Chapter 307 Like an old woman selling melons, praising her own wares (8,000-word update)
Cithurs are in the Southern Hemisphere.
In February, while the Northern Hemisphere is still basking in the tail end of winter, it is summer here.
It was Lu Yanhe's first time going abroad to participate in an international film festival, and the Xituer International Film Festival at that. He was quite excited.
Of course, just like when he went to South Korea not long ago, Lu Yanhe was also a complete newcomer to Xituer this time.
Nobody knew him.
Therefore, Lu Yanhe rarely had to be recognized by people after going out.
Accompanying Lu Yanhe to Xituer this time were Zou Dong and Chen Ziyan, who arrived a little later.
“There are many opportunities at the film festival,” Chen Ziyan said. “I have to be here.”
After arriving at the hotel, they first met with director Wang Chong.
Wang Zhong's trip this time was much more hectic than Lu Yanhe's.
He is highly experienced and is well-known even in the international film industry.
Therefore, when he brought his new film to the Sitour Film Festival, he received interview requests from film magazines and related media from various countries well in advance.
In addition, Wang Zhong was invited to many events organized by the Xituer Film Festival and its sponsors.
This director, who has never achieved any significant box office success, holds a pivotal position in the film industry, a position that influences how people perceive him.
When Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan went to see him, he was being interviewed by a foreign reporter.
They waited there for about ten minutes.
Producer Chen Ling, who has worked with Wang Chong for many years, waited with them on the side.
Chen Ling said with a smile, "Every time I come to the film festival, Director Wang receives a lot of interview requests from the media. I don't know why, even though the box office is not high, it seems that everyone who comes to the film festival has seen his film and likes it very much."
Lu Yanhe said, "Because it's a film festival, most of the people who come here love movies to some extent."
Chen Ling turned to look at Lu Yanhe and said with a smile, "I heard you're also writing a movie script?"
"Yes." Lu Yanhe nodded with a smile. "Uncle Ling, are you interested?"
Chen Ling: "Who wouldn't be interested in your scripts now? Haha."
Although he said that, he did not ask Lu Yanhe for the script again.
Lu Yanhe knew that the other party was just being polite on the surface.
Of course, even if Chen Ling really wanted it, Lu Yanhe couldn't produce it.
He has already given away all the film scripts he has written.
Chen Ling said, "Actually, you are really talented in acting. Don't always act in TV dramas, act in more movies. Although Friends was popular, it can't be considered a real performance."
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe was taken aback.
Even though Friends has been airing for so long, this is the first time someone has told him to his face that his performance in it wasn't a real performance.
Chen Ling: "Maybe you don't like to hear this, but I'm serious. Sitcoms, for example, rarely have real characters."
Lu Yanhe pondered silently for a moment and said, "Uncle Ling, it's just a different style and a different form of expression. If you're talking about the difficulty of acting, then it is indeed much easier. But I don't think that's not real acting. As long as you can create a three-dimensional and complete character, even if he doesn't have the deeper and more complex life experience of the movie protagonist, I think that's enough."
Chen Ling: "You are still very young, and you only have some intuitive understanding of acting."
"Yes, that's true."
"Once you truly understand what acting is all about, you'll know what I'm talking about."
Lu Yanhe fell silent and stopped arguing with Chen Ling.
He realized that arguing with Chen Ling about these things was pointless.
Because he couldn't persuade Chen Ling, and Chen Ling couldn't persuade him either.
Lu Yanhe really doesn't understand performing arts, let alone be able to explain it in a proper way.
However, Lu Yanhe has always had a very simple idea: nothing is more important than the audience's liking.
Some dramas can win people's favor for a short time, while others can win people's favor for a long time. Some dramas receive mediocre reviews when they are released, but can be liked by people for a period of time.
Aesthetic appreciation is simply a matter of personal and public opinion; whether or not it reaches the level of classics is a matter of doing one's best and leaving the rest to fate.
