Chapter 47: Audition—Those Who Have Stood the Test of Time

After returning from Venice, Chen Ling immediately took several crew members to scout filming locations. For a road movie, the route is truly the soul of the film and of utmost importance.

Mount Tianmen, Dali—these places all had to be visited in person, with Dali being especially critical, as many key plot points would unfold there.

It took a full week to finalize the filming route, and that was with Chen Zhixi already having prepared alternatives and Chen Ling himself having a visual concept in mind. Otherwise, it would have taken even longer.

…

On the morning of September 15, a crowd had gathered outside the meeting room of Chen Ling Pictures.

These celebrities, who often appeared on film and television, were lined up in a long queue in the corridor today.

They had all come to audition for roles in the film “Breakup Buddies.” Although the leads had already been cast, the supporting roles up for audition were just as exciting in the script. Moreover, the director was the up-and-coming commercial filmmaker Chen Ling, and among the producers were three giants: Enlight Media, Wanda, and China Film Group.

The high quality of the project was a powerful draw for the actors.

Inside the meeting room, the auditions were being hosted by Director Chen Ling and Producer Chen Zhixi. At the door was Chen Ling’s newly hired assistant, maintaining order and calling out numbers.

This round of auditions was divided by gender, starting with the male actors.

The female roles were saved for later—after all, this was a racy, comedic road film with many beautiful women, so the best was being saved for last.

Among the male actors auditioning, several were personally selected by Chen Ling, and they had all shown up.

In fact, these roles didn’t really require auditions, but Chen Ling wanted to experience the process. Last time, he’d just cast classmates and never held auditions—now, as a rising director, he wanted to savor the experience.

To taste the joy of being a director, to try his hand at shaping actors—just the thought was exhilarating.

Uncle Shen Teng, still relatively young, was exceedingly respectful to Chen Ling and showed his high emotional intelligence. Lei Jiayin, who had just graduated but looked over thirty, impressed everyone with his strong regional accent and quick wit.

Shen Teng had come straight from the Happy Mahua stage troupe, while Lei Jiayin had taken time off from Ning Hao’s “Guns and Roses” crew.

The “Breakup Buddies” crew planned to start shooting in late September or early October, by which time Director Ning should have wrapped up as well. The schedule would work out.

“Tell Director Ning to shoot your scenes first,” Chen Ling managed to say to Lei Jiayin, barely suppressing his laughter. It wasn’t that he was easily amused—Lei Jiayin’s performance was genuinely hilarious.

Chen Zhixi, sitting beside him, was also thoroughly entertained, a smile still lingering on her lips. Auditioning comedic actors was pure joy.

“Will do! Thank you, Director Chen, thank you, Producer Chen.” Lei Jiayin, realizing he’d landed the role, thanked them enthusiastically.

After Lei Jiayin, the auditions shifted to mainly female roles—finally, the moment Chen Ling had been eagerly awaiting.

The first actress to enter was Liu Yan, the leading hostess recommended by Enlight Media—a stunning beauty.

“Hello, Director Chen, hello, Producer Chen. My name is Liu Yan. Today, I’m auditioning for Siqing and Sasha.” One role was the long-legged beauty, the other a voluptuous bar hostess.

As Enlight Media’s star hostess, Liu Yan had the looks and figure for both roles. Clearly, she had come well-prepared for this audition: a short khaki trench coat paired with high heels, her long, bare legs even more eye-catching without stockings—though perhaps a touch on the thick side.

“Go ahead and start your performance,” Chen Ling said. Even before her audition began, he had already decided—unless her performance was subpar, one of the two roles would go to her.

She fit the bill physically and was recommended by Enlight, plus she had the benefit of hindsight on her side. Chen Ling always felt a special affinity for those who’d stood the test of time.

Liu Yan’s preparation showed; her audition went extremely well.

“Your Northeastern dialect is impressive. Go back, study the script carefully, and keep your schedule open.” After weighing the auditions, Chen Ling assigned her the role of Sasha. Her Northeastern accent was spot on—a remarkable feat for someone from Changsha.

For actors who fit the part, Chen Ling made decisions on the spot. For those who didn’t, he’d tell them directly, so no one wasted time waiting for news.

Liu Yan hadn’t expected to land a role so easily; she was visibly excited. At this time, Liu Yan was still relatively unknown, not even a third-tier actress. To land a supporting role in Chen Ling’s film was already a rare opportunity.

After Liu Yan left, the next two people to enter surprised Chen Ling—it was a pair audition.

“Why are they here?” Chen Ling whispered to Chen Zhixi.

The two were familiar to Chen Ling: Zhang Yishan and Yang Zi, freshmen at Beijing Film Academy and former child stars from “Home with Kids.” He’d met them at school and they’d greeted him before.

“I contacted them,” Chen Zhixi whispered back, covering her mouth. “I noticed you didn’t have anyone in mind for these two roles. I thought they’d be perfect for the ‘Shamate’ girl and her boyfriend. They’d make a great promotional hook.”

Chen Ling thought about it and agreed—Zhixi had considered everything. He hadn’t found anyone suitable for those roles, and the two actors’ previous show was also a comedy, fitting the film’s style.

“Hello, Director Chen, hello, Producer Chen,” the two greeted politely.

“Since you’re auditioning as the ‘Shamate’ couple, just go ahead with the scene together—it’s only a few lines,” Chen Ling instructed, wanting to see their chemistry and if they could handle the big screen.

“Alright. Should we use props?” Zhang Yishan asked, scratching his head and grinning mischievously.

“Props? What kind of props?” Chen Ling’s interest was piqued, curious to see what tricks they had up their sleeves.

Zhang Yishan calmly pulled two gaudy wigs from his backpack.

Brilliant! They’d come prepared with full-on ‘Shamate’ hairstyles—truly dedicated!

Clearly, all the auditionees today had come ready to impress.

Donning the colorful wigs and backed by solid acting, Chen Ling had no reason to refuse.

“Go home, study the script, and make sure to get permission from your teachers.”

“Thank you, Director Chen, thank you, Producer Chen!” they exclaimed happily, grateful for the opportunity.

Transitioning from television to film requires a catalyst. Even a supporting role like this was a rare chance.

After their audition, the rest of the entrants were all actresses—none as unexpected as Zhang Yishan, but the remaining roles were all but decided.