Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 435 - 436: Success is Not by Luck

Chapter 435: Chapter 436: Success is Not by Luck

The male actor "oh"ed abruptly, not knowing where to place his hands. This was his first time filming alone with He Jinxia.

He hadn’t felt the acting aura from He Jinxia that everyone talked about; all he knew was that he felt tremendous pressure when filming. The more he tried to do well, the worse he performed.

What was even more frustrating was that he had already memorized his lines, only to find himself tongue-tied when he looked into He Jinxia’s eyes.

Seeing him like this, He Jinxia took the initiative and said, "Shall I run lines with you?"

The male actor quickly nodded, "Yes!"

...

"High Energy Classroom" was already more than halfway through, with the first half focusing on educational drama that adopted a tough, convincing approach. As every student started to willingly focus on their studies, the time had come for the main events of the second half.

What is a TV drama if not full of twists and turns? It would be boring if the students just smoothly continued their studies. If that were to happen, the show could announce its finale tomorrow.

But "High Energy Classroom" still had a month of broadcasting left, and it couldn’t just end like that—especially since the ratings were so good. Therefore, the drama had to desperately stir up trouble.

In the first half, the focus was on He Jinxia’s battle of wits and courage with the students, centering on the school’s internals, which included various big events like art festivals and athletic meets. It was through participation in these events that the relationship between He Jinxia and the students gradually developed.

In the second half, the emphasis shifted to the relationship between the students and their families, with He Jinxia playing the role of mediator and helper.

And now, they were filming the family series for the student Wang Zhao.

For this reason, He Jinxia, in the first half, had the most demanding role and often had to work overtime for the filming.

But in the second half, the students had more scenes, and He Jinxia played more of an observer and a savior, reducing her on-screen time significantly.

He Jinxia might have been at ease, but the new generation actors playing the students were nervous.

Seeing that the break was almost over, He Jinxia encouraged him, "Acting may seem difficult, but in reality, it’s not. Not everyone is born knowing how to act; it requires practice, just like going to school, and has to be honed over time."

"Some people are naturally talented and pick things up quickly, but most people are average. So, how should they refine their acting skills?"

"That’s through more practicing, watching, and observing. Proficiency comes with experience. Things like positioning in front of the camera, voice-overs, and character movement can all be learned."

"And to be honest, your batch of actors has quite good potential. Although it’s your first time acting in a film, none of you have been afraid of the camera. Some stars couldn’t even bear to look into the camera at first."

"They spent a lot to overcome stage fright. In terms of starting points, you are already much stronger than those stars."

The actor playing Wang Zhao smiled wryly: "Senior, don’t praise me. I’m a senior at the drama university. If I still can’t face the camera after three years of training in school, then I really shouldn’t become an actor."

He paused, then said with some embarrassment, "When filming with a senior like you, I always feel that your performance is incredible, and I want to keep up with you, but no matter what, I can’t. I even feel awkward and nervous in front of you."

Although they had been filming together for a month, He Jinxia hadn’t had much individual interaction with them.

Previously, they filmed large scenes where a single setup could include five, six, or even a dozen or twenty students at a time—strength in numbers. He wasn’t as nervous then, but once he began filming alone, the problems became apparent.

He was scared.

He Jinxia was among the top actors in the second tier; her acting excellence was acknowledged by all. And he was a fresh graduate. Could someone like him really act alongside He Jinxia?

He Jinxia smiled and asked, "Want to hear about my acting story?"

The male actor was taken aback for a moment.

He Jinxia’s smile slightly faded as she reminisced, "You see me acting as if I’m really capable, but I’m not omnipotent, at least not among those with great natural talent.

"My very first role was in a movie, and at that time I always felt awkward in front of the camera, as if someone was staring at me; I was thinking about how I could look better on screen."

"When filming ’Chen Xiaohui, Charge Forward,’ I was also worried that I might mess up my performance because, if I flopped, I would have to leave the entertainment circle, so I forced myself to imitate other people’s expressions."

"In this scene, if I thought I needed to smile, I would practice with many scenes of female leads smiling in movies. If I thought I had to curse someone, then I would observe how people normally curse and even record videos to mimic them. If I thought I had to cry, I would watch the most classic crying scenes."

"That was my first time acting, and the pressure was huge. Even though I had successfully lost weight, if I didn’t perform well, I wouldn’t have a good way out, so I just forced myself to act. As I kept acting, I began to handle many scenes on my own."

"I want to tell you, unless you are a genius, everyone’s acting skills are honed step by step. It’s normal that you are not as good as I am in our scenes together because I have more experience.

"Don’t feel too much pressure. With diligent practice, you can reach my level of acting eventually. Just treat it as a learning experience and relax a little."

After He Jinxia finished speaking, the director called out to continue filming.

The male actor didn’t have time to thank her and quickly adjusted his posture facing the sea, his heart now much lighter than before.

"Scene 280, shot 1, action!"

He Jinxia, playing Deng Meili, moved the wine bottle in her hand to the side, also facing the sea, and suddenly, she felt inspired and recited a poem by Hai Zi.

"Starting tomorrow, I will be a happy person

Feed horses, chop wood, travel the world

Starting tomorrow, I will care about food and vegetables

I have a house, facing the sea, with spring flowers blooming..."

He Jinxia robustly recited "Facing the Sea, With Spring Blossoms" with proper cadence and inflections—after all, teaching for a few months made reciting poetry no challenge for her.

Wang Zhao, influenced by the happiness depicted in the poem, felt his spirits slightly lift from their previous low.

He turned his head, his lips parting slightly, looking a bit hesitant, but in the end, he still asked, "Teacher, does such a life really exist?"

Deng Meili didn’t even look at him, "Are you referring to other people or to yourself?"

Before he could answer, she continued, "It definitely exists for others. Your own misfortune doesn’t mean others can’t be happy, but I know that my own happiness can also exist."

Wang Zhao questioned, "Can I also have such happiness?"

Deng Meili turned to look at him and smiled, "Of course, everyone has the right to happiness, and happiness is something you have to earn for yourself, not something given by others. If you want happiness, then you have to create it for yourself."

Wang Zhao was perplexed, "How do I create it?"