Chapter 769: Hearts are restless, Lian Baozhi

Gu Cheng was stunned for a moment, but soon realized that Director Chu didn't know that he had entered Qingbei University to study directing.

He said: "I can understand more than half, but I still don't understand some of your special treatments. I am a directing major at Qingbei."

Now it was Director Chu’s turn to be stunned.

"You? Studying directing at Qingbei?"

He looked Gu Cheng up and down, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

"I didn't expect you to be a peer of mine."

Gu Cheng shook his head: "I’m just a student. There are many lens expressions I haven't learned yet. It’s very difficult to become a director."

Chu Chenliang said: "You are an actor, naturally sensitive to the lens. If you have a little talent in directing, then your identity as an actor is enough to help you go further."

He paused, "I was wondering why you came so early today, circling around me as soon as you arrived at the crew, staring at the lens from time to time."

"I thought you were trying to curry favor with me, and I was finding it strange—with your status and position, there’s no need to please me. So you really wanted to steal techniques."

Gu Cheng gave a shy, embarrassed smile. Facing a big director, how could he dare to put on any star airs?

Chu Chenliang thought for a moment and said: "How far have you learned in school?"

Gu Cheng mentioned it briefly.

Chu Chenliang raised his eyebrows and said: "I once participated in the compilation of textbooks on directing majors at a certain university. This part of the knowledge is not something that can be learned in the sophomore year."

"Even if those who enter Qingbei are top students, the gap shouldn't be that big."

Gu Cheng said: "En, I recently self-studied this knowledge."

"I’m worried that school will start in September, but my scenes in the crew won't be finished yet, so I’m previewing some of it in advance."

Chu Chenliang nodded: "In that case, if you aren't afraid of being tired, you can help with chores by my side when you have time, and I’ll teach you a little bit about the art of lens handling."

Gu Cheng’s eyes lit up: "Director Chu, do I need to pay tuition?"

Director Chu said speechlessly: "You really want to steal techniques. If you want to be my disciple, I’m not willing to accept you as a student."

"You are an actor in the crew. If I teach you the method of lens handling, you can perform better."

"As long as you film seriously for me in the crew, don't act up, and complete your tasks well every day, that is the best reward for me."

The character Gu Cheng plays is one of the important supporting male roles, but unlike Jin Li and Bai Jiang.

This is their first collaboration, so there is a certain difficulty in grinding together.

The key is that Gu Cheng’s previous play was *Desperate Counterattack*, also a special-effects film, but special-effects films are different from special-effects films.

Director Zheng’s filming style is worlds apart from his style.

Although Gu Cheng is very experienced in filming special-effects films.

But in the filming of other literary scenes, Director Chu always feels that he can't keep up with the rhythm.

He was originally thinking about how to grind Gu Cheng, and it just so happened that Gu Cheng sent the reason to him.

He can take the opportunity to teach him directing-related content and let him get started quickly.

So from this day on, besides filming, Gu Cheng became Director Chu’s follower in the crew.

Whatever scene Director Chu filmed, he would sit on the side and watch.

He held a notebook in his hand and took notes from time to time.

Gu Cheng kept staring at the lens, and Director Chu wasn't annoyed; he would even say a few words to him during the breaks in filming.

Sometimes when they discussed happily, he would pat him on the shoulder, give him a thumbs up, and say he was teachable.

This friendship was a bit hard to fathom in the eyes of other actors in the crew.

New gossip spread in the crew.

"I heard that Gu Cheng is very favored by Director Chu. If the male lead hadn't been decided long ago, maybe the second part would have changed the male lead."

"Gu Cheng and Director Chu have a close personal friendship; Bai Jiang’s status as the male lead is about to be lost!"

"Have you noticed that although Gu Cheng is a supporting male role, the director has added many scenes that didn't appear in the script for him in the past few days?"

"Why still hug Bai Jiang’s thigh? You should hug Gu Cheng’s thigh. As long as he says a few good words in front of the director, we don't have to worry about our scenes being cut, and maybe we can even add a few more scenes."

As soon as these rumors spread, they reached the ears of Bai Jiang’s assistant.

Some people deliberately chewed their tongues in front of the assistant, wanting to see Bai Jiang’s reaction.

There are many people in the crew, and people’s hearts are complex.

With restless minds, some actors like to do things that are harmful to others and don't benefit themselves, even if they can't get any good out of it.

It’s as if watching the big-name actors in the crew make a fool of themselves would make their own dark and jealous thoughts feel much better.

Even though they know that no matter how awkward the big-name actors get, these small fry can't replace them, they just enjoy it tirelessly.

