This director lacks vision.

Chapter 186 The New Legend of Wu Zetian

Hearing Jiang Yifeng's words, He Haimin thought for a moment and said, "Investment is a small matter. If you were to direct this project, I would be willing to take the risk."

But if you're just investing, then I won't participate.

He Haimin raised his glass and toasted Jiang Yifeng before explaining, "Actually, historical dramas are the easiest to get into trouble with during the TV drama censorship process."

When you film other dramas, if you make violent or explicit content, you know there's a limit, and you know that going too far is not acceptable;

Even if there are some problems in the middle of an urban drama, as long as the theme and ending are acceptable, it's fine.

The scale of "Dwelling Narrowness" is large enough, so it still passed censorship.

However, one should be very careful when making historical dramas.

On the one hand, our country's overall value orientation is to respect history.

If a drama involves falsifying history and deviates significantly from historical fact, then the risk of censorship is very high.

However, no one can perfectly recreate history, so this kind of thing is easily taken seriously, and it could be taken down at any time if people take it too seriously.
On the other hand, among viewers who enjoy watching historical dramas, there are quite a few serious history buffs.

If your photos don't meet their expectations, they will genuinely report you.

Your idea, where a modern person travels back in time to become Wu Zetian, involves a historical figure and is like dancing on a minefield; it would be extremely difficult to pass censorship.

Even if it passes censorship, there's a significant risk that it will be taken off the air and modified afterward.

Before taking office, He Haimin conducted an in-depth study of all aspects of television dramas.

What he said were all insightful observations from a professional.

The future developments have indeed unfolded as Haimin predicted.

After the immense popularity of "Palace," "Scarlet Heart" achieved only moderate viewership, but Jia Shikai's marketing prowess led to heated discussions online.

Following the attention garnered by two consecutive time-travel palace dramas, in April 2011, a document was issued by the authorities requiring all television stations to suspend the broadcast of time-travel dramas, spy dramas, crime dramas, and melodramas from mid-May to July, and to broadcast revolutionary dramas instead. Furthermore, starting from January 1, 2012, time-travel dramas, palace dramas, and crime dramas were prohibited from being broadcast on satellite channels during prime time.

In 2013, the "22 Regulations" were introduced, further restricting time-travel dramas and palace intrigue dramas.

Jiang Yifeng wants to film a time-travel palace drama, specifically one where he travels back in time to become Empress Wu Zetian, which is indeed very difficult to get approved by the censors.

Of course, this is not entirely a fixed matter.

After all, "The Legend of Zhen Huan" was still able to operate, and it was still broadcast on Anhui TV, Dragon TV and other channels in March 2012, shortly after the regulations were introduced.

If Jiang Yifeng were to direct a time-travel drama about Wu Zetian, He Haimin would be willing to put in the effort.

Now that Jiang Yifeng has said he's busy, He Haimin naturally doesn't want to participate.

After all, with the Pacific Rim project completed, his performance targets were no longer under pressure, and there was no need to take any more risks.

Hearing He Haimin say this, Fan Bingbing felt very disappointed, but her face remained expressionless.

She still smiled and filled Jiang Yifeng's glass with wine.

Jiang Yifeng then asked, "If I adapt it into a web series, there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

He Haimin thought for a moment and said, "No problem. Actually, the higher-ups know that artistic creation needs a relatively free environment."

On the one hand, we also want to encourage everyone's creativity and hope to see more good works, such as the web series Dark Glory that has been exported overseas;

On the other hand, the sheer number of online dramas and videos makes it a huge undertaking to bring them under regulatory oversight and review, and there has been no such action from the authorities at the moment.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, online dramas will be subject to much more lenient oversight for at least the next two to three years, with regulation largely handled by video platforms.

Fan Bingbing, playing the straight man, asked, "Aren't the higher-ups worried about potential negative repercussions?"

He Haimin looked at Jiang Yifeng and said with a smile, "They've all been submitted to the video platform for review. If there's any negative impact, then the video platform will be punished."

Hearing He Haimin's words, Jiang Yifeng felt much more at ease.

His emergence accelerated the development of online dramas in China compared to his previous life.

Whether it's "A Little Wish," "Dark Glory," or variety shows like "Sisters Who Make Waves," they have all garnered significant attention.

Jiang Yifeng was worried that the authorities would take action to tighten regulations and strengthen the review of online dramas and variety shows.

Hearing He Haimin say this, Jiang Yifeng felt much more at ease.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. In fact, China's censorship is not as strict as the audience imagines, yet it has taken the blame for a lot of things.

To paraphrase a leader from Guangdian, don't blame the subject matter for being bad or the censorship being too strict just because you lack artistic talent.

Some directors don't want to make "Dangal" at all; they just want to make "Come Here, Sister-in-Law" and "Don't Do That, Brother-in-Law".

Jiang Yifeng wants to film both "Dangal" and "Don't Do This, Brother-in-Law," and he must seize the window of opportunity for web dramas in the next few years.

After finishing the business, everyone started toasting and chatting about romantic and lighthearted things.

At 10 p.m., the party ended, and He Haimin and Lu Zheng each took their girlfriends back to their rooms.

This club is owned by Lu Zheng and offers a high degree of privacy.

Jiang Yifeng led Fan Bingbing into a suite.

Inside, there are two pretty girls who will serve you, offering tea, spa treatments, beauty treatments, and other wellness services. There are also waterbeds, hot spring pools, and various recreational facilities such as a rocking horse.

It has to be said, rich people really know how to enjoy life.

