Chapter 215
Zhou Xiao, who was standing at the door, was quickly noticed. A staff member surrounding the director immediately waved to her and asked her to come in when he saw her.
Fang Xi sat on a low stool in front of the monitor, a walkie-talkie in his left hand, his right flipping through a script on his knees. From his angle, Zhou Xiao could see that the script had almost doubled in thickness, clearly a veteran "model worker."
"Zhou Xiao is here? Take a seat first!" Fang Xi said in a tone that surprised Zhou Xiao after seeing her work badge. But she wasn't done yet. After Fang Xi tilted her head and glanced at her, the staff member sitting next to her, watching the monitor, stood up and offered their seat to Zhou Xiao.
Zhou Xiao was still a little uncomfortably calm, but he was already being pulled over by the person next to him to sit on the small stool. This was the first time Zhou Xiao felt the director's pressure on set. Even a small action could be noticed and followed up by others. Without management methods, this level of control would be impossible.
The atmosphere at the scene was somewhat quiet, as Fang Xi had called a halt. The surveillance footage now showed the actors with their eyes closed, allowing the makeup artist to touch up their makeup. Zhou Xiao watched for a moment and quickly recognized the two actors on the scene.
One was the popular actress Duan Linyu, the other was veteran actor Chu Guangming. Due to Director Fang's dissatisfaction with the previous filming, the set was not only quiet but also somewhat subdued. Normally, everyone was laughing and joking while applying makeup, but now, everyone was very attentive and focused on their work.
"Action!" She put the walkie-talkie to her lips. Seeing that the actors were in place, Fang Xi looked at the live filming with a sharp gaze after shouting.
Embodying emotion is always difficult, and with a director obsessed with detail, the difficulty is doubled. Zhou Xiao, watching from the sidelines, watched the actors deliver the performance again and again. With this repetition, even Zhou Xiao, a true latecomer, could discern the characters' emotions in the final scene.
"How's it going? Do you understand how difficult it is for an actor to immerse themselves in a role?" Fang Xi chuckled, interrupting Zhou Xiao's thoughts. Unlike her initial sternness, her face now exuded a gentle warmth. However, the wrinkles she'd developed from constantly sternly looking at the camera seemed to contrast with her smile.
Zhou Xiao nodded earnestly. She didn't think the director was being picky about the repeated reshoots. From the perspective of composition and aesthetics, the repeated polishing truly made the shot more eye-catching.
"I saw the stills you shot for Xiao Chen and Xiao Li in the spin-off series," Fang Xi suddenly asked Zhou Xiao jokingly, "Did they secretly send the recorded footage to you?"
Zhou Xiao was stunned for a moment by Fang Xi's sudden joke. Before she could reply, Fang Xi smiled again, "I know it's impossible. That's why I asked Xiao Qin to come to you."
Then, Fang Xi broke some news to Zhou Xiao. "Come visit the crew more often. I'll have someone get you a work badge, and you can take the stills when the time comes. Is that okay?"
There's no such thing as a still photographer in China. It's usually the crew's photography team who takes the time to shoot, or someone they know recommends. It's not a easy job, but once you do it well, you'll shine.
Being able to film a drama directed by Fang Xi is undoubtedly a great opportunity for Zhou Xiao and other cinematographers in the industry. To put it clichédly, if the performance of a drama reaches the level of Fang Xi's previous performances, then anyone with a position in the drama will be rewarded with a huge bonus.
This is also why so many people in the industry are desperate to get on the crew of a famous director. Once the show becomes a hit, they can also take the golden title of the show and start their own drama. Although it may seem like selling dog meat under sheep's clothing, it is just a common tactic in the industry.
As soon as Fang Xi said this, everyone around her turned their attention to Zhou Xiao. They seemed to want to see something extraordinary in her, but how could she be ordinary if she was chosen by the director? You know, the director hated backdoors the most. Without real talent, it would be difficult to get by on the crew.
