139: The 139th day of being popular
This is not a joke.
The group of people not far away discussed for a while and finally reached an agreement. They prepared to walk towards the address Yao Bianliang mentioned.
Before leaving, the guy with a square face waved to Yao Bianliang and said, "Thank you, little sister. If we succeed this time, I'll treat you to a boxed meal!"
Yao Bianliang happily waved at him and replied, "No need, I'll treat you to a boxed meal instead."
The guy with a square face walked away, and it was unclear if he heard her voice. Yao Bianliang didn't mind and just watched them disappear into the crowd with a face full of contentment.
Once she recruited this group of people, as the boss, she would have to treat them to a boxed meal, wouldn't she?
She hoped they wouldn't disappoint her expectations.
The coldest part of winter had just passed, and the weather was nice, with the sunshine carrying a warm touch.
Yao Bianliang's mood was pleasant as she curved her lips, hummed a song softly, and her eyes were filled with hopeful anticipation for the future.
*****
Longge and his group arrived at the location Yao Bianliang had informed them about.
As they approached, they finally understood why so few people were coming to sign up.
When others recruited extras, they would hold a loudspeaker by the roadside to call for people.
But here, they simply had a signboard and required registration for sign-up, followed by waiting for an audition arrangement. It was very formal.
Seeing that those who saw the recruitment information in the group chat dared not come, and even the extras passing by on the street didn't, it was no wonder the place was deserted.
After filling out forms and waiting for a while, they finally began the interview process.
The bespectacled man sitting in the chair raised his glasses and asked, "Among you, has anyone played a doctor before?"
The group of people looked at each other and shook their heads.
One person cautiously raised their hand, attempting to make a case, "Does playing a patient count?"
The bespectacled man replied, "...No, it doesn't."
The person put their hand down in disappointment.
The bespectacled man made a few marks on the registration form and asked, "Tell me about the most significant and outstanding role you've played."
This was another topic that made them feel uneasy.
They had very few roles with speaking lines, let alone outstanding ones?
Long Guoqing, with the idea of dying young and reincarnate early, spoke recklessly, "I played a hardworking and simple construction worker. I had two lines of dialogue, both of them were scenes with the protagonist."
In reality, he was just a supporting character who pointed the way for the protagonist.
Another person said, "I played a farmer. Because I glanced at the female lead, the male lead, who was crazy, killed me. The director gave me two close-up shots, especially the shot of my death, and I performed quite well."
Of course, in plain terms, he was just cannon fodder who died tragically.
The others answered the question in turn.
They were nothing more than nameless background characters with few lines, making it hard for the audience to remember their names.
The bespectacled man nodded after listening and lowered his head to take notes.
After he finished writing, he asked the final question, "The roles you need to play are all doctors. Suppose you need to treat a patient. Perform a scene for me to see."
Play doctors?
As low-level extras, they mostly played soldiers, masses, ordinary people, onlookers, and so on.
They didn't have much experience with such roles.
However, after the initial shock, they quickly got into character.
Although they weren't clear about the professional operations of doctors, their expressions were quite on point, and they tried to create a sense of urgency and tension.
They improvised their lines, but they were understandable.
However, none of them were prepared, and they had never seriously studied the medical profession, so their performances inevitably fell short.
Chen, the assistant sitting beside them, watched their performances, pushed up his glasses, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes hidden behind the lenses.
Yao Bianliang had mentioned that they wanted actors who had acting skills but did not have too many roles.
The people in front of him clearly met this requirement.
"The boss has some urgent matters to attend to. Do you mind if I send your audition videos to her?" he asked.
"Um..." Long Guoqing hesitated.
Did they need to consult the boss personally about this? Was this production so strict in recruiting extras?
But the other person was waiting for an answer, and he didn't have time to think too much, so he quickly nodded, "Of course, you can."
Although their hopes were not high, they still had to try it, right?
*****
Ten minutes later,
The group of people left the registration point as if in a dream.
Long Guoqing felt floating as he walked, and the world seemed unreal.
He couldn't believe it. He had only come here to try his luck. Among their group, if one person could make it, they would consider themselves lucky.
But now, not only did he pass the audition, but all his brothers also made it through successfully!
He couldn't even dream of such a beautiful outcome.
"Long Ge, did we...get the roles?"
"I can't be dreaming, right... Ouch, that hurts. Who's pinching me?"
"We actually made it! They're not playing a prank on us, are they?"
"Impossible. We signed the labor contract on the spot. Even if they want to back out, it's too late."
After this remark, everyone laughed, and the atmosphere lightened up.
"For the past few days, I've been imitating the way street ruffians talk and walk just to play a street thug convincingly.
Suddenly, we have to play doctors, and I couldn't adjust." One of them couldn't help but complain.
Another person also had mixed feelings, "Yeah, I performed so poorly, I thought I had no chance. I never expected to make it."
Everyone was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
Although they still believed that their roles in this production were likely just supporting characters with lines, being able to secure such roles was exciting enough.
"This is my first time playing this kind of role! Shouldn't we go to the hospital and learn quickly?"
"Of course! Let's go to the hospital today and observe the expressions and demeanor of the doctors."
"That person said they would give us the script tomorrow. I never thought that as extras, we would actually have a day when we need a script."
"A script? It's probably just a short scene, most likely playing background doctors."
"Hehe, I heard doctors tend to have thinning hair. My receding hairline is just perfect for it."
