The Best Director

“Sheldon doesn’t really have a disorder, does he? I’ve looked up some information, and he exhibits many symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome, such as deficits in social skills and an interest in certain specialized topics that exceeds that of ordinary people. Is Sheldon Asperger’s?”

In Los Angeles at Universal Studios, due to Universal Studios’ parent company Vivendi Group’s negotiations with NBC, Vivendi Universal was about to merge with NBC to become the media giant “NBC Universal.” Thus, the set of The Big Bang Theory was built within the sound stages of Universal Studios, including all indoor scenes such as the apartments, comic book store, CIT, as well as backstage areas like the wardrobe and makeup rooms and the writers’ office.

“No, I’m sure he doesn’t,” said Graham Linehan and Bill Prady, who were responsible for the shooting on set, as they directed the crew in final preparations before filming commenced that day; science consultant and physicist David Saltzberg was sitting in a director’s chair with his name on it, in front of Sheldon and Leonard’s living room set. To the left was the elevator corridor, and Penny’s living room.

This was a fixed main set, with movable sets such as Sheldon’s bedroom, Leonard’s bedroom, and the comic book store on each side, which were moved into place for shooting as required by each episode’s script.

“Quite fascinating,” David Saltzberg said with a smile. Raising his head, he could see numerous lighting and camera equipment, and around him were several cameras soon to be put to use, with 6 rows of audience seating arranged in 4 columns not far behind. When the audience arrived, the laughter of nearly two hundred people during filming created a completely different atmosphere from a scientific laboratory; and those physics equations on the whiteboards in the living room were also written by him.

As the first episode of the series and the first scene to be filmed, Wang Yang, the creator and head writer, albeit not an executive producer, was present. He needed to lay a foundation and establish a style for The Big Bang Theory, instructing the actors on how to perform and telling Graham Linehan and Bill Prady how to shoot and produce. Holding the script for the first episode, Wang Yang walked towards the set, answering Jim Parsons’s question as he went.

“Oh,” said Jim Parsons, dressed in a green Green Lantern-patterned long-sleeved T-shirt and plaid pants, exuding the geeky aura of one who is awkwardly smart. Hearing Wang Yang’s response, his confusion did not diminish: “But why is he like that? Is there a reason?”

“Kaley Cuoco, come here a moment!” Wang Yang called out, waving over Kaley Cuoco, who was sitting nearby on a chair. He had just reviewed some of the rehearsal footage shot by the crew and naturally had many issues to address, particularly with the actors’ understandings of their characters. For instance, looking at this Sheldon, Wang Yang couldn’t help but want to laugh, probably because he was struck by the comic effect. He said with a smile, “Why do you have to assume there’s a mental issue for such a person to exist?”

Jim Parsons was taken aback. He had discussed this question many times with Graham Linehan, Bill Prady, and others, who all said, “Sheldon doesn’t have any mental illness, his mom had him checked.” So, it is settled that he does not have one. Parsons thought that God must be fair—Sheldon was so intelligent, yet he couldn’t understand how to socialize; he just always wanted to figure out why.

Looking at the smile on the face of this brilliant director, Parsons couldn’t help feeling nervous, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of a handsome man. Thinking along these lines, he said, “Uh… maybe that way, the character would be more realistic?”

“I see, then you must think Superman, Green Lantern, and The Incredible Hulk are not realistic,” Wang Yang’s response seemed a bit out of left field as he queried, “Right?” A puzzled Parsons nodded, “Yes, they are comics, movies.” As Kaley Cuoco, with her flowing blonde hair, approached with a “Hey” awaiting instructions, she heard Wang Yang say, “Movies, TV shows, and plays don’t need so many restrictions. As an actor, what you need to do is not pick faults but to immerse yourself.”

Wang Yang glanced at Kaley Cuoco as if to indicate that this message was for her too. Looking at both of them, he raised the script in his hand, “Why do you have to think they’re fake? They’re real, they exist in their world, not ours. Have you seen Back to the Future? Do you know about the parallel universe theory? Similarly, Sheldon exists in his world. When you read the script, you’re not doubting whether it’s true or false, whether it is rational; you need to find the path to that world, you need to become Sheldon.”

