Chapter 159 Comfort for a Stranger in a Foreign Land
What are you doing here?
Lu Yanhe approached, looking at Wei Zhuoran and Qu Yousong with an unfriendly expression.
The two people were standing outside the rehearsal room, furtively taking pictures inside with their phones, when Lu Yanhe, who had just returned, caught them red-handed.
Wei Zhuoran and Qu Yousong turned to see Lu Yanhe, completely ignoring him, and said dismissively, "What business is it of yours what we're doing here? Who are you? When did it become your place to tell us what to do?"
Lu Yanhe said with a stern face, "This is the rehearsal room I booked. You came here to take pictures without my permission, and I can't even ask why?"
Wei Zhuoran immediately retorted, "Taking photos secretly? What nonsense are you talking about? Which eye of yours saw me taking photos secretly? I'm taking photos of my own teammates, and I'm doing it openly and honestly."
Lu Yanhe glanced at Chen Jing, who was practicing dancing inside the glass wall, and said nothing more.
He walked past Wei Zhuoran and Qu Yousong, pushed open the door and went in. "Chen Jing, how's your training going? I need to rest."
Chen Jing immediately stopped and said, "I'm almost done too. You should rest. Thank you for lending me the rehearsal room."
He smiled at Lu Yanhe after he finished speaking.
Lu Yanhe saw that he was covered in sweat, and his T-shirt was soaked with sweat.
Lu Yanhe shook his head, indicating that there was no need to be so polite.
He glanced back and saw that Wei Zhuoran and Qu Yousong, who had been outside the door just moments before, were gone.
“Wei Zhuoran and Qu Yousong were outside just now,” Lu Yanhe told Chen Jing.
"Huh?" Chen Jing's reaction was a bit strange; he actually frowned, as if he had some concerns.
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing." Chen Jing turned off the stereo, thanked Lu Yanhe again, and left in a hurry.
Lu Yanhe didn't think much of it. After he left, he locked the rehearsal room door and prepared to rest for a while.
Sleepiness has already washed over me, and my eyelids are drooping.
-
In the afternoon, He Shuyi led Lu Yanhe in rehearsing the play "The Golden Age," starting from the first scene.
"As a new actor, the first thing you need to learn is to understand the character." He Shuyi almost guided Lu Yanhe step by step to analyze the script. "You are still very young and don't have much experience. You can't perform every scene well like those mature actors. So you need to learn to find the key points. For example, what was your first impression of the character you played in 'The Golden Era'?"
“Warm and full of a sense of justice,” Lu Yanhe said immediately.
"Okay." He Shuyi nodded. "Now close your eyes and follow my voice. I'll ask you first: can you imagine a warm and righteous image in your mind?"
Following He Shuyi's instructions, Lu Yanhe sketched out a figure in his mind.
"Um."
"Are you a warm-hearted person with a strong sense of justice?" He Shuyi asked.
Lu Yanhe thought about it seriously and said, "I've always wanted to be that kind of person."
"Very good, so do you think you resemble the character in the script?"
“He is more mature than me,” Lu Yanhe said. “Moreover, he is more patient than me. I can’t be like him, but when I was reading the script, I thought to myself, I hope I can become that kind of person.”
“Now, put yourself in that person’s shoes,” He Shuyi’s voice continued to instruct Lu Yanhe. “Okay, now open your eyes.”
Lu Yanhe opened his eyes again, a moment of bewilderment in his gaze.
He Shuyi said, "This is the first thing I want to teach you: acting. You need to build a sense of belief in the character. To put it bluntly, you need to believe that you are the character and then find the point of identification. The best acting skills are identification and empathy, especially for young characters, who are often more emotional than complex. You need to find the commonalities and differences between yourself and the character through this dialogue with yourself. The commonalities are the entry points for you to identify with the character, and the differences are the areas that you need to smooth out with techniques."
Lu Yanhe seemed to realize something.
