Chapter 666 Movie Moment
Tom Felton's departure from Doomsday, as Chen Ziyan pointed out, did indeed bring the project to a standstill.
After learning this from Darren and the others, Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan decided not to stay in Los Angeles any longer and to return to China first.
They have been in Los Angeles for almost ten days because of this.
Lu Yanhe had to return to China immediately to film "Friends," and Chen Ziyan also had a lot of work waiting for her to handle back home, so she couldn't stay in Los Angeles indefinitely.
Before leaving, Lu Yanhe instructed Wan Qingqing to find out which Hollywood directors were capable of making fast-paced feature films.
In the United States, there are many small film festivals where many young directors spend tens of thousands of dollars to make short films that are a few tens of minutes long and send them to these festivals for screening.
Many directors rely on these short films to gain favor with major film companies and then get the opportunity to independently direct real commercial films.
Lu Yanhe has found several scripts that can be filmed at any time and do not have high requirements for actors, and he plans to go back and write them.
This experience of dealing with so many people in the United States made Lu Yanhe realize that if he also had a film production company in the US, and made those low-budget films to the standards of independent films, it would, to some extent, increase his influence in Hollywood.
Anyone, anywhere, who wants to do something must have a force that they can use for their own benefit.
Now, Lu Yanhe has a profound understanding of this principle.
-
Wang Biao came to pick him up at the airport.
As soon as he picked up Lu Yanhe, he said, "Brother Lu, the Korean drama adapted from 'Rouge' is about to premiere, and TVN has contacted us, wanting to ask you to record a video message."
Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised to see the portable video camera in Wang Biao's hand and asked, "Now?"
“Yes.” Wang Biao nodded. “The time was quite tight. They set the release date in a hurry and didn’t prepare in advance.”
Lu Yanhe turned to look at the bustling airport around him and said, "How about we go back to the car and record this?"
Wang Biao nodded.
“TVN is filming very quickly; the script for our domestic drama version hasn’t even been released yet,” Lu Yanhe said.
"In South Korea, the production of TV dramas is very mature in all aspects. It's an assembly line industry. In particular, their screenwriters are known for being very fast, writing and filming at the same time."
Chen Ziyan offered an explanation while looking around.
Fortunately, it seems that his travel itinerary was not leaked this time, and no fans came to pick him up at the airport with light boards or anything like that.
Despite Lu Yanhe's repeated appeals not to pick him up at the airport, and his refusal to sign autographs or take photos with fans at the airport, some fans still insisted on coming to the airport to see him in person.
No one expected that, after walking out of the airport peacefully and reaching the roadside to get into their car, a man in a black trench coat, holding a handheld camera, suddenly appeared from the side like a spear that had just attacked.
Zou Dong reacted very quickly, his thick arm directly blocking Lu Yanhe's path.
This person seemed to have anticipated encountering this kind of interception.
After being intercepted, his first reaction was not to resist Zou Dong, but to forcefully extend his handheld camera in front of Lu Yanhe and loudly, as if no one else was around, ask:
"The movie 'Doomsday' has been shelved. Were you very disappointed when you went to Los Angeles this time?"
Lu Yanhe glanced at the man with slight surprise.
An abnormal, distorted excitement appeared on this person's face.
Is he a reporter? Or a paparazzi?
Neither seems quite right.
But how did this person know this information?
Lu Yanhe didn't answer and got into the car.
Even after the car drove away, the man kept trying to bang on the car window, hoping to get some response from Lu Yanhe.
"Is it already being reported in China?" Chen Ziyan immediately asked Xing Lecheng, another assistant in the car.
Xing Lecheng shook his head and said, "No, we've been monitoring the online activity. Nobody knows that the 'Doomsday' movie project is related to Brother Lu."
Wang Biao gestured to his phone and said, "I just searched online, but there are no related entries."
"It seems someone has made a move." Chen Ziyan smiled at Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe nodded.
They knew perfectly well who this person was, but there was no need to say it aloud.
Chen Ziyan: "I'll handle this. You guys film the video first."
"Okay." Lu Yanhe nodded and asked, "What should I say? Do you have a prepared speech?"
Wang Biao took a piece of paper out of his bag and said, "It's ready, Brother Lu. Take a look and see if this is okay. TVN contacted us quite late, so this is something I wrote on the spot. I haven't had the PR team polish it yet."
Lu Yanhe took it, looked at it, and nodded.
“Sure, this video is just something I, as the copyright holder, need to express my support for; it doesn't need to contain much substance.” Lu Yanhe waved the paper. “But the two lead actors I mentioned, are they alright?”
“The female lead was once exposed for tax evasion. However, after checking the matter, it is said that there was a problem with her accounting firm. She clarified and apologized immediately and paid the corresponding taxes.” Wang Biao said, “This has little to do with us. She is a Korean actress, not a Chinese actress. The tax evasion was a Korean tax. Apart from that, they have no other major negative news in the past.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"That's fine."
"Oh, right, there's one more thing. It seems this actor is going through a divorce with his wife recently, but they haven't responded to it yet, so we don't know if it's true or not," Wang Biao added.
“It’s none of our business, it doesn’t matter.” Lu Yanhe familiarized himself with the lines he was going to say, memorized them for a minute, and nodded to Wang Biao, “Let’s record it.”
Beside him, Xing Lecheng silently wrote it down on his phone:
All collaborators involved need to be investigated for any negative news to determine whether it will negatively impact Xiao Lu's image.
