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

Chapter 262, If you come up, I have to go down, so I can't let you climb up.

at this time,

This is a very cruel result.

In the same era, the roles of genre works, the ecological niche of the same genre.

It's a relationship of mutual cannibalization.

Just like these so-called "Four Little Fresh Meat" actors, only one of them can stand out and reach a higher level.

Competition for the ecosystem.

Competition for positions.

This is a conflict that will naturally arise.

Survival competition.

At this moment, Li Xuan watched the uproar on the internet, with Huang Xiaoming being regarded as a representative of the new generation of acting talents.

High, hard.

His performance in "The Emperor of Han Dynasty" and his scenes with Chen Daoming proved that he is on the path of a true acting talent.

He is indeed a skilled actor, and he is indeed on the path to becoming a skilled actor. However, there is a conflict: if actors of the same generation have similar roles, then only one of them can survive.

There are only so many existing project plans on the market, which is normal.

Is it a kind of brutal competition?
Currently, much of the public opinion focuses on portraying themselves as a "lower-tier" version of Huang Xiaoming, essentially placing themselves below Huang Xiaoming in terms of their social standing.

"This place is like the Roman Colosseum. I'm on this side, and he's on the other. Only one of us can survive."

Li Xuan joked.

“Isn’t that how Beijing Film Academy is?” Wei Ming said from the side. “It doesn’t follow the same path as the Central Academy of Drama. The Central Academy of Drama separates people into different roles like Sheng, Dan, Jing, Wei, and Chou, while Beijing Film Academy trains everyone to be a star. But ultimately, there can only be one leading role, so the dropout rate is much higher than at the Central Academy of Drama.”

"That's true. This kind of elimination rate is like raising a 'poisonous insect,' where the strong take all."

Nortel is a bit 'cruel' in this kind of strategy.

Therefore, to some extent, the average employment rate of Beijing Film Academy is not as high as that of the Central Academy of Drama. However, Beijing Film Academy is better at cultivating top stars.

Because it's more brutal, the potential is even higher.

At this moment, Wei Ming spoke up from the side.

"This time, your open and covert struggle with Huang Xiaoming is a microcosm of a Beijing Film Academy-style power struggle."

"Yeah, even senior students compete for the same niche after graduation," Li Xuan remarked with a slight sigh.

Needless to say, it's unfair to compare the 96 class with the 02 class.

If you admit to being 'smaller,' then automatically be labeled 'Little Huang Xiaoming.'

But this is not what Li Xuan wants, and he can't accept this label either.

It's time to fight. During this period, I need to wait for the release of my upcoming works. I haven't been filming for the time being, but instead I'm editing my own works. Both "Buried Alive" and "The Young Pioneers" need editing, as well as publicity and other miscellaneous tasks.

Damn, I'm really busy, it's non-stop.
The next step was to edit these two works while waiting for their release and for my graduation.

A graduation ceremony that belongs to you.

At this time, Wang Jinsong returned to school.

This class teacher from the class of 2002 became a strange figure, and even Chen Bing and Xu Xiaodan would occasionally sympathize with Wang Jinsong.

Li Xuan really pulled off something big this time.
Moreover, this time public opinion has even made things more difficult for him.

Actors who are "similar" to Huang Xiaoming are all well-known. Huang Xiaoming has strong resources and good acting skills. He is coming on strong and is about to break away from the title of "Four Little Heavenly Kings" and become a leading male star of the new generation.

He should go to where he belongs, catch up to where he is rightfully his, and become one of the three most outstanding young people of this era.

Then, they will enter the ranks of the most outstanding middle-aged stars in their most perfect form.

This student is someone Beijing Film Academy can be proud of.

It's fair to say that current public opinion is somewhat caught in a dilemma, feeling like both sides are equally important.

Beiping Film Academy.

Both are excellent students.

And so they turned on each other and killed one another.

"This is unfair! Huang Xiaoming is almost thirty years old. They're not even from the same generation!" Wang Jinsong said, pointing out that this was unequal and unjust.

In response, Principal Wang said...

“There is no such thing as true fairness and justice. At least from the perspective of rank, the difference between their positions is not that great.”

If you're not even thirty yet, you're still considered part of the new generation.

Since they are the new generation, why can't we make comparisons?
You are a recent graduate.

Or is it the new generation that has already accumulated experience?

Since they've been targeted, attacked, and belittled, that's in line with market dynamics.

