Chapter 537 Golden Globe Award Nomination (13,000 words updated!)
Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang performed "Green Apple Paradise" on the Spring Festival Gala last time, which received a great response. They were actually invited to perform on the Spring Festival Gala last year, but their schedules did not match.
When the invitation came this year, all three of them happened to have time to attend.
After the three of them confirmed that they would be performing on this year's Spring Festival Gala, Li Zhibai asked Lu Yanhe if he wanted to write another duet song for them this year.
Of Lu Yanhe's many identities, songwriting is the one that usually receives the least attention.
However, a rough calculation shows that Lu Yanhe has already created several songs that are quite popular, such as "Commemoration", "The Battlefield of Youth", "Infatuated", and "Green Apple Paradise".
Over the past few years, many singers have approached Lu Yanhe to request songs, but Lu Yanhe has declined them all.
He still has a song called "Childhood" in his possession, which he has kept without officially publishing it.
I initially thought this song was great and didn't want to release it hastily; I wanted to save it for a more meaningful stage.
However, he later shifted his focus entirely to creating film and television works, and this song was shelved and never released.
Chen Ziyan had also asked Lu Yanhe how to handle the song "Childhood". Lu Yanhe felt that since he was not going to pursue a career as a singer, there was no rush to release the song.
Lu Yanhe believes that this classic song, no matter when it is released, will remain a popular performance piece for a long time to come. But what is the significance of this song to Lu Yanhe?
No work is separate from its creator—Lu Yanhe is not saying that he actually wrote this song. He has not had the idea of "usurping" others' work just because he has been in this world for a long time, nor has he begun to obscure that those works were not plagiarized by him.
Instead, after Lu Yanhe truly became an actor, he met many creators in the world and watched many works, and he came to a realization: in any era and in any place, your work must have a story. In fact, the height your work can reach depends on the work itself and the story behind it.
In short, Lu Yanhe has not published "Childhood" yet because he has not found a suitable story for it.
Yes, reminiscing about childhood.
Of course, that can certainly be a reason.
But who doesn't want to reminisce about their childhood?
For Yan Liang, "The Battlefield of Youth" represents a journey of self-discovery and unity between the artist and the song, reflecting his past life experiences and the song's expression.
For Li Zhibai, "Bewitched" is a unity of the song's style and his personality.
For the three of them, "Green Apple Paradise" is a way to look back on their youth decades ago at this age. So, the song is nostalgic, and within that nostalgia and classic feel, it is still full of youth and vitality.
These songs, in another world, each tell a story belonging to another musical personality.
But once they arrive in this world, they also need to find their own musical personas in this world.
There has to be something different about it.
-
"When we were going to perform on the Spring Festival Gala this year, the production team asked us if we wanted to write a song ourselves. Of course, this also needs to be submitted to the production team for review," Li Zhibai said. "If the song we provided wasn't good enough, they also prepared a piece, but the piece they prepared was more positive."
A positive-energy song similar to "singing praises to our wonderful new era".
Of course they can sing too.
However, since the three of them had finally reunited to perform together on stage, they still wanted to perform something different, something that belonged to them.
Lu Yanhe first presented Little Tigers' "Love," a song similar in style to "Green Apple Paradise" and suitable for them.
It would also be suitable for the Spring Festival Gala.
Li Zhibai: This song is nice, and it's very similar in style to "Green Apple Paradise".
Yan Liang: Yes.
Lu Yanhe said: There's another song, in a different style, let's give it to the director team and see how they choose.
Li Zhibai: You've prepared another song?
Lu Yanhe: Yes, "Chinese Language".
This song by SHE was also one that Lu Yanhe had long ago added to his playlist.
It's a song that's suitable for performance on the Spring Festival Gala stage.
Lu Yanhe sent a short clip he had recorded to the group chat. He felt that since there were many rap-like parts at the beginning, he needed to sing a part himself so that they could understand the style of the song.
Li Zhibai: Oh, the style of this song... is completely different from the style you wrote before. You even write rap now?
Lu Yanhe: I heard you sing a rap song on "Idol Era" before, and I liked it, so I learned it.
Yan Liang: This song is perfect for the Spring Festival Gala, and so is "Love." I think both of these songs are very suitable.
Li Zhibai: It's a real loss for others that Yan He doesn't compose music for them.
Lu Yanhe: I only wrote these two songs this year. It's our loss if I go and compose music for others.
Li Zhibai: Hahaha, that's true. Let others suffer losses. We agreed that we would have at least one collaborative performance stage every year, and we will stick to this agreement.
Yan Liang: That's right.
Lu Yanhe: Okay, okay.
Li Zhibai: We didn't close down last year.
Lu Yanhe: Last year, we were all busy and didn't have time.
Li Zhibai: In the future, we will set aside time, at least time for the Spring Festival Gala. If the Spring Festival Gala does not invite us, we will perform on "Idol Era".
