Chapter 291 What to do when the script is too bad? (Bonus chapter, 6,000 words!)
Chen Ziyan's question lingered in Lu Yanhe's mind for a long time.
He was also wondering why he hadn’t thought about writing a script for himself.
After thinking it over, he figured the reason was probably because he subconsciously already knew exactly how those movies would turn out, and he knew that if he were to write a script for himself, he would fall into a complex dilemma.
This inner conflict stems from his subconscious struggle to imitate the original work, his lack of self-confidence, and the lingering sense of shame stemming from his inability to surpass the original.
However, Lu Yanhe was unable to explain these things to Chen Ziyan.
Why is he able to read the script of this world with a calm mind?
Because these scripts didn't have a tangible image in his mind, nor a completed performance, he could interpret them according to his own understanding.
However, the scripts he wrote himself—films and television dramas from the world before he transmigrated—were all already completed works. When Lu Yanhe wrote the scripts, the scenes from the finished films would appear in his mind.
Every cry and laugh, every anger and sadness, now has a point of reference.
Lu Yanhe would unconsciously imitate.
However, once performance becomes subconscious imitation, no matter how well it is imitated, it loses the most crucial part of performance: the immersion and empathy from the depths of the soul.
Moreover, he would subconsciously feel that his acting was not as good as the original.
Without self-confidence, an actor's performance becomes incredibly fragile.
After so many thoughts flashed through Lu Yanhe's mind, he couldn't help but sigh. He had only acted in a few dramas, yet he had already given him so many well-reasoned principles.
To put it bluntly, it's about finding motives and excuses for one's actions.
Lu Yanhe took a deep breath.
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Lu Yanhe sent the revised scripts of "Raise the Red Lantern" and "Rouge" to Chen Bige:
Sister Bige, the first draft of the script is finished.
Having resolved the matter, Lu Yanhe breathed a sigh of relief.
So far, he has written three scripts, and the fourth script will be "A-Dai and A-Gua" for Li Zhibai and Yan Liang.
The original film, starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, is a classic comedy.
Lu Yanhe has one principle when adapting movies from his memory: the storyline must be strong enough.
Lu Yanhe also liked many movies, and considered them classics, but their strength wasn't necessarily in the script. If you actually looked at the script, it might just be a boring, simple story, or an essay without a main plot. Or perhaps the movie's quality wasn't primarily due to the script. Lu Yanhe passed on those movies. It wasn't that he disliked them, but rather that they couldn't be replicated through scriptwriting. For example, Wong Kar-wai's *The Grandmaster*, or the famous Hollywood musical *Mamma Mia!*
Lu Yanhe watched "Dumb and Dumber" with his classmates. Lu Yanhe still remembers how he and his classmates laughed so hard when they watched the movie.
This film was also the first one that Lu Yanhe thought of that was suitable for Li Zhibai and Yan Liang to star in together.
However, he needed to make some changes to the film, making the ages of the two main characters slightly younger. Of course, Lu Yanhe chose it precisely because the entire plot was suitable for Li Zhibai and Yan Liang to play, as long as they were willing to let loose.
Lu Yanhe also did not want to change the name.
Translating "Dumb and Dumber" as "阿呆与阿瓜" perfectly captures the feeling of the Chinese expression.
The Dumbass Duo.
Lu Yanhe is currently writing two screenplays: "Dumb and Dumber" and "Squid Game".
Hu Siwei came looking for him at this time.
"The first draft of the script is finished," he said to Lu Yanhe. "Here is the script."
Hu Siwei handed a script to Lu Yanhe.
An eight-episode short drama, "Under the Eaves".
Lu Yanhe was taken aback.
This name... inexplicably made him feel that it wasn't likely to become popular.
"Take a look at the script and let me know if you have any ideas," Hu Siwei said. "This is just the first draft of the first four episodes; there will probably be many more revisions later."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
He said, "Let me take a look first."
Hu Siwei agreed.
Although the script for "Under the Eaves" looks thick, it actually doesn't have many words.
Lu Yanhe finished reading the script in almost an afternoon.
He didn't know how to describe his feelings; the script... was somewhat unsatisfactory.
He had watched good sitcoms like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and I Love My Family, and knew what a good sitcom looked like.
