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

Chapter 257, A Series of Moves from the Beijing Circle

at this time.

After finishing "Buried Alive", Li Xuan is also preparing to go to the Busan International Film Festival. Before going, he has to go back to Beiping first.

Because it was my uncle's birthday.

He wouldn't miss family birthdays; at least, Li Xuan felt they were more important than the Busan International Film Festival.

Although he pursued fame and fortune, there were some things that were more important than fame and fortune. Or rather, there were some things that Li Xuan could never forget from the very beginning.

Li Xuan will never forget the old uncle in "Running on Karma" who pinched his red nose, dressed as a clown, and drank until he had a stomach hemorrhage.

After returning home, Li Xuan ordered hot pot in Beiping, along with some low-alcohol liquor.
Happy birthday, Uncle!

"Hey, you're already so busy, why are you still doing this?"

"The excuse that you can't find the time in your busy schedule is just that. No matter what, you can still find the time to eat a meal."

"Hey, but I can't drink and eat hot pot with you now."

"what happened?"

"I've been drinking a bit too much lately."

At this moment, Li Xuan stared blankly at Wei Ming's appearance. He was walking with a limp and his face was pale, as if he was enduring pain.

Sigh, I drank too much and went to the hospital, and it turns out I have gout—I used to drink so much alcohol and nothing happened to me, how come I'm having this problem now?

Wei Ming could only manage a wry smile in response.
At this moment, it was also noticed that Wei Ming had some more gray hairs on his head.
I've reached that age.

His body's systems were sending him warnings.

Li Xuan suddenly felt a little dazed. Maintaining good health while filming at a high intensity was a privilege granted by his system, but others did not have this privilege.

Aging and old age are natural phenomena that will naturally appear on one's body. Coupled with fatigue, these are all things that Wei Ming, who is getting older, will experience.
I.
At this moment, Li Xuan remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"sorry"

Aside from filming, Wei Ming was naturally expected to handle all the other trivial matters, big and small, including contracts and miscellaneous tasks. He was responsible for all of them, acting as the legal counsel, agent, and accountant.
"What is this? Compared to your efforts on the front lines, what I've done behind the scenes is nothing more than a few small things."

Wei Ming grinned.

Indeed, compared to Li Xuan's intense filming schedule, I was only doing some minor things behind the scenes, things that weren't particularly important.

Wei Ming recounted his trip to the bar as if it were a trivial matter.

Including negotiations and drinking with people from film and television companies and endorsement companies, this drinking took place during the Xi'an Cultural Tourism Bureau visit—those government officials really can drink! Those who can be civil servants are indeed not simple people.

They were all really heavy drinkers, drinking baijiu by the pound.

They're a bunch of monsters.

At this moment, Li Xuan listened quietly from the side. Of course, the wine that had been ordered was taken away, and the hot pot was replaced with a clear water hot pot.

It's a bit bland, but it suits my uncle quite well.
"Well, I enjoy it too. I don't think it's something that bothers me. On the contrary, I enjoy it."

Wei Ming exclaimed, "You don't know, do you? Your former aunt came to find me. She said she was wrong, that she made a mistake before, and she even brought in a mediator."

Goodness, Li Xuan really didn't know about this, and he was quite interested.

"and then?"

"Then I told the mediator everything that had happened, but the mediator didn't say anything. He just advised me that as a man, I should be magnanimous. He said that it was all in the past and even lectured me, saying that if he hadn't left me, would I have worked so hard?"

"Why don't you slap him?"

"No, it's just that I find it really funny. The way he was arrogant at first and then obsequious is hilarious."

interesting!

The mediator does fit the stereotype.

Wei Ming, however, didn't eat that rotten grass he'd already turned back on.
At this point, Wei Ming paused and said, "However, I almost got into a fight with that mediator."

It wasn't to advise me to be magnanimous, but to lecture me; it wasn't because I would work so hard after leaving me.

I work so hard for my family, how can I say it's because of her? There's a limit to embellishment.

Wei Ming made it sound perfectly natural.

In fact, Li Xuan knew that in his uncle's heart, he was seen as a 'son'.

As a 'father,' he considered it a matter of course to do these things for his children, according to traditional thinking.
That's why he almost came to blows when the mediator insulted his motivation and feelings.

This is probably what angered him the most.

Wei Ming wasn't in 'pain'. Although his body was in pain, his heart was content. Seeing Li Xuan gradually reach where he was now, to a point that made him feel proud, was enough for him. It was more than enough.

The phone calls were always about Li Xuan's health, whether his mental state could hold up. Little did Li Xuan know, without him even realizing it, that his uncle's health had deteriorated to this point.
A middle-aged man who works hard but without a systematic approach.

That's really a bit 'silly'.

"You're destined for even greater heights in the future, perhaps even reaching a level I never dared to dream of before." Wei Ming grinned, "I'm proud of you, but remember to take care of your health."

"Yes, you too."

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Wei Ming told Li Xuan to go back to school. "Your 'Young Students' is still in the planning stages, right? Go and discuss the script with your classmates."