Lu Yanhe knew perfectly well that some sitcoms could remain popular for thirty or forty years.
With the advent of the internet age, the distance between viewers and works has been reduced to their subjective will, rather than being determined by a medium like television.
Good sitcoms can also leave a lasting impression on generations of viewers.
Lu Yanhe knew this, so he did not agree with Chen Ling's statement.
However, Chen Ling was clearly someone who had lived through the golden age of cinema, experiencing a long period where film was considered the highest form of media art. This concept was deeply ingrained in them and couldn't be explained away by Lu Yanhe in just a few words.
Lu Yanhe also knew that in this era, the hierarchy of disdain, where movies are superior to TV dramas, which in turn are superior to variety shows, still exists and has not changed.
After Wang Zhong finished his interview and they saw off the media reporters, they finally had a chance to have a proper chat with Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan.
Wang Zhong asked them to sit down and inquired, "When did you arrive?"
Lu Yanhe said, "I arrived last night, but Sister Ziyan only arrived this morning."
Wang nodded, "Do you have any other work arrangements for this trip?"
Lu Yanhe looked at Chen Ziyan.
Chen Ziyan shook her head and said, "We came here just to attend the premiere of 'Three Mountains'. We don't have any other work arrangements. This is Xiao Lu's first time at a film festival, and we hope he can experience the atmosphere of the film festival more."
“Yes, the Citium Film Festival is almost one of the best film festivals in the world in terms of atmosphere. Everyone here talks about movies; it’s like a holy land for cinema. I really like the atmosphere here,” Wang Zhong said. “I think you will definitely like it here too.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Wang Zhong: "Take advantage of the fact that not many people know you now and have a good time to explore the world. After 'Three Mountains' is released, your ten-minute appearance in the film will make most people at this film festival recognize you."
Lu Yanhe looked surprised.
Wang Zhong's words left Lu Yanhe at a loss, flattered and even uneasy, wondering, "Am I worthy of such high praise?"
Acting in this movie only took one night.
Will his performance be that good?
Chen Ziyan smiled at Lu Yanhe and said, "Director Wang told me that you absolutely have to come to this film festival, otherwise many people will be disappointed."
Lu Yanhe had heard many people mention their shock at "Three Mountains" before.
Many people, especially, came to believe that "Lu Yanhe is a genius" after watching his performance in "Three Mountains".
Wang Zhong said, "Your performance in this scene was the finishing touch. Especially when it was edited and shown on the big screen, the feeling that life is like a dream, like a bubble, and like being haunted by ghosts, that I wanted to express in the whole movie was laid by your scene. It made it possible to see the state of Chen Jiang, Sui Fangran and the others who were increasingly unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy and were on the verge of collapse."
Upon hearing Wang Zhong's words, Lu Yanhe felt an intense urge to see the movie and his performance.
The movie hasn't been released yet, but many people have already seen it at internal screenings.
The feedback from everyone was so exaggerated that Lu Yanhe felt it was unreal, as if they were just saying some flattering words. However, as more and more people said such things, Lu Yanhe gradually developed more realistic expectations.
Now that Wang Zhong has spoken to him with such a solemn attitude, Lu Yanhe is even more eager to see what's coming.
"When are you leaving?" Wang Chong asked.
Lu Yanhe said, "Two days later."
The movie premieres tomorrow, and after that there will be a press conference, a photocall, and other events, so it will be a very tiring day.
The day after tomorrow, Lu Yanhe has a project initiated by two domestic media outlets.
Then Lu Yanhe went back.
Because he had to attend the Xituer Film Festival, Lu Yanhe had to ask for leave from school.
This was even the first time Lu Yanhe had asked his teacher for leave since enrolling in school.
No matter how busy I was with work before, I had never asked for it.
Fortunately, because he was filming "Late Spring," he didn't take many courses at the beginning of the semester, so he didn't miss too many classes during his few days away from home.
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhong was somewhat disappointed. "They left so early?"
