Reborn in the Entertainment Industry: This Top Star Has Real Achievements

After finishing their meal, the two didn't rush back to school and remained seated in the private room.

Uncle Wang was in high spirits, so he took the opportunity to tell Li Xiang about the ins and outs of acting.

After all, his Uncle Wang was also a core member of the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers.

Moreover, those with a photography background, as everyone in the industry knows, mostly end up becoming directors.

Although he doesn't have many independent directorial works now, in terms of cinematography alone, the shots in films like "The Troubleshooters," "The Dream Factory," and "The Knot" were all polished by him.

Having been in the industry for so many years, he has thoroughly mastered the ins and outs of directing, especially in the area of ​​training actors, where he has his own unique insights.

Dealing with a greenhorn like Li Xiang was naturally a piece of cake.

Most teachers in schools analyze and interpret lessons from the perspective of actors;

But Uncle Wang is different. He can always point out key points from the director's perspective that you can't hear in class.

For example, how can camera positioning be made more immersive? How does lighting angle affect emotional expression? What subtext is hidden in the composition of a photograph?

When these valuable insights came crashing down on him, Li Xiang absorbed them with all his might, barely daring to breathe.

One was willing to share all their knowledge, and the other was willing to bury themselves in their studies. A single lunch break was more effective than several regular classes.

Li Xiang glanced at Uncle Wang, whose eyes and brows betrayed his undisguised satisfaction;

Meanwhile, Uncle Wang, seeing how attentively he listened and how quickly he grasped the concepts, had even more confidence in his nephew.

You see, he had already subtly inquired with several of Li Xiang's teachers, so he already had a good idea of ​​what was going on. Now that he had witnessed Li Xiang's dedication firsthand, he was even more reassured.

However, this made Li Xiang late for his first class in the afternoon.

When he rushed into the training room, panting, Huang Lei had just finished teaching the basics and was instructing several students on their live performance.

Seeing that he arrived late, she was taken aback for a moment, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes—after all, this kid was always punctual and rarely made a mistake.

However, he didn't intend to blame him. Instead, he beckoned Li Xiang aside and asked, "Why did you take so long? What happened?"

Li Xiang didn't hide anything and told him about having lunch with Uncle Wang and being pulled into a lecture for half the afternoon, which caused him to lose track of time.

Finally, he glanced around and saw that everyone was busy with their own performances and no one was paying attention to them, so he lowered his voice and told Huang Lei about the audition opportunity that Uncle Wang had given him.

After all, Uncle Wang had specifically instructed him to inform this teacher. If he didn't say anything now, the teacher might find out from Uncle Wang and start to overthink things.

Upon hearing this, Huang Lei's already large eyes widened instantly, and a surge of excitement rushed to the top of his head.

At that moment, he disregarded the students nearby, grabbed Li Xiang's shoulder, and led him to a corner of the training room, repeatedly saying:

"You've really hit the jackpot! Your debut film gives you the opportunity to work with a big director like Director Zhang. Are you trying to replicate my path?"

These words startled Li Xiang for a moment, then he realized that although his teacher Huang was now focusing on filming stage plays and TV dramas.

But in his early career, he starred in director Chen Kaige's film "Life on a String," making him a true film actor.

Later, he starred in films such as "The Phantom Lover" and "Half a Lifetime Romance," and also collaborated with directors such as Ronny Yu, Ann Hui, and Cheng Er.

He acted alongside big names like Leslie Cheung, Lai Ming, Anita Yuen, and Ge You... It's fair to say that in his early years, he was surrounded by top directors and actors.

That's why he was genuinely happy for Li Xiang when he saw that Li Xiang had this opportunity, and he didn't feel even a little bit jealous.

After all, he had experienced these treatments twenty years ago.

Now that he has achieved great success, he focuses most of his time on teaching, making money, and honing his culinary skills, and no longer gets involved in the infighting and gossip in the industry.

Seeing Li Xiang lost in thought, Huang Lei reached out and pinched his neck, chuckling in a low voice, "What are you thinking about? Are you laughing like a fool?"

Li Xiang then snapped out of his daze and scratched his head. Huang Lei also stopped laughing and his tone became serious:

"You'd better seize this opportunity. If you can debut with this movie, your starting point will be much higher than others."

Don't be fooled by the wide audience of TV dramas these days; the status of the film industry remains, especially for top directors like Zhang Yimou.

Keep in mind that after the Olympics, he was at the peak of his career.

Although the previous film "A Simple Noodle Story" received mediocre reviews, people in the industry knew that it was a rushed job to make money for Zhang Weiping and didn't count.

Therefore, he will definitely put his heart and soul into making "Under the Hawthorn Tree."

"As for your final exams, I'm not worried, so you should focus your attention on auditions during this time."

Okay then, since I'm your teacher, I'll give you extra tutoring these next few days. Practice a lot, and if you get selected, it'll be worth it even if it's tiring."

Huang Lei's dedication to this matter stems from considerations of his reputation and future connections.

It's worth noting that among his most accomplished disciples, Hai Qing only truly became a sensation last year with her role in "Dwelling Narrowness."

Hai Bo only established himself as a top-tier actor last year with "A Beautiful Era of Daughter-in-Law".

Even more distantly, Da Zui only became a national-level actor thanks to "Lurking".

But these are all students from Class 97 and Class 99. If you really think about it, more than ten years have passed.

How could he be content with his teaching achievements and network of contacts remaining stagnant from more than a decade ago? Doesn't that mean he's wasted the last ten years of his life?

Although he no longer has the same drive he had when he was fighting for top billing on stage, he still has that ambition as a teacher, though he has shifted it to education.

Therefore, if he could personally mentor another top star, especially a movie star, he would naturally be more than willing.

Moreover, compared to the other students, although he and Li Xiang hadn't spent much time together, their relationship was much stronger.

After all, even before Li Xiang enrolled, he was already branded as Teacher Huang because of Uncle Wang.

With this mark on him, no matter what anyone says, Li Xiang is still his prized student.

Now that such a good opportunity is right in front of him, he will naturally create the conditions even if there are none, to pave the way for Li Xiang to be even smoother.

So, let alone giving special tutoring, he, as the teacher, is happy to lend a hand with anything that requires more effort.

This is also the reason why Uncle Wang dared to say that he would "make the teacher rush to make up for it" – he knew all too well what Huang Lei and others were thinking.

In their circle, who hasn't had their moment of glory? But what they fear most is being forgotten once the limelight fades.

Who doesn't hope to have a dignified old age? To be surrounded by people when attending ceremonies, or to be greeted warmly by them;

At various seminars, one should be invited to the main seat, where one's words are listened to attentively and taken notes, rather than becoming a mere background figure.

To achieve this, one either needs a portfolio of outstanding works to back it up, or a wide network of students and connections.

If someone possesses both qualities, they are truly a pillar of strength in the industry, a golden beam that can hold the world in high regard, and everyone would have to look up to them.

They've all been immersed in this world of fame and fortune; it would be a lie to say they don't crave vanity.

They've probably earned enough money by now; what they're really fighting for is a reputation that will make them remembered and respected.