Chapter 435: Each Shows His Special Abilities
As soon as "Joy of Life" was officially announced, the entire entertainment industry was in turmoil.
Artists are vying to inquire about the project details, all wanting to get a role in the drama. If they can be spotted and signed by Tengda Culture, that would be a dream come true.
When some forces saw the huge investment of 400 million yuan, their eyes suddenly lit up.
Tengda Group is a large and powerful company. They dare to spend 400 million to shoot a TV series. So they should be able to lower the budget and report 300 million, right?
All of a sudden, all kinds of capital, regardless of whether they were good or bad, were thinking of investing large sums of money in the film and television industry. The already thriving entertainment industry was like adding fuel to the fire, becoming more and more prosperous, but also more and more turbulent.
On the 8th, a meeting was held, which caused a sensation in China and abroad.
At noon, in the Tengda Technology Building, Song Ci had finished his lunch and was taking a nap by the window, overlooking the ancient city.
With countless emotions in their hearts, various princes gathered in the capital. The whole of Peking was under martial law. A new era was quietly beginning.
While his thoughts were flying, the cell phone in the office suddenly vibrated slightly. Song Ci turned around and looked at the caller ID. Although he was a little surprised, he quickly answered the call.
A steady and deep male voice came from the receiver: "Director Song, I hope I didn't disturb you."
Song Ci politely responded, "That's not true. How come Mr. Jing has time to contact me today?"
"The meeting just ended this morning." The other party explained, "It's been a few months since we last met. When will Director Song be free? Can we get together again?"
Song Ci declined: "Mr. Jing, the atmosphere will become stricter in the future. Now is an extraordinary period. It is better to keep a low profile."
"Mr. Song is really well-informed!" Mr. Jing was shocked.
One of the core topics of the morning meeting was to rectify the work style in the future. Song Ci had not attended the meeting, but he had already understood the content of the meeting, which was really beyond his expectations.
Song Ci said frankly: "Mr. Jing, there is no need for a small gathering. If you have anything to say, you may as well tell me directly. I will never refuse to help you as much as I can."
"Mr. Song is really quick-witted!" Mr. Jing smiled, "Didn't Tengda announce online yesterday that it was going to make a TV series?
Tiantian saw it and clamored to play the leading female role, and came to me, her uncle, to beg her. I had no choice but to disturb Mr. Song for such a small matter. "
Song Ci readily agreed: "So that's what it is, no problem."
Mr. Jing was delighted: "Okay, okay, I know the rules and I won't make it difficult for Mr. Song. As for the investment, Tiantian Company will contribute a part."
"No need for that. The female lead doesn't have many roles in this drama. If Tiantian wants to act, just let her do it. Talking about money is too polite and it's also too much of a disrespect for Tengda."
Song Ci politely declined, and then changed the subject, "Mr. Jing, can you move after the meeting?"
Mr. Jing's tone suddenly became heavy, and he did not hide it: "It's difficult! After all, I don't have any particularly outstanding achievements. I can only wait and see my qualifications. I plan to work for another two or three years and strive to develop in Beijing."
Song Ci nodded: "After all, the capital is the center of the country. If we make achievements here, it will be easier for the emperor to hear our opinions."
Mr. Jing sighed: "Alas, the higher the position, the more cautious you are. If you make a mistake, you will lose everything."
"The will of heaven has been determined, and everything has been settled. As long as the officials in the court remain impartial, they can at least withdraw safely and enjoy their retirement in peace."
"You kid, you're still talking to me in an official tone!" Mr. Jing snorted and said in a gentle tone, "After the conference, your backers are even stronger. The leaders all appreciate you. Do a good job."
Song Ci humbly agreed: "I will definitely live up to the expectations of the leader."
After ending the call, Song Ci immediately sent a WeChat message to Liu Rong, asking her to directly decide on Jing Tian as the leading female role in "Joy of Life".
On the other side, in the office of the president of Tengda Culture, Liu Rongzheng and Yang Tianzhen discussed the allocation of important roles in "Joy of Life".
Liu Rong rubbed her brows. From last night till now, she has received no less than forty calls. Some were asking for information, while others were asking for roles through connections. Good resources are really tempting!
"Several of the company's leading actresses are unwilling to take on Celebrating Life. Tian Zhen, I'll leave the matter of the leading actress to you."
"I see."
Liu Rong asked again: "Aofei Entertainment has been established for some time, but it has not signed any artists yet. Are there no new talents worth looking at among the three major colleges this year?"
“I’ve been keeping an eye on it, but I haven’t met any new people that I particularly admire.”
Yang Tianzhen explained that Aofei Entertainment follows the signing standards of Tengda Culture and wants to take the elite route of preferring to have nothing rather than hire someone who is not qualified.
She had previously looked among the 2012 freshmen at Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama, but didn't find any outstanding talents.
