Images Started to Move Chapter 9

In the Beishatan shantytown on the North Fifth Ring Road lives a group of extras from all over the country who have come to Beijing to perform.

At night, when the extras came back, the yard was filled with all kinds of beautiful people.

A big northern man who left his family and his job, was madly in love with martial arts. He would practice his moves on TV dramas whenever he had time. But in the end, he could only make a living by moving goods for others.

There was a girl who claimed that her eyes were bigger and her figure was better than Zhao Wei's. She refused to follow the hidden rules and ended up working as a hostess in a nightclub.

Some people hold a copy of Stanislavsky's "An Actor's Work" all day long and always try to compete with others in acting.

The compound was a bit quiet today. Everyone gathered together and watched "The King of Comedy" on the broken TV.

"Is there any character with lines?"

"No."

"No lines, just showing your face is fine."

"No."

"Is there anything you can't see at all?"

"I can't see you right now!"

The extras watched Zhou Xingchi begging for the role, and they started laughing, and laughed until tears came out.

After the movie, the extras dispersed.

Oliver Wang returned to his room and continued to repeat what he had done in the past week, constantly writing his name on the newspaper pasted on the wall.

One of my roommates didn't understand: "Oliver Wang, what are you practicing?"

Oliver Wang wrote his name carefully and said without turning his head: "I am practicing my signature. If I become a big star in the future, I will sign autographs for people!"

The roommates were all stunned, and then burst into laughter.

Someone came over and said with a smile: "Big star, can you give me an autograph too?"

"Not now!" said Oliver Wang.

"Why?"

"My handwriting is ugly. I will sign for others only after I improve it."

The man was stunned again, and for a moment he didn't know whether Oliver Wang was serious.

"Then why are you so confident that you can become famous?" asked another person.

This time Oliver Wang turned around and said seriously: "Even Teacher George Ge touched my head. There were so many people, but he didn't touch others, but mine. And a teacher I didn't know also patted my shoulder."

"You were writing martial arts novels, touching people's bones, and you could tell if they had talent by just touching them."

Everyone groaned, with some envy in their words.

Oliver Wang turned a deaf ear and continued practicing his own signature.

The next day, Oliver Wang continued to squat at the gate of Beijing Film Studio early in the morning waiting for work.

Early in the morning, it was another day without work. In the past week, he only took one job and spent the rest of the time working as a cleaner in the building. He didn't meet George Ge and the young teacher again.

I don’t know why they touched me?

Oliver Wang thought about this question for several days, but still had no answer.

Just as he was thinking hard, he suddenly saw a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

He quickly stood up and trotted towards him, taking out a few photos from his pocket.

He made an emergency stop and braked the car in front of the person coming.

"Hello, teacher!"

".Hello."

Ethan Tang was shocked and thought Oliver Wang was going to slide and tackle him.

Oliver Wang stopped the car and looked up at Ethan Tang. He handed the photo in his hand to him and said with some stammering: "Teacher, my name is Oliver Wang. I studied martial arts in Shaolin Temple for six years. This is my photo. If you have a play suitable for me, please find me. I will definitely be able to play it well!"

Seeing Oliver Wang's signature expression, he lowered his head slightly, looked up, and showed the whites of his eyes. Ethan Tang smiled, took the photo, and asked: "Do you usually send photos to people like this? How many have you sent?"

Seeing that Ethan Tang didn't throw them away without even looking at them like the others, Oliver Wang quickly said, "I don't know either. There should be several hundred of them."

"How did others respond to you?" Ethan Tang glanced at the few photos with a corner sticking out of Oliver Wang's pocket.

"They said I couldn't speak Mandarin well and was too short to be an actor."

As Oliver Wang spoke, his eyes dimmed, but then they were full of fighting spirit again.

"I want to act, teacher, please give me a chance!"

Ethan Tang shook his head and raised the photo in his hand: "So you know who I am, so you gave me the photo?"

Oliver Wang said honestly: "I don't know, but I saw you and Teacher George Ge talking and laughing."

Not sure whether to say he was clever or naive, Ethan Tang thought for a moment and said, "Well, tomorrow morning a crew will drive over to pick up a group of extras, you go with them."

In the conference room of Beijing Film Studio, Ethan Tang, Feng Xiaogang, Max Shi and Mark Li reviewed the third draft of the script of "Big Shot" from beginning to end.

After finalizing the overall structure, plot and characters of the script a week ago, Shi Jian also wrote the third version of the script this week.

There is no doubt about Max Shi's ability, otherwise Feng Xiaogang would not have asked him to write the script.

Basically, it is not much different from the finished film that Ethan Tang remembered, but Feng Xiaogang is still not very satisfied with the ending.

"This story is too crazy. It's a long story. Not only is Youyou unable to escape, but we also have no way to end it."

