Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 76, Section 75: White Clouds and Black Soil First Appear

August 21st.

Beijing Film Studio conference room.

"Hey! Teacher Zhao, Teacher Fan, Teacher Song! How come you three arrived before me?" Wang Sheng, who was discussing filming matters with Huo Jianqi, saw Zhao Benshan, Fan Wei, and Song Dandan entering the conference room one after the other and quickly stepped forward to greet them with a smile.

Zhao Benshan shook hands warmly: "President Wang! I have something on my mind and can't sleep, so I thought I'd come over early and get familiar with the environment."

He still had that signature smile.

Fan Wei smiled warmly and shook hands with Wang Sheng: "Good morning, Mr. Wang."

Song Dandan chimed in, "Mr. Wang, I live nearby. After dropping my child off at school, I had nothing to do, so I strolled over. I didn't expect them to be even more enthusiastic than me."

“These three teachers are so dedicated; they are our role models,” Wang Sheng said sincerely, gesturing for everyone to sit down and chat: “Perfect timing, let’s talk before the other teachers arrive.”

The four sat down again.

Zhao Benshan offered Wang Sheng a cigarette, but Wang Sheng waved it off.

"Then I'll have one to perk me up..."

Zhao Benshan lit a cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring, and said, "Mr. Wang, to be honest, after getting this script, I've been working on it for several nights. This family comedy is down-to-earth, heartwarming, and the jokes are cleverly designed—not the kind that force you to laugh. It's perfect for airing during the Chinese New Year!"

Fan Wei nodded in agreement: "Yes, the script is good. My son-in-law character is a bit chauvinistic, but not a bad person at heart. It's a nuanced performance."

Song Dandan chimed in, "The more I think about the character Juanjuan, the more interesting she becomes. Divorced, raising a child, juggling work and family, and dealing with her father's antics—that kind of tired yet loving, exasperated yet hilarious feeling is quite realistic."

Wang Sheng smiled and said, "I feel relieved that the three teachers have given their approval. A good script needs good actors to support it, and I think our combination has potential."

As the conversation went on, the topic naturally turned to the upcoming Spring Festival and the Spring Festival Gala.

These days, the Spring Festival Gala is an unavoidable topic for actors of Zhao Benshan and Song Dandan's caliber; it is both a tremendous honor and unimaginable pressure.

Zhao Benshan lamented, "Every year, the Spring Festival Gala feels like being skinned alive. The audience has high expectations, the censorship is strict, and it's common for a script to be revised dozens of times. Sometimes I really want to take a year off, but I'm afraid the audience will forget me."

His words, though spoken in jest, also revealed a touch of genuine bitterness. As a frequent performer on the Spring Festival Gala, he knew all too well the joys and hardships involved.

Song Dandan sighed with deep sympathy: "That's right! The pressure is immense. Right now, all I hope for is to get more roles, whether it's TV dramas or movies, as long as I can raise my child peacefully, I'll be content. Going on the Spring Festival Gala stage once is lucky, but going on it repeatedly is a real test of your heart."

Having experienced relationship changes, she now values ​​stability in her life and the sustainability of her career.

Although Fan Wei has not yet become a pillar of the Spring Festival Gala like Zhao and Song, he has participated in many large-scale galas and nodded in understanding.

As Wang Sheng listened, a thought struck him, and he almost blurted out a name for a combination that had become a classic in his previous life.

He casually interjected, "Speaking of the Spring Festival Gala, I think that if Mr. Zhao and Mr. Song could act together, they might create some really interesting sparks." "Oh?" Zhao Benshan became interested and turned to look at Wang Sheng, "Mr. Wang, what do you mean? It seems that Dandan and I have never actually collaborated on the Spring Festival Gala before."

He and Song Dandan have known each other for many years. They are both in the arts and often meet at various galas and events, so they are considered acquaintances, but they have never had any in-depth collaborations.

Song Dandan looked at Wang Sheng curiously and joked, "Mr. Wang, what brilliant idea have you come up with this time?"

Wang Sheng smiled and gestured, saying, "I think Teacher Zhao's portrayal of this old man is deeply ingrained in people's minds, with a humorous yet simple wisdom. As for Teacher Song, you have a wide range of acting skills; you can play both urban women and those lively, rural old ladies."

If you two could combine your names, for example, one could be named Baiyun (White Cloud) and the other Heitu (Black Soil)...

"Baiyun? Heitu?" Song Dandan was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled: "So you're still asking me to play the ugly old lady?"

Song Dandan had played comedic roles in her previous four appearances on the Spring Festival Gala, and she was getting a little tired of it.

Zhao Benshan was intrigued by the simple combination of names. He looked Song Dandan over carefully and said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Dandan, you know what I mean, what President Wang said makes some sense. As actors, especially actresses, when you reach your age, your acting skills mature and your life experience is rich. From now on, the roles you take on will either be mothers, aunts, or even grandmothers and great-grandmothers."

Instead of passively waiting to perform, it's better to actively explore a new path. The sketch comedy stage is different from film and television dramas; exaggerated appearances are acceptable, the key is to be outstanding. If you can let go of your inhibitions and think about portraying a simple old lady, you might actually reach new heights in the sketch comedy field and continue to shine.

Zhao Benshan's words contained both banter among colleagues and a hint of guidance from a senior.

He knew that the Spring Festival Gala stage needed constant freshness and strong character contrasts. The fact that a well-known actress was willing to "make an ugly" old lady had strong dramatic tension.

As Song Dandan listened, although she still said, "Go away, you make me sound so old," her eyes showed less resistance and more contemplation.

She recalled her situation in recent years, and indeed, as Zhao Benshan said, the proportion of mother roles in the scripts that came to her was getting higher and higher.

If one can truly create a unique and memorable image on the sketch comedy stage like Zhao Benshan, it might not be a bad way out.

Especially when thinking about his son Batu's future, having a more stable income and influence is always a good thing.

"Mr. Wang, you've really put me in a difficult position," Song Dandan said with a smile, shaking her head. "But the pressure of the Spring Festival Gala is indeed immense, and scripts are hard to come by. Right now, I should focus on filming our 'Harmony Brings Prosperity' with the two teachers."

Wang Sheng, knowing when to stop, laughed and said, "Teacher Song is right, let's take it one step at a time. I just suddenly had this feeling that you two have a great chemistry. If we find a suitable script in the future, you might really become a golden duo."

That being said, the names "Baiyun Heitu" and the comedic image of the elderly rural couple that Wang Sheng depicted quietly took root in Zhao Benshan's heart like a seed.

He smoked, squinting, his mind already starting to wander into fragmented thoughts: how many funny things could a showy, slightly vain old lady and a down-to-earth old man, occasionally "bullied" by his wife, possibly do together, all revolving around new things like appearing on the Spring Festival Gala, publishing a book, and shooting commercials...?

Fan Wei chuckled sheepishly and chimed in at the opportune moment: "If it really works out, it'll definitely be amazing! Just the sight of Benshan and Dandan standing there is enough to make it interesting."

At this moment, the meeting room door was pushed open, and Huo Jianqi, production manager Zhou Wei, and others walked in one after another, their greetings interrupting the previous chat.

Wang Sheng stood up and greeted the newly arrived team members; the meeting was about to officially begin.

(End of this chapter)