Chapter 58
With a president in charge, Jianghu Pictures was finally able to officially begin operations.
Only then did Hu Zhenzhen have time to focus on recruiting staff and actors.
The staff has been recruited one after another.
Apart from the post-production stage, which requires the most technical expertise, all other departments have been established.
The casting call for actors is still in full swing.
Hu Zhenzhen went to the interview site to take a look and found that most of the applicants were recent graduates.
Their acting skills are mediocre, and they have little experience. Even when they work on various film crews, they can only get minor supporting roles.
Climbing the ladder in this industry is far more complex than simply relying on luck.
Every year, five figures of students graduate from formal acting programs, but only about one-tenth of them actually make a living in the entertainment industry and get acting opportunities.
Many people are unemployed upon graduation. They try to get minor roles, only to find that the wages are simply not enough to support them while they are away from home.
Young people are also prone to arrogance, feeling that since they have formal training and have already learned how to act, they should at least play a decent supporting role.
This kind of mentality will cause young people with even a little acting skill to miss out on a lot of opportunities.
Compared to them, some directors prefer the veteran extras who have spent years working on various film sets.
Those who can persist in the extras industry for so long must be very dedicated.
Even if their acting skills are average, their dedication is enough to get them good enough for playing ordinary minor supporting roles.
Hu Zhenzhen's casting call is a great opportunity for anyone who has graduated a year or two ago and hasn't given up on acting as a lifelong career.
Jianghu Pictures has stated that as long as you become a contracted actor with them, you will at least receive a guaranteed minimum income and have the opportunity to act in films and television series at any time.
When it comes to productions made by your own company, you'll definitely prioritize casting people from your own company.
If you can stand out among these actors, you might even have a chance to become the lead actor.
Everyone came with this in mind.
Lei Tao was not well-known among students; few people knew or understood him.
But Lu Ye is different. After all, that movie was called a beautiful vase, and it is still talked about by many viewers.
In some ways, he is also a famous director.
Some actors come here seeking opportunities with trepidation, as working with a director with a tarnished reputation is a challenge for them.
Fortunately, half of Lu Ye's notorious reputation is good.
At least he takes very beautiful photos of people.
Online, people often praise Lu Ye like this, and even when some directors make terrible movies, netizens will bring him up for criticism.
[This scene is such a waste; it would have been better to have Lu Ye film it, at least then it would have turned out nice.]
The plot is just as bad as Lu Ye's films, and it's not even half as good. It's utterly awful.
To some extent, these comments can also be called praise.
Therefore, after having their doubts, many people still chose to give Jianghu Pictures a try.
Today is the last day for actor auditions, and the Jianghu Pictures building is unusually lively.
The interview was held on the first floor of the building.
The first floor has a very simple layout, with a spacious lobby, a U-shaped reception office area, and a separate large conference room.
The interview was conducted in that large conference room.
The person called goes inside, while the rest wait outside.
As soon as Hu Zhenzhen came in, she saw a row of benches placed against the wall.
The room was packed with people; I roughly counted about forty or fifty, of all ages.
Hu Zhenzhen has been watching a lot of dramas lately, and even spotted one or two familiar extras in the crowd.
She was followed by a large group of people, and when she came in, the receptionist stood up and greeted her loudly, which was quite eye-catching.
The group of people sitting in the chairs immediately turned their attention to this direction.
"Mr. Hu, Director Lu is inside."
Hu Zhenzhen has seen many big occasions, so she didn't feel embarrassed. However, her presence here was clearly affecting everyone's mood for the performance.
"Okay, you go ahead with your work, I'll go in and see how Director Lu conducts the interviews."
After saying that, Hu Zhenzhen walked directly into the conference room.
Chen Kai followed behind her and noticed that the receptionist's expression was a little strange, as if she was trying to suppress a laugh.
What's so funny?
Soon, the answer to this question was found.
As soon as the conference room door was pushed open, the sound, which had been muffled by the solid wood door, immediately rang out.
"Goose—goose—goose──"
Hu Zhenzhen fell silent for a moment, then gripped the doorknob and closed the door again.
She turned her head and happened to meet a young student who was about to be interviewed. "Can you tell me what Director Lu will test you on?"
The student recognized her and was surprised that Hu Zhenzhen would talk to him; his expression immediately became extremely excited.
"For the performances, we all drew lots. Each person has their own topic and has to go in and perform for Director Lu."
So that's how it is.
