I'm not a drama freak, I can really see through the script

Chapter 202, Gu Tianle: No one understands gangsters better than me!

At this time, the broadcast of "The World's Number One" entered a period of stability.

Li Xuan was looking at "The World's Number One".

The opening of this work is indeed amazing, starting from the development of the plot and then unfolding three storylines.

The charm of each character is manifested to varying degrees.

Even someone as mediocre as Li Yapeng still has a lot of charm in this role, and the plot is also quite good. Among the three main characters, Li Xuan's favorite is Cheng Shifei's storyline. Besides having better acting skills than the other two main characters, the film is also the easiest to watch. The character design is based on Wei Xiaobao, the protagonist that Mr. Jin Yong liked the most.

This work can be described as a martial arts work that appeals to all, and it is extremely popular.

Original martial arts dramas have fired the first shot in this year's TV series.

Back at school, everyone was discussing how Li Xuan was still Li Xuan. In "The World's Number One," the character of Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis, perfectly embodied the standards of reliability and power.

He is simply a role model of upright character.

"If this character continues to perform like this, then this work can be considered to have landed smoothly."

Wang Jinsong breathed a sigh of relief.

Judging from the current performance of Li Xuan on the show, it is far from being a case of being unworthy of his position due to excessive praise.

At least, they are capable of suppressing this role.

Moreover, judging from the current situation, the production team is quite generous, giving Li Xuan a lot of screen time; in fact, from various perspectives, they've given him quite a lot.

This made Wang Jingsong feel quite favorably toward Wang Jing; the king of bad movies in Hong Kong actually takes good care of newcomers.

They actually gave you so many roles.

He's kind and honest.

These days, producers who are so friendly to newcomers are rare.

In terms of the role's position and identity, Li Xuan's performance has already exceeded expectations for Wang Jinsong. No other young actor could have done a better job in this role.

"Indeed, I think the director is a very nice person. He gave me a lot more screen time, otherwise I wouldn't have had so much room to develop the character."

At this moment, Li Xuan also agreed with Teacher Wang's statement.

Good people, good production crew.

Even Li Xuan himself felt a little embarrassed about having more scenes added to his role, so naturally he had to put on a performance worthy of those added scenes.

"Shaping space?"

At this moment, Wang Jinsong was slightly curious about what other room there was for development in this character.
Currently, judging from the character design and performance, everything is quite clear. Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis, is a character full of righteousness and a sense of security. As a righteous person in the main group, he has excellent performance as a supporting character.

Although it seems that this character has been overshadowing the other main characters since he first appeared, the plot eventually turned around and the distinction between main and supporting characters was cleared. The main character is the main character, and the supporting character is the supporting character, and Li Xuan is that supporting character.

It seems that the initial impression of the guest taking the lead was just an illusion.

"Telling you now would be spoiling the plot, so you should watch it yourself, teacher. I need to watch the show carefully myself."

Filming and watching movies.

The same kind of immersion is also the kind of happiness that Li Xuan can find in this line of work.

Wang Jinsong also agreed that this made sense, as spoilers would ruin the fun.

However, I imagine the subsequent effects will be similar.

Land smoothly.

It's stable.

"Come on, take the beating! Look at his age and his background, yet he can handle such a role and his acting skills perfectly. Did you see that? When he stands in front of other people in the same frame, there's no sense of incongruity at all. Look at how he is, and then look at yourself."

In fact, Zhang Mo's performance in "The Young Imperial Envoy" was really good, but there was one problem: while it was good, it was just a little bit inferior to Li Xuan's.

When other people play supporting roles, they always appear with the aura of a protagonist. The moment they appear, it's hard to tell whether they are the protagonist or a supporting role. Comparing people is infuriating, and comparing goods is just asking for trouble.

This principle is absolutely correct.

Zhang Mo was also extremely frustrated.

What's wrong? I got beaten up again.

Besides, Dad, didn't you already have countermeasures?

They flatter him, elevate him to the heavens, make him unworthy of his position, and use this to limit his development, forcing him to mature and hide himself away.

Isn't this great?

"Forget it, I'm too lazy to talk to you, you unfilial son."

Zhang Guoli felt that he had vented his anger and felt a little better, mainly because he saw how other people of the same age were performing so exceptionally well.

He was extremely jealous. If his son had that level of ability, he would be able to die with a smile on his face. Because if he had that level of ability and the right resources, his future achievements would definitely be comparable to those of the class of '96.

But that's the cruel part of this world.

No if.

His son is Zhang Mo, not Li Xuan, not the exceptionally talented Li Xuan.

However, there is one thing he can be thankful for: he is glad that he acted decisively against him now. If he had waited any longer, the public opinion that he was unworthy of his position would probably have become a boomerang.

