Chapter 574 Methods
Li Zhibai is very popular.
This is an indisputable fact.
He is also one of the very few young male actors in the TV drama field who are regarded by platforms and capital as capable of carrying a drama.
It's actually quite rare for someone to form such an impression.
Although every year there are one or two hit dramas that make a young male actor a star and a new boyfriend or husband, after they become famous, they often start to decline and find it difficult to maintain the popularity and attention brought to them by the drama.
The so-called peak upon debut, followed by a downhill climb.
Unlike others, Li Zhibai was already very famous and a popular idol before he started acting.
He started acting in idol dramas, first as the rich second-generation male lead, which made him an instant hit and the most watched actor in that drama, even overshadowing the male and female leads in popularity. After that, he became a huge hit in the fantasy drama and the urban romance drama "Washe".
He is one of the very few actors who have had hit shows for several consecutive years.
That's why he's known as a "leading actor" rather than a "popular actor".
He does indeed have a lot of fans.
From this perspective, Li Zhibai does indeed need to thank Zhou Ping'an.
Because Zhou Pingan got these three dramas for him, it was these three dramas that established his current status.
However, an actor who carries a drama is ultimately just an actor.
For Lighthouse Video, an actor like Li Zhibai, who is popular and a top-tier star, is a darling of film and television projects and a target of advertisers. However, this does not mean that Li Zhibai can get whatever he wants.
This is especially true for a drama series with a production budget of over 100 million yuan.
In this era of cost reduction and efficiency improvement, few dramas can achieve this. With such high production costs, everyone just wants to play it safe and be on the safe side. The risk of a film and television project is inherently extremely high, not to mention temporarily replacing a novice—even if that novice is extremely capable and talented.
Regardless of the circumstances, Path Wave is a renowned director who has produced several hit films.
Laymen watch the actors, experts watch the directors.
For video platforms, pursuing popular actors is to safeguard the commercial value of a drama, while pursuing a good director is to safeguard its intrinsic value. Without the latter, even popular actors cannot save a drama from collapse.
Therefore, when Lighthouse Video saw that Path Wave had the potential to return and direct "Nineteen Years" again, their first consideration was the feasibility of his return.
Li Zhibai's strong opposition was something Lighthouse Video hadn't anticipated.
However, they really couldn't ignore Li Zhibai's opinion.
The "Nineteen Years" project was initiated by Li Zhibai, with Lighthouse Video acting as an intermediary only during the investment phase. Although their relationship with the main investor and broadcasting platform gave them a say in the project no less than Li Zhibai's, it's unrealistic to say they could completely sideline Li Zhibai.
If things really come to a head, Li Zhibai is the copyright holder of the TV series "Nineteen Years," and the most Lighthouse Video can do is withdraw its investment. If it really comes to that, it's Lighthouse Video that will suffer the loss, not Li Zhibai.
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"I came here to see if there are any new or young directors."
Malaysia.
Speaking at the official welcome event at Malaysia’s largest film festival, Lu Yanhe said with a smile, “In recent years, many outstanding young directors have emerged in Malaysia. I am a fan of their films, and it is because of them that I have become very interested in Malaysian films. When I received the invitation, I immediately accepted.”
Are there any directors in Malaysia that you'd like to work with?
"Of course there are, and there's a very long list," Lu Yanhe said decisively. "Actually, I've already accepted a film with a Malaysian director, but it hasn't been filmed yet. You can look forward to it."
Lu Yanhe's words immediately caused a stir in the room.
Is it true or false?
You should know that Lu Yanhe is now a very popular star in the eyes of the public, and he is very popular all over the world.
Not only is he a top actor in China, but he also recently starred in the box office hit "The Mist" in Hollywood.
How could an actor like this be cast in a film directed by a Malaysian director?
The first reaction of most people to such a statement is disbelief.
Even though most of them are Malaysian media outlets.
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "I especially hope to get to know and collaborate with more outstanding filmmakers. Please help me spread the word about my ideas. My email address for receiving scripts is public. If you have a project you want to collaborate with, and you don't have any other way to contact my team, just send your script and project introduction to this email address. I will definitely read it. Whether it's a lead role, a supporting role, or a cameo, as long as there is a good script, I will seriously consider it."
Lu Yanhe's remarks first caused a huge uproar in the Malaysian film industry, and then were translated by media outlets around the world, spreading widely within the film industry.
