Chapter 404 Career Line
Hotel lobby.
"Sister Xiaoxiao, remember to come back often!"
In the lobby, the receptionist, waving a handkerchief, felt incredibly reluctant to leave when she saw Zhou Xiao wave his arms and get into the car. Especially since he'd just been handing out "zongzi" (rice dumplings) not long ago. Those novel, beautiful dumplings were a million times more delicious and beautiful than the ones the hotel gave out!
However, Sister Ren Xiaoxiao has her own career. After the girl at the front desk saw the car disappear from her sight, she picked up her mobile phone and watched the promotional video of the new particle product playing on the screen in a loop.
For the staff, this was the first time they'd felt so close to the entertainment industry since "Star 101" was taped in the Huashang District. If it weren't for the hotel's rules and regulations, Zhou Xiao might have been surrounded by people praising her for her commercial the moment she came downstairs.
Particle Phone invested heavily in marketing this time. Besides promoting the new phone across all platforms, they also made a significant investment in securing a TVC ad during the broadcast of the TV series "The Unparalleled General" on CCTV.
The fact that Weng Fei, the deputy general manager of Blueberry Online Video, can show off on his WeChat Moments every day shows how good the performance of "The Unparalleled General" is.
The brands that had previously blindly secured mid-roll ads based on Ji Shao's popularity were now beaming with joy. Not to mention it, they were also enjoying themselves in the drama superstore like a duck in water, along with other advertisers.
As for Zhou Xiao, the reason she rushed back to the photography base at this moment was not only to deal with the finalization of PZ, but also because she had taken on a batch of business orders from Shengyao Entertainment.
Although it was a group, Zhou Xiao judged that they were planning to make some moves by the end of the month. Although they had never worked with Shengyao Entertainment before, their attitude had been very good since they added her.
This was one of the reasons Zhou Xiao chose to work with them, and for her and the studio, this batch of business came at the perfect time. The itinerary was easy to plan and offered ample room for maneuver, allowing them to shoot directly at the photography base.
This was a bit stressful for Qiao Haidong and Shu Nan, as the constant makeup and post-production work wasn't easy. But Zhou Xiao, in his conversations with the two, could sense that, besides a slight sense of pressure, they were also filled with overwhelming excitement.
…
In Xiangfan City.
Ren Yaqi, who followed the magazine into the deep mountains and forests to shoot, suddenly became full of energy after learning that his disciple had access to a lot of resources in just one month after joining Zhou Xiao's studio.
Last month, when Zhou Xiao was filming Zhou Quanli, Ren Yaqi's online guidance of Shunan was even more serious than if he were doing the makeup himself. He originally thought it was a blessing in disguise to film Zhou Quanli and PZ, but he didn't expect to be filming Shengyao Entertainment's artists again this month.
Shengyao Entertainment boasts a diverse portfolio of first-, second-, and third-tier talent. While not as strong as Metro Entertainment, it's still one of the top ten agencies in the industry.
And for new makeup artists, work is a resource. The more artists and brands you meet, the more connections you'll build in the industry. While these connections might not be noticeable at first, they'll come in handy later when you need to borrow clothes and jewelry.
"Don't even think about treating everyone equally," Ren Yaqi understood as soon as he saw the list of Zhou Xiao's upcoming shoots. He said to his apprentice earnestly, "Shooting with Teacher Zhou, the company is giving her face by giving you makeup and styling. You have to do your best, it will benefit you greatly!"
As a seasoned industry insider, Ren Yaqi was well aware of the complexities of these artist teams. Celebrities' monthly schedules are incredibly complex, but unless they spark significant discussion, they're of little significance. This is largely because the novelty has worn off, and now it's like a monthly homework assignment.
Taking itinerary photos requires additional expenses, so now many small companies and studios simply use photos of the artist's other activities to deal with it.
But this approach is completely unproductive. Not only does it deprive netizens of the opportunity to discuss the artist's schedule, it also leads to complaints from fans in the comment section. Fans can tell at a glance whether someone is being attentive or not.