The creation of this play was destined to be anything but smooth.

Just as Wei Ming was about to leave, leaning on his cane, Li Xuan stepped forward, put away the cane, and helped Wei Ming up.

"Let's go, Uncle, I'll take you home."

Wei Ming was stunned for a moment, then smiled brightly.

"Okay."

In the afterglow of the setting sun, Wei Ming, supported by Li Xuan, walked with a limp.

The restaurant owner looked at that figure from behind and clicked his tongue.

This father and son have a really good relationship.

Wei Ming's illness weighed slightly on Li Xuan's mind. Although it wasn't a serious illness, it still signaled something.

My uncle is getting old. I used to call him "Uncle," but I never thought he was that old. But today, he looks a bit different. He seems to be getting really old, and his bodily functions have entered a period of decline.

This feeling
It actually makes people more anxious.

Even when besieged by capital and pushing "The Young Pioneers" forward, I didn't feel anxious. But seeing my uncle really getting old this time, that feeling of anxiety is truly ever-present.
It's so annoying.

At this moment, Li Xuan also put these worries behind him and prepared to go to the Busan International Film Festival and, after the film festival, to film the graduation play for our class's acting department.

Both are quite important, but filming "The Young Pioneers" is even more important. In a sense, from the perspective of 'significance,' it is more important than "Buried Alive."

"Buried Alive" marks his first foray into low-budget art films in the film industry.

"The Young Students" is a film created from what I learned during my four years of study at the Beijing Film Academy. It is a summary of my learning, filming and various events that happened during my four years at the Beijing Film Academy. After the graduation film is released, it means 'graduation'. I and my classmates will have to face society.

Each of them has its own extraordinary significance.

Although I've already experienced the ins and outs of the industry and society firsthand, no matter how shameless or unscrupulous the capital within those circles may be, they will always keep things within a controllable range.

Because I am still a 'student', still a 'student' of Beijing Film Academy, and haven't graduated yet, as long as the Beijing entertainment circle still needs the resources of Beijing Film Academy students, we won't completely break ties.

They should have some shame. Banning someone before they even graduate, how will they ever be able to stay in this gang?

So over the years, most of the so-called targeting has been subtle, rather than direct. The most intense was that one instance of being praised to death, which was entirely the actor's personal choice, and he paid a considerable price for it. Although in the end, what he spent became his own motivation.
After graduation, everyone will truly be there for real, and the masks of pretense will no longer be worn.

Moreover, what I'm about to do really does create a conflict of interest with them.

This is the case with "The Young Pioneers": it was made into a film, and it even bypassed capital.

When Li Xuan returned to school, he received the expected news that a third of the students in his class had decided not to participate in "The Young Pioneers".

There was no other reason than the fact that the outside world treated them too well. It seemed that after the ambitious plans for the "Young Students" project were announced, there were attitudes of skepticism, ridicule, sarcasm, incomprehension, and action.

Enlight Media and Huayi Brothers raised prices and relaxed contracts for artists at the last minute. They also arranged for graduation projects. This series of combined moves resulted in a number of students who were originally going to participate in "The Young Students" being poached.

This is what 'targeting' means.

A targeted attack from within the community.

"Actually, he's already very accomplished to have reached this point. Unfortunately, he wants too much, and he's too outspoken. If you dare to organize students to form a film crew today, I don't know what you'll dare to do tomorrow." At this moment, Wang Haiyang's eyes were very serious and gloomy.

He had thought a lot about Li Xuan's fate, as had some of his colleagues and friends, who also thought about this outstanding young man.

Fireworks are dazzling, but fleeting. He possesses unparalleled talent, but also ambitions that don't match it. Wang Haiyang has always wanted to tame this wild horse, and he doesn't want such a fine talent to become just another dazzling firework. Wang Haiyang still has some passion for the entertainment industry and doesn't really want such a talent to end up mediocre and unknown.

This spirited horse.

He had been trying to get resources, to entice and recruit him, but he always got rejected. Wang Haiyang always felt that it was because Li Xuan was too arrogant.

He was too arrogant and overconfident, but now he understands one thing: his conflict with Li Xuan was irreconcilable from beginning to end.

There was no need for reconciliation from the very beginning, because from the start, what Li Xuan wanted was something the circle simply couldn't provide.

By connecting an entire film crew and a class all by himself, he has essentially 'hijacked' a promising talent that should have been ours!

He doesn't simply want to be a director; he wants to move to a more 'upstream' position!

He doesn't want to be a horse!
He wants to be the one who drives the horses!
Once Wang Haiyang realized this, he felt he should abandon all illusions; this Li Xuan, this young man, was undoubtedly his enemy.
“Those who want to climb to the top mean they want to take over a portion of the market, and this behavior is undoubtedly a provocation and an infringement on those of us who came first.” Wang Haiyang pondered for a moment and said, “This time, he won’t be so lucky. Since you have really gone too far, then the only option is for the marketing and public relations departments to join forces against you and Beijing Film Academy.”

What Huayi and Guangying Media do is also very simple.

