138: The 138th day of being popular
Film and Television City.
Yao Bianliang walked aimlessly on the street, wearing a duckbill cap and feeling bored.
Yao Bianliang wouldn't dare to wander around in such a crowded area if it were in any other place. After all, she would be recognized within minutes with her current popularity.
However, this was Film and Television City.
It was normal to see a celebrity here, and even if someone recognized her, they probably wouldn't make a fuss.
"Sigh, I've been recruiting all morning, but why haven't many people come to apply?" Yao Bianliang was puzzled.
After discussing with Assistant Chen, Yao Bianliang decided to recruit extras in the Film and Television City.
She initially thought it would be a smooth process, but only a few people showed up in the morning!
Not only that, but the few who applied were decent in various aspects, and Yao Bianliang didn't want any of them.
"It's so difficult to find ordinary extras," Yao Bianliang felt helpless.
With the host's rules in place, she couldn't hire actors with poor acting skills either, as the system wouldn't approve.
The best solution would be to find those who were average, neither outstanding nor terrible in acting.
They should have some acting skills, but not too much.
They could perform their roles well without breaking the character, but they wouldn't deliver an exceptional performance that resonated with the audience.
Most people who could sustain themselves in Film and Television City had basic professional qualities and decent acting skills.
Therefore, Yao Bianliang only needed to find the group of people struggling the most, and it would be relatively perfect.
"Sister Liang, don't worry too much. Let's take a break over there," the assistant whispered behind her. "Chen contacted the extras through the group chat and sent out a recruitment message. Maybe more people will come to apply in the afternoon."
Yao Bianliang sighed helplessly and nodded.
She looked towards a nearby place where boxed meals were being sold. It was priced at ten yuan each and sold to the extras who couldn't find work nearby. The business seemed to be thriving.
"Xiao Li, we haven't eaten lunch yet. Why don't we buy two boxed meals?"
"Sure, Sister Liang, wait here. I'll go and get them." Assistant Yan Xiaoli responded and hurried off to join the queue.
Yao Bianliang found a place to sit and took off her sunglasses, realizing they were useless.
This is Film and Television City, with so many big and small celebrities. People here are used to it, so they don't find it strange at all.
Besides, stars like Yao Bianliang are only famous in variety shows, and her only amazing work, "To Our Youthful Days," required her to wear unattractive makeup.
People who don't watch variety shows might have heard her name but wouldn't recognize her face.
It was mealtime, and many extras were squatting in shady spots, eating boxed meals. Yao Bianliang sat under a tree, listening to the conversation of two extras nearby.
"I haven't received any gigs today. Sigh, it's so difficult to be an extra these days," the guy with a square face complained while taking a big bite of his food, his face filled with worry.
The other tall and thin guy sighed in agreement, "Don't even mention it. Those directors are so picky. People like us never get a chance to show our faces."
Looking around Film and Television City, there were plenty of extras with good acting skills. But they lacked good looks, connections, and social skills. It was almost impossible for them to make a breakthrough.
Yao Bianliang listened to their conversation and couldn't help but glance in their direction.
The guy with a square face had a dark and plain appearance, with thinning hair on his head. He looked like someone not very intelligent.
The other tall and thin guy didn't have an impressive look either. Whether standing or sitting, he didn't have the presence one would expect from a good actor.
Moreover, judging from their conversation, both were the leftovers the directors rejected.
They were probably the worst extras in Film and Television City, right?
Thinking of this, Yao Bianliang couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated.
Look at the talent in Film and Television City. Just sit somewhere, and you'll randomly encounter two of them.
Why didn't anyone want to sign up for her production?
"Hey, gentlemen, I heard there's a studio called Hudi Entertainment recruiting extras today. Why don't you give it a try?" Yao Bianliang couldn't hold back her curiosity and asked the question in her heart.
Upon hearing Yao Bianliang's voice, both of them were taken aback.
The tall and thin guy turned to look at Yao Bianliang and then smiled, "Hey, girl, are you new here?"
"... I guess," Yao Bianliang replied, still puzzled.
"You don't understand," he shrugged and said, "The conditions offered by that studio are too good. Not only do you get a speaking role, but they also provide food and accommodation. You can earn three to five hundred yuan a day! It's not something ordinary extras like us can even dream of."
The guy with a square face struggled to find words for a while, scratched his head, and finally muttered, "Yeah."
The tall and thin guy added, "Going to sign up and audition under these conditions, besides wasting time and being looked down upon, it's not of much use."
Yao Bianliang: "..."
After all this, it turned out that it was because her conditions were too good that others automatically backed off?
Yao Bianliang couldn't help but feel speechless.
No wonder few extras were signing up and none had poor conditions. The problem lay here.
Should she reconsider the salary and benefits and lower the requirements a bit?
As Yao Bianliang contemplated, her gaze fell on the two guys with square faces.
Their appearance and demeanor were very average, the kind that would easily blend into a crowd.
The fact that directors in Film and Television City didn't want them and they couldn't find any gigs indicated that their abilities were not outstanding.
Moreover, they saw the well-off job postings but didn't bother to apply, considering it a waste of time. It was clear that they lacked ambition and the drive to strive!
In summary, weren't they the kind of talent she desperately needed?
Having finally encountered actors fitting her preferences, Yao Bianliang also wanted to fight for her production.
She thought for a moment and said, "Big brother, I just came from the registration place. There are very few people signing up, but they still need to hire several actors. So... why don't you give it a try?"
Very few people signing up? That shouldn't be the case.
The guy with a square face was momentarily stunned but quickly realized.
Maybe everyone had the same mindset as them, thinking they didn't stand a chance, so they were too lazy to waste time and effort on registration and audition.
In that case, if they took this opportunity to try, they might get lucky?
The guy with a square face didn't know how high the success rate would be, but the possibility intrigued him.
He scratched his head and looked at Yao Bianliang, "Girl, do you... do you know how to get to the registration place?"
Yao Bianliang's lips curled up slightly, she immediately gave him detailed directions and finally said, "I think your chances are quite good. You'll probably make it."
The guy with a square face thought she was just being polite and said with a bitter smile, "Well, thanks for the kind words."
His acting skills are indeed good, but his external appearance is lacking. On top of that, he's a bit awkward with his words and gets nervous when meeting unfamiliar people. It's unlikely that he'll get a chance in such a good opportunity.
This time, going to sign up and give it a try is a desperate move.
The tall and thin guy next to him thought for a moment, then turned to the guy with a square face and asked, "Longge, since we're both going to sign up, why don't we invite Xiao Huang and a few others to come along? After all, we're just trying it out. What if one or two of them get selected?"
Do they want to invite their friends along?
Yao Bianliang felt slightly uneasy. What if their friends were reliable? She definitely couldn't accept them.
However, when Yao Bianliang saw the friends mentioned by the two guys, her slight uneasiness vanished.
A group of people with worried expressions and a gloomy demeanor, it was obvious that they were the least successful extras.
Some even complained that apart from playing a background character in a period drama and being an extra on the street a couple of days ago, they hadn't gotten any gigs for three days.
A smile spread across her face as Yao Bianliang listened to their words.
Very good, excellent.
These were the talents she needed!
These extras had been struggling for years without making any progress. They had no notable performances in various types of dramas. It wouldn't be possible for them to suddenly explode with their acting skills and lead everyone after joining her production, right?
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