Original Article: https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404948026623131654
Original Author: 文艺湃
Xiao Zhan receives a lot of scripts and roles, and some of the people around him gives him suggestions to act in dramas that everyone seems to like, like those which has more dramatic conflicts, or the characters are a little more exaggerated, or the proportion of his section is very important, instead of unilaterally looking from his own tastes. But Xiao Zhan’s own criteria for viewing scripts and characters are not complicated. The first answer is to “impress him”, or to say it more tangibly, when he read the first draft of the script of “Sunshine By My Side”, and he saw how Sheng Yang was described in the script, he smiled subconsciously. When he saw some plots between Meijuan and Papa Sheng, he would subconsciously feel sad, resonate and nod.
“I am the one who has to interpret this character. If I don’t have the confidence to interpret him, or even the desire to do so, how can I have the confidence to bring him to the audience? At least that’s how I am currently.”
In essence, Xiao Zhan believed that he and Sheng Yang had the same base color. “Just like the name of our drama, Sheng Yang is a little sun. He has an energy that can turn all bad things into something very good, I think he will always be bright.” Of course, there is also the coincidence that Xiao Zhan and Sheng Yang are also previously from the same industry. But there was a big difference in personality, in Xiao Zhan’s eyes, “This kid is too lively. It doesn’t matter if he encounters difficulties, he will just cheer himself up and continue to move forward bravely.” But Xiao Zhan himself is very different in life, he prefers to be alone and quieter most of the time.
Screenwriter Li Xiao revealed that he met Xiao Zhan during the creation of this character, so he added a lot of Xiao Zhan’s own characteristics to the character of Sheng Yang. Xiao Zhan recalled that when he met Li Xiao for the second time half a year before filming started, and they had a more in-depth communication, “I remember that time she told me that she felt like I was different from before.” What was the difference? Xiao Zhan himself couldn’t answer, “More than two years have passed, people will always grow.”
In addition to his coincidental fate with Sheng Yang, the important reason why Xiao Zhan likes “Sunshine By My Side” was because of the natural style of this drama. Sheng Yang was a young man who dreamed of becoming a designer after graduating from university, who had an ordinary family that was noisy at times but mostly warm, and he met a senior director whom he remembered from 10 years ago again by chance, their paths cross after coincidences. The story did not have the plot of an idol drama., there was work, life, friends and his lady all in his life. “It’s not like the plots I’ve seen before, it’s more natural.”
This seemingly natural script was what Xiao Zhan liked and found challenging. He wanted to make Sheng Yang a living person, not just a character played by Xiao Zhan.
“This was a story that flows like water, it did not have any particularly dramatic conflicts or plots, everything was very natural, just like a story that would happen around you. Acting in this drama was a big challenge for me because I had never filmed such an urban drama, how could I make everyone believe that Sheng Yang is such a person, that he really existed, and was not something Xiao Zhan worked hard to play.”
The story felt natural and the characters were relaxed. Relaxation and calmness wan acting is what Xiao Zhan gained after portraying Sheng Yang, and due to a coincidence of career, Sheng Yang might be the life Xiao Zhan would have experienced if he was not an actor. Did experiencing a life from a “parallel universe” make actor Xiao Zhan relax?
“Yes, but not much. Because the problems Xiao Zhan and Sheng Yang face are still different.”
Conversation
There is not much Midas Touch in life, everything requires our own efforts.
The Paper: I also spoke with the screenwriter two days ago, who said that she met you before the script was fully completed, and this had an impact on the creation of the character Sheng Yang. How was the contact with the screenwriting teacher like at that time?
Xiao Zhan: The first time Ms. Xiao and I met was in 2019. Half a year before filming started, we had an in-depth chat and she said that I felt different from before. I said that more than two years have passed and people will always grow. That was the first time that the screenwriter and I established an understanding of each other. Later on, we held three more script meetings to make adjustments to the character of Sheng Yang.
There were two points I raised initially. One was why Sheng Yang was obsessed with this lady for 10 years? Another point was that although Sheng Yang is a younger man, how he could show responsibility and growth in a relationship to convince the audience.
The Paper: How compatible was the finalized Sheng Yang with you?
Xiao Zhan: We are both positive and optimistic, but we have quite different personalities. For example, Sheng Yang can’t help but go physical against his boss. Maybe for Xiao Zhan, I won’t do such impulsive things. I will think of solutions when signs of workplace bullying appears, instead of delaying the matter to the point of being unbearable.
