Chapter 625 Some are righteous, some are arrogant
On July 6, Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang attended a special advance screening of "Even Faking Death Is Not Acceptable".
To avoid overshadowing the main event, Lu Yanhe waited until the screening had started before quietly entering the theater under the cover of darkness.
The audience response at the screening was quite positive.
Laughter filled the air.
Lu Yanhe had already read it once, but upon reading it a second time, he discovered some details that he hadn't noticed before.
Liu Bige is still Liu Bige; he's hidden a lot of subtle Easter eggs in the film. Even after Longyan Film Studio insisted on making this a commercial film, Liu Bige continued to incorporate many small design elements into the movie.
Even Lu Yanhe noticed this time that the colors of Li Zhibai and Ji Miao's clothes in each scene actually matched the tone of the scene very well, not to mention the props in the movie, which were full of various metaphors.
Lu Yanhe had never considered these aspects when he last looked at it.
He suddenly realized that although this film might not become an award winner, it might become a classic in the hearts of many movie fans.
Some moviegoers enjoy digging into the details of a film and searching for Easter eggs over and over again.
After the screening, the audience erupted in applause.
At this moment, the people sitting next to Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang realized that Lu Yanhe had arrived at some point.
Liu Bige led Li Zhibai, Ji Miao, and several other actors onto the stage.
Mrs. Wong also went on stage.
She is arguably the most publicly visible film company boss in China.
Of course, she herself is also very popular. As an actress, she is very good at interacting with everyone in front of the audience.
Most of the people attending the screening today were either from Longyan or invited by the main creators.
In this setting, unlike media screenings where the situation is unpredictable, the reaction is generally enthusiastic and supportive.
A 60-point film can garner 80-point applause, and an 80-point film can create the illusion of being a classic in film history.
However, whether people truly like this movie and think it's good can still be discerned.
At least Lu Yanhe felt that watching the movie a second time, he didn't lose interest even though he already knew how the plot would develop.
The movie is rich in content and detail, and there's a lot to see.
However, the speeches at the scene were not very interesting; they were basically just praise and flattery.
Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang were also called upon to stand up and share their thoughts on the film.
The real highlight was the reception after the screening.
Only in this place can you hear a little bit of real feedback.
Lu Yanhe overheard two people talking together, and one of them said, "If this movie hadn't been directed by Liu Bige, it might have received good reviews."
"Yes, you can see from 'Late Spring' that Liu Bige is a master storyteller, but the stylistic elements in 'Late Spring' were too obvious, overshadowing the fact that the story itself was good. This time, in 'Even Fake Death Is Not Good,' he didn't play with that stylistic element again. It's still good, but I was somewhat disappointed. I didn't see what we wanted to see."
This feeling is probably like going to a singer's concert, a singer you've loved since childhood, whose hit songs you can sing by heart. But when you get to the concert, you're surprised to find that the singer spends the whole night singing songs you don't know. Although they still sing very well, you always feel like something is missing.
As a director or creator, you only have the freedom to be imaginative the first time you meet everyone. From the second time onwards, you have to face a harsh reality—everyone will look at you with prejudice, and you are the one who put those prejudices on them.
Lu Yanhe felt that what they said was quite pertinent.
At this moment, Chen Miao, the chief writer of "Dream Back to the Qing Dynasty", came to Lu Yanhe's side.
She is a media person who has been following Lu Yanhe since he started acting and has published several articles supporting his work.
Because of "Jump Up", Chen Miao later accepted several invitations to write commentary articles on the awarding of some influential awards.
Lu Yanhe was quite familiar with her.
"Yan He, do you think this movie is more popular in Jose or in China?" Chen Miao asked.
Lu Yanhe asked, "Will my answer be used in your article?"
Chen Miao smiled and said, "If I adopt it, I will ask for your consent in advance. Right now, I just want to hear more opinions from everyone. I'm a little conflicted and haven't figured out how to write my article yet."
"To be honest, I think it will be more popular in China." Lu Yanhe said frankly, "Some people who expect Director Liu to make a second 'Late Spring' might be a little disappointed, but for the audience, this movie is undoubtedly good and interesting."
Chen Miao nodded and asked, "And what about you? What do you think of this movie?"
“To be honest, I really like it,” Lu Yanhe said. “But I do have an emotional element in it, and I can’t make an objective judgment. I know too well why every shot was filmed the way it was and why it was acted the way it was. In this movie, I can’t distinguish between my rationality and my emotions.”
