Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Chapter 124: Pre-release buzz for "The Promise" and the start of actor auditions.

"Big brother, is Tian Xiaole not planning to include us? If he says he has no say in the script he provided, who are you kidding?"

The stereotypical smile vanished from Wang Zhonglei's face, and his tone turned cold.

"It's definitely a bad sign; he's still upset about not participating in Pacific Rim."

Wang Zhongjun frowned, his face also looking grim, and then said:

“His other projects are beneficial to our listing. Let’s find a way to let him vent his anger and ensure continued cooperation in the future.”

"Then let Binbin go over and whisper sweet nothings in her ear to ease the tension as soon as possible."

Wang Zhonglei nodded, explaining that the company cultivates so many female artists so that they can be used in crucial moments.

···
Department of Management, Beijing Film Academy.

Guo Fan has had a dream of making movies since he was a child, especially science fiction movies.

After graduating from a 211 university, I chose to apply to the Beijing Film Academy for graduate studies, even though it wasn't in the directing department.

He also has a heart that yearns to be a director.

He also demonstrated his directorial talent early on.

I made a short film with some classmates.

The sun still rises!
He received unanimous praise at school, which further solidified his desire to become a director.

A classmate nearby said, "I heard that Junior Brother Lu Yang has been called up by Senior Brother Tian to be an assistant director again. This is a sci-fi blockbuster with an investment of 500 million. With this resume, he is more impressive than many famous directors."

"Such a big production, you must have hired more than one assistant director, right?" Guo Fan asked.

"That's definitely not all. I heard they're going to build a city for filming, and there are also a lot of auditions for actors. They all need someone to keep an eye on them. How can Senior Brother Tian manage to do it all by himself?"

But let's not even think about it. Junior Brother Lu only got there because of a request from our teacher."

The classmate next to me looked on with envy.

Guo Fan nodded, but he didn't think so in his heart.

The Tian Xiaole he knew and saw was not an old-fashioned director, nor was he one who ostracized directors who didn't belong to the Beijing film circle. Otherwise, why would he want to use a film to boost the weak digital industry in China?

He watched the entire presentation of the [Pacific Rim] project online and found it inspiring.

This is the kind of fighting spirit that Chinese films should have in order to have the opportunity to go global.

···
Huairou Base.

Tian Xiaole came to inspect the miniature city model that was under construction.

In the original film, the proportion of action scenes was not high.

A sci-fi disaster movie, with a large portion of it devoted to rambling romantic entanglements.

The tug-of-war between the male and female protagonists.

The father-daughter relationship between the Black adoptive father and the Japanese female protagonist.

It was dull and boring.

The audience is looking forward to mechs fighting monsters and spectacular scenes with special effects filling the screen.

Tian Xiaole's revised script focuses more on battle scenes, while the actors and romance are secondary.

"It's truly a large-scale production, requiring so many buildings."

Lu Yang followed behind Tian Xiaole, staring wide-eyed at the dense array of architectural models in front of him.

He was recruited to serve as assistant director, and they were too lazy to replace him with anyone else.

"This is just a model of Tokyo. There are two other sheds next to it, representing Hong Kong Island and Shanghai."

"Why use a complete model, a city street scene that looks like it's been ravaged?"

Lu Yang was very curious. Why build two identical city models? Wasn't that a waste?

"When the underwater wormhole opens, it is accompanied by a strong earthquake. Japan happens to be located on an earthquake zone, so the first city on Earth to be destroyed was Tokyo."

Tian Xiaole reached out and touched the billboards hanging in the battle-damaged model city. The streets, buildings, and other elements were all replicas of JD.com, making it completely indistinguishable from the real thing.

"Won't you have any objections to this kind of life?"

"What does destroying them have to do with them!"

Tian Xiaole pointed to the enormous crane hanging overhead:
"During filming, wild animals will ravage the city. The purpose of this equipment is to simulate the scenes of Tokyo falling apart, the city collapsing, seawater flooding in, and the city being submerged."

