This director is vindictive.

Chapter 301 The Vanished Her, the Boiling Melon

Chen Mo was generally satisfied with this round of publicity.

The pre-release buzz for "The Vanished She" far exceeded expectations, but the controversy that followed also surged like a tide. Chen Mo sat in his office, his fingertips lightly tapping the desk as he browsed the polarized comments online.

"Director Chen, the data is in." The assistant pushed open the door and handed over a report. "The trending topics have been on the list for 72 hours, with related topics garnering over 30 billion views, but negative comments account for 25%, mainly focusing on 'exploiting private life' and 'excessive marketing'."

Chen Mo glanced at the report and chuckled, "Much better than I expected."

He had anticipated the criticism—after all, this time he was playing with the "blurred boundary between reality and fiction," prompting netizens to spontaneously associate his female confidantes with the movie title. This kind of marketing that breaks the fourth wall is unprecedented in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Of course, marketing can't be entirely positive.

However, the saying "after entering the pass, great Confucian scholars will come to defend the classics" applies to Chen Mo as well.

Don't forget, Chen Moke also has a marketing master, a marketing genius, that title hanging over her head.

In fact, every marketing hype is inevitably two-sided.

For example, if you promote actors' dedication, then many people will definitely bring up their income.

Chen Mo had seen a short video in which an actor was acting out a scene where he was shot and fell to the ground, but there was a soft mat placed where he fell.

Surprisingly, this also led to some sarcastic comments from people who felt that actors who receive so much pay should have to use a cushion for such a small role.

Some even go to extremes, believing that since actors receive such high salaries, they should be treated this way or that, and that injuries are to be expected.

In short, it's pure jealousy and hatred! After all, actors' salaries are really too high compared to ordinary people.

From this perspective, it is clear that any form of publicity, as long as it is directed towards the general public, will inevitably have both praise and criticism!

This time is no exception.

For example, a Weibo influencer questioned Chen Mo's marketing campaign, asking: "Let's have a rational discussion. Does Chen Mo's move constitute excessive marketing? Does it set a negative example for the industry?"

Soon, netizens chimed in: "Using scandals to promote a movie is a common tactic, but dragging six actresses into it and making them cooperate in playing the role of 'retirement mystery' is such a dirty trick!"

However, some netizens quickly countered: "The person upstairs is just being sarcastic. He didn't say anything; it's all based on netizens' imaginations. That's called accurately grasping public psychology. I suggest your colleagues copy his work."

"Indeed, even if it's marketing, this is truly the work of a marketing master. What did Chen Mo do? He did nothing, he just remained silent at the premiere. And what happened? It was all made up by the media and netizens themselves, saying his methods were too dirty. I just don't understand! Is it wrong to stay silent?"

A well-known marketing strategist analyzed Chen Mo's marketing campaign: "Chen Mo's brilliance lies in his ability to portray actresses as victims, gaining public sympathy and then reversing that to portray them as complicit in a marketing scheme. Viewers not only consume gossip but also feel like they've participated in the investigation, ultimately willingly paying for this publicity stunt!"
The most crucial point is that Chen Mo did it so subtly, initially remaining completely silent. Those who say he set a negative example for the industry are, in my opinion, simply being sarcastic about Chen Mo's brilliant maneuver.

Chen Mo's marketing campaign is fundamentally impossible to replicate or imitate because he used the contrast between his own persona and reality as a trigger, which made people unconsciously fill in the blanks in their minds and ultimately extended to his new film "The Vanished She".

Throughout this process, Chen Mo did not harm anyone's interests; he simply successfully sparked a wave of gossip, nothing more. The media gained traffic, netizens participated in the speculation and consumed the gossip, and he and his female confidantes successfully gained exposure and promoted their new work. It can be said to be a classic marketing case where all parties benefited!

"No problem, Chen Mo can trend on social media even without saying a word, he's definitely the pinnacle of marketing in the Chinese entertainment industry!"

