2011/11/17
Reporter: 李豐怡
馬仔阿佘再度拍檔Compare to Steven’s liveliness, the Charmaine I saw on the filming site is by contrast very quiet. In between scenes, she is usually either calling or text messaging on her cellphone. Who is the person on the receiving end; that I don’t know.
Legend of Yuan Empire Founder is Charmaine’s first mainland tv series production after leaving TVB, which can be said to be her first cannonball to attack the Greater China market, hence its (series) significance is major and also packed with hope. Charmaine expresses that regardless of any circumstances, she will allow herself any missteps. Even though she is alone on her own, away from home for months on end in an unfamiliar environment, as to be almost completely cut off from the outside, Charmaine says she can withstand the situation, even back then when she was out in Mongolia on location shooting and life was even more arduous. She jests that she has had it even worse when in the past (tvb) she shot series day in day out without rest and sleep for months in a row, but she still remained sprightly. (精靈??) But then again, after enduring for so many years, her physical stamina is not as before.
Steven and Charmaine, this pair of Chow Sai Hin and Princess Cheung Ping in ‘Perish in the name of love’ co-stars, are collaborating again after some many years, but their partnership is now a thing of the past. In LOYEF, one is Kublai Khan’s loyal minister, the other, Kublai Khan’s beloved wife. Their scenes together and their one-on-one dialogues are not many. This is their first time shooting a mainland series, (sic. not true) but both have quickly acclimatized to the different shooting style. They are used to enduring hardship because in TVB, the filming was done day and night ceaselessly, one set of scenes following another, much like an assembly line war. By contrast, in Mainland series production, the breaks between filming are fixed. Typically, a set of scenes will not be filmed for over 12 hours, and moreover they are usually filmed during the day from 6 am to 6 pm. This kind of arrangement will ensure that the artistes have adequate rest and can be at their best.
The life in Hengdian is uneventful but still it does provide some diversions to while away time. But these two Hong Kong artistes seldom indulge in nightlife. After work they usually stay in their hotel. Steven, who enjoys exercises, makes full use of the hotel facilities to keep fit, even borrowed a pair of dumb bells to use inside his room, ready for weightlifting at anytime! No wonder even Director Tsui Siu Ming had to praise Steven that he has become increasingly sprightly, (精靈??) even his face has become smoother and well-moisturized, scaring Steven into thinking initially that he had become fatter! After work, Charmaine usually keeps to her room. Allegedly she uses er cellphone to get on internet for diversions, and of course, using the downtime to study her script.
One of the first things that Hong Kong artistes staying in Mainland should do is to hire a local assistant and a chauffeur. Typically, for cast members like Steven and Charmaine, the production company will provide them with a 7 seater van for their convenience. As for the assistants, most of them are young ladies in their early twenties, who are familiar with the place and its logistics. As artists' personal assistants, they will take care of all nitty gritty chores as well as scene prompter (提場 youtube explanation) so that the artistes can be immersed in the work without outside disturbances and worries. Frankly, in an unfamiliar environment and without a personal manager or an assistant to help out, these local PAs are very important to the artistes.
I'm late again! But yay!
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