Nina wasn't interested in the scene and didn't understand why Ye Chu was so enthusiastic. She waved her hand and went back to remove her makeup. Shang Ye Chu came to the set alone and quietly walked to the monitor.
The monitor was Shao Guangji's territory, and Shang Yechu usually avoided it except to watch her own scenes, lest she make a fool of herself. Today was different, so Shang Yechu tried to minimize her presence, standing silently a short distance behind Shao Guangji, staring at the monitor screen.
Director Shao glanced at her but didn't say anything, nor did he chase her away. Shang Yechu breathed a sigh of relief.
Song Yuchen had rehearsed this scene several times. Shang Yechu had secretly spied on her three times. However, this was Song Yuchen's first time performing on stage.
Through the monitor, Shang Yechu observed Song Yuchen's appearance for the umpteenth time. Unlike the chubby Yechu of her previous life, who was obese and whose movements were inherently comical, Song Yuchen's figure and posture were those of an ordinary person. Looking only at the upper half of her face, she was very pretty. However, she had two enormous buck teeth that protruded from her mouth like two large shields.
From Shang Yechu's perspective, she was still pretty, even a little cute. If she wore glasses, she would look like the female lead in the first episode of a campus drama. As for the comedic effect, it wasn't apparent before filming started.
Shang Yechu stared intently at the screen.
With all departments ready, Shao Guangji brought the walkie-talkie to his lips and shouted, "Action!"
Almost instantly, Song Yuchen's expression changed.
Sadness, despair, helplessness, and longing filled her eyes, which were brimming with tears. Shang Yechu didn't even see how the tears were forming before she, with tears in her eyes, awkwardly twirled a waltz on the platform…
"She's a good actress," Shang Yechu thought silently. Although she already knew that during rehearsals.
The script stipulated that the comedian should have tears in his eyes before falling from the building, embodying a fearless obsession. This was meant to use a joyful scene to highlight sorrow. Actually, Shang Yechu secretly felt something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Shao Guangji wasn't a director like Gu Wenhua, someone you could discuss things with. Without a concrete explanation, Shang Yechu couldn't argue with him, especially since it was someone else's scene.
Song Yuchen jumped down.
The way she jumped was tragically beautiful. Shang Yechu wrote it down, thinking that if any movie ever had a suicide scene, she could refer to this moment.
etc.
Shang Yechu narrowed her eyes slightly. Why did she feel that Song Yuchen's scene was "suicide" rather than "comedy"?
How could a comedian's final desperate struggle in his life be suicide?
"Cut!"
Almost at the same time, Shao Guangji also called a halt.
"Try it again," Shao Guangji said into the walkie-talkie. "The machine is too slow; it didn't capture the expression."
The cable car camera can slide up, down, left, right, horizontal, and vertical along the metal wire rail, making it ideal for capturing actors' expressions during scenes of jumping off buildings. The machine didn't capture any facial expressions just now? Shang Yechu was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she hadn't noticed.
Song Yuchen was strapped into a wire harness, and there was a safety mat below the platform that met national standards. However, her innate fear still made her a little frightened. The crew members went over and surrounded her to comfort her.
The staff adjusted the cable car machine, and Song Yuchen jumped a second time. Her performance was similar to the first time. This time, it was also a NG (no good). The reason given by Shao Guangji was that "although the expression was captured, her face was off-center."
After performing the dance twice, Song Yuchen's face turned a little pale. Seeing this, Shao Guangji said, "Tell the comedians to take a break. The whole show will have a twenty-minute rest. Deputy Lin, give the walkie-talkie to the comedians."
Song Yuchen took the walkie-talkie, and Shao Guangji said, "Comedian, comedian, something from the previous rehearsal was wrong. Discard it all. Your expression on flat ground is one thing, but combined with jumping off a building, it conveys a completely different meaning. Discard it for now and take a break. Do you understand?"
Song Yuchen said in astonishment, "But director, you're the one who told me to act like this..."
Shao Guangji simply said, "I misunderstood, I'm sorry. Take a rest first. I'll give you a plan in twenty minutes."
Song Yuchen breathed a sigh of relief. She thought the director was going to make fun of her.
After giving his instructions, Shao Guangji stood up and turned around. Seeing Shang Yechu still staring thoughtfully at the monitor, he frowned and asked, "Yechu, why aren't you removing your makeup?"
Shang Yechu rolled her eyes inwardly. If the filming went smoothly, Shao Guangji might not be so amiable; if the filming didn't go well, the "nitpicking session" would definitely be held as scheduled.
"Director, I don't have much experience in comedy," Shang Yechu said without hesitation, "I'd like to watch Song Yuchen's performance to learn from her."
"You have no comedy experience?" Shao Guangji stiffly raised his eyebrows. "You have to learn from her?"
Shang Yechu subtly reminded him, "Song Yuchen is the champion of the 'King of Comedy' competition." An excellent new-era comedian. To be honest, in his previous life, Shang Yechu was a self-taught comedian, while Song Yuchen was a formally trained, orthodox comedian.
Shao Guangji bluntly said, "If actors have to rely on these things to prove themselves, even the best artists in the entertainment industry wouldn't be able to win an award for excellence."
"It's not like you're discriminating against me because of my low education level anymore," Shang Yechuxin said.
Seeing that Shang Yechu remained silent, Shao Guangji walked past her and headed into the theater. Shang Yechu hurriedly followed him and asked, "Director, why do you think Xiao Song's performance was wrong?"
Shao Guangji remained silent. Shang Yechu slowed her pace and said as calmly as possible, "Director, high-altitude scenes are different from others. Even if you're strapped in with wires and there's no danger to your life, jumping repeatedly is bad for your back and heart. Let's figure it out as soon as possible, so that Xiao Song doesn't suffer as much."
"Xiao Song's expression..." Shao Guangji pondered for a moment, and finally said, "This is the performance I wanted her to do. Before the wire work, this performance was fine. But today, when she actually jumped off the building, the problem became very big."
"Where do you think the problem lies?"
Shao Guangji squinted and said, "Before, Xiao Song was singing and dancing on the ground, which seemed absurd and ridiculous. But today, when he actually jumped, those two things were gone, just like an ordinary suicide. What's so funny about an ordinary person committing suicide? It's neither a comedy nor a tragedy, which seems like forcing a new poem to express sorrow."
Shang Yechu's heart skipped a beat: it really wasn't her imagination!
"So, why did you design these expressions and movements?" Shang Yechu already had the answer in her heart, but in order to save Director Shao's face, she decided to bring up the topic tactfully.
Shao Guangji glanced at her: "If you have any ideas, just say them. We only have fifteen minutes left. I'm not the kind of director like Xu Hanwen who gets angry when someone points out a mistake."
Not only do writers look down on each other, but directors do too. There's no way to respond to that. Shang Yechu laughed awkwardly: "You can design these expressions and movements because you're not a comedian."
"What does this have to do with whether I'm a comedian or not?"
Shang Yechu slowly said, "You think being a comedian is a low-class profession, right? At least a level below ordinary actors."
Shao Guangji frowned and stopped in his tracks: "I never said that."
"Hmm..." Shang Yechu smiled slightly, but the smile was still very forced. "If you don't think comedians are inferior, why would you adopt a mindset that leans towards that of a resentful woman?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