Chen Ziyan caught a glimpse of Xing Lecheng's phone memo out of the corner of her eye and glanced at him again.
Xing Lecheng was unaware of it.
-
Chen Ziyan was actually not very satisfied with the two new assistants that Wang Biao had found for Lu Yanhe.
As Lu Yanhe's career develops, he can't have all his assistants with such low educational backgrounds.
Xing Lecheng and Yu Xiaoyan are both honest and simple-minded, not very clever.
Chen Ziyan knew that this was because Wang Biao himself didn't want to find any threatening competitors for himself.
Objectively speaking, however, these people did not help Lu Yanhe's professional image.
Lu Yanhe's work, in particular, requires his staff to be quick-witted.
But after spending some time with her, Chen Ziyan changed her mind.
Being clever has its advantages, and being honest has its advantages as well.
Especially since Lu Yanhe himself is an artist who is kind-hearted by nature and not so ruthless, it's best for his staff to be honest with him. Otherwise, given Lu Yanhe's personality, if he encounters a few traitors, they would probably have already looked down on him and started doing things against his will.
Moreover, while Wang Biao might not be good at teaching others, he is good at one thing: he won't hide anything from them or fail to properly guide the two of them.
This is the biggest benefit.
Wang Biao still prioritized Lu Yanhe.
-
Chen Ziyan communicated with Darren about the new situation in China.
In all likelihood, if "Destruction Day" is indeed cancelled, Chen Pinhe and Zhang Yuezhen will push the blame onto Lu Yanhe to damage his market reputation.
Fortunately, the big-budget film that Lu Yanhe was actually in contact with during his trip to Los Angeles this time was "Godless".
Chen Ziyan communicated with Darren Wilson and informed Green Valley Film Company that if Chen Pinhe and his team really wanted to use "Doomsday" to attack Lu Yanhe, they would retaliate with "Godless".
Darren Wilson told Chen Ziyan that the salary offered to Lu Yanhe for the first film, "The Godless," was between $2 million and $3 million.
This is also Lu Yanhe's normal fee for a commercial film in the Hollywood market.
Darren Wilson was also worried that Chen Ziyan might not be satisfied, saying, "The reason why the sequel to 'The Mist' was able to earn $6.5 million plus box office bonuses is because the first film was a huge box office hit, and Lu Yanhe's character is a key figure in the 'Mist' series. Only with these factors can such a salary be achieved."
Chen Ziyan understood.
In fact, Lu Yanhe was able to earn $2-3 million for the first film, "The Godless," which is a considerable increase compared to the $1 million he earned for the first film, "The Mist."
Of course, I can't say that out loud.
"Yan He made a cameo appearance in 'Hurricane 2,' and received a $1.5 million fee for his three-day cameo," Chen Ziyan said.
“In Hollywood, pay isn’t entirely based on time. Yan He only filmed for three days in ‘Hurricane 2,’ but we all know that ‘Hurricane 2’ needs Yan He’s participation to help the film sell at the Asian market. This pay is based on the market behind Yan He,” Darren said.
Chen Ziyan said, "Yes, of course we understand, but won't 'Godless' also be released in Asia? Not only in Asia, but also in the European and American markets, doesn't Yan He's appeal to the Asian community deserve a higher salary?"
Darren Wilson cursed inwardly, "How greedy!" but could only say, "I'll go talk to Midoriya again and see if I can get a higher salary."
"If 'Godless' can offer box office rewards and profit sharing like the sequel to 'The Mist,' then we can accept a lower salary," Chen Ziyan stated frankly. "Otherwise, to be honest, given Yan He's current influence, we all know that this figure doesn't match his worth. He may have acted in fewer Hollywood films, but the box office of the films he starred in—last year, two of his films, 'The Mist' and 'Love Letter,' both grossed over $200 million worldwide. Is there any other actor who has achieved that?"
Darren Wilson thought to himself, "Of the $200 million box office of 'Love Letter,' a large portion came from China."
But he didn't say it aloud, because he knew that even if he did, Chen Ziyan would definitely ask, "Does this mean 'Godless' isn't going to be released in China?"
-
When it comes to pay, Chen Ziyan is absolutely unwilling to budge an inch.
If it's a movie with a low budget and unlikely to perform well at the box office, that's another story. But for a movie like "Godless," which has an investment of over 100 million US dollars, she's going all out to raise Lu Yanhe's salary to a higher level.
In Hollywood, once an actor's salary reaches a certain level with A, it's generally not considered an exorbitant demand when negotiating with B and C. Furthermore, B and C are more likely to offer the same or even higher salaries because A has already paid that level.
As long as they truly need Lu Yanhe.
Everyone knows how to keep accounts.
If Lu Yanhe performs normally, he can certainly earn more profits.
However, within this salary system, only one of his films, "The Mist," has truly gained Hollywood recognition (regarding Lu Yanhe's role in the box office).
If Lu Yanhe hadn't been instrumental in several key promotional events for the film "The Mist," even with its $200 million box office success, Hollywood wouldn't have considered his contribution significant. At the beginning of filming, Lu Yanhe wasn't a crucial figure in the movie.
Therefore, if Lu Yanhe really wants to earn tens of millions in film remuneration, he needs to star in another movie that becomes a box office hit in North America, a movie in which he is the main draw at the box office.
It can't be something like "Hurricane 2".
It also can't be a film like the "Godless" series, which features non-lead actors.
However, at least try to raise the salary from $2-3 million to a higher level.
This will help improve Lu Yanhe's status in Hollywood.
It's either about the awards or the paycheck.