Lu Yanhe: Okay.
Yan Liang: Li Zhibai's idea is good. Let's do it this way from now on.
-
The three of them arranged a time to go to the recording studio to record demos of the two songs, so they could send them to the Spring Festival Gala's production team and let them choose which one to feature on this year's Gala.
The three of them had already learned both songs before recording them, and were very familiar with them.
They recorded both songs in just one day.
Of course, since it was just a demo, it wasn't processed in a complicated way. It only used a few instruments to create a basic accompaniment so that the production team could understand the melody of the song.
When we came out of the recording studio together, it was just evening, the sun was setting, and it was getting dark.
Li Zhibai suggested, "Let's have a meal together before going back."
Where should we eat?
"I don't know. Let's search and see if any new shops have opened recently." Li Zhibai looked at Lu Yanhe. "Didn't those food critics on 'Jump Up' recommend any new shops?"
Lu Yanhe took out his phone. "Let me ask. But usually, stores that have been recommended by 'Jump Up' recently require queuing, so it's not easy to make a reservation."
Fortunately, there is a restaurant that they rated four stars, but has not yet been published.
Knowing that Lu Yanhe and his friends wanted to eat there, Xu Zijun said, "I'll make a reservation for you. Last time we went, we met the owner, and he gave us his contact information so we could call ahead next time for a 10% discount. The restaurant is in a rather remote location and hard to find, and the owner is trying to attract more customers this way. If you go today, this restaurant will probably become famous before we even have a chance to write this review."
Li Zhibai drove them to the restaurant located near the Fifth Ring Road.
This restaurant is indeed hard to find; it's located in a winding alley, and it takes a while to find it.
This restaurant was converted from a traditional courtyard house.
Its name is "Youchun Garden," a rather ancient-sounding name.
They entered the restaurant. The owner already knew that Lu Yanhe and the other two celebrities would be coming for dinner—Xu Zijun had already made arrangements at the reserved time. So, a private room was prepared.
The boss welcomed them in very warmly.
"The presence of the three of you truly brings honor to our humble abode."
"No, no, not at all." Li Zhibai immediately waved his hand. "Boss, we only found out about this place through a friend's recommendation. What are your signature dishes? Please recommend a menu. There are only three of us, so we won't order ourselves."
The boss smiled and nodded, agreeing.
He added, "Our location is indeed quite remote, and we can only attract new customers through word-of-mouth recommendations from our regular customers. Since you three big stars are here, could we take a group photo together later?"
Li Zhibai: "No problem, boss. However, please keep our whereabouts here a secret before we leave."
"Alright, don't worry. I specifically instructed that this private room will be staffed by one person I trust." The owner smiled and pointed to the person standing behind him, a young girl who looked a bit reserved, with a few freckles on her face. "Then I'll go to the kitchen to order your food. Xiao Lian, please pour tea for the guests."
Xiao Lian nodded in response.
She went to get the teapot.
Lu Yanhe and the others sat down.
"Which song do you think the production team will choose?" Li Zhibai asked as soon as he sat down.
Yan Liang said, "I think the production team will choose 'Love'."
"Why?"
“This song is more suitable for audiences of all ages,” Yan Liang said. “Chinese is also very nice, but it is a more relaxed and lively style, and it is more suitable for a stage with a stronger main theme, such as the National Day Gala.”
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "I think so too."
Upon hearing this, Li Zhibai expressed some regret, saying, "Actually, compared to 'Love,' I would rather sing 'Chinese Language.'"
Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised. "Really?"
“Hmm.” Li Zhibai nodded. “The styles of ‘Love’ and ‘Green Apple Paradise’ are too similar. If the three of us perform together on stage and it’s still the same style the second time, people might be a little disappointed.”
"It's only the second time, and the styles are somewhat similar, so there's no reason to be disappointed so quickly. Besides, this song is really good," Yan Liang retorted. "You just like the kind of song like 'Chinese Language' that has more rap and a faster rhythm."
Li Zhi nodded a hundred times.
"I do prefer this style."
The style of "Love" doesn't really match Li Zhibai's own style.
"Both songs have been written, and they will definitely be performed together on stage," Lu Yanhe said. "No matter which song the Spring Festival Gala directors choose, we will find an opportunity to perform the other one together."
“Okay.” Li Zhibai nodded. “Actually, there’s usually a Lantern Festival Gala after the Spring Festival Gala, and maybe they’ll invite us to the Lantern Festival Gala too.”
Lu Yanhe nodded: "Then this is the best outcome."
Whether it's the Spring Festival Gala or the Lantern Festival Gala, their nature is different from other galas.
The celebrities they invite are either the most popular stars of the past year, or the most representative stars in their respective fields over the past year.
Therefore, it's unthinkable for Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang to perform a single program together at other galas; it would be a waste of their popularity and influence.
