The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 268: "Peerless" Officially Released, Zhang Yimou Benefits Greatly! A Clash of Cinematic Arts!
……

"Honey, Teacher Zhou is here."

The promotional video for the movie "Project Gutenberg" is sweeping the internet around the world.

Lu Zhiyuan is even more popular than Dilraba Dilmurat now, and he doesn't dare to go out at all.

After all, female celebrities basically rely on one work after another to gradually build up their fan base in order to become popular.

Male celebrities, on the other hand, become famous much faster!

Some people become internet sensations simply because they like basketball, rap, or can perform a random dance.

Someone can become an internet sensation simply by squatting by a stream, washing their face, and revealing an innocent smile.

Lu Zhiyuan is different from the two mentioned above.

He was already very popular before he made this movie.

However, others regard him as an artistic master, whose art is too sophisticated for the masses, and even those who want to be fans dare not.

Although he has many fans, most of them are relatively rational and objective people online.

Now, he's become an instant sensation because of a trailer.

There are now many more women who only care about looks, "husband fans," and crazy women.

These female fans were initially attracted by his appearance and demeanor.

As a result, they did a casual online search and suddenly discovered a whole new world.

This new actor, besides being handsome and having a unique temperament, is also a talented historical director!

She's also incredibly good at drawing.

It can shut people up and leave them speechless!

At this moment, those crazy female fans almost fainted from happiness!

They unilaterally declared that Lu Zhiyuan is the world's best idol and their only "brother"!
……

In the week since the trailer was released, Lu Zhiyuan has gained tens of millions of followers on the Chinese internet.

This data is simply outrageous!

During this period, he didn't dare to go out at all, fearing that he would be spotted by obsessive fans and trapped in the toilet.

That would be so embarrassing.

This will definitely become a dark chapter in his history.

……

However, even without leaving home, Lu Zhiyuan can still invite other people to his house.

Ever since Lu Zhiyuan appeared in Los Angeles with Zhang Ruonan and was photographed by paparazzi.

Zhang Ruonan, an amateur who has never acted in a film, has become the focus of attention for reporters and paparazzi.

Lu Zhiyuan was very clear that if Zhang Ruonan's performance was poor, she would be criticized to death by the entire internet.

Zhang Ruonan's situation is different from that of Reba and Hanikezi, who debuted with him back then.

At that time, although Lu Zhiyuan had already made a name for himself, he did not yet have the historical status he has today.

His leading lady, although she also received a lot of attention, didn't have the same level of attention as she does now.

In fact, the moment Zhang Ruonan was selected by Lu Zhiyuan, she was immediately promoted to a top-tier actress, and paparazzi followed and reported on her every day!

This may be a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the kind of prestige a legendary director can command.

To prevent Zhang Ruonan from making a bad impression, Zhang Tianai tried every means to improve Zhang Ruonan's star qualities in all aspects, including appearance, temperament, clothing, grooming, behavior, and demeanor.

Lu Zhiyuan once again used his status as a renowned director to bring Zhou Xun over to be Zhang Ruonan's mentor.

……

"Brother Yuan, I'm begging you, next time there's something good, could you please not ask me? My old arms and legs are getting old, it's about time I retired."

When Lu Zhiyuan called her to his home, Zhou Xun saw that Hanikezi was also there, with Zhang Ruonan, who looked bewildered, standing next to her.

Her face immediately darkened.

It's obvious that Lu Zhiyuan called them over to teach the two little wooden figures his unparalleled martial arts.

But she really couldn't teach it.

I've already been fooled once.

Are you coming again this time?

"Teacher Zhou, I thought you only wanted to play leading roles in movies. What's with the movie 'Cloud Atlas'? You even took on such a small role?"

Lu Zhiyuan didn't mention the matter of having Zhou Xun become Zhang Ruonan's teacher. Instead, he first complained about how Zhou Xun wasn't doing well lately.

"Brother Yuan, did you call me all this way just to complain about me?"

Zhou Xun rubbed her forehead and turned to leave.

What a shame!

How dare you say such things to me in front of so many people!
Don't I want to lose face?
“Teacher Zhou, if you can accept supporting roles and don’t care about the size of the role, instead of working with those foreigners, why not come with me?”

Lu Zhiyuan has a lot of respect for Zhou Xun.

After all, she is the pinnacle of acting skills among domestic actresses.

If he imparted just 30-40% of his skills to their little darlings, how much trouble would that save him?

"Brother Yuan, why didn't you tell me about this good thing sooner!"

Zhou Xun was just joking when she pretended to leave.

Seeing that Lu Zhiyuan was already trying to persuade her to stay, she immediately turned around with a smile.