The higher your salary, the more the market recognizes you.
In a capitalist film market like Hollywood, salary is the true reflection of an actor's value.
-
To Darren Wilson's surprise, when he tentatively approached Green Valley Films to offer a higher salary, Green Valley readily agreed.
Midoriya proposed two solutions.
The first option is a $3.7 million salary, with no further profit sharing or bonuses.
The second option involves a $1.5 million salary, plus subsequent box office bonuses and a share of the Asian market's box office revenue. However, the box office bonus criteria are very high; Lu Yanhe will only receive a $5 million bonus if the US box office surpasses $300 million or the global box office surpasses $500 million. The Asian market revenue sharing is also largely symbolic, amounting to only 2%.
Darren Wilson had a frank conversation with Chen Ziyan.
Chen Ziyan proposed: The second option is acceptable, but the box office revenue sharing in the Asian market should be changed to profit sharing.
These are two different things.
After all, if "Godless" is directly bought out by local distributors in Asia and Midoriya doesn't enjoy local box office revenue sharing, then Lu Yanhe won't get a single penny of revenue sharing either.
Secondly, Chen Ziyan proposed that Lu Yanhe should receive the publicity resources and treatment for the lead role. All publicity content and direction involving Lu Yanhe should be communicated with them in advance and written permission should be obtained. Publicity that is detrimental to Lu Yanhe's image as an actor and the image of Chinese citizens should not be carried out against Lu Yanhe's wishes.
Darren Wilson and Chen Ziyan discussed many details in seven or eight rounds, and then went to negotiate with Midoriya again.
A long and drawn-out process of wrangling over everything, from the shooting dates and daily shooting times to the responsibilities that Lu Yanhe's side needed to fulfill, resulted in a performance contract that was over a hundred pages long.
This is not something that can be done in a few days.
However, the general direction has already been determined.
-
Chen Ziyan smiled broadly as she was interviewed by reporters at a public event.
"Yan He and I did go to the United States some time ago, mainly for several collaborations, not just Yan He's."
"Mr. Jiang Jun is now a contracted actor with Shi Huo. His overseas agency will be represented by CAA. If there are suitable roles in the future, Mr. Jiang Jun will also act in overseas works. In fact, there was a project we were discussing during this trip."
"Yan He has written a new movie script, which you have probably already heard about. It's a very unconventional thriller called 'Buried Alive.' We've already reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with Parameter and are currently discussing the details. The movie is also going to star a very famous actor in China, yes, he's a very good friend of Yan He. If there are suitable roles for Yan He's projects, he will definitely give priority to inviting familiar friends he has worked with before."
"Yan He himself is also in talks with a film company he has collaborated with several times about a new project, which may be a series. We are not at liberty to disclose specific details yet, as it depends on the arrangements of the film company in the United States. Yes, Yan He is only the lead actor and is not responsible for the script. Of course, this is a very big production, and you will know once it is officially announced."
“Doomsday?” Chen Ziyan laughed. “I saw it. A couple of days ago there was news online that Yan He was in talks for the movie Doomsday. I can’t say we haven’t been in talks, because the producer of Doomsday is the same producer who was working with us on the movie Buried Alive. We also discussed the possibility of Yan He starring in Doomsday. They were very polite.”
"However, our collaboration with Parameter is mainly focused on 'Buried'. We can't reveal too much yet, but it's a very anticipated film. I want to say that not many people dare to make such a film, and not many people dare to act in such a film."
Chen Ziyan kept everyone in suspense, which was actually just to whet everyone's appetite and make them look forward to it even more.
"To be honest, please don't discuss the movie 'Doomsday' with Yan He. Actually, as far as I know, 'Doomsday' did contact a very good actor in China before, and they were almost signing a contract. When Parameter talked to us about this project, it wasn't really about asking Yan He to play the role. The role was not suitable at all. It was the image of a middle-aged man, and Yan He wouldn't look good with a beard."
Chen Ziyan laughed heartily, as if she had told a joke.
"Even if Tom Felton leaves, the movie might still be made. Talking like this makes it sound like Yan He was robbed of his role by that senior actor. Don't do that."
-
"Sister Ziyan is actually quite suitable to be an actress. Her smile has such a perfect rhythm."
Lu Yanhe held Chen Siqi in his arms and watched a video of Chen Ziyan being interviewed on his phone with her, feeling emotional.
Chen Siqi: "Acting in real life is not the same as playing a character in front of the camera."
"I don't know how Chen Pinhe and Zhang Yuezhen will react after seeing this video."
“However, the media will definitely use what Chen Ziyan said to try their best to find out which middle-aged male actor is going to play the role in ‘Doomsday’,” Chen Siqi said. “But if they really find out, and ‘Doomsday’ still goes ahead with filming, will you still be able to help Jiang Jun get the movie?”
“We’re not going to fight for it anymore.” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “Tom Felton’s withdrawal from this movie was a direct statement that he was not satisfied with the script. Under these circumstances, it will be difficult for Parameter to continue developing this movie. They all hate Tom Felton.”
"What Tom Felton did was really unethical. If you don't want to cooperate, then don't cooperate. Why kick someone when they're down?"
"It seems the communication between the two sides wasn't very pleasant," Lu Yanhe said. "But I don't know the specifics, so I can't say for sure."
Chen Siqi: "So Chen Pinhe only has one drama series left to work on with Maxine?"
“Yes,” Lu Yanhe said. “Jiang Jun’s agent overseas, Robin, is already helping him contact Maxine.”
