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

Chapter 264, Tangren Film & Television: How did we get into trouble?
At this moment, his handsome features are on full display.

This also shows that he felt he had nothing left to live for after writing "The Plot".

If it really is going to be an idol-driven war drama, then there is certainly a lower limit, but the upper limit of war dramas will be destroyed.

If Li Xuan is an 'idol,' then his own potential is ruined.
If your potential is destroyed and you're confined to the idol track, then go ahead and do it if you want. You're definitely just a 'low-budget Huang Xiaoming'.

After three episodes, the "viewer attraction" effect of idol-type characters is top-heavy.

Originally, this was how it should have been done. The marketing department was also stepping up its efforts to crack down on "The Plot," for example, by labeling it as "frivolous in its historical portrayal."

Wang Haiyang originally thought that things would continue as they were.

结果
The result is
Three episodes later.

The ratings rose to 5.1.

Without the 'idol effect', the viewership ratings dropped.

Wait a minute, didn't you guys say this was an idol drama?

Listening to the Wind in "The Plot".

Blind Abing, an actor not favored by Huayi Brothers, received devastating public criticism for his role as Nezha in "Fantasy Yin Shang".
The actresses who acted opposite him received special attention—after all, being able to act alongside such a Nezha and maintain their beliefs is a significant achievement for any actor.

Placing it in "The Plot" is a trial run.

As a result, when it came to the Listening to the Wind chapter, this blind actor, Ah Bing, who had not received professional training, actually had some real acting skills. His unfocused eyes made him look like a real blind man.

This demonstrates acting skills.

There is something called 'acting skills' in Wang Baoqiang!

This is the manifestation and feeling.

Even if Li Xuan's performance in the "Listening to the Wind" episode of "The Plot" was merely "too handsome," then Wang Baoqiang's acting skills were outstanding.

My day!

Isn't this like shooting yourself in the foot?
At this moment, Wang Haiyang's expression changed, and he hurried to the marketing department.

"Retract the article immediately!"

Wang Baoqiang first came into the public eye with "A World Without Thieves," and the prevailing opinion was that he was playing himself, a country bumpkin playing a country bumpkin, true to his nature.

But this time, Blind Abing's performance really shocked him; his acting skills were superb.

This self-taught person
Since their own actors have shone brightly, it would be inappropriate to release negative press releases, so the marketing department has switched to promoting "The Plot".

Wang Fengsheng was impressed by the speed of the wind change, giving a thumbs up. This response speed is truly worthy of the rising star, Huayi Brothers.

The disadvantages of large companies being bloated and slow to respond are not present, which also shows that Huayi Brothers, as a company in the capital circle, is also among the best. Many large companies look big, but their response speed is very slow, which is actually worse than some small and medium-sized enterprises.

Huayi Brothers will truly become the biggest tyrant of China Entertainment Capital.

It's 'domineering' enough, strong enough, and stable enough.

After the first episode of "Listening to the Wind" aired, Li Xuan's acting was "natural," but in terms of his position, Ah Bing was actually the protagonist, and the story revolved around him.

When the Listening to the Wind chapter ended, 'Ah Bing', as the protagonist of the chapter, naturally went to his moment of glory and position, as the one who carried the acting.

An Zaitian, as the main protagonist of the story, seems to be more like a guide.

Just like in the play, he cruelly recounts his relationship with Ah Bing.

Animal trainers and their relationship with dogs.

The cruel objectification of Ah Bing, a meritorious figure, and his alienation into a tool—this feeling is actually very strange and cruel.

It can be said that the director truly captured much of Mai Jia's essence in the film. There was no intense emotional outburst, only a very straightforward expression of the individual's fate and journey home during the war years.

This taste.

Very accurate.

Very pure.

However, Li Xuan no longer seems to be the absolute protagonist.
In the office, Xu Xiaodan, who was also looking at the work, said something.

"It feels like Li Xuan's performance this time wasn't as 'stellar' as it seemed."

"His acting wasn't particularly outstanding, but it was very genuine."

"Why do you say that?"

"In your mind, a spy is not a spy if you can see his personality clearly. The real one is the feeling of 'chaos'. The occasional genuine emotion, like when Abing died, he showed a trace of sadness—but there was no regret. That is the real one."

For the original author, or for those who lived through that era.

Li Xuan's performance seemed genuine.

It's too real.

This was absolutely a huge blunder; Wang Baoqiang, who had performed brilliantly, was now the target of Huayi Brothers' smear campaign.
Of course, this time, this unassuming actor also seems to be the 'protagonist' of this round.

Li Xuan also watched Ah Bing's performance on the screen.

In this work, Ah Bing's performance still left Li Xuan with an unforgettable impression; Ah Bing the blind.