The assistant immediately told Bai Jiang about these rumors and asked worriedly:

"Brother Jiang, is Gu Cheng trying to steal your position as the male lead? I see they are spreading it quite convincingly, and Gu Cheng has indeed been staying by Director Chu’s side for the past few days."

"Looking at Director Chu, he is quite good to him."

"Director Chu hasn't had a smiling face for you actors for days, but when he is filming, Gu Cheng is by his side, and I don't know how many times he has smiled at Gu Cheng."

Bai Jiang’s thoughts went astray, and he asked curiously: "How do you know Director Chu smiled at Gu Cheng many times? Are you staring at them?"

The assistant felt a bit guilty and said in a low voice: "I was hiding in the corner and staring secretly. Many actors are watching more openly than me, and Director Chu and Gu Cheng didn't say anything."

"Brother Jiang, aren't you worried that Gu Cheng will curry favor with Director Chu, cut your scenes, and take all the highlights for himself?"

Bai Jiang came back to his senses and said in a calm tone: "Not worried. My character’s setting is different from his. If Director Chu insists on taking my highlight scenes and giving them to Gu Cheng, it will only make the plot collapse faster."

The assistant said anxiously: "That’s what you say, but are we just going to let Gu Cheng curry favor with Director Chu?"

Bai Jiang asked instead of answering: "Did you find out what I asked you to find out? What are Director Chu and Gu Cheng discussing?"

The assistant shook his head: "I haven't found out yet. Director Chu is very serious when filming, and other actors don't dare to go over, fearing being scolded."

"Although the screenwriter is also by their side, those actors don't dare to disturb the screenwriter. What if they annoy the screenwriter and have their scenes written off in advance?"

Bai Jiang said thoughtfully: "Just listen to these rumors and leave it at that. Don't have hostility toward Gu Cheng. We don't even know what they are discussing, so it’s too early to treat him as a hypothetical enemy."

"Also," he paused and emphasized, "This play is Director Chu’s play. He can film it however he wants."

"Director Chu is one-of-a-kind when it comes to filming. Even if he really wants to add scenes for Gu Cheng, we can't defy him. Think about Xu Ting from the last filming."

"So many of her female lead highlight scenes were given to Jin Li, but she only dared to curse Jin Li in secret and didn't dare to go against Director Chu."

The assistant’s heart tightened, and he nodded immediately.

After Bai Jiang finished his scenes the next day, he didn't return to the RV immediately but came to Director Chu’s side.

Director Chu glanced at him, thinking he was just here to watch his own performance in the lens, and didn't say anything.

Gu Cheng felt that Bai Jiang must have a purpose for coming over, but he didn't care.

Bai Jiang stood beside the two for half an hour and finally understood, his eyelids twitching slightly.

Good fellow, Gu Cheng wants to be a director in the future!

He originally thought it was a competitor deliberately currying favor with the director, but it turned out that the peer’s goal was to become the actor’s boss!

Bai Jiang returned to his room and went online to investigate Gu Cheng’s major at Qingbei, finding it was "Directing," and everything was understood.

No wonder Director Chu was willing to take Gu Cheng along.

If his apprentice is a top student who understands everything at a single point, then he is also willing to take him.

Bai Jiang said a few more words to the assistant, telling him not to provoke Gu Cheng.

He pondered for a while and even asked the assistant to release the news that Gu Cheng was studying directing and was receiving guidance from Director Chu.

The power of "Director" is still very strong.

Even if Gu Cheng is just a "reserve director," that is also very strong.

You can figure it out with your toes: with Gu Cheng’s appeal, his debut work will definitely not lack big names to act in it, nor will it lack popularity and heat.

If you can curry favor with Gu Cheng in advance and lock in one of the roles in his first work, that would be cool.

As a result, the actors in the crew were already friendly to Gu Cheng, and once this news spread, they became even friendlier to him.

Fortunately, the crew had Director Chu holding down the fort. When Gu Cheng and Director Chu were discussing, these actors didn't dare to come over to get close.

Otherwise, wherever Gu Cheng went in the crew, there would be a few flattering actors following him, and that atmosphere would be too awkward.

Gu Cheng thought to himself, he isn't some innate halo holy body; he really can't stand being praised by people every day.

The crew had just started filming, hearts were restless, rumors spread a lot, and updated quickly.

But after filming for a month, many people’s minds in the crew settled down, and everyone became very down-to-earth.

Filming was officially on the right track. Director Chu saw that their hearts were settled, so he gave them special-effects scenes.

Special-effects segments require performance without objects. If the actors are not in the state, it is very difficult.

At the same time, after many discussions between Lian Baozhi and her agent Lu Shanjie, Lian Baozhi still decided that she wanted to go to drama to hone her acting skills.

