Chapter 511 Projects One by One (10,000-word update!)
Huang Kai-ren is currently struggling to choose between the scripts for the two films, "A Shot in the Dark" and "Yesterday Once More".
Huang Kairen wanted to hear Lu Yanhe's opinion on the two scripts.
“After the release of Rouge, I received a lot of scripts from film companies, but the quality of the scripts was generally average. It wasn’t until recently that I received two good scripts, which I think are quite good,” Huang Kairen said. “However, what’s frustrating is that these two films started filming one after the other, and their schedules clashed. Otherwise, I would have liked to take on both of them.”
Lu Yanhe picked up the two scripts that Huang Kairen had given him.
"I can't give you an answer right away tonight. I need to finish reading these two scripts first," Lu Yanhe said.
Huang Kairen nodded.
"OK."
Lu Yanhe took the script and returned to his hotel.
"A Shot in the Dark" and "Yesterday Once More" are very different types of films. The former is a dark suspense crime film with some absurd elements, while the latter is an adventure film with soft science fiction elements.
After taking a shower, Lu Yanhe sat on the bed and read a script, starting with "A Shot in the Heart".
This story is about five people and five storylines. All five people are connected to a hospital. Some work at the hospital, some receive treatment there, and some are medical students. They all have different identities and professions.
All five of them harbored ulterior motives, and as a result, their actions collided, plunging the hospital into an unexpected crisis (actually, they had inadvertently lost a virus sample; if the virus were released, it would be an irreversible disaster), causing things to veer in an unexpected direction.
This screenwriter is a great storyteller, with a strong visual style. Lu Yanhe can almost picture the scenes in his mind just by reading the script.
The story ends with the five people, driven by guilt, having to join forces to retrieve the virus sample. In the process of investigating the sample, they discover that it wasn't lost by accident, but deliberately stolen.
The story ends with these five people inexplicably teaming up to outwit and fight the gang that stole the virus samples, defeating them and reclaiming the samples.
In short, this is a story that sounds absurd at first glance because of too many coincidences and chance encounters. However, the screenwriter writes it in a way that connects one link to another, with no logical flaws that would pull the reader out of the story. Once you get into the story, you'll hardly use your rational mind to think about any plot holes. You'll be led along by the story and all you'll be left with are exclamations like "Wow!", "Is that even possible?", and "Amazing!"
Good script.
That was Lu Yanhe's immediate judgment after reading it.
What makes a good script?
Lu Yanhe's standards weren't actually that high. For him, it was simply a script that made people want to keep reading and know how the story ended.
A story having bugs or toxic elements is not a fatal flaw.
A story that is impossible to read is a devastating disaster.
In the comment sections of many similar films, there are often many viewers who leave comments such as "This bug is too obvious" or "This is too insulting to our intelligence."
To say they were wrong wouldn't be accurate; they were right. However, they failed to grasp one crucial point: the audience who enjoys this type of film doesn't appreciate the flawless logic, but rather the plot twists and rollercoaster-like narrative. Its premise is built upon a "counter-reality" narrative grounded in reality.
For example, the American film "Flypaper" and the Indian film "Andhadhun".
Lu Yanhe sent a message to Huang Kairen: I have finished reading "A Shot in the Dark". It is a very exciting story and a good script. You are worth acting in. I am now starting to read "Yesterday Once More".
Huang Kairen: OK!
If "A Shot in the Dark" is a plot that pushes people forward like a bulldozer, then "Yesterday Once More" is a soft science fiction story with a touch of freshness and passion.
It tells the story of a 28-year-old man whose project ran into a major problem. The substandard materials caused the project, worth hundreds of millions, to fail. He was deeply affected and, after being fired from the company, decided to return to his hometown.
However, when he boarded the high-speed train back to his hometown, he woke up to find himself back in yesterday.
He entered a time loop, and Yu Ming became someone who couldn't live without Yu Ming.
