Chapter 9

Although the scene earlier left him feeling a little uneasy, overall, Yan Li was still quite happy. Because in that scene, he hadn’t strictly followed the script. Having witnessed how Xie Junhao portrayed the character Yang Guang, Yan Li was deeply moved. In the original script of Sui Tang Hero Legends, Yang Guang was just like Yuwen Chengdu—a stereotypical, decadent tyrant. He was bad for no reason, purely to contrast the protagonists' righteousness and serve as a plot device. But Xie Junhao, without changing the storyline, dug deeper into Yang Guang’s character, bringing out a more nuanced side that made Yang Guang more alive and rich, even reducing the villain’s negative traits, making him intriguingly charming. Yan Li wanted to follow suit but found it very difficult. The character setting and plot restrictions were one issue, and the fact that Yang Guang was a main antagonist, with more screen time and space for development, was another. Meanwhile, Yuwen Chengdu had less screen time, often just a supporting antagonist, making it harder to create depth. The more critical factor was that Xie Junhao was a Golden Horse Best Actor with enough clout to argue with the director. Yan Li, as a small supporting actor and a newcomer, was at the bottom of the cast hierarchy. Even changing a line could lead to a scolding. So, even though Yan Li had some ideas these past days, he didn’t dare to speak up, just honestly performing his role. Until today, when shooting scenes focused on him and Yuwen Huaji, after persuading Yang Shulin, who played Yuwen Huaji, Yan Li, who had gained some insight into the director's temperament, dared to cautiously discuss his thoughts with the director. Yan Li didn’t change the plot or the character’s design! This was crucial. Xie Junhao’s portrayal had added life to Yang Guang without altering the original storyline, keeping the essence of the character while making him more logical and layered. Had he played Yang Guang as a "good person with reasons" and gone against the script, the director wouldn’t have tolerated it. Even Xie Junhao had to be careful, and Yan Li, being a small part, was even more restricted. Yuwen Chengdu remained the same ruthless scoundrel as in the original script, but with some slight tweaks in lines and details, adding some subtle adjustments. The scene earlier was an example. Yan Li didn’t change much, just refined the lines a bit and added some interactive acting with Yuwen Huaji. The changes were small but made the dialogue and rhythm smoother, and Yuwen Chengdu’s swift change in expression was even more ridiculous. Actors who think while acting are good actors! This was something Yan Li’s teacher at Beijing Film Academy had told him, and it had a profound impact on him. He was known for being the student who loved to ponder acting in his class. However, while this kind of behavior was supported and encouraged by teachers in school, in the industry, no one would tolerate such things. Yan Li’s most vivid memory was during his second year of college, when he and his roommate Zhang Songwen visited a set and, by chance, got a minor role with lines. The scene was just two tavern customers gossiping, but after rehearsing, they felt the script and the director’s request were problematic. Despite their costumes being of wealthy young masters, their dialogue sounded like street vendors, which didn’t fit their status. So, they modified the lines and performed them in a way that suited the wealthy young master style. As a result, the assistant director was furious, scolding them harshly. If Zhang Songwen hadn’t stepped in, Yan Li might have even gotten into a physical altercation. But from that moment on, Yan Li realized a truth: if you don’t have enough status or fame, you have no right to speak on a set. When he came to Sui Tang Hero Legends, Yan Li kept his attitude low. His initial plan was to keep quiet, do as directed, take the paycheck, and leave. Which actor hasn’t acted in bad films or played poor roles? As a newcomer, having any role was already lucky, so there was no point in complaining. But then, he met Xie Junhao. Watching Xie Junhao bring the stereotypical villainous role of Yang Guang to life, Yan Li couldn’t help but compare it to his own portrayal of Yuwen Chengdu, which he found unsatisfactory. Director Hu Mingkai’s relaxed attitude towards actors also made Yan Li eager to try something new. From the script to the final product, the creation didn’t just belong to the writers and directors; the actors were a part of it too. The script is just dry lines and descriptions, and the actual impact comes from the actor’s interpretation. The same scene and character, performed by different actors, would feel completely different, which is why we have distinctions between ordinary actors, good actors, and even movie emperors. The director’s role in this is also crucial. Every director has a different style. Some require actors to follow the script exactly, with no room for deviation; some set a framework and direction for the actors, then let them discuss and refine; and some allow the actors complete freedom to improvise, then judge if it works. Director Hu Mingkai of Sui Tang Hero Legends leaned towards the third type, being relatively tolerant