Abstract Art Award Winner

Although I had heard about Zhou Le's style before, I still admire him from the bottom of my heart when I hear him say it in person.

For a director like her, coming here was simply about taking on a good project and adding another icing to her already illustrious resume.

And what Zhou Le said when he found her was that he would give her absolute say.

You should know that if a star is created by the company itself, then the company is the sky.

This made Lin Yufen realize that Zhou Le was ambitious and wouldn't mess around, but his willingness to exercise power showed great courage and respect for her as a director.

And later, when casting, they actually only included Zhang Yuxi.

But how to put it? Zhang Yuxi did gain a lot of exposure and resources when she was dating Wang Sicong, but things didn't go much better later on. She just had a pretty face.

When casting roles, telling Zhou Le that his acting was alright was actually a form of flattery.

Another reason she agreed was that Zhang Yuxi's resources weren't great right now, so even if she got into the production team, she wouldn't cause any trouble.

The roles that followed were all chosen by the two of them after discussion.

And so, after filming wrapped up in the afternoon, Lin Yufen suddenly called out to Zhou Le.

"Zhou Le, the materials have been produced. We plan to release some names first for preliminary publicity. After all, we need continuous exposure in the future, so please take a look at these materials and see if there's anything we can adjust."

"Okay."

Immediately afterwards, Lin Yufen asked the assistant director to bring over the computer and show the images one by one.

The cover and promotional posters were very well done and exquisite, but Zhou Le frowned after looking at them.

"Director Lin, I remember this is a drama with a strong female lead, right?"

"Yes, that's how we designed it. In the beginning, the first version from the scriptwriters was a female-centric story, but later on, the male lead was given a lot of highlights."

But at the time, I thought this drama was specifically for Tian Xiwei, so I let them change it, making it primarily a story about a strong female lead.

Zhou Le nodded: "Then why is my name highlighted more on these posters, and why is my name listed on a separate line?"

Lin Yufen laughed: "Although Xiaotian became popular last year with 'Story of Yanxi Palace' and 'A Little Reunion', and even got the lead role in 'Story of Yanxi Palace', you were in this drama after all, so your status is much higher than hers."

If we put you at the back, your fans will probably be unhappy, since it's something we did ourselves, and it could cause some unpleasantness.”

Zhou Le waved his hand: "No, that's not true. You said it yourself, this is made by our own people. I personally don't care about the billing order. Anyway, this drama will probably only be broadcast online. It definitely won't be broadcast on TV. My billing as the first or second lead won't affect the investment. I'll pay most of the money myself. As for the rest, it's up to others whether they want to invest or not. If they don't want to invest, there are plenty of people who are willing."

Let's adjust it later. Put Xiaotian in the center position, and put her name first. The opening and closing credits should also focus on her. I'm just doing this for fun.

Lin Yufen was shocked. She knew that Zhou Le was always willing to promote people, but she didn't expect him to do it this much.

Having filmed many different kinds of dramas, I know that being the lead or second lead is very important for an artist.

The most classic example is the movie "Painted Skin".

Zhao Wei and Zhou Xun got into a fight over billing order, and the remaining actors took sides, causing a huge uproar.

With the excellent works of the older generation setting an example, later dramas, unless the lead actor clearly dominates the lead actor, all had some degree of lead actor ranking.

For example, in the drama "The Story of Ming Lan," which won Zhao Liying many awards, Zhao Liying was initially listed as the lead actress, Feng Shaofeng as the second lead, and Zhu Yilong as the third lead. However, after Zhu Yilong became a sensation with "Guardian," fans demanded more screen time and a higher billing. As for Feng Shaofeng's billing, the reason given was that his character's popularity overshadowed that of the male lead.

At the time, this incident caused quite a stir online.

There was also the later male-oriented drama adaptation "Martial Universe". Zhang Tianai was confirmed as the female lead when she signed the contract, but Wang Likun's role became more prominent later on, so Wang Likun's team requested that her name be listed alongside Zhang Tianai's.

Later, the production team did indeed do that, listing the two side by side, but even so, Zhang Tianai was still listed first.

Afterwards, Zhang Tianai's fans accused Wang Likun of adding scenes and stealing top billing.

Then there's the hugely popular drama "The Longest Day in Chang'an" last year. At the time, Lei Jiayin was a veteran actor, while Yi Yangqianxi was a top idol. Yi Yangqianxi's fans started questioning why Lei Jiayin's name was in the upper left and Yi Yangqianxi's name was in the lower right, accusing them of visually weakening the character and demanding a different billing order. However, the original layout was maintained throughout the subsequent broadcasts.

