End of Chapter 824
In late April, Ma Zhiyuan made headlines again.
His starring role in the online movie "Caught in Scandal" was released and became a huge hit.
Just as Zhou Ping'an had predicted, this story, almost entirely based on Ma Zhiyuan's own life experience, was full of gimmicks and attracted a large number of onlookers.
However, many viewers who clicked on the online movie expecting just to have some fun were shocked to discover—
Wow, this movie is so good!
It's not that they're exaggerating, it's because of this movie—
It's not a typical online movie at all.
It even has a touch of documentary style.
-
"Who is the director of this film? He probably doesn't have formal training, but his sense of rhythm is very unique."
Lu Yanhe also went to see the movie.
He and Chen Ziyan watched it together; they were picking up firewood.
Lu Yanhe said, "Every plot twist was done without any foreshadowing. Directors from academic backgrounds probably wouldn't do this. But usually, films that do this feel abrupt, strange, or even crazy. However, because every twist in this film maintains a high degree of consistent abruptness, people immediately accept this style after getting used to the first one or two."
Chen Ziyan said, "I never expected that you would drag me to watch a web movie starring Ma Zhiyuan."
“Fu Kai told me that this film was very well made,” Lu Yanhe said. “He said that no domestic film director has ever made a film like this.”
"This is an online movie."
“This is no ordinary online movie,” Lu Yanhe said. “In fact, this film would definitely be a hot topic at a film festival. Its overall form is a bit rough, it looks like it was rushed, and the budget was insufficient, so the technical staff in each department were just so-so. But the more rough it is, the more it highlights the director’s ability. If you think about it carefully, is there any part of this film that you feel is too good or too bad? The entire film, from the actors’ performances to the camerawork, from the music to the editing rhythm, is maintained at a very high level of precision. Under the rough and shoddy form of an online movie, it feels like it was made for documentary purposes. This director has turned very limited resources into a work of art that he could do.”
"artwork?"
“Ma Zhiyuan’s acting skills are still the same, but I don’t know if it’s because he’s playing himself, but he seems very sincere and earnest. I have to admit that,” Lu Yanhe said. “Or maybe the director is just too good. He can capture the essence of the role. So, in this story, every scene in which Ma Zhiyuan appears makes the actor seem very sincere.”
Chen Ziyan: "Do you think he acted very well?"
“I told you, his acting skills are still the same, how could you say he acted very well?” Lu Yanhe said. “Oh, Sister Ziyan, don’t misunderstand my words just because you have a prejudice against Ma Zhiyuan. I’m analyzing this online movie with you.”
“I want to remind you that Ma Zhiyuan is only now far behind you, but he threatened and attacked you just as much back then.”
“I know,” Lu Yanhe nodded, “but he’s become popular again, what can we do?”
“I’ve already talked to Xu Qinyin,” Chen Ziyan suddenly said.
"What?"
“After Xu Qinyin’s contract with her original agency expires, she will sign with me,” Chen Ziyan said. “Everyone should be very happy to see the child’s mother teach the child’s father a lesson, right? It will also remind everyone that Ma Zhiyuan is a father who abandoned his child.”
Lu Yanhe: "...Sister Ziyan, don't get involved in their child's affairs without being innocent."
“If I don’t sign Xu Qinyin to my team, their children will be innocently dragged into this,” Chen Ziyan said. “At least for now, everything is under my control. Do you think Xu Qinyin is the kind of person who would use her own child as a tool to attack Ma Zhiyuan?”
Lu Yanhe said with doubt, "But, back then, the fact that Xu Qinyin's child's father was Ma Zhiyuan—"
"You think it was Xu Qinyin who exposed it?"
“Otherwise, no one else would know,” Lu Yanhe said.
"It was someone from Xu Qinyin's company who betrayed her. At the time, Xu Qinyin was about to co-star with Li Zhibai in 'Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed.' Someone in her company hated her very much and took advantage of the situation."
Afterwards, the female lead of "Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed" was indeed changed to Ji Miao.