It doesn't have to be sophisticated or beautifully written; it just needs to be relatable and reflect the everyday life we encounter.
But first and foremost, it must be natural and have a sense of life.
From the very beginning, "Under the Eaves" is a bit of a mystery, starting with the line, "We learn the word 'friendship' in class from a young age, but perhaps it will be a long time before we understand what friendship is all about."
It's not that I'm being deliberately mysterious, but it just feels very pretentious.
Lu Yanhe finished reading the script with a frown, unsure of where to begin.
When he was reading the project proposal and the story outline, he clearly felt that the story would be very interesting. So how did it become such a boring script?
Lu Yanhe silently closed the script and pondered for a long time.
Are they going to rely on this script to make a drama that can turn around the ratings of Beijing TV?
Lu Yanhe found it unbelievable.
He messaged Hu Siwei: "Producer Hu, is this a script written by your friend?"
Hu Siwei: No, he got a screenwriter to write it. What do you think?
Lu Yanhe: I don't know how to say it.
Hu Siwei: It's okay, just say what you want to say. This is the first draft, so it's impossible to film it exactly as written. There will be a lot of revisions, which is normal.
Lu Yanhe said: To be honest, if the script is like this, I don't even want to film it.
Hu Siwei: Is it that bad?
Lu Yanhe said: Haven't you read it?
Hu Siwei: I just flipped through it casually.
Lu Yanhe: You should read it yourself first.
Hu Siwei: When you looked at the story outline before, didn't you think it was well written?
Lu Yanhe said: "The story outline was indeed very well written, which is why I was interested. I even turned down the male lead role in a movie for this drama. But as for the script, I have no words to describe it."
Hu Siwei: Is the script really that bad? Let me read it carefully.
Lu Yanhe sighed.
It turns out that Hu Siwei hadn't even read the script.
Lu Yanhe really thought the script for "Under the Eaves" was terrible. After talking with Hu Siwei, he thought about it for a long time and tried to start writing the first episode according to the script outline he had read before.
In short, it's about rewriting the script.
This show tells the story of six young people who meet and become friends in a city.
It doesn't have a clear main storyline; it's basically about the happiness and troubles in their lives and work, and the various funny things that happen in between.
In the script outline that Lu Yanhe had seen before, the six characters were clearly defined. Six different personalities and six different professional backgrounds intersected and collided, creating all sorts of stories.
There are no complicated plots or plot twists; it's just a slice-of-life comedy.
Lu Yanhe thought about it for a long time and decided to combine the first episode of "Friends" and "The Big Bang Theory" to write the beginning of this story.
Because her fiancé Hu Fan's ex-girlfriend came to her dressing room on their wedding day and told her that she was pregnant with Hu Fan's child, Li Lili ran away from the wedding. As a result, she happened to see her former good friend Chen Wanqiu outside a coffee shop, so she rushed in and met Chen Wanqiu and her friends.
With nowhere to go, Li Lili was taken in by Chen Wanqiu. Jiang Kele and Wen Fan, who lived in the same apartment building, were immediately smitten with the beautiful and sweet-smiling Li Lili and began their pursuit of her.
Li Lili, wanting to retrieve her belongings from her fiancé's house, asked everyone to accompany her. When everyone learned that Li Lili had abruptly left the wedding, leaving behind a mess, they all began to sympathize with her fiancé, Hu Fan. Seeing everyone's sympathy for Hu Fan, Li Lili angrily revealed the reason for her runaway. Hu Fan, however, said that was impossible, because he had never had a relationship with his ex-girlfriend. Li Lili didn't believe him.
In an effort to win Li Lili back, Hu Fan also moved into their apartment building.
That's the gist of the first episode.
For a sitcom, the first episode is a hook, but this hook can't be too complicated. The process has to be lighthearted and funny, and the ending has to make everyone want to know what happens next.
The idea that several people suddenly converge in one place from different places is one of the most classic hooks, naturally making the audience curious about what happens after these people come together.
Lu Yanhe finished writing the script for the first episode, read it through again, made some revisions to the details, and then sent it to Hu Siwei.
He said: This is the first episode of the script that I revised, produced by Hu. This is the script I wanted to read.