"Teacher Jiang Jun... is he willing to do this?" Chen Siqi asked hesitantly. "If word gets out that he's so openly trying to take Chen Pinhe's role, it doesn't seem like a good thing for his reputation in the industry or for the general public, does it?"
Lu Yanhe also hesitated.
This was also a concern in his mind.
“I’ve spoken to Teacher Jiang Jun, subtly, but he doesn’t know why I’m targeting Chen Pinhe like this…” Lu Yanhe sighed. “However, no matter what, I’m definitely forcing him.”
Chen Siqi: "Teacher Jiang will definitely be willing to help you, but once or twice is fine. If you always make Teacher Jiang act as your weapon against Chen Pinhe, it won't be good for Teacher Jiang either. Chen Pinhe will definitely retaliate. I think you can find more people in Chen Pinhe's track who are his competitors. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, don't you think?"
Lu Yanhe: "You're right."
"Chen Pinhe cannot be without enemies."
-
After a trip to Los Angeles, things took an unexpected turn, and Zhang Yue returned empty-handed, with the future of "Doomsday" uncertain.
Chen Pinhe was in a bad mood after a highly anticipated film encountered such a situation.
Zhang Yue's mood was naturally not very good either.
As a result, at this time, Zhang Yuezhen heard about Maxine's self-produced drama.
Zhang Yuezhen said to Chen Pinhe with a cold face, "Jiang Jun has his eye on Maxine's drama. He just signed with CAA, and CAA is in contact with Maxine."
Chen Pinhe's brows furrowed immediately.
"Jiang Jun?"
"First Lu Yanhe approached 'Destruction Day,' and then Jiang Jun approached this Maxine drama. Did you offend Chen Ziyan?" Zhang Yuezhen asked.
Chen Pinhe remained silent.
Seeing Chen Pinhe like this, Zhang Yuezhen felt displeased and angry.
They still won't say, they just won't tell.
Zhang Yuezhen: "You should really go and ask Chen Ziyan what she dislikes about you. One by one, they have no sportsmanship and allow the actors she brings to steal your roles."
Chen Pinhe remained silent for a long time before saying, "Don't go. I'll go talk to Chen Ziyan."
Zhang Yuezhen paused for a moment, then nodded, "That works too."
-
On the third day after returning to China, Lune Ries sent Lu Yanhe an email.
"I really like the script for 'Source Code' and I'm willing to direct this movie."
"The movie 'Doomsday' has been shelved, but if you'd like, we can start developing it now."
Lu Yanhe immediately went to discuss this matter with Chen Ziyan.
“Sure, that’s perfect. Our film company, registered in the US, can work with Lune Ries’s production company to develop this film,” Chen Ziyan said. “I just don’t know if Lune Ries is willing to work with you to develop this film, or if he just wants to buy the script from you.”
Lu Yanhe said, "If I don't act, they definitely won't be willing to give up much of their say."
“Yes, this is also our first film that we’ve been involved in developing in Hollywood. There’s no need to make us seem too greedy right away. We still need to familiarize ourselves with the rules of Hollywood.” Chen Ziyan thought for a moment and said, “In your script, there are two female leads. One of them—the girl who’s talking to the male lead on the train—is an Asian woman. Have you thought about who you want to cast her?”
This is a modification that Lu Yanhe made specifically to the original film when he was writing the script.
The other of the two female leads in this film is a female military officer.
Lu Yanhe felt that this female character was definitely not suitable to be changed to an Asian, so he changed another one.
“When I was writing the script, I didn’t think about who I had to cast. But since it was my script, I wanted to make sure that at least one of the main characters was Asian.”
When he himself has the ability to do so, he can create a small opportunity for everyone, which is a small thing.
He greatly admired a female author, J.K. Rowling. At her insistence, the Harry Potter series featured an entirely British cast, with not a single American actor. To achieve this in a mainstream Hollywood commercial film is incredibly difficult, yet she accomplished it.
Lu Yanhe also hopes that this approach can create opportunities for more Chinese actors to be recognized by the world.
“But Yuqian is actually quite suitable,” Lu Yanhe said. “Although I have another English commercial film script that I have prepared for Yuqian.”
Chen Ziyan said, "The movie 'Source Code' is mainly a male-perspective film. This role is rather useless for Jiang Yuqian at this stage. Playing it will not have much effect on her. It would be better to give it to someone else and help an actress who has no reputation in Hollywood to open up a new situation. This is a great opportunity."
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "Okay, do you have any ideas?"
"Can I give this to Minglan?" Chen Ziyan asked.
Wen Minglan was an actress who signed with Chen Ziyan's agency around the same time as Lu Yanhe. She also acted in "Friends" with Lu Yanhe and they had a good relationship.
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "Sure."
Chen Ziyan asked, "What other script did you prepare for Jiang Yuqian?"
"Red Eye Flight is also a crime film," Lu Yanhe said. "But the female lead in this script has a much stronger presence than the female lead in Source Code. Basically, it's just her and the male lead who plays the villain having their own scenes together."
Chen Ziyan said, "I'm so jealous of Jiang Yuqian. She introduced you to a drama called 'The Golden Era,' and you've written so many scripts for her."
"Actually, it's not just that. It's because Sister Yuqian is very career-oriented. I don't have to worry about the scripts I give her going to waste because she's retired from acting. Moreover, after 'The Squid Game,' she has been working very hard to maintain her international fame and exposure. In the past year or so, she has hardly taken a day off. You can see how hard she has worked in the past year or so. There aren't many people who are as famous as her and still work so hard. As her friend and also a Chinese actor, I naturally hope to give her a push if there is a suitable opportunity."
