Chapter 00041: Teacher Chen
# Teacher Chen
Chapter 41
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 41: Teacher Chen
Many people have a misconception that older generation actors lack acting skills.
In reality, it's not that they lack skills, but rather they were limited by the monotony of film and character types.
Heroes were always heroes, villains were always villains, and Japanese soldiers were always Japanese soldiers.
If given the chance to showcase their talent, like Chen Qiang, who portrayed two iconic villains, Huang Shiren and Nan Batian, they could break free from their stereotypical roles.
Later, he even starred in a series of comedies with Chen Peisi, showing a completely different, adorable side of him.
Take Feng Enhe, for example.
He used to play positive characters, but after playing Stationmaster Wu in "The Undercover," he suddenly became "Emei Peak, shining alone, with a touch of romanticism!"
To be a good actor, both talent and hard work are indispensable.
Gong Xue, who wasn't formally trained, started as an extra in a theater troupe and only acted in one movie.
Apart from her good looks, she lacked in many aspects.
When Wang Haowei called out to her, she immediately panicked and asked, "Director, did I walk wrong?"
"It's not about how you walk. You're already wearing high heels and walking steadily..."
Wang Haowei organized her thoughts and said, "It's the feeling that's off. You seem like a local girl pretending to be an overseas Chinese, not someone who genuinely returned from America to enjoy the scenery. Take some time to think about it, and we'll try again later."
"Alright!"
Gong Xue quickly flipped through the script, found a rock to sit on, and started pondering.
But acting isn't something you can just will yourself to do.
Insight is crucial, and not everyone is Zhou Xun.
After a while, they tried the scene again.
"3, 2, 1, action!"
"Cut!"
This time, they lasted two minutes, but Wang Haowei still wasn't satisfied.
She walked over and said, "Come on, let's discuss this."
Wang Haowei sat on the rock and patiently explained, "We discussed the character during the meeting, and you seemed to understand it well. Why does it feel off during filming? The issue is that your portrayal of an overseas Chinese feels forced and unnatural."
"I'm sorry, Director!"
"It's okay. It's only the first day of filming. It's normal for you to struggle since you lack experience. We'll take our time and let you figure it out gradually."
Wang Haowei had a good attitude.
Back then, filming was a slow process, and everyone was used to taking their time.
They tried a few more takes, but it still didn't work, so they moved on to Tang Guoqiang's scene.
Chen Qi was stunned.
They had been setting up since early morning, rehearsing, taking breaks, and finally, they only managed to film one shot—Tang Guoqiang sitting on a rock reading a book.
By 5 PM, they wrapped up for the day.
Why? Because the clouds had thickened, blocking the sunlight, making the lighting unsuitable for filming.
Back then, outdoor shoots were heavily dependent on natural light.
"Wow!"
"Only Wong Kar-wai and Hou Hsiao-hsien would dare to do this in the future!"
Chen Qi helped move equipment, noticing how everyone seemed unfazed by the situation.
Back at the hotel, they had dinner, and then there was nothing else to do.
This kind of leisurely life on set was something Chen Qi wasn't used to.
In his previous life, he was always busy as a screenwriter and producer, with no time for anything else.
But being idle wasn't so bad.
He had time to work on his martial arts novel...
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Around 7 PM, as Chen Qi was writing, he heard a knock at the door.
He opened it to find Wang Haowei and Gong Xue standing outside.
"Director Wang, do you need something?"
"You saw what happened today. I thought we could discuss it further and help Xiao Gong find the right feel."
"..."
Chen Qi glanced at Gong Xue, who shyly avoided his gaze.
"Sure, come in!"
Wang Haowei entered the room, looked around, and smiled.
"Xiao Chen, you're quite tidy."
"It's more comfortable this way. I can't stand a mess."
He was about to close the door but left it slightly ajar.
There was only one chair in the room, so Wang Haowei, being considerate, sat on the bed, leaving the chair for Gong Xue.
She was 39, a director, and married.
She didn't want to give anyone a reason to gossip.
"You saw what happened today. I discussed it with Xiao Gong, but it still feels off. You created the character. What do you think?"
"You mean about today's scene?"
"Yes, Xiao Gong's performance."
"Well, do you want the truth?"
