Chapter 270: Auditioning and Guiding Actresses

Shanhe Building, inside the office.

Wei Jin looked at the freshly printed script for *Flying Swords of Dragon Gate* and nodded with satisfaction; the people in the screenwriting department were still quite capable.

"Director Xu, the script is already quite complete. When do you plan to start? Have you done the budget?"

"President Wei, this project is to be made into a 3D version, so the budget is a bit high."

"Real-shot 3D? Can you complete it independently?"

3D real-shot technology was not that easy to master. Relying on his super-strong learning ability, it had taken Wei Jin several months to get it down, and he didn't believe Xu Laoguai could get the hang of it so quickly.

"Still a bit short, so this time I plan to invite Cameron's camera team over to provide guidance. This is also one of the reasons why the budget is so high."

Xu Laoguai knew his own limits, but hiring an external camera team was nothing to be ashamed of.

To be honest, with such a large budget, Xu Laoguai had been a bit hesitant at first. After all, according to the rules of Shanhe Media, he also had to invest 40 million himself, and the risk was too great.

Although *Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame* had earned him a tidy sum, adding his own savings was barely enough. It was Shi Nansheng who gave him confidence; his better half had been in charge of Golden Harvest for the past two years and had a very thorough understanding of the Mainland China market, concluding that the box office would explode in the next two years, telling him to go for it.

"Hmm, what are your thoughts regarding the actors?"

Wei Jin didn't have much objection to this budget. Things were different now than they were back then; the market capacity had grown. Moreover, he had seen this movie in his past life, and the box office was at least over 500 million. With the screenwriting department having refined the script, the results this time would be even better, and profitability was absolutely no problem.

"I want Li Lianjie to carry the load, and then pair him with powerful actors from Mainland China. The specific candidates will depend on the audition situation."

Wei Jin was very satisfied with Xu Laoguai's answer. He was just afraid that this guy would follow Zhang Weiping's example and look for some traffic stars. In his past life, when he saw Li Yuchun appear, he had almost cursed out loud.

"As for the female lead, I'll recommend someone to you: Zhou Xun."

Young Master Zhou had been resting during this period, but she had flopped miserably in the film market. The box office and word-of-mouth for *Confucius* and *True Legend*, in which she starred, had both collapsed. Although the blame couldn't be shifted onto her, it ultimately affected her commercial value.

So, as soon as the news about *Thieves* came out, Young Master Zhou called to inquire. She was very covetous of Wei Jin's films, and it would be just right to recover some blood.

But this film really didn't suit her, and Wei Jin could only politely decline. However, since he had promised a signing gift, he couldn't go back on his word. The appearance of *Flying Swords of Dragon Gate* could be described as just right.

"She's no problem. Among Mainland China actresses, she is the one I admire the most."

Xu Laoguai was very satisfied with the candidate recommended by his boss. The two had collaborated before, and he highly recognized Zhou Xun's strength.

"I wonder if President Wei has any suggestions for the other roles?"

"I haven't thought about it yet, but don't bother with suggestions. Come downstairs with me for the auditions; you can see for yourself if there's anyone suitable, haha."

In a few words, Wei Jin drafted Xu Laoguai as a laborer; auditions and such were indeed very troublesome. — The audition invitations from Shanhe Media had long been sent out, and those who received the notification were naturally overjoyed.

Many people were looking forward to changing their situation in the industry through Wei Jin's new film, and Wu Jing thought the same.

The movie *Legend of the Wolf* had caused him to lose all the savings he had accumulated over the years, and several other films he participated in had also flopped badly. If things continued like this, Wu Jing didn't know how much longer he could last in the film circle.

So, even though the notified time was 10:00 AM, Wu Jing still arrived at the scene very early.

As a result, he took one look and realized, good heavens, there were quite a few people with the same idea as him.

Because the age range for the male roles was quite large, the competition this time was quite fierce, and Wu Jing couldn't help but break into a cold sweat for himself.

Although he had already participated in two of Wei Jin's films and their relationship was considered quite good, he knew that since there had been no private notification, it meant he was not the first-choice candidate, and he still had to perform well today.

After settling his mood, Wu Jing began to size up the actresses present. After all, he was in his thirties, and besides, everyone has a love for beauty, right? Didn't he see that almost all the other male actors were staring?

It wasn't the male actors' fault for not being able to hold back; it was just that the actresses present today were dressed too alluringly.

The domestic actresses were fine, generally wearing mini-skirts or hip-hugging skirts, with the most exaggerated being bodysuits, but the South Korean actresses were truly formidable. Not only was each one's figure domineering, but some were even wearing swimsuits, which truly grabbed everyone's attention.