"The second thing I want to teach you is to discard all theories," He Shuyi said. "Acting is a skill that requires constant practice. Third-rate acting is about crying on cue, while first-rate acting is about crying naturally when you're in the right place. As a newcomer, the worst thing you can do is learn all sorts of skills and then act very immersed in the role, but fail to move the audience at all. For every scene, you have to figure out where the key moment is. For example, in 'The Golden Era,' in your first scene, when you walk into the classroom, do you think the key moment for your character is?"
Lu Yanhe looked blank and shook his head, "I don't know."
He Shuyi said, "So what do you think the screenwriter was trying to achieve by writing this scene?"
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "This scene is the first time that the female lead, played by Sister Yuqian, meets me. In the script, it mainly shows that Sister Yuqian falls in love with the character I play at first sight."
“That’s right, so the key to this scene is that you need to give the audience the impression from the moment you appear that it’s only natural that Jiang Yuqian likes you,” He Shuyi said. “Then there will be lighting, editing, music, makeup and other departments to create this effect, just to achieve the effect I just mentioned. So, as an actor, how do you act to achieve this effect?”
Lu Yanhe had some ideas about this scene before, but in reality, it seemed a bit contrived.
"I don't know. I've thought about it a lot, but I feel that no matter what expression I make or what action I design, it all seems very artificial and superfluous."
“You’re right to think that way,” He Shuyi said with a smile. “If a guy makes expressions and gestures with the goal of making himself look more handsome, the end result will be that the audience thinks he’s trying too hard or being pretentious. Especially in ‘The Golden Era,’ your character is a college student who is liked by a girl at first sight in a classroom setting. So, the key is three words: not knowing yourself.”
Lu Yanhe looked at He Shuyi, puzzled. "Teacher He, according to you, that means I don't have to act at all, and I can just do whatever I feel comfortable with?"
“Hmm.” He Shuyi nodded. “Since your appearance and personality are very similar to the character, for scenes that require you to be in your most natural state, you should just do whatever feels comfortable. That’s why finding the key to the scene is so important. You need to fully analyze what each scene your character appears in requires of you. Some scenes require you to act exaggeratedly, some require you to act more restrained, some require you to give your most authentic self, and some require you to completely abandon yourself and act with another personality. Finding the right direction is what makes your efforts meaningful. Like the scene we just talked about, if you’re single-mindedly trying to be handsome, dashing, and able to instantly capture a girl’s heart, then you’re doomed. You’ll only end up looking worse and more repulsive, and all your efforts will be in vain.”
Lu Yanhe understood what He Shuyi meant.
-
By the time He Shuyi finished teaching him, it was already evening.
The setting sun turned completely orange-red, painting the vast sky with shades of twilight.
After seeing He Shuyi off, Lu Yanhe went back to the rehearsal room to pack his things.
Li Zhibai messaged him, asking if he had finished his class. If he had, he told him to meet him downstairs at the company later, and he would come pick him up so they could go eat fried chicken together.
Lu Yanhe replied with an OK.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder, turned off the lights, closed the door, and left.
At this time, many of the company's clerical staff are leaving get off work.
I waited for the elevator several times, but it was always packed with people, and I couldn't get on.
He thought for a moment and decided to go down the fire escape.
Anyway, the floor he was on wasn't very high.
When I got to the third floor, I suddenly saw a person sitting on the steps below.
Lu Yanhe slowed his pace.
The person heard footsteps and looked up.
"Chen Jing?" Lu Yanhe looked at the man in surprise.
Chen Jing hadn't expected to run into Lu Yanhe, and hurriedly stood up.
He subconsciously lowered his head and looked away, which made Lu Yanhe notice that his eyes were a little red, as if he had just cried.
"Weren't you supposed to be recording a show? Why are you still here?" Lu Yanhe asked.
"I...I'm not recording anymore," Chen Jing replied hastily, turning to leave. "I have something to do, I'm leaving now."
