Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 6, Section 06: Audition

The office meeting ended.

The groups immediately split up and took action.

……

The next two days.

Wang Sheng, accompanied by a monkey, rode a 1970s-era bicycle and began scouting "high-end filming locations" in Beijing.

"Brother Sheng, are we really going to the church? Do you think we'll be allowed to go in and film there, since it's the foreign monks' territory?"

The monkey pedaled the bike with difficulty while asking loudly.

The April wind still carried a chill, making his hair fly wildly.

“If they won’t let us in, we’ll take pictures outside! We want that backdrop and the feel of that pointed roof!” Wang Sheng echoed loudly, “These days, those who got rich first are into this! They think Western styles and Hong Kong and Taiwan styles are high-class! We have to cater to their tastes!”

The two headed to several famous churches in the capital first.

The result was either that the gate was closed, or even if it was opened, they were told that complicated application procedures were required, and that commercial photography was strictly prohibited inside.

"Well, that's it." The monkey's enthusiasm was greatly dampened, and it hung its head.

Wang Sheng was not discouraged. He pointed to the church's exterior wall and the small square in front of it: "The outside works too! Find a good angle, use a telephoto lens to compress the space, blur the church's spire and stained glass windows into the background, and focus on the newlyweds. The effect will be just as sophisticated!"

Next, they went to look for a suitable lawn location.

In 1996, there were not many well-maintained public green spaces in Beijing.

Parks are either crowded and noisy or strictly managed.

They did manage to find out about a few high-end hotels with their own gardens and lawns, but when they inquired about the rent, the monkey almost bit off its tongue.

"Several thousand a day? That's robbery!" the monkey exclaimed.

Wang Sheng frowned, crossing out name after name in his notebook: "No, the cost is too high. We need to look again."

Finally, they found a newly developed resort on the outskirts of the city. There was a relatively flat grassy area with tender green grass in early spring, sparse trees behind it, and no jarring modern buildings in the distance. It looked quite open and natural.

"That's it!"

Wang Sheng made the decision: "Talk to the resort manager, we'll just use this edge area, shoot for a morning, and we should be able to get it done for a few hundred yuan."

……

On the other hand, through his cousin's roundabout connections, Xiaobing finally managed to make a call to the reception room of the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe's dormitory building.

Luckily, the old man who answered the phone happened to know Li Xiaoran and helped her call someone.

When Xiaobing stammered out his purpose on the phone, emphasizing that it was "a company under Beijing Film Studio," "shooting a movie-level advertisement," and "the director wants to talk to you personally," Li Xiaoran on the other end of the line clearly hesitated for a moment.

The Beijing Film Studio still carries considerable weight in the arts and culture circles.

She was feeling lost about her future. The decline of the dance troupe and her weariness with dance made her eager to find a new way out.

An opportunity from the Beijing Film Studio, even if it's just an advertisement, is enough to excite her.

"Is your company inside the Beijing Film Studio?" Li Xiaoran's voice came through the phone line, tinged with wariness and inquiry.

"Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely true! If you don't believe me, you can come to the factory and talk to us in person! Our Director Wang was personally appointed by Factory Director Han Sanping!" The soldier quickly pulled out his biggest trump card, and although Han Sanping had only nodded, it sounded particularly intimidating at the moment.

Sure enough, the name "Han Sanping" was more effective than the Beijing Film Studio itself.

Li Xiaoran, who frequented Beijing's social circles, had naturally heard of the famous "Han Tiger."

She hesitated for a few seconds and then said, "Okay, tell me the specific address and time."

……

Chen Liang and Da Liu were also busy.

Through a friend Chen Liang knew in the community, they contacted a small-time modeling agent. After looking at photos and profiles of several girls, they actually picked out two with good looks and temperament.

I also used my connections to find a dancer named Zhang Meng who had just come to Beijing from a performing arts troupe in Northeast China looking for opportunities. She looked very pretty in the photos.

……

Shengying Media Office.

After two days of travel.

Everyone gathered together again for a meeting.

Wang Sheng chaired the meeting as usual: "Let me update you on the current progress. The location has been finalized—a lawn on the edge of the New Rome Resort in the suburbs. Monkey and I have already planned out the shooting route, camera positions, and lighting setup. Chen Liang, how's your work progressing?"

Chen Liang reported solemnly, "The model has been notified that she should come to our company for an audition tomorrow, Monday, April 8th, at 10:00 AM sharp. The address given is the main building of Beijing Film Studio. She should call us when she arrives at the factory gate, and we will come to pick her up."

"Um……"

Wang Sheng nodded slightly and looked at Xiaobing: "Xiaobing, how's it going on your end?"