The young domestic actresses were feeling nervous inside; these South Korean vixens had too much of an advantage, and they were afraid they could only compete for roles with slightly less screen time.

The few slightly older actresses appeared calm and composed; after all, they were in a different lane. However, while lamenting the decline of public morals, they were also envious inside.

The arrival of Wei Jin and Xu Laoguai made the scene much quieter, which meant the auditions were about to begin. — In the small conference room, Wei Jin and Xu Laoguai sat together, with Chen Xi beside them. As the Producer, she was of course responsible for the audition work.

The first actress to audition was Li Bingbing.

As one of the Four Dan Double Bing, she was quite experienced in the field of action films.

Unfortunately, she wasn't sexy or glamorous enough, and she didn't really let go at the audition, with many of her scenes appearing somewhat stiff.

"Miss Li, if there are subsequent results, we will notify you."

Hearing this, Li Bingbing was prepared; she herself knew that she hadn't performed very well just now.

However, she wasn't discouraged. *Snow Flower and the Secret Fan* had just wrapped up, and this time she was collaborating with the famous X-Men Origins: Wolverine star, Xiu Jackeman. She had a great chance to break into Hollywood with this film.

"Okay, Director Wei."

With a polite greeting, Li Bingbing left the conference room.

Next was Li Xiaoran, who could also be considered an old acquaintance of Wei Jin; she had auditioned for *Those Years* back then.

But it had to be said, although Li Xiaoran was fair-skinned and beautiful, her temperament didn't quite fit, and her face always carried a bit of sorrow, making her unsuitable for this type of commercial film. However, one could recommend her for *Sword Snow Stride*.

This drama was already in the early stages of preparation. Wu Jinyuan was under a lot of pressure this time, the requirements for the roles were very high, and with so many characters in this drama, he was worrying about it during this period.

However, it was, after all, an adaptation of Wei Jin's best-selling novel, so the appeal was quite large. Many artists in the company were waiting for notification, and since *Thieves* was an ensemble piece, the boost to the actors wasn't that great, so everyone didn't come to join in the fun.

Before long, Yang Mi walked in and gave Wei Jin a sweet smile.

Unfortunately, after a performance, Wei Jin felt it wasn't even as good as Li Bingbing's. She was so uninhibited in bed, but here she seemed to be wearing shackles; it really wasn't suitable.

However, considering how hard Yang Mi had worked a few days ago, Wei Jin intended to let her take a role in *Sword Snow Stride*; there were plenty of female roles in that drama.

Subsequently, many actresses came in one after another. After Liu Tao, Hao Lei, Chen Hao, and Zhang Jingchu, and more than a dozen actresses, someone he had never collaborated with caught Wei Jin's eye.

"Miss Wang, would you like to try a different role?"

Wang Ou's appearance carried a bit of heroic spirit amidst her allure, and playing another supporting female role was truly quite fitting.

"Thank you for the opportunity, Director Wei. Thank you."

The 28-year-old Wang Ou exuded the charm of a mature woman, her eyes staring straight at Wei Jin, which made Chen Xi, who was on the side, secretly curse her as a flirt. — When it was the turn of the South Korean actresses to go on stage, Wei Jin noticed that Xu Laoguai's eyes lit up; this guy was also old but still had a young heart.

Han Chae-young and Lim Ji-hye both had good figures, especially their bust sizes, which were simply explosive, but unfortunately, they lacked two points of alluring and sexy temptation.

Quan Zhixian also had a good figure, but compared to Clara, she was much inferior. After watching the performances of several people, Wei Jin didn't give an answer on the spot, only letting them wait for notification.

After interviewing for two or three hours in a row, Wei Jin couldn't help but light a cigarette, puffing away while asking for Xu Laoguai's opinion.

"Director Xu, which one do you think is more suitable?"

"In terms of visual impact, of course, it's Lim Ji-hye."

Seemingly sensing Wei Jin's surprised gaze, Xu Laoguai gave a dry cough and continued to add.

"But all things considered, Clara and Quan Zhixian are more suitable; the former wins on temperament and appearance fitting the role, while the latter wins on having greater fame."

"Hmm, let me ponder it some more."

The male actor side was much faster, as everyone was auditioning for different roles after all.

Lu Yi's audition performance was somewhat beyond Wei Jin's expectations; it always gave people a feeling of being stiff, making it hard to get into the role, so it wasn't suitable.

Before long, Wu Jing walked in.

"I was still surprised when I saw your name; you're already a director now, what were you thinking?"

