Translator: Ink Hub

Editor: Yoog

When Lin Ji arrived at the Records of the Bai’s Return set, he happened to catch the crew taking costume photos.

The filming location for Records of the Bai’s Return was situated in the country’s largest film and television base. The sets here were comprehensive, ranging from ancient times to the modern era, capable of accommodating dozens of crews filming simultaneously. The Records of the Bai’s Return crew had secured a considerably large section of the grounds.

Lin Ji’s previous dramas had not been filmed at a film base. Short dramas could be shot in a haphazardly constructed studio with simple location scouting, while Secretly in Love with You and Code 11 were filmed on-site at real locations. Both of those productions were significantly smaller in scale compared to Records of the Bai’s Return.

The Publicity Department had given a green light to everything regarding this drama’s preparation. Consequently, aside from Director Hu Weiyi, the production, crew, art, and photography teams were all well-known veterans within the industry.

The art department, in particular, was the original team that had fought alongside Hu Weiyi to build his career.

In this day and age, a strictly traditional art department actually found it harder to make a living. Most crews nowadays took the shortcut route, paying no mind to historical accuracy in makeup and costumes. As long as they could save money and make the leads look pretty, it was enough. In Lin Ji’s view, however, some styles over-emphasized flaws while hiding strengths, failing to capitalize on the actors’ natural advantages.

Some actors were beautiful, but their styling was so cookie-cutter that their look in one drama wouldn’t feel out of place if moved to the next. Period dramas were the worst disaster zones for this kind of styling.

Records of the Bai’s Return was a modern-period drama, so there were still many styles available for reference.

“Lin Ji, you’ve come at just the right time!”

Hu Weiyi spotted Lin Ji from a distance and waved him over.

By this time, the styling for the main leads was basically complete.

The actor playing Bai Cheng, Wei Yaming, belonged to the “green leaf” category of actors who spent their years playing minor roles in various films and television dramas. Audiences found him familiar, yet they only knew the characters he played and weren’t familiar with the man himself. Because he wasn’t handsome enough, he had yet to knock on the door of the Uncle Circle.

However, the character of Bai Cheng lacked courage and responsibility, yet he was a man of great ambitions but little talent. A truly handsome man really wouldn’t be able to pull it off.

Chen Di, who played Bai Xin, had a higher profile than Wei Yaming. Previously, Cheng Yuan had wanted to audition for this role, but Lin Ji had stopped him. First, the character didn’t match him, and second, Cheng Yuan was currently in the rising stage of his career. He had plenty of good roles to choose from. There was no need to pick an ordinary role just for the sake of a favor.

Zheng Rui, who played Bai Tong, was a newcomer. He had only graduated from university a few months before auditioning for the role.

The stylists were clearly quite familiar with the script. They had put a lot of effort into the costumes and styling; the clothes had a high-quality texture, and the actors looked clean and refreshing on camera, lacking that overly made-up, effeminate air.

Records of the Bai’s Return wasn’t trying to show how strikingly handsome the actors were. Character styling served the plot. Only suitable actors combined with appropriate makeup and costumes could give the audience a better sense of immersion.

When Chen Cheng appeared in her Bai Mei styling, the eyes of everyone in the crew couldn’t help but fall on her.

It was an industry-wide consensus that Chen Cheng was beautiful, but perhaps because she was too radiant, the characters she played often gave the audience a sense of distance. When playing Shen Yin, her brilliance perfectly showcased Shen Yin’s elegance, but as for playing Bai Mei…

Lin Ji whispered a few words into Hu Weiyi’s ear.

Hu Weiyi nodded slightly.

Chen Cheng looked at the two of them. “Director Hu, Screenwriter Lin, is there something inappropriate?”

“I think perhaps short hair would be more suitable,” Lin Ji said.

Although the current styling was decent, long hair emphasized the character’s soft and beautiful temperament. In Lin Ji’s view, Bai Mei should be more capable and efficient.

Requesting an actress to cut her hair short was common in production crews, but whether they cooperated usually depended on the actor’s attitude. At Chen Cheng’s status, she had a certain degree of say over her hairstyle.

As soon as Lin Ji made the suggestion, everyone looked at Chen Cheng with curiosity. Chen Cheng currently held a hair care endorsement. No one knew if the brand had made specific requirements regarding her hair. Even though Lin Ji had spoken, Chen Cheng might not necessarily agree.

To everyone’s surprise, Chen Cheng’s response was quite swift. “I don’t mind trying.”

While a short-haired look could be achieved without actually cutting it, in terms of filming quality, a real cut was more suitable.

Chen Cheng agreed decisively, and the stylist’s technique was quite efficient. Before long, a fresh Bai Mei appeared before the crew.

Compared to long hair, the short hair was more capable and sharp, reducing Chen Cheng’s naturally radiant temperament and bringing her closer to the image of Bai Mei in the original work.

Chen Cheng touched her short hair uncomfortably and asked her assistant in a low voice, “Does it look bad?”

The assistant shook her head hurriedly. “Sister Cheng, you’re the most beautiful!”

Having grown used to Chen Cheng’s long-haired look, the sudden short cut gave the assistant a sense of novelty. She had read the original Records of the Bai’s Return, and in her heart, the short-haired Chen Cheng was undoubtedly a better fit for Bai Mei.

* * *

To Lin Ji’s surprise, the speed at which Chen Cheng adapted to the role of Bai Mei was quite fast. He had thought she would need more time.

Objectively speaking, after the role of Shen Yin, Chen Cheng’s acting truly seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.

In her first scene as Bai Mei, she used the acting skills she had honed during the later period of playing Shen Yin, which were even more refined. Whether it was her, Wei Yaming, or Chen Di, they all displayed a state of having thoroughly studied the script during their performances.