"Don't be too picky. Newcomers need to be carefully trained." Liu Rong advised, "Signing people early can also make better use of the company's resources."
Yang Tianzhen nodded and agreed: "I have my eyes on a male artist and I am in negotiation, but he has an agency and may have to pay some liquidated damages."
"Which company's artist is this?" Liu Rong became interested. Yang Tianzhen has always had high standards, and those she likes must be outstanding in appearance.
Yang Tianzhen introduced: "It's Yang Yang, an artist under Rong Xinda. The young man is very handsome, with good looks and temperament. He is very suitable for the traffic route."
Liu Rong tried hard to recall and had some impression of this name: "It sounds familiar. Did you act in "Left Ear" before?"
"Yes, I have acted in Director Ma's The Left Ear and played Jia Baoyu in Li Shaohong's version of A Dream of Red Mansions."
Liu Rong was about to speak when a crisp notification tone from WeChat suddenly rang out. He looked down and saw that it was a message from the chairman. He quickly picked up his phone to check and then quickly replied.
"Tian Zhen, you don't have to worry about the leading female role in Joy of Life." Liu Rong said, and searched for Yang Yang's information. "Someone called the chairman and said that Chairman Song has already given the role to Jing Tian."
Yang Tianzhen sighed softly. As expected, there were too many people watching such a big production.
It's only the first day of the official announcement, and the first and second female lead have already been cast. As for the most sought-after first male lead, it's estimated that everyone in the circle is trying their best to win the role. It might be difficult for her to get this role for Yang Yang.
Liu Rong looked at the photo of Yang Yang on the screen in his hand and praised him repeatedly: "He is indeed very handsome, and his appearance is only slightly inferior to that of Director Song.
He is a sunny and handsome type. If he is packaged and promoted well, he will definitely be very popular with girls. It will be no problem for him to be signed to Aofei."
Seeing Liu Rong's approval of Yang Yang, Yang Tianzhen was overjoyed and took the opportunity to test him: "Mr. Liu, if the male lead of "Joy of Life" remains undecided in the end, can you give Yang Yang a chance?"
Liu Rong hesitated immediately: "Mr. Wu of Reading Group is firmly against using handsome men. Even Chen Xiao didn't get this resource, so it's impossible for Yang Yang to play this role.
I understand what you mean. Although Chen Xiao is an artist of Tengda, he has nothing to do with Aofei. From your perspective, you naturally want to push Yang Yang to a higher position, which is understandable.
However, "Joy of Life" has an investment of 400 million yuan and is a key project jointly produced by three companies. The selection of the male lead is crucial, and the suitability of the role must be given priority. "
Hearing this, a trace of disappointment flashed across Yang Tianzhen's face.
"The company has so many resources, there's no need to focus on Joy of Life. Yang Yang's looks are suitable for idol dramas. Liying has a drama in the second half of next year, and we can work with Yang Yang."
Yang Tianzhen calmed down and said, "Okay. During this time, I will deal with the issue of Yang Yang's agency contract first."
In the next office, Zhuang Liqi, vice president of Tengda Culture, was answering a call from Wang Jinghua, the ace agent in the circle.
"Sister Hua, how come you have time to contact me today?"
Wang Jinghua chuckled: "I heard that Mr. Zhuang had a job transfer, so I wanted to find time to get together and congratulate you."
A smile spread across Zhuang Liqi's face. As the senior executives of Tengda Group rotated, he was about to be transferred to the position of vice president of Weibo.
Although the level has not changed, the size and influence of Weibo are far beyond that of Tenda Culture, and both power and income will increase significantly.
"You're too polite, Miss Hua. We're all old acquaintances, so just speak frankly if you have anything to say."
Seeing Zhuang Liqi's straightforwardness, Wang Jinghua stopped beating around the bush: "Mr. Zhuang, regarding the male lead of the drama "Joy of Life"..."
Before she could finish her words, Zhuang Liqi interrupted her: "Sister Hua, this drama is directly managed by the three CEOs of Tengda. I really can't get involved in such an important role. I'm sorry, I can't do anything."
Wang Jinghua quickly explained, "Mr. Zhuang, you misunderstood. I just wanted to know which lucky guy in the industry got the role. I didn't mean anything else."
"So that's how it is. I was too impatient." Zhuang Liqi breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Jinghua pondered for a moment, then simply stated her purpose and directly stated her demands: "Boss Zhuang, I'll be frank.
After hearing the news yesterday, Chen Daoming read the original novel of "Joy of Life" on a whim and was particularly interested in the role of Emperor Qing.
Hearing that the other party finally came to ask for resources, Zhuang Liqi sighed in his heart. He didn't expect that in just a few years, this once ace agent would lose his power so quickly.
After thinking about it carefully, it seems natural: Wang Jinghua has always focused on long-term training and resource accumulation, and pays attention to every detail of his artists.
