The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 353 [Contains Tranquility] 2% of "The Great Wall" greatly reduces the possibility of a disaster!
……

Without Fan Binbin, Feng Xiaogang was completely dumbfounded.

Where can he find another person like Fan Binbin, with huge traffic and fame, who is even willing to accept invitations for low pay to be the best tool for him to make art films?

Where is my plan B?

Feng Xiaogang suddenly realized that the gap between him and Lu Zhiyuan seemed to extend beyond just filmmaking.

He lacks a backup plan!
Among all these female celebrities, Feng Xiaogang and Li Xiaolu have a relatively close collaboration.

However, the symbol of "Pan Jinlian" is just too conspicuous... Fan Binbin has never played Pan Jinlian, which is why she dares to play the role openly.

But what about Li Xiaolu?
Feng Xiaogang felt that she would never act in it, even if he were beaten to death!

"This is so worrying... What should I do now?"

Feng Xiaogang frantically scratched his scalp; his vitiligo was almost flaring up again.

……

Yuankun Media.

Upon learning that Fan Binbin was coming for an audition, not only did director Lu Zhiyuan come, but also the female lead Jing Tian and Gao Yuanyuan, the vice president of Yuankun Media, were all present.

Dilraba is here too.

As the wife of a company boss, how could she stand idly by when a vixen came to her house?

Guo Fan and Su Lun, the two assistant directors, and Xin Yukun, the producer, all came.

This reception lineup is enough to prove Fan Binbin's current popularity and status in the entertainment industry!

Although Dilraba and Hanikezi are far more famous than Fan Binbin, everyone knows that they rely on Lu Zhiyuan.

Without Lu Zhiyuan, what are they?
Fan Binbin is different. He relied on his own skills and abilities to carve out a path in the entertainment industry step by step.

She's the top female celebrity in the entertainment industry who calls herself "the queen of the rich and powerful"!
No one disagreed.

With her around, none of the popular young actresses in China can ever make it big.

Although Yang Mi is very popular, she is still overshadowed by Fan Binbin at certain events.

Most importantly, their looks are absolutely stunning!

……

"Director Lu, our Binbin has already changed more than a dozen outfits and several hairstyles. In your opinion, what aspects could be improved? We'll go back and immediately identify and address any shortcomings, striving to make some changes to better suit the role."

When Fan Binbin's agent, Mu Xiaoguang, was facing Lu Zhiyuan, he was incredibly obsequious and humble.

There is no other reason.

Lu Zhiyuan is a billionaire!

He's even richer than Jack Ma, the owner of Tencent, on China's rich list!
Fan Binbin is very rich. Last year, she ranked among the top 5 female celebrities on the Forbes Asia Celebrity List, with an income of only 2100 million US dollars.

Even if Fan Binbin works his whole life, he will only earn $10 billion.

In the past month, the value of Lu Zhiyuan's Netflix shares has increased by $10 billion!
Whether it's wealth, influence, or social status, Lu Zhiyuan is at least two levels above Fan Binbin!

Fan Binbin and her agent acted arrogantly in front of the media, calling themselves empresses.

But in front of Lu Zhiyuan, they were extremely obsequious, almost to the point of kneeling down and licking his toes.

"I think Xiao Fan's audition went pretty well."

"In terms of appearance, Xiao Fan is outstanding. In addition, her eyes are very expressive, and she can be charming and alluring, or domineering and awe-inspiring."

After Lu Zhiyuan made a few comments...

He stood up, shook hands with Mu Xiaoguang, and then with Fan Binbin: "Ms. Fan, welcome to the crew. As for the role, I need to discuss it with the directors and screenwriters."

Upon hearing this, Fan Binbin was immediately overjoyed.

As she shook hands with Lu Zhiyuan, she couldn't help but gently scratch his palm. She looked up, her eyes sparkling with a hint of allure, and said softly, "Brother Yuan, if you remember anything and need my help, just call me anytime."

"Don't worry, I will."

Lu Zhiyuan remained expressionless when he noticed a slight itch in his palm.

He's encountered these kinds of tricks far too many times over the years.

As a great director, if you don't even have this much self-control, how can you do a good job?
They've long been drained dry by the flesh and blood of the entertainment industry!

……

"Bitch!"

"Vixen!"

"Once I get on set, I'm going to teach her a lesson she won't forget!!"

Jing Tian, ​​Reba, and Gao Yuanyuan all saw the little finger that Fan Binbin had just extended to Lu Zhiyuan.

At that moment, all three of them were furious.

After the outsiders left, the people at Yuankun Media discussed the matter behind closed doors.

Lu Zhiyuan bluntly stated, "She's very generous, isn't she? She took out 5000 million yuan in sponsorship fees for the production team to use for custom-made costumes."

"If we had a few more actors like that... Mr. Kang from China Film Group would probably be grinning from ear to ear."

Although President Kang boasted to Lu Zhiyuan that China Film Group had 37 billion yuan in cash in its accounts, allowing Lu Zhiyuan to film whatever he wanted, China Film Group was definitely rich.

