Caught in Affairs with Superstar-Chapter 922 - 571: On Film Crews and Actors 7

"When I act, I often feel like I’m analyzing every state too finely, and those moments of sudden inspiration are getting rarer and rarer," she said. "It’s like when there’s a change in expression, or a burst of emotion, which I think is really important for a scene."

Xu Jinbo: "In television dramas, it’s actually hard to convey such moments unless shot with movie lens close-ups; otherwise, the screens are small, and it’s difficult for audiences to notice. The biggest difference between watching in a theater versus a screen is that a theater is a closed space that forces you to keep all your attention on the visuals in front of you. But watching TV is different; you’re not in a closed space, and your attention isn’t fully focused on it. Often, those GIFs shared online, deemed iconic scenes, are more about the surface-level explosive moments than the subtle emotional transfers seen in movies."

"I actually don’t quite understand what subtle emotional transfer means. I used to not understand acting and never thought about acting well. Later, I realized I couldn’t just muddle along, so I needed to improve myself, which is why I started studying acting," Yuk Chu said. "My approach is to do my best to make the characters richly portrayed, whether to frown, how much to frown, what the expression should be, how to adjust it. I practice in front of the mirror, chiseling away bit by bit. Honestly, I’ve never experienced that so-called total immersion into a character, as I’m always just performing. This is my current shortcoming."

"You can’t force such things; acting has different methods for different people. Ultimately, it’s about whether what you present moves the audience, not just being moved yourself," Xu Jinbo laughed. "I once worked with an actor who was indeed very dedicated, emotionally invested during filming, acted very involved, but on camera, it seemed fake. The final broadcast effect wasn’t good; the audience didn’t buy it, saying he acted poorly."

Zhou Yun sighed upon hearing this.

"That’s why they often say some actors are naturally gifted; such people stand in front of the camera and are naturally favored by it."

The three of them chatted while eating.

"I actually wish one day we could bring the productions we’ve made to other countries, letting them be as popular as American, British, and Korean dramas," Xu Jinbo said. "I know compared to others, our productions still have a gap, and the environment is like this. If it weren’t for my insistence on not altering the script for ’Deep Sea,’ it would have been compromised by someone else. After all, a show without a proper male lead is barely acknowledged in our domestic market right now. It’s fortunate that Xiao Yun, you were in it, otherwise Yuehai would never have given the green light. You could praise me a hundred times as a gold producer, but I wouldn’t have been able to get this show started."

Xu Jinbo seemed a bit disenchanted.

It was late already, and theirs was the only table of guests in this small shop.

The owner sat in the kitchen area looking at his phone.

Xu Jinbo suddenly remembered something, smiled and said to Yuk Chu, "Actually, you had a show before that I initially was in charge of, but it ended up with someone else."

Yuk Chu was a bit surprised and asked, "Which show?"

"Despicable Love Object," Xu Jinbo said. "I read the original novel and thought it had a good market for adaptation into a TV drama, so I convinced the company to buy the rights."

"Oh? Really?" Yuk Chu was somewhat shocked.

Among her works, the most popular role was from ’Despicable Love Object,’ which had trended several times.

Xu Jinbo said, "It’s a bit of a pity, if I had continued producing it, the show could have been better."

Yuk Chu asked, "Why didn’t you continue producing it then?"

"I had an important show in hand at that time, and the schedules conflicted, so I had to reluctantly pass it on to someone else," Xu Jinbo said.

"That’s true, sigh, sometimes I receive two scripts that I really want to act in, but the schedules conflict, so I have to painfully give up one," Yuk Chu said. "That feeling is really unpleasant."

Xu Jinbo looked at Zhou Yun.

"Actually, you’ve been acting a lot these two years, filming four or five shows a year," Xu Jinbo said. "The industry says you no longer take long TV series and that it’s tough to get you for more than two months."

"Like you said, there’s a lot I want to act in; if I do a long TV series, I’d have to give up many other scripts."

"You’re working so hard, not leaving others any chance," Xu Jinbo joked. "But on a personal level, I’m really happy to have an actor like you."

"Hmm?"

"You know? You’re someone who can expand the industry’s pie," Xu Jinbo said. "The cinema industry hasn’t always been favored by capital; if there aren’t long-term hits and viewer numbers decline, the investment from platforms, companies, and advertisers into TV shows lessens, and people throughout the industry suffer. Look at how many major hits you’ve performed these past two years; audiences love them, they generate discussion, and you’ve won many awards. You’ve proven to many people that audiences are still willing to watch these TV shows, which can still attract large numbers of viewers. It’s not a dying industry and won’t be replaced by short videos. The entire industry has benefited from the dramas you’ve starred in, as it reassures investors that this industry is worth investing in, and platforms aren’t worried about a shrinking market."

Zhou Yun had never heard such things from others.

She was quite surprised.

Yet, Xu Jinbo’s words touched her somewhat deeply.

It turns out, in the eyes of a seasoned industry producer, she had contributed so much to this field.

Xu Jinbo continued, "Moreover, your appearance has completely disrupted the dynamic between Su Yan and Lew Qingqing and others, as the once unchanged top-tier actor scene has shifted because of you. Many actors now feel the crisis brought about by you, which is good news for us producers in charge of TV shows. Previously, everyone was complacent, with no particularly outstanding actor emerging, just living off the buzz without much differentiation. With your emergence, everyone is being compared and can’t be complacent; they need to strive higher, or they’ll fall behind. Look at Lew Qingqing, the suspense web series she previously shot didn’t create any buzz and has now been completely overtaken by Su Yan. Her only remaining noteworthy card is Zhong Heping’s film, and if that doesn’t do well, Lew Qingqing will likely never remain top-tier. In fact, in the eyes of us producers, she’s no longer on the candidate list for lead actresses in S+ level big productions."

It’s a brutal reality.

Zhou Yun understood Xu Jinbo’s point.