Feng Xiaogang said with some regret that in the script, You You had no choice but to hide in a mental hospital in the end, and it was the same for him.

"Well, how about a play within a play?" Shi Jian suggested.

"This is the only way." Feng Xiaogang nodded and couldn't help but turn around and ask Ethan Tang.

"Ethan Tang, do you have any good ideas?"

Most of the third draft of the script was a combination of Max Shi's second draft and Ethan Tang's suggestions, which was very much to my liking.

Unable to figure out the ending, Feng Xiaogang subconsciously asked Ethan Tang.

What good ideas can I have? Ethan Tang actually didn’t think much about “Big Shot”, and all his suggestions were based on the finished film.

But after thinking about it, Ethan Tang had an idea: "How about a play within a play within a play?"

The original ending was that You You and his friends hid in a mental hospital, and Max Shi's play within the play was about hiding in a mental hospital, becoming a part of Taylor's movie.

The play within the play within the play is that Taylor filmed George Ge hiding in a mental hospital, which is also a scene in a movie, and a scene in a documentary about Taylor's experiences in China.

It's like a nesting doll, with layer upon layer of dolls.

It was a bit confusing. Feng Xiaogang was stunned for two seconds before he reacted. He couldn't help but slap his thigh with a look of excitement.

"Great! This way, the audience doesn't know what's true. It's not certain whether this is a documentary about Taylor's experience in China or a pre-arranged plot. It's just like those false advertisements. None of them are true!"

This ending immediately elevated the theme. Feng Xiaogang was so satisfied that he liked Ethan Tang even more. He couldn't help but say, "Ethan Tang, why don't you come to my studio?"

It was a personal invitation from the "King of Lunar New Year Movies", but Feng Xiaogang did not see any surprise on Ethan Tang's face.

"Thank you Director Feng, I am doing well in the Planning Center."

Are you kidding? A time traveler is working as a screenwriter for Feng Xiaogang. His brain must have been squeezed by the door.

It was at that time that Feng Xiaogang had not yet been involved in those scandals, and Ethan Tang fulfilled his work obligations conscientiously and responsibly, otherwise he would not have bothered to express so many opinions.

Feng Xiaogang has been a follower of the children from the compound for many years. Now that he has achieved success and fame, he is also a very ambitious person, so he did not force it.

However, the only flaw in the ending of "Big Shot" was also corrected, which is more important than anything else.

Now that the work is done, it's time to eat and drink.

Before going to the hotel, Ethan Tang found Feng Xiaogang's assistant casting director.

"Director Huang, have you booked the extras for tomorrow's Forbidden City play?"

"Not yet. I'll send someone to Beijing Film Studio to help out early tomorrow morning." Deputy casting director Huang Di said. He didn't need to be involved in small roles like extras. He could just send an assistant.

That’s right, Feng Xiaogang’s assistant casting director is called Huangdi, the same name as Huangdi, one of the Five Emperors in ancient times.

Ethan Tang was shocked when he first met him. He thought his parents could come up with such a name.

"I have a friend who is also an extra. If it's convenient, can you bring him along as well?"

As he spoke, Ethan Tang handed Oliver Wang's photo to Huangdi.

"No problem. I'll come and get the extras myself tomorrow. Just have him wait at the entrance of the film studio."

It was no big deal, just a minor role, but Huangdi accepted it immediately.

"Thank you Director Huang. It doesn't matter if there are shots or not, as long as there is work to do."

Ethan Tang did not try to get any role for Oliver Wang. He thought Oliver Wang would succeed without any help. Moreover, without systematic learning and no one to teach him, he would have to go through this difficult experience of being an extra.

Later, as many actors became more famous, their acting skills deteriorated. In their 30s, their acting was worse than when they first debuted at the age of 20. A big reason for this was their lack of experience.

When you are young, you still have spirit, but when you get older, you are doomed.

Ethan Tang didn't drink much wine at noon. After finishing his work on "Big Shot", he had to take care of his own things.

After resting for a while, I took the script of "A Ghost Story" and went straight to China Film.

Coincidentally, I met an acquaintance again.

Lu Chuan, who had a look of nervousness on her face last time, emerged from the shadows with a cheerful look on her face this time.

"Ethan Tang, what a coincidence to meet you again."

Before Ethan Tang could even say hello, Lu Chuan smiled and said, "It just so happens that the investment for my new movie has been finalized. I have found Jiang Wen to play the male lead, and I will start preparations soon. When the time comes, wait for my notification and come to help my team."

Ah this.

I'm so busy, I don't have time to join your "Looking for a Gun" crew.

Moreover, they must have invited Jiang Wen to star in the film in order to attract investment. When the filming starts, I'm going to cry.

Poor baby.

However, seeing the smile that Lu Chuan couldn't hide on her face, Ethan Tang agreed casually. Anyway, he wouldn't have time to go at that time.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother. I'll be waiting for you."