Feature Shows Extravaganza - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Director Meng Is a Good Guy

To Li Yu, acting hadn’t been a very pleasant experience for him.

He often found himself not ridiculous enough to fit in with the rest of the crew.

Director Meng wasn’t happy with his acting, and he had had more NGs than any other actors or actresses.

This was the first time that Li Yu had been on a TV show.

His “acting experience” before this had been limited to things like stage plays or short acts. This was the first time he had ever acted in front of a camera.

His father had visited him once.

Li Yu had no idea what his dad told Director Meng—probably something like “He’s still a kid, so please be patient with him.” The result was that Director Meng had stopped giving him an attitude. After his NGs, the director would beckon him over and tell him what he had done wrong.

Li Yu always listened carefully, because he knew that a chance like this was hard to come by.

He would do whatever Director Meng asked.

Wang Bin would tease Li Yu, saying that he had become Director Meng’s number one minion and that he would follow the man’s directions to the tee.

Li Yu didn’t mind it. He knew little about acting, and if he didn’t take good use of this opportunity, he might not be able to survive in this line of work when his father could no longer help him.

After a while, Li Yu realized that Director Meng wasn’t all that strict. He had probably only given him an attitude before because his acting had really disappointed him.

Director Wang, the producer, was a good guy as well.

Neither was the type that would put on airs, and they even ate the same packed lunch as all the extras did—the type that only had vegetable dishes but no meat…

Li Yu had overheard a conversation between Director Meng and Director Wang in the restroom. Director Wang said that there was no meat because Director Meng was a stingy man, but Director Meng retorted, saying that eating too much meat would make the crew gain weight, affecting their image on screen.

Director Meng called Director Wang a meddlesome producer that would stick his nose everywhere.

It was such a boisterous row that Li Yu thought this fall out between the director and the producer would tear the crew apart. But the following day, he saw that both directors had stopped eating packed lunch.

Well, the two of them had gone out to eat hotpot together.

Li Yu decided that this was what good people were supposed to behave.

In order to let the young actors and actresses look their best for the camera, Director Meng had eliminated all the meat dishes from their lunch.

However, the food expenses had been fixed, and if the crew didn’t eat meat, the money saved could be considered a waste of food.

Hence, the thrifty Director Meng decided to eat all the meat alone. Director Wang then discovered this “secret” and criticized Director Meng for trying to take the responsibility alone. As a result, the two of them ended up sharing the burden.

“Excuse me, two braised pork with preserved vegetables, please!”

Director Meng was a good man that liked to have things exactly the way he liked.

He found “Director Meng” sound more impressive than “Mr. Meng”, so he had everyone address him that way.

But he also liked to keep a low profile. “President Meng” would sound too much, so he would stress each time he heard that title. “Call me Director Meng!”

It was no big deal.

Compared to some directors who would have some actresses “study her lines” in their bedroom in the middle of the night, Director Meng was already a very noble man.

But such a “noble man” was always getting accused for things he hadn’t done.

It had been over two weeks since the shooting started, and every day, some onlookers would come to the sight to watch.

So be it.

Other directors would have cleared the sight and gotten rid of the onlookers already, but not Director Meng. He was too nice.

He said that as long as those people didn’t interfere with the shooting, they should be left alone.

“Director Meng is the best director in the world!”

Li Yu admired Meng Lang wholeheartedly.

It wasn’t just because Meng Lang had given him, a newbie, a chance, but also because he had taught him a lot of things during the shooting.

“Director Meng really is a very kind person!”

Most of Li Yu’s scenes were shot together with Wang Bin, the main actor, and the two of them were on camera together a lot.

They were supposed to be partners in acting.

Li Yu didn’t know much about acting, but he knew enough to tell a good actor from a bad one.

Needless to say, he was the bad type.

Wang Bin was a genius actor, and Li Yu always felt like a bad student when acting opposite him.

And that feeling affected his own acting.

“What’s with the long face?!”

Another NG!

Needless to say, Director Meng had lost his temper again, and Li Yu was the culprit.

“Dude, lighten up!”

Director Meng seemed furious. He had even spat out his gum.

The scene was of Zhou Yihuo and Ah You lying down on the lawn and chatting after an exhausting bike ride.

Zhou Yihuo had just won a rare Gallon Flaming Dragon in a bet, and Ah You was envious. With his new favorite in hand, Zhou Yihuo quickly forgot about his old flame, Rady the Flame Lion, and gave the popping ball to Ah You…

It was a simple scene. All Li Yu had to do was look pleasantly surprised and say his lines.

It just so happened that Li Yu was in a terrible mood that day. Instead of beaming, he looked more like he had been forced to smile.

It just looked fake.

And a smile like that couldn’t reach Director Meng’s standards. Even if this show didn’t ask too much from the actors, it didn’t mean that they could stop acting all together.

The wooden faces could only be acceptable in their previous shows.

Because of the flashing yo-yos, not many people cared about the acting of the main characters.

Explosive Boys was a different story.

The popping balls were too small. The thumb-sized toys couldn’t distract the audience as much.

Under such circumstances, wooden actors just wouldn’t do the trick.

As Li Yu apologized to Director Meng, he kept trying to find a way to cheer himself up. At least he had to try to make his smile real.

Luckily, after reading enough ridiculous jokes online, he was finally able to smile wholeheartedly. Once the scene was completed, the shooting ended for the day.

While the others were putting things away, Meng Lang talked to Li Yu in a quiet corner.

“You’re not made for acting.”

Director Meng was relentless. “Maybe you should think it over and figure out if this is really the right thing for you to do. This is a rather easy show for you. Your life will be miserable if you perform like this for other shows.

Director Meng had a point, but…

Li Yu raised his head and looked at Meng Lang with his limpid eyes. “Director Meng, I want to be an actor.”

Meng Lang patted him on the shoulder and spoke in a half-expectant and half-resigned tone. “Work harder, then. Don’t sleep tonight. Think about your scenes tomorrow. If you have any questions, feel free to come to me.”

“Any time?” Li Yu was surprised.

So, the rumor of “Director Meng doesn’t have a sex life” was true!

Meng Lang paused before he left and added, “Not at night! I’m a normal grownup man with normal things to do at night!”

He left after those words.

Watching Director Meng leave, Li Yu suddenly wanted to ask the man, “Who are you trying to fool?”

Director Meng’s night life was so busy.

He would stay up late to play poker games online…

Although Li Yu didn’t have a girlfriend, he knew that wasn’t what “night life” was supposed to mean.