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

Chapter 169 Ning Hao Wants to Prove Himself, [Painted Skin] Lineup is Surprising!
Today, the Beijing Film Academy is bustling with activity, with all sorts of rare luxury cars on display, all belonging to students who have come to participate in the art exam interviews.

Families that pursue artistic careers are indeed quite wealthy.

Tian Xiaole honked the car horn, the crowd parted to make way, and he drove straight in.

Old Zhang from the security department saw the familiar license plate and let the car pass immediately.

The new art students were guessing who was being so arrogant, while the older students knew it was Tian Xiaole's license plate.

To succeed in the entertainment industry, you need at least the ability to read people's expressions and moods.

After Tian Xiaole changed cars, he only came back once. Many students had already memorized the license plate number.

"This year's freshmen are really lucky. With Senior Brother Tian as their proctor, as long as they pass the exam, they'll be Senior Brother Tian's students."

"Yeah, they might just sign someone they like."

A group of second and third-year students whispered enviously to each other.

Tian Xiaole is the school's mascot, responsible for proctoring the performance department, which receives the most media attention.

As they passed by, everyone, whether freshmen or returning students, greeted them warmly.

For a moment, he felt the allure of power.

"Brother Xiao Le, what are you doing here?"

Jing Tian stared with wide eyes, looking puzzled and rather naive.

There were many second- and third-year students maintaining order at the scene, and she didn't think Tian Xiaole was there to do this kind of rough work.

"You'll find out later."

Tian Xiaole smiled mysteriously.

The others present looked on with envy, noting that Tian Xiaole was being addressed as "brother," suggesting a close relationship.

After some people explained Jing Tian's background, even more people became envious.

He debuted before even entering school, making movies and releasing EPs—a true high-level player.

As he entered the interview room, Wang Jinsong waved to him, and the examiner's seat next to him was left empty.

When Tian Xiaole walked in, the candidates who were preparing for the interview were stunned for a moment, and then they were overjoyed.

Looking at the candidates preparing for the interview, Tian Xiaole didn't recognize them; they probably hadn't made a name for themselves.

The trend in the performing arts department seems to have changed at some point; good-looking students are asked more lenient questions, and the requirements are more relaxed.

"Xiao Le, why don't you say something?"

"Without talent, you're not cut out to be an actor."

The other teachers smiled helplessly when they heard Tian Xiaole's words; the big director's standards were indeed high.

Among the new batch of recruits, there's a familiar face: Tan Songyun.

Her baby face is both an advantage and a disadvantage; it may limit her acting opportunities in the future, but it will be very popular in campus dramas.

Tian Xiaole gave her a pass, but the proctor next to her shook his head.

"Teachers, that little girl named Tan Songyun was quite nice. Why did you cross her name out?"

One teacher casually remarked, "His appearance and height aren't quite right. There are many other applicants, so we can take a closer look. Besides, there are still opportunities in the vocational college program."

Tian Xiaole disagreed with the other teachers' selection criteria, and he didn't say much about the subsequent batches of candidates.

Many test-takers tried to get on my good side, saying they liked the detective movie "The Coffin in the Mountain"...

"..."

When Jing Tian and the other four walked in, the former's eyes lit up when she saw Tian Xiaole sitting in the examiner's seat, but then dimmed again.

"I don't want to be a student."

When the others presented their resumes, Jing Tian's was undoubtedly the most eye-catching. She had participated in a major project like "Pacific Rim" and even released an EP...

Tian Xiaole sat upright, ignoring the glances from the others.

The candidates performed their programs one by one. Kan Qingzi sang and was also very beautiful, which met the selection criteria of the examiners.

Jing Tian also wanted to sing, but Tian Xiaole interrupted her and made her recite poetry to see if her acting skills had improved.

Jing Tian was caught off guard by this interruption, but she quickly calmed down and her recitation was fairly standard.

The subsequent dance was a real eye-opener; she truly is a multi-talented person.
As the female lead in Tian Xiaole's film and the female lead in Ning Hao's music video, Jing Tian has long been labeled as a member of the Beijing Film Academy.

