Chapter 78: Filming in Progress, Tropes Win Hearts

Jin Li is currently receiving guidance from Screenwriter He.

Although the filming time is limited, the production crew also needs to see how her acting skills are and what kind of roles she is suited for.

Therefore, Screenwriter He said: "The first scene is a very calm one, about the Princess going on an outing. At that time, the Princess is innocent and lively, still very much in love with her sweetheart, the Commandery Prince, and very friendly to everyone around her.

You just need to remember that at this moment, the Princess is still held in the palm of everyone's hand, very happy, so her tone of voice is cheerful."

Jin Li opened to the corresponding page, looked at the plot content, and couldn't help but nod.

She had already changed into her costume, and a makeup artist was doing her hair and makeup nearby.

The production crew's time is tight, and no one has time to dawdle, so Screenwriter He took advantage of this gap to explain the scenes to Jin Li.

"The second scene is one with intense emotional conflict." Screenwriter He paused, "The Princess learns that the Commandery Prince is getting engaged, and she feels as if the sky is falling, because she has always assumed she would become the Commandery Prince's wife."

"She is the Emperor's beloved daughter, and apart from the Empress, she is the most noble woman under heaven; she has whatever she wants, and her feelings have always been expressed, so she never thought the Commandery Prince wouldn't marry her."

Jin Li opened to this scene.

After learning the news, the Princess is combing her hair, holding a hairpin in her hand.

Because she is too agitated, the hairpin pierces her skin, drawing blood, and she only comes to her senses after a maid reminds her.

Screenwriter He specifically said: "I'm not asking you to really pierce it hard; you just need to go through the motions, and the bleeding palm will be handled with special effects in post-production."

Jin Li nodded again, "Okay."

Screenwriter He: "Next is the third scene. This scene is about the Princess finding out the Commandery Prince has a sweetheart, so she runs to her father, the Emperor, to get to the bottom of it, only to learn from him that she is to be sent far away for a marriage alliance.

This news is spoken by the Emperor in front of the Commandery Prince; the Princess feels embarrassed on one hand, and incredulous on the other. She cannot accept the marriage alliance."

Jin Li turned to the corresponding plot, pondered for a moment, and asked: "Does the Princess already know that a marriage alliance is a road of no return? She didn't expect her father to send her off for a marriage alliance; is this more shocking to her than the Commandery Prince not marrying her?"

Screenwriter He said appreciatively: "Yes!"

"The Princess is innocent and lively, not stupid. Since ancient times, princesses sent for marriage alliances never have good outcomes; only weak nations think of marriage alliances to quell wars.

In the past, it was always small nations sending princesses over to choose a consort, but this time it is the dynasty's own princess being married off far away. From this point, one can see that the dynasty is already very weak."

Jin Li recalled the entire script content.

She had almost forgotten that this is not only an ancient idol drama but also a grand male-protagonist political drama, where the revival of the dynasty rests on the Commandery Prince.

Later on, after the Princess is married off far away, many things happen in the dynasty, all relying on the male and female leads to turn the tide.

The female lead's role in this.

She is not only a virtuous helper but also a remarkably sharp and extraordinary woman, who several times guesses the male lead's thoughts and coordinates from the inside and outside.

Although this drama is marketed as an ancient idol drama and the plot looks like a standard one, it has all the necessary twists and turns. If filmed well, it might even become a small hit.

Jin Li does not look down on these ancient idol dramas.

Those classic tropes are used over and over again; netizens curse them for lacking innovation, but they still go back to watch them.

Why is that?

In one sentence: Deep affection cannot be retained since ancient times; only tropes can win people's hearts!

Innovation is risky; one can become a legend, or crash and burn completely.

But the risk of tropes is not that high; one just gets scolded for being "old-fashioned," yet there is a market for "old-fashioned."

After Screenwriter He finished explaining the scenes to Jin Li, he left the makeup room and went to the director's lounge.

In the lounge.

Not only was Li Dao there, but Producer Zhang was also present.

Before Li Dao could speak, Producer Zhang asked first: "How is it? Have you communicated with Jin Li? How does it feel?"

Screenwriter He pondered for a while and said slowly: "It's hard to say."

Producer Zhang said anxiously: "Yes is yes, no is no. Why are you saying it's hard to say, leaving people hanging like this!"

Li Dao, however, guessed something and couldn't help but say: "Is it because you originally thought she was a newcomer who didn't understand anything and needed to be taught properly?

But after communicating with her, you felt she didn't seem like a newcomer, and her attitude and such were very professional, so you couldn't be sure?"

Screenwriter He mused: "Fifty-fifty, I suppose."

He explained: "She didn't behave like a newcomer; she didn't ask me many questions, and basically I was the one doing the talking, but the questions she occasionally raised were very sharp, grasping the character's situation at the time.