Ultimately, the panda used nuclear weapons to eliminate the first wild animal.

The movie starts with a devastating blow!

I'm sure the audience enjoyed it!

The question is about presenting visual effects; cinematic art exaggerates and manipulates them.

It contains no personal or national hatred!
This reminded Tian Xiaole of the two awards given to Roland Emmerich in Berlin for "Buried," who was extremely fond of the aesthetics of explosion.

Let him film it, and he'll just come up and detonate Mount Fuji right away, burying the entire volcano alive in Japan, hoping to use this method to eliminate the attacking beast.

The scene at that time must have been like a living hell, with countless people screaming in despair, unable to see any hope of survival.

In comparison, Tian Xiaole's direct use of nuclear weapons was much gentler.

Considering the Japanese box office market, a rescue scene will definitely need to be arranged.

Lu Yang nodded as if he understood, but he just thought it was awesome.

Tian Xiaole feels that shooting blockbuster movies is awesome.

But this comes with pressure. If you don't meet the audience's expectations, being scolded is the least of your worries; the worst thing is being nailed to the pillar of shame.

Tian Xiaole took Lu Yang back to the company and also called Ning Hao over.

[Extreme Job] is also preparing for actor auditions. Xiao Le Pictures received so many resumes, so having him come over to choose directly, and helping with the selection process, will save a lot of time.

"The allure of big-budget productions is truly immense; with so many actor resumes, how long will it take to find the right one?"

Looking at the three large boxes full of things in the office, Ning Hao couldn't help but sigh, and Lu Yang was also dumbfounded.

“Actors have auditioned so many times that they have a basic understanding of the situation. Next time, we can just use an invitation system, which will be much less troublesome.”

Tian Xiaole felt that the quality of the resumes this time was much better, and the resumes were all excellent, but it was also easy to tell at a glance whether they were suitable or not.

Ning Hao nodded: "It should have been done a long time ago. I like to use familiar actors because they are easy to use and their acting skills meet the requirements."

Hearing their conversation, Lu Yang's eyes revealed envy. As a directing student, he had always longed to be able to make movies.

"By the way, we don't need to look for the female role in the show. I think Dong Xuan is perfect for it."

Tian Xiaole suddenly remembered that since Dong Xuan joined the contract, she had not received any resources, and she had remained calm and had not asked about them.

I thought he was a proactive and ambitious employee, but I didn't expect him to be so laid-back.

"Just come and go through the motions when you're ready for the audition."

Ning Hao slumped on the sofa, while also thinking about the selection of other actors.

"Boss, there's someone who claims to be your junior from the Beijing Film Academy and wants to see you."

The assistant knocked on the door and came in, saying...

"Did they say what his name is?" Tian Xiaole asked.

"He said his name is Guo Fan!"

"Take him to the conference room, I'll go see him." Tian Xiaole said to her assistant, then looked at Ning Hao and Lu Yang:
"You two keep an eye on things first, I'm going to meet this junior."

Guo Fan was a little uneasy. After all, he wasn't a directing major and didn't have any outstanding works to show for it. He relied entirely on his passion and yearning for science fiction films.

He had no idea whether his senior, who was at the height of his fame, would even consider him a job as a menial worker in a big production.

As Guo Fan was feeling anxious and uneasy, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Tian Xiaole walked in.

"Senior Tian."

Guo Fan stood up and called out to him, trying to build a closer relationship.

"Have a seat, junior Guo."

Tian Xiaole gestured, his eyes scanning the director who was now involved in Chinese science fiction films.

The sudden emergence of "The Wandering Earth" proves that Chinese people can also make good science fiction films, and the special effects produced domestically are on par with Hollywood blockbusters.

Just when everyone thought the door to Chinese science fiction had been opened.

The film "Love Fortress" completely shut the door and welded the windows shut as well.

