"Alright, after I finish eating, I'll pack up my things, and then you can move in."

Once it was settled, James Mason completely relaxed. While eating roast chicken and chive-egg, drinking Tsingtao beer, he started talking about things to pay attention to in Hengdian, giving some pointers.

"When you're an actor in Hengdian, the most important thing is definitely signing up for roles. You look decent, and you're not short, so signing up shouldn't be a problem. Nowadays, society as a whole is restless—everyone judges you by your appearance, no one has time to get to know your inner self, your character, and so on. So you should dress with some style; this is an era that values looks, and that's one way to get roles."

"Another thing is that veterans bring in newcomers. The system for extras in Hengdian is very well established. The union has eight actor agents, all of whom are sent out in groups and have gone to BJ Film Academy (Beijing Film Academy) for further training. But they usually only take on featured extras; regular extras and featured extras are all managed by the main group leaders."

"Each main group leader has two or three small team leaders under them. If you get familiar with these small team leaders and make connections, you'll get a lot more casting calls—basically, you'll have work every day."

"Also, join more QQ and WeChat groups. Many group leaders don't have enough people under them. For example, if a production needs 50 people, but the group leader only has 30 regulars, the easiest way is to post the remaining 20 spots in the group."

"But since you're new here, you probably don't know many main group leaders or small team leaders. You can ask for some of their numbers—I have a few, you can copy them. Once you get your actor's permit, you can call them. Usually, the main group leader will say they don't handle casting and tell you to call the small team leader. Sometimes, the main group leader will say, 'Okay, send me a text with your info,' or the small team leader will keep an eye out for you, and next time they're short on people, they'll call you."

"But just making connections isn't enough—you have to work hard yourself. The most important thing is: don't be lazy. Don't sign up and then not show up. Group leaders hate that the most; they might blacklist you on the spot. Some, if they're really strict, will even complain to the union, and the union might revoke your actor's permit."

"Once you're familiar with all this, you can start thinking about going for featured roles or joining a crew. If you have connections or a professional background, you can go straight for featured roles. But for people like us, who came up the hard way, you need some time to observe and learn the filming process—how to hit your marks, how to watch the camera, how to avoid blocking the light, how to handle props, when to use which expressions. Once you understand all that, you'll be ready for featured roles."

"A lot of people here who started as extras aren't professionals, but even if they can't become big stars, plenty of them end up playing named characters. I know a guy named George Jennings. When he first came to Hengdian, everyone called him an idiot—he gave it his all even for background roles. But do you know what happened?"

James Mason paused.

Henry Clark immediately played along and asked, "What happened?"

"He became an assistant director in just three months!"

"Three months and he was already an assistant director? That's amazing!"

"Yeah, but he was lucky too. Because he was honest, the crew assigned him to be an assistant to the veteran actor Thomas Lewis—doing laundry, cooking, serving tea, even cleaning the toilet. Later, the producer of 'New Four Young Men of Beijing,' Laura Warren, visited Thomas Lewis's home, thought he was a good guy, took him on as an apprentice, and brought him into the crew as an assistant director."

"Opportunities are for those who are prepared," Henry Clark said enviously.

James Mason nodded, then added a bit sourly, "Well, he was lucky, too."

"By the way, Brother Mason, have any extras in Hengdian ever made it big as stars?"

"Well, not really, I guess the career paths are just different," James Mason thought for a moment. "Actually, after you've been here a while, you'll understand—becoming famous is incredibly hard. Which star nowadays doesn't have a background or connections? Otherwise, they get in through the back door. It's not like before—nowadays, you can't even get a good night's sleep."

"Seriously? Then what's the point of trying to make it?"

"It's not absolutely impossible—maybe the next star will be you. Besides, if you can't make it in front of the camera, that doesn't mean you can't make it behind the scenes. There was a group leader from Hengdian Group named Hazel Grant, now he's a vice president at Great Wall Film & TV, managing the production of countless TV dramas—even stars have to show him respect. And there are plenty of extras who end up as casting directors, assistant directors, and so on in various crews. Everyone's opportunities are different."

The two of them kept chatting about Hengdian stories, drinking beer, and before long, they'd finished six bottles.

"I can't drink anymore. After I finish packing this afternoon, I have to catch a bus. Boss, can you tally up the bill?" James Mason waved to the owner of the small restaurant.

Henry Clark quickly grabbed his hand and said, "Let me treat this time."

"You? Why be so polite?" James Mason probably just said that out of courtesy and didn't really intend to pay. When Henry Clark insisted, he just sat down and picked his teeth with a toothpick.

Henry Clark paid the bill. The meal was eighty-seven, but the owner knocked off two yuan, so it came to eighty-five.

……