“Guo Xiang. Why Guo Xiang?”
“Because I like Guo Xiang.”
“What kind of reason is that?”
Zhang Xiaofei pointed at Chen Cheng.
Chen Cheng merely smiled. “All right, there are plenty of reasons. Given Mimi’s current age, she should have no problem playing Guo Fu during her younger years. But sixteen years later, although Guo Fu is still Guo Fu, she has undergone quite a few changes.”
“Has she changed? It doesn’t seem like it. Guo Fu has always been Guo Fu.”
“See? You didn’t understand it, did you?”
Chen Cheng said, “Later, Guo Fu becomes a married woman. You know what a married woman is, right?”
“What’s a married woman?”
“A married woman is a genre.”
“Huh?”
“Er… What I mean is that not everyone can necessarily understand Guo Fu.”
Seeing that the three of them were confused, Chen Cheng said, “Let me ask you one simple question. Do you know who Guo Fu likes?”
“Yang Guo.”
“Er, you do know that.”
The three of them glared at Chen Cheng.
Chen Cheng felt somewhat awkward, then continued, “Then do you know who Yang Guo’s first love was?”
“Do you even need to ask? Xiaolongnü, of course.”
Yuan Shanshan was the first to answer.
Chen Cheng merely smiled. “Go back and read the original work a few more times.”
No wonder.
It was perfectly normal that Yuan Shanshan had not understood.
If she had understood it,
then in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, which she starred in later, she would have ended up playing a supporting female role despite being the female lead. Tell me, whose fault would that be?
“Therefore, compared with Guo Fu, Guo Xiang is the better choice. Although this role appears relatively late, her popularity is extremely high. Not only in The Return of the Condor Heroes—even in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, Guo Xiang has always been the one countless people regretted losing. Rather than playing Guo Fu, in my view, you might as well play Guo Xiang. Once you bring this character to life, the benefits this role brings will extend far beyond this series.”
In fact,
although Yang Mi had debuted early in her previous life,
the role that truly allowed her to make a name for herself in the industry was Guo Xiang in The Return of the Condor Heroes.
…
After parting from Yang Mi and the other two,
Chen Cheng encountered Teacher Zhang Songwen from the Acting Department on his way back to the dormitory.
There was no need to doubt it.
Zhang Songwen was precisely the chairman of the Shengqiang Group who, in his previous life, had declared, “The greater the storm, the more expensive the fish.”
However, Teacher Zhang Songwen had clearly not yet reached the point of becoming famous.
He had not even acted much in the industry yet.
Speaking of Zhang Songwen, he was unlike other actors.
When he was sixteen, his mother passed away. Shaken by the loss, Zhang Songwen did not attend high school, but instead went to a higher vocational school.
After graduating, Zhang Songwen worked successively as a laborer, a printing-plant employee, a restaurant manager, a tour guide… among other jobs.
But because of his love for film, Later Zhang Songwen was admitted to the higher vocational class of the Beijing Film Academy Acting Department.
Because Zhang Songwen performed excellently during his time at the academy, he stayed on at the Beijing Film Academy Institute of Acting Research after graduating and also became a lecturer in Chen Cheng’s Acting Department.
“Chen Cheng, why have you been going to the Directing Department so often lately? The teachers there have even been asking me what is going on.”
“Teacher Zhang, I just want to learn more technical skills.”
“Learning more skills is a good thing, but your major is acting. You have not even mastered acting yet, so no matter how many skills you learn, they will be useless.”
“Teacher Zhang, what you said makes sense, but acting is an extremely competitive major.”
“What do you mean, competitive?”
“The competition is simply too fierce.”
Chen Cheng continued, “Very few people can become famous through acting. Take you, for example, Teacher. Your acting skill is so strong, yet hardly anyone in the industry asks you to act.”
“You brat, are you making fun of your teacher?”
Zhang Songwen pretended to hit him, and Chen Cheng dodged with a laugh.
“Teacher Zhang, I’m telling the truth. If I were you, I wouldn’t remain a teacher.”
“If I didn’t remain a teacher, what would I do?”
“Go into the film industry.”
“Go into the film industry and do what?”
“Make movies.”
Chen Cheng said firmly, “The timing is still good now. If you delay for a few years, I’m afraid there may no longer be a place for you in the industry.”
“A place? What are you even thinking about, you brat? Just focus on your studies. As long as your acting skill is good enough, you will have a place in the industry sooner or later.”
“Teacher Zhang, I’ve heard that line a hundred times already.”
“What’s wrong with hearing it a hundred times? Precisely because it is the truth, repeating it a hundred times is not excessive. You are still young, and you have a long road ahead. As long as you can endure hardship…”
“Then I’ll have endless hardship to endure in the future.”
“Pfft… I think you’re asking for a beating.”
As he spoke, Zhang Songwen kicked at him.
Chen Cheng immediately cried out for surrender. “Teacher Zhang, I was wrong. Teacher Zhang, you’re right. From now on, I’ll definitely endure hardship and train my acting skill diligently.”
“That’s more like it. Off you go.”
Waving his hand, Zhang Songwen felt somewhat helpless.
The little fellow had decent talent, but who knew what wire had gotten crossed lately? Whenever he had nothing to do, he just messed around.
Still, the boy was quite amusing when he talked.
What a fierce competition.
Without realizing it,
Zhang Songwen repeated the phrase after Chen Cheng.
But on his way back, Zhang Songwen rubbed his head and muttered to himself, “What was I looking for this boy for again?”
…
“Old Li, are you saying this storyboard script was really drawn by Chen Cheng?”
“That’s right.”
“He’s only nineteen?”
“That’s correct.”
“Damn, with this kind of ability, why would he still be a script supervisor?”
“Why doesn’t your The Return of the Condor Heroes production crew promote him and make him an Assistant Director?”
“Ahem…”
After receiving Director Li’s email, Yu Ming read it immediately.
After seeing the storyboard drawn by Chen Cheng, Yu Ming called Director Li.
“I want to ask—where is he now?”
“At the Beijing Film Academy.”
“The Beijing Film Academy? Is he a student in the Beijing Film Academy Directing Department?”
“No. It seems he studies acting.”
“How can someone who studies acting possess such outstanding director’s thinking?”
“Exactly. The little fellow is more than qualified to be your assistant director. Keep an eye on him for me, and give him back later.”
“That’s a given.”
Yu Ming hung up the phone in utter satisfaction and said with a smile, “Director Li, Director Li, sorry, but this little fellow won’t be coming back to you.”
…
Wednesday.
The Beijing Film Academy Acting Department had no classes in the afternoon, and the Directing Department happened to have classes.
Chen Cheng once again began sitting in on classes.
Speaking of which,
the Beijing Film Academy Directing Department was renowned throughout the industry.
Even among the class of 1978, the Beijing Film Academy had produced a whole series of outstanding alumni.
Such as Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, and Li Shaohong.
That year’s Cinematography Department also included Zhang Yimou and Gu Changwei, both of whom later became directors.
The class of 1983 had the formidable powerhouse Han Sanping, as well as Huang Jianxin.
Guan Hu of the class of 1987 was also a highly influential figure.
Ding Sheng of the class of 1989 had studied in the Art Department and later became a director.
Gao Xixi, class of 1990, became a director.
The class of 1993 in the Department of Literature had a student who became a director: Jia Zhangke.
The class of 1994 also had Wu Ershan, whose name might not have been especially famous, but who was nevertheless an important figure.
Lu Chuan of the class of 1995.
Ning Hao of the class of 1999, who also worked in Cinematography.
As for those after the year 2000… well, none of them had grown into prominence yet.
Looking at the list of all these prominent figures,
Chen Cheng was filled with anticipation for the future.
These people who studied literature, cinematography, and art… these seemingly wayward fellows could all become directors and make a whole host of impressive films.
As for him, an acting student, he seemed to be doing fairly well too.