If at that time his virtue matched his position.

Public opinion really did help him rise to the top.

On the Hong Kong side, since "Infernal Affairs," no truly authentic Hong Kong film has been able to achieve both critical and commercial success.

I originally thought "Infernal Affairs" was just the beginning, but I didn't expect it to be the end!
"This industry is really becoming more and more dilapidated, and the older generation of filmmakers are making changes."

"You've changed quickly. With 'A World Without Thieves' and 'House of Flying Daggers,' you're definitely the biggest winner of this year's opening season."

Du Qifeng looked at Liu Dehua with slight admiration.

Although "Kung Fu Hustle" was the box office champion, from a personal profit perspective, Stephen Chow essentially worked for nothing. Apart from proving himself to the world, he didn't seem to gain anything else. However, there is one question: does Stephen Chow still need to prove himself?

Looking at Andy Lau on the other hand.

He participated in the investment and starred in "A World Without Thieves," which was the most profitable film in this period and also launched the career of a newcomer, Wang Baoqiang.

Its influence on the mainland is even greater, and it has also reaped considerable financial profits, truly achieving both fame and fortune.

"You are truly outstanding."

"I just debuted a little early. To say I'm outstanding is really giving me too much credit."

"You are still as overly modest as ever."

"It's not that I'm being overly modest, but I genuinely feel that way. For example, another outstanding young man in this period, Li Xuan, when I was his age, I didn't have his level of performance at all. I just had the advantage of being older, that's all."

"I never thought that the kid who could only be a stunt double back then could now be in the Lunar New Year film season."

Du Qifeng felt a little emotional, but that was all he felt. He wasn't an ignorant person; he had seen many handsome young people before.

During Hong Kong's golden age of cinema, Chow Yun-fat and his contemporaries were all exceptionally talented, hardworking, and gifted.

There was also an older brother who has passed away, a loss that has become a regret.

He is clearly the most likely person to carry the torch for the next generation of young leading men in Hong Kong, and his talent is even more extraordinary.

unfortunately
"Alright, enough with the reminiscing. I'll consider your new project." At this moment, Andy Lau looked at the script in his hand and sighed inwardly. Gangster and police dramas were a predictable genre, and he had little interest in making them.

In Du Qifeng's words, this can be considered his last dance on this subject, making two films in a row, so that it has a beginning and an end.

This is a work supported by the "veterans" behind Du Qifeng, a final tribute to the fading gang culture.

Many veteran Hong Kong stars also participated.

"Go ask Xiao Li if he'd like to act in it. This project should be a good one for him."

After "Kung Fu Hustle," Li Xuan's influence has increased, but it is still unstable. He still needs roles to solidify his position. He doesn't need great box office expectations, but he needs roles that can make him recognizable.

Winning awards is a long shot, but having brand recognition and exposure is enough. "Election" is a good example; it's a film made by a group of fading gang members who use their connections to create their own work.

It's not that I doubt his acting skills.

"But his opponent is simply someone he can't defeat."

When he saw the role recommended by Andy Lau, his first reaction was that Li Xuan was no match for Jimmy, a gangster.

Another candidate is Gu Tianle, the male lead in the TV series, who recently wanted to switch to acting in movies.

It's not that he's particularly eager for movies. If there were a TV drama market like the mainland, he wouldn't mind continuing to act in TV dramas. But Hong Kong only has one TVB, which is notorious for exploiting its actors and having endless internal conflicts. Resources and environment are indeed limited, and the upper limit of one's career in the film industry is much higher. He has been trying to pursue this path.

The original intention of "Election" was to cast him as Jimmy, a gangster forced to join the underworld to make a living.

His biggest advantage is not his status as a TV drama star.

Rather, he actually did work as a gangster.

"Let's give it a try, let them come and audition, it's free."

"That too."

Star Shine Entertainment.

Stephen Chow is also dealing with the aftermath of "Kung Fu Hustle".

Making movies is too mentally taxing. Even though Stephen Chow felt he was already incredibly strong, he was still quite tired. He suddenly felt a bit of admiration for an old friend, the man who could produce movies like an assembly line.

A fat guy surnamed Wang acts in both movies and TV series. Despite being quite old, he still manages to produce a lot of work.

One bad movie a year is already quite an achievement.

Not to mention, he can also produce some excellent works.

At this moment, Cheng Shilong was sitting opposite Stephen Chow.

"So, now that you've won against me this time, don't you have anything to say?"

"Is there anything I want to say? Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Back when I made A Chinese Odyssey, the box office was a complete flop."

