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yoshyushi · 8 months ago

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20240514 Beijing Youth Interview

From 【Creation of the Gods】 to 【To the Wonder】, Yu Shi: Popularity isn't pressure, it's motivation

Actor Yu Shi is an idealist. In his recent exclusive interview with Beijing Youth's reporter, his confidence, maturity and sincerity seem to be reflected through the clear gaze in his eyes as he looks forward in his acting career. "The roles that I wish to be known for can't just be Ji Fa (T/N: leading role in 【Creation fo the Gods】). I want to leave behind many memorable characters and Batay is one of them."

Mini-series 【To the Wonder】 was exclusively broadcasted on iQiyi on 7th May and at the same time, entered CCTV golden primetime broadcast. The whip-wielding grassland boy on horseback Batay that Yu Shi plays in the drama brings forth a clear natural vibrance, blending with the majestically beautiful landscape. Yu Shi thinks this project had helped open up a new world for him. "Through 【To the Wonder】, I hope to let everyone see that I'm also able to take on a role like Batay who's so contradictory, rugged yet pure, deep and shy. Such vivid qualities are hard to come by in previous films and dramas."

It was just a "work finding" attitude back then, never thought to gain so much attention right now

【To the Wonder】 was adapted from a short stories publication of the same name by Li Juan, directed by Teng Cong Cong and starring Ma Yili, Zhou Yiran and Yu Shi, which tells a story of a young Han lady Li Wenxiu who grew up in Altay, her consecutive failures chasing after her literary dreams in the city that eventually forced her to return to her hometown to live with her mother who looked after a shop. After she met local youth Batay, Wenxiu gradually came to discover the beauty of the land.

【To the Wonder】 had a global premiere this April at Cannes. Following that, tickets were hard to grab when it had screened at the 14th Beijing International Film Festival. It could be said that it was highly anticipated. Yu Shi laughs as he claimed he hadn't expected that the project would be so popular when he first participated in it. "After I completed filming for 【Born to Fly】, I was jobless for a while. So at that time I only had the mindset of "finding a job" and got in contact with this project. During the audition, I chatted with director Teng Cong Cong and didn't know what the results would be. We met a second time, and it was confirmed that Batay would be played by me."

Yu Shi read 【To the Wonder】's original short stories in detail. The free land and unique quality of Altay made him yearn for it. "At that time I had a personal agenda, I thought as an actor, if I was able to experience the vast, primitive Northern Xinijang with livestock aplenty as penned by Li Juan would be such an experience of a lifetime."

Suddenly feeling like he had really become a local chap

In order to perform Batay well, Yu Shi's greatest challenge was language. He spoke mostly Kazakh in the drama. Half a year before he joined the production team, Yu Shi had started learning Kazakh language from a teacher. He laughed and said he had used a most primitive method-- to memorize blindly. "I couldn't learn it systematically from grammar to phonetics. The script was in mandarin, so I found a teacher to translate it into Kazakh. I recorded it into my voice memos and listened to it daily when I had the time, even when I was going to bed, I brainwashed myself through putting it on loop, memorizing it every day. To what extent did such muscle memory achieve? If you wanted me to speak a line from it (the script), I'm still able to. Although I'm unable to guarantee the meaning of every line but I can most definitely still recite them."

In order to ascertain how well he was able to speak his lines, Yu Shi became "chummy" with the local kids. "I would often grab a kid and greet him before speaking a line from my script, asking if he was able to understand me. He said yes, so I suppose I spoke pretty well."

Yu Shi had substantial dialogue in his first scene, which was a conversation with the owner of the stables. "That actor was Kazakh. Under his lead, my sense of the language got better, and I became more confident. And as filming progressed, I was also immersed into the local community. The few months I was there I rode horses, herded and mixed with the locals whenever I wasn't filming. I would help the shepherd grandpa to herd the sheep and was invited to a shepherd's home. I learnt some short local phrases, so my lines were spoken very naturally. I shook off the bondage of pure memorization and could even start to ad-lib. For example, Batay being a passionately helpful person, saw someone pushing a car from far away. He wanted to help so he went up to say something. At that time the script only wrote "What's wrong?" but I was able to put the script aside and I had forgotten about the language barrier and was able to interact with him like a true local. All of a sudden, I felt as if I had really become a local chap."

Besides writing character background stories, there's also a need to observe the details of daily life

From Yu Shi's point of view, there's a kind of contradiction in Batay, mixed with a different aura. This had become his unique quality. "He's not the kind of pretty that we usually identify with, but he has a kind of primitive masculine handsomeness about him. At the same time, he's just a seventeen, eighteen-year-old kid but all sorts of circumstances had made him mature. He had been shepherding since young and needs to carry family responsibilities and bear with things. But when it comes to feelings he's so shy and deep. This gave him a different charisma."

Yu Shi wrote character background stories for Batay, but he felt it wasn't quite enough. "I attempted to recall many things about myself when I was seventeen and eighteen, to retrace my emotions back then. These weren't enough, I had to observe life, recording down vivid details. For example, incorporating the way the natives express themselves. When Batay smiles, or gets shy, how should the look in his eyes be? I will do a harmonisation. This way, Batay is no longer a character from imagination, but as if he had developed from my own being, a character that's of flesh and blood."

