Entertainment: I just want to be the boss behind the scenes

Chapter 84 New Director
In early July, after nearly two months of filming, the last scene of "Psychological Crime" was completed and the filming was announced to be finished.

Normally, the filming time for a 20-episode web series is about one and a half months. The reason why there was an extra week was mainly because the "producer and screenwriter" Meng Bai had a difficult decision-making disorder, which made the crew shoot two endings.

The setting sun was shining, and the heat of the day gradually dissipated. Meng Bai wiped his sweat, stood on the high platform and said loudly to the crew members: "Everyone, thank you for your hard work over the past month. Have a good rest during the day tomorrow, and we will have a wrap-up party at Binhai Biyun Building in the evening. It doesn't matter if you don't come, but don't say I won't give you red envelopes later..."

Before he finished speaking, cheers broke out from the crew.

"yeah!"

"Thank you, Mr. Meng! Mr. Meng is so generous!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Meng, we will not miss a single one!"

"..."

Everyone in the crew was delighted. The wrap-up party was a small matter. The key was to get a red envelope. No matter how much money was in it, at least they didn't make empty promises.

After stepping down from the platform, Meng Bai called Liu Zhi over and asked him to arrange people to clean up the set in the next few days and restore the school's dormitory building to its original state.

"Mr. Meng, congratulations."

As he was speaking, Meng Bai heard congratulations from behind him. He turned around and saw Director Wang, who had always been in charge of communicating with him at the school.

"Director Wang, it's really a relief. We are discussing how to clean up our dormitory building." Meng Bai said amiably, "Why don't you arrange for a person in charge to come over in the next two days and give us instructions on how to restore the building."

"Okay, okay, I'll arrange for someone to come tomorrow." Director Wang readily agreed, and then asked, "Boss Meng, you said last time that you might need a few more shots from here for the next drama. I wonder when you'll need them?"

The next drama is "Soul Ferry 2". Compared with the "convenience store" set used from beginning to end in the first season, the second season has many more scenes. So considering the convenience of filming and production costs, Meng Bai decided not to change the location and continue filming in Blue Island.

Hearing Director Wang's question, Meng Bai thought for a moment and gave an approximate time: "Mid-August. The crew needs some preliminary preparations, and it will be a good time to avoid the start of school for our freshmen. In fact, we don't need a very large place this time, just two dormitories will do."

"Oh, so that's good, that's good." Director Wang breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that.

Meng Bai was puzzled: "Why, is there any change in our school?"

"No, not really." Director Wang said with a smile, "It's like this. Not long ago, another film crew contacted us and said they wanted to rent our new campus as a filming location. I'm afraid there will be some interference."

"Oh, another crew is coming. It seems that your school's external publicity work is very encouraging this year." Meng Bai complimented and asked casually, "Which company's project is it?"

"It seems to be from Shanghai, a very famous company, called... Tangren." Director Wang recalled.

"Tangren?" Meng Bai was surprised for a moment, then asked, "Is it a fantasy drama?"

Shit, didn’t Lao Zhang say that his drama won’t start filming until the end of the year, or is it not his drama?

Fortunately, Director Wang shook his head and said, "It seems to be a story about football or sports. I just listened to it when we were chatting."

Meng Bai felt relieved, it seemed that it was indeed not the drama starring Zhang Ruoyun.

But then again, this old film and television company really has a deep foundation. Although Tangren has begun to show signs of decline in the past two years, it can still maintain the operation of several different types of projects.

Meng Bai thought of his previous plan to expand the scale. After completing these projects this year, he would have to put this matter on the agenda next year.

After all, if the company wants to grow bigger, it can't rely on itself to organize projects.

He has already chosen the candidate to recruit first, so he can start with Brother Wubai.
-
It's the wrap-up party again. The crew of "Pendulum" was small last time, so only about thirty people attended the wrap-up party.

This time it was different. Not to mention the two filming crews A and B, there were more than a dozen supporting actors from beginning to end. The crew was so large that it had nearly fifty people, so the scene was exceptionally lively.

At the head seat of the main table, Wu Bai pulled Meng Bai aside and told him that after the post-production of "Psychological Crime" was completed, he planned to take a break before the end of the year.

"What's wrong, brother? Are you not feeling well now?" Meng Bai asked jokingly.

"I'm almost 40, are you still comparing me to a young man like you?" Wu Bai said, "It's mainly because I've lost a lot of energy, and after filming two dramas in a row, I've also gained some new insights. I plan to take this opportunity to sort out my thoughts and see if there's anything I can improve."

"That's great. You can learn as long as you live." Meng Bai said, "You decide for yourself. When you're ready to rest, tell me and we can work together again."

Wu Bai nodded. Like Meng Bai, he liked working with each other. Especially after working together on two dramas in a row, they had a good understanding of each other and were considered a rare pair.