But if given a choice, Mr. Kang wouldn't want to spend a single penny.

Now, some unsuspecting investors are voluntarily joining the group with their own funds, and it's not an investment, but a sponsorship. It's like a windfall.

After all, for Lu Zhiyuan, the effect of good-looking female celebrities is pretty much the same.

Not to mention, someone as good-looking as Fan Binbin.

Under his lens, Fan Binbin will surely be able to capture her charm and make her a global sensation!

Although domestic media always mock Fan Binbin for trying to gain attention on the red carpet.

But Lu Zhiyuan often travels to Europe and America, and he is very clear that the media in Europe and America generally report on Fan Binbin in a positive light.

The foreigners were completely captivated by her beauty.

The Hollywood Reporter, an old friend of Lu Zhiyuan, has repeatedly praised Fan Binbin as a Chinese goddess.

Although such reports may be the result of Fan Binbin's team spending money.

However, The Hollywood Reporter is an authoritative media outlet, and even if they spend money on marketing, they can't keep exaggerating Fan Binbin's beauty over and over again.

Just like them, it's impossible for Lu Zhiyuan to go on a rampage and boast that he is the greatest director in history just because he made a bad movie.

There must be a premise.

That is, Lu Zhiyuan has real talent and ability.

They'll only offer a few compliments after they've received the money, but they'd never offer help in times of need.

The same principle applies to Fan Binbin.

However, initially, Western media thought Fan Binbin was Japanese because she had acted with Jackie Chan in "Shinjuku Incident".

But later, Fan Binbin successfully made her Chinese face memorable to foreign media outlets on the international stage by maintaining her highly recognizable style year after year!

Many foreigners, through Fan Bingbing, have clearly realized that the Asian actors cast in the movies produced in their country are simply too ugly.

Because everyone can see what the real Chinese goddess, Fan Binbin, looks like at a glance!
Fan Binbin walks the red carpet in Europe and America every few days, even if it means paying his own way to get on the red carpet.

Although it's considered shameful in China, from a certain perspective, Fan Binbin has helped Chinese female celebrities gain a lot of recognition abroad.

Let the world know that Chinese women are very beautiful!
“Honey, you’ve always taught me. Every circle has its own rules, and in our circle, getting paid to do things is the most basic principle.”

Dilraba doesn't want to act anyway.

She has no objection if Fan Binbin wants to play the Queen of the Yin Shang Dynasty.

Anyway, there are no kissing scenes or overly intimate scenes in this movie!
Most importantly, Lu Zhiyuan has recently hinted that he doesn't want to act anymore.

Lu Zhiyuan has been looking for Zhao Wenzhuo for a while, wanting to learn martial arts routines, especially how to maintain body balance while charging in a chariot.

Lu Zhiyuan tried it and found that he couldn't do it, and it was also easy to get injured!
In order to ensure the smooth progress of the entire project, he was somewhat reluctant to play the role of Yin Wu... It would be a huge waste of his energy, and the effort and reward would be disproportionate!

"One vote in favor."

Lu Zhiyuan noted down Reba's vote and looked at Gao Yuanyuan: "President Gao, what's your opinion?"

At the company, Gao Yuanyuan was not his confidante, but the company's vice president, a position of great power and influence, whose opinions were also very important.

"I think that's also an option."

Gao Yuanyuan glanced at Reba, then at Jing Tian. She silently stepped back, choosing not to get involved in their competition and instead supporting Lu Zhiyuan.

Without involving personal grudges, Gao Yuanyuan's principle as a wife is to follow in Lu Zhiyuan's footsteps closely!
"Two votes in favor."

Lu Zhiyuan turned to Xin Yukun: "You introduced this person, Brother Kun, so you should vote in favor, right?"

Xin Yukun smiled and said, "Brother Yuan, that's 5000 million! How can I refuse? I'm just an ordinary person. Besides, since we started out, we've always adhered to one principle: when it comes to building our careers, we only date rich women!"

Upon hearing this, Jing Tian couldn't help but snort coldly, almost laughing in anger! Because she was Lu Zhiyuan's first pot of gold.

"Three votes in favor."

Lu Zhiyuan looked at Guo Fan and Su Lun.

The two silently raised their hands in agreement.

"Five votes in favor."

Except for Lu Zhiyuan and Jing Tian, ​​everyone else voted in favor.

Jing Tian isn't a company employee, but she brought this project over, so she also has voting rights.

"Tian Tian, ​​what's your opinion?"

With the overall situation settled, Lu Zhiyuan believed that Jing Tian wouldn't act childishly.

He just wanted to find a reason to talk to Jing Tian and make her happy, so as not to upset her and cause unrest at home.

At this moment, everyone was looking at Jing Tian.

Gao Yuanyuan and Reba even hoped that Jing Tian would throw a tantrum for a while, causing Lu Zhiyuan to lose some points in her impression.

However, Jing Tian has also learned to be smarter.

In other directors' films, the female lead is usually the most outstanding.