Jiang Yifeng waved his hand, and the two girls brewed a pot of good tea and went to the nanny room to wait for his summons.

With Fan Bingbing's help, he took off his clothes and began soaking in the hot spring.

Fan Bingbing also sat in the pool, letting Jiang Yifeng rest his head on her lap.

While massaging Jiang Yifeng, she said with a smile, "Director Jiang, you just keep bothering me. Why don't you use the waitresses?" Jiang Yifeng smiled and said with a double meaning, "I still prefer using you."

He extended his hand, and Fan Bingbing immediately understood and picked up her teacup.

After taking a sip of tea, Jiang Yifeng continued, "I still want to film the TV series 'Empress Wu Zetian,' and I also want to continue using you."

Since CCTV doesn't want to participate, then Fengxing Media will collaborate with your studio to produce a web series.

Fan Bingbing placed Jiang Yifeng's teacup on the tea tray and said in a slightly mischievous tone, "Director Jiang, I feel like you're trying to fool me again!"

"What do you mean?"

"You had already decided from the beginning that you wanted to make the TV series 'Time Travel to Wu Zetian' into a web series, right?"

But this drama wasn't directed by you, and it's a web series, so you're afraid I won't want to act in it.

So today, I deliberately brought up this project in front of Director He to show him my sincerity.

Look, I've also tried to get it approved for you by CCTV, but there's nothing I can do about the review process.

In the end, it could only be made into a web series.

I not only want to thank you for your help, but I also want to help your company produce a web series.

Director Jiang, you have too many tricks up your sleeve!

Jiang Yifeng laughed heartily and joked, "I have many tricks up my sleeve, but none of them are as deep as yours!"

Fan Bingbing kissed Jiang Yifeng and said slowly, "Even if it were deeper, you've already explored it all out~"

Jiang Yifeng pulled Fan Bingbing into his arms.

"Since you've seen through my tricks, I'll have to rely on my strength!"

……

In fact, Jiang Yifeng didn't intend to trick Fan Bingbing. His main purpose in mentioning the project of traveling through time to Wu Zetian was to shut He Haimin up first.

On the one hand, I told He Haimin that I was out of time and didn't even have time to direct the web series produced by my own company.

On the other hand, since He Haimin rejected this project, he was naturally embarrassed to bring up other cooperative projects.

Otherwise, after discussing Pacific Rim, He Haimin would definitely want to invite Jiang Yifeng to direct a TV series for Yangshi, or the two sides could collaborate on a project.

It would be awkward to refuse in person at that time.

As for Fan Bingbing, there's no need for any tricks.

The idea for a web series, "Traveling Through Time to Wu Zetian," came to Jiang Yifeng on a whim after he saw that Fan Bingbing wanted resources.

If Fan Bingbing doesn't want to act, we can find someone else to play the role.

There's really no need for any tricks or routines.

Of course, Fan Bingbing definitely wanted to play the role.

Fengxing Media's web dramas are great for promoting actors. Gao Yuanyuan is a precedent, and Liu Yifei was willing to act in them, so Fan Bingbing is no exception.

Moreover, dramas like Wu Zetian clearly feature a strong female lead.

Fan Bingbing is just very romantic.

She deliberately gritted her teeth and said she didn't want to act, letting Jiang Yifeng show his strength and conquer her step by step.

After her buttocks turned a peach-red hue, Fan Bingbing's eyes welled up with tears, recreating an overwhelming sense of heartbreak.

She "reluctantly gave in" and agreed to star in the film.

A waiter appeared and gave Jiang Yifeng and Fan Bingbing a post-coital spa treatment.

Fan Bingbing asked in a low voice, "Director Jiang, what's the name of your web series? It's not very explicit, is it?"

Jiang Yifeng thought for a moment and said, "Wu Zetian was called Wu Zhao. The female lead will replace Wu Zhao and become the new Wu Zhao, so our drama will be called The New Legend of Wu Zhao."

In terms of scale, at most it would just reveal a cleavage to showcase the plump and beautiful characteristics of the Tang Dynasty; overall it's not very large.

However, this drama has some criticisms of Wu Zetian, which sets it apart from previous dramas about Wu Zetian.

Therefore, this drama requires portraying both a lively and mischievous character and the deep, cruel reality of palace intrigue. The female lead's personality undergoes growth and change, making it a challenging role to play.

In Jiang Yifeng's view, Wu Zetian's overall performance during her reign was not outstanding, and she even became a low point between the two great periods of Zhenguan and Kaiyuan.

However, because she was the first female emperor, she was given too much gender connotation, and there was a lot of hype about her.

Previous films and television dramas about Wu Zetian have also primarily focused on praising her.

Jiang Yifeng plans to introduce a time traveler's perspective into the web series "The Sun and Moon in the Sky," and appropriately criticize Wu Zetian.

This kind of吐槽 (tu cao, a form of online commentary or rant) reflects the true feelings of the female protagonist, a modern woman. It not only avoids causing too much resentment but also increases the sense of identification with the character and showcases her growth process.

This is similar to how many boys read sports articles.

In real life, they might be fans of Kobe or LeBron, but after reading the book and identifying with the protagonist, they enjoy torturing their own idols the most, and they even find it funny to watch the protagonist criticize their idols.

Hearing Jiang Yifeng's explanation, Fan Bingbing became increasingly interested and asked, "When will this project start filming?"

Jiang Yifeng said calmly, "Let's wait a bit. The script hasn't even been started yet."

Fan Bingbing: "..."

(End of this chapter)