With the advent of the traffic era led by Tengda Group, the industry trend has changed dramatically.
Data algorithms, social media hype, and fan economy have become mainstream, rapid star-making and topic marketing have become the norm, and traditional "human ties" have long been replaced by traffic mechanisms that prioritize efficiency.
"Sister Hua, Mr. Chen is a senior in the industry, his reputation and acting skills are unparalleled. It's an honor for the crew that he's willing to participate in 'Joy of Life', so why do you need to come and say hello?"
Zhuang Liqi immediately agreed, "The role of Emperor Qing is not a big deal. I'll tell Mr. Liu right away and give it to him."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Zhuang." On the other end of the phone, Wang Jinghua shook her head helplessly.
In the past, artist resources were entirely managed by agents. She had a lot of connections in the Beijing circle and almost monopolized high-quality projects.
However, since breaking up with Huayi and Tengda Culture's strong rise to dominate the Beijing circle, her resources and connections have declined rapidly.
Although Chen Daoming is a highly respected senior in the circle, he may not be given this face when facing Tengda Group, the capital leader in the entertainment industry that controls public opinion.
Tenda Group and other Internet capitals are so powerful that in just a few years they have forced the entire entertainment industry to transform from a world of human connections to a data empire, making it difficult for these "old guys" to breathe.
At the same time, in a rental house in Peking, a young couple was also chatting about "Joy of Life".
Seeing his girlfriend hang up the phone, the young man couldn't wait to ask: "Tingting, what did Zhao Liying say?"
"Sister Ying doesn't know the details either, but she knows the male lead has not been decided yet and the competition is very fierce."
The woman who was speaking was Tang Yixin, who played Concubine Qi in "The Legend of Zhen Huan", and sitting next to her was her boyfriend Zhang Ruoyun, whom she had just started dating.
After "The Legend of Zhen Huan", Tang Yixin starred in "The Legend of Lu Zhen", and thus met Zhao Liying from Tengda Culture. This time, she was really pestered by her boyfriend and had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask Zhao Liying for information.
"That's good that it's not decided!" Zhang Ruoyun let out a long sigh, his eyes burning.
His father is a senior producer and director in the circle. He has been in the crew since he was a child and knows a lot about some things in the entertainment industry. The male lead of "Joy of Life" has not been decided yet, which obviously means that Tengda Culture does not plan to use its own artists.
"Ruoyun, if you really want to play Fan Xian, why don't you discuss it with your uncle? It's simply impossible to achieve it with just our limited connections."
"I will never go to him!"
When Zhang Ruoyun mentioned her father Zhang Jian, her voice was filled with anger.
His parents divorced when he was 2 years old. His father relied on family pressure to obtain custody, but he never fulfilled his obligation to raise him.
He grew up with his grandparents and only saw his father a few times a year. His father almost never cared about his affairs.
While filming "Snow Leopard's Strong Years" a while ago, he ran into Zhang Jian and Feng Yue behaving intimately. He stepped forward to question them but to no avail, and left angrily.
This led to a complete break between the father and son, and they no longer had any contact. He was determined to make his own career. If he had to rely on Zhang Jian's connections to get the male lead in "Joy of Life", he would rather give up.
Seeing her boyfriend's emotional state, Tang Yixin, who knew his past, sighed slightly and stopped trying to persuade him: "But we are just small fry in the circle, and we can't get in touch with the big guys who can make the decisions.
Even if we did, why would they give us such resources? Sister Ying just said that this piece of good stuff can’t fall into the hands of outsiders.”
"If I could become an artist of Tengda, I would be more than happy to do so." Zhang Ruoyun muttered in a low voice.
Although his father has some power, he is not enough in front of Tengda Culture. If he can really enter Tengda, he can completely get rid of his father's interference.
"There must be a way." Zhang Ruoyun paced back and forth, his brain working rapidly, "I have to find someone who is influential in this project to introduce me to the top management of Tengda Culture and give me a chance to show myself."
Tang Yixin felt a little distressed when she saw his persistence. Her boyfriend was practically obsessed with the role of Fan Xian: "Ruoyun, wasting time is no solution.
For such an important role, the crew will most likely arrange an audition. You might as well read the original novel, try to understand the character's state of mind, and make sufficient preparations. You might even be chosen by the director during the interview."
Zhang Ruoyun suddenly realized something and asked anxiously, "Tingting, what did you say?"
Tang Yixin was stunned and repeated subconsciously: "I asked you to prepare well and take part in the audition."
"No, it's the previous sentence."
"Read more of the original novel?"
"Yes!" Zhang Ruoyun suddenly realized, hugged his girlfriend and kissed her on the fair face: "I can try to find out what's going on. After all, he is the original author and screenwriter, he must know someone in the crew, as long as he can introduce me to someone."
(End of this chapter)
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