Sheng Yao is probably just trying to capitalize on this hype. From what my apprentice said, the agency is incredibly enthusiastic. They've already called several times this morning, hoping Zhou Xiao won't be filming schedules for other artists this month. They've even raised their prices. I guess they're trying to keep all the hype to themselves, keeping the money within their grasp.
"Teacher Ren, the filming has begun!"
A voice interrupted Ren Yaqi's thoughts. He muted his phone and then slowly walked towards the staff.
The staff member who was accompanying the stylist to the filming location was looking at the smiling Ren Yaqi with some curiosity. When he was asked to stay at the filming location yesterday in case of emergency, he was not so cheerful!
Is this phone call so magical?
…
Inside the photography building, Xue Xi watched Shu Nan, who had regained his spirits after a phone call, and became curious. However, she was busy marking the props for the next photo shoot, so she didn't immediately ask what happened.
If she was still particularly curious, Xue Xi could ask directly during her break tonight. After her boss received a series of business orders from Shengyao Entertainment, Shu Nan also chose to temporarily stay at the base. After checking in with Zhou Xiao and touring the small building, she even booked a room next to Xue Xi's.
After Zhou Xiao returned to the photography base, his first order of business was to work with Qiao Haidong on adjusting the PZ footage. As the two of them chatted, the little followers in the conference room, sniffing out the scent, listened with rapt interest.
"The lighting and shadow effects of the clothing in the photo can be enhanced," Zhou Xiao said to Qiao Haidong, pointing to the large image on the screen. "In addition to the people, the outline and three-dimensionality of the clothing need more attention."
The purpose of this collaboration with PZ is first to showcase PZ's summer collection, and secondly to demonstrate the compatibility of PZ with Zhou Quanli. The common problem in the returned photos is that the person overshadows the object.
Zhou Quanli's charisma is immense, which inevitably leads to issues during post-production. PZ's stance is clear: he hopes that after reworking, the visual focus will shift from the person to the clothes, ensuring that the customer's impression of the stunning imagery will inspire a purchase.
"Hmm," Qiao Haidong nodded, twirling the pen in her hand. She naturally accepted the brand's requirements and adjustments. As for Party A, based on her work experience, if there were no problems, then that would be the real problem. Of course, this didn't include the boss.
Besides... Qiao Haidong looked at the no more than ten photos in the folder, and couldn't help but smile slightly. This "return rate" was much lower than she had imagined!
Qiao Haidong's post-production skills haven't improved to the point where they can achieve a qualitative leap in less than a month. The fact that less than half of the films he's received have been rejected is a sign of a photographer's explosive performance.
Yes, when it comes to technical issues, Qiao Haidong has always believed that his own problems are definitely not as serious as those of the photographer. In the Shanghai market, their post-production studio is renowned for its technology. However, after the good times, the former big boss turned ruthless.
Qiao Haidong listened carefully to Zhou Xiao's questions, memorizing them bit by bit. She had seen the blockbuster films Zhou Xiao had processed for XS. She boasted that her post-production skills were no less impressive than Zhou Xiao's, and that she possessed a greater understanding of commercialization.
However, the fact that the finished film Zhou Xiao submitted was approved by XS on the first try made her, as someone who had worked in XS post-production, understand that a perfect blockbuster not only needs to be technically sound but also needs to be in line with the cameraman's thoughts at the time of shooting in order to be more accepted by the brand.
Next to the two of them, Xue Xi and Shu Nan, who had mixed in, listened thoughtfully. Xue Xi, in particular, took the camera she brought with her and took photos around the base whenever she had some free time.
Xue Xi's reason for doing this was simple. While filming on set, she noticed Zhou Quanli's agent, Jia Yi, holding a camera and recording behind-the-scenes footage. This behavior was very familiar to her, as at the magazine, the agents or assistants of celebrities would all hold cameras to record their work.
She wants to learn too!
After Zhou Xiao learned that Xue Xi wanted to learn from him, she was very supportive. She even took the camera from Jia Yi and filmed Zhou Quanli standing in the middle of the studio applying makeup as a demonstration for her.
The meeting in the conference room had concluded. Zhou Xiao turned back to look at the two people who were chatting away. He smiled faintly and said, "Are you all ready for the next shoot? How about I take a look later?"
