Chapter 164 Strategic Vision [VIP]

Chapter Summary: There's still room for further growth in my career.

In early July, the start date for the new film was drawing ever closer.

That day, Mu Zhi received a Weibo link from Min Min, which was posted by a marketing account with the headline "[Leaks about Mu Zhi's next drama]".

[Quick-witted and eager to learn] Sister Zhizhi, take a look at this!

Previously, the studio responded to the Weibo post about #job hopping# by saying that Mu Zhi was busy preparing for a new drama and would be joining the crew soon.

This has led netizens who follow Mu Zhi to keep trying to find out what her next project will be.

When Mu Zhi saw Minmin's message, she didn't take it seriously at first, thinking that some marketing account really had something to report that she would be joining the cast of "All People Safely Evacuated" in her next drama.

Upon clicking the link, Mu Zhi frowned slightly.

The marketing account revealed that her next project has been confirmed as the comedy film "Exchange Life" directed by Huang Shulan, in which she will collaborate with Yue Ge.

Several months ago, Mu Zhi rejected the script after reading the first draft of "Exchange of Lives".

It feels a bit strange that this news has come out now.

But Mu Zhi didn't think much of it; perhaps the marketing account had heard about the delay from somewhere.

It's almost the end of the month.

While surfing the internet, Mu Zhi saw the trending topic #Chi Yue, Huang Shulan, and Yue Ge were photographed eating#.

She roughly guessed the content just by looking at the trending topic title and had no interest in clicking on it.

She has already turned down film collaborations, so whoever stars in the next one is no longer relevant to her.

However, Mu Zhi was slightly surprised to see the name Chi Yue.

There's a term in the entertainment industry called "Four Little Flowers," which initially referred to Liao Yaning, Xi Qianwen, Chi Yue, and Du Qianqian. However, Du Qianqian's performance declined, leading to accusations that she was using marketing tactics to climb the ranks alongside the other three, a claim that has never been acknowledged.

Later, Mu Zhi gained some popularity with "The Bell Ringer", and her subsequent films and TV series performed very well. Last year, she won the Best Actress award and was selected by netizens as one of the "Four Little Flowers".

Mu Zhi's work was released at the same time as Liao Yaning's and Xi Qianwen's works, and was discussed together by netizens many times, so they had some impression of the two.

She and Chi Yue have never crossed paths before.

During the two years that Mu Zhi was making great strides in the film industry, Chi Yue became pregnant and gave birth, so she temporarily withdrew from the industry to recuperate.

Seeing the trending news now, it's clear that Chi Yue is about to make a comeback.

Mu Zhi has gone offline from Weibo.

One hour later.

Minmin brought Muzhi a new endorsement contract and mentioned that Huang Shulan and Chi Yue were trending on social media.

"Sister Zhizhi, I sent you the link to the trending topic, do you want to see it?"

Mu Zhi: "Isn't it just that Director Huang Shulan and the others were photographed by paparazzi having dinner together, and then it was revealed that Director Huang Shulan, Yue Ge, and Chi Yue will be collaborating on the comedy film 'Exchange Life,' and Chi Yue will be playing the female lead?"

Minmin: "That's right, that's correct."

"But Sister Zhizhi, you've been dragged out and used as a tool."

Mu Zhi:?

Minmin unlocked her phone, found the relevant Weibo content, and handed her phone to Muzhi to look at.

Marketing accounts posted the hashtag #ChiYueHuangShulanYueGePhotographedDinner#, but the content was: It was previously rumored that Mu Zhi was in talks for the movie "Exchange Life". Last night, Chi Yue was photographed having dinner with director Huang Shulan and Yue Ge. They seemed to be having a pleasant conversation, suggesting that they might be collaborating on the project.

Chi Yue has been cast as the female lead in "Exchange of Lives," while Mu Zhi has been eliminated.

