Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 288 A Frenzied Tearing Up and Gathering in Hengdian
The Bazaar Charity Night is a hit!
The four actresses and two singers were even more popular. Although the charity gala was not broadcast live or recorded in its entirety, many media outlets were present, so all the essential information was included, along with complete photos and text.

In the public feature reports, everyone managed to keep a relatively composed attitude, at most adding a little personal touch during the introduction to show that the charity gala was very "harmonious".

Aside from the special reports, they really let loose, writing like they were novelists, the four actresses and two soldiers were practically ready to chop each other up with knives.

The media was buzzing, and so were the netizens. Tianya was flooded with posts about the charity gala, with various discussions and insider revelations.

What's most remarkable is the fierce competition on stage, which lasts for about 8 minutes and is jokingly referred to as the "Death Eight Minutes" or the "Black Eight Minutes".

The most enthusiastic participants were the four actresses and their fans.

The end of the charity gala does not mean the end of the feud between a few people.

Conversely, those who couldn't afford to completely break ties in front of everyone were seething with anger. After returning home, they immediately launched a war through their teams and companies, frantically smearing each other.

Xiao Yanzi and Zhang Ziyi felt that Huayi Brothers and Yi An had bullied them this time, and they would not let Fan, Zhou, and Li get away with it.

Li Bingbing held a grudge against several people for raising prices, so he launched a direct and indiscriminate attack, focusing his firepower on his two old enemies, Fan and Zhou.

Zhou Gongzi's first target will definitely be Li Bingbing, followed by Zhang Ziyi. He is obviously dissatisfied with Wang Zhongjun's decision to put Zhang Ziyi first. In addition, the two also have old grudges from when they filmed "The Banquet".

Fan Xiaopang's main rivals are Li Bingbing and Xiao Yanzi, so he should also pay them more attention.

In short, you hit me, I hit her, she hit you, it was all chaos.

At first, they were focused on their rivals, but later they weren't sure who had messed with them or not, so they simply started fighting everyone.

Not only did the five people fight amongst themselves, but even Xu Cainu, who didn't attend the charity gala, was dragged into it.

They were tearing each other apart, so why was the guy surnamed Xu pretending to be innocent on the sidelines? I strongly suspect that he was secretly stirring up trouble.

The teams started fighting, and the fans followed suit, leading to chaotic battles on blogs, forums, and Tianya.

First, dig up their dirt!

Of the four female warriors and two soldiers, not one was clean.

There's a gate on the left, a gate on the right, who's with whom, and who's with whom.

Who hit someone, who was a mistress, who cheated, who had a messy love life, who had two women fighting over one man, blah blah blah.

This is only the relatively substantiated evidence; other rumors, fake news, or fabricated dirt are also smeared directly on the other party's face, no matter what.

Not satisfied with just digging up dirt, they started comparing and belittling each other in a hierarchy of contempt!

Xiao Yanzi's fans call her maid Jin Suo and Fan Xiaopang; Zhou Xun's fans complain that Zhang Ziyi is sucking up to foreigners; Li Bingbing's fans imply that Zhou Xun has a raspy voice and is scheming.

Some were two or three people arguing, while others were just launching a full-screen taunt attack.

Fan Xiaopang's fans think the others are old and ugly, Xu Cainu's fans think the others are uncultured and lack substance, and Zhang Ziyi's fans think their idol is the best and everyone else is trash and not worthy of being compared.

"..."

At this point, the importance of solid achievements, national recognition, and team professionalism becomes apparent.

Little Swallow has the most fans. If it weren't for her constant trouble-making over the years, which caused her public image to plummet, she could at least handle several of them, if not one against five.

Even though it's not as good as it used to be, it still relies on its past strengths to maintain its position in the top tier.

Then there's Fan Xiaopang. All those years of TV dramas and commercials haven't been for nothing, and her good reputation isn't built on futile. She not only has a large fan base, but also considerable influence among the general public.

Although her rise to fame was not without controversy, thanks to Yi An's protection, she did not fall into a black-and-red vortex, and her reputation was above average among the four actresses and two actresses.

With Yi An's professional brokerage team and rich experience, Fan Xiaopang has a significant advantage in this chaotic battle thanks to his comprehensive strengths.

Then came Li Bingbing and Zhou Gongzi.

