Becoming a Movie Star, System Only Finished Loading After Ten Years

"The director is here, the director is here!"

When Qi Hao arrived, almost everyone else was already there; there were not many people these days who could keep him waiting.

As for the producer, An Feng, they arrived together with Qi Hao.

After meeting, the two briefly caught up on each other's family situations and became even more unabashed.

At worst, they'd just get caught by the reporters.

Qi Hao thought, even if An Feng took him back to meet the family now, Ms. Liu might just grudgingly accept it.

"Hello everyone!"

Some were familiar faces, some not so much. Since the groundbreaking ceremony wasn't open to the public, Qi Hao had no particular demands for the actors to attend.

Only those scheduled to film today needed to come.

However, everyone still honored Qi Hao's face, especially the young actors, most of whom showed up.

"To be honest, I don't recognize some of you here."

Qi Hao wasn't pretending to be polite; if he didn't recognize them, he didn't, and that wasn't his fault for not being perceptive. It was mainly because many had just started their careers, or had been around but hadn't made a name yet.

Now was the time to get acquainted.

"This is Jin Jia, who's acted in 'Love Apartment'. Li Jiahang referred them..."

Yang Liu was responsible for introducing them to Qi Hao, as she was now the on-site producer.

Last year's 'Love Apartment' was quite popular and made many young actors well-known.

Of course, being "popular" was relative.

At Qi Hao's level, unless something caught his eye, it wasn't enough to make him pay much attention.

Besides, this Jin Jia couldn't command too high a pay.

To secure a role in Qi Hao's new film, Jin not only traveled far to the capital for auditions, but even got Li Jiahang, a fellow 'Love Apartment' actor, to speak on his behalf.

Additionally, Chen He from the same group was actively vying for a role in the film.

Chen He, born in '85, met the group's '82~'90 requirement.

However, for some reason, Chen was passed over during the audition phase.

Qi Hao knew why.

Although Chen He had fully reaped the benefits from 'Love Apartment' and was one of its most popular actors, both Yang Liu and Lu Yang, who oversaw casting, felt he was too flashy.

He didn't fit the high school student image at all.

Instead, Jin Jia managed to successfully get a substitute role as an important supporting character.

Even though it's a supporting role, this is a big film, different from TV, and when TV actors transition to films, it generally boosts their status.

"This is Du Jiang, also an '85-er and from the Shanghai Theatre Academy."

"This is Lin Gengxin, born in '88, also from the Shanghai Theatre Academy."

"This is Lei Jiayin, born in '83, also from the Shanghai Theatre Academy."

Why are they all from the Shanghai Theatre Academy...

Qi Hao felt like he'd stumbled upon a nest of Shanghai Theatre graduates.

His previous film had already employed many from Shanghai Theatre, and this time, it seemed like they were all from there.

These four had their unique traits, and Qi Hao didn't need to check their profiles; he could directly match them to the roles they'd play.

This showed that casting was very successful.

"Zhao Liying, you know her."

Zhao Liying had a cameo in 'Lost on Journey', and now she had landed the second female lead, even though her scenes weren't particularly heavy. Still, it was a decent return in terms of networking for her.

A skyscraper begins from the ground up; success comes step by step.

"Most of you have a formal education in this field, so I won't say much more. There's just one thing I want to tell you all."

Qi Hao gave a pre-shoot pep talk.

He trusted his team with casting and wouldn't make arbitrary changes based on personal preferences.

Everyone perked up when they heard this from him.

Joining Qi Hao's projects truly offered a chance to soar; just look at Li Jiahang, who played a modest role, yet now had numerous film projects reaching out to him.

'Love Apartment' couldn't achieve such an effect.

If Qi Hao hadn't decided to skip the cast from 'First Love' for this project, Li Jiahang might have been willing to act for free.

"We're making a youth campus film, and there might be a misconception that such films don't require acting skills. Let me make it clear upfront, I don't know what acting is, but if anyone's performance feels out of place, I'll replace them directly, since the contract doesn't include much penalty fees anyway."

This was merely a scare tactic.

The cost of replacing an actor in a production wasn't about the penalty fees, but having to reshoot all scenes involving that actor.

But anyone could talk tough.

"Director, don't worry, we'll put our all into the performance."

The speaker was Lei Jiayin, whose head was visibly larger than others, playing the main character's best friend, Xie Minghe.

Xie Minghe in the script was a chubby guy, known as a "master of love among the heavyweights," with a more mature personality.

After graduating from middle school, the female lead got into college, and during her college years learned that the lead couple had quarreled. Xie Minghe decided to take advantage of the situation and confessed to the female lead. He successfully courted her, but due to differences in personality, they eventually broke up not long after.

Lei Jiayin was not excessively fat, at least not to the extent of two hundred pounds; he was just a bit swollen. Besides, he was relatively older and not very attractive, making him look older than Qi Hao.

Qi Hao was actually two years older than him, but he looked two or three years older than Qi Hao.

"OK, everyone, get ready. Let's do a small ceremony first, then start shooting immediately. If we work well together this time, maybe we'll have a chance to collaborate again in the future."