Just like the gamble in "The Young Pioneers".

If you lose, you have to accept the consequences; that's market behavior. For others, supporting and gambling on Li Xuan is itself a privilege that inspires envy.

This in itself is a form of "unfairness".

It is unreasonable and irrational to say that something is unfair or unjust only when you receive preferential treatment.

Wang Fengsheng takes this in stride.

I feel that this seemingly unfair comparison is indeed the cruel reality of the market.

Just like the relationship between capital and actors.

That kind of legal education might be more like pity.

I pity the children who are unknowingly signed into unequal contracts and are pitiful victims of information asymmetry. But now, the investors have become a monopoly, and no one can stop their growth.

There is no such thing as fairness and justice, only the law of the jungle.

Hyenas don't complain to the heavens when they are eaten or killed by tigers, because complaining about the environment is useless.

This is the most boring approach.

So even if Li Xuan was outdone by his senior this time, there's nothing that can be done. Winning is winning, and losing is losing. Since they've been put on the same level, we'll have to see their work, their acting skills, and their final popularity and status.

Whether Li Xuan will ultimately become a "Little Huang" or "Little Ming" depends on his own performance.

Even though, regardless of the outcome, the students from Beijing Film Academy will still win by playing the victim, so it's not fair to say they support either side more.

Even the Beijing film circle, in a sense, can be considered a loyal ally of the Beijing Film Academy, as a large proportion of Beijing Film Academy students end up working for companies within the Beijing film circle.

There have only been some special circumstances in the last few years.

They produced someone as unruly as Li Xuan.

Wang Fengsheng is someone who pities the weak.

This is what makes companies a little distant, but everyone knows that the other party can't do without them. Companies need schools to provide high-quality seeds, while schools need partner companies to provide employment. Otherwise, if graduates are unemployed, how can they be called the top three universities?
Huayi and the Beijing film circle's strong support for Huang Xiaoming meant that the 'Beijing Film Academy vs. Beijing Film Academy' competition left the Beijing Film Academy with no room for intervention.

At this moment, at the headquarters of China Film Group.

Han Ping squinted and said.

"This time, our young brother Li Xuan has encountered a difficult situation."

To this, Ge Pengyan, who was standing nearby, remained noncommittal, clicking her tongue and saying, "I didn't expect this young man to be so capable."

Ge Pengyan from the Northwest Film Circle is using some of the publicity resources of China Film Group to promote "To Live". This work is quite famous among TV enthusiasts, after all, it is the work of Yu Hua, the "Happy Star", and there is an insurmountable mountain in front of it, Zhang Yimou's "To Live".

Ge Pengyan's needs are actually quite simple: to ride the wave of popularity of the old "To Live" series and invite Mr. Ge to do some advertising or something.

However, Han Ping was very disappointed that Master Ge refused the offer.

The real reason is unknown, but the reason for rejecting Han Ping was scheduling conflicts. At the same time, there was also his estrangement from the character of Fugui. Playing this character brought too much 'pain' to people, and this real feeling made him not want to continue to face it.

I can watch "To Live," but as for reminding me of Fugui, forget it.

"Still the same reason."

“Most actors who achieve fame have very delicate inner worlds, and you professional creative producers don’t understand this kind of delicacy and empathy,” Han Ping said with a smile.

"Then he won't be afraid of being reminded of Fugui when he reads 'To Live'?"

Ge Pengyan paused.

"It's actually a kind of arrogance, because he felt that the TV series version of 'To Live' wouldn't remind him of Fugui."

It's practically saying that this person is so different from the actor I played. He can be my 'dessert,' but he can't be my stand-up comedian.

“That’s not wrong. For him, Li Xuan’s fortune might not really sway him,” Han Ping said. “This is not the difference between Huang Xiaoming and Li Xuan.”

The reason why the story of Huang Xiaoming and the "low-budget Huang Xiaoming" was able to generate so much buzz is that although there are differences between them, there isn't actually a significant generational gap.

There is no generational gap.

If people in the industry were to start arguing that Li Xuan is a lower-tier version of Ge You, it probably wouldn't even get going. They're not even in the same league, or even the same generation. It would just seem like a pointless joke.

It's like how some people are now comparing the seventh generation of directors to the fifth generation—even Chen Kaige, whose reputation is currently in jeopardy, has "Farewell My Concubine" as his unbeatable masterpiece, which is not something that just anyone can easily imitate.