He passed without a doubt, and the examiners all gave him high scores.

The entertainment industry is an extremely tempting circle, with people flocking to it, but only a small number of them truly succeed.

Shuangzi, who is performing on stage, is only 16 years old. She looks quite honest and simple, and the teachers all have high hopes for her.

Tian Xiaole's position as an examiner somewhat influenced the candidates' performance.

In Wang Jingsong's words, seeing him sitting here would inevitably make the test takers overthink things.

If he gets noticed and signed with Xiaole Pictures, his future career will be bright.

"Teacher Wang, I won't be coming this afternoon. I have a lot of things to do at the company. I'll let you know when [Hunting] is finished."

"Okay, but don't forget."

···
Ning Hao and his wife have been working hard lately on a new script, wanting to prove that it can work even without Tian Xiaole's script.

But once the script was finalized, he called Tian Xiaole again, asking him for some pointers.

Judging from the excited tone on the other end of the phone, it's probably almost done, and they might be eager to show off.

When I arrived at Bad Monkey Studio, it was the same as before: a girl answering the phone at the front desk and an accountant.

"He's a big-name director, shouldn't he upgrade his studio?"

Looking at the shabby office environment, Tian Xiaole couldn't help but complain.

"Let's talk about it later. Let's take a look at the script your sister Na prepared first."

Ning Hao handed the prepared script to Tian Xiaole, and Xing Aina placed a glass of water on the table.

"Xiao Le, please give me your feedback after reading this."

"Thank you, Sister Na. I'll take a look at the script first."

Tian Xiaole nodded his thanks and began to look through the pages.

"[Silver Medal Driver]?!"

I was a little confused because I didn't hear the name, so I kept flipping through the pages.

Soon, I saw a familiar plot and knew which movie it was.

"This script is similar in style to [Stone], also featuring multi-narrative structure and dark humor. Do you see any areas that need adjustment?"

Ning Hao asked expectantly.

Xing Aina also looked over, wanting to hear where improvements were needed!
"The script is good, and it suits your style very well."

Tian Xiaole closed the script, gave an approving compliment, and then asked with a puzzled look:
Why not call it "Crazy Racer"?

Ning Hao scratched his head sheepishly: "Calling myself this name is a bit like piggybacking on the Crazy series. People outside say I can't live without it."

Tian Xiaole retorted irritably, "Is making money more important, or saving face?"

With the positive reviews and box office success of the first two Crazy series films, this script, presented as a sequel, immediately garnered significant attention and commercial value.

"Then let's rename it 'Crazy Racing'!"

Xing Aina made the decision.

"I need your financial support, so I won't go out and solicit investment."

Ning Hao was simply returning the favor; otherwise, with his current fame, plenty of film and television companies would be willing to invest in him.

"What's the budget? How much more do we need?"

“The budget is ten million. You can give half of it. I’ll keep 30% for myself and give 20% to China Film Group,” Ning Hao said.

This film was the first commercial film he truly led. In addition to wanting to repay Tian Xiaole, he also wanted to take care of his senior brother, China Film Group. He considered everything very comprehensively.

"Okay, let's do it your way. I'll have someone come over to sign the contract later."

Tian Xiaole agreed without hesitation.

Speaking of casting, Ning Hao wanted to use Huang Bo for the male lead, but now the latter's salary is too high, and the budget of ten million yuan is simply not enough to hire him.

"Actors' agencies rarely interfere with their casting choices, so you should ask him. Maybe he'll be willing to lower his fee."

【Crazy Racer】is a classic and one of Huang Bo’s representative works. I don’t want him to miss it, unless he himself doesn’t like it.

Ning Hao nodded: "Okay, I'll ask him about it later."

Xing Aina cooked for Tian Xiaole and invited him to stay for dinner. During the meal, Ning Hao insisted on drinking, but she refused, saying she had to drive.

When I got home in the evening, the study light was still on.

"How did the talks go today?"

Tian Xiaole brewed a cup of tea and handed it over, inquiring about the distribution of [Painted Skin].