Lu Yanhe said, "I asked the school for five days off, and I can't ask for more. I also have a lot of classes this semester."
Chen Ziyan asked, "Director, is there anything Yan He needs to do?"
"No, it's because Ruyi and his team are planning to hold a Chinese Film Night event here in a few days. Since they don't have Yan He's contact information, they asked me to ask him if he could participate."
These events typically bring together a large number of Chinese filmmakers, while also inviting internationally renowned filmmakers through their respective channels. The purposes are varied, but generally speaking, they aim to enhance the event's influence.
Ruyi is one of the largest film companies in China, and they developed the film "Nineteen Years of Crime Records".
Lu Yanhe was also disappointed that he was unable to participate.
-
Although only "Three Mountains" was shortlisted for the main competition at the Sitour Film Festival, there were quite a few Chinese filmmakers present.
Lu Yanhe unexpectedly ran into Jia Long on the road.
When Lu Yanhe first encountered it, he thought he was seeing things.
It was Jia Long who called out to him first.
"Teacher Jia!" Lu Yanhe was surprised to find that it really was Jia Long and waved to him in delight.
They met by chance on a path by the river.
Jia Long was all alone.
"Are you just wandering around here?" Jia Long asked Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "There's no work today either."
Jia Long: "I'm also looking around by myself, let's go together."
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe nodded.
Seeing this, Zou Dong promptly distanced himself by a few steps.
Jia Long said, "Tomorrow is the premiere of 'Three Mountains,' right?"
"Yes, Teacher Jia, will you come?"
"Yes, Director Wang has already spoken to me. We're the only Chinese-language film nominated this year, so I'll definitely support it," Jia Long said with a smile. "I was thinking of inviting you out for a meal sometime while I was here."
Lu Yanhe said, "I just arrived too."
Jia Long: "I came here with the film 'Searchlight'. They want to find international buyers here and have arranged some promotional activities."
"Is this movie also a comedy?" Lu Yanhe asked.
"I'd call it dark humor, a crime comedy," Jia Long explained. "Besides, I also have another job here. Ruyi Pictures is having a movie night event later, where they're going to officially announce a movie I'm working on with them, so I have to be there."
"I'm really looking forward to it," Lu Yanhe said immediately. "I really enjoy watching your movies."
Jia Long finally mentioned "Lost in Thailand".
"I didn't expect that almost everyone would be so pessimistic about this script." He said with some helplessness, "It's not that no one is willing to invest, but we can't get the budget I want."
Lu Yanhe was taken aback upon hearing this.
"ah?"
He hadn't expected to encounter this situation.
In his memory, the movie did very well at the box office, which is why the sequel, which broke box office records, was made.
Now that Jia Long is starring, how could he not find investment?
Could it be that the script was poorly written?
"Is it a problem with the script?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Jia Long shook his head, sighed with a wry smile, "Speaking of the script, they all say it's well-written, very entertaining, and has a lot of laughs, but they're mainly not optimistic about the story's background. They think it's... a bit rustic, unlike the high-grossing comedy films of recent years, which are all quite sophisticated. They're worried that audiences will perceive this film as a rural theme and won't want to watch it."
Lu Yanhe stared at Jia Long, speechless.
At that moment, he didn't even know what to say.
"ah?"
Jia Long: "I didn't expect that either. So, many film companies are willing to invest money, but they are only willing to make it a low-budget film and are unwilling to spend a large budget on it."
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and asked, "Does this movie require a very high budget?"
“Low-budget productions have their own methods, and high-budget productions have theirs. This script is excellent. We should avoid compromising and make a good film. I think it will be a classic,” Jia Long said.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe remained silent for a moment before asking, "Does that mean the movie can't be made?"
Jia Long: "There's no need to be so discouraged. If it really doesn't meet my expectations, I'll just lower them and talk to you again."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
He said, "If all else fails, I'll just invest my own money in the bidding."
Jia Long was taken aback.
"Huh?" He looked at Lu Yanhe in disbelief.
