How did the crew find actors?

In fact, casting has already begun as early as the script stage. Every character must have a corresponding actor image as a reference in the screenwriter's mind. Alternatively, the director and producer can provide several possible actors to the screenwriter, which will bring the screenwriter closer to everyone's imagination of the final character during the script writing stage. After all, the choice of actors is subject to many objective factors, and each actor has his own unique temperament. Even if he plays the same role, he will look different. In some projects, because the initial role and the final actor cannot match well, the script will be modified and adjusted according to the actor. As a director, it is also a very important ability to make timely adjustments based on the actors' condition at the scene. Because in the end the audience won’t care what happens during your performance, they only have one simple and crude requirement: to look good. You have to find a way to make the audience accept and believe in this character.

After going through the script stage, after repeated discussions on the characters that grew out of the screenwriter's mind, the script was drafted, and the casting director (not all domestic crews have specifically agreed to the specifications, also called actor coordinators) , also called actor assistant director) will contact the main actors based on these roles. Usually there are at least three combinations based on the actors' salary, schedule, and popularity. Then the most important thing is to let the director and the actors meet. This meeting is not an audition, it is a relatively relaxed state. I attach great importance to this link and the first impression the actors give me. The process of meeting is just chatting about everything. I will try my best to induce different actors according to their status and personality. That’s how I get to know an actor, I want to get to know the person in their most authentic and relaxed state. Everyone has a personality label. What kind of person you are actually depends to some extent on what kind of role you are more suitable to play as an actor. Every main actor in "The Bad Guys" has gone through such communication. Although I want the audience to identify with these anime characters in appearance, first, I have to identify with the actor in my heart. Casting is one aspect. It is also very important for the director to adjust the actors on the spot. I am very good at controlling actors on the spot, but first I have to truly accept the actor. Only then can I discover the truest side of the actor, who belongs to this role. Temperament, or sparks from collision.

About auditions, they are usually a reserve of information used by casting directors when selecting actors. In fact, they are an assessment of basic acting skills. Sometimes a good girl with an introverted personality may not be able to feel the feeling of playing a cold-blooded killer when meeting her. But if the director knows an actor well enough, he doesn't completely rely on this step. Every director's working habits and methods are different. For example, Wang Takizheng, Wang Wei and I were chatting while masturbating on the street, and suddenly we hit it off and decided to let him play Shangguan Yunque. Everyone's reaction was: first they widened their eyes and took a breath, and three seconds later, they laughed heartily: Damn, it can be done! It turns out, it's really possible. Because we had a lot of close communication during the filming process, including after it was finalized, I knew he would definitely be able to act. Acting skills are the only criterion for me to select actors, but the nature of each actor will determine which role he is more suitable for interpreting the feeling the director wants. Including the two actors in Qingguoqingcheng, when we decided to find girls to play the roles, we basically established a basis. They must not be really ugly, but must be cute, so that the audience will be happy every time they see them, which is very joyful. A sexy character, but not a buffoon.

Then there is the process of trying on makeup. Some characters have a completely different state after putting on makeup. This must take into account whether the audience's feeling when they first see the character is correct. The styling will be based on the final presentation effect and the director's ideas. Make adjustments.

After roughly these several stages, the selection of a character is usually completed. But I can tell you that basically every project cannot be as smooth as the above.