Before Lu Yanhe could speak, Chen Jing walked upstairs, brushing past Lu Yanhe as if afraid Lu Yanhe would ask questions.
Only a fool wouldn't see that Chen Jing is in a terrible mood right now.
Are you not recording anymore?
It's likely that Chen Jing's bad mood is related to this incident. Chen Jing was still practicing dance in the middle of the day for this program, but then they canceled the recording. All that hard work was for nothing.
I have no idea what happened during the recording of this program.
Lu Yanhe went downstairs, walked out of the company gate, and came to the roadside.
Li Zhibai's car was already parked on the side of the road, waiting for him.
"Why did you guys suddenly decide to eat fried chicken tonight?" Lu Yanhe opened the car door, got in, and only then did he see that there was not only Li Zhibai and Yan Liang in the car, but also Li Zhenzhen. "PD Li, you're still here!"
Li Zhenzhen's long hair was tied up, and she smiled as she asked, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy to see me?"
"No, it was just a bit of a surprise. I thought you had already gone back." Lu Yanhe asked, "Were you with Li Zhibai all day today?"
“Yeah, but he stayed inside all day and didn’t go out.” Li Zhenzhen sighed. “So I suggested we go out for fried chicken tonight, and it’s on me.”
"Oh, I see." Lu Yanhe thought to himself, no wonder, he had never heard Li Zhibai and Yan Liang mention wanting fried chicken before, it turns out there was someone else involved.
It's rush hour, and the roads are a bit congested.
Yan Liang scrolled through his phone and said, "I don't know what's wrong with Chen Jing."
"Hmm?" Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised when he heard the name.
"In the afternoon, MX's official account posted a statement saying that Chen Jing would be absent from the recording of 'Ace vs Ace' due to health reasons," Yan Liang explained.
"Physical reasons?" Lu Yanhe was even more surprised.
“That’s a real shame. The show ‘Ace vs Ace’ is quite popular. I heard that MX had to negotiate for a long time before they finally reached an agreement to record this episode,” Li Zhenzhen said. “Originally, all members of MX could have participated in the recording.”
Lu Yanhe thought about Chen Jing, whom he had just met, and he didn't seem to have any health problems at all.
I practiced dancing all afternoon.
Li Zhibai clicked his tongue and said, "What's wrong with you? Maybe he just doesn't want to record anymore and is just making up this excuse. Anyway, you know those guys from MX. Once they become famous, they can just quit like that. Even if they quit, it's no big deal. They're popular, so even if they're unprofessional, there are plenty of shows begging them to be on."
Yan Liang: "That's true."
After thinking for a moment, Lu Yanhe said, "It shouldn't be that Chen Jing abandoned his post."
"Hmm?" Yan Liang was somewhat surprised that Lu Yanhe would speak up for Chen Jing at this time. "Do you know what happened?"
Lu Yanhe said, "He practiced dancing all noon today in the rehearsal room I booked. If he takes this performance so seriously, he wouldn't abandon it for no reason."
Yan Liang: "Then why did he suddenly stop recording the show?"
"I don't know." Lu Yanhe shook his head, recalling Chen Jing, whom he had seen when he went downstairs earlier. "Maybe something unexpected happened."
"Could it really be a health problem?" Yan Liang asked in surprise.
“What problems could possibly occur? At most, it’s just a twisted ankle,” Li Zhibai said immediately.
The two of them had a bad impression of MX, which in turn led to a bad impression of Chen Jing.
Although Lu Yanhe spoke up for Chen Jing, it didn't stop the two of them from still speculating about Chen Jing with a negative impression.
Li Zhenzhen said, "You're from the same company. If you really want to know what's going on, just ask someone who knows."
“What are you asking? What’s there to ask? Their MX business has absolutely nothing to do with me,” Li Zhibai said immediately.
Li Zhenzhen showed a slightly speechless expression.