Both of them started their careers in television dramas, have considerable national recognition, and have achieved considerable success. They also have mature teams and companies supporting them, especially Li Bingbing, who can create a unique bond between the two.

Well, even though the two sides might seem to be fighting each other, sometimes in such a chaotic battle, they can actually reach a consensus.

Especially when Si Dan steps on Shuang Bing, it is also the moment when Shuang Bing fans are most united.

Zhang Ziyi is very frustrated. In terms of achievements and status, she is indeed number one among many female stars.

However, he is at a disadvantage in terms of national recognition and fan base, and both he and his fans are somewhat arrogant, making them vulnerable to attacks and giving him a poor public image.

More importantly, without the support of a major company, and with American agencies unable to exert their influence, he is no match for local powerhouses like Huayi Brothers and Yi'an Entertainment.

Her status, fame, and influence may allow her to get to know and befriend some celebrities, and she's well-connected with production companies and directors, but in this kind of public feud, she can only be suppressed and hammered.

The worst off is Xu Cai Nu (a talented woman), who has nothing else to offer besides her titles of "talented woman" and "blog queen".

Despite the blog's high click rate and the large number of fans who constantly refer to Lao Xu, most of these people are just netizens. They're fine with giving a shout-out, but when it comes to a real fight, they're no match for those fans.

Several fan groups completely overwhelmed Xu Cainu's blog. She was the most innocent, but also the most pitiful.

There's nothing we can do about it; she's the weakest.

People always pick on the weakest ones. In a chaotic battle, the strongest and the most aggressive may not stand a chance, but the weakest will definitely suffer.

This chaotic battle is destined to become a small milestone moment for the four leading actresses and two powerful figures, and even for the entertainment industry as a whole.

Previously, the four actresses and two male stars were at odds. Although they never denied it, they never publicly admitted it either. Various team smear campaigns and fan wars were kept within their own small circles. This time, however, they have been exposed to the public, giving all kinds of onlookers a satisfying watch.

However, this was not the end. After realizing they were at a disadvantage in terms of press releases and fans, Xu Cainu and Zhang Ziyi took matters into their own hands.

First, Xu Cainu posted an article on her blog, implying that a group of people were using public welfare as a pretext to seek fame and profit, appearing to be enthusiastic about charity but actually having ugly faces.

In an interview the following day, Fan Xiaopang directly targeted her, pointing his finger at her and cursing her.

"Someone once told me that charity is about actions, not intentions. Don't worry about the purpose of doing charity; as long as you help people, it's a good deed."

"I want to ask, is it those of us who contributed money and effort who are truly ugly, or are those who just type on keyboards and speak shamelessly, appearing clear-headed but actually selfish?"

"..."

Fan Xiaopang's entry point was crucial; he seized the moral high ground and garnered support from others.

Regardless, they've contributed money and effort, so we can't tolerate Xu Cainu's nonsense.

Xu Cainu was shut up after being confronted, and then the others started another round of bickering.

Zhang Ziyi spoke first: "Actually, Su Mang and I are friends. I just wanted to do a good deed. But now that these things have happened, I feel that many people are changing and becoming disappointing."

People kept speaking out, and even those who didn't want to get involved couldn't escape the reporters' questions.

Zhou Gongzi's seemingly cryptic remark is: "Some people are feigning innocence."

Little Swallow expressed her regret about participating in the charity gala: "It was a terrible experience in every aspect. I wish I hadn't gone."

Li Bingbing went so far as to expose some of the smear tactics used during the internal strife on his blog, criticizing certain people as "heartless" and "outrageous" in their methods, and saying that they would "get their just desserts" in the future.

Fan Xiaopang then declared his battle cry: "This may be the cruelty of the entertainment industry. I am not afraid. If anyone tries to bully me, I will fight them to the end."

In short, whether they were riddle tellers or had a tough stance, they all shared the same attitude.

I am kind, I was forced into this, the others are all beasts, scoundrels, and bastards...

The fact that the two parties directly engaged in a war of words arose, further fueling the controversy and causing the situation to spiral slightly out of control.

The feud between some of the most popular female celebrities in mainland China has a very negative impact in many ways, as it damages the image of the country and society.

In short, relevant departments stepped in to cool things down.

As the entertainment media, which thrived on sensationalism, dispersed, some social media outlets emerged and began to criticize and condemn this chaotic entertainment phenomenon.