"Don't go home empty-handed before you rest. Help me introduce a suitable director." Meng Bai said, "The second part of Soul Ferry is about to start filming. Do you have anyone suitable to recommend?"

Wu Baiyixiao, he had already thought about this: "How about Wang Wei? His style is similar to mine, so the atmosphere between the two dramas can be maintained consistently."

Wang Wei is the director of Team B of "Psychological Crime", responsible for filming the subplots of "Tai Wei" and the criminal police team. "Director Wang..." Meng Bai recalled that in order to maintain the consistency of the overall style, Wang Wei often coordinated with Wu Bai, and was familiar with Meng Bai but there was still a gap.

Wu Bai recommended: "His skills are fine, and his style can be consistent. Especially since you guys have worked together before, it will be more convenient to start filming than to work with an unfamiliar director."

"Okay, I'll go talk to him. It just so happens that 'Pendulum 2' is still being filmed in Blue Island, so it doesn't take him long to move."

Meng Bai stood up, picked up a glass of wine and went to find Wang Wei who was sitting at the next table.

Unlike Wu Bai, a man in his thirties, Wang Wei is much younger, only two years older than Meng Bai.

The two men also have different personalities. Wu Bai is a very stereotypical director, unshaven, unkempt, with a quick temper... similar words are not inappropriate to describe him.

In comparison, Wang Wei is much more delicate and refined. Even on a busy set, his hairstyle is always neat and tidy.

When Wang Wei heard that Meng Bai wanted him to direct independently, he was happy at first, but then he felt a lot of pressure.

Meng Bai comforted him, saying that all the crew members had worked together before, the leading actor was also a veteran from the first film, and the script was ready, so he just had to focus on filming.

"If there is any problem, just call Director Five and ask him to support you." Meng Bai said jokingly.

Wang Wei was stunned for a moment, then he thought this was a good idea, if it doesn't work, we can just ask for help. After all, Wu Bai is his senior, so it's not shameful to ask him for help.

Thinking of this, he immediately gained confidence and decisively accepted Meng Bai's invitation.

The two chatted for a while about the crew's preparations and the start time. Meng Bai stood up and was about to walk around the table. When he turned around, he saw Li Yitong, who had rushed over from northern Beijing in the afternoon, "glaring" at him.

Either good-looking people are taking advantage, or this girl will only look cute even if she deliberately puts on a stern face.

"Why is the beautiful woman of the past now as sullen as a stone?"

"You are the stone, you are a big stone!"

Li Yitong wanted to maintain her "angry" look, but she couldn't help laughing after she finished speaking.

"You've been looking at me for a long time. What do you want to say to me?" Meng Bai asked.

"Ah...oh." Li Yitong thought for a moment, then remembered what she had intended to say: "I wanted to say, you liar, I have been deceived by you for so long."

"..."

Meng Bai narrowed his eyes and said calmly: "What did I lie to you about?"

"Didn't you say I was the heroine? How come I turned into a phantom in the end? I was wondering why you kept asking me to wear a scarf in such hot weather and told me it looked good." Li Yitong pulled her collar and said, "Look, I've got little red spots from covering myself up so much."

"Girl, you just scratched yourself, it's not even a prickly heat rash."

Meng Bai looked at the girl's fair neck and could vaguely see two small red marks. He breathed a sigh of relief and returned to normal, saying, "Don't worry about what it is, just tell me if it's the heroine, right?"

"..." Li Yitong opened her mouth. It was hard to say. Judging from the role, there was nothing wrong with it.

"Besides, your condition is easy to cure. My mother told me a secret recipe since I was a child. Saliva can relieve this kind of red spots." Meng Bai rubbed his fingers in his mouth, then stretched them out to Li Yitong and said, "Come, I'll help you apply it."

"Wow, you're so disgusting." Li Yitong quickly dodged.

After knowing each other for so many years, based on her understanding of Meng Bai, she knew that this guy was really capable of doing something like wiping her saliva.

Only after forcing Meng Bai to wipe his hands clean on his body did Li Yitong dare to approach him again.

"How are your preparations recently? The advanced training class at the Central Academy of Drama will have an exam in October. You should make good use of the time to practice in the next two months." Meng Bai said.

Li Yitong made a "reassured" gesture: "I signed up for a private tutorial with the teacher from my previous training class. She has also been an examiner for art exams before. After another two months of study, it should be fine."

Unlike the purely technical training provided by training classes, students of the advanced studies class at the Central Academy of Drama can obtain a certificate of completion.

Although this kind of certificate of completion means nothing officially, at least when I go to a film crew in the future I can proudly say that I am a student of the Central Academy of Drama.

"Oh, by the way, I just happened to need your help with something." Meng Bai said, "I need a pretty girl who can dance for my next play. Do you know anyone who can recommend me?"

(End of this chapter)