First, after the global success of "The Mist," Lu Yanhe surprisingly accepted a Malaysian film. Frankly, the moment he said that, everyone knew this film wasn't a big-budget production, nor was it a new work by a world-class director, as Malaysia currently doesn't have a director of that caliber. This was yet another choice that left many puzzled and confused.
Secondly, Lu Yanhe's remarks were applauded by many in the film industry—it was very encouraging that a popular actor with box office appeal would clearly express his support for new directors and his willingness to collaborate with them.
In the subsequent interview, a reporter asked, "Given your current status and achievements, there are so many renowned directors who want to work with you that they can't keep up with the demand. Why are you still so eager to collaborate with new directors?"
"No, no, no, I also want to work with big directors." Lu Yanhe immediately explained, "Please make sure to highlight this sentence in bold, I don't want big directors to stop sending me scripts in the future."
The media nodded, both amused and exasperated.
“However, I’ve always held the view that my success today is due to the trust of many people. Many new directors don’t lack talent or ability; they just lack an opportunity, a chance to prove themselves,” Lu Yanhe said. “Sometimes, they can’t even get investment because they lack fame, haven’t made any films, and have no connections. Sometimes, they finally get the money to make their debut film, but resources are limited. In those situations, my cameo appearance in one or two scenes might bring some attention to their film. In such cases, I’m very willing to use my influence to help them—provided, of course, that I genuinely believe the director is talented and the script is good. Under these conditions, I’m willing to play a role that may not have much complexity or acting potential, or even just one scene.”
"If I can use my little bit of influence to help people see a film that might be very good and artistically valuable but hasn't received much attention, I will be very happy," Lu Yanhe said. "That would be a moment that makes me especially proud."
“Take this drama I’m currently producing, ‘Nineteen Years of Crime Records,’ for example. The director we initially hired had some issues, and in an emergency, we had to find a new director. But the problem was that filming had already started, and time was extremely tight,” Lu Yanhe said. “The lead actor in this drama is my good friend, Li Zhibai. We then looked around among our acquaintances and found a new director named Liu Manbo. He had never directed a feature film before, and in the current market system, it was almost impossible for him to direct such a high-budget drama. But our investors and broadcaster, Lighthouse Video, were very supportive and trusted our judgment. In the end, they agreed to let Liu Manbo serve as the director, an independent director.”
Lu Yanhe emphasized the last four words.
“We’ve been filming for a few days now, and his performance on set and the footage we’ve produced have put our minds at ease. Of course, he has many of the common problems that new directors often encounter, but that doesn’t affect the overall progress.” He said with a smile, “This is when I’m happiest.”
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When the people at Lighthouse Video, who were far away in China, saw the hashtag #NewDirectorIn19Years# suddenly trending on social media, their faces darkened simultaneously.
"I admire the speed of response of the TV series 'Nineteen Years of Crime Records'."
On the other hand, actress Cheng Siran, who worked with Li Zhibai on "Moonlight Symphony," also attended the event and said in an interview.
"Filming had already started, and then they just changed directors like that. It's really difficult. Although I was very angry that Li Zhibai didn't cast me in this drama, and I already sent him a message saying I was angry, on the other hand, I admire him. As a producer for the first time, he encountered so many problems, but he solved them all. I also admire Lighthouse Video for giving its partners full trust and respect."
When the people at Lighthouse Video saw Cheng Siran's interview again, their faces darkened once more.
At this point, how could they not know what's going on?
Damn it, they're practically lifting the sedan chair high, making everyone praise them—
In this situation, do you want to contradict yourselves and bring back the path wave?
Ultimately, Lighthouse Video abandoned its idea of bringing the path wave back.
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Li Zhibai raised his hand and gave Lin Suyang a high five.
Lin Suyang smiled and said, "You see, sometimes we don't need to rush to the front and challenge others to achieve our goals."
Li Zhibai waved his hand and said, "You're really awesome, Su Yang. I'm truly impressed."
Lin Suyang smiled.
“A little trick. The Lighthouse video must be very unhappy, but just swallow your pride.” He advised, “If possible, never have a direct confrontation with anyone. As long as there is no direct confrontation, many times things will pass and be over. But if there is a direct confrontation, even if your emotions have subsided, the matter will still be there, making it hard for you to let go.”
Li Zhibai nodded, indicating that he understood.
(End of this chapter)
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