I also know why Mai Jia's works are so moving; they are not simply about war and battle, or the situation and fate of individuals in that era.

Ah Bing was despised by the world, but he was a great hero in Unit 701, and ultimately died because of the tragedy of the 'world'.

Mai Jia didn't deliberately exaggerate or downplay the important points; he simply narrated the entire history, including the background of the war, the closed-mindedness and ignorance of the people, and the characteristics of that era. Although the country had become the new China, just a few decades ago, it was still called "Daqing" and was still in the feudal era.

Many mindsets have not changed.

But only one thing is true: even though the system treated Ah Bing as a 'tool,' in the end he was still treated as a 'hero.'

In this era, everyone is a tool; the only difference is who is the better tool.

"You know, the internet is really interesting these days. Yesterday they were saying it was a 'superficial' idol drama, but today they've changed their tune and called it a 'good script that depicts the realities of our times.' The winds of change are just too fast."

Wei Ming, who was standing next to him, clicked his tongue and said, "Is the wind going to change again tomorrow?"

"Who knows? A Bing and Huang Yiyi are both actors in the Beijing entertainment circle. Maybe after they found out that 'An Zaitian' was just a guide for the main characters and that they were actually the main characters in the story, they started to change direction." Li Xuan joked, "Look, the press releases about my 'idol' haven't been taken down yet."

Almost all of them are portraying this top scorer from the Beijing Film Academy as an 'idol'.

Most people on the internet agree with this point. After all, from the very beginning, "The Conspiracy" used sex appeal to entice viewers. It can be said that the "Listening to the Wind" chapter is the highlight of Wang Baoqiang's acting skills and character portrayal. An Zaitian, as the guide, is mature, handsome, unfathomable, and mysterious. These are indeed the qualities of an idol.

Li Xuan was also innocent, his personality was unclear. How could a secret agent's personality be seen at a glance? His true self only emerged occasionally. At other times, he wore a mask, which was the truest aspect of the character.

However, nowadays idol dramas do like to make the male lead mysterious, someone whose true nature is hard to fathom, which is very popular with girls.

It was a lucky accident.

Currently, it seems that An Zaitian, the lead actor, is responsible for attracting viewers with his idol image, while the highlights and explosive power of his acting come from 'A Bing' and 'Huang Yiyi'.
When Huang Yiyi's "Watching the Wind" chapter began, even the marketing departments of companies in the Beijing entertainment circle started promoting him.

Besides Huayi Brothers, Chen Shu's company, Guangying Media, has also started making moves.

Hey, Li Xuan is just a supporting 'idol', the real acting talent is right here.

This result is acceptable.

Many people have even sent congratulatory telegrams to Liu Guanglong, saying that this book, "The Plot," is quite good.

The two main characters, "Listening to the Wind" and "Watching the Wind," are both excellent! The flavor of Mai Jia's work has been brought to the screen, and it's likely captured the essence of the story.

That chilling sense of fate.

Whether it's A Bing or Huang Yiyi, their endings were not good. Their personal struggles against the backdrop of the times and their incompatibility with worldly norms inevitably led to tragedy.

"Well, how should I put it? I really didn't try to mold Li Xuan into an idol."

Liu Guanglong seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

I really didn't; that's just how they acted.

But I was too embarrassed to say it, since they were promoting their own actors and also promoting "The Plot" along with them.

This can't be considered a bad thing, can it?

"This time, your transformation can be considered a success, from actor to director."

Beside him was Liu Guanglong's friend, a director named Jiang Wei, who holds a master's degree in directing from Peking University. He has a considerable body of work, including films such as "Daughter of Alishan" and "Don't Talk to Strangers." It was through Jiang Wei that Liu Guanglong embarked on his directing career.

Jiang Wei even provided him with a lot of guidance in terms of directing theory.

From the perspective of his debut work, his performance this time is quite outstanding.

Liu Guanglong also wanted to show off a bit at this moment—but actually, thinking about it...
"I think my contribution might not be that great."

"Mai Jia, his contribution is definitely significant, after all, he's both the screenwriter and the original author."

"His contributions were also significant, that much is certain."

"From what you're saying, the credit goes to someone else?" Jiang Wei asked, somewhat curious.

"Li Xuan."

"That one... the one with the idol image in your show?"

What Liu Guanglong said next surprised Jiang Wei.

I just felt his acting was very solid and natural.
I don't have many other thoughts.

But that's what the director said.

In the transition from "The Plot" to "Watching the Wind," the female lead's radiance shines even brighter. Her elfin charm is absolutely no less than that of contemporary idol drama heroines. In fact, she is even more attractive to male viewers.

Freedom, unrestrained, exuberant, and wise.