Zhou Xun sighed and sat down on the sofa in Lu Zhiyuan's house: "Brother Yuan, actually, I only had a cameo role in the movie 'Cloud Atlas.' I mainly wanted to understand how Hollywood film crews operate."

"Teacher Zhou, would you like some beverage?"

At this moment, Reba, the hostess of the house, handed Zhou Xun a glass of freshly squeezed grape juice.

"Thank you."

Zhou Xun glanced at it, smiled at Dilraba, and politely took a sip.

It is too sweet.

Drinking too much will definitely lead to diabetes.

After politely taking a sip, she placed the cup on the coffee table and began to complain to Lu Zhiyuan: "Brother Yuan, in the blink of an eye, I'm almost 40 years old."

"At my age, I'm too old to play an older sister. As for playing a mother, I don't have any children myself, so I can't really get the feeling out of it."

"After thinking it over and over, there's only one way left: I'll start my own company, become a producer, and then, like you, discover a few new actors to work for me."

At this point, Zhou Xun expressed her deep gratitude to Lu Zhiyuan.

Because when Lu Zhiyuan held the open selection, although he only selected Zhang Ruonan, there were still many good talents among the remaining people.

These promising talents have long been targeted by numerous film and television companies.

Zhou Xun also chose one.

Hearing this, Lu Zhiyuan laughed: "So, the favor I owed you back then, isn't it coming in handy right now?"

Lu Zhiyuan owns a film studio, a special effects company, and has a strategic partnership with Netflix, the world's largest streaming media company.

If Zhou Xun has any suitable child actors, Lu Zhiyuan can hand them over to someone else even if he doesn't have time to mentor them himself.

"Brother Yuan, you're really amazing. You had me completely under your thumb three years ago."

Three years ago, when Lu Zhiyuan asked Zhou Xun to teach Hanikezi acting, he already knew that this day was coming.

This impressed Zhou Xun greatly.

At the time, Zhou Xun felt that she was still young and capable of acting.

Before she knew it, only three years had passed, and she suddenly realized that there were more and more young actresses on the market, and she had completely faded into obscurity.

Since ancient times, beauties and famous generals have not been allowed to grow old in the world.

She's 39 years old; it's time for her to step back from the limelight.

Otherwise, with that old face, I'd definitely be criticized by netizens.

[Has Zhou Xun aged so much?]

Is this still the Zhou Xun I remember? Back then, she was stunningly beautiful.

As she grew old, she became repulsive.

Zhou Xun doesn't even need to go online to guess how netizens are criticizing her.

Rather than being criticized by netizens later, it's better to be sensible and voluntarily step back from the spotlight, leaving the audience with some fond memories.

"Teacher Zhou, don't say that. Didn't you attend Paris Fashion Week a couple of days ago as Chanel's brand ambassador?"

"I saw the photos you sent back, and you're in pretty good shape."

Zhou Xun has had virtually no film or television projects this year, only some fashion events.

This situation basically means he's about to retire.

"Sigh, it's rare to hear Brother Yuan praise me. Unfortunately, I know myself that those pictures were all heavily retouched in post-production."

"You can see what I'm like now. Not to mention my face, I'm even starting to have a little belly."

Zhou Xun doesn't treat Lu Zhiyuan like an outsider at all now. Since she's going to retire behind the scenes anyway, what idol image does she have left?

In front of Dilraba and Lu Zhiyuan, she tugged at her little belly.

"My belly isn't a big deal. The most important thing is that as I get older, my eye bags have gotten bigger, and my eyes have become less lively. I'm pretty much done for."

Zhou Xun's acting essence lies in her eyes, which are particularly ethereal and full of stories.

But now, with larger eye bags and pupils that are no longer as dark and bright as when I was young, I suddenly look much older.

There's no more eye acting.

She knew that her career as an actress was most likely over.

Forcing yourself to act will only damage your public image.

"It's alright, as long as you still have the experience."

Lu Zhiyuan offered a word of comfort.

In fact, Zhou Xun's situation has happened to countless actresses.

Many actresses are like this: when they are young, they are beautiful and charming, but as they get older, they gradually lose the liveliness and elegance of their youth and turn into middle-aged women.

Actresses over 40 years old have very few roles in film and television dramas, and even for supporting roles, the competition is fierce.

The middle-aged women over 40 years old who appear in movies and TV dramas often look rather repulsive.

But when you look at old photos, who didn't amaze an era when they were young?
"Reba, take Teacher Zhou upstairs and let her choose a room she likes."

For Lu Zhiyuan, Zhou Xun having no acting opportunities is a huge boon.