The days that followed were incredibly fulfilling for Zhou Xiao. After signing the contract and carrying the ID card Fang Xi had prepared for her, she could come and go freely on the set. Zhou Xiao would occasionally bring her camera to the set to capture behind-the-scenes footage, and as long as she made no noise and disrupted the filming, no one paid her any mind.
As for the crew of "Spring Day," they agreed with Zhou Xiao to deliver the film at the end of the month, which gave them plenty of time. Sometimes, after retouching some photos, she would come to the set to observe. Since they were both working on period costumes, there were naturally things they could learn from each other.
That afternoon, Zhou Xiao arrived at the set as usual. After handing a bag of fine tea to the security guard, he walked in and saw the usual crew members, each doing their own job, crowded in front of a small room. Even quite a few extras had joined in the fun.
Although Fang Xi's direction was strict, he was very kind to the crew and actors after filming. Having established his authority, he relaxed a little in his daily life. Since filming hadn't even started yet, this scene on set was the reason.
She called out to Wang Hao, who was just coming out. Although he looked a little embarrassed, he was also beaming. In Wang Hao's hand was a photo signed in gold marker.
Although Wang Hao was stopped by Zhou Xiao, he was not unhappy at all. Instead, he urged Zhou Xiao to find the book and ask for an autograph. Before Zhou Xiao could even ask, he had already seen who was in the photo.
Zhou Xiao turned her head and looked at the figure through the screen in the room. She remembered the sensation at Shanghai Airport last night and the topic that topped the trending search list - #NINE STAR return to China#
"Ji Shao's autograph?" Zhou Xiao's lips curled up. She still had quite a few! After saying that, Zhou Xiao glanced at the photos in Wang Hao's hand and sincerely advised, "Teacher Wang Hao, find a better place to print the photos!"
Wang Hao glanced at the photo in his hand with confusion, then spotted an account name in a spot that was difficult to edit: [@Flipped腹然心动·纪韶]. The film crew was a place where gossip was produced and exchanged. He looked at the familiar name, then at Zhou Xiao, who was already walking in the opposite direction.
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind. For the first time, he felt like he'd broken through a dimensional wall in reality. Wang Hao awkwardly put the autographed photo away, thinking to himself, "Next time, I'll have to find a more expensive place to print it!"
…
"Hey, Teacher Zhou, you look so good today!" A pockmarked staff member teased Zhou Xiao as he saw him approaching. Actually, calling him Teacher Zhou was also a bit of a joke, as Zhou Xiao was quite young for their industry.
Zhou Xiao didn't care about these names, but after hearing what the man in front of him said, he couldn't help but touch the corner of his mouth. So, is it really that obvious?
After a while, the staff who had gathered there also came back. Zhou Xiao didn't need to ask much, she knew the purpose of Ji Shao's visit to Director Fang.
A woman wearing a hat was carefully examining her phone case. Apparently, she couldn't find the autograph book, so she'd desperately used it as a carrier. She lamented to her colleague, who was also there to get an autograph, "Why didn't Ji Shao record the OST for our production of 'Flowering Flowers'? I think Director Fang should finish recording the OST for 'Happy Journey' and then stop by our place to record it!"
"That makes sense! This way Ji Shao can come a second time, right? I will prepare an autograph book every day. If the kids at home can get two autographs of Ji Shao, I will be treated as a god this year, hahahaha." Another person echoed.
"Hey, hey, hey, you two are still chatting! Hurry up and get in place, Director Fang will be here soon!" The pockmarked man who had teased Zhou Xiao before saw the two of them blocking the door and whispering, so he quickly spoke up to remind them.
This was one of the reasons why Zhou Xiao didn't join in the fun when she realized it was Ji Shao in the room. Director Fang didn't like people interrupting her shoot, and unless there were special circumstances, everyone on set was "forced" to be very punctual. But more importantly, she knew Ji Shao probably still hadn't recovered from the jet lag.
When the two of them mentioned that Ji Shao was going to record the OST of "Xiao Yao You", Zhou Xiao remembered what Qin Wan had said before, asking him to stay in the film and television city for a while longer, as there would be a surprise.