At this point, Stephen Chow joked that the box office performance of "A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box" was a complete flop. Regardless of its later reputation, it was a box office disaster. Fortunately, the story gained traction, and NetEase acquired the rights to make "A Chinese Odyssey," which helped them recoup some of their money. Overall, however, the results were rather mediocre.

"It's a pity you didn't intend to make a movie this year, otherwise I really wanted to have another fight with you." Cheng Shilong said with a hint of regret, "Let's see if this defeated opponent of mine still has the strength to fight."

"It's not like we're the losers. The movie is really good. We can't always judge a work solely from a financial perspective," Stephen Chow said magnanimously.

"I'm going to take Li Xuan with me to film the movie 'The Myth,' which is a way of giving him a boost."

"He said yes?"

"Actually, this kid is really lucky. He's only been in the film industry for a short time, and he already has people of our caliber mentoring him," Chen Shilong joked.

"Did I say he agreed to mentor you?"

Cheng Shilong: "."

"You have a really harsh way of speaking."

Cheng Shilong's lips twitched. Zhou Xingxing's words were really sarcastic, especially now that he looked so serious, as if to say, "I'm not kidding, Li Xuan acting in your movie is really a favor." At this moment, Zhou Xingxing took a deep breath.

"It seems you still don't understand, you still don't get it, you still don't understand what it's like to act with him."

"What does it feel like?"

"It feels like I'm acting opposite myself."

Cheng Shilong and Zhou Xingxing were quite familiar with each other, and Cheng Shilong knew what kind of person Zhou Xingxing was.
He is narcissistic, insecure, and arrogant.

This is a flaw in his character.

However, at the same time, the highest praise that such a person could think of was probably, "This child is just like me."

This child is similar to me.

Cheng Shilong never expected Stephen Chow to give him such high praise.

All I can say is that Cheng Shilong is very optimistic about Li Xuan's performance in "Kung Fu Hustle," especially his martial arts skills, which is what he cares about most.

Even after experiencing New Police Story, he still felt that the focus of a work should be on visual presentation.

In terms of literary scenes, such as those in mythology.

They also invited big names, including Yu Rongguang, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and Kim Sun-hee from Peninsula. It's basically a star-studded cast, with both dramatic and action scenes.

Li Xuan is a martial arts fighter on my side.

The reason why "Kung Fu Hustle" was able to achieve such a brilliant performance is, to some extent, due to Stephen Chow's scriptwriting ability. It can be said that, apart from Ng Man-tat, it is another person who rode on Stephen Chow's coattails to rise to fame.

"Alright, I'm going to film my movie now. I hope we can have a good, satisfying competition next time."

"Ah."

"Teacher, I need to ask for leave."

"You've only been in school for a short time."

"There's no other way, I have to go make a movie."

The film offer we've received so far is for "The Myth," where you'll play Meng Yi from ancient times. It's a rather interesting role.

I didn't even know I was the main character.

It's still the shadow of the main character, which counts as several billing ranks.

"Oh, Chengshilong, not bad."

However, Wang Jinsong is no longer as excited when he hears about Cheng Shilong's works. After all, he has had three consecutive box office flops and has been taught a lesson by the market.

If he were to personally direct his next project, the rating wouldn't be as high.

Even the best actors can't be indulged indefinitely.

"I'd like to hear about your career plans."

At this moment, Wang Jinsong was still slightly curious: What are your career plans now?
Become a leading actor before your senior year of college?

Wang Jinsong predicts that this is probably the most optimistic scenario.

A fine sword is forged through tempering, and Li Xuan has already endured far too much hardship in this industry.

But if I had to say something, it's not without its advantages.

Now that he's considered part of the industry, Li Xuan's name isn't exactly unknown. For a sophomore or soon-to-be junior, that's definitely a prodigy level of fame.

Moreover, not signing those contracts with Huayi Brothers, while subject to targeting, also meant fewer constraints. According to insider information within Wang Jinsong's circle, in order to secure publicity resources, the once-famous "Big Peng King" Li Yapeng in Beijing has been worn down to "Medium Peng," and there's a fear that if this continues, he'll become "Little Peng."
The existence of capital within this industry is for your residual value.

When you refuse to offer surplus value, you will naturally be targeted.

In a sense, looking back, Li Xuan's decision to refuse to sign with a large company was the best choice, which is also related to his own strength and talent.

Li Xuan's talent is rare in his life.

As for the conflicts with those second-generation rich kids in the industry, there's nothing that can be done about it.
The next generation, having control of resources, won't feel that after all the years of hard work they've put in, their children have to start from scratch.

Therefore, various underhanded tactics will be employed.

Spending money to promote someone, or using resources to give their child more screen time, or, in more unscrupulous ways, using despicable methods to promote them to their detriment—this is a calculated scheme.