However, in Lu Zhiyuan's movies, the female lead may have put in the most effort and spent the most money, only to end up like a tool, merely going through the motions of the story.

After the filming was completed, there was no personal aura involved.

To have a powerful character aura in Lu Zhiyuan's movies, to be unforgettable for the audience, and to have scenes that become famous all over the world.

It is simple to say.

It's difficult, in a way.

The key is to thoroughly understand Lu Zhiyuan's ideas.

At this moment, Jing Tian thought for a moment and said, "Fan Binbin is willing to pay 5000 million, which makes me, the leading actress, feel a little embarrassed. How about this, let Fan Binbin play the Queen Mother of the West, and I'll play Shang Xiu!"

Shang Xiu was the wife of Yin Wu.

Originally created by Lu Zhiyuan for Dilraba, the role is full of tragic aesthetics and will leave a lasting impression on audiences worldwide in the end.

Just like Ms. T from the Real Steel series!
Although they may only have a few screen time, each appearance is featured in a post-credits scene, contributing memorable moments and major plot twists.

This kind of role offers extremely high value for money for actresses!
Jing Tian has experienced Ms. T's benefits firsthand, so she has a lot to say about it.

"Tian Tian, ​​are you sure?"

Lu Zhiyuan looked at Jing Tian with some disbelief.

Jing Tian finally landed a leading role, and now she's willing to give it up? Is this really the Jing Tian he knows?
"I am sure!"

Jing Tian said nonchalantly, "Whether someone is the female lead or not doesn't depend on how many scenes they have."

Gao Yuanyuan has played leading roles.

Gulnazar has also played the female lead.

What is the use?

The two leading ladies were completely overshadowed by two supporting actresses who only appeared for less than 10 minutes!
"Okay! You'll perform the commercial show!"

Lu Zhiyuan smiled and agreed to Jing Tian's role change.

To be honest, the role of the Queen Mother of the West is not quite suitable for Jing Tian.

Because Jing Tian is too young and lacks the commanding presence of a king.

Fan Binbin, just right!
While exuding elegance and nobility, it also possesses a touch of domineering power.

Over the years, Fan Binbin has essentially built an entertainment empire for himself step by step.

This domineering aura was cultivated little by little during this process.

Jing Tian is more like a proud little princess; she's not quite there yet when it comes to playing the Queen Mother of the West.

"Then it's a deal!"

Jing Tian extended her hand and gave Lu Zhiyuan a high five as a pledge.

Very good!
In the movie, you died for me, you died for our child... and finally became the most perfect husband in my heart!
But something seems off.
Why aren't Dilraba and Gao Yuanyuan jealous at all?
Why did they look at me with a hint of pity?
Suddenly, Jing Tian realized something and frowned as she looked at Lu Zhiyuan: "You don't want to play the role of Yin Wu anymore?"

"Ah."

Lu Zhiyuan didn't hide anything and nodded in admission: "I don't have any talent to be a martial arts star. After practicing for a few days, my back ached and I almost got injured. So, I will no longer join this project as an actor."

"I've already discussed it with Brother Zhuo, and he'll be taking my place as Yin Wu. I'll design a few scenes for him, like driving a chariot into battle!"

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, cavalry charges were not the mainstream.

Back then, the main form of warfare was tank assault followed by infantry... somewhat like the simultaneous tank and infantry assaults of World War II!

As for cavalry?

They primarily served as scouts and intelligence gatherers.

After freeing himself from the main role, Lu Zhiyuan suddenly felt a sense of boundless freedom.

When he was designing the plot and visuals, he had to consider whether he could actually do the action scenes.

If that's not possible, should we use other plot elements to change it?
The change significantly diminished the film's appeal.

For period fantasy blockbusters, action and special effects are the most important.

He can definitely handle the special effects.

But regarding the action sequences... sorry, he's an art student, not a martial arts student. Isn't that asking the impossible?

Everyone was delighted to have Zhao Wenzhuo in the role!

Zhao Wenzhuo is not only his neighbor, but also, in a sense, his godparent.

Because Zhao Wenzhuo's son is Gao Yuanyuan's godson.

Given his relationship with Gao Yuanyuan, Zhao Wenzhuo's son is not the same as his godson.
In two years, when his daughter starts kindergarten, she may attend the same school as Zhao Wenzhuo's son.

The two are three years apart in age.

In the future, when we go to primary school, we may go to the same school.

We have a long time to spend together in the future.

Moreover, after bringing in Zhao Wenzhuo as the main actor, there was no need to hire outsiders for the action direction as well.

Simply accomplishing multiple things with one stone.

“It would be good if Brother Zhuo played Yin Wu.”

Jing Tian had no objections to Zhao Wenzhuo.

However, Jing Tian was still unwilling to be relegated from the female lead to a supporting role, and couldn't help but ask, "You're not going to change Shang Xiu's storyline, are you?"

If Shang Xiu's storyline is also changed, she definitely won't stand for it!

She needs to be sure.

Because after filming, when Lu Zhiyuan is editing, if he has inspiration, he will use his super talent as a montage editing master to make slight modifications.