Chen Miao: "Okay, indeed, I shouldn't have asked you that question. My dilemma is that I'm worried that if I give this film a positive response, or if the film ultimately receives positive feedback from critics, Longyan Film Industry will treat Liu Bige as a commercial film director and will no longer support him in making films like 'Late Spring'."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe looked at Chen Miao in surprise.
Chen Miao said, "The internal conflict between him and Longyan has been known to many people for a long time; it's not a secret."
After confirming that Chen Miao wasn't trying to trick him, Lu Yanhe nodded noncommittally, "So you're trying to write a long article?"
Chen Miao: "Writing low-quality articles is pointless. Longyan has always maintained good media relations, and there will probably be a lot of people praising Liu Bige's successful transformation with this film, etc. I don't want to join in that nonsense. In particular, I still hope that Liu Bige can make more films like 'Late Spring.' China doesn't lack films like 'Even Faking Death Is Not an Option,' but it desperately needs films like 'Late Spring.' If Director Liu himself wanted to make such a work, then that would be fine, but that's not the case."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
He genuinely didn't expect that any media person would consider these issues and write their own commentary.
However, the reason why commentators like Chen Miao and Guan Suchen have been able to write for so long and maintain such influence is indeed because they are different from other media professionals. They always think about issues and publish articles with a clear purpose.
Businesses are always searching for patterns to make money, attempting to derive a formula that can be replicated.
However, content creators who want to stand out must defy the rules and have their own uniqueness.
Chen Miao then asked with a smile, "The next question is one I want to quote in my article."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"Go ahead and ask."
"What was the real reason you decided to participate in 'Hurricane 2'? I know you can't tell me the details, but I want to know what factors you considered," Chen Miao said. "Your choice has guiding significance for the entire industry, especially for actors."
Lu Yanhe waved his hand, "Don't flatter me, I'm most afraid of flattery right now."
Chen Miao laughed, nodded, and said, "Okay."
"Besides, it's not convenient for me to answer this question. What I tell you is definitely what I can say." Lu Yanhe smiled. "You know very well that when we actors choose a role, sometimes it's just a thought, and sometimes it's a combination of many factors. Everything depends on the right time, place, and people."
Chen Miao: "That's enough. Your attitude itself is a form of guidance."
"ah?"
“You never shy away from your pragmatism.” Chen Miao sighed. “You know what? Sometimes, when I see many actors making choices, they are too short-sighted and foolish, only looking at their immediate interests, which I find very regrettable. And, as a fan of Chen Bige, I have to thank you.”
"Thank me?"
"Thank you for making her productive again," Chen Miao said. "All of her recent films are collaborations with you. When she took on 'The Seventeen Floors,' I really thought she wouldn't be able to get suitable projects in the film industry. You know, especially for a top actress like her, she usually wouldn't play a supporting role in a male-centric film. But there aren't many female-centric film projects, and good scripts are even rarer, and they're mostly aimed at the 20-30 age group. Fortunately, you revived her film career with 'Rouge,' and later, you gave her scripts for 'Love Letter' and 'Raise the Red Lantern.'"
Before Chen Miao said that, Lu Yanhe hadn't realized it yet. It really was true!
Chen Bige has already acted in so many of his scripts!
There's even a "Dragon Inn" movie that hasn't been officially announced yet!
Lu Yanhe: "Who wouldn't want to work with an actress like Sister Bige? It's just that we don't have good roles. Fortunately, I can write good roles and good scripts. But if she hadn't played the role, my script might not have been recognized by others so quickly."
Chen Miao: "Let's achieve success together. The film industry has always been an industry where everyone achieves success together."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
After chatting for a while, Chen Miao suddenly said, "But Li Zhibai's performance in 'Even Faking Death Is Not an Option' is so refreshing. I knew he could act before, not in a formulaic way, and not just in a self-indulgent way. But none of those dramas gave me the same feeling as his performance in this movie. His relaxed demeanor would easily be exaggerated if someone else played the role. He has a natural ability to make the exaggerated feel artistic without being greasy."
“Li Zhibai would be very happy to hear your praise of him,” Lu Yanhe said with a smile.
"In this respect, I feel he is invincible now. Among domestic male actors, especially young male actors, including you, to be honest, there are actually a few who can play complex, crazy, and difficult roles. You are the best at it. The more difficult and complex the role is, the better you perform. However, you can hardly find another simple, lighthearted, comedic, and even slightly cartoonish and exaggerated role like the one in 'Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed.' You have never played one before."
Lu Yanhe gave her a thumbs up.
“You are indeed very professional. Great minds think alike,” Lu Yanhe said. “I share the same view as you. Complex things are easy to act, but simple things are difficult. Li Zhibai is far ahead of everyone else in this field. No one can match his ease.”