I haven't broken any laws, nor have I smeared you. I'm praising you, which is equivalent to me using resources to promote you.

If you eventually can't take it anymore, that's your own problem.

In other words.

The difference between being praised to death and being praised genuinely is that one can bear it and the other cannot. If you can't bear it, you will be devoured by it; if you can bear it, it is a great force added to your life, adding to your glory.

However, judging from the exaggerated and sensationalized way the news is being reported, it's highly likely that Li Xuan won't be able to handle it.

To call someone a contemporary prodigy, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Class of '96, is an exaggeration.

Even with the best expectations, it's still not possible to stand shoulder to shoulder with those from the Class of '96.

"Let's take one step at a time."

I can't tell you that.

Before graduation.

I'm going to make a film called "Buried Alive".

My goal has never been to be a student from the Class of '96 or a contemporary leading man or anything like that.

After experiencing so much, Li Xuan understood one thing.

More and more places are telling Li Xuan about this.

Whether it's the Beijing film circle making an example of him, using him as a scapegoat in their struggle with the Beijing Film Academy, or the overt and covert propaganda this time, or even the attempt to flatter him to death, what's most painful for Li Xuan isn't what they've achieved.

Rather, I had no choice at all. Here, I could only passively accept everything and passively give feedback.

Just like in the previous life, when capital completely dominated the film and television market, even if it was a defense, the audience could only passively accept it.

That feeling of having no choice.

It's more painful than losing.

Li Xuan also came to a complete understanding of one thing, or rather, this was the plan all along, only now he was more determined to implement it.

I want to sit at the table.

Li Xuan wouldn't tell anyone about being put on the table except his uncle; he was building his resume and resources.

You treat me like a pawn, and I can only deal with whatever comes my way, turning disadvantages into advantages with minimal effort. But when I can finally sit on the table...
Li Xuan suppressed his thoughts for the time being.

We're preparing the script for "The Myth".

He doesn't have many scenes; most of the scenes are set in modern times. If the process goes smoothly enough, the scenes about Meng Yi in ancient times can probably be filmed in two months. Currently, the plan is to focus on filming the ancient scenes first, and then film the modern scenes in various parts of the world depending on where they are.

The fact that the production teams from Hong Kong, India, and the Netherlands are filming shows that the production team is really rich and that Jackie Chan really has influence. The ancient dramas are mostly filmed in Xi'an.

Before filming "The Myth", I had to go to Hong Kong.

An audition invitation came from the other side: Jimmy in Du Qifeng's "Election".

When Li Xuan saw the invitation, his first thought was, "Should I wear a helmet for this shoot?"

Who films a movie without wearing a helmet?

No more, no more.

At this moment, Li Xuan's mind was filled with the scene of fishing.

"The underworld, or rather, the sunset glow of Old Deng, is more like the underworld."

Li Xuan remembered that in "Election," Du Qifeng used a lot of sunset shots, and every scene hinted that it was a story about the sunset.

The setting sun, like blood.

The old era has passed.

This bloodshed is the last blood of the old era; once it's all gone, it's gone.

Li Xuan remembered that this should be the last pure-blooded gangster film in Hong Kong.

interesting.

Am I, an outsider, supposed to attend a funeral from the old era?

From every perspective, Li Xuan didn't really want to miss out.

It corresponds perfectly to "Myth".

Both of them are positioned slightly higher than the Fire Cloud Evil God in "Kung Fu Hustle".

They are all characters who are very close to being the main characters.

Can I be the lead actor?

Can they compete with the protagonist?

It all comes down to individual ability.

At that moment, Gu Tianle and Xuanxuan were drinking in the bar.

"This role requires an audition. You're a TV King, the TV King of 'A Step into the Past'!"

"Although I'm a TV King, I'm still a newcomer in the film industry." Gu Tianle smiled at this moment: "I didn't expect that my first film project would encounter such a roadblock."

Since filming "A Step into the Past", Gu Tianle has been striving to transform his image.

He transitioned from television actor to film actor; now, he's considered a semi-newcomer.

Even the TVB Best Actor.

That's also a "young scholar".

Young actors transitioning to film are inherently at a disadvantage.

This time, although the other party was a student, they were also a student who had acted in movies.

They may not be as famous or influential as me, but they have at least produced some work.

That makes a big difference.

However, Gu Tianle still has some confidence.

If it were any other work or any other role, he really wouldn't dare to say that, but with this gangster film, he dares to say he can't lose, he's absolutely certain of it.

This is a memory, one that he's not very willing to bring up now.

He had been to prison before.

Before being redeemed by the profession of acting, he was a gangster, a hoodlum.
No one understands gangsters better than me.

(End of this chapter)