161: Chapter 162 Life as an Extra (Part 1)

Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow.

Good grief, he understood what that meant.

Unfortunately...

"I won't be getting involved in this."

With one plan failing, Yi Wei tested the waters again: "Since you don't have any suitable recommendations, I'll arrange for open auditions. However, I would like to ask you to participate in the casting process and perhaps offer some guidance on where we might be falling short."

Chen Sheng raised his eyebrow again.

No way! He understood this meaning instantly too.

Chen Sheng quickly waved his hands: "Please, don't. I'm a layman; I shouldn't be guiding the experts. Director Yi, you should make the decision yourself."

Tempting as it was, when it came down to actually doing it, Chen Sheng still didn't dare.

Seeing Chen Sheng decline twice, Yi Wei thought for a moment and spoke again: "Since you are unwilling to participate in the casting, I will go ask other investors. However, I have a small favor to ask, and I hope you will agree."

"Feel free to say it. If I can help, I certainly won't refuse."

"After the actress for the second female lead is chosen in a few days, I would like to invite you to visit the set." Yi Wei explained: "Due to funding issues recently, the whole crew is feeling anxious. Inviting you is also a hope to use your name to stabilize morale."

Chen Sheng thought about it and nodded: "That's fine, but please make it quick. I have other matters to attend to on my end."

"Three days, three days at most," Yi Wei promised.

"Alright! Once you've got it sorted, Director Yi, just give me a call."

Yi Wei looked at his phone: "Chen Sheng, there's a Hunan restaurant not far ahead. The food is good, and it's getting late. Why don't we head over there now?"

"Thank you for the invitation, Director Yi, but I'll skip the meal. I slept poorly last night and I really don't have an appetite. Next time, I'll treat."

After a bit more back-and-forth, Yi Wei realized that Chen Sheng genuinely wanted to go back and sleep, so he took the initiative to call the waiter and pay the bill.

With that, their meeting officially concluded.

After parting ways, Chen Sheng did exactly as he had told Yi Wei; he went straight back to the hotel, collapsed into bed, and slept until his stomach was rumbling like thunder, at which point he woke up satisfied.

Next, naturally, was hunting for food.

As a film and television base, Hengdian was certainly not lacking in various delicacies. Just the street snacks alone were enough for Chen Sheng to reward his aggrieved stomach.

After satisfying his hunger, Chen Sheng didn't return to the hotel. Instead, he found a music bar, asked the bartender to mix a weak drink, found a high stool to sit on, and sat there sipping his drink while quietly watching the performance on stage.

Perhaps because this was Hengdian, gathering a large number of dream chasers, the music bars here had many more performers compared to Shu City.

Most likely, they were hoping to find that "Bo Le" who could discover a "steed" (talented person) through this method.

Honestly, they all sang quite well.

However, there was one thing that deserved a bad review.

Why was it that when Brother Chao went to a bar, young women would ask him to treat them to a "lonely night," while he had sat in the bar for almost an hour, and not a single person had come to strike up a conversation?

In terms of looks, Chen Sheng asked himself, he was only a tiny bit worse off than the readers, while Brother Chao... saying that if you threw him into a crowd you wouldn't be able to find him for a while was not an exaggeration at all.

As for financial power, one had a net worth of seven figures, while the other wore underwear that cost nine-point-nine for ten pairs; the two were completely incomparable.

He really couldn't figure out where he had lost.

Just as he couldn't figure out why those "ghost fire" youths riding modified motorcycles through the streets at night never lacked women on their back seats, while those steady men earning thousands or even tens of thousands a month were forced to join the two-dimensional world.

Unable to figure it out, Chen Sheng shook his head and sighed as he walked out of the bar. He took out his phone, made a video call to An Xiaonuan, and then toured Hengdian online with her.

He also mentioned that he had been invited to visit a film crew and would need to stay a few more days.

The next day arrived. At 4:30 AM, the alarm he had set went off. Chen Sheng did a carp leap and jumped out of bed, quickly washed up, grabbed his phone and other items, and headed out.

He casually bought a fried dough stick by the roadside for breakfast, swallowed a couple of bites, scanned a shared bike, and according to the information he had gathered yesterday, quickly rushed to a small square that was already packed with people.

Every morning, so-called "extras coordinators" would come to this small square to select extras according to the film crews' requirements.

