There were cameras everywhere in the hall, so even if you could not catch the actors' facial expressions, you could still be a cameraman here. Each actor had a matching cameraman. Yan Mu Lin was being followed by a strong cameraman, who was slightly tall and sturdy. Yan Mu Lin admired his figure.
Under the director's command, the five of them read their lines. They were asked for a 100% accuracy. For ordinary people, they would consider this difficult, but professional voice actors practice this kind of thing every day, so they were already familiar with it. That's right, professional voice actors have done this earlier, so they would inevitably be familiar with 《The Imperial Feast List》 and 《The Geographical Map》.
Among the five people, only half of them were professional voice actors. The oldest was Tian Zhen Yang, who have already graduated. Followed by Tang Wen Hao who have also graduated. Yan Mu Lin could still be regarded as half a student. Both Lu Zhong Ting, and Tao Bai Chen were in graduate school. However, they should not be underestimated. Their status today was probably due to a bit of their skills.
Yan Mu Lin did not dare look down on anyone. He seriously did his task.
On the first day of shooting, it was not only Yan Mu Lin who did not dare have contempt on the other people. His co-actors also had the same idea. At the beginning of the first mission, they all strive to meet the requirements of the crew or else they would not reach the next round, nor did they want to be the last one. When the show was aired, first impressions to the audience would be very important. This was the key to gaining fans.
Everyone thought I haven't stopped reading, how would I be graded!
As the eldest, Tian Zhen Yang started first, he got 《The Geographical Map》. He took a deep breath and exhaled: "Rushing to the Northern Pass, walking to Hebei Street, Crimson Bridge, Yang Village, Cai Village, Hexiwu, Anping, the Pier, Zhang Jia Bay, through Tongzhou Bali Bridge, into Beijing Chaoyangmen, out at Beijing Deshengmen. Into Qinghe, Shahe...."
After Tian Zhen Yang started, Lu Zhong Ting had also opened his mouth. It was also 《The Geographical Map》: "Rushing to the Northern Pass, walking to Hebei Street, Crimson Bridge, Yang Village, Cai Village, Hexiwu, Anping, the Pier, Zhang Jia Bay, through Tongzhou Bali Bridge, into Beijing Chaoyangmen, out at Beijing Deshengmen. Into Qinghe, Shahe...."
Tao Bei Chen's was 《The Imperial Feast List》: "Steamed lamb, steamed bear's paw, steamed deer's tail, roast duck, roast chicken, roast green goose, stewed pig, stewed chicken, preserved ham, preserved egg, dried ham, sausage, assorted vegetables...."
Yan Mu Lin also began, he had the same as Tao Bei Chen. 《The Imperial Feast List》: "Steamed lamb, steamed bear's paw, steamed deer's tail, roast duck, roast chicken, roast green goose, stewed pig, stewed chicken, preserved ham, preserved egg, dried ham, sausage, assorted vegetables...."
Tang Wen Hao also had to recite 《The Geographical Map》: "Rushing to the Northern Pass, walking to Hebei Street, Crimson Bridge, Yang Village, Cai Village, Hexiwu, Anping, the Pier, Zhang Jia Bay, through Tongzhou Bali Bridge, into Beijing Chaoyangmen, out at Beijing Deshengmen. Into Qinghe, Shahe...."
Perhaps it was because of the machine that was too strict and rigid, but no one received the 100% accuracy rate on the first round. The highest was Tang Wen Hao who received 95%. The remaining others: Yan Mu Lin was 94% and lost to Tang Wen Hao by a percent. Tian Zhen Yang got 92%, Lu Zhong Ting 91%, and Tao Bei Chen got 88%.
After the scores of the first round came out, everyone looked at each other in dismay.
Tang Wen Hao was very dissatisfied with his score, but still smiled: "I think I will buy one of these machines when I get home."
Tian Zhen Yang also said, "It seems to be quite useful."
Lu Zhong Ting touched his chin, "I can only conquer it with my charms."
Yan Mu Lin said, "Shall we continue?"
Tao Bai Chen's score was the last, so his mood was somewhat down. He maintained a superficial smile. He knew the other seniors could compare with him, but Yan Mu Lin was a newcomer. He had to suppress him; he did not want to be at the bottom.
Tian Zhen Yang and the others said they still wanted to continue, so naturally, Yan Mu Lin had to continue. He thought about where he had gone wrong and started over. Continue to proceed to the next round, continue, don't waste time!
The five actors all tried their best to get the praise of the machine. The final results were: the first to pass the test was Tang Wen Hao, who have been far ahead. He succeeded on his third try. Yan Mu Lin was the second, and he also succeeded on his third try, but he was a little slower. Tian Zhen Yang and Lu Zhong Ting tied for third place. The two men had to do it five times before reaching the standard. Tao Bai Chen was still the last. He spent the longest time, repeating it seven times before passing. Fortunately, he had passed, or else he would have to give up on this program, since the first level was too difficult.
