Chapter 94 094 Collaboration on Musical + Song + New Movie
Chapter Ninety-Four
"Young man, you have the look of a doomed nation."
The music paused for a moment, and only after the sorcerer on stage finished speaking did the air seem to begin to flow again.
Although the warlock's face was unkempt, he possessed a memorable voice that seemed to pierce the clouds.
The audience for the musical "Jin Ge" was much larger than Zhou Chi had expected. It was a new show with little promotion—Zhou Chi only noticed it by chance and quickly bought a ticket, thinking it would be lost among the many other shows. But when he arrived at the theater, he found that there were quite a few people there.
The last domestically produced musical to generate such a buzz was probably "Tomorrow's Tomorrow".
Zhou Chi was one of the earliest audience members to see "Tomorrow's Tomorrow," and watched the musical go from being unknown to receiving much attention.
Of course, Lin Yuan deserves much credit for this.
"Tomorrow's Tomorrow" has the star power, but what about "Jin Ge"? Zhou Chi didn't pay much attention to it.
As he walked out of the theater, he was still impressed by how much Chinese musicals have improved, with both large and small productions gaining more attention.
The character of the sorcerer in the drama, in particular, exudes a strong sense of mystery in both his acting and singing.
Zhou Chi liked the role; the actor's performance and the atmosphere of the musical were perfectly integrated.
Zhou Chi took out his phone. Having just finished watching the performance, he planned to write down his thoughts, focusing on the role of the warlock.
As a result, Zhou Chi discovered that a certain blogger on the homepage was even faster than him; not long after "Jin Ge" finished its performance, the blogger had already shared their thoughts on the musical.
Zhou Chi started reading it first.
"...Lin Yuan's portrayal of the sorcerer was very impressive. Compared to 'Tomorrow's Tomorrow,' his acting and singing skills were undoubtedly more superb..."
Zhou Chi suddenly slapped his forehead.
No wonder he found the warlock character so appealing; it turns out it was Lin Yuan all along. It seems we can't escape each other no matter how many times we go around in circles.
Zhou Chi hadn't paid attention to the reports before, so he had no idea that Lin Yuan had a cameo role in "Jin Ge".
Now, upon careful reflection, he realized that, just as the blogger on the homepage said, Lin Yuan's acting skills were even better than Ji Feng's in "Tomorrow's Tomorrow." That composure and sophistication were something only a professional who had been immersed in the stage for a long time could possess.
No wonder tickets for "Golden Spear" sold so well; it turns out that's why.
However, considering it's Lin Yuan, this money was well spent.
Even Zhou Chi, who doesn't usually pay much attention to entertainment gossip, knows that Lin Yuan is very popular now and is undoubtedly a top-tier male celebrity.
The fact that the other party was willing to play a small role in "Jin Ge" was truly beyond Zhou Chi's expectations.
The sorcerer's screen time in "Golden Spear" is even less than that of Ji Feng in "Tomorrow's Tomorrow," but Lin Yuan's enthusiasm is no different from that in "Tomorrow's Tomorrow."
Whether a performer loves the stage is something the audience can deeply sense.
The entire cast of "Golden Spear" delivered outstanding performances, but he still noticed the sorcerer, probably because the sorcerer, despite being a supporting character, possessed an extraordinary passion.
If it's Lin Yuan, then it makes sense.
Zhou Chi couldn't help but sigh that since "Tomorrow's Tomorrow," more and more stars have been trying their hand at musicals.
For example, Ji Xiaming, who was once at Wink.
However, Zhou Chi didn't feel any goodwill upon seeing the other person's name.
He watches musicals regularly, attending many shows a year. He also has friends in the musical theater circle. Ji Xiaming is probably a typical example of someone who only seeks returns. He sings in musicals for marketing and to salvage his reputation. Zhou Chi has never seen any love for musicals. He just thinks that this person will do anything to become popular again.
Most importantly, since you've participated in the performance, and even played the lead role, you should at least sing well, right?
The other party's performance level... I can only praise it against my conscience.
Unfortunately, Ji Xiaming has a huge fan base. At least in the musical theater industry, his fan count far surpasses that of many big names. And according to his fans, Ji Xiaming has made a huge contribution to ticket sales.
"If it weren't for Xiao Ji coming down to earth to sing, whoever wants to watch this lousy musical would just watch it."
"Those who can sell tickets are the big spenders. Please be aware of this. Quickly thank Xiao Ji for expanding the influence of the musical theater industry."
Zhou Chi: "..."
Where did this brain-dead person come from?
