Generation Z Artists

Chapter 367 The First in Tianjin
The news that Fang Xinghe was going to shoot a new movie quickly caused a stir in the entire entertainment industry.

In reality, very few people are qualified to call him directly, yet he still received about 100 calls.

Jiang Wen: "Fang, are there any roles I can play?"

Son Ye-jin: "Director Bang, is there any chance for us to work together again?"

Xie Xiaobing: "Do you need any smaller or larger partners? All my students are asking me about it."

Han Sanping: "Leave some for China Film Group!"

Qingdao Second Brother: "Are we filming back home? We've introduced new support policies this year!"

Gigi: "Home? Whose home is that? You shameless bastard!"

Even Nenxian, who never worries about these things, made a special trip to the company to ask a few questions.

Fang Xinghe launched into a scathing interrogation: "What are you doing here? We can't be seeing each other again anytime soon."

Xixi rolled her eyes in exasperation: "Who wants to team up with you three times? I'm just asking for my best friend if there's a chance!"

Over the years, this child has only one friend—Shu Chang, whom he met while filming The Story of a Noble Family.

Fang Xinghe went through the script in his mind and nodded: "There is indeed a suitable actress for the supporting role. If you don't mind that the role is small, you can let her give it a try."

"Really?"

Nenxian was delighted and stretched out her fair little hand to ask Fang Xinghe for the script.

"Show me what you're planning to film in your new movie."

Hey, she's really not shy at all.

Fang Xinghe casually tossed him a photocopy and continued making the call.

"Mr. Han, this film won't even cost 2000 million, so there's no need to trouble China Film Group. Also, Lao Dong wants to handle the domestic distribution himself."

Han Sanping's thuggish voice suddenly rose: "What are you trying to do? Cut ties with China Film Group?"

Fang Xinghe retorted with a nonchalant, roguish tone: "What do you mean by 'cutting ties'? It's as if I've ever been bound to you guys. We've always just had a normal working relationship."

"You little brat!" Zuo Shandiao was furious. "You wait, I'm coming to your company to ambush you!"

This guy arrived without warning. The young fairy had only read 10 pages of the script when Third Master stormed in, looking very imposing.

"Come on, let me see what's going on with your new film!"

After receiving the script, Han Sanping, who had been frowning and glaring, turned to face Liu Yifei and immediately put on a kind and benevolent smile.

"Sisi, let's squeeze in together. Uncle Han can help you with anything you don't understand."

Just as Liu Yifei was about to speak, the office door was pushed open again, and Jiang Wen swaggered in.

Before he could even stand properly, his loud voice filled the room.

"Fang, I'm so lazy, I don't have anything to do all day. I'll work for you on the new project, it's free, just helping out!"

In fact, Fang Xinghe didn't have much interaction with Jiang Wen, but he was extremely outgoing with people he liked. The second time they met, he started calling them brothers and didn't hold back at all.

Fang Xinghe irritably tossed a script at him and said curtly, "If you want to give feedback, do it now. After we start working, go somewhere cool and stay somewhere else. It's my project; I'll use your brother, not you."

Han Sanping laughed heartily: "Look at your reputation!"

The young fairy obediently stood up and greeted, "Director Jiang..."

The room suddenly became quite lively.

At noon, Fang Xinghe invited a few more people to a lunch gathering, where his teachers and friends, including Zhao Xiaoding, Xie Xiaobing, and Feng Yuanzheng, all came together.

"The new movie is pretty exciting, but it's not quite enough!"

As soon as Jiang Wen opened his mouth, he tried to sway Fang Xinghe onto the evil path.

Han Sanping hurriedly stopped him: "Stop joking, stop joking. The boss is already under pressure to pass the review, do you want to add fuel to the fire?"

Jiang Wen scoffed: "Hey! Isn't it because you're here? What are we men afraid of?"

Fang Xinghe immediately distanced himself: "Stop with the 'we' and try to get close to me. This project has nothing to do with you, so give me back the script right now!"

"Hahahaha!"

Amidst the laughter of the audience, Jiang Wen angrily pointed at Fang Xinghe repeatedly, then shoved the script into his bag.

He's still not giving up, but Fang Xinghe wouldn't let him get involved.

Friendship is friendship, and art is art. How crazy would you be to collaborate with this guy?
If you want to use actors, Jiang Wu's acting range is broader than his.

If you want to use a director, Cao Baoping or even Dong Youde are better than him—obedience is the greatest advantage.