Chen Miao shook her head: "It's not just a matter of relaxation. I don't know if his way of handling it is a talent or something else. I need to study it carefully."
"So do you think he has a chance of winning the award?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Chen Miao shook her head.
“These kinds of roles are not favored by awards, unless the play ‘Even Faking Death’ is so good that the play can save the actor. Otherwise, he will receive high recognition in the industry, but he will not be able to win an award,” Chen Miao said. “Award judges still prefer complex roles with a lot of room for performance, like ‘Road to Glory’. This is a typical theme that mainstream awards love.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"I heard that Friends has a chance to compete for the three major awards this year?" Chen Miao asked. "We've heard rumors that they want to encourage excellent sitcoms to be included in the judging scope of mainstream awards."
Lu Yanhe: "I don't know. I hope so. But I also know that changing some stubborn prejudices is not an easy thing. It is difficult to completely change them overnight."
Chen Miao: "The nomination list for the Golden Tripod Awards will be announced in about two or three weeks. Several of my friends in the media have discussed this issue before, and in the next few days, we will speak out through our channels to advocate for this matter."
"Thanks."
"Although we only work in the media industry, we all hope that the entertainment industry will get better and better," Chen Miao said. "Only when you really go international do you realize how weak China's cultural and entertainment industry is. Although I am a media person, people don't care what articles you have written or how much you have accomplished. As soon as they hear that you are from China, their reaction is that they don't look down on you. It has only gotten a little better in recent years because some Chinese films and TV series have emerged and been noticed by them. You know, as a Chinese media person, when I interview foreign directors and actors, I often ask them if they have any favorite Chinese films or TV series. I often ask about works from ten or twenty years ago, and I almost never hear about works from the last ten years. It was only in recent years that the situation began to change."
Lu Yanhe said, "However, there are still too few Chinese-language films on the international stage. If there are, it's only one or two. In fact, with so many people in China, if only a few are active on the international stage, we are just an embellishment to world cinema. I hope it can be better and have a more important presence."
Chen Miao nodded, "Let's cheer each other on. Although my strength is very small, I will do my best to help."
“Your support has never been insignificant.” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “My agent often says that at least half of my success today is due to the support from you media and film critics. Otherwise, how could a newcomer, a young person, surpass those already established big names and be pushed to this position so quickly? Thank you.”
Chen Miao: "Keep it up!"
-
According to the agreement signed between Chen Miao and Longyan Film Industry, Chen Miao's article cannot be published publicly before its official release.
The agreement between Longyan and her was not the standard agreement with the media; it was a separate contract, because Chen Miao did not agree to give "100% positive reviews."
But this is also a good thing, as it gives Chen Miao ample time to write this article.
Prior to this, as Chen Miao had told Lu Yanhe, she and several media friends, including Guan Suchen and San Yang, had agreed to speak out together and call for Friends to be recognized by mainstream awards and not be ignored any longer.
Their social media followers are actually not that many. The most popular one, Guan Suchen, only has seven figures. On the Chinese internet, he is just a big V, not the kind of opinion leader who can stir up huge discussions and attention with just a few words.
However, these individuals published a series of articles discussing the significance of "Friends" to Chinese-language television dramas and its achievements, directly pointing out the past neglect of the "Friends" series by the three major domestic television drama awards.
After several seasons, especially with the critical and commercial success of "Friends," it can be considered one of the most popular TV series of the past decade. And by "one," I mean one of the very top.
Therefore, these articles immediately attracted a great deal of attention upon publication.
Chen Miao wrote directly in her article: "The nomination list for the Golden Tripod Awards is about to be announced. I hope that this year's preliminary judges can seriously consider what kind of TV series truly deserves to be recognized."
-
Huang Lian was furious.
He didn't think that Chen Miao and the others suddenly publishing such an article at this time was spontaneous.
There must be someone behind this instigating it.
"Look at this, if Lu Yanhe wasn't behind it all, encouraging these people to fight for him, would you believe it?"
At the meeting of the Golden Tripod Award Executive Committee, Huang Lian was very angry, and he had an expression that said, "Don't you all stand with me in this matter?"
At the executive committee meeting, Huang Lian's people immediately chimed in, saying, "This behavior is outrageous, it's utterly shameless. They're using public opinion to coerce us into believing that 'Friends' will win the award. How can they do this!"
Huang Lian said, "These kinds of people are completely ignoring the rules, and we must resolutely oppose this kind of behavior!"
"That's right!"
"Chairman Huang, you say that Lu Yanhe instructed them to write these articles. Does anyone have evidence?" a voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone looked over in surprise.
The speaker was Gu Mo, who had just joined the executive committee two days ago.
