Abstract Art Award Winner

In the vortex of the entertainment industry, no one can truly remain untainted.

Whether you're a newcomer just starting out or a top star at the very top, once you're in this industry, you can't escape being entangled in all sorts of scandals.

Some of these are old grievances that have been unearthed, with solid evidence to prove them.

Some are lies fabricated out of thin air, which creep around like vines, making them impossible to guard against.

Today, you might be involved in a scandal because of a photo taken out of perspective; tomorrow, a careless remark might be interpreted as a subtle dig at a colleague; and the day after, you might be criticized for "acting like a big shot" for not giving way to a senior colleague.

This is the norm for survival in the entertainment industry.

The clash of swords and the shadows are always hidden under the spotlight.

Take Zhou Le for example. He is not someone who likes to speak out in public. Every word he says is supported by solid evidence and is never baseless.

He has seen too many examples of people getting into trouble because of their "short tongues".

An actor casually complained about the poor production of a certain drama in an interview, only to find out that it was the script he had rejected years ago, and was instead ridiculed for "sour grapes".

A director boasted at a dinner party that he had "eliminated popular celebrities," only to be exposed later as having rejected the role because the actor thought the pay was too low. In the end, he had no choice but to issue a public apology.

These are all lessons from the past.

Of course, even with evidence, one must be careful with their words.

For example, he would always replace specific names with pseudonyms like "a certain actor".

This is both to protect oneself and to prevent others from finding fault.

"Brother Le, these days, the phrase 'a certain actor' has practically become your exclusive title, hasn't it?"

When the topic turned to the limits of what one should say in the entertainment industry, Zhou Ye looked at Zhou Le with a hint of curiosity.

They were sitting in the crew's rest tent. It was snowing lightly outside, and a stove was burning inside. The air was filled with the smell of coffee and hand warmers.

“That’s right,” Zhou Le smiled, picked up the thermos on the table, took a sip, and explained, “That’s why I always use this nickname. I remember listening to crosstalk to pass the time, and when I was almost asleep, I heard Guo Degang say something in one of his routines.”

When telling a story in a crosstalk performance, the story must always be about a specific person so that the audience can empathize with it. However, this empathy is achieved by having the audience experience the story from a third-person perspective.

But if you were to point directly at an audience member and start speaking, you'd probably get a kitchen knife flying onto the stage before you could say more than a couple of sentences.

He paused, his fingers gently tracing the rim of the glass, and continued, "So, in situations like this, you need to use a representative term. I won't say the name directly, but once the audience hears the code name and connects it to the story behind it, they'll naturally be able to identify with it."

Look at those gossip accounts, they love using terms like "top star A" and "rising star B," right? It's the same principle—it satisfies everyone's voyeuristic desires without making definitive statements, and if someone really takes it seriously, they can just call it artistic embellishment.

Zhou Ye nodded thoughtfully: "But won't people think you're being sarcastic? I saw some netizens say that you used the word 'actor' like a coded message."

Zhou Le raised an eyebrow, his smile revealing a hint of candor: "So what if you're being sarcastic? It's better than directly calling someone out and arguing."

Don't worry, those who treat this as a code to gain popularity won't feel offended at all. After all, even if I don't say it, everyone's talking about it privately. Do you think those celebrity teams haven't dug up dirt on their peers? They just don't say it, so I'm saying it for them.

But if anyone actually feels offended… to be honest, they put in a lot of effort when they talk about me. This is just me gathering their opinions and giving a concentrated response.”

Zhou Ye said with deep feeling: "That's true. Those people you mentioned have talked about you openly and secretly. Some of them have made veiled remarks in interviews, saying things like 'some actors don't respect their seniors because they have some background'; others have gossiped with acquaintances in private, spreading rumors that you 'brought your own money to the production team and snatched resources'."

That's how this circle is. If you say something in private, it's guaranteed to reach Sister Su's ears the next day. Because Sister Su and I were spending a lot of time together recently, she kept bringing up these things with me.

Zhou Le put down his thermos and said in a more serious tone, "Those things don't matter, but remember, in this industry, those who can truly go far don't rely on words, but on their work. Once our 'Cliff Walkers' is released and achieves both box office and critical success, those discussions will naturally disappear."

Even so, the filming of "Cliff Walkers" still had to proceed as scheduled.

