The birth of an actor

Chapter 9 One person dared to teach, and one person dared to learn.

Chapter 9 One dares to teach, the other dares to learn
The girl sat back down on the bench, a hint of surprise in her eyes:
"You're quite talented!"

"Does that mean my acting was very convincing?"

"Ok!"

Fan Bing nodded vigorously:

"It looks so real! I really thought you were going to give me a bite! You scared me!"

She picked up the soda again, the bottle opening just touching her lips:

“My teacher said that what the audience needs is a hungry person, not an actor pretending to be hungry. I didn’t quite understand this before, but just now I think I do… Even though you were acting, when you bared your teeth at me, I really thought you were going to bite me! How did you do that just now?”

Anxin was a little confused:
"What do you mean?"

"So... how did you do it?"

After Fan Bing finished speaking, she noticed An Xin's increasingly bewildered expression.

She also looked speechless.

To be honest, she wasn't exactly a top student, and she only studied for a year before moving to Beijing to pursue her dreams.

So I'm a bit at a loss for words right now.

But... at this moment, she didn't want to lose her nerve. After all, if word got out that she, Bingbing, had been startled by someone who was new to acting, how would she ever be able to face the world again?

So, with a mix of speechlessness and guilt, the girl forced herself to adopt the demeanor of a teacher:

"Now, analyze your own performance."

"...How should we analyze this?"

"Character's mental state, motivations, inner thoughts, performance details..."

He rattled off countless words he had seen in books, reciting them verbatim.

Experts are speechless, while laymen are scratching their heads.

Coincidentally, Anxin is an amateur.

So he couldn't understand it at all.

After thinking for a moment, he tentatively asked:

"So... what was I thinking just now?"

"Yes. Tell me about it, and I'll break it down for you."

Fine.

Anxin nodded unconsciously.

There's no doubt that they're more professional than me.

And let's not forget, this girl was a frequent red carpet walker in later generations. Being able to walk the red carpet at least indicates that her works often appeared at those film awards.

I used to see her stunning looks at some foreign film festival.

That means her movies must be pretty good. It also shows she's a good actress.

Even if you're young now, there's no such thing as a first or last in learning; those who are accomplished come first.

As he pondered this, he said:
"I used to have a wolf named Little Gray."

"Wait a minute..."

Fan Bing looked at him speechlessly:
"Wolf?"

"Ah."

Anxin knew what she was thinking and nodded.
"I found it while grazing in the mountains. At first, I thought it was a puppy, but after raising it, I realized its tail always drooped down... Anyway, it's a wolf. I raised it for three years, and then I went back to the mountains. Occasionally, I'd bring its mate to visit me for a couple of days... Ahem, I digress. Anyway, what I was imitating just now was when it was guarding its food. You've seen dogs guarding their food, right? They wrinkle their noses, but they don't wrinkle them for very long. But if a wolf feels threatened, it will keep showing its fangs..."

After explaining the differences between wolves and dogs to her, he gave a summary:

"You asked me to act as a dog, and I don't know why, but I just thought of Little Gray. What impressed me most about Little Gray was its possessiveness of its food... So I wanted to make myself bare my teeth too... And you know what, it seems like I really became Little Gray."

At this point, Anxin's eyes brightened:

"Quite interesting."

Does Fan Bing understand what he's saying?
All I can say is that I understand.

She understood that acting beginners were essentially just imitating.

But she was a little confused as to why An Xin was talking to her about the difference between wolves and dogs. At the same time, she didn't quite understand how he managed to make them look so similar.

especially……

As she recalled the scene, she realized that the first thing she saw seemed to be his eyes.

Correct!
It's the eyes!

In that instant, Anxin's eyes also became very strange... as if she had really become a wolf.

I can't quite put my finger on what's changed, but... I understood it instantly at a glance!
Just as I was pondering this, I suddenly heard Anxin's question:
Am I right to think this way?

The girl snapped back to reality instantly.

Now she understood Anxin's gaze.

Full of thirst for knowledge.

It’s over.

I think I've really become a big shot.

This……

"Cough cough."

The girl coughed lightly, her expression nonchalant:

"Yes, that's right. When we perform, our inner thoughts are actually the driving force behind our facial expressions. Do you know what emotional control is?"

"...I don't quite understand."

"When you're angry, just making facial expressions isn't enough. You need to use your emotions to drive your facial expressions. Do you understand?"

"Well……"

Anxin thought for a moment and said:

"Does that mean I have to get angry inside first, and then immerse myself in that emotion?"

"Yes, yes, that's right. You need to empathize, like you're putting yourself in Little Grey's body."

Upon hearing this, An Xin was speechless.

Substitution?

Why does this sound so similar to "The Clown"?

After thinking for a moment, he asked in return:

"Isn't this kind of empathy dangerous? It doesn't seem right, does it? According to you, even though I'm not angry, I'm putting myself in the emotional state of an angry person... For example, what if I'm a short-tempered person and I start smashing things when I get angry?"

"That's what you call professional!"

"...?"

Seeing An Xin's absurd expression, Fan Bing shrugged, looking at the sky as if he were still calmly surveying the world.

"Go ahead and smash things. Remember, everything in front of the camera is a prop, for the performance. You're acting, not actually throwing a tantrum and smashing things in real life. This is normal, so it's a good thing. And there's no danger. This method of immersing yourself in emotions has a systematic name. Do you know what it's called?"

"what?"

"It's called experiential learning. It means you completely immerse yourself in the story and the character; you are the character, and the character is you. There's no distinction between you!"

