Chapter 71: Director Lin, Iconic Scenes

Lin Nan was aware that there were reporters downstairs at the company.

He hadn't deliberately hidden the news of the auditions, so it was only natural for the media to be there; fortunately, they hadn't run directly into the company.

"Long time no see, Senior Sister Dan Chen."

"Long time no see, Director Lin."

The way she smiled was still that of the Chang'e from before; back during *Returning to Youth*, they had joked about working together again if there was a chance.

Sure enough, they had met again this time.

Audition?

Yan Danchen didn't need to audition; they had already worked together twice, and Lin Nan knew very well whether she could handle the role of the second female lead.

Furthermore, the person playing her husband would be Tian Yu, an actor long tested by the stage.

Perhaps when he first screened the resumes, Lin Nan already had a rough idea of the cast in his mind.

"For our third collaboration, Senior Sister, you'll have to give it your all; don't hold me back!"

Lin Nan said nonchalantly.

Yan Danchen revealed her pearly white teeth and rolled her eyes at Lin Nan, "Who are you looking down on?"

"Just kidding. Here, same old rules."

Yan Danchen took the file bag containing the script, "I know, the script is confidential."

The two sat in the reception room and started chatting like old friends.

A long time ago, Lin Nan had recorded a promotional interview for *Lotus Lantern* with Yan Danchen and the others; at that time, the TV series hadn't aired yet, but now it was about to premiere on CCTV, and Yan Danchen's Chang'e would soon meet the audience.

This would also be of some help to the film's promotion when the time came.

Yan Danchen was likely the first person to receive the script.

On the first day, when Gao Yuanyuan left with the file bag and her agent, she was photographed.

How could such news be let go? Not two hours later, news that Gao Yuanyuan had obtained a role in Lin Nan's film appeared on web portals.

Li Bingbing was too ambitious, only setting her sights on the female lead role.

In fact, from the beginning, Lin Nan inviting her to audition was just a formality to give face to Huayi; in terms of acting, she was definitely not the best among that pile of resumes, nor was she his intended choice for the female lead.

Having passed thirty, Li Bingbing was a bit anxious; perhaps she felt the pressure of competition, which was why she placed such importance on the status of the role.

The result was certain: "I'll definitely work with Sister Bingbing when there's a chance in the future."

"Okay, I look forward to working with Director Lin later."

The other Bingbing had much higher emotional intelligence.

Fan Bingbing, who was three years older than Lin Nan, looked truly dazzling; she was too exquisitely beautiful, with a sort of bewitching quality.

Lin Nan had an illusion: did she not seem to care much about the audition results?

She had gone through the audition process for the female lead.

"Sister Li left in such a hurry to get in her car; I can still guess the result. I imagine my chances won't be high either."

When this face smiled, it truly gave one the urge to get close.

"However, I still hope Director Lin can give me a chance in the future. Whether a play is good or not, you only know after you've actually stepped onto the stage and tried it. I have always been determined to become a powerhouse actor."

At this moment, Lin Nan actually felt a bit of regret, "In *Cell Phone*, Sister Bingbing was quite good; otherwise, you wouldn't have won the Hundred Flowers Best Actress award."

"Hehe, you flatter me, Director Lin. This is my contact information; if there is a suitable play in the future, please give me a chance."

As she spoke, she handed over an exquisite card; the content was very concise: name, profession, and contact information.

"Okay."

Lin Nan accepted the business card and personally saw her out.

She was truly polite and thanked him repeatedly.

A beauty indeed...

Lin Nan had a habit: he always saved the best for last, and auditions were no exception.

One man and one woman, they were friends who had been classmates for four years.

The man wasn't handsome and was even a bit stocky, but he was a true acting powerhouse.

The woman...

Over the few days of auditions, he had seen many beauties, from the gentle-as-water Yan Danchen to the exquisitely bewitching Fan Bingbing.

But how to describe the one before him?

Her figure was tall and outstanding, her temperament classical and elegant.

Her features were deep; within her coldness was stubbornness, and within her heroic spirit was a touch of charm.

A national beauty, gorgeous yet not vulgar!

Perhaps when filming, he would need to make her look a bit uglier! Lin Nan thought to himself.

The two auditioned together, playing off each other, just like how the female lead and the first male lead were friends in the script.

No preparation was needed; they started right away, and everything was so natural.

Sure enough, four years of being classmates meant they already had perfect tacit understanding; they had probably acted together countless times in major classes. They were worthy of being from the Class of '96.

The audition ended.

A few days later, the media received news from Lin Nan's company that the auditions were over and the casting was complete.

The film *Time Cruise* officially confirmed its cast list.

Female lead: Zeng Li; second female lead: Yan Danchen; third female lead: Gao Yuanyuan; first male lead: Chen Minghao; second male lead: Tian Yu; third male lead: Zhu Yawen.

Lin Nan changed the two characters for "Horror" to "Time-Space."

He remembered that when it was originally translated as "Horror," he had mistaken *Triangle* for a supernatural film for a long time, and only wanted to curse after watching it.

It was a proper science fiction film, otherwise it wouldn't have been categorized as such; it dealt with time loops and spatial overlaps. At most, you might mistake it for a suspense film. Although it was mind-bending, it had absolutely nothing to do with supernatural films.

So this time, Lin Nan specifically pointed out the two characters for "Time-Space" to avoid any association with supernatural films.

The cast was exposed, and the media was hyped, as were the netizens.

"Director Lin Nan has ultimately followed the old path of Beijing Film Academy directors; he ran off to the Central Academy of Drama to find actors..."

"The curse of the great directors; he cannot escape it."

"Six actors, half are from the Central Academy of Drama, and they are the three most important ones..."