Within this time loop, he can only experiment and explore his situation again and again, trying to find a way out of the time loop.
During this process, he unexpectedly discovered clues to the truth behind the project he had messed up, and so he repeatedly tried to uncover the truth.
During this process, he unexpectedly discovered that his female colleague Li Nan had a crush on him, that his boss Liu Dong, who had always taken care of him, had actually been setting traps for him, that the company's cleaner was actually a spy sent by a rival company, and that his colleague who had always been at odds with him was the only one who spoke up for him after the project failed...
In this time loop, he discovered many previously unknown truths, and with everyone's help, he finally found evidence to clear his name and ushered in a reversal in his life.
...
Lu Yanhe scratched his head.
The script for "Yesterday Once More" is actually quite well-written. Moreover, it's a male-centric script, and compared to "A Shot in the Dark," "Yesterday Once More" gives Huang Kai-ren much more room to perform.
The latter also contains many comedic elements in the script, which made Lu Yanhe laugh many times while reading it. The final scene, where the male protagonist leads his group of protagonists to expose his boss's conspiracy, is also very exciting and thrilling.
Lu Yanhe could probably understand why Huang Kairen was so conflicted about these two scripts.
For an actor, the most difficult choice is to choose between two scripts that they both want to act in.
However, if we disregard Huang Kairen's situation, Lu Yanhe himself actually preferred the script "A Needle to the Heart".
The script for "Yesterday Once More" is somewhat like a Japanese shonen manga. It's entertaining, but it feels a bit superficial and detached from reality, like a manga.
Lu Yanhe didn't dislike the comic book style, but in a workplace setting, too much of it felt unrealistic to him. However, this was a matter of his personal aesthetic.
It was already midnight.
Lu Yanhe sent Huang Kairen a message and asked: Brother Huang, are you asleep?
Huang Kairen: I've been waiting for your news.
Lu Yanhe simply made a phone call.
“I’ve read both scripts,” Lu Yanhe said with a smile. “Both scripts are very good; I could finish one in one sitting.”
Huang Kairen: "That's what I said too. So what's your opinion? Which one should I play?"
“You can decide for yourself; I’ll just share my feelings,” Lu Yanhe said. “First of all, ‘A Shot in the Dark’ is an ensemble piece, but because of that, each person’s scenes are essentially the highlight from the very first appearance. There’s no transition; they’re given a lot of screen time right from the start, with plenty of room to showcase their talents. Also, because it employs a specific structure—the entire story takes place in a hospital setting—at least when I was reading the script, I felt a very strong sense of theatricality. The script basically outlined all the editing points, and I could basically imagine how the film would be presented. You could say the script is exceptionally solid—no matter which director directs it, as long as they follow the script, at least the story’s pacing won’t be disrupted. Do you know who directed this film? What’s the crew like?”
Huang Kairen said, "The director of 'A Needle to the Heart' is a new director who used to be an editor and edited 'Upstairs'."
Lu Yanhe realized what was going on; no wonder.
"He's also the screenwriter, right?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Huang Kairen said, "He is one of the screenwriters."
"As for 'Yesterday Once More,' from the perspective of the script alone, it is also a very interesting story. However, it is not as mature as the script of 'A Shot in the Dark.' If it were in the hands of a good director, it could be made into a very comic book-like and lighthearted film. I personally think it might be especially popular with young audiences. But if the director's skill is average or not very good, this subject matter and this form of expression are actually very easy to make feel plastic, which makes people unable to believe the story."
Lu Yanhe spoke directly about his feelings from the perspective of filming.
"Its overall style is actually quite flamboyant. The more flamboyant it is, the more it depends on the director's style. If done well, it can make the audience have a blast. If done poorly, it's a disaster."
Huang Kai-ren said, "You actually know the director of 'Yesterday Once More'."
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe was taken aback. "Who is it?"
“Wu Zhouyou, the director of ‘The Gold Rush’”.