“You’re right.” Chen Ziyan nodded. “Jiang Yuqian has indeed had a tough time. But look at your script, basically all the female roles are played by Chen Bige and Jiang Yuqian.”
"Wang Jing also acted in several."
“She was just a side effect. Those scripts aren’t like ‘Rouge’ or ‘Telephone,’ which were tailor-made for Chen Bige and Jiang Yuqian.” Chen Ziyan sighed. “Minglan has told me many times that she wants to act in movies, but her acting skills are too good to be true. If I hadn’t read this script and realized that this Asian woman role doesn’t require superb acting skills, I wouldn’t have asked you to do this.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
“Minglan is actually a very serious actress.”
“No actor in front of you will be unserious,” Chen Ziyan said. “I also know Minglan’s flaws. Besides the ‘Friends’ crew, she also has some minor flaws in other crews. She’s a bit petty about things that don’t need to be. But for a girl her age, it’s really nothing. They all have a bit of a princess complex.”
Lu Yanhe chuckled.
“Don’t assume that actors who act nice to you are all nice actors,” Chen Ziyan said. “It’s not because of them, it’s because of you. Of course, basically all the actors who can work with you have gone through layers of screening and won’t have any major problems with their principles.”
Lu Yanhe asked, "Minglan... what happened to her?"
“Her biggest problem right now is that she is very sensitive to being looked down upon by others. In other film crews, she has thrown tantrums and acted out several times because she felt that others looked down on her and thought that her acting skills were mediocre.” Chen Ziyan sighed. “Actually, the reason she is so sensitive is because she herself knows that her acting skills are indeed not very good.”
"I think her acting is alright. She did a pretty good job in 'Friends'," Lu Yanhe said.
“That’s because Friends gave her plenty of time to prepare and rehearse. But some shows and some production crews only give her one or two opportunities to perform because of the rush to finish. She doesn’t have the ability to act on cue, so the problem is exposed,” Chen Ziyan said. “She is essentially a very strong-willed girl who wants to achieve something in the acting industry.”
Lu Yanhe asked, "Does Minglan have many acting offers these days?"
“She has many acting offers, but there are almost none of the good movies she wants to act in.” Chen Ziyan shook her head. “The competition among actresses her age is too fierce. They are all young actresses, and many of them have extremely high acting talent. Apart from being popular, famous, and well-known, she doesn’t have any advantages.”
"Doesn't this sound a lot like Versailles? And there's no advantage to it?"
“You should look at the roles in movies that are suitable for someone her age, and what functions they usually perform.”
Chen Ziyan explained: "Given her current status, it's unnecessary for her to play a supporting role in a movie unless you or Shang Yongzhou, who are top-tier actors, take the lead role, right?"
"She can't handle the truly important leading roles. No matter how popular she is, if she can't carry the character, the box office won't break even. Who would dare to use her? The film market is so risky, and she has so many competitors. Isn't that why there's a vacuum?"
Lu Yanhe listened and agreed that it made sense.
Just like a certain celebrity, once her issues were exposed to the public, she was basically cut off from mainstream film productions. No matter how high her popularity or buzz, if it didn't contribute to box office success, she was simply out of the running.
“I also told her that either she should hone her acting skills in low-budget art films, or she could only play a minor female lead role in a movie like Source Code to build up her resume.”
“I still think she has a face that tells a lot of stories. When I acted with her, she was clearly a good actress, so why did she become an actress who couldn’t act?” Lu Yanhe wondered.
"It's impossible to say that she can't act at all, but there's a gap between the big screen and the small screen. She'll have to hone her skills slowly," Chen Ziyan said. "She does have a face that tells a story, but perhaps in recent years she's been too eager for quick success and too eager to prove her acting skills, so she's gone too far."
Lu Yanhe: "Wouldn't it be better to hire a mentor for her?"
"It's not a problem with her acting ability, it's a problem with her mindset. Only she can adjust this herself. Otherwise, even the best teacher won't help. The words 'eager for quick success' are written all over her face. Every expression of hers is filled with the desire to prove herself. She can't interpret any role that is deeper, more complex, or requires getting into the character's inner world."
-
Lu Yanhe was completely baffled by Wen Minglan's situation.
Logically speaking, Jiang Yuqian is also an actress who pursues success and wants to prove herself. Why doesn't she have this kind of mentality problem when she is acting?
Jiang Yuqian's acting skills are limited by her natural talent; she can only rely on hard work and effort.
But after talking with Chen Ziyan, Lu Yanhe realized that Wen Minglan's problem wasn't actually a matter of her talent ceiling, but rather her mindset.
However, Wen Minglan was not unpopular. The TV series "Friends" made her extremely popular and well-known throughout the country.
At a time like this, why do you have to prove that you are actually an award-winning actress?
Lu Yanhe was puzzled.
It can only be said that everyone has their own problems to solve.
-
Lu Yanhe arranged a time for the cast of "Friends" to have a meal together before filming for this season begins, so they could catch up on each other's lives.
As a result, because starting next month, all the available time slots will be reserved for Friends, everyone is working like crazy this month.
Lu Yanhe had no choice but to give up for now.
Just then, the Korean drama adaptation of "Rouge" premiered.
The rights to this show were purchased by Icefield Video in China, and it was broadcast simultaneously.
Lu Yanhe also watched the premiere and was deeply moved afterward.