Let's talk about something else.

Director Liu from the Film Bureau stepped in to smooth things over.

"Sanping, China Film Group has invested quite a lot this year, why are you still thinking about Xiao Fang's small investment?"

Han Sanping immediately protested, "It is a lot, but all of this wealth was accumulated by Xiao Fang. Training others is basically a net loss. How can I not be anxious?"

Dong Youde couldn't help but laugh: "Didn't you avoid the biggest pitfall? China Film Group is sure to have great luck this year!"

"Hahahaha!"

The room erupted in laughter once again.

Everyone knows what he was talking about, the ultimate god, which ruined the Shanghai Film Studio.

Han Sanping couldn't help but laugh, waving his hands repeatedly and saying, "Luck, luck."

Old Xie, with a gloating look on his face, pressed on, asking, "Has Kaizi not recovered yet? I saw on the news that he was still scolding Xiao Fang in an interview a couple of days ago."

"What can we do to ease the tension? Xiao Fang has such a sharp tongue, now the whole of China is saying 'Don't be like Brother Kai,' I think Old Chen is ready to kill someone!"

The biggest tragedy in the entertainment industry this year is already a foregone conclusion.

No matter how much those new blockbusters lose money, they can't possibly fare worse than Extreme God.

Since we've gotten to this point, everyone started gossiping.

"Hey, how's that 'Curse of the Golden Flower' movie coming along, Mouzi?"

"Filming is almost finished, and I should be returning to Beijing next week."

"Fang Dasheng, what do you think?"

"What do you think?"

Fang Xinghe looked up and found that everyone had stopped eating and were staring intently at him.

"Box office figures! Aren't you always so accurate in your predictions?"

"I haven't seen the finished product, how would I know?" Fang Xinghe said, laughing and crying at the same time. He replied to Han Sanping, "Anyway, you definitely won't lose out, so don't worry."

Director Liu sighed: "With Brother Kai's downfall, the entire industry's blockbuster craze has subsided, and China Film Group is indeed having a tough time..."

This statement is particularly objective; the immense loss suffered by the Supreme God has a devastating impact.

Most investors who actually put money into the project are thinking: With Chen Kaige's level of expertise, he still lost a lot of money investing in big-budget period dramas. Is this field really worth pursuing?

Just as the previous "The Fortress of Shanghai" closed the door to science fiction films again, "Extreme God" also crushed a large part of the popularity of period dramas.

"Let's see this year."

Han Sanping looked worried.

"This year is crucial. We have already approved a small-scale action film called 'Assembly,' as well as Peter Chan's 'The Warlords.' In addition, we have completed filming 'The Banquet,' 'Curse of the Golden Flower,' and 'A Battle of Wits,' making a total of five big films. That should be enough to give us a good look at the market."

Fang Xinghe thought for a moment, then chuckled to himself.

"Assembly" and "The Warlords" did well at the box office, but they can't be considered historical epics; they are war films.

As for the next three...

The correct description is: It helped the God of Extremes lock the door that had been closed.

Even the box office hit "Golden Milk" didn't receive good reviews. The story was too empty. It was better than "Extreme God" because the logic wasn't so fragmented, there weren't so many plot holes, and the characters' sexual desires weren't so intense... cough cough.

Anyway, this year's Chinese blockbusters are basically a waste of time, except for "Assembly".

However, Director Liu didn't think so; he was quite excited.

"This year is a big year for movies, including the crime film 'Protégé' directed by Derek Yee and starring Daniel Wu, Louis Koo, and Anita Yuen;
Action films include "Invisible Target," directed by Benny Chan and starring Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue, and Wu Jing.
Suspense films include "Confession of Pain," directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, and starring Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro.
Art films include Jia Zhangke's "Still Life," which has been submitted for the Venice Film Festival.

And then there's the big one, Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution," starring Tony Leung and Tang Wei.

Add to that the five blockbusters, and I think this year's film market has great potential!

Hearing these film titles and sensing Director Liu's strong desire, Fang Xinghe almost burst out laughing.

Ridiculous...

A big year for movies? NO.

Corpses strewn everywhere, YES! Of the 10 movies in total, the combined artistic value of 8 of them is not as good as "Crazy Stone".

A slight smile appeared on Fang Xinghe's lips, but Han Sanping immediately asked, "Hasn't Xinghe invested in a bunch of low-budget projects in the last two years? How are they going? Any surprises?"