That is, to make the originally harsh treatment less harsh, then naturally some of the people who were fooling around with Li Xuan will waver.

Which is more important, bread or dignity? Everyone knows this, everyone understands this point.

But actually, Wang Haiyang was very unhappy, because in his opinion, at least this time he could take half of the people away. At least he could bring the crew to the brink of collapse.

As a result, only a third of them were taken away; most people chose to stay.

This appeal, this charisma, is truly terrifying. These aren't kids with powerful backgrounds; those with powerful backgrounds would have already been taken care of.

The remaining people were unmoved by profit and followed Li Xuan from the bottom of their hearts.

That's quite frightening; to have this level of influence even at a time like this.

He hasn't even graduated yet, and he already has this level of influence.

While feeling envious, I also felt regret that such a talented person wasn't under my command.

But now, right and wrong are no longer important.

All I know for now.

For Li Xuan, it's no longer about profit or loss; it's no longer about making money, but has risen to the level of the market.

The market analysis department will understand.

This child cannot be kept.

And their peers will understand that this is an uncontrollable time bomb.

What kind of disastrous consequences will this bring?

Enlight Media has already followed suit; now, the two major integrated production companies in Beijing's film and television industry have both given their answers.

Attacking "The Young Pioneers" is actually quite simple.

You dare call yourself a young student?
If we say that Li Xuan's initial situation in assembling the film crew was something only people in the industry talked about with relish, thinking that this guy was really courageous, arrogant and daring.

But that was just a discussion among people in the industry.

However, some people were the first to expose it to the public.

You dare call yourself a young student?
Do you even deserve to be called a young student in the prime of life, asking who will rise and fall on this vast land?
Are you sure you can do it?!
Celebrities, red carpet stars, and minor celebrities with no works to their name, but having walked the Cannes red carpet multiple times, have become their personal mouthpieces.

They kept attacking the Beijing Film Academy and Li Xuan.

One is arrogant, the other is presumptuous and ignorant.

Some people have also been saying that this was the last big profit the president of Beijing Film Academy made before retiring.

In short, the whole thing was exposed to the public, and it certainly didn't bring them any good reputation.

"This is a despicable thing to do. The film hasn't even started shooting yet, and they're already attacking it with public opinion."

"I think I understand now why those investors support so many 'carpet stars' and so many opinion leaders who have no works but a huge reputation. It turns out that, to some extent, having a loud voice really does have some use."

At this moment, Wang Fengsheng wore a sneer.

This is a scheme.

The sound was indeed loud.

Moreover, it was an open conspiracy, seizing the high ground in public opinion first and defining the film, which hadn't even started filming yet, as a bad movie.

Moreover, the other party's statement was vague and did not directly define "bad".

Instead, it defines you as someone who is not worthy of being associated with the phrase "young classmates".

And this is how public opinion is guided.

You do not deserve.

A work defined by this poem is not something a novice like you should attempt; you are not up to the task.

Your arrogance.

I simply couldn't control this work.

If you can't control this subject matter, in the end you'll only tarnish the reputation of your Beijing Film Academy and this poem.

Of course, there were also many people who came out to support Li Xuan. After all, with so many details, Li Xuan has accumulated a group of fans.

However, the disadvantage for the fan base is significant.

Because the argument is completely untenable.

No matter how much you praise Li Xuan, no matter how impressive or outstanding this young man is, there is one thing that cannot be ignored.

He is an actor, and has always been active as an actor.

Although there has been a tradition since ancient times of actors becoming directors.

But how could Li Xuan possibly have reached the point where he could become a director after excelling in acting?

It hasn't gotten to that point yet.

How could we let him direct this subject matter?

The news was everywhere, like oil being poured on a hot fire. The hype was so exaggerated that it didn't seem like a work that hadn't even been filmed yet, much less like a work filmed by students.

It sounds like the kind of buzz only a top-tier production can generate.

However, this episode is all about negative buzz.

"With this series of punches, they don't even want you to succeed in filming..." Wang Jinsong murmured at this moment, "Now you're in a bind. If you succeed in filming, there will be pressure. If you can't even finish the film, the pressure will be even greater. It will be a devastating blow to Li Xuan's status and reputation."

“If this project really goes ahead, it will be a disaster for the whole class. If we cut our losses here, only he will be hurt, and no one else will be affected.” Xu Xiaodan said rationally, “From a business perspective, cutting our losses here is the best option. This time, those companies are really not joking.”

It's clear that those guys in the capital circles are taking this more seriously than ever before.

Xu Xiaodan wasn't very optimistic to begin with, thinking that a group of immature teenagers could put together a decent project.

This time, the instigation of those circles has also been a factor.

It can be stated definitively that this work encountered difficulties from the very beginning.

This is just a warning.

Who knows how they got serious later on?

Hearing his teacher say this, Principal Wang Fengsheng remained silent.

This time, it wasn't a specific person or department within a company that did this, but rather their marketing department.

This is something that Huayi's marketing department felt needed to do.

"This is also a warning to others, to tell outsiders that ordinary people should stay in their ordinary positions and not overstep their bounds."

(End of this chapter)