After realizing what he had said, Lu Yanhe immediately said, "I was being presumptuous. I don't have that much money at all."
He didn't know what was wrong with him. Just because he earned nearly 20 million from the show "Friends", he became so arrogant that he thought he could afford to shoot a movie.
Jia Long burst into laughter.
He patted Lu Yanhe on the shoulder and said, "Yanhe, don't rush. A movie can take up to ten years from preparation to filming. It's a matter of timing, location, and people. Good things come to those who wait. Since it's a good script, we should be patient enough to wait."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"I understand, Teacher Jia."
Jia Long glanced at him and said, "However, if you were willing to reveal now that you are the screenwriter of the movie 'Lost in Thailand,' given the success of 'Friends,' I think a few film companies would be willing to change their minds."
It was Chen Ziyan who suggested that Lu Yanhe's identity as screenwriter not be revealed yet.
Lu Yanhe said, "Actually, there's nothing wrong with going public. We didn't go public before because we were worried that my identity would have a negative impact on the movie. After all, I'm not a professional screenwriter. Now that we have 'Friends,' if going public that I'm the screenwriter can get the movie going, I'm willing to do it."
“I know what to do now. I’ll have a proper talk with them after I get back from Xituer.” Jia Long asked Lu Yanhe, “Are you planning to invest in this movie yourself?”
"If it's possible to invest, of course." Lu Yanhe thought to himself, a movie with a successful box office precedent, and he has some money on hand now, why not invest?
Jia Long said, "When I was talking to those film companies, I said I would give them 5% of the profits. Even if you didn't invest, you could still get a share."
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "Actually, I have no doubt that this movie will make money. It's just a matter of how much. If I had enough money to make it myself, I would even like to make it myself."
Actually, Lu Yanhe himself felt that what he said was nonsense and a bit fake.
But Jia Long, understanding and considerate, simply smiled and remained silent.
He said, "We'll see later and see if we can get better terms."
I walked around with Jia Long, and then we sat down at a corner coffee shop and had a cup of coffee.
They talked about creating sitcoms and Lu Yanhe's future projects.
Jia Long was somewhat surprised when he learned that Lu Yanhe was preparing another sitcom.
He also asked, "Is it still a short-running series like Friends, airing in seasons?"
“Not necessarily. It could be a sitcom within the framework of a long-running TV series,” Lu Yanhe said. “It has a completely different style and story from Friends, but you can’t say they’re completely different. They’re both about a group of people who come together and eventually become best friends for life.”
Jia Long: "I watched every single episode of Friends from beginning to end. To be honest, when I first started watching it, I didn't understand why such a simple show, with just a few people's conversations and changes in their relationships, could attract so much attention and discussion. It wasn't until I saw what many people were saying online that I realized I had underestimated something."
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe looked at Jia Long in surprise.
“It’s not just me, but many people didn’t realize why this show was so popular,” Jia Long said. “It’s because it’s simple. There are only six people, and each of them is so simple and natural. There aren’t any of the complicated character settings in TV dramas these days, so it’s easy to get into their world. At the beginning of the show, they’re just sitting in a coffee shop chatting. Their conversations are like conversations that would happen around us. Then, in this everyday scene, dramatic conflicts pop up from time to time, making it easier for everyone to relate to their own lives.”
"Why are so many people online discussing this show, even analyzing each character's choices and attitudes?" Jia Long said with a face full of praise. "It's because their different choices, different attitudes, and even the different things they say all seem to have come straight out of our lives. While being funny and lighthearted, it also occasionally strikes a chord in our memories like striking a wooden fish, evoking some similar emotional experiences. So, I later specifically asked someone to ask for your original script to read, and only after reading it did I realize why it's so good."
“What I fear most is the kind of script that is written very realistically and explains everything to you in great detail,” Jia Long said. “Your script basically only has dialogue, but just through the dialogue, people can completely understand what the whole story is about. This ability is something that many screenwriters do not have. Moreover, your words are simple and straightforward, yet not vulgar. This is the most rare thing. It is the language that truly belongs to sitcoms. It’s really good.”
