China Entertainment: Crazy Movie King

The air in Hengdian seems to be forever soaked in the greasiness of cheap box lunches, the slight acidity after sweat evaporates, and a deeper aura of decay accumulated over the years. Hong Xiaofan huddled in the corner of the group performance studio, his back pressed against the cold and suspiciously stained plastic chair back, his eyes glazed over on the A4 paper that was slightly limp with sweat. That was his "imperial edict" today - a "dead corpse" with no name, no lines, and wearing tattered uniforms. The edges of the paper have been rubbed unconsciously and have rough edges, just like his youth that has been worn away in countless corners of the film set in the past five years.