This completely changes the overall feel of the film.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan could only vaguely say, "Tian Tian, ​​don't worry. In my vision, this character will definitely be more popular with the audience than the Queen Mother of the West!"

The character of Xi Wangmu was used by Lu Zhiyuan to develop the plot.

The character Shang Xiu, on the other hand, carries the director's personal preference and is specifically designed to create a concept of tragic aesthetics.

Which one will be more popular?
Clear at a glance!
"You lied to Nazha in the same way last year."

Jing Tian didn't believe a single one of Lu Zhiyuan's promises made during the filming of the movie.

In order to prevent her role from being changed, Jing Tian came up with a solution: "Give me a temporary position. I want to join the screenwriting team as the deputy chief screenwriter, and I can review all the scripts!"

Jing Tian didn't believe Lu Zhiyuan's words.

Lu Zhiyuan is usually a man of his word, but when he's making a movie and inspiration strikes, he doesn't care about anyone else!
Big directors can be so capricious!
However, by keeping the script team under control, Jing Tian could learn about Lu Zhiyuan's thoughts immediately, and if her storyline was altered, she could consult with Lu Zhiyuan.

While they might not be able to persuade Lu Zhiyuan, they can at least keep the plot within a framework that is advantageous to themselves.

"can!"

Lu Zhiyuan readily agreed, then pointed to Xin Yukun: "The screenwriting team has always been managed by Brother Kun. If you want to be his assistant, he just needs to agree."

After speaking, Lu Zhiyuan looked around and said, "Alright, if there are no other comments, the meeting is adjourned. Go home and have dinner!"

Suddenly remembering something, Lu Zhiyuan turned to Gao Yuanyuan and asked in a low voice, "By the way, is the baby's formula almost finished? Remember to remind me when we pass by a baby store!"

"Ah."

Gao Yuanyuan smiled sweetly and nodded gently.

She has absolutely no interest in making movies or being a female star now. All she wants is to stay by Lu Zhiyuan's side and be a virtuous wife and loving mother.

She also knew that she was getting older, and even though she spent a lot of money on skincare, she still couldn't compete with those young girls for attention.

However, she was gentle and considerate, and gave birth to a daughter for Lu Zhiyuan, making him feel the warmth and sweetness of home.

This is a killer move for a career-oriented man!

……

To be honest, Lu Zhiyuan was very nervous when Jing Tian was cast as the Queen Mother of the West.

He initially thought the formula for "composure" was nonsense. But his subsequent films repeatedly proved its accuracy!
This formula seems to have become some kind of strange rule.

Before the release of the movie "Mojin: The Lost Legend", Lu Zhiyuan did not have high hopes for it. He thought that as long as the box office reached 700 to 800 million US dollars, he would have accomplished his mission.

Who knew that "Mojin: The Lost Legend" would become such a huge hit, with box office receipts exceeding 13 billion US dollars!
The box office revenue was more than double what he had previously estimated!
Lu Zhiyuan felt that his predictions were always unreliable, and he often underestimated his own appeal and the audience's tolerance.

But isn't more than double a bit too outrageous?
After thinking it over and over, he could only come up with one possibility.

That is, he added an Easter egg to the movie for Jing Tian, ​​forcibly increasing the movie's "content with sweetness" from 0 to 1%!

Whether it's netizens abroad or in China, the "content" of this movie is only 1%, and they blindly watched it on the first day!
"A lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth."

"When memes are played out too much, they eventually become a kind of metaphysics."

"This world is truly unreasonable."

Lu Zhiyuan was filled with emotion.

Regardless, since the audience enjoys playing with the "content" formula, he's willing to play along with everyone.

The role of the Queen Mother of the West in the movie "The Great Wall" should normally exceed 30%.

After all, she's the female lead, and she's the one who drives the main storyline.

However, the role of Shang Xiu will likely have less than 3% screen time, and the total screen time in the entire movie will not exceed three minutes.

When he was editing, he could even reduce Shang Xiu's screen time to less than a minute.

Each appearance only requires a few seconds of screen time.

In this way, even if the character appears throughout the entire movie, the actual number of scenes he actually appears in will probably not be very large.

……

Fan Binbin will play the female lead, Xi Wangmu.

Although the outside world was unaware of this news, several female celebrities who were close to Lu Zhiyuan learned of it almost immediately.

Liu Shishi, Yang Mi, Liu Yifei, and Tang Yan, these four actresses born in 85, became incredibly gossipy all at once.

The four of them were originally just "plastic" friends, but because they needed to support each other on the "Great Wall" project, they created a WeChat group.

At this moment, the group started chatting.

Yang Mi: "What's going on? Where did Fan Binbin come from? Is she going to join Yuankun Media and work like a slave for Brother Yuan to make money?"

Yang Mi earned a lot of money by working like a slave for Dilraba, which enabled her to get a role in this movie.

Tang Yan: "Unbelievable! Fan Binbin actually squeezed out Jing Tian to become the female lead? Could it be that she has her eye on Kun Ge and wants to be his wife? Otherwise, it's hard to understand!"

