Chapter 95 Audition (Part Two)

It was 3:30 PM when the final auditioner pushed the door open and entered.

The person who arrived was Wang Jinsong.

To cast the role of "Professor Chen," the mad scientist who guides the female lead in exploring the limits of the human brain, the production department of Shanghai Film Group had screened every veteran actor in the country within that age range.

Wang Jinsong wore a well-tailored gray suit, silver-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, and possessed a lean figure. He carried a thermos in his hand, his gait composed and unhurried.

"Greetings, teachers. I am auditioning for Professor Chen," Wang Jinsong said, placing the thermos on the edge of the long table. His voice was gentle and clear.

Huang Jianxin nodded. "Jinsong, this scene is Professor Chen's major lecture in a university auditorium. You need to explain the cell division mechanism to the scholars below, while simultaneously proposing the hypothesis of developing 100% of the human brain. It's a long professional monologue; begin when you are ready."

Wang Jinsong made no unnecessary movements; he simply raised his hand and gently pushed up his glasses.

His demeanor changed in an instant.

The gentle, civil-servant vibe faded, replaced by an unfathomable academic authority and a fanaticism hidden deep within his rationality.

"Life has only two choices."

Wang Jinsong spoke. His pacing was excellent, and his articulation was so clear that he could be heard perfectly without any recording equipment—a clear sign of his theatrical training.

He paced slowly in the center of the room, his gaze sweeping across the empty space in front of him as if hundreds of top scholars were truly sitting there.

"When the survival environment is harsh, cells choose immortality to resist external threats. But when the environment is suitable, they choose to reproduce, passing information on to the next generation."

He stopped, resting his hands on an imaginary podium, leaning forward slightly.

"Currently, the human brain is only 10% developed. We have used this 10% to create human civilization."

Wang Jinsong's voice gradually lowered, carrying a bewitching magic. In the eyes behind his lenses, the rationality of a scholar was being slowly devoured by curiosity about the unknown.

"If developed to 20%, humans will possess absolute control over their bodies. At 40%, they will be able to control surrounding matter. But what if... it is developed to 100%?"

He scanned the room, finally fixing his gaze with extreme precision on Director Jiang Ning's face.

A smile curled at the corners of his mouth—a smile so pure it was bone-chilling.

"I do not know. But I am willing to trade my life for the chance to catch a glimpse of that dimension."

What does a sci-fi film fear most? It fears long, theoretical explanations that make the audience feel bored.

But Wang Jinsong, relying solely on his terrifyingly good line delivery and the fanaticism in his eyes, managed to turn a scientific monologue into the tension of a suspense thriller. This didn't need any visual effects assistance; he stood there alone, and he was persuasion itself.

"Cut." Huang Jianxin let out a long sigh and took the lead in clapping twice. "Extremely brilliant. Jinsong, thank you for your hard work."

At 4:00 PM sharp, the doors to the rehearsal hall were locked tight.

The auditions were over. In the vast space, only four people remained: Director Jiang Ning, Huang Jianxin, Gu Changwei, and Ju Qihong. Assistant Tang Ying came in quietly to change the pot of hot tea before retreating.

The atmosphere at the judges' table was no longer as serious as before; everyone relaxed, leaning back in their chairs.

"We've seen everyone, let's review," Huang Jianxin said, opening the summary sheet in front of him. "Let's decide on Professor Chen first. Although this role doesn't have as much screen time as the antagonist, it is the anchor point for the film's entire worldview."

"Wang Jinsong." Gu Changwei didn't hesitate at all, giving the name immediately.

This veteran cinematographer picked up his teacup to moisten his throat. "His eyes are just right. That scholar's obsession with the truth. Plus, his vocal conditions are excellent. There will definitely be a massive amount of visual effects in the post-production; when the screen is exploding with information, you need an extremely stable, penetrating voice to lead the audience. He can hold the stage."

Ju Qihong nodded in agreement from the side. "His appearance fits, too. Lean, ascetic; it perfectly balances the aggressive, explosive power of Shishi, creating a dynamic of stillness and movement."

Director Jiang Ning had no objections.

