Entertainment: You're asked to make a graduation project, but you're asked to film Ultrama

Chapter 5: The Casting Scene - Daigo and Rena

Jinghai Drama Academy, late at night.

The Light Chaser Studio was brightly lit.

The buzz surrounding the second episode was still building, and the private messages on Bilibili kept ringing. But Gu Nan wasn't just concerned with the data; he was also concerned with the direction of public opinion.

He clicked on a long review that had received many likes.

User [Veteran Actor's Thermos]:

"The director has solid skills, the special effects are excellent, the storyboarding is mature, and the script has depth. But to be fair, the actors are a bit inexperienced."

"Of course, 'young' doesn't refer to age. The male lead, Su Zhe, is genuinely handsome, with that classic old-school charm. But in the first two episodes, he seemed a bit too reserved, like he was shooting a photoshoot. The female lead is also very pretty, but her delivery of lines is a bit too... uh, like a 'broadcaster's voice,' sounding like the evening news. However, considering they're a university student team, their future looks promising."

Many people agreed with this comment.

[Indeed, Daigo is so handsome. Compared to today's fair-skinned internet celebrities, this older-style handsome man really brings back memories of classic Hong Kong films from the 80s and 90s.]

Lina is very pretty, but she seems too serious and lacks a bit of everyday life.

[They're still students, they haven't graduated yet, so their performance is quite good.]

Gu Nan looked at the screen, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

The audience's eyes are discerning.

Although Su Zhe delivered a powerful performance at the last moment in the second episode, overall, this "makeshift team" still has a long way to go to reach the level of the original Ultraman Tiga cast.

Gu Nan closed his eyes, and the search engine in his mind started.

In its previous life, in 1996, Ultraman Tiga became an unsurpassable masterpiece not only because of the suit and the plot, but also because of the brilliant casting.

Hiroshi Nagano, who played Daigo, was a member of the top idol boy group V6 at the time.

But he didn't portray Daigo as an arrogant and domineering protagonist, nor did he portray him as an overly hot-blooded and impulsive young man.

He portrayed Daigo's "gentleness" and "ordinariness".

Daigo is "both light and humanity".

That kind of seemingly naive and cute demeanor, with a resolute gaze at crucial moments and a warm and gentle demeanor towards teammates, is the soul of Daigo.

Takami Yoshimoto, who plays Rena, is the daughter of Susumu Kurobe, the original Ultraman actor.

Her character, Lina, is not just a pretty face; she's a top pilot for TPC. The ambiguous, subtle yet inseparable bond between her and Daigo is the emotional anchor of the entire series.

Even including the dignified yet maternal Captain Megumi, the comedic relief Horii, and the hot-blooded and impulsive Shinjo...

Every character is alive.

"We are still a long way off."

Gu Nan opened his eyes and looked at the group of people rehearsing their lines in the rehearsal area.

……

"Cut! Hold on a second!"

Gu Nan interrupted the two who were rehearsing.

Standing in the center of the rehearsal space, besides Su Zhe who plays Daigo, is a short-haired girl wearing a GUTS uniform.

Her name is Xia Youwei.

Lina, the most beautiful girl in the Broadcasting and Hosting Department, was also handpicked by Gu Nan.

She doesn't have the typical V-shaped face of an internet celebrity; instead, she has a slightly chubby oval face with big eyes and two dimples when she smiles, perfectly embodying the youthful aesthetic of the 1990s.

But at this moment, she was frowning, holding the script in her hand.

"What's wrong, Brother Nan? Is my pronunciation not standard?"

Xia Youwei's voice is clear and melodious, with perfect pronunciation, which is indeed a result of her broadcasting background.

"It's just too standard."

Gu Nan sighed and stepped forward.

"Yuwei, you're piloting a fighter jet to fight monsters right now, not broadcasting 'The weather is fine today' in a studio. Your tone needs to be tense, showing concern for Daigo."

He pointed to a line of text in the script.

That's a line from the third episode, "The Prophecy of the Devil".

"Your 'Daigo, watch out' just now sounded as bland as 'Daigo, eat.'"

Xia Youwei bit her lip, feeling a little wronged: "But Brother Nan, what we learned in class is that we must keep our voices steady under any circumstances..."

"That's a broadcaster, not an ace pilot."

Well, it's not a "dead pilot".

Gu Nan explained patiently.

"The character Rena is the ace of the GUTS team, with superb skills, but that doesn't mean she's a machine. She's also afraid when facing danger, and she panics when she sees Daigo in danger."

"You need to learn how to 'crack your voice'."

"Huh? A cracked voice?"

Xia Youwei was stunned.

"Yes, when a person is extremely nervous, their vocal cords will tighten."