From now on, all these little cuties at home can be handed over to Zhou Xun for training.

He himself was completely relieved.

"Brother Yuan, then I won't stand on ceremony with you. I'm going to be staying at your house all summer."

Three years ago, Zhou Xun was very busy.

Lu Zhiyuan asked her to mentor Hanikezi, but Zhou Xun, despite her hard work, simply couldn't manage her.

Ultimately, due to being too busy with work, I had to leave first.

But now, she wishes she could be at Lu Zhiyuan's house every day.

Putting everything else aside, just follow Lu Zhiyuan to a Hollywood film set and see how he manages the entire crew.
This will be very beneficial for her future transition to becoming a producer.

"Honey, give Teacher Zhou a copy of our family's menu and let her order a week's worth of meals first."

Lu Zhiyuan's family doesn't cook; they order food from hotels and have it delivered.

Since it's being delivered from outside, you should definitely place your order in advance.

"Okay, teacher!"

Hanikezi grinned and grabbed a tablet computer.

With technological advancements, there's no need to write menus by hand anymore; you can simply place your order using a tablet.

"Xiao Nan, don't let me down. If you do well, I'll give you a raise."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled at Zhang Ruonan, whose eyes were still glazed over.

Hanikezi is truly beyond saving.

Zhang Ruonan can still be salvaged. She seems quite clever; with proper training, she'll at least be no worse than Dilraba.

"Yes, boss."

Zhang Ruonan made a gesture of standing at attention and saluting.

You get paid for what you do.

Lu Zhiyuan gave her a settlement allowance of 100 million yuan, and if the movie was well-made, she would receive at least 50 US dollars in film remuneration... With so much money, Zhang Ruonan would sell her life to Lu Zhiyuan!

……

Dilraba and Zhou Xun went to choose a room on the second floor.

The villa near Hongluo Temple is larger than the one Lu Zhiyuan bought in Dongshan Villa, and has six bedrooms.

Zhang Ruonan and Hanikezi took two rooms on the third floor. There were still extra rooms on the second floor, and Zhou Xun could choose any one of them.

"Dilraba, this is it."

Zhou Xun didn't care much about the accommodations; she was just there to sleep, so why be so particular?
Moreover, it's impossible for her to actually stay here permanently.

"Okay. I'll help you tidy up in a bit."

Dilraba was very polite to Zhou Xun.

Dilraba is always very friendly and generous, as long as the other person is not her love rival.

"Dilraba, there's something I'm curious about. Could I ask you for advice? What method did you use to get Yuan Ge to agree to register the marriage with you?"

After Zhou Xun finished speaking, she saw Dilraba raise an eyebrow.

She could tell that Reba might be a little unhappy, so she quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand, I'm just wondering. You know, the person who hosted me last time I came was Jing Tian."

Zhou Xun originally thought that Lu Zhiyuan and Jing Tian would end up together.

From any perspective, Lu Zhiyuan's choice of Jing Tian as his partner would be of the greatest benefit to his career.

"You'll find out later."

Dilraba smiled but didn't explain anything.

Why should I tell you about my relationship with my husband?
Zhou Xun nodded, without asking any further questions, and instead said with great emotion, "Dilraba, I actually envy you."

"It's very difficult for actresses like us to find a man we truly love, who also truly loves us, and who is willing to get married to us."

"Most men just want to play around with us and have no intention of taking responsibility. Once they're done playing around, they'll most likely go find the next one."

Of course I know!
I'm not new to the entertainment industry!
To see what the ideal man in the entertainment industry looks like, just look at Kun Ge.

"Teacher Zhou, you will also meet your Prince Charming."

Faced with Zhou Xun's envy and sighs, Dilraba offered a few words of blessing on the surface, but in reality, she was quite pleased.

After all, she will most likely never catch up to Zhou Xun's acting skills in her lifetime.

However, Zhou Xun was not as lucky as her.

She has been with Lu Zhiyuan since she was 17, accompanying him through four films and helping him rise from obscurity to where he is today.

She witnessed Lu Zhiyuan's growth and was deeply fascinated by his talent and character.

And now, this man is his.

If someone wanted to steal it, they would probably have to go through countless hardships to get into Lu Zhiyuan's heart.

The first challenge is yourself, the boss guarding the gate!

She will transform into a mountain god of a mountain in Altay and slap everyone to death!

……

Zhou Xun now has a bedroom in Lu Zhiyuan's home.

The next day, she had breakfast with Lu Zhiyuan's family.

After finishing breakfast, Lu Zhiyuan went straight to the third-floor studio to begin his secluded practice.

Zhang Ruonan and Hanikezi were locked outside.

