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

Chapter 256, President Xiang: Being Brothers is in Our Hearts

The filming was done very quickly.

Filming wrapped up in just over two weeks.

It's comparable to the original Infernal Affairs.

Everything went very smoothly.

For Liu Weiqiang, however, it was still hard to hide the shocking experience of this shoot.

That guy, Li Xuan.

He possesses astonishing talent.

"unconsciously"

This is Liu Weiqiang's feeling about being on this set; in other words, there was no wasted time during this period.

The emotions of the lead actor fluctuate.

Li Xuan, the director.

When he returned to Focus Entertainment, Andy Lau, who was standing next to him, said something that seemed a bit unexpected.

"You're really busy on set, aren't you? You haven't had any contact with me at all."

Yingyi is a film distribution and production company.

Andy Lau still respects Li Xuan's work. He won't watch it until it's officially edited and finished.

Even if he is the owner of Focus Entertainment, it's the same.

After all, respect is something that needs to be mutual.

After a moment of silence, Liu Weiqiang finally spoke calmly.

"I do not know."

This is a very strange evaluation.

I do not know
This could even be described as a very confusing answer, or even an answer at all.

You are Liu Weiqiang, a rising star director in Hong Kong. You can say that your overall status is very high, and you also have prestigious awards to back you up.

The Infernal Affairs series can even be said to be part of the effort to save Hong Kong cinema back then, and it is unanimously regarded by the industry as the vanguard of the resurgence of Hong Kong cinema. But now this great director tells him - I don't know.

"I really can't give an evaluation," Liu Weiqiang said. "From my personal perspective, I really don't think this script can keep people sitting in front of the movie theater for more than an hour or almost two hours, because the audience's patience is quite limited. I can only say that Li Xuan's talent has exceeded my comprehension."

The left and right hemispheres are battling!

He wasn't really optimistic about the box office performance of the film "Buried".

But Li Xuan's talent in filming this movie, whether as an actor or as a director, was astonishing. The cold and aloof feeling of Du Qifeng was what shocked him the most.

Every director has their own 'style': Du Qifeng's positioning and coldness, his own 'cinematography' style, and John Woo's 'pigeons' and 'guns'.

These are all styles that reflect the director's soul.

Li Xuan not only possesses the soul of Tony Leung as an actor, but also the style of Du Qifeng. He would never have believed such a thing if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

With all these factors combined, he really didn't know how to judge the movie "Buried".

Based solely on my own experience, I can deduce that it is indeed a bit difficult for this movie to keep people sitting in the theater for more than an hour.

"I'm quite surprised to receive such praise from you."

Liu Dehua was genuinely surprised. He was indeed envious of Li Xuan, and from his own perspective, Li Xuan was indeed a very talented person. However, he was also very rational and knew that different angles and perspectives would lead to different evaluations. Liu Weiqiang, on the other hand, was a top director in Hong Kong, and his evaluation was truly from a professional standpoint.

Unexpectedly, Liu Weiqiang also gave the same evaluation.

He was genuinely curious about "Buried Alive," and even about Li Xuan.

Even more so, his inner thoughts were a little bit like a shameful joy.

Buried is indeed too long for a movie, so its box office performance may not be very good.

However, Li Xuan's talent was recognized by Liu Weiqiang.

If he were in the Hong Kong entertainment circle, he would definitely lead it to great heights.

[Simulation Completed: Buried Alive]

[Unique cinematography and storyboarding techniques: Cinematography and storyboarding techniques from Liu Weiqiang. As a director with a background in cinematography, he possesses unparalleled cinematography skills and knows how to maximize the use of images and storyboards to express ideas.]

Unbeknownst to Liu Weiqiang, his technical skills had been stolen by the system.

Of course, it wasn't entirely stolen by the system.

There was already a little bit of learning involved during filming, in the application of techniques in "Buried Alive".

Unconsciously, some of Liu Weiqiang's photography techniques were incorporated.

This was Li Xuan's own idea. The system could indeed bestow other people's talents upon him, but talents and skills are things that can only become an aid after they are applied; they are things that are used frequently but are always new.

Even Tony Leung's talent for gazing into the eyes was something he repeatedly used and honed, making it better and more exquisite.

Since filming "The Plot," Tony Leung's upgraded version of the same look in his eyes is an enhancement based on the current situation.

Instead of the original situation when it was obtained.

In other words, the potential of the talent I received from them doesn't actually depend on them, but on myself. I am fully capable of making the most of this gift.

The upper limit of talent.

That's their limit.

When this talent appears in me, I need to understand it myself, develop it, and study it more thoroughly in order to reach a higher level.

The system is just an aid; how you utilize it is up to you.

"We still need to thoroughly summarize and analyze his photography skills and the positioning techniques we learned from Du Qifeng. We can't just use them blindly; we need to make good use of their talents."

Skills and techniques are situational; for example, if Du Qifeng's skills were used in a lighthearted work, he would be utterly doomed.

You need to carefully consider how to make good use of these abilities and how to improve them.

Making good use of one's abilities and placing them in the right context is what one needs to do and what one should utilize. Talents and abilities are wasted if they are not used properly.

