Chapter 579 Jump Up Theater

Jiang Yuqian is busy filming on the set of the TV series "Telephone".

Nevertheless, she hasn't been idle in the business arena either, announcing two endorsements in a month, showing signs of reaching the top in commercial value.

Jiang Yuqian is currently more popular than Lu Yanhe.

Although Lu Yanhe was not idle either, she received much more exposure than Lu Yanhe.

You reap what you sow; in this respect, Jiang Yuqian has received just as much in return for her efforts.

Moreover, in order to get her roles broadcast, Jiang Yuqian took the initiative to contact Yuehu TV to ask for a script, and was willing to perform in a play that involved jumping around in the theater.

In today's market, only plays performed in jumping theaters have short production cycles and quick broadcasts.

Just like the initial positioning of this theater, for big-name actors, this theater has a very big advantage, which is that the production cycle is short and can be used to fill the schedule.

-

In fact, the number of actors interested in the Jump Theatre exceeded their initial expectations.

Many actors have proactively approached us to inquire about scripts, hoping to find a suitable role for themselves.

However, Jumping Theater is a theater that focuses on low-cost production and simple filming, which also means that for many actors, the pay for plays in this theater will not be high.

It's not that they're unwilling to pay high salaries, it's just that the theater doesn't yet know how much advertising revenue it can generate.

Nobody knows what kind of market response this theater will receive.

It's a completely new thing.

Jiang Yuqian, on the other hand, has a simple need: to have a decent drama to show for herself as soon as possible. Since the broadcast of "Squid Game," she has only appeared in one drama and one movie, "Behind the Golden Robe 2," which had mediocre box office results. Although Jiang Yuqian has already decided that she will definitely take the path of a big star rather than an actress in the future, she does not want to completely leave the path of acting.

Furthermore, Jiang Yuqian is well aware that no top superstar exists in isolation from their work.

It's just that these works may not be recognized by the most prestigious awards, but they certainly have some very classic works that resonate with the general public.

Therefore, Jiang Yuqian did not have high demands for her salary and found several alternative scripts relatively easily.

-

"Jiang Yuqian has taken a liking to these scripts from Jumping Theater?"

Zhang Lan frowned, looking seriously at the few scripts in front of her that weren't particularly thick.

The assistant next to him nodded and said, "It took us a lot of effort to find out."

Zhang Lan asked, "Have you read these scripts? Which one do you think she will choose?"

“Each of these scripts has its own merits,” the assistant said. “Our script consultant also said that these scripts are all of a very high standard, with good stories and characters that audiences will like. In fact, these stories are definitely all good. They were all published in Jump Up magazine and were adapted into scripts because readers had a high demand for them.”

Zhang Lan was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.

"Is it that good?"

“Yes,” the assistant said.

"Then can we take them all?" Zhang Lan asked.

The assistant was somewhat surprised and asked, "Are we taking over everything?"

"Anyway, we haven't received any other suitable scripts yet, have we?" Zhang Lan said. "I rarely hear you guys say that these scripts are all very good."

“We were also surprised that the scripts for these plays at Jumping Theater are of such high overall quality,” the assistant said. “Yuehu TV and Aurora Video are really great; they found excellent screenwriters and teams to adapt these plays, and the original works are already very good.”

Zhang Lan: "Alright, let me take a look at the script first, to see if it's really as good as you say. If it's really good, I'll take it all."

At this moment, Shi Zhou arrived.

Shi Zhou is both her boyfriend and her manager.

"Looking at the script?" Shi Zhou noticed the script in front of Zhang Lan and asked.

Zhang Lan nodded.

Shi Zhou: "A variety show approached us."

What program?

"It's a show that's a competition of acting skills," Shi Zhou said. "It's comparable to 'The Birth of an Actor'."

Zhang Lan was somewhat surprised and asked, "You want me to be your mentor?"

"No, it's about being a contestant," Shi Zhou said. "All the mentors on this show are directors, famous directors."

Zhang Lan's face immediately darkened, and she said, "You want me to be a contestant and go to a PK? Are you crazy?"

Shi Zhou said, "The production team guarantees that if you are willing to participate, you will definitely make it to the final round of the finals."

Zhang Lan: "This isn't about winning or losing. Why would a popular female celebrity like me become a contestant? I'm not going."

Shi Zhou: "They gave me an eight-figure salary."

