It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 171 has been approved! A person's life is all about fulfilling the boasts they've made! (Seeking monthly votes)
The State Administration of Film is located in the heart of the capital, adjacent to quaint hutongs and modern office buildings. Its gray walls and red doors exude solemnity, and the stone lions in front of the gate silently guard this place that has witnessed the rise and fall of Chinese cinema.

Back in 02 and 03, Lü Rui frequently came here to apply for approvals.

However, since the establishment of Ruishijie, these kinds of errand-running tasks have been handed over to subordinates.

Upon arriving at the headquarters, as soon as the car came to a stop, Lü Rui got out and saw several familiar faces already there.

Han Sanping, Ren Zhonglun, and Sun Yi'an, vice chairman of Xi'an Film Studio.

At this moment, a strange middle-aged man appeared beside Sun Yi'an. He was tall and had a calm look in his eyes, clearly someone who had held a high position for many years.

As Lü Rui approached, Sun Yi'an stepped forward to greet him and introduced him, "Director Lü, this is Zhang Piming, the chairman of Xi'an Film Studio."

"Hello Chairman Zhang, it's an honor to meet you." Lü Rui extended his hand.

Although he wasn't familiar with this person, he knew that the reason Xi'an Film Studio had been able to continue to provide assistance during this period was because this person had given the orders behind the scenes.

Zhang Piming grasped his hand in return and laughed heartily: "Director Lü is truly young and promising. I've seen all your films, and they are really well-made!"

"Chairman Zhang, you flatter me. You are truly remarkable for leading Xi'an Film Studio to its current status and for presiding over the establishment of the first joint-stock film production company in China."

The two exchanged pleasantries warmly.

Although Han Sanping and Ren Zhonglun, who were standing nearby, did not say anything, their thoughts were churning.

Xi'an Film Studio's current shareholding system is working very well, attracting a lot of capital.

If it weren't for their remote location and the lack of effective policy implementation, it would be wishful thinking for China Film Group and Shanghai Film Group to catch up and surpass them.

This made both of them somewhat interested.

Now that others have already paved the way, could China Film Group and Shanghai Film Group also move towards becoming joint-stock companies, or even seek opportunities to go public?

After exchanging pleasantries, the group went inside the building.

Han Sanping was clearly very familiar with the place. He led the group ahead with ease, bringing them to the door of an office marked "Director".

He raised his hand and knocked on the door, and a clear "Come in" came from inside.

Several people filed in.

The office was spacious and bright, with neatly stacked documents and books on the bookshelves.

Han Sanping stepped forward first, smiling as he said to the person in the main seat, "Director Tong, I've brought the person to you."

Then he turned to Lü Rui and introduced the two people in the office: "This is Tong Gang, Director Tong; this is Zhang Hongsen, Deputy Director Zhang."

Lu Rui quickly stepped forward and tactfully extended his hand to Tong Gang first: "Hello, Director Tong, I am Lu Rui. I have often heard President Han mention you."

Tong Gang stood up, shook his hand, and smiled gently: "Director Lü is a promising young man. I went to the theater to see your film 'Taken,' and it was powerful and imaginative! Our country needs young directors like you who dare to take risks and try new things..."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lü Rui turned to Zhang Hongsen, shook hands, and said, "Hello, Deputy Director Zhang."

Zhang Hongsen patted the back of his hand and said warmly, "Director Lü, there's no need for such formalities. I've been following your films for a long time. From 'Gone Girl' to now, each one has improved, especially your breakthroughs in overseas markets, which have brought honor to Chinese films!"

Observing the attitudes of these two top executives who held the power of life and death over domestic films, Lü Rui secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that, as Han Sanping said, there is indeed good news today; otherwise, the two wouldn't be so friendly.

Subsequently, Sun Yi'an, Ren Zhonglun, and Zhang Piming stepped forward one by one to greet them.

Compared to Han Sanping, they obviously didn't have as much influence within the bureau.

But thinking about it, it's normal. After all, Han Sanping was trained by the top leader, while the others had very little interaction with him.

However, Lü Rui had received some information beforehand.

Ren Zhonglun seems to have close relationships with many people in the bureau's review department, which is why most of the films produced by Shanghai Film Group have relatively "bold" content.

Every advantage has its disadvantages.

Because they were so bold, they couldn't get the import rights for foreign films, which ironically contributed to the rise of China Film Group.

After chatting for a while, Tong Gang coughed lightly and looked at Zhang Hongsen.

The latter understood and opened his briefcase, took out the script of "Dying to Survive", and handed it over.

"I've read this script, and it's very relevant to real life. It's rare that Director Lü is willing to tackle this kind of subject matter; he really takes responsibility. The reason I called you all here today is to discuss the follow-up development of this film."

The key is to be realistic and to strike the right balance... Once you decide to film it, you have to put in the effort. What should be promoted must be properly highlighted, and what should be avoided must be carefully avoided... You can't smear it, you can't go astray, and you must uphold the bottom line..."

Tong Gang spoke calmly and clearly, his words focusing on the word "standards".

Anyone else might have been distracted by the conversation, but Lü Rui was secretly overjoyed.

He's not stupid; the core meaning of those words is crystal clear:

"Film according to the script, don't insert your own personal opinions!"

He finally couldn't resist and tentatively asked, "You mean... we can film now?"

Tong Gang smiled and nodded, saying, "The filming permit should be issued by the end of the month at the latest."

Lu Rui felt a sudden sense of relief, followed by a surge of joy!
After months of trouble, we finally have some definite news!

However, Tong Gang then added, "If there are any specific matters that need to be coordinated later, you can just contact Hun Sen directly."