Lu Tailang's "749 Bureau" adds another lock to the doors and windows of science fiction.

Guo Fan will undoubtedly leave a significant mark on the history of Chinese cinema; his existence proves that there is still hope for Chinese science fiction films.

However, all of this will be led by Tian Xiaole.

"Junior Brother Guo, is there something you need from me?"

"Senior Tian, ​​I hope you can give me a chance to participate in the Pacific Rim project. I'm willing to do any odd jobs."

Fearing that Tian Xiaole would refuse, Guo Fan quickly added, "I don't want any payment, just meals will do."

"I've loved science fiction movies since I was a child. I still remember the shock I felt when I first watched Terminator."

Especially the scene where Schwarzenegger travels back in time to save the future of Earth—I believe that one day, we Chinese will also be able to make our own films about saving humanity.

Listening to Guo Fan ramble on and on, Tian Xiaole didn't interrupt. Driven by his emotions, she felt a little hot.

At the same time, he also noticed the gleam in Guo Fan's eyes, a longing for Chinese science fiction films.

"It would be too much of a waste of your time to do menial tasks. I happen to be short of a film set assistant. Would you like to do it?"

"Yes, of course I'm willing!"

Guo Fan nodded emphatically. The importance of an assistant is self-evident. Following the director every day and acting as his mouthpiece, he can learn a lot.

"Then come and report for duty tomorrow."

Tian Xiaole is very busy, not only having to keep an eye on the preliminary work of [Pacific Rim], but also having to take care of the publicity for [Thieves].

Guo Fan is worth keeping close and nurturing; he also needs a mouthpiece.

Even if Fan Binbin didn't receive a call from CEO Wang, she still wanted to have a serious talk with Tian Xiaole.

The female lead role in "Mo Gong" was originally hers, but she was notified of being replaced just before filming was about to begin.

Once the character was announced, the only one who could replace her would definitely be Tian Xiaole, otherwise it wouldn't be Tang Yan.

Having received an invitation from Fan Binbin, Tian Xiaole was also ready to clear her head and enjoy some fine wine together.

At home in Chaoyang Apartment.

Fan Binbin transformed into a knight, maintaining his balance.

"Director Tian, ​​you're so biased! The female lead for 'Mo Gong' was originally mine, but you changed it to Tang Yan with just one sentence."

Tian Xiaole was busy drawing circles with her left hand and circles with her right:
“When I asked for the role, Wang Zhonglei didn’t say it would be for you. In fact, I gave you a better role.”

Tian Xiaole gave it a thumbs up.

Fan Binbin snorted: "Could you give me a role in the Pacific Rim project?"

"Your real intention is not what it seems!"

The two switched places, and Tian Xiaole said, "If there's no suitable role for you, don't think about things that are possible or not."

Fan Binbin lay down with his legs pinned to his shoulders:

"The largest project in China to date, only a fool wouldn't have any ideas about it."

Tian Xiaole stood still and said:

"Because there are so many people watching, I pay more attention to the selection of actors. They must meet my requirements."

Fan Binbin was too shocked to speak.

Seeing that she was not feeling well, Tian Xiaole kindly reminded her:

"Remember to take medicine."

···
After finishing his wine, Tian Xiaole prepared to leave.

Fan Binbin cursed inwardly: "What a heartless scumbag!" but said aloud:

"Director Tian, ​​is there still a possibility of you collaborating with Huayi Brothers?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Xiaole stopped putting on his pants and looked at Fan Binbin, who was lying on the bed, limbs weak, but face flushed:
"Did the Wang brothers send you to ask this?"

Tian Xiaole then put on his pants and zipped up the front door:
"Whether it is or not, I will definitely cooperate with people who are of one mind in my future projects. That will give me more peace of mind."