However, for the Spring Festival Gala, the line of celebrities who want to appear on this stage is incredibly long.
They almost never give a celebrity the opportunity to perform two shows.
They usually share tables.
Celebrities who perform on the Spring Festival Gala are very likely to be invited to the Lantern Festival Gala as well. However, the biggest stars won't go; they only perform on the Spring Festival Gala. It's quite difficult to get three people to perform together on the Spring Festival Gala and then again on the Lantern Festival Gala.
People won't keep putting those three together in one arrangement forever.
They're not a real group.
We need to communicate and strive for it.
Moreover, these kinds of galas are subject to certain official program quotas.
If they can sing their own songs on the Spring Festival Gala stage, it's not reasonable to expect them to sing their own songs again on the Lantern Festival Gala.
Lu Yanhe thought about it carefully.
"We hope the production team can recognize 'Chinese Language' as a song that promotes traditional Chinese culture, so that we might be able to continue singing it at the Lantern Festival Gala."
Xiaolian poured them tea and brought them fruit and snacks.
Li Zhibai first ate a spicy chicken foot.
"Damn, this is so spicy!" Li Zhibai gasped for breath from the spiciness and immediately picked up his barley tea to drink.
Xiaolian immediately looked apologetic.
"These chicken feet are a bit spicy, I forgot to mention that, sorry."
"It's alright." Yan Liang waved his hand, indicating that Xiao Lian didn't need to feel guilty. He smiled and took out his phone to take a picture of Li Zhibai, whose face was flushed. "It's rare to see him like this, so I'll quickly commemorate it."
Li Zhibai immediately gave Yan Liang the middle finger.
"I'm really impressed by you." He gulped down a large cup of barley tea before he could recover a little.
Distracted by Li Zhibai, Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang became curious about the spicy chicken feet and tried them. As a result, they both turned red from the spiciness.
This time, Li Zhibai, having recovered his senses, burst into laughter at them.
Xiao Lian looked at the scene before her and pursed her lips slightly.
Lu Yanhe's phone suddenly rang.
When Lu Yanhe looked at the caller ID, he was surprised to see that it was Hua Ruzhen, the wife of Murken Sorge, the director of "The Mist".
"I need to take this call," Lu Yanhe said to them, took his phone and left the private room. He went to the hallway outside and answered the phone, "Hello, sis."
During the filming of "The Mist", Lu Yanhe and Hua Ruzhen had already started calling each other brother and sister.
"Yan He, I'm back in China. I'm in Yuming now. Are you in Yuming?" Hua Ruzhen's cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone.
Lu Yanhe: "I'm here, sis. Where are you now?"
Hua Ruzhen said, "I just left the airport and am about to check into the hotel. Are you free tonight? If so, how about we go out for a drink a little later? I haven't been to Yuming in a long time, so I need you to show me around."
Lu Yanhe immediately said, "Sister, I'm having dinner with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang right now. Why don't you come over here, eat, and then I'll take you to your hotel? You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"
"I haven't eaten yet, but I hope it won't bother you by coming here so abruptly."
"It's just the three of us, no problem. I can introduce you two." Lu Yanhe didn't even need to ask Li Zhibai and Yan Liang's opinions beforehand; that was their relationship, and that's why he wanted to introduce them to Hua Ruzhen whenever possible. "You should know them, right?"
“Of course, as I told you, I’m a seasoned viewer of Chinese-language films and television dramas.” Hua Ruzhen laughed heartily and said, “Okay, then send me your address, I’ll change it and come directly to you.”
Lu Yanhe: "Okay, this place is a bit hard to find. Let me know when you're almost there and I'll come out to meet you. Cars can't drive in here, and it's hard to find even if you wander around on your own; it's like a maze."
"good."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Yanhe sent her the address, and then remembered to ask: "Sis, are you alone? Is Mu Ken with you?"
Hua Ruzhen replied: I'm all alone. He went back to Germany to be with his parents.
Lu Yanhe: Okay.
After hanging up the phone, Lu Yanhe returned to the private room and told Li Zhibai and Yan Liang about Hua Ruzhen's upcoming arrival.
"Okay, then just add another set of bowls and chopsticks," Li Zhibai said to Xiaolian. "Thank you for your help."
Xiao Lian responded and left.
Li Zhi asked, "You and this Sister Hua are so close? She even came to see you after returning to China?"
“We were filming in Canada at the time, and there were only two Chinese people like us. How could our relationship not be good?” Lu Yanhe said. “She often cooked Chinese food and invited me to eat. You could say that if it weren’t for her, director Muken wouldn’t have made the ghost in ‘The Mist’ a Chinese person, and I probably wouldn’t have been able to build a personal relationship with director Muken later.”
Yan Liang: "I heard you mention her before, and I felt that she was a very capable woman."
"Yes." Lu Yanhe nodded. "She is a very intelligent woman."