Hu Zhenzhen understood somewhat; the person being interviewed inside had probably drawn the role of the goose performer.
She opened the door again, tried to appear calm as she walked in, and sat down next to Director Lu and Screenwriter Lei.
"Mr. Hu, please sit here."
When she arrived, Lu Ye wanted to give up the center seat for her, but Hu Zhenzhen stopped him.
"An interview is in progress right now. You're the main interviewer, and I'll just observe from here."
Only after hearing her words did Lu Ye feel relieved and refocus his attention on the actors performing.
"Continue, perform a blind person eating."
Playing a blind person is no easy task. Hu Zhenzhen shifted her gaze to the young man being interviewed, resting her chin on her hand, anticipating his performance.
After all, the goose's cry just now was quite spectacular, which shows that the actor was very expressive and his acting skills must be pretty good.
With this in mind, Hu Zhenzhen became even more excited.
Perhaps the sudden addition of an interviewer made the candidate nervous, or perhaps the candidate was already nervous to begin with.
Under the gaze of the three men, he suddenly closed his eyes and fell backward.
Hu Zhenzhen didn't react for a moment, thinking it was a performance, and waited for his next move.
She only realized something was wrong when the person on the ground didn't move for a long time.
"Chen Kai, go check on him quickly, see if he's alright."
Chen Kai sat to her right, making it the easiest for him to move around. The moment Hu Zhenzhen spoke, he stood up as instructed by his boss to check on the interviewee.
Fortunately, the person being interviewed didn't faint; he groggily stretched out his hand and moved it a little.
"I'm fine, I just have a bit of low blood sugar."
Upon hearing this, Hu Zhenzhen quickly offered up the peach gummies from her bag.
"Chen Kai!"
She called out to Chen Kai and handed him the candy, saying, "Feed him a piece of candy and help him up to catch his breath."
Shi Yu had already sat up. Hearing Hu Zhenzhen's words, he cooperatively extended his hand. "Thank you for your help."
His weakness and disappointment were impossible to hide.
With such a great opportunity right in front of him, even the chairman of Jianghu Pictures came to interview him personally, how could he not seize the opportunity and suffer from hypoglycemia at this moment!
Shi Yu was angry, but he was too weak to even open the candy wrapper.
Fortunately, Chen Kai was thoughtful and took the initiative to take it, open it for him, and put it back in his palm.
Thank you.
Shi Yu put the candy in his mouth, and after a few seconds, he felt much stronger.
Chen Kai helped him up, and before taking him far, helped him to sit down on a stool in the house.
"Let the next person come in for an interview first."
Lu Ye gave the order, and the assistant standing by the door opened the door and called out the number, "Number 23."
Out of the corner of her eye, Hu Zhenzhen saw Shi Yu sitting by the wall and noticed that he had lowered his head in disappointment.
"Good morning/afternoon, interviewers. I am Zhang Yingying, number 23!"
The girl who came in was a vibrant young woman who had just graduated from university this year with a degree in performing arts.
She handed the lot she had drawn to Lu Ye.
"Okay, let's start with the animal show, the donkey."
Lu Ye looked up at her and then spoke with a serious expression.
The girl is indeed beautiful and pretty, but after being in the entertainment industry for a long time and seeing so many beautiful people, she has developed a resistance to them, and the competitiveness of a pretty face is not so important.
Hu Zhenzhen thought the girl would be a little shy, but the girl's opening remarks startled Hu Zhenzhen.
"Uh-huh—"
How can I describe that donkey bray?
Hu Zhenzhen can only describe it with the word "standard". If she had to find another word, she would probably only say "shocking".
The little girl has a bright voice, so her braying as a donkey was especially loud.
Actors have probably all learned the lesson of liberating their natural instincts.
Hu Zhenzhen guessed that their results should be good, after all, it is easy for people who have not practiced walking on the ground using both their hands and feet to stumble.
Zhang Yingying walked with unusual ease, as if she were always on all fours.
Lu Ye nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. Next, perform a scene where you see your first love kissing someone else while you're in the rain."
These two questions are very different, but the interviewee only has a few dozen seconds to prepare.
Hu Zhenzhen started to feel nervous.
When the girl turned around, her unrestrained donkey-like face had transformed back into an innocent look.
She folded her hands over her head, seemingly to shield herself from the rain. When that stopped working, she took off her coat and used it as a small umbrella over her head.
Although she looked a little disheveled at this moment, her expression remained calm and emotionless until she looked up and her expression changed instantly.
