MC Bookstore Chapter 35 Explosive Acting Skills
Chapter 35 Explosive Acting Skills
"I'm not formally trained!" Xu Lang shoveled a mouthful of rice down his throat and added:
"I entered this industry halfway through, a self-taught person!"
Qiao Zhenyu was slightly taken aback; it was a bit of a blow!
You're an amateur, yet your acting is so good that even the notoriously strict director Leung praised you highly. Your performances in both dramatic and action scenes are so beautiful.
You're telling me you're a self-taught amateur?
"Mr. Xu Lang, are you really not from a professional acting background?"
"More real than pearls." Xu Lang smiled and explained, seeing the look of utter disbelief on his face.
"However, I often audited classes at the film academy, and I also read a lot of books on drama theory and acting methods. I figured things out on my own, and gradually I got the hang of it."
"Self-taught?" Qiao Zhenyu was shocked again.
There are stories of ordinary people achieving success in the entertainment industry, but most of them are concentrated in the director or behind-the-scenes roles.
In the acting profession, without systematic training and abundant resources, the chances of making it big on your own are extremely slim!
The two then discussed their scene together that afternoon. This scene was a crucial confrontation between Ouyang Shaogong and Yin Qianshang, with a wide range of emotions and great tension.
Just then, the executive director came over to urge the crew to start filming, and the staff had already carried the equipment to the ancient village location in Jinyun.
While the two were discussing the play, Yang Chaoyue sat to the side drinking milk tea and listening to their conversation.
She discovered a problem: she felt drowsy reading the books Xu Lang bought for her, but she was very interested in listening to others talk about plays, rehearse plays, and practice plays.
She seems to have found a path that suits her.
After lunch.
Xu Lang looked at Yang Chaoyue, who was still there, and said:
Why haven't you left yet?
"I enjoy listening to you guys talk about acting, it's quite fun, hehe!" Yang Chaoyue stood up, smiling, when her phone rang. She took it out, glanced at it, and her expression changed drastically. She quickly answered the phone:
"Boss, I... I'm halfway there, there's a bit of traffic, but I'll be there soon... really!"
He hurriedly gestured to Xu Lang and the others, then quickly rode his tricycle back.
His panicked and disorganized manner was somewhat comical.
Xu Lang and the others were moving to a new filming location. Qiao Zhenyu had a car. Dilraba was originally going to go with the rest of Huanrui, but when she saw Xu Lang get into Qiao Zhenyu's car, she ran over too.
……
The filming location was a well-preserved ancient village in Jinyun.
The mottled bluestone and gnarled old trees create a desolate and mysterious atmosphere as dusk approaches.
The crew had already cleared the set and set up; the lights, cameras, and tracks were all in place, and the air was filled with a tense and professional filming atmosphere.
The main focus of this scene is on Yin Qianshang's memory recovery, and Ouyang Shaogong's appearance during his final chaotic and painful moment.
This scene is no longer a pretense, but rather Ouyang Shaogong's revelation and distortion of his true self.
Half of this storyline was filmed in Hengdian, with additional outdoor scenes to be added.
The outdoor set was set up in advance by staff, so people could basically start filming as soon as they arrived.
The assistant director was already arranging the extras' positions, and the executive director found Xu Lang and Qiao Zhenyu and began explaining the scene to them.
"This scene with Ouyang Shaogong is about tearing away the facade of warmth and confronting Yin Qianshang directly." The assistant director gestured to Xu Lang and Qiao Zhenyu:
"Yin Qianshang's memories have returned, causing him pain and confusion, while Shao Gong is the one who uncovers the cruel truth and even enjoys his suffering. The emotions need to be layered, especially the eyes, which should convey a coldness of complete control and a hint of playful cruelty."
This scene mainly focuses on the interaction between the two of them.
This also presents a great challenge to Xu Lang's acting skills. To Xu Lang's surprise, Yang Mi, who had disappeared for a period of time, has returned.
He was walking while running, so he had just arrived.
After Yin Qianshang is resurrected, he becomes Feng Guangmo, the older brother of Feng Qingxue, played by Yang Mi. Yang Mi is indispensable in this part of the story.
The production team only decided to film this scene after confirming that she could return in time.
After much communication, rehearsals, and a lot of work, this segment finally began filming as dusk approached.
During this time, Reba held Xu Lang's phone and felt it vibrating frequently as many WeChat messages popped up. She wanted to look at them but dared not.
