Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Who was at the press conference for Chapter 631?

In early April, Huairou was full of springtime charm.

The sky was a clear, bright blue, and the sunshine was bright but not scorching. A gentle spring breeze swept through the antique-style pavilions and towers in the film and television base, bringing with it a refreshing scent of newly sprouted vegetation.

However, this leisurely spring day stood in stark contrast to the restless and intense atmosphere at the press conference for the start of filming of "The Warmest Thirty Days of My Life".

In the media zone temporarily set up by the film crew, nearly two hundred media outlets were already on high alert with their cameras and microphones.

The crowd was packed together, and the air was filled with a complex mix of anticipation, anxiety, and excitement.

"The secrecy is so tight that not a single word has leaked out."

"Who can argue with that? Right now, all we know is the title."

"Guess who the main character is this time? I still bet on Hu Jing. She was so popular last year with 'Scarlet Heart,' so it makes perfect sense for Wu Chen to approach her."

"I think it might be Shu Chang; her connections are unmatched by anyone else."

"."

Because this press conference wasn't held in a high-end hotel banquet hall, but rather in an open space on a film set at a film studio, everything felt rather casual and less formal.

But this only made the reporters more restless.

When Wu Chen led a group of actors over from the rest area, the scene instantly erupted in excitement.

"Director Wu! Director Wu! Who are the male and female leads this time?"

"Director Wu, what kind of film is 'The Warmest Thirty Days of My Life'?"

"Effie! Will you be continuing as a producer this time, or will you be acting in a role?"

"Director Wu, can you reveal the cast for this shoot? Why are all the actors here actors you've worked with before?"

Countless questions flooded Wu Chen, who had just stood still.

Wu Chen took the microphone from the staff member, a calm smile on his face, raised his hand, and pressed it down slightly:

"No rush, everyone take turns. If so many of you ask at once, I won't be able to hear you clearly."

He glanced around at the excited and eager faces below the stage and continued:
"Since we need to shoot a few more scenes today, we won't go through any complicated procedures. Everyone can ask questions about the film itself, and we'll try our best to answer them."

"Um, time is limited, only half an hour."

After saying that, he casually pointed to a male reporter wearing glasses in the front row.

"Hello Director Wu, I am a reporter from the Beijing News."

The male reporter was clearly prepared, and his questions were straightforward.

"Currently, apart from knowing the title 'The Warmest Thirty Days of My Life,' we know virtually nothing about this film."

Could you briefly introduce what kind of film this is?

"Hmm," Wu Chen pondered for a moment, then gave an answer that surprised everyone, "Science fiction, romance."

The moment he uttered those two seemingly unrelated words, it instantly caught the attention of all the reporters present. Their minds raced, rapidly analyzing the possibilities.

Science fiction? Romance?
You should know that Wu Chen is a recognized master of science fiction films in China!
The movie "The Martian" raised the box office ceiling in mainland China to a terrifying 700 million RMB in the past two years, and grossed a whopping 800 million USD worldwide.

His sci-fi 3D epic "Interstellar," which is still in post-production, has attracted worldwide attention, with reports on its production progress emerging almost every now and then.

Hollywood's major film media outlets have already listed it as one of the most anticipated films of the year.

Now, he's actually going to make a sci-fi romance film?

"Director Wu! Director Wu! Could you please elaborate on what kind of science fiction it is?" another reporter immediately pressed. "Why would such an artistic title be a science fiction film?"

"Well, this question touches on the core plot, so I definitely can't say." Wu Chen smiled and waved his hand, politely declining. "Everyone should wait for the movie to be released and find the answer in the theater."

Just as everyone was feeling slightly disappointed, a female reporter from Sina Entertainment finally managed to grab the opportunity to ask a question.

Without the slightest hesitation, she went straight to the topic that everyone was most concerned about.

"Director Wu, hello. May I ask who the lead actor is in your film?"

You haven't announced it yet. Based on what we saw at the scene, was it Teacher Zu Feng paired with Teacher Hu Jing, or Teacher Dong Xuan?

The moment the question was asked, the entire room fell silent. Everyone pricked up their ears, and even their breathing became cautious.

This is the most crucial issue today.

This time, Wu Chen, just like Zhang Yimou, kept the actors' roles tightly under wraps, whetting everyone's appetite.

Zu Feng, whose name was mentioned, shook his head with a smile when he saw all the cameras pointed at him: "I'm not."

Seeing this, Hu Jing and Dong Xuan followed suit, shaking their heads with tacit smiles.

The media was completely dumbfounded.

"Could it really be Liu Yifei starring? I've heard rumors in the industry that she'll also be serving as a producer this time."

"Shu Chang? No way? If this is true, how many actresses in the industry would be green with envy?"

