This director is vindictive.

Chapter 229 Quarantine Requires Filming a Quarantine Movie
The movie "Make a Name for Yourself" is a typical murder mystery movie.

Or, to put it another way, mystery movies that follow the "locked room mystery" formula.

But what's interesting is that all the characters in this story are "filmmakers"!
This perfectly suits Chen Mo and his group's current situation.

Actually, there are similar movies in China, but most of the script-based murder mystery movies in recent years have been more hype than substance!
In Chen Mo's opinion, "The Rise of Fame" was actually one of the best domestic films of its kind.

It's certainly not perfect, but it's definitely one of the best works in its genre.

Next, Chen Mo began assigning tasks to Hu Ge and the others, while he himself was to write the script.

"Old Hu, let's create a group chat first, and then you can ask the hotel staff to notify everyone in the hotel and add them all to the group. We'll have an audition in the group! I'll then see who's in and pick out the suitable candidates!" Chen Mo said, stroking his chin as he thought for a moment.

Hu Ge nodded and said, "Leave it to me!"

He wasn't worried at all about whether he could do the job well.

If it were just him, it would probably be difficult, but as long as Chen Mo is in charge, there will be absolutely no problem.

Moreover, the audition process within the group was quite interesting.

"So, let's find someone to film the casting process for our movie, and then use it as promotional footage!" Chen Mo added.

Hu Ge's eyes immediately lit up.

"It has to be you! You truly are a publicity genius. This behind-the-scenes footage will definitely be a lot of fun for the audience!" Hu Ge exclaimed.

"You probably can't manage alone. How about this, the three of you work together!"

Chen Mo figured there were at least a hundred people staying at the hotel, and if Hu Ge were to handle it alone, she would probably be in a real mess. So he decided to have them all go together.

As for himself, he also has a lot of work to do. First, he needs to contact the people at the film studio to coordinate things so that the lead actors and crew members can be selected and then they can be quarantined in a different location.

However, this was not a difficult task. After all, they were not going anywhere else, but simply changing from the hotel to the Republic of China-era street inside the film studio.

The good thing about this movie is that it doesn't need too many people; otherwise, it really wouldn't be possible to make it.

Hu Ge pulled out his phone and furiously typed on the screen: "Group created! The name will be 'Famous Daredevils'!" He grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, "Isn't that exciting enough?"

Chen Mo took the phone and almost choked on his saliva: "Cough cough. Your group name is too chuunibyou!"

Chen Mo looked at Hu Ge, who was already quite old, but he was still so immature.

Chen Mo felt so embarrassed that he picked his toes.

"How about we change it?" Hu Ge was also a little embarrassed.

"No need to change it, it's fine. Although it's a bit cringey, it does have a marketing feel to it." Chen Mo thought for a moment and couldn't help but laugh. You know what, this group can also become a publicity gimmick.

Then, he quickly added Chen Mo, Yang Mi, and Liu Yifei to the group.

Then Chen Mo started typing away on his phone's announcement page.

Yang Mi burst out laughing: "You were just saying Lao Hu was being childish, and you're no different!"

"What do you know? This is called marketing. Do you know more than me?" Chen Mo said seriously.

Liu Yifei covered her mouth and chuckled to herself.

The announcement edited by Chen Mo reads as follows: 【The production team of "Making a Name for Yourself" is urgently recruiting various talents. Excellent benefits, including meals, accommodation, and quarantine! You can still make a name for yourself even during quarantine, so what are you waiting for? Apply now!】

For a moment, the whole room was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Soon, the three of them went out to recruit people.

Chen Mo, on the other hand, needed to get the script sorted out first.

Chen Mo is very familiar with the movie "Making a Name for Oneself". There's no way around it, this kind of scripted murder mystery movie is actually quite common in online movies.

For example, the movie "Death Train on the Road to Sin" was actually quite well made.

In his previous life, Chen Mo had also followed the trend and filmed a few movies. Before filming, he even watched the theatrical script murder mystery movie "Make a Name for Yourself" several times.

