Global Film Emperor

Chapter 556 The Explosive Popularity of "The Actor's Diary"
"As they gradually analyzed and mastered the script, the students in Lu Ze's class were assigned their own tasks. Unlike other classes, they did not continue to delve deeper into the characters and plot. Instead, after roughly determining the characters' personalities and the story's background, they chose another path..."

"Come on, let's split the tickets. This is yours, Xiao Peng, and this is Xiao Chen's. It's getting late, let's go. Get along well with the cameraman."

It was a rare sunny day. At nine o'clock in the morning, the sunlight shone directly into the room. Lu Ze was writing a short biography at the dining table in the living room. The window was open, and a gentle breeze blew into the room, causing a stack of A4 papers placed to the side to curl up slightly.

After taking a sip of water from his cup and pressing down on the paper, Lu Ze loosened his wrists, tied his cuffs, and glanced at the TV. It was showing the variety show he had filmed. The fourth episode had just started, and the four trainees were about to disperse to their respective destinations to experience and understand the characters in the script through their own experiences.

It wasn't a live broadcast, because the domestic live broadcast was already past 3 a.m., and Lu Ze watched the replay after he woke up.

The show is very popular, after all, it has the best promotional resources in the country. It received a lot of attention from the very first episode, and the show is also quite remarkable. It is completely understandable that the ratings have been rising steadily.

The sheer volume of comments covering the entire screen reveals its potential to become a hit variety show. This is only five hours after the episode aired. With such success, it's no wonder that Lu Ze receives celebratory text messages from the show's director after each episode airs, and every weekend, trending topics about the show appear on domestic social media platforms, all filled with positive encouragement and anticipation.

Come to think of it, what were actor variety shows like in the past? Celebrity trainees with their own fan base participated in the shows with mixed public opinion, attracting attention with all sorts of outrageous and awkward personas.

The role of the mentors is minimal; they are more like spectators with some professional knowledge who have to perform along with others while watching them perform, and they tailor their approach to each student based on their agency and background.

It's called a show that tests acting skills, but it's more like watching a fierce battle and the cold-bloodedness of human nature in the entertainment industry, which is deliberately amplified by the production team. The acting part is actually the least noticed part, and you can skip it without affecting the viewing experience.

These shows, which rely on scripts that meticulously depict every word and even express emotions, and malicious editing to create conflict, are mostly watched by the trainees' own fan groups who take the farce seriously, and by ordinary viewers who want to watch a joke to pass the time.

Taunting, trash talk, and personal attacks were the main themes of the audience's comments. The atmosphere was so hostile that it resembled World War II on the internet, with all sides fighting each other into a chaotic mess.

Watching a program with no sincerity invite no sincerity mentors to teach no sincerity trainees, and remake some film and television works that are already lacking in sincerity, always makes one think about a thought-provoking question.

Are we going to use movies that reek of bourgeois sentimentality, promote luxury and consumerism, and constantly portray characters as fragile and unapproachable, or ancient costume dramas where the main character is some kind of cult leader or master, and the actors are always caught up in their romantic relationships with their disciples, to test actors? Which actor wouldn't be able to withstand such a test?

Let's skip this question.

Conversely, if a show avoids discussing the truly valuable stories that actors should delve into, the growth of the trainees, their learning journey, and the common themes of sympathy for the suffering of the lower classes and satire of the elite in excellent scripts, then classifying such a program as a farce seems more appropriate.

This deep structure, which other programs have avoided discussing, is the core spirit of "The Actor's Diary." So, is it more interesting to watch a group of celebrities who are just getting by in the industry and have no achievements, or to watch a group of students who are pursuing their dreams and aspirations for the future and performing arts?

It wasn't until the first round of auditions aired that viewers realized that the younger generation wasn't lacking in acting talent; it's just that most of them weren't celebrities. The trainees who passed the auditions and entered the second round were considered the strongest prospects for performing arts in China. It's natural to have high expectations for such promising talents—that's what's meant by nurturing talent.

The four students Lu Ze took in, in particular, received a lot of attention. So when they were sent by Lu Ze to various places to experience life, the number of comments exploded instantly. But it wasn't about conflict; it was about encouragement and good-natured banter.

"Who remembers that Peng Kuo was a rich second-generation?"

"It turns out that the saying 'handsome people look handsome even in a burlap sack' is false. Wearing a burlap sack and a dasabi, their looks instantly drop by a third." "Little Ju is so cute~ Keep it up!"

"Uncle Lu Ze has such a strong presence, his serious and unsmiling demeanor really appeals to me!"

"The 30+ male actors who are still selling bromance and acting cute in China, constantly talking about whether they're 'older brother' or 'boy,' while the 30+ male actors who are going international are walking hormones and mature cool guys. You, Neiyu, can figure it out yourself."

"Fun fact: Lu Ze and the guy who operates the sewing machine are the same age."

Too many comments were too inappropriate, and some even asked for provocation. Lu Ze glanced at Wang Zixuan, who was pursing her lips beside him, and pretended to calmly turn off the comments.

"I'll go get some water."

If Wang Zixuan hadn't struggled to laugh, she probably would have laughed every time she saw the comments. But even if she couldn't laugh, her small hands, which were sore from gripping her water glass so tightly that her knuckles turned white, revealed her inner tension. Lu Ze watched her hurried departure, his face a little sour. His already thin and somewhat gaunt face looked even more stern. He twirled the pen between his fingers, then looked down at the biography he had already written, which was more than halfway done, and had no intention of writing any more.

I closed the pen cap, walked to the window, and put on my ill-fitting white shirt with two buttons undone. Light and shadow played across my chest, highlighting the obvious sternum beneath my skin.

Peeking out, he saw white clouds moving rapidly in the wind, occasionally obscuring the sun. The easy-to-care-for flowers and plants in the yard swayed and rustled. He smoothed his disheveled hair back, and his phone rang. He raised his hand; it was Zhuang Yu calling.

"Lu'er".

"You mean Brother Zhuang?"

"Go to headquarters early tomorrow morning. The interviews start at 8 a.m. There are over a hundred people. Time is tight and the task is heavy. We need to make a decision in three days. Please keep an eye on things. I've already sent you the audition list. Remember to take a look later. Mark the ones you like and send them to me. That's all."

"Okay, I'll take a look later."

"No need to rush, take a good rest today, you'll be very busy for a while."

When Zhuang Yu spoke, Lu Ze's head started to ache. He rubbed his eyebrows and looked unwell. Time was too tight. They had to film the entire movie in five months, including editing and post-production work, but they hadn't even decided on the cast yet. Given the efficiency of the British side, it was a really difficult task.

There was silence on both ends of the phone for a moment. After hanging up, Wang Zixuan returned to her seat and continued watching TV with great interest. Lu Ze picked up the remote and pressed the turn-off button, which earned him an innocent blink from her.

"If you want to watch it, just use your phone. I need to work."

After shooing her away, he picked up his water glass, gazed into the distance to compose himself, blew on the hot water he had just poured, took a sip, and then returned to his work at his desk.

"..."