Once the official statement was released, even the most impulsive individuals calmed down.

Or perhaps they weren't necessarily irrational, they just lacked a trigger.

The sheer scale of the scandal and the exposure of various negative stories have negatively impacted their public image, and their respective business partners and production teams have also expressed their opinions.

But the others were all shouting and clamoring, and he knew he couldn't back down even if he lost, so he was put in a difficult position and had no choice but to bite the bullet and stand his ground.

Now that we have a way out, we can naturally stop fighting without losing face for anyone.

...

"They got off too easily."

Fan Xiaopang expressed his regret about the ceasefire with some lingering sentiment, and Yan Li couldn't help but shake his head.

In this chaotic battle, Fan Xiaopang has an advantage, but she is not without disadvantages, and she is not very popular.

More accurately, she is hated; people dislike her for her beauty, her career, and her relationships.

Aside from the barely acceptable Mr. Zhou, Li and Zhao had old grudges, and Zhang and Xu disliked her. If it weren't for Yi An supporting her, she would definitely be one of those besieged.

"Venting out anger and generating buzz has both advantages and disadvantages. If the commotion continues, it will not only have a negative impact but also implicate oneself, so the disadvantages outweigh the advantages."

"When you go out to make money, there's no need to do a losing business."

Yan Li didn't really support Fan Xiaopang and Si Dan fighting each other; it wasn't a very cost-effective thing.

But often you can't just pursue cost-effectiveness. When others make a move, Fan Xiaopang can't just ignore it and has to join the fight.

Yan Li can support Fan Xiaopang, but at most he can only gain an advantage; he can't completely cripple the four actresses and two soldiers.

After all, he has powerful backers. Unless Yan Li uses the system's ultimate move, the situation will likely spiral out of control.

Besides, nobody's a fool. There are only a few people involved. If one or two people are killed, it's hard to keep it a secret. If things go wrong, they'll become the target of everyone's anger.

So if it's a one-on-one fight or a life-or-death struggle, Yan Li can be ruthless, but in this kind of chaotic battle, Yan Li can only rely on Yi An's resources to deal with it, and he won't and doesn't need to use the intelligence system.

As it turns out, Yi An and Fan Xiaopang haven't been wasting their time all these years.

In this chaotic battle, our side performed quite well, at least much better than Huayi Brothers.

There was no other way; Huayi Brothers had to support two, and it also involved internal strife. As the fighting went on, Zhou and Li started arguing over the uneven distribution of resources and even dragged each other down.

It is well known that internal traitors are more damaging than external enemies. These two are not at the bottom, which shows that Huayi Brothers is very capable and their respective teams are very effective.

"It doesn't necessarily mean losing money."

Fan Xiaopang chuckled, then showed the text messages to Yan Li, who was somewhat surprised. He had truly underestimated these individuals; they outwardly feuded, but privately they were using suppression of rivals and self-promotion to seize resources.

Zhang Ziyi is the most pitiful, while she is the most popular and has the most resources, so she is besieged and fought over by all sides.

Fan Xiaopang did lose some commercial deals, but she snatched two movie offers. For her, endorsements and advertisements have never been lacking, but movie offers are much rarer.

However, after watching the two movies and recalling them briefly, Yan Li felt somewhat disgusted.

"It's a low-budget film, a male-dominated movie, and at best she's a supporting actress, nothing special."

For actresses in low-budget films, things are fine, but the success and benefits of some films cannot be measured by their costs.

However, as for supporting actresses, unless there are major films with high exposure or special features, Yan Li doesn't really support Fan Xiaopang's participation. Apart from showing off his face, the cost-effectiveness is extremely low, and there's no need for it.

Instead of going through all that trouble, we should look for better scripts or make a TV series.

Fan Xiaopang's collaboration with Yi An on the TV series has started a new profit-sharing arrangement. The revenue from one TV series is much higher than what he earns from playing supporting roles.

"I don't need it, give it to Wang Ou and the others."

Fan Xiaopang's casual remark shocked Yan Li. He reached out and touched her forehead, then touched his own.

"You don't have a fever, so why are you talking nonsense?"

Fan Xiaopang slapped Yan Li, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed: "What do you mean?"

Yan Li asked in confusion, "Why has your personality changed?"

Fan Xiaopang stubbornly retorted, "What do you mean by changing my personality? I've always been this generous and selfless."