【To the Wonder】 is Yu Shi's first collaboration with a female director. He felt that Teng Cong Cong's female perspective was "very awesome". "She magnified many good parts of me. When we chatted off-camera, she would often say 'you may wait with assurance, this project is definitely very good. As a woman I feel blessed as I watched it.' Director Cong Cong is very detailed, sensitive and is able to capture subtle moments."

Actors are not a "tool" in story telling, they must have their own opinions for the character to truly come alive

Yu Shi really likes to ad-lib in his performances. He laughed and said he is measured and wouldn't overdo his ad-libs. "When on set, being in all that vivid atmosphere, the actors would be inspired and in turn make the story more vivid."

Yu Shi cites an example of a scene where Batay has an argument with his father. His father had objected to his relationship with Wenxiu. Later, Batay rides his horse over and discovers Wenxiu asleep on the grass field. "In the script it writes that Batay plays a prank and ties Wenxiu's shoelaces together, causing her to trip afterwards. But I felt if I had simply acted this way, it would be too single-faceted. I observed that there were many little wildflowers that were blooming on the fields, so I plucked one and stuck it on Wenxiu's glasses. I thought this could express Batay's inner self. At that time, he was feeling messed up. His father had objected to their feelings for each other, Batay needed to take care of this family responsibilities, but he liked Wenxiu and also couldn't bear to wake her up. So, he picked a most beautiful flower to express his liking for Wenxiu. Then, I followed the script to tie her laces together. Such a Batay was no longer just mischievous but had a gentleness and intricacy to him. At that time when I did it, I didn't discuss this with anyone. I just felt inspired at that moment and had a sudden new feeling about it. I feel this was very meaningful in the process of creation."

To Yu Shi who likes adaptations, director Teng Cong Cong had given ample creative space, which was very gratifying to him. "For an actor, the script gives visibility to allow actors to know how the storyline would progress. But actors are not 'tools' to present a story, they must have their own opinions to allow the characters to truly come alive. At the filming set, you will have sudden new feelings. Such feelings would make you act in ways that's closest to daily life, the way in which we speak would also be expressed naturally. This makes it really vivid. The actors in the scene would feel really exhilarated. I really love acting with actors who step away from the script. Such chemistry is very important."

In such a "gratuitous" space, Yu Shi was able to improvise as he liked, to let loose in his acting, and was constantly discovering himself in this process. "The director's expectations are actually very strict. Once she's assured that everything is in order, she would toy with the idea of letting the actors to play around a little, to give more possibilities. For example, the director would let me use multiple ways to express a single feeling, to let me speak my lines in this tone or that tone, or even not saying it but just smiling a little. In this process of practicing, I would have a judgement of my own to discover which way would suit such a scene, and how to present a most powerful side in a relaxed condition. This was a kind of self-discovery."

I'm confident that I'm able to totally immerse myself to act well once I take on a project

Director Teng Cong Cong felt that there was no second option other than Yu Shi for the role of Batay. Not only was his outer-image handsome, it was more so because he had a spirit of really wanting to become a good actor. When Yu Shi was interviewed, he didn't hide his passion and ambitiousness in acting. He wishes for breakthroughs, to leave more recognized characters in his acting career.

【To the Wonder 】 seem to have opened Yu Shi to a new realm, allowing audience to listen to the shyness of a bright young youth. Yu Shi said "After performing in 【Born to Fly】 and 【Creation of the Gods】, I was really afraid of getting typecasted. I didn't want to be labelled. I wish to perform in all sorts of roles to prove myself as a multi-faceted and my depth as an actor. Performing Batay gave me such an opportunity."

In the beginning, when he received 【To the Wonder】, there were people who doubted why Yu Shi would accept a low budget production. Now, Yu Shi feels 【To the Wonder】 has proven itself through its quality. "I can really confidently say that the natural landscape in the show, the movie-style cinematography, the creation from the heart has made 【To the Wonder】 different from all the rest in the past."

Presently, Yu Shi's popularity can be described as "burning". On this, does he feel pressurized? Yu Shi laughed and said "Popularity isn't pressure, but motivation. Right now I feel really great. Such a feeling has nothing to do with popularity but it's from all the pent-up adrenaline I had for all these years that now has somewhere to be put to use, I can finally film more projects."

Yu Shi claimed he's an idealist. "I think a piece of gold will always shine. All great directors and great actors started out as unknowns, so why can't rookies have opportunities and why should they be doubted? What if I succeed? Even if I hadn't filmed 【Creation of the Gods】, I would still think the same. Nobody knew who I was before 【Creation of the Gods】, but that's unimportant. What matters is if you are able to act well. Don't ever be opportunistic, don't think of taking short cuts. I'm confident that I'm able to, when I receive a project, I will put all of myself into it to act well."