"It seems he hasn't used any actors from the Shanghai Theatre Academy yet, right?"

Some media outlets loved to stir up trouble.

"Art exam candidates, take note: the acting department of the Central Academy of Drama has been certified by countless directors from the Beijing Film Academy..."

Tian Zhuangzhuang watched these comments and would laugh from time to time.

"The quality of the students over there is indeed a bit better; you don't need to care about these words."

"Teacher, you're joking. I have always known this fact."

Even though he had been nagged for a long time today by several leaders of the acting department, Lin Nan just took it in stride. Weren't there still two roles left?

"Come over early tomorrow morning, and we'll go to Kuangou together," Tian Zhuangzhuang instructed.

"No problem, Teacher."

The first round of the general director competition was tomorrow.

Covering an area of over three thousand acres, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing water on one, 50 kilometers from the city center, this place was picturesque with pleasant seasons, a shining pearl on the land of the Beijing suburbs.

Early on the 19th, while the sky was still dim, Lin Nan had already set off with Tian Zhuangzhuang.

The distance wasn't far, but Lin Nan felt like it had taken a long time.

This place had long been a venue for hosting important guests, international friends, and foreign dignitaries.

As the car slowly approached, through the window, Lin Nan could see a large number of security personnel, and the car in front was undergoing inspection.

"Keep your pass on," Tian Zhuangzhuang reminded him.

"Mm."

Lin Nan hung it up and even straightened it out.

There were no outside reporters for this kind of occasion, only state media, because it required confidentiality and was of a high level.

Only specific recording teams were responsible for keeping the speeches of each team.

In front of the conference venue, there were already quite a few people.

Seeing Tian Zhuangzhuang and Lin Nan, many people came over to greet them; most were familiar faces in the industry, including foreign Chinese and some foreign teams.

Looking at the passes on everyone's chests, it turned out they were all here to audit the competition.

Someone came over to explain the requirements for today's venue.

No recording, photography, or filming equipment was allowed to be brought in, and the content of the competing teams' speeches could not be leaked. The people on site might have been big shots in their daily lives, but here, they still honestly signed the confidentiality agreements.

A few minutes before eight, the leaders of the organizing committee and the leaders in charge of culture and sports arrived, and everyone entered the conference venue in an orderly fashion.

To be honest, the people in the audience were all losers; they had all been invited to compete initially but hadn't made it to this step, and many might not have even come to audit.

The competing teams were not on site; they were resting in other areas in the back, waiting to enter for their speeches.

When the leaders above announced the number of competing teams for today, the audience was shocked.

After being invited initially, there were over a hundred teams or directors who actively participated in the competition; as of yesterday, only thirteen teams remained confirmed for the first round of the competition.

Lin Nan saw that Tian Zhuangzhuang's expression on the side was a bit bitter; many old seniors were like this.

These teams were: the Chen Kaige team, the Cui Jian team, the Zhang Jigang Cultural Troupe team, the Evans French team, the National Song and Dance Troupe CCTV team... Li An, Zhang Yimou, and others.

No matter how grand the occasion, it seemed one could not avoid the method of drawing lots to decide the order of appearance.

The Cui Jian team was the first.

The team members submitted their creative proposal, and the lead person in charge, Cui Jian, walked up to the podium.

The time limit was 50 minutes.

Above and below, everyone's gaze was focused there.

"I didn't think too much; it was more of a feeling. In reality, it is our belief in our own abilities..."

Many people below frowned slightly; if it was like this, it seemed they shouldn't have withdrawn back then.

Perhaps Cui Jian really did come to participate in the competition based on pure passion; the proposal his team produced was just a template for a large-scale variety gala, only magnified many times over and filled with many things.

Director Zhang Jigang's speech revealed a backbone of steel, making many people's eyes light up; the proposal was grand and bold.

Was it boring? Not at all; each session was 50 minutes, with a break in between.

Many people heard different ideas in the content of the speakers above, and upon contact, they benefited greatly.

They had their meal right here at noon, and it was extremely sumptuous.

In the afternoon, the most important segment arrived.

Chen Kaige took the stage.

He walked up to the podium himself to submit the creative proposal; it was actually a handwritten proposal, showing great sincerity.

A Palme d'Or winning director, the only one in the country.

If the people offstage were to vote on who was most likely to win, Chen Kaige's vote count would definitely be in the top three, certainly ahead of Zhang Yimou.

Lin Nan felt inexplicably excited; was it coming?

Was Chen Kaige truly confident, or what?

He had his own team, but today only he came alone, single-handedly.

"On that night several years ago, when we learned that we had won the right to host the Olympics, right here, in the capital, at that moment I was watching television and saw the smiles on the faces of people across the country."

Many people offstage had their emotions stirred by him; the crow's feet at the corners of Director Tian Zhuangzhuang's eyes became clearer.

"That day, that night, I was also so excited that I couldn't sleep all night," Tian Zhuangzhuang whispered to Lin Nan.

Lin Nan nodded, then took the opportunity to rest his face on his right hand, covering it, with his elbow resting on his thigh, head bowed.

Here it comes!

"...It really makes me think of the poem Du Fu wrote back then, which says: Suddenly news of the recovery of Jibei arrives from beyond the sword pass; upon first hearing it, tears and mucus soak my clothes. Looking at my wife and children, where has the sorrow gone? I roll up my books in a frenzy of joy..."

It was almost chanted, and many people offstage became even more excited.

Through the gaps between his fingers, Lin Nan saw that many leaders on the stage were expressionless, just watching, and they had even stopped flipping through the creative proposal.

Lin Nan didn't record the specific content that Director Chen stated afterward because his brain was buzzing and his thoughts were jumping around; he had witnessed a legendary scene!