Chapter 6

The next day, July 19th, Wuhan's summer was extremely sultry, with the scorching sun beating down!

Wang Peng left the hotel and went to the train station, heading for Hengdian Film and Television City.

Wang Peng began wandering around Hengdian everywhere; although Hengdian had many tourists and many film crews shooting, not all crews allowed visitors.

Besides visiting Hengdian's large ancient facilities and sets, watching various film crews shoot was also important; for most people, shooting locations were mysterious, but for Wang Peng, it was no longer mysterious.

As he wandered, Wang Peng arrived at Hengdian's famed Qin Wang Palace, where a film crew had sealed off an area, and some extras were gathered to change clothes.

Just as Wang Peng was about to leave, a crew member broke away from the crew and ran toward him.

"Hey, little brother, are you here for tourism?" the staff member asked upon seeing Wang Peng.

"Uh, yes, I'm here for tourism!" Wang Peng wondered why the man immediately asked if he was a tourist.

But before he could think, the staff member shifted topics: "I don't know if you can help us—we're short on extras, could you lend a hand?"

"I can do extra work; I'll help you, but not for too long—I still need to return to the hotel later," Wang Peng said.

"No problem, it won't take long—we just need an extra to play a passerby, just stand there!" the staff member explained.

"Then that's fine! By the way, what production are you guys?" Wang Peng asked.

"We're the crew of《Han Wudi》, currently filming here!" the staff member explained.

"Do I need makeup? Or a head covering?" Wang Peng said calmly.

"No makeup needed—I see you're quite handsome, going without is fine! It's not a war scene either!" the staff member said; normally, extras aren't heavily made up unless it's a war scene requiring smoke-and-fire effects, or special types like horror films; otherwise, with so many extras, the makeup artists would collapse.

Moreover, these extras might not even get a single shot—why be so meticulous? It's not like the budget is overflowing with nowhere to spend.

"No head covering needed—I see your appearance is good; I'll tell the assistant director later to have you play an Imperial Guard with visible face, since Imperial Guards wear helmets—just avoid the head covering; later you'll follow behind Emperor Han Wudi, and if you're not cut, you might even see yourself on TV!" the staff member said with a smile.

Wang Peng estimated the other party was at most twenty-seven or twenty-eight, able to speak with the assistant director, seeming to have some influence.

Smiling at the corner of his mouth, he said: "This big brother, you must be highly regarded by the director, able to speak up in front of him!"

The art of Chinese speech is such that even if the other is merely an assistant director, addressing them this way will surely offend.

"I wouldn't say I'm highly regarded!" the staff member said humbly, though his face showed some pride, "I handle field notes—I can say a few things in front of the director!"

Field notes involve the field notes clerk's duties, which are quite complex: recording every shot's detailed conditions—shot number, shooting method, shot length, actors' movements and lines, sound effects, set, props, costumes, makeup, etc. —precisely and accurately in the field notes form.

Thus, they almost daily interact with directors and actors, so in the crew they hold some speaking authority; many actors even consult the field notes clerk about next day's shooting schedule.

A background actor's role can still be managed by the field notes clerk.

"Hehe, then I'll thank you, big brother, for the help!" Wang Peng said with a smile; experiencing background actor life isn't bad, and I can earn some pocket money.

"Nothing much—it's also because you meet the conditions; otherwise impossible. By the way, what do you do?" the field notes clerk asked.

"I'm just a student, especially interested in acting!" Wang Peng said with a hearty laugh.

"Student, you look young—why so interested in acting?" the field notes clerk said casually, walking with Wang Peng toward the background actors.

"I'm about to enter drama school—experiencing this is good! Also doing some part-time work." Wang Peng spoke truthfully.

"That's good, though part-time work is tough!" the field notes clerk glanced at Wang Peng with some surprise; though he looked young, he hadn't expected him to be preparing for university—really too young!

"I know filming is tough, but we're fine this way!" Wang Peng said calmly, looking at the field notes clerk.

"Exactly—when filming gets urgent, it's non-stop day and night, many people just can't endure it!" the field notes clerk said emotionally. "Many say actors suffer, but actually we crew members aren't much better off!"

"Exactly—where is there really such comfort!" Wang Peng said, though their hardship isn't unrewarded—actors aren't mentioned, but earning millions or tens of millions per film is astronomical to Wang Peng; even this field notes clerk is absolutely a relatively high-paying job, with national average wages above five thousand, not much worse than many white-collar workers; if you add post-production red packets and dividends, it's even higher than many white-collar jobs.