"Huang Xiaoming, one of the three most outstanding students in the 1996 class of Beijing Film Academy, seems to have a pretty good reputation and acting skills." Ge Pengyan also knew him.

Huang Xiaoming is by no means a weakling; in fact, he belongs to the excellent group among the star students. He can only be said to be slightly inferior to the top two.

For the production team of "To Live", the comparison between Li Xuan and Huang Xiaoming this time is not a particularly bad thing. At least, there is some buzz surrounding the discussion, and this buzz is a kind of "help" to the work.
Let "To Live" live on.

This is a prefix with a touch of dark humor.

"There have been quite a few excellent works this year, including the breakout hits 'My Own Swordsman' and 'Country Love,' and even the period drama 'Golden Wedding.'"

"Yeah, it's a battle of the gods, quite impressive. I didn't have high expectations, after all, my biggest hope for 'To Live' was that it would get decent ratings."

"I remember your goal last time was to win an award?"

"Um"

Ge Pengyan gave a wry smile and gave Han Ping a knowing look.

It's not uncommon for internal expectations of a work to differ.

Everyone hopes their work will be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, winning awards and achieving high viewership ratings, but such things are rare in this world.

At present, Ge Pengyan's expectation is very simple—just don't disgrace the name of "To Live".

"This has nothing to do with Li Xuan's personality. Whether he offends people or not, whether he opposes the Beijing circle or not, this was inevitable because that's how the ecosystem works. In the same ecosystem, with the same status, positioning, there is only one role, and only one lead role in a work. If he rises, you fall. This is a very cruel truth."

Liu Lili analyzed the problem very simply, explaining the underlying principles.

If Li Xuan's biggest original sin was something, it would probably be that he elevated himself.

This sounds amazing, but it's the standard answer.

Li Xuan made himself excellent, and that was his original sin.

Being excellent is the original sin, and being even more excellent is an even greater original sin.

Huang Xiaoming went up in the same way; he also tore down the social ladder by the blood and flesh of others—that Li Yapeng.

Liu Lili's impression of Li Yapeng was not too bad. He was simple and honest, without any scheming. When she met him by chance at a party, she could see a kind of Taoist 'selflessness' in his eyes.

He is a person of great character.

Just like Liu Yifei always says, he might just be a little dim-witted, but Liu Lili feels that nowadays, it's best not to underestimate the heroes of the world. For example, Li Xuan's rise to prominence completely surprised Liu Lili.
Although Liu Lili also felt that Li Xuan would eventually stop at the arrogant project "The Young Students", perhaps not now.

“In the future, you will also seize other people’s niches, and perhaps you will also be involved in public opinion battles, tearing each other apart in an unseemly way, just like now.” Liu Lili paused and said, “But that’s life. That’s the market.”

"So what Brother Li did was essentially 'creating' the market, right? It also meant we didn't have to be so undignified."

"Leaving aside the reliability of his work, if he creates original content, he certainly creates a market for actors. But his competitors change from actors to other projects and other directors. When someone gets a bigger share, someone else gets a smaller one; that's the logic."

"What if our Chinese projects go overseas to earn money from foreigners?" Liu Yifei then said, "Wouldn't that mean we wouldn't be competing for food?"

Huaxia Enterprises is making money off foreigners.

My daughter has quite a vivid dream; she can even have dreams like this.

In response, Liu Lili simply said that this was highly unlikely.

The Western film and television industry is far more developed than China's. Even Zhang Yimou only dares to regard him as a 'target', let alone others.

No need to look at it, it's useless.

Liu Yifei didn't say much about it.
I always felt that Brother Li could do anything.

Maybe it really isn't a dream?
"So, the ultimate path for Chinese actors is actually to go to Hollywood. Your contract with Sony means you'll be starring in 'The Forbidden Kingdom,' where you'll be the real female lead."

"Um"

In fact, this is also a way to avoid competing with domestic actresses for market share—that is, to break away from the small market and go to the 'bigger market,' which is exactly what Liu Lili did.

If possible, I want my daughter to become an international Hollywood superstar.

She rivaled Zhang Ziyi in beauty.

That is the true path.

There's a lot of noise. Among the TV dramas currently airing, the top two on the charts this year are still "My Own Swordsman" and "Home with Kids 3".

"My Own Swordsman" achieved a viewership rating of 11 points, which can be said to be the pinnacle of martial arts sitcoms, and its popularity was absolutely extraordinary. "Home with Kids 3" also continued the glory of the Home with Kids series.