"Then we'll settle on Teacher Wang." Director Jiang Ning drew a heavy checkmark on Wang Jinsong's profile. "His performance with those long, extensive neurobiology lines was truly impeccable."

"Professor Chen is decided. Now for the biggest headache: the antagonist, Zhang Hua." Huang Jianxin pulled out the two profiles for Wang Qianyuan and Wu Zhenyu, placing them side-by-side on the table.

"These two men gave performances in two completely different dimensions. Qianyuan is solid; Zhenyu is manic. The scores are extremely close."

Huang Jianxin looked at Director Jiang Ning. "Little Jiang, you are the director; the overall rhythm of this film is in your head. What kind of opponent do you want to balance against your female lead?"

Director Jiang Ning put down her pen, not rushing to express her opinion, but instead casting her gaze toward the whiteboard across from her.

"The female lead played by Shishi will have her humanity stripped away bit by bit as her brain development increases. She will lose fear, lose sadness, and eventually become an absolutely rational existence, bordering on a deity."

Director Jiang Ning turned her head to look at the seniors.

"To balance this absolute rationality, the antagonist absolutely cannot be someone equally calm. He must be an extreme."

"Teacher Wang Qianyuan's performance just now was like a wolf. Restrained, fierce, calculating before acting. If this were a crime thriller, he would be the perfect ruthless criminal."

Director Jiang Ning tapped Wu Zhenyu's profile.

"But what Wu Zhenyu gave was a mad dog. You never know if he's going to smile at you the next second or bite your throat out. The more god-like the female lead is, the more the antagonist must resemble a beast completely devoured by desire and greed. Only this kind of extreme chaos can create the strongest dramatic conflict with the female lead, both visually and psychologically."

Ju Qihong tapped the table in agreement. "And considering the setting is in Hong Kong, Wu Zhenyu's localization advantage is too obvious. He doesn't need to act intentionally; just put on those clothes and stand on the streets of Kowloon, and he is that local thug. This is extremely important for creating a sense of realism in the film."

"What about Wu Zhenyu's schedule and salary..." Huang Jianxin looked at Director Jiang Ning; this was the issue the production coordinator was most concerned about. The salaries of Hong Kong's A-list stars were always the biggest chunk of the crew's budget.

"Teacher Huang, the one thing Lemon Pictures isn't short of this time is money. Pay him his highest market rate. What I want is cinematic quality; I'm not going to nickel and dime over petty change."

Huang Jianxin laughed heartily upon hearing this. "Alright, with that said, I'll have the production department contact Emperor Entertainment to finalize the contract immediately."

Gu Changwei looked at Wang Qianyuan's profile, which had been left aside, and sighed with some regret. "It's just a pity for Qianyuan. That scene where he ate the steak without any props really showed his skill. It's rare to find such a grounded actor in the mainland these years."

Director Jiang Ning tapped her fingers on the table twice, quickly reviewing the supporting character arcs in the script in her mind.

"Teacher Gu, it's not a pity."

Director Jiang Ning pulled out Wang Qianyuan's profile and placed it in front of herself.

"In the script, besides Professor Chen and Zhang Hua, there is another extremely important arc. The Interpol captain who tracks the transnational smuggling case all the way and ultimately watches the female lead ascend."

Director Jiang Ning looked at Gu Changwei. "This policeman represents the perspective of an ordinary human. He needs extremely strong composure, a stubborn resilience to the bone, to avoid breaking down when facing the double pressure of a deity and a gangster. The extremely grounded, realistic feel that Teacher Wang Qianyuan possesses makes him a perfect match to play this policeman."

Huang Jianxin was stunned for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed.

"You girl, you really are someone who plucks a feather from every goose that passes by. It seems you don't intend to let a single good actor who came to audition today get away."

"Good actors are hard to come by. As long as he is willing to take the role, I'm happy to even add two more scenes for the policeman in the script," Director Jiang Ning answered righteously.

Female lead Shishi, antagonist Wu Zhenyu, scholar Wang Jinsong, police officer Wang Qianyuan. Paired with the golden supporting cast of Shanghai Film Group.

This cast lineup, placed in the 2011 Chinese film market, could be called an extremely luxurious, top-tier configuration in terms of both acting depth and commercial appeal.