However, she was hysterical and didn't try to do anything.
She stared blankly for a few seconds, blinked a few times, her eyes reddened, then pulled the clothes covering her head down even lower and ran away quickly.
Even a simple scene was portrayed with great depth.
Hu Zhenzhen couldn't help but clap her hands a few times.
Shi Yu, who was sitting on a chair by the wall, raised his head at some point. After watching the performance, he felt even more frustrated.
He doesn't blame anyone else, only himself for not seizing the opportunity.
After two years of playing minor roles and practicing in front of the mirror every day, wasn't it all for this day?
To fail at such a crucial moment, is he really not suited to be an actor?
Shi Yu couldn't help but doubt himself.
He's already been eliminated; he's just waiting to regain his strength before leaving.
"Great, the interviews on the 23rd have concluded. We will notify you of the results within two days."
Lei Tao acted as if it were a formality, his facial expression remaining unchanged, making it impossible for Zhang Yingying to discern whether he had succeeded or failed.
The little girl left nervously.
Seeing the door open, Shi Yu stood up, leaning against the wall, preparing to take the opportunity to leave as well.
It's not good for him to stay here any longer. Since he's already failed, he should hurry up and find two extra roles so he can have money for food next week.
After walking a few steps while holding onto the wall, Shi Yu heard someone calling him from behind.
"Hey, are you just going to leave like that?"
Only Ms. Hu remained in the room, making it obvious who had spoken.
Shi Yu froze, then slowly turned his head.
Hu Zhenzhen smiled at him, "You haven't performed your second topic yet, have you? Are you giving up?"
Are you going to give up?
Shi Yu asked himself the same question.
But he knew, deep down, that he didn't want to give up on being an actor.
Even if it takes him 10 or 20 years to work his way up from a minor supporting role to a leading role, it would still be acceptable for him.
"I thought I had been eliminated."
If Hu Zhenzhen doesn't say anything, then that's definitely true.
Lu Ye admires people who actively seize opportunities. In his view, Shi Yu's initiative to go out was a form of giving up.
"Let's try again."
Hu Zhenzhen's words gave him another chance.
Shi Yu suddenly felt much stronger and bowed to Hu Zhenzhen, saying, "Thank you."
His topic was "Blind People," and if given another chance, the topic would still be "Blind People."
Lu Ye frowned, subconsciously looking at him with a more critical eye.
Shi Yu was originally holding onto the wall, and after bowing, he still held onto the wall, but changed the way he held it.
His eyes didn't roll back intentionally; he just stared blankly at the wall, exploring it with his fingertips.
With chin held high, he waited until his fingertips had explored a sufficient distance before he began to move his feet.
His toes seemed to touch something, and his hand left the wall, starting to feel horizontally.
Hu Zhenzhen understood; they had reached for the dining table.
He first bent his hand halfway and felt along the edge of the table until he found the shape of the bowl before finally sitting down.
Are we having green peppers today?
A smile curved at the corners of his mouth as he tilted his head slightly, intently listening to what someone was saying.
"Okay, you go first, I'll be fine on my own."
He held the spoon, needing to use his fingers to help him keep the food on the spoon accurately, feeding it to his mouth one spoonful at a time.
The acting here is very realistic; even without props, Hu Zhenzhen was instantly drawn into the role.
Lu Ye, who had previously been skeptical of him, leaned forward, his expression now changed.
Shi Yu paused in his eating, and considering his earlier words, Hu Zhenzhen guessed that someone had left and made the sound of the door closing.
He stopped eating after hearing the sound.
The chewing motions continued, but the speed was more than half slowed down, and the person had lost the energy they had just displayed.
Hu Zhenzhen thought he would arrange some lines.
But until the very end, Shi Yu didn't say anything more, only letting out a deep sigh.
He didn't say anything, but Hu Zhenzhen could already sense his helplessness and the weight of his life.
The performance ended there. Shi Yu stood up from the stool and bowed again, which Hu Zhenzhen then noticed.
She clapped as well, then turned to look at Lu Ye.
After all, she's an amateur when it comes to acting, so it's up to Director Lu and screenwriter Lei to judge.
"Very good," Director Lu said, giving him his approval as soon as he spoke.
"Your acting was absolutely perfect, it even surprised me."
With his praise, Shi Yu's expression improved considerably, but Lu Ye suddenly changed the subject, saying, "I'd like to ask something unrelated. Why did you choose to leave before the interview results were even confirmed?"
