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053

Director was busy for two months, finally settling on the locations for each scene, while the costume and props team worked tirelessly, and the film was ready to start shooting.

 

The early filming of "After You" went quite smoothly. Jasmine's acting has always been improving steadily. Several new actors also performed remarkably well, though they faced some initial inexperience problems that were quickly rectified once pointed out.

 

The supporting actress portrayed a great friendship with the female lead during the early stages, and the male lead was outstanding in depicting the budding youthful love, making the audience feel the love in his gaze towards the female lead.

 

With this performance, everyone felt they were halfway to success.

 

Youthful movies are meant to evoke feelings like first love, and they succeeded in delivering that bittersweet feeling, they are there.

 

The passionate male lead and the quiet female lead.

 

Every time the two met eyes, there was a chemistry that made viewers anticipate what would come next.

 

The sweet scenes were shot smoothly, and the atmosphere on set was great because most cast members were relatively unknown and behaved humbly, without causing any trouble. The filming environment for this movie was really good.

 

There was only one thing that left Director Lin Nan puzzled.

 

"Is Jas not giving her all in this?"

 

"?"

 

Seeing Jasmine looking puzzled, the director hesitated, saying, "I am a bit uneasy."

 

"... uneasy? Is it because I didn't perform well enough?"

 

The director hesitated on whether or not to speak up.

 

The assistant director stepped forward, "Let me say it. We feel like there's something missing from your usual distinctive style in this movie, and it's making us a bit anxious."

 

The more they talked, the more confused she became.

 

My distinctive style??? 

 

What is that?

 

"In your previous movies and TV shows, you used to have butterflies and pets all the time, why is it missing this time?"

 

...

 

...

 

Jasmine: ...

 

That's a good question. I really forgot about that.

 

Why is it missing?

 

Maybe because the leading actress in this play lacks distinctive features. If we take away the point of her being beautiful, she is just an ordinary girl with good grades and nothing outstanding in other aspects. This is a role that makes it easy for the audience to relate to, but it doesn't trigger any skills.

 

Jasmine knows what's going on, but it's useless.

 

The director is not at ease, always feeling that filming this movie goes against the concerns of the big audience. Objectification is Jasmine's personal characteristic, without it, things feel strange.

 

"This movie tells the bittersweet story of our youth, wouldn't it be more harmonious if I just be a person?"

 

The director looks at her with a look that seems to say -- 

 

"I'd rather see you steal the spotlight, at least I would feel more at ease!"

 

After all, you are Jasmine, Jasmine shouldn't conform, why suddenly want to conform now?

 

But some things, he can't say them in front of her, so he has to finish shooting for the day and then vent to a close friend on WeChat.

 

Thinking back, when he knew that Ben invited him to direct Jasmine's movie, his friends were very happy for him, saying that he was lucky this time.

 

The movie invested by Ben, Jasmine's movie, needs strength and funding, promotion is not a worry, it shouldn't be difficult to make three to five hundred million at the box office, right?

 

Lin Nan also thought so.

 

He still wanted more in private, but then this happened.

 

Jasmine, she's changing.

 

She's not walking the path of personal characteristics, she's going with the flow. Lin Nan and his friends are deeply saddened by this, saying that her talent in objectification is something others can't learn, and yet she's abandoning it, this is not correcting mistakes, it's giving up personal characteristics, it's a transformation and a split!

 

"I'm a little worried about this movie."

 

"Just worrying won't help. Talk to her, since she has already achieved such great success, she shouldn't change, just keep moving forward on that path."

 

"I hinted at it, she said she hopes the movie is more balanced, doesn't want other characters to be overshadowed."

 

"That logic doesn't make sense, who cuts off their own uniqueness just to fit in with the cast? You should put pressure on others to catch up to the leading actress."

 

"I've said everything I could, if it worked, why would I complain to you?"

 

"So is your movie doomed?"