She admitted that she used to be somewhat domineering within the company, especially regarding resources, and that she liked to hoard them.

But Fan Xiaopang had her reasons. As the company's top female employee, and during a period of rapid growth for both her and the company, she needed to take the lead to grow quickly and carve out a niche for herself and the company.

That being said, everyone says she's a loner, but in reality, Wang Ou's career development is also quite impressive.

Moreover, Wang Ou has also benefited a lot from Fan Xiaopang's influence in business advertising and other areas.

Previously, she and Wang Ou had pulled some tricks in recruiting new employees, but after Yan Li confirmed the recruitment, the two of them obediently complied.

This time, Fan Xiaopang also took the initiative to demonstrate her style as the top female star and boss lady, striving to secure resources for the company's new artists.

On the one hand, she was taking care of her fellow students and winning their hearts; on the other hand, it was also a form of advance compensation. If the company had any good projects, she would be there without hesitation.

To put it bluntly, when there were fewer people, she would eat all the food herself and just give a little bit to Wang Ou.

Now that the company has more people, for the sake of the bigger picture, although she can still have the biggest slice of the pie, she has to give some treats to the others to appease them.

Yan Li was quite pleased with Fan Xiaopang's transformation.

Perhaps Yi'an didn't have enough resources before, or perhaps Fan Xiaopang, whose career was developing rapidly, hadn't adjusted his mindset yet and lacked a certain perspective.

Previously, Yan Li did not focus his energy on artist management, so he turned a blind eye to this.

Now that the company has made new adjustments, he was just saying he'd like to have a chat with Fan Xiaopang sometime, but it turns out Fan Xiaopang has already taken action.

"That's right. You're the top female leader, and no one can get around you. You need to have a higher perspective and a longer-term vision, elevating your perspective from the individual level to the company level."

Yan Li encouraged and supported Fan Xiaopang's actions, while also emphasizing her status.

The company will share some resources with new artists, but Fan Xiaopang is still the top priority.

...

Compared to Fan Xiaopang's strategic vision, or rather his keen insight, Wang Ou's reaction was somewhat slow.

She was highly wary of Yang Xue and the others who were about to join the company.

However, Wang Ou's threat and strength were far inferior to Fan Xiaopang's, which is why she felt even more threatened. Yan Li didn't expect Wang Ou to be able to remain calm; she just gave him a hint.

Competition is fine, but don't go overboard!

Unlike Huayi Brothers, which indiscriminately recruits any famous artist, Yi'an carefully defines and differentiates its signed artists.

Competition for resources is inevitable, and no matter how good the company's internal environment is, it won't help.

However, by diversifying routes and adopting a relatively reasonable positioning, the intensity of competition can be reduced and kept within a controllable range.

At least it's not like Huayi Brothers, where even the boss can't control internal strife, and internal strife is even greater than external enemies.

If one day, some of Yi An's artists reach this level, then let them go.

Wang Ou has many flaws, but he has one very good quality: he is obedient.

Yan Li drew a line for her, and Wang Ou would not go against it, whether she liked it or not.

That's enough. Fan Xiaopang made overtures and won him over, Wang Ou kept quiet and behaved himself, the old guard didn't cause trouble, and the newcomers dared not cause trouble either. The artist management department was now mostly peaceful.

In September, before filming began for "Painted Skin," Yan Li was among the first to join the crew.

After roughly surveying the scenery, I went to talk to the director of "Lurking".

The filming of "Lurking" is about to begin, but there is a problem now: the male and female leads have been replaced.

Director and screenwriter Jiang Wei has a good relationship with the couple Xin Baiqing and Zhu Yuanyuan, and the roles were suitable for them, so the roles were decided as early as the script stage.

Unfortunately, Zhu Yuanyuan became pregnant at this time.

Because Zhu was already 33 years old at the time, which could be considered an advanced maternal age, and her pregnancy symptoms were quite severe, Zhu Yuanyuan chose to withdraw from the role for the sake of the pregnant woman's safety and the filming of the production crew.

As soon as she quit the role, Xin Baiqing, who was thinking about his wife and children, also turned down the role, intending to spend more time with his wife.

If neither the husband nor wife are acting, the production crew will be in a real bind.

As for the male lead, Sun Honglei had read the script before and wanted to play the role, but was politely declined. Now that there's a vacancy, he came running eagerly.