The newcomer Zheng Rui’s acting was a bit weaker, but the Bai Tong he played happened to need that recklessness of a fledgling. Lin Ji always felt that if a shrewd actor played a character who was all brawn and no brains, it would be difficult to portray that clumsy sense of collision unless their acting had reached a transcendent state.

Filming at the first location for Records of the Bai’s Return went smoothly.

The actors appeared when they were supposed to, and when they were free, they could ponder the script or wander around as they pleased. Hu Weiyi and Lin Ji did not interfere.

The only requirement the two had for the actors was to do their absolute best to play their roles well.

The day before filming, the actors had to digest the scenes they were to shoot the next day. Only by having a deep enough understanding of the character could they resonate with the role during filming.

The three eras of Records of the Bai’s Return were filmed across three different locations. Hu Weiyi was in charge of one, while two assistant directors each handled another. Hu Weiyi had the heaviest filming burden because he led the key scenes for all three locations, while the assistant directors were mainly responsible for shooting non-essential scenes.

During filming, Lin Ji wandered back and forth between the three locations, playing the part of Hu Weiyi’s qualified lackey.

In truth, while the actors chosen by the crew weren’t particularly famous, most of their acting skills were above the passing line. The casting for Records of the Bai’s Return had only excluded actors signed to Future Entertainment. As for other roles, the crew hadn’t refrained from inviting big names, but very few had responded.

Records of the Bai’s Return was a masterpiece. In such works, there were basically no caricatured characters; every role had its complexities. This meant these characters might not necessarily be liked by the audience.

For big stars, acting in this drama wouldn’t necessarily add much luster to their careers, but if they performed poorly, they would absolutely be scolded.

On set, Lin Ji didn’t have much of a presence, but he was the person most familiar with the script. If anything felt wrong during filming, he could always detect it immediately.

The filming progress of Records of the Bai’s Return wasn’t slow because the script was ready and there were consultants to help the actors analyze their roles. Of course, compared to other series, the filming wasn’t particularly fast either. This was a common ailment of dramas that were meticulously researched.

Lin Ji would occasionally modify the script when he realized a certain scene wasn’t written well enough.

When writing a scene, Lin Ji would form a conception in advance, but that didn’t mean his conception was perfect. He still had to see it in conjunction with the actual filming.

“Lin Ji, come take a look at this.”

Lin Ji put down his pen and ran over to Hu Weiyi’s side.

When he was first introduced to work with Hu Weiyi, Lin Ji felt the man was just an ordinary old fellow. His temperament seemed more irritable than others, and he didn’t carry the supposed aura of a great director.

But after truly collaborating, he felt Hu Weiyi’s passion for the job.

Young people like Lin Ji felt they couldn’t take it after working too much overtime, but Hu Weiyi could stay glued to the monitor at all times. His eyes were like macro lenses; if any problem appeared during filming, he could scan it out instantly.

Hu Weiyi took a sip of strong tea and beckoned Lin Ji. “You come and explain the scene to these two. I can’t talk anymore.”

Lin Ji listened. The man’s voice seemed quite hoarse.

Lin Ji turned his gaze toward Chen Cheng and Zang Shuke.

Both Chen Cheng and Zang Shuke were a bit nervous.

Hu Weiyi had quite an imposing and fierce presence on set, but Chen Cheng and Zang Shuke were used to working with that type of director, so they didn’t fear him much.

Lin Ji, however, was low-profile to the extreme within the crew, lacking any of the majesty of a famous screenwriter. Yet, when he looked over silently and lightly, both of them wanted to take a step back, trying their best not to remain under his gaze.

Zang Shuke played Bai Mei’s fiancé, Qiu Chengyi.

This was a scene showing an explosion of Bai Mei’s emotions. In this scene, Bai Mei’s intense love and hatred for Qiu Chengyi were displayed to the fullest; this scene was also the turning point of Bai Mei’s life.

Before this, although her personality was soft yet firm, she still had the yearning of a young girl for love and family. After this, she completely abandoned her own love, choosing to rise and fall with the Bai family.

This was closely related to Qiu Chengyi’s betrayal.

“You two perform it again for me.”

Lin Ji flipped through the script while watching the two run the scene.

“…We have known each other for twenty-two years. How much longer do you intend to betray me—”

“Stop.”

Before Chen Cheng could finish half of her lines, Lin Ji called a halt.

Lin Ji could see it. Chen Cheng’s explosion wasn’t enough, and as for Zang Shuke, his performance in this scene was too wooden.

The Qiu Chengyi he portrayed was a complete image of a traitor, the type who walked the dark path until the end. In the original novel of Records of the Bai’s Return, Qiu Chengyi was indeed one of the worst characters, but he was by no means as heartless as Zang Shuke portrayed him.

Lin Ji looked at Hu Weiyi.

“I’ve reminded them, but the two of them still haven’t fully understood it.”

Lin Ji said, “…Remember to ask for an extra instruction fee for me.”

Hu Weiyi made an OK gesture.

Lin Ji then called Chen Cheng and Zang Shuke to the side, using a wooden stick to draw and write on the ground. Just then, the lifestyle producer sent over some roasted sweet potatoes. Lin Ji took the two of them to eat sweet potatoes while they worked on understanding the characters.

Chen Cheng’s performance was actually okay; her initial explosive power was qualified. However, Zang Shuke’s response to her wasn’t enough. Who could act well against a block of wood?

When the opposing actor didn’t respond, Chen Cheng became more and more timid. Consequently, the more times they re-shot, the less confidence she had in herself.

NOTES
Green leaf (绿叶): A term for supporting actors who “make the flowers look better.”

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