Tang Yan got the role because she pretended to be in a relationship with Wang Baoqiang, which, in a sense, made her Lu Zhiyuan's sister-in-law.

Fan Binbin wants to oust Jing Tian to become the female lead. Tang Yan thinks about it and there is only one possibility: Fan Binbin has decided to become Lu Zhiyuan's sister-in-law.

Liu Yifei thought for a moment and said, "I heard that Fan Binbin paid 5000 million for this role. Kun Ge, that money-grubbing guy, agreed immediately."

She paid Xin Yukun $200 million to get this role!

Therefore, she felt that Fan Binbin must have followed the same path.

Liu Shishi pondered for a long time, then chuckled coldly before speaking, "You all don't understand Zhiyuan! I'll tell you the real reason..." "Before this, the film's [content] was too high. Although Zhiyuan didn't believe in these things, if there was even the slightest risk that would cause the film to flop, he would definitely try every means to eliminate that risk!"

"When Fan Binbin appeared, whether it was his acting skills, appearance, or suitability for the role, it was obvious that he was more suitable for the role of the Queen Mother of the West."

"If Jing Tian is doing this for the good of the movie, she will most likely have to give up the role."

"As a result, the film's 'content' drops sharply, to at least below 5%, potentially making it a classic!"

That's it!

Upon hearing this, the others suddenly realized that what Liu Shishi said made perfect sense.

At this moment, they looked at Liu Shishi with newfound respect.

Who said you're blind?

When you look at Lu Zhiyuan, don't you see him very clearly?

"Whether Fan Binbin takes the role from Jing Tian or Dilraba, it has little to do with us."

"However, with Fan Binbin joining, someone will inevitably have to be replaced. Dilraba didn't want to play the role, but I heard that Hani has been trying to get it."

"Now look what's happened, Honey's going to be furious!"

These people were just watching the show and enjoying the spectacle.

It's perfectly normal for female celebrities to fight over resources.

But they never expected that Hanikezi, Lu Zhiyuan's darling, would one day have her role stolen by someone else.

The person who poached Hanikezi's role is most likely Jing Tian!
And Jing Tian had her role stolen by Fan Binbin!

……

"Woo~~"

When Hanikezi learned that her role had been stolen, she burst into tears in Zhang Tianai's office, crying like a baby: "Sister Xiaoai, the teacher doesn't love me anymore."

Good things don't go out, bad things pass thousands of miles.

She had worked so hard to get a role from Dilraba, only to have it stolen by Jing Tian.

But Hanikezi also knew about this, so Jing Tian couldn't be blamed.

Because Jing Tian's role was stolen by Fan Binbin.

Fan Binbin secured the lead role of Xi Wangmu by paying a sponsorship fee of 5000 million yuan to the project.

No one was wrong in this process. Because this is the normal state of affairs in the entertainment industry.

However, Hanikezi still felt very wronged.

Her grievance was that Lu Zhiyuan no longer loved her... Her treatment was reduced to that of Zhang Ruonan; after the movie was released, Lu Zhiyuan began to neglect her.

"Honey, don't cry, I'll ask for you!"

Zhang Tianai tried to comfort Hanikezi for a long time, but Hanikezi's eyes were swollen from crying, and she couldn't hear anything Zhang Tianai said.

Hanikezi's behavior at this moment makes it seem as if she has been deceived emotionally by a scumbag.

The worst part is that she was still deeply in love with that scumbag!

"Sister Xiao Ai, don't tell me I'm here."

Hanikezi wiped away her tears and looked at Zhang Tianai expectantly. Before Zhang Tianai dialed the number, she emphasized it again, trying to extricate herself from the situation.

So that Lu Zhiyuan wouldn't blame her for being ignorant.

"This is such a small thing, you don't need to remind me."

Zhang Tianai gestured for Hanikezi to be quiet, and then made a phone call to Lu Zhiyuan.

"Xiao Ai, is something the matter?"

Lu Zhiyuan received a call from Zhang Tianai and asked a question in confusion.

Then, remembering something, he slapped his forehead and said, "I almost forgot. It's about the release of 'Goodbye Mr. Loser,' right? I'll ask someone to put in a good word for me and try to increase the screening rate for the first three days, as much as I can."

Wanda also invested in this movie, so its screening rate shouldn't be bad.

Although China Film Group did not invest, President Kang is now very accommodating to Lu Zhiyuan's every request. Increasing the screening rate by a few percentage points is just a matter of making a phone call for Lu Zhiyuan.

However, for the movie "Goodbye Mr. Loser", a 1% screening rate is equivalent to 300 million yuan in box office revenue.

Currently, the box office capacity of the Chinese film market is around 300 million yuan per day under normal circumstances.

One phone call from Lu Zhiyuan can help this movie increase its box office by 1000 million yuan every day!
This is no small matter!

"Brother Yuan, thank you for being so thoughtful. I'll tell Reba later that this is your Qixi Festival gift to her."