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe found it hard to believe that Wu Zhouyou, who directed "The Gold Rush", would suddenly come to direct a story like "Yesterday Once More".
These two stories are so different in style and genre, they are completely opposite.
"The Gold Rush" is a realistic thriller.
Huang Kairen said, "This is his first time directing a film."
Lu Yanhe said, "I can't say for sure, because although I know him, we've never talked. I don't know if his style is a good fit for 'Yesterday Once More'."
"If it were you, would you take on 'A Shot in the Dark'?"
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe admitted, “Yesterday Once More… For me, my judgment is not worth your consideration, because I didn’t make this decision based on the quality of the script, but on my own aesthetic. I just prefer the type of film like ‘A Shot in the Dark.’ Moreover, I have no experience working. I just graduated from university. Perhaps the subject matter of ‘Yesterday Once More’ will resonate with many office workers. After all, the main plot of the film, apart from the time loop, is about workplace revenge.”
Huang Kairen pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, I also prefer the script of 'A Needle to the Heart'. However, this script is not a play with a male lead. Although they will give me a leading role, in terms of screen time, it is definitely not as much as 'Yesterday Once More' that can give me a lot of room to perform. This is what makes me hesitate."
Huang Kairen's acting career is currently at a crucial juncture.
Having just won the Best Actor award, will he be able to continue steadily on the path of filmmaking, or will his success be short-lived, with subsequent film appearances yielding poor results?
For Huang Kai-ren, the script for "A Shot in the Dark" was more moving than "Yesterday Once More," but in terms of roles, screen time, and director, it was not as good as "Yesterday Once More."
Of course, actors can't choose roles entirely based on their own preferences. Many actors, after acting in five or six films, may not even get a role they truly like. And this isn't even for actors who have no choice. Lu Yanhe remembers clearly that Andy Lau once said that when he takes on a role, he usually takes one he likes and another that the audience might like, in order to achieve a certain balance.
Lu Yanhe himself was the same. He didn't particularly like taking on the movie "Burning Fire" because he had to act in a big film, and "Burning Fire" was the best option at the time, so he accepted it.
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "Brother Huang, your last movie was 'Rouge,' and you haven't had any other movies since. Besides 'My Own Swordsman,' do you have any other dramas waiting to be broadcast?"
Huang Kairen said, "There's also a workplace drama with a banking background."
Lu Yanhe said, "I would suggest you consider your upcoming dramas together. 'My Own Swordsman' is a sitcom, and another TV series is a workplace drama with a banking background. In fact, 'Yesterday Once More' is somewhat similar to them, both being comedies and workplace dramas. 'A Shot in the Dark' is actually a type of drama that you haven't appeared in much of your previous works."
“Yes,” Huang Kairen said. “That’s true. This is another thing I’m worried about. I’ve never filmed this kind of movie before, and I don’t know if people will accept it if I do.”
"Judging from the script and the subject matter, I think the box office performance of these two works should be quite good after they are released," Lu Yanhe said. "Whether you act in 'A Needle to the Heart' or 'Yesterday Once More,' the box office should be quite good, given the subject matter of these films."
Huang Kai-ren: "You also think I would have been better suited for 'A Shot in the Dark'?"
“Don’t always ask for my opinion. What if ‘A Shot in the Dark’ isn’t better than ‘Yesterday Once More’? I’d be so embarrassed,” Lu Yanhe said.
"Haha, I trust your judgment."
"No way, I won't take the blame." Lu Yanhe immediately refused. "Actually, the best solution is to accept both scripts. If you can't accept both, my suggestion is to accept whichever one you want, because the results won't be bad. This isn't about choosing between a good and a bad one; it's about choosing between two delicious cakes. There's nothing to analyze; it's just a matter of which one you want to eat."
"Alright."
"Let me put it this way, if these two scripts come to me for investment, I'm willing to invest in them. You should understand my attitude."
Huang Kairen was extremely surprised.