In Xuexiang, Zhang Yimou set a filming schedule of about half a month.

In Xuexiang, the temperature drops to minus 30 degrees Celsius in winter. Your breath can instantly turn into white mist, and frost can form on your eyelashes.

The actors were wearing heavy costumes, and they were shivering from the cold just standing in the snow, let alone acting.

Aside from the initial adaptation phase and a minor accident that occurred before filming even began on Qinhai Road, there were only a few other minor urban issues.

The props team's snowmobile broke down, which delayed filming for half a day.

The rest of the filming went relatively smoothly. Although some scenes had to be reshot occasionally, the actors' performances were all excellent and there was nothing to criticize.

Finally, the last scene arrived, which was also the most brutal scene of the day.

The main characters are engaged in a gunfight in the snow, and many extras are mixed in with the fallen "corpses".

The shoot was scheduled for early morning, just as dawn was breaking, which was the coldest time of day.

The main actors are alright; they have a lot of screen time, lines, and actions, so they can get some exercise.

The extras weren't so lucky. They had to lie motionless in the snow wearing thin "prison uniforms," ​​with ice shards scattered on their bodies to simulate the effect of "being shot and killed."

The scene was filmed for almost two hours. When the director yelled "Cut," most of the extras grimaced and got up, but one young extra in the corner didn't move for a long time.

Zhang Yi's heart skipped a beat when he saw it. Zhou Le rushed over without saying a word, squatted down in the ankle-deep snow, and saw that the young man's face was pale, his lips were frozen purple, and his whole body was as stiff as ice.

Zhou Le scooped up clean snow with both hands and rubbed it on the arms and legs of the extras.

The older generation said that if you're frozen stiff, you can't just sit by a fire; you have to rub it with snow to slowly warm it up.

He rubbed the area while shouting, "Dude, wake up! Can you hear me?"

After rubbing for almost three or four times, the young man finally let out a soft hum and his fingers twitched slightly.

The actors and staff around him gathered around, some offering him hand warmers, some offering him hot water, and others taking off their down jackets and wrapping them around him.

Only after his body gradually warmed up from being rubbed did he slowly regain his mobility. He was helped to sit up and gasped for breath.

Immediately afterwards, the crew's doctor rushed over, examined the person for a long time with a thermometer and stethoscope, and then lifted the person onto the ambulance for a detailed examination.

"It's not a big problem," the doctor said to Zhang Yi after the examination, as he got out of the ambulance. "He's just been in the cold for too long, and his peripheral nerves are a little numb. He'll be fine after he warms up. Give him some warm water to drink later, but not anything too hot. Let him rest in a warm place for a day, and make sure he doesn't catch a cold again."

Zhang Yi breathed a sigh of relief, and the wrinkles on her forehead smoothed out: "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright."

He turned to the extra who was still wrapped in a down jacket and said sincerely, "Young man, go back and get some rest. Don't worry about your scenes. I'll have someone call you when we need to reshoot."

"You've really worked hard. I'll have the assistant director tally it up and give each of you extra extras an extra 300 yuan. You'll get an extra 500. If you feel unwell later, just tell the assistant director and he'll arrange for you to go to the hospital for a checkup. The crew will reimburse all expenses."

Zhang Yi has always been meticulous in handling the aftermath.

He has witnessed too many production crews causing trouble because of neglecting details: He remembers a production crew he once worked with where an actor fell off a horse, and the crew didn't take it seriously. As a result, the actor developed a chronic illness and went through a lawsuit for several years.

Last year, a friend's small film crew had an extra who fainted from heatstroke. The director even scolded the extra for being "delicate," and ended up being criticized by thousands of netizens.

Zhang Yimou didn't want these trivial matters to affect the filming of the movie; he couldn't afford to suffer a greater loss for a small matter.

In his view, nothing is more important than the film itself when making a movie, but one cannot disregard human lives for the sake of the film.

Problems that can be solved with money should never be allowed to create future problems because of a few hundred dollars.

After filming in Xuexiang, we'll move on to Harbin.

Harbin has many outdoor scenes, so a more realistic snow scene atmosphere is needed.

Because the conditions in Xuexiang were indeed harsh, the actors all looked tired. Zhang Yimou gave everyone except the props team a five-day break so that they could adjust their condition before continuing filming.