Korean dramas are produced to a level that truly achieves the quality of a movie while also possessing their own unique characteristics. They don't follow the same formula as American dramas; they have their own distinct features.
Of course, Lu Yanhe didn't like the inspirational monologues they added at the end of the first and second episodes. He felt that these diluted the sharp satire that the show should have.
But South Koreans seem to still buy into this.
The first and second episodes both had decent ratings and received positive reviews, ranking first in their time slot.
Xu Tianming had also taken advantage of the upcoming premiere of the Korean drama to finalize collaborations with several Korean brands.
To Lu Yanhe's surprise, a hotel with the same name as the movie "Rouge" was developed in South Korea.
Xu Tianming said that Kim Eon-sook of TVN wants to buy the remake rights to the Korean dramas "Love Letter" and "Squid Game".
It seems that the success of "Rouge" made Kim Yeon-sook want to further develop Lu Yanhe's script.
Lu Yanhe said: "We will not agree to 'Squid Game' until we have finished filming it. We will not authorize it to others. We can authorize 'Love Letter', but the remake of the Korean drama will not be broadcast until the year after next."
Xu Tianming agreed.
Xu Tianming added: "The movie 'Love Letter' has been wanted to be remade by film companies in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. I refused several times before, but their enthusiasm for the movie is greater than I imagined, especially Toho in Japan, which has approached me many times."
Lu Yanhe: Not now, it's only been released recently. Let's wait until next year at least.
Xu Tianming: Okay.
-
Because it was broadcast on a traditional television station, the Korean drama version of "Rouge" aired two episodes a week, which is a common broadcast pattern for Korean dramas.
It has also garnered considerable attention in China, with decent viewership on Icefield Video.
This has also brought some attention to the domestically remade TV series.
Although the script is not yet finalized and is still being revised, several versions of the cast have already been announced.
Previously, Li Yuefeng wanted to star in this drama, but Bingyuan Video considered many opinions and ultimately decided not to use Li Yuefeng.
This made Li Yuefeng a little depressed.
Lu Yanhe hadn't expected that Bingyuan Video would give up on the very popular Li Yuefeng—
In the TV drama market, popular actors are basically at the top of the pyramid of choice.
Unlike movies, the TV series market is too large, and actors who can carry a series and attract investment are always a scarce commodity, with supply falling short of demand.
Generally, once a platform manages to secure an actor, they will quickly sign a contract without caring whether the actor is suitable for the script and the role. If the actor is not suitable, they will choose to revise the script.
Of course, the screenwriter for the TV series "Rouge" was Miao Yue, while the screenwriter for the original version was Lu Yanhe, which puts the script in a position where it "cannot be changed arbitrarily".
Icefield Video even considered inviting Huang Kai-ren back to star in the TV series version.
Huang Kairen directly declined.
After searching high and low, the film "Rouge" was found to be based on a relatively unknown stage actor.
Young, handsome, with deep-set eyes, and an unfamiliar face to the audience; he's a good actor.
The only drawback is that it's not famous.
Icefield Video remains undecided.
The Korean drama version of "Rouge" stars two top Korean actors.
It's unacceptable that when it comes to adapting a Chinese-language drama, you can only cast newcomers.
Icefield Video then contacted Lu Yanhe, wanting to ask for his opinion.
Lu Yanhe went to meet the male actor.
An actor named Yang Shiyi.
Twenty-six years old.
I've been acting on the stage for four years.
The first photo I saw, as Bingyuan Video said, does indeed show deep-set features and a traditionally handsome appearance, somewhat resembling John Lone, but without the same prominent nobility.
However, there are actually a lot of male actors in the entertainment industry who look like that.
Before meeting him, Lu Yanhe went to see a play in which Huang Kairen was acting with him.
He played a supporting role.
On stage, Lu Yanhe completely changed the impression he had of the photos. When he moved, it was as if all the light fell on him, and his eyes and brows were full of spirit.
That kind of refined elegance that can only be cultivated in a wealthy family.
Lu Yanhe asked Huang Kairen for his opinion.
Huang Kairen said, "It's fortunate that you only met him at this time, otherwise, you might not have come to me three times."
This is a very high compliment.
Lu Yanhe said, "Why isn't this kind of actor famous? I heard it's not that he's unwilling to act in movies and TV dramas."
Huang Kairen shook his head.
After watching the play, Lu Yanhe didn't go backstage to greet anyone. Instead, he contacted Bingyuan Video to inquire about the situation.
According to Bingyuan Video, Yang Shiyi is a rather arrogant person who doesn't respect directors and actors, and he's unwilling to act in their films.
Lu Yanhe was very surprised.
However, such aloof actors are not uncommon in the entertainment industry, especially in the theater world.
In the world of fame and fortune, there is much fame and fortune, but also much willingness to give it up.
Lu Yanhe asked if there was any actress he liked for the TV series version of Ru Hua.
According to Bingyuan Video, several top actresses have expressed their interest in appearing in the show.
Upon inquiry, it turned out that Zhang Lan was among them.
Lu Yanhe silently drew an X.
-
Lu Yanhe returned to Zhenhua University mainly to see Miao Yue, but he also invited several other classmates who were pursuing graduate studies to have dinner together.
Lu Yanhe wanted to ask Miao Yue if she had a favorite actress in mind.
Miao Yue said that when she was writing the script, in order to avoid being influenced by the movie version as much as possible, she specifically found an actress and wrote the script based on her image.
Yu Mengling.