-
Actually, Lu Yanhe had one more thing he didn't say, but he was too embarrassed to say it—
With the "My Own Swordsman" series, Huang Kairen has never had to worry about the instability of his market in recent years.
"My Own Swordsman" will push Huang Kairen's popularity and buzz to a new peak.
In recent years, Huang Kairen has been able to film some of the roles he truly wants to play, and perhaps his acting career is gradually expanding in this way.
Lu Yanhe didn't say it because he felt that if he did, it would be like a peddler praising his own wares.
The first season of "My Own Swordsman" will air this summer.
The pre-launch promotions have already begun.
Lu Yanhe has high hopes for this drama and is full of confidence.
To be honest, of all the scripts he wrote, the one with the highest degree of fidelity to the source material is "My Own Swordsman".
I've watched it so many times that I can almost recite many of the classic scenes verbatim.
Those classic lines are deeply imprinted in Lu Yanhe's memory.
-
Mid-April.
Tom White from HP came to the set of "Burning Fire" to meet Lu Yanhe.
Tom White is visiting China more and more frequently.
The popularity of several Chinese-language dramas on Maxine, such as Friends, The Seventeenth Floor, The Silent River, and The Squid Game, has made streaming media realize the value of Chinese-language dramas and has also greatly increased the enthusiasm of overseas streaming media for Chinese-language dramas.
Tom White valued Lu Yanhe highly, but HP got in touch with Lu Yanhe late, so Maxine beat them to it in the first few series, and HP only got a few movies starring Lu Yanhe.
These movies weren't bad in Harry Potter, but they were definitely inferior to the TV series.
This time, Tom White came to discuss the future plans with Lu Yanhe in advance.
"I heard that Friends changed its name? It's now called Friends?"
The original American TV series is actually called "Friends" in English, but it has several Chinese translations, including "Six People" and "Old Friends".
The English title of the Beijing-Taiwanese version of "Six People" is a direct translation from Chinese to English; it is not called "Friends".
Tom White noticed the change in his Chinese name, which is why he asked that question.
Lu Yanhe said, "Yes, I left the show for a period of time, and the director was changed later. So we said that since the show is about a group of friends, we would rename it 'Friends' to represent our fresh start."
Tom White nodded.
Will Friends still be streamed on Maxine?
Lu Yanhe said, "That's not the case yet. The copyright of 'Friends' is still held by Beijing TV, but the copyright for developing and adapting it into a new TV series is held by Yuehu TV. I don't know yet whether the new version has reached a cooperation agreement with Maxine."
Tom White asked, "Do you think it's possible to play it on HP?"
Lu Yanhe pondered for a moment and said, "Tom, you know, Friends has already aired three seasons on Maxine. Although the last two seasons received terrible reviews, Maxine actually has a lot of loyal fans. I hope that a series can finish airing in one place from beginning to end."
Tom White: "Would you mind if HP took it?"
Lu Yanhe smiled, spread his hands, and said, "Tom, competition is a business activity. My opinion is not important. I am only responsible for creating good content."
Tom White said, "You know, I've always really wanted to work with you."
“Of course.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “Tom, you are a friend I value very much.”
Tom White said, "But your shows have all been taken over by Maxine, including 'The Squid Game'."
Lu Yanhe said, "Tom, please believe me. This is because I had already reached cooperation agreements with these projects before I met you. Maxine noticed the Chinese-language drama market earlier than you and reached cooperation agreements with different partners a long time ago. I am just a creator."
“I know, Lu, but I hope that next time you’re doing any play, you can tell me first, okay?” Tom White said.
Lu Yanhe: "Of course, I will continue to work on new dramas."
“That’s fantastic.” Tom White nodded. “You know, I’m a fan of yours, and I hope to have more opportunities to work with you. I’m always following any of your projects.”
