The next day at noon, in an empty classroom in the Performance and Directing Building, sunlight streamed in diagonally from the frosted window, and the scratches on the floor glowed with the yellow of age.
When Wu Chen arrived, he saw that Zu Feng was already there, wrapped in a gray woolen overcoat, his eyes calm behind his glasses, and he smiled and nodded at Wu Chen, who had just pushed the door open: "Director Wu!"
"Teacher Zu Feng, there's no need for such a title, just call me Wu Chen." Wu Chen reached out and shook his hand.
"There are rules in every industry. In our line of work, age doesn't matter." Zu Feng shook his head, refusing, "If our collaboration is successful, and I call you that, what would others think?
In the crew, don't call me teacher either; it wouldn't look good if people heard it."
"We're just a small crew of about ten people." Wu Chen smiled faintly, "Then how about I call you Feng Ge?"
"Alright, if you don't mind, just call me that. I'm not much older than you, so I'm taking a bit of an advantage!" Zu Feng chuckled merrily.
He had no contempt for Wu Chen.
When Wang Jinsong found him yesterday, he couldn't help but sigh about how the Photography Department had found a good talent.
Regardless of the reason, anyone who can successfully set up a project in their freshman year is definitely not to be underestimated.
Even if this one isn't successful, who knows, he might become a major director in the country someday. And such examples, while not ubiquitous, are not uncommon in the Photography Department.
Wu Chen handed over the dark side script, "Feng Ge, take a look first. The male lead is a young symphony orchestra conductor; beneath his gentle exterior hides selfishness and indifference..."
"Let me read the script first!"
Zu Feng casually found a spot to sit down, opened the first page, and his eyelids immediately twitched slightly.
Wu Chen casually sat on the floor, watching Zu Feng lean against the edge of the table, reading intently, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the paper.
Half an hour passed, and Zu Feng still hadn't gotten up, but his expression grew increasingly solemn.
It was then that Zhou Yiwei, bundled up like a cotton ball in a down jacket, arrived, a full half an hour earlier than Wu Chen had scheduled.
Seeing this, Wu Chen quickly walked over and whispered, "Senior Brother! You might have to wait a bit, Teacher Zu Feng isn't finished yet."
He also didn't know how much longer Zu Feng would take. The time spent reading a script varies for everyone.
Some people prefer to read carefully the first time, savoring it slowly, while others prefer to skim, getting a general idea; everyone has their own method.
But without exception, good actors, when they encounter a good script, are already secretly pondering how to portray it.
"It's alright, I came early. I'll go sit next door first." Zhou Yiwei, on the contrary, looked apologetic and prepared to find an empty spot on this floor to stay.
Wu Chen thought for a moment, then quickly went back, grabbed a page of the script he had prepared for Zhou Yiwei, "Senior Brother, you can start pondering it!"
"Thank you, Director!" Zhou Yiwei's eyes instantly lit up.
Zu Feng finally made a move.
As soon as Wu Chen turned back, he saw Zu Feng suddenly raise his head, his eyes gleaming, and his voice trembling lowly:
"This script... it's so captivating! The disappearance reversal, the psychological distortion... I've played mentally ill patients before, but this male lead's inner world is deeper. I want this role!"
Zu Feng pushed up his glasses, "Director Wu, can this role be given to me?"
The script's suspenseful twists and its exploration of human nature were the most outstanding he had encountered among the scripts he had access to.
He even had a feeling that the works of those big directors might not be as brilliant as this script.
He finally understood why Wu Chen could set up a project and start filming in his freshman year.
Wu Chen was stunned, then smiled, his finger resting on the first page of the script: "Feng Ge, want to try a scene? I originally wanted to ask you to play this male lead, no rush."
"Feng Ge, I want to see your character's state when he's deeply emotional."
This scene was precisely when the male lead received the DV footage recorded by the female lead, sitting alone at home, reminiscing about his girlfriend.
There was no dialogue throughout, relying entirely on expressions and actions.
This was also one of the most challenging scenes for an actor, with no dialogue and no physical props.
Zu Feng nodded, stood in the center of the classroom, and after a moment of brewing, took off his glasses and placed them on the ground, then sat down, staring at his empty hand, complex emotions surging in his eyes—love, guilt, despair intertwined, not a single line of dialogue, relying entirely on expressions and actions to convey his inner turmoil.
Immediately after, a soft light appeared in his eyes, but in the next second, the soft light shattered, and the corner of his eye twitched slightly, as if suppressing a tearing pain.
He leaned forward, his fingers clenching into fists against his forehead, his breathing growing heavier, like a silent scream. Guilt and selfishness warred on his face, finally congealing into a cold emptiness...
Wu Chen stared at the camera, his eyes lighting up.
From deep affection to collapse and then to indifference, the layers were distinct. The process of this character was firmly grasped.
"Feng Ge, this role is tailor-made for you!" Wu Chen clapped his hands, his voice unable to hide his excitement. He had found his male lead.
Zu Feng exhaled, put his glasses back on, seeming to slowly return to himself.
"Feng Ge, how do you calculate your current remuneration?"
Since the role was to be finalized, the remuneration definitely had to be discussed now.
"Teacher Wang already told me that your budget isn't ample. I understand these things. How about this, 20,000!" Zu Feng mused.
Lowering his usual fee by 10,000, Zu Feng's offer was truly sincere.
Although Zu Feng was currently in a low period, as a male lead, his usual offer would generally be between 30,000 and 40,000. Of course, for art house films, actors would generally voluntarily lower their remuneration.
However, Wu Chen's film, at best, was half an art house film; it leaned more towards the suspense thriller genre.
"20,000? Then it's settled!" Wu Chen grinned, and the two shook hands, finalizing their collaboration.
Zu Feng picked up the script, gently stroking the cover as if holding a treasure, and whispered, "I need to really delve into this role."
"Alright!" Wu Chen nodded with a faint smile, remembering this favor.
Zhou Yiwei was at this moment in a classroom not far away, clutching the page of the police interrogation scene Wu Chen had given him, reading it silently.
After Zu Feng left, Wu Chen called Zhou Yiwei over and pointed to a segment in the script, "Senior Brother, try this, just go with the flow."
Zhou Yiwei scanned a few lines, then stood firm and raised his voice: "As a prosecutor, I have an obligation to inform you that her case is my responsibility..."
His voice was rough, with a hint of alleyway thuggery, like an old street cop catching criminals. He lacked Zu Feng's depth but had a raw intensity, and his eyes, though coarse, had a fire.
This role didn't require much, and Zhou Yiwei left a very good impression on him. Wu Chen immediately nodded, "Senior Brother, it's got flavor, it's settled!"
Zhou Yiwei was stunned, his face unable to hide his excitement, "Thank you, Director Wu!"
He had no say, he could only seize the opportunity by instinct.
Perhaps this opportunity was small, but he had finally waited for it.
Zhou Yiwei's remuneration was very low because his role had very few scenes, and in this era, the remuneration for new actors making cameo appearances in films generally ranged from 500 to 3000 yuan, mainly depending on the specific scenes.
Ultimately, Wu Chen set his remuneration at 1500 yuan. Just before leaving, he suddenly thought of something, turned around, and said, "Oh, right, spend more time at grassroots police stations to study your character..."