In 2015, Zhao Benshan stood at the crossroads of his career and decided to open a new chapter. With ambition flashing in his eyes, he began to prepare for the new drama "Ma Dashuai" written and starred by himself.
This decision is not only a test of his years of accumulation, but also an opportunity to re-establish his position in the hearts of the audience. Zhao Benshan knows that an excellent TV series not only needs a wonderful script, but also an excellent cast.
He began to carefully select each role, especially the key role of the heroine Ma Xiaocui. Among the many candidates, Meng Zhen stood out with his youthful and energetic image.
Zhao Benshan looked at Meng Zhen's sunny smile and nodded with satisfaction, thinking that this girl would definitely be able to win the love of the audience. However, Zhao Benshan did not ignore other potential talents.
During the casting process, he noticed a young actor named Wang Yajie. Wang Yajie was born in 1991 and graduated from the Performance Department of Shanghai Theater Academy. Although she is still an unknown newcomer, Zhao Benshan is keenly aware of her potential.
Wang Yajie has a sweet appearance and experienced acting skills. She is not in a hurry to pursue fame like many young actors, but has chosen to take the acting route. In many crews, she always plays an inconspicuous role, but she is impressive because of her superb performance.
Zhao Benshan appreciated her professional attitude and strength, and decided to give this young actor a chance to become Ma Xiaocui's substitute actor. In this way, Zhao Benshan began the preparatory work for "Ma Dashuai".
He is full of anticipation and hopes that this work will become a new peak in his career. However, he doesn't know what kind of ups and downs the show will experience in the coming days, and one small role change will become a turning point in the fate of the entire series.
In 2016, "Ma Dashuai" was officially launched, and the crew carried out casting work in various places to find suitable actors to join. However, fate always likes to joke. At a party, Zhao Benshan met the once smash hit singer Ai Jing.
Ai Jing became famous for the song "My 1997", and her appearance is quite characteristic of a Northeast woman, but she has gradually faded out of the entertainment industry over the years. Knowing that Zhao Benshan was filming a new drama, Ai Jing took the initiative to say that he wanted to participate.
This unexpected request surprised Zhao Benshan. After some thought, he decided to give Ai Jing a chance to audition for the role of Ma Dashuai's sister Yufen. However, Ai Jing's proposal made Zhao Benshan frown.
She wants to be able to come and go freely without being constrained by the crew, because she has other commercial activities to participate in. Zhao Benshan was silent for a while, and then shook his head firmly.
"I'm sorry, but what we need is actors who are fully committed." There was regret in his tone, but there was no doubt about it. When Ai Jing left the audition scene, Zhao Benshan looked at her back thoughtfully.
He breathed a sigh of relief, glad he hadn't made a hasty decision. At this moment, Zhao Benshan remembered the previous alternative actor Wang Yajie. Although he was a little hesitant, he finally decided to give the young actor a chance.
When Wang Yajie stood in front of the camera, Zhao Benshan was surprised to find that after careful makeup, she had completely transformed into an innocent and well-behaved village girl. At first, he was worried that Wang Yajie's age might not fit Yufen's setting as an adult.
However, when he saw Wang Yajie's performance, all his worries disappeared. Wang Yajie's eyes revealed the innocence that Yufen should have, and her gestures exuded the atmosphere of youth.
She fully integrated herself into the image of this simple rural girl, which made Zhao Benshan's eyes shine. He knew he had found the perfect Yufen. When Zhao Benshan announced this decision, Wang Yajie was so excited that he almost cried.
She clasped her hands and secretly vowed in her heart that she must go all out and live up to the director's trust. Zhao Benshan looked at Wang Yajie's firm eyes, and his heart was full of expectation. In this way, after a series of accidents and twists, Wang Yajie successfully obtained the role of Yufen.
This decision not only changed Wang Yajie's acting career, but also laid the groundwork for the "Ma Dashuai" series. However, no one expected that this seemingly ordinary casting decision would become a key factor in the development of the plot and the change of word of mouth in the future.
In 2017, the long-awaited "Ma Dashuai" was finally broadcast as scheduled. Zhao Benshan was apprehensive in his heart, waiting for the audience's reaction. When the ratings data came out, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The high ratings are a testament to the success of the show, and "Ma Dashuai" has gained a sensational effect. What is especially gratifying is that Yufen played by Wang Yajie is deeply loved by the audience.
Her gentle and moving acting skills perfectly interpreted the image of this innocent and well-behaved village girl, and won unanimous praise from the audience. The battle between Ma Dashuai and Fan Debiao for Yufen has also become a highlight in the play, adding a lot of highlights to the whole story.
Zhao Benshan looked at the overwhelming praise on the Internet, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose. He was glad that he insisted on choosing Wang Yajie in the first place. However, before the joy of success has fully settled, new pressures follow.
Seeing the success of the first part, the producer couldn't wait to offer to start filming the second part as soon as possible. They hope that Zhao Benshan can take advantage of the victory to pursue and continue to maintain this popularity. Faced with this proposal, Zhao Benshan frowned.
He is well aware that a good sequel takes time to polish and rush into battle may affect quality. However, in the face of the producer's insistence and the pressure of the market, Zhao Benshan finally nodded and agreed.
This decision is like opening a Pandora's box and laying a hidden danger for the future. What Zhao Benshan doesn't know is how this hasty decision will affect the future of the "Ma Dashuai" series.
When he looked up into the distance, he secretly prayed in his heart that the second part would continue the glory of the first part. However, the twist of fate often comes inadvertently. The pressure of success, as well as the high expectations for a sequel, became potential risk factors.