In Zhou Chi's eyes, only Lin Yuan truly deserves the title of "descended to the mortal realm," but Lin Yuan never promotes himself in that way.
Who exactly has expanded the influence of the musical theater industry?
If Ji Xiaming were to actually sing in a musical, this industry would be truly doomed. Zhou Chi can only say that Ji Xiaming's singing skills are sufficient for singing catchy pop songs, but in a musical, he is not even as good as a minor supporting actor.
Zhou Chi blushed when he heard the fans' boastful words.
What did Ji Xiaming say in the interview?
"It's not as good as they say."
? ? ? ?
What's with that shy yet subtly smug tone?
Zhou Chi was on the verge of a breakdown.
He finally realized that Lin Yuan was a rare find, not only in terms of acting and singing skills, but also in his humble attitude... Although they both came from "The Rising Star", the person in front of him did not have that.
However, Zhou Chi also admitted that with Ji Xiaming joining the cast, tickets for the musical did sell much better, but then another problem arose—
Does the musical need disposable consumers like Ji Xiaming's fans, or truly loyal audiences?
If the former is indulged, the latter will inevitably run away.
This is a very serious issue.
Zhou Chi discovered that he wasn't the only one with this concern. The bloggers on his homepage who had watched Ji Xiaming's musical all expressed similar thoughts to varying degrees, although some expressed them more subtly, probably because they didn't want to offend their fans.
Zhou Chi was lucky; he didn't see the live performance, but he was fortunate enough to see the promotional material done by the musical's official Weibo account.
Normally, the scenes that are included in the publicity are those that the production team considers outstanding.
Zhou Chi went to explore this segment after hearing about it, and his only feeling was that he had saved money.
I saved several hundred yuan!
He heard that he didn't get to enjoy this honor: "..."
"I don't know why I had a sudden impulse to go see it. Now I regret it so much. I could have done so many things with that money! Why did I have to go see this!"
"hatred!!!!!"
My friend listed the new shoes she hadn't bought recently and the concert tickets she hadn't seen: "Because so-and-so was performing, the ticket prices went up. I should have just gone to the concert."
Zhou Chi responded with merciless ridicule: "You must have only just learned about Lin Yuan."
If he had known Lin Yuan earlier, or even just heard of him, he would have known about the feud between him, Wink, and Lin Yuan.
Irrational fans would reject Wink members simply because they see their names, while rational fans... would more or less avoid each Wink member because they would go to see the live performance of "Tomorrow's Star" because of Lin Yuan.
"I only got to see 'Tomorrow's Star' after I came back from the musical, and now I really regret it."
"Hopefully his fans can keep the box office going."
Although Zhou Chi did not have high hopes for this.
Fans' love is always too short-lived.
...
The sorcerer in "Golden Spear" is a mysterious prophet. Although he doesn't appear often, every word he utters foreshadows the protagonist's fate.
This character is neither good nor evil; he's just a background character. If Lin Yuan were to describe him, he would say he's a rather unremarkable character.
When interpreting it, it is more important to highlight its sense of mystery.
Lin Yuan had successfully passed the hurdles of memorizing lyrics and singing, but he had to seriously consider how to convey a sense of mystery.
To be precise, if given enough room to develop, the sense of mystery is not difficult to convey, but the problem is that this character has very short screen time.
The warlock only has two lines and a song, so Lin Yuan's room for maneuver is limited, yet he needs to project an air of mystery.
Lin Yuan pondered for a long time.
As he prepared for it, Feng watched him in surprise: "I didn't expect that the acting skills required here are so high."
Lin Yuan glanced at him: "Even when it comes to singing, the emotions expressed in the song are part of the acting."
Feng Zeng nodded silently: "Understood."
Acting skills are required everywhere in the entertainment industry. Even seemingly casual variety shows are often scripted in advance.
What's even more amazing is that many celebrities' acting skills on variety shows are much better than their acting skills in dramas. The character persona that is impossible to establish in a drama can be easily established in a variety show.
Even if his acting is terrible in the drama, he can still leave a deep impression on the audience based on his off-screen persona.
Many celebrities simply stop acting and instead appear on one variety show after another. It's a quick way to make money and gives the audience the impression of being "straightforward" and "cheerful." They can also add some inspirational quotes prepared by the scriptwriters to make the audience empathize with them, making them feel "sober" and "at the peak of their careers." They make money, gain fame, and can get even more work.
Feng has not arranged any variety shows for Lin Yuan for the time being.
Lin Yuan's passion for acting is currently limited to scripts. If it's a variety show that he absolutely has to participate in, he will probably only show his most genuine side. Asking him to act friendly would probably be quite difficult.
