Stills from the TV series "Sandstorm". Photo provided by the film crew

　　After being an actor for many years, the outside world often asks, what type of role do you want to play? How to make breakthroughs in roles that tend to be homogeneous? In fact, what I care more about is the work itself, whether the idea and theme can attract me.

　　The timing of encountering "Sandstorm" is subtle. Chen Jianghe, I play, is a policeman. The story takes place in the northwest. The characters and environment are all familiar to me, but the content derived from this character is brand new, which is exactly what I am trying to discuss at this stage. Perhaps a few years ago, I might not be attracted. After gaining more experience, I was deeply moved by the philosophy of life narration described by screenwriter Zhao Dongling. The thickness and complexity of this text exceeded my ideas and also ignited my creative passion. Under the torrent of the times, how can ordinary little people explore their own ways of finding out and change their destiny? This kind of narrative is not uncommon and can even be summarized as a big motif. However, with the progress of society and the improvement of audience's aesthetic needs, literary and artistic works can also expand various branches in motifs, keep pace with the times, and use the power of text to highlight the thickness of the work.

　　The character Chen Jianghe is written wonderfully, and the fate of everyone in the story touches his heart. The crew filmed in Liuyuan Town, Guazhou, Gansu. More than 30 years ago, this place developed rapidly due to railway hubs and mineral resources. In 1992, I went from Xinjiang to Beijing, and my first stop in Xinjiang was Liuyuan. When I first met Liuyuan, this is the "little Hong Kong" in our northwest, it is so prosperous. With the expansion of railways, minerals depleted, and the economic center of gravity shifted, Liuyuan gradually declined. Looking at it now, it is inevitable that it will feel depressed. Everyone in "Sandstorm" is struggling in their own difficulties, and we need to keep tracing and return to the source to ask questions. Sometimes, as I act, I occasionally have a flash of thought: If I were to live with him, how should I make a choice? To be fair, I may not be able to do better than him. This also gave me a lot of unexpected gains in my creation, which was a feedback from performance.

　　Chen Jianghe is not someone involved in a specific event, but a free bystander. At the beginning, he made me very powerless and had no grasp. I discussed repeatedly with director Tan Jiayan. In the first month of work, we chatted until midnight every day to find the "root" of the characters. On the one hand, I have to clarify Chen Jianghe's origin, personality causes, history of social activities, etc., and use this to implement his motivations, behavioral habits and other details; on the other hand, I have to distinguish Chen Jianghe from my previous similar roles and not fall into the performance standards and thinking inertia.

　　This is my vigilance towards myself. Although I am also a mature actor, when facing performance, I am wary of everything that may be inertia. Chen Jianghe’s origin and destination, social relationship map, food, clothing, housing and transportation, etc. are all made up for each of us in our creations. From text to implementation, there is no need to repeat the hard work in the process, but we are all very glad that because of the initial persistence, this character is more vivid and vivid. In order to investigate the case, he filled the office with case information, what system programs are there in the computer, what beds he usually sleeps in, and what communication equipment he uses... Everything is designed according to the environment and reality of the characters, like building a house, building bricks up one by one. Before the filming, the crew visited the local government departments. I specially asked relatives and friends from my hometown Yili to send a few kilograms of yogurt lumps, because there were also Kazakh herdsmen in the mining area where Chen Jianghe worked. Food can bring the characters closer and more fireworks.

　　The shooting was April and May, with dry climate, rising temperatures and altitudes. There were several violent chase scenes that made me feel uncomfortable. This is probably a kind of resonance between me and Chen Jianghe, and the environment and events jointly affect us. During the filming, I kept asking where this character would bring me? I think I have gained insight into the most secret part of the character’s heart. His resistance to the past and his entanglements in master-apprenticeship, father-daughter, and marriage and relationship are all the cornerstones of my creation. He took me away, and I also pierced him deep in this fictional soil and gave him his soul.

　　I have been in the performance industry for many years, and I am still surprised by this subtle but specific creation. Not only can I experience the tension of the characters in the performance, but I have also improved accordingly. I enjoyed the collision of creation and hope that the audience can also draw some strength from this work.

　　(The author is Duan Yihong, an actor from China National Theater)

[Editor in charge: Susan]