Zhang Lan frowned.

An eight-figure salary…that’s definitely not low. Even though Zhang Lan is a top-tier actress, in the current market, given her status, she generally wouldn’t get an eight-figure salary for appearing on variety shows. Things are different now compared to the early years of video platforms, when they were throwing money at celebrities to get the stars, resulting in unbelievable astronomical prices. Now, unless you reach the level of popularity and commercial value of Jiang Yuqian, you won’t get that kind of money.

No wonder Shi Zhou was moved.

Zhang Lan shook her head again.

“No, I won’t go. No matter how much money they offer me, I won’t be a contestant.” Zhang Lan was very clear. “Jiang Yuqian is a guest mentor on ‘The Birth of an Actor’ and you want me to be a contestant on a similar show? Are you crazy? I’d rather do a live stream and slap myself in the face.”

Hearing Zhang Lan say this, Shi Zhou knew what she was concerned about.

For Zhang Lan, in her acting career, she could get over almost anything except two people: Jiang Yuqian and Sui Xiaodie.

During the years when the three of them were all the "top female stars" at Xingyu Entertainment, they were locked in a fierce and inseparable battle, and it was impossible for them to let go of each other.

Shi Zhou asked, "So what do you want to do next? We don't have any filming plans this year so far. Even if you take on all the shows from Jumping Theater, it won't be enough to support your team."

Zhang Lan said, "Could you help me get some other variety shows? It's not like I'm unwilling to do variety shows. Are there no other shows that want to work with me besides this acting competition show?"

Shi Zhou: "Yes, there are, but they may not be suitable. If it's not a reality show, the pay won't be very high. Also, if you participate in too many shows, it will give you the impression of being a variety show personality, so the number has to be controlled."

It's worrying.

Top-tier celebrities fear encountering situations like Zhang Lan's the most.

She's actually not as popular anymore; she's run into some problems, and fewer projects are seeking her out for collaboration.

With fewer options, she can't make too many changes to maintain her usual image, otherwise others will immediately know she's in trouble—and then they'll be even more hesitant to cooperate with her.

Why do celebrities always travel with lots of bags and all sorts of impressive items?

Besides maintaining a good image, they also need to show others that they are in good condition and constantly send the signal that "I am fine" to the outside world – "You can trust me."

-

"Cheng Hai, you're quite suitable for this role."

At the audition for "Lies and Love," Cheng Hai came to audition for the male lead and received positive feedback from the producer and director.

"Lies and Love" is a play by Jump Up Theater. It tells the story of a college student who returns home for summer vacation and is met with the unexpected death of his grandfather, which sparks a farce of endless disputes over the distribution of his inheritance.

“However, our budget for this drama is limited, and the budget for actor salaries is also not high, only 100,000. Are you okay with that?” the producer asked.

Although Cheng Hai auditioned for the male lead, because it was a family ensemble drama with a large number of characters, the budget for each actor's salary was reduced.

Cheng Hai didn't know if Zhou Ping'an would agree.

He said, "I'm fine with myself, but I need to talk to my agent about the salary."

“Okay, why don’t you contact him as soon as possible and give us a reply?” the producer said. “We need to finalize things quickly.”

Cheng Hai nodded.

He went to call Zhou Ping'an.

After hearing the situation, Zhou Ping'an immediately became unhappy.

“You’re quite popular right now, and your popularity has rebounded, but they’re only offering you 100,000 yuan in pay. That’s too stingy,” Zhou Ping’an said. “I’m coming over here now to talk to them.”

Cheng Hai: "Is this a good idea? I feel like they have quite a few choices. There are quite a few male actors auditioning today."

"Is there anyone more famous than you?" Zhou Ping'an asked directly.

Cheng Hai: "Uh, there are still a few."

“They are even less likely to accept a fee of 100,000 yuan,” Zhou Ping’an said. “Given your current performance and popularity in ‘The Birth of an Actor,’ this price is an insult to you.”

Cheng Hai hesitated for a moment, then said, "Their budget really doesn't seem to be that big."

“They don’t have a big budget, so I’ll introduce them to investors,” Zhou Ping’an said. “We can bring our own funding to the project.”

Cheng Hai was taken aback, not expecting Zhou Ping'an to say that.

“Anyway, the investment for this film is only a little over two million, so there’s not much pressure. There are a few investors who are interested in you and are willing to invest more in your project,” Zhou Ping’an said. “Wait for me, I’ll be there in half an hour.”