“If Xu Qinyin wanted to use this child for publicity, she could have done it a few years ago,” Chen Ziyan said. “In fact, she has never used this to promote herself from the beginning. Even now, when her career is in a slump, she never talks about Ma Zhiyuan and the child in front of the camera.”
"Then—" Lu Yanhe asked, "what do you mean by telling the child's mother to discipline the child's father?"
“Ma Zhiyuan can make a comeback, but can’t Xu Qinyin continue to build her own career?” Chen Ziyan said. “I made it very clear to Xu Qinyin that I will not make any demands on her that violate my principles. I will provide her with a lot of resources, but there is only one condition: when Ma Zhiyuan poses a threat to us, she must eliminate those threats.”
"Her?" Lu Yanhe frowned. "Can she do it?"
Chen Ziyan said, "She agreed. I don't know if she can actually do it, but I only have one thing to say: Xu Qinyin is trying to revive the fire. If Ma Zhiyuan is capable, then he should really not care at all. Otherwise, regardless of whether he still has feelings for Xu Qinyin or is wary of her, and regardless of whether he loves his son, he should stay away from us based on his nature of seeking profit and avoiding harm."
"Sister Ziyan, why are you still so wary of Ma Zhiyuan?"
"Those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose. Zhou Ping'an, that leech, can't shake off Ma Zhiyuan and is still being pestered by him. I have no choice but to help him make a comeback. Why should I look down on him and treat him as no threat?" Chen Ziyan pointed at Lu Yanhe with her eyes. "You're the same. Why should you look down on him and treat him as no threat?"
A wake-up call.
Lu Yanhe realized... he really hadn't considered Ma Zhiyuan a threat.
Chen Ziyan said, "I will contact the director of this film to see if I can poach him. Since you think he is so talented, perhaps we can sign him to Linghe."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan said, "In the movie 'Men in Black,' you gave Yan Liang, Cai Na, and Ming Lan a cameo role. Will they appear later? I know you plan to make this movie a trilogy."
Lu Yanhe said, "No, it's just a cameo appearance. They are all on the international stage and need to make their faces known. This movie will be released and promoted in the global market. Their cameo appearances are not just one or two shots; they are part of a whole scene."
“Okay.” Chen Ziyan nodded. “Minglan is quite popular in the French film industry. After filming a French movie, several film scripts came her way. I’m a bit conflicted. Should I let her take on more French films to further her career, or should she continue to look for opportunities in Hollywood?”
“The French film industry welcomes her, so let her make French films first,” Lu Yanhe said. “In recent years, many Chinese faces have appeared in Hollywood movies. I think it’s become a bit homogenized for the American audience. Moreover, for young Asian actresses in Hollywood films now, Yuqian is the first choice. The movies that Minglan can get in Hollywood now are basically the same as Yuqian’s. Minglan can actually add something unique to her own acting style and characteristics. Being unique is always an actor’s greatest weapon, not even acting skills.”
Chen Ziyan nodded.
You're absolutely right.
Lu Yanhe asked, "However, the French film industry always makes actresses take their clothes off, Minglan—"
“I won’t accept any offer to take off my clothes,” Chen Ziyan said. “It’s not that I’m averse to this, but Minglan is, after all, a Chinese actress. Different cultural environments have different levels of taboo surrounding this matter. I can’t disregard these things just to make her famous overnight. Of course, if you tell me it’s a top-tier director’s art film with real artistic value, then we can discuss it. Of course, OK. But I can’t expect Minglan to go to the same level as European and American actresses. They do it without bearing moral and mental pressure, but Minglan wants that.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"That's true."
Chen Ziyan: "Of course, I hope that this kind of pressure will become less and less in the future, but in the end, this is not a personal appeal, but a change in the entire social environment. I can't say that I can ignore these things and just stick to art."
-
There are all kinds of movies in this world.
Naturally, there are also all kinds of viewers.
Audiences also have a variety of needs.
Actors strive to meet and serve the audience's needs, which is admirable.
Actors who adhere to their own artistic aesthetics regardless of the audience's demands are equally admirable.
Lu Yanhe knows what kind of actor he wants to be, but he doesn't have a clear standard for balancing his own convictions with meeting the audience's demands.