After observing for a day, Li Zhenzhen realized that this handsome and popular male idol was actually just a child who hadn't grown up yet. He had been spoiled by his family since he was a child, had a short temper, was easily angered, and always said one thing but meant another.
But human nature is not bad.
After observing for a day, Li Zhenzhen was even more eager for Li Zhibai to join her program.
It's rare to find an artist in the entertainment industry with such a strong sense of self.
Today's idols and celebrities are too perfect and unrealistic.
Among Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai, and Yan Zhen, it is clear that Li Zhibai has the most distinct personality. He rarely restrains himself and always acts the same way, no matter who he is in front of.
-
There were quite a few people at the fried chicken shop.
Fortunately, Li Zhibai had booked a table in advance.
A line of people was sitting outside the store, waiting for a table.
They went straight into the store, which drew a lot of criticism, with many people asking why they were allowed to go in first.
The waiter explained that they had made a reservation in advance.
Someone recognized Li Zhibai.
"That's a celebrity, isn't it?"
"Do celebrities get to skip the line? Do they have special privileges?"
"Uh, didn't we say we booked a table in advance?"
"How come I didn't know I could book a table in advance?"
...
Li Zhibai was about to step into the store when he heard everyone's discussion. He pulled his foot back, turned around, and said, "Call ahead, order the food in advance, pay the bill, and you can make a reservation. Aren't there guides online? Next time you come to eat at this kind of trendy restaurant, take a look at the guides. When you come to this kind of restaurant, it's obvious that you have to wait for a table. If you don't want to wait, think of a way."
The people waiting in line looked bewildered and at a loss as they stared at Li Zhibai.
After Li Zhibai finished speaking, the corners of his mouth turned up, and he walked in calmly under their gazes.
Yan Liang glanced at him speechlessly and said, "You too, why bother explaining so much?"
Li Zhibai said, "What if this gets spread online that I have special privileges as a celebrity? What if everyone recognizes me?"
He took off his mask and sighed, "I'm so famous that people can still recognize me even with a mask on."
Lu Yanhe and Yan Liangtong rolled their eyes.
Because they had ordered in advance, fried chicken, drinks, and fruit were served shortly after they sat down.
Worried that one serving of fried chicken wouldn't be enough for four people, Li Zhibai also ordered a pork chop.
Li Zhenzhen asked curiously, "Do you guys often go out to eat together?"
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"You must come out several times a week."
"Aren't you worried about being recognized by fans? That would be a hassle." Li Zhenzhen asked again.
Lu Yanhe pondered for a moment, glanced at the two of them, and said, "You overestimate us. Apart from Li Zhibai, Yan Liang and I don't actually have many people who know us. We may have some fans online, but in reality, we are scattered in various places, and the number of people who know us is only a few. It's not enough to affect our travel. We're not that famous."
Yan Liang nodded in agreement, "Even if they occasionally recognize us, they just want to take a picture with us, it's not a big deal."
Li Zhenzhen smiled somewhat awkwardly.
Faced with an artist who self-deprecatingly tramples on themselves, Li Zhenzhen really doesn't know how to respond.
The artists she usually meets, around this age, all have a certain pride about them.
While not all of them were arrogant, they certainly weren't as clear-headed as Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang, to the point of seeming somewhat self-deprecating.
At this point, Li Zhibai said, "Actually, it's not a big deal if some people recognize me. I'm not a national superstar, so why can't I go out? At most, people will stare at me a few more times."
Li Zhenzhen felt that the three of them were quite genuine, and they were rare celebrities who didn't really act like stars.
Perhaps it's related to their experience of declining popularity right after their debut?
They were genuinely popular when that talent show aired.
Indeed, very few people can experience both the peak and the trough at the age of seventeen or eighteen.
"What are you studying every day now?" Li Zhi asked.
Lu Yanhe: "In the morning, we learn what good acting is, and in the afternoon, we learn how to act well. One is theory, and the other is practice."