"Of course! Did I come here to joke around?"
"..."
Chen Qi looked at Gong Xue and bluntly said, "Stiff! Unnatural! Not lifelike! Completely lacking the spirit of the protagonist!"
With each word, Gong Xue's face paled, and she nervously twisted her fingers, lowering her head.
"Explain further!" Wang Haowei urged.
"You stayed in a foreign hotel for a week, observing the behavior of overseas Chinese, and then imitated them... But personally, I think imitation is just a preliminary step. It's best not to bring it into the performance. Are you imitating an overseas Chinese, or are you letting the audience see you as the character? An actor's own traits are crucial. Integrate what you've observed into yourself, and focus on one key aspect, like confidence."
"Confidence?"
Gong Xue looked up, her eyes blinking, looking a bit pitiful after the criticism.
"Look at those overseas Chinese. Don't they all walk with their heads held high, exuding a sense of superiority? Because we're poor, and they're wealthy, they naturally feel superior. But you can't show that superiority, or it'll make people dislike you. Instead, show confidence. Think about it. Your father was a Nationalist officer, living a comfortable life in America, well-educated. You arrived in a car, stayed in a luxurious suite at Lushan Hotel, with so many staff attending to you! How could you not be confident? You hardly have any dark emotions. Everything about you is positive. If you can convey that, the spirit of the character will come through."
"Go on! Go on!"
Wang Haowei urged.
Chen Qi wouldn't have volunteered this information, but since Wang Haowei asked, he continued, "To show this, you don't need to overthink it. First, always keep your head up and smile. Second, take bigger steps when you walk."
"Steps?"
Gong Xue was puzzled.
"Like this..."
Chen Qi stood up, walked to the middle of the room, and pointed at his pants.
"You're wearing bell-bottoms. If your steps are too small, the fabric will bunch up and look messy. Take bigger steps, and let the heels of your shoes click firmly. Like this: click! click! click! The sound of your heels hitting the ground. And your bag..."
Chen Qi grabbed his canvas bag, slung it over his shoulder as if it were a Louis Vuitton, and strutted around in his worn-out slippers as if they were Hermès, with his chest out and hips swaying, taking big steps—click, click, click!
Objectively speaking, his experience with women's bags far exceeded that of most women at the time.
Most women back then didn't even know how to carry a designer bag properly.
"Walk like this, cross the bridge, see the rock, and go 'Wow!' with a bright smile, maybe even let out a charming laugh, hehehe..."
Gong Xue couldn't help but giggle, covering her mouth.
Wang Haowei burst out laughing.
"Aren't you supposed to take a photo? Remember, you're holding an instant camera (instant cameras were already available, bought from Hong Kong). Who in the country has seen one of these? But you're a wealthy young lady. To you, it's just a toy. Show that you're very familiar with it, but also somewhat indifferent..."
Chen Qi looked at her and encouraged, "The script is just the foundation. Your own interpretation adds depth. When you're in front of the camera, you're in control of the character. Don't let it control you."
"Who is Zhou Jun?"
"The role is yours. From tomorrow on, you'll be Zhou Jun, dressed in beautiful clothes, wearing a stylish hat, carrying a camera, and enjoying the scenery without a care in the world... What does it mean to find the right feel? This is it!"
Wang Haowei was momentarily stunned, as if savoring the wisdom in Chen Qi's words.
His explanation wasn't filled with the usual theoretical jargon about deep character analysis.
It was straightforward, logical, and broke down the scene perfectly.
"Xiao Chen! Where did you learn all this? I've been in the film industry for over a decade, and I couldn't have explained it so clearly!"
"Not at all, you're too kind. I just love watching movies—maybe eight thousand, if not ten thousand. I also enjoy reading miscellaneous books and thinking things through. It's all self-taught."
"Ten thousand movies? Are you kidding me?"
Wang Haowei was amazed.
Before meeting a genius, one wouldn't know what a genius was like.
If someone like him joined the Beijing Film Studio, wow!
"..."
Gong Xue couldn't take her eyes off him, her heart racing.
He was so young, yet so knowledgeable.
The best part was that she could understand him perfectly, as if he were guiding her step by step on how to act.
Her biggest fear was not knowing how to approach a role...
What an incredible person!
(End of Chapter)