By then, Lin Yuan's private life will inevitably be exposed.
Lin Yuan himself might not mind, but according to Feng Zeng, for some celebrities, even the private life "exposed" by the program team may not be their true private life.
Let's forget about it.
...
Once Lin Yuan had figured out the role of the sorcerer, the rehearsals for "Golden Spear" officially began.
While "Major Cases" became a huge hit, Lin Yuan played a minor, insignificant role in "Golden Spear," which was ridiculed by marketing accounts.
However, given that "Jin Ge" is not well-known and the rehearsal model is different from that of the TV series, there was not much attention from the outside world after the rehearsals began, so Lin Yuan had a lot of peace and quiet.
Although he had spent a lot of time thinking about the role, Lin Yuan was fully immersed in the role once rehearsals began.
His state of mind startled the director.
When Lin Yuan entered the rehearsal venue, he was wearing sunglasses, looking every bit the big star.
Recently, many actors have joined the musical theater scene, such as the famous Ji Xiaming from Wink. These people all have a lot of presence and a lot of entourage, but in terms of fame, Lin Yuan is definitely higher.
In the director's eyes, Lin Yuan, this "big star," was also immersed in his own world, refusing to get involved with outsiders.
But usually, these people's aura only lasts before rehearsals; after rehearsals...
Those who know, know.
However, Lin Yuan—
After donning the simple, unadorned makeup of a sorcerer and stepping onto the stage, Lin Yuan gave off a completely different vibe.
On stage, he was neither a sage monk nor did he feign profundity—actors usually only portray prophet characters in two ways: either they are awe-inspiring and unapproachable, or they are too worldly, which can make them seem greasy.
Lin Yuan did not choose one of them, and of course, his performance did not make people feel eerie.
He just... gives off a sense of certainty.
A strong sense of individualism, that is, that what he says and thinks will come true.
As for singing skills—needless to say.
This was already proven in "Tomorrow's Tomorrow".
When inviting Lin Yuan, the production team of "Jin Ge" didn't consider his singing ability at all. They didn't know about others, but with Lin Yuan, there was absolutely no problem with his singing ability.
However, Lin Yuan's performance during rehearsals far exceeded expectations.
Not only was his breathing more powerful, but his composure was also astonishing, as if Lin Yuan had appeared on the stage of "Jin Ge" countless times and participated in countless tours, rather than just participating in rehearsals for the first time.
"That's why he was chosen by Director Qin Panyun."
When discussing Lin Yuan's career path, "Tomorrow's Tomorrow" is an inevitable topic, while Qin Panyun's "Thousand Mountains" is widely recognized as the starting point of Lin Yuan's acting career.
Many people want to be the next Lin Yuan and replicate his career trajectory.
But these people overlooked a premise—it's because he's Lin Yuan that he has such a career path.
This path can only be walked by Lin Yuan. Without his singing skills, acting skills, his attitude towards performance, and the many hardships he has experienced, it wouldn't work.
"That's amazing!" the director couldn't help but exclaim.
The first performance of "Jin Ge" did not become an instant hit. However, with the help of Lin Yuan's fans, the warlock's segment was extracted and promoted online separately.
The warlock is a character that can leave a deep impression on the audience.
Lin Yuan is an actor who can deepen the impression of a character.
The combination of these two elements gives "Jin Ge" a distinctive presence among musicals.
In addition, it also benefited from the contrast between Lin Yuan and Ji Xiaming.
Although Ji Xiaming refused to act in any role other than the lead, and although he appeared frequently, his presence was even less noticeable than that of Lin Yuan, who only played a supporting role.
Ji Xiaming's fans were vehemently accusing Lin Yuan of intentionally creating a comparison, but netizens found evidence to support their claims—
Lin Yuan was confirmed to star in "Jin Ge" much earlier than Ji Xiaming joined the musical.
Rather than saying Lin Yuan deliberately opposed Ji Xiaming, it's more accurate to say that Ji Xiaming saw the potential for profit in musicals and deliberately entered the industry.
"I ask you, does Lin Yuan have any reason to go against Ji Xiaming? Wake up, this isn't the time when 'Tomorrow's Star' is airing, time is flowing."
"Let me correct you here. Actually, except for being eliminated in the last episode, Lin Yuan's ranking was ahead of Ji Xiaming in every episode of the 'Tomorrow's Star' talent show voting. Those who know, know what happened in the last episode."
Ji Xiaming's musical breakthrough project → failed.