However, public opinion has generally accepted the dual-core engine.

Therefore, it is truly commendable that Zhou Le was willing to take second billing, and even did not ask for a higher billing, in such a situation where the lead actor was absolutely overwhelming.

In fact, under these circumstances, the order of billing is usually set to the default.

"The poster can be changed, and the opening and ending credits can be done, but the copywriting and the positioning during subsequent promotions..."

"Let's just follow the normal order of billing."

Zhou Le didn't really care about these things in this drama, and he didn't pay much attention to them when filming previous dramas either.

Because at the very beginning, Zhou Le filmed Da Peng's "Sewing Machine Band".

The director and lead actor were both Da Peng, so Da Peng was naturally the lead actor. Nazha was the second lead actor because of her popularity and screen time at the time. At that time, Zhou Le's ranking was even below Qiao Shan's.

Later, when he filmed "Wolf Warrior," Wu Jing was definitely the lead actor.

Then he filmed "Dying to Survive". Although Zhou Le's portrayal of the patient was outstanding and had many highlights, Xu Zheng was the producer and the male lead, so there was no need for him to compete for top billing.

The unspoken rule in the entertainment industry is that all credit for a web series goes to the lead actor, who must also bear responsibility for data and ratings.

In TV dramas broadcast on satellite channels, the male and female leads, regardless of their billing order or whether they are listed as first or second lead, can still reap the rewards.

It's pretty much the same in movies.

But the general consensus is that the lead actor carries the box office.

For Zhou Le, the movies and TV series he acted in back then, regardless of his billing order, all played a significant role in carrying the show.

Therefore, when people calculate individual film box office figures, those who not only played second or third lead roles are also included.

It wasn't until the broadcast of "Like a Flowing River" and "Joy of Life" that Zhou Le rightfully secured the lead role.

Back then, Daylight Entertainment used their own people to produce "Like a Flowing River," and no one else could compete with them. It goes without saying that Tencent was even more competitive; they even gave Zhou Le several scripts to choose from before the project was officially launched.

Among the works Zhou Le had acted in before, the most typical was "The Wandering Earth".

Whether it's seniority, box office appeal, or the amount of investment, Wu Jing should be number one.

However, Wu Jing later requested to give up his position as the lead actor and gave it to Qu Chuxiao.

Therefore, in the credits, although Wu Jing is still listed at the top, his title is "Special Appearance," while Zhou Le and Zhao Jinmai are listed as the lead actors.

So, Zhou Le was the one who won the first prize, and he also won the grand prize. "Ah, okay, just for your generosity, Mr. Zhou, you can come to me again if you have any good dramas in the future. Of course, if I have any good scripts, I will give you priority consideration."

"Haha, Director Lin, you're too kind."

Lin Yufen immediately instructed the assistant director to have the publicity team readjust the billing order.

But on the way back to the hotel, Tian Xiwei felt a little uneasy after listening to the whole thing.

"Brother Le, although it's the female lead, I think it's perfectly fine for you to be the lead. My fans are actually very grateful to you."

Moreover, your appeal will definitely be the strongest in this drama, and most people will watch it because of you.

Zhou Le smiled and reached out to rub Tian Xiwei's head: "That's true, but don't underestimate the influence of your fans. Besides, the concept of billing order originated from Japan."

Although everyone initially just wanted to prove themselves and not be suppressed by others, things have evolved to the point where it involves attracting investment and data processing.

There's no need to worry about attracting investment, but do you expect my fans to generate data? You might as well hope they use their free time to make memes and spread memes everywhere.

Our studio doesn't only have one female artist, so I can't help you forever. In the future, you'll have to collaborate with other people. Don't let yourself be unable to surpass others because you don't have enough works or awards.

This can lead to a situation where someone who was initially a shoo-in for lead billing ends up secretly stealing it, or through some manipulation, making it a joint lead billing situation. You need to let people know that you, on your own, can carry a show.

Tian Xiwei also realized that this was paving the way for her future: "Brother Le, if possible, I would be willing to stay as your assistant even if I didn't act in movies."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Le immediately straightened his face: "Say it again, I spent so much money and pulled strings to get you a role, just so you could be my assistant in the future?"

"Hehe, Brother Le, I was wrong, I won't say it again, I will work hard!"

"Yeah, keep it up. Work hard when you need to, but if you feel tired, just tell me. We can rest when we need to. Don't worry about being forgotten after a period of silence. I can't guarantee anything else, but when it comes to generating buzz, I have plenty of ways to do it."

