Reshaping Life (Showbiz)
Chapter 33

Page 33

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6d ago

For many actors, wrapping a production was merely the end of one job; there would be plenty more engagements to take on in the future. For a crew, the wrap of many actors only marked a temporary pause in their collaboration. With so many actors on a production and everyone's schedules differing, people coming and going, gathering and parting, was perfectly normal.

But for fourteen-year-old Lu Heng, Autumn Dew White was the first film he had taken part in since his debut. Moreover, during filming, Director Fang had unilaterally raised the difficulty of the shoot and his expectations of Lu Heng out of appreciation for his talent. While that had tempered Lu Heng's character and honed his acting skills, whenever he thought of the criticism and pressure the young boy had endured throughout the process... Director Fang, no longer young himself, felt rather embarrassed.

He felt guilty, as though he had bullied a child.

So, on the evening Lu Heng wrapped, Fang Kaizhi deliberately gave the crew half a day off. Everyone finished work early, returned to the hotel, and held a wrap party for Lu Heng.

Most of the scripts Lu Heng had accepted in his previous life had been action-oriented commercial films. He had never worked with Fang Kaizhi, who only made arthouse films. Thus, he had never known that Director Fang, who was so strict on set that he nitpicked every detail, could actually be such a thoughtful and sentimental person.

At the wrap party, Fang Kaizhi handed Lu Heng an internal Autumn Dew White poster that he had specifically instructed the post-production staff to make.

There were two posters, both exquisitely designed in layout and color. One was a "grand reunion" poster featuring every actor, laid out somewhat like a family portrait and photoshopped by the post-production team based on materials Director Fang had provided. The other was an individual poster centered on the first time the young Han Lusheng, played by Lu Heng, took the stage to perform, with the rest of the main cast arranged behind him.

During the film's official distribution and promotional phase, a poster like this would never have passed the publicity department's review. But Fang Kaizhi had never intended to use it for promotion or to draw audiences' attention. He simply felt that Lu Heng was so young, and for his first film, he had spent over three months learning Peking Opera alongside the entire cast and crew. He had clearly been playing a minor supporting role, yet Fang had "made things difficult" for him for so long.

After putting in so much effort, no one knew how many of his scenes would remain in the final cut. No matter what, the child had not had it easy. Giving him his own poster could at least leave him with a memento.

"This is the first production of your life, and you did exceptionally well." Fang Kaizhi gave Lu Heng a thumbs-up, rubbed his head as though coaxing a child, and said with a smile, "Keep this poster as a souvenir. I hope that in the rest of your life, no matter what script you take on or what role you accept, you'll regard yourself as the most important person and give your all to playing your role well."

"Scripts divide actors into leads and supporting roles, but life does not. Xiao Heng, remember this: always treat your life with the same effort you would put into playing the lead."

Fang Kaizhi's earnest guidance was full of good intentions. Looking at the exquisite poster in his hands, Lu Heng was so moved that he nearly burst into tears.

Honestly, Director Fang truly deserved to be called a master director of arthouse films. Why did he have to make things so sentimental?

Lu Heng blinked, moisture glimmering in his pitch-black eyes. He looked at Fang Kaizhi.

The longer one stayed in the industry, the more one understood how rigid its hierarchy was. Status, seniority, popularity, influence... Before many films released posters, they would first confirm with the lead actors' management teams the size and proportion of each actor's portrait on the promotional poster, their order and placement in the layout, and so on. Because every insider knew what these seemingly trivial details meant to an actor.

Many actors spent their entire lives acting without ever having their image occupy the most eye-catching spot on a film poster.

Compared to them, Lu Heng was undoubtedly fortunate. In his previous life, he had always been an unquestionable lead through his own ability. In this life, thanks to Director Fang's thoughtfulness, he had unexpectedly received the first film poster of his life as well.

No one attending the wrap party had expected Director Fang to have such a gesture up his sleeve, and they all looked over in surprise.

Best Actor Liu Jiawei poured himself a glass of juice, raised it to Lu Heng, and said with a smile, "You're a great kid. You've got talent and you're willing to work hard. I believe you'll definitely succeed."

Lu Heng thanked him with a smile and drained the cola in his cup in one gulp.

Rong Xiu also came over and hugged Lu Heng. He had prepared a wrap gift for him as well: a set of Peking Opera clay figurines, complete with sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou roles. They came in a small box and looked delicate and adorable. "A little gift for you. If you ever come to Hong Kong to film, Brother Rong will take you to an amusement park..."

After several months together, everyone had gotten along quite well. Moreover, although Lu Heng was young, he was sensible, considerate, and polite. Huaxia Imperial Entertainment was heavily backing him, and he had plenty of potential himself. For all sorts of reasons, many people had prepared wrap gifts for Lu Heng. Even Yue Sennan had prepared a notebook for him.

"These are some insights and experiences I've gathered over all my years of filming." Yue Sennan smiled gently. "They're for you."

Ever since Yue Sennan recovered and returned to the crew, he had become much more low-key. Every day, he worked hard at filming, and whenever he had nothing to do, he treated everyone to food and drinks. His professional attitude and approachable manner quickly won everyone over. No one discussed Yue Sennan's loss of composure at the opening press conference anymore. Occasionally, when someone did bring it up, they felt Zhao Miao and Wei Linxuan had simply arrived at an unfortunate time. Yue Sennan was, after all, a top-tier star with a name in the industry. Being mocked and ridiculed like that in front of the media, reporters, and the entire crew—keeping his temper would have shown restraint, but losing it was understandable too.

What man did not have a temper?

Yet Yue Sennan, who had successfully repaired his image within the crew, had never interacted with Lu Heng. During the period when Fang Kaizhi kept making Lu Heng redo takes, Lu Heng had sought advice from practically everyone on the crew except Yue Sennan. The two had no contact on set, yet Yue Sennan had given him such a generous gift at the wrap party.

Lu Heng was particularly surprised.

Seeing Lu Heng's undisguised astonishment, Yue Sennan laughed softly and reached out to pat Lu Heng on the shoulder. "The bad blood between Huaxia Imperial Entertainment and me is a matter between adults. It has nothing to do with a child like you. As for the audition back then, I truly did not think things through. Brother Yue wants to make it up to you."

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