Lu Shanjie didn't look favorably on drama, thinking she was doing something unnecessary.

"Your current development is quite good. If you feel your acting skills can't keep up, then sign up for a few more acting training classes, and hire an acting teacher to follow the crew when filming to guide your acting skills at any time. Why do you have to participate in drama?"

"Drama is still too high-end for the entertainment industry. Except for your die-hard fans, no one else will buy it."

"It’s not awkward for you to participate in drama, but it’s awkward if no one buys tickets."

Lu Shanjie made sense, and Lian Baozhi wasn't someone who wouldn't listen to advice.

But this time, she was a bit stubborn.

"My acting skills have no room for improvement. Even if you hire more teachers to teach me, it’s useless. I can't become them."

"Now my acting skills are not as good as Jian Liting’s a few years ago. At that time, Jian Liting’s acting skills were also excellent, but she couldn't break through for a long time. Everyone thought it was because she had to choose some other types, such as specializing in literary films, to make a breakthrough."

"But she hasn't filmed in the past few years and only went to perform drama."

"And her acting skills are very different from before. Even Jin Li speaks highly of her performance."

"So going to film drama will definitely be able to hone my acting skills!" Lian Baozhi said seriously.

Lu Shanjie choked on her words.

Alright, that is indeed the case.

But she also knew that Jian Liting had no choice, which was why she plunged into drama.

But Lian Baozhi had a choice. There are many ways to improve acting skills, not just the path of drama.

Lian Baozhi’s words continued to come from her ears, "Drama cannot be filmed only once or twice; it requires continuous investment for my acting skills to improve."

"I also have some traffic now, so I shouldn't be unable to sell tickets."

Hearing that Lian Baozhi still wanted to dig deep in this area, Lu Shanjie immediately said: "No!"

"Your schedule is usually so busy. It’s fine for you to film drama once every few months. You are still in the rising period of your career and haven't encountered a bottleneck."

"Wait until you really can't improve, then come and put your heart and energy into drama. Currently, you still need to continue to rush in the entertainment industry and take more announcements to stand firm."

"If you turn around and attack drama now, it is undoubtedly giving up your seat to others. Think about Li Xunfang."

"Even if she is married, she is still constantly engaging in her career. You have so many overlapping resources with her. Aren't you worried that if you retreat, all the resources will be cheap for Li Xunfang?"

"Who would be better to be cheap for? Are you really willing to be cheap for Li Xunfang?"

Lian Baozhi immediately said: "Can't be cheap for her!"

Lu Shanjie: "That’s right. Drama can be filmed for you; I didn't say you couldn't film it. You can focus on filming for a period of time, but the monthly announcements cannot be left behind."

She said with a serious expression: "But you have to think clearly. Once you take on drama, you will become busier and more tired than before."

"A while ago, you told me you wanted to rest. Once you take on drama, your rest time might be filled by drama."

Lian Baozhi thought of her acting skills being crushed by Jian Liting in the crew, and thought of Jin Li’s recommendation, gritted her teeth and said:

"Film! At worst, I won't rest for these two years!"

She set a time limit of two years for herself.

If she uses her scattered rest time to film drama for these two years and her acting skills still haven't improved in the slightest, then she will give up.

Lian Baozhi sent a WeChat message to Jin Li.

Jin Li saw it that night and made a phone call to Jian Liting.

Jian Liting’s side sounded quite noisy. When she spoke, her voice was full of energy, which was a very standard drama voice.

Jin Li said: "I mentioned to you before that because I entered the crew, I couldn't participate in the drama you invited me to, but I will find a suitable actor for you."

Jian Liting said "En", "Right, have you found this actor?"

As soon as the words fell, she hurriedly said: "It doesn't matter if you can't find one. Recently, there is no shortage of actors in the drama crew. Many actors heard about me and Director Zheng and are busy currying favor with me, wanting to film this drama I am in."

Jin Li smiled. Hearing the smile in her words, she also felt relieved.

People said it very sincerely; it is indeed not a worry that there are no actors to perform her drama.

Jin Li said: "I found an actor. Her foundation is solid, but she lacks agility. Although she may not necessarily be able to take over my scenes, she is still quite good. You can arrange it after you assess her."

Jian Liting asked curiously: "Who?"

Jin Li: "Lian Baozhi."

Jian Liting was stunned, "It’s actually her. I thought this kind of traffic flower wouldn't come to perform drama."

Jin Li said meaningfully: "Don't underestimate people. She has more perseverance than you imagine. Stars who can climb back up from the bottom are not simple." ===== CHAPTER 778 =====