All eyes turned to Zhang Hongsen.

Zhang Hongsen's expression turned serious, and he solemnly instructed, "Director Lü, the subject matter of 'Dying to Survive' is too special, so there are some taboos that must be clearly understood:"
In sections concerning the pharmaceutical industry, legitimate pharmaceutical companies should not be deliberately demonized; descriptions of relevant departments should be based on facts and should not create unnecessary conflict for dramatic effect.
The depiction of smuggling must be strictly controlled, and there should be no tendency to glorify it; furthermore, the portrayal of the patient group should reflect their plight, but should not exaggerate despair or incite emotions.

He paused, then emphasized, "The health department, customs, and public security will all send people to follow up and film. Please remember one thing: don't go too far!"

Lu Rui's smile faded slightly, and he thought to himself: I guess I was too happy too soon. The boss said not to go too far, but who sets the standard for "going too far"? And how?
This also means that even after the film is completed, there will likely be another hurdle to overcome in the review process.

But he quickly regained his composure.

In any case, obtaining a filming permit is already a huge step forward.

At least the procedures are compliant, unlike Tian Zhuangzhuang and Jiang Wen, who were banned from filming midway through their projects. This is already the best possible outcome.

Before we knew it, it was evening.

After finalizing the shooting details, Tong Gang stood up and said, "It's getting late, let's all go to the cafeteria for a quick meal and chat a bit behind closed doors."

The crowd naturally didn't refuse and followed suit.

The canteen in the bureau wasn't luxuriously decorated; it had a simple, rustic feel, and the tables and chairs were all common styles.

After entering the private room and sitting down, Lü Rui began to appreciate the nuances of the dishes as they were served.

Although the dishes on the table were simple home-style dishes like stir-fried vegetables, stewed ribs, and braised fish, the taste was in no way inferior to those in a five-star hotel. The cooking time was just right, and the seasoning had a rich, home-style flavor.

It has to be said that the chef in charge of training is really skilled!
The group ate and chatted.

Tong Gang looked at Lü Rui and asked with great interest, "I heard from Sanping that you're planning a $2 million Sino-foreign co-production project, and it's even a science fiction film? Is that true?"

Lu Rui's lips twitched, feeling a little helpless.

He realized that once a person reaches a certain position, they can't just say whatever they want, nor can they boast indiscriminately.

He had only mentioned it casually at the time, but he never expected Han Sanping to take it seriously and even spread it to the bureau.

He couldn't deny it directly, so he could only vaguely say, "There is indeed such a preliminary idea, but it's still in the planning stage."

Tong Gang seemed to sense his hesitation and said slowly, "Actually, our domestic film market really needs decent blockbusters to support it."

Science fiction, as a genre, can drive a long industrial chain, from special effects technology to talent training, all of which can progress along with it.

If we can really make a co-production, learn from foreign experiences, and combine them with our own cultural core, that would be a great thing..."

The encouragement in those words was obvious, but Lü Rui gradually began to understand their deeper meaning.

It seems that the bureau holds an absolutely supportive attitude towards these kinds of large-scale production projects.

After dinner, Tong Gang and Zhang Hongsen went home, while Lü Rui followed Han Sanping and the others to another venue to continue their conversation.

Once the door to the private room closed, Han Sanping no longer held back his restraints at the bureau. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and bluntly stated, "Lu Rui, to be honest, the reason the bureau was so quick to give the green light to 'Dying to Survive' this time wasn't just because the script was good, but ultimately because I 'bragged' a lot for you in the middle."

Regarding the $2 million co-production that Director Tong just mentioned, I can confidently guarantee that you can pull it off. That's why the leadership was willing to go along with it and expedite the script's approval process.

Ren Zhonglun, who was standing next to him, laughed and chimed in: "I also lent you a hand. I mentioned to the government departments in Shanghai that your big project might be filmed in Shanghai later. As soon as they heard that it could boost the industry, they immediately expressed their support and said not to ask if you need anything."

Zhang Piming from Xi'an Film Studio also laughed: "Xi'an has a rich historical heritage, and there are many places to film. There are ready-made locations for the Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties."

"If you really want to film, I can arrange everything for you, from finding the right location and coordinating props to bringing in local resources as investment."

At this point, Lü Rui finally realized what was going on!

So, without even realizing it, I've been "put on" this position by several big shots!

However, he didn't have much resistance to it.

In fact, he had the idea of ​​making a blockbuster several years ago, but at the time he felt that the domestic market was not big enough and the industry chain was not mature enough, so he thought he would wait.

But judging from the current situation, it seems like it's not impossible to give it a try.

Anyway, this film's box office focus wasn't on the mainland market; it was directly targeting Hollywood.

Using foreign funding, markets, and equipment to make blockbuster films, embedding Chinese cultural elements into the plot, earning money from foreigners, and then driving the development of related domestic industries—isn't that a win-win situation?
Thinking of this, he picked up his wine glass and raised it to the group: "Since you all support this so much, it seems I really need to seriously consider this project."

"Don't worry, everyone. A promise is a promise. Now that this project has been agreed upon, I certainly won't back down."

Isn't what people strive and struggle for in this life all about realizing the boasts they made back then?

Lu Rui spoke with certainty, his eyes revealing confidence.

In fact, he wasn't just being guided forward; he was genuinely serious about it.

I even have a vague idea of ​​which project to choose!
Sci-fi film?
Then stick to the mecha, you can't go wrong!

The more he thought about it, the more reliable this direction seemed.

After all, what man can resist the allure of mecha?

The massive steel frame, the vibrations of the roaring engine, and those powerful mechanical joints... just imagining the scene is enough to get your blood pumