Huayu: I was immediately ensnared by Jing Tian as soon as I entered the industry.

"What's going on between you two? What did you agree to behind my back?"

Chai Biyun looked at the two of them in disbelief, feeling as if she had been betrayed.

"What are you thinking about? We were just talking about voice acting, remember what you promised me?"

Wang Xuan lay on the table, propping his head up with his hand, looking relaxed.

Upon hearing this, Chai Biyun shifted her attention and said happily, "Director Lu Yang came to see me earlier and asked Tian Tian and me to audition after class."

"Then you guys need to work harder, or I'll have to find someone else."

"Hmph, don't underestimate me." Jing Tian wrinkled her nose cutely, looking adorable.

And so, the three of them sat at the tables in front of and behind each other and started chatting away.

Jing Tian looked at the two of them and said softly, "I'll be joining a film crew at the beginning of the year. Remember to come visit me on set."

Before Wang Xuan could respond, Chai Biyun's loud voice started yelling:

"Wow, Tian Tian, ​​you're joining another production team! Is it a movie or a TV series this time?"

"A TV series starring Senior Sister Zhao Yanzi and Best Actor Liu Ye."

From the information revealed by Jing Tian, ​​Wang Xuan was reminded of this drama, "An Epic of a Woman".

Despite the controversy surrounding Zhao Yanzi's reputation due to the "ghost costume" incident, the show still achieved the highest ratings nationwide during its premiere on Jiangsu TV, thanks to Zhao Yanzi's strong fan base.

Jing Tian's performance was passable, but her acting skills seemed a bit immature compared to the two main actors.

···

After the afternoon classes ended, Wang Xuan went to the school's editing room. Although he had entrusted Lu Yang with full responsibility, he still needed to keep an eye on things when necessary.

Of course, the advantage of this movie is that the setting is simple and the plot is not complicated, so the post-production editing was very fast.

Unlike those big-budget commercial films or special effects movies, where post-production alone can take years to complete.

Upon learning that the film was to be submitted to the Berlin Film Festival, the senior student in charge of editing patted his chest and assured him that the film would definitely be completed before the submission deadline, and that Wang Xuan could come and supervise at any time.

Seeing how excited and enthusiastic the group was, Wang Xuan was very satisfied. He glanced at Lu Yang, and the two went to a quiet place to talk.

"Old Lu, I'm leaving the censorship and screening permit matters to you."

As Tian Zhuangzhuang's beloved disciple, Lu Yang's involvement in the procedures would be much more efficient.

Wang Xuan wanted this movie to be released in theaters. Audiences might not like this kind of depressing drama, but if it makes some money at the box office, he'll lose less money.

Labor was really cheap in China at that time. From preparation to post-editing, it didn't even cost a million. The biggest expense was film.

It can be said that the funds were spent wisely.

Whether the film will win awards is uncertain, but buying the rights is definitely a profitable investment.

Wang Xuan was considering whether to try his luck in Jinma if he found nothing in Berlin.

The Golden Horse Awards are less controversial now and are the most prestigious in the Chinese-language film industry.

We'll make a decision on this after we return from Berlin.

After a few more days of classes, Wang Xuan was summoned by Lu Yang, who needed to correct some unclear lines.

It's worth mentioning that Jing Tian was rejected by Lu Yang because of her poor recording and overly soft and cute voice, which was deemed to lack emotional depth.

Jing Tian has never been in a relationship, and she's directly playing a couple going through a life-and-death separation. I can't even imagine how she'll express it.

I was depressed for several days because of this.

What upset her even more was that Chai Biyun passed the operator's voiceover, which made Jing Tian even more depressed.

Wang Xuan and Chai Biyun treated her to lavish meals for several days in a row before they finally managed to appease her.

As they gradually became more familiar, Wang Xuan discovered that beneath Jing Tian's quiet exterior, she was just like any other 18-year-old girl—she could get angry, be proud, and so on.

And so, time flew by.

Before the Berlin application deadline, "Buried Alive" completed post-production and passed the review.

Wang Xuan and Lu Yang are both newcomers, and this is their first time applying to an international film festival. They can simply apply through the normal procedure.

However, the level of attention received by applying on your own and being recommended is definitely different.

Wang Xuan had a sudden inspiration and went to the school to ask for a recommendation, but he was immediately rebuffed as soon as he opened his mouth.

In layman's terms: What kind of class do you have that you want the college to recommend you?

If a movie is well-made, that's fine, but if it's mediocre or even subpar, it's ruining the reputation of the academy.

Wang Xuan left the director's office of the performing arts department with some regret. He hadn't managed to get any benefits from the school, so he turned around and went to find Tian Zhuangzhuang. Lu Yang was his beloved student, so surely he wouldn't refuse.

"Although I haven't seen the finished film, Lu Yang told me that you acted with your life on the line, and I believe it will be an excellent work..."

"Professor Tian, ​​you flatter me. I'll leave the nomination to you."

"Just put the copy on my desk, I'll take care of it."

Lu Yang was supposed to come, but he seems to have had a burst of inspiration recently and is preparing to write his own script.

If it's the one Wang Xuan remembers, he can't imagine if the plot will go astray.

Unsurprisingly, news of "Buried" being submitted to the Berlin Film Festival spread throughout the Beijing Film Academy in just a few days, and even the neighboring Central Academy of Drama heard about it.

Many classmates at school support me. After all, I'm still young, and I should do what young people should do and give it my all.

But there were many more bystanders who scoffed.

"Trying to win awards by just finding a gimmick is simply wishful thinking."

"A clown trying to attract attention, does he really think winning the top three European championships is so easy? Just wait and see him make a fool of himself."

"You can only say they have commendable courage. Many veteran directors haven't dared to try this, treating their youth as a sign of ignorance..."

···

Wang Xuan didn't care about the sarcastic remarks. What if something happened?

Regardless of the outcome, he is going to Berlin.

Art films have to sell their film rights; relying on box office revenue from the theatrical release probably won't even cover the costs.

Jing Tian, ​​who sat at the table in front of me, turned around and handed me a note with words of comfort written on it:

"Don't worry about what they say, and whatever the outcome, as long as we can gain experience, that's all that matters."

Wang Xuan's lips curled up slightly; was he afraid that the rumors would dampen his spirits?

He nudged the back of the student in front of him and said with a smile:

"Aren't you afraid I'll win Best Actor? Don't forget we made a bet."

"If you really win the Berlin Film Festival's Best Actor award, I'll accept my bet."

Jing Tian couldn't believe that Wang Xuan, who was acting for the first time, could win the award that actors dream of.

That's one of the three major European film studios, a place that filmmakers from all over the world flock to.

"I'll remember that. I'm going to make a really, really difficult request and see how you manage to fulfill it," Wang Xuan joked with a smile.

"Hmph, you're not allowed to make things difficult for me."

Xiao Tian had a cute yet fierce expression, her big, watery eyes staring at Wang Xuan.

To be honest, her fierce appearance is kind of adorable.

"Brother Wang Xuan, please don't bully Sister Tian Tian."

Sawako's clear voice rang out, and she appeared standing by the table with the two of them at some point.

"Shuangmei, don't wrong an innocent person. Don't forget I treated you to ice cream yesterday."

At first, Wang Xuan's impression of her was based on her period of mental illness.

But after getting to know her, I found that Shuangzi, who is only 16 years old this year, has a chubby face, clear and bright eyes, and very fair skin.

Because she was the youngest, everyone in the class treated her like a little sister.

She's usually very talkative and lively, like a little sister next door; you'd never guess she'd be driven crazy in the future.

"How dare you say that? The weather in the capital is terrible, and you still gave Shuangzi such cold food. She almost caught a cold."

Xiao Tian glared at Wang Dashuai, clearly displeased with his behavior.

"It's not Brother Wang Xuan's fault, it was what I wanted to eat," Shuangzi whispered, defending Wang Xuan.

Her timid appearance made it hard to blame her.