The Paper: Then how do you understand Sheng Yang’s tolerance in the beginning, where his superior took credit for his work and had a bad attitude toward him. He never thought of a solution and was just enduring.
Xiao Zhan: I can understand Sheng Yang’s situation at that time. Firstly, he needed this job; secondly, this was life, there would be pressure and difficulties, it might make him feel very tired, but he still had to go to work properly the next day. Because he needed this job, his family conditions did not allow him to do something very outrageous and impulsive, this also caused him to develop a very gentle character.
So I understand Sheng Yang. As for why he suddenly went physical and had an emotional outburst later, it was because (the team leader) had breached the bottom line of his tolerance.
But there is growth in Sheng Yang. In the beginning, he was a diligent and hard-working young man with a relatively tolerant personality. Later, he experienced some things in the workplace and in life, and at the same time, he also met his lady, who encouraged him to be himself, and to face and resist bravely, so Sheng Yang made some adjustments. But even in the ending, we didn’t portray Sheng Yang as someone very successful, someone who had completed a very big project, or someone famous. We still wanted Sheng Yang to be closer to life. After all, there are not so much Midas Touch in life. Everything is hard-earned and requires your own efforts.
The Paper: How do you understand some of the struggles between Sheng Yang and the team leader? If it were you, what kind of mentality would you have when faced with this unfair situation?
Xiao Zhan: I might solve the problem as soon as it occurs. I would look for opportunities to have a tactful chat with my boss. For example, I would feedback to my boss on the current resistance I was encountering from a project perspective. But to be honest, I had never encountered workplace bullying, so I am quite lucky, the seniors and colleagues I had met took good care of me.
Acting, sometimes you have to “perform subtraction”.
The Paper: What is the difficulty of Sheng Yang for you?
Xiao Zhan: Actually, in a few scenes, I thought Sheng Yang was a little childish. Would he be accepted by the audience? Would everyone like him? And how to determine the measure of this? How to act naturally? These were the questions I had to face.
In fact, I talked a lot with the director on set. I would sit next to the director and watch him film, or talk about how to perform a certain scene, and the director would also give me a lot of advice. The director inspired me to do subtraction: don’t plan too many things, don’t think about having to act in a lively state, remember your motives, and then do subtraction.
The Paper: I remember that the scene where Sheng Yang resigned was actually quite simple, but some viewers were very sympathetic. Sheng Yang also had red circles in his eyes at the end. Was this a subtraction?
Xiao Zhan: Yes. In fact, we thought about whether we should say something to everyone after Sheng Yang resigned, but later I felt that there was no need to say it. First of all, the incident did happen, so it was useless to say more. Secondly, you had used your resignation to protect the interests of other members of the group, so there was no need to say too much at the moment.
We need to understand the character’s emotions based on his current situation. First of all, his family situation was not very good and he needed this job; secondly, how would he explain to his parents when he returned home? This was a profession that he loved very much and it was more than just a job to make ends meet. And he had already became the chief designer, which was a very rare opportunity. So Sheng Yang felt more sad at the moment. I was also very sad when I was acting, because everything was obviously going in a good direction and he had worked hard, but instead he received this result. In the setting in the script, it was a very famous advertising company. When we were studying design, we would also make a career plan for ourselves, so he must have been very sad to leave this company.
The Paper: When thinking about the character, did you do any plan for Sheng Yang that might be outside of the script to make it more consistent with the character?
Xiao Zhan: Regarding the design-related content, I could refer to my previous work experience. The main thing was how to interpret it naturally and not to do too much planning. I had worked in the design industry, so I knew how the condition was like to work. In addition, before filming started, I also sorted out Sheng Yang’s growing environment, as well as his way of getting along with colleagues and superiors at work, and with his parents at home.
The Paper: What do you think of the emotional line with his parents?
Xiao Zhan: I think Sheng Yang would be confused when his parents quarreled. In fact, my parents also quarrel and sometimes I cannot understand too, just over little matters when they obviously care about each other, why do they have to hurt each other in this way? I also had the same questions like Sheng Yang in the drama. But Sheng Yang did not flee and avoid. If he had chosen to flee and avoid, he would not have grown into such a character. In fact, it could be seen from Sheng Yang’s character that his family was a very loving family.
Understanding each other, testing each other, moving closer to each other step by step.
The Paper: In Sheng Yang’s eyes, what kind of person was Jian Bing?
Xiao Zhan: She was very independent and sober, like a breath of fresh air, her insistence on design impressed Shengyang the most, and her own high-end aesthetics.