"Ah, not yet, not yet." Shu Nan shook her head like a rattle in her seat. The reason she and Xue Xi went into the conference room together was to clear her mind for a while.
Under her master's instructions, she spent hours studying past looks for each artist, aiming to create a suitable makeup look for them. As for preparation, she had some ideas, but hadn't she just started putting them into practice?
Xue Xi was quite calm. She had always followed Zhou Xiao, so it was no exaggeration to say that she was "the emperor's close minister." However, after seeing Shu Nan's reaction, she tucked her tail between her legs and fled the meeting room with him.
Zhou Xiao looked at it with amusement, then stood up and patted Qiao Haidong on the shoulder, encouraging him, "Thank you for your hard work during this period. Don't worry, you will definitely get a bonus~"
Qiao Haidong didn't find it tiring, especially after discovering that Xiu Zhouxiao's original film was a world apart from her previous work. However, because of the improvement in quality, the effort she put in wasn't much less.
I used to think the photographer's skills were largely to blame for poor pictures. Now that I work under Zhou Xiao, it's absolutely impossible for the pictures to be bad! Qiao Haidong looked at the pictures on the screen, and a surge of energy, not knowing where it came from, filled her whole body.
…
At 10:00 AM on June 7th, Zhou Quanli was officially announced as the global brand spokesperson for PZ. Because of the previous trending search, this official announcement had a sense of finality among the public.
PZ, which was stingy with its spokesperson, did not disappoint netizens' expectations. Not only was the official announcement made on the external network, but even the brand manager Sophia Allen posted a congratulatory message on the external network.
This is undoubtedly a great surprise for Zhou Quanli's fans who pay close attention to the latest news on the Internet! You know, this PZ boss hasn't updated her social media accounts for half a year.
Just when overseas fans took screenshots of content on the foreign website and posted them on a certain blog, some sharp-eyed people had already discovered that the photo of Zhou Quanli in the content posted by Sofia on the social platform was not the official photo.
Could it be that he took other photos?
While fans were delighted, PZ's official website and online store simultaneously released new summer collections. The photo pinned to the top of the homepage immediately attracted countless attention.
——【Entertainment Forum】——[June 7th morning]
[Topic] PZ...I will never complain about you being stingy again...you are really rich and powerful
[Main Building] Who shoots a clothing blockbuster for their spokesperson... and even pairs it with high beads... This is just like waving countless bundles of money at my eyes
[Image] ×3
The picture is the latest post from PZ official blog. The high beads worn by Zhou Quanli in the photo are specially circled.
1L
PZ isn't stingy, is he? Besides the title, couture, and jewelry, he also gives away off-season ready-to-wear, leaving all the close friends and ambassadors he's signed with no way to brag about it.
19L
This set of advertising blockbusters is so emotionally shot. Not only does Zhou Quanli's face look stunning, but even the clothes look so beautiful! They are both everyday and stylish, unlike the previous ones that are so exaggerated that they can only be worn on certain occasions. Gao Zhu is really a king bomb.
The dark green pants on the sister in the second picture are so beautiful! I must buy them!
47L
I just walked past the entrance of PZ and I could see someone was changing the posters. I asked the salesperson and they said that all PZ stores nationwide are updating their posters in real time, and I'll still see Zhou Quanli's plaza tomorrow.
PS: I heard that PZ headquarters is very satisfied with the finished film.
93L
As mentioned above, when I saw PZ's official Weibo following Zhou Xiao, I guessed they must be very satisfied. If you don't believe me, go check out their follow list now, how many photographers are there?
158L
Reply to 93L: Hehe, I went to see it. Miao Wenbo, who shot the official endorsement photos for Zhou Quanli, is not really followed by the official Weibo. And the photos posted by PZ's manager Sophia on the Internet are not official photos, but the clothing blockbusters shot by Sister Zhou!
…
Inside the office, Zhou Xiao looked at the content on the marketing account, lost in thought. Did the owner of the film he shot keep it? It seemed he had figured out why PZ closed so quickly.
Very good, keep it up!
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