Take Tony Leung for example. He has a top-notch talent for his eyes. If he had used it properly, he could have reached even greater heights. As a result, he has relied on this talent for his entire life. In addition to his explosive ability to deliver a powerful gaze, he always plays the role of 'Tony Leung.' Even so, he has still managed to become a Best Actor.

Talent, oh talent.
Before returning to Beiping, Li Xuan first went to socialize with Xiang Huaqiang and Chen Min. They had heard that Li Xuan was filming there, so they invited him to have tea.

"Phew, my little brother's here~"

Inside the private room of the restaurant, Chen Min greeted Li Xuan with a smile: "Come, come, let your older brother take a look at you, this 'Terracotta Warrior'."

"The Myth" is at least a Hong Kong production, and it was a box office champion in Hong Kong that year, not to mention that it was Cheng Shilong's home base.
"You really acted the Terracotta Warriors so well, it makes me want to travel to Xi'an now."

Xiang Huaqiang, who was standing next to Li Xuan, smiled.

"Well, how should I put it, the acting was really quite captivating."

It's not something that can be described as good or bad; after reading Li Xuan's portrayal of General Meng Yi, I became genuinely curious about this period of history.

"Myth" is a story fabricated based on the Qin Dynasty. It is a fictional love story.

But the most impressive thing about this movie is that it blends truth with falsehood, and that's what makes Li Xuan's character so remarkable.

"Yes, I'll be going to the Busan International Film Festival soon." Li Xuan said at this moment, "The impact of this movie won't subside so quickly."

The influence of the original "Myth" will likely only subside after the TV series version of "Myth" is released.

“The Busan International Film Festival, huh? Wow, you’re an international star now,” Chen Min teased from the side.

However, at this moment, Xiang Huaqiang said...

"Don't think that just because you participated in the Busan International Film Festival, you're an international star. You're not at that level yet, so you can't be considered an international celebrity. You'll only need to think about being an international celebrity when you reach the status of a top-tier movie star. If you're not at that level domestically and the films you participate in aren't high-caliber enough, you won't be able to go international."

This is truly a case of speaking the truth, even if it's hard to hear, and it might make Li Xuan complacent.

As for why it's top-tier movie stars, television stars are generally considered unable to go overseas.

Movies still have the potential to go overseas, but as for TV series... well, the success of shows like "My Fair Princess" in Southeast Asia is already the limit. This is one of the reasons why Zhao Yanzi (the actress who played Zhao Yanzi) is so famous—because as a TV star, her influence is at the 'Asian' level. She's a very rare TV star with international influence.

Exporting TV dramas overseas is very difficult, largely due to limitations imposed by subject matter. Even for cultural giants like Hollywood, exporting TV dramas is not easy.

Unlike movies, TV series tend to rely more on familiar culture and a sense of identification, creating a natural barrier between the two.

In conclusion, international influence is a rare and highly sought-after quality. If one's own position is insufficient, deliberately pursuing it will only disrupt the balance and bring no benefit.

Li Xuan certainly understood the reasoning behind Xiang Huaqiang's advice.

It was very rational advice, and Li Xuan smiled at that moment.

"Of course I know that, and I know what I want and what my goals are. I don't need to think about what I want in the future at this stage."

"They have grand ambitions."

"How can a young person be called a young person if they have no ambition?"

Chen Min and Xiang Huaqiang echoed each other, and they weren't really surprised by Li Xuan's grand ambitions.

He possesses such talent and gift.

It would be strange not to think about things that are higher and farther.

At this moment, Xiang Huaqiang became slightly curious.

"I heard you've been putting together movies and TV series lately. What, are you planning to produce them yourself?"

"Well, there are always a limited number of good scripts on the market, and people's time is also limited. I need to put my time and energy into 'better' scripts."

Rational arrogance.

If it were anyone else, it would really be a joke, but Xiang Huaqiang looked at Li Xuan with admiration on his face; he was serious.

He possesses exceptional talent and ambition in this area.

"Then you'd better hurry up, you can't slow down."

At this point, Xiang Huaqiang said, "If we work hard now, we still have a chance to move to a higher ecological niche."

Xiang Huaqiang truly lives up to his reputation as a businessman from around the turn of the millennium.

A broad vision is indeed important, but an ecological niche isn't something that can be built up gradually over time; it's a harsh reality. The longer it goes on, the more the ecosystem will be divided up, and the less space you'll have to live.

Many people think Li Xuan seems to be in a lot of 'urgency'.

Only Xiang Huaqiang felt that Li Xuan was 'not in a hurry'.

This is the answer I arrived at from a businessman's perspective.

Perhaps the problem now is the lack of good scripts.

But in the future, when capital truly takes control, having a good script and good works won't be enough; you'll need good publicity channels and good ways to voice your opinions—a community team.

When the power of discourse, when everything within the industry is controlled by other companies, you truly have no say in what kind of films you want to act in. Being in a downstream position, you're not even qualified to participate in negotiations; you have absolutely no power to negotiate.
This is also the origin of Li Xuan's 'insecurity'. As time went by, the Beijing circle's share grew larger and larger, and its influence on the entertainment industry became stronger and stronger.

