Chapter 583
Ma Zhiyuan's remarks during the live broadcast were intended to generate buzz and increase his popularity.
The same thing can be used to create a counter-hype for "The Summit".
A topic that came to my door.
"The Summit" has finally entered another dimension of fire—
contradiction.
First, Yan Liang openly admitted that the role he played was indeed given to him because Ma Zhiyuan didn't want it back then. Then, Chen Mofan, the director of "The Peak", came forward and said that the reason the script was given to Ma Zhiyuan was mainly because Yan Liang wasn't as famous as he is now. From a commercial perspective, Ma Zhiyuan could help the show in terms of commercial value. Looking back now, everything was the best arrangement.
Ma Zhiyuan was ridiculed by many people.
He broke down in the live stream and started cursing, saying that Yan Liang was only a beggar because of Lu Yanhe's charity, and that he just didn't have a friend like Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe retorted: Don't be jealous. Yan Liang has me as a friend, but you have a son.
A major defense has been breached.
Lu Yanhe's words were almost to the point of killing someone's spirit.
It's worth noting that Ma Zhiyuan's career plummeted because of this incident.
Yan Liang retorted: I didn't rely on my friend's charity, but on your charity. After all, "The Summit" wasn't given to me because Yan He refused to act in it; it fell to me because you refused to act in it. Don't be modest.
The sheer spectacle of this event caused a significant surge in traffic across the entire platform.
"The Summit" received a huge influx of viewers.
Near the end of the series, the daily viewership exceeded 100 million for the first time, and the latest episode has been watched by over 9 million people.
Strictly speaking, this show is still not considered a huge hit.
In terms of average views per episode, this show currently only has around 40 million. However, if we don't use the domestic calculation method and look directly at the number of viewers from the backend, the actual number of viewers who watched more than 30 minutes of the show is only 17 million.
It was a popular show, but not a huge hit.
However, the way things are done in China doesn't just look at the number of viewers; it also considers the number of pre-roll ads and how much buzz it generates on various social media platforms.
The number of pre-roll ads for "The Summit" has reached five in the latest episode.
Within its niche, the show has indeed attracted a loyal following.
This makes brands very willing to pay for the show.
From this perspective, "The Summit" has indeed become a hit.
The main reason is that it has such a good reputation; it is the best-received drama so far this year.
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“Your performance in this drama should earn you another acting award nomination this year,” Zhou Ping’an told Yan Liang. “However, the chances of winning an award are still slim.”
Yan Liang nodded.
His performance in "The Summit" did receive a lot of praise, but this time, the performance of Wei Mingran, another male lead in "The Summit", has attracted more attention. Even Yan Liang himself had to admit that the two actors who truly stood out in this drama were Wei Mingran and Ren Suping.
Zhou Pingan said, "Your dramas have been huge hits in a row, all of them are ensemble dramas with two male leads or ensemble dramas like 'Friends.' We need to get you some leading roles in dramas with one male lead in the future, otherwise it will affect your future development. I hope that 'The Flowing Light,' which you co-starred in with Zhang Lan, will have a good broadcast effect."
Yan Liang said, "I'm about to film 'Chinese Paladin' again, as the second male lead. The character Zhi Bai is the male lead. Are there any suitable scripts available now? I also think I need to adjust my direction when choosing roles. I'll continue filming 'Gold Rush 2' and the 'Friends' series, still focusing on dual male leads and ensemble casts. I've seen many marketing accounts say that although my dramas are popular, I didn't carry them."
“That’s alright. You’re actually carrying dramas now. Just look at the number of views for the first episode of ‘The Summit’. Its opening numbers were actually very good. You know, the only star who’s currently popular in this drama is you. Wei Mingran and Ren Suping are both talented actors, but they haven’t been very famous before. This drama has helped them gain more recognition,” Zhou Ping’an said. “So, you don’t need to pay attention to what the marketing accounts say. People in the industry can see the details. The reason ‘The Summit’ didn’t do well in the middle wasn’t because you couldn’t carry the drama, but because of the style of the drama. I’ve evaluated your recent dramas, and I actually want to give you a lighter, male-centric drama, preferably a workplace drama.”