In the end, it still comes down to an actor’s immersion into their character. Whether in movies or TV series, if an actor is always doubting their role, how can they become the character? Of course, Jim Parsons had great passion and understanding for Sheldon, but this could affect his portrayal. In the original 2007 season of “The Big Bang Theory,” the whole crew had various doubts, causing the story’s style and the characters’ personalities to sway back and forth; such mistakes would not happen again.

“You can find reasons for him, but you must believe that Sheldon is real, that he doesn’t have a mental illness if he doesn’t have a mental illness, and you can’t have an ‘okay, whatever’ attitude,” Yang Wang patted the thoughtful Parsons on the shoulder, adding that a great actor can always fully believe in and find the sparkle in their character and bring them to life. “Your attitude will affect your performance, and only when you are invested will you discover other things about Sheldon, then come ask me ‘How about this little gesture for Sheldon?’ or ‘I don’t think Sheldon would say this line.'”

After a long spiel, Yang Wang paused and seriously asked, “Are you ready?” Jim Parsons took a deep breath and nodded, “Yes, I think I’m ready.”

It wasn’t just Jim Parsons who felt the pressure; Kaley Cuoco also felt it suddenly. This 24-year-old director’s presence was vast, incomparable to those of “The Eight Simple Rules” or “Girl Boss” … It made sense though, after all, he was the amazing Yang Wang! It was unbelievable; she was crazy about “High School Musical” at 13, and now at 18, she was about to start shooting the Baby Director’s “The Big Bang Theory”; whereas the amazing Yang Wang had already shot “Paranormal Activity” at 18.

“Kaley, I just watched some of your rehearsals,” Yang Wang’s voice snapped Kaley Cuoco out of her thoughts. She listened attentively, “Yes, yes.” Yang Wang grinned, revealing a smile, and said, “Your smile, see how it’s like this? Sunny!” Kaley Cuoco let out an ‘Oh’ without catching the self-deprecating joke; Yang Wang kept laughing, “As sunny and pure as possible! I don’t want the feeling of fashion or maturity, yes, Penny has had many boyfriends, but she is a silly person, a country girl who just came to the big city, a little girl, you understand? The first impression is very important.” …

“Here is the set of ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ welcome, everyone!”

As the start of filming drew closer, the white host led nearly two hundred audience members into the studio. They all took their seats in the audience area after passing through a security check to prevent dangerous items from entering, as well as cameras and recording equipment. As soon as everyone was settled, the host began creating a cheerful atmosphere, making sure everyone would laugh louder during the recording.

“Everyone knows this is Yang Wang’s first sitcom, and everyone is wondering just how funny it will be?” The host looked at the interested audience and passionately said, “You’re about to find out, it’s so, so funny! We will be recording the first episode today, and it’s not a pilot episode, oh no! And Yang Wang will personally make a cameo in a scene of another episode! You’ll get to see the Oscar Best Director be NG’d!”

The audience erupted in excited cheers, and if the microphones above them were already on, these sounds would have been recorded. Among those nearly two hundred audience members, none were there solely for the main actors, except for a few “The Eight Simple Rules” fans; they were here because of Yang Wang, determined to register, to grab tickets, to sit here. Alyssa was one such movie fan; she had been anticipating “Firefly” and “The Big Bang Theory” for too long, and she felt so lucky to be able to watch the recording of the first episode of “TBBT!”

“Now, please welcome our main cast and creators: Johnny Galecki, Leonard! Jim Parsons, Sheldon! Kaley Cuoco, Penny! …” The host loudly called out each name, and the five main actors, mentioned by name, ran out from backstage with smiles, waving and greeting the audience who welcomed them with applause. Though they weren’t familiar with the four men dressed as nerds, quirky or old-fashioned, the host continued, “Founders, The Producers, writers: Graham Linehan, Bill Prady… and —”

He prolonged the sound as the audience already started boiling with excitement, the 6X4 seats nearly all stood up spontaneously, as lively as a concert. The host was almost turning red with the buildup and suddenly yelled, “Yang Wang! — The amazing Yang!”

