I love the filming of C-dramas even if most of the end product is crap. It’s all pre-filmed so the writing doesn’t do crazy about turns due to ratings or audience reaction, though many times it still does crazy about turns but that’s due to simply baaaaad writing. The directing remains consistent and the actors don’t look like half-death due to the intense live-shooting schedule. Another great bit is that C-drama drop goodies almost from the moment filming begins. After news broke last week that the fantasy wuxia RPG Gu Jian Qi Tan (Ancient Sword Fantasy Tale) was getting a drama adaptation, filming kicked off this week on July 1st in Hendian (home of the largest studio complex in China). The production company released official stills of the cast that has assembled so far – Li Yi Feng as the male lead Bai Li Tu Su, Yang Mi in her first wuxia period drama in four years playing female lead Feng Qing Xue, and a bunch of secondary actors who look the part but I have no clue if they can act. LOL, in dramas such as this acting is pretty ancillary to the requirements. Seeing my Feng Feng in looking so smexy in all-black wielding a big and glowy sword gives me all the right shivers of happiness. Since this is based on an RPG story which always involves a hero’s journey, main lead Bai Li Tu Su finds himself possessing multiple qi’s (spirits) in his body and goes on a search for the mystery for his condition. Along the way he meets heroine Feng Qing Xue, described as sultry and confident, and the two of them grow close and fall in love as they encounter challenges and betrayals aplenty. Other than the two leads first official character stills, the remainder of the cast pictures released her are for side characters. The production has stated that the rest of the main cast members will be revealed in due course, but will likely be the actors and actresses I listed in my first initial post about this drama. Filming has just begun so not everyone is on set yet, which is yet another quirk about C-drama filming. It’s filmed totally out of sequence depending on which of the main leads’ schedule is available at what time, since it’s all correct re-assembled and edited (and dubbed most of the time) after filming wraps. I’m keeping my fingers-crossed this will be decent, I was an early Yang Mi fan after she was the best thing in the 2008 remake of Return of the Condor Heroes playing my favorite character in that novel Guo Xiang (the younger daughter of Legend of the Condor Heroes OTP Guo Jing and Huang Rong), but since then she’s fallen out of my favor even as her star has risen dramatically since Jade Palace Lock Heart. But since she’s back in the wuxia genre maybe she’ll bring back some of her original fire. I just hope the special effects aren’t beyond shitty and kept to a bare minimum, Xuan Yuan Sword was made even more ridiculous with its over-abundance of silly fantasy elements brought to life through bargain rate special effects. With this being Li Yi Feng’s first major starring role (and opposite C-ent’s actress du jour), I’m praying this rockets his acting career to the next level.