Chapter 345 Several films, setting sail!
With its main cast including Jia Long and Lu Yanhe, the movie "Lost in Thailand" is sure to be a hot topic in any media prediction.
Because of its powerful starlight, it attracts a lot of attention.
However, this does not mean that it is favored by the market. Lu Yanhe had only written the script for "Friends" before. He is not a novice, but that was a TV series and a sitcom, which is a different genre from movies.
Film scripts are much harder to write than television scripts—this is a consensus in the industry. In particular, screenwriters are often the least noticed among the main creative team members of a film. Whatever the reason, there is now a consensus that film is the director's art, and the quality of the script is not as obvious as in a television series; the director's style can, to some extent, dilute the script's presence.
According to the information revealed so far, this movie is a somewhat "rustic" and "rural" comedy, and it is a road comedy, which is not a mainstream comedy genre in the film market.
A movie can't be a box office success just because it has big stars; countless painful lessons have already demonstrated this.
No matter how big a star is at the box office, they can still flop if they encounter unsuitable subject matter.
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Lu Yanhe said to Jia Long, "Teacher Jia, if the director for our movie is confirmed, shouldn't we start looking for actors next?"
Jia Long nodded, "Yes, it's a headache. There are so many characters, hundreds of them just to appear on screen. It's a big production."
He made a joke with a smile.
Chen Ziyan asked, "Is Teacher Jia planning to ask a casting agency to recommend actors?"
Jia Long is the biggest driving force behind "Lost on Journey". Even though Lu Yanhe kept the copyright of the original story in his own hands, in terms of the film, because Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan took the initiative to relinquish the rights, Jia Long now basically has the final say on "Lost on Journey".
Jia Long said, "I have some friends who are suitable for the roles. Yan He, what roles will your friends who are making cameo appearances play? Make a list in advance so that we can find other actors later. There are some roles in this movie that require special actors, like the three actors in the restaurant at the beginning of the movie. One has to be ugly, and another has to be stupid. We have to find actors with those looks and temperaments."
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Okay."
Jia Long has read the script many times and pondered many parts.
Lu Yanhe still didn't understand why Jia Long himself wasn't willing to be a director. Actually, it's a pity that someone with Jia Long's rich experience and understanding of filmmaking doesn't become a director. Comedy films are different from other film genres; often, comedy film masters are writers, directors, and writers all in one, a probability far higher than in other film genres.
"The more I read the script, the more interesting it became. Your lines are really well written, especially the opening scene where the boss berates his three subordinates and gives them feedback. I've never played a character like that before," Jia Long said.
The dialogue in this movie is indeed excellent.
Lu Yanhe was deeply impressed by this movie when he watched it.
In fact, Lu Yanhe was not sure whether many popular swear words originated from this movie or whether this movie was a compilation of them.
For example, Xu Zheng started by scolding his subordinates: "Last year you were an idiot, this year you are a fool."
For example, when Xu Zheng saw the famous scene of Wang Baoqiang drinking milk at the airport, he said, "He's really a talent."
Lu Yanhe couldn't perfectly replicate the movie's lines, but these memorable quotes were etched into his mind, and almost everyone who had seen the movie would remember them.
Lu Yanhe said to Jia Long, "These are all things I've seen and heard with my own eyes and ears before, so I put them in this story."
Having seen the movie, and having indeed witnessed and heard it firsthand, I can't be considered lying.
Jia Long said, "It's a pity that your dialogue and structure are for a comedy. If you had written a film that academics would like, you would have had a chance to win an award."
Lu Yanhe: "No, no, you flatter me."
“I’m not exaggerating, I’m serious. Although almost every part of the script is meant to be a punchline and create a comedic effect, you haven’t written a single line that’s cheesy or lowbrow. You’ve avoided chasing after low-level jokes.” Jia Long remarked, “I’ve done a lot of comedies in recent years, and many times the scripts weren’t that good. The actors had to improvise and come up with jokes on set. But your script allows the actors to perform with a light heart. It all depends on whether the actors have the ability to bring what you’ve written to life.”
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that it was because he was using the script that had already been smashed by the actors on set.
Thank you to director Yip Wai-man, thank you to Xu Zheng and Wang Baoqiang, and also thank you to the screenwriters Tian Yusheng, Xu Yuanfeng, and Shi Chenyun.
Chen Ziyan asked, "Teacher Jia, when is the filming of 'Lost in Thailand' scheduled to begin?"