Gu Nan demonstrated for himself. He took a deep breath, his eyes instantly turning anxious, and shouted into the air, "Daigo—! Watch out behind you!!"

His voice was hoarse and even trembling, but the sense of urgency was instantly overwhelming.

Xia Youwei looked at Gu Nan, seemingly lost in thought.

"And you, Su Zhe."

Gu Nan turned to look at Su Zhe beside him.

After being disciplined in the previous episode, Su Zhe no longer dares to show off in front of Gu Nan.

He stood there obediently, like a primary school student who had made a mistake.

"I know you're the most handsome guy in the performing arts department; female students often secretly take pictures of you when you're out and about."

Gu Nan's words were blunt and showed no mercy: "But in Ultraman Tiga, you have to take off all your halos."

"We're not making idol dramas."

"In my past life... no, in the world I envisioned, Daigo was just an ordinary member of the transportation department. He wasn't an elite, and he was even a bit clumsy. He was chosen by fate."

Gu Nan walked up to Su Zhe and straightened his slightly disheveled collar.

"What you need to portray is a kind of 'contrast'."

"Daigo, normally you have to smile like a child, be a little naive. But the moment you transform into Ultraman Tiga, your eyes have to change. The heavy feeling of bearing the fate of all humanity on your shoulders, and the ease of everyday life, have to create a strong contrast."

Su Zhe nodded, but a hint of confusion remained in his eyes: "Brother Nan, this is a bit tricky. Does he have to be both naive and handsome?"

"It's not difficult."

Gu Nan smiled. "Your acting is too 'full' right now. Learn to subtract. Watch more of the old movies I posted in the group and learn from those eye acting techniques."

Gu Nan has been racking his brains these past few days trying to get these students into character as quickly as possible.

He is not only a director, but also a caregiver, a psychological counselor, and an acting teacher.

He was indeed tired, but seeing everyone make progress under his guidance filled him with immense satisfaction.

Besides Daigo and Rena, the other team members are also a huge undertaking.

For example, the actor who plays "Horii" is the chubby guy from the dorm room next to Gu Nan's, named Chen Bo.

This guy was originally a top student in physics, but because of his funny appearance and being a tough guy from Northeast China, Gu Nan dragged him here.

"Brother Bo, your task is very simple."

Gu Nan said to Chen Bo, who was sitting next to him eating potato chips, "You are the brains and the comedian of our team. You need to show the persistence of a scientist, but when faced with phenomena that cannot be explained, you also need to have a cute contrast. For example... you can give up Mandarin and speak some dialects at appropriate times."

"I know this very well!"

Chen Bo pushed up his glasses and exclaimed in fluent Northeastern dialect, "My goodness, how can this monster look so ugly? This is not scientifically possible!"

A burst of laughter filled the studio.

This is the effect Gu Nan wanted.

Although it's a makeshift operation, that's exactly right.

The Victory Team is a family-like group, not a cold, impersonal military organization.

……

During a break between rehearsals.

Gu Nan sat in the corner with a bottle of mineral water in his hand.

Su Zhe walked over, sat down next to him, and handed him a cigarette.

"I'm not smoking, I still need to shout 'crack' in my throat." Gu Nan waved his hand.

Su Zhe lit one for himself, took a puff, and asked hesitantly, "Brother Nan, to be honest, I sometimes feel quite weak."

"What's the big deal?"

"Although our show is popular now, I see a lot of people online criticizing me for being 'expressionless'."

Su Zhe gave a wry smile. "I used to think my face was good enough, but now I realize that to you, my face is the least valuable thing."

Looking at the school heartthrob who was usually the center of attention, Gu Nan felt that he was more like Daigo than the other way around.

"Being criticized is a good thing."

Gu Nan patted him on the shoulder, "That means the audience sees you as an actor, not just a pretty face. If they only praise your looks, that would be a tragedy for your career."

"And you need to be prepared."

Gu Nan's voice became more serious. "Ultraman Tiga is just the beginning. If my plans go smoothly, this series will have two seasons, more than fifty episodes, and there might even be a theatrical version. You will be with this character for a year, or even longer."

"In this process, you will encounter stronger opponents and more difficult roles to play."

"For example, in the third episode, the Kirieloids."

Su Zhe's hand trembled slightly when the name was mentioned.

He had read the script.

That was a true "psychological war." Daigo was no longer the only hero; he would be questioned, defeated, and utterly humiliated by that self-proclaimed "god."

"In that episode, you need to explode." Gu Nan stared at Su Zhe. "Not the kind of explosion that you shout out, but the kind of... indomitable rage in a desperate situation."

"I'll do my best." Su Zhe took a deep breath and stubbed out his cigarette.

"It's not about trying your best, it's about having to do it."