Fang Xinghe turned to look at Dong Youde; he really didn't know.

"We've lost at least 3000 of them."

Dong Youde looked guilty.

"The boss is willing to support newcomers, but perhaps because it's still early in the season, we haven't seen any dark horses yet."

Director Liu was completely astonished, utterly disbelieving: "With President Fang's business acumen, how could a project he's chosen lose money? That's impossible!"

Dong Youde hurriedly waved his hand: "The BOSS never scrutinizes these small projects specifically for newcomers. As long as my initial review passes, he approves them without even looking at them. He never even thought about making money from them."

"Oh!"

"That's right!"

"I knew Ziwei Xingjun wouldn't pay."

Everyone slapped their thighs in realization, suddenly understanding.

Feng Yuanzheng proudly raised his neck: "My apprentice is tough on the outside but soft on the inside. As long as those directors' ideas have even a little bit of merit, he is willing to give them money. Even if he knows it's a waste of money, he will still do it. In recent years, there have been quite a few new low-budget films in the industry."

Jiang Wen and Xie Xiaobing both grimaced, feeling disgusted.

I know Fang Xinghe is your disciple, but could you please stop mentioning it all the time? It's so infuriating!
"It's alright, you're not afraid of losing money anyway," Director Liu joked, seemingly with a hint of sincerity. "The money you're losing now is laying a solid foundation for domestic films. One day when it's time to erect a monument, you and Old Han will be at the very top of the list!"

"Hey, hey, hey, I'm spending public money, but Mr. Fang is throwing in real money."

While being modest, Han Sanping praised Fang Xinghe to the skies.

"The nature of the work is different, so the contributions are naturally incomparable. Director Fang is truly a benevolent figure in the film industry, and China Film Group is always willing to serve him!"

Fang Xinghe was amused by him and gave a wry smile.

"Mr. Han, what exactly do you want? Let's get straight to the point and stop with all this nonsense."

Han Sanping raised his glass and replied with a smile, "Don't worry, I don't care if you want that small investment amount for 'Untouchable'! That's like robbing you out of your hands. Would I, Han Sanping, do such a thing?"

With a slurp, he downed the liquor in his glass in one gulp, and then revealed his true intentions.

"I'm just asking for your advice. Right now, my office is piled high with new films that are either in the approval process or about to be approved. Could you help me take a look and tell me which ones I can invest in and which ones I can't? That should be alright, right?"

what? !

A group of industry insiders turned their heads, and a few secretly sized up Director Liu.

You're the bandit leader of China Film Group, the top dog. Deciding what to invest in and what not to invest in is your core power. How could you delegate that power to a nobody?!

It wasn't that they thought Fang Xinghe was unworthy, but they felt that the matter was too sensitive and too frightening.

If that were to happen, wouldn't Fang become the supreme ruler of Chinese cinema?
Fang Xinghe knew how troublesome this was, so he immediately refused.

"No, that's not appropriate. Let's have a drink, I'll have a drink with you!"

Fang, 20, occasionally drinks in private, but he never puts on airs in front of his friends.

In the end, he drank the wine for nothing, and Han Sanping still wouldn't let him go.

Having no other choice, Fang Xinghe could only give him a look and vaguely say, "If there's an opportunity in the future, I'll offer you some advice as a friend."

"it is good!"

Master Han was quite satisfied, and chuckled wickedly, "Let's not talk about it anymore, let's drink!"

The banquet continued with toasts and laughter among the guests.

The young fairy, silently sipping her AD calcium milk, looked left and right, but her gaze finally locked onto Fang Xinghe, her eyes sparkling with admiration and worship.

Fang Fang is amazing!

Also, does this mean I can film whatever I want from now on?

Hurry, give me more challenging roles! This actress should be aiming for her second Big Three award!
Before the little girl could finish reciting her thoughts, the group of old men suddenly began to praise her.

"Sissi's new drama is a huge hit again, isn't it?"

"Hey, you bet! It's just as popular as 'The Return of the Condor Heroes'!"

"He has made great progress in his performance, becoming more precise, relaxed, and spiritual."

"Oh my, my grandson is obsessed with this 'Chinese Paladin' series! He's totally smitten with Sissi, he's drooling over the TV every day!"

Nenxian blushed deeply after being praised, feeling extremely embarrassed.

She has a very generous personality, but no matter how generous she is, it's really embarrassing for you to try to piggyback on the success of "Chinese Paladin" and "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

"No, no, I'm far from that level. It's just that the popularity of 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' has been maintained well."