Dilraba is very busy. After becoming the wife of a famous director, she took over the daily operations of several of Lu Zhiyuan's companies.

As the boss's wife, if she doesn't want to manage things, she can simply not manage anything at all.

But if she wants to run the company well, she can be busy from morning till night, never having a moment to rest.

Besides Lu Zhiyuan's company, Dilraba herself is also the second largest shareholder of Happy Twist, holding 30% of the shares.

……

Today, Dilraba went to Happy Twist.

After several months of discussion, Happy Twist selected a script, "Goodbye Mr. Loser," from their numerous stage plays and prepared to adapt it into a movie.

"Sister Ba..."

Shen Teng spoke, wanting to ask a few questions.

Dilraba tapped the table: "I don't like hearing this. Use a nicer way of addressing me."

"You are stupid."

Mary gently kicked Shen Teng's foot under the table and silently wrote the character "路" (road) on the table.

Shen Teng instantly understood and spoke again, calling out loudly, "Mrs. Lu!"

At that moment, everyone in the audience secretly gave Shen Teng a thumbs up.

You're really clever, kid.

"Brother Teng, just say what you need to say, don't make it so formal."

Dilraba turned her face away, waved her hand, looking a little shy, but smiling very happily.

"Mrs. Lu, you know our company's situation. We can discuss everything else if we want to make a movie, but we don't have a director."

Happy Twist is primarily a theater company; they do have stage play directors, but no film directors.

Although they are all called directors, they are completely different from each other.

A movie can easily cost tens of millions to produce; if it loses money, the company will suffer a huge financial blow.

Therefore, once a film project is launched, it can only succeed and cannot fail.

"This is not a problem."

Dilraba didn't take it seriously at all.

The others also had smiles on their faces, which was perfectly fine.

Let Dilraba go find her husband, the internationally renowned director Lu Zhiyuan, and give us a little special treatment.

If Xu Guangtou can make such a good comedy, how could a super director like Lu Zhiyuan not make it well?

Even if Lu Zhiyuan sends one of his underlings, it won't be a big problem.

Unexpectedly, Dilraba suddenly changed the subject and said, "If we don't have a director, our company can train one ourselves."

puff!
At that moment, everyone in Happy Twist almost wanted to kneel down before Dilraba.

We train them ourselves?

What a joke!
Can a theater company like ours train film directors?

Photography, props, art direction, lighting... styling and makeup. These can certainly be outsourced.

But for the jobs mentioned above, unless you're an expert, who can tell whether the other person is a master or just a charlatan?

"Mrs. Lu, our company may not be able to train someone for this job in a short time. The director's job requires a lot of experience."

Mr. Zhang, the CEO of Happy Twist, can only speak the truth.

It's not that they don't want to train them; it's just that directors are a very difficult profession to train.

In a sense, this thing not only requires experience, but also a lot of artistic talent.

Of course, you can also just find anyone to sit in the director's seat.

But the movie flopped, and everyone lost money.

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Zhang said, "Mrs. Lu, my original plan was to send several of our company's stage directors to the Beijing Film Academy to study for a year or two. After they have gained mature experience, the company will then start film projects."

Reba shook her head: "Mr. Zhang, this is too slow."

"It's not that I look down on the directing department of Beijing Film Academy. Most directing students, after graduating from Beijing Film Academy, can only become critics who are all talk and no action."

With Dilraba's comment, no one could say anything more.

Because we are all industry insiders, we know that in this industry, whether someone can succeed depends primarily on their work.

A degree is useless.

They're not going to take the postgraduate entrance exam!

"How about this... the company selects two promising talents. They don't need to study directing at the Beijing Film Academy. I'll arrange for them to work as assistant directors under Guo Fan, starting with the urban fantasy film 'Your Name'."

"After filming, I will follow Su Lun to film the ancient costume fantasy idol drama 'The Journey of Flower'."

"If time allows, I'd like to join the Godzilla crew again to experience the Hollywood production process."

"In this way, after gaining experience from three films and television dramas of different styles, by March or April next year, I should have a completely new understanding of the work of a director."

Lu Zhiyuan is now the most outstanding director in China, and even on a global scale, he is among the top.

The most powerful person connected to Lu Zhiyuan is Reba.

Dilraba was able to get several unknown members of Happy Twist into film and television productions for Yuankun Media.

They could even arrange for people from Happy Twist to go to the Hollywood blockbuster "Godzilla" to learn about the production process.

Such resources are absolutely unavailable to the average person!
"Thank you for your help, Mrs. Lu!"

Mr. Zhang thanked Reba, but then became somewhat troubled: "However, this means that the company's stage directors will probably be scrambling to hire her."