Soon they reached the group of background actors; the field notes clerk told Wang Peng: "Someone will bring your costume shortly—you'll play an Imperial Guard, no lines, stand behind Emperor Han Wudi; this scene is like this—later Emperor Han Wudi comes out, you'll be an ordinary Imperial Guard, just follow along; I have other things, I'm leaving first!"

"Thank you!"

Not long after, someone brought Wang Peng the Imperial Guard costume—though not real ancient armor, wearing it was still extraordinarily cumbersome and heavy; in this midsummer heat, stuffy and non-breathable, though people say winter filming is harsh, summer filming is no easy task either.

Fortunately, no head covering needed—otherwise I'd really suffocate.

Putting on the red-and-black costume, Wang Peng instantly felt taller and more imposing; whether any era's soldier, they hold deadly attraction for men.

Then Wang Peng began waiting for his scene in his 2000 life; after putting on the costume, he started waiting, thinking he'd be called soon—just one scene, over quickly—but after half an hour, no sign of his turn.

Wang Peng grew a bit impatient; a nearby old Hengdian drifter stepped forward and said: "Can't wait anymore?"

Wang Peng gave an embarrassed smile: "I still have to leave soon—I'm in a hurry."

"Don't rush—this industry is like this; don't say we have to wait, even leads aren't exempt from waiting for scenes, all must follow crew arrangements; maybe a ten-minute scene takes them two or three days to shoot, crews aren't organized for one person, they have their own plans—otherwise why have field notes clerks!" this old Hengdian drifter still thought Wang Peng was a newcomer, and began earnestly educating him.

Wang Peng thought the old drifter made sense—he wasn't a lead, so he'd just wait patiently.

Actually, calling him an old drifter, he was really just a twenty-five or twenty-six-year-old; the Hengdian drifter lifestyle hadn't been around long, so even veteran drifters weren't that old—everyone was young, and they quickly hit it off.

"Little brother, I see you're young and handsome—have you signed with any company?" the old drifter asked, looking at Wang Peng.

"No!" Wang Peng realized the misunderstanding, immediately shook his head and laughed.

"That's true—if you'd signed with a company, you wouldn't be here running background roles; but little brother, let me advise you: if you want to make it, Hengdian isn't a good choice—go to Beijing; though they say drifting in Beijing is tough, opportunities aren't few; even going to Shanghai is better than here!" the old drifter said solemnly.

Wang Peng thought that was true—no stars have emerged from Hengdian drifters in later generations, but he was just a tourist—why say this to him?

Wang Peng smiled: "Big brother, you're mistaken—I'm still a student, currently traveling, previously caught and made to work as a background actor!"

"You're not an actor, still a student?" the old drifter looked at Wang Peng with a complex expression, saying: "Big brother, I've been out making my way since early on—ah, thinking about school, that's already long ago; back then I wanted to leave school, now that I'm out, I'd rather go back!"

"Sorry, I talked too much, made you laugh!" the old drifter laughed sheepishly.

"How could it not be!" Wang Peng smiled; he too knew that mindset—wasn't that his attitude in his past life?

School is like a giant cage—those inside want out, those outside want in. Getting out is easy, but wanting to get back in isn't so easy; fortunately, he now has another chance to choose.

"No matter how you say it, people in this life don't get a second chance to regret—so seize the present!" Wang Peng said solemnly, "But big brother, since you know it's hard to make it here, why do you still—"

"I came to Hengdian several years ago, and those who came with me in the same batch have mostly left; few remain; many urged me to leave, my parents pressured me, even my girlfriend ran off with someone else because of this—but this place is my dream; for this dream I've invested too much, too much; when I'm two years older and can't move anymore, I'll go back!" the old drifter said with a self-mocking laugh.

Wang Peng felt a sudden surge of respect—everyone has dreams, many perhaps forget their childhood dreams; even if remembered, few strive and struggle for those youthful, wild dreams.

"Forget it, let's not talk about me—little brother, I see your conditions are really good; not entering the entertainment industry would be a real pity!" the old drifter said with a regretful expression.

"Entertainment industry—I will enter it, just not now; later I'll become a boss myself, let others work for me; actually, speaking frankly, my girlfriend also ran off with someone else, because I had no money." Wang Peng recalled the past.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were like this too," the old drifter said.

"No matter—it's already past; without her, I'm better off," Wang Peng said.