Chapter 159 Simple Little Things
The audition script that Meng Fanxi received mainly introduced the plot and included an audition scene.
The brief plot seems to be no different from the previous life, and the audition clip includes the clip of being nominated for the Golden Phoenix Award in the previous life.
The emotions fluctuate greatly, and it even shows the male protagonist's breakdown.
It seems that Han Jinze was friendly to him on the surface, but in reality, he didn't want to let him off the hook and directly gave him the most difficult scene to audition.
But this also means that as long as he can pass this game, Director Han has no reason to reject him.
Meng Fanxi curled his lips and a determined smile appeared on his face.
The audition was held at Han Jinze's studio. Li Yingqiu drove Meng Fanxi to the studio and waited downstairs. Meng Fanxi was wearing a baseball cap, a suit jacket over a casual top, and sweatpants. To onlookers, it looked like some new trend.
On the way to the audition room, the staff were all secretly watching him, not daring to make a sound for fear of affecting Meng Fanxi's audition performance. They all hoped that Meng Fanxi could pass smoothly so that they could take advantage of his good mood to ask for an autograph or a photo.
VIER is incredibly popular. Not only did they recently break the record for "most desired concert," but their every move trends on social media, and the costumes they're photographed with sell out in minutes. In the eyes of their staff, it's an honor for Meng Fanxi to be able to direct this film.
I don't understand what Director Han is so noble about.
However, they could only keep these thoughts to themselves and silently watched Meng Fanxi enter the audition room.
Meng Fanxi was the most established young actor among those auditioning, so a time was specifically scheduled for him to audition alone. Han Jinze was very strict about time, so Meng Fanxi arrived fifteen minutes early.
After receiving a call from downstairs informing him that Meng Fanxi had arrived, Han Jinze immediately checked his watch and nodded slightly. Upon seeing Meng Fanxi's outfit as she walked in, he and the assistant director exchanged a silent glance for two seconds, both seeing the affirmation in each other's eyes.
This outfit perfectly embodies the character of Long Xiaoshen, the male lead of the drama, who suddenly becomes rich and tries to get close to the upper class, but ends up looking rather out of place.
Meng Fanxi walked in calmly, behaving as if she were meeting Han Jinze for the first time, and politely greeted each of the directors.
Because of Meng Fanxi's fame, everyone behaved very kindly.
Han Jinze didn't say much. He was looking forward to Meng Fanxi's performance and wanted to start quickly. Seeing that the atmosphere was about right, he put away his smile and said to Meng Fanxi, "Let's begin."
After the words fell, everyone keenly noticed that Meng Fanxi's temperament immediately changed.
He became somewhat frivolous, a slight smile playing on his lips, his posture ramrod straight. He frowned when he saw his phone ringing; why were there so many calls today?
"Hello?" He answered the phone, his voice immediately becoming loud. "What's wrong?"
He scoffed lightly at what the other person said, "It's just a little money. Wait until I make... earn it back, and then I'll lend it to you."
He smiled smugly: "This is nothing, just wait and see."
After hanging up the phone, the disgust on his face was undisguised. "Pah, why should I lend you my money? I wouldn't even give it to a dog!"
"Okay, next scene." This was a relatively long scene, and Han Jinze could see that Meng Fanxi had a very strong grasp of it. He increased the difficulty and fast-forwarded directly to the emotional climax at the end.
Meng Fanxi heard Director Han's instructions and naturally changed his state without looking up or making any unnecessary movements to distract them.
His shoulders shrugged, his back slightly bent, and he exuded a decadent air. His cell phone seemed to be ringing non-stop. He frantically pressed the hang-up button with one hand, but he didn't dare to turn it off. With the other hand, he used his hair as a tool to vent his anger, his fingertips running through his hair and rubbing it back and forth like crazy.
His face was flushed, and a deep sorrow lingered between his brows. He walked dejectedly, and the next phone call became the last straw. With reddened eyes, he answered the call.
"What?!" His face contorted in grotesque pain. "What are they doing in my house! Call the police! Call the police now!"
He was agitated. When the person on the other end of the phone changed, his face immediately turned cold. "If you dare to do anything, we'll see you at the police station. What IOU? When did I sign an IOU?"
His whole body began to tremble uncontrollably due to emotional agitation, especially his hands, which were holding the phone and shaking incessantly.
He tried to argue again, but the person on the other end of the phone didn't give him a chance to speak, shouting hoarsely, "Hello!? Hello!?"
He cursed, his heart pounding, his mind blank. He tried to call the police, but his phone seemed to be playing a trick on him, freezing in place.
He frantically tapped his phone screen, his mental defenses crumbling, and with a thud, he knelt on the ground.
Tears streamed down his face like a flood, his features contorted, large patches of tears clinging to his skin, a sight that was anything but aesthetically pleasing, yet deeply moving.
As he cried, a torrential downpour began. It must have been the heavens that sensed his plight and pitied him. He looked up at the sky, his hands trembling as he begged the heavens to take back his ability to turn stones into gold and to let everything end as quickly as a dream.