"There's no set date yet, the earliest it could be is the end of this year," Jia Long said. "I have another movie to shoot, and I need to finish that movie before I can fully focus on this one."
Jia Long and Lu Yanhe are both producers and supervisors of this film. Jia Long, in particular, is a key figure who is in charge of everything.
It's not a simple matter that requires a lot of effort.
Lu Yanhe felt somewhat emotional, thankfully he hadn't immediately dreamt of becoming a "plagiarist screenwriter" when he first transmigrated.
The idea that you can produce a script that will instantly gain everyone's approval, and then a bunch of bosses will come to you with piles of money to make a movie... But after actually working in this industry, Lu Yanhe realized that this industry is not lacking in good scripts. To be precise, good scripts are always scarce. However, what is even more lacking is people with discerning eyes, a good team, and the execution ability to turn a good script into a good movie.
The most paradoxical thing for screenwriters is that if a movie is badly made, no one will say that the script is good, but that the director just made a bad film.
So the result is—why are there so few good scripts in this industry?
If good scripts can be well-received, bringing status and substantial income to screenwriters, then a steady stream of people will join in.
Talented people and good scripts don't get a chance to shine, not because of a lack of talent, but because the environment doesn't give them the opportunity.
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Why has Jia Long become the leading figure in the new generation of comedies about ordinary people?
Because he has a very mature eye for selecting scripts, he will use his own strength to protect the script and make it as outstanding as possible.
Why do some big-name actors have inconsistent output? Because they lack that ability.
Why did Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan voluntarily relinquish power to Jia Long when they could have had more say in the film? Because they knew they didn't have that ability.
Trying to do something without the corresponding ability only proves your stupidity.
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Having dinner with Jia Long brought Lu Yanhe a great sense of relief.
Because Jia Long clearly cares a lot about "Lost in Thailand" and has been working hard to promote the film.
Knowing that Jia Long had done this, Lu Yanhe felt relieved.
It wasn't anything else, but rather that Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan had previously worried that Jia Long had too many projects on his plate and wouldn't have much time or energy to dedicate to the "Lost in Thailand" project.
It wasn't that Jia Long himself wasn't serious; rather, too many people wanted to cooperate with him, which distracted him.
After dinner, Jia Long suddenly said to Lu Yanhe, "Yanhe, there's something I need to discuss. A friend of mine recommended his son to me for the other male lead in 'Lost in Thailand,' the silly Niu Geng. I've been indebted to him a lot before, so it's really hard to refuse. But his son isn't really suitable. Do you think you could step in and decline?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe immediately nodded, "Okay, then I'll find an opportunity to meet him and tell him that I'm not willing."
Jia Long patted Lu Yanhe on the shoulder, "I've made you play the villain."
“Only I can handle something like this,” Lu Yanhe said, understanding Jia Long’s actions.
In a society based on personal connections, sometimes it's not appropriate for Lu Yanhe to speak up himself; Chen Siqi and Chen Ziyan will speak on his behalf.
They are actually the same thing.
However, Lu Yanhe did not expect that the person Jia Long mentioned would give him a strange... lukewarm feeling.
This person is a student at Beijing Arts University and will graduate this June.
He had short hair, fair skin, and regular features. He wasn't the kind of handsome that was dazzling, and he wasn't aggressive. When he saw Lu Yanhe, he called out to him slowly and leisurely, "Lu Yanhe," and then said, "Hello."
He brought his girlfriend with him.
His girlfriend isn't in the entertainment industry; she's an illustrator with a lively and cheerful personality. She took the initiative to say, "I knew he was coming to see you, and I really wanted to get to know you, so I asked him to bring me along."
Lu Yanhe nodded and greeted them with a smile.
"Teacher Jia recommended you to me, saying that you could try out for the role of Niu Geng in 'Lost in Thailand'," Lu Yanhe said bluntly.
Before he could speak, his girlfriend Shi Qin said, "He's not suitable for that role at all."
Lu Yanhe looked at Shi Qin with some surprise and asked, "Have you read the script too?"
“No, but he did tell me that it was a role for a young milkman from the countryside.” Shi Qin hugged his arm. “He Jiang was spoiled since he was a child, so he couldn’t portray that kind of honest and reckless feeling at all, although he is quite honest himself.”
He Jiang only spoke slowly at this point, saying, "My dad talked to Uncle Jia and asked him to cast me in this play. I read the script myself, and it's not very suitable."
He scratched his head, a look of guilt appearing on his face.
“I’m sorry, I did tell my dad it wasn’t a good match, but he wouldn’t listen to me,” He Jiang said.