Of course, saying it was an adjustment was actually a way for him to wait for the snow in Harbin.

Snow machines can be used for indoor scenes, but outdoor scenes rely on natural snowfall or artificial snowmaking, and artificial snowmaking also depends on the weather.

The temperature and humidity need to be just right; you can't just fire a shot into the sky and expect the snow to fall obediently. "Director Zhang, I have some other work to take care of during these five days off..." Zhou Le asked Zhang Yimou for leave, as some of his current work was waiting for the schedule to be finalized.

“Go ahead, go ahead,” Zhang Yi waved his hand readily.

"Didn't I tell you before? If you have something to do during the scene changes, just go ahead and do it, as long as you come back on time. Don't miss the scenes in Harbin, those scenes are very important to your character."

"Don't worry, I'll definitely be back on time!" Zhou Le patted his chest and assured him, "I'll go back a day early to familiarize myself with the venue."

After asking Zhang Yi for leave, Zhou Le returned to his seat on the bus and picked up his phone to reply to messages.

"I've finalized the leave request. Can you really finish filming that ad in two days?" Zhou Le sent a message.

"Absolutely. I've already told them it'll only take two days. I don't have time for more than that, and I have other plans after this shoot. The closer it gets to the end of the year, the busier I get."

Zhou Le sent an "OK" emoji: "Okay, I'll be recording a variety show with Brother Chao and the others for two days tomorrow and the day after, and then I'll come find you."

"I'm waiting for you. It's been so long since we last met. I almost thought you'd forgotten me," Nazha messaged, her words tinged with a hint of melancholy.

"No, that won't do. I have been busy lately, but I'm actually preparing for a movie, and I'd like you to play the lead role."

No sooner had the message been sent than Nazha made a video call.

Zhou quickly put on his headphones and answered the call.

"Is it still snowing where you are? The background looks all white." Naza's voice came through the earphones. On the screen, she was sitting in front of a makeup mirror with a face mask on.

"Yeah, we just finished filming scenes in this rural area and are about to move on to another location." Zhou Le held up his phone in front of her so she could see the snow outside the window. "Look at this snow."

"No, how did you get so thin?" Naza removed the face mask and saw Zhou Le's face. Her tone was full of surprise. "Your chin is so sharp. Have you not been eating properly?" On the screen, Zhou Le's cheeks were indeed sunken, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes.

"It's filming, after all. For the sake of the role, there's no other way. The previous film I shot had strict requirements. They said my character had to 'have a weathered look,' so they told me to eat less and look more haggard," Zhou Le said with a smile, touching his face.

"Sigh, I'll make sure you get some nutrition when we meet. How can you be so thin? Your body can't take it."

Naza said with heartache.

“I can’t fix it,” Zhou Le said helplessly. “I’m filming with Director Zhang now. I have to look the same when I leave. If I gain weight, I won’t be able to explain it to Director Zhang.”

“It’s okay, I have a plan,” Naza sent a playful emoji. “When you come back, I’ll work out with you and make sure you burn as much calories as you eat.”

Zhou Le looked at the screen, both amused and exasperated: "...I hope you keep your word. Don't let me train myself to death while you're eating fried chicken on the side."

"What are you talking about? I'm going to be a Harper's Bazaar charity ambassador this December, I absolutely can't afford to gain any weight, okay?" Nazha said helplessly, but at that moment she also saw the message Zhou had just sent. "By the way, what's that idol drama you mentioned like? Is it an adaptation or an original script? Can I see it?"

"I can't say. The script is still being prepared. Would it still be a surprise if you read it?"

Zhou Le deliberately kept everyone in suspense, "Don't worry, it's definitely a female-centric drama. You'll be the lead, and I'll be your second lead."

"That's not right. In terms of status, you're much higher than me now."

Naza hesitated.

The industry places great importance on billing order, and being second billing is indeed a bit of a "demotion" for Zhou Le.

"Idol dramas aren't my forte," Zhou Le said dismissively. "I'm just helping you get a good role. Even if it's the second lead, I can definitely handle the ratings. It's just that my fans might not be very good at generating data; they're used to being laid-back. But we'll see."

"Alright, then I'll be waiting for your surprise." Naza finally relented.

As we chatted, the bus started moving, and the snowy scenery outside the window slowly moved backward.

