Chapter 471 Influence
The first episode of "The Silent River" doesn't really advance the main storyline much; it mainly focuses on character development.
In particular, the focus is on the characters played by Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao, and their characters are built up through some details.
This kind of filming style will pose a challenge to the audience—
Because in this era of TV viewing, it's no longer the time to have enough patience to wait for a show to fully develop its characters before telling its story.
Everyone's life is so busy that we can't stop and enjoy a leisurely evening.
Even when watching a show in a relaxed way, I hope the pace is faster, even faster, so as to enhance the viewing experience.
Chen Lingling didn't try to test the audience's patience by claiming she was making an art film. Although the first episode focused on character development, she kept the plot moving and evolving through various methods. There were almost no long takes, and the camera never lingered on a single scene for an extended period. Therefore, while the plot is easy to summarize when you look back at the first episode, it's still packed with information while watching.
Lu Yanhe was also very satisfied with the first episode.
Chen Lingling's greatest strength in filmmaking, which Lu Yanhe also considers an advantage, is her meticulous attention to detail.
Her attention to detail isn't just a close-up shot, a brief mention, and that's it. Every detail in Chen Lingling's lens unfolds alongside the plot and character development. For example, when Lu Yanhe enters the company twice to greet his colleagues, the expressions of each person are starkly contrasted in the very first episode—this contrast, captured in close-up shots, creates a powerful visual impact.
Lu Yanhe said to Li Zhibai, "Director Chen's skills have deepened even more. I dare not say anything else, but the editing of this film is quite impressive."
Li Zhibai nodded as well.
"Several transitions were breathtaking," Li Zhibai said to Lu Yanhe. "Doesn't Director Chen Lingling have any other projects coming up? Could she let me play a role?"
Lu Yanhe said, "You should take the initiative to contact her. If you want to act, I think any director would seriously consider it and wouldn't just turn you away."
Li Zhibai: "Damn it, aren't you going to introduce me to someone?"
Lu Yanhe said, "Of course, that's no problem, but based on my understanding of director Chen Lingling, she would prefer actors who contact her directly."
"Oh? I heard she has a bit of an eccentric temper, is that true?"
“I wouldn’t say she’s eccentric, but she’s a little different from others,” Lu Yanhe said. “She puts almost all her energy into filming, and everything else is handled by Huang Cheng, the producer she’s worked with for many years. She trusts Huang Cheng completely. So, she relies on Huang Cheng a lot in many things, and this dependence, along with her childlike personality, has led many people to say that she has an eccentric personality. Actually, I’ve worked with her on two projects, and I like her very much. However, even after two projects, we have almost no personal relationship, which is different from other directors I’ve worked with.”
"oh?"
"So you should understand what I mean when I say she's a director who focuses on making films."
Li Zhi nodded.
He glanced at his phone.
"Within an hour of its premiere, 'The Silent River' had over five million viewers in China." Li Zhibai clicked his tongue. "Perfect! I'm so relieved."
Lu Yanhe said, "There's no need to worry too much. If a show is to be considered a hit, a blockbuster, and loved by many, it would need tens of millions of viewers to dare to say that, right? No matter how many fans I have, it's impossible for it to exceed one million. I've never felt that the show is doomed just because my fan club members stop watching. This show isn't just about me; Director Chen and Zeng Qiao are both excellent creators. If my fans don't watch it, their fans will. Even if none of our fans watch it, there are still so many viewers who don't follow celebrities but only watch the show."
Li Zhibai: "If this gets out, your fans will cry their hearts out again, complaining that you are belittling their efforts and support for you."
Lu Yanhe sighed, "To be honest, my true fans have never tried to morally blackmail me like this. I can't really call it moral blackmail, but it's true, without their support, I'm nothing, and nobody would care about me."
