《Pull Strings》

Every day at 12:00 noon, it is currently being aired on Youku

Adapted from the hit web novel My Senior Brother Is Too Steady by Qidian Platinum Author Yan Gui Zheng Zhuan, the Primordial-Era xianxia comedy drama Steady Senior Brother premiered simultaneously on Youku and iQIYI at 12:00, August 19. Within one hour after release, its Youku Heat Index exceeded 6,000.Helmed by director Sam Ho, with screenplay written by Xu Boxiang, the series stars Ao Ruipeng in the lead role of Li Changshou, with special appearances by Sun Zhenni, Chen Aimi and Ao Ziyi.

Steady Senior Brother has emerged as an instant phenomenal hit upon premiere. Bullet-screen comments flood the screen across streaming platforms, while related topics repeatedly top trending charts, sparking massive online discussions among viewers. Breaking free from the rigid tropes of conventional xianxia productions, it stands out as a surprise blockbuster sweeping across the internet.

[Blending Reality and Virtuality] Bringing an Entire World Before Our Eyes

As a xianxia-themed production, the original novel features a wealth of imaginative fantasy settings — the bleak grandeur of snow capped mountain peaks, the imposing Lingxiao Palace, and the enigmatic Dragon Palace, among others. Scenes once confined solely to readers’ imagination have been brought to life as tangible landscapes through virtual production.

Leveraging virtual production technology, the crew could switch between six different sets within a single day, breaking the shooting schedule limitations of conventional filming. In an interview, Wang Ping, the lead producer, commented: “The whole shooting -process has been a pleasant surprise for me. So many things once deemed impossible have now become achievable.”

[Immersive Experience] Landscapes Unfold Before the Eyes

During filming, actors no longer had to conjure emotions out of thin air against a green screen backdrop. Lifting their gaze, they saw rolling mountain ranges stretch toward them; looking down, vast sea of clouds swirled beneath their feet. Actor Yu Yi remarked: “Take a look around. It is a screen, yet when you gaze at it, what you see are real clouds. Combined with practical set elements, everything feels incredibly authentic.”

By integrating virtual production with traditional storytelling, Steady Senior Brother allowed actors to deliver immersive performances even in bitter cold conditions, while enjoying the convenience and comfort brought by technology. Yu Yi reflected: “Over my two-to-three-decade career, before virtual studios existed, I worked in snow towns at minus 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. The cold would pierce right through your bones.”

[Survival as the Path] Sowing Obsession Deep in the Heart

The protagonist Li Changshou’s sincere obsession for survival and pursuit of staying true to his inner self resonates with the creative philosophy of EXCO VISION’s virtual production team. Restoring every texture of the primordial-era world through technology, transforming written words into tangible landscapes, continuously pushing the boundaries of filming and exploring innovative approaches to filmmaking, the production has forged a distinctive “anti-trope aesthetic”.

EXCO VISION engineers maintained full on-site presence throughout shooting, providing technical support to safeguard an exceptional visual outcome.

Compelling stories rely on craftsmanship, and even more so on the backing of technology. Rooted in independent R&D, EXCO VISION has built full-stack capabilities covering research and development, intelligent manufacturing, and on-site implementation services. Deeply engaged in the visual-image industry, the company empowers storytelling through technological breakthroughs and creates tangible visual experiences for every flight of fancy.

Tune in to Youku to witness how the Prudent Sage “wins” the primordial-era world with his prudence!