Zhang Tianai made a few jokes.

Under normal circumstances, Lu Zhiyuan wouldn't make this kind of call. It's not like it's his own movie; it's not worth him giving face for such a small amount of money.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan understood Zhang Tianai's unspoken meaning: "It seems there are other things. Tell me quickly, I have other things to do after you're done."

It's so late, what could be the matter?
It's definitely Reba who's making you have a baby!
I really envy Dilraba.

Zhang Tianai felt a pang of sadness as she thought to herself, then said, "Dilraba said she didn't want to play the role of Shang Xiu, and we originally wanted to recommend Hani. Now, I heard you've given it to Jing Tian?"

"Ah."

Lu Zhiyuan did not deny it, frankly saying, "This project is very risky. This is my first time making a movie, and I feel a lack of confidence."

"Dilraba and Hani are world-class actresses that I painstakingly created using the 'Real Steel' series."

"I don't want the two of them to ruin the reputation they've worked so hard to build up because of this project."

Lu Zhiyuan was genuinely unsure about "The Great Wall".

He was unsure whether domestic and international audiences would like this kind of subject matter.
He's gambling with the reputation he's worked so hard to build.

If he wins the bet, he will be the greatest of all time.

If you lose the bet, then use "Real Steel 4" to forcefully salvage your reputation and try to become the number one in history again!

He has Plan B, Real Steel, so he's not afraid of problems with The Great Wall project.

The problem is that Reba and Hanikezi, the two leading ladies of the Real Steel series, cannot be allowed to run into trouble along with them.

If that's the case, it will plunge him straight into the abyss!

He needs to leave himself a way out.

"So, it's not because Hani's acting is bad, her legs are short, or she's not pretty enough? It's because you feel Hani is very important to you, and you don't want Hani's reputation to be damaged in any way. Is that what you mean?"

After Zhang Tianai asked this question.

Hanikezi, who was standing next to her, had long since stopped crying. Her eyes, sparkling like stars, were fixed intently on the phone.

"Yes."

"I can't let Reba and Hani be in any risk."

"I'm not very confident about the Great Wall project, but since I've already taken it on, I have to grit my teeth and do it."

"But Reba and Hani don't need to come along on this adventure with me!"

There was no need for pretense with his old friend Zhang Tianai; he directly voiced his concerns.

“Ah Yuan, I understand. I will find an opportunity to explain to Hani, and I believe Hani will understand your difficulties.”

Zhang Tianai showed admiration for Lu Zhiyuan's painstaking efforts.

At the same time, I was also somewhat moved.

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Tianai turned to look at Hanikezi, wanting to say, "Did you hear that? You're still Yuan-ge's favorite!"

However, before she could say those words, she saw Hanikezi quickly wiping away her tears and starting to touch up her makeup.

The powder puff in my hand moved so fast that it left afterimages.

"Forget it, I'm skipping the eye makeup!"

With red-rimmed eyes, she looked even more pitiful.

Hanikezi looked at himself in the mirror, extremely satisfied, then turned around in front of Zhang Tianai: "Sister Xiao Ai, thank you. I'm leaving! I won't be back tonight!"

She had been blaming Lu Zhiyuan a moment ago, but now she felt that she was really awful. How could she doubt her teacher?
Sure enough, I'm still the teacher's favorite!
My teacher wouldn't let me take any risks, no matter how small!
that's nice!

Zhang Tianai said irritably, "You're not coming home tonight and are out fooling around. Be careful, Brother Yuan will spank you."

"I couldn't be happier. Come on, fight!"

Hanikezi wagged his tail at Zhang Tianai, laughed, and went out like the wind.

……

The next morning.

Lu Zhiyuan then met with all the investors, most importantly Mr. Kang from China Film Group, and finally announced that Fan Binbin would play the role of the Queen Mother of the West!

President Kang had no objections.

He didn't interfere with the role of the Queen Mother of the West, whether it was Jing Tian or Fan Binbin; he completely delegated the power to Lu Zhiyuan.

He only cares about the final result!
As long as Lu Zhiyuan does not fail, he will always enjoy privileges.

Upon hearing the news, Fan Binbin was so eager to book the best hotel in Beijing and hold a celebration party.

Winning the lead role in Lu Zhiyuan's film is practically a guarantee of a spot on the Oscars red carpet next year, isn't it?

Moreover, she could become Lu Zhiyuan's companion, causing a sensation worldwide!

"Ah Yuan, here's a small gift for you."

After the meeting, President Kang put his arm around Lu Zhiyuan's shoulder and whispered, "Mojin: The Lost Legend was very well made. You're a shoo-in for Best Director at the Golden Rooster Awards next month. And you're also a shoo-in for Best Director at the China Film Directors Association Awards next year."

Although Mr. Kang didn't say directly that you were already predetermined to win the award.

However, the phrase "It has to be you" perfectly encapsulates the attitude of those in power.

"Thank you, Mr. Kang."

There's no such thing as too many awards.

Although these minor awards do not contribute much to his historical status, in fact, they are used to enhance his reputation and increase his visibility.