Following Guo Fan to become his assistant, or following Su Lun to film idol dramas, these are nothing special.

Most importantly, it's a chance to get up close and personal with Lu Zhiyuan and see how he directs a Hollywood blockbuster. This is an opportunity that's priceless!

……

Meanwhile, at Lu Zhiyuan's home.

Hanikezi stood in the corner like a wooden statue, silently mourning for Zhang Ruonan for three seconds.

Because right now, Zhou Xun has transformed into a devilish teacher, focusing her discipline on Zhang Ruonan: "Little Zhang, do you know why Brother Yuan chose you?"

Because I'm cute!
Although she thought this way, Zhang Ruonan, as a vocational high school student, knew very well how she should behave in front of the teacher at this moment.

She kept shaking her head, an innocent expression on her face.

"Right, that is it!"

Seeing Zhang Ruonan's expression, Zhou Xun suddenly laughed: "Your face is so innocent, yet there's a hint of cunning in your eyes. You're such a cutie."

Zhou Xun felt like she had unexpectedly discovered a little genius!

At least in terms of eye acting, Zhang Ruonan is excellent.

She's much better than Hanikezi.

Although Hanikezi looks very lively and energetic, especially when she smiles, she really looks like a little elf.

But his eyes just lacked something; he looked like a wooden doll.

"Huh? Is this okay?"

Hanikezi, who was standing nearby, stared wide-eyed at the scene, his face filled with surprise and disbelief.

I'm very saddened by this discriminatory treatment!

"Little Zhang, although Brother Yuan asked me to teach you, I won't let you simply imitate me."

"If you just want to be a TV drama actor, like the popular actresses born in 85, imitating me will be enough to make a living in this industry."

"But if you want to make a real movie... By the way, you went to Los Angeles a few days ago, you should have seen the movie 'Art Students' with Brother Yuan, right?"

Zhou Xun suddenly brought up Lu Zhiyuan's movies.

Although she only watched a one-minute trailer.

However, from an actor's perspective, this movie gave her goosebumps all over.

Lu Zhiyuan's acting was absolutely superb!

That defiant gaze, that disregard for all laws and regulations, that aura of self-importance.

As a charming and arrogant man, Lu Zhiyuan is simply too charismatic!

However, Lu Zhiyuan is not like this at all normally.

In Zhou Xun's mind, he is a very low-key person.

I never imagined that Lu Zhiyuan could be so wild when making movies!

If Hanikezi knew these thoughts in Zhou Xun's mind, she would definitely vehemently refute them, saying, "You really don't understand our teacher at all!"

This is how he looks when he's filming movies!
He was just being himself!
"Teacher Zhou, you don't mean for me to learn from Brother Yuan, do you? No, please don't. I can't do it. He's a madman. I'm perfectly normal."

Zhang Ruonan shook her head hastily.

She knew that Lu Zhiyuan was going to find Zhou Xun to be her teacher, so she had been watching a lot of Zhou Xun's movies lately.

She felt that Zhou Xun's expressive eyes were not so much difficult to imitate as it was difficult to find suitable lighting and shadow effects to create that atmosphere.

But if others can't find it, Zhang Ruonan definitely can.

Lu Zhiyuan is very good at creating that atmosphere for the actors.

She should learn from Zhou Xun, pick up some simple routines, and then complement Lu Zhiyuan's historically best sense of atmosphere. Wouldn't she become a solid acting talent?
"You know you're not good enough."

Zhou Xun smiled and said, "I mentioned Brother Yuan not to ask you to imitate his style. Rather, I wanted to tell you that for an actor to be charismatic, he must have a unique temperament."

People say I have the face of a fiancée. But I think you also have the face of a first love.

"Remember to make good use of this advantage."

At this point, Zhou Xun looked at Zhang Ruonan with a persuasive gaze: "So, what kind of eyes and expressions should a 'first love' face have?"

As soon as Zhou Xun brought up the topic, Zhang Ruonan immediately began to recall Ling Yanqiu's gaze in the desert in "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate".

She squinted, as if a gust of wind was blowing, stirring up dust that made it impossible for her to open her eyes.

Then, Zhang Ruonan sniffed, as if he had caught a whiff of something, and lowered his voice to a hoarse, deep tone, imitating Zhou Xun, and said in a low voice, "A lone figure on a cold river, a stranger on the road of life, why should we need to have known each other before we meet?"

Hearing those familiar lines, Zhou Xun couldn't help but laugh: "You brat, don't try to imitate me. Those who learn from me live, those who imitate me die!"

Although Zhang Ruonan was imitating her, Zhou Xun found the moment quite interesting.