Things took an unexpected turn for Lu Yanhe.
This was not quite what he had expected.
He originally thought that He Jiang really wanted to act in "Lost in Thailand," which was why he sought out Jia Long's connections.
I never expected it to be like this.
Lu Yanhe hesitated for a moment and said, "Actually, after I met you, I also felt that your image was not very suitable for the character Niu Geng. As you know from reading the script, he is a very honest and even a bit rustic character, but he also has his own lovable qualities. When I was writing the script, I actually felt that this character might have to be found among people who have never acted before in order to bring out that feeling."
He Jiang said, "Actually, I came here today to recommend one of my classmates to you."
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe was taken aback.
He Jiang said, "He was the only student from a rural town in our class. When he first came to school, he made a lot of the same jokes as Niu Geng. When I was reading the script, I felt that the character was almost exactly the same as him."
Lu Yanhe was dumbfounded.
ha?
He Jiang took a resume out of his bag.
“He’s my roommate, and this is the resume I made for him,” He Jiang said. “Please take a look.”
Lu Yanhe felt that although he had been in the entertainment industry for a short time, it wasn't short either.
He Jiang, who was recommended to meet people, actually brought someone else's resume to recommend them... Lu Yanhe had never even heard of him before, let alone met him for the first time.
Shi Qin said, "You must find it strange, right? This guy came for the interview himself and even recommended others. I told him he wasn't a good fit, but that's just his personality—a mild-mannered, easy-going person. His roommate is Wang Dashan, and they're close. He cares about Wang Dashan more than himself."
Lu Yanhe looked at He Jiang in surprise.
He Jiang was a little embarrassed, lowered his head and said, "He is not very popular with film and television companies, because they feel that his appearance does not conform to the aesthetics of today's audiences."
Lu Yanhe glanced at He Jiang's resume.
Well… he actually had a very clean and honest face, with eyes as clear and bright as the ocean, still a bit youthful, and slightly dark skin, like a student. But you couldn't say he was ugly; it was a very natural face. Lu Yanhe's first instinct was that someone with that kind of face could play any role.
In fact, the fact that he was the only student from a rural town in this year's class of Beijing Arts University speaks volumes about his qualities.
Lu Yanhe subconsciously wanted to overlap his image with that of Wang Baoqiang.
Strictly speaking, he doesn't look much like Wang Baoqiang. Judging from photos alone, he actually looks better than Wang Baoqiang.
Why did it take Wang Baoqiang so many years to be truly recognized as a good actor? It's because so many of his classic works are considered by many to be natural performances, such as *A World Without Thieves*, *Soldiers Sortie*, *Lost in Thailand*, and *Detective Chinatown*. In fact, each of his roles in these works is very different, but his image is too deeply ingrained; the impression of "playing himself" is unbreakable. Everyone thought his acting career wouldn't last long. But in the blink of an eye, almost twenty years have passed, and he still stands strong in the entertainment industry.
In this respect, Wang Dashan's image is neither so "countryside" nor so "simple-minded." In fact, if you don't judge him by the standards of a handsome idol drama leading man, he is actually a very decent-looking person; otherwise, he wouldn't have been admitted to the Beijing Arts Academy.
This is also why Lu Yanhe hesitated. He doesn't look "rustic," so could he play Niu Geng? However, aside from his appearance, the first time Lu Yanhe saw the photo, he had a feeling that "he seems quite suitable."
Lu Yanhe said to He Jiang, "Actually, although you are not suitable for 'Lost in Thailand,' I have another role that I think you are quite suitable for. Would you like to audition for it?"
He Jiang was taken aback and looked at him with some surprise.
Shi Qin reacted faster than him, her face immediately lighting up with joy as she asked, "Is it true?"
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded, “Because I do have other projects in preparation.”
Shi Qin: "No problem, no problem, he can do it."
She readily agreed.
He Jiang didn't seem to mind her doing this at all. After she finished speaking, he silently nodded to Lu Yanhe.
“I’ll contact your classmate later,” Lu Yanhe said again.
He Jiang smiled with delight and nodded, "Thank you."
He Jiang's performance actually shocked Lu Yanhe.
His girlfriend was absolutely right; he seemed to care more about his classmates than about his own affairs.
But then Lu Yanhe thought of Li Zhibai and Yan Liang.
Perhaps everyone has one or two truly good friends in their life.
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Lu Yanhe sent a message to Jia Long, telling him about his meeting with He Jiang. He mainly mentioned that he himself felt it was not suitable and expressed his unwillingness to act right away.
