Chapter 00028: Casting Criteria
# Casting Criteria
Chapter 28
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 28: Casting Criteria
The leads of the original "Lushan Love" were Zhang Yu and Guo Kaimin, both from the Shanghai Film Studio.
Initially, the female lead wasn't Zhang Yu but another actress.
However, she was caught by the police for sleeping with foreigners in a hotel.
Both Zhang and Guo were in their early twenties, with decent acting skills and a stylized approach typical of that era.
Their youth and good looks, combined with a great script, made them overnight sensations.
Zhang Yu went on to star in "Night Rain in Bashan" and "Little Street," becoming extremely popular.
She swept the Golden Rooster Award, Hundred Flowers Award, and Government Award in a single year, achieving a grand slam at a young age.
Then she went abroad.
At the time, there was a bizarre trend: whoever won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress would immediately go abroad.
It was as if the award was a ticket out of the country.
Director Xie Jin was furious, saying, "Don't give awards to young actresses. If they win too early, they'll just run off abroad."
"When we choose actors, we usually look within the studio first. If we can't find anyone suitable, we look outside," said Wang Haowei, sighing.
"To be honest, I've been thinking about those girls even in my sleep. Whether it's Liu Xiaoqing, Li Xiuming, or that little Cai Ming, none of them seem right. It's not easy!"
"What do you think the female lead should be like?" asked Chen Qi.
"First, she must be pure. Second, she must have a modern, international flair. We can't cast someone who's too flashy or vulgar. She needs to have a delicate, girlish charm. Since she's an overseas Chinese from America, she should be different from us. We need to highlight that difference in her makeup, hairstyle, clothing, and every gesture. But it can't be overdone."
"So, she should be approachable yet maintain a certain distance from ordinary people?" Chen Qi said.
"Exactly!" Wang Haowei tapped the table, pleased with how quickly Chen Qi grasped her point.
"I've heard that actors often immerse themselves in real-life experiences before filming. How do we get that international flair?"
"We'll arrange it as best we can. For example, she could stay at a hotel for overseas Chinese for a week and observe their behavior and mannerisms."
"That sounds expensive!"
"It's tradition! It's normal," Wang Haowei said dismissively.
"Chen, what's your take on this?"
"I agree with your thoughts on the female lead. As for the male lead, I think he should be more on the handsome side."
"Handsome?" Wang Haowei chuckled.
"Why use the word 'handsome'? Why not 'dashing'?"
"The male lead is shy and passive in this relationship. He blushes easily and is a bit timid. So he can't be a tough, macho type like Gao Cangjian. He should be softer, more delicate."
"Delicate, huh..."
Wang Haowei mused, jotting something down in her notebook.
"Anything else?"
"The story spans five years. At the beginning, the leads are young and naive. But five years later, they can't still be the same. I think their appearance should change slightly, becoming more mature. Their personalities should also mature a bit."
"Yes, that's good!"
"As for the male lead's sister, she's a traditional woman. I don't have any special ideas for her. There should be plenty of actresses who fit that role."
After chatting for a while, Wang Haowei was delighted.
"I thought we'd have a lot of disagreements, but we're surprisingly aligned. Next, we'll start formal preparations. If there are any issues with the script, I'll come to you."
"So my job is almost done?"
"Not at all. You can give input on all aspects. We might even make changes during filming, and we'll need your help. Normally, we'll start shooting in the second half of the year, finish by the end of the year, and release the film next year."
Wang Haowei paused, adding, "That means you can be involved until the filming is complete."
"So I can keep staying at the guesthouse?"
"Ha!" Wang Haowei laughed.
"Don't feel bad. For the studio, it's just one more salary. If it means we get a great film, Director Wang would be thrilled!"
...
Back at the guesthouse, in the familiar Room 302, Chen Qi washed his face and decided to take a nap.
He had heard that people from Shanxi loved afternoon naps—it was in their genes, like Shandong people's obsession with civil service exams, Tianjin folks' love for storytelling and comedy, or Sichuan girls' fiery tempers.
When he woke up, it was already 4 p.m.
He washed his face again, feeling a bit restless.
Now that the script was done, he had some free time.
Despite his lazy appearance, he wasn't one to sit idle.
He wanted to get things done.
"Knock, knock!"
"Come in!"
Liang Xiaosheng walked in as Chen Qi was flipping through a copy of "English 900 Sentences," which he had asked Yu Xiuli to get for him.
English wasn't a sensitive topic at the time, and there was a growing interest in learning the language.
For example, in "Lushan Love," the female lead taught the male lead to say, "I love my motherland."
It was a sign of the times.
Chen Qi often pretended to study English to hide his increasingly fluent skills.
"Done talking with Director Wang?"
"Yeah, it went well. We made quick progress."
"Only you could make such quick progress. You have no idea—during previous discussions between directors and screenwriters, they'd sometimes end up fighting. As the saying goes, scholars look down on each other. It's the same in filmmaking. Everyone thinks they're the best."
Liang Xiaosheng sat down, crossing his legs.
Room 302 had become his second home.
"By the way, Ge You has his exam tomorrow. He's been practicing hard at home, with his dad keeping an eye on him. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions Cultural Troupe is recruiting. If he doesn't pass this time, he's out of luck."
"He'll be fine. He has to pass for the sake of all those pigs."
After sitting for a while, Liang Xiaosheng got up to leave.
Chen Qi thought for a moment and followed him out.
As they walked through the courtyard, before reaching the main building, Chen Qi suddenly grinned and quickened his pace.
Ahead, Jiang Shan, who was walking toward them, widened her eyes and immediately turned to run.
"Why are you running?"
"Stay away! I hate you!"
"If you don't greet me, I'll tell your dad!"
"Ahhh, you're so mean!"
"Ha!"
Chen Qi was delighted at teasing the little girl.
Liang Xiaosheng sighed.
Chen Qi usually seemed mature, but he had a childish side too.
Once inside the main building, Chen Qi went to find Jiang Huaiyan, not to tattle but to borrow the phone.
In those days, phones were rare.
Only large organizations had them; ordinary households didn't.
Chen Qi wasn't just freeloading food and drinks—he freeloaded everything.
With shameless audacity, he dialed the number for the China Youth Daily.
"Hello, is this the China Youth Daily? I'm looking for Reporter Yu, Yu Jiajia!"
After a short wait, a woman's voice came through.
"Comrade Chen Qi? Why are you calling me?"
"I wanted to ask—I heard the Tianjin Daily has started running ads. Have newspapers in Beijing started doing that too?"
"No, Tianjin is Tianjin, and Beijing is Beijing. What do you want?"
"Tea stalls are popping up everywhere, and the competition is fierce. I want to promote our tea stall further. How about we collaborate and create some news?"
(Thanks to Life's Coffee Table for being a patron...
That's all for this chapter!)
(End of Chapter)