone.

Opening the chat history with Bai Lu: "I asked this Bai Lu to join the team three days ago and come over to be my assistant. She's been dragging her feet and hasn't finished all her messy stuff yet. She's been sending things back to her hometown and canceling her lease. They've already signed the leases with me, especially Chao Yue. I even taught him Mandarin. If I go to Hong Kong, wouldn't I be misleading him?"

Zhong Shujia laughed and said, "You're even misleading people. Nazha has been trained by you, and her filming progress has improved a lot these past few days. She's acting very smoothly. Your artists definitely don't feel as much pressure following you as they do when they're signed with other companies... So, are you reluctant to part with them?"

“When I’ve trained them to be able to stand on their own, if you return to Hong Kong to develop your career, I will bring my work to visit you in Hong Kong.”

"Hahaha, okay, okay."

Having said all that, Zhong Shujia understood Jiang Yang's meaning.

Simply put, it can be summed up in three words.

unwilling.

Having given him both face and substance, Zhong Shujia followed Jiang Yang's words and said, "Then I'll look forward to the opportunity for us to cooperate in Hong Kong in the future."

"I'm just afraid you'll think my Cantonese isn't authentic enough."

"So what? I've been in the mainland for a few years, and my Mandarin still has a strong Hong Kong accent. And Wu Jing, he's been in Hong Kong for so many years, and his Cantonese still sounds like a scoundrel, but he still managed to make a name for himself."

Chatted for a few words.

For some reason, they burst into laughter.

The laughter subsided.

Zhong Shujia patted Jiang Yang's thigh: "Jiang Yang, don't feel pressured, and you don't need to be so careful in front of me. We are friends in private, even though we are cooperating. To be honest, it's good that you are developing in the mainland. I was one of the first actors from Hong Kong to come to the mainland. There are still some old-fashioned people there who are unwilling to change. If I really take you there, I'm afraid I will bury your talent."

"No, no, no, Hong Kong is a great place, director."

Knowing that Zhong Shujia was telling the truth, Jiang Yang still had to smooth things over.

"Jiang Yang, I've worked at TVB in Hong Kong for over twenty years, starting as a director. Sometimes I feel that our generation is like a banyan tree, having taken root in Hong Kong for half our lives, but our spirits always yearn to drift towards the mainland. I always feel that times are getting more and more different from before, and I also feel that I might not be able to produce many good works..."

He's over fifty; his creative talent should have run its course by now.

"Director, you're still young. You look only about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. You're sure you can still make many classic works that will be passed down through generations."

"To be honest, your praise is very hypocritical."

Zhong Shujia paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "But I like listening to it."

They both laughed.

Jiang Yang was indeed being polite to Zhong Shujia.

Because it was known that after Zhong Shujia finished filming "Fighter of the Destiny," he did not produce any works in mainland China that were as popular as before for a long time.

Until six years later.

Back in Hong Kong, he used his connections to get Charmaine Sheh, Kenneth Ma, and Selena Lee to star in "News Queen," which became a hit in both Hong Kong and mainland China.

Therefore, after filming this movie, the chances of me working with Zhong Shujia again are slim.

It's essential to maintain a good relationship; I can act as his introducer and connect him to Hong Kong.

Be shameless.

Maybe we could have made "Queen of the News" a few years earlier.

The seventy or eighty extras on set were repositioned for the next scene.

This time it's going to be a real shoot, so I need to put on my helmet.

The costume supervisor was a tall, burly man who checked the actors' costumes row by row for any mistakes. He stopped at the last row, stared at an extra in his early twenties, and walked over to him, his tone sharp: "Did you take your clothes off before?"

"Yes, I've taken my clothes off," the other person replied timidly.

"Are you fucking out of your mind?!"

He stared at her, his voice so loud it could spit in her face: "You're wearing your inner lining inside out, right over left."

A tearing sound.

He untied the other man's belt.

The phone, which was originally hidden inside the armor and concealed by the belt, fell to the ground and was swept aside by the sniper's foot.

"Oh, my phone."

"I told you not to fucking move! Are you out of your mind? Who told you to take your clothes off?!"

Jiang Yang looked up at the scene and frowned slightly.

You could see the embarrassment on the extra's face.

During a break earlier, he had chatted with the other person and learned that his name was Wu Guangsheng, from Hebei. He had even taken a photo with him. The other person was 22 years old, a college graduate, and had just come from the factory. This was his first day as an extra.

When I chatted with him, he was excited and happy, saying that it was great to be an extra, to meet a star like Jiang Yang, and to sit and chat with a star.

He was immediately confronted and cursed several times in front of so many people, who said he was insane.

He puffed out his cheeks and said, "I didn't take off my clothes. I thought you were talking about the helmet. I did take off my helmet when I was resting, otherwise it would be uncomfortable to have the hood pressing down on me."

"You didn't take off your clothes, so how come your inner lining looks like this?"

Now his voice is even louder.

They tried to loosen Wu Guangsheng's belt and tidy up the edges of his inner lining, but found it was impossible.

You have to take off all the outer armor and coat before you can tidy up the inner lining.

People in front of them all turned around to look.

Wu Guangsheng's lips trembled: "I didn't take them off."

"Say one more word to me," he shouted fiercely.

The makeup assistant, carrying a makeup bag, walked to the side and whispered, "Actually, Xiao Wang didn't teach them. The last batch of extras wore their own costumes."

He pretended not to hear.

He stared at Wu Guangsheng: "You fucking talk back to me, you must have taken your clothes off."

“I don’t need to argue with you about this. I’ve never taken my clothes off before. It’s my first day here, and I don’t even know how to take them off!” Wu Guangsheng said with a straight face.

"Do you want your salary or not? You don't want to close any deals today, damn it!"

Wu Guangsheng's jaw muscles bulged, and he hunched his neck.

Before he could say anything.

Then he heard someone calling his name.

Her voice was clear and crisp, and her pronunciation was distinct, unlike mine, which had a slight accent from my hometown.

It was Jiang Yang's voice, the same actor he had chatted with during the break earlier: "Guangsheng, what's wrong?"

Wu Guangsheng turned his head and saw Jiang Yang walking over, then avoided Jiang Yang's gaze.

During my break, I chatted with Jiang Yang.

They are filming a movie now.

Jiang Yang was part of the crew, unlike him who was an extra, so he was definitely on the crew's side.

“Teacher Jiang, this extra is not being honest, he…” the costume designer said, pointing at Wu Guangsheng.

"Teacher, he is my friend."

Jiang Yang smiled and naturally raised his hand to gently press down the hand that was pointing at Wu Guangsheng.
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PS: The storyline involving Wu Guangsheng is based on real events, but the name is fake. Everything before Jiang Yang appears is real, but the storyline after Jiang Yang is fake. We were filming a night scene at 3 a.m., and everyone was thinking about wrapping up. We were in a bad mood, and the costume department wrongly accused the extra because they hadn't actually taught him how to wear the costume. I was adding fuel to the fire next to him, and I wanted to speak up for him, but I couldn't.

I don't know if people will like to read about these real things.

Please vote with your monthly tickets! Only two days left, brothers, please vote with your monthly tickets! (End of this chapter)