Huang Lian looked over with an unfriendly gaze.
"These are all obvious and certain things. Do you think there's any other possibility?"
"Is it possible that these few people genuinely believe we shouldn't ignore Friends?" Gu Mo asked rhetorically.
For a moment, the conference room was so quiet that you could almost hear everyone breathing.
Huang Lian: "Gu Mo, you used to be Director Luo's student, so I understand that you're speaking up for Lu Yanhe. But shouldn't you be avoiding any appearance of impropriety at a time like this?"
Gu Mo: "Chairman Huang, this has nothing to do with whether I am Director Luo's student or not, right? We are just discussing the matter at hand. To make a definitive judgment on something without any evidence, wouldn't this be a scandal if it got out?"
"Could it be that what was said in this room has been spread around?" Huang Lian asked.
"This kind of thing has happened before, I think it happened before I came?" Gu Mo said with a look of sudden realization. "Oh, I remember now, wasn't the previous chairperson, Ms. Liu Yun, asked to step down because she said a few inappropriate things at the meeting, which were then posted online and caused a huge uproar?"
Everyone around held their breath, pretending to be dead, not uttering a single word.
The anger in Huang Lian's eyes seemed to solidify and burst forth.
Gu Mo continued, "Whether 'Friends' should be nominated for the Golden Tripod Award is a complex and guiding issue. Whether it's nominated or not, it will attract a lot of attention. At least internally, we should be able to say that we have a clear conscience. If we conclude that Lu Yanhe is manipulating public opinion and trying to influence the selection based on a few articles, who would think that such an approach is right and objective?"
No one spoke.
Huang Lian: "So, according to your logic, we should just ignore these articles?"
“That makes sense. If we all believe that these articles interfered with the normal selection process, then we should condemn such behavior in the name of the authorities,” Gu Mo said. “The key question is, does this behavior really interfere with the award selection? These articles have indeed stirred up a lot of public opinion and made many people discuss what kind of selection criteria our Golden Tripod Award should have, but has it really influenced the choices of the preliminary judges in an improper way? Shouldn’t this be investigated?”
Huang Lian sneered.
But he just gave a cold laugh.
Gu Mo's mouth was like a machine gun, riddling this already illogical statement with holes.
Ultimately, no one said they would take any action because of this.
After the meeting, Huang Lian angrily threw a tantrum in his office.
"Who does he think he is?! How dare he say such things to me in a meeting?" Huang Lian roared at several committee members on his side. "I don't want him to be among us again in the next election!"
“He’s all alone here, a complete stranger, and he dares to say anything. But he can’t influence the overall situation on his own. We’ve determined the list of judges for this preliminary selection, so don’t worry,” another person told Huang Lian. “They will definitely select a list that satisfies us.”
Huang Lian immediately questioned, "Since he alone can't affect the overall situation, why didn't any of you speak up when he was speaking at the meeting just now?"
Everyone else remained silent.
Huang Lian knew what they were thinking.
Behind Gu Mo is Luo Yuzhong. Gu Mo itself is nothing special, but who would be the one to stick their neck out and offend Luo Yuzhong?
Although Luo Yuzhong does not hold any position in any awards or associations, he is a top-tier director in the television drama directing circle, possessing connections, relationships, resources, and background.
Huang Lian can ignore Luo Yuzhong, but they can't.
Gu Mo dared to fire so fiercely, there must be Luo Yuzhong behind it.
-
"That old bastard Huang Lian has no shame!"
Gu Mo was taken aback, and his heart sank.
He rarely saw his teacher get so angry.
As a bigwig in the industry, Luo Yuzhong rarely loses his temper like this, except on set when problems arise during filming.
After all, most of the time, given his status in the industry, people around him treat him with great respect.
Gu Mo said, "Teacher, although I stopped him this time, the preliminary judges are basically the ones they selected. I'm worried that this matter will still..."
“If that’s really the case, then there’s nothing we can do. We can’t interfere with the judges,” Luo Yuzhong said. “However, if they still dare to ignore Friends and continue to exclude it from the nomination list, it’s not just the public pressure that will come; let’s see how they explain themselves to the State Administration of Radio and Television.”
Gu Mo said, "Huang Lian doesn't seem worried about being in trouble with the General Administration."
"He thinks he has people who can support him and protect him," Luo Yuzhong sneered.
Gu Mo was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, "Teacher, you mean..."
"Don't interfere with the judges' affairs, and don't do anything about it," Luo Yuzhong instructed.
-
I recommend an older book in the same entertainment genre, "I Became the Scandalous Female Lead Overnight".
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(End of this chapter)
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