At this point, Fan Bing's gaze fell on An Xin's face again:

"This is a very advanced form of performance, and it requires a lot of talent. You're doing well; you were able to immerse yourself in the role so quickly... which means you have a lot of talent!"

"...Experiential learning?"

"Yes. It's from that book, *An Actor Prepares*, where the author invented it. Within the Stanislavski system, there are two schools: the method school and the experience school. I'm a method school member..."

What is the methodology approach?

"Uh……"

Fan Bing hesitated for a moment.

In reality, if a performance teacher were standing next to her saying that, they would definitely kick her and tell her to stop misleading students.

Isn't this a scam?

To immediately assign a faction to a novice... this novice doesn't even understand what performance is.

But unfortunately... she herself is only a mediocre person.

What methodological approach... it's purely self-aggrandizement.

Actors who have barely acted in a few plays don't even belong to any particular school of thought. Unfortunately, one dared to ask and listen, and the other dared to talk big and teach.

When faced with a newbie's question, the "expert," who had momentarily forgotten what the methodology was all about, simply waved his hand dismissively:
"You don't need to know, and you wouldn't understand even if I told you too much. In short, your acting system, which allows you to immerse yourself in the role, is called method acting. It's very impressive, which means you have a special talent."

"Is that dangerous?"

"What danger?"

"For example, immersing yourself in a suicidal role and then actually committing suicide?"

"How is that possible?"

The girl simply scoffed:
"You're just acting, you don't actually want to commit suicide."

"...What if?"

Anxinxin said, "Isn't the example of the 'clown' right here?"

When people say someone dies, they mean it; they don't mince words.

"Why would someone with a fragile heart become an actor?"

This is Fan Bingbing's response.

"Uh……"

You know what, for a moment An Xin didn't know how to refute it. And... thinking about it, it actually makes sense. A performance is a performance... it seems to be the same thing as being possessed by a spirit.

If you invite an immortal to possess you, the first thing you need to know is how to deliver the spirit. If you don't have that skill, then attracting some wild spirits or monsters from who-knows-where to torment you is simply courting death.

Having figured this out, he unconsciously revealed a look of amazement:
"You know so much?"

"That is."

Fan Bingbing's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of smugness:

"I am, after all, a professional. Although I can't be called a teacher, I am more than capable of enlightening you."

One dares to teach, and the other dares to learn.

One dares to say it, and the other dares to believe it.

If Fan Bingbing dared to talk like this about other industries that An Xin was familiar with, An Xin would at least scoff at her in her heart, if not expose her.

Unfortunately... he really doesn't understand acting.

And after comparing it with what he already knew, he found that what the other person said seemed to be quite correct.

There is no order of precedence in learning; those who are accomplished come first.

The two sat at the village grocery store and chatted until Meng, the guide, returned, carrying several large and small plastic bags.

The vegetables inside were bought from a restaurant.

According to custom, when a family invites a fortune teller to consult on matters, they must be treated to a meal.

The two gods also need to discuss how to invite the soldiers tonight and how to send off the smoke spirits.

However... Anxin was too afraid to go back.

He was even 100% certain that once he returned to his room, within half an hour, without Ershen'er even needing to strike the Wenwang Drum, the old immortal would surely come looking for him on his own.

So, when faced with Fan Bingbing's question, "Are you going back?", he simply shook his head.

"You go back first, I'll go back tonight."

"……it is good."

So the girl returned the glass bottle of the big white pear to the grocery store and left gracefully, while Anxin sat on the bench and continued to stare blankly.

My mind was replaying our conversation.

While pondering, he recalled his experience of "being a dog" just now.

Although it was only for a brief moment.

But... I really have to say.

Surprisingly interesting.

In this life, he actually thought very simply.

I want to get all the "work problems" I got wrong in my past life right. I don't ask for great wealth or anything like that.

Once you have money and are no longer troubled by life, you can honestly enjoy a life of leisure.

His past life was actually quite tiring.

Before thirty, one struggles to make a living; after thirty, one is troubled by others.

Having witnessed the desires of many who seek immortality and enlightenment, he was burdened by fame and was not actually happy.

Now that he's been given a second chance at life, he should live it more comfortably. As for what he'll do in the future, he hasn't thought about it yet... But today's "shameless" performance really gave this reborn person a slightly interesting experience in a time without cell phones, without the internet, and where all kinds of entertainment were still in their infancy.

Not bad.

Leaning back on the bench, he let out a soft sigh, his eyes gradually becoming vacant.

But it didn't last long. The grocery store owner came out, carrying a bottle of soda, and offered me a cigarette.

"You... are a master?"

"?"

An Xin was taken aback, and then heard the other person's next words:

"How much does it cost to have my fortune told? Can you tell my fortune? I want my financial luck told..."

"Uh."

Looking at the middle-aged man with a somewhat mercenary look in his eyes, An Xin felt neither sadness nor joy; he had long been accustomed to such sights.

He smiled and shook his head:

"My fortune teller doesn't read fortunes."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man instinctively asked:

"Then what are you looking at?"

"To heal the sick and save lives."

"Bai Xian'er?"

"...Ha. Big brother, you're quite knowledgeable."

Anxin neither admitted nor denied it, but simply changed the subject and chatted for a few minutes. The boss left with a hint of regret.

But at least that bottle of white pear juice was given away and not taken back.

Anxin held the soda bottle and continued to stare blankly at the sky.

Life is mundane and hectic... Countless people are trying to find a way out of this monotonous routine.