In addition to the content posted by marketing accounts, there were also press releases that praised one while criticizing the other:

It is said that Mu Zhi's good development in the film industry in the past two years is mainly due to good luck, while other young actresses at the same time are busy establishing themselves in the TV drama industry, so she has no competitors.

Now that Chi Yue has returned to the film industry, she won against Mu Zhi in the competition for the same film. Chi Yue is very capable. Mu Zhi hasn't had any films released this year, and her momentum has declined...

Minmin said angrily, "I don't know if it was the production company or Chi Yue's team's doing, but the production company definitely knew about it. They deliberately used you, Sister Zhizhi, to create hype."

During the two years of Mu Zhi's career rise, she was constantly on the rise and her name was used to gain attention by countless TV series and movie projects. In particular, every time filming wrapped up, before there was any news about her next project, all sorts of rumors would come out saying that Mu Zhi would star in a certain TV series or movie, using Mu Zhi's name to gain attention.

If someone makes up a story online, the Muzhi team will debunk it one by one; they can't keep up with debunking all the stories.

Unless it's particularly outrageous or has a serious negative impact, we'll turn a blind eye.

But this time it's different; Mu Zhi has indeed been in contact with director Huang Shulan about her new film.

We're all in the same circle; if this collaboration doesn't work out, there will be other opportunities.

Mu Zhi really didn't expect that the other party would drag her out, or tacitly approve of using this method to generate hype for the new drama.

"Sister Zhizhi, do you think we should refute the rumors? We need to stop being exploited."

Minmin looked at the comments from netizens who were just watching the drama unfold:

"Was Mu Zhi really rejected? Was it due to company influence?"

"Chi Yue is amazing. She landed the lead role in director Huang Shulan's film right after her comeback, and her collaboration with Yue Ge in 'Exchange of Lives' is guaranteed to gross at least 2 billion yuan. She's just sitting here and getting carried along."

"Mu Zhi Studio posted on Weibo last month that she would soon be joining a film crew, but now she's been rejected, which is quite a slap in the face. It shows that her popularity is unfounded. After all that, she still hasn't made it into the film industry. What a pity."

"If Chi Yue hadn't retired from the entertainment industry to have a baby, I don't think Mu Zhi would have a place in the film industry now. Now that Chi Yue has made a comeback, Mu Zhi has to step aside, hehe."

......

A small number of fans, after reading some comments, have lost faith in Mu Zhi and have gone to Mu Zhi's studio to question, "Didn't you say it was just around the corner? Why hasn't she started filming yet?" and "It's been four and a half months since 'Claws and Fangs' wrapped up filming!"

Although a birthday party was held in the middle, other hardworking celebrities could have finished filming a movie during that time.

Mu Zhi is really not producing much, and there's no news about her new drama. It's making them really anxious!

Minmin felt that if she weren't Muzhi's staff member, she would inevitably get anxious and upset as well.

Mu Zhi pondered for a moment. Unlike Director Huang Shulan's hype and pre-production, Director Tang Yan kept the news about the film very secret and kept a low profile. A few days ago, he told her in advance that on the day of the start of filming, he might only officially announce the male lead, Zhou Zilong.

She and Liu Jiaxu, along with other actors, will make an official announcement later, saving the surprise for the promotional period.

Therefore, it is not appropriate for the studio to come forward and respond.

If she responds, the other party might take advantage of the situation and escalate the situation further, even turning the tables on her.

[Huang Shulan and Yue Ge are a golden duo for comedy films, they have no worries about box office success, why would they need to drag you out for publicity? You're shameless.]

The comedy film "Exchange Life" started filming a few days earlier than director Tang Yan's new film; the two films can be said to have started filming around the same time.

Once director Tang Yan's movie starts filming, even if it's not officially announced, the news that Mu Zhi will play the female lead will spread.

So the current fabricated story about her being involved in director Wong Suk-lan's film being rejected will be exposed as fact.

After listening, Minmin calmed down and realized that this was undoubtedly the best way to handle the situation.

