There was no way to avoid it. Her brother said that the family knew she might be going to receive an award. Although they verbally supported her entering the entertainment industry, their actions betrayed them, and they secretly ordered a dress for her.
His attitude softened considerably, but since Lin Xiaoxiao showed a slight urge to go home, he firmly refused, telling her not to go back and sponge off her parents.
It seems that unless she causes a complete heartbreak in this industry, it will be difficult for her to return to a wealthy family and live off her parents!
Regardless of whether Lin Xiaoxiao had yet to emerge from the shadow of defeat, the day of the awards ceremony still arrived.
Lin Xiaoxiao walked in the middle of the crew, flashing a fake smile.
The host enthusiastically asked, "Welcome to the crew of 'Love Under the Moonlight 2'. Director Lin is a new director who has already directed two hugely successful dramas so soon after entering the industry. Director Lin, do you have any experience to share with everyone?"
Lin Xiaoxiao felt bitter inside. After thinking for a while, she couldn't cheer up. She could only say sincerely, "These two dramas are completely different from what I initially expected. As for the experience, my conclusion is: never make a sweet romance drama."
Upon hearing this, the host's expression cracked slightly, and he tried to smooth things over with a smile, saying, "Director Lin is really... humble..." while inwardly he was furiously thinking, "You've directed two hit romantic dramas, and you're advising others not to make them to avoid humiliating themselves. What a naive new director! So arrogant."
Lin Xiaoxiao was unaware of the host's inner monologue; she only knew that she had truly poured out her heart, and her mood had improved considerably.
Once inside, the lead actors in the production crew weren't seated next to her. In fact, these actors she had found on the way here could have sat in the second row inside.
Lin Xiaoxiao was assigned to one of the less famous directors. It was her first time experiencing this kind of fame and fortune, but she didn't expect her position to be so marginal. She couldn't see any of the performers on stage, and she hadn't heard any of the songs. She might as well play on her phone.
While Lin Xiaoxiao was engrossed in playing on her phone, a man who was as thin as a bamboo pole suddenly appeared next to her.
"Director Lin, hello, I'm Wang Li. I started directing a couple of years ago and have directed two web series..."
Lin Xiaoxiao thought it was just a greeting, but unexpectedly Wang Li started rambling on about his life, as if reciting a resume.
"So, Director Lin, do you think you could give me a chance?"
Lin Xiaoxiao never expected to meet a director seeking employment at the awards ceremony, especially one who had entered the industry before her and was even willing to take a backseat as a stagehand.
“You already have a portfolio, so it’s impossible for no production team to reject you. Besides, I already have two assistant directors under me, and the production assistants are people I’ve worked with before and got along quite well.”
Although Wang Li knew he might not be able to find a job, he was truly at his wit's end.
Wang Li is not from a professional acting background. Before entering the industry, he was a programmer and a suspense enthusiast. He used to have a high salary and few expenses, so he saved up a lot of money. When he saw the suspense dramas made online, he thought they were really bad.
He complained on a forum, and someone asked how much it costs to film a web series. Then he checked and realized he actually had enough savings to film one, more than enough for himself. There's a saying: "It's not that you can't afford it, it's that you can just barely afford it."
Then, he quit his job and focused on making a meticulous and chilling suspense drama to show off to those bad dramas, and incidentally make some money from his hobby.
Then, his first web series flopped because the actors all lacked acting skills, leading viewers to guess the story's direction and the murderer, and viewers found it too boring.
Wang Li never expected that even though he had scrutinized the script so closely and found no flaws, the actor's performance would still cause a mishap.
He was unconvinced and, regardless of not making any money, continued filming. In order to hire veteran actors with excellent acting skills, he sold his house and added his remaining savings.
Wang Li strives for perfection in every detail.
As a result, who could have imagined that a melodramatic romantic comedy at the end of this summer vacation would become the first hit of the year? Seeing the huge success, several major platforms were eager to capitalize on this momentum and create another hit drama, resulting in a focus on romantic comedies when selecting dramas, while his suspense drama was repeatedly postponed.
Although Wang Li finally found a platform to broadcast his drama, it didn't generate any buzz at all; it didn't even make a ripple.
Wang Li's family also knew about his resignation to film TV series, and they all advised him to go back and find a job and work hard.
However, he was not willing to give up.
Wang Li wanted to join an entertainment company first, and then start making films after accumulating more experience. So when he heard that Lin Xiaoxiao, a new director, had started her own company, he took the initiative to apply for a job.
Lin Xiaoxiao felt somewhat embarrassed after hearing Wang Li's story. Wang Li clearly intended to do this long-term, but she had no intention of running a proper company; she only wanted to retire from the entertainment industry and live off her parents. Regardless, she was going to retire anyway, so she couldn't agree to Wang Li's request.
After receiving the answer, Wang Li was somewhat disappointed, even though it was expected.
Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't resist making conversation with him, "I haven't had much experience with suspense dramas. How's the filming schedule?"
The two chatted idly for a while.
Wang Li slumped in his chair, sighing earnestly, "It's difficult for a suspense drama to become a huge hit. Even if it's well-made, it might only get a slightly better rating. Suspense dramas not only have a very small audience, but they're also extremely difficult to make."
If the suspense structure is insufficient and too obvious, viewers will guess the plot immediately and find the show uninteresting. If it's too subtle, viewers won't be able to guess and will feel it's being deliberately mysterious. Too many plot twists will feel like they're just for the sake of twists. The platform's early access viewing is truly a disaster for suspense dramas. Those who see the spoilers early end up spoiling the show for those who watch it later, resulting in even worse word-of-mouth.
If the protagonist is too clever and solves the case instantly, the audience will feel the "golden finger" is too overpowered and it's not interesting. If the villain is too powerful, it won't pass censorship. Look at that group of directors over there who can't even afford a matching suit; they're all making suspense dramas. This year, suspense dramas are having a really tough year. Director Lin, you absolutely must avoid suspense dramas; it's all thankless work.
Lin Xiaoxiao had a sudden inspiration. Oh right, why hadn't she thought of making a suspense drama? And Wang Li was right about one thing: spoilers would ruin the reputation. She didn't even need the audience to spoil it; she, as the director, would lead the way in spoiling the plot, and she was sure the audience would criticize the show harshly.
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