Except for Long Guoqing, the others had just taken on a job a couple of days ago, playing background extras in a period drama, where they would have a few shots.
It was one of the few opportunities to show their faces.
To portray these supporting roles well, they even made an effort to display the characteristics of low-class characters in their daily speech and walking style.
They were willing to put in the effort even for roles with few lines. Now that they had secured supporting roles with actual scenes and good pay, they had to give it their all.
As they walked back, the group enthusiastically discussed, and smiles appeared on everyone's faces.
When they returned to the place where they had eaten boxed meals earlier, Long Guoqing stopped and looked around, hoping to find Yao Bianliang to thank her, but he couldn't see her figure.
"Huh, where's that girl from earlier? Did she leave?" The tall and thin guy looked around but couldn't find her.
"Thanks to her reminder, we got such a good job," he couldn't help but marvel, "Why did she leave? I haven't even had a chance to thank her yet."
Long Guoqing also felt a bit regretful.
He figured that after they finished shooting their scenes this time, they would definitely have to return to the film and television city to continue as extras.
That girl should also be an extra. The film and television city wasn't that big, they would surely meet again.
He could thank her then.
*****
On the day when the final lineup of the "Good Drama PK Competition" was officially announced, many people were eagerly awaiting it.
As soon as the team lists of several participants appeared on the official website, it immediately sparked discussions among fans and the show's audience.
Among them, the netizens who were paying attention to Yao Bianliang were dumbfounded.
[Sisters, is it just me being ignorant? I don't recognize any of the names in Yao Bianliang's team.]
[I don't recognize any of them either. Who is this screenwriter named An Xincheng? I can't even find his name online.]
[Are these actors in the cast all newcomers? Have they played any roles before?]
[I have a friend who works in the film and television city, and they told me that Yao Bianliang's team is full of professional extras! They're making extras play important supporting roles... Can you believe it?]
Before the lineup was announced, everyone thought that with Yao Bianliang's popularity, they would surely sign with a good company and have a strong team.
But who could have imagined that they didn't receive news of Yao Bianliang signing with a major company but instead got this lineup?
It couldn't be described as anything other than shabby.
You could randomly pick someone, hand them a megaphone, go to the film and television city to greet everyone, and the lineup you would gather would be stronger than Yao Bianliang's!
What kind of absurd operation is this?
[I knew it. Yao Bianliang would never follow the norm. smiling while smoking.jpg]
[Haha, just like when she chose Director Cheng Luihui during the initial auditions and didn't let fans vote during the semi-finals. I can never predict Yao Bianliang's every move. This woman has never disappointed me!]
[Could there be some hidden reason behind this? Is Yao Bianliang being suppressed? But even if she's being targeted, it doesn't explain why she would gather such a group of actors to work with.]
[Even if there's opposition to her lineup, it wouldn't be this outrageous. Clearly, this is Yao Bianliang's own decision. I don't understand why she would do this.]
[Don't underestimate extras among those people. The acting skills of most extras can be better than those of popular mainstream stars. smiling.jpg]
[Hahaha, Liang Liang's moves once again shocked me. I'm eagerly waiting for her new work.]
In stark contrast to Yao Bianliang, the one who stands out is Yao Xinxin.
In Yao Xinxin's team, not only did acclaimed veteran actors come to make guest appearances, but there were also two top-tier celebrities from the entertainment industry who acted alongside her.
All these supporting roles were played by actors with a relatively high reputation, good word-of-mouth, and strong acting abilities.
As for the director Su Hua and the screenwriter Nian Xiao, they are both well-known figures nationwide.
[Oh my god, Yao Xinxin's team lineup is so strong!]
[I'm stunned. They're all big shots. What were these actors thinking when they agreed to play supporting roles? And what were the director and screenwriter thinking? They must have gone crazy.]
Most bystanders could still maintain their composure when seeing Yao Bianliang's lineup.
After all, Yao Bianliang had always played by her own rules, so perhaps this was just her new approach.
The Netizens were somewhat accustomed to it, and many were even quite excited.
However, the situation with Yao Xinxin was completely different.
—Her lineup is simply too luxurious, so luxurious that it makes everyone find it unbelievable!
Given Yao Xinxin's status, it is a privilege for her to play a supporting role in such a team, let alone take on a leading role.
But now, these people have actually condescended and collectively joined Yao Xinxin to film a variety show short drama!
[This... Is this the power of capital that they talk about?]
[Hehe, money can make ghosts grind, indeed worthy of you, Yao Xinxin.]
[Damn, it's obvious that there was cheating in the voting for the semi-finals. Even the judges apologized and terminated their contracts. Yet, Yao Xinxin not only continues to participate in the semi-finals but also appears with such an excellent team resource?]
[To be honest, this whole thing with Yao Xinxin has completely disappointed me about the domestic entertainment industry. We, the audience, strongly resist this celebrity, but in the end, when we turn around, she is still being supported.]
[Hehe, they're just forcefully promoting her. To put it bluntly, those people don't care about listening to the audience's voice.]
[Boycott Yao Xinxin! I won't watch any drama she appears in. Brothers who think the same, give it a like!]
The reactions from netizens were far more intense than expected.
The program team and Yao Xinxin's behavior clearly showed that they completely disregarded the audience's attitude.
There were no apologies, no explanations.
They pushed the blame onto the judges and continued to promote Yao Xinxin.
—You can curse all you want, but I will still appear in a splendid and glorious manner.
With this kind of attitude, who could bear it?
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