Jia Long sent a shocked emoji.
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "You don't need to worry."
Jia Long said: I really didn't expect this.
Lu Yanhe said: "But I have another drama, and I think he is very suitable for a role in it. I want to invite him to audition. If it's okay, I think it would be great for him to play the role."
Jia Long: Huh?
Jia Long: Really?
Lu Yanhe: Honestly, I was worried because it's an ensemble drama, and it's hard to find actors, plus the character is quite unique.
Jia Long: An ensemble drama? That period sitcom you did with Aurora Borealis?
Lu Yanhe: Yes.
Jia Long: Are you starring in this drama yourself?
Lu Yanhe: I'm not acting anymore; there are no suitable roles for me.
Jia Long: Are you going to embark on a career as a screenwriter? You're writing and starring in three shows without acting yourself, like in Friends. Will we never see that again?
Lu Yanhe: No, there definitely will be. It's just that sometimes, I already have a complete story, so there's no need for me to write a character for myself and force it into the story.
Jia Long: You're really something, Yan He. You'll become someone the entire entertainment industry will want to befriend.
Lu Yanhe: Thank you for your kind words. I would like to work with you on a few more projects.
Jia Long: You write the script, I'll act it out.
Lu Yanhe: Then it's settled, Teacher Jia. I've already come up with several more stories and am ready to write the scripts.
Jia Long: Tsk tsk, if other screenwriters knew about your prolific creative ability, they would be green with envy.
Lu Yanhe: I can't help it, so many stories are popping into my head, and I can't help but want to write them down.
Jia Long: Okay, don't worry about "Lost in Thailand". I will push it forward and not let it sit in the back of the box. I can't wait to film such a good script.
Lu Yanhe: Mm-hmm.
After talking with Jia Long, Lu Yanhe sent a message to Chen Ziyan: Sister Ziyan, when do you think we should meet with the people from Aurora Video? I want to push forward the TV series "My Own Swordsman".
Chen Ziyan replied immediately: Okay.
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May, a month without filming or much work, did not bring Lu Yanhe much relief.
June has arrived in the blink of an eye.
The recording of "Idol Era" is just around the corner. Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang's performance stage is ready. On the other hand, he spent an entire afternoon in the recording studio recording the theme song "Seventeen Floors" that he was going to sing, and only then did he produce a satisfactory version.
Singing it live is one thing, but when "The Seventeenth Floor" airs, his version will also be used as promotional material, paired with his performance in the drama, to create a music video.
The promotion for "The Seventeenth Floor" has already begun.
As the main drama originally planned by Beijing TV this year, if "Friends" at the beginning of the year was a huge surprise, then "The Seventeenth Floor" is their own child who was placed on the throne of drama king early on.
Lu Yanhe then realized just how many resources Beijing and Taiwan could mobilize if they wanted to heavily promote a drama.
Lu Yanhe, as the male lead of "The Seventeenth Floor," has changed the situation where he was previously "cold-handed" by Beijing and Taiwan.
The station manager in charge of this drama was Jiang Lan. She mobilized the largest amount of publicity resources to promote the drama.
Lu Yanhe and Chen Bige appeared together on the covers of three magazines and also appeared together on a long-running talk show on Beijing TV that has been broadcast for seventeen years.
In addition to this, in order to create the concept of "The Seventeenth Floor" in advance, they even arranged for one episode of their flagship variety show to be themed around "The Seventeenth Floor", with the host team and the cast of "The Seventeenth Floor" going through challenges.
Lu Yanhe was very excited to see the actors of "The Seventeenth Floor" after a long time. He was especially excited about Jiang Jun; after his surgery, Jiang Jun had wanted to return to work, but his situation wasn't good. It was only after Lu Yanhe and Chen Bige asked Jiang Jun if he would participate in this promotional trip that Beijing TV contacted his team.
Lu Yanhe brought a performance contract with him to Jiang Jun.
"Teacher Jiang, for the male lead in 'Squid Game,' here is the performance contract." Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan's production company, Linghe, have already registered the copyright for "Squid Game" and submitted the project proposal and plot synopsis to Aurora Video, but it hasn't officially entered the preparation stage yet.
This performance contract was specially made by Lu Yanhe for Jiang Jun.
When Jiang Jun received the performance contract from Lu Yanhe in the lounge, he was stunned for a moment and looked at Lu Yanhe at a loss.