“Yang!” “Yang, Yang!” A wave of hollering and screaming suddenly erupted, mainly from the younger audience members who enthusiastically hollered and clapped, the shouts so loud they could deafen. The atmosphere, in less than half a minute, changed dramatically, reaching a climax. Amidst the clamor, Yang Wang, dressed in a trench coat and jeans, walked out from backstage, not rushing to the scenery but surprisingly turned around with his hands in his pockets, and smoothly moonwalked across.

“Hahaha!” “Wow!—” Seeing his flamboyant entrance, the entire studio erupted in laughter; the audience roared with amusement or screamed in amazement, the decibel level dwarfing that of the host’s prior attempts to rouse them. The cast in front of the set turned their heads and could not help but chuckle, with Kaley Cuoco staring in awe. Serious and intense when needed, Wang Yang was absolutely terrifying, but when it came to being silly and humorous, he was funnier than anyone. When had they ever seen such an “alternative” director on set? Not only in movies or dramas, but even in sitcoms, such a character was a rare find.

Graham Linehan, Bill Prady, David Saltzberg, and the rest of the creative team behind the scenes were also taken aback for a moment, finally understanding what the young Best Director meant when he said, “We need to fill this set with joy, stay in the rhythm of comedy at all times, you got it!”

“Cool! Now that’s the spirit of a comedy creator!” Like many around her, Elisa couldn’t help but shriek excitedly—Wang Yang’s moonwalk was so cool! She raised her hands high, clapping and shouted, “Hey, Amazing Yang! I want your autograph!”

Amidst the chaos, it seemed that he heard her voice. After moonwalking into the set and giving a brief wave in acknowledgment, Yang Wang didn’t head towards Graham and the others near the camera to start shooting. Instead, he suddenly charged straight towards the audience. The crowd went even crazier, yelling “Ah, Yang!” “Yang—” Yang Wang took a microphone from a staff member, looked at the rows of audience, and waved, “Hi, how is everyone? Welcome here!”

As the cheers and whistles gradually subsided, the audience settled down with smiles on their faces. While walking down the aisle, Yang Wang smiled at them and said, “Guys, remember to laugh loudly later! This is not a request; you got it! And I mean, don’t tire yourselves out laughing.” The audience responded with thunderous applause, no one doubted that The Big Bang Theory would be anything but hilarious. Yang Wang continued, “When you leave here, keep the details of our shoot a secret, okay? But do tell your families, friends, and people online: ‘It was absolutely hysterical! I won’t tell you why!’ Let them be envious!”

In fact, Firefly and NBC were not afraid of spoilers leaking online—this was not a movie. Sitcoms have always been like this; revealing some of the plot or dialogue doesn’t affect viewership. On the contrary, the wider it spreads, the more people know, the greater the anticipation for the spoiled content, and the higher the ratings. The Big Bang Theory’s new season wouldn’t premiere until September; now they were just shooting three episodes per month, preparing the first 12 episodes. The following 12 episodes would be filmed while the season was airing; the lines were designed to be trendy, the characters’ popularity levels, and the promotional strategies all dictated that sitcoms needed to be shot while being broadcast.

“I will!” “OK!” The audience laughed and promised in response. Yang Wang thanked them, “Then, I’ll see you later!” With that, he pumped his fist and walked towards the camera. At the host’s persistent instruction, the audience settled back into their seats and fell silent. The host glanced at the shooting schedule and introduced, “The scene we’re about to shoot is where Leonard and Sheldon have had a really bad day, and when they get home, they see a new neighbor has moved in—she’s Penny.”

The first shot of the opening scene was in the elevator corridor set where the audience could see Yang Wang and Graham discussing something next to a camera, with the photographers all ready; meanwhile, Kaley Cuoco sat in the living room of Penny’s apartment, which was set up to look newly moved into and piled with boxes, reading the script. Wang Yang led the group back into the elevator corridor set, demonstrating and explaining something to Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki, who wore glasses.