Chen Siqi said, "I think you can never figure these questions out. Once you figure them out, you're no longer an artist."
Lu Yanhe said, "Hello, philosophy."
Chen Siqi laughed loudly.
Lu Yanhe said, "I suddenly remembered that I had talked to Sister Ziyan about whether or not Minglan should take off her clothes in the movie."
"uh-huh?"
"Some actors are not afraid of taking off their clothes, especially many European and American actors I know. They genuinely believe that the body is just a tool for expression, a container, and it doesn't matter if they are exposed on screen."
"Different cultures have different definitions."
“When I encounter such a problem, my first reaction is that there’s really no need to touch it,” Lu Yanhe said. “My first reaction is, what kind of art must be expressed through nudity? Then, I suddenly realized that, frankly speaking, it’s because I resist facing the contradictions. It’s not that I resist nudity itself, but rather the controversy and contradictions it evokes. I would rather I resist nudity, because whether I accept it or resist it is my aesthetic attitude, but what I mind is the controversy and contradictions. What I really care about is other people’s opinions, and then I—”
"I always use tricks to gain the audience's support."
"Is there a problem with creators wanting to gain audience support?"
"No problem, but if I want to gain the support of others, what about myself?"
"And what is oneself?" Chen Siqi said, "What I really want to say is that I understand what you mean, but it doesn't mean that just because you don't care about others, you are necessarily yourself. Everyone's self-construction is based on different experiences and different environments, like the Earth, which rotates on its own while revolving around the sun, and is formed slowly in this way."
Lu Yanhe: "I know what you said makes a lot of sense, but it's just something to comfort myself."
"It's comforting, but do you remember something you said to me before?"
"What did you say?"
"The absence of an answer is what makes thought valuable."
When did I say that?
"I don't remember."
Lu Yanhe took a deep breath and clicked his tongue twice. "I actually said something so philosophical?"
Chen Siqi: "You have said many philosophical things, but you only talk about them and you don't put them into practice. You have more doubts than anyone else."
Lu Yanhe: "Okay."
“Although I know it’s no use me saying this, I still want to say, why do you think so much?” Chen Siqi said, “Just do it. Anyway, there will always be all sorts of situations that force you to make a choice. Once you make the choice, you’ll know the answer.”
"That makes a lot of sense."
-
If the dark horse of early April was "The Corpse," then the dark horse of late April was "Caught in Scandal."
This is the first online movie to spark such a huge discussion.
Even the blockbusters released during the May Day holiday did not generate as much discussion as "Scandal".
Almost all the films released during the May Day holiday failed to meet box office expectations.
The box office champion is "Mountain Dwellers," a film co-directed by Chen Mofan and Xu Yiren, who also directed "My Home I Haven't Been Back for a Long Time." It continues the thriller genre and is another female-centric film.
Because their previous collaboration, "My Home That I Haven't Been Returned To in a Long Time," grossed 800 million yuan, and given that Xu Yiren's films in recent years have also performed well at the box office, the industry had high hopes for "Mountain Dwellers." However, even though it won the box office championship during the May Day holiday, the film only grossed 312 million yuan in total over the five-day holiday, and its final box office may only reach around 500 million yuan.
Actually, the box office was quite high.
However, this number is a bit low for the box office champion during the May Day holiday.
Industry insiders believe that the main reason for the decline in box office revenue during the May Day holiday is that all the films released during this year's holiday relied on their subject matter and lacked big-budget productions, thus limiting their appeal. After all, the competition was fierce, and the film failed to expand its audience reach.
Lu Yanhe didn't know what was going on.
He also didn't pay attention to the May Day holiday films.
During this time, he was in the United States preparing for the film "Men in Black" with Fu Kai and others, and at the same time, he was also reviewing post-production with the director of "Speed" and giving feedback.
Not only has "Speed" finished filming, but "Source Code" and "The Notebook" have also finished filming and are in post-production.
All three films are in development. Currently, only "The Notebook" seems likely to be released this year. The other two films are in post-production and will take some time to complete.
I'm incredibly busy.
"Have you thought about Huang Tianlin's movie? Do you want to take it?" That evening, back at the hotel, Lu Yanhe received a call from Chen Ziyan.