For the past six months, he has been trying to continue acting, but has been repeatedly met with setbacks. Apart from some cameo roles with only a few scenes, no one is willing to give him any roles with slightly more screen time. Even though his recovery is progressing well and the hospital has provided a certificate proving his good health, he still won't be given a chance.
There was no way around it; he wasn't a famous actor, he wasn't irreplaceable, and nobody was willing to take the risk.
Jiang Jun also remembered that Lu Yanhe had told him that he was going to be the male lead in a movie.
When Lu Yanhe announced so many projects at the Jose Film Festival in early May, Jiang Jun actually wanted to ask if the film he was promised was among them.
But Jiang Jun eventually held back silently.
How could this be!
Jiang Jun laughed at himself, saying that at his age, he was still having such pipe dreams.
It's already rare for someone to say such things to make you happy.
Lu Yanhe didn't become a big shot himself, with a lot of resources that he could give to Lu Yanhe as one or two male lead roles.
Jiang Jun knew that Lu Yanhe was just a screenwriter.
Jiang Jun never allowed himself to think about it again.
To everyone's surprise, Lu Yanhe arrived with the contract.
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“Take the contract back and take a look. If there are no problems, we can sign it,” Lu Yanhe said. “However, this drama definitely won’t be able to start filming this year.”
Jiang Jun almost couldn't hide the trembling corners of his mouth as he spoke.
Lu Yanhe added, "Besides this drama, I have another drama that's currently in production. I'd like to invite you to play a role, not the male lead, but a major one."
Jiang Jun was taken aback.
Lu Yanhe said, "This drama might start filming this year, but it's not certain. It depends on the progress. Preparing for the movie 'Lost in Thailand' made me realize how many things and how much time it takes for a film to go from having a script to being able to start filming."
Jiang Jun opened his mouth and said, "You...you're willing to hire me, I'll definitely give you a good performance."
At this moment, Jiang Jun no longer regarded Lu Yanhe as a junior who needed his guidance.
Lu Yanhe said, "I worked with you on 'The Seventeenth Floor,' and I know you are very capable, Teacher Jiang. I have 100% confidence that you can perform them well, as long as you are willing to act."
Jiang Jun nodded, "Of course I'm willing."
"Okay." Lu Yanhe laughed. "That's great. May I ask for something in return?"
Jiang Jun was taken aback.
"Could you do a cameo in 'Lost in Thailand' for me again? It's just that the production of this movie is a bit stressful, so I might not be able to pay you the market rate for your cameo. How about a friendly price? The other two movies have more funding, so I can pay you the full market rate. Don't worry." Lu Yanhe smiled ingratiatingly.
It's like a junior asking an elder for help, with a hint of flattery.
Jiang Jun laughed and waved his hand, "Why talk about pay for a cameo? It's free!"
"Then I won't stand on ceremony! Teacher Jiang, it's true that this movie needs too many cameos, and we can't afford to pay them all at market price," Lu Yanhe explained.
Jiang Jun nodded, beaming, "You've already given me two leading roles in movies, and I'm still greedy for your little cameo fee."
Lu Yanhe: "I still benefited from this. Thank you very much."
As the two were chatting, Chen Bige suddenly knocked on the door and came in.
"What are you talking about? I could hear Teacher Jiang's laughter from outside," Chen Bige asked.
Lu Yanhe said, "Teacher Jiang just promised to give me a free cameo role in 'Lost in Thailand'."
Upon hearing this, Chen Bige smiled and said, "No wonder. How about I help you out by playing a cameo role?"
Lu Yanhe asked in surprise, "Is it free?"
Chen Bige said, "You little brat, do you know how many movies pay a million or two just to have me make a cameo appearance?!"
Lu Yanhe: "It's just that I'm short of money."
Chen Bige sighed, "Considering you helped me write two scripts, I'll reluctantly agree."
Lu Yanhe clenched his fist in delight, "Thank you both, teachers of such high moral character and talent! I am deeply grateful!"
Chen Bige snorted, "You're getting more and more glib."
Lu Yanhe chuckled.
Chen Bige said, "I also heard that you're planning to write a play like 'The Seventeen Floors' yourself?"
“I’ve already written some,” Lu Yanhe said directly. “I’ll invite Teacher Jiang to star in it.”
"Oh?" Chen Bige asked, "Then why didn't you ask me to act in it?"
“I haven’t written any roles that would suit you,” Lu Yanhe said. “You’ve already starred in ‘The Seventeenth Floor,’ so you definitely won’t take on similar roles.”
Chen Bige accepted this reason.
"That's true."
(End of this chapter)
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