This was the most profound impression Hua Ruzhen left on Lu Yanhe.
She stayed by Muken's side the whole time. She wasn't the career woman, but she didn't give off the impression of a "housewife" at all.
After interacting with her, Lu Yanhe was impressed by her composure, calmness, and elegance.
Hua Ruzhen not only took good care of Muken's life, but she also had a very clear understanding of Muken's work, even his work environment and interpersonal relationships. She always acted like a lubricant at crucial moments, helping Muken to move things forward better.
She not only frequently invited Lu Yanhe to dinner, but also got along well with many people in the crew.
It could be said that for many in the crew, she was even more trustworthy than Muken. But it was also because of the care she showed to everyone outside of work, and the trust she instilled in them, that the crew's operation, especially Muken's support, received intangible assistance.
Lu Yanhe has met many directors' wives.
Although, in a sense, "director's wife" is a rather "sexist" term in today's context.
—Some might ask, why isn't there a director husband among them?
Putting aside the issue of discrimination, the reality is that the number of directors' wives far exceeds that of their husbands.
So what Lu Yanhe really wanted to say was that among this group of people, Hua Ruzhen was the only one he knew who hadn't become the director's appendage and who possessed great wisdom. Through this role, she not only helped her husband's directing career but also made herself impossible to ignore.
This is not easy.
-
When Lu Yanhe picked up Hua Ruzhen, Hua Ruzhen saw him and immediately let out a surprised scream. Then she warmly cupped Lu Yanhe's face in her hands and rubbed it like an elder before letting go.
Unlike before when Muken was around, Hua Ruzhen would give him a warm hug.
"You look a bit more muscular than when you acted in 'The Mist,' have you been working out lately?"
Hua Ruzhen noticed the change in Lu Yanhe's physique as soon as she arrived and asked.
Lu Yanhe helped her with her two suitcases and led her forward.
"Yes, I just finished filming the second part of 'The Seventeen Floors,' which required me to be a little more muscular than when I filmed 'The Mist.'"
“The second season of ‘The Seventeen Floors’ has been filmed. I’m really looking forward to it. My friends and I all love this show,” Hua Ruzhen said. “Next time you go to the United States and Europe, I’d like to introduce you to the Chinese community there. Many of your fans know that I know you and want me to introduce you to them.”
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “When ‘The Mist’ is released, there will definitely be an opportunity.”
“Yes.” Hua Ruzhen nodded. “Some of them are also involved in investing in film and television. I heard you say before that you have ideas for writing English scripts and have made some progress in Europe and America. If you know them, they might be able to help you if you want to do these things in the future.”
"That's great." Lu Yanhe thanked him with a smile. "Sister, is there something you need to take care of this time?"
"I'm here to meet some friends," Hua Ruzhen said. "Actually, I'm in the United States. I have a few friends who are interested in investing in film and television dramas in China. However, they are not very familiar with the situation in China, so I came here to help them take the lead and see how things go."
Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised and said, "Sister, I didn't know you did this kind of business."
Hua Ruzhen: "It's just a small business, nothing like your big, big business."
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment, smiled, and said, "The domestic film and television market is quite large, but I didn't expect that your circle of friends overseas would also be interested."
“My circle of friends is mainly Chinese, and since I married a director, people generally assume I know a little bit about this,” Hua Ruzhen said with a smile and a shrug. “We’ve been making some investments in this area before, but not on a very large scale. Everyone just puts in a little money to test the waters and have some fun. This time, someone gave us two projects that looked pretty good, so I came to check them out in person.”
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized what was going on.
He nodded.
"I heard you also started your own production company?" Hua Ruzhen asked.
Lu Yanhe waved his hand with a smile, "I was just dabbling in small things, participating in some projects that I starred in or wrote, not working for a formal, industrialized production company."
Hua Ruzhen nodded, "Many actors have a production company like this, and some of them later transform into real production companies."
"I still need to work on this."
Hua Ruzhen nodded.
Both sides touched on the topic briefly and then stopped.
Upon arriving at Youchun Garden and entering a private room, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang, through Lu Yanhe's introduction, met Hua Ruzhen.
“The three of you are really something now,” Hua Ruzhen said with a smile. “You’ve become the three giants among China’s young generation of male actors.”
Upon hearing Hua Ruzhen's words, Yan Liang was so frightened that he quickly waved his hand.
Li Zhibai said, "Sister Hua, what you're saying is too scary. What 'Big Three'? The three of us, who would dare to claim that title?"
"I'm not asking you to claim this title," Hua Ruzhen said with a smile, waving her hand. "It's just a small expectation that someone who's been following the Chinese entertainment industry has for you. Besides, what I said isn't wrong. Among male actors your age, is there anyone who has achieved more than you?"
