Chapter 117 Rant [VIP]

Chapter Summary: Someone suggested that xxx was more suitable for the role than her.

Director Xu Kuan and producer Wang, along with lead actors Mu Zhi and Bian Wu, appeared at the start of filming.

On the day filming began, the production company did not officially announce the cast.

They intentionally filmed discreetly to maintain an air of mystery.

The venue for the opening ceremony was cordoned off, preventing unauthorized personnel from entering. However, due to overwhelming online attention on the cast of "Escape from the Game," staff shot down several drones.

As a result, photos of the opening ceremony were still taken by "malicious individuals" and posted online.

The main actors who appeared at the start of filming, including the female lead Mu Zhi and the male lead Bian Wu, had already been identified. Their photos from the start of filming completely confirmed their casting.

In addition, there were six other actors standing next to directors Xu Kuan, Mu Zhi, and Bian Wu.

Netizens commented: "What? He looks familiar. He should have appeared in other movies/TV series, but I can't remember his name."

These six actors have one thing in common: they have ordinary looks, the kind that would go unnoticed in a crowd, like any ordinary person you might bump into on the street.

If my previous criticisms of this movie, calling it a low-budget production with no talent or online appeal, were just empty talk...

Many onlookers now have the following opinions about this movie:

Generally, the main actors in a film will attend the opening ceremony.

This cast... is this really a web movie?

Mu Zhi's fans were excited because the movie was rumored to star their idol. A week ago, the official Weibo account of Qingdao Film and Television Industrial Park also revealed that the film crew of a movie starring a certain top actress would be coming to film in a few days. They liked the comments that nominated Mu Zhi, and the idol's flight itinerary from Beicheng to Qingdao was also released in advance.

The studio has not issued a denial.

This can be seen as an indirect acknowledgment of Mu Zhi's participation.

So in the past few days, fans have been showing off their books in the #Muzhi# super topic. They have all bought the novel "Escape from the Game" to get a sneak peek at its contents and to find the answer to why their idol took on this role.

Now I see netizens mocking the cast for being terrible.

In fact, anyone who has read the novel can guess that these six actors are most likely playing players who play alongside the male and female protagonists in a game, or NPCs in a particular level of the game.

If a familiar face were to play the role, it would be jarring.

The most important thing is the perfect match between the actor and the role, and the ability to draw the audience into the story.

There's no need to blindly pursue a star-studded lineup.

In other words, this film was very frugal in its casting choices.

A fan of Mu Zhi recently denied rumors circulating online that Mu Zhi would be appearing on the reality show "Their Stars and Seas" by posting on her fan page: "I asked my friends, and Mu Zhi has not agreed to participate."

The show started filming in March, and Mu Zhi was indeed not on it. This fan gained the trust of other fans and could be considered a semi-insider.

Today, the fan was asked about the movie's cast and posted on Weibo: "[I've done some research and found out that 'Escape from the Game' has a big budget and features big-name actors. The production company is taking this project very seriously. Trust Zhizhi's judgment, and we fans should just support it!]"

"That's true. Didn't we hear that besides the male and female leads, Lanxing Media would also have two other actors making guest appearances? Neither of them showed up at the opening ceremony today."

"There are definitely more important actors coming up later!!"

"Zhibao has started filming a new drama, we should celebrate! Even if we put aside the worst-case scenario, she's already acted in it, and fans shouldn't join the online trolls and haters in criticizing the new drama and mocking the cast. Don't be foolish and get caught up in the hype again."

......

Fans are no longer concerned about the cast.

Despite the lack of official announcement, some media outlets and marketing accounts have already posted related Weibo posts about Mu Zhi joining the cast of a new drama, busy reposting, liking, and commenting on them in order to generate buzz.

In fact, "Escape from the Game" does have big-name celebrities involved.

Feng Zhongxian and Pu Jiamu were both present at the script reading session before filming began.

Mu Zhi thought Director Xu Kuan was quite impressive, managing to invite Mr. Feng Zhongxian and Mr. Pu Jiamu to collaborate again.

Several other talented actors will be joining the production later.

As a commercially successful film with a substantial investment, "Escape from the Game" was directed and produced with great ambitions, with the director and producer planning to make a sequel.

The cast is certainly not to be taken lightly.

After all, most movies are made with the goal of making a profit, so the production companies will definitely try their best to improve the quality of the movie in order to attract audiences to buy tickets and go to the cinema.

However, unlike Mu Zhi's previous drama "Model of the Times," which attracted audiences with its "super-star cast," the subsequent promotional focus of "Escape from the Game" shifted away from the cast and towards the special effects and the existing IP.

Filming for "Escape from the Game" begins today, and the first wave of discussions about the #cast# has already begun.

Following that, #EscapeFromGameStartup# became a trending topic, and a second wave of discussion ensued.

Upon entering, you'll find a massive online rant from book fans about the movie's casting.

"Let Mu Zhi play Wu Xi? She looks too young and doesn't have the mature and sophisticated look. She can't handle the role at all."