So he really knows the plot inside and out.

He quickly wrote out the script outline and sent it to the company's screenwriting team to begin filling it in according to his requirements.

Of course, it won't be too different from the original in general.

On the other side, Hu Ge and his team were incredibly fast at recruiting people.

Of course, the main reason is that this matter itself is very interesting, and it is also a project of the great director Chen Mo.

Whether it's actors or photographers in the industry, it's almost impossible for them to refuse.

There are already dozens of people in the group, and they include all sorts of people.

Actors, directors, screenwriters, lighting technicians, cinematographers, script supervisors, and so on—Chen Mo glanced through the names of these people and thought, wow, this hotel is truly full of hidden talents!
Everyone was now curious about what this "making a name for oneself" was.

"The actors are provided with food, lodging, and quarantine – I've never seen such treatment in all my years as an actor!"

"Just wondering: why is this group called 'Famous Daredevils'?"

"Same question. I can understand 'making a name for oneself' in the title, but why is it called 'The Expendables'?"

Is it possible that the movie title is "The Famous Daredevils"?

"Director Chen couldn't possibly be that childish!"

Of course, most of those who spoke out were people of some standing.

Some minor actors in this group are just quietly watching, after all, there are quite a few big names in it.

Chen Mo was also looking at the notes in the group and began searching for suitable actors.

Although there aren't many characters in "Fame and Fortune," it's an ensemble piece, so the acting skills required of the actors are quite high.

However, to Chen Mo's amazement, sometimes it really is a coincidence. Among these lists, Chen Mo actually found one of the original actors.

It's Chen Minghao, who played Lu Ziye in "Fame and Fortune"!

Before long, Hu Ge and the other two returned.

At this very moment, the number of people in the group is still increasing, and it has already exceeded one hundred.

"Everyone, please be quiet. First of all, 'Making a Name for Yourself' is the actual title of the film. As for why it's called 'The Expendables,' you can think of it as a typo!"

"However, that's not important. Let me introduce the film 'Making a Name for Oneself'. The story takes place during the Republican era. On a dark and stormy night, a group of filmmakers are summoned by Lu Ziye, a tycoon in Shanghai, to a mansion to participate in a script discussion, attempting to adapt a shocking triple homicide case that has shaken Shanghai into a film."

The discussion included directors of bad movies, washed-up stars, troublesome screenwriters, Hollywood-returned stuntmen, and two mystery guests.

Currently, there are eight main actors, plus other supporting roles, making a total of about a dozen.

Based on my character description and the requirements for the role, you can find the right fit and contact @胡鸽 to register for the audition!

Chen Mo's reputation still carries weight. Even though there are many well-known actors and directors in the group, Chen Mo remains the biggest name here.

Many people were pleasantly surprised to see that Chen Mo was actually going to make a movie, and that it was a "movie within a movie" based on the current situation.

Putting everything else aside, they don't even have the chance to film Chen Mo's scenes normally!

Previously, some people were upset that quarantine had delayed their work, but now they are actually very glad. It's not just the actors and celebrities; the most excited are actually the behind-the-scenes workers such as makeup artists, lighting technicians, and photographers.

Because the number of actors is definitely limited, whether you can get a role is just a matter of chance. Don't be fooled by the fact that there are eight roles; everyone knows that there are quite a few people in this group, including many talented and skilled actors. So whether you can compete for a role is another matter entirely.

However, for those working behind the scenes, even if they can't become the main cinematographer, main lighting technician, or main makeup artist, joining the team is no problem at all.

For them, being able to collaborate with Chen Mo, a renowned director with billions in revenue, and participate in his projects would instantly elevate their status significantly.

Putting everything else aside, this resume alone is enough to brag about; it's a sure-fire stepping stone to advancement! And this opportunity is actually even more precious to them.

After all, everyone knows that a big director like Chen Mo has his own company and his own team.