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Hu Siwei only read the first two episodes of the script before admitting that the script was indeed terrible.
He picked up his phone and called Bai Jingnian: "Brother, where did you find this script written by some shady screenwriter?"
He was also very blunt in his speech.
Bai Jingnian asked, "Have you read the script?"
"After watching the first two episodes, they were so bad I don't even want to say anything," Hu Siwei said directly.
Bai Jingnian sighed, "I'm speechless. I spent a lot of money to find a famous screenwriter to write it, and this is the kind of thing they gave me."
Who is it?
"He Shi is responsible."
"He stopped writing scripts himself a long time ago. He opened a screenwriting studio and dumps all the work on his apprentices," Hu Siwei said. "No wonder the scripts are so bad. Didn't you say before that you should write your own scripts?"
"I can't seem to write it. I came up with this story outline, thinking I could write it, but it turns out I'm just not cut out for it." Bai Jingnian sighed. "Did you send it to Lu Yanhe? What did he say?"
Hu Siwei: "I've said this to death, do you think he'll say it well?"
Bai Jingnian: "It's my fault. I didn't ask you before I hired the screenwriter. I was wondering why that old man only charged me 50,000 yuan per episode."
Hu Siwei was shocked and asked, "You've already spent 400,000?"
“I haven’t paid the final payment to him yet, I only paid a deposit,” Bai Jingnian said. “I’m going to call him and give him a piece of my mind, I don’t plan to pay the final payment.”
Hu Siwei: "How can you do things like this? Did you even sign a contract?"
Bai Jingnian: "Signed. We'll write the next four episodes after the first four are finished."
“We definitely can’t ask him to write it,” Hu Siwei said. “I’ll talk to him. He has the nerve to charge 50,000 yuan per episode for this lousy script.”
Bai Jingnian: "What should we do then? Lu Yanhe is not satisfied with the script, so we have to find someone to rewrite it."
Hu Siwei thought for a moment and said, "Let me think about which screenwriter would be more suitable."
After hanging up the phone, Hu Siwei sighed, but then noticed unread messages on her phone.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a document sent by Lu Yanhe.
—This is the script for the first episode that I revised. Producer Hu, this is the script I wanted to read.
Hu Siwei was taken aback.
Lu Yanhe had told him before that he had a sitcom script he wanted to write, but he didn't expect Lu Yanhe to start writing it so quickly.
But Hu Siwei didn't take it too seriously.
What kind of scripts can an actor who has only recently started acting write?
They all felt good about themselves after writing them.
Hu Siwei opened the document, and after reading the first few lines, he was stunned.
...
Meet Cafe is located in the bustling city center of City A.
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Chen Wanqiu: Can you two stop staring at that woman by the window so lecherously? It makes me feel ashamed to be sitting with you.
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Jiang Kele: Haven't you learned the saying, "A fair maiden is sought after by a gentleman"?
Wen Fan: In plain language, it means we like to look at beautiful women.
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Chen Wanqiu silently rolled her eyes at Zhou Zhixi.
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Zhou Zhixi: That's why I keep telling you that all men are sleazy.
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Chen Wanqiu: Darling, don't say that all men are perverted while putting your hand on my thigh.
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Jiang Kele and Wen Fan turned around at the same time, giving Zhou Zhixi and Chen Wanqiu ambiguous glances.
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Zhou Zhixi immediately removed his hand from Chen Wanqiu's leg, and the two of them simultaneously made nauseous expressions.
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Zhou Zhixi: If you look at us like that again, I'll gouge your eyes out!
...
Hu Siwei has worked in Beijing and Taiwan for many years, serving as a producer and supervisor for numerous dramas. He has also worked as an assistant director and accountant. All his work over the years has involved dealing with film crews, and he has read countless scripts.
What makes a good script?
Hu Siwei has his own criteria for judgment, which is a script that makes people want to keep reading.
Unlike novels, screenplays do not contain narrative, introductory, or expositional descriptions.
It starts with the location, characters, and lines.
Lu Yanhe's opening, while not particularly exquisite, does introduce all the main characters and, within just a few lines of dialogue, reveals their key personalities, relationships, and changes in emotions and states.
Hu Siwei's professional acumen reminded him that at least this was a good start.
When he read the end of the first episode, he was stunned again.