"Waaaaah, my sister Xi, who is both righteous and wicked, and has maximum fighting power! Although Mu Zhi's acting skills are very good and she is very beautiful, she is really lacking."

"With so many handsome male actors in the industry, why choose a newcomer to play Zhong Te? Is he just another pretty boy with no acting skills?"

"As a fan who has read all six volumes in three years, I must say: the casting of the male and female leads is completely unsuitable! (smile) Can you please stop ruining my fictional characters?!"

......

Fans saw the criticism and joined in, defending the movie and their idol.

Immediately afterwards, a heated argument broke out in the trending topics...

On the set of "Escape from the Game".

After the opening ceremony, Mu Zhi, having completed her character's makeup and styling, arrived at the set to wait for her turn.

Minmin and her assistant discussed the trending topics online.

Regarding the complaints from "book fans" about the casting.

Assistant Xiaoling: "Why are there so many book fans all of a sudden? A while ago, it was revealed that this novel was going to be adapted into a movie, and Sister Zhizhi would be playing the female lead. A lot of people criticized the novel for various reasons and said it was not suitable for adaptation."

He muttered to himself, "No fans came out to defend it back then."

Minmin: "I clicked into the homepages of several accounts and saw that they were fans of other actresses."

Some of the complaints were copied and pasted, and I saw them in the comment sections of several marketing accounts.

Today is Monday, a workday, during the daytime working hours! This novel IP is published in physical form and not serialized online, so there aren't that many online book fans... It's possible that some real book fans are complaining, but I guess half of them are "paid trolls" or "fans of other authors" joining in the "celebration."

Original scripts are still the best option.

Novel adaptations can never satisfy all book fans.

Minmin has read all 6 volumes of "Escape from the Game". She is also a book fan. After seeing Muzhi's makeup test, she said without any filter that Wu Xi is really good!

Netizens' understanding of Mu Zhi is limited to the works she has acted in. Because Mu Zhi has never played this type of role, they subjectively feel that she is not suitable.

As a staff member working alongside Mu Zhi, Minmin watched Mu Zhi's performances in "Countdown" and "The Most Beautiful Teacher" on set. She found them quite different from his previous roles and felt that Mu Zhi had a very high potential and a unique, mysterious aura.

She felt that Mu Zhi could play any role, and believed that she could play them all well.

However, even if Mu Zhi performs well when the movie is released, there will still be people who are dissatisfied, because everyone has a different imagination of the character.

She saw in the comments section that someone nominated XXX (an actress) as more suitable to play Wu Xi than Mu Zhi. The comment received more than 1,000 likes and more than 1,000 replies. Many netizens did not agree with the nomination and felt that Mu Zhi would be a better choice for the role.

I'm not satisfied with Mu Zhi's casting, but I can't say who in the industry is more suitable than Mu Zhi.

In short: it's impossible to please everyone.

"However, let's look on the bright side. This is the first time that 'Escape from the Game' has been adapted into a film or television series."

It has never been filmed, no actors have ever performed it, and there is no point of comparison.

The audience will not have preconceived notions.

Currently, the film has not officially announced its cast, nor has it released any promotional photos or stills. Perhaps once the film is officially announced, the trailer is released, and the film is finally released, the current criticisms will turn into genuine appreciation.

Mu Zhi only listened to the team members' retelling of the online discussions; she did not go online to check it out.

She doesn't care about the current evaluation.

Minmin and the others had just finished their discussion when Bian Wu and his assistant arrived.

As soon as he sat down, Bian Wu's assistant had a moment to go online and saw the trending topics, which made him furious.

Mu Zhi has a large number of fans supporting her, which is good.

As a newcomer with little recognition, Bian Wu's Weibo posts from a few days ago were flooded with comments and criticisms, with many saying he was unsuitable for the role of "Zhong Te".

Mu Zhi glanced at Zhong Te, who was sitting diagonally opposite her, scrolling through his phone. His mood was written all over his face, his brows furrowed.

Listen to Minmin comforting herself and telling herself not to pay attention to what's going on online.

"Yes. For actors, the best approach to dealing with online criticism is to adopt a 'correct mistakes if they exist, and strive to improve if they don't' attitude. The best way to respond to criticism is to prove with concrete actions: I can do it."

Bian Wu, who was standing nearby, heard this and felt that it seemed to be directed at him as well.

Looking up at Mu Zhi, he saw that Mu Zhi had already lowered her head to continue reading the script. He quickly put his phone away, took a deep breath, cleared his mind of all the distracting thoughts, and calmed down to concentrate on reading the script.

Synopsis of the movie "Escape from the Game":

Zhong Te receives a handwritten letter from his long-lost father, in which his father says that everything he wants to know can be found in a game.

To find out the truth behind her father's disappearance, she entered the game as a novice player. At the beginning, she arrived in an ancient mountain village and met several other players. One of them was a short-haired woman named Wu Xi wearing a baseball cap. She recognized her at a glance as the mysterious person who delivered the letter to her, but pretended not to know her.