A murmur of discussion arose from below, but Wu Chen remained calm. He looked at the female reporter who had asked the question and suddenly countered with a question of his own:
"What, can't I be the male lead?" The room fell silent as soon as the words were spoken.

The female reporter who asked the question froze on the spot, her mind going blank.

Immediately following was a deafening roar like a volcanic eruption, gasps of shock, and a torrent of camera shutter clicks!
The enormous sound even reached another film crew that was preparing to start work not far away.

"What's going on?! What did Wu Chen announce? Why is there such a big fuss?"

"I don't know, but judging from the noise, it's probably some shocking news!"

At the press conference, all the reporters had completely gone crazy!
"Fuck me!"

"I fucking never expected this!"

"Breaking news! Absolutely headline news!!"

Wu Chen is actually going to personally get involved and direct and act in this himself?!
This is the first time he has appeared as the male lead in his own film since he started directing!

Ignoring the thunderous uproar from the audience, Wu Chen turned to Liu Yifei and said:
"So, you don't need to guess who the female lead is. That's right, it's Yifei who will play the role."

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Yifei stepped forward, revealing her adorable little teeth, and waved to the media below the stage, her smile as bright as the April sunshine.

"Damn it, no wonder I couldn't guess! Who would have thought Wu Chen would make a personal appearance!"

"If this were any other film, how much would they have to pay to get this double Oscar-winning director to play the lead role?"

"Putting everything else aside, the hype and anticipation have been absolutely off the charts!"

The crowd continued to murmur, followed by an even more chaotic barrage of questions.

"Director Wu! Why did you choose to direct and act in your first film? Do you have any special feelings about this story?"

"Evie! Are you and your boyfriend playing a couple in the movie?"

"What was the approximate budget for the film? Are there any plans to compete for awards?"

"Director Wu, since you and Yifei are the leads, will the other actors from 'The Dark Side' who are here today also make cameo appearances?"

"."

Wu Chen checked the time and handed the microphone to Liu Yifei beside him: "I've said everything I need to say, so I won't answer any more questions."

The remaining time is for Effie and everyone else.

Seeing this, the reporters had no choice but to immediately turn their attention to their second target.

"Yes, this time I'm both the producer and the lead actress, so the pressure is quite high," Liu Yifei said simply as she took the microphone. "However, I will do my best. Thank you all for your concern!"

After she finished speaking, she cleverly steered the conversation toward Hu Jing, who was standing next to her.

Hu Jing is now incredibly popular thanks to "Scarlet Heart," so the media naturally won't let her off the hook.

"I'm very happy. This is my second collaboration with Director Wu. Hmm, it seems like everyone here today is working together for the second time," Hu Jing said with a smile.

"Ms. Hu Jing, could you please tell me why all the actors from 'The Dark Side' are here this time? Was it a special arrangement by Director Wu?" A reporter keenly seized on this point.

Hu Jing glanced at Wu Chen subconsciously, and seeing that Wu Chen didn't seem to intend to hide anything, she smiled and began to recount that long-buried past.

"When Director Wu made his first film, 'The Dark Side,' the opening ceremony was extremely simple, and not a single media friend came."

Director Wu promised us all that we would definitely get together again in the future, and that we would hold a grand opening ceremony to make up for the regrets of that day.”

Hu Jing's words stunned all the reporters present.

They seemed to have unearthed a huge treasure trove that was even more humane and newsworthy than "Wu Chen's self-directed and self-acted story".

For a moment, everyone stopped asking questions and listened quietly, already brainstorming headlines for the upcoming headlines.

"I am truly delighted to be able to collaborate again."

"What role will I play? The director said he can't say yet. But I'm really happy to be able to work with Director Wu and Sister Yifei again."

In the following time, Zu Feng, Li Qin, and others also briefly responded to questions from the media.

But everyone remained tight-lipped about the specific details of their roles.

Wu Chen was well aware that for a film that emphasizes plot and emotion, revealing character information too early would be tantamount to revealing the story's outline, which was very disadvantageous.

The press conference, which lasted half an hour, ended quickly.

The crew immediately began filming for the day.

Because everyone on set was a group of familiar old friends, and the first day was just a simple location scouting mission, the atmosphere on set was very relaxed and filled with laughter.

However, the media is not having an easy time at all.

Before they even had a chance to get back to their interview vehicles, they were already eagerly picking up their phones to relay the explosive news they had uncovered that day back to their respective newspapers and website headquarters as quickly as possible.
"Editor-in-chief! Big news! Huge news!"

Wu Chen is directing and starring in a new film! The female lead is Liu Yifei!

"There's something even more explosive! Let me tell you slowly."

(End of this chapter)