“Yes, yes, look at the actors in ‘Three Mountains’ and ‘Friends’, they’re no worse than us,” Li Zhibai immediately said. “And Wang Dashan from ‘Lost in Thailand’ too.”
Hua Ruzhen: "They still can't compare to you guys, right?"
Yan Liang shook his head and said, "They're pretty much the same, pretty much the same."
Hua Ruzhen laughed, "Alright, since you're all so modest, I won't say that. Anyway, all three of you are great, keep up the good work. We're all very interested in the three of you, including Yan Liang, I and my friends are very interested in your performance in 'The Flowing Light'."
Yan Liang said thank you in surprise.
Yan Liang didn't know the meaning behind Hua Ruzhen's words, but after hearing what Hua Ruzhen had come for, he immediately realized the implication.
Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered something.
"Sister, did you invest in the drama 'The Flowing Light'?" Lu Yanhe asked directly.
Hua Ruzhen smiled slightly at Lu Yanhe and admitted to it, saying, "I did invest a little in the early stages."
Lu Yanhe: "No wonder. Yan Liang told me before that he had some disagreements with Zhang Lan, the female lead of this drama. It turns out that you sisters are supporting Yan Liang."
Yan Liang only realized what was happening at this moment, and looked at Hua Ruzhen with some surprise.
He never knew who the investors behind the drama "The Flowing Light" were.
A top-tier drama series like this, with an investment of hundreds of millions, certainly can't be taken on by just three or four companies.
In today's environment, no company would put all its eggs in one basket.
If some idiot gets into trouble and the show can't air, then it'll all be for nothing.
This is the current situation, which means that any TV series will inevitably have multiple investors sharing the risks.
However, Yan Liang did not expect that Hua Ruzhen was among them.
Hua Ruzhen said, "Our industry pays close attention to the projects you star in, and everyone has a lot of confidence in you."
Lu Yanhe asked with a smile, "Sister, you weren't the one who recommended me behind the scenes when Director Mu Ken asked me to act in 'The Mist,' were you?"
“I didn’t give you a formal recommendation; I just took him to see several of your movies so he could get to know you,” Hua Ruzhen smiled slightly. “I don’t believe he would choose someone else after seeing your performance.”
At that moment, many things suddenly became clear.
Why would a film director who already has successful representative works suddenly notice an actor like Lu Yanhe?
This isn't a film by those art film directors from international film festivals. If they noticed Lu Yanhe and extended an invitation to him, Lu Yanhe could understand.
Why did the production team of "The Flowing Light" support Yan Liang so much, choosing Yan Liang without hesitation between Zhang Lan and Yan Liang?
Lu Yanhe had known Hua Ruzhen for some time, but only now did he suddenly realize that Hua Ruzhen actually possessed far more energy than he had imagined.
-
After having dinner together, Hua Ruzhen made a very serious remark.
"This restaurant is really good. I'll make a note of it and bring my friends here next time."
Upon hearing this, the boss immediately smiled and handed over his business card, saying, "You're very welcome. Please feel free to contact us anytime if you need anything."
Hua Ruzhen took the business card from the boss and said, "I might host a private party at my own place later, and I hope I can invite your chef then."
The boss was somewhat surprised, "Huh?"
This was a business area he hadn't considered.
Hua Ruzhen laughed, "I promise, I will never poach your talent. I'm just borrowing it for a while, and the price will definitely satisfy you."
The boss didn't quite understand at first, so he could only nod.
Lu Yanhe first took Hua Ruzhen to the hotel, while Li Zhibai and Yan Liang went back first.
Zou Dong drove, while Lu Yanhe sat in the back with Hua Ruzhen.
"Sis, why didn't you ever tell me before that you were also investing in film and television productions?"
Hua Ruzhen said, "This is just a hobby, not a proper job. Besides, the amount of money I manage is nothing compared to those real big shots. It's just a group of friends of mine getting together to play around. I'm not being modest, it's the truth."
Lu Yanhe nodded, "But I didn't expect that you would actually invest in 'The Flowing Light'."
“There are many other projects I’ve invested in that you haven’t even thought of,” Hua Ruzhen said. “We also invested in the movie ‘Burning Fire’.”
Lu Yanhe looked surprised.
Hua Ruzhen: "However, I returned to China this time because there are some new developments here. Things are not settled yet, so I won't talk to you now. I will contact you again after things are settled."
Lu Yanhe was taken aback upon hearing this.
Hua Ruzhen's words seemed to have a hidden meaning.
What's settled that I need to contact him again?
Lu Yanhe recalled Hua Ruzhen mentioning her investments in film and television dramas earlier today, emphasizing several times that her previous investments were just small-scale, hobbies, and casual endeavors…
Is Hua Ruzhen planning something big later?
When this idea popped into Lu Yanhe's mind, he felt that it might not be impossible for it to be true.