"Xiao Le Pictures kept 30%, China Film Group kept 20%, and each of the others kept 10%. Just as I thought, those people still want to see you."

Tian Zhuangzhuang chuckled self-deprecatingly, truly feeling that he was getting old, but also feeling gratified that the Tian family would have someone to carry on the family line.

"I'll skip the meeting. I've had a pleasant experience with other partners, and I have no plans to join any other parties."

Of these companies, only Edko Films has real strength. Jiang Zhiqiang was involved in films like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Hero," and he was a key figure in pushing Chinese films into the international market.

There's no point in getting involved with Tian Xiaole, since neither internationally nor domestically we can offer him any help.

The next day.

Tian Xiaole arrived at the company and asked Chen Zhixi to sign the contract with Monkey, while he went to the post-production department to oversee the progress as usual.

In the film market, "Tuya's Marriage," which won the Golden Lion, performed poorly at the box office, sandwiched between Hollywood blockbusters such as "Babel" and "Déjà Vu".

However, the release date for "Apple," starring Fan Binbin, is definitely uncertain due to its explicit content.

Many people online are clamoring to see the full version.

The film market in February and March was in dire straits, overwhelmed by imported films.

The only consolation for the audience is that these top directors in China are all preparing new films.

To accommodate Jet Li's schedule, Chen Kexin's film "The Warlords" only began reshooting Lau Tak-wah's scenes after all of his scenes were completed at the beginning of the month.

Feng Xiaogang's "Assembly" also wrapped up filming in early March.

Last year's failure with "Curse of the Golden Flower" led Zhang Weiping to target the lead actor, Chow Yun-fat, accusing him of not cooperating with promotion and threatening to blacklist him. However, he was quickly proven wrong.

John Woo's "Red Cliff" has announced its cast, with Chow Yun-fat set to play Zhou Yu. Filming is scheduled to begin in early April.

Tian Zhuangzhuang, who is directing his first commercial film, has secured funding for "Painted Skin" and will soon enter the casting stage.

As a professor at Beijing Film Academy, I am highly recommended by the school's teachers.

Tian Xiaole also received a phone call from someone trying to use connections to get in.

"Director Tian, ​​I'm very good at playing fox spirits. You know how seductive I am."

Fan Binbin spoke in an affected, pretentious voice; you could practically smell the slut even through the phone.

Compared to Zhou Xun's Xiao Wei in the original film, she lacks some of the spirit, but has more of the alluring and seductive charm of a fairy.

She's become even prettier, with a more alluring face.

To be honest, I'm kind of looking forward to seeing her play a fox spirit.

"I won't interfere with Lao Tian's casting process, but I can recommend you to audition."

"Thank you, Director Tian. When I return to the capital, I'll show you how powerful this vixen is."

Fan Binbin hung up the phone with a smile. With Tian Xiaole's recommendation, she had a better chance than others.

It is rumored that Director Chen has already auditioned many actors privately for his film "Mei Lanfang".

Mei Lanfang's son did not think highly of Tony Leung's performance, and he was eliminated from the competition.

Another superstar from Hong Kong Island has come into view.

Lu Chuan's "Nanjing" and Gao Qunshu's "The Eight Hundred" both depict the grand scale of city construction.

Rumors are circulating that Ning Hao has submitted a new script for review, which will continue the Crazy series.

Suddenly, almost every well-known director in China had a project in production or in the planning stages.

Tian Xiaole's new film finished filming early, while Zhang Yimou was busy preparing for the Olympics and couldn't spare the time.

What's even more talked about is the lawsuit between Huang Shengyi and Star Overseas, which was adjudicated on Hong Kong Island.

The evidence presented by Huang Shengyi put Stephen Chow in the spotlight, revealing that the contract clearly stated a salary of 76.9 yuan, but he was only paid 6 yuan in reality.

Netizens harshly criticized Stephen Chow for exploiting and leeching off actors, which earned Huang Shengyi, who was in the wrong, a lot of sympathy.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yang Zi declared that he would plan Huang Shengyi's acting career and announced that he would remake "The Fairy Couple" and cast Huang Shengyi as Dong Yong.