Ever since receiving Huang Tianlin's script, Lu Yanhe has been hesitant, unsure whether to accept it.
Lu Yanhe asked, "Sister Ziyan, do you think I should accept?"
"I don't know," Chen Ziyan said. "You'll have to make that decision yourself."
Lu Yanhe said, "I have been unable to make up my mind."
Chen Ziyan said, "So there's even less reason for me to make this decision for you, Yan He. This is a decision you need to make yourself."
Lu Yanhe sighed.
"I'm so hesitant."
Chen Ziyan asked, "Putting aside your personal reasons, what do you think of this script?"
Lu Yanhe said, "Very good."
How good is it?
"It made me feel something similar to the script of 'Tropical Rainy Season,' a very pure and personal emotion."
Chen Ziyan: "Could you tell me more about it?"
Lu Yanhe said, "Many scripts have a good story, many scripts have very three-dimensional characters, but very few scripts are about an emotion. 'Tropical Rainy Season' is about an emotion of growth and confusion, while this script is about an emotion of a fire deep inside that needs to be released."
Chen Ziyan: "Is it related to your personal experience? Is this judgment influenced by your own experiences?"
"Then I really can't say with a straight face that there's no impact," Lu Yanhe said with a wry smile.
Chen Ziyan: "Director Wang Zhong's 'Seeking Pleasure' has been constantly revising the script. He is not satisfied with it. If you don't take Huang Tianlin's script, I will have to help you find another art film script, or you can write one yourself. You have too many commercial films on hand. I need to save an art film for you."
Lu Yanhe said, "The movie 'Dingfeng No. 1' will be released in China and Europe and the United States this July."
“‘Dingfeng No. 1’ is the only non-commercial film you have that hasn’t been released yet,” Chen Ziyan said. “After this film is released, there won’t be any more.”
Lu Yanhe: "I feel like you're subtly trying to persuade me to take on Huang Tianlin's movie."
"You'll hear what's on your mind," Chen Ziyan countered. "Am I trying to persuade you to answer, or is it that you subconsciously want to answer?"
Lu Yanhe remained silent.
-
There is a saying: "Near home, one feels timid."
Lu Yanhe knew that his situation had absolutely nothing to do with "feeling apprehensive about returning home," but in some ways, the principle was the same.
Lu Yanhe knew why he was hesitant, but knowing it didn't mean he could solve it.
At this time, Yu Mengling brought him a script.
"Yan He, I've received a script. Would you like to take a look?"
Since collaborating with Yu Mengling on the TV series "Rouge", they have had relatively close communication.
Yu Mengling agreed to participate in the Spring Festival Gala program without hesitation after receiving his call.
However, this was the first time Yu Mengling had ever given him a script.
Yu Mengling is a very elegant and graceful woman.
Her emotions were intense, but her presentation carried a sense of aloofness typical of women from high-class families.
It is precisely this temperament that makes her unique.
Lu Yanhe agreed, then asked, "Sister Meng Ling, is this script lacking investment, or is there a role you think would be suitable for me?"
"Take a look first," Yu Mengling said.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe stopped asking and, as she suggested, decided to observe first.
The movie is called "The Boat," and it tells the story of an ancient family that made boats for people.
The script is written in a very mundane, solid, yet moving style, reminiscent of Hirokazu Kore-eda's films.
Until the very end of the script, when the boat was completed and it seemed like a perfect ending was about to happen, the son in the script suddenly killed his father.
Lu Yanhe's heart skipped a beat as he watched.
Why is it always this kind of plot?
The movie doesn't end with a deliberate plot twist.
Instead, it doesn't explain why the son killed the father, but only that the person who delivered the goods at the end became the son.
Lu Yanhe sent a message to Yu Mengling with a puzzled look, asking: I didn't understand the ending of this script.
Yu Mengling asked: What do you think of the writing?
Lu Yanhe: Putting aside the ending, the beginning is very moving and well written.
Yu Mengling said: Can you read it again? Actually, several places in the beginning have already hinted at why there is such an ending.
(End of this chapter)
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