Chapter 456 Recording (7,000 words update!)
The directing team.
Li Zhenzhen looked at the split screen in the control vehicle, where real-time camera footage of various artists was being transmitted. She could sit in the control vehicle and monitor the recording in real time.
The assistant director said, "This doesn't feel like a wish list anymore. It feels weird. I initially thought this segment was about helping each other fulfill wishes that we hadn't been able to fulfill before, but now it seems more like we're making demands of each other."
Li Zhenzhen said, "It's great. In the program, we directly presented the original design of this segment and the actual performance of the artists. Later, when interviewing the artists, we asked them why they gave such a wish."
The assistant director was taken aback.
Should I just ask?
"Um."
"Won't this make the audience think they're too mercenary?" the assistant director said with some concern, "because the wishes they put forward are all related to their interests."
Li Zhenzhen said, "Have you forgotten the original intention and purpose of our program? Besides, what kind of wish is it if it has nothing to do with one's own interests? Why act like a saint? I think this kind of practical wish is good. It shows that no one is hypocritically creating a persona or making up sentimental stories."
The assistant director was convinced by Li Zhenzhen's words.
Well, it was an attitude that was completely beyond his expectations.
-
Working as a service staff member in a hotel is not an easy job.
They didn't want to play a waiter, but their roles also prevented them from appearing normally in front of ordinary customers—too many unexpected factors meant that those customers might not be willing to appear on camera.
Therefore, they all work in positions that do not require interaction with customers.
For example, cleaning guest rooms, ironing clothes, purchasing supplies, and so on.
After a busy day, I was exhausted without a doubt.
It's not a staged photo shoot, nor is it just shooting a short clip; we'll stop once we've used enough footage.
When the scores and rankings were announced that evening, all five groups were completely different from when they started recording in the morning.
Lu Yanhe was extremely exhausted from transporting various supplies up and down the hotel, walking at least 20,000 steps.
At this time, Yan Liang, who insisted on exercising, became the only one who could still maintain his energy.
On the way to the house where they would be living together this season, almost everyone fell into a deep sleep.
Lu Yanhe was also sleepy, and after dozing off for a while, he accidentally bumped his head on the car window, which woke him up.
Sitting next to him, Peng Zhixing was looking down at the tablet in his hand.
He was also holding a sensor pen and drawing circles on it.
"What are you looking at?" Lu Yanhe asked in a low voice.
“Oh, it’s a proposal for a new program,” Peng Zhixing said. “The company is having a topic selection meeting next week, and I want to submit this.”
"Did you plan this program yourself?" Lu Yanhe asked curiously.
Peng Zhixing nodded.
He said, "If I only act as a host, I'll be too passive."
"Your regular job now is your interview program and the recording of 'The Days of Youth'?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Peng Zhixing nodded, "I usually host the events and parties organized by Northern Lights, but I don't have any other regular jobs."
Peng Zhixing's main job is still his interview program.
In addition, he sometimes receives invitations from "Jump Up" to be a special host on "Jump Up" video account, interviewing the main creators of film and television dramas.
But these are not fixed.
For a host, this kind of work pace is clearly not enough.
Unlike actors who need to maintain an air of mystery, hosts need to provide viewers with a sense of everyday companionship. The more familiar and familiar they are, the stronger the audience's engagement will be.
"Another point is that my current interview program mostly serves as a promotional tool for the platform. I want to create a program that is more independent and reflects my own personality."
"Does your platform support you doing this?"
"As long as I don't neglect my original work, they certainly won't object."
In fact, Peng Zhixing already has a dedicated fan base as a host. His talk show has been airing for several years, and the program "The Days of Youth" brought him immense fame and popularity. It's fair to say that his current popularity is in no way inferior to that of young idols who rose to fame through one or two dramas.
Aurora Video highly values a host with such potential and unlimited future development.
Lu Yanhe: "As long as your platform supports us, that's fine."
Peng Zhixing asked, "Was that Weibo post you made a couple of days ago about someone asking you to invest in a movie?"
Lu Yanhe glanced at the GoPro in front of them and said, "This matter is rather complicated. Let's talk about it privately later."
Peng Zhixing suddenly understood and nodded.
Although they are chatting casually, everything they say is being recorded by the camera and microphone.
Peng Zhixing suddenly laughed and asked, "What was the wish you wrote down this morning?"
Lu Yanhe didn't say anything, but asked, "What did you write? Never mind, what I got definitely wasn't written by you. You should tell me what your wish is."
“The one I received is definitely not the one you wrote,” Peng Zhixing said. “The wish I received is to lose 5 pounds.”