But this is a kind offer from President Kang and his superiors, so he can't refuse, can he?

Pre-arranged deals.

If someone else is the one who was chosen, you'll most likely feel unhappy.

But if you're the one who's been chosen, the feeling is a bit complicated.

I felt a mix of secret joy, shame, and embarrassment.

In short, awards are rife with unspoken rules, making them extremely difficult to evaluate.

Lu Zhiyuan prefers something tangible like box office revenue!

"Ah Yuan, keep up the good work! We are all waiting for you to become the first in history. Take your time filming, don't rush, and stay healthy."

Lu Zhiyuan is not even 30 years old, so it's only a matter of time before he becomes the first in history.

Lu Zhiyuan is very likely to become the first director in history to achieve a box office of $100 billion.

He could even become the first director in history to reach $200 billion!

As long as Lu Zhiyuan stays healthy, he can be like Spielberg.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Kang. I will take care of my health."

Lu Zhiyuan goes to the hospital for a check-up twice a year, fearing that he might suddenly fall ill and miss the chance to achieve the best result in history.

He longs to be like Spielberg, who is almost 70 years old and can still make a movie every year.

Spielberg will release four films over the next four years.

Bridge of Spies, The BFG, The Washington Post, and Ready Player One!
This creative energy is even more terrifying than Zhang Yimou's!
……

After finishing a meeting at the company, Lu Zhiyuan returned home and found an unexpected guest.

"Inspector Zhuang, it's been a long time."

The person who appeared at his home was none other than Zhuang Wenqiang.

Lu Zhiyuan invited Zhuang Wenqiang to sit on the sofa and asked with a smile, "Have you finished filming the sequel to 'Art Students'?"

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye!

After "Art Students", Lu Zhiyuan directed "Godzilla: Monarch" and "Mojin: The Lost Legend", both of which grossed over 10 billion US dollars.

However, "Art Students 2" was shelved.

Zhuang Wenqiang had been silent for a long time, and Lu Zhiyuan thought he had been killed in South America.

"Well, it's finally finished filming. It was a bit difficult. Waaah~~~"

Zhuang Wenqiang wanted to say a few words, but the process was a bit difficult. I finally got through it, but he burst into tears halfway through his sentence.

I just couldn't resist!
Because it's fucking tough!
Without Lu Zhiyuan's help in gaining access to his connections, he almost got killed while filming in a South American slum... At the crucial moment, he saw a model of a robotic dog and shouted, "Antonio, China! My boss!"

The other party was skeptical, so they moved the gun barrel away by an inch.

"In 'Art Students 2,' I cast Nicolas Cage as the lead, playing a retired counterfeit money boss who is left destitute and alone after his brother is brutally murdered and his family is wiped out."

"His only companion was a dog, a Labrador. The kind that's harmless to humans and animals."

"I had the Hong Kong action team design 14 fight scenes in this action film, fighting from beginning to end. The scenes are very exciting. They used drones and robot dogs to fight their way through the slums and gangs of South America, and finally found the mastermind behind the killing of his beloved dog."

"Then, I shot him in the head!"

"As for the post-credits scene... someone tossed a ring in front of Nicolas Cage, the same ring that the Italian nobleman in 'Art Student' owned, the one that symbolized a member of the High Table, inviting Nicolas Cage to join the InterContinental Hotel!"

Zhuang Wenqiang made slight changes to the synopsis of "John Wick" that Lu Zhiyuan had given him.

A retired super-powerful figure seeks revenge for a dog.

What kind of story is this?
This was far too easy for Zhuang Wenqiang, who came from a background in making feature films. But he trusted Lu Zhiyuan's aesthetic sense and his understanding of Western audiences.

Lu Zhiyuan said that if we film it this way, the box office might explode... So what else is there to ask?
Just shoot it like this!

After filming, Zhuang Wenqiang spent two months editing and finding background music, and then held a preview screening in Los Angeles.

Not many people came.

Only the manager of AMC Theatres in North America and a distribution manager from Universal Pictures were present.

After all, Zhuang Wenqiang was Lu Zhiyuan's subordinate.

The head of AMC Theatres and Jeff Hill, chairman of Universal Pictures, naturally wouldn't come to support Lu Zhiyuan's underling.

They've already done more than enough by sending any of their men.

After reading it, the other party didn't say anything, just mechanically signed the contract, and then told Zhuang Wenqiang that the movie should be released in September, a less popular time slot, and that they would arrange for it to be shown.

Although it was marketed as "Art Students 2," everyone knows that the film's huge success had nothing to do with its subject matter.

It's simply because audiences around the world want to see what kind of sparks will fly from Lu Zhiyuan's first film as a director and actor.
In addition, the marketing and distribution of this movie was also incredibly aggressive.

The hype is off the charts.

In particular, Lu Zhiyuan revealed in the Easter egg that the so-called drones and robot dogs were real.

He consistently invests the money he earns from filmmaking into these two industries. Especially robotic dogs—his company is number one in the world!