Tangren Media has only risen to prominence in the last two years. If it hadn't risen to prominence in another two years, the big companies in the Beijing film circle would probably have started to copy and imitate the works, buy the copyrights, and kill Tangren Media in its infancy. There certainly wouldn't be the TV series production plan for "Chinese Paladin 3" that has already been approved.

Once a company becomes dominant, if you want to plan something, you either have to join them and become the target of their exploitative contracts.

Either take advantage of your youth and become their adversary.

The recent productions of "Buried Alive" and "The Young Pioneers" carry this significance and necessity; they are not merely acts of "I could do it too" when there are no suitable roles or scripts available.

It's also about moving up in one's own position.

While the current fifth-generation directors are still somewhat immersed in artistic expression and their talents are at their peak, they haven't stopped newcomers from maintaining their positions... at least for now.

It wasn't that they could tolerate it, but rather that they didn't believe their position would be replaced; that disdainful attitude was different from what came later.

totally different.

It is not fully cured yet.

It's still possible.

The pinnacle of the entertainment industry is "fame and fortune," something to be craved, and "happiness."

After finishing his drinks with the two older men, Li Xuan left to go home.

"I heard that his new movie is a bet with Andy Lau, and there will be consequences if he loses." Chen Min paused for a moment and then said, "Actually, if he were to contact you, you wouldn't just stand by and do nothing, just because he calls you 'brother'."

Xiang Huaqiang smiled slightly at this moment.

"But he didn't contact me, did he?"

“If I hadn’t brought it up, he probably wouldn’t have talked much about his filming.”

“Hmm,” Chen Min paused and said, “Our third brother is such a good person. It’s not just that he’s suitable for acting, which makes him resemble the ‘gang’ of our time. Even off-screen, he’s very much like people from our era.”

At this moment, the admiration in Chen Min's eyes grew even stronger.

Both logically and emotionally, as long as Li Xuan speaks up, his two older brothers will not stand idly by.

But that didn't happen.

"Actually, you're a little worried, aren't you? Worried that Xiao Li will bring this up, but also worried that he won't, worried that he'll use this relationship to profit himself."

Then Xiang Huaqiang and Chen Min exchanged a smile; people are just such contradictory things.

I was worried that he would do that.

But I'm also worried that he won't do it.

This is the contradiction in human nature: wanting something but not being able to have it all, so he chose not to mention it.

"Sure enough, we weren't wrong about him. The reason we became sworn brothers with him is because we saw the shadow of an old friend in him. It seems that he still has quite a few old friends in him."

At this moment, Xiang Huaqiang sighed slightly.

Many, the figures of old friends.

“There is a Huang Xiaoming in mainland China who calls me ‘godfather’ for the sake of resources, kneels down to serve me tea, and treats me like his own father.” Xiang Huaqiang said, “I will not treat him unfairly. Putting aside my strategy in mainland China, just the fact that he calls me ‘godfather’ means I will never treat him unfairly.”

Whatever his purpose may be, as a Hong Konger, he would not betray the sworn brotherhood he formed in front of Guan Yu.

This is the bottom line.

The 'loyalty and righteousness' spoken of in front of Lord Guan.

“He wants our relationship to be more pure, and I’m happy about that. I will also look at this young man with a pure heart. Big brother, I believe you think so too.”

“Hmm~ But if we, as his older brothers, really just stand by and do nothing, it seems like we'd be letting him down by calling me ‘brother’.” Chen Min said, “I’m just a small-time actor, I can’t do that much. You understand business matters better.”

The "little actor" was someone who, back in the day, was a recipient of the "Double Flower Red Stick" award.

Xiang Huaqiang was at a loss for words, both amused and exasperated.

However, I still had to say it.

"I'll keep an eye on his new movie, and if necessary, I'll offer some assistance. It won't be that easy for Yingyi Entertainment to tie down my third brother. At worst, I'll boost the box office and beat their bet."

Chen Min gave a thumbs up.

As expected of President Xiang, he's always so domineering.

Problems that can be solved with money aren't really problems.
The two big shots had already discussed and agreed on Li Xuan's matter.

It's okay if my debut film flops; we'll cover for it according to the betting agreement!

At this moment, Xiang Huaqiang squinted and said.

"I hope my godson can achieve good results in 'The Banquet' and not disappoint me. I went to great lengths to get him into that production. It's a film by Zhang Yimou, the top director in China today."

Even with Xiang Huaqiang's status, it would still cost him a lot to get Huang Xiaoming into the "The Banquet" crew.

After all, this is the 'Number One Director in China,' the director with the highest overall strength and the strongest, and he himself is also a capitalist, representing the interests of that group of people from the Beijing circle.

When discussing the terms "godson" and "sworn brother," Chen Min clearly sensed that the title "godson" was more like a relationship based on mutual benefit, and that "godson" was more like a pledge of allegiance and a contract—all about the exchange of interests.

This sworn brother is different.
(End of this chapter)