Chapter 1.1 (1/2)
Deep in the Act
Translator: Kotoni
Editor: Isalee
First Published on Chaleuria
Chapter 1.1
Ocean Star Hotel, thirty-seventh floor, room 3726. This was a suite with a semi-circular living area that led to a bedroom behind a folding screen, and a tiny study tucked into the eastern side of the bedroom. Directorial teams and production crews often took up residence in suites like these for months on end during the preparatory periods. Apart from the occasional round of recreational mahjong or cards, these rooms were primarily used to settle pre-production matters such as casting calls, script adaptations, scheduling, etc. With a thin booklet tightly clenched in his hands, Zhang Zhun sank into the black upholstered couch under him.
He had been called in for a screen test - a test of his compatibility with his would-be partner, to be more precise. When the auditions concluded a month ago, the director had seemed rather pleased with his performance. Thus, when he received the a.s.sistant director's call the day before, Zhang Zhun had a.s.sumed that the other man was calling to notify him of the filming dates. But an unexpected demand came through the phone instead: ”Are you free tomorrow? We need you to fly in to Shanghai for additional screen tests.”
The demand gave him pause. After all, he now lived with his girlfriend in her hometown, Guangzhou. Nevertheless, he complied readily after briefly considering the matter and realizing that circ.u.mstances might have changed. ”Yes, I will be free tomorrow. Which scenes are we looking at? I'd like to do some prep beforehand.”
”Scenes involving interaction between the leads,” the a.s.sistant director, a man in his forties named Zhou Zheng, replied. He chose his words rather carefully and euphemistically, ”As you know, our film is rather unconventional…”
Unconventional was certainly one way of putting it, considering its subject matter: h.o.m.os.e.xual love. Zhang Zhun had been in the midst of preparing noodles for his girlfriend when he first received the breakdown of the film. After taking ten minutes to read the booklet from cover to cover, he shook his somewhat overgrown hair out of his eyes and directed a question at his manager, ”Films like these… are allowed now?”
”Dunno.” Dressed in an ap.r.o.n and armed with a pair of chopsticks, his manager, Xiao-Deng1, popped out of the kitchen and continued, ”I heard that they've already got the funds though. Haven't you been saying that you wanted to give drama films a go?”
Indeed, Zhang Zhun had been thinking of trying out for drama films. He started out as an action actor more than a decade ago. Over the course of his career, he had worked in various capacities - as a body double, fight ch.o.r.eographer, and even the occasional lead in small-budget productions. But the fact remained that he had little to show despite having been in the industry for more than ten years. Now that he was fast approaching his forties, it was time for him to invest himself wholeheartedly in a good film - one that had enough depth to truly put an actor's skills to the test.
“The subject matter is too risky,” Xie Danyi commented as she leaned into Zhang Zhun's embrace, mug in hand. ”Leaving aside the question of whether it would survive the censors.h.i.+p process - let's a.s.sume that it does - it'll easily cost you your fans once the film makes it to the big screen if you're not careful.”
Pet.i.te, lively, and charmingly sociable, Xie Danyi was a small, exquisite beauty. She, too, started out as an actress, but switched to working behind the scenes when she got older. She and Zhang Zhun had been together for the past three years, and it was safe to say that their relations.h.i.+p was relatively stable. They were even thinking about getting married after trying things out for another year or two.
”You're just afraid that he'll end up running away with another man because of the film!” Xiao-Deng quipped glibly from the kitchen.
In response to the challenge, she leaned in further to peer closely at Zhang Zhun's face. ”That so? You capable o'that?” she teased Zhang Zhun briefly in Cantonese before turning to take on Xiao-Deng. ”I'm not really worried about other men. But the two of you seem pretty close - have you tried anything funny with my man? 'Fess up now!”
As Xie Danyi left her mug on the table and made her way to the kitchen to continue bantering with Xiao-Deng, Zhang Zhun began caressing the thin booklet gently. He knew nothing about being gay, and the film's subject matter hardly bothered him; the only thing that mattered was that he liked the story and found its characters intriguing. And so here he was, seated in the hotel suite, his hands still stroking the booklet as he awaited his fate — anxious, expectant, and just a little ashamed.
At the sound of a keycard being swiped behind him, Zhang Zhun got to his feet and turned around. The director, Chen Cheng-Sen, strode into the room. He was casually dressed in a white t-s.h.i.+rt, ripped jeans, and a battered-looking baseball cap. He nodded at Zhang Zhun, ”Thanks for waiting.” There were two or three more people behind him, chatting in high spirits just beyond the door; Zhang Zhun figured that they were probably the a.s.sistant director, the production manager, and his would-be partner.
”Can't tell that you're already in your late thirties, Xiao-Zhang. You don't look your age at all.” The director studied Zhang Zhun's face as if it was a painting, ”The shape of your face is perfect. And there's a certain boyish charm about you.”
Somewhat embarra.s.sed, Zhang Zhun replied, ”I wish I looked more mature too. It's hard to land a serious role in big productions with a face like mine…”
”You're perfect for this role,” the director returned resolutely, lighting a cigar.