Lu Yanhe looked at Peng Zhixing in surprise.
"You have such a wish? How can you help me fulfill it?"
Peng Zhixing said, "I already have an idea, hmph."
He gave a wicked smile.
Lu Yanhe looked at it and laughed, "What idea have you come up with? You're laughing so slyly."
Peng Zhixing said, "To lose weight, you need motivation to succeed, and I'll provide that motivation."
Lu Yanhe was very curious about what kind of motivation Peng Zhixing would provide.
He was also curious about whose wish was to lose five pounds.
"Hey, Yan He!" Song Linxin, who was sitting in the back, suddenly called out to him.
Lu Yanhe turned his head and saw Song Linxin's head squeezed into the narrow gap between the two chairs, with only a small part of it sticking out.
"What's wrong?"
"Does your movie 'Love Letter' have any OSTs that I could sing?" Song Linxin asked. "If so, I'll sing them for you for free."
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
"Why are you suddenly being so kind? However, I haven't considered the OST yet, so I probably won't put the OST in it, just the background music."
Song Linxin said, "I heard that you didn't have enough money for this movie. If you're short on funds, I can sing a song for you and save you some money."
Lu Yanhe was both amused and touched.
“Thank you. I’ll contact you if I need anything, but I don’t have the budget… Where did you hear that?” Lu Yanhe asked.
Song Linxin said, "I heard from my team that you yourself are not very optimistic about the box office of this movie, and the budget has been kept very low."
Lu Yanhe said, "It's not that we're really strapped for cash, but we'll save as much as we can, and we'll still have to spend what we need to spend."
"Okay, just call me if you need any help." Song Linxin said, yawning. "No, I'm too sleepy. I need to sleep a little longer, otherwise I won't have the energy to continue recording tonight."
She lay back down in the chair, closed her eyes, and went back to sleep.
Peng Zhixing asked Lu Yanhe in a low voice, "Is 'Love Letter' really not short of funds? I've also heard that your movie has a very low budget, and doesn't even have a production budget of 20 million."
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "That's true, but that's because Bi Ge and I only received a symbolic amount of pay; the rest of our pay was factored into the investment. This movie isn't a commercial film, so it doesn't need that much production budget."
"Then why are so many people saying that your movie is short of money?" Peng Zhixing said. "Actually, I also found it strange when I heard this statement. After all, your movie 'Lost in Thailand' just grossed more than 600 million yuan at the box office. Your new movie should not lack investors."
Lu Yanhe: "There must be people spreading rumors outside."
“Indeed, I also feel that there are more and more news about you outside,” Peng Zhixing said. “It’s all true and false, some people have heard that I know you and have come to me to ask about some things.”
Lu Yanhe said, "This phenomenon seems to be becoming more and more common recently."
Peng Zhixing: "After all, you're at the peak of your career right now."
-
"If only we could buy Lu Yanhe's company." Zheng Huai-ren suddenly exclaimed during a meeting with his company staff to discuss the follow-up arrangements for the TV series "Squid Game". "Lu Yanhe's company is a gold mine. He holds the copyrights to so many shows, such as 'Rouge,' 'Squid Game,' 'My Own Swordsman,' and 'Lost in Thailand.'"
Someone suggested, "Why don't we acquire Lu Yanhe's company?"
"Acquisition?" Zheng Huai-ren's eyes darted around, as if he was seriously considering the matter.
"How much money would it cost to acquire Lu Yanhe's production company?"
"Judging from the value of these IPs so far, they should be worth at least nine figures."
"Nine figures? You're seriously underestimating that. Don't forget, 'Lost in Thailand,' 'Squid Game,' and 'My Own Swordsman' are all planned to be developed into series. The value they contain is so immense that no appraisal company would give a mere nine figures."
"So do you think Lu Yanhe will sell?"
"That's not necessarily true."
Zheng Huai-ren claimed that he had some understanding of Lu Yanhe.
He then seriously considered whether Lu Yanhe, as he knew him, would be willing to sell the company.
Thinking about it, the situation is indeed not optimistic.
Lu Yanhe doesn't seem like the type of person who would be willing to sell his production company to someone else.
It's not that Zheng Huai-ren is saying anything else, but he knows very well that the reason Lu Yan-he and Chen Zi-yan set up that film and television production company is to keep the copyright of the scripts written by Lu Yan-he in their own hands.
Is "My Own Swordsman" about to start filming?
"Yes, we plan to start filming in the third quarter." Zheng Huai-ren nodded. "We'll only film eighteen episodes for the first season."