Lu Yanhe was almost envious of Jia Long's praise. During this period, including the viewers who liked the show, no one really thought it was a high-quality drama. Everyone thought it was entertaining, but in terms of literary merit, character development, and artistry, it was all mediocre.
Lu Yanhe tried too many times to defend the story, saying that the drama was not as simple as it seemed. But for a screenwriter to explain that the story was not so simple would be too much like "self-praise."
Today, Jia Long's sudden words moved Lu Yanhe, making him feel that "there are still people who understand."
Strictly speaking, the story of "Friends" was not Lu Yanhe's original work, but he typed it out word by word. Unable to replicate the script 100% with a magic touch, he had to rely on his own abilities to organize these fragmented memories into a complete story, or even a good story, when writing this script.
He's like a small landowner who owns a gold mine. The gold has been mined, but it needs to be refined to become high-purity gold.
Lu Yanhe said to Jia Long, "Teacher Jia, you are the first person in all these days to praise this script like this."
Jia Long: "There are only a few people who truly create and understand comedy. Others just have a superficial understanding and use the standards of other genres to judge Friends."
Jia Long's words made Lu Yanhe smile broadly.
“My mood immediately improved, Teacher Jia.”
-
Although the main focus of Lu Yanhe's trip to the Xituer Film Festival was "Three Mountains," after meeting with Jia Long, he couldn't resist taking out the script for "Friends" from his laptop and reading it from beginning to end again.
The more Lu Yanhe read, the more regrettable and angry he felt.
If Jingtai hadn't done so many disgusting things, he could have smoothly gone on to create the later scripts.
Instead of being like this now, holding my breath, never able to return to this series.
I really hope that one day a film company will buy the film adaptation rights to this drama, so that the film will have no connection with Beijing and Taiwan, and he can continue to be the screenwriter and tell the rest of the story properly.
But that's just wishful thinking. Even if it were ever adapted into a big movie, Lu Yanhe wouldn't know how to write the script for it, as there's no precedent to follow.
Today, Lu Yanhe is also clearly aware of a fact: a movie is not a TV series that simply gathers enough material for two hours; there are some very obvious differences between the two.
Lu Yanhe could only angrily close the script for "Friends" and open the document for "My Own Swordsman" to start writing the key points and outline of the story.
This time, no matter what, the copyright of "My Own Swordsman" must be firmly held in our own hands. We can't let it be like "Friends" where, because the copyright was in someone else's hands, we lost everything once things fell apart.
-
The premiere of "Three Mountains" is at 2:30 pm.
In the morning, Lu Yanhe, arranged by Chen Ziyan, accepted interviews from two domestic film media outlets.
This interview was a solo one.
After the interview, I quickly ate something at the hotel for lunch, then changed into my formal attire and prepared to head to the premiere.
He first met up with all the main creators of the film crew.
This time, Chen Jiang, Sui Fangran, Wang Lu and the others all came. Their film was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the Xituer Film Festival, which is like winning the lottery for them.
The whole process—from setting off, walking the red carpet, to entering the screening room—was chaotic. Lu Yanhe felt like his mind and ears were never quiet; it seemed like someone was talking to him, or greeting him, or calling his name every moment.
Most of them are domestic filmmakers and media personnel.
This feeling is very different from attending a film awards ceremony in the country.
To be honest, domestic film award ceremonies are generally more grand and solemn.
The atmosphere here really feels like a film festival.
Along the way, from getting on the bus to getting off, there were people everywhere, and there seemed to be no separation. Even after getting off the bus, they were immediately surrounded by crowds.
There were many movie fans at the scene, including many Chinese.
Security guards were on site to control the situation, and some barriers were set up, but the distance between people was almost non-existent.