The staff then led the successful actors into a limousine that was waiting for them. The director then explained the next task in the car which was also the focus of their first episode.
Their next destination was Pi Ying City, which was the city where most shadow play performers gather. There were centuries-old shadow theaters. Different shadow theaters had different styles. There were shadow theaters that had modern dramas, shadow theaters with modern and ancient dramas, and shadow theaters with only ancient dramas.
The program group chose the theater with the oldest heritage and the most ancient drama in Pi Ying City. It had an elegant name, Liuli Pavilion. It was said that the owner's ancestor was a genius. While developing his family's shadow play, he also did not forget to fool around in the brothel. The ending was naturally the happy life of the two after experiencing twists and turns. It was fairytale like. Later, the wife of the genius got sick and died. The genius ancestor got extremely sad. To commemorate his wife, they renamed the shadow theater to Liuli Pavilion.
When Yan Mu Lin arrived at the Liuli Pavillion, an old man with a stern face and a goatee on his chin greeted him. The director gave him a brief introduction: "This person is the shadow master of Liuli Pavilion, Bian Hai Feng. Because you were second place in our competition today, your guide would naturally be Master Bian Hai Feng. You will choose a shadow play to perform tomorrow, and he will teach you how to make a shadow puppet today. They would use the resulting play for tomorrow's performances."
Yan Mu Lin's eyes were bright as he stretched a hand out, "Master Bian, hello."
Master Bian looked serious. However, if you looked closely, his eyes were filled with disdain, but because of the cameras, he still reached out and shook hands with Yan Mu Lin, "Please come with me," Why are you so reluctant to take part in the show? Yan Mu Lin was very puzzled.
Here, it could be seen that on those two days, Yan Mu Lin's tasks were divided into three. First was to learn how to make a shadow puppet, next was to learn how to perform a shadow play, and last, he had to use that shadow puppet to perform on stage.
Shadow play was an ancient traditional art of the Chinese while the old Beijingers called it "Leather Shadow Play". According to historical records, shadow play began in the Warring States Period and flourished in the Han Dynasty. It was extremely popular during the Song Dynasty and spread to West Asia and Europe during the Yuan dynasty. It could even be said it had a long-established history.
Making shadow puppets and learning how to perform a shadow play was not a simple matter, and this was what the challenge was about. Of course, when this program would be aired, there would be doubts in the audience. What was the relationship between shadow plays and voice acting?
Shadow play was naturally related to voice acting. During a performance, the performer who was behind a white curtain would manipulate the puppets while singing local popular tunes related to the story. Percussion instruments and strings would accompany this. Different regions would have different forms of expression. Just like voice acting, the characters that were played also had different characteristics that needed different forms. Shadow play had lines and performances which was used to attract the audience. These fundamentals were very important, which was why the program team had chosen shadow play as the highlight of the first episode.
First, Yan Mu Lin had to choose which shadow play he would perform. In front of him were 《Three Heroes Battle Lu Bu》, 《Peacock Flying to the Southeast》, 《Tale of the White Snake》, 《Journey to the West》, 《Investiture of the Gods》, etc. Yan Mu Lin did not hesitate and chose 《Peacock Flying to the Southeast》.
Master Bian then said to him: "Have you ever seen the production of a shadow puppet?"
Yan Mu Lin nodded and then smiled modestly, "I only know a bit. That it is made of leather. I wouldn't dare say anymore."
That's right, Yan Mu Lin not only knows, he had also worked in a shadow play group for 4 to 5 years, but because of his dream, he gave up on the shadow troupe. He also had his reasons. He had once offended the head of the troupe and had been suppressed heavily. Every time he advanced, he was swept down. Over time, it discouraged his heart.
It seemed that it was a valuable experience.
Master Bian said, "That's good. You will learn more when we start. There are several processes such as selecting materials, carving, coloring, and stitching. Various factors affect coloring and other processes such as the external environment and the difference in the texture of the leather. Shadow play styles vary from place to place. Our theater follows the Southern style and the Jiangzhe Style. I will take you to our studio now."
As Yan Mu Lin followed Master Bian to the workshop, the cameraman, and the director followed them. The program team asked for the voice actors to make a good shadow puppet before sunset, then they would display it one by one in Liuli Pavilion's lobby. Shadow play masters who did not take part in the production would grade them. At this moment, every play that would be produced by voice actors were all kept secret. No one knew which voice actor selected which drama.
The time was too short. Yan Mu Lin followed along as Master Bian taught him how to make a shadow puppet. His skillful techniques and movements caused Master Bian to change back to the original methods. The young voice actor in front of him was not how he had imagined. He also relied on his face to eat in the entertainment circle, but why was his granddaughter's idol not like him, and instead is a combination of teenagers who sang non-nutritive pop songs all day long.
During lunch, the masters accompanied him at the workshop. Yan Mu Lin did not nitpick and chose the work meals that his companions ate. Compared to their big mouthfuls, his eating style was still more elegant. He also sincerely praised their meals for being better than the ones in his school, which amused Master Bian. Compared to this morning, the atmosphere was now harmonious.