Shi Yu's idea was very simple.
He felt he had been eliminated and needed to find work as an extra in other venues as soon as possible.
That's what he thought, and naturally, that's what he said.
Hu Zhenzhen noticed that Lu Ye's expression changed, and he seemed dissatisfied again.
Do you think the work of an extra is more important than this opportunity?
If this conversation continues, it's likely to lead to conflict.
Hu Zhenzhen could tell that Shi Yu was indeed a talented person, and Director Lu was also very satisfied with his acting skills, but he was a little picky about his attitude.
“I don’t think so. Every job opportunity is equally valuable to me.”
Shi Yu's face was pale, as if he had not yet recovered from low blood sugar.
Seeing how pitiful he was, Hu Zhenzhen said, "Director Lu, we're not superior to anyone. We all need to eat, so it's understandable."
Upon hearing this, Lu Ye looked embarrassed and awkward.
Great directors are all a bit arrogant, and they also have their own little pride.
Lu Ye certainly hoped that the actors he recruited would genuinely value this opportunity.
But he had also been poor, so he could understand Shi Yu's situation.
After Hu Zhenzhen interjected, his awkwardness vanished instantly.
Indeed, why would he make things difficult for a low-level actor?
“Shi Yu, number 22, we’ll meet in two days,” Lu Ye originally intended to say according to the script, but he caught a glimpse of Hu Zhenzhen’s expression out of the corner of his eye and knew that she was also very satisfied with this actor, so he had a sudden inspiration.
He swallowed the words that were about to come out and said something else instead.
"Mr. Hu, I think we should just notify him that he's been accepted. His acting skills are indeed quite good."
The question was then posed to Hu Zhenzhen.
However, just like Lu Ye, Hu Zhenzhen already had the intention of admitting Shi Yu, so she nodded directly.
"Okay, congratulations, Shi Yu, you've been accepted. Remember to report to the Actors Department on the fifth floor tomorrow."
When Shi Yu heard Hu Zhenzhen's words, he could hardly believe it.
In fact, his soul had already begun to float away the moment Hu Zhenzhen spoke up for him.
"Are you dreaming?"
He was thinking this when he unexpectedly muttered it out loud.
Hu Zhenzhen laughed immediately, "It's not a dream."
Sitting in the middle, Lu Ye thought of himself a few days ago and felt a deep empathy. His impression of Shi Yu improved considerably.
He was a somewhat unconventional person to begin with.
On set, Lei Tao could keep him in check, but during the interview, Lei Tao didn't interfere much, allowing Lu Ye to fully express his true nature.
Lu Ye had been here for three or four days, and his expression changed faster than flipping through a book. His assistant was already used to it, and when she saw Director Lu's smile, she just thought to herself.
here we go again.
Sure enough, the next second, Lu Ye, who had just been criticizing Shi Yu, was already shaking hands with someone.
"Okay, I think you're a reliable kid. I had the same feeling when I came here a couple of days ago."
Shi Yu's mind wasn't very clear.
I sometimes feel dizzy because of low blood sugar.
The sensation became even more pronounced after Lu Ye jolted him like that.
He coughed suddenly, and Hu Zhenzhen thought he was about to vomit.
She gave Chen Kai a wink, "Give him a bottle of water, so he doesn't throw up as soon as he goes outside."
Lu Ye released the person and happened to hear this sentence, which made him suspicious.
Having been in this industry for so many years, he's heard plenty of stories about young heartthrobs and rich women. Could it be that Mr. Hu has his eye on this one?
Lu Ye shifted his gaze to Shi Yu.
He is indeed quite handsome, with a dignified and imposing air about him.
But is this level of achievement not good enough for President Hu?
Hu Zhenzhen had shown Lu Ye great kindness and support. Deep down, Lu Ye hoped that his boss would have the best, including finding the best partner for him.
He began to seriously consider the question, and then took out Shi Yu's resume and glanced at it. Shi Yu was twenty-three years old.
Tsk, it's not exactly a three-year age difference. Looks like this kid isn't lucky enough to hold a gold brick.
Looking up again, Mr. Hu had the housekeeper help the person out, and Lu Ye's thoughts wavered once more.
A two-year age difference doesn't seem like a problem.
His expression changed so drastically, and with that lewd smile on his face, Hu Zhenzhen couldn't stand it anymore and asked him a question.