“Phew!” Watching these final preparations, Paul Jones, the entertainment production manager from NBC who had come to watch, was extremely nervous—the shooting was about to begin! They had, on account of “Amazing Yang,” rashly committed to a full-season order for The Big Bang Theory at a high price. If it wasn’t funny, the merits they had gained from Prison Break might just vanish. Silently, he prayed, “Amazing Yang, please don’t mess this up!”

Everything entered a countdown, and Yang Wang and the rest returned behind the three cameras. Jim Parsons, wearing a backpack, and Johnny Galecki moved behind the stairs of the set. After the stage manager finished calling, “First scene, take one,” the audience heard the director for this episode, Yang Wang, shout, “Action!”

“Do you want to hear something interesting about stairs?” As the cameras and microphones began rolling, the dispirited Leonard and the expressionless Sheldon emerged from the stairwell, going upstairs while conversing. Leonard responded uninterestedly, “NO.” Sheldon, however, acted as if he heard a YES and excitedly said, “If there’s even a two-millimeter difference in the height of a step, most people will trip.” Leonard continued, disinterested, “I don’t care.”

The audience watched the action on the set or the large TV screen hanging in front displaying the camera feeds. Yang Wang, looking at the camera’s screen, was quite pleased. Thanks to the detailed rehearsals and explanations, the actors’ expressions and movements were already very close to the 2007 peak version, especially Sheldon, who made an impression as “Shelly.” However, regarding the scientifically verified staircase humor, Yang Wang wondered why there were no steps with inconspicuous differences that Jessica would trip over? He had measured the stairs at home; there was no discrepancy.

“Two millimeters … that’s hardly possible, is it?” Leonard, looking dejected, suddenly wondered. Sheldon’s interest was piqued even more, and he continued his rhythmic speech, educating, “No, it’s true. I did a series of experiments when I was 12. My dad even broke his collarbone.”

“Hahaha!” The audience burst into laughter, following the host’s cue. They didn’t even need his direction; brimming with energy, the audience laughed heartily, amplifying the comedic effect several times over. Since the scene setup needed updating, this shot was complete. Wang Yang laughed and shouted, “CUT! Well done!” Instantly, everyone on the set and in the audience started clapping, celebrating the completion of The Big Bang Theory’s first shot.

Soon, another “Action!” was heard, followed by another round of hearty laughter, growing louder and louder: “Hahaha!!” Alyssa laughed until her facial muscles were tired. These jokes, filled with scientific knowledge and incomprehensible scientific theories, were so fresh that they excited her: “This is so funny, so interesting! So, science as described by the marvelous Yang is like this! So cool, this show is definitely going to be a ratings explosion …” As she was thinking, another joke suddenly made everyone burst into laughter again.

“Hahaha!!” Listening to the laughter and looking at the focused Marvelous Yang nearby, Paul Jones couldn’t help but laugh out loud, clenching his hands tightly: “YES, YES!” He had visited many sitcom shoots and could tell what laughter was genuine and what was just for show; moreover, this was just a verification, as the script of The Big Bang Theory was the truly reassuring key. But the audience’s reaction … ratings!

Will The Big Bang Theory have any problem taking over after Friends? Paul Jones laughed along with the audience: “Hahaha!”

※※

※※

※※

PS: Wow, thanks to everyone’s efforts, the weekly recommendation tickets have surged drastically, achieving a 1:2 ratio with weekly clicks, which is great to see! The clicks are a bit pitiful, so comfort me with your recommendation tickets!

Also, it’s the end of the month, and I’m also seeking monthly tickets! I’ve always felt monthly tickets are quite hard to ask for, will you guys have them ready next month? I don’t know if we can push for a higher ranking, but I respectfully ask for everyone’s support!

Additionally, thanks to Smile Again and other brothers for their rewards, thank you! 300 chapters in, thank you all for accompanying me along the way! (