Entertainment from Divorce

After everyone finished their discussion, Tan Yue stood in front of the whiteboard.

"This shot transition is too abrupt. The scene where Ye Wenjie walks from the main control room to the radar antenna should have been followed by a long shot."

He picked up a marker and drew a smooth arc next to the sketch.

"Start by filming Ye Wenjie's back as she turns to leave, and slowly pull the camera back to let her figure gradually blend into the vast background of the Gobi Desert. This will not only highlight the character's loneliness, but also connect to the subsequent panoramic shot of the radar antenna, making the pace more relaxed and natural."

Lu Chuan immediately took out his notebook to take notes, his eyes full of agreement: "President Tan, you are right. I only considered the scene transition before and did not pay attention to the continuity of emotions. Adding a long tracking shot is indeed more appropriate."

Tan Yue nodded, then turned his gaze to the next sketch: the storyboard design for the Guzheng Operation.

In the image, the "Judgment Day" cruise ship sails on the canal, with the cutting effect of the nano-blades highlighted in red.

"The special effects here can't be too exaggerated," Tan Yue said, pointing to the lines.

"The core of hard science fiction is realism. When the nanoblades cut through the hull, the emphasis should be on the silent nature of the process. There should be no sparks or loud noises, only the image of the hull slowly breaking apart. This is in line with the characteristics of nanomaterials and will also have a greater visual impact."

The discussion about the core scene shots lasted for nearly an hour, with Tan Yue participating throughout and offering specific suggestions on everything from camera angles and lighting to pacing.

Although he did not personally direct "The Three-Body Problem," his requirements for the quality of the work were not lowered in the slightest, and he strived for perfection in every detail.

By the time the discussion ended, the sunlight outside the window had shifted its angle, and the coffee in the meeting room had mostly gone cold.

Tan Yue gestured for Lu Chuan and Qian Tao to follow him out. The three of them walked along the quiet corridor toward the elevator, their footsteps particularly clear in the empty space.

"The next focus is on actor selection." Tan Yue stopped and turned to look at the two of them, his tone serious.

"In addition to the core roles that have been preliminarily determined, the other supporting roles also need to be finalized as soon as possible. We will start the internal selection process in the next two days, prioritizing the selection from the company's artists, which will make communication and cooperation easier."

Lu Chuan nodded quickly and said, "Okay, Mr. Tan, I will compile a list of supporting actors to be selected and clarify the personality traits and acting requirements of each character."

"President Qian, please help Lu Chuan out more." Tan Yue looked at Qian Tao, his tone full of trust.

“You’ve worked with me to select a lot of actors and you’re very experienced. Lu Chuan is a new director and may lack some control over the actors. You should give him more advice.”

Qian Tao patted his chest and assured him, "President Tan, rest assured, I will fully cooperate with Director Lu, strictly select every actor, and never be perfunctory."

"Lu Chuan, don't feel pressured." Tan Yue turned to the young director, his tone softening.

"Mr. Qian has more experience than you, so it's good to listen to his advice, but you don't have to blindly follow him. As a director, it's good that you have your own judgment and persistence."

"When actors audition, if I have time, I will try my best to go and take a look, to help me make a decision."

Lu Chuan felt a warmth in his heart and quickly nodded: "Thank you, President Tan. I understand what you mean. I will definitely learn more from Director Qian and stick to my own creative ideas. I will never let you down."

"That's good." Tan Yue raised his hand and glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. You all go back and continue working. Finish the storyboard as soon as possible, and expedite the actor selection process. Report any problems immediately."

After watching the two return to the conference room, Tan Yue turned around, stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button for the eighth floor.

As the elevator slowly ascended, he leaned against the wall of the car, reviewing the progress of the "Three-Body Problem" project in his mind.

The storyboard is nearly two-thirds complete, and the core cast has been largely finalized.

The selection process for supporting roles is about to begin.

The audition for the older version of Ye Wenjie is also in preparation, and everything is progressing according to plan. As long as this pace is maintained, the goal of starting filming next month can be achieved.

Back in his office, Chen Ye had already organized the documents that needed to be processed that afternoon and placed them on his desk.

Tan Yue was sitting behind his desk, having just opened the first document, when there was a knock on the office door.

"President Tan, Director Qin is here. He said he's bringing you the cast list for the elderly Ye Wenjie." Chen Ye's voice came from outside the door.

"Let her in." Tan Yue closed the file and sat up straight.

Qin Tao pushed open the door and entered, holding a printed list and three folders in her hand, with a capable smile on her face.

"President Tan, this is the shortlist of candidates for the elderly Ye Wenjie. There are three in total, all of whom are recognized veteran actresses in the industry. Their information is all here."

Tan Yue took the list, which read in order: Zhang Lan, Chen Jin, and Wang Xue.

