After getting dressed, Yi Xing didn't leave the dressing room immediately. Instead, he found a full-length mirror nearby and admired his appearance. At his age, he was at the peak of his vanity. He struck a common pose for photos and started taking pictures of himself in the mirror.
This was his first time in a historical costume, so he naturally wanted to record it properly. Not only did he want to record it, but he also wanted to share it with others. He first sent it to his mother, a habit he developed during his acceleration recordings.
After his styling was complete, Shen Wanqing was always the first to know about his transformation. As for his father, unless there was something particularly important, he generally wouldn't initiate conversations, let alone send photos.
After reporting, he opened the chat window with Ju Jingyi and sent the same photo he had just sent out again. However, he didn't receive a reply, probably because she was busy with her own things and couldn't check her phone.
At this moment, the other three members of the small team also arrived. Yang Xuwen, dressed in his costume, sat next to him, looking at him with envy. His physical appearance was simply incomparable.
"No, you're too handsome. It makes me hesitant to be in the same shot as you."
"No matter how good my costume looks, everyone's focus will still be on you. You're the protagonist!" Yi Xing patted his shoulder, then stood up and walked out. He had been there for a while and hadn't even greeted Director Jiang yet. He also wanted to get some fresh air; it was getting a bit stuffy inside.
Following the staff's directions, he found Director Jiang busy on set. The sight of him cursing loudly made Yi Xing stop in his tracks, somewhat disbelieving his eyes. Was this still the director he knew? How could he have changed so much in just one day?
Only after Director Jiang's emotions had calmed down a bit did Yi Xing step forward and greet him: "Director Jiang, I'm here."
Director Jiang heard the voice from behind him, turned around, and saw Yi Xing. He forced a slight smile onto his face. The staff's mistakes had nothing to do with the actors, so there was no need to vent his anger on him.
"You're quite early," he said, then looked Yi Xing up and down, nodding slightly as he continued, "Not bad, this costume suits you well. Choosing you to play Yang Kang was the right decision. Wait here for a bit; the commencement ceremony is about to begin."
"Mhm."
Yi Xing responded and stood to the side, waiting silently. He saw Director Jiang turn back and resume his cursing, scolding the staff in front of him. He couldn't help but take a sharp intake of breath, wondering if he could endure it if it were him.
While he was still lost in thought, the single person standing there became four. Meng Ziyi and the others, having finished their costumes, also came to his side, standing in a row, waiting for the commencement ceremony to begin.
Soon, they heard Director Jiang shout into a megaphone: "Everyone listen carefully! All departments, check everything again to ensure there are no problems. In fifteen minutes, we will hold the commencement ceremony."
This was considered a traditional custom in the industry. Whether it was filming a TV series or a movie, some ceremonies would be held before filming began. It was merely a matter of scale. Larger ones would invite media for coverage, recording the entire process with cameras.
The ceremony for Yi Xing's film crew was small, with no media present. It merely involved the main creators leading the main actors in a ritual to worship the heavens and gods, praying for smooth and safe filming, and finally taking a group photo.
Fifteen minutes passed quickly. Director Jiang picked up the megaphone again and shouted: "Attention all departments, the commencement ceremony officially begins!"
Yi Xing followed the others to the altar. This was his first time participating, and he knew nothing about what was about to happen, but this didn't stop him from imitating Yang Xuwen's actions. Whatever Yang Xuwen did, he followed suit.
Everyone stood in front of the altar, and the atmosphere gradually became solemn. Director Jiang, at the very front, had a serious expression. He was the first to pick up three incense sticks, light them with a candle, raise them above his head, and bow devoutly, muttering something only he understood, before placing the incense into the censer.
Following him, the people behind him stepped forward one by one to offer incense and pray. Soon it was Yi Xing's turn. He performed the actions he had learned from others, muttering what he guessed were blessings, probably wishing for smooth filming and the like.
Everyone who participated in the ritual of worshipping the heavens and gods stood on the platform. The center positions were, of course, for the director and producer. According to the character relationships in the drama, Yang Xuwen and Li Yitong stood next to the director, while Yi Xing and Meng Ziyi stood next to the producer, smiling at the camera in front of them.
The commencement ceremony concluded with a group photo. Director Jiang clapped his hands and said loudly: "Alright, everyone, thank you for your hard work. Go set up the scene for the first shot. In one hour, we will officially begin filming. Let's try to get the first shot in one take for a good start."
"Understood!" xN.
After instructing the staff, he walked up to the actors and said: "The first scene we're filming today is Mu Nianci's martial arts competition to find a husband. The others should go familiarize themselves with the script. Yi Xing and Meng Ziyi, come with me." As the first shot, it definitely had to be a grand scene.
He led the two he had called over to the martial arts director, patted the director's shoulder, and said: "I'll need you to put in more effort. Teach them some practical moves, ensuring they are spectacular while also paying attention to safety."
"Leave it to me," the martial arts director promised, patting his chest, then turned to Yi Xing and Meng Ziyi and asked: "Have either of you had any prior experience in this area?"
"No!" the two replied in unison.
"Alright, I understand," he nodded and called another person over. If they had a foundation, it would be easy, and he alone would suffice. But since neither had a foundation, he couldn't do it alone; they needed to be taught separately.
Although Yi Xing had no foundation in martial arts, he had studied street dance, so his physical coordination was quite good. He could learn some basic movements just by watching, and even slightly more complex ones after a few practices.
However, merely being able to perform them wasn't enough. To have the same power as his instructor, he needed to practice more. After memorizing his movements, he continuously practiced on the side, striving to achieve a good effect when filming began.
His practice time was a little longer than Meng Ziyi's because it wasn't his turn to appear at first. They were filming the scenes of the male and female leads, but Mu Nianci needed to appear as a background on the platform for the martial arts competition.
Finally, the set was arranged, and filming was about to begin. Yi Xing stood near the monitor, watching the people inside. This was a rare learning opportunity for him. He stared intently at the screen, fully focused on Yang Xuwen and Li Yitong's performance.
In his opinion, there were no problems, and he even wanted to cheer, but Director Jiang didn't think so. He pointed out some issues to the two and filmed another take, shattering the hope of getting it in one take at that moment.