The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

The principle of locking is based on my mood; I'll lock in every update of "The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top".

As Tian Xiwei followed the group into the examination room, her heart beat slightly faster.

She immediately spotted Huang Lei, sitting in the center of the examiners' table. He was the "father" from the "A Little Reunion" crew, who had given her a lot of acting tips in his spare time.

Next to Huang Lei were Liu Zhongzhe, the acting teacher he had just met in the office, and Hu Aiming, the dialogue teacher.

There were also two unfamiliar teachers, whom she guessed were probably in charge of physical expression and vocal performance.

Her gaze met Huang Lei's for a moment. He only had a faint smile on his face, but Tian Xiwei could clearly feel that he was looking at her.

Twenty candidates filed in, bowed briefly to the examiners, and then sat on small stools on either side according to their assigned numbers.

The examination room was empty and quiet, with only the faint hum of the air conditioner amplifying everyone's tension.

The preliminary audition process proceeded in the following order: self-introduction, recitation of a prepared text, vocal performance, and physical performance.

The first four candidates took the stage; some had trembling voices, while others had unfocused eyes.

A boy was reciting his poem with such force that his veins bulged.

Another girl sang off-key and blushed with embarrassment.

Two other players performed adequately and could only be considered to have passed the test smoothly.

The atmosphere in the examination room was somewhat tense. The examiners would occasionally lower their heads to take notes, and sometimes exchange a glance and whisper a few words.

"Number 65, Tian Xiwei."

Upon hearing her assigned number, Tian Xi took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the center of the examination room.

She smiled slightly, her signature almond-shaped eyes brimming with confidence, and then bowed to the examiners.

"Hello teachers, I am candidate number 65, Tian Xiwei."

Huang Lei nodded. Tian Xiwei's poised and generous demeanor was quite a plus in everyone's eyes.

"Tian Xiwei, please begin your recitation."

"Okay, the recitation I've prepared is from 'The Stormy Petrel'."

Upon hearing this, Hu Aiming, sitting on the examiners' panel, subtly raised an eyebrow.

Liu Zhongzhe crossed his arms, leaned forward slightly, and showed a scrutinizing interest.

"The Petrel" is too classic and too safe, making it a "disaster area" for recitation in art exams.

If this article is not well-written, it can easily degenerate into empty shouts or rigid passion.

Choosing this option means either being lazy or having absolute confidence that you can break free from your predicament.

Tian Xiwei wasn't being lazy; she chose it because there were many other options available.

Only through monotonous recitations can one truly demonstrate their abilities.

Tian Xi closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, her aura had subtly changed.

She didn't immediately raise her voice, but instead began with a calm yet inwardly tense tone.

"On the vast ocean, a fierce wind whips up dark clouds..."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was extremely penetrating, clearly resonating in the quiet examination room.

The storm of her words did not rely on shouting.

Instead, it uses a majestic voice, with precise pauses and accelerations, to present the petrel's longing and flight in the face of the storm.

"Let the storm rage on!"

Her voice suddenly rose, and instead of a simple scream, it was full of a vibrant and exuberant energy.

His eyes were intense, and his arm naturally curved out in response to his words.

The entire process was handled with great control and ease.

Hu Aiming quickly wrote a few words in her notebook, paused for a moment, and then added an exclamation mark.

Liu Zhongzhe lowered his arms at some point and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

Even the usually serious posture teacher next to her looked up and glanced at Tian Xiwei.

The girl sitting next to Tian Xiwei had her fingers tightly clenched together.

What should I do next?

[That was an amazing performance! That presence, that gaze—it gave me goosebumps!]

[Oh no, I'm hopeless. This deserves a perfect score!]

[The next one after 100 points... by comparison, doesn't that mean I can't even get a passing score of 60?]

Is this what a star candidate looks like? Is this the ability of a professional actor?

The difference is just too big!

She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, only to find that the boy to her right had also exhaled.

The two turned to look at each other, and at the same time saw a dim light in each other's eyes.

After finishing her recitation, Tian Xiwei stood up straight again, calming her breathing.

"Now, please give your vocal performance."

Huang Lei nodded and began to speak.

Tian Xi took two steps back, took a deep breath, and then began her song performance.

She sang "Accomplishment" a cappella.

The exam is unaccompanied; it mainly assesses the candidate's control over musical rhythm and pitch, as well as the difference between their singing voice and their speaking or reading voice.

Since it's not a specialized vocal training program, generally speaking, as long as the performance isn't particularly bad, there shouldn't be any major problems.

Tian Xiwei's voice was very clear, with a narrative quality rarely seen at her age.

The vocal range in the chorus is also high, stable and clear.

Next came the dance.

She took off her down jacket, revealing her close-fitting training clothes underneath.

For this exam, she prepared a short modern dance, which was choreographed for her by Li Yitong.

She incorporated a series of movements, including spinning, jumping, bending over backwards, and doing splits, showcasing her basic physical skills to the fullest extent.

Although her skills are not as difficult as those of professional dancers, Tian Xiwei's coordination, sense of rhythm and expressiveness are outstanding.

What surprised the dance instructor even more was that she integrated dance with facial expression control very well; she could even understand the emotions that Tian Xiwei wanted to express.

After the performance, she bowed again, slightly out of breath, then put on the clothes she had left aside and quietly walked back to her little stool to sit down.

Li Mingde, who was second to last in the exam order, secretly glanced at Tian Xiwei's profile.

Wow, she's so beautiful, and her abilities are truly impressive.

I wish she were my girlfriend, but unfortunately she doesn't pay any attention to me.

[That brat, just because she's a little famous, she thinks she's something special, so arrogant.]

"Just you wait. It's just filming. Once I become famous, you'll regret rejecting me today."

Of course, Li Mingde wasn't the only one who turned to look at Tian Xiwei at that moment.

I thought she was just relying on her looks and fame, but it turns out she's really talented.

These basic skills completely surpass the previous four, okay? They're only slightly better than me.

No wonder they can become stars; with this level of skill, the preliminary rounds are a piece of cake.

After a brief silence, the examiners began scoring.

Hu Aiming turned her head and whispered to Liu Zhongzhe.

"Her pronunciation is very solid; this little girl is quite something."

Liu Zhongzhe nodded and said in a low voice.

"His overall quality is very balanced, and he's in a relaxed state. He's a promising talent, much better than those other mediocre performers."

The vocal coach leaned over and whispered to the physical education coach.

"The conditions are all good. If nothing unexpected happens during the performance later, it may be the highest score in this competition."

Huang Lei didn't participate in the discussion; he just kept his head down and neatly wrote something on the score sheet, a faint smile slowly curving up at the corner of his mouth.

She truly lives up to her reputation as my "daughter." All my guidance on set back then wasn't in vain.

Tian Xiwei sat on a small stool, her rapid heartbeat gradually returning to normal.

She could feel the subtle stares from the examiners and other candidates.

I quietly squeezed the hand resting on my knee; the fingertips were slightly cool.

But then, a surge of warmth welled up inside me.

That was the confidence in one's excellent performance after giving one's best effort, and a stubborn determination not to be second to anyone.

Moreover, there will be a group performance test next, which is the focus of the performance department's assessment.

But she was more confident that if she, after appearing in several productions, was still not as good as others, then she shouldn't bother studying acting.

Yes, that's how confident she, Tian Xiwei, is.

After the first round of basic skills assessment, all candidates were summoned back to the center of the examination room and stood facing the examiners.

A silent tension filled the air.

Everyone knows that the real focus of the performance major entrance exam is yet to come.

Huang Lei glanced around at the young faces in front of him and calmly began to announce the rules.

"Next is the impromptu performance assessment."

"For the next five minutes, starting from when I say 'start,' all of you will perform simultaneously."

"You can do it alone or in a group."

"You need to use your performances to let us understand what you are acting out and what situation you are in."

"One minute to think in place, timer starts."

As soon as the words were spoken, the pressure of the countdown instantly enveloped the entire examination room.

The twenty candidates had different expressions; some immediately frowned and pondered, while others nervously looked around for a possible partner.

This is a rather tricky question.

It not only tests basic acting skills, but also the ability to conceive a logical and engaging story in a very short time.

Especially in the chaos of twenty people competing at the same time, how to stand out and firmly grasp the limited attention of the examiners is of paramount importance.

Tian Xiwei stood still, closed her eyes, blocked out the rustling sounds around her, and forced herself to calm down quickly.

What are we performing?

A simple everyday scene?

Or was it some kind of exaggerated emotional outburst?

Just as her thoughts were in turmoil, a scene suddenly flashed into her mind—a dream she had had a few nights ago.

It seemed to be dusk, and in my dream, I was more mature and thinner.

Mo Ge stood in front of him, looking guilty.

But the look in his eyes was very deep, as if he was hiding many unspoken words.

In my dream, I felt bitterness, frustration, and love all at once, and tears streamed down my face.

She suddenly had an idea to bring this dream to life.

"Time's up, the show begins!"

Huang Lei's voice cut off his thoughts.

The examination room instantly came to life.

Someone immediately pretended to make a phone call, speaking in an exaggerated voice.

Someone fell to the ground, shot during the performance.

Some people gathered in small groups and began to stage scenes of arguing and reuniting.

The scene immediately descended into chaos and noise.

Tian Xiwei took a deep breath and then lowered her eyes.

When she looked up again, her once bright and lively almond-shaped eyes now held a complex expression that belied her age.

She slowly took two steps, stopped, and stretched out one hand trembling upwards, as if stroking someone's face.

suddenly!

"Say something!"

A heart-wrenching sound suddenly rang out, and the scene fell silent instantly.

Everyone instinctively looked at her. In her voice just now, they could hear the deep emotion and a slight tremor.

A second or two later, the other candidates realized they were also taking the exam, and the scene became noisy again.

However, most of the people present kept some of their attention on Tian Xiwei.

Tian Xiwei's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes turned red at a visible speed, gathering into glistening tears.

"Just tell me, and I'll believe you."

She tried to force a smile by curving her lips upward, but the smile only lasted a moment before collapsing, turning into a deeper bitterness and trembling.

Tears finally broke free, silently sliding down her cheeks drop by drop.

Her breathing became shallow and rapid, and her chest began to heave violently.

She suddenly raised her hand, then brought it down hard, stopping abruptly just before it touched the spot she had been caressing.

Her hands trembled as she clenched her fists and slammed them hard into the chest of the "figure" in front of her, once, twice, three times.

Each time you hit her, her head swayed to the left; each time you hit her again, her head swayed to the right.

There was no affected shyness or coquettishness like a little girl, only the disheveled look of tears sticking to her face as her hair flew about.

The image of someone who has been hurt in a relationship but still cannot bear to hurt the person in front of them, even with just a slap, instantly leaps into everyone's mind.

She bit her lips so hard that they left teeth marks.

Gradually, her movements became smaller and smaller until she stopped.

The hand, which had been gripping the clenched fist until the knuckles turned white, trembled and loosened.

She slowly reached up and brushed the strands of hair that were clinging to her face, then simply tied them up at the back of her head.

She raised her head, the tears had stopped flowing, and a smile appeared on her lips.

However, her reddened eyes and stiff smile made it clear at a glance that she was forcing herself to remain calm.

She took one last look at the "person" in front of her, a look that was very complex.

There is longing, there is pain, and there is also a trace of understanding.

Then, she turned around abruptly, her movements extremely decisive, yet with a slight, almost imperceptible stagger, and took a step.

After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped, one foot even hovering in the air.

Her arms, which were hanging at her sides, suddenly moved closer to her body, as if someone behind her had hugged her from behind, or rather, stopped her from leaving.

She slowly turned her head to the side, staring blankly at the ground not far away, her mouth slightly open.

"If you don't want to talk, then let me leave."

"When did you learn this trick?"

"Given my personality, do you think doing this will be effective?"

"Does holding me back and preventing me from leaving do any good?"

"What's the point if I don't explain it clearly?"

With three consecutive "Is it useful?" questions, the momentum grew stronger and stronger.

The last sentence shocked the entire audience into silence once again.

This time it was even more thorough; it took nearly five seconds before the crowd resumed their noisy performance.

However, their voices were noticeably softer, and their confidence and performance intensity had been completely shattered.

She turned her head back, raised her chin, and took a deep breath.

He slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, a trace of numbness and emptiness after extreme pain flashed in them.

"Do you know?"

"actually……"

"You are very important to me; she is also very important to me."

"but……"

She opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything.

He pushed forward with both hands, as if breaking free from the embrace of the person behind him, staggered forward, took two steps, pushed open the "door," and stepped out.

The moment she closed the door, her shoulders slumped slightly, as if all her strength had been used up in that turn.

Then he slowly squatted down, sat on the ground, and buried his head in his knees.

All that remained were occasional sobs and trembling.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and five minutes passed in the blink of an eye.

Huang Lei clapped his hands, ending the performance assessment.

The noisy crowd fell silent instantly, all of them looking dejected.

Almost everyone present, including the examiners and students, turned their attention to the girl sitting on the ground.

Needless to say, no one had any objection to who was the winner of this test.

[That gaze, that movement, that trembling detail, that infectious energy, that emotional outburst, that controlled stomping—absolutely stunning!]

[He was so cheerful just a moment ago, and then suddenly he turned into this. His ability to switch emotions is monstrous!]

[Oh my god, what kind of role is she playing? Why am I feeling so upset too!]

[Oh my god, what kind of role is she playing? Why am I feeling so upset too!]

That scumbag, I want to help her kill him!

Could she have actually experienced all of this? If she did, that would be incredibly surprising! But if she didn't and still acted it out, that would be even more surprising!

Is this the difference between us and big stars? Am I really suited to be an actor?

[Could she have really gotten so into it? Just one minute to think, five minutes to perform, and she's already completely immersed?]

[Teacher, someone's cheating!]

A girl standing next to Tian Xiwei reached out and patted her on the back.

Only then did she realize that the performance had stopped, and she suddenly woke up and looked up.

Her disheveled hair clung to her tear-stained cheeks, and her large, wet eyes held a mixture of sorrow and bewilderment.

Once everyone had lined up again, Huang Lei, sitting on the examiner's seat, spoke up, breaking the brief silence.

"Tian Xiwei, you have demonstrated the acting skills that a true actor should possess."

"Your performance has won us all over."

"I look forward to your future achievements in the entertainment industry."

This is the first time today that Huang Lei has spoken outside the examination process.

He was clearly deeply moved and even believed that no one present would disagree with his words.

Hu Aiming took off her glasses, rubbed her temples hard to calm herself down, and then put them back on, looking intently at Tian Xiwei.

"Those last five minutes..."

He paused, seemingly considering how to phrase it.

"Your performance kept me glued to the screen."

His voice began to radiate undisguised admiration and excitement.

"This is what truly showed me, or rather all of us, the most essential thing about an actor."

"A volcano of genuine emotion erupted."

He leaned forward slightly and began to offer his evaluation from his professional perspective, his tone becoming sharper.

"The first sentence you uttered that shocked the entire audience wasn't just a simple shout; it gave us a feeling of being torn from the depths of our hearts and lungs."

"The three 'Is it useful?' resonated with the audience for the second time, with each sentence having a different tone, intensity, and breath."

"From trembling probing to desperate questioning, the logic of language and the outburst of emotion are perfectly seamless."

"The unfinished 'but' at the end, coupled with your resolute departure, creates a powerful impact that surpasses any straightforward dialogue."

"You have won me over."