“Tom, my script for ‘My Own Swordsman’ will be broadcast in China this summer. You previously thought that the core and presentation of the show were too Chinese and worried that foreign audiences might not understand it. I suggest you re-evaluate the show,” Lu Yanhe said. “It may not become as popular as ‘The Squid Game’ all over the world, but it will definitely be a show with a loyal audience.”
Tom White nodded and said, "I'll reassess it."
When Lu Yanhe mentioned "My Own Swordsman," he was actually trying to emphasize to Tom White that he didn't give every project to Maxine. He wasn't lying; Maxine was able to snag so many of his roles because, when major streaming services weren't interested in Chinese-language dramas, Maxine was the first international streaming platform to take notice.
They did not discuss cooperation directly with Lu Yanhe.
"Friends" is set in Beijing and Taiwan, and so is "The Seventeen Floors".
"Squid Game" is a video by Aurora Borealis.
"The Silent River" is a self-produced series by Maxine.
In this situation, no matter how good Lu Yanhe's relationship with Tom White was, once Tom White had taken the first bite of the crab, Lu Yanhe couldn't possibly give him the crab that Tom White had already eaten.
What Lu Yanhe wanted to say was that he wasn't without other projects to collaborate on; it was just that Tom White hadn't taken a liking to them yet.
"My Own Swordsman" was indeed a project rejected by both Maxine and HP.
Even though it was a project written by Lu Yanhe.
Their unanimous assessment was that it was too Chinese—foreign audiences wouldn't understand it.
Lu Yanhe didn't know what he couldn't understand, but he really wasn't sure if foreign audiences would like it.
Because many elements in "My Own Swordsman" can only be truly appreciated by Chinese people within the context of Chinese culture, who can understand their meaning and comedic nature.
The saying "Have a glass of baijiu and make a bai (friend)" perfectly illustrates this.
"Actually, I'd also like to recommend a few Chinese-language dramas to you. I believe they can transcend cultural backgrounds and be loved by audiences worldwide," Lu Yanhe said.
Upon hearing this, Tom White asked, "What is it?"
Lu Yanhe said, "My good friend Yan Liang's 'The Gold Rush' tells the story of a treasure-hunting group's adventure in Southeast Asia. It aired in China in March and received very high ratings and audience reviews. I believe that this kind of subject matter has already attracted attention, and perhaps negotiations are already underway. Tom, if you can get this show aired on HP, I believe that as long as you manage it properly, it will definitely be a show that brings you positive feedback."
Tom White said, "I have seen the reviews of the show, but I have heard that it is very serious, even thrilling and dark, which seems too heavy for an adventure series."
"Isn't that what sets it apart from other dramas?" Lu Yanhe said. "This is a drama that I am willing to recommend by name because I think it's an honor for me to have my name on the recommender's list."
Upon hearing Lu Yanhe's words, Tom White finally showed a hint of seriousness.
"In addition, there is another fantasy romance drama starring another good friend of mine, 'Washe.' It has been airing for a year, and I am surprised that no streaming service has bought it," Lu Yanhe said. "Its production quality is very worthy of promotion in Asia. Since it is a drama starring my good friend, I watched it from beginning to end, and it is very good."
Tom White nodded.
“I will evaluate them all together, Lu. I trust your judgment.”
“Tom, even though I don’t have many projects to collaborate with you on, if you’d like, I can recommend some Chinese-language dramas that I think are suitable for broadcast on HP,” Lu Yanhe said. “Chinese-language dramas are a treasure trove that hasn’t been truly appreciated yet. So far, you and Maxine have focused on me because my dramas have been very successful, which has made you believe in me. In fact, if you are willing to give Chinese-language dramas more opportunities, not just buy them and put them on air, but truly discover their value and develop promotional strategies based on their themes, content, and style, they will achieve greater success than you imagine.”
Tom White said, "Law, what kind of shows we buy, how much money we spend on them, and how much viewership and membership data they bring us all need to be carefully calculated. Our annual budget for buying shows is fixed, and we cannot try large-scale projects that have not been successful before."