Upon seeing this news, Tian Xiaole lamented that Huang Shengyi was finished. He had a perfect start, but now he's getting worse and worse.

"The pressure of leading the project is immense. Bad Monkey's phone is ringing off the hook; everyone wants to invest in the film."

Ning Hao was complaining, but he couldn't suppress his laughter.

Both "Stone" and "Limit" were spearheaded by Xiao Le Pictures, who were also in charge. He only needed to make good movies.

Now it's his turn, a mix of joy and pain. Some companies can't refuse, so they say Tian Xiaole took the lion's share, and others can't really pester him.

"Enjoy it while you can; this will be the norm in the future."

Tian Xiaole is used to it now; he gets bothered every time there's a project.

"I asked Huang Bo, and he has two projects to film: [The Eight Hundred] and [The Museum]. He really doesn't have time to film [Racing].

Ning Hao felt a little regretful, as Huang Bo was a much better fit for the role of Geng Hao.

"How about this, you go out and audition for a while. If you really can't find a suitable actor, I'll have him come over and film your scenes first."

Huang Bo's professionalism is beyond question. He had already signed a performance contract for "The Eight Hundred," which is why he rejected Ning Hao.

Moreover, learning from Shu Chang's experience, the company does not allow actors to take on multiple roles simultaneously.

As for the sequel to "The Museum," Fox isn't in a rush; their main focus is on Cameron's "Avatar."

The auditions for "Painted Skin" were quite lively, and they were being held at Xiaole Pictures.

Tian Xiaole went for a walk and saw many familiar faces, most of whom were actors who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy.

Yan Dancheng, Jiang Qingqing, um? And Zhao Yanzi...

Having said he wouldn't interfere with the casting process, Tian Xiaole didn't say much more, and simply smiled and nodded in response to the greetings from the crowd.

Zhao Yanzi was about to strike up a conversation when Tian Xiaole bypassed her and went to meet Fan Binbin, who was coming out of the audition room.

"How did the audition go? Is Director Tian satisfied with your vixen look?"

"Professor Tian is quite satisfied. If nothing unexpected happens, I should be the one to play Xiao Wei."

Fan Binbin confidently stated that she casually glanced at the other auditionees and realized they posed no threat to her whatsoever.

They have no shortage of fame and awards, and Tian Xiaole is there to support them.

"Then act properly and don't cause trouble."

Tian Xiaole reminded everyone that Lao Tian (Old Tian) is not Xiao Karami (Little Karami), and actors have no right to act outrageously.

Ignoring Fan Binbin's hint to spar, he waved to Zhao Liying who was coming over.

When she wasn't working on press releases, she was studying in training classes run by professors at the Beijing Film Academy. She would rush back immediately after receiving a call from her agent.

The fact that the company was auditioning for actors in "Painted Skin" was common knowledge online, and she had a vague suspicion in her mind.

"Xia Bing, the third female lead, is for you. You'll just have to go through the motions when you go in later."

Tian Xiaole said without any hesitation.

The others at the scene looked at Zhao Liying with a hint of envy; they weren't so lucky when they entered the entertainment industry.

"Thank you, Director Tian. Even without using connections, I can still get it."

Zhao Liying said with a smile, appearing much more confident and poised, and gradually revealing her straightforward nature.

···
[The Hunt] Post-production editing and background music are complete. Except for the child actors needing additional voice-over work, it's basically the final product.

Arthur's voice was too soft, and Guan Xiaotong's voice was too harsh, so they found someone else to do the voice acting.

Two days later, the "Hunting" segment was completed.

Upon hearing the news, Lao Tian disregarded the actors' auditions and wanted to see it for himself.

"Please wait, Teacher Wang will be there soon."

Talk about Cao Cao, Cao Cao is here.

Led by staff, Wang Jinsong entered the screening room.

There were no pleasantries or small talk; everyone wanted to see the movie first.

As the film played, the screening room fell silent, enveloped in the oppressive atmosphere of the story.

The film ended, followed by an eerie silence, which was soon broken by applause.

