Chapter 32: An Intimidating Start to the Very First Scene?

At the end of April, the wind still carried a hint of chill. Outside the film and television base of the capital, crowds had gathered early. There were extras waiting for their chance to be discovered by a director and become famous overnight, tour groups drawn by the base’s reputation, and many fans eager to catch a glimpse of their idols. The atmosphere was lively and bustling.

The locations needed to shoot a television series were divided into many types: exterior and interior sets, real locations, and artificial scenery constructed within the base. The schedule was usually arranged according to the needs of the production. Nowadays, filming proceeds much faster than before—a series can be wrapped up in a few months. This speed is largely due to the increasingly sophisticated facilities of the base, which can satisfy the requirements of almost any production. Only a small handful of scenes are shot on location outside, greatly shortening the filming cycle.

"Today, I think Zhang Huaimo’s crew is holding their opening ceremony," someone remarked.

"No wonder so many fans are here to visit the set—many actors must be joining the group today."

"Ning Yuyan, Sun Danfei, as well as Zhang Jianlin and Zhou Yi. I heard Zhang and Zhou had a fierce competition for the male lead, but in the end, Zhang Huaimo chose Zhang Jianlin."

"Isn't Su Mu also in the cast?"

"Him? He’s not even in the running for the lead. As far as acting goes, either Zhang Jianlin or Zhou Yi could easily outshine him."

"Exactly. It’s already surprising he’s playing a villain. I wonder how he managed to pass the audition."

Many crew members from other productions had come to watch the excitement on set. Filmmakers attach great importance to the opening ceremony: incense offerings, lion dances, firecrackers, unveiling the camera, and group photos. Su Mu arrived with Qian Jida and Xiao Juzi. After busying themselves with the crew outside for over an hour, the opening ceremony finally concluded.

Zhang Huaimo then sent the actors to the makeup room for their styling. The promotional photo shoot was swift; each actor took about ten minutes. Soon, filming was set to begin in earnest.

Su Mu wasn’t needed for the first scene. Instead, it featured Zhang Jianlin, who played the protagonist An Xin, along with several veteran actors. This was the prologue of the series, with the storyline beginning as officials from the central government investigate corrupt local leaders. The opening scenes were told in reverse chronology.

Now, the actors stood around the perimeter, watching the first take. Even standing by as an observer, one could learn much from the seasoned performers.

"Raging Storm, Scene One, Take One—Action!"

...

At lunchtime, everyone took a private room at a restaurant beside the base. On the first day, the actors didn’t have to eat boxed meals, but as filming progressed, such luxuries would disappear.

The morning’s shoots went smoothly. That afternoon, Su Mu would finally have a scene.

"I heard you have a scene this afternoon?" Su Mu was eating when he heard the voice and turned to see Ning Yuyan.

He had wanted to greet her that morning, but the crowd at the ceremony was too large, and they were separated during the styling session.

Su Mu waved, "Teacher Ning Yuyan, you’ve lost weight again after just a month."

Ning Yuyan smiled sweetly, "You seem pretty relaxed. How’s your script study going? Your first scene this afternoon is a direct confrontation with Zhang Jianlin."

Su Mu calmly wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Yes, I’m actually looking forward to it."

"Looking forward to it?" Ning Yuyan’s eyes flashed with something unusual.

She had approached Su Mu mainly to remind him that his afternoon scene might not be as easy as he imagined. Zhang Jianlin was considered a powerhouse among the middle generation of actors—handsome, skilled, and with a distinctive style. Most young actors could not match his presence in a scene.

There’s a saying: "No ranking in literature, but martial arts has a first and second." Yet when performing opposite one another, it’s easy to see who comes out on top. Zhang Jianlin was a killer in rival scenes; those unfamiliar didn’t know, but those who did understood: if Zhang Jianlin gained the upper hand and completely overwhelmed the other’s aura, the rest of the months’ filming could be dominated by him.

This was how Zhou Yi lost during auditions, resigned to playing the third male lead, a police officer.

In fact, the presence of a character is crucial—it draws not only future viewers, but can even affect how the camera frames the actors. It’s a subtle trick all actors know.

So Ning Yuyan was well aware that for a veteran like Zhang Jianlin, who excelled at imposing his presence, the first scene would almost certainly be a test for Su Mu.

Within the script, there was a contest between An Xin and Gao Qiqiang. If Su Mu’s performance was completely overshadowed, he’d be nothing more than a supporting foil, potentially affecting later scenes and audience favor. To turn the tide with a villain role would be all the more difficult.

Ning Yuyan didn’t have to say these things, but for the sake of her friend’s idol, she worried.

At this moment, Su Mu sensed the underlying meaning in Ning Yuyan’s words.

"Thank you, Teacher Ning. I understand. I’ll finish lunch and go over the script, and do my best this afternoon."

Ning Yuyan nodded, saying nothing more. She knew it was unrealistic for Su Mu to outshine Zhang Jianlin; Zhang was a trained actor with a history of substantial roles. Still, a reminder would help Su Mu be mentally prepared, so he wouldn’t lose too badly.

...

Lunch ended. Soon, the afternoon’s scenes began.

Even more spectators gathered, not only the main cast but also veteran actors like Ma Baoguo stayed, apparently eager to witness the rival scene.

Another reason, of course, was curiosity about Su Mu. Rumor had it that during auditions, he had impressed Zhang Huaimo so much the director slapped the table in approval; naturally, everyone wanted to see for themselves.

Nonetheless, some remained skeptical.

"This scene should be interesting—Zhang Jianlin will crush the rookie."

"I bet Su Mu won’t keep up halfway, and if he breaks character, that’ll be embarrassing."

"Even Zhou Yi wasn’t a match for Zhang Jianlin—Su Mu doesn’t stand a chance."

"Look, Zhang Jianlin is getting into character, his presence is overwhelming. Unless you’re a film emperor, you won’t be able to suppress him."

The crowd murmured.

Meanwhile, Zhang Huaimo called Su Mu over.

Zhang Huaimo smiled, patting Su Mu’s shoulder. "Su Mu, your first scene is about to start. Let me tell you, when I cast you as Gao Qiqiang, I was under a lot of pressure from the producers. There were plenty of candidates, but your audition moved me. I hope you’ll deliver in the rest of your scenes. Zhang Jianlin is a formidable actor, so take it seriously. Don’t let me down."

So, the pressure was on.

Su Mu could tell that even after a month, Zhang Huaimo remained uncertain about him.

But Su Mu understood. The higher the expectations for a script, the greater the director’s stress. A poor casting choice could lead to a year of regret.

Su Mu replied, "Understood, Director Zhang. I’ll go prepare now."