"How's the investment promotion for 'My Own Swordsman' going?" Zheng Huai-ren asked the head of the business department.
“Many brands are interested, but everyone is hesitant. After all, our advertising space is not cheap, and people are not very optimistic about the prospects of period comedy,” said the head of the business department.
Even though "Lost in Thailand" was a hit, proving once again Lu Yanhe's ability to write comedy, are they still not optimistic?
"right."
Zheng Huai-ren felt somewhat helpless.
Advertisers these days are becoming more and more cautious.
In contrast, due to the popularity of "Seventeen Floors", the business prospects for "Squid Game" are much more optimistic.
The title sponsorship advertising space sold for a high price of 35 million.
In addition, four opening credits advertising slots were sold to four brands for 9.5 million.
Other business deals are still under negotiation.
Given the current situation, "Squid Game" can definitely recoup its costs before it even airs.
Thanks to the success of "The Seventeenth Floor", the market's optimism for "Squid Game" is far greater than that for "My Own Swordsman".
-
At 9 p.m., Lu Yanhe and the others had dinner together, took showers, and then gathered in the downstairs living room to record the last segment of the first episode.
wish.
Li Zhenzhen asked, "Did anyone ask each other privately during the day who their wish belonged to?"
Lu Yanhe was the first to shake his head: "I don't need to ask about that."
"Why?" Everyone looked over curiously.
Lu Yanhe said, "My wish is too easy to guess. The wish I drew is to be a guest at this person's concert. Among us, there are only three singers: Qin Zhibai, Liu Zhiyin, and Song Linxin. The wish I drew should be one of theirs."
Li Zhibai immediately retorted, "You're really looking down on me! Am I not a singer? Can't I hold a concert?"
Yan Liang also said, "That's right. Although I'm acting now, I haven't stopped performing on stage. Why can't I hold a concert?"
Lu Yanhe: "...I really forgot about you guys."
The more confident and certain Lu Yanhe had been earlier, the more embarrassed and awkward he became now.
The others were laughing hysterically.
"Let me ask whose wish this is first. Come and claim it quickly." Peng Zhixing held up the card he had drawn. "Friends who wish to lose five pounds, raise your hands."
Xiao Yun raised his hand.
Peng Zhixing: "Why is it you?"
Xiao Yun said, "Why can't it be me?"
Peng Zhixing looked Xiao Yun up and down, from head to toe, before saying, "With your figure, is it necessary for you to lose five pounds?"
Xiao Yun said angrily, "You look fat on camera."
Cameras tend to magnify a person's size, especially now that screens are generally widescreen, which makes people appear even wider.
This requirement is even more demanding for actresses.
"Moreover, the role I'm going to be playing in the next production is that of a female knight-errant," Xiao Yun said with certainty.
Lu Yanhe couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" Qin Zhibai asked in surprise.
Always straightforward and simple-minded, he asked whatever came to mind.
Everyone looked at Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe said to Xiao Yun, "Are you sure you're playing a female knight-errant? Don't mislead the audience."
Xiao Yun: "...Can't a female knight-errant who works as a waitress be a female knight-errant? Believe me or not, I'll smash you to death with a volcanic eruption?"
Qin Zhibai: "I don't understand what you're saying?"
Lu Yanhe said, "We were just talking about the role she played in 'My Own Swordsman'."
Qin Zhibai suddenly realized.
"So that's what it means."
Lu Yanhe turned to Peng Zhixing and asked, "Brother Zhixing, how do you plan to help Xiao Yun lose 5 pounds?"
“From today until the end of this season’s recording, it will be about two and a half months. Xiao Yun, you need to check in in our group every day. We will supervise your exercise together. If you don’t exercise, I will get everyone together to complain about your laziness on Weibo,” Peng Zhixing said.
Xiao Yun looked incredulous. "What? What is that?"
“You heard me right,” Peng Zhixing said. “Besides, you ate way too much for dinner. You finished two bowls of rice in one go. What female celebrity eats rice like that?”
Xiao Yun immediately pointed at Song Linxin and said, "She, she also ate two bowls just now."
Song Linxin: "..."
"Brother Zhixing, be careful what you just said, or the audience will say you're manipulating female celebrities," Li Zhibai said with a smile.
Peng Zhixing: "Huh? Where did I use PUA tactics on female celebrities?"
"Didn't you say it yourself? Xiao Yun's figure doesn't need to lose 5 pounds at all."
"Didn't she say herself that she looks fat on camera and needs to lose another 5 pounds?" Peng Zhixing immediately made an X-sign with both arms in front of the camera, "It has nothing to do with me, I reject cyberbullying."