Lin Yuan thus acquired a new nickname—Wink Dream Destroyer.
Lin Yuan stated that he had no such interest.
He complained even more harshly in private: "What do you mean I destroyed their dreams? They destroyed them themselves, okay?"
Feng Zeng: "..."
Why did I hear a tone of disappointment and frustration in your voice?
Feng felt that during his time as Lin Yuan's agent, Lin Yuan had never intentionally harmed anyone, which was enough to demonstrate Lin Yuan's character.
As for those members of Wink, rather than Lin Yuan resenting not debuting back then, what he hated most was that they didn't know how to cherish the opportunities they had.
The opportunities they have are exactly what actors who aren't big names but truly love performing crave.
They easily obtained what others struggled to reach, yet they did not cherish it, being perfunctory and negligent, thus ruining one role after another.
The poor performance of a TV series is not solely the responsibility of the actors; the director, screenwriter, and everyone else share responsibility.
However, actors must take responsibility for their roles and perform them well. They cannot control other aspects, but they can fully respect the role.
...
Lin Yuan has recently become even less willing to complain.
Wink and his friends can do whatever they want, and he gradually realized that once people get used to taking shortcuts, it's hard for them to stick to a difficult path.
The rise to fame of those Wink fans was just too smooth.
After the first performance of "Jin Ge", Lin Yuan came up with a new song.
He had told his manager that writing a song could take as little as one night or as long as an eternity, but this song was being written much faster than he had expected.
Perhaps it's because he created it without any burden, no one set a deadline for him, and he didn't need to explain himself to anyone.
Of course, Lin Yuan never considered being perfunctory; he wouldn't just randomly arrange a song to fool his fans.
Then it's better to hire someone else to write it. There's no need to do it yourself. Anyway, he can just sing a few songs and fans will buy them.
"Love and Hate, such a profound title?" Feng Zeng remarked.
Lin Yuan blocked the notebook: "Do you know how difficult it is for a truly illiterate person to write these words?"
Feng Zeng: "..."
He didn't think Lin Yuan was illiterate at all.
On the contrary, anyone who reads the lyrics of "Hibernation" thinks Lin Yuan has a lot of imagination.
"Let me see it," the agent urged.
Lin Yuan deliberately covered his face with his hand, refusing to let him see.
"Do the lyrics say bad things about me?" Feng Zeng asked. "Or are there profanities?"
Lin Yuan: "Don't worry, it will pass the review."
Agent: "It's okay, if it doesn't pass the censorship, just use 'bibibi' instead."
Lin Yuan: "..."
Occasionally, Feng Zeng can be a little unreliable.
“Speaking of which, do you want to sign with a music company? To handle record distribution or something like that?” Feng Zeng said. “I’m not very professional in this area. After the release of ‘Hibernation’ last year, quite a few companies came to inquire about me.”
“They think you will definitely release an album in the future. Even if you don’t release a separate album, you can put together a compilation album of the many songs you write.”
"For now... I'll think about it." Lin Yuan originally intended to refuse, but then he thought that given Feng Zeng's current workload, it was indeed not appropriate to add any more pressure to him.
In music, professional guidance is indeed necessary, which will allow Lin Yuan to avoid some of the procedures.
Feng Zeng didn't insist on looking at the lyrics of "Love and Hate" anymore, but given that Lin Yuan had chosen such a serious song title, the manager still asked, "Who have you started to hate lately?"
Lin Yuan: "There are too many people I hate."
“There are probably more people who hate you,” the agent added.
Lin Yuan regarded him as a close friend.
The release process for this song was similar to that of "Hibernation". However, before the official release, Lin Yuan signed a cooperation agreement with a music company. After that, Lin Yuan didn't have to worry about the entire process, from arrangement to recording to release.
The other party found the most suitable arranger.
After Lin Yuan expressed his desire to learn music arrangement, the other party also invited a teacher to teach him.
The lyrics and music still belong to Lin Yuan himself, and the copyright is held independently by him.
This company has never considered buying Lin Yuan's copyright.
The two parties have a cooperative relationship. Lin Yuan is not a newcomer and will not be easily fooled. He also does not lack money from copyright.
It's more accurate to say that the collaboration is mutually beneficial, with the music company benefiting more – given Lin Yuan's fame, it's more accurate to say that Lin Yuan shared some of his own money.
The inspiration for "Love and Hate" came from a case in "Major Crimes".
This case is a pure tragedy, and from beginning to end it only illustrates one sentence—love is a lie.
In this case, love did exist, but it was too short-lived, fleeting.