All three are national first-class actors with decades of experience in the industry. They have created countless classic roles and their acting skills are already superb, perfectly meeting the requirements of the elderly Ye Wenjie.

Tan Yue flipped through the three people's files, which included clips of their recent works, acting analysis, and their schedules.

Ms. Zhang Lan is currently semi-retired and has a relatively full schedule.

Ms. Chen Jin just finished filming a movie and will have some free time next month.

Teacher Wang Xue does indeed have a back injury, so the filming period cannot be too long.

"These three are all very good."

"Zhang Lan's temperament is the most suitable, Chen Jin's acting skills are powerful, and Wang Xue is a versatile veteran actress. You can't go wrong with any of them."

Tan Yue closed the documents, his tone satisfied.

"I think so too," Qin Tao said with a smile.

"I have already communicated with the agents of the three actors in advance. They are all very interested in the 'Three-Body Problem' project, and they understand the characteristics of the elderly Ye Wenjie. They are willing to audition. I have scheduled the audition for 3 pm today in the company's audition room."

"Very efficient." Tan Yue nodded approvingly.

“Then let’s do it your way. I’ll personally go and audition them this afternoon. Have Xiao Ye adjust my afternoon schedule to allow enough time.”

"Yes, Mr. Tan."

"Oh, by the way, let Lu Chuan know to come to the audition this afternoon as well," Tan Yue added. "He's the director, so he has a deeper understanding of the characters. Having another person to refer to will make the selection more accurate."

"Understood, I'll call Director Lu right away." Qin Tao replied and quickly walked out of the office.

Tan Yue picked up Zhang Lan's materials and opened them again.

Attached to the document was a recent photo of her. Her hair was gray, she wore gold-rimmed glasses, and her eyes were calm and deep, exuding a sense of composure that came with experience of life. This almost perfectly matched the image of the elderly Ye Wenjie in his mind.

He already had a preliminary idea in mind, but he still needed to see how the actor performed in the audition. After all, the suitability between the actor and the role ultimately had to be tested through the performance.

In the time that followed, Tan Yue devoted herself entirely to her work.

Half past two in the afternoon.

Tan Yue stood up, stretched his stiff neck and shoulders, picked up his coat from the back of the chair, and prepared to go to the audition room. Just as he reached the door, Chen Ye rushed over: "President Tan, Director Lu is already waiting in the audition room, and the three teachers have also arrived and are waiting in the lounge."

“Okay, let’s go.” Tan Yue nodded and walked quickly toward the elevator.

The audition room is on the fifth floor of the company. It is a small studio that has been specially built and is equipped with professional lighting, cameras and backdrops. It is usually used for auditions and filming of clips for artists.

When Tan Yue entered the audition room, Lu Chuan was sitting in front of the monitor communicating with the staff. When he saw Tan Yue come in, he quickly stood up and greeted him: "Mr. Tan, you've arrived."

"How are the three teachers? Are they in good condition?" Tan Yue asked, his gaze sweeping over the dressing room next to the audition room. The door was ajar, and he could hear faint conversations.

“Everything is fine. Teacher Zhang Lan is reading the script, Teacher Chen Jin is familiarizing herself with her lines, and Teacher Wang Xue seems to be in good health, although she walks a little slowly,” Lu Chuan replied.

"We prepared a scene where the elderly Ye Wenjie reminisces about the past at the Red Coast Base. This scene has a lot of emotional ups and downs and can be a good test of the actors' acting skills."

Tan Yue nodded, walked to the monitor and sat down: "Let's begin then, proceed in the order of the list."

The first actress to audition was Ms. Zhang Lan.

She was dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit, her hair was neatly combed, and she wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. She slowly walked into the audition room with no extra expression on her face, but she exuded a calm and composed aura.

"Teacher Zhang, thank you for your hard work." Tan Yue stood up to greet him respectfully.

"Mr. Tan, you're too kind. It's an honor for me to participate in a work like 'The Three-Body Problem'." Ms. Zhang Lan's voice was gentle yet powerful, and she looked at Tan Yue calmly.

"I have memorized the lines of this scene and also thought about Ye Wenjie's state of mind. I hope I can meet your requirements."

"Teacher Zhang, there's no need to feel pressured. Just perform normally." Tan Yue smiled and nodded, signaling the staff to begin.

The lights came on, and the camera was pointed at Teacher Zhang Lan.

She slowly walked to the backdrop, which depicted the main control room of the Red Coast Base—simple yet highly atmospheric.

She closed her eyes, opened them a few seconds later, and her expression changed instantly.

A faint tear welled up in her once calm eyes, her gaze distant and complex, as if she were recalling a long-ago past.

She slowly raised her hand and stroked the virtual control panel, her fingers trembling slightly, as if touching precious memories or irretrievable regrets.