The success of "Ma Dashuai" is gratifying, but it also brings great challenges to Zhao Benshan and the entire crew. How to maintain the original characteristics while bringing forth the new, how to meet the growing expectations of the audience, these problems need to be seriously faced and solved.
In this way, in an atmosphere of joy and pressure, the preparations for "Ma Dashuai 2" quietly began. However, no one realizes that a seemingly trivial decision will completely change the fate of the show.
In 2018, the preparations for "Ma Dashuai 2" are in full swing. Just then, an unexpected visitor breaks the crew's peace. Ai Jing, who had left due to unsatisfactory audition conditions, came to the door again.
This time, her eyes flashed with determination, expressing her willingness to accept the previous full investment conditions, hoping to participate in the filming of "Ma Dashuai 2". Faced with Ai Jing's request, Zhao Benshan fell into deep hesitation.
He recalled Wang Yajie's outstanding performance in the first part and the audience's love for her, and he couldn't help but be a little shaken in his heart. However, the producer's suggestion dispelled his concerns.
They believe that Ai Jing's image is more in line with life temperament, which can inject new vitality into the character of Yufen, and may bring unexpected results. After some weighing, Zhao Benshan finally made a bold decision: agreed to let Ai Jing replace Wang Yajie as Yufen in the second part.
This decision is undoubtedly risky, but Zhao Benshan hopes to bring a new breakthrough to the "Ma Dashuai" series in this way. This strong contrast not only affects the charm of Yufen's character, but also affects the attractiveness of the entire plot.
Ai Jing's partnership with Zhao Benshan and Fan Wei also had obstacles, and the chemistry between the three was far less natural and harmonious than in the first part. Zhao Benshan stood in front of the window, looking at the neon lights in the distance, and his heart was mixed.
He realized that this decision to change roles not only affected the character of Yufen, but also affected the direction of the entire "Ma Dashuai" series. The originally relaxed and cheerful atmosphere became a little deliberate and stiff, and the Yufen that the audience knew and loved seemed to have disappeared.
The online reviews are even more to the point. An audience member wrote: "Ai Jing's Yufen is too sophisticated, and she completely lacks the sense of innocence in the first part. Another person said: "The change of roles ruined the whole drama, and I can no longer find the original heart-warming Yufen."
These comments are like a hammer hammer hitting Zhao Benshan's heart. He clenched his fists, knowing full well that he had to change. But how can you salvage the situation without hurting Ai Jing? This question weighed on his mind like a boulder.
The word-of-mouth crisis of "Ma Dashuai 2" not only affected the series itself, but also brought huge pressure to Zhao Benshan and the entire production team. They had to face a cruel reality: a seemingly small decision to change roles turned out to be the biggest reason for the decline in word of mouth.
This lesson made Zhao Benshan understand that in the production of TV dramas, every decision may affect the success or failure of the entire work. In the face of the continuous decline in the reputation of "Ma Dashuai 2", Zhao Benshan realized that decisive action must be taken.
When preparing for "Ma Dashuai 3", he made a key decision: to recall Wang Yajie to play Yufen. When Wang Yajie appeared on the set again, the entire crew seemed to be injected with new vitality.
Her familiar smile and coquettish performance made everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Wang Yajie regained Yufen's innocence and devoted himself to the role, and the tacit understanding with Zhao Benshan and Fan Wei was quickly restored.
However, Ai Jing's dissatisfaction also exploded. She has a lot of complaints about her role arrangement, and she is also dissatisfied with other actors and crew. The atmosphere of the crew began to become tense.
The situation came to a head when Ai Jing had a public argument with the powerful actor Tranquility. This quarrel not only affected the filming schedule, but also lowered the atmosphere of the entire crew to a freezing point.
Zhao Benshan stood in the center of the set, looking at the two people who were tense, and his heart was very entangled. He understands that a choice must be made, or the entire crew will be thrown into chaos. After careful consideration, Zhao Benshan made a difficult but necessary decision.
He walked up to Ai Jing and said softly but firmly, "I'm sorry, we may need to end the cooperation early." Although this decision made him feel heartache, Zhao Benshan knew that it was for the future of the entire work.
He turned to look at Wang Yajie and nodded for her to continue playing Yufen. Wang Yajie's eyes flashed with tears of gratitude, she knew that she had a great responsibility on her shoulders and must go all out to save the reputation of the "Ma Dashuai" series.
This decisive decision not only calmed down the contradictions of the crew, but also injected new hope into "Ma Dashuai 3". Zhao Benshan hopes that through this adjustment, he can regain the hearts of the audience and save the reputation of the "Ma Dashuai" series.
The ups and downs of the "Ma Dashuai" series made Zhao Benshan deeply realize the importance of actor selection to the entire work. The change of Yufen's role this time directly affected the plot trend and word-of-mouth evaluation of the "Ma Dashuai" trilogy.
Ai Jing's unstable state and inferior acting skills ruined the excitement of the second part, while Wang Yajie's excellent performance made the first part a success and reversed the original decline of the third part.
Zhao Benshan understands that an excellent actor not only needs excellent acting skills, but also needs a professional attitude and professionalism. He looked at Wang Yajie, who was rehearsing seriously, and a look of relief flashed in his eyes.
This experience was undoubtedly an important test and a valuable lesson for him and the whole team, reminding them that strength and attitude are equally important, and whether the professionalism of the actors can be combined with the charisma of personality will determine the vitality of a work.