Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 648 Huabiao? (Martial Arts Film)
In mid-June, the air in Beijing was already filled with the sweltering heat of midsummer.

After more than ten hours of flight, Wu Chen's flight landed smoothly at Beijing Capital International Airport.

His return was very unfortunate; his busy schedule made him completely miss the star-studded premiere of "The Founding of a Republic" on the evening of the 8th.

Even today, the 12th, as I drive on the airport expressway, the electronic billboards along the roadside and the news feeds on my phone are still filled with reports about this movie.

Its all-star cast kept its popularity high even after its release.

"Actually, sometimes having too many celebrities isn't necessarily a good thing, as it can weaken the power of the story itself."

Inside the car, Wu Chen glanced at the news on his phone and casually commented.

He felt that this "counting stars" trick was really enough to use once.

The focus should return to solid plot and character development; those who truly deserve support will naturally follow.

"Didn't you say that Chairman Han likes this kind of grand display?"

In the driver's seat, Liu Yifei skillfully drove the car while a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

She still remembered that Wu Chen had complained to her about it several times in private, and she had kept it in mind for a long time.

"Don't say that in front of him." Wu Chen was amused by her perfectly mimicking tone.

"Hehe, I'm not stupid. At most, I'll just say it in front of you." Liu Yifei playfully stuck out her tongue.

Just as the two were having a relaxed discussion, Wu Chen's phone rang, and the caller ID showed the words "Han Sanping".

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

Wu Chen was both amused and exasperated. He subconsciously put his index finger to his lips and made a "shh" gesture to Liu Yifei.

Liu Yifei's face immediately tightened, and even her foot on the accelerator seemed to lighten, looking nervous as if she had been caught doing something wrong.

Seeing this, Wu Chen felt both annoyed and amused.

He deliberately didn't press the answer button first, and instead teased her: "Is it really necessary? We didn't say anything bad, why are you acting like a thief?"

"It feels like I've been caught red-handed gossiping about someone behind their back," Liu Yifei muttered softly.

This answer completely silenced Wu Chen, who then answered the phone with a smile.

"came back?"

On the other end of the phone came Han Sanping's strong and energetic voice.

“Chairman Han, I feel like this is ineffective communication,” Wu Chen smiled. “You must have already seen the media reports.”

As soon as he landed, he was photographed by reporters who were waiting at the airport.

The fact that Han Sanping's call came so promptly clearly meant that he already knew his whereabouts.

"I'm not going to argue with you about this," Han Sanping said irritably on the other end of the phone.

Perhaps it's because he's getting closer to retirement, but Han Sanping feels that his communication with Wu Chen has lost the sense of propriety he had in previous years, and is now more like that of friends, much more casual.

In the past two years, he has offended many people because of some of his reforms within the group and his overly aggressive handling of schedules, which has led to many people having opinions about him.

If it weren't for his own ability to cope, and the box office and awards boost from the films he co-produced with Starry Night Pictures, his life would be even more difficult now.

However, he also knew in his heart that after this term, he couldn't escape it and would definitely have to step down.

"What's wrong, Chairman Han?"

Wu Chen was naturally unaware of what Han Sanping was thinking at the moment. He only sensed something was amiss from the brief silence on the phone and then asked.

"Nothing, nothing, I was just thinking about something else." Han Sanping shook his head, quickly brought his thoughts back, and got down to business.

"By the way, have you seen the announcement the bureau issued a few days ago?"

It's that "Notice from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Regarding the Selection of Films for the 14th Huabiao Awards (China Radio and Television Awards)".

"Director Ming and I are currently on the same page; we hope your film '1939' can be submitted for this selection. After all..."

Han Sanping seemed worried that Wu Chen wouldn't be too interested in these "official awards," so he prepared a whole bunch of reasons, from the significance of the film's subject matter to the importance of the Huabiao Awards themselves.

"Oh, okay then, I have no objection!"

Wu Chen answered crisply and decisively.

The long string of words that Han Sanping had prepared seemed to get stuck in his throat instantly.

"I'm telling you... um?" The words paused in mid-air, followed by a brief silence.