"Director Lu, what are you thinking about?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Hu, I'm very discreet and never pry into my boss's private life."
Lu Ye's words confused Hu Zhenzhen even more; how did this veer into her private life?
Seeing Lu Ye's teasing look, Hu Zhenzhen pondered for a few seconds before realizing what was going on.
"Director Lu, I think your delusions are quite severe. The company is arranging a physical examination in a while, you should go and get checked properly, don't delay and let the condition get worse."
Hu Zhenzhen patted his shoulder silently and left with those words.
This made Lei Tao, who had been sitting silently to the side, burst into laughter.
He mischievously repeated, "Don't worry, Mr. Hu, I don't pry into my boss's private life, hahaha."
Lu Ye was already incredibly embarrassed, and then he was mocked by him, making his whole body turn red from head to neck.
"Alright, Lao Lei, even if you don't laugh, people won't think you're mute."
Hu Zhenzhen was also infected by Lei Tao's laughter and started laughing along.
The laughter only subsided when Chen Kai pushed the door open and came in again.
"boss!"
Chen Kai called her name and waved his phone, "The owner of Yinli, Chen Zhi, invites you to tonight's dinner party."
SoundParticles is a long-established company that has been in the entertainment industry for a long time.
Unlike other companies that are based in the south, this company's headquarters are also located in City S.
That's why Chen Zhi was able to learn about Hu Zhenzhen's involvement in the film and television industry before others.
Hu Zhenzhen wasn't entirely sure whether tonight's dinner was a trap or not.
Most of the people signed by Yinli are singers, and it seems that they keep to themselves and Jianghu Film and Television.
Hu Zhenzhen never underestimated any test.
She wants to be the richest mom in the country, but first she has to be the richest person in the country.
Jianghu Pictures must also reach the top position in the entertainment industry.
Hu Zhenzhen is destined to reach out and touch the sound grain cake in the future.
She calmly stood up. "What time tonight?"
"7:30, in the Golden Fragrance Pavilion Hall."
There is still plenty of time, enough for Hu Zhenzhen to make adequate preparations.
Regardless of Mr. Chen's intentions in inviting her, she needed to make it clear that Hu Zhenzhen was ready to take a bite out of the entertainment industry.
"Let's go to Mr. Ji's flagship store."
As the boss, Hu Zhenzhen naturally has her privileges.
In addition to owning every single limited-edition item, she also has her own dressing room in every Mr. Giardini store across the country.
Her personal stylist is always on standby, ready to serve her.
When Hu Zhenzhen arrived at Mr. Ji's flagship store, her stylist, Lillian, was already there.
The store brought out all its high-end custom items that it usually doesn't display to outsiders, and arranged two rows of mannequins.
"Boss, which one would you like to wear tonight?"
The clothes that had already been borrowed by celebrities had been eliminated in advance, and the ones that could be placed in front of Hu Zhenzhen were all top-tier haute couture pieces that only one or two in the world could be found.
Hu Zhenzhen took a liking to the most eye-catching one.
Made of red silk, with a phoenix feather embroidered below the hip.
Even when a dress is in its most exquisite state, it still possesses a radiant and dazzling beauty.
Lillian smiled immediately upon seeing her choice. "Boss, what a coincidence! I have a friend who works for Mr. Chen at Yinli, and I heard that her dress tonight is also red."
There's an old saying: it's not scary to wear the same clothes as someone else; it's embarrassing for the one who looks worse.
This statement applies everywhere.
Before attending a dinner party, people usually ask each other about their outfits to avoid bumping into each other.
But Hu Zhenzhen was invited suddenly, and it was clear that the other party hadn't intended to give her that time.
Hu Zhenzhen made no attempt to avoid the question, saying, "Just this one."
She raised the corners of her lips, "Since Mr. Chen invited me, he must have asked around about the color of my dress."
Lillian immediately understood and replied with a smile, "Boss is in super good shape today, she'll definitely outshine everyone tonight."
Whether she outshines anyone or not is another matter, but Hu Zhenzhen's meaning is already very clear.
She wouldn't accommodate Chen Zhi; since Chen Zhi wanted to invite her, it would be best for her to make preparations accordingly.
This is arrogance, but also confidence.
The world of fame and fortune is a whirlpool, and since Hu Zhenzhen has decided to step into it, she must become the one who is the center of attention and surrounded by people.
There can only be one central character.
She's already booked the spot, so it'll be a bit of a hassle for Mr. Chen to play a supporting role.
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