Back at the company, Lu Yang and Guo Fan, the two hard-working colleagues, screened over a hundred resumes that met the audition requirements. Tian Xiaole reviewed them again, immediately eliminating Hong Kong and Taiwanese artists, many of whom didn't speak standard Mandarin.

However, a few were given the opportunity to audition, otherwise it would have been embarrassing.

The competition for male actors is fierce, with names like Hu Jun, Liu Ye, Jiang Wu, Huang Xiaoming, and Zhang Hanyu...

There aren't many actresses who fit the age range, including Liu Yifei, Yang Mi, Shu Chang, Jing Tian...

Most of them are up-and-coming actors and stars, with Jing Tian being the only non-celebrity.

"That's all for now. Notify them of the audition."

Tian Xiaole sifted through dozens more resumes and said to his assistant, "These are all streamlined versions."

Industry news.

The hype surrounding Pacific Rim hasn't died down yet, and the news that director Chen is preparing to compete for an Oscar has excited the industry.

These domestic directors seem to be obsessed with the Oscars to the point of fanaticism.

Zhang Yimou suffered repeated defeats. Starting with "Ju Dou" in 90 and "Hero" in 02, he was nominated three times, but failed to win each time.

But the most promising one is still Director Chen's "Farewell My Concubine".

He received a nomination but did not win the award.

Director Chen was very dissatisfied with this.

We found the chairman at the time. Why didn't a film that won the Palme d'Or win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film?

The chair of the judging panel simply said: "You didn't do any networking at the party, so we assumed you didn't want it."

At that time, Chen Kaige was a newcomer and had no idea that he would have to pay money to win an Oscar.

Nevertheless, the allure of the Oscars continues to draw domestic directors to the event.

The only Chinese director to win an award was Li An, who won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

News also came from the Golden Rooster Awards, but it was mostly surprising.

[Qinghong], which won major awards abroad, only received minor awards.

The award winners were all obscure films, or films that had not been released and that audiences had never heard of.

The Golden Horse Awards seized the opportunity to ridicule the professionalism of the Golden Rooster Awards judges, and also took the chance to elevate themselves.

Invitations were extended to a group of directors and actors to attend the 42nd Golden Horse Awards, which will be held in five days.

After more than two months of filming, the wrap party for "Ip Man" was held on Hong Kong Island.

Inevitably, the film "Ip Man," which shares the same theme, has once again been brought up by Hong Kong media.

Wang Jiawei seemed to have been provoked and announced that the preliminary work for the project had been completed and that they were currently looking for actors.

Hong Kong media outlets do not hold out much hope that the two films will compete, given that Wong Kar-wai is known for his slow pace; it is common for him to spend several years making a single film.

···
Downstairs at Xiaole Film Studio, the street was filled with vans, all of which belonged to actors and celebrities who had received audition invitations; they were all there for auditions today.

The area was surrounded by reporters and media, who noticed that among those auditioning were actors from Hong Kong.

This is unprecedented.

The news that Tin Siu-lok was opening auditions to actors from Hong Kong quickly spread online.

Netizens are understanding; after all, the project is so large, and Yinghuang has invested in it. If they reject Hong Kong actors, they'll be accused of undermining unity.

"Uncle Li, why did you come to audition in person? I believe you can handle the role of Dr. Zhang perfectly."

Upon seeing Li Xuejian enter the audition room, Tian Xiaole immediately stood up to greet him.

Dr. Zhang is portrayed as a mad scientist who develops a method of neural empathy and, through studying the monster's brain, uncovers the monster's weaknesses.

Once it was confirmed that Lee Yuk-geun would play the role, the character was immediately cast.

"The necessary procedures still need to be followed. It's such a big project, and we don't want people to gossip."

Li Xuejian's voice was somewhat hoarse. Although his nasopharyngeal cancer had been cured, it had caused some damage to his body.

Tian Xiaole chatted with him for a while, then personally saw him out; it was impossible for him to actually perform in an audition.