Xiao Yun sighed and said, "Now look what's happened, we've shot ourselves in the foot."
"Who told you to write such wishes?" Song Linxin retorted precisely.
Xiao Yun glanced at her sideways, "Although you're a singer and don't need to act, you should still control your weight. You've gained a little weight since three years ago, haven't you?"
Song Linxin: "Reject PUA."
Xiao Yun rolled her eyes.
-
"Are these celebrities... really not worried at all about being criticized by the audience for saying these things?"
The assistant director took off his headphones in surprise and said to the person next to him.
The person next to them laughed and said, "I feel like when they're together, they'll say anything and everything, and they'll just say it outright, clearly showing they don't care."
“In the past, every time our show aired, many people would magnify and analyze a particular word or action of the celebrity, criticizing them fiercely, but in the end, it didn't really affect them,” someone said. “In this internet age, no matter what you do, someone will find fault with you. Even if you are cautious and timid, someone will still criticize you. It's better to just be yourself and at least live out your true personality. Look at Liu Zhiyin. She was criticized terribly at the beginning of our show. People said she was too ambitious and made the people around her feel very tired. Now, Li Zhibai's fans are saying they are grateful to have Liu Zhiyin, because at least she can spur the lazy Li Zhibai to move a little. They have said both sides of the same thing.”
"Indeed, reality shows need to be real. The more afraid you are of being criticized, the more cautious you are, and the less interesting the show will be."
The directing team had a lively discussion.
When Li Zhenzhen returned from outside and overheard their discussion, she said, "That's exactly right. I heard that some celebrities are now asking the production team to write a character script for them before filming reality shows."
"What the hell?" the assistant director asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.
Li Zhenzhen: "You heard right, it's exactly what you heard. They write character scripts and treat reality shows like dramas, all to create their own jokes, sensational moments, and make themselves popular."
Assistant director: "That's fucking bullshit."
"So I've always felt that the atmosphere of our 'Young Days' production team is pretty good," Li Zhenzhen said. "We've encountered a group of pretty good artists. At least throughout the four seasons, we haven't encountered any unreasonable demands from them, and they're willing to speak the truth in front of the camera and deliver good results. We all know that whether a reality show can succeed and resonate with the audience depends on whether the artists can move the audience."
"Of course that's what we say, and we all know how important artists are."
“It’s not the importance of the artists, but the importance of this group of people.” Li Zhenzhen emphasized again, “Why have I gone to so much trouble to keep these people intact from the first season to the fourth season? Is it because they are very popular? Are they artists? No, it’s because only when this group of people are together will they say these things and be willing to treat this show as something more than just a show.”
The other members of the production team looked thoughtful when they heard Li Zhenzhen say that.
-
"Lu Yanhe, are you sure this is your wish? To start a celebrity diary column on the 'Jump Up' social media platform? To have people write diaries?"
Liu Zhiyin looked at Lu Yanhe in disbelief, then at Su Xiao, who had drawn the wish.
Liu Zhiyin had something to say, but considering Su Xiao's feelings, she didn't say it aloud.
She was thinking, isn't this giving them an opportunity to be exposed?
Who doesn't know how influential "Jump Up" is now?
Although it's called a self-media platform, this is a completely new concept that "Jump Up" has never done before.
Following the usual practice of "Jump Up," they will definitely promote this celebrity diary column vigorously.
It took a whole year.
With such stable and continuous exposure, the tens of millions of fans and readers of "Jump Up" will become familiar with this celebrity.
Moreover, the diary—
Isn't this the easiest way for others to understand a person?
Upon hearing this statement, Yoo Ji-eun immediately realized that this celebrity diary column would definitely be of great help to the celebrity's career.
She even regretted not drawing such a wish.
Su Xiao herself was the one with the least presence in "The Days of Youth".
Of course, this is also related to her young age and the fact that her personality is not particularly outstanding.
Lu Yanhe explained: "This is a new idea that the editorial team of 'Jump Up' came up with, but they were also struggling to decide which artist would be willing to be the first to try it, so I listed it as my wish and saw who could help me fulfill it."
Su Xiao was a little nervous and asked, "But what if I don't write well?"
Lu Yanhe: "It's okay, just focus on writing. Your editor will also be in contact with you and help you."
He smiled and said, "I'll have to rely on you for the next year."
Su Xiao said, "I'll try my best to write well."
“Wait, you’re not going to make people work for free and not pay them for their work, are you?” Li Zhibai suddenly asked. “If you do that, you’ll be too much of a capitalist.”