...
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Li Lili picked up the trash bag and prepared to throw away the trash.
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Chen Wanqiu: I think Hu Fan is a good guy. He's handsome and emotionally stable. Even though you messed up your wedding, he was still very gentle with you. If he wasn't lying, you should seriously consider marrying him.
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As Li Lili opened the door, she said, "If he wasn't lying, then it really is because I ruined our wedding. How could I possibly face him?"
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After Li Lili finished speaking, she opened the door and walked into the corridor.
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The neighbor's door was open, and two men were carrying a television set inside.
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Chen Wanqiu walked to the door and asked, "Is someone finally coming to stay next door?"
Hu Fan came up the stairs carrying a box, saw them, and smiled at them.
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Li Lili asked in surprise: What are you doing here?
Hu Fan said: Since you don't believe me, I have no choice but to move here. From now on, we'll be neighbors.
...
Hu Siwei put down her phone and stared blankly at the night sky outside the window.
He actually read Lu Yanhe's first script in one go; it was fluent, natural, and had many hilarious moments.
Hu Siwei had only one question left in his mind: Did Lu Yanhe really write this?
After a while, he realized another problem: This was written by Lu Yanhe in just a few hours?
From the time he handed the script to Lu Yanhe, to Lu Yanhe telling him the script was terrible, and then to Lu Yanhe sending him the first episode of the script he had written, the whole process took no more than ten hours.
Hu Siwei was stunned.
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"You're saying Lu Yanhe wrote this script himself?"
Bai Jingnian looked at Hu Siwei in disbelief and asked.
It was late at night, and Bai Jingnian had already gone to bed when Hu Siwei suddenly knocked on the door and barged in. Bai Jingnian thought something serious had happened, but Hu Siwei told him that he had received a new script, the first episode, and urged him to read it.
Bai Jingnian was initially quite annoyed, but after reading the script, his expression immediately changed, and he asked who wrote the script.
"If you had told me earlier that you had found someone to write the script, I would not have gone to He Shize." Bai Jingnian assumed that the script was written by the screenwriter Hu Siwei had previously found.
After Hu Siwei explained how the script came about, Bai Jingnian was in the same state of disbelief that Hu Siwei had initially been in.
Hu Siwei: "It was written by Lu Yanhe, and it was just written."
"How is that possible?" Bai Jingnian looked at Hu Siwei in disbelief. "He wrote this episode's script in just a few hours?"
Hu Siwei: "That should be the case."
The two men looked at each other in bewilderment.
After a long pause, Bai Jingnian said, "Hu Siwei, we need to get Lu Yanhe to agree to write the script for us."
Hu Siwei looked at him and said, "The problem now is whether they are willing to write the script for us."
Bai Jingnian asked, "What is the budget for our script?"
Hu Siwei said, "The original budget was 200,000 yuan per episode."
Bai Jingnian said, "Do you think Lu Yanhe will agree?"
Hu Siwei shook his head. "Does he lack this 1.6 million?"
Bai Jingnian: "Then what should we do?"
Hu Siwei pondered for a moment, "I'll talk to him and see what he thinks."
“We absolutely have to get him to agree to write the script,” Bai Jingnian said. “He perfectly captured the feeling I wanted.”
Hu Siwei glanced at him sideways.
-
The next day, Lu Yanhe sat in the school cafe, looking at Hu Siwei and Bai Jingnian sitting across from him with a serious expression.
The two people opposite looked a little nervous.
Everyone else who saw this found it strange.
A young student was calm and serious, while the two middle-aged people were as nervous as students waiting for their tutor's evaluation.
"You want me to be in charge of writing the script for this show?" Lu Yanhe confirmed again.
Bai Jingnian immediately nodded and said, "Yes, to be honest, I initially wanted to write the script myself, but after writing a little bit, I couldn't capture the feeling I wanted, so I found someone else to write it. But the person I found was also a piece of trash who just fooled me. Last night, Hu Siwei came to me with the script you wrote, and after reading it, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep."
Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised, "The script I wrote wasn't that good, was it? You're exaggerating too much."
“There is absolutely no exaggeration, this is exactly the feeling I wanted,” Bai Jingnian said. “I just wanted to write about the most ordinary side of a few young people. The things they experience are dramatic and comedic, but their lives are absolutely down-to-earth.”
