[CH.54] Behind-the-Scenes Stories from the Audition and New Movie Offers
**TL Notes: So as not to confuse you all, I made a list of the characters that get mentioned in this chapter that you may have forgotten before. Sumire Matsuda: MC Yoko Ando (Yoko-san): Sumire's manager. Azusa Oshima: Sumire's mentor. Kenji Nakamura: Senior Actor Toyo-san: A maid who works for the Oshima-san |
October isn't going to be as busy as I thought. Well, I didn't lie about it, but Ms. Azusa has given instructions to our manager, Yoko-san, regarding the roles I can or can't accept.
She apparently received a lot of messages, and to sum it up, it was all about "actors revealing their true selves too much to the audience is not a good thing." When Yoko-san heard this, she was puzzled and asked, "Wouldn't it be better for the viewers to get to know Sumire for her future acting career?" But I somehow understood what Ms. Azusa meant, probably due to my past life's experiences.
In my previous life, the internet was already well developed, and actors often participated in variety shows while showing their real selves. As a result, the line between viewers and performers had become blurred, with viewers noticing even the slightest flaws. It led to some viewers becoming overly critical and saying things like, "If that actor is in it, it won't be interesting, so I won't watch."
I remembered sighing about how this change had its pros and cons. Even though we don't have the internet in this era, it's unlikely that the distance between viewers and actors will become that small. However, I can understand Ms. Azusa's insistence on wanting to show pure acting, without any impurities. But because this time our main goal is to promote the movie, Ms. Azusa has made a concession, and I will only appear on three selected shows, including a quiz show, a singing contest with amateur participants (as a judge), and a talk show.
I appeared on a talk show with Nakamura-san. It was a show where comedians visit someone's house, chat in a living room set while enjoying food and drinks, and have a relaxed conversation. In my past life, I used to watch it frequently and was surprised that I would be on the show. Although the regular broadcasts had ended in my previous life, it was still popular enough to have special episodes scheduled throughout the year. I approached the filming with nervous anticipation, knowing that it was quite a renowned show.
The show's MC, Kanpachi-san, wasn't a complete stranger to me. Although he wouldn't remember, I had met him before when I auditioned for a school variety show he was involved with. Unfortunately, I didn't make the cut back then, and it was a time when Yoko-san was still figuring out how to handle me.
Since I had an interesting story to kick off our conversation, I decided to pretend we hadn't met and save the revelation for the actual show.
"Sumire-chan, this is our first time meeting, right?"
"No, actually, we've met before. I don't expect you to remember, but we talked briefly during the final audition for 'Gather at Kanpachi Elementary School.'"
Upon hearing this, Kanpachi-san chuckled and said, "Oh, really? Ah... I'm sorry, I don't remember," while lowering his head in apology. Nakamura-san couldn't resist teasing him from the side.
"Looking back, I can't help but think that I missed out on something big, didn't I? I know it might sound biased coming from me, but I genuinely believe this kid will become a well-known actress in the future."
"Well, you might be right. After watching the promotional video, I could see that this child has real talent."
"Even Kanpachi-san couldn't recognize Sumire's talent, huh?"
To this, Kanpachi-san responded with a smile that remained on his face and said, "No, that's not it." He then pointed his index finger at Nakamura-san and took a deep breath.
"Listen, Nakamura. My show doesn't need actors, what we need are kids who can make the show fun. Sumire-chan, I'm sorry, but if she had auditioned with the demeanor she has now, she wouldn't have a place on our show."
Hearing a direct "You're not needed" was quite a shock, but it seemed that Kanpachi-san had his own way of thinking. Sensing this, Nakamura-san asked, "Why is that?" And Kanpachi-san, with a serious expression, began to explain.
"What we want on that show, to be clear, isn't well-behaved children. What matters most is the fun. You see, we watch when the kids come into the room for the first time, just like a job interview. The children who bow and enter the room properly have been raised with discipline, right? But they've already failed at that point. What we're looking for is the kids who come in making noise, running up to me, those kids are more likely to make something interesting happen."
"But if there are only kids like that, wouldn't it be challenging during the shoot?" Nakamura-san asked. In response, Kanpachi-san grinned and leaned forward on the sofa, his voice carrying a playful tone.
"Well, that's what the staff is there for. You don't want everyone to be wild, so we include one or two responsible kids to keep things in check. I bet they had one of those responsible kids acting as a coordinator when Sumire-chan was on the show."
"I'm disappointed... I would have loved to work with Kanpachi-san."