of actors’ creative freedom. Yan Li’s tentative approach today proved this. As long as the end result was good and didn’t disrupt the flow of the show, Hu Mingkai didn’t mind minor changes the actors wanted to try. This gave Yan Li the opportunity to experiment with his portrayal of Yuwen Chengdu. Yan Li knew very well that the role of Yuwen Chengdu was not going to change. He couldn’t alter the plot or character design, and his screen time was limited, with a major red flag of being in a scene with the female lead. Yan Li didn’t have the ability to make the character sympathetic. So, his goal wasn’t high. He wanted to add some shine to the role, make him less of a villainous tool, and elevate the character’s depth, turning him into more than just a stereotypical antagonist. For this, Yan Li had been thinking these past days, and finally came up with a good idea. Back in his Beijing Film Academy days, Yan Li had audited a screenwriting class in the literature department, where he learned a blunt but effective technique to quickly make flat characters more vivid. That is, add a minor flaw to good characters to make them more relatable, or give bad characters a positive trait to reveal a bit of humanity. People aren’t purely black or white. Overemphasizing either good or bad makes characters feel fake. Add a little gray, and they become more complex and real. However, Yuwen Chengdu’s character was rotten to the core. He was cowardly, greedy for fame and wealth, ruthless, lustful, shameless, and backstabbing his ruler… finding a redeeming quality was hard. Surely, his frugality or kindness to his subordinates wouldn’t be a suitable angle for improvement? Even if there were some logic behind it, Yan Li couldn’t develop that aspect—should he ask the director for another scene where he could line up with his brothers for some extra screen time? So, after studying the script, Yan Li focused on the father-son relationship between Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Chengdu. Filial piety was one of the most valued virtues in Chinese culture, and even the worst villain could earn a little leniency if he was filial, making him seem more human. Also, the original script had left some room to explore the Yuwen father-son dynamic. For instance, Yuwen Chengdu listened to his father, and Yuwen Huaji trusted and relied on his son, offering a potential point of entry for character development, which wouldn’t disrupt the storyline and wouldn’t upset the director. Moreover, during this time, Yan Li had grown close to Yang Shulin, who played Yuwen Huaji, and could count on some support. Filial piety wasn’t something the son could express alone—it had to involve interaction with the parents to create sparks. With this in mind, Yan Li was full of determination as he bought some fried rice and headed back to the hotel. He mulled over how to interact with Yuwen Huaji in the scene, how to highlight the positive trait of filial piety within the limited conditions, and how to convince Yang Shulin or the director. He didn’t go to bed until the early morning, not daring to waste time, knowing he had a shoot tomorrow. The next morning, at dawn, Yan Li was awoken by his alarm, went to the bathroom, and opened the system, which had five pieces of information for him today. Daily Information ①: Actor Yang Shulin greatly appreciated Yan Li’s performance yesterday, believing the young man had his head on straight, was bold and decisive, and showed promise as an actor. Daily Information ②: Director Hu Mingkai neither disliked nor particularly appreciated Yan Li’s behavior yesterday, focusing more on whether the shooting was proceeding smoothly (Note: Hu Mingkai values director authority, so be mindful of attitude when communicating). Seeing this, Yan Li felt reassured. He had been a little worried that these two might be holding some hidden opinions, but it seemed everything was fine overall. He’d make sure to get closer to Teacher Yang, while with Director Hu, he’d need to keep a good balance and respect his authority. Daily Information ③: The restaurant providing lunch for Sui Tang Hero Legends had a slight problem with some pork in the stock, possibly leading to stomach issues (Note: Montmorillonite powder can treat this). Daily Information ④: Today at 14:30, the Japan-Korea World Cup quarterfinal will be held between Brazil and England. Brazil is planning to use a 3-4-3 formation with Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho starting... Yan Li: "..." Where did this information come from? Did he accidentally glance at a sports news story yesterday or overhear someone in the crew talking about it? As he wasn’t a coach or journalist, Yan Li couldn’t figure out why the system had given him this information, so he discarded it in the trash bin. It would have been more useful if there was information about a betting odds market for the game—at least he could have placed a bet. Daily Information ⑤: Qin Lan, who had no scenes today, declined an invitation from her fellow actors to go shopping and planned to head to the woods, hoping to run into Yan Li again, as it would prove they had a real connection. Yan Li paused, realizing who Qin Lan was, and found himself deep in thought. Was she overthinking things…?