“Let’s start with ‘The Gold Rush’ and ‘Washa,’ especially ‘The Gold Rush.’ Its lead actor, Yan Liang, is one of the main actors in ‘Friends,’ and he has a certain international reputation and fan base,” Lu Yanhe said. “It will surprise you.”
“Okay,” Tom White nodded.
-
After meeting Tom White, Lu Yanhe had no idea how Tom White later discussed things with Yuehutai.
By the end of April, Hu Siwei told Lu Yanhe that the rebooted Friends might not only be broadcast on Maxine, but possibly on both Maxine and HP.
Lu Yanhe was shocked when he heard this.
This isn't a domestic TV station, so why would they do a dual-channel or quad-channel simultaneous broadcast?
On international streaming platforms, almost every work is broadcast exclusively, including by television stations.
At least Lu Yanhe had never heard of this kind of news broadcast format.
How did Maxine and HP manage to sit down and reach such a cooperation agreement?
What puzzled Lu Yanhe was that domestic media outlets had already begun reporting on this matter.
It's said to be a reboot of "Friends," a sequel to "Friends," and it became a hot topic even before filming started. It was fought over by two major international streaming services, with both sides bidding for more than the historical record for Chinese-language dramas.
At this point, although there has been no official announcement, everyone has basically assumed that Lu Yanhe will definitely return to Friends. Otherwise, given how badly the third season flopped, with Rotten Tomatoes only scoring 28% on foreign review websites, and HP even bidding against Maxine, how could it have been able to return?
What a joke! There must have been a change that made them all excited.
The only person who could move them to change is Lu Yanhe.
As arranged by Hu Siwei, Friends will appear on the trending searches every now and then, returning to the audience's sight with some new news, so that everyone has not forgotten the show and still looks forward to it after the disastrous failure of the third season.
It can be said that this is an extremely rare miracle - in January, the third season was met with negative reviews from the entire internet, but in March and April, its new season was suddenly highly anticipated.
This phenomenon has drawn attention within the industry.
Even if this person is Lu Yanhe, it is still incomprehensible.
The influence of one person on a project has become so significant.
-
Sitting across from Shen Tailin, Jiang Lan sighed softly.
“Now we at Beijing TV are like clowns, out of the game,” she said helplessly. “If I had been given the job to produce Friends, things would never have turned out this way.”
Shen Tailin: "Friends is a thing of the past. Jiang Tai, how's the preparation for the second season of The Seventeen Floors going?"
Jiang Lan said, "Don't worry, everything is progressing smoothly. The actors' contracts have all been signed, including Yan He's. Filming is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year, and it can be broadcast next summer."
Shen Tailin said, "The Seventeen Floors is now our most important and core project in Beijing and Taiwan, and we cannot afford to lose it."
"Understood, you can rest assured about my work." Jiang Lan nodded. "Actually, there's another matter I want to discuss with you."
Shen Tailin nodded. "Go ahead."
“I have my eye on the ‘Divine Picture’ IP. Although the film version was poorly developed and stalled halfway through, its worldview, characters, and story are all top-notch. I want to develop a TV series version,” Jiang Lan said. “But the licensing fee is very expensive, and I need your support.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Tailin frowned and said, "I know about 'The Divine Picture.' Its production cost must be quite high, right? Even if we get the license, the post-production special effects will still cost a lot of money."
“Yes.” Jiang Lan nodded. “But don’t worry, as long as we get the authorization, I’ll take care of the other investments. I’ll go and find investors for the vacant ones.”
Shen Tailin asked, "Do you think such a large investment in a drama is worthwhile?"
“It’s worth it.” Jiang Lan nodded. “Whether it’s Friends or The Seventeenth Floor, they both illustrate a point: only by creating an IP with a large number of loyal fans can its value reach the top. Otherwise, in the current context, it is already difficult to make a profit by broadcasting TV series in the traditional way and relying solely on ratings, as the overall viewership is shrinking.”
