011 The Mad Stone Finally Wraps Filming

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Today’s main scenes centered on Wang Bo. Given his steady, diligent nature, the filming was expected to proceed exceptionally smoothly—and indeed it did. Whether it was the trio of bungling thieves moving into a residential building to steal, or the light rail can lottery scam, Wang Bo’s performances were nothing short of brilliant. His awkward regional accent in Mandarin added a layer of comedic charm to the storyline. This guy was born to be a source of amusement.

Drawing on his past experiences struggling through society, he effortlessly grasped the character’s nuances and portrayed them with remarkable vividness. Moreover, he had a knack for seizing moments on camera. In one scene where Dao Ge made a phone call, although he had no lines, Wang Bo kept himself busy by nibbling on a pear and tossing his signature hair to tease a dog, actively stealing the spotlight—but without causing annoyance. Several crew members broke into laughter at his antics, restrained only by the live audio recording. Otherwise, they would have burst out laughing.

“Director Qian, that woman named Ge suddenly said she can’t make it!” Hao Han came running over, his face filled with resentment. If one didn’t know better, they’d think someone had stolen his lunch box. “I called several times; each time she promised she’d be there soon! But just now, she suddenly said she won’t come and even blocked my number! If it weren’t for work here, I’d go to her place and slap her twice!” Hao Han was so furious he was gasping for breath.

Soon it was Wang Bo’s sewer scene, for which they had already booked a high-priced special effects makeup artist in advance to enhance the production quality. But after countless calls and reminders, the woman suddenly backed out. If she had an emergency and couldn’t come, she could have said so earlier. Yet she kept lying on the phone until the last moment, just as shooting was about to start—this was outright messing with them!

“I’m sure there’s something fishy going on!” Chen Yuanyuan said angrily. “She’s on the ‘Taiji’ crew!” Qian Lang’s tone was indifferent. Wang Xingxing had been flaunting on Weibo again just now, and the figure in the photo was the very makeup artist named Ge whom they had been chasing. This mishap today was most likely her doing!

“That Ge woman is really nasty!” Chen Yuanyuan swore loudly, mimicking Hao Han. Since her lines had been taken away, Hao Han stopped cursing and looked at Qian Lang gloomily. “Director Qian, what shall we do?”

“No big deal! We’ll just shoot the scene tomorrow!” Qian Lang was nonchalant. Most of the scenes were nearly done. If they worked efficiently today, they might even wrap up filming. Waiting one more day was no problem.

Just as he was about to call it a day, Wang Bo approached them.

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“Director, why haven’t we started yet?” Wang Bo cautiously asked, tossing his hair. Today was his key scene. If shooting went smoothly, he could finish today. Afterward, if he got close to Director Qian, maybe he could land a regular role in the crew.

He was realistic. Besides Qian Lang, who else would want him in their crew? Once, he had been an extra playing a bandit, but the assistant director questioned who had allowed him there and sarcastically asked if this wasn’t nonsense—then kicked him out. He didn’t even get paid or receive a meal box. So when he felt the unity and warmth of Galaxy Films, he wished for a long-term contract. He didn’t dare dream of being a Best Actor—just enough to make a living.

“Let’s stop for today,” Qian Lang signaled Hao Han to hand out meal boxes. Even if shooting ended early, everyone still had to eat. Galaxy Films treated its staff like family—a policy set by General Manager Pei. Even if she wasn’t present, Director Qian strictly enforced it.

“Why?” Wang Bo looked disappointed. It was only ten o’clock, and the director was already calling for lunch. No filming in the afternoon?

“All because that makeup artist named Ge stood us up, so the sewer scenes are postponed to tomorrow!” Hao Han was straightforward and immediately complained about the makeup artist’s various unscrupulous faults. In doing so, he sounded like a nagging woman. Chen Yuanyuan tugged his sleeve, urging him to stop ranting so as not to annoy the director.

“Director, we can shoot without the makeup artist,” Wang Bo smiled brightly, tossing his hair. “The sewer is full of mud; we can just use the real thing and save some money!”

“The mud is too dirty; it’s not appropriate,” Qian Lang waved his hand. He could demand strictness during filming but would never sacrifice an actor’s wellbeing just to save costs.

“Director, it’s settled then.” Wang Bo ran off to the sewer set and began smearing mud all over himself. The people nearby were stunned. Qian Lang was speechless. After a moment of hesitation, Chen Yuanyuan and Hao Han rushed over to help. They hadn’t solved the makeup artist issue, but now with Wang Bo’s suggestion, they hoped to finish quickly and spare the actors from suffering.

The mud was foul-smelling, but everyone pitched in. With many hands, Wang Bo’s “makeup” was ready in no time.

“Scene 110, Shot 2, Take 1 of ‘Crazy Stone’! Action!” The clapperboard snapped. The camera began rolling. Wang Bo struggled to crawl through the mud-filled sewer.

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The path ahead was blocked. He was returning the way he came, finally reaching the manhole entrance, but the cover wouldn’t budge. It was definitely jammed by something.

“This is bad. It must be stuck by something so the cover won’t move.”

“Hey, Dao Ge, I’m trapped in the sewer and haven’t eaten for days! You’ve got to help me!” Wang Bo called for backup. But the signal was poor underground, and Dao Ge was busy with her own problems.

“What help can I give? Hey! Damn it!” The curse was perfectly natural and fluent.

“Cut! That’s a wrap!” Qian Lang called it without requesting another take. The crew erupted in cheers. This was the only one-take scene in the entire movie!

No doubt, Wang Bo’s acting was exquisite, and the comedy hit its peak. This time, everyone laughed heartily because the scene was finished.

The final scene—running after the stolen bread—had already been shot two or three times and was deemed acceptable. They were ready to wrap, but Wang Bo insisted on a few more takes. Not only was he willing to endure hardship, but he was eager to push himself, running several laps around the overpass until the sun was nearly setting.

By wrap-up, Wang Bo was nearly exhausted but smiled faintly. “Director, that’s exactly the kind of exhaustion I wanted!”

No arguments there. Where else could you find such a hardworking and ambitious actor? The crew admired him.

Chen Yuanyuan and Hao Han agreed: Wang Bo’s performance deserved Director Qian’s prediction of a future Best Actor. Despite his rustic appearance and disheveled look, once on set, he became Black Pi—a masterful actor flawless in every way.

Perhaps, as Director Qian said, no matter how one looks, leave it all to the market and time.

“Crazy Stone” finally wrapped. Qian Lang expressed gratitude to the entire crew. Amid cheers, he handed Wang Bo ten thousand yuan to find a nice bathhouse and wash off the mud thoroughly—after all, it wouldn’t do to attend the wrap party smelling so foul.

Wang Bo was overwhelmed with emotion, lips trembling slightly, eyes wide open. Only then did everyone realize: his role as Black Pi wasn’t acting at all. It was his true self.

Ah, the bittersweet reality of the little guy—how could this not evoke empathy?