But if I were to say she isn't a newcomer, I'm not sure either; she didn't communicate with me deeply about the character. The feeling she gave me was that she had already pondered this character well, so she didn't need to communicate with me separately."

He changed his tone, "But I also feel that since she hasn't acted before, her conduct shouldn't be this seasoned, so after thinking it over, I can't guess her approach."

Seeing that Li Dao and Producer Zhang both looked somewhat solemn, Screenwriter He smiled freely.

"Don't be too nervous. We have to test her level to make subsequent arrangements. I only simplified some plot points in the script; I haven't Match Match Match Match Match Made major changes yet.

I plan to wait until Jin Li films these three scenes today, see her ability, and then think about how to change it.

The three scenes we chose have emotions that progress layer by layer, each stronger than the last; we will definitely be able to test her level.

We still have a few days, so we'll take our time. As long as the things that happened with the previous disastrous actor don't happen, it's already very good."

Screenwriter He's words Match Match Match Match Match Made sense. Producer Zhang and Li Dao looked at each other and could only proceed this way for now.

No matter how anxious they were, it was useless!

An hour later, Jin Li's hair and makeup were finished.

She felt that the production crew choosing these three scenes today was not only because of the layered progression of emotions, but also because these three scenes all used the same costume.

Wearing the same costume saves the time of changing clothes and redoing hair and makeup.

The script supervisor was running around the set.

He had to coordinate many actors, and for Jin Li's scene, he had already called over the maids for the first scene in advance.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, get moving! Do you still need the production crew to wait for you?"

"And the lighting, the lighting guy, hurry over here!"

"Has the blocking been done? Where is the stand-in specifically for blocking?"

Jin Li waited on the spot for another ten minutes.

After everyone was arranged, she put down the "Five-Three" in her hand and walked to the designated spot.

When the script supervisor came over to notify her, he glanced at her and thought: Hmm, this actor is quite diligent; she didn't play on her phone and only put down the script when it was time to perform.

Wait, hold on!

The script supervisor blinked several times, "Five-Year College Entrance Exam, Three-Year Simulation? This isn't the script, is it?"

"Script supervisor, hurry over!"

Being called, the script supervisor ran off in a hurry.

He didn't follow celebrities much and only remembered actors; Jin Li's face was a new one to him.

The script supervisor muttered to himself: Could the production crew be so desperate that they specifically found a high school student to play the Princess?

Although the age is quite appropriate, can her acting skills hold up?

Shortly thereafter, Jin Li proved to everyone through her actions—

Whether her acting skills hold up or not.

"First scene, action!"

"Princess, these flowers are so beautiful!" a maid said.

"Princess, these are peach blossoms. Seeing so many peach blossoms on this outing, perhaps the Princess will be able to see the Commandery Prince today!" another maid said.

Jin Li plucked a peach blossom, acting shy like a young girl, and tucked the flower into her black hair.

As her eyes darted about, she appeared completely innocent and lively, untainted by the dust of the world.

She turned and asked the maids: "Do you think I look pretty?"

"Pretty, the Commandery Prince will definitely like it too!"

Jin Li carefully supported the flower in her hair with one hand and said with feigned anger: "Who wants that blockhead to like it!"

Outside the camera's view, a group of people sprinkled fake flower petals from a high building, and another group used a leaf blower to blow the petals.

Outside the camera, it was chaotic; inside the camera, it was beautiful and moving.

"Cut!"

Li Dao called stop, watched the footage once, and felt Jin Li's handling was acceptable.

Flaws, of course, existed; even if there weren't any, there had to be.

If following an attitude of striving for perfection, it would have to be performed again to facilitate editing and selecting the best take.

But Jin Li's time was limited, and her energy was insufficient for long performances, so Li Dao immediately decided: "One take, prepare for the next scene!"

The next scene is an indoor scene, and the entire crew needs to change locations.

However, to pursue efficiency, the indoor scene had already been arranged for the A-team to enter, so Jin Li and Li Dao only needed to head to the predetermined scene to start filming immediately, without waiting for the main group to move.

In the film city, every few steps is a different scene.

Jin Li only walked for a few minutes before arriving at the indoor scene predetermined by the production crew.

She sat down and looked at the exquisite bronze mirror in front of her.

She only looked at it curiously for a moment before picking up the "Five-Three" in her hand to continue solving problems.

Li Dao wasn't ready to start filming yet, so she squeezed in every bit of study time she could.

In a state of deep focus, she could use one minute as three, and her efficiency soared.

As for the script, Jin Li had already memorized the parts she needed to perform and didn't need to flip through it at all.

I don't know if it's because she was used to acting in the Heavenly Realm, but Jin Li felt okay acting in the human world this time.