Zhang Ruonan does indeed possess a unique sense of dynamism.

It has a youthful vibe that's inherently funny.

A unique temperament is especially important for an actor.

Only by possessing a unique identity can an actor become an irreplaceable part of art and leave their mark on history.

……

This month felt exceptionally long for Zhang Ruonan.

But Zhou Xun did teach her a lot.

Lu Zhiyuan checked and found that Zhang Ruonan had made rapid progress, especially in some micro-expressions, which were about 30% as good as Zhou Xun's.

He was very satisfied.

Therefore, Lu Zhiyuan became very friendly towards Zhou Xun: "Teacher Zhou, please come visit us at home when you have time."

If it were three years ago, Zhou Xun would most likely have said, "I don't want to! You're clearly treating me like a beast of burden!"

But now, Zhou Xun doesn't have much work, and apart from dating, she can't find anything else to do.

So she smiled and accepted Lu Zhiyuan's invitation: "You said it yourself. I'll post on Weibo later and say that I have a private guest room in your house."

This kind of treatment is enough for Zhou Xun to brag about for a lifetime!
Who says I'm washed up?
In the entertainment industry, which of today's popular young actresses has the same treatment as me?

I have a private guest room in the home of the historically renowned director Lu Zhiyuan!

It's not that I can't act, it's that I disdain acting in ordinary movies.

"Teacher Zhou, you can post it if you want, just don't take pictures. I'm afraid people will talk about our home renovation."

Lu Zhiyuan didn't mind Zhou Xun's idea of ​​bragging.

"clear."

As for why Lu Zhiyuan didn't want Zhou Xun to post the photos, Zhou Xun could understand.

After Lu Zhiyuan, a legendary director, won the Hollywood Best Art Direction award, netizens are bound to be curious about what his home looks like.

Zhou Xun posted a photo.

Wow, the interior design style in Turpan is so colorful!

Netizens may be disillusioned with Lu Zhiyuan's aesthetic sense!

But Zhou Xun understood that Dilraba was showing off her love, telling everyone who came to visit the house that she was the real hostess!
……

8 month 16 number.

The film "Art Students" has finally been officially released amidst the anticipation of hundreds of millions of fans worldwide.

The premiere was held at the Wanda Cinema near Dongshan Villa.

Around 4pm in the evening.

"Master's wife, aren't you jealous of Gao Yuanyuan?"

Hanikezi originally thought that Reba would not attend the premiere of this movie.

Because she had seen the finished film and knew how ambiguous the relationship between Lu Zhiyuan and Gao Yuanyuan was in the movie.

Gao Yuanyuan almost stuck out her tongue!

wrong.

Judging from Gao Yuanyuan's expression, she definitely stuck out her tongue, it's just that it wasn't shown in the movie.

"If I don't go, everyone will know that I'm jealous of Gao Yuanyuan. If I go, no one will have any wild ideas."

Dilraba has been in the entertainment industry for several years and is very clear about the thoughts of paparazzi and netizens.

The more open and aboveboard she appears, the less others can figure out what she's thinking.

Moreover, if she doesn't go, wouldn't Lu Zhiyuan have to walk the red carpet with Gao Yuanyuan?

She can tolerate anything, but this is absolutely unacceptable.

“Teacher’s wife, I’ve thought about it and you don’t need to be jealous of Sister Cha at all. Because Sister Cha is working for the teacher, which is the same as working for you.”

"You should be more tolerant of the farmhands in your household."

The deed is done, and they've already kissed.

Hanikezi had no idea what Lu Zhiyuan's feelings were for Gao Yuanyuan.

However, as Lu Zhiyuan's beloved apprentice, she would definitely stand unconditionally on Lu Zhiyuan's side.

Help him maintain the status quo at home.

Only when the red flag is flying at home can the colorful flags fly outside.

"You little rascal. Are you trying to imply that I can tolerate even a farmhand like Gao Yuanyuan, but when your precious apprentice makes a mistake, I, as her master's wife, will also turn a blind eye?"

Since returning from Los Angeles, Hanikezi seems to have grown up overnight, and the way he looks at Lu Zhiyuan has become somewhat sparkling.

In short, he's not entirely innocent.

Reba needs to nip this in the bud and give Hanikezi a warning.

"Sister, how could I have thought that?"

Hanikezi immediately changed her tune, calling Reba "sister" and hugging her arm, starting to act coquettishly.

You've already called me "sister," and you're still saying you didn't think that way?

But forget it!

I can't be bothered arguing with a brat like you!
Who told you to be his only precious apprentice? If I were to scold you, and you turned around and shed a tear, he would think I was bullying you.