And the people currently in the small square were the extras waiting to be chosen.

He had previously watched many videos about the daily life of extras online and had long wanted to experience it. It just so happened that he had come to Hengdian this time...

So, today, he was here to be an extra.

Arriving at the small square, he returned the shared bike. With a pack of cigarettes in his hand, Chen Sheng naturally blended into a small group that was chatting. "Hey brothers, have a smoke."

After handing out cigarettes to everyone, Chen Sheng explained his intention: "Brothers, I'm here in Hengdian for some business. I have a two or three-day gap, so I thought I'd experience the life of an extra. I don't know if there are any particular rules or taboos for extras."

As the saying goes, cigarettes pave the way and alcohol builds bridges. Smoking Chen Sheng's cigarettes, even though Chen Sheng was a stranger, everyone's attitude was very friendly.

After Chen Sheng explained his purpose, an older man immediately replied with a smile: "There are no rules for being an extra. Once you get to the set, you run however they tell you to run, and you stay in whatever area they tell you to stay in."

"As for taboos, there are quite a few. Like, don't say things you shouldn't, don't ask things you shouldn't, and don't crowd around the stars when there's nothing going on..."

"Anyway, just remember three words: 'Follow orders.' The crew has specific Staff Members who manage the extras. Whatever the Staff Member says, you do. That way, you won't have any problems."

Seeing that everyone had finished their cigarettes in a few puffs, Chen Sheng quickly passed around another round, then asked: "Thanks for the explanation, brother. I don't know what the process is for getting a gig here?"

"That's even simpler." The older man pointed to the southwest corner of the square. "That exit over there—if a film crew needs extras, an extras coordinator will come here to recruit people. The coordinator will stand there and shout. If you want to act, you just squeeze over and sign up. Once they have enough people, the coordinator will take them away in a vehicle."

"One more question. I heard that the extras coordinator takes a cut. How is that paid?"

The older man waved his hand. "You don't need to worry about that. The coordinator's cut is handled directly with the crew. When the coordinator recruits people, they will quote a price. Whatever the price is, that's what it is. If you think it's reasonable, you go..."

Just then, a Jinbei minivan drove into the square. The older man quickly pointed at the van to signal Chen Sheng to look: "There, that's an extras coordinator coming to recruit people."

Chen Sheng looked in the direction indicated and saw the minivan stop quickly. As soon as it stopped, the rear sliding door was opened, and a bald middle-aged man climbed out holding a loudspeaker.

When the bald middle-aged man came out, the previously noisy square instantly fell silent.

The bald middle-aged man was obviously used to this. After getting off, he immediately switched on the loudspeaker and shouted: "Qing Dynasty drama, need maids and eunuchs, five of each, 230 a day. Experienced people only."

No sooner had the bald man finished speaking than the previously quiet square instantly became noisy again.

"Me, me, me, me, I have experience."

"Pick me, pick me, I played a eunuch in 'Palace' before."

...

In just a few moments, ten extras were selected by the bald middle-aged man. After herding them all into the minivan, he stepped on the gas, and the van quickly drove away from the square.

After watching this casting session, Chen Sheng withdrew his gaze. Seeing that the cigarettes in the small group's hands were almost finished, he quickly took out his cigarettes and handed everyone another one. "Brothers, I won't disturb you anymore. I'm going to look around elsewhere."

Seeing Chen Sheng about to leave, a dark-skinned man spoke up: "Young man, you're new here. Just keep an eye out for film crews that need a lot of extras. Although the pay is a little lower, it's much easier."

Chen Sheng cupped his hands in thanks: "Thanks."

After saying goodbye to this small group, Chen Sheng quickly blended into another small group that was chatting and messing around. Again, using cigarettes to pave the way, he asked about the things extras needed to pay attention to.

Then he found another small group and repeated the same actions until the three packs of cigarettes he had in his pocket were almost gone; only then did Chen Sheng stop.

One thing was that everyone said more or less the same thing: the main point was just to follow orders. The other was that a film crew, which everyone strongly recommended for beginners, came to recruit people.

"War drama, need 50 cannon fodder, 150 a day. If you want to come, be quick. Once it's full, we leave."

After hearing the extras coordinator's requirements, Chen Sheng quickly squeezed into the crowd, waved his hand, and shouted: "Me, me, me, me..."