Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 98 Director Establishes Authority

Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Director Establishes Authority

In recent years, many information technologies have undergone major reforms and entered a period of rapid development, so the production speed of films is now much faster than it was a few years ago.

The post-production, which used to be the most headache-inducing and time-consuming, can now be rushed out in a month if pushed to the limit.

"Small Bridge, Flowing Water, People" aimed to hit the summer slot in August, starting its filming in January and allocating four months for the actors to shoot. The remaining four months were reserved for post-production, review, scheduling, and promotion.

Nowadays, there is a set process for TV drama production, and in recent years, many new film cities have emerged, making locations easier to find. Thus, the four months of filming time for the crew can truly be spent on actual shooting.

For a TV drama, four months of filming time precisely meets the "high-quality" standard. The duration is sufficient, and whether it becomes an excellent TV drama depends on the actors’ performance and the film editing.

Even though Director Gu Qiao’s purpose in filming this TV drama was to raise money for his next movie, he would never sabotage his own reputation. After all, only if the TV drama is well-made can the funding for the movie be raised more smoothly.

So, when the crew got back on track after a few days of uncertainty, what they faced was an extremely strict director.

On the first day of shooting, Gu Qiao resolved to intimidate the lead actors and establish his authority, so he chose to film one of the most difficult scenes in the script.

This scene was where Su Qingwan and Su Qingying break up, also one of the most melodramatic segments in the script.

In the script, there are two young ladies in Su Mansion, but the whole story revolves around the elder sister, Su Qingying.

The younger sister, Su Qingwan, is shy and kind-hearted, embodying the typical lady of the boudoir. From beginning to end, she cherishes the well-educated and gentle Eldest Son of the Ciming Family, Ciming Jiayou.

The elder sister, Su Qingying, is enthusiastic and vivacious, her personality the complete opposite of Su Qingwan’s; one is water, the other fire.

Sheisn’t interested in Ciming Jiayou, but instead has her heart set on the dashing rake, Gu Chengzhi, played by Gu Runfei.

Initially, Ciming Jiayou had met Su Qingwan first, and his initial interest was also in Su Qingwan. Surely, when a young lady and gentleman of not so dissimilar backgrounds fancy each other, coming together should flow as smoothly as water, right?

But then comes the melodramatic twist. Ciming Jiayou originally approached Su Qingying to learn more about Su Qingwan, but was unwittingly charmed by Su Qingying’s lively personality and then...

His affections shifted.

This scene is where the younger sister, Su Qingwan, accidentally overhears Ciming Jiayou declaring his love to Su Qingying, and from love turns to hate, leading to a complete break with Su Qingying!

This is Su Qingwan’s first emotional eruption in the entire play, having lived meekly for more than a decade. This is the first time she has experienced such intense emotions, with all the suppressed resentment, indignation... erupting because "her sister stole her man".

The set was already in place, the actors had taken their positions, the cameras of varying sizes were adjusted, the lighting set up, everything was ready.

"Scene one, take one, Action!"

He Jinxia entered with a smile on her face, pushing the door open from the outside. Suddenly, her expression subtly changed, and a flicker of doubt crossed her eyes as she heard a familiar voice.

She paused, closing the door behind her cautiously, and tiptoed to the screen, hiding in a little corner to eavesdrop.

Behind the screen, Ciming Jiayou was gazing intently at Su Qingying, his voice tinged with nervousness as he said, "Qingying, what do you think of me?"

At this moment, Su Qingying was oblivious to the reason Ciming Jiayou had called her over. Her expression unchanged, she fiddled with a trinket in her hand and asked casually, "What do you mean?"

Ciming Jiayou coughed lightly, his nervousness apparent as his hand clenched within his sleeve. He avoided Su Qingying’s gaze while stealthily stealing glances at her, attempting to appear nonchalant as he asked:

"I mean, what do you think of me as a person?"

Hearing this, Su Qingying looked up at him, her gaze sweeping from head to toe.

Ciming Jiayou’s nervousness only grew under her scrutiny, reaching a peak just as Su Qingying suddenly reached out to pat his shoulder, saying cheerfully:

"You’re quite a good person. I would be very reassured if my sister married you."

"Cut!" the director yelled, and Luo Sifang, who played Su Qingying, immediately withdrew her hand, looking at Gu Qiao with trepidation.

Wearing 3D glasses, Gu Qiao kept playing back the scene they had just shot, finally frowning tightly when Su Qingying patted Ciming Jiayou on the shoulder while speaking.

Gu Qiao said, "Luo Sifang, your facial expression is not right. You are supposed to be indifferent to Ciming Jiayou but concerned about your sister Su Qingwan. Just now, when you spoke to Luo Dingxin, you needed to be a bit more serious, not so lighthearted."

Luo Sifang quickly responded, relieved that they wouldn’t need to reshoot everything, only the scene where she looked at Luo Dingxin and patted him on the shoulder.

He Jinxia observed silently, said nothing, and continued to stand in the corner pretending to eavesdrop.

"Scene one, shot two, Action!"

Su Qingying scrutinized Ciming Jiayou from top to bottom with such seriousness that he became very nervous, his hands clasping tightly.

Just as the tension was about to peak, Su Qingying reached out and patted Ciming Jiayou on the shoulder, saying somewhat seriously, "You’re a good person—"

"Cut! No, Luo Sifang, your facial expression is off!" the director interrupted before she could finish the line.

A sense of tension permeated the air among everyone present.

Gu Qiao’s voice echoed clearly in everyone’s ears, "Your expression changed too abruptly. Su Qingying is supposed to be indifferent to Ciming Jiayou in this scene, and therefore not too concerned with what he says.

Even if she thinks of her sister, she wouldn’t suddenly become so serious. You need to portray a playful expression with a hint of seriousness, which would better match the character’s mental state at the time!"

He Jinxia stood behind the screen where she couldn’t see the performance between Luo Sifang and Luo Dingxin. She glanced up at the lighting technicians nearby, ’reading’ their whispered conversation.

"The director is being too harsh, isn’t he? I think Luo Sifang is doing pretty well!"

"I don’t know, it always feels like the director is nitpicking."

"Maybe Director Gu is asking them to shoot this TV drama as if it were a movie?"

"Could be, ah, it’s almost noon, are we going to pass this scene?"

...

When more than one person in the crew was talking about the director’s strictness, He Jinxia felt a chill in her heart, sensing the prelude to an oncoming storm.

She became a bit more serious and braced herself with full attention for this scene.

Luo Sifang needed four takes before they got her expression right.

The director didn’t call cut, so the scene continued—

Ciming Jiayou, looking somewhat desperate, tried to defend himself, but Su Qingying kept interrupting him, not letting him get a word out.

After Su Qingying talked at length about what she would do if Ciming Jiayou misbehaved to Su Qingwan after she was married off, Ciming Jiayou finally found an opportunity and blurted out his confession:

"Qingying, the person I like is you, I would never marry Qingwan!"

"Bang thump!" A noise came as Su Qingwan, who was listening secretly, was so moved that she kicked the vase by her feet.

The crisp, pleasant breaking sound of the vase was like the relationship between Su Qingwan and Su Qingying—at that moment—it shattered.

Su Qingwan looked down at the fragments, feeling at a loss, when she heard Su Qingying’s voice, "Qingwan? What are you doing here!"

The atmosphere was well rendered, and everyone involuntarily tensed up, watching He Jinxia’s performance.

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