"Go change your clothes, and hurry up. Don't wear anything too revealing."

Reba had absolutely no way to deal with Hanikezi.

"receive."

Hanikezi ran upstairs with a smile and told Zhang Ruonan to hurry up and change their clothes so they could attend Lu Zhiyuan's premiere.

……

Lu Zhiyuan's films always have premieres that are like red carpet events, with a large number of big stars and directors from the entertainment industry in attendance.

This time, in addition to his old partner Chen Kaige, even Zhang Yimou came.

Saying he was flattered would be a bit of an exaggeration, but Lu Zhiyuan was indeed very surprised.

"Director Zhang, welcome."

Lu Zhiyuan would symbolically invite Zhang Yimou to every movie premiere, but Zhang Yimou rarely showed up to support him.

Chen Kaige came every time, but Lu Zhiyuan no longer found it novel.

Zhang Yimou rarely comes, so Lu Zhiyuan was exceptionally happy to see him this time and treated him with great enthusiasm, while neglecting Chen Kaige.

Seeing this, Chen Kaige joked with Dilraba, "Dilraba, look at your man, doesn't he seem like the kind of scumbag who abandons his old love after finding a new one?"

Not like!

You are the one!
Dilraba didn't find the joke funny at all.

She felt that Chen Kaige was implying that she was his new love and Jing Tian was Lu Zhiyuan's ex-lover.
"Old man, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Chen Hong instantly noticed the subtle change in atmosphere and gently nudged Chen Kaige.

Then, she pushed Chen Kaige aside, took Reba's hand, and said with a smile, "Reba, you two are really low-key, you didn't even tell us you got your marriage certificate."

"Also, you've gotten a little rounder lately... Tell your sister, are you pregnant?"

Don't be shy.

“I gave birth to two sons for your Uncle Chen, so I have some say in this matter.”

Chen Hong knew that Dilraba now had everything: status and money.

The remaining idea was to give Lu Zhiyuan three sons!

To have a pleasant conversation, you have to cater to the other person's interests. She's not Chen Kaige, a chauvinist; a joke from her almost offended him.

"Sister, let's talk in detail after the premiere."

The topic of Chen Hong really hit a nerve with Dilraba.

She lacks nothing now, except for three sons! If she could give Lu Zhiyuan three sons, her life would be truly complete!
……

"Director Zhang, you are a rare guest."

Lu Zhiyuan and Zhang Yimou have never had any contact.

There was nothing that Zhang Yimou could ask him for help from.

It's really unexpected that I came to support him this time.

However, Lu Zhiyuan, Chen Kaige, and Zhang Yimou are the three most renowned directors in China, with the highest artistic achievements.

As for Feng Xiaogang, he was directly dismissed from the list of the three directors.

Feng Xiaogang was originally able to forcefully provoke Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou, but when he encountered Lu Zhiyuan, he was completely powerless.

It can't compete at the box office.

Their artistic achievements are unmatched.

Lighting and shadow techniques, photography techniques, art techniques... Lu Zhiyuan completely outclassed him in every aspect!

What annoyed him the most was that Lu Zhiyuan didn't have buck teeth; his teeth were white and straight, and his smile was particularly sunny and refreshing!

He's practically his nemesis!

After Lu Zhiyuan forcibly reached the top, if only three could be ranked, Feng Xiaogang, no matter how unwilling, would have to be removed from the list.

"Director Lu, I'm here today because I'm preparing to shoot an art film based on a novel called 'The Criminal Lu Yanshi'."

“The movie is about to start filming, but before filming begins, I happened to see the lighting effects in your movie ‘Art Students’.”

"I find it very unique, so I would like to ask you for your guidance."

Zhang Yimou did not put on any airs of a senior when dealing with Lu Zhiyuan, a younger generation, but instead discussed matters with him as a peer.

Lu Zhiyuan has won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction and is a world-renowned art master, especially in the field of light and shadow, where he is absolutely a world-class master.

For an art film, light and shadow are its very soul.

"Director Zhang, I wouldn't call it guidance. What I want to say is all in the film. Perhaps you'll find your own answers after watching it."

A director should let the film speak for itself.

Describing what a movie is like is meaningless; only visuals can truly move and impress.

"Alright."

Since he was already there, Zhang Yimou wasn't in a hurry.

He wasn't afraid of being exposed; he came to Lu Zhiyuan to learn from him... Others might want to come, but they couldn't.

Besides, there is a sequence to learning, and everyone has their own area of ​​expertise!
In terms of light and shadow, he is indeed not as good as Lu Zhiyuan. He would not feel ashamed to learn from Lu Zhiyuan's advanced artistic concepts.