Li Xuan watched the TV and clicked his tongue in amazement.

As expected of a young boy, he grows up so fast.

The Liu Xing on screen is vastly different from the Liu Xing in "Home with Kids 1".
In my newly renovated little home.

Before they knew it, they had their own home in Beiping.

Living in your own house feels really different.

I feel quite comfortable.

Li Xuan thoroughly enjoyed the taste while also contemplating his next steps.

Well, it's not about thinking about the next step; the path is clear, and what needs to be done is also clear.

I'm about to be a senior in college, which means I'll be leaving my student status.

Shedding this identity didn't leave Li Xuan feeling lost, just a little regretful.

There's a certain sentimentality among graduates.

Looking back on my time at Beijing Film Academy, I have received a lot of help. Although I didn't attend many classes, I received plenty of resources, and the classes I did attend were very beneficial, making up for my lack of theoretical knowledge.

Moreover, many projects were only made possible by having students from the Beijing Film Academy.

This shows the importance of one's first degree.

For myself.

This period at Beijing Film Academy was indeed quite important, and now, I'm leaving Beijing Film Academy, or rather, leaving behind my identity as a student at Beijing Film Academy.

Stepping out of the 'ivory tower' identity, one's brothers, classmates, and even oneself will shed this identity.

In fact, Li Xuan quite enjoys this identity, because the identity of 'student' allows him to occasionally make fun of himself—"Actually, I haven't grown up yet."

This is something that most graduates face.

Li Xuan felt that he was just joking about himself, but others were really facing the dilemma called 'growing up'.

The biggest advantage of being born twice is that you can be quite open-minded about these things!
The idea of ​​growing up is about breaking free from the protection of others.

"Uncle, do you think I should only be considered to have 'officially debuted' when I graduate?"

"If that's how you interpret it," Wei Ming paused and said, "it seems to be quite correct."

"Hahahaha, but I've already filmed so many works, this can only be considered my 'official debut'."

Li Xuan found it quite interesting.
Eventually, he had to say goodbye to his university days and become 'Li Xuan, a graduate of Beijing Film Academy'.

What other identities will I have in the future?

The identity of the next stage.

It should be
'Best Actor Li Xuan', 'Best TV Actor Li Xuan', 'Superstar Li Xuan'

These titles represent the gradual advancement of one's status and position.

Like a thousand soldiers crossing a single-plank bridge, eliminating 99% of their fellow aspiring filmmakers, they finally arrive at the Beijing Film Academy. There, another 99% are eliminated before they can land leading roles, and then another 99% are eliminated to get exposure to even more outstanding works, ultimately gaining the chance to become a film emperor, television emperor, or star.
The conflict with Huang Xiaoming was inevitable, and the absence of the Beijing elite circle was also inevitable.

Please see the following screening schedule.

The time periods of "The Plot," "To Live," and "Chu Liuxiang" are all very close.
At this moment, Huang Xiaoming was at home, watching the noise on the internet, drinking, with his friend and rival.

"I never thought that my conflict with Li Xuan or being compared to him was inevitable. At least at the TV drama awards ceremony, I never thought that our junior could officially become my opponent, or an opponent of people at our level."

"Indeed, I didn't think so at first either, but his growth rate is really fast. Judging from this speed alone, he is much more impressive than I was back then."

Chen Kun smiled and said, "Among us, only Zhao Yanzi is more capable than him."

Zhao Yanzi's strength lies in producing a nationally acclaimed work that has gone international.

Huang Xiaoming simply nodded in response.

There was no arrogance in his eyes, only clarity and sobriety.
From the very beginning of the grand ceremony, he looked down on him and was even jealous of his unconventional ways. In fact, his feelings towards him were mostly just jealousy.

I envy that he was able to find his own resources and path in an environment where he didn't have to compromise himself.

This was his deepest jealousy—

It didn't come from anything else, but from his 'not feeling wronged'.

It's a ridiculous feeling, and even he himself now thinks that he might have overreacted back then. The other party was able to rise up under such circumstances.

His talent is undeniable.

Indeed, he is a worthy opponent.

And when facing those you admire and your rivals.

Giving your all is the greatest respect you can show. Just like Chen Kun always says, "If I could, I wouldn't let you climb up here."
Although we are friends.

But this matter is not open to discussion.

(End of this chapter)