"A hunting game about humanity and morality. When the truth is revealed, prejudice still exists. The film is very well made."

Old Tian praised without reservation.

"It is my honor to be able to star in this masterpiece that dissects human nature," Wang Jinsong said solemnly.

"With your praise, I have even more confidence in the film."

Tian Xiaole called Chen Zhixi and asked her to mail out a copy of "The Hunt" through the official submission channels of the film festival.

He is the director of the Cannes Grand Jury Prize, so he no longer needs a middleman's recommendation and can submit his work for review in his own name, especially since he was invited by the current president.

The submission for review is only now, which is relatively late in terms of time.

Most of the films submitted for the competition were mailed out by early March at the latest, and now that it's mid-March, the deadline for submissions is fast approaching.

To ensure that the official channels could receive the message, they also sent an email to Stephen Frears.

The other party responded quickly, promising to pay attention and thanking Tian Xiaole for accepting the invitation to participate in this film festival.

The news that [Hunting] submitted its film to the Cannes Film Festival quickly appeared on major portal websites.

Tian Xiaole has won the prize twice so far, which means he has a perfect record.

As he once again made his bid for Cannes, many people sent their blessings, showering him with compliments as if they were free.

···
The auditions for "Painted Skin" have been completed, and the cast is somewhat unexpected.

The role of the fox spirit Xiao Wei was played by Fan Binbin. Given her current fame and suitability for the role, even the audience has no objection.

The male lead, Wang Sheng, was recommended by a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy to Chen Kun. Lao Tian was also interested in the role, but he declined because Chen Kun's agency was under Huayi Brothers.

They wanted to cast Jiang Wen, but he was busy with the post-production of "The Sun Also Rises" and couldn't find the time.

Finally, Hu Jun was chosen to play the role, as he is proficient in both dramatic and action scenes. It was also considered that his role in "Red Cliff" was not large, so it would not delay the filming.

The second male lead, Pang Yong, was played by Jiao Enjun, who is completely unrelated to the actor. Jiao Enjun said that he was inspired by Jiao Enjun's portrayal of Erlang Shen in The Lotus Lantern, which matched the handsome and dashing character.

For the second female lead, Pei Rong, Zhao Yanzi was recommended by a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy. It was indeed to give face to the school, and the character was also a good fit, so she was cast.

Xia Bing was played by Zhao Liying, and the lizard demon was played by Sun Honglei.

This list surprised not only Tian Xiaole, but also the media and the audience, and some teasing was inevitable.

"After Fan Binbin left Huayi, his resources were not affected; on the contrary, the quality improved."

"Tian Zhuangzhuang continues the tradition of Beijing Film Academy's top directors and prefers to use actors from the Central Academy of Drama."

"The champion of the first Leyu Search Star competition has started to make her mark, playing the third female lead among a group of big names."

···
The progress of "Painted Skin" is going smoothly, but Ning Hao's side is constantly encountering unexpected problems.

When Zhao Benshan heard that "Crazy Racer" was looking for a male lead, he recommended his apprentice Liu Xiaoguang to the project.

The audition went well, and Ning Hao decided to give Grandpa Zhao face by letting his apprentice play the male lead, Geng Hao.

When discussing compensation, the two sides disagreed and reached a stalemate.

"Xiao Le, you know, he's just a duo-turn actor. He wasn't satisfied with the 50 yuan pay, he wanted 70 yuan, and he even wanted to bring his two senior brothers to make cameo appearances. He really thinks he's a big shot."

Judging from Ning Hao's complaining tone, he was probably quite angry about this.

"Alright, let's just abandon it. I'll send Huang Bo over there."

Ning Hao might be considering Zhao Daye's feelings, but Tian Xiaole didn't care.

These Errenzhuan performers, already skilled in traditional folk arts, became a bit arrogant after becoming apprentices under the guise of Grandpa Zhao's reputation.

Besides, he accounted for the majority of the investment in this film, and if someone else were to play the role, the effect wouldn't be the same, and the box office performance might not be good.

(End of this chapter)