Teacher Fang was very pleased.

The apprentice didn't get carried away; he remained clear-headed, which is good.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy is indeed a classic of the Xianxia genre, but its current success mainly comes from The Return of the Condor Heroes, which is an indisputable fact.

In the previous generation, "Chinese Paladin" only achieved its goal of being broadcast on satellite TV several years later, and in the early stages, it could only be broadcast on local TV stations.

In this lifetime, after the filming of "Chinese Paladin" was completed, there were satellite TV stations bidding for it, but President Cai decided to wait for "The Return of the Condor Heroes", which is why it has been delayed until now.

The Condor Heroes concluded in March, and in early April, Dragon TV and Hunan TV engaged in a fierce battle, with Shanghai ultimately securing the exclusive premiere rights for a staggering 1.5 million yuan.

In May, riding the wave of popularity of "The Return of the Condor Heroes", the premiere achieved a high viewership rating of 10%, which has now exceeded 15%.

It's nowhere near as good as "The Return of the Condor Heroes," but these are still the numbers for a historically massive hit drama.

The benefits didn't go to Liu Yifei alone, but all the credit went to her, with multiple media outlets proclaiming her as "the number one female celebrity to carry a drama."

That's true. Who still believes Nicholas Tse can carry a drama in mainland China these days? Just look at how badly "Little Fish" flopped.

She's single-handedly carrying the show to this extent; she's definitely a female version of Ziwei Star.

Starting in May, Nenxian continued to soar from her original heights, truly surpassing Xiaoyanzi of yesteryear, becoming incredibly popular.

As a result, the Ge Pai (格派) style suddenly became incredibly popular.

A family with two top stars is unprecedented and unparalleled, driving young actors crazy.

Feng Yuanzheng sighed, "I've become quite famous thanks to you guys. Lately, kids have been blocking the entrance to my workplace every day, wanting to become my apprentices and learn the Ge school of martial arts..."

Everyone was curious: "Have you taken on any new apprentices?"

"Am I crazy? Teaching thirteen or fourteen-year-olds this stuff?"

Feng Yuanzheng was both amused and exasperated.

"I was pushed into the limelight by Xinghe. He's amazing because he's talented and hardworking, not because I'm a great teacher."

These kids who came attracted by the smell might not be able to endure that kind of hardship, but they definitely have unrealistic expectations. I dare not take any of them in…”

"That's right!"

Jiang Wen joked, "You're already playing psychopaths every day. What if you take on a few students and train them too hard, ending up with injuries? Do you think the parents and the media won't give you trouble?"

"Hahahaha!"

Everyone laughed, and Han Sanping added fuel to the fire, saying, "Anyway, the mantle has been passed down. From now on, let Xiao Fang carry the banner of your Ge School! He can act directly opposite Grandpa You Benchang in the new film. If he performs well, he can be established as a grandmaster. You will be the supreme elder of the sect. How prestigious!"

Feng Yuanzheng wasn't annoyed and nodded with a smile.

"Alright, Xinghe, whether I can go down in history depends entirely on you... It's just Teacher You, right? Take care of him!"

Goodness, you really dare to brag about me!
Fang Xinghe felt his head buzzing. Was I the one who matched Old Master You's skills?
The reason they can do a decent job is because they are a natural fit for the character!

He had a very clear understanding of his own acting abilities, but as a young man, these words still provoked his temper.

—It's rare to have such a good opponent, so what reason is there to be stingy?
If you can't beat them, just fight.

Come on, Deep Blue, show me your limits!
Fang Xinghe was too lazy to think about any more plans. "The Return of the Condor Heroes" had brought him a total of 13 Star Points. He was so excited that he immediately spent 8 of them on his acting skills.

The acting score, which was originally 91, instantly jumped to 99.

This is the true limit of human capability, and a limit that is comprehensive and without any shortcomings.

Zhu Xu, Jiao Huang, You Benchang, Yu Shizhi... all these old gentlemen have contributed 99 points of performance effect, but they cannot consistently contribute 99 points of effect under every performance requirement.

Now, Fang Xinghe can.

Ambition arises naturally as one's abilities improve.

I don't care if I don't make money from this movie, but I want to win my second major Best Actor award, right in front of Teacher You!

Huo Yuanjia, when will you become the number one in Tianjin?

Huo Yuanjia smiled, and Fang Xinghe smiled too.

This is the show, this very play!
(End of this chapter)