This time, however, the Beijing-based company changed its focus and went straight into the publicity and promotion process.

Public opinion regarding "The Plot" has become more positive.

"It seems that Li Xuan is just a tool and an idol in 'The Plot,' while the main characters in each chapter are still the individual protagonists." Chen Kun, standing beside Huang Xiaoming, said, "Don't be upset."

"I'm not unhappy at all."

"He's just a little taller than you, and more suited to be a clothes hanger. And how did he manage this change in demeanor? I remember when I first met him, I thought he was the quintessential masculine type."

I can't give you an answer to this question!

This is a question that Huang Xiaoming couldn't figure out no matter how hard he tried.

That's why Li Xuan's temperament can be so versatile, shifting between absolute masculinity and gloom.

Fortunately, his acting skills haven't been particularly outstanding. At least for now, An Zaitian in these two chapters has been a supporting character.

The path is to follow the idol's direction.

Although there are differences in status, when they are of the same status, idols are only fit to shine the shoes of celebrities.

If he takes the idol route.

I am indeed a low-end version of myself.

Okay, in terms of height and appearance, she's slightly better than me!
These days, the media exaggerates images and physical characteristics, and the entertainment industry isn't afraid of it.
After all, it's not really that difficult to replicate physical appearance.

Okay, I'll admit it for once: he's better than me in some things.

I can still admit it quite generously.
However, when gods fight, it's the little devils who suffer.

The first to be affected was Tangren Media's "Young Warriors of the Yang Clan".

"It's unbelievable. I never thought that one day, the ratings would be ruined by war dramas and that this subject matter would be able to absorb the ratings. How could I have imagined this?"

Cai Yulong was staring at the fluctuating ratings curve, unsure of what expression to wear.

It was siphoned off.

My favorite historical dramas about youth have been sucked away by variations of war dramas.

I just stayed on my own track and didn't overstep any boundaries, so how did I get sucked in?

These are completely unrelated tracks, and the audience profiles are all different.

At this moment, Cai Yulong felt extremely frustrated.

The siphon effect is particularly pronounced when people transition from being listeners to observers of rumors.

This also means that the idol effect of the Windwatch chapter is particularly obvious.

The tug-of-war between handsome men and beautiful women, isn't this just like an idol drama?

You're talking about resisting the Japanese invasion, kid.

This is the focus of idol dramas set in a certain era, at least in the first two chapters. While the cracking of codes and radio stations is very detailed, it's just icing on the cake. The main focus is still on the characters' appeal.

Their debut in a war drama completely overshadowed my idol dramas.

"Actually, this is also a problem with your choice of subject matter. You actually chose the Yang family generals as the subject, which is a very difficult subject to handle in the historical genre."

Liu Lili, who came for tea, hit the nail on the head.

Unlike ordinary historical themes, other historical themes are either profound or tragic, or involve deaths that are worthwhile and acts of turning the tide, with a glimmer of hope amidst the tragedy.

This was true of the Qin, Han, and Three Kingdoms periods.

The Yang family generals of the Song Dynasty were the only exception. They lost their entire family, but in the end, they could not change the fate of the Song Dynasty. It was still a victory for treacherous officials.

At this time, Cai Yulong was also reflecting.

Perhaps having tasted success with the story pacing of The Legend of Sword and Fairy, they wanted to incorporate that same approach into Young Warriors of the Yang Clan.

It starts funny and then becomes tragic.

As a result, the tragedy of the Yang family generals was too tragic, too inevitable.

"Actually, I did contact Li Xuan, but unfortunately I was rejected. At first, I was thinking that if Li Xuan were involved in my work, things would be much better."

Careful reflection is an inherent flaw in the script of a work.

At this moment, Liu Lili shook her head violently.

"That's different. If Li Xuan were involved, things would be much better."

"what?"

"In terms of idol charisma and the quality of handsome men, this young man Li Xuan is even better than your top star. Putting aside his appearance, just the melancholy in his eyes alone is something that young people can't compare to."

A young and handsome face.

A deadly, mature charm in the eyes.

He is a poison.

Huang Yiyi's deep affection for him is perfectly reasonable in the truest sense.

It's hard not to be tempted, okay?

This made Cai Yulong even more regretful. Why didn't he be more determined to increase the price and offer more leverage to lure Li Xuan in the first place?

Regret, regret
"I'm afraid this is quite a blow to your top performer as well."

At this moment, Liu Lili, who was standing next to her, paused and then spoke.
Cai Yulong neither agreed nor disagreed.

Although Hu Qu appears gentle, he is actually quite stubborn.

"This is like gods fighting, and mortals are suffering the consequences."

At this moment, Eddie Peng patted Hu Qu on the shoulder and said, "There's nothing we can do about it."