It seemed like he was painting a rosy picture, but this was exactly what everyone was waiting for him to say.

Ambitious people might not have much interest in campus romance films; they hoped to be in films that could win awards and prove their abilities.

And Qi Hao was precisely a director who could handle both commercial and artistic films.

Lei Jiayin especially hoped to make films with Qi Hao.

While everyone was waiting for the shoot to begin, he saw that Qi Hao had some free time and brazenly went over.

Younger folks just don't measure up.

Such a good opportunity, and yet one by one they act all reserved.

Look at him, he comes right over and offers a cigarette.

Even if you don't smoke, it's no problem; he just takes a small stool and sits next to the director to chat about movies.

First, they talked about "First Love," to smoothly chat about the topic.

Not only did he watch "First Love" twice, but he also found and watched all movies of the same genre.

After chatting about movies for a while, they quickly started talking about life.

Although Qi Hao knew the other party was trying to get some face time with him, he didn't mind.

Because he himself had come up this way back in the day.

As long as there is even a sliver of opportunity, you must seize it wholeheartedly.

Helping the director with cigarettes, work, holding umbrellas...

Qi Hao didn't have any background; otherwise, why would the opportunity fall on him?

Lei Jiayin soon opened up like a tumbling bean spilling its secrets.

He was born in '83 and is now 27; his path in the entertainment industry has been suffocatingly rough.

The role in his first TV show, "Charming Heroine of the Martial World," was so minor that even friends would say, "Wait, is that you?"

From starting out in 2004 until now, he hasn't really played any breakout roles.

He's acted in films, TV shows, and stage plays; he's been to big and small events, but you almost can't find his name in the news.

This kind of long-term invisibility is very much like the lead of "Steel Piano," Wang Qianyuan, so he wants to join Qi Hao's "pirate ship."

"Such a big pressure, do you have a partner?"

Lately, Qi Hao is dating someone, so he's interested in the topic.

"Yes, I have a partner. We're about to get married. My partner is my university classmate..."

Lei Jiayin's partner has a good family background and has often treated him to meals since they started dating, always finding reasons to put money into his account.

"Uh, didn't see that you had quite the charm."

Qi Hao scrutinized Lei Jiayin, completely unable to see where the charm lay.

This guy can't be called ugly, just plain looking.

He's in the same category as Wang Baoqiang, Huang Bo, and Sun Honglei.

"After graduation, we went our separate ways."

"Broke up?"

This is the kind of plot that's popular and delightful; long-distance relationships are the most unreliable thing out there.

Especially long-distance relationships after university graduation.

One in Shen City, the other in Jinling, it's a vast distance between them.

Although Qi Hao never attended college, he's heard of numerous college students being crazy in love in school but seldom achieving a happy ending in real life, usually breaking up.

"No, no, it's exactly because we didn't break up that I must give my all to ensure her happiness."

Lei Jiayin was taken aback, quickly denying it.

He seemed to have an illusion that the director was rather keen to see them break up.

After graduation, Lei Jiayin entered the Shanghai Theatre Academy Art Center for work, while his partner went to Jinling.

Lei Jiayin's salary wasn't high, but his partner had already appeared in films and TV dramas, especially leaving a strong impression in "Golden Armor Warrior."

Not only did they not break up, but his partner often sent him money.

"Does your partner love you that much?"

With your looks, not only has the long-distance relationship not ended, but she keeps buying you this and that — it's "precision poverty alleviation."

It's simply too outrageous.

"Yes, she even proposed to me this year. We're planning to get married in the second half of the year!"

Lei Jiayin originally just wanted to talk about life, but somehow it turned into showing off his happy life.

This year, his partner is 25 and eager to start a family with him and proposed to him, which made him grateful yet feel particularly uncomfortable.

Can't afford a house, can't organize a wedding, can't give a dowry, how could he marry her?

However, neither his partner nor her parents mind.

They're even okay with getting married while renting a place.

"Actually proposed to you and doesn't ask for anything, your future mother-in-law is something else!"

Qi Hao felt a toothache.

Yep, feeling envious.

An Feng was not far away, directing everyone to set up the things needed for the opening ceremony, and upon hearing Qi Hao's words, she really wanted to go over and kick his butt.

Envious of someone else's in-laws? Do you want to change in-laws or change your girlfriend?

"Mainly the girlfriend..."

Lei Jiayin inexplicably felt a chill down his back.

"Ahem, being together is all that matters. Treat her well in the future; don't start thinking about changing your wife once you become famous!"

Qi Hao also realized that their conversation had been overheard by An Feng.

"I'm not an ungrateful person."

Lei Jiayin seemed to be talking about his girlfriend, but in fact, he was subtly showing loyalty.

If you support me, I absolutely won't be ungrateful.

After chatting for a while, the opening ceremony for "Those Years" was about to start.

"Daoist Master, come and wield a sword!"

Qi Hao called out and saw Daoist Suiyun with four juniors, chatting enthusiastically with a field worker.

Judging by his beaming smile, he was probably asking around about which massage parlor offers the most comfortable foot massages.