Li Zhibai: "Come on, why are you suddenly belittling yourself? You've been good enough and respectful to your fans. And honestly, it's not like you're begging them to do those things. You just do your job well, they like you, and they spontaneously help you promote, and you thank them, isn't that enough? If they think that because they like you and have done a lot for you, they have the right to control and command you, that's their problem. At this point, are you really going to accept this kind of moral blackmail and compromise? You don't need fans to survive. You haven't relied on fans for a living since the college entrance exam. The only time you really relied on fans for a living was during the competition, and after that, they all left, didn't they?"
"..." Li Zhibai's way of comforting people was unique, but it was also very effective.
Lu Yanhe laughed.
-
That evening, many friends watched "The Silent River" and sent their thoughts to Lu Yanhe.
Most people gave it positive reviews.
Director Luo Yuzhong sincerely gave Lu Yanhe some advice, saying that in the scene at the end of the first episode, when he returns to the company from the police station and faces the uneasy, doubtful, and vaguely fearful eyes of his colleagues, he could have handled it a little more astoundingly "confused" and "helpless".
Director Luo Yuzhong bluntly stated: "Your acting and sensitivity have reached a certain level. At this point, you need to use some techniques to make your performance more precise."
Lu Yanhe understood what Director Luo Yuzhong meant.
Many people mistakenly believe that acting is simply about getting into the character's state, and that anything you do is correct. This is certainly a high level of skill, but to become a truly top-notch actor, one must elevate their performance beyond mere technique and, more importantly, beyond pure feeling.
Not only director Luo Yuzhong, but also screenwriter Feng Qiyue, who collaborated on "The Seventeenth Floor," sent a message: "The script for 'The Silent River' is actually quite average, just a second-rate script. It was only thanks to your performances as director, editor, and actors that it was polished and made to look like a nine out of ten. Without you, judging from the first episode alone, it would only be a barely passable script."
Lu Yanhe particularly enjoys this time.
People he knows in the entertainment industry pay attention to his work and offer their professional opinions.
Regardless of praise or criticism, this kind of discussion gives Lu Yanhe a sense of satisfaction.
It's like an author writing an article and receiving many comments. It's like a chef posting a cooking video online and getting many attempts to replicate it and feedback on its taste.
Lu Yanhe didn't even bother to check the online reactions.
In the creative team of "The Silent River", everyone was chatting and laughing.
Although the main actors in this drama are Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao, there are other actors as well.
With the first episode airing today, besides the lead actors like Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao, who are sure to be targeted by the production company or their own companies for trending topics, the other actors will also make good use of this promotional time to gain greater exposure, increase their popularity, and develop their careers.
Neither Lu Yanhe nor Zeng Qiao are the type of lead actors who would prevent supporting actors from becoming famous. Therefore, there were no so-called warning measures, nor was there any behavior by the production company or platform to highlight themselves or suppress others.
The other actors had all worked their way up through various film crews, and they understood the ups and downs of the industry even better than popular stars like Lu Yanhe.
Therefore, Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao, the two lead actors, had absolutely no means of "preventing the scandal." And because of their controversies, almost all the publicity and exposure opportunities fell on them, giving them a lot of exposure in a short period of time. It is conceivable that they were grateful to Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao.
At this time, Maxine announced that within 4 hours of its release on Maxine, the first episode of "The Silent River" had surpassed one million views globally and had reached sixth place on the Asia-Pacific region's real-time popularity chart.
This is a very valuable piece of data in Maxine.
Maxine also officially announced that he has begun discussions with director Chen Lingling and her team regarding the second season of "The Silent River".
These messages all corroborate one thing: "The Silent River" is also very popular on foreign websites.
The first episode achieved a remarkable start, both unexpected and entirely predictable.
Chen Ziyan orchestrated multiple trending topics, ensuring that all discussions about Lu Yanhe focused on his performance and character in the drama, leaving no off-screen content unaddressed.
The second episode will be released the following day.
Before this, Lu Yanhe's publicity campaign finally went into full swing.