Lu Yanhe understood what he was saying.
He nodded.
“I can be the screenwriter, but I have a few requirements,” he said.
Hu Siwei: "You said that as long as we can satisfy you, we definitely will."
Lu Yanhe said, "First, the name of this drama needs to be changed. I don't like the name 'Under the Eaves'."
Hu Siwei looked at Bai Jingnian.
Bai Jingnian chose this name himself.
Bai Jingnian nodded without hesitation and said, "No problem, you decide."
Lu Yanhe added, "Secondly, there are two roles in the film, and I have target actors for them. I hope to reserve these two roles for my target actors."
Bai Jingnian looked at Hu Siwei.
Hu Siwei said, "As long as it doesn't exceed our budget for film salaries, there's no problem."
Lu Yanhe nodded, "Of course."
Hu Siwei then thought of something and asked, "Yan He, which role are you planning to play?"
Lu Yanhe said, "Jiang Kele is just an actor in the film, and his personality is very different from mine. I want to take on the challenge."
Hu Siwei was somewhat surprised upon hearing this and said, "But Jiang Kele doesn't seem to be the most important character?"
Although this is a sitcom where all six characters are main characters, there is still a bias towards one of them.
At least in the first season, Hu Fan was the main male protagonist.
The only main storyline is whether Hu Fan and Li Lili can reconcile.
Lu Yanhe said, "I don't need to play the most important role, it's okay."
Hu Siwei hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Even if Lu Yanhe isn't the main male lead in the storyline, he's definitely not a supporting character either, and it's not impossible for him to be one.
In fact, according to Hu Siwei's idea, Lu Yanhe would be the best choice to play the lead role.
“Then we could increase the weight of Jiang Kele’s role in the script,” Hu Siwei said. “After all, you’re the only A-list actor in the show.”
“It’s alright. After this drama airs, I think all six of us will become top-tier actors.” Lu Yanhe said calmly. “Producer Hu, when I read the project proposal, I took on the project with this expectation in mind.”
Hu Siwei and Bai Jingnian looked at each other and remained silent.
Lu Yanhe's confidence in this drama surprised both of them.
-
With Lu Yanhe handling the creative aspects, Chen Ziyan took over the rest.
"The actor's salary plus the screenwriter's fee is 2 million yuan per episode. In addition, Yan He will receive 10% of the show's revenue," Chen Ziyan said.
Hu Siwei's face immediately showed a troubled expression.
“10%? Ziyan, that’s an almost impossible number,” Hu Siwei said.
Chen Ziyan's attitude was firm, saying, "Yan He, the only lead actor and the only screenwriter who can guarantee ratings, deserves this number."
Hu Siwei actually knew that Chen Ziyan was right.
In fact, taking a cut is a very common phenomenon in the foreign film and television industry, especially for the core characters of a film.
Lu Yanhe is clearly a central figure in this drama.
However, traditional television stations like Beijing and Taiwan almost never give such treatment to their main creators.
At most, the film and television fees will be higher, and the royalties will be higher.
Chen Ziyan said, "Without Yan He, your drama definitely wouldn't have been able to be filmed. You know that very well."
Hu Siwei said, "Raising the price from 2 million yuan per episode to 5 million yuan per episode is more realistic than taking 10% of the revenue. This is not something I can decide, Ziyan, but the station is unlikely to agree to such a practice. They will not be willing to set such a precedent."
Chen Ziyan said, "That's your business, Producer Hu. If you want to create a long-lasting sitcom that can keep Beijing and Taiwan going, then you have to pay the price."
Hu Siwei was silent for a while, then said, "The actor's salary plus the screenwriter's fee is 1.5 million yuan per episode, plus 5% of the revenue. I'll negotiate with the station for that."
Chen Ziyan: "Let's not talk about bargaining. 10% is already a low price for me. If you really want me to ask for the lion's share, I would ask for 20% without hesitation. You know that."
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I currently have 5627 monthly votes, and this chapter has 6600 words. I'm done with my homework.
I'll guarantee at least 6,000 words tomorrow, but how many words I actually write in the end depends on you guys!
(End of this chapter)
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