Xiaobing: "Brother Sheng, Li Xiaoran agreed, and she will be there on time tomorrow."

Wang Sheng concluded, "Everyone did a great job. Alright, that's enough work for today. Come on, it's on me, let's have a good meal together..."

……

Another day.

Monday, August 1996, 4.

Before 10 a.m., Li Xiaoran entered the main building of Beijing Film Studio under the guidance of Xiaobing.

The office of Shengying Media is located on the far west side of the first floor, and it used to be a department warehouse.

The office door was open, and three young women were already sitting on the bench outside, talking in hushed tones, their eyes filled with both anticipation and a hint of scrutiny.

Li Xiaoran paused, thinking to herself, "Wow, this audition has quite a few people in line. It looks pretty professional, almost legitimate..."

She pulled her best coat tighter around herself, trying to appear calm and composed, and walked over to find an empty seat at the end of the bench, where she sat down quietly and waited.

The Beijing Film Studio's reputation made her pay more attention, but that was all; she had encountered similar "opportunities" before.

There are quite a few scammers mingling in Beijing's social circles.

Xiaobing walked into the office and informed Wang Sheng and the others that everyone had arrived.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly: "Then proceed according to plan and begin the auditions. Xiaobing, you go out and maintain order."

"it is good."

After Xiaobing left the office, only Wang Sheng, Chen Liang, and Chen Yu remained in the office.

……

The audition was simple. Wang Sheng explained that he needed to film a beautiful scene of the groom kissing the bride's lower lip under her veil. To avoid being too intimate on their first meeting, he temporarily downgraded the "veil kiss" to a kiss on the forehead or cheek, asking the girls to imagine the happy wedding scene and make corresponding expressions and body language. However, the first three girls who auditioned were either too reserved, with stiff movements and evasive eyes, or too "skilled," exuding a worldly air, far removed from the "pure and dreamy sense of happiness" that Wang Sheng wanted.

Although they look good, something just doesn't feel right.

"Okay, thank you for participating. Please go back and wait for our notification." Wang Sheng saw off the girls who had just finished the race in the gentlest tone possible.

Finally, it was Li Xiaoran's turn.

"Next, Li Xiaoran," Chen Liang called out.

Li Xiaoran took a deep breath and walked into the office.

"Hello, please sit down."

Wang Sheng pointed to the chair in front of him and quickly looked her up and down.

She was indeed tall and slender, with skin so fair it was almost translucent, and delicate features. She possessed an innocent charm that seemed untouched by the world, along with a touch of the elegant grace unique to dancers.

There seemed to be a faint weariness and confusion between his brows, but this only added to his pitiful and genuine appearance.

After a brief registration, Wang Sheng described the advertising concept and the "veil kiss" scene that she needed to portray, but the audition was still for the version where she kissed someone near the cheek.

“We need a little physical contact, mainly just using camera angles and creating the right atmosphere. Can you accept that?” Wang Sheng looked into her eyes and asked earnestly.

Li Xiaoran hesitated for a moment.

She had seen some scenes at the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe, but this was her first time filming like this.

Looking into Wang Sheng's clear and professional eyes, Li Xiaoran nodded: "We can give it a try."

"it is good."

Wang Sheng gestured to Chen Yu.

Chen Yu picked up a small piece of white lace veil that she had prepared beforehand, walked over, and carefully placed it on Li Xiaoran's head. The thin veil draped down, partially obscuring her beautiful face, instantly adding a touch of hazy beauty and sanctity.

Wang Sheng stood up, walked to her, and began to explain the technique in detail. He drew on the details of the classic veil kiss from the Chen couple in his memory: "In a moment, I will first use my fingers to gently lift the veil from the side of your cheek, not suddenly, but with a soft arc..."

He gestured for Li Xiaoran to lower her head slightly: "You can lower your head a little like this, as if you're a bit shy. Then, when I lift your veil, you should slowly raise your head, your eyes filled with anticipation and happiness."

He continued, breaking down the movements: "Then, I'll approach, not by pressing down directly, but by a very gentle upward angle..."

"Kiss the area around your cheek. The key is to capture that almost-touched moment; the hazy effect of the veil will help us a lot."

“Your reaction is very important,” Wang Sheng said, looking into Li Xiaoran’s eyes. “It’s like being kissed by someone you really cherish. You can subconsciously shrug your shoulders slightly. That’s a natural expression of surprise and happiness. There should be a smile on your lips, and your eyes can be lowered a little to look sweet and shy. The whole process, although quick, should be gentle and full of love and a sense of ritual.”

Wang Sheng's explanation was very detailed, breaking down almost every minute emotion and action.