"Xiao Yao You" is a drama directed by Chen Si and Li Zhouye under the direction of Fang Xi. As artists from the same company and the main actors of the drama, they must have known that Ji Shao would come to record songs early on. However, due to confidentiality reasons, although they couldn't say it openly, this hint was harmless.
"Dong dong" the soles of shoes made a sound as they stepped on the wooden floor inside the building. Zhou Xiao, whose thoughts were interrupted by the sound, subconsciously looked towards the door. It was Fang Xi who came in with Ji Shao, who was one step behind her.
Ji Shao was so popular that before he even entered the set, the extras and crew all gave him an excited welcome. These people might not like Ji Shao themselves, but those who were in the industry definitely knew him.
Zhou Xiao, who was in the crowd, could clearly see his ears turning red from the raucous laughter. It was hard to imagine that the young man, who shone like a star and captured everyone's attention on the stage before thousands of people, would be in such a state when he was teased privately.
Zhou Xiao was still laughing, but Ji Shao, who was following behind Fang Xi, had already spotted her. It was like finding someone familiar in an unfamiliar environment, and her eyes suddenly lit up like a puppy flapping its ears. The sisters around Zhou Xiao were all stunned, and they all exclaimed how adorable she was!
Fang Xi had anticipated this reaction. The crew invited Ji Shao partly because of his excellent introduction to the film "The General," and partly because of his popularity. In her opinion, the handsome kid, with a good song and high traffic, was a perfect promotional tool.
"Alright, alright, you've all gathered here to watch and get your autographs. Now it's time to focus on recording," Fang Xi's tone gradually grew serious. Those who were swept by her gaze now shrank back guiltily, firmly clinging to their workstations.
"Xiao Shao, stay with me for a while. Ah Cheng will come pick you up and take you to the recording studio later." The Ah Cheng Fang Xi was referring to was, of course, music producer Mai Zhongcheng, with whom she had collaborated for many years. Mai Zhongcheng also produced the soundtracks for "Xiao Yao You" and "Fan Hua Xing." Many in the industry were eager to see if this collaboration could create another classic.
Ji Shao nodded, politely declining the bench offered by the others. He looked around curiously. Then he saw a familiar figure in the front row, and Ji Shao took a deep breath. This was his fangirl, but more importantly, an excellent photographer. He would work hard, be positive, and be worthy of any attention!
…
Ji Shao is about to join the crew to film! After Ji Shao appeared at Zhejiang Film and Television City, the paparazzi who had been following him all the way couldn't wait to post the pictures they had taken, and added their own speculations about Ji Shao's arrival at the film and television city.
Following the paparazzi's revelations, Ji Shao's name quickly appeared in the film and television gossips of major media enthusiasts. As if sensing something, many scripts hyped as "world classics" began to list Ji Shao as a hot candidate for the male lead.
For a moment, fans of the show felt like they were caught in a world of turmoil. On the one hand, they were worried about the rumors that were tying up Ji Shaobo's popularity, while on the other hand, they were secretly weighing which drama had the better character design. After learning the news, many online users also engaged in heated discussions on various platforms.
——【Entertainment Forum】——[March 31st afternoon]
[Topic] Is Ji Shao really going to film a movie?
[Main Building] I saw the "World Classics" that were torn into pieces a while ago in his square. If Ji Shao really wants to perform, isn't he afraid of being torn into pieces?
1L
The mastermind behind the rumors about Ji Shao is really vicious, who understands! I remember that the male actors who passed on the rumors some time ago were all criticized, and I shed tears for them when I saw them.
46L
Huh? But Ben Shufen is very satisfied... I can't do it with others, but if it's Ji Shao, I think I can do it!
93L
It's over, the person who released the negative press release seems to have backfired! Many passers-by under the marketing account think that Ji Shao is suitable and can go and shoot hahahaha
158L
The TV drama bloggers on my homepage are all going crazy over this news. Help! I really didn't realize they liked Ji Shao before!
181L
Is this guy the most popular actor? I remember there were quite a few Nine Star actors rumored to be acting, but they were basically all criticized for "there's a gap between idols and actors" [facepalm]
…
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