The next person to come in was an old acquaintance.

Ge You plays another PhD, a mathematician, who is usually at odds with the character played by Li Xuejian.

But in the end, the two of them worked together to uncover the monster's secret.

The people recommended by Ying Huang arrived, and Huo Wenxi personally led them in.

These were the two people Tian Xiaole didn't completely cut off.

One is Nicholas Tse, the godson of Mr. Yang, and the other is Jackie Chan's son.

Tian Xiaole didn't waste any words and went straight to the point:

“You should know the audition requirements for actors; your age doesn’t match the role requirements.”

Jaycee Chan said with a grin, "My dad told me to just treat this as an opportunity to gain experience. What if Director Tian takes a liking to me? I can accept being rejected too."

After saying that, he shrugged.

On the contrary, Nicholas Tse, with his arrogant and haughty demeanor, put on a cool face and acted all cool.

Born into the spotlight, he grew up surrounded by the aura of being a second-generation star. There was no such thing as an audition for acting roles, so he was unexpectedly rejected.

Huo Wenxi knew this would happen, so he left with the two of them.

The next person to come in was Liu Dehua, who was recommended by Ying Huang and had taken leave from the "Mo Gong" film crew to audition.

"Brother Hua, the role of Zhou Tianxiong is very suitable for you, but it's not the male lead. You're just a member of the team, and you'll need to undergo a period of physical training. Are you still willing to play the role?"

"I'm overjoyed to be able to star in such a big project, but as for training, I'll have to wait until I finish filming 'A Battle of Wits'."

Tian Xiaole had a very good impression of Liu Dehua. No wonder he had been popular for so many years. His dedication was something that young actors should learn from for a lifetime.

Huang Xiaoming also took leave from the film crew to audition.

Tian Xiaole repeated what Liu Dehua had said.

Huang Xiaoming's reaction was the same as the former, even more humble:

"Just give me a small supporting role, and I'll participate in the whole training, no matter how tough or tiring it is."

It's no wonder he earned the title of "Liu Dehua of the Mainland"; his attitude alone won Tian Xiaole's favor.

"I've remembered what you said."

The first day of auditions ended, and the news was already flying everywhere.

The first time a Hong Kong actor participates in an audition is always a hot topic.

Boss Yang also spoke with Tian Xiaole on the phone. He was upset that actor Yinghuang hadn't gotten the role and had rejected his godson.

Tian Xiaole simply told them to practice their Mandarin first, since they were playing military roles, and Boss Yang was speechless.

There are only a handful of actors in Hong Kong who can speak fluent Mandarin, but that doesn't include his godson or the artists under Ying Wong's management.

The auditions continued the next day.

"Brother Xiao Le".

Jing Tian called out to everyone as soon as she entered, but then quickly changed her form of address after realizing it was an audition:

"Hello, Director Tian!"

Jing Tian was a little reserved, after all, it was her first audition. Although she had hired an acting coach and studied intensively for a period of time, she was still a bit nervous.

Looking at Jing Tian standing obediently, wearing a gray sweatshirt, a round hat, jeans, and white sneakers.

Staring with innocent, wide eyes, his hands seemed to have nowhere to go.

Tian Xiaole couldn't bear to refuse directly.

"Did you come alone?"

"Uncle Lu told me to come up alone; he'll wait downstairs."

Although they agreed to give Jing Tian an audition opportunity, she had no acting experience and was a pampered young lady. They might not be able to handle such high-intensity training right away.

"There's a lot of training involved in the early stages of filming, and the filming process is also very tough. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I can do it, I can endure hardship."

Jing Tian repeatedly assured him, her tone becoming somewhat urgent.

Seeing her nervous expression, Tian Xiaole swallowed what she wanted to say and decided to see if she could persevere.

"Then you participate in the later training. If you can meet my requirements, I can give you a role."

There are many female characters in the movie. Besides the female lead, there are other important roles. If she doesn't meet the requirements, she can play another one.