The Paper: When Sheng Yang complained about work to Jian Bing, Jian Bing said to quit, and Sheng Yang fell silent. At this time, he was not brave. Do you agree more with Jian Bing’s statement, or do you agree with Sheng Yang’s hesitation and silence?
Xiao Zhan: I can particularly understand Sheng Yang. After all, work is not something you simply quit. Firstly, Sheng Yang is the team leader of the advertising department of a design company, and he had three projects on hand and needed to deal with three clients. If he was to suddenly quit, he would have no sense of responsibility and have a lack of professional ethics. Because the customer chose you, you would be responsible for the customer. Even in real life, I can’t do this, at least there has to be a transition period. But from Jian Bing’s perspective, she felt that it wasn’t like Sheng Yang couldn’t find a new job. Since the leader didn’t approve of him, he should quit. This was a difference between them. The younger man and older lady were in different social statuses and had different working environments, which would lead to a conflict of ideas. This was also a very real point in “Sunshine By My Side”. Both of them came together step by step by understanding and testing each other.
The Paper: When was the moment when you felt you most resonated with Sheng Yang’s soul?
Xiao Zhan: I had always been, he resonated with me from the first scene when he went to work. But the most resonant moment might be the scene when Sheng Yang was unemployed and went home to eat dinner with his parents. His mother says what’s wrong, why did he look so tired today? In fact, they don’t know that Sheng Yang was already unemployed, but Sheng Yang didn’t tell them the real reason. I was very sad when I was filming this scene, I couldn’t help but cry while eating, but according to the plot, crying would be weird, so the director didn’t use the scene where I cried in the end. In fact, many working youths are like this. They can be strong or tolerant on the exterior, they report good news but not bad news to their families, I am the same way too. But there may be a moment facing a greeting from your loved ones, especially your parents, and you can’t help but breakdown. So I am very empathetic.
The Paper: Doesn’t his character bring out the liveliness that you don’t have?
Xiao Zhan: It’s possible, so I am very envious of him, he’s a kind of longing.
The Paper: Which scene or line in this drama do you like best?
Xiao Zhan: Independent of each other, no second guessing or suspicion.
The Paper: You have acted in a lot of dramas so far. Where do you think your greatest growth is reflected?
Xiao Zhan: I feel more relaxed and calm. This was also the biggest feeling after filming “Sunshine By My Side”. It might also be because of the subject matter, which required you to be natural and relaxed.
The Paper: As an actor, where do you think your desire for acting starts?
Xiao Zhan: When you see a good script, you have the confidence and motivation to perform it well. It is also a desire to conquer this character that I like. In fact, when filming, I just enjoy the current moment, whether it is sad or happy, just remember it.
The Paper: When is your happiest moment as an actor?
Xiao Zhan: The director and I basically sent messages after work every day, sometimes it was to summarize the details from today’s scene that hadn’t been achieved yet, and sometimes it’s to discuss how the next day’s scenes would be filmed and whether there were any ideas. The director always sent me 60-seconds voice messages, and every time he was especially happy and excited to discuss what he was going to film tomorrow. I liked this atmosphere very much. Everyone was giving and creating, and they did it with love. This was what I liked and what I wanted.
The Paper: To be honest, especially you, many youths like you as a young actor, and the roles handed to you were relatively upright, righteous and have no shortcomings, but this seems not three-dimensional and sufficiently enjoyable. What do you think of this situation?
Xiao Zhan: I think this is a matter of career functionality of actors at different stages. There will indeed be some complex characters that are fascinating and challenging. As I grow older, experience more, and my personality attributes become more and more multifaceted, I can try them. But in fact, every character has its own shortcomings and flaws.
For example, Sheng Yang was actually a bit noisy. How do you deal with it in order to turn his shortcomings into endearing points and become the characteristics of the character. There was also Sheng Yang’s stubbornness and lack of vision. These were his shortcomings, but it was also this energy that makes him move forward bravely, so this was also what makes him endearing.
The Paper: Are you the kind of person who needs to work all the time, or do you prefer a relaxed pace?
Xiao Zhan: I should be like many people. I want to take a break when I am working all the time. When I take a break, I will say no, I have to work and I have to produce.
The Paper: Since it was filmed in Chongqing, did you bring your colleagues from the crew to introduce the local delicacies?
Xiao Zhan: I did send some to my colleagues, but they were all rejected in the end. Everyone would say we don’t eat this anymore. It turned out that I had not returned to Chongqing for several years and was already outdated.
The Paper: Do you feel a sense of loss that you are no longer familiar with your hometown?
Xiao Zhan: Don’t feel the loss, the classic ones are the best.