Furthermore, this small mountain village is inhabited by strange villagers who receive a very strange game quest... Filled with many questions, they begin their first game adventure...

The film crew rented several green screen studios at the Qingdao Film and Television Industrial Park and built sets.

After actors such as Mu Zhi and Bian Wu join the crew, they will be filming in the studio for about two months.

In other words, filming will take place in a green screen studio in April and May. The filming schedule arranged by the production team is much more favorable for the actors than the hottest months of June and July.

However, this is not very friendly to newcomers like Ben Go.

An actor's immersion in a role is partly due to the set design; realistic life scenarios help actors get into character.

A green screen scene... really tests an actor's imagination and conviction.

Filming on the first day of production.

For professional actors, there is always a process of "finding the role" and getting into character when they first join a production. Some actors get into character quickly, while others need a little more time.

Despite thorough preparation before filming began, Bian Wu, standing in front of the camera for the first time, struggled to connect with Mu Zhi's performance. His facial expressions were unnatural, his movements somewhat forced, and he failed to capture the nuances of his acting.

The first scene required about 10 takes, and Byun Oh apologized repeatedly, sweating profusely with anxiety.

Director Xu Kuan announced a 10-minute break, then stepped forward again with a stern face, patiently explaining the scene to Bian Wu and pointing out the shortcomings of the previous scene.

Seeing this on set, Ji Binghe greeted Mu Zhi: "Zhizhi, just treat Bian Wu as a professional actor. Don't be lenient with him. If he doesn't act well and drags you down, just scold him and say what you want to say."

This time, I'm joining the crew because I don't trust the newcomers.

I hope Mu Zhi will be stricter with Bian Wu.

This will allow Bian Wu, a newcomer, to grow quickly.

For a period of time before filming began, Bian Wu's main co-star was Mu Zhi. Ji Binghe knew that Mu Zhi had already filmed several dramas and was generally tolerant of other actors, never throwing tantrums on set, and had excellent manners.

But not everyone is Mu Zhi. Other big-name actors aren't obligated to tolerate smaller actors. If frequent NGs delay the filming schedule and affect the wrap-up time, and the big-name actors get angry, it's Ji Binghe, the agent, who has to apologize and appease them.

Mu Zhi said to her agent, "New actors all have a growth process."

Every actor dislikes their co-stars frequently making mistakes, having to accompany them through countless takes. The time wasted is secondary; the main problem is that it severely depletes the actor's own acting talent.

When patience runs out, some actors will lose their temper, which is a very common phenomenon on film sets.

However, most actors, especially veteran actors who have been acting for decades, know that getting angry will not help their co-stars get into character faster. Instead, it will make them more nervous, embarrassed, and stressed, making it impossible for them to get into character.

The director is the same; he oversees the performance of each actor and observes each one. Whether or not to scold someone depends on the situation of each actor.

Bian Wu was so nervous and guilty that he needed to calm down and relax.

After the 15th take, the scene was over.

After a day of filming, Ji Binghe finally figured out a bit of the "tricks of the trade." When director Xu Kuan was filming "Back to 17," he scolded Song Yuanliang quite harshly. Today, he didn't scold Bian Wu much, but his stern face was enough to put pressure on him. Mu Zhi was essentially playing the "good cop" role, comforting her co-star and telling him to take it slow.

The director and actor's second collaboration was quite successful, showing great chemistry.

I can't help but recall when Mu Zhi filmed "Back to 17," was she scolded and given the cold shoulder? That didn't happen.

Director Xu Kuan's face showed only satisfaction, and even more satisfaction.

I couldn't help but sigh in my heart: there's only one genius like Mu Zhi.

Then look at Bian Wu, who is wiping away sweat.

The kid was so nervous he was sweating buckets; I don't know how many packs of tissues he used today. But towards the end of filming, Bian Wu gradually found his footing in acting and understanding the character. That night, I urged him to prepare well for tomorrow's scenes...

One week after filming began.

On April 6th, the variety reality show "Their Stars and Seas" premiered.

It goes live on the Owl platform every Saturday at 8 p.m.

That day, three hours before the show aired, Mu Zhi, who was filming on set, took advantage of a few minutes after finishing her meal to post a Weibo message to support Xia Xinyan, Zhou Jingzhu, and Liu Cai.

First, she wanted to promote the show to her colleagues and friends; second, she had refused the production team's requests so many times.

Although it is highly unlikely that they will produce web series or TV dramas in the next few years, and their works will not have in-depth cooperation with the platforms, the entertainment industry is only so big, and the Owl platform is backed by a huge capital structure with intricate relationships between its various departments.

I don't want things to get too tense with the platform.

Mu Zhi went offline after posting on Weibo, busy reading the script to prepare for the filming of the next scene.

Before filming started, a staff member mentioned that she was trending on social media, and I knew the production team wouldn't let her go unnoticed in promoting their new show, so I didn't take it seriously.

At 9 p.m., after filming wrapped up.

Ji Binghe told Mu Zhi, "Zhizhi, you're trending again."

Mu Zhi: ? Why is it "again"? And the agent's expression is not good.