If the actors have any other opportunities besides this one to work with a top director like Chen Mo in the Chinese film industry, then they really have no chance at all.

Therefore, this opportunity was all the more precious and surprising to them, almost like a windfall. That's why these were the first people to contact Hu Ge to register.

As for the actors, they were equally excited. It's safe to say that there's no one in the entire Chinese film industry who wouldn't want to film a movie with Chen Mo.

Several of the colleagues in the group, who were also directors, were genuinely surprised and impressed by Chen Mo.

Although Chen Mo only gave a brief introduction to the story of the play "Making a Name for Oneself," he certainly didn't go into any details.

But it's interesting that it's just a tycoon recruiting directors, screenwriters, and actors from the film industry to adapt a movie, especially since it perfectly fits their current situation of being isolated.

Regardless of how well the movie turns out, this unique idea is sure to be a huge buzz once it gets out.

For this kind of movie, as long as it's not too bad, once the lockdown is lifted and the shutdown ends, there's no need to worry about the box office; it's just a matter of how much.

Just then, Chen Mo had another idea: to make use of everything available, so he posted another message.

"Oh, by the way, if any directors are interested, they can contact me directly. Our production team is a bit of a makeshift operation, and we're short of all sorts of people right now."

This immediately piqued the interest of even the directors who had been observing from the sidelines.

"Getting back to the main point, first of all, Lu Ziye, as the name suggests, is the initiator of this event. He is portrayed as a Shanghai tycoon on the verge of bankruptcy who wants to turn his life around with this drama."

However, he actually has a more complex identity, which I won't go into here.

Role Requirements: Because Lu Ziye has multiple identities, the actor needs to accurately portray the psychological changes and emotional fluctuations of the character under these different identities. This requires the actor to have solid acting skills and a deep understanding of the character.

Lu Ziye's outward identity is that of a bankrupt tycoon, so the actor needs to have a certain air of wealth (slightly prosperous) while also being able to portray the desolation after bankruptcy.

Our film is a "murder mystery" type of movie, where the dialogue often reveals the characters' inner world and personality traits. Therefore, the actors need to have excellent dialogue skills and be able to accurately convey the characters' emotions and thoughts.

Specific requirements: Age 35-50, with extensive acting experience! If you think you are suitable, you can contact @胡鸽 to register.

Next, Chen Mo listed out the requirements for the other roles.

Chen Mo's requirements for directors of bad films were more interesting than Zheng Qianli's; he directly stated that he would also accept applications from directors.

After sending the message, Chen Mo ignored it.

The group chat quickly became lively.

"As expected of Director Chen, but why do I always feel that these characters are all metaphorical? Is it just my imagination?"

"I feel the same way. Bad movie directors, tsk tsk, who comes to mind first? Hahaha!"

"You've already registered. This is a rare opportunity, so it's time for you all to show your true abilities!"

"Director Chen is truly unparalleled in creativity! At this time, under such special circumstances and while in quarantine, he actually came up with the idea of ​​making a murder mystery movie. It's absolutely brilliant!"

"Who can argue with that? It's a single-scene film, so there's no need to travel around to find locations, which is convenient. And what's interesting is that this movie also features a group of people confined to one place."

Of course, Hu Ge was also busy helping with the registration.

Although the setting of the play "Making a Name for Oneself" is relatively simple and there are not many actors, there is still a lot of preparation work.

For Chen Mo, he not only had to communicate with the company's screenwriting team at any time, asking them to fill in the script and change the dialogue according to his requirements, but he also had to prepare for actor auditions.

"Old Hu, which role do you want to play?" After communicating with the screenwriting team and arranging for Zhao Ming to contact the film studio about the relevant matters, Chen Mo asked.

"Of course, it's the role of Li Jiahui." Hu Ge was actually quite excited.

The main point is that, despite his glamorous career, he has always aspired to work on the big screen, but unfortunately, he has always been a little unlucky.