Lu Yanhe glanced at Li Zhibai and said, "Don't think of me as shameless as you."
Li Zhibai: "I am a messenger of justice."
Lu Yanhe scoffed.
-
The show "The Days of Youth" is not recorded episode by episode, but rather as a season, usually divided into two or three stages, with a break in between.
Their first phase of recording this time will take five days.
Filming for five days straight is quite an exaggeration. For celebrities, it means being under the watchful eyes of cameras for five consecutive days, making it difficult to hide any flaws or shortcomings. Therefore, people who are new to reality shows often feel a bit lost and even nervous.
But for the guests of "The Days of Youth," by this point in the recording, they were already very familiar with the process.
Li Zhibai could walk past the camera with a mess of hair on his head, scratching his buttocks, looking sleepy and unfazed.
Liu Zhiyin can do the splits on the floor while wearing a face mask, completely ignoring the people walking around her.
Peng Zhixing was in his room having a video conference with his program team, when Qin Zhibai came in to borrow a hairdryer. Peng Zhixing didn't even glance at him, and simply pointed to the bathroom and said, "Go get it yourself."
Xiao Yun could also drag Su Xiao along to rehearse with him, familiarize himself with the script of "Wulin Inn", and occasionally put himself in the state of the character Guo Furong, giving a "powerful and overwhelming" speech to someone who walked by, and then being scolded by someone who said, "You're out of your mind, go to the hospital for treatment".
Lu Yanhe... Lu Yanhe was hiding in the bathroom with his phone, making a video call with Chen Siqi.
“We’re still filming the show right now.” Lu Yanhe’s complaining voice could be clearly heard from the toilet. He was obviously unaware of it. “There are a bunch of cameras filming us everywhere, 20 hours a day. The only place without cameras is the toilet. So I can only video chat with you from inside the toilet. Don’t mind me.”
Yan Liang walked past the door and knocked on the glass door.
"The soundproofing isn't very good; you can hear everything you say very clearly."
A moment of silence fell over the restroom.
Then, Chen Siqi's laughter came from the phone.
-
In the afternoon, Yan Liang was making coffee in the kitchen when Yin Xincheng came over.
"Would you like some coffee?" Yan Liang asked as he saw him approaching.
Yin Xincheng nodded: "Yes, can you make it concentrated?"
"Yes, wait a moment, let me finish this cup first."
"Um."
Yin Xincheng sat down on the stool next to him.
"What have you been busy with lately?" Yan Liang asked.
"After learning archery, horseback riding, and martial arts, I'll be joining a play," Yin Xincheng said. "The 'Blooming Scene'."
When will you join the crew?
"It'll probably be around October, but it's not completely finalized yet." Yin Xincheng pursed his lips. "The script is still being revised."
"The script is still being revised? Wasn't it already written? What parts are being changed?" Yan Liang asked, puzzled.
"It's a long story." Yin Xincheng only said these four words.
Yan Liang looked up and saw that Yin Xincheng's expression was rather unpleasant, guessing that it was probably something that was difficult to say on the show.
He made Yin Xincheng a cup of espresso and said to him, "How about we go over there and talk?"
He meant a lounge area in front of the kitchen. The room was warmly furnished, with bookshelves on all four walls, filled with all sorts of books. In the center was a low table where people could sit and have afternoon tea and chat.
Yan Liang asked, "These changes to the script weren't your idea?"
"No," Yin Xincheng said. "I think the original version was better. Now that the script has been changed like this, I don't know what it will look like in the end."
Yan Liang asked, "Then why do we need to change it? Do you know the reason?"
Yin Xincheng could only lean close to Yan Liang and whisper, "It's Chen Ziliang. He brought his own investment to the production and demanded that the second male lead be changed into a dual male lead role."
Yan Liang immediately frowned.
"Why is this person so persistent?"
Yin Xincheng continued in a low voice, "But I've already signed the contract with the production company, and I can't break it. It's so annoying. My agent didn't pay attention when he signed the contract and didn't include any restrictive clauses. Now we have no way to stop this."
Yan Liang asked, "So what do you plan to do? Just bite the bullet and keep acting?"
"It seems like I have no choice but to bite the bullet and act it out."
Yan Liang thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you go and ask Yan He for his opinion later? He's very knowledgeable and might be able to help you come up with a solution."
Yin Xincheng sighed: "Forget it, don't bother him. He has a lot of things to do too. I'll just deal with my own little problems. I'll learn from this experience."
Yan Liang patted him on the shoulder, not knowing what to say for a moment.
(End of this chapter)
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