When in love, love deeply; when out of love, leave decisively and without hesitation.
However, just because one party can easily withdraw does not mean the other party can do the same.
There are always people trapped in lies, sometimes for years or even decades.
Feng Zeng finally saw the lyrics to "Love and Hate," and his manager's only thought was, "What is it that I can't see?"
"Isn't this just a normal song?"
Lin Yuan: "...Because I've never written anything related to love."
He felt a sense of shame about revealing his views on love in front of acquaintances.
Agent: "How can you not be ashamed to argue in front of me?"
Lin Yuan: "...I can even fight in front of you."
And they have absolutely no sense of shame.
...
While awaiting the release of "Love and Hate," Lin Yuan is also preparing to join the film crew.
Compared to other celebrities, he isn't particularly busy, but he has work every week. Although his schedule isn't packed, there's never a week when he can have a free week.
This is already the result of Feng Zeng's efforts.
Given Lin Yuan's current status, after the two dramas became hits, he could easily work year-round without taking a break, given the offers he received from the industry.
Lin Yuan had his own main career path: making movies, TV series, and writing songs. Feng Zeng introduced him to jobs in these three areas, and declined other jobs whenever possible.
Otherwise, they would be too busy with brand endorsements, fashion events, photo shoots, TV and platform events, live streams, interviews, variety shows, and more.
To some extent, Lin Yuan's current plans are not conducive to developing commercial value. He may soon lose his popularity, and if he doesn't make more money during this period, he may regret it later.
Brands have also complained that it's difficult for Lin Yuan to secure collaborations, which is a well-known fact in the industry. Lin Yuan is currently very popular, so no one is saying anything, but in any case, if you turn down a collaboration, the other party may not give you another chance next time you want to get involved.
Unless Lin Yuan can remain popular and stay popular forever, his pickiness is the only way he can be responsible to himself.
If he were to lower his standards one day, in the eyes of brands, being picky would be seen as having too many flaws.
Brands are willing to embrace big names, but they may not be willing to give smaller names a chance.
But this was Lin Yuan's own choice, and he will not regret it.
Feng fully respected Lin Yuan's choice. He didn't think his artist was a fool. On the contrary, he admired Lin Yuan more because of his persistence.
Of all the celebrities in the entertainment industry, how many are like Lin Yuan?
Perhaps due to the development of the internet, the entertainment industry has changed significantly from previous years. There are more and more celebrities like "Five Hundred Pigs Red" (a popular internet meme), and celebrities who become famous through marketing rather than through real achievements are emerging one after another.
But Feng Zeng felt that there still needed to be people like Lin Yuan, even if they were few and far between.
...
Rumors of Lin Yuan's upcoming film have been circulating online for some time.
The problem is that no one expected that Lin Yuan would actually cooperate with Yu Ying next.
Who is Yu Ying? Everyone in the entertainment industry knows her; she's the undisputed queen of sex.
Who is Lin Yuan? He might not be number one in verbal attacks, but he's definitely in the top three.
"What?! These two are going to team up?"
What kind of combination is this?
"Brothers and sisters, the betting is about to begin. Let's place our bets and see if Lin Yuan ends up in the police station or starts typing away on his keyboard."
"Lin Yuan and Yu Ying are collaborating??? It feels like the entertainment industry is about to be full of laughs in the next few months. Let's wait and see."
"Wait and see +1".
Lin Yuan: "…………"
Isn't this unnecessary?
As a result, the marketing accounts got more and more excited and dug up Yu Ying's early achievements to educate netizens. Lin Yuan doesn't need any education yet, as there has been enough education about Lin Yuan in the past few months.
"Lin Yuan has finally met his match. How about the King of Fighters teaches him a good lesson?"
"Ahhhh, I can't help but get excited, I'm dying of laughter. Does Lin Yuan think he's invincible and can do whatever he wants? Yu Ying isn't buying it. My chance to get revenge has finally come."
"I feel like Lin Yuan will post a tearful Weibo post saying things like, 'I'm a decent person, I'm kind, so I won't hold it against her.' But more likely, he'll be completely overwhelmed by Yu Ying's acting skills, unable to beat her in a fight or an act, hahaha! I'm so grateful to his clueless agent for introducing him to such a great project. This is the happiest moment of my life, hahaha!"
Lin Yuan: "…………"
Are you sick in the head?
He was unhappy about being told that, but what bothered him even more was—why was Yu Ying described as a violent maniac?
With such a strong lineup of works from the opposing team, these people couldn't even see it.
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Author's Note: Update! [doge][doge][doge]
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