True Star (巨星) [DROPPED]

Vol 2 Chapter 2: Obstacles (1)

NOTE:

This translation belongs to the translators and proofreaders of Giraffe Corps.

It was common for a film to have several No Good scenes; a pass on the first try was rare. Even if you were a world-renowned movie star and the winner of several international film awards, there was no guarantee that you would pass on the first try. The best case scenario would be having a satisfactory cut after four to seven tries, the worst case would be trying the same scene for more than ten times and still not obtain the director's approval. In that situation, whether it were the actors or the director, everyone would slowly start feeling the pressure weighing down on them like a mountain.

"No, not like this. Let's take it again from the start." Wearing a baseball cap and sitting behind the monitors, the director shook his head. "Everyone take a ten-minute break."

It was the eighth take of Tang Feng's first scene. He still hadn't passed.

Throughout Fiennes Tang's decades of experience in the film industry, he'd also had moments when he'd needed more than eight takes to pass a scene. However, this was his first scene after his rebirth. Getting stuck in the mud right at the beginning made it difficult for Tang Feng to not feel frustrated and impatient. Not only that, he felt a scene like the one he was filming right now shouldn't require seven or eight tries to pass.

The content of the scene was simple. At the start of the movie, Tang Feng's role, the monk Tang, would walk down the streets of China while carrying the urn holding the old priest's ashes. The skies above him were grey and grim, while the passersby walking around him were cold and indifferent.

No one took notice of the lone monk. Dressed in a black monk habit with the hood covering his face, Tang appeared both restless and miserable. "Your gaze is missing a genuine feeling of grief. For Tang, the old priest was his father, his friend, and the only existence he could rely on. Now that the old priest has suddenly passed away, Tang has not only lost a family member who had raised and educated him, but also his heart's defense against the external world. Tang Feng, think of someone precious to you, and try to experience Tang's feelings." Director Li Wei wasn't angry at Tang Feng. Rather than having an outburst, he took advantage of the break to explain the scene to the young actor.

The director left after his brief advice, giving Tang Feng some time to self-reflect.

A precious person? Genuine grief? Tang Feng sat alone and thought over the director's words. Could he have completely misunderstood Tang's character from the very beginning?

As Fiennes, he didn't have many people whom he cared about. Leroy was one of them, but that old man was always telling him again and again that he had to keep an open mind. No matter the situation, he had to be open-minded and not be obsessively angry or heartbroken.

Adding on his self-cultivation as a result of his heart disease, Tang Feng had developed mild-mannered hobbies such as drinking tea and practicing tai chi. Due to his excessive broad-mindedness and dispassionate attitude, Tang Feng rarely felt excitement.