 

Lin Nan thought for a moment, "Not really, they are filming well, but without that element, I just don't feel right, I'm anxious every day, it feels like flying without insurance."

 

While the director was complaining about Jasmine's stagnant thoughts, Jasmine called Ben and mentioned the director's advice of not being herself.

 

She called to vent about this eccentric director, but unexpectedly, Ben reacted as if facing a major enemy.

 

"No! This is a movie we both invested in, lady, keep calm, why not use your skills? Use them quickly!

 

You see, we are a youth film, you can be a yogurt or an ice cream."

 

Jasmine shook her head, then remembered the person on the other end couldn't see her shaking her head, so she added, "But I just want to experience being a person..."

 

"whine."

 

"What? Are you crying?"

 

"I want to cry, I should have told you I wanted to be a person in this movie, then I wouldn't have invested thirty million, my money."

 

"Don't trust me, worried about the box office failing, want to back out? If you're not confident, why not withdraw and I'll take over?"

 

The fake crying boy stopped in a second, thinking, I just wanted to make you change your mind. 

 

lady, you must innovate, and I'll accompany you at all costs, I may not earn as much profit, but I won't lose.

 

"There's no way out in our agreed cooperation, if you really want to be yourself, then go ahead..."

 

Jasmine was still a bit dazed, why is it that if she's not objectifying, it seems like she's going astray in the eyes of others? What does she need to do to feel at ease?

 

"This time I've prepared other surprises, I'll let you know, when you see it on the scene, you'll understand."

 

Ben: ?

 

Understand?

 

Understand what?

 

Forget it, it doesn't matter anyway. Since things have come to this, whatever the lady boss says, he will just listen to it.

 

So sweet, sweet, sweet like this for a month or two, the tacit understanding between the male and female leads is already in place. At this point, the sweet moments are almost over, and it's time for the plot to take a sharp turn. Jasmine calls for Ben to come over.

 

Ben and his sister Meng Meng come together, asking what's up? What are we filming today? Why did you think of calling him to watch?

 

"We will film the scene where the second female lead intentionally lets the female lead see that photo later."

 

"Why did you call me...?"

 

"I've come up with a special tear-inducing technique, let me show you today."

 

A special tear-inducing technique???

 

The Ben siblings look at each other, both puzzled. They have read the original novel and know this part of the plot. When they watch it, they don't find it very tear-inducing.

 

Confused, they just wait to see as the lady boss said.

 

Shortly after, the director calls the actors to their positions, getting ready to start filming. Jasmine sees the photo and immediately shows disbelief, she is shocked, and after that, she has a major breakdown internally.

 

Imagine this:

 

Your best friend and the boy you love sleep together and even take a photo to show you, can you not have a breakdown?

 

Someone with a short temper might immediately want to confront this couple, but the female lead is timid.

 

In this situation, her immediate reaction is to escape.

 

She hurriedly gets up and tries to run.

 

The second female lead was supposed to temporarily move away and after the female lead hastily leaves, she should reveal a smirk at her back.

 

But what happens?

 

Jasmine's breakdown by magnifying a hundred times, is so intense that it directly breaks down Tang Wen, who plays the second female lead, emotionally. She couldn't control herself and rushes forward, from behind, she hugs the female lead: "Baby, listen to my explanation."

 

Everyone in the scene is ready to hear how she will explain!

 

Jasmine, with a bewildered look, stares at the slender white arms hugging her from behind. Wait, I'm the female lead, you're the second female lead, we are supposed to be best friends in the script, but you are causing so much trouble just to steal my boyfriend. What's the meaning of rushing to hug me now??? 

 

Baby...Who's your baby anyway?

 

Jasmine turns expressionless, intending to make her sober.

 

The male lead and male second lead rush out from different directions.

 

"Let go, stay away from her!"

 

"After doing such a thing, what else do you have to say? What else do you want?"

 

...

...