Although Sun Honglei's image is somewhat fierce, his acting skills are undeniable. After auditioning for a scene, the director and producer were quite satisfied.

The male lead has found a replacement, but the female lead is in a bit of trouble.

Finding a female celebrity who can portray a bold, rustic character, while also having some influence and fame, is not an easy task.

What bothered Jiang Wei the most was that Yan Li had his eye on the female lead.

Previously, Yi An used distribution as a stepping stone, investing in and distributing the show, which secured a 40% share of "Lurking" and gave her a lot of influence within the production team.

Originally, this wasn't a bad thing. There was more funding, a major distribution company, and Yi An approved the casting of the male and female leads, only sending in two actors, one of whom was found by Jiang Wei himself.

But now that the roles have changed, it has given Yi An an excuse to intervene.

After all, as the main investor, Yi An had to approve who would play the male and female leads.

Coincidentally, Yan Li was in Hengdian to oversee things and was interested in the drama "Lurking," so he came over in person to talk to Jiang Wei.

This put a lot of pressure on Jiang Wei and the producer!

However, unexpectedly, Yan Li's attitude was not assertive. Instead, he cooperated with the production team's requirements and discussed the casting together.

"Yao Chen".

Looking at one of the candidates the director had given, Yan Li hesitated slightly.

Does the image match?

In his memory, this was Xiao Guo from "My Own Swordsman," who was indeed feisty but not very rustic, so he thought it would be better to use Tong Zhanggui instead.

The producer also gave his choice: "Qin Hailu".

In terms of acting skills, she is a Golden Horse Award-winning actress; in terms of fame, she is not bad; and in terms of image, she is definitely a powerhouse actress. Playing a feisty and rustic guerrilla captain wouldn't be a problem for her.

Another assistant director also recommended two good candidates, Miao Pu and Luo Haiqiong.

They are all well-known actresses in the industry, with excellent image, acting skills, and fame. However, there is one point that Yan Li has some objections to: they are from Huayi Brothers.

Knowing that the drama "Lurking" might become a hit, it's one thing if it doesn't promote one's own people, but it's another to aid the enemy.

Yan Li tapped on the table and gave Qin Hailu a special look; he had a certain degree of approval for this candidate.

However, as the company owner, he can't just consider whether it's suitable or not; he has to at least try to advocate for his own people.

Chen Su!

This actress is actually not very suitable; she has an intellectual and elite vibe. She'd be more suited to playing Mrs. Ma, but it feels a bit out of place for her to play Cuiping.

Yan Li didn't have high expectations for him, he was just politely recommending someone from the company, but there was another candidate that he felt had a chance to try.

Jiang Xin!

In terms of appearance, Jiang Xin is actually comparable to Cui Ping; her physique makes her very convincing as a female guerrilla captain.

In terms of personality, Jiang Xin and Cui Ping are somewhat similar in that they are both outspoken, straightforward, and headstrong. Moreover, Jiang Xin's acting skills and fame are both commendable.

Most importantly, Jiang Xin is one of their own, and Yan Li's own.

This was far more important than any other advantage. Yan Li didn't force Jiang Wei to make a decision, but she called Jiang Xin and told her to hurry up and come to Hengdian for an interview.

Often, winning a deal comes down to seizing an opportunity first.

On the way back, Yan Li was still calculating Jiang Xin's chances of success, and he also thought of Qin Lan. The two of them didn't have many scenes together and didn't have any grudges, so they shouldn't have a falling out.

If he were Qin Lan, he wouldn't bother with Jiang Xin.

Because "Painted Skin" features two soldiers, and "Legend of Chu Liuxiang 2" also has scenes in Hengdian, with Dong Xuan as the female lead.

Yan Li only realized upon arriving in Hengdian that he not only had to worry about Shuang Bing, but also about Dong Xuan and Qin Lan.

In addition, if Jiang Xin is filming "Lurking", she will definitely be in Hengdian. Huo Siyan is filming "The Last Princess" and will also be in Hengdian. Yang Rong is making a cameo appearance in "Legend of Chu Liuxiang 2" and will most likely run into them as well. And if they happen to run into someone who is not afraid of death visiting the set.

Goodness, the last time Yan Li was filming "The Legend of Xue Rengui" during the Spring Festival in Hengdian, it wasn't this lively...

　2000 words are needed (1000/114000)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)