Benefitted a lot from the Beijing International Film Festival as a panelist, harbors a "directorial dream"

At the Beijing International Film Festival this April, Yu Shi was a panelist for the "New blood movie projects". Yu Shi reflected that it had been an exceptionally beneficial opportunity. "As I watched the short films, I had to carefully observe the project's cinematography, lighting, editing and all other aspects. This was of great help to me as an actor. Being an actor requires you to understand the entire development of the industry, to understand the styles adopted for cinematography, the director's creative thinking. A good actor would step out of his role to create a project on a macro-level. Secondly, I also saw many young creatives who had just graduated from university and have many thoughts put into their projects, with so much potential. Perhaps an influential creative genius could be born from them."

Yu Shi revealed that he has "dreams of becoming a director". "They inspired me a lot, which further boosted my confidence to persist in becoming a film maker. If I'm able to in the future, I would want to develop as a director, to explore with rookies and let more talented young people be seen."

Likes all things new, actors cannot be isolated, because you can't just be acting as yourself

Yu Shi can be said to be multi-talented in his daily life. A professional basketballer, an expert at horseback riding, archery, good with the guitar. He was also the horseback archery director in 【To the Wonder】.

Yu Shi told the reporter that the job of a horseback archery director is to ensure that filming can be done safely, can progress and that the images can be expressed well with the protocols put in place. "Firstly, it has to be scientific to allow the horses to learn and get used to the scenes. Horses run by nature, but when it comes to scenes on horseback archery, the live camerawork, the people moving around shouting orders would all affect the horses' conditions. So, every frame on the horse has to be captured systematically. Secondly, on the progress of filming, you would have to ensure that the cameraman is able to capture the required angles and frames to fulfill the long shot, full shot, medium shot and close-up requirements. Thirdly, you have to pick the optimum path to allow the cameraman to capture the beauty and aesthetics of the horses' speed, and it has to look good. These are all the communication and calibration work needed prior to filming."

Yu Shi had always loved animals. "They all have such spirits where they can feel if you're kind or malicious as you approach them. Horses are very intelligent. Their discernment through their ears and the sensitivity of their skin and fur are very high. As long as you have a good heart, your scent, your touch would make the animals feel secure and establish a good relationship with them."

On him being "multi-talented", Yu Shi laughed and said he's someone who likes to accept all things new. "The lucky thing is, being an actor really requires such a trait. An actor cannot be isolated, because you can't just be acting as yourself. No matter if it's someone cool, a hopeless romantic, restrained or a hero, villain, you may have to present all sorts of characters. At that time, your skills, your experiences would all become the source of creative inspiration. Just like an ordinary person, if he has a certain ability he would also be very charismatic. Likewise for a character, there could be something special about him, something that makes him better than others. When this happens, as an actor shapes this character and he is coincidentally equipped with such skillsets, he would be able to use it on the character to increase the definition of the role. For example, when I filmed 【To the Wonder】, Batay initially didn't do horseback archery. But because I'm good at it so it was applied onto Batay. The more an actor learns, he accumulates and is able to bestow more shining points to the role. Even a little casual hobby could come in handy during a critical moment to add points onto the character."

Love reflections when feeling anxiety, for example on mortality and the universe

One would be taken aback by Yu Shi's maturity in thinking and the clarity of his attitude as they converse with him. Yu Shi admitted he's the type of person who loves to mull over things and likes both rowdiness and quietness. "When I'm free I'd go for a round of work out and gym. When I return home I turn quiet, mulling over all sorts of things, over and over again, what's past, what's to come, all sorts of things, I'll mull over them all."

And reflecting is a way for Yu Shi to fight anxiety. He claimed he feels anxiety too but he'd think of ways to dissipate such bad feelings. "For example, singing, playing the guitar to let it out, listening to music. And there's another method, it's actually my little secret, which is to think about things in macro-perspective, to think about deep stuff like mortality, the universe, things about various dimensions, or perhaps to just think of these worries as heaven's best arrangement. After thinking about these, you'll find that all those frustrations amount to nothing, actually. There's definitely all sorts of road bumps in life. Just as you resolve an issue, a new one could come along the next day. There is a certain order of our existence here as humans, we will never be able to escape from it. Since no one can escape, then worries and anxiety are very normal things and they're no big deal. Because nothing good comes from worrying. At least you're still living on this earth as a complete being and able to see the sun the next day."

Yu Shi's current projects have all gained good reviews. Does this have something to do with his ability to pick scripts, or is it luck? Yu Shi admits that luck comes first. "No matter how careful a choice is made, it's no use if there's no luck. Many people love to predict if a piece of work would become explosively popular but this is in fact really difficult. Choices and luck come hand in hand. When I pick scripts I rely on my intuition. A good project is something you're able to sense. However as to whether it would become popular, that's controlled by fate. So, my team and I picking a good project is something within our control and it also concerns the how the audience likes it through word of mouth. As for the rest on if it would become insanely popular shall be decided by fate."

Before 【To the Wonder】 was broadcasted, Yu Shi wrote on his weibo "I heard a deep echo from the depths of the grasslands. And that stems from missing the wilderness." In reality, Yu Shi also faces every project and every role with a sincere heart. And then, waits for the echo of fate.

#May 2024 #yushi #于适 #于适yosh #interview #我的阿勒泰 #creation of the gods #封神 #acting #yoshyu

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