"Why?"
“Because you have two upcoming period dramas, ‘The Legend of Sword and Fairy’ and ‘The Legend of the Condor Heroes,’ which both feature muscular action scenes, while ‘The Gold Rush’ and ‘The Summit’ are more serious in style.” Zhou Ping’an said frankly, “‘Friends’ is relatively lighthearted and life-oriented. In the workplace drama genre, you actually have a lot of room to develop.”
Yan Liang nodded upon hearing this.
"Your image is quite rare among young actors; you're one of the few who leans towards a martial arts role. Apart from 'Friends,' the roles you've taken on have mostly been in this genre. So, taking on a workplace drama with a stronger emphasis on drama can help you dilute that kind of preconceived notion."
Yan Liang understood Zhou Ping'an's meaning.
"Then see if you have any scripts that suit me."
“I’m having trouble choosing scripts right now. Your previous dramas have all been very successful, and I don’t want to just accept any script for you, even if it’s only 70 or 80 points, it’s not enough,” Zhou Ping’an said. “Given your current situation, I think the best thing to do is to help you get in touch with big-name directors, but I don’t know which of them will be doing workplace dramas later. I’ll consider that. Anyway, you have to film three dramas this year: ‘Chinese Paladin,’ ‘The Gold Rush 2,’ and ‘Friends 2’, so your schedule is pretty much full. The key is to see what kind of roles you can take on next year.”
"Um."
“Actually, suitable movies are also an option,” Zhou Ping’an said. “However, movies are riskier. Given your current situation, if you were to act in a movie, even in a slightly larger production, you could only play the second or third lead role, which wouldn’t be very meaningful for you.”
“Brother Ping An, could you help me get in touch with an art film every year?” Yan Liang said. “I’m not considering box office or commercial value. I want to hone my acting skills in such films. Anyway, I’m not going to pursue a film career in the short term. Even if the box office results are not good, it doesn’t matter. It’ll be a challenge for me.”
“Sure, I’ll be honest with you, but I’ll only accept films with a shooting time of less than a month, otherwise it will take too long,” Zhou Ping’an said. “You have two series to shoot, and your schedule is limited to one year. I won’t stop you from pursuing your goals, but you also need to consider your current stage of career development. I can’t allow you to spend too much time on these kinds of art films that may not bring you much return.”
"Okay." Yan Liang nodded.
-
Yan Liang was actually quite surprised; he hadn't expected that his communication with Zhou Ping'an would become smoother and smoother.
He was even a little confused, wondering when this change had started.
Has Zhou Ping'an changed, or has he changed?
This conversation made Yan Liang feel that it was "exceptionally smooth".
They spoke frankly about their thoughts and needs, without any ambiguity or concealment.
Yan Liang went back and told Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai about it.
Lu Yanhe said, "It would be strange if he hadn't changed at all after all these years. You are now his only trump card, so he definitely wants to keep you, and naturally he will respect you."
Li Zhibai nodded in agreement, also agreeing with Lu Yanhe's point of view.
“Don’t forget, Zhou Ping’an learned his lesson from me and Ma Zhiyuan before, and he must have reflected on it,” Li Zhibai said. “He’s such a shrewd person, he must know that his current situation is not the same as before. In the past, he had several celebrities under his wing, and if one failed, there was another. Now that I’m gone, Ma Zhiyuan is still here. Of course, he won’t talk to you properly.”
Yan Liang: "No, I feel it's not that simple. His personality seems to have softened. It's a change in personality, not a change in his way of doing things. I can't help but wonder if he has been stimulated by something else."
Li Zhibai said, "What kind of stimulation could he possibly receive? The biggest stimulation he could receive was Ma Zhiyuan's sudden outburst."
Yan Liang rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
Lu Yanhe: "What do you care what triggered him? As long as he can communicate with you properly now, that's fine."
"Moreover, his planning for your roles was quite accurate," Li Zhibai said. "What I didn't expect was that he would agree to your request to act in an art film every year. Given his past profit-driven nature, how could he possibly agree to that? Art films don't pay much, and you have to spend a lot of time on set. If the box office is bad, it will affect the market's evaluation of you."
