Arc 1: Part 52
Director Zhang called for a halt irritably, "Ji Yu, your tone is off. Adjust it."
Before Lan Shuer could take a breath, he barked again, "And Lan Shuer, where are you hiding? I've seen plenty of camera hogs, but you're the first I've seen who runs into the corners where the camera can't capture!"
Tong Su glanced up, her eyes filled with mockery as they landed on Lan Shuer.
Lan Shuer felt as if a block had lodged in her throat, her face growing pale in anger. She wanted to say, it was clearly Xi Tong Su who had stolen her limelight just now!
But she didn't dare to speak, on her face was forced politeness as she nodded, "Director Zhang, I'm sorry, I'll definitely do better."
They began the third take.
The dancer rose to her feet, her words taunting, "Your Royal Highness, the Princess, seems displeased. Indeed, the current emperor is your brother. With your brother's backing, it's quite different from us, the destitute ones."
Tong Su dismissed her with a glance, "So all the prince does all day is cavort with this sort of people?"
That look, filled with intense disdain, bore down on Lan Shuer like a great weight!
Lan Shuer trembled, for a moment she couldn't distinguish whether this was the play or reality; if it was the Princess's mockery of the singer or Xi Tong Su's contempt after seeing through her.
"Cut! Lan Shuer, what's up with your face? You're as pale as a corpse! Makeup artist, touch up her face now!"
Lan Shuer's eyes turned red, and she forcefully held back her emotions, clenching her fists tightly.
"Director Zhang, I was wrong. Please give me another chance."
The fourth take.
"Deposed Emperor, your legitimate wife is Ji Bai Zhu! Why are you having an affair with a dancer? She's just a plaything, you don't need to be so serious!"
The fifth take.
"Lan Shuer, what kind of tone is that! It's flat and monotonous, like you're just reading lines. Do it again!"
The sixth take.
"Lan Shuer! Mess up again and I'll replace you!"
The seventh take.
The eighth take.
The ninth take.
Suppressing his anger, Director Zhang glared harshly at Ji Yu and Lan Shuer, his voice full of impatience, "Take a ten-minute break!"
Director Zhang couldn't even be bothered to provide a reason anymore.
Ji Yu and Lan Shuer's faces turned beet red.
The overhead studio lights were blazing, yet nothing compared to the burning heat on their cheeks.
Lan Shuer couldn't pinpoint why, only that whenever she acted opposite Xi Tong Su, she felt constrained, as if she was continually being pressured and overshadowed.
In Tong Su's aura, she felt like a joke, always involuntarily making mistakes!
Their heavy costumes wrapped tightly around them, the heat unable to escape. Their backs felt sticky and itchy. Whether it was due to sweat gluing to their hair or the incredulous gazes from those around the set, it felt like sharp barbs pricking into their backs, causing them unease.
Even at this distance, they felt they could see surprise and mockery on the faces of others around them.
During their first scene, there were nine bloopers, and surprisingly, none of them were due to Xi Tong Su. They were all because of them!
Their tones, expressions, positioning in the shot...
Xi Tong Su seemed like someone born to live under the spotlights. Anytime the camera was on her, she naturally took control.
Yet they, even with their experience, appeared like toddlers learning to walk when in front of her, stumbling and making mistakes at every step!
A sense of indescribable panic even started to rise in Ji Yu's heart.
He had the nagging feeling that he was being overshadowed by Xi Tong Su!
It wasn't the kind of overpowering domination apparent to everyone, instead, it was a silent, bone-eating maggot-like invasion.
On camera, his performance looked standard, nothing seemed amiss. But when viewers watched, their attention would involuntarily be grabbed by Xi Tong Su, leaving barely any left for him.
What could be scarier than having no presence in a scene?
Without presence, it's impossible to garner attention — and that equals failure for an actor!
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