"Do you want to continue broadcasting 'The Divine Picture' exclusively on our channel instead of selling it to video websites?" Shen Tailin asked.
Jiang Lan nodded and said, "After the TV broadcast is over, we'll put it on video websites. The reason why 'Friends' had such high ratings is because people could only watch it on Beijing TV. 'The Divine Map' is the same. Why did I want to make 'The Divine Map'? Because 'The Divine Map' already has a fan base. In the first round, we'll only broadcast it exclusively on Beijing TV. If they want to watch it, they can only watch it on Beijing TV."
Shen Tailin: "It's fine for Friends to make such an attempt, it's not expensive, we can afford it. The initial investment of Shen Tu is not on the same level as Friends."
“Director, ‘The Divine Map’ isn’t going to be streamed on video websites; it’s just that it will wait until the first exclusive broadcast on television is over before it airs. With the IP influence of ‘The Divine Map,’ even if it can’t be streamed immediately, video websites will definitely buy it. But if it were a lesser-known drama, they might not be so willing to buy it. Based on my assessment of this drama and the production budget, the possibility of us losing money is very small. Just the name ‘The Divine Map’ alone is enough to make many people willing to buy it,” Jiang Lan said. “Moreover, if ‘The Divine Map’ is successful, then we won’t just have one series anymore. We will have a vast world view, and we can develop stories with different characters, different protagonists, and different storylines.”
Shen Tailin understood Jiang Lan's meaning and also understood why she wanted to buy "The Divine Picture".
Her plans were very ambitious.
However, this is a plan that, if successful, could yield equally great rewards.
Shen Tailin nodded.
Since the disastrous failure of "Friends," Xu Bin's position at Beijing TV has been somewhat affected. Normally, the success or failure of one or two projects wouldn't affect the position of a deputy director, but "Friends" was of special significance. Furthermore, Hu Siwei's departure was a major blow to Xu Bin. There were very few truly capable people under Xu Bin; Hu Siwei's departure was tantamount to Xu Bin losing an arm—that's no exaggeration.
Shen Tailin and Jiang Lan both basically adopted a "happy to see it happen" attitude.
Xu Bin is very ambitious and usually assertive. When such a person loses power, there are always more people applauding than lamenting.
At this time, Jiang Lan's proposal to produce "The Divine Picture" was undoubtedly an attempt to snatch resources from Xu Bin. The resources of Beijing and Taiwan are limited, and even the biggest pie is finite. Each station leader gets a share. Jiang Lan came to Shen Tailin today to talk about "The Divine Picture" and emphasized the need for support. Naturally, this support can only be obtained from others.
This is for the development of Beijing and Taiwan, not for Jiang Lan's own selfish reasons.
This is the moral high ground that Jiang Lan will occupy when she speaks to Shen Tailin today, and it also gives Shen Tailin a reason to nod in agreement.
-
In the film and television industry, especially in China, there are almost no permanent giants.
This market has only been developing for two or three decades, and there hasn't been enough time to nurture giants.
So basically, a few projects can create a new elite, or a few projects can bring down an established family.
High investment and high returns also mean high risks.
Even a behemoth like Beijing and Taiwan cannot change the general trend, and within this trend, there is still competition and change.
To remain a leader and stay at the top of the industry, one must always stand firm and stay on the right path.
Otherwise, no matter who it is, over time they will be marginalized and eliminated.
In early May, temperatures gradually rise, and summer slowly arrives.
Lu Yanhe has been filming in the "Burning Fire" crew for about a month and a half.
That day, he had just come out of his dressing room and was heading to the film set when he heard someone exclaim in surprise while holding their phone, discussing with others, "HP has bought the overseas distribution rights to 'The Gold Rush' for a whopping $12 million!"
"That high price?! Apart from Lu Yanhe's dramas, I don't think any other Chinese dramas have ever had their overseas distribution rights sold for such a high price before?"