Yan Liang: "This also shocked me. I thought I would have to argue with him for a while, but I didn't expect him to agree so easily."
Lu Yanhe: "Maybe he realized that you actually have a chance to win an award, so he also hopes that you can win an award by acting in an art film. You see, he cares a lot about whether your film 'The Summit' can help you compete for nominations for the three major awards again, right?"
“That’s true.” Yan Liang nodded. “He might really be hoping that I can get a film award nomination by making an art film? I can’t imagine him not doing things based on personal gain or loss.”
"If 'The Summit' is aiming for awards this year, will the Blue Ribbon incident last year affect you?" Li Zhi asked.
"I don't know." Yan Liang shook his head. "If it has any impact, there's nothing we can do. We had already made the decision to do this. If they want to deliberately prevent me from getting a nomination because of this, there's nothing I can do."
Lu Yanhe said, "Let's try our luck with overseas awards."
"ah?"
“‘The Summit’ could be submitted to several major Asian television awards,” Lu Yanhe said earnestly. “Has the overseas streaming rights for this series been sold?”
Yan Liang said, "I heard that they are still in talks with HP and Maxine, but the prices offered by these two platforms are relatively low, so no agreement has been reached. In fact, this show may not be able to create a viewing frenzy on streaming platforms like 'The Gold Rush'. 'The Gold Rush' benefited from the subject matter, while 'The Summit' does have a relatively high viewing threshold."
Lu Yanhe: "But the reputation of 'The Summit' is really high. You can talk to Zhou Pingan and ask him to help you get the show into the selection of those major awards when it is broadcast overseas. The quality is excellent. All we need to do is let more people know about the show and see how good it is."
Yan Liang: "Well, I feel that Zhou Ping'an really hopes that the drama 'The Peak' can bring me some awards, even a nomination. He said that I have had dramas for two consecutive years to help me get nominated for acting awards, which in itself can create momentum. He doesn't mean that I have to win an award now."
"Indeed, having a hit drama for two consecutive years has earned you acting award nominations, which to some extent proves your acting skills." Lu Yanhe nodded. "Actually, these two dramas should have brought you to the attention of many big directors, right?"
“Hmm.” Yan Liang nodded. “Over the past six months, Zhou Ping’an has actually introduced me to quite a few directors, but finding a suitable opportunity to collaborate is still quite difficult; it depends on fate. Apart from the few dramas I’ve already secured, I won’t be taking on any more ensemble dramas or dual male lead dramas anytime soon. I need to play the lead male role, otherwise I’m afraid of being typecast in the industry. It’s too difficult for me to play the lead male role in a big director’s production. Their dramas don’t necessarily feature a lead male role, and even if they do, it’s usually a more mature male character. Our age doesn’t give us an advantage. I now really understand what Yan He meant when he said that our age is a big limitation that prevents us from playing many roles.”
In film and television dramas, the golden age for male actors is between thirty and fifty years old, and these actors are still too young.
Lu Yanhe said, "If we really can't find a suitable script, I'll write you a script with a leading male role."
Yan Liang: "No, no, no, you can come to me if you have a suitable script, but don't always write scripts for me. I also want to prove myself. I can be a good actor even if I don't act in Lu Yanhe's scripts."
“You don’t need to listen to those people’s nonsense. The scripts for ‘The Gold Rush’ and ‘The Summit’ that you acted in were not written by me, and you were already very successful. But they just act like they can’t see these two shows.”
"I do have to admit that without the show 'Friends,' my acting career might have been much more winding and difficult. Since they have this impression of me now, I can't keep explaining myself, so I'll try my best to rely on myself and act in more shows. If one show isn't enough, I'll do two; if two shows aren't enough, I'll do three. Eventually, I'll be able to change everyone's impression of me."
Yan Liang's words deeply moved Lu Yanhe. But at the same time, he felt gratified; this was the Yan Liang he knew. It was good that they were still themselves. Still the same people they were back then.
(End of this chapter)
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