Gu Nan stood up and looked at Xia Youwei and the others who were playing around with Chen Bo on the other side.

"Everyone, please listen to me."

He clapped his hands, and the previously noisy studio instantly fell silent.

All eyes were on him.

Here you'll find acting students aspiring to stardom, nerdy post-production enthusiasts honing their skills, and screenwriters hoping to stay at the university through their work. Everyone has different goals.

But at this moment, they are in the same film crew.

"The current hype might make people a little complacent."

Gu Nan's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority: "I've heard that MCN agencies have already contacted you privately, promising a million-dollar signing fee and live-streaming sales opportunities?"

The expressions on their faces changed slightly; they had clearly been right.

"I won't stop everyone from getting rich."

Gu Nan's gaze swept across everyone's faces. "But there's one thing I want to say."

"Traffic is something that comes quickly and goes quickly. You're popular now because you're wearing the 'Victory Team' skin, and because the audience likes 'Ultraman Tiga'."

"If you shed this facade now and try to do live-streaming e-commerce, wasting the character's public image, then let me tell you, in three months at most, you'll become nothing but trash on the internet."

The air felt somewhat stagnant.

For these college students who haven't even graduated yet, a million-dollar signing fee is indeed a huge temptation.

"but."

Gu Nan changed the subject and pointed to the poster behind him that was covered with storyboards.

"If you can calm down and finish filming all 52 episodes."

"What you will receive will be more than just money."

"You will become the childhood memories of a generation, the pioneers of that 'Age of Light.' Twenty years from now, when this generation of children grows up, they will still call out the names of your characters when they see you."

"This sense of accomplishment is something that money can't buy."

"Now, the choice is in your hands."

After Gu Nan finished speaking, he looked at them quietly.

silence.

A long silence.

The first to break the silence was Xia Youwei.

This seemingly delicate broadcasting major girl has a stubborn look in her eyes.

"Nan-ge, I turned down three gigs." She brushed a stray hair behind her ear and said calmly, "They want me to do a live stream selling face masks, saying they're 'Lina's favorite.' I find it disgusting."

"I like the character Lina. I want to bring her to life."

Once there's a first one, there's bound to be a second.

"Me too."

Chen Bo chuckled, "Someone asked me to tell jokes, but I still think it's cooler to analyze the weaknesses of monsters from inside a fighter jet."

Su Zhe stood up.

He didn't say much, but simply raised his fist at Gu Nan.

"Brother Nan, I want to try and see if I can become a true...light."

Gu Nan looked into those young and passionate eyes and smiled.

This is the team he wanted.

There's no backstabbing, no capital manipulation, just a group of fools burning with the same childish dream.

"it is good."

Gu Nan extended his fist and bumped it with Su Zhe's, then Xia Youwei's, Chen Bo's...

"Since no one has run away, let's continue on this 'pirate ship'."

He turned and walked to the whiteboard, picked up a marker, and heavily circled the title of the third episode.

Episode 3: The Devil's Prophecy.

"This episode is our first tough battle."

Gu Nan turned around, his eyes becoming sharp.

"In this episode, we want to combine the 'grandeur' and 'realism' of tokusatsu to the extreme. Because this time, the battlefield is not a desolate plain, nor a quarry."

"It's a city."

"It's the city center of Jinghai City."

"We are going to stage a battle between gods and demons in a city with a population of ten million."

Everyone gasped.

city ​​center?

How many models would that require?

How much money will it cost?

Are we manpower enough?

"Don't worry about money."

Gu Nan seemed to see through their thoughts, and a mysterious smile appeared on his lips.

With the explosive popularity of the first two episodes, although the project hasn't been officially launched yet, Bilibili's creative incentives and some "sensible" investors are already on the way.

Moreover, after seeing the barrage of comments on the screen, his wealthy father quietly transferred another two million to his account last night, with only two words in the note: "Keep it up."

"Enough money, enough models, enough explosives."

Gu Nan waved his hand.

"Next, we will let the Kirieloids know who the true protectors of the Earth are."

"All departments, prepare!"

"Lighting, props, camera work, costume kit..."

"Ultraman Tiga Episode 3, First Full-Cast Rehearsal, Begin!"

At Gu Nan's command, the entire studio instantly sprang into action.

Zhang Zhao picked up the newly made, more exquisite Ultraman Tiga suit.

Xia Youwei practiced that anxious yet determined look in her eyes over and over again in front of the mirror.

Su Zhe held the magic light stick, closed his eyes, and searched for the light within Daigo's heart.

In this not-so-spacious studio, a storm called "dream" is brewing.

Meanwhile, millions of viewers outside the screen are eagerly awaiting the answer.

Little did they know that the next episode would completely overturn their understanding of the word "tokusatsu".