……
Everything is ready, and filming is about to begin.
"Actors, take your positions!"
The executive director, holding a megaphone, looked at Xu Lang, who played Yin Qianshang. Xu Lang nodded slightly and then closed his eyes.
A moment later, when he opened his eyes again, the easygoing demeanor had vanished, replaced by a deep, unfathomable darkness.
This is the state Feng Guangmo should be in.
"Action!"
Snapped!
The clapperboard rang out crisply.
The twilight light was carefully adjusted to be dim and ambiguous. Yin Qianshang, played by Xu Lang, staggered along the stone path of the ancient village, holding his head in his hands, his expression distorted by a severe headache and chaotic memories.
Yin Qianshang's unrestrained spirit and Feng Guangmo's sense of responsibility and memories are locked in a fierce battle.
"Who am I...who am I really?"
She roared and slammed into the earthen wall beside her, dust falling in a flurry.
The director and others sitting on the monitor held their breath, stunned by Xu Lang's ability to get into character in a second.
The expression, the look, the pain... it all came so naturally, and it was so realistic that it didn't seem like acting.
He seemed to be in real pain, so much so that his face was contorted and twisted, he was delirious, and his head felt like it was about to explode.
Director Liang was quite satisfied and relatively calm. He looked at Qiao Zhenyu, who was standing to the side. As a veteran actor, he didn't need to say anything more.
With just a glance, he knew exactly how to position himself.
Qiao Zhenyu, who plays Ouyang Shaogong, walked unhurriedly out of the shadows at the alley entrance. He was dressed in a blue robe, and his face appeared exceptionally fair in the twilight, even giving off a cold, jade-like feeling.
His elegance and composure stand in stark contrast to Yin Qianshang's frenzied and twisted nature.
The camera zooms in, giving him a close-up of his face.
There was no exaggerated expression, only a barely perceptible curve at the corner of his mouth. His eyes remained calm and undisturbed, exuding an air of knowing everything and manipulating people's hearts with ease.
"Is it painful?"
Ouyang Shaogong spoke, his voice not loud, but clear and cold:
"When the barriers of the past crumble, the true self surges forth like a tidal wave... Feng Guangmo."
As expected of a seasoned actor, Qiao Zhenyu's emotions and tone were perfectly controlled.
"Shut up!" Yin Qianshang glared at him, her eyes red-rimmed, struggling to maintain her facade.
"I am—Yin Qianshang! Not Feng Guangmo!"
Ouyang Shaogong shook his head slightly, as if pitying a child who refused to face reality:
What's the point of deceiving yourself?
"You know very well that the carefree playboy Yin Qianshang was nothing more than a dream I gave you, and your real name, the mission you bear, and... those bloody past events are all here, never having left."
He raised his hand, his slender fingers pointing vaguely at Yin Qianshang's heart.
Yin Qianshang felt as if he had been scalded by an invisible flame. He trembled violently and staggered backward. His previous anger and struggle deflated like a punctured balloon, transforming into a deeper, more helpless pain and confusion...
Sitting behind the monitor, Director Liang leaned forward slightly, staring intently at the screen, holding his breath as he watched the entire process.
Suddenly, he picked up the walkie-talkie and shouted:
"Click!"
This sound broke the tension in the room.
Xu Lang felt as if all his strength had been drained away in an instant. He leaned against the wall, panting slightly, still unable to recover from his complete breakdown.
Qiao Zhenyu immediately suppressed his cold and aloof aura, regaining his gentle demeanor, and promptly comforted Xu Lang:
"Professor Xu Lang, are you... alright?"
Xu Lang didn't speak; he was trying to pull himself out of that overwhelming feeling.
Yang Mi, Dilraba, the director, and others walked over quickly, their faces showing concern and excitement.
He is not Yang Mi. Xu Lang's acting in that scene was absolutely phenomenal.
"The emotional progression is excellent!" Director Liang first nodded to Xu Lang, acknowledging his nuanced and layered sense of collapse, then looked at Qiao Zhenyu:
"Zhenyu, you handled the emotions very well, but the last sentence, 'the bloody past,' could have been said in a softer tone, with a touch of lingering emotion."
Qiao Zhenyu nodded: "Understood, Director!"
Director Liang looked at Xu Lang again; he had already recovered.
"Teacher Xu Lang, are you alright? Let's secure one, then do one more."
Xu Lang looked up and nodded: "Okay, no problem, let's try again!"