In fact, the vast majority of people, especially those in the industry, are amazed by Chen Mo's marketing stunt.

As for some derogatory remarks, they really don't amount to much.

At this moment, Chen Mo has already joined the crew, because the preliminary preparations for "The Vanished She" have been basically completed.

Although the story of "The Vanished She" is set in a Southeast Asian country, the filming was actually completed in China.

On the set of "The Vanished She".

The production team is holding its first script reading session.

Chen Mo's choice of male lead remained unchanged; it was still Zhu Yulong from the original version. Although the original script had various logical problems, to be fair, Zhu Yulong's performance in it was quite good.

Moreover, this wasn't the first time he and Chen Mo had collaborated.

The character He Fei, whom he plays, needs to switch between the states of "victim" and "mastermind" in different plots.

In the original version, the character's transformation actually seemed somewhat weak and mediocre due to the plot.

However, Chen Mo's version is completely different. If we were to describe it in terms of combat power, then Chen Mo's version of He Fei, played by Zhu Yulong, would definitely be the biggest BOSS in the entire film!

As for the female lead, Fan Binbin chose the role of Li Muzi (the fake wife).

The original character also had a major problem: his motivation was too far-fetched.

After all, what she did was illegal, so why would she risk impersonating someone else's wife? Was it for money, friendship, or some other reason?

The original version did not show her relationship background with Shen Man or Li Muzi, making it difficult for the audience to understand why she was so committed to this high-risk performance.

In contrast to Shen Man's clear motive—avenging her best friend—the fake Li Muzi's personal motives are practically nonexistent; she is essentially just a tool.

The problem is, this character is the key figure in Shen Man's revenge!

The fake Li Muzi's mission is to provoke He Fei (a possible murderer of his wife) at close range, and even to deliberately provoke him (such as by smashing a wine bottle on his head).

Such extreme behavior is extremely risky for a professional actor, but the original version never explained why she was willing to take such a risk.

The same flaw is that, while impersonating others, forging documents, and assisting in illegal investigations are all criminal acts, the movie makes no mention of how she evades the legal consequences.

In the original storyline, this character could be described as having a strong functional role, but in essence, he was still just a tool!
Compared to the original "The Bachelor's Trap": in the original, the "fake wife" is an undercover agent planted by the police, motivated by duty; while in "Gone Girl," it is merely a matter of personal revenge.

At the same time, it remains a question why she can imitate Li Muzi's movements and body language so well.

This is arguably the biggest blunder of all.

Therefore, in Chen Mo's version, this character became the true female lead.

There is another character, Zheng Cheng, who is also quite outrageous.

In the film, Zheng Cheng initially appears as a "local Chinese police officer" who assists He Fei in investigating his wife's disappearance.

He was mild-mannered but inefficient, repeatedly delaying the investigation on the grounds of "insufficient evidence," which is understandable, given that this is not China.

The problem is that in the original version, this character was actually played by an actor, which is quite absurd.

Even his identity was completely fabricated, including his uniform, identification, and police background, indicating that he was part of a criminal gang.

Compared to the actions of the fake Li Muzi, his actions were absolutely criminal, and the risks were obviously very high. However, the fact that this person joined the group only under the guise of an actor makes his motives seem far-fetched.

Getting back to the main topic, the script reading session begins.

"Everyone is welcome to speak freely about any questions or ideas they may have," Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Director Chen, so, I've read the script several times, but there's one thing I don't quite understand. When did He Fei begin to wake up?" Zhu Yulong, as the absolute male lead, asked immediately.

Everyone looked at Chen Mo with curiosity.

Because they're curious too!
"Why couldn't he have been clear-headed from the start?" Chen Mo countered.

"Isn't his acting too good?" Fan Binbin asked.

"What do you think is Shen Man's purpose in setting up this grand show?" Chen Mo didn't answer, but asked with a smile.

"The purpose is to find Li Muzi, or rather, to seek revenge, because her pregnant best friend Li Muzi was harmed by He Fei," Fan Binbin said.