The higher you go, the more you need to take a long-term view and broaden your perspective. There's really no need to fight for a moment's pride, even if you're clearly in the right, and end up being the worst person.

Minmin took a deep breath and said to Muzhi, "Sister Zhizhi, I actually find it really boring to see netizens comparing you and Chi Yue and discussing your competition for movie resources."

Mu Zhi asked curiously, "Why?"

Minmin pouted and snorted, "That's too narrow-minded."

In the past, Minmin would have thought that Muzhi was already doing very well by being able to work with well-known directors in the film industry, such as Wan Zhou, Hong Yan, and Tang Yan, and by being able to play the leading role in one of their films.

Judging from the film resources that Mu Zhi has received, she is already the top actress in the industry!

The first actress Huang Shulan invited for her film was Mu Zhi, but Mu Zhi declined after reading the script, so she then approached Chi Yue.

Chi Yue's reappearance has no impact on Mu Zhi.

Whether it's acting skills, awards, popularity, or looks, Mu Zhi wins.

In terms of the number of films they've made, they're about the same. However, Mu Zhi has two unreleased films in the pipeline, but the quality of those films is much better than Chi Yue's.

Some netizens who criticize Mu Zhi while praising Chi Yue are just engaging in awkward hype.

Previously, some media reporters compared Mu Zhi and Liu Rui, and Minmin felt that Mu Zhi's answer, "The entertainment industry is a big cake that everyone can share," is still very applicable today.

Mu Zhi's rivals have never been Liu Rui or Chi Yue.

Minmin felt that Muzhi's career could reach even greater heights.

"Sister Zhizhi, if you were a male actor, you would have been starring in one leading role after another in movies by now."

Currently, apart from the two films directed by Xu Kuan.

Mu Zhi has played second lead roles in all the movies she has acted in and will act in.

Minmin, worried that Muzhi might misunderstand her as having fangirl thinking, explained, "I wasn't referring to billing order, I meant who the story prioritizes..."

Mu Zhi: "I understand what you mean."

Ji Binghe had also discussed this topic with Mu Zhi on several occasions.

Minmin continued, "Sister Zhizhi, look, your performances in 'The Bell Ringer' and 'The Edge of the Blade' were very successful, and now you're getting offers for leading roles in TV dramas."

She had heard from her colleague who was in charge of selecting scripts that several major platforms had submitted several scripts featuring leading female characters with top-tier roles this year, for Mu Zhi to choose from. Recently, Liao Yaning, one of the "Four Little Flowers," had just started filming a palace drama. Initially, Mu Zhi was approached, but she declined, and other actresses were then approached instead.

Actually, besides director Xu Kuan, there are other projects that have approached Mu Zhi with a female perspective, but they are all art films and suspense films with relatively small budgets. The big-budget films on the market are all starring male actors.

For example, a young male actor becomes famous after starring in a TV series, and then gets the lead role in a campus movie. His next project is an action movie produced by a big studio.

"Sister Zhizhi, do you think screenwriters mostly write movies from a male perspective? Is that determined by the film market?"

Hearing Minmin's question, Muzhi remained silent for a while, "This is not a good question to answer."

But she knew that with the accumulation of high-grossing films, she had absolute box office appeal in the film industry. As long as she starred in a movie, the audience would be willing to buy tickets to watch it, which guaranteed a certain box office success. Then, naturally, big-budget films with a female-centric perspective would come knocking on her door.

No matter how much capital is drawn up in circles, it's all about making money; it's all about profit.

Minmin didn't dwell on the previous question and said with anticipation, "Sister Zhizhi, I'm waiting for your starring role in the movie 'Escape from the Game' to be released."

"If the box office results are good, I think that proves you have box office appeal, and you'll definitely get offers for movies with leading female roles."

After all, every movie Mu Zhi starred in was very successful and made money.

A true lucky charm, a box office magic bullet!

Investors and directors should take action too!

When Mu Zhi heard Minmin mention "Escape from the Game," she was reminded of something.