"You said... no objections?" Han Sanping's voice on the phone carried a clear hint of surprise, as if he hadn't expected Wu Chen to agree so readily. "Chairman Han, what objections could I possibly have?" Wu Chen laughed.

He had no complaints about the bureau.

On the contrary, he has received a lot of preferential treatment since his freshman year.

It's impossible for him to enjoy preferential treatment when there's trouble, but when he needs to do some work, he makes excuses and refuses.

Besides, sending it over for evaluation is hardly a big deal.

"That's good, that's good." Han Sanping seemed to have reorganized his words, and his tone became more relaxed.

"Oh, right, Chairman Han," Wu Chen suddenly remembered something and teased with a smile, "This time, it's another round of sitting in a row and sharing fruit?"

Upon hearing this, Han Sanping laughed on the other end of the phone, then pretended to be serious and said:

"What nonsense are you talking about! They are all excellent films. How are the judges supposed to choose? They should all be encouraged."

"Alright, alright," Wu Chen couldn't help but chuckle.

However, this is also a major characteristic of the Huabiao Awards.

After news of Wu Chen's return to China spread through the media, it naturally became known both inside and outside the industry. However, compared to his personal schedule, everyone was clearly more concerned about the progress of his two films—

Interstellar, which just announced a new release date, and The Warmest 30 Days of My Life, which recently finished filming.

The media surrounded Wu Chen at the airport, repeatedly asking him about the matter, but he evaded them all with tact.

"I hope Interstellar won't be delayed again this time? This is the first time Wu Chen has delayed a film. If he delays it again, he'll really become the 'King of Delays' like Cameron."

"I was really looking forward to Wu Chen's first starring film, especially since he was acting alongside Liu Yifei. It's a pity that there's been no news about him since filming wrapped up."

Let's wait and see.

Fans eagerly awaited the film, and after Wu Chen returned and finished dealing with some company affairs, the first thing he went to see was indeed the post-production sample of "My Warmest Thirty Days".

Meanwhile, at Starry Sky Visual Effects, Lu Yang was also closely watching the special effects production of his film, "Painted Skin 2".

"how's it going?"

After watching his own film, Wu Chen strolled over to the special effects team for "Painted Skin 2".

"Director Wu!" As soon as Lu Yang saw Wu Chen, he excitedly pulled him in front of a monitor.

"The effect is fantastic! It feels like the special effects are a whole new level higher in quality than the first movie. Our company has gone through batch after batch of equipment, and it's definitely different now."

Lu Yang genuinely felt that Wu Chen was indeed the most willing boss in China to invest in technology, without exception.

It's no wonder that so many big-budget productions in the industry now want to hire StarChan Visual Effects for their special effects.

However, StarCrystal Visual Effects is currently prioritizing projects for its own company.

"By the way, after this film is finished, are there any new plans?"

Wu Chen looked at the half-finished nine-tailed white fox on the screen and casually asked a question.

"Me?" Lu Yang was taken aback, then pointed to himself. "Director Wu, do you have any arrangements on your end?"

“You know about the ‘Ghost Blows Out the Light’ IP that our company is collaborating with Shanda Literature on, right?” Wu Chen said. “I plan to turn it into an adventure movie and I’m thinking of having you direct it.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang showed a slightly embarrassed expression:

"Director Wu, could we postpone this project a little bit?"

"That's why I asked you if you had any plans," Wu Chen said with a smile, patting Lu Yang on the shoulder. "Just tell me what you're thinking."

"I want to...I want to make a martial arts film first!"

"Wuxia?"

In an instant, the sharp-styled and high-quality film "Brotherhood of Blades" came to mind for Wu Chen.

"That's good. Then the 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' project can be placed after your martial arts project, and the script can be developed simultaneously."

Wu Chen immediately agreed.

It has to be said that every man born in the 1970s and 1980s harbors a martial arts dream.

Because it was an era in which people grew up immersed in the writings of Jin Yong and Gu Long, and the films of Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest.

Swords flashing, grudges and revenge raging;

The greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people.
This is a kind of romance and chivalry unique to the East.
(End of this chapter)