In the Heavenly Realm, she was a little drama queen.

In the human world, she gradually regained that original feeling.

Ten minutes later, Li Dao and the production crew were all ready.

Jin Li let Xiao Luo take away her "Five-Three" and tidied up her appearance.

"Second scene, action!"

A maid was helping Jin Li with her makeup, and another maid brought out hairpins for her to choose from, "Princess, which one would you like to wear today?"

Jin Li lightly pointed with her fair hand; under the lens, her hand appeared slender and distinct, like a fresh scallion.

Li Dao immediately gave this pair of hands a close-up!

There were other cameras in front of him, still filming the wide shot.

Jin Li pointed to one of the hairpins; she had once seen this hairpin in the hands of the Commandery Prince and had assumed he bought it as a gift for her.

Her heart filled with joy, and she had sent someone to buy that hairpin.

"Let's go with this one!"

Just as the maid was about to take the hairpin, Jin Li suddenly said, "Wait, hold on!"

She took the hairpin herself, looked into the bronze mirror, and smiled, "I will pin it myself."

Suddenly, a maid ran in in a hurry.

"Princess, it's bad!"

The head maid spoke first, "What are you panicking about! What if you startle the Princess?"

Jin Li said, "It's alright, it's alright, I'm fine!"

She asked, "What has happened? Why are you so panicked?"

The maid knelt on the ground, trembling as she said, "Just now, just now this servant passed by Chengtiandian and heard the little eunuch guarding outside say that the Commandery Prince, the Commandery Prince has expressed to the Emperor that he wishes to take the daughter of the Minister as his wife!"

Bang!

Jin Li's expression turned panicked, as if accompanied by background music; something had shattered.

She gripped the hairpin in her hand tightly, "Impossible, this is impossible!

He cannot be unaware of my feelings; I have said it many times that I want to marry him. He cannot possibly not understand what I mean!"

The head maid said urgently, "Princess, your hand!"

Jin Li looked down to see that her palm had been pierced by the sharp end of the hairpin, and a trail of bright red blood was flowing out.

Only then did she seem to break free from an endless nightmare; she immediately loosened her grip, and the hairpin slipped and fell heavily to the ground.

At the same time, a crystal-clear tear slid from her eye.

"Cut!" Li Dao called out.

He watched the footage in the camera over and over; Jin Li's expression of panic was something he hadn't expected.

How should he put it...

It wasn't the same as the scene he had envisioned, but the effect it conveyed was surprisingly good.

Li Dao mused, "This scene, it's a pass!"

The other crew members couldn't help but be surprised; this scene, another one-take?

The way they looked at Jin Li was a bit different now.

This actress seems to have some real talent!

The next scene required very intense emotions, so Li Dao gave Jin Li a half-hour break to adjust her emotional state.

Because Jin Li's performance had given Li Dao a pleasant surprise, he specifically called Screenwriter He over to coach Jin Li on the scene.

But not even five minutes later, Screenwriter He returned with a strange expression.

Li Dao and Producer Zhang were still looking at the camera, reviewing the scene Jin Li had just filmed.

"Her performance is very unique; she seems to have a talent for acting."

"Yes, it's more vivid than those from acting schools, not so formulaic, but it doesn't look like the method acting approach either; you can still see traces of performance."

"If she is carefully polished and refined, she might just be a piece of fine jade."

Producer Zhang caught a glimpse of Screenwriter He out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but ask, "Hey, why are you back?"

Li Dao also asked, "Are you done coaching her?"

Screenwriter He said helplessly, "You guys thought too much; she doesn't need me to coach her. I asked her if there was anything she couldn't understand, and Jin Li said she understood everything and there was nothing she didn't grasp.

After saying that, she lowered her head to study 'Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Simulation'; I saw she was solving problems, physics problems at that.

Seeing her focus intently on solving one, I left. Regardless of anything else, when it comes to studying, Jin Li is too hardworking!"

Li Dao seemed to think of something and said, "I heard Qiu Qiu Qiu Qiwen say she brought Jin Li in to act, so I specifically searched for her information; she only has a middle school diploma, and I think she mentioned wanting to get into college?"

Producer Zhang: "I know about that; she is also a public welfare ambassador for Maozhao Live.

Last week, when she participated in a live stream to help farmers, she was so tired she fainted, but she continued to participate the next day; the industry praises her for being hardworking. Her live stream channel is a study channel; she often streams while listening to lectures and solving problems."

Screenwriter He said thoughtfully, "According to that, Jin Li's willpower is very strong?"

Li Dao affirmed, "She is so popular right now, yet instead of working hard to run to every gig, she says she wants to study; this is not a decision an ordinary person could make."

Have a great weekend, everyone~

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(End of chapter)