He begged as if he had gone mad.
"Okay, cut." Han Jinze calmly called out the end.
Meng Fanxi quickly regained his composure, slowly getting up. The staff hurriedly handed him tissues, which he took and gently wiped away the tears and tear stains on his face. His elegant demeanor made it hard to compare him to the performer who had just completely broken down emotionally.
Han Jinze silently observed him, while also glancing at the reactions of the people around him. They were all staring blankly in Meng Fanxi's direction, their eyes filled with amazement.
Meng Fanxi calmly tidied his hair and wrinkled clothes. Han Jinze observed him discreetly. He hadn't underestimated this young man since he was recommended by Elder Feng, but his performance today had truly surprised him.
The series of subtle actions that reveal the character's personality and inner thoughts were all not in the audition script he provided. The phone and the rain were all performed without props, but they were performed as if they were real.
His emotions are also controlled so freely that it's astonishing. Also, he is an idol, so he can really cry without caring about his image.
In short, this is definitely not something a newcomer who has only been in the industry for a few years could produce, especially one who studied directing in college. He must be a genius!
This was exactly what he had envisioned for the play. Han Jinze felt relieved, and it seemed that the project could proceed smoothly.
He looked at Meng Fanxi with an even more amiable expression than before. If his smile before was mostly a social one, this smile now carried a greater sense of sincerity.
Meng Fanxi knew Han Jinze well, of course. He stood still, calmly met Han's gaze, and waited for him to speak.
Han Jinze did not give a direct critique, but instead said, "I heard you were coming for an interview, so I looked at your previous works. You have a good eye for choosing roles. The ones you've filmed so far have all been beneficial to your career and are very suitable for you."
Meng Fanxi nodded, looking like she was listening attentively, knowing in her heart that the important point Han Jinze was going to make was at the end.
"I've seen your graduation project too. Perhaps one day you'll become my colleague." Han Jinze laughed heartily. His face was very thin, and his cheekbones were particularly prominent when he laughed. "I didn't expect you to come here for an audition. This role doesn't really fit your criteria, does it?"
As expected, Director Han is worthy of being Director Han. We can see what he is thinking through the films he has made.
Indeed, after his rebirth, he chose to pursue television dramas to generate buzz and niche films. After his rebirth, being able to step onto the stage he had always dreamed of was already a fulfillment of his wish. As for acting, he secretly hoped to make more films of different types, with commercial films being the last priority.
"Did you choose to audition here because of Director Feng's recommendation?" Han Jinze asked.
“No,” Meng Fanxi replied immediately. “I just like this film, and I have to thank Director Feng for making sure I didn’t miss the audition opportunity.”
"You mean you'd come even without his recommendation, as long as you saw it?"
"Yes."
“But this film doesn’t fit your style of accepting roles.” Han Jinze’s tone was questioning.
Meng Fanxi looked directly at Han Jinze: "It's special. I define my own style of choosing roles, and this is a film that I can make an exception for."
His eyes were firm, and everyone could tell he wasn't lying.
"Are you so sure?" Han Jinze was actually convinced. Thinking that this might be Meng Fanxi's first movie as the lead actor, he sounded excited.
Meng Fanxi: "One hundred percent."
Han Jinze smiled.
Only then did they begin to formally critique Meng Fanxi's performance, and almost all of it was positive. Meng Fanxi didn't want to ponder whether it was the truth or a lie. In short, he was confident that he could handle the role, whether in his past life or this one.
Not long after he returned, he received a notice that he had passed the audition, along with the entire script.
After reviewing the documents, Meng Fanxi had a general idea of why the auditions were conducted ahead of schedule.
The script had several more important plot points than the previous one, which Meng Fanxi felt filled in the gaps in the previous film, making up for what he always felt was missing.
But why was it deleted in the previous life?
Perhaps auditions were also conducted at this time in a previous life, but the project was delayed because there were no suitable candidates. When filming resumed later, the budget was limited, or perhaps the mindset changed, so the script was heavily revised, and some plots were deleted and rewritten.
The current script includes an important supporting character.
However, Meng Fanxi didn't care too much. Han Jinze was very strict in screening the roles. Basically, those who could join the group had some level of ability. Even if they brought money into the group, it would not have much impact on the plot or the crew.
This is something that Han Jinze's current status can guarantee.
There's still some time before filming officially starts. During this time, Meng Fanxi and his teammates need to prepare the content for the new album. After that, he needs to start gaining weight, but not too much, otherwise the album's promotion will inevitably cause some trouble.
The final title of this film remains the same as its predecessor: "Simple Little Things".
The tour is scheduled for the end of the year, and the schedule will be very busy. As for the Star Awards, which have been suspended, Star TV will definitely not be able to restart them in the next few years, but it is obvious that they do not want to lose this huge audience.
There have been rumors in the industry recently that Star TV may be planning to expand its influence and create a music awards ceremony that covers all Chinese singers and groups.
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