The agent has been busy with work lately and hasn't had much time to pay attention to Mu Zhi. She almost forgot to contact director Xu Kuan to ask when the film's dubbing would begin.

Don't let her be suddenly notified that she needs to do voice-over work while she's filming abroad; it's not easy for her to travel back and forth like that...

On August 2nd, the comedy film "Exchange Life" started filming in Hengcheng. Director Huang Shulan, along with lead actors Yue Ge and Chi Yue, attended the opening ceremony.

On the day filming began, the official Weibo account of "Exchange Life" announced the cast online, and the trending topics were #HuangShulanYueGeThreeTimesTogether# and #ChiYueReturnsToStarInHuangShulanComedyFilm#. The latter topic also brought up Mu Zhi from marketing accounts.

The hashtag #ChiYueMuZhi# subsequently trended on social media.

Half an hour later.

The big-budget film "All People Evacuated Safely," which will begin filming in a few days, has been released with casting information: it will be directed by Tang Yan, and only the male and female leads, Zhou Zilong and Mu Zhi, have been revealed.

Tang Yan's previous film, "Golden Globe Building," grossed over 5 billion yuan, and the public is paying close attention to Tang Yan's new film.

The news immediately stole the spotlight from the comedy film "Life Swap".

Chi Yue's second attempt to discredit Mu Zhi came to an abrupt end.

#ChiYueMuZhi# When you click on the trending topic, it's all about MuZhi's fans, who are expressing their anticipation for the official announcement of their idol's role in director Tang Yan's new film "All People Safely Evacuated". They are looking forward to MuZhi's new film.

They didn't mention Chi Yue's name at all, to avoid being framed.

On August 8th, filming began in Dianling for the movie "Safe Evacuation of All Personnel".

The cast was also officially announced on the day filming began.

Previously, director Tang Yan had only announced the promotional plan for Zhou Zilong to Mu Zhi, but the official Weibo account announced both Zhou Zilong and Mu Zhi, who played the male and female leads, together.

A few days ago, when the casting call for Mu Zhi's new drama was released, her fans found the filing information and learned that their idol was playing a translator. They were very excited and looking forward to it.

The official announcement today sent fans into a frenzy, with the hashtag #MuzhiTranslator# trending at number one on Weibo, even overshadowing the production company's hashtag #DirectorTangYanStartsFilmingHisNewDramaAndRe-starsWithZhouZilong#.

The opening ceremony has concluded.

Director Tang Yan looked at the information handed to him by his assistant. Under the relevant Weibo posts about the movie "All People Evacuate Safely", Mu Zhi's fans were at the forefront, and the popularity and discussion were unprecedentedly high.

He thought to himself: Mu Zhi truly deserves to be the most sought-after and popular actress in the industry.

This film has a large investment, and with the previous film's high box office, Tang Yan is under considerable pressure to achieve box office success. He intuitively felt that choosing Mu Zhi to play the female lead would be the best decision he had ever made.

Mu Zhi changed into her costume and arrived at the filming location. She sat down next to director Tang Yan. She had seen the information online and asked the director why he had changed his mind and made the official announcement.

Was the promotional schedule disrupted by "Swap Lives"?

The official announcement that she would be the female lead in "Safe Evacuation" undoubtedly slaps the face of the hype surrounding "Exchange of Lives" (#MuZhiChiYueCompetingForRole,MuZhiGetsOut#). It's fabricated, and quite satisfying.

Tang Yan laughed and said, "Zhizhi, I know you turned down 'Exchange Life' to take on 'Safe Evacuation,' but it's not just to protect you, it's for the sake of our film's female lead."

The next second, Tang Yan's smile faded, and he said in a very calm tone, "The two movies started filming around the same time, so it's inevitable that they'll be compared."

Regardless of whether it might offend another film.

Others are using his film's female lead to generate buzz, but they haven't considered his feelings as the director.

Mu Zhi laughed when she heard this, thinking to herself: Director Tang doesn't seem so silly when he laughs.