The entertainment industry: My 99 future timelines!

January 1, 2008, New Year's Day.

Beijing, 798 Art District.

Inside a warehouse that had been temporarily converted into an audition venue, lights, cameras, and makeshift audience seating were all provided.

The second round of auditions for "Shen Jiayi" has officially begun. After the first round of preliminary selection, less than 30 suitable candidates remain.

In the judging panel area of ​​the audition venue, Li Xu was in the center, with director Shen Ao on his left and screenwriter and one of the producers Liu Yifei on his right.

This was Zhao Shanshan's idea.

She had Liu Yifei participate in the selection process from the dual perspectives of "female perspective" and "investor," which would both increase the professionalism and generate buzz.

Jing Tian, ​​however, was not on the judges' panel; she was standing among the contestants in the second round of auditions.

After all, she is the real candidate for Shen Jiayi in the future.

If they don't participate in the audition, people will definitely gossip about them later, which will also affect the reputation of "You Are the Apple of My Eye".

Next to the judges' panel, three invited media reporters who had good relations with Li Xu and others were allowed to take photos and record in a designated area, but were told not to ask questions or interfere with the audition process.

The audition began quickly.

One by one, young girls walked onto the stage. They were all between sixteen and twenty-two years old. Some came from professional schools, some were just ordinary college students, and some were even high school students.

Each person has to perform two segments: one is a fixed scene from the script [the moment Shen Jiayi turns around in class and looks at the annoying Ke Jingteng], and the other is a self-presentation.

Each of these auditionees had five minutes to present themselves.

However, in Li Xu's eyes, the behavior of most of them was simply disastrous.

Besides being beautiful, they are all also very pretty.

Either the acting was too contrived, or the understanding of the character "Shen Jiayi" was superficial; she either portrayed him as a cold goddess or a naive and innocent girl.

"Wait a minute."

After another girl finished performing her routine, Li Xu finally couldn't hold back any longer. He picked up the microphone, and the scene immediately fell silent. Reporters from three media outlets quietly pointed their cameras at him to record the scene.

"Ms. Lin, I'd like to ask you, what was the meaning behind that look you gave me just now?" Li Xu asked calmly.

The girl surnamed Lin paused for a moment upon hearing this, and then replied somewhat nervously, "Director Li, what I was trying to portray was Shen Jiayi's curiosity about the male lead, Ke Jingteng."

"curious?"

Li Xu's expression was indifferent, and his tone was flat:

"Shen Jiayi is first in the class, a good student in the teacher's eyes, and a top student who is somewhat distant in the eyes of her classmates. If Ke Jingteng, a boy who sits in the back row and sleeps all day, wants to attract her attention, will her first reaction be curiosity?"

The girl was a little confused by the question, and hesitated, wanting to say something.

Before she could speak, Li Xu said coldly, "It's dislike, it's scrutiny, it's that condescending and impatient attitude of 'What is this guy up to now?'"

Li Xu's voice clearly carried through the microphone throughout the audition studio. The girl blushed instantly, bowed, said "Thank you, Director Li," and hurriedly left the stage.

This scene was faithfully recorded by reporters from three media outlets on site, who plan to immediately write entertainment news after today's auditions: "Director Li Xu, worth hundreds of millions, personally teaches at the audition site, revealing the key to acting in one sentence."

And this is exactly the effect Zhao Shanshan wanted.

After interviewing nearly twenty people, Li Xu discovered that a familiar figure from his future memories had also stepped onto the stage.

Yang Mi.

At this moment, Yang Mi was not the bright and beautiful, mature and voluptuous woman that Li Xu remembered. She only had the innocent charm of a young girl and a face that had not been altered, with a lively look in her eyes and brows.

As a second- or third-tier actress who has already debuted and acted in many dramas, Yang Mi is obviously more experienced and better prepared than those amateurs.

Besides her decent performance in portraying Shen Jiayi's gaze towards Ke Jingteng, her self-introduction segment also featured a challenging monologue delivered with great emotion and skill, demonstrating that she had undergone training.

After the performance, Shen Ao whispered to Li Xu, "She has a good appearance and a solid foundation in acting, but... I feel like something's off about her image. Shen Jiayi is aloof, but she seems more like a lively young girl."

Liu Yifei glanced at the eager look Yang Mi was giving her from the audition area.

Having acquired memories of the future, she was no longer the naive girl she once was. Her attitude towards Yang Mi had become calmer and more indifferent, lacking the caring attitude one might have towards an acquaintance. She added in a very objective and soft voice:

"I know Yang Mi. Judging from her personality and temperament, I feel that she and Shen Jiayi are not a good match. She lacks the simple and obtuse nature of a cool and aloof top student."

Li Xu nodded.

Shen Ao and Liu Yifei both have excellent judgment.

Yang Mi has great potential and will become very popular in the future, but she is definitely not "Shen Jiayi".

He could even imagine what it would be like if Yang Mi played Shen Jiayi.

She is very likely to portray a precocious campus goddess who "knows she is beautiful and knows that boys are looking at her," which is quite different from Shen Jiayi in Giddens Ko's original work.

"Thank you, please go back and wait for further notice."

Without much thought, Li Xu gave Yang Mi a standard answer.

Yang Mi was somewhat unwilling upon hearing this. She had thought that Liu Yifei would at least say a few good words for her, but it seemed that she wouldn't. So she could only bow and leave the stage.

After two more people passed by, Song Tie also came up.

She was thinner than in the file photo, wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, with her hair in a ponytail and no makeup.

But that cool, aloof, and somewhat scholarly air made her stand out among the many girls who were either glamorous or sweet.

Her performance of the set segments was not perfect; you could even tell she was nervous.

However, her portrayal of Shen Jiayi's gaze towards Ke Jingteng was quite good.

In his self-presentation, he chose to read lines, demonstrating solid skills and clear emotional nuances.

After the performance, Li Xu felt a sense of approval. Uncharacteristically, he didn't immediately offer his critique, but instead looked at Song Tie and asked, "Song Tie, you're a sophomore at the Central Academy of Drama, right?"

"Yes, Director Li."

Song Tie stood ramrod straight, his voice clear and resonant.

"As far as I know, the Central Academy of Drama does not allow second-year students to take on acting roles outside of school, especially roles that may require a two- or three-month filming period and interfere with their studies."

Li Xu spoke casually and asked very directly.

Song Tie's eyes flickered; she hadn't expected Li Xu to ask this on the spot. But she quickly regained her composure and replied, "Director Li, if it's a particularly good opportunity, I can try to seize it."

"Under normal circumstances, our school does not allow second-year students to take on acting roles."

"But if it's a truly excellent work, like yours, Director Li, it can be allowed as long as the course and filming time are coordinated with the teacher. Some of our seniors did it this way before."

Song Tie's words showed a high level of emotional intelligence.

After listening, Li Xu couldn't help but smile. He could see in Song Tie's eyes his desire for a good opportunity and his do-or-die courage.

This is a very talented and ambitious girl.

"Your performance was technically good, but it still had a bit of an academic feel to it."

"The role of Shen Jiayi requires relaxation and naturalness; it's about revealing the authentic state of someone her age after all acting techniques have been stripped away. Song Tie, do you think you can do it?"

Taking a deep breath, Song Tie's gaze was firm: "Director Li, if you give me the opportunity, I will do my best to fulfill it."

"it is good."

Li Xu nodded slightly, his eyes showing satisfaction, and said, "Song Tie, thank you for your performance. Go back and wait for news. If there are any developments, someone will call you."

Song Tie gave a slight bow, took small steps off the stage, his face showing a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

After Song Tie stepped down, Li Xu turned to Shen Ao and whispered, "You've been in charge of following up on Shan Shan's situation lately. Remember to ask Song Tie later how things are going? Is it possible to sign him? If so, give her a movie role."

Next.

Zhao Liying and Jing Tian also took to the stage.

Zhao Liying was the second to last, and her performance was not considered satisfactory.

What puzzled Li Xu was the strange look in her eyes, as if she had seen a very familiar person, even though the two had never met before.

As for Jing Tian, ​​her image is a perfect fit for Shen Jiayi, making her the best candidate to replace Chen Yanxi, the original film's female lead, as she is suitable in both appearance and temperament.

In addition, she had been trained by Li Xu to get into the "Shen Jiayi" state for several days in advance, and had even honed this eye-expression scene.

Her performance at the audition was visibly the best of the entire event, prompting media reporters to take numerous photos.

The day's auditions finally ended in the evening.

Li Xu rubbed his throbbing temples and, surrounded by Shen Ao and the company's newly hired assistant, left the audition studio through a side door.

-

A day later, the press releases about the second round of auditions began to circulate.

"Director Li Xu has a discerning eye for casting and provides on-site instruction to analyze the psychology of the characters."

"Song Tie, a pure and innocent young actress from the Central Academy of Drama, has won the favor of Director Li, who frankly stated that he is willing to coordinate her studies for 'Shen Jiayi'."

Yang Mi appeared at the audition for "You Are the Apple of My Eye" and gave a brilliant performance, but admitted that the competition for the role was fierce.

"Jing Tian performed exceptionally well during the audition and is very likely to be the best candidate for Shen Jiayi."

Various media reports further fueled the buzz surrounding "You Are the Apple of My Eye" and the auditions.

The news that Jing Tian was the best candidate for Shen Jiayi was secretly promoted by Zhao Shanshan and spread widely.

Because this news story wasn't bought by Zhao Shanshan, but rather a genuine opinion from a reporter at the audition, she felt no qualms about promoting it.

Wait until this news becomes a hot topic.

At the opportune moment, Zhao Shanshan also released the news that "the final round of auditions will be completely closed, and the final decision will be made by the core creative team, including directors Li Xu and Shen Ao," further whetting the public's appetite.

mid-December.

After a final round of closed auditions, the actress chosen for the lead role in "You Are the Apple of My Eye" was officially announced amidst much anticipation.

At the press conference, camera flashes went off.

Standing on the stage, facing countless cameras and microphones, Li Xu calmly announced: "After more than a month of nationwide selection and careful and professional consideration by our production team, Jing Tian will play the female lead, Shen Jiayi, in the movie 'You Are the Apple of My Eye'."

"Another auditionee, Song Yi, will play Shen Jiayi's best friend."

At the press conference, applause and camera shutters instantly filled the air.

Jing Tian, ​​dressed in a simple white dress, and Song Tie, dressed plainly, both walked onto the stage and stood next to Li Xu, showing a proper and confident smile to the camera.

Half an hour later.

When the Q&A session began, a variety of pointed questions followed as expected.

"Director Li, did you choose Ms. Jing Tian truly because she's the best candidate for Shen Jiayi, or because she's one of the film's main investors? Did Ms. Jing Tian bring her own funding to the project?"

Upon hearing this...

Li Xu remained calm.

Although he did train Jing Tian in acting skills in advance, Jing Tian was undoubtedly the best candidate in terms of appearance, temperament, and performance at the audition, which gave him a lot of confidence.

Picking up the microphone, Li Xu calmly swept his gaze over the reporters asking questions, his voice clear and steady:

"First, I want to correct a misconception."

"That is, in the 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' project, Jing Tian was a partner of Xujing Pictures and one of the investors."

"But whether it's because of my strict requirements for the work, or simply because I don't want to lose money or damage my reputation, I definitely wouldn't have chosen Jing Tian if she wasn't the best candidate for Shen Jiayi."

"Secondly, regarding the selection of the female lead, we conducted a nationwide open audition that lasted for more than a month, contacted thousands of candidates, and conducted multiple rounds of professional interviews."

"This process was witnessed by some media friends, as well as by our rigorous internal review records. Our only criterion for selecting actors is whether they are suitable for the role."

"Jing Tian was ultimately chosen to play Shen Jiayi not only because of me, but also because of director Shen Ao, our company's other partner Ms. Liu Yifei, and our screenwriting team, who all ultimately decided that she was the most suitable candidate."

"Her temperament, her image, her understanding of the character, and her acting skills are all excellent."

"I believe that when the movie is released, everyone will see that our choice was made out of a sense of responsibility for the work, not because of our partners."

Li Xu's response was neither humble nor arrogant, and it was watertight.

While acknowledging Jing Tian's status as a "partner," he also emphasized the professional selection process and ultimately vouched for her with his own reputation.

Aside from the possibility that Jing Tian's poor performance after the film's release might damage Li Xu's reputation, this is currently an almost perfect answer.

Zhao Shanshan, sitting in the audience, nodded secretly.

She and Li Xu had prepared this speech in advance, but Li Xu's performance on the spot was even more convincing than she had expected.

After answering several questions about the film's preparation and expected start date, the press conference concluded successfully.

Discussions about Jing Tian playing Shen Jiayi continue to rage online and in the media.

There was anticipation, there were doubts, but more than anything, there was curiosity about the film itself.

Behind the noise, the preparation work for the movie "You Are the Apple of My Eye" is also in full swing.