She won the Lingyun Award for Best Actress for her role in "Fusang".
Lu Yanhe had run into her at award ceremonies a few times. On one occasion, he was nominated for the Fei Hong Award for his work "The Road to Glory". Huang Kairen won the award, but he did not. Yu Mengling was sitting behind him and had comforted him.
This actress has always focused on acting in low-budget art films and has never appeared in a commercial film or a television series.
Miao Yue said, "But the script doesn't necessarily portray Yu Mengling as she is. I just feel that she has the air of a proud and aloof female scholar, which is different from other actresses. By writing this characteristic and character feeling onto Ru Hua, she loses a bit of the femininity and gains a bit more of the aloofness, which can create a different feeling from Chen Bige's Ru Hua."
When adapting an adaptation, one must not change its essence, but one must also not retain its superficial aspects.
There always needs to be something different, something new.
Lu Yanhe agreed with Miao Yue's understanding.
Will you please have Yu Mengling act in this drama?
Lu Yanhe didn't know if Yu Mengling would be in the show.
Some actors would never refuse Lu Yanhe's invitation.
However, some actors don't care at all whether the invitation comes from Lu Yanhe.
What kind of actor you are sometimes depends on what you truly care about.
Lu Yanhe asked Miao Yue, "Are you free tomorrow?"
Miao Yue said, "I have class in the morning."
“If you’re free tonight, let’s go see a play together,” Lu Yanhe said. “I’ll try to ask Yu Mengling out again to see if I can get her to come along.”
Miao Yue agreed.
Are you planning to cast Yu Mengling in "Rouge"?
"I haven't decided yet. She's a rather individualistic actress, so she might not be willing to take the role," Lu Yanhe said. "Let's meet up and talk about it first."
Miao Yue nodded.
-
Fortunately, Yu Mengling was not in the group and had time, so she readily accepted Lu Yanhe's invitation.
This time, Lu Yanhe brought along Li Zhibai, who was also not filming, to watch the play performed by Yang Shiyi, along with Miao Yue and Yu Mengling.
-
"Lu Yanhe is here again."
Backstage at the theater, a lean boy ran in excitedly.
"It seems he brought Li Zhibai with him this time!"
The others backstage showed some excitement when they heard those two names.
“He really loves our play. He just came to see it once, and now he’s here again,” one of the actors said.
Yang Shiyi sat in her dressing station, glanced at the person next to her, and listened silently.
"Who knows, Lu Yanhe might take a liking to someone and invite them to act in his plays."
"Keep dreaming," someone laughed and scolded.
"Why not? Do you think Teacher Zou's acting skills are unworthy of being noticed by Lu Yanhe?"
Zou Jiang is the lead actress in this play, and she is a well-known actress in the theater world.
Zou Jiang smiled and said, "Let's focus on performing our play well. Whether Lu Yanhe likes it or not, let's not worry about that. Our livelihood is this play, so let's not mess it up."
"We can't afford to mess it up."
Yang Shiyi looked at himself in the mirror.
Although he didn't say a word, he was actually quite moved.
He knew that the film "Rouge" was considering casting him as the male lead.
Of course, the rest of the troupe didn't know about this.
Yang Shiyi guessed that Lu Yanhe had come here for this very reason.
But Lu Yanhe didn't contact him, and he couldn't possibly take the initiative to contact Lu Yanhe.
He didn't know what Lu Yanhe thought of him.
Yang Shiyi was proud and arrogant, but that didn't mean he didn't care about fame and fortune.
He certainly knew that if he could play the male lead in "Rouge," his life might change dramatically.
"Truly." Suddenly, someone called out to him.
Yang Shiyi snapped out of his daze and looked at the man.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Don't you want to act in Lu Yanhe's play?" the man asked.
Yang Shiyi pursed his lips and said, "Whether I act or not is not up to me."
The other person laughed and said, "Why are you asking him? He's so arrogant, just like you, always trying to curry favor with others."
Zou Jiang glanced at Yang Shiyi thoughtfully.
-
Before going on stage, Yang Shiyi went to the restroom. After coming out, he passed by the dressing room and heard two people talking inside.
"I really don't know what Yang Shiyi has to be so arrogant about. He's been acting for so long and he's still only playing supporting roles. He thinks he's something special and looks down on everyone."
“Say less. He was originally supposed to play the male lead in this play, but Teacher Zou took it from him in the end.”
"It's all because he doesn't know how to behave and offended the regimental commander."
...
Yang Shiyi walked forward expressionlessly.
The regimental commander happened to be standing in front of him. He looked at him, smiled, and said, "Little Yang, have you thought this through?"
Yang Shiyi: "Commander, I already told you my thoughts before."
The smile on the regimental commander's face immediately vanished.
"Okay." He nodded. "You're arrogant."
Yang Shiyi remained silent and continued walking forward.
The commander's words drifted over from behind.
"You don't need to play today, Xiao Luo will play in your place."
Yang Shiyi paused in his steps.
He turned back to look at the commander in disbelief.
"I'd like to see how long you can keep up your arrogance." The commander snorted coldly, walked past him, and left.
Yang Shiyi felt a chill in his feet and stood still for a long time.
"Brother Yang, why haven't you gone over yet? The show is about to start." Someone passed by and saw him still standing there, so they asked.
Yang Shiyi turned and left without saying a word.
-
Lu Yanhe never expected that Yang Shiyi would not play today.
His role lost its luster when the actor was changed.
It's true that you don't know the harm without comparison.