Li Zhibai clicked his tongue.
"Chen Ziyan really puts a lot of effort into you."
“She arranged a lot of classes for me, Wen Minglan, and Tu Song. Everyone was taking classes,” Lu Yanhe said, both amused and exasperated. “They were all trying to build our foundation.”
“She’s quite responsible. This afternoon, Zhou Ping’an got me another commercial performance. Guess what it is?” Li Zhi asked.
Lu Yanhe shook his head.
Unbelievable.
Li Zhibai said, "A real estate development opened, and they asked me to help create a buzz."
Lu Yanhe: "...Would he still accept these kinds of commercial performances for you?"
"Yeah, you didn't expect that, did you?" Li Zhibai said, his voice dripping with anger. "The implication is that they paid a lot of money, and I'm just sitting around doing nothing anyway."
Lu Yanhe: "Are you going?"
Li Zhibai said, "He can't keep refusing. He's already refused seven or eight before. If he keeps refusing, I think he'll explode. He accepts all these kinds of low-class performances without hesitation."
Lu Yanhe sighed.
Zhou Ping'an is like that; in order to make money, he doesn't consider the negative impact this kind of work will have on Li Zhibai's image.
The commercial events held at the opening of these properties are purely commercial performances, and the stages are generally very low-quality, with no regard for stage design.
Li Zhibai had previously been criticized by many fans online for taking on this kind of job, which they felt was too low-class.
The three people complained that Zhou Ping'an didn't hide anything from Li Zhenzhen.
Li Zhenzhen previously worked as an assistant director with Chen Biqiu and frequently interacted with artist management teams, having dealt with many such teams.
Although Li Zhenzhen also felt that Zhou Ping'an was going a bit too far in what Li Zhibai was complaining about, it was nothing compared to the other things she knew.
It can only be said that different people will do different things, and the relationships between different artists and different management teams are also varied and diverse.
Li Zhibai is considered an artist with a certain degree of autonomy, and he won't be led by the nose by his management team. However, some artists are in a worse situation, becoming mere tools of their management teams, and having to listen to their every command.
"PD Lee, why did you go to South Korea before?" Yan Liang asked.
Lee Jin-jin said, "Korean variety shows are very successful, and I wanted to learn from their experience. I've always wanted to make my own show, but if I don't improve myself, it will probably take seven or eight years before I can make my own show. This time, after I came back from my studies, Director Chen supported me and helped me become the producer, so I got the green light for this show."
Are South Korean variety shows very successful?
"Yes, their environment is different from ours in China. Their area is smaller, the market is smaller, and there are many celebrities. Several TV stations compete fiercely, but the production budget for a program is limited. They can't afford to spend money on big-name celebrities like some of our programs do. To stand out, they have to constantly innovate and come up with new ideas," said Li Zhenzhen. "Actually, making variety shows is about following the trends of the times and finding points that resonate with everyone. Many programs are purely focused on comedy because that's the most mainstream; audiences of all ages like it, but..." The overemphasis on quality has also made comedy shows very competitive. Being alone in Korea, unfamiliar with the place, I felt a sense of loneliness, like a stranger in a strange land. Suddenly, the concept of young people living together came to mind. I hope to create a show like that, bringing together some young artists, ideally making it a long-running program, where we can meet up every year to film. The artists grow with the show, and the show grows with the artists. Like the three of you living together for the past three years—if someone had documented it, it would definitely be a very warm memory for you in ten or twenty years.
Lu Yanhe nodded.
He actually understood Li Zhenzhen's thoughts.
As soon as Li Zhenzhen mentioned the phrase "a stranger in a foreign land," he suddenly understood.
People need friends, but not everyone is lucky enough to meet true friends.
A well-made program can be a source of comfort.
The kind of friendship that can't be experienced in real life can be felt through the show, which is a kind of comfort.
(End of this chapter)
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