“The editing of ‘The Mist’ is almost finished.” Hua Ruzhen suddenly smiled at Lu Yanhe and said, “The people from D19 should contact your team soon. The film will be released as planned in January next year. There will be some promotional activities for the film. After the Simon Schmid incident, you are now one of the focuses of the film. I think you will be very busy from now on.”
Lu Yanhe was taken aback.
Lu Yanhe knew beforehand that "The Mist" was scheduled to be released in January.
However, at that time, the film did not mention that Lu Yanhe would participate in the entire promotion.
On the one hand, "The Mist" is a horror film, and its promotional schedule is quite different from the mainstream promotional methods. Lu Yanhe will at most attend two or three premieres or promotional events. His contract only stipulates that he will cooperate with three promotional events.
On the other hand, Lu Yanhe will be filming "Friends" in December. They will still adopt the model of filming and broadcasting simultaneously. At that time, December will definitely be a very busy month for Lu Yanhe.
Asking him to take time out of this period to cooperate with the promotion of "The Mist" might be a bit difficult.
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that he probably needed to talk to Chen Ziyan about this matter as soon as possible to see how to coordinate and resolve it.
Just as Hua Ruzhen said, within two days, D19 Company contacted Chen Ziyan.
"Fortunately, it's a little better than we expected," Chen Ziyan said. "The film 'The Mist' will be released in the US on January 6th. The current tentative promotional dates are: the trailer release on December 6th, the making-of featurette on the 20th, and we don't need to do anything offline throughout December, just online promotion. However, there's a global premiere in Los Angeles on January 3rd, which I need to attend, along with some media interviews and photoshoots for four film magazines, all arranged by D19. This means we won't be able to stay in China from January 2nd to 5th."
Lu Yanhe asked, "So, how are the filming arrangements for 'Friends' made?"
Chen Ziyan said, "We are still broadcasting two episodes a week, filming and broadcasting simultaneously. I originally wanted to discuss whether we could postpone it, but the TV station's scheduling and sponsorship have all been finalized, the set in the studio has been completed, and everyone's schedule has been cleared. We can't reschedule and reshoot because of this small matter, as it would cause at least a seven-figure loss."
"Then what should we do?" Lu Yanhe asked.
"Let's start filming ahead of schedule," Chen Ziyan said. "Let's finish filming the week in January when we're going to do promotional work."
Lu Yanhe took a deep breath.
"Is it possible?"
"We'll try our best," Chen Ziyan said. "If we don't film the episodes in advance and prepare them here, we definitely won't be able to film them during that week in January. The two episodes that we filmed in advance will be used up during that week. When we come back from the United States, the entire crew will have to operate at the limit. If any problems arise during filming, there will be no buffer time, and we might have to start filming immediately."
Lu Yanhe felt a great headache.
Whether or not filming can start ahead of schedule is really not an easy thing to coordinate.
In a film crew with so many people, no one is just sitting there waiting to be called upon.
Sure enough, after some communication, the filming of this drama will start no more than three days ahead of schedule.
After learning about Lu Yanhe's situation, Hu Siwei suggested, "If all else fails, we can revise the filming plan. The filming plan we made before allowed for a relatively generous filming schedule. If we squeeze in some time, we can actually film one more episode per week."
According to their initial plan, the week should have looked like this:
On Mondays, we sit together for a script reading. Each actor goes over their lines and then offers suggestions for revision. The scriptwriters then make minor adjustments based on the suggestions from the script reading. Other crew members also need to adjust their work according to this revised version.
Tuesday was used for rehearsals.
Wednesday through Friday are used to film the two episodes needed for the week. If there is a need for location shooting, an additional Saturday may be required, as location shooting takes more time.
Sundays are for rest.
This is a sitcom production rhythm where it's filmed and broadcast simultaneously.
Originally, the entire series could have been filmed in one go before airing, but Lu Yanhe suggested that filming and airing simultaneously would effectively gather audience feedback and allow for adjustments in later episodes. So, after discussion, everyone decided to adopt the same filming and airing method used in the first season of Friends.
This made everyone very excited.
Being an actor means you can't relax at any time.
But it also means that they can gain filming experiences that most film and television actors cannot.
While filming, you can get feedback from the audience and then use it in the later performances.
Lu Yanhe hadn't expected that his proposed filming method would ultimately limit him.
Lu Yanhe has also signed a contract with the production company of "The Mist," so it's impossible for him to miss out on their promotional activities.
After much deliberation and hesitation, Yuehu TV suggested that if all else failed, the broadcast schedule could be adjusted from two episodes a week to one episode a week.
This will greatly reduce their production pressure.
Lu Yanhe could easily go to the United States to cooperate with the promotion of "The Mist," and the filming of "Friends" would not need any adjustments or modifications and could still proceed as originally planned.
"But can we keep viewers watching with only one episode a week?" Hu Siwei was worried about this.
Lu Yanhe was actually a little worried.