First, there was an online interview with Lu Yanhe by the Japanese magazine "Keijeshinpo," which was published simultaneously in both Chinese and Japanese.
This interview was conducted a week ago.
Toshihide Konishi, a special commentator for the Japanese magazine "Kinema Junpo," came to China and conducted an interview with Lu Yanhe in person.
An hour later, Kim Ok-min, a columnist for the South Korean film magazine "Film Weekly," published a retrospective on Lu Yanhe's film career and gave a lengthy review of his new work, "The Silent River."
Subsequently, several Asian media outlets and magazines, including Singapore's The Critics' Daily, Vietnam's Star, and India's Bollywood Legend, published articles, some with interviews and others with comprehensive reports, focusing on actor Lu Yanhe and his new film "The Silent River," and promoting them on their official websites and social media platforms.
By the afternoon, media outlets in Europe and America had also started posting online one after another.
French film critic Marion Tucci and American Variety film critic Tom Wayne, who have a long-standing friendship with Lu Yanhe, both updated their social media with updates about watching "The Silent River".
Subsequently, Evan Galdi, executive editor of Jose Film, also updated his status, saying: "The new drama 'The Silent River,' starring Chinese actor Lu Yanhe, which I have been following, has been broadcast and I have seen many positive reviews. I can't wait to go home and watch both episodes in one go tonight."
This was done by Chen Siqi and Lin Yu.
To be precise, it was after communicating with Chen Ziyan that they decided to ask their media friends to step in and create such momentum for Lu Yanhe.
Regardless of whether it's good or bad, at least during the time since the show started airing, they've been releasing updates related to "The Silent River" as soon as possible.
At the same time, the film and television media account of "Jump Up" also makes no attempt to avoid controversy. For every related report published by foreign media, they will repost it here. This applies to any foreign media or celebrity with a little fame and influence.
After all, not many people will actively seek out and pay attention to these things in foreign media.
Under such a barrage of attacks, the negative impact caused by Lu Yanhe's fan clubs threatening to disband has been completely destroyed and lost all its deterrent power.
Only then did Chen Ziyan finally speak up, albeit belatedly:
—As Lu Yanhe's manager, this period has been agonizing for both Yanhe and me. No matter how much success Yanhe achieves, what he cherishes most are his fans who have always supported him. Because we both know very well that without the unwavering support of his fans, Yanhe's talent, hard work, and every single one of his works might not have achieved such a high starting point.
However, we were forced to discover that our desire to focus on our work was being challenged from all sides. Our partners wanted more exposure for Yan He, the platforms wanted more buzz, and some fans wanted him to be more assertive, perfect, and strong, becoming a "supreme god in the entertainment industry."
No one is a god; people are just people. Therefore, people can only choose what they truly want and focus on what they truly want.
There are many paths in this world. Some tell you to choose a path that leads uphill, while others tell you to choose a flat path. Some tell you to choose a path filled with sunshine and flowers, while others tell you to choose a path no one has ever walked before. But whatever the path, we should not choose the path that others tell us we should take, but rather the path that our own hearts desire to walk.
—To stay true to our chosen path, we have made a painful but heartfelt decision: from this day forward, we are disbanding all fan clubs. Please forgive us; it's not that we no longer need you, but rather that we must stand firm in our convictions. If you are willing to continue applauding and cheering for Yanhe, we are sincerely grateful. If you are disappointed and wish to leave, we accept that with equanimity. May we all be able to follow our hearts' desires without overstepping boundaries.
-
Helan's phone started vibrating incessantly, as if it were going crazy.
As a staunch member of Lu Yanhe's fan club, He Lan made it clear that she would not accept such behavior after someone started pushing Lu Yanhe to do something, and she tried her best to stop it. As a result, she was kicked out of several groups.
However, several groups agreed with her idea and silently continued to support Lu Yanhe.
He Lan breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Chen Ziyan's voice.
Every group was shaken.
Lu Yanhe actually disbanded all his fan support organizations.