No one else knew that he had brought them to see this play because of the actor Yang Shiyi; they just thought it was for the play itself.
The play itself is still enjoyable.
Lu Yanhe felt somewhat disheartened.
He hesitated for a moment, then looked at Yu Mengling and Miao Yue beside him, realizing that it wasn't easy for them to come all this way together.
So he sent a message to the people at Bingyuan Video, asking if they had Yang Shiyi's contact information.
A moment later, they sent it over.
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and sent a message to the number: Hello, this is Lu Yanhe. I am currently at the Poly Theater. Zhao Wanxiang, who contacted you before, gave me your number. Do you have time to meet with us now?
-
Yang Shiyi sat in the dressing room. At first, he was the only one in the dressing room. Then, after the play ended, the sound of applause from the audience could be heard outside.
He quietly removed his makeup.
By the time the actors gradually returned, he had almost completely removed his makeup, changed into his own clothes, and was ready to leave.
"Hey, Yang, why aren't you playing today?" a somewhat provocative voice asked deliberately.
Yang Shiyi knew that his temper had offended many people in the past.
He silently shut his mouth, not intending to pay any attention, and got up to leave.
"I'm talking to you, Yang Shiyi!" the man suddenly raised his voice, "Don't you have any manners?"
Yang Shiyi finally looked up at him and said, "That's enough. I'm not in the mood to argue with you."
"Damn, what are you pretending for? The troupe leader won't even let you go on stage, what are you still putting on airs for? Do you really think you're an artist? Even Teacher Zou isn't as famous as you."
Yang Shiyi glanced silently at Zou Jiang beside him.
Zou Jiang, with a stern face, said to the person, "Alright, stop making trouble."
That person stopped talking.
Zou Jiang walked up to Yang Shiyi, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Go back and get some rest. The commander's temper will subside soon. This role is still yours."
Yang Shiyi looked at Zou Jiang with a complicated expression; this was the person who had stolen his leading role.
But he couldn't bring himself to get angry.
Because if he hadn't offended the troupe leader, the male lead wouldn't have been snatched away by Zou Jiang.
Ultimately, it was his own fault.
Yang Shiyi nodded, said nothing, and walked out of the dressing room.
As soon as I went outside, I could hear other people's voices coming from inside.
"Teacher Zou, why are you wasting your breath talking to this kind of person? Damn it, I hate these arrogant people the most. Do they really think they're some kind of artist?"
Yang Shiyi clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and swallowed it.
The phone suddenly buzzed twice.
Yang Shiyi took out his phone and opened it.
He stared at it for several seconds, and was stunned for several seconds as well.
He didn't know if he had received a scam text message.
A while later, Zhao Wanxiang, who had been in contact with him, sent a message: "Seriously, Lu Yanhe just asked me for your contact information. He probably wants to contact you. Don't ignore it as a scam message."
Yang Shiyi came to his senses.
Ah, so it's true.
-
"Rouge?"
Yu Mengling looked at Lu Yanhe with some surprise.
Wearing a baseball cap and without makeup, Yu Mengling's eyes are as clear as a deer in the forest.
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Sister Meng Ling, Miao Yue is the screenwriter of the TV series 'Rouge.' When she was writing the TV series 'Rouge,' the character Ru Hua was based on your image."
Yu Mengling looked at Miao Yue in surprise.
"Are you the screenwriter of 'Late Spring'?"
"Yes." Miao Yue nodded, her smile slightly shy. "I'm also a fan of yours. I've watched many of your movies and I really like you."
Yu Mengling let out a soft "Ah!" like a little girl, and then said very solemnly, "Thank you."
Lu Yanhe looked at her up close and was surprised by her unique temperament.
When we met at the awards ceremony before, everyone was dressed in glamorous clothes and under the spotlight, so I never had the chance to see this side of them.
For an actress of Yu Mengling's caliber, she's probably the only one who can maintain this level of performance.
The actress who least has the airs of a female celebrity.
"The movie stars Chen Bige, and with such a brilliant performance before me, I feel I can't act well," Yu Mengling said.
“The TV series and the movie version are very different,” Lu Yanhe said frankly. “Miao Yue spent a whole year developing the script, and we don’t want to make a version that is the same as the movie. If that were the case, there would be no need to remake it.”
Yu Mengling seemed to unconsciously put her right hand in front of her mouth and began to bite her nails.
Lu Yanhe and the others were all taken aback.
Two seconds later, Yu Mengling suddenly came to her senses, smiled apologetically, and said, "I'm sorry, I tend to get distracted when I'm thinking about things."
Lu Yanhe was struck by Yu Mengling's sudden apology and smile.
This scene is so cinematic.
A natural-born actor.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
The waiter appeared at the door with a person in tow.
Yang Shiyi appeared before the crowd, dressed in the simplest jeans and white shirt, looking handsome and gentle.
Yu Mengling's eyes met his, and she was stunned for a moment.
Yang Shiyi's eyes flickered for a moment, then he pursed his lips and, with a slightly restrained smile, found Lu Yanhe, nodded slightly to him, and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting, I'm here."
Lu Yanhe took a deep breath.
What else is there to say?
At that moment, he forgot to answer Yang Shiyi and looked at Miao Yue instead.
Miao Yue also looked at him with an expression of disbelief.
Only Li Zhi looked at them, then at Yang Shiyi, completely bewildered.
Although I don't know them—
"Hello, please come in and have a seat."
-
I recommend the older entertainment-themed book, "I Became the Leading Lady of a Scandal Overnight."
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(End of this chapter)
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