Zhang Jizhong had intended to let the assistant director briefly explain the scene to him, but unexpectedly, Lu Kuan quickly got into the zone like an old hand in the crew.
Using an over-the-shoulder shot from a side camera, Lu Kuan’s positioning was even more accurate than someone who had rehearsed with a stand-in; his camera presence was excellent.
His lines were clear and accurate, his facial expressions didn't flutter randomly, and he possessed great visual presence and plasticity.
His non-physical performance of holding a sword was also very realistic, and his eyes and body language fully grasped the chain of actions involved in provoking Yin Zhiping.
Zhou Jie was slightly taken aback; he wasn't very willing to be called by the crew to accompany a trial scene. Did he, a new actor, need to do it himself?
But was this a new actor? This non-physical performance was more professional than many drama students.
In this moment of distraction, he was surpassed. Even if Guo Jing wasn't his character, he shouldn't have been made to look so bad in the opposing scene.
"Sorry, let's do that again!"
Lu Kuan smiled and nodded at him, and the two smoothly and accurately completed the two-minute scene.
Jiang Qinqin stared at Lu Kuan's performance with wide eyes. Even though this scene wasn't particularly difficult, it wasn't something a complete novice who had never acted before could handle so easily.
The directors also exchanged glances. Zhang Jizhong and Meng Fanyao, who knew Lu Kuan's background, both felt a little unbelievable.
Even with the most demanding requirements, one couldn't say there were any mistakes or omissions in his performance; he was even better than the bewildered Zhou Jie.
To borrow a phrase from later generations, this world is a giant makeshift troupe.
A Taoist who just ran out of the deep mountains and old forests could seamlessly integrate into a crew role; it was truly unbelievable.
But all of this happened to this mysterious Little Taoist, and those familiar with him, like Jiang Qinqin, inexplicably felt it was very reasonable.
After all, he possessed even more incredible abilities.
A smattering of applause sounded, and in this life, Lu Kuan finally took the first step in his acting career.
The crew took a few more days to rest and reorganize. Everyone often saw Yin Zhiping, who had come out of nowhere and snatched the role, getting very close to the big shot producer.
He frequently entered and exited his RV, and even overstepped his bounds by arranging crew affairs. He even wanted to manage how the tables in the makeup room were arranged!
He even brought the production manager Meng Fanyao with him, inspecting the crew like a eunuch borrowing a tiger's might. The latter was also completely compliant, adjusting many details that were originally ignored.
This was, of course, Lu Kuan's nonsensical planning. He just made some improvements based on the most basic feng shui knowledge to make the overall structure more reasonable.
For example, wider aisles, better ventilation, etc. Regardless of other strange and supernatural things, it was all just for show.
"Hahaha, Master Lu's methods are good. Now the headlines in all the newspapers are about the demi-gods and semi-devils crew."
Lu Kuan sat in Big Beard's RV and took the newspaper from his hand.
"Zhou Xun and Li Yapeng fall in love on set, the latter changes affections and angrily dumps Qu Ying."
"Interesting anecdotes frequently emerge from the demi-gods and semi-devils crew, the excitement is comparable to the original drama!"
"Pretty Huang Rong steals love with a sword, Huazheng rushes to the hospital crying sadly!"
This wrote Qu Ying as Huazheng. Reporters these days are quite talented.
"Director Zhang's influence in the industry is truly extraordinary. These media resources are the most important thing, hehe."
Lu Kuan subtly offered a compliment.
Big Beard always liked to hear good words, especially the flattery of smart people made him relish it: "Lu Daoshi, what are your plans for the future? I have a few more shows coming up, are you interested in participating?"
Lu Kuan understood his meaning. He wanted to deeply bind himself, using the power of the occult to protect his crew.
It was just a consultant fee of one or two hundred thousand yuan, which was nothing in a crew with a budget of tens of millions. It was just buying peace of mind.
Apart from Lu Kuan's ability in feng shui and divination, even if he just came up with such a dirty idea for himself again, the advertising value alone would be comparable!
As the saying goes, a valuable person, even if they are a pile of shit, someone will pick you out of the cesspool, let alone someone extraordinary like Lu Kuan.
"I've been reading these past few days, preparing for the Beijing Film Academy art exam in March."
"If the schedule doesn't conflict, I am still very willing to continue cooperating with Director Zhang and see if I can make a bigger breakthrough in roles."
Lu Kuan decided to take the Beijing Film Academy exam for various reasons.
First, he needed a formal identity to appear in this circle. He couldn't always appear in the public eye as a charlatan; that was not presentable.
Secondly, as the cradle of China's film talent, the title of a Beijing Film Academy graduate could provide many conveniences for future resource acquisition and negotiation.
For example, the Qingying Factory, which is good and cheap, rarely makes films throughout the year. Those vacant film quotas could completely serve as a springboard for the start of his directing career.
For example, the fifth-generation Beijing Film Academy directors in China, Tian Zhuangzhuang who has returned to the school to prepare to teach, and Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and others who are still active. With the identity of a Beijing Film Academy graduate, no matter where you go, you are always from the same school, aren't you?
Another example is the film censorship system that Chinese directors find troublesome. Among the thirty-seven members of the censorship committee, besides some special commissioners from relevant ministries and commissions, do you know how many are from the Beijing Film Academy?
A person is the sum of all social relationships. A suitable title can allow his abilities to be fully utilized.
He could even imagine the increasingly declining state-owned factory Compilation identity, seeking a transformation from a state-owned enterprise leader to a system leader in a relevant unit, but that was a story for another time.
Zhang Jizhong didn't yet know that this young man had already made comprehensive plans for his future. He joked, "It seems Master Lu is going to temper his Taoist heart well in this circle, huh? Hehe."
Hearing that he was going to take the Beijing Film Academy exam, Big Beard suddenly remembered something: "I started an agency with someone. A friend's daughter wants to come back to China to be an actress. I want to ask you to take a look and predict her future."
Hearing this, the Little Taoist's heart stirred, but his expression remained calm.
"No problem, no problem."
"Director Zhang, I was chatting with Zhou Xun these past two days, and she said you're going to take on another Jin Yong drama, right?"
"This drama of yours... could it be related to the girl you just mentioned?"
"You? This..." Zhang Jizhong's mind raced, wishing he could think back to the beginning of time to see what details the other party might have grasped to make such a judgment.
The key was that demi-gods and semi-devils had just been bought by Su Province Television, and he had only just been contacted by the investors to discuss production cooperation, and the friend's daughter he mentioned was barely 15 years old, only one of the people being considered...
The Little Taoist smiled and sipped his tea, making the Big Beard opposite him's hair stand on end. People say ghosts and demons are like this!
Could this person really calculate everything?