 

Jasmine looks at the three of them, unable to help turning her head to the director and screenwriter—

 

"Did you change the script behind my back?"

 

The first and second male leads, as well as the second female lead, finally come to their senses, realizing they were acting, and apologize simultaneously: "Oh sorry, I got too into the scene."

 

"Sorry."

 

Before Jasmine can forgive, the first and second male leads focus on the second female lead again—

 

"Why did you act like that when you got into character?"

 

"Why did you rush to hug my girlfriend? Do you think you're the male lead?"

 

The second female lead: ...

 

Damn it. How can I explain that I actually consider you Idiot as a rival?

 

At this critical moment, the director steps in: "Forget it, let's do it again. Both male actors, restrain yourselves and don't rush forward, this part is not for you. Tang Wen, the same goes for you, did the script tell you to explain? What do you want to explain?"

 

"...Sorry."

 

"Go back to your positions, let's start over."

 

Filming was smooth during the sweet scenes, but after the plot took a sharp turn, the shooting progress dragged on. It wasn't due to actors' lack of cooperation; they were all very dedicated, waking up at four or five in the morning to prepare, sometimes filming until eleven or twelve at night.

 

Just because when Jasmine became sad, the whole crew felt it, and everyone had to be dragged into that emotional state. Many times, a short scene took half a day or a full day to shoot.

 

It was truly tough, and the director, screenwriter, and even Ben, who had been paid millions, surprisingly felt relieved.

 

Upon learning that Jasmine didn't want to objectify herself in this drama and was transitioning, everyone felt sad, thinking it was over. But now, it seems like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. Her melancholy is too too too strong, incredibly infectious, which shines through in this movie.

 

The sweet parts will make you smile uncontrollably like an aunt.

 

When it gets sour or bitter, it grips the audience's hearts, making them feel anxious, sad, and even shedding tears like rain.

 

Isn't a youth film supposed to make you both laugh and cry?

 

It's great that the anguish and sorrow feel so genuine, without characters looking indifferent to life or death situations, the director believes he has succeeded.

 

Last time, while chatting with friends, they criticized Jasmine for abandoning her major advantage of objectifying roles and blindly transitioning, which revitalized Director Lin. It also gave Jasmine a fresh start.

 

He said she might have grown tired of portraying objectified characters and wanted to try something new.

 

As it turns out, she was still very successful.

 

Close friend: ...?

 

You're just saying everything, whether good or bad.

 

"Why are you suddenly so confident? Aren't you worried about the box office failing?"

 

"I can't spoil too much, but this movie is very interesting."

 

"In which way?"

 

"Um... I remember you being not emotional, right? You never cry no matter what you watch."

 

"Yes, after so many years of watching movies, I can count on one hand the ones that made me cry. I lack empathy and rarely shed tears for others' misfortunes."

 

"This movie will definitely make you cry."

 

"So confident?"

 

"You don't know how strong Jasmine's tragic appeal is, working with her and the other actors every day, it's easy to get lost in the scenes. Sometimes, even I forget I'm the director."

 

The director is reflecting, and Ben is seriously reflecting on himself. It seems that all the choices the lady boss made were reasonable, and blindly questioning them was wrong.

 

Initially, he wasn't interested in this youth film genre, thinking it was just a group of fools complaining about non-existent problems. What life or death issues could teenagers have at thirteen?

 

A breakup causes a heart attack? ( ´◔︎ ‸◔︎`)

 

In reality, once it's over, it's over, and you can always find someone else as long as you have good conditions.

 

After observing a few scenes on set, Ben slapped himself.

 

He made up his mind to mobilize the entire circle of friends to watch the movie when it's released, letting those who have always been carefree since childhood and never seriously dated experience the sweetness of first love.

 

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

 

Female actress 2: Baby, don't cry, let me explain!

 

Male actor 1: You are Yokai! Why do you have so much drama? This is my baby; if she listen, it's listen to my explain.