Especially since this is the return season of Friends. After the complete collapse of Friends' reputation in its third season, it's hard to say how many viewers will still be willing to support the series.
Lu Yanhe was the first to reject the proposal.
“No, the broadcast schedule for this show must remain the same as before. We can’t change it to one episode per week. Otherwise, this change might make the audience even more unhappy with our show,” Lu Yanhe said. “Our primary task for this season of Friends is to win back the original audience.”
At this point, Lu Yanhe was actually very moved, but also felt very guilty.
No one blamed him because his movie promotion plan caused so much trouble for Friends.
Everyone is actively working to find a solution.
Seeing Lu Yanhe sighing sadly for several days, his brows furrowed, Li Zhibai, knowing what was troubling him, said with some doubt, "Is this really something to worry about for so long?"
Lu Yanhe asked, "Isn't this something I should be worried about? Is there any way to resolve this?"
“Why can’t you solve this?” Li Zhibai said, “This is a sitcom, not a serious drama where every episode pushes the main plot forward. You can just add two episodes during the week you’re leaving, find a reason so that you don’t have to appear in those two episodes, or film your scenes in advance so that it doesn’t affect the filming of other people.”
Li Zhibai's words were a revelation to Lu Yanhe.
ha?
That's right.
Is this another way to do it?
Lu Yanhe stood up excitedly, "Li Zhibai, you can do it!"
Li Zhibai looked at Lu Yanhe, who was excited, with a face full of doubt and disdain.
"You're not going to pounce on me, are you? Let me tell you, don't come near me," Li Zhibai said. "I'm not Yan Liang, my body can't withstand your pounce."
Lu Yanhe: "..."
He said, "Since you've already finished filming 'Go Die,' why don't you make a cameo appearance in these two episodes while I'm not in it?"
Li Zhibai: "What the heck?"
"It's decided then and there."
"Who made this decision with you? I need to rest! I have two movies to film next year!"
“It’s only two episodes, and it only takes a week to film,” Lu Yanhe said. “You’ve been talking about the Friends series, but we haven’t written a character for you yet. Now we’ve written a character for you.”
Li Zhibai: "You remember me now?!"
"If I'm absent, then you're the only one who can save the day."
“So if that’s what you’re going to say—” Li Zhibai pouted, “Fine then.”
Lu Yanhe immediately shared this idea with Hu Siwei and Chen Ziyan.
Everyone said it was a great idea!
-
Two more episodes of Friends were added out of nowhere, making the platform happy, the sponsors happy, and the actors happy.
It was quite a coincidence that when the filming of "Friends" started, it coincided with the release of behind-the-scenes footage of "My Own Swordsman".
This became a major news story that day.
Both sitcoms, one modern and one historical, were huge hits. Lu Yanhe's return revived "Friends," which was then renamed "Old Friends." "My Own Swordsman," after six months of development, has become increasingly popular, with a long-tail effect no less impressive than "Friends," and its viewership numbers are encouraging.
"My Own Swordsman" became the annual champion in terms of new member acquisition and viewership on Aurora Video in November.
In contrast, while "The Squid Game" was a global hit, it did not perform as well as "My Own Swordsman" in China.
Of course, there are joys and sorrows.
During the Golden Tripod Awards, neither "Squid Game" nor "My Own Swordsman" were nominated for any awards.
I wonder if I'll win any awards at the Red River Awards and Blue Ribbon Awards next February or March.
The subject matter of these two dramas is indeed not something that mainstream awards would typically favor.
Lu Yanhe doesn't have high hopes for his work winning awards either. It's indeed difficult to compare this type of drama and comedy with serious dramas in terms of artistry and depth.
However, Lu Yanhe felt that both Jiang Jun in "The Squid Game" and Liu Zi in "My Own Swordsman" delivered performances that were absolutely no less impressive than any TV King or Queen. The difficulty and complexity of these two roles were in no way inferior to those roles in serious dramas.
Lu Yanhe felt that these two actors should not be overlooked when it comes to acting awards.
At the start of filming for "Friends," Lu Yanhe was thinking about this when Yan Liang suddenly came over excitedly with his phone and said to Lu Yanhe, "Old Lu, look!"
Lu Yanhe was taken aback. "Huh?"
Yan Liang held up his phone and showed him the screen.
"Look, 'The Squid Game'! It's been nominated for the Golden Globe Awards! Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series, and Best Actress in a Drama Series—three nominations!"
As soon as Yan Liang finished speaking, Lu Yanhe's own phone rang.
It was Zhong Benshuo who called.
Lu Yanhe immediately realized why Zhong Benshuo had called.
This time, Lu Yanhe quickly answered the call from Zhong Benshuo.
"Hello, Mr. Zhong."
"Yan He, congratulations! Maxine submitted this drama to the Golden Globe Awards, and 'The Squid Game' has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards!" Zhong Benshuo said excitedly.