Although Helan had vaguely guessed that Lu Yanhe would do this, she still breathed a sigh of relief when the dust settled.
So-called fan clubs may have started as spontaneous organizations of fans. But in this era, no management company would allow such an organization to expand its power spontaneously and gain influence over the artist's career without their control.
However, Chen Ziyan's announcement was essentially a statement to the public: from now on, these organizations have no connection with them. No fan support group can speak on behalf of Lu Yanhe and other official figures.
Whether they choose to continue their unorthodox ways or disband is no longer their concern or their business.
In the group, many people were repeatedly confirming, is it true? Is Lu Yanhe really so indifferent to them that he's going to disband the fan club?
He Lan originally wanted to explain to Lu Yanhe that disbanding the fan club did not mean that he didn't care about them.
However, she typed a few words, then deleted them, and ultimately said nothing.
She herself also felt that recently, many of Lu Yanhe's fans were acting strangely, as if they had lost their minds and were frantically stirring up trouble.
She even doubted whether they were really Lu Yanhe's fans.
Helan could not make a judgment.
However, He Lan was also well aware that no matter what Chen Ziyan said, their move to disband the fan club would always hurt the feelings of some fans.
There's no solution... Doing something like this is bound to hurt innocent fans.
But Helan also understood that Lu Yanhe had to do this.
Lu Yanhe cannot be an actor who is held hostage by his fans.
-
Lu Yanhe's abrupt disbandment stunned the entire entertainment industry.
Very few celebrities dare to disband their fan clubs directly.
This isn't just a matter between a few fans and the artist—no matter how the artist explains it, the message this behavior sends to the outside world is the artist's attitude towards the fan group as a whole.
However, after the initial shock, everyone cheered.
“Only Lu Yanhe can do this. If even he doesn’t dare to sever ties with his fan club, other artists have even less confidence to do so.”
"The entertainment industry has long suffered from fan culture. Lu Yanhe's courage to stand up at this time and take the initiative to disband his fan club undoubtedly sets an example for the entertainment industry. Young artists should not be held hostage by a part of the fans."
...
"A forum wants to invite you to give a speech," Chen Ziyan said. "It's a very influential forum, and they want you to talk about the relationship between celebrities and artists. What do you think?"
"Forget it, I'm not going." Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "I've said what I needed to say. I don't want to reinforce this impression. Right now, many people want to make me a role model for cutting ties with fanatical fans, but I don't want to be that role model."
Chen Ziyan nodded, "Okay, I understand."
She patted Lu Yanhe on the shoulder and said, "No matter how much public opinion there is, it will pass. The broadcast of 'The Silent River' has achieved good results, and that is your greatest source of confidence."
"Mm." Lu Yanhe nodded.
"The Asian Television Festival in October has invited you to be an award presenter. It's a great event, and I'm going to give you a chance to attend."
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe nodded again.
Chen Ziyan: "It's possible that you'll also receive a nomination."
Lu Yanhe: "Hmm? Is that so?"
“Hmm.” Chen Ziyan nodded. “However, the Asian Television Awards isn’t particularly professional. It’s mainly a commercial event. Who gets nominated and who doesn’t depends on who shows up to support them.”
“It’s fine, whether you get a nomination or not is fine,” Lu Yanhe said. “You said yourself that you’re not very professional, you’re just joining in for fun, and getting a nomination and winning an award isn’t such an honor.”
“It’s still better than nothing, it proves your influence to some extent,” Chen Ziyan said with a smile. “Not every award has to be highly professional or recognized in the field to be a good award. Generally, the nominees and winners of the Asian Television Awards are creators who are popular and influential in Asia. In the past two or three years, Korean dramas, Japanese dramas and Vietnamese dramas have won more awards. Previously, Chinese dramas had fewer overseas performances, lacked international appeal and international voice. This time, both Friends and The Seventeen Floors have enough influence.”
(End of this chapter)
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