After all, before he started making movies, Lu Zhiyuan was a proper art student who studied Impressionist painting for many years.

The Impressionists' pursuit of light and shadow made them one of the most obsessive groups of people in the world!

……

Before the movie premiered, Lu Zhiyuan, as the director, spoke some nonsense on behalf of the entire crew.

Then, while the audience was still listening to him talk about these things with great interest, Lu Zhiyuan himself began to get impatient.

"Let's do this for now."

"Let's watch the movie first. After the movie, we can probably avoid the evening rush hour."

Great directors are just unique.

Others would love to kneel down before the movie is even released.

I hope everyone will support me by buying tickets to the cinema, considering how hard I worked to make this movie.

Lu Zhiyuan was still in the mood to joke when he came up.

Today is Friday, and the evening rush hour is particularly congested; it's normal for traffic to last until 8 p.m.

The movie starts promptly at 6 p.m. and ends around 8 p.m., just at the tail end of the evening rush hour.

"Brother Yuan is a pretty interesting guy."

“I heard that he always chooses Wanda Cinema for the premiere because it’s close to his home and he doesn’t want to get stuck in traffic on his way home.”

The city of Yanjing has many advantages.

However, there is a huge pain point that makes the city's residents very unhappy.

The problem is traffic congestion.

Lu Zhiyuan's words subtly bridged the gap between him and the average viewer.

People might think that he's a god when he's making movies, but outside of movies, he's more like an ordinary person.

……

On the screen.

The screen gradually brightened.

A beam of light shone through the iron bars of the cell and landed on a dirty table.

The silhouette of a man appears first on the screen.

At the same time, the camera shifts to the man's hands, where he is holding a paintbrush and quickly sketching a picture.

It is not a copy.

It is a simulated portrait.

Using a photo of a 7-year-old girl, he created a drawing that resembled what she would look like at 18!

……

The movie theater was completely silent.

The very first scene of the movie aroused everyone's curiosity: what does it mean?
However, those who have seen the trailer probably know that the protagonist is an art student.

Not in a hurry.

The story has only just begun.

……

But for some, the very first shot and the lighting effects of the first scene are enough to greatly benefit them.

"The strong light and shadow, with clear direction, instantly lock onto the protagonist. This immersive cinematic language is very similar to Nolan's."

"Besides, the iron bars, the old table, the mottled walls, everything looked like hell, making people feel hopeless."

"However, the light shining on the protagonist, the light falling on his paintbrush, is like a dagger tearing through the darkness. The drama and the sensory stimulation are just too intense."

"Without a doubt, this will be an extremely insane protagonist!"

Through the effects of light and shadow, an art-house film master like Zhang Yimou can discern the tone that Lu Zhiyuan set for the entire film from the very first shot.

Movies actually have many formulas.

Viewers only need to understand the storyline, but for a good director, he needs to understand the lighting, the layout, and many other details.

"This mad protagonist is a reflection of his inner self."

"Lu Zhiyuan is a complete madman."

"When he makes this kind of movie, portraying a male protagonist who is elegant and charming on the outside but arrogant and paranoid on the inside, it is completely his true self."

"This style is unique in the world."

Zhang Yimou can't pull off this style.

Lu Zhiyuan's style is truly unique.

That kind of madness, like a madman, yet piousness like a Puritan—two contrasting styles—is always perfectly unified in his films.

This is the most unique spirit and energy in Lu Zhiyuan's films!

No one else can imitate it at all.

This neurotic quality is more unique than Quentin Tarantino's violent rituals and foot fetish visual labels.

You can be crazy about someone you like.

Moreover, there are no other alternatives.

"He's a madman. He appears calm and low-key on the surface, but is arrogant and unrestrained on the inside."

Zhang Yimou felt he wasn't crazy and couldn't imitate Lu Zhiyuan.

However, he can do the opposite.

The light in Lu Zhiyuan's films is intense and dazzling, just like Lu Zhiyuan's own personality—powerful and purposeful.

The light in Zhang Yimou's films must be soft and restrained.

He can't play with that kind of intense light that directly confronts life, so he can use the "hidden light" to express the pain of history.

This artistic approach is exactly the opposite of Lu Zhiyuan's.

It will look very charming.

It is a kind of Eastern-style subtlety.

This is completely opposite to the visual impact pursued by Lu Zhiyuan, who was influenced by Western painting styles.

Each has its own beauty.

Of course, Zhang Yimou has to admit that Lu Zhiyuan's visual impact is more likely to be liked by the audience and can definitely become a textbook for commercial film directors.

(End of this chapter)