After Lu Yanhe and his group got out of the car, they still had to walk a distance to reach the red carpet area. Along the way, so many people were filming them with cameras and phones, constantly asking them questions and chatting with them, just like being surrounded by a group of fans at an airport.
Only after entering the red carpet waiting area were people without passes stopped outside.
As the main creators of "Three Mountains", they attracted the attention of photographers as soon as they appeared on the scene. Some photographers even abandoned the guests on the red carpet and focused their lenses on them who were still waiting.
Of course, they came mainly because of director Wang Zhong.
Just as the media flock to celebrities at film festivals, they also flock to renowned directors like Wang Zhong.
The actors, including Lu Yanhe, didn't receive much attention.
Those who pay attention to Lu Yanhe are all fans around him who call him by name.
This phenomenon became even more apparent once they stepped onto the red carpet.
Lu Yanhe heard photographers calling his name, urging him to look at them. But most of them were photographers from different countries calling out "Wang Zhong" in broken Chinese. Lu Yanhe was surprised. He had walked the red carpet many times, but this was the first time so many photographers had paid attention to a director.
Moreover, these photographers were mostly dressed in formal attire and leather shoes—at this moment, Lu Yanhe suddenly realized the importance of a sense of ceremony. In a sense, it was the solemnity and presentation of these details that gave the scene a serious and sophisticated feel.
Being there gives you the feeling that you are participating in a grand and wonderful ceremony.
At the premiere of "Three Mountains", Wintour Robbe, the artistic director of the Sitour Film Festival, personally attended to show his support.
The artistic director is responsible for selecting films for film festivals. Generally, they decide which films make it into the main competition each year, making them powerful figures in the film industry—though this isn't a common way of referring to them; it's more often used to describe film company executives than the artistic director of a film festival. But that's essentially how it is.
Wintour Robbe did not come alone to support "Three Mountains". He will appear at the premiere of all the films that are shortlisted for the main competition to show the festival’s respect and appreciation for them.
This was the first time Lu Yanhe had met this famous figure in the film industry.
To Lu Yanhe's surprise, the man actually called out his name after seeing him: "Yanhe, our rising star, welcome to Xituer."
Lu Yanhe looked at the renowned art director with a sense of flattery and said, "Mr. Luo Bei, hello."
Wintour Robbe shook Wang Zhong's arm and said with a smile, "Your film has brought us four more outstanding young people. I hope to see you all again at Situ in the future. Please continue to bring your works here."
Chen Jiang and his friends were both nervous and excited.
Lu Yanhe smiled and said okay.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the movie screening was about to begin.
Everyone took their seats and waited for the lights in the theater to dim so the movie could begin.
Lu Yanhe sat in his seat, holding his breath and waiting for the movie to start.
This was the first time he had watched the movie; before this, he hadn't even seen any clips.
Lu Yanhe took a deep breath.
The tension inevitably began to creep out of my heart.
-
domestic.
Chen Siqi came out of the dormitory and called Bai Yu.
"Bai Yu, how's the article about Yan He coming along?" she asked.
Bai Yu said, "It's already written and formatted. We're just waiting for you to tell us when it's ready to be published."
Chen Siqi said, "Sister Ziyan told me that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Yan He's performance in 'Three Mountains' will receive a wave of positive reviews. She wants us to take advantage of this popularity to reinforce the impression that Yan He is a talented actor. Previously, because of 'Friends,' although the show was very popular, some people felt that Yan He's performance in sitcoms was superficial."
Bai Yu: "Don't worry, I've made GIFs of Yan He's highlight performances in 'The Golden Age' and 'Phoenix Terrace' and put them in the article. But are you sure you're going to post them on our own account? Everyone knows that Yan He is one of the owners of this account. Don't let people say that you're just praising your own wares."
“It’s okay. This article will either highlight Yan He’s performance in his new film at the Cité International Film Festival, showcasing his acting highlights, or it won’t be published at all,” Chen Siqi said. “It won’t be self-promotion.”
(End of this chapter)
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