After hanging up the phone, Cheng Hai was somewhat taken aback.

Among the male actors competing with him for this role was Wang Lu, who had acted in "Three Mountains".

While Cheng Hai was waiting for Zhou Ping'an outside, Wang Lu also finished his audition and prepared to leave alone with his assistant.

"Have you finished your audition?" Wang Lu greeted him when he saw him.

Cheng Hai nodded and said, "You've finished the test. How did you do?"

Wang Lu said, "They felt that I wasn't a good match for the male lead, and asked if I would be willing to play the role of the neighbor's son. I need to go back and talk to my agent."

Cheng Hai nodded.

Wang Lu asked, "And you?"

Cheng Hai said, "Same here, we have to wait for the agent's opinion."

The specific details can only be kept secret at this time, since no one lied anyway.

Wang Lu nodded without asking any further questions. "Then I'll be going now, bye-bye."

As soon as he went outside, Wang Lu sent a message to his agent: "I ran into Cheng Hai when I came out. He auditioned in front of me, and I think he got a good response."

Agent: How are you?

Wang Lu: They asked me if I would accept the role of the neighbor. I looked at the script and there were only three scenes.

Agent: Three scenes? Then there's no need to act them out.

Wang Lu: Yes, I came here for the male lead role. I should have sent a message to Lu Yanhe beforehand. I didn't expect there to be so many competitors today. I originally thought that not many people would be interested in such a low-budget drama.

Agent: Who are they?

Wang Lu: Among those I know are Cheng Hai, Zhong Li, Xu Hui Han, and Ning Chengzhang.

Agent: It's alright, none of them are top-tier.

Wang Lu: But compared to them, I don't have much of a competitive advantage. It was the first time I was told on the spot during an audition that I wasn't suitable and asked if I was willing to change roles.

Agent: It's not necessarily their problem. The auditions at Jump Theater all use the same approach as Lu Yanhe. Basically, it depends on whether the role is suitable for you. Maybe you're just not suitable for the role. Don't overthink it. If it's not suitable this time, maybe it will be suitable next time.

Wang Lu: Do you think if I put in a good word for Lu Yanhe, I could get this role? Is there any chance?

The agent asked: What's your relationship with Lu Yanhe like? Are you close? I've heard that most people who try to get roles through connections with him haven't succeeded.

Wang Lu: I don't know. I haven't tried it, so I don't know if he would buy it.

Agent: Then you'd better not take the risk, lest you make things worse.

Wang Lu: Could it be that Cheng Hai contacted Lu Yanhe?

Agent: How would you know? Don't think about it too much. It's no use thinking about it. They've already said you're not suitable for the male lead, haven't they?

-

Lu Yanhe was quite surprised to learn that Cheng Hai had been chosen as the male lead for the drama "Lies and Love".

Cheng Hai's popularity soared even before the show "The Birth of an Actor" aired, thanks to He Sha's withdrawal from the competition.

After the first round of competition, Cheng Hai performed very well in the second round and was lucky enough to enter a performance team where all members advanced, thus entering the third round of the competition.

His popularity and buzz rebounded rapidly because of this show.

Because his image and age were exactly what the market needed, Cheng Hai suddenly received many film offers, according to Lu Yanhe.

As a novel concept, and different from mainstream traditional dramas, more akin to American television movies, no one knows what kind of reaction it will receive in the market. Currently, virtually no A-list actors dare to take the risk and be the first to try it.

The only ones willing to act were Yan Liang and Jiang Yuqian. Regardless of their stated reasons, their participation was more or less related to Lu Yanhe.

When Cheng Hai had options and the market was most enthusiastic about him, he was still willing to audition for the drama "Lies and Love" and act in the drama for a relatively low salary. This was actually a way of thanking Lu Yanhe.

These things don't need to be said face-to-face.

Just like Lu Yanhe never told Cheng Hai that it was Lu Yanhe who suggested that Cheng Hai appear on the show "The Birth of an Actor".

"Why don't you star in 'The Silent Staircase'?" Chen Ziyan brought out another play from Jumping Theater, a script adapted from a short mystery novel written by Liu Jiazhen.

Lu Yanhe was quite surprised.

"Finally, a script that suits me?"

-

There will be another update tonight.

(End of this chapter)