“Dad, I did it.” Her voice was soft, with a slight sob, but it was unusually firm. “I helped you complete the cause you pursued all your life, but… the price was too high.”

She lowered her head slightly, her shoulders trembled gently, and tears slid down her cheeks without making a sound, perfectly portraying the regret, pain, and relief of the elderly Ye Wenjie.

After the audition, Ms. Zhang Lan wiped away her tears, regained her composure, and calmly looked at Tan Yue and Lu Chuan: "I've made a fool of myself."

Tan Yue and Lu Chuan exchanged a glance, both seeing admiration in each other's eyes.

"Teacher Zhang, your acting was superb!" Lu Chuan spoke first, his tone excited. "You completely captured Ye Wenjie's core emotions, especially your eye acting, which was so moving."

Tan Yue nodded and said sincerely, "Teacher Zhang, your performance was superb. Your control of emotions and handling of details were impeccable. You portrayed the elderly Ye Wenjie very well."

Teacher Zhang Lan smiled and said, "Thank you for your recognition, President Tan and Director Lu. Ye Wenjie is a very complex character, and I just tried my best to understand her inner world."

Next up was Chen Jin's audition.

She wore a black coat, her hair was gray, and her eyes were sharp and deep. Unlike Teacher Zhang Lan's gentleness, she had a cool and aloof aura.

She chose a segment of the conversation between the elderly Ye Wenjie and Wang Miao, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable power, perfectly showcasing Ye Wenjie's composure and wisdom.

In particular, the firmness and compassion in her eyes when she said, "Weakness and ignorance are not obstacles to survival, but arrogance is," left a deep impression.

Finally, it's teacher Wang Xue.

Despite her physical limitations, her performance was still brilliant.

The auditions of the three veteran actors were all excellent, each with their own strengths, making it difficult for Tan Yue and Lu Chuan to choose.

"Mr. Tan, what do you think?" Lu Chuan looked at Tan Yue, his tone tinged with hesitation.

"All three teachers performed exceptionally well. Zhang Lan's temperament was the most fitting, Chen Jin's emotional outburst was powerful, and Wang Xue's performance was the most profound."

Tan Yue did not answer immediately, but fell into deep thought.

Teacher Zhang Lan's temperament perfectly matches that of the elderly Ye Wenjie, and her performance is also very delicate.

Chen Jin's acting is powerful and she is able to better portray Ye Wenjie's inner conflicts.

Wang Xue's performance has more depth, reflecting the vicissitudes of the character's life.

"I prefer Teacher Zhang Lan," Tan Yue finally decided.

"The core of the elderly Ye Wenjie is 'calmness'. Having experienced the ups and downs of life, her emotions are no longer intensely outwardly expressed, but rather settled deep within her heart. Teacher Zhang Lan's performance perfectly captures this feeling. There are stories in her eyes, but she doesn't deliberately try to be sentimental, which is exactly what the elderly Ye Wenjie needs most."

Lu Chuan nodded in agreement: "I also think that Teacher Zhang Lan is more suitable. Her performance is more natural and more in line with the realism of hard science fiction dramas."

"Then it's settled." Tan Yue looked at Qin Tao beside him.

"Qin Tao, please communicate with Zhang Lan's agent and finalize the contract details as soon as possible to ensure that she can join the crew on time."

"In addition, I would also like to thank Professor Chen Jin and Professor Wang Xue. Although we were unable to collaborate, I will definitely invite them again if there are suitable projects in the future."

"Okay, Mr. Tan, I'll take care of it right away." Qin Tao immediately took out her phone and started contacting Ms. Zhang Lan's agent.

It was already past 5 p.m. when the selection of a replacement for the elderly Ye Wenjie was completed.

The setting sun streamed through the windows of the audition room, bathing the entire room in a warm glow.

Tan Yue looked at the busy staff and felt gratified.

The core cast for "The Three-Body Problem" has finally been finalized. The next step is to select supporting actors and prepare for filming. As long as this pace is maintained, this hard science fiction masterpiece will soon be available to audiences.

"Lu Chuan, I'm leaving the supporting role selection to you and Qian Tao." Tan Yue patted Lu Chuan on the shoulder. "We'll start the internal selection process tomorrow. Let me know as soon as you find a suitable candidate, and I'll take a look when I have time."

"Okay, Mr. Tan, don't worry." Lu Chuan nodded, his eyes full of enthusiasm.

Tan Yue walked out of the audition room and headed down the corridor towards the elevator.

Back in his office, Chen Ye had already arranged tomorrow's schedule.

Tan Yue picked up the script of "The Three-Body Problem" from the table, turned to the chapter about the elderly Ye Wenjie, and the image of Teacher Zhang Lan auditioning flashed through his mind, a smile unconsciously spreading across his lips. (End of this chapter)