As Li Xiaoran listened, she was involuntarily drawn into the romantic scene he described, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Let's try it once."

After Wang Sheng finished speaking, he took two steps back.

He took a deep breath, and his eyes instantly became gentle and focused, as if he were truly a groom gazing at his beloved.

Wang Sheng slowly stepped forward, extended his fingers, and very gently touched the veil on Li Xiaoran's cheek, slowly lifting it upwards.

Following the instructions, Li Xiaoran lowered her head slightly, and then, as the veil was lifted, she slowly raised her eyes. When she met Wang Sheng's focused and affectionate gaze, her heart skipped a beat.

Wang Sheng's gaze was so incredibly immersive!
Wang Sheng slowly approached her, his movements as gentle as if he were afraid of disturbing her, from the angle he had described.

His presence was so close that Li Xiaoran could even smell the faint scent of soap on him.

Being kissed so intimately by a handsome but unfamiliar young man at such close range, even though she knew it was an act, the atmosphere of being extremely cherished and cared for, as well as the intimacy and impact of the action itself, made Li Xiaoran, who had almost no similar acting experience, momentarily flustered.

Her heart suddenly raced, blood rushed to her cheeks, and even the tips of her ears turned red.

It was a complex emotion that mixed shyness, nervousness, bewilderment, and a faint, almost imperceptible flutter of excitement.

She subconsciously did as Wang Sheng said, shrugging her shoulders slightly, her long eyelashes trembling as she drooped, trying to hide the panic in her eyes. She tried to force a happy smile, but it looked stiff and shy.

But this perfectly replicates that "first meeting" feeling—a genuine, innocent happiness and nervousness!
It's far more touching than a deliberately performed, skillful kind of happiness!

"Great! That's the feeling!"

Wang Sheng stopped in time and didn't actually kiss her, but the atmosphere was already right.

He took a step back, a look of surprise in his eyes.

Li Xiaoran's reaction even exceeded his expectations.

Li Xiaoran seemed to wake up from a dream, and breathed a sigh of relief. Her cheeks were still burning hot. She subconsciously raised her hand to cool her face with the back of her hand, and avoided looking at Wang Sheng.

“Very good, Ms. Li, your reaction just now was very genuine and natural!” Wang Sheng praised, keeping his tone professional to ease her embarrassment: “Remember this feeling and bring it into the filming.”

Was it brought into the filming?

Li Xiaoran's beautiful eyes widened, and she asked in a surprised tone, "Ah? So... I... passed the audition?"

At this moment, Li Xiaoran felt that the idea of ​​kissing with a veil was fantastic, and the resulting advertisement would definitely attract attention, completely different from the advertisements she had done before when she was with the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe.

In short, he's different!
Wang Sheng simply said, "Well, technically speaking, it hasn't been fully approved yet."

"what?"

The joy on Li Xiaoran's face instantly froze, turning into astonishment and a hint of panic.

Wang Sheng continued unhurriedly, looking at her honestly: "Because you haven't answered me yet whether you can accept the final scale of our filming."

"Final scale?"

Li Xiaoran subconsciously repeated the sentence, only then remembering that Wang Sheng had mentioned the complete version of the veil kiss earlier, which involved a kiss on the lips.

The blush that had just faded from her cheeks crept back up again.

Although it was just a photoshoot, but...

Wang Sheng didn't urge her, but explained in a calm and professional tone: "Ms. Li, I completely understand your concerns. Please believe that we are a professional production team, and everything is geared towards the final visual effect. During the actual filming, we will use subtle camera angles and techniques to minimize actual contact and focus on capturing the emotions and atmosphere. Your personal safety and comfort are our top priority."

He paused, then continued to add to the stakes: "Moreover, this is not just an advertisement, but more like a mini-movie. It will be broadcast on Beijing TV, which is a great opportunity for you to showcase your potential and unique on-screen presence to a wider audience and more industry professionals."

Wang Sheng's words struck a chord with Li Xiaoran.

She is considering leaving the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe to become an actress, but she lacks the necessary connections and resources to get started.

The background of Beijing Film Studio, the professional team, the highly creative content... all of this seemed more "serious" and promising than any opportunity I had ever had before.

That slight hesitation about intimate shots seems to become something that can be overcome in the face of a potential opportunity.

She took a deep breath, as if making up her mind, raised her head, and her gaze became firm: "Director Wang, I understand. For the sake of the work, I can accept it. I trust your professionalism."

Wang Sheng chuckled softly, extended his hand, and said, "Very good, Ms. Li, congratulations on becoming the female lead in our advertisement..."

(End of this chapter)