Wei Jin teased a little; he didn't know if it was because *Wolf Warrior* had lost so much money, but Wu Jing had been a model worker these past two years, appearing in quite a few Hong Kong productions, yet almost none of them had made a splash.

"Director Wei, it's precisely because I became a director that I discovered my own shortcomings. If I succeed in this audition, I'll have to properly learn from you on set, haha."

This mindset was actually quite good; Wei Jin could see that this fellow still had a director's dream.

"Alright then, how about I arrange a role with a kissing scene for you?"

Wei Jin said with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

"If that's really the case, from today on, Director Wei, you are my brother, my dearest friend."

Wu Jing truly had a bit of a funny bone, borrowing lines from Ding Xiu in *Brotherhood of Blades*, which drew a burst of giggles from Chen Xi.

"Hmm, but the partner is a man, you wouldn't mind, would you?"

"No way, Director Wei?"

Wu Jing wore a look of distress; if it were a female actress, even if she were a bit ugly, he could still explain it as a sacrifice for art, but switching to a male actor, that would truly be too much of a challenge.

"Hahaha."

Chen Xi thought of that scene and really couldn't hold it in.

Amidst the laughter, Wu Jing's role was settled; he was a mature actor, and this film wouldn't stump him.

Wei Jin was just joking; Wu Jing wasn't suitable for that sycophant role. —— Xu Laoguai and Chen Xi were both quite satisfied with Zhang Hanyu's performance, and Wei Jin also felt it was alright.

Zhang Hanyu was considered a powerhouse actor in the circle, and since several collaborations hadn't worked out, now that he was finally a good fit for a role, he had to be given a chance.

"Thank you, Director Wei."

"No need for formalities, happy to work with you."

Wei Jin didn't expect that Hu Ge would actually rush over from Shanghai to audition.

"Director Wei, long time no see, thank you for giving me this chance."

Perhaps it was the tempering from the drama troupe over these years, but the temperament about Hu Ge had become much more steady.

"Don't be in such a hurry to thank me; whether you can hold the role depends on yourself. Begin, Lao Hu."

Upon hearing this, Hu Ge didn't speak and began to perform according to the role's requirements.

The requirements for this role in the script weren't high, and Hu Ge had made full preparations. Coupled with his training over these years, his acting skills had clearly improved, and his performance was indeed spot on.

Wei Jin gave Hu Ge an affirmative answer on the spot.

"Thank you, Director Wei." —— Audition work was indeed tedious; after a whole day, Wei Jin felt dizzy and lightheaded. The key was that several roles still hadn't been finalized, and he would have to work hard again tomorrow.

However, he believed that the female star who pursued progress would help him relax well tonight.

After the auditions ended today, just because she hadn't secured a role on the spot, Clara was severely criticized by the agency behind her.

Forced by circumstances, she could only wait for Wei Jin at the company, hoping to use her sincerity to move this Oscar Director.

Subsequently, Wei Jin felt very sympathetic toward this South Korean actress's plight and brought her to the Golden House for counseling.

Clara was also very grateful to Wei Jin and took the initiative to show her sincerity.

"Mm, very good. I highly approve of Miss Li's acting skills. Next, it depends on whether there is chemistry between us. After all, the film will take such a long time to shoot; if the actor cannot grasp the director's spirit, it will be quite troublesome to work together, don't you think?"

Upon hearing this, Clara turned around, arching into an alluring curve.

"Mr. Wei, I will definitely follow your instructions and cooperate unconditionally. Please believe me."

"Hmm, I believe in your attitude, but we are strangers after all; we still need to break in a bit so that the cooperation will be smoother. What do you think?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wei, it was I who was impatient. I will find the state as soon as possible, but please help me run the scenes, can you?"

"Of course, I am very happy to guide a diligent and eager-to-learn actress like you. Then let's begin."

Regarding an actor's self-breakthrough, as a director, Wei Jin saw it in his eyes and felt happy in his heart.

Unknowingly, a long take passed just like that, with Clara wearing a look of wanting more on her face.

"Director, I never thought the feeling of fully immersing myself in filming would be so wonderful. I really hope I can receive your guidance at every moment."

"At every moment? That's certainly not possible, but tonight will definitely let you satisfy your acting addiction. The next scene requires the use of some special props, is that a problem?"

"No problem, but Director, before the transition, please let me tidy up for you."

Clara began to clean up very gently.

That night, Clara deeply experienced the filming techniques of a Palme d'Or winner, Golden Bear Director, and Oscar Director.

She felt that this trip to Huaxia was truly worth it. First update of the day.

(End of chapter)