Lu Yanhe laughed.
"Yes, I just saw the news. That's great, it's definitely something to celebrate."
Chung Bon-seok said, "It's unbelievable that a non-English drama series was nominated for a Golden Globe! We didn't even have such hopes."
Lu Yanhe hadn't expected this either.
He knew that in its original timeline, "The Squid Game" was a strong contender for awards because it represented an unprecedented level of popularity and success for Korean dramas. However, that success was purely due to following the trend at the time and receiving significant support from Netflix, a streaming giant.
The Squid Game didn't achieve the same explosive success here as it did in the original timeline. It's not that it wasn't popular in Europe and America, but it wasn't as popular.
Moreover, due to copyright ownership issues, "The Squid Game" is essentially still a Chinese-language drama without American capital involvement. At the time, Netflix used "The Squid Game" as a prime example of a non-English language work achieving global success, and the entire company was pushing it to create a golden image for it.
Maxine wouldn't do something like that for "Squid Game".
In this context, why did The Squid Game still manage to get three Golden Globe nominations?
Lu Yanhe was also surprised.
Of course, this is something to be very happy about in any case.
Jiang Jun was nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Globe Awards, and Jiang Yuqian was nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards.
These are all historic nominations.
Ms. Zhang's international standing largely stems from the Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress that "Memoirs of a Geisha" brought her, which has firmly secured her position to this day—of course, it's definitely not just the nomination for that award.
But as I said before, many things cannot be quantified. So when people want to evaluate a person and distinguish between them, they can only compare them based on quantifiable indicators.
Many years later, another woman, Ms. Yang, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her role in "Instantaneous Universe," making Ms. Zhang no longer the only Chinese actress to have received a nomination.
Whether or not an actor receives this nomination does not prove that their acting skills are better or more outstanding.
But receiving this nomination at least proves one thing: the success of "The Squid Game" and the performances of Jiang Jun and Jiang Yuqian have been recognized.
Lu Yanhe was very happy for them, and subsequently declined to attend the Golden Globe Awards ceremony to be held on January 11.
He can no longer ask the Friends crew for leave.
He wasn't nominated for Best Screenplay or Best Drama Series, so he has a 90% chance of not winning. Going there would just be him walking the red carpet and showing his face; he wouldn't serve any other purpose.
If he himself had an individual award nomination, that would be a different story.
Zhong Benshuo was shocked when he learned that Lu Yanhe did not plan to attend the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
What?
Not even attending the Golden Globe Awards?
Just because they were going to film "Friends"?
Can't you even spare a day?
This is the Golden Globe Award!
-
“It would be such a shame if you couldn’t attend the Golden Globes,” Chen Ziyan said. “The exposure and nature of this event are different from other award ceremonies. In the United States, besides the Oscars, the Golden Globes have the greatest influence.”
Lu Yanhe said, "I know it has a lot of influence, but Sister Ziyan, I don't have any personal award nominations, so even if I attend, it won't make much sense."
“On that occasion, you can make a lot of people in Hollywood recognize you,” Chen Ziyan said.
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "Sister Ziyan, I believe there will be many more opportunities for them to get to know me in the future, so this one won't make a difference. Besides, it's not that I don't want to attend, it's just that I can't be absent from 'Friends' for two weeks straight."
“Actually, it’s not two weeks,” Chen Ziyan said. “You leave on January 5th, attend the Golden Globe Awards on the 11th, and come back on the 12th. All in all, it’s only a week.”
“But it spans two weeks, which will affect the filming schedule for those two weeks. You know, Friends isn’t filmed by the day; it’s filmed week by week,” Lu Yanhe said.
"We can't focus on one thing and neglect the other, and we can't let this affect the quality of 'Friends.' Sister Ziyan, maybe 'Friends' will become a global hit starting this season. Have you seen the data provided by Zhong Benshuo and the others? In the previous seasons of 'Friends,' the audience in Europe and America has been growing steadily. The news of our 'Friends' return even made it to the trending topics on overseas social media. Although this show didn't become an instant hit overseas, it has been steadily building its audience and fans. It will be a show that gets more and more popular as it airs. We can't let its quality be affected by my frequent absences."
Chen Ziyan sighed.
"Well, I'm just a little disappointed that you'll miss the Golden Globe Awards ceremony."
Lu Yanhe understood what Chen Ziyan meant.
This is indeed not an ordinary exposure event. In fact, in the eyes of many media outlets around the world, attending the Golden Globe Awards is a symbol of status, prestige, and honor.
But Lu Yanhe also knew very well that he didn't need it.
He will find someone better in the future.
"The Mist" was a beginning, and "The Squid Game" was a surprise, but neither of them were short-lived.
Perhaps next year, he will be able to take the Friends cast to the Golden Globe Awards, or even the Emmy Awards ceremony.
(End of this chapter)
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