"Ah."

The Legend of Sword and Fairy brought Hu Qu unparalleled popularity. From an idol's perspective, his debut was quite successful. He is an outstanding representative of this year's graduates and an excellent student of the Shanghai Theatre Academy.

Even the popularity and ratings of "Young Warriors of the Yang Clan" were not bad.

It's just a little inferior to a certain idol spy drama.

But this achievement.

For Hu Qu.

They should be proud.

But because of Li Xuan's presence, he became extremely depressed.

Back when Hu Qu was overshadowed by Li Xuan at the awards ceremony for the most popular actor in the South, he could still console himself by thinking, "I'm a leading actor, after all, and my status is higher than his."

But now? He's become the main character, and in the same arena, he's completely outshone himself.

I treated you as a formidable opponent, but you didn't even know you existed—you were instantly defeated.

This feeling is really hard to bear. If he lost in a head-on confrontation, he could accept it. But to be defeated by someone in a war drama, especially a 'guiding' character, is really hard for him to bear.

He has already abandoned himself.

Moreover, most people see Li Xuan differently as an 'idol,' as Hu Qu, who has acted with Li Xuan, knows.

If Li Xuan only completes this drama as an idol or as a guide, then it's not his problem, but the script's problem.

He had deeply felt Li Xuan's ability to get into character and empathize with the role.

His feelings were complicated when he recalled the filming of "Chinese Paladin".

He felt a natural aversion to Li Xuan.

Because he is "better" than me; he is better than me in terms of acting skills and ability to immerse oneself in the script.

but.
Acting with him.

It was truly a joyful experience.

While working on "Young Warriors of the Yang Clan," he had this conflicting thought more than once.

Fortunately, Li Xuan didn't come.

But why didn't Li Xuan come?

The most popular characters in the "Plot Against" series should be Huang Yiyi, An Zaitian, and A Bing—A Bing still suffered from his image.

Huang Yiyi's current storyline has solidified Li Xuan's "idol" image: handsome and dashing, which is a very good fit for the script.

Meanwhile, Huayi Brothers and Guangying Media's marketing departments are also pushing this work hard. Chen Shu and Wang Baoqiang are both second-tier artists, and their excellent performances this time have helped promote the work. As for Li Xuan, who is also involved...

I'll just push it away; he's just an idol.

If you want to debut as an idol, the industry will definitely not refuse you.

After all, an idol's lifespan is strongly correlated with capital investment. If they're labeled as an idol, they'll be forced into idol-related roles.
'Idol debut'

'handsome'

'He's only slightly better than Huang Xiaoming in terms of looks.'

These press releases appeared, and Huang Xiaoming's agency was simply going with the flow by buying them.

Huang Xiaoming is trying to climb the social ladder, and this time, "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and "The Banquet" are the perfect opportunity to do so.
The target has always been Chen Kun.

It's always been him.

Li Xuan, being in a lower position, serves primarily to elevate Huang Xiaoming's status.
Huang Xiaoming's agent said that if Li Xuan's performance is only at the idol level, then the effect of boosting his image will be limited.
Nortel.

At this moment, Li Xuan was busy with editing. He was not good at this, but with a professional editing teacher teaching him, he learned quite quickly.

Essentially, you still need to distinguish between 'effective shots' and 'ineffective shots', extract the key information from these shots, and finally combine them into a finished film.

"I've benefited greatly from this, teacher."

"You're very smart; you can learn some things very quickly," the editing teacher exclaimed. "I never imagined you had no prior experience with editing."

Li Xuan recalled that it wasn't that he had never been exposed to it before. In his previous life, he had learned about editing in order to get into the acting industry. To be a good actor, you need to know about positioning and camera angles. It's not just about you [yourself]. The camera, camera position, editing style, and angles can all affect your on-screen performance.

It can only be said that much of the effort and accumulation in the previous life has come in handy in this one.

After finishing the editing class and editing part of the TV series, Li Xuan was called to Principal Wang Fengsheng's office.

He then patted Li Xuan on the shoulder and gave him instructions.

You've already worked very hard, and your performance in this work is quite good. You've achieved a good balance between acting skills and realism. When people say you're an idol actor, they're not trying to belittle you.

This performance is already quite good.
This was already somewhat beyond Wang Fengsheng's expectations.

Because Li Xuan portrayed the realism of a spy.

It will never float.

However, due to the characteristics of the character, the expressiveness was slightly understated.

"Principal Wang, there's no need to comfort me."

Li Xuan smiled at this moment.

I also thank the principal for his comforting words.

But Principal Wang, there's still one last chapter in this scheming tale.

How can I determine if I've ended this project as an "idol"?
Let the hype linger a little longer.

(End of this chapter)