Upon hearing Tian Xiaole's words, Jing Tian smiled, her big eyes narrowed slightly, and a small dimple appeared on her cheek.

"I will work hard to meet the requirements of the role."

Jing Tian said confidently, and left the audition room, looking back every few steps.

The person in front of me, no matter where he sits, exudes an aura that he can't help but display.

Tian Xiaole recalled the role of Emperor Wu of Han that he had played.

Kou can go, so can I!

“Teacher Chen, the role of a military commander is very suitable for you. You have formulated plans many times to save humanity from danger.”

Chen Baoguo smiled and said, "Since you've entrusted me with such an important role, I'll definitely do my best to play it well."

Tian Xiaole personally saw the actors off, and so far, all the actors chosen have been very suitable for the roles.

They are all highly skilled actors!
The two-day audition for actors in the Pacific Rim is not the hottest topic right now.

The internet is flooded with news about [Wuji].

This is the first commercial film directed by the only Chinese director to have won the Palme d'Or, and it was supported and protected by China Film Group and several other departments.

It is said that the screenings were attended by professional filmmakers, film critics, and members of film associations, who all gave the films high praise.

A pioneering visual feast, blending Eastern murals with Western punk, it is truly an epic film.

Such comments are rampant online.

At first, netizens had some doubts, until the news that "Farewell My Concubine" was named one of the 100 greatest films in human history by Time magazine reached China.

Netizens are going wild!
Chen Kaige's name and the movie "The Promise" have been elevated to new heights, with everyone placing high hopes on it.

As Tian Xiaole scrolled through the news online, he could already picture the brutal scene.

Director Chen, may you have good luck!
Auditions for actors continue.

This time, there were many new faces, including Hu Jun, Liu Ye, Zhang Hanyu, and Zhang Yi... all of whom fit the tough image of soldiers.

No audition is needed; their appearance, physique, and temperament are enough to tell if they are suitable.

Liu Ye has won or been nominated for Best Actor multiple times, and he has both acting skills and a good image, but in big-budget films, he has always played supporting roles to Harbor actors.

Tian Xiaole asked curiously, "Everyone online is saying that 'The Promise' is an epic blockbuster, and you also played a role in it. What do you think of it?"

Liu Ye gave a wry smile: "I didn't have many scenes, and I finished filming a long time ago and left, so I don't know much."

"The Promise" was the first film made entirely with a green screen, even earlier than Cameron's "Avatar," but unfortunately, it was hampered by its plot.

No sooner had Liu Ye left than his old buddy Hu Jun walked in.

With his resolute appearance, no one would believe he doesn't know martial arts, but unfortunately he's an actor known for his dramatic roles.

Hu Jun and Liu Ye should have great chemistry together!
Tian Xiaole was startled by his own idea. This was a sci-fi disaster movie, not an art film, so he couldn't include any scenes full of homoerotic tension.

"Senior Brother Hu, the importance of the male lead is self-evident, and he also has to handle some heartwarming scenes. I am very confident in entrusting this role to you."

"Don't let the fact that I play heroes fool you; I'm actually best at dramatic scenes, though of course, I'm not bad at action scenes either," Hu Jun said with a smile.

Before he came, Wang Jinghua repeatedly encouraged him to be sure to get the role.

He met all the requirements for the actor audition and unexpectedly won the lead role.

"Then you mustn't let yourself be overshadowed; the other actors are just as good," Tian Xiaole reminded him.

Hu Jun became curious, "Can you reveal who the other actors are?"

"Teachers Liu Xuejian, Ge You, and Chen Baoguo, as well as Liu Ye and Liu Dehua..."

Hearing the names of the previous speakers, Hu Jun felt a sudden pressure; he didn't want to be crushed too badly.

"Coach Tian, ​​I will follow your instructions completely and will be on time for the training sessions."

(End of this chapter)