This time, it can truly be described as a twist of fate, a lucky accident.

As a witness to the emergence of this play's concept, Chen Mo saw the script almost immediately.

The more he read, the more he felt that this script, once filmed, would definitely not be like the movies he had made in the past.

As for the role, since he had such a good opportunity, he certainly wouldn't miss it, so he immediately set his sights on the role of Lee Ka-fai.

Although this is an ensemble piece, the roles are not all the same. Clearly, if Li Jiahui's character is played well, he will definitely stand out.

For him, it was also a challenge.

"Why this role?" Chen Mo asked, though he had expected it.

Despite the familiarity with the story, although "Making a Name for Oneself" may seem like a spur-of-the-moment idea, only Chen Mo himself knows that it's not like that at all.

So, although Chen Mo still had some confidence in Hu Ge's acting skills, he still wanted to hear what Hu Ge thought.

"This character seems complicated, but it's actually the simplest one to me!"

He was an alcoholic and arrogant, with little real ability, yet he always considered himself the only one in the room who dared to speak the truth, and he was always speaking recklessly, offending everyone.

But he was also the simplest; he had only one goal, unlike the others in the room who had various motives. He was pure; he just wanted to uncover the truth! Hu Ge said.

Chen Mo nodded noncommittally. Because of the special circumstances and the hasty start, Chen Mo could not give Hu Ge and the others too much time to prepare.

So that's enough.

The rest will have to wait until filming begins, or after the script is completed, and then we can hold a script reading session to discuss them.

"Your current image doesn't quite fit the bill. Time is limited, so be prepared!" Chen Mo said with a smile after looking Hu Ge up and down.

The original portrayal of Li Jiahui by Yin Zheng was actually quite good; however, different actors have different styles.

Chen Mo naturally couldn't ask Hu Ge to do it that way.

"I will!" Hu Ge didn't say much, but he was already thinking about it.

His current image is indeed not suitable, for example, his state of alcoholism, what a down-on-his-luck reporter (screenwriter) looks like, these are things he needs to find a way to achieve in the shortest amount of time, even if it's not in spirit, at least in appearance.

Next up were Liu Yifei and Yang Mi.

Chen Mo was actually having a bit of a headache.

To be honest, Chen Mo wasn't very confident in either of their acting skills.

As for the roles, they certainly can't be given to anyone else; there are actually only two female characters in this movie.

One is "Nightingale", and the other is Su Mengdie!
The role of "Nightingale" is actually a bit better, but the role of Su Mengdie really requires acting skills.

Despite her past fame, she is a female celebrity whose acting skills have been widely criticized.

This seems to fit well with Liu Yifei and Yang Mi, both of whom are known for their acting skills being criticized.

The problem is that this is the character's setting, and it is precisely because of this setting that this role really cannot be played by an actor who has no acting skills!

"Have you two decided which role to choose?" Chen Mo asked.

Although I feel that neither Yang Mi nor Liu Yifei is the best choice, what can I do when one of them is my woman and the other is Yang Mi's good friend?
“I’ll choose ‘Nightingale’!” Liu Yifei said.

"I choose Su Mengdie," Yang Mi followed closely behind.

Chen Mo nodded. As for "Nightingale," regardless of whether she is the so-called real hidden female lead, the character's screen time is really limited.

If we disregard acting skills, Liu Yifei is actually quite suitable.

After all, that's their image.

However, Chen Mo's gaze turned somewhat suspicious towards Su Mengdie.

"Hey, what's wrong with your eyes? My acting is pretty good, okay?" Yang Mi guessed Chen Mo's thoughts in an instant.

"Oh right, right, you're going to be a people's artist!" Chen Mo said perfunctorily.

"I... I used to take on too many roles, so I didn't have time to study the characters. This time I will definitely do my best and won't let you down!" Yang Mi said with a resentful look.

"I hope so! Ugh!" Chen Mo's reaction made Yang Mi grit her teeth in anger.

(End of this chapter)