Crossover Actors

Translator: Hua

On the set, the faint light diagonally climbed up the residential building, and it was dawn.

Various departments were preparing intensively. After the feast last night, they got up and started work before dawn. All of them looked like black-eyed chickens.

Unit 101 was used as the director’s lounge with two rooms and one hall. However the cleaning and furnishing still couldn’t conceal the oldness of the house. As the director, Ren Shu was too busy to come to relax in this lounge.

Qu Yanting looked around the room. Any notable traces, whether old or broken, were swept by his glance. To him, this ruined house was no different from the luxurious suites of the hotel.

Back in the living room, there were double servings of breakfast and espresso on the coffee table. Ren Shu was eating one of them.

Qu Yanting went over, moved his laptop aside and said: “Don’t dirty my computer.”

Ren Shu asked: “You really want to stay in this house? Don’t you think it’s too dirty?”

Qu Yanting replied: “When the door is closed, it’s quiet.”

The RV was rented early in the morning. Qu Yanting following the crew was not planned in advance. It was not difficult to add another car, but he was annoyed that the parking place was next to the actors.

“Okay, then you can use it.” Ren Shu opened the coffee and took a sip, “The work has not started yet, why did you come so early?”

Qu Yanting said: “I want to talk to you about the screenplay. I’m afraid you would be too busy if I come later.”

There were many restrictions on the script, and the corresponding standards were often subjected to changes. It might be a popular subject when the project was set up, but after shooting it could be banned from broadcasting.

Qu Yanting had some personal connections in the circle. He had shown the script to the insiders of the film review. Last week, he received a letter stating that some scenes and lines needed to be adjusted.

Later stage deletion or dubbing would affect the appearance of the play. He discussed with Ren Shu and decided that he would change the script with the team and deal with the problems properly in the early stage.

Qu Yanting opened the laptop and said: “I have done the revision outline. When making specific revisions, you should refer to your storyboard script and try to change the lens to the minimum, so that you can change the storyboard and save a little effort.”

“Thank you buddy.” Ren Shu stared at the screen, “It’s not easy to estimate the time for the change. Let’s do it like this. If you change one scene, I will shoot one scene, and review the samples at the same time to see the effect.”

Qu Yanting had no opinion: “The changes in the 14th scene are not big, I can fix it before noon. In the afternoon, we can shoot and see. If it goes well, we will follow this process.”

Ren Shu thought about it for a while: “Will it be a bit rushed? You have to give me time to change the storyboard. I have to communicate with the photography team about the shooting details after I change it.”

Qu Yanting did not give any comment. He picked up a pen beside the computer, and quickly turned the pen between his fingers back and forth.

After five or six seconds of silence, he said: “Or, I will make a rough change of the storyboard to help you lay the groundwork?”

Ren Shu hesitated: “This…” 

With his nails on the pen, Qu Yanting pulled the corners of his mouth lightly: “I’m kidding.”

　　

Ren Shu said with a smile: “The storyboard is the director’s responsibility. If I dumped all the work on you, I would become useless. How about this, After you change it, let’s call the team leaders to have a meeting and grind this together. We will try to finish the shoot in the afternoon.”

Qu Yanting gave his opinion: “Okay, let’s listen to your arrangements.”

Ren Shu said: “Then I will arrange it again. When the shooting starts, you will accompany me to watch the scene. If there are any problems just tell me directly. We will discuss it together. “

Qu Yangting said: “I’ll follow Director Ren.”

Ren Shu already finished eating:” I have to start working now. If you want something just tell Xiao Zhang.” 

“Good.” Qu Yanting said, “Work hard.”　

Ren Shu picked up the bag and walked to the door. He held the door handle but did not open it immediately.

He looked back at Qu Yanting, hesitated for a while, and suddenly said softly: “Buddy, when you said you would change the storyboard, do you want to experience the feeling of being a director?

Qu Yanting said, “Why do you ask?”

Ren Shu replied, “In the sophomore year, the short film you directed won the first prize. When you received the award, you said that being a director was your dream.” 

Qu Yanting smiled and said, “Stop talking about that. You still believe what I said back then.”

Ren Shu was also happy. He opened the door and said: “I have always remembered. I’ll go now.”

The door was closed and the room became quiet. Qu Yanting didn’t touch the sandwich or coffee. He picked up the director’s work table and looked through it carefully during breakfast.

There was a sharp “thud” from the ceiling.

The unit 201 upstairs was the styling room. After Lu Wen finished his makeup and hair, the chair rubbed against the floor and made a harsh sound when he got up. He went inside to change into cheap sweatpants and hoodies, which were Ye Xiaowu’s outfit.

Sun Xiaojian came in and waited for Lu Wen. His face was the same as when Lu Wen came out of the box last night, with a serious endocrine disorder, because he knew Qu Yanting’s appearance and Lu Wen’s various magical operations.

Taking off his coat, Lu Wen shook the hoodie with bare upper body: “Didn’t I tell you. I apologized but Teacher Qu didn’t care about it.”

Sun Xiaojian’s mood has gone through a great calamity, from danger, trepidation, anxiety. His current mood was like a turning tide.

He said: “Then you just let him not care about it? The original goal is to let Mr. Qu appreciate you.”

Lu Wen said: “You shouldn’t set such a grand goal.”

Sun Xiaojian worried: “Although it has a bad start, everything has just begun. You must be serious about filming and don’t make mistakes again. You must redeem Mr.Qu’s impression of you a little bit.”

“I understand.” Lu Wen began to take off his pants.

Sun Xiaojian said: “You don’t understand. In addition, when you see Mr.Qu, you must be respectful, show a cute smile and be more courteous. Always remember that you are an eighteenth tier actor that needs to hold a thigh, don’t put on the stinky airs of the rich second generation.”

Lu Wen said: “I wore these torn sweatpants, and the character of the rich second generation has already collapsed.”

Afraid that Sun Xiaojian would nag endlessly, Lu Wen slipped away like there was oil on the soles of his feet. He had always been very nervous and he consciously thought that last night’s event was over, although it ended with Qu Yanting slamming the door in his face.

After coming out of 201, Lu Wen went down the steps. He put his hands in his pant pockets, his arms tucked closely to his waist, for fear that the mottled walls and stair rails would rub against him.

After running down the last step, he stopped and saw the newly posted sign on the door of unit 101- Screenwriters Lounge.

After Lu Wen walked to the door, with a click, and the door suddenly opened.