"Understood, Brother Le."

Two days later, the new material design drawings were completed, and Zhou Le felt there were no problems after reviewing them.

Even so, he still asked Lin Yufen to take a look at the other people as well.

Although Tan Jianci came from a boy band background, he himself seemed very humble and gentle, so he naturally said there was no problem.

The company that Wang Hedi signed with isn't exactly well-known, but its owner, Chai Zhiping, is quite powerful, holding the copyright to "Meteor Garden."

When Chai Zhiping signed Wang Hedi, he tied him to the contract for the new version of "Meteor Garden," and then Mango TV acquired the rights to the drama.

But at this point, Wang Hedi was essentially dealing with a resource package in a transaction with a mainland platform.

Chai Zhiping secured priority rights for future project collaborations with Tencent through Wang Hedi. Wang Hedi himself obtained the experience of playing the male lead in an IP drama at a low fee, while Tencent acquired the rights to develop future projects from an excellent producer at a very low cost.

No one loses out.

Later, when BJ Mengyang Film and Television Company, where Wang Hedi worked, learned that Zhou Le needed actors, they immediately sent him over for an audition.

As a result, it was naturally selected.

Although the character is the third male lead, he can only be listed fourth in the billing order.

However, Zhou Le doesn't really belong to the established circle. It's understandable that his own production would push his own actresses aside. Although Wang Hedi is still overshadowed by Tan Jianci, he didn't come here to compete for top billing, but to show his face.

Everyone knows that Zhou Le is both a jinx and a lucky star in the entertainment industry. People who have a falling out with Zhou Le usually get into all sorts of disputes, but those who are close to Zhou Le can get a boost from him if he has any good resources.

Therefore, before Wang Hedi joined the crew, his agent told him that the most important thing was to get along well with Zhou Le and to actively cooperate with all the publicity.

The deeper the cooperation, the greater the impact.

Even if she's only the fourth lead, the viewership she gets is far greater than what she gained from her previous roles in "Meteor Garden" and "Ever Night 2".

"I have no problem, but Le Ge and Wei Jie look so good together in the poster."

"Haha, it's just acting, I have great chemistry with everyone," Zhou Le replied with a smile.

"That's right, Brother Lok, you're practically a character straight out of a play. Anyway, the reason I got into this industry was because I saw your work, Brother Lok."

Zhou Le quickly waved his hand: "No, no, no, these are all my words. Anyway, if everyone sees the material and there are no problems, then we can release it. Don't come back later and think the billing order is inappropriate, or do anything underhanded."

"No, no, no."

Immediately afterwards, the publicity team arranged for someone to post on Weibo, and the actors' studios also prepared to follow up with reposts and promotions.

Although it wasn't mentioned much before, Tian Xiwei's fans and Liuli's book fans had already learned some information.

However, the book fans are most concerned about the casting, and some of Tian Xiwei's fans are worried about the order of billing.

However, most fans felt that if Zhou Le were to appear in the show, it would be fine even if he were listed as the second lead, since Zhou Le is too strong, and the order of billing could be reversed.

As a result, some comments in the super topic questioning whether Zhou Le might steal the lead role from Tian Xiwei were immediately addressed by others.

No matter how anxious the fans are, their main point is to remain calm and peaceful, and they said that even if Tian Xiwei is the second lead in this drama, they will still work hard to collect data after the broadcast.

It wasn't until the first wave of official promotional materials was released.

There was no visual deception; the two were simply placed in the same row, with Tian Xiwei in front and occupying the absolute center position in the picture, while Zhou Le followed behind her.

"Brother Le... he really is... I'm going to cry my eyes out."

"No matter what happened in the past or in the future, I will support any work in which Brother Lok is in it."

"Meng Jie's fans sent their congratulations, congratulating Xiao Tian on landing another leading role in a drama."

"Little Pomegranate sends its congratulations, congratulations to Xiao Tian."

"Ono's fans sent their congratulations to Oda."

"No, Brother Le is confused. Why did you go and act in a period drama? Oh, you acted with Xiao Tian. It's alright then."

"It took me a while to understand what the order of names meant. I used to think that the male and female leads were the most important characters, but it seems that Brother Le is quite sensible. He doesn't want to join the bandwagon when adapting IP dramas and puts his name first."

"I'm really a little jealous of Xiaotian. Why does he get to be paired with Brother Le? Someone like him should be left to live a lonely life. If I can't have him, no one else can either."

Tian Xiwei's fans were already used to Zhou Le's fans' abstract style, and they started making fun of him in the comments again.

(End of this chapter)