Looking at Nazha's expectant eyes on the screen, Zhou Le became even more certain that he needed to find a decent script and film it next year.

After hanging up the video call, Zhou Le started thinking about that idol drama.

He needs to find a suitable IP that is both popular and fits the actor's temperament.

He first messaged Guo Qiling, who had acquired the copyrights to many novels. "Dalin, do you have any works in your copyright library suitable for making idol dramas? I want ones with a strong female lead."

Soon, Guo Qiling sent over a folder containing synopses of seven or eight works.

But Zhou Le opened it, looked at only a few pages, and then closed it.

It's not that these works are bad, but they're just not suitable for Gulnazar.

Each character has their own attributes: some are sweet and innocent campus dramas, which suit Meng Ziyi's girl-next-door temperament; some are sweet and romantic workplace dramas, which suit Yang Zi's lively and spirited nature; there is even a sweet and tragic ancient costume drama, which he thinks is quite suitable for Yu Shuxin's "little drama queen" style - but he just couldn't find one that suited Guli Nazha.

Naza's advantage lies in being "beautiful and valiant," so she needs a role that allows her to be both "beautiful and capable in combat."

"It's okay, I'll ask someone else," Zhou Le muttered to himself, swiping his finger through his contacts and finding the contact information for Wang Jie, the director in charge of content at Tencent.

Sister Wang is a senior content planner in the industry with a keen eye for talent; she was the one who recommended several hit dramas.

After thinking for a moment, he sent a message to Sister Wang: "Sister Wang, are you busy? I wanted to ask if you have any suitable IPs with a strong female lead. I want to film an idol drama."

Not long after, the other party called.

"Teacher Zhou, are you thinking of transitioning to becoming a producer?" Sister Wang's voice was warm and cheerful. "We do have a few projects that we plan to release the copyrights for, but if we do it... as you know, the copyright fees for big IPs are not cheap, and the subsequent development needs to keep up."

Before the other party could finish speaking, Zhou Le quickly interjected, "Don't worry, if there are suitable ones, the production company and the broadcasting platform will definitely prioritize us. I'll mainly be responsible for the creation and the actors to ensure the quality."

"That's great," Sister Wang said with a smile. "I'll send you a few documents, all of which are IPs we're focusing on evaluating this year. See if any of them interest you. If so, let me know and I'll help you contact the copyright holders. With your support, this project is definitely going to be a sure thing."

Soon, the other party sent several files via WeChat.

Zhou Le looked through them one by one and found that the average quality of these works was indeed higher than that of Guo Qilin's works, after all, they were a list of films selected by Tencent itself.

After reading them, he became particularly interested in one of the comics.

"The Long Ballad" is currently very popular, and it's a female-centric drama.

The protagonist, Li Changge, is Princess Yongning, the illegitimate daughter of Li Jiancheng. Her character is very compelling.

He mentioned the comic to the director, who immediately said that they could schedule a time to discuss it in detail, including development costs and follow-up arrangements.

As long as someone is willing to take it on, everything is negotiable.

“However, Mr. Zhou, there’s something I need to make clear to you,” the director said, changing the subject. “If this film is really going to be made, Tencent Pictures will definitely have to take a portion of the investment. We’ll discuss the specific share later.”

“No problem,” Zhou Le agreed. “Also, I’ll look for a director first and then report back to you for your review. But this is just a formality. I understand that you’re doing an internal risk assessment. With such a big IP, if we find an unknown director, it will probably be assessed as a high-risk project.”

As for the male and female leads, I'm planning to cast myself and Gulnazar. I guarantee you'll see the profit potential.

"If you could be the male lead," the director said with a smile, "then we won't have to worry about making a profit, and we can choose any female lead we like."

Upon hearing that Zhou Le might be the male lead, the director felt more confident.

With Zhou Le in charge, many problems during project evaluation can be easily solved.

With the matter of "Chang Ge Xing" (a type of ballad) initially settled, Zhou Le finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At least the promise made to Gulnazar won't turn out to be an empty promise.

He wouldn't do something like standing someone up.

However, after contacting Tencent, he dug out Guo Qiling's previous works and his eyes fell on a book called "Canglan Jue".

After thinking about it, he forwarded the book to Yu Shuxin.

"Shuxin, take a look at this book. What do you think? I personally think it's pretty good." (End of Chapter)