The company Far East Technology is the prototype of YG Entertainment, the super tech company featured in the Real Steel series!
Reality and film.

Movies and movies.

The dual dream collaboration has thrilled movie fans worldwide.

That's why this movie became an instant hit!

Without these advantages, "Art Students 2" is just an ordinary action movie with a budget of $50 million. It's hard to say whether it can even break $100 million at the box office.

"Inspector Zhuang, don't put so much pressure on yourself. It's okay if the box office loses money; it won't be much."

Lu Zhiyuan told Zhuang Wenqiang that the copyright of "Art Students" had been licensed to Netflix, and they were preparing to film a spin-off series.

For the lead role in this series, Netflix, after consulting with Lu Zhiyuan, found Eddie Redmayne to play the male lead.

That is, the British actor nicknamed "Little Freckles".

Last year, Eddie Redmayne received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role in "The Theory of Everything," which brought him overnight fame.

Next, he will star in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," taking over the "Harry Potter" series, so that the magic from Hogwarts can continue to sweep the world.

The movie "Art Students 2" cost $5000 million, which was essentially an advertisement for the spin-off series on a global scale.

It's impossible to lose money.

As long as the popularity continues, Netflix's spin-off series will continue to attract users.

If Netflix's stock price rises by just two percentage points, Lu Zhiyuan's net worth will increase by another $1 million.

The money the movie lost is nothing at all.

"Brother Yuan, thank you!"

Before Zhuang Wenqiang arrived, he wanted to give Lu Zhiyuan a heads-up: if the movie flopped, he should never have someone attack him!
He was really scared!
Zhuang Wenqiang had experienced the gangster era in Hong Kong... but those gangsters were nothing compared to Lu Zhiyuan.

Because he knew a little secret.

Lu Zhiyuan dumped his ex-girlfriend... Miss Jing Tian.

Zhuang Wenqiang learned the other party's exact identity.

Lu Zhiyuan could easily dump a young lady of this caliber, and she wouldn't get angry and would still cooperate with him... This shows that Lu Zhiyuan's own abilities are not lacking either.

In front of such an important person, Zhuang Wenqiang felt that he had spoken a bit too loudly to Lu Zhiyuan a few years ago, and wondered if he could apologize now.

"Inspector Zhuang, would you like to stay for a casual meal?"

Lu Zhiyuan has always been very generous to his underlings who work with him.

He is willing to take care of others in their daily lives, provide them with good treatment at work, and clean up their messes if they cause trouble.

As a leader, he has an excellent reputation within the industry.

"No, thank you. An old friend invited me; we haven't seen each other for years. I'll bother you another time." Zhuang Wenqiang quickly made up an excuse and turned to run away.

"Then I won't try to stop you."

After seeing Zhuang Wenqiang off, Lu Zhiyuan couldn't help but think that if "Art Students 2" were to succeed, it would be a boon for action films.

In recent years, with the decline of martial arts films, comedy films have risen in popularity.

Domestic directors have almost stopped making action movies and have all flocked to comedy films.

Comedy movies are very interesting, but they can get boring after a while.

However, he also knew that the film market was an extremely commercial market, and although films had some artistic elements, they were ultimately commodities.

For any product, the most important thing is to sell it.

The domestic action film market has been squeezed to its limit, so let's explore the international market.

Besides China, there are nearly 60 billion people in the world.

If we can find 2000 million people willing to watch Chinese action films, and each movie ticket costs five dollars, that would be enough to ensure that domestic action films continue to thrive and innovate.

"Ding~"

But at that moment, Lu Zhiyuan received a WeChat message.

It was Hanikezi who sent it to him: "Teacher, take a look at my WeChat Moments."

Lu Zhiyuan replied irritably, "Can't you just say what you want to say? Why do you have to look at my Moments? You're getting more and more mischievous."

But as he was speaking, he switched to another app and checked Hanikezi's WeChat Moments.

Hanikezi just posted a photo.

In the photo, the sunset is beautiful, and she is riding a horse, whipping it and galloping by Sayram Lake, outlining a heroic and graceful figure!

This picture is beautiful, but that's not the point at all.

The key point is that Hanikezi added a sentence to the post: "My beloved, I'm waiting for you at Sayram Lake!"

After a minute, seeing that Lu Zhiyuan hadn't replied, Hanikezi asked anxiously, "Teacher, have you finished reading?"

"finish watching."

Lu Zhiyuan pondered the question: "When did you start dating? How come I didn't know? Who is he? Do I know him? Is he your classmate?"

Haha!

He was nervous!

Hanikezi noticed that Lu Zhiyuan asked so many questions all at once, which was completely unlike Lu Zhiyuan's usual robotic style.

She was so happy she wanted to laugh.

After a while, she replied shyly, "Teacher, this post is only visible to you!"

You are the one I love!

I must tell you right now!

Because you're so oblivious, you have no idea how much I like you!

Ding Sitian fell in love with Hu Bayi because it was destiny.

Hanikezi fell in love with Lu Zhiyuan; it was all destined.

(End of this chapter)