The cameraman filmed the whole time Yan Mu Lin was following the shadow master. Before coming to the show, he did not mention to Zhou Wen Jing and the program team that he knew some things about shadow play production and hoped that it would not cause trouble with anyone. Zhou Wen Jing found out he already knew how to make shadow puppets, and she was happy about it. The program team naturally thought this could be a selling point. Yan Mu Lin would probably be the highlight in the first episode of their program, and also the dark horse.
After completing seven steps, Yan Mu Lin and the masters carefully did the final step——the binding. To make a shadow puppet flexible, a shadow puppet usually had a head, chest, abdomen, legs, arms, elbows, and hands. A total of eleven parts.
shadow puppets and how they look like when controlled.
Yan Mu Lin's 《Peacock Flying to the Southeast》 did not involve martial arts so it would save time during production. This was why he did not hesitate to choose 《Peacock Flying to the Southeast》. It did not involve a lot of characters, was convenient to make, and the performance was only from the excerpt.
It was really easy.
After an afternoon of hard work, Yan Mu Lin and the team of shadow masters finished making all the shadow puppets that they needed to use for tomorrow. Yan Mu Lin and Master Bian took their finished products to the designated hall in Liuli Pavilion within the specified time.
Yan Mu Lin's group was the first to arrive. Their work was taken out and displayed in the hall, but they could only sit temporarily in a private room and wait for the four actors to finish.
Within thirty minutes, the five actors' works were all in line. They were placed on a transparent glass box for shadow masters to judge.
Each actor was given a private room that had a live TV broadcast. They could watch the voting process downstairs through the TV. There were 30 shadow masters, all of whom were invited by the program team. They had ten minutes to view the works, and after that, they had to put their tickets into the works they felt that were the best.
Since today's task had nothing to do with their voices, the five voice actors wanted to use their voice to campaign for votes, but they could only sit silently in front of the small TV and watch the shadow masters vote for other voice actors. I am so sad. My master even prayed for me. Although my work was ugly, I was really attentive.
However, prayer had no use. After the masters voted, they sat down. The five creators walked from the private room to the hall downstairs. They passed by the exhibition hall and went to the other side.
Tao Bai Chen pointed at a delicate and beautiful shadow puppet, and said: "Teacher Tian, I heard you studied how to create shadow puppets before, this is definitely your work."
Tian Zhen Yang looked at him and said: "That is really not mine."
Lu Zhong Ting pointed to the shadow puppet that had one leg that looked like it was about to fall: "Wen Hao, isn't this your work? The legs are falling, hahaha!"
Tang Wen Hao said with a smile, "You guessed wrong this time, it's not mine!"
Standing next to Tian Zheng Yang, Tao Bai Chen's face was red, while the other four: "....." We understand.
Everyone immediately changed the topic. We should not continue to talk about it.
The program team of 《Who Has That Good Voice?》 had no host, so the one who would announce the results was the director who had an easy name to remember, Teng Jian Ren. Director Teng stood in front of the five actors and announced the results. The top-ranked actor would perform as the finale tomorrow.
Before he announced the rankings, the director asked them who they think was the first. Everyone pointed at Tian Zhen Yang while he himself said it definitely was not him. The director did not stop on keeping them on tenterhooks.
For the show, he spent ten minutes on announcing the rankings.
The first to be announced was the fourth and third place, the former was Lu Zhong Ting, while the latter was Tang Wen Hao.
Unsurprisingly, the fifth place was Tao Bai Chen. He smiled at everyone, "I have failed art since childhood, so I am definitely the fifth."
Only Yan Mu Lin and Tian Zhen Yang's results were not yet announced.
Tian Zhen Yang shrugged and said: "The first place definitely isn't me."
Yan Mu Lin touched his ears, "I am a little nervous now, but I think Senior Tian would definitely do better than me." He did the slightly shy expression so well that the people present felt nervous for him.
When the results were announced, everyone present, including the shadow masters and four actors, were surprised. They did not expect this at all.
Yan Mu Lin was first while Tian Zhen Yang was second.
After the announcement, they showed the works of the corresponding actors on the big screen. The work of Yan Mu Lin was beautiful. He did not look like a novice. The serious Master Bian had a wider smile on his face, compared to this morning.
This young man had high prospects.
After comparing the works of each other, the three seniors unanimously lamented: The younger generations will surpass us in time.
Only Tao Bai Chen's thoughts were different. He had already been looking down on Yan Mu Lin from the start. Of course, he was not that stupid to ask the director whether Yan Mu Lin had a backer and if that was the reason the program team cheated and made him first. if people invited big stars to take part in shows, they would naturally not want to be losers, so when signing with a program team, the program team was required to give them a first place position. Otherwise, they would definitely not want to increase the ratings of the program.
Since they were peers, Tao Bai Chen did not want Yan Mu Lin to snatch the limelight, so in the evening, Tao Bai Chen talked about his agent about this matter when the program aired.
Humph.