"Don't rush things. If Sumire-chan works hard, she can become an amazing actress. When that happens, you'll have plenty of opportunities to work together. I'm looking forward to meeting the grown-up you," Kanpachi-san said confidently, and then he added, "I must have looked cool just now, right?" as he boasted, eliciting a big laugh from the audience. As for my future in the real world, I have no idea what it holds, but I hope I get the chance to work with Kanpachi-san in some way, and I expressed this desire with a warm smile and a nod to him.
---
"...So far, this is the overview of the project. What do you think? We'd love to create this film together with Matsuda-san."
After the recording of the quiz show, I and Yoko-san moved to a meeting room at the TV station, where we met a female director and a producer who were planning to shoot a new movie. Yoko-san and I took our seats next to each other, and the director and producer sat across from us. Two sets of documents were placed on the table, and they immediately launched into the main topic.
The movie's content was a romantic film, but it had a quite unique twist. My character was an office worker who looked like a child, and she would receive passionate advances from a handsome man. The story revolved around a woman who appeared to be a child but had zero romantic experience and was caught in a whirlwind of love from an adult man. It might sound like an interesting story if it were a childlike woman gaining a fresh perspective on herself when confronted with unexpected love, but when it's an adult man showing affection to a woman who looks like a little girl...
"Doesn't this man seem kind of creepy?" Yoko-san commented, as if she had read my thoughts. I nodded in agreement, and the producer let out a wry smile, touching her own cheek.
"Because if the protagonist were a beautiful woman, it might feel a bit too explicit. What we want to shoot is not a sexy, experienced beauty but an innocent and cute girl."
"Please, don't say weird things in front of our Sumire! Remember, she's still in elementary school."
As the producer passionately explained, Yoko-san gave me a sidelong glance and pulled me closer, gently covering my ears. The soft sensation against my cheek felt quite pleasant.
Even if the guy was handsome, it still sent shivers down my spine. Being pursued romantically by a middle-aged man would be creepy, and even with a handsome man, it felt unsettling. In reality, I had zero romantic experience in both my past life and my current life, so I couldn't imagine myself as the romantic lead in a movie.
"At first, we considered asking Yuuka Anno to play the heroine in this movie. But after seeing that movie at the preview, we couldn't think of anyone other than Matsuda-san to play the role," the director explained.
The other day, they held a preview screening with invited guests, and these people were there too. They allowed up to five performers to invite people, so I invited all the residents from our dormitory. Since Ms. Azusa had been invited by the director, it was a relief that I could invite everyone, including Toyo-san. If that weren't the case, I would have had to ask Yoko-san for help.
Anyway, on the day of the preview, there was a full house in the large, reserved cinema, so it wasn't surprising that they were among the audience.
By the way, Yuuka Anno is a senior actress whom I competed against in the "CHANGE!" audition. She transitioned from being a child actress to a talented and famous actress in her past life. In the previous audition, I was fortunate to outperform her and secure the role, but in the next competition, I wouldn't know who would win. She is a senior I respect and, at the same time, a rival.
"In addition, Anno-san has a strong image as a child actress due to her long history in the industry. There is a certain audience who, when they see a child actress involved in romance, may feel aversion. I apologize for the somewhat disrespectful phrasing, but Matsuda-san is relatively unknown, and the viewers haven't yet formed a fixed image of her. While she is competent at her job, her portrayal of romantic relationships comes across as clumsy. This perception of her being charming and a bit of an 'adorable mess' from the perspective of others is not necessarily a negative image, right?"
"Please don't attach such a peculiar image to our Sumire. In the future, this girl will become a conventional and beautiful actress!"
I was squeezed tightly in this conversation between the producer and Yoko-san. As an actress, I would inevitably get roles like the romantic lead in films, and this kind of romantic film would come up sooner or later. Given the film's comedic tone, it might serve as a litmus test for whether I can handle such a role.
But honestly, I'm not too excited about it. I mean, it's quite challenging to portray a romantic relationship with a former same-sex partner when I'm still struggling to define my own stance, even after over a decade. Nevertheless, it's a great opportunity... Should I accept or decline?
In the end, I couldn't decide right then and opted to think it over before giving my answer. Fortunately, the movie was still in the planning phase, and filming was scheduled for next spring or later.
"Please take your time to think it over. We'll appreciate your response when you're ready."
With those words, the two of them left, and after seeing them off, Yoko-san and I discussed it. Ultimately, we decided to table the discussion until after the release of "CHANGE!" Since we had plenty of time, I'll take some time to think about it...
Support Tangerine Translation on Ko-fi! 🍊 ko-fi.com/tangerinetranslation 🍊
Comments
Post a Comment