"There shouldn't be any."
Lu Yanhe was taken aback when he heard their discussion.
HP bought the Gold Rush series?
"Did you see what Tom White said? He learned about this Chinese-language drama series because of Lu Yanhe's recommendation. After evaluation, he strongly agreed with Lu Yanhe's point of view and believed that it would be a drama series loved by audiences all over the world, so he bought it."
"Is Lu Yanhe really that amazing? He can recommend a show and get it sold for a whopping $12 million."
No wonder they were so shocked.
Actually, $12 million isn't a particularly high price.
However, Chinese-language dramas have always been able to thrive only in their own domestic market. When they go overseas, apart from a few neighboring countries like South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia where distribution rights can be sold, other places generally are not interested in Chinese-language dramas, so naturally they cannot raise prices.
Upon hearing their discussion, Lu Yanhe immediately went online to search for related reports.
The news was reported by the American magazine Variety, translated, and sent back to China.
The content quoted does indeed include Tom White's response. In addition to the part about Lu Yanhe's recommendation, Tom White also said that Lu Yanhe recommended another show to him, and they are currently in talks.
Domestic media also reported on it very quickly.
Basically, media outlets in any country hope to see their cultural products exported overseas and gain recognition and popularity abroad.
This is human nature. Not only Chinese people do this, but foreigners do too.
HP bought the overseas distribution rights to "The Gold Rush" for $12 million, which is a very rare figure. It's not a bargain sale, nor is it self-promotion to get it broadcast on some overseas TV station targeting local Chinese audiences. Instead, it's a legitimate plan to launch on HP to a global audience.
This kind of news is something almost every Chinese-language media outlet would want to report.
Because of the honor of being a part of it, because of a sense of pride that arises spontaneously.
Lu Yanhe laughed when he saw that the news was basically true.
Harry Potter was quite pleased that the film "The Gold Rush" had been bought by Harry Potter. Not for any other reason than that Tom White had taken his recommendation to heart, and clearly, Tom White's willingness to pay the price for the film indicated that he also approved of his assessment—that "The Gold Rush" would appeal to international audiences.
Just then, Yan Liang called.
"Hello?" Lu Yanhe answered the phone.
"Did you really recommend 'The Gold Rush' to Tom White?"
"I recommended it to him before, did HP really buy 'The Gold Rush'?" Lu Yanhe confirmed with Yan Liang.
Yan Liang said, "It's true. The director just confirmed it in our main creative team group, and everyone was very surprised."
Yan Liang then said, "They asked me to thank you."
Lu Yanhe laughed and said, "I only mentioned it briefly. What really moved him was the high quality and great quality of 'The Gold Rush' itself."
Yan Liang: You don't need to tell me these things.
Lu Yanhe smiled.
"Director Wu even asked me when I was free, saying he wanted me to invite you out for a meal," Yan Liang said.
Lu Yanhe said, "Sure, whenever you're free."
“Okay, then let’s schedule a time after you finish filming ‘Burning Fire’,” Yan Liang said. “The director has been quite busy lately. I heard he’s preparing for his new film, but the preparation isn’t going very smoothly.”
"Not going well?"
“Yes, I had dinner with him yesterday, and he mentioned at the table that because of the subject matter, the investment and casting were not going very smoothly,” Yan Liang said. “I also asked if I was suitable, and the director said that the lead role was for someone around thirty years old with work experience, which I don’t fit.”
Lu Yanhe knew that it was actually the book "Yesterday Once More" that Huang Kairen had shown him before.
He was a little puzzled: "Is it not going well for him to find investment for his new movie? He just finished filming 'The Gold Rush,' which should have been very popular with investors, right?"
“After all, ‘The Gold Rush’ is a TV series,” Yan Liang said. “There is still a gap between TV series and movies. The director said that the film companies he talked to were all cautious about his new work. Even those that were willing to invest could not offer the amount the director wanted.”
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
