Chapter 7: Awaiting Notification

To be honest, the academic elites in the industry at this stage don't actually care much for non-serious or lighthearted dramas.

A classic example is "Sister Shuang." After "Meteor Shower" aired, she described it in an interview as "a soap opera, nothing worth talking about." Even in 2024, when Yang Mi gave interviews, her tone suggested she looked down on historical idol dramas. Idol dramas and family soap operas are all dismissed as boring filler, meant only to kill time—completely devoid of any spiritual core.

For actors, this type of production requires no real acting skills or filming techniques. It’s mostly dialogue-driven, relying on constant reverse-shot editing, avoiding too many interaction shots to make it easier for actors to film their parts separately. These dramas aren't well-regarded by the mainstream. Most classically trained actors have their own aspirations; they all want to star in serious dramas like "The Grand Mansion Gate," "Crossing the Yalu River," or "Towards the Republic." As for soap operas... they just treat them as a way to make money.

However, things eventually changed. On one hand, the barrier to entry for actors has become increasingly low, and the film and television industry has become the backyard of celebrity offspring, wealthy heirs, connected individuals, and internet influencers. On the other hand, the acting skills of those so-called "classically trained" actors are... mediocre at best. Those with talent but no connections have all gone off to film short-form web dramas. To be honest, the actors from "Chen Xiang 6:30" have solid acting skills; they can play anything! They are much better than that crowd of connected, "classically trained" actors.

Back to Yang Xue.

"What are your plans for the future? Do you want to keep acting?"

"I don't have many ideas for now," Shen Yan answered honestly.

"Let me give you some advice. If you really want to develop in the entertainment industry, if nothing else, you at least need to find a professional talent agency," Yang Xue said. "With them helping you manage your career, you'll be able to land more work. Otherwise, how are you going to find roles on your own?"

Shen Yan didn't speak. His experiences from his previous life made him quite resistant to talent agencies.

Yang Xue continued, "You have talent for acting, and you're willing to work hard, but what you lack is a systematic learning process. Acting isn't just about hard work; there are many theories and techniques involved. If you can master those, you'll improve significantly..."

Shen Yan immediately caught her drift. "You mean I should go to school?"

"School takes four years. Do you have that much time?"

"...Then?"

"A training program..."

"Oh..." Shen Yan understood what she meant. Generally speaking, training programs are for those who already have a diploma to seek further education. But acting training programs are different. You can basically get in as long as you pay the tuition. Shen Yan remembered clearly that MC Tianyou had attended a Beijing Film Academy training program.

Those programs don't grant a degree, only a certificate of completion, and the annual tuition is tens of thousands... What a waste of money. Shen Yan scratched his head and replied with a smile, "I... will seriously consider it!"

"Well... if you want to sign with an agent, I can introduce you to Sister Hua..."

"Thank you, Sister Yang. I don't have many thoughts on that right now... Let's see how the audition goes tomorrow first!"

...

Shen Yan was neither classically trained nor from a family of performers. Any connections he had could, at most, guarantee him a role, but becoming a major star would be extremely difficult. Even signing with Wang Jinghua wouldn't be very useful. Wang Jinghua had too many artists under her wing; if Shen Yan signed, he would just be at the bottom of the list. Moreover, Wang Jinghua was part of the "Beijing Circle," which placed great importance on one's background. Shen Yan certainly didn't have a "good" background.

Forget it! Being a literary plagiarist is fine.

A small recommendation: "The Sovereign of All Worlds" already had nearly 3,000 followers. On the new book recommendation list, it was second only to "Heavenly King" by Tiaowu. It was foreseeable that once "The Sovereign of All Worlds" hit the shelves, its performance wouldn't be bad. Once he made a name for himself, he could hoard some Bitcoin and write a few more books like "My Senior Brother is Too Steady," "Eternal Reverence," or "Da Feng Watchman." With copyright income and Bitcoin, he could basically achieve financial freedom.

Acting? Mixing in the entertainment industry? He didn't need fame or fortune.

As a side note, for wealthy heirs who have no worries about food or clothing, society is a giant ballroom. A ballroom is a vanity fair, a gladiator arena for socialites. The most typical example is Hong Kong! In those neon-lit social venues, the heirs are all from illustrious families and graduates of elite schools. Hong Kong media are keen on capturing these glamorous scenes; tabloid reporters earn money from the pages, and the heirs satisfy their desire for exposure. But in the mainland, such venues don't really exist... so the entertainment industry becomes an option!

...

The production "Living Buddha Ji Gong," once greenlit, became one of the top choices for many talent agencies. Generally, when a new, major production is about to start filming—when the startup capital is in place and the crew has entered the pre-production stage—many agents bring young artists to the set to audition, trying to build rapport and connections.

The producers and directors of "Living Buddha Ji Gong" were well-known in the industry. A nationwide broadcast was practically guaranteed. Moreover, the show required a huge number of actors, so naturally, many people, famous or not, wanted a piece of the pie.

Most importantly, the two major production companies, Shanghai Chongyuan Culture and Hangzhou Baicheng Film, were production houses with no artist management divisions. One was founded by Jian Yuanxin, and the other by Zhou Zhiguang—both were new companies. New companies looking to establish a foothold in the industry must be willing to share profits. Therefore, casting and actor selection were left to Dong Li and Zheng Shirong.

Both were professional producers who had left the Zhejiang Radio and Television system. They had shot to fame with "Lust for Love" and had experience as directors, with representative works like "Red Spider 3" and "Emperor of Han 3." They had established connections in the circle, and the main roles had already been assigned. So, when they saw Shen Yan led in by Yang Xue, they felt a bit conflicted.

Dong Li looked Shen Yan up and down, then said, "...You have a great look, but the main roles have already been cast..."

Just as Shen Yan was about to speak, Yang Xue interjected, "It's fine, Director, just give him any role. It would be best if he could stay with the crew..."

"Stay with the crew..." Zheng Shirong flipped through the script and recalled something. "Hey, hasn't the role of Bi Qing been decided yet?"

"...It's already been decided," Dong Li shook his head. "Gao Hao!"

Bi Qing was the little sidekick of the temple supervisor Guang Liang, often sucking up to him, a role with quite a bit of comedic potential. The comedic trio of "Living Buddha Ji Gong" consisted of Bi Qing, Guang Liang, and Zhao Bin. Bi Qing was no mere minor role; he was a legitimate main character!

Zheng Shirong looked at Shen Yan and pondered, "Your appearance is suitable for playing an ancient nobleman... but you look too young. How about this, go change into a long gown... let me take another look..."

Shen Yan followed the wardrobe assistant to the next room to change.

Dong Li asked Yang Xue, "Is this your younger brother?"

"...He's a relative's child, but he's like a brother to me!"

"Then why didn't you introduce him to Sister Hua? With this look, he could definitely be a star!"

"...Really? Then I'll introduce him to Sister Hua in a while!"

"...Then I need to lock him in quickly... if Sister Hua takes a liking to him, he might be a star by the next show."

Shen Yan came back out in the long gown—just the robe, not even wearing the hairpiece yet. Dong Li and Zheng Shirong exchanged a look. "Alright, you two can go back for now..."

"Thank you, teachers..."

Yang Xue led Shen Yan away. Shen Yan didn't quite understand the process, so he asked directly, "Sister? Did we make it?"

"...We probably did. Just go back and wait for the call!"

"Then... what role?"

Yang Xue shook her head. "I haven't seen the complete script, but at the very least, it'll be a supporting role..."