Chen Mo shook his head and said, "This is just the ultimate goal!"

"Overall, the purpose of her designing this scheme was to make He Fei believe that he was being targeted by a local criminal gang."

"So, He Fei doesn't need to be confused. Although he plotted to kill his wife, apart from that, he's no different from an ordinary person! He also feels fear, and that's the underlying logic of this drama!" Chen Mo said.

“So, it’s perfectly normal for He Fei to be suspicious of others at first because he didn’t know Shen Man’s identity and true purpose! What we need to show is the despair and helplessness of an ordinary person when they encounter this kind of thing overseas!” Chen Mo added.

Zhu Yulong nodded to indicate that he understood.

"And what about me? When did I start to betray my country?" Fan Binbin asked.

"What do you think?" Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Was her motive impure from the start?" Fan Binbin asked. Chen Mo nodded and then shook his head: "You could say that. First of all, you have to know that impersonating Li Muzi is illegal! Why would an actress take such a big risk to do something like this? So we need to give her a motive."

So what is the motivation?

"A high reward?" Fan Binbin asked.

Chen Mo nodded and said, "That's right, it's the high reward! So when she found out she could get even higher pay, her defection became a natural consequence!"

That's right, Chen Mo designed a plot twist here, which is the plot twist of the fake Li Muzi!

She went from being a tool to an accomplice! But not Shen Man's accomplice, but He Fei's!
“Li Muzi is portrayed as a slave to money; everything she does is for money, right?” Fan Binbin asked.

Chen Mo nodded and said, "That's right! It's all about the money!"

"Any more questions?" Chen Mo asked, looking at everyone.

With the official start of filming for "The Vanished She," director Chen Mo deliberately kept the crew low-key. Media visits to the set were strictly prohibited, and even leaked photos were scarce. This unusual secrecy only fueled netizens' curiosity about the film.

It can be said that this switching between high-profile and low-profile is itself a publicity strategy.

Sometimes, the more you cover up, the more you can arouse people's curiosity.

In particular, Chen Mo's marketing hype had whetted everyone's appetite, and then he suddenly changed his high-profile publicity mode to low-key filming and strict security.

This has led to moviegoers and netizens becoming increasingly curious about this film, which is suspected to be related to Chen Mo and his six female confidantes.

Discussions about "The Vanished She" on Weibo remain heated, with various speculations emerging one after another.

In particular, the discussion surrounding the real-life case of #TheMissingHer# has even surpassed that of the film itself.

"The title 'The Vanished She' and 'The Vanished Women' are only one character different. Chen Mo is definitely playing with metaphors!"

"The 'true story' tag is the key, okay? I'm guessing it's adapted from a sensational disappearance case!"

"Don't forget what Chen Mo excels at: realistic themes! I look forward to the movie reflecting reality once again!"

"Chen Mo and the six female celebrities are based on a real event! Is it possible that this is actually a film exposing the entertainment industry?"

However, Chen Mo did not respond.

After all, the movie has only just started filming and is still a long way from its release. So, the publicity and pre-release hype is already sufficient. The real bombshell will be released during the final promotional push before the movie's release.

Moreover, Chen Mo usually becomes exceptionally focused once he gets to work.

On the set of "The Vanished She".

The scene currently being filmed is a confrontation between the fake Li Muzi and He Fei!
This scene is full of details.

So it's actually not easy to shoot.

Before filming began, Fan Binbin practiced adjusting his collar repeatedly, ensuring his fingernails were just long enough to lightly touch Zhu Yulong's skin without leaving any scratches.

However, the person she was demonstrating to was Chen Mo.

"Is this okay?" Fan Binbin asked Chen Mo, spreading out her long, slender, white fingers.

Chen Mo nodded and said, "Your eyes should be like those of someone comforting a frightened animal, but your fingers should be like a hunter's knife."

"Is that so?" Fan Binbin said, reaching out to smooth the wrinkles in Chen Mo's collar, her little finger "inadvertently" brushing against his Adam's apple.

Chen Mo had an instinctive reaction instantly.

The main thing is the feeling of your fingernail scraping your Adam's apple; it's really hard to describe.

However, he smiled and grabbed Fan Binbin's hand, saying, "Yes, remember this feeling!"

"Get ready, let's try it out first!" Chen Mo said.

"All departments, take your positions and get ready to shoot!"

Fan Binbin and Zhu Yulong quickly took their positions.

All other departments are operating smoothly.

"The actors are in place!"

"Lights on!"

"Photographers, ready!"

"Scene 28 of 'The Vanished She,' take one, first take, action!" With the sound of the clapperboard, the confrontation scene officially began filming.

Chen Mo stood in front of the monitor, staring intently at the images coming from it.

Fan Binbin, who plays the fake Li Muzi, wears a beige linen dress and has her hair loosely tied up, appearing gentle and harmless.

Chen Mo nodded; Fan Binbin's performance was quite good.

At this moment, she gives off a gentle and harmless feeling. However, it's understandable, since the character Jin Suo she played when she debuted was also a pitiful one.

The difference is that she will now have to switch between two roles!
In the scene, when Fan Binbin reached out to smooth out the wrinkles in He Fei's collar, his little finger "inadvertently" brushed against Zhu Yulong's Adam's apple. Zhu Yulong instinctively leaned back, as if it were a character's setup!

Chen Mo frowned slightly. Zhu Yulong's performance was fine, but for some reason, Chen Mo just felt that it wasn't quite right.

However, he did not immediately call a halt, but continued to watch the two continue their performance.

In the scene, when He Fei, played by Zhu Yulong, frowned due to the stinging pain in his neck, Fan Binbin instantly switched back to an innocent expression, even with his eyes reddening: "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" His voice trembled just right.

Chen Mo nodded in agreement. However, some details were still problematic, but this was the first take after all, and Fan Binbin's performance was quite good.

"Cut!" Chen Mo finally called for a stop.

"You two come here for a second!" Chen Mo called out to Fan Binbin and Zhu Yulong.

Both of them walked over.

Chen Mo began to replay the footage he had just filmed.

Then he said, "Zhu Yulong, you recoiled too much just now! Although it was an instinctive reaction, you need to know that He Fei is a person who is used to pretending. His fear should only be shown in the contraction of his pupils and the movement of his Adam's apple."

Zhu Yulong nodded and said, "Understood!"

Then Chen Mo switched to Fan Binbin's fingernail leaving an almost invisible red mark on Zhu Yulong's neck. Under the close-up shot on the monitor, the blood vessel in Zhu Yulong's carotid artery was clearly pulsating.

Then pause.

"Sister Binbin, here, I need you to give a cold laugh, but it can't be too obvious. I need that fleeting cold laugh, understand?" Chen Mo said, pointing to the frozen image on the monitor.

"A fleeting sneer?" Fan Binbin frowned slightly.

"That's right, and at the very end, in that scene where you changed your expression, you stopped crying too quickly."

The fake Li Muzi should make the audience wonder, 'Did she really laugh just now?' A successful scene is one where the audience argues whether she actually laughed or not," Chen Mo said with a smile.

This scene was filmed more than a dozen times, but Chen Mo was still very satisfied.

"Cut!" As soon as Chen Mo called "cut," Zhu Yulong immediately jumped back half a step, touching his neck and smiling wryly: "Sister Binbin, your nails are practically a 'designated weapon' blessed by Director Chen!"

He deliberately rolled up the script into a tube and exaggeratedly held it in front of his neck, which drew laughter from the audience.

Fan Binbin immediately clasped his hands together and apologized: "I'm sorry, Yulong, I'll go and file my nails tonight!"

Turning her head, she took advantage of Zhu Yulong's inattention and quickly winked her left eye at Chen Mo behind the monitor, her red lips moving silently: "Is the effect right?"

She deliberately drew an arc in the air with her fingertips, like a cat retracting its claws.

(End of this chapter)