Chapter 206 – The Heavenly Dragon Eight Trigrams Are Going Head-to-Head

Chapter 206 - The Heavenly Dragon Eight Trigrams Are Going Head-to-Head

With Tang Fei's involvement, Sheng Xiaogong was like a tiger with added might. He soon pressured Chen Ye into darting around the office, his movements growing more vigorous. The blackboard became a battleground as they fought over who got to write on it, alternately debating with Tang Fei and arguing with Sheng Xiaogong.

Despite this, Chen Ye somehow managed to hold his own, appearing even more determined under pressure.

Another three hours passed. Both Chen Ye and Sheng Xiaogong were exhausted, sitting aside to sip tea while Tang Fei, still full of energy, continued her animated discussion.

Chen Ye held his forehead. "Alright then, for the next scene, we'll shoot two versions and see which chemistry works best. We'll use that one."

Sheng Xiaogong opened the window, taking in a deep breath of fresh air to soothe his parched throat and oxygen-deprived state. "Sure."

Tang Fei started wiping the blackboard. "Hey, Director, can't you give in a little? Now the house has won, and I've lost a dollar."

"I can concede on anything else, but not the acting," Chen Ye replied.

At these words, Sheng Xiaogong immediately turned back. "That's right. If you compromise on the acting, the soul you've infused into the work vanishes. Carrying someone else's soul without expressing yourself is not what makes a good actor."

Chen Ye nearly spat out his tea. "The work is mine. A good actor must express the director's vision. Otherwise, if everyone acts according to their own interpretation, how can we ensure the integrity of the entire piece?"

Tang Fei crossed her arms. "Director, we finally reached a conclusion after all that arguing. Let's not start another topic, shall we?"

Sheng Xiaogong shrugged. "It's either the east wind prevails over the west wind or vice versa. If the actor can't cut it, they should listen to the director. But if the actor is competent, why should they listen to the director?"

"Alright, I'm not going to argue with you. I'll listen to Tang Fei. Both of you, get lost and let me have some peace. We'll continue shooting tomorrow." Chen Ye served them tea and showed them out, gently pushing Sheng Xiaogong and Tang Fei out of the room.

The filming in Mercury City was incredibly meticulous. It took Tang Fei, who was new to movie productions, quite some time to adjust. TV series focused on storytelling and relied heavily on the actors' performances and exaggerated expressions due to budget and shooting schedule constraints. They couldn't afford to nitpick every detail.

But movies were different. Chen Ye, along with the art director and special effects team, had high demands for every single second of footage. The entire visual presentation was vividly etched in Chen Ye's mind. The storyboard might only depict the actors as tiny dots within the grander picture. Their performances had to blend seamlessly into the overall scene.

Sometimes, the focus wasn't on the actors themselves.

The fantastical sky of the alien planet featured over ten small moons, much smaller than Earth's Moon, orbiting against a backdrop of red and blue stars. The endless sea stretched as far as the eye could see without a single rock or reef. Only occasionally would a fish leap out of the water or a humanoid creature with waxy skin surface. There were no birds in the sky; only a species of small creatures floating mid-air, sustained by air buoyancy, which were the only creatures similar to humans capable of living in the atmosphere.

Amidst the stormy waves, drizzle, and rainbows, the underwater city and its diverse marine life offered a feast for the eyes.

Tang Fei's character, the female lead, gently swayed her legs, even in her sleep, instinctively keeping herself afloat on the surface. Hidden away in an isolated part of the sea, she used the vast expanse of water as her bed and the infinite starlight as her blanket. Her hair spread out like ink splatters in the water.

Suddenly, a person appeared beside the sleeping protagonist – an old lady. She emerged from a luxurious, spacious air bubble, opened it to bask in the starlight and breathe the air, but didn't bother to retract it, wasting precious time. On the timer displayed on her air bubble read 145 years, 7 months, 13 days, 5 hours, 18 minutes, and 22 seconds, counting down by the second.

With ample time left in her air bubble, at her age, she still had over a century's worth unused.

The elderly woman flipped through the book, approaching the sleeping protagonist. Gazing at her wrinkled skin, she gently shook her head and then transferred the girl into her own air bubble.

The protagonist turned comfortably, and the grandmother smiled quietly. Amidst the bright starlight and the glow reflecting from satellites, the words on the book were clearly visible.

Mercury's nights were not pitch black; darkness resided within the water.

Away from the surface, sunlight and starlight created a dreamlike, enchanting atmosphere.

Descending beneath the water brought a sense of oppression. Despite the colorful shimmering lights of the underwater city, they were subdued within an eerie architecture, weighing heavily upon one's heart.

This was the director's use of lighting to evoke emotions in the audience.

Tang Fei shot this scene in a massive water tank with green screens all around. Lying on the water's surface with her arms supporting her head, she kicked gently to keep herself afloat, focusing on the camera lens that reached out to capture her. Imagining the breathtaking starry sky, hope and longing sparkled in her eyes. A relaxed smile spread across her lips as she drifted off to sleep with a beautiful dream in mind.

Then came the scene where the old lady, despite her age, had to pretend to be a serene and wise philosopher inside the stifling glass bubble. She pretended to open it by tapping on the air, extending a staircase to reach Tang Fei. Throughout the process, Tang Fei had to paddle her way to the glass bubble with her tiny legs.

In contrast, Sheng Xiaogong and the director were constantly bickering, causing headaches for the entire production team. Yet, the two of them found joy in their endless debates.

During Tang Fei's shooting of "Mercury City," the psychic wave in Xiangnan TV's "Psychic Frenzy" came to an end. Tang Fei had a relatively small role in "Psychic Frenzy," with the main focus on the passionate male team. In such dramas, the female lead was usually seen as a burden, while the women who accompanied the male protagonist in his struggles were more favored.

However, Li Xiuyun's character was strong and capable, and with Tang Fei's addition, the other female characters faded into obscurity. Even the male team's storyline couldn't match the audience's interest in the romance between the lead pair.

"Psychic Frenzy" experienced two peak viewership moments: one when the male lead burst with power in a desperate situation, engaging in an intense battle with a powerful demon, and the other during his interactions with the female lead. The second peak was the camaraderie displayed by the team during their battles.

For a side character like Li Xiuyun to create such a presence was a testament to both the strength of her character and Tang Fei's talent.

Shot within just ten days, the gains were tremendous. Furthermore, this time, with a viewership rating of 2.96, it surpassed "Happiness Hotel." In the past decade, only one other drama had come close to breaking the 3.0 barrier.

The finale of "Psychic Frenzy" moved many viewers to tears, making them see Tang Fei as an actress who could evoke deep emotions.

When Xiangnan TV announced the upcoming "Immortal Melody Six Paths" following "Psychic Frenzy," while Huadong TV promoted "The Eight Trigrams of Heaven Dragon," the audience was surprised. Why did a drama starring Tang Fei, who usually had a good collaboration with Xiangnan TV, suddenly switch to "Immortal Melody Six Paths," a series that had a contentious history with Tang Fei?

As netizens put it, "After 'Immortal Melody Six Paths' failed to gain favor from Tang Fei, it went crazy. Without Tang Fei in 'The Eight Trigrams of Heaven Dragon,' which is also a niche wuxia genre, it relentlessly pursued, clashing with Huadong TV's wuxia series in a battle of immortal-themed dramas, all under the pretense of doing justice. Its behavior is rather unappealing."