For three consecutive days, Chen Cheng served as the male lead's stunt double.
After the male lead returned, Chen Cheng's stint as his stunt double came to an end.
Although Chen Cheng's work as a stunt double had ended, his martial arts talent and bearing won praise from Director Li and action director Director Xie.
Director Xie, in particular, kept saying that he would definitely recommend Chen Cheng for the lead role in his next production.
It was also because of Chen Cheng's outstanding performance that Director Li had an idea: he wanted Chen Cheng to become a supporting actor attached to the production.
A supporting actor attached to the production was neither a special-role actor nor an independent actor, but an actor who followed the film crew.
Whenever the film crew needed a certain role, a supporting actor attached to the production could fill in.
Although such actors might not get particularly important roles,
they could still frequently take on roles with screen time, a few lines, or stunt scenes for important actors.
And that was not all.
Director Li clearly thought highly of Chen Cheng by wanting him to stay with the film crew.
Since the roles in this production had already been finalized, Chen Cheng could not possibly get a good role.
But if he stayed with Director Li as a supporting actor attached to the production, he would definitely get a good role in the next production.
This was treatment that many graduates of professional acting schools could not enjoy.
Unfortunately, Chen Cheng turned him down.
This made all the Stagehands feel that Chen Cheng had lost his mind.
Even Producer Liu found Chen Cheng and asked him why he had refused.
Chen Cheng's reason was the same as before: he did not want to pursue an acting path anymore.
“You really want to work behind the scenes?”
“Mm.”
“You won't regret it?”
“I won't regret it.”
“I think that with your current conditions, you would do better pursuing an acting path, especially as an action-scene actor.”
“I know, but I still want to work behind the scenes.”
“I really can't understand you.”
After sighing, Liu Qiang said helplessly, “Fine. Actually, I also want you to work behind the scenes. But given your current conditions, working in front of the camera would be better for you. Since you insist, I won't force you. However, although working behind the scenes may seem more stable, there are too many ranks. Unlike actors, who can reach the top in a single step, you can't rise that quickly. Are you sure you've thought this through?”
“I've thought it through.”
Chen Cheng nodded firmly.
“Boy, I really don't know what to say to you.”
Liu Qiang glared at Chen Cheng, but he was actually gratified inside.
Although Chen Cheng was somewhat stubborn, having such a clear idea proved that he was resolute inside, regardless of whether he had chosen the right path.
Moreover, Chen Cheng was only nineteen.
He still had a long future ahead of him. Who knew what he would become?
“Fine. Since you want to work behind the scenes, I'll explain things to you properly. Do you want to pursue the Producer Track?”
“Not exactly.”
“The Director Track?”
“Teacher Liu, although I don't particularly like being an actor, I do like making films. So I think the Director Track suits me better. However, I think the Producer Track would work too. But I probably wouldn't be very good at unit production management and the like.”
“Don't tell me you want to become a director, then a Producer, and eventually a producer.”
“More or less.”
“That's quite an ambition. I wouldn't even dare think that way.”
Liu Qiang laughed and scolded Chen Cheng lightly. “Still, there's nothing wrong with that for a young person. You have to dare to dream. If you don't even dare to dream now, you'll be even less likely to do so in the future. But the Director Track isn't necessarily easy. In the early stages, it has just as many ranks as the Producer Track. If you really want to do it, you'll probably have to start at the very bottom as a script supervisor.”
“Teacher Liu, I heard that one of our film crew's script supervisors is preparing to resign.”
“Good heavens, you've already planned everything out for yourself.”
“I think being a script supervisor is a very good position. Although it's also at the bottom, just like being a Stagehand…”
“Since you've made up your mind, I'll recommend you for it. But you should know that Stagehands belong to our Production Team, while script supervisors belong to the Director Team. You turned down Director Li and Director Xie before. Heh… let's see how they punish you.”
“The two directors wouldn't make things difficult for a lowly script supervisor like me, would they?”
“I don't know either. You'll have to look after yourself.”
Without saying anything else, Liu Qiang glanced at Chen Cheng and left.
The reason he treated Chen Cheng with such special consideration
was not that he had any particularly close personal relationship with him.
It was mainly because, over the past month or so, Chen Cheng's bearing and abilities had impressed Liu Qiang greatly.
After all, Chen Cheng was only nineteen.
How could Liu Qiang know what Chen Cheng would become in the future?
It would not hurt to form a good relationship with him.
Perhaps
Chen Cheng might help him someday in the future.
Besides,
recommending Chen Cheng for the position of script supervisor was only a small matter.
…
“Buddy, could you send me some of the materials from before?”
Since he intended to become a script supervisor, Chen Cheng was not merely paying lip service.
The next day, Chen Cheng found 《Wang Zhaojun》, the script supervisor who was about to resign—a young man a few years older than Chen Cheng.
Seeing Chen Cheng, the young man said, “You won't continue as Deputy Film Set Worker Team Leader, but have come to be a script supervisor instead? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“Killed? Is being a script supervisor really more exhausting than being a Stagehand?”
“Of course it is. It's not only exhausting; the directors will chew you out constantly.”
“Director Li chews people out?”
“What did you think? Let me tell you, every director in the world chews people out, especially low-level script supervisors like us. I couldn't take it anymore, so I resigned. Why don't you think it over again?”
“I've already made up my mind.”
“All right. Since you've made up your mind, I'll send you these materials. Just be careful from now on.”
“Thanks.”
After receiving the materials from the young man, Chen Cheng began reading them carefully.
Indeed.
As a script supervisor, his job was not merely to handle the clapperboard.
Besides operating the clapperboard, the position also required recording all kinds of information about each shot.
For example, the scene number, shot number, whether it was a long shot or close-up, what was being filmed, and the basic actions and lines.
At the same time, he had to record the director's ideas and possess a certain understanding of the Screenplay.
He also had to check whether there were any problems with the filmed footage, among other things.
In short,
being a script supervisor was not only the lowest-level position on the Director Track, but also a grueling and thankless job, with pay that might even be worse than a Stagehand's. However, the advantages of being a script supervisor were also obvious. They were basically always on the film set, and they worked closely with the director. This gave them tremendous room to learn about filming, acting, Cinematography, and so on. That was why Chen Cheng wanted to become a script supervisor.
However, since Chen Cheng had decided to become a script supervisor halfway through the production, there was simply far too much material for the entire production.
After receiving the materials, Chen Cheng spent the handover period reading them in his room.
“So tiring.”
Rubbing his temples, Chen Cheng's vision grew a little blurry.
Sure enough.
Although a script supervisor did not have to perform physical labor, doing the job was hardly any easier than being a Stagehand.
After resting for a while,
at that moment,
Chen Cheng looked at the system panel.
【System: Host completed the Stagehand task and received 5 physique attribute points. The host's current physique is 72+5.】
【System: Host focused on reading and received Memory +1.】
Two consecutive messages flashed by.
Chen Cheng was delighted.
With the first physique attribute reaching 77, Chen Cheng discovered that his abdominal muscles had already developed into a six-pack.
At the same time, his entire body became lighter, and every cell felt incredibly comfortable.
That was not the most important part.
The most important thing was the second message.
With the help of Memory +1,
when Chen Cheng read the materials again, he discovered that he could remember most of anything after seeing it just once.
Especially with important lines: as long as he read them carefully three times, Chen Cheng could remember them completely.
Furthermore,
because of the Memory +1 skill, Chen Cheng also discovered that he had become much more perceptive.
He had previously ignored many minute details automatically, but now he noticed them at a glance.
For example, the locations of all sorts of equipment when he had worked as a Stagehand.
The maintenance and repair methods for each piece of equipment.
The user guides for Cinematography equipment.
When he had worked as a Stagehand, Chen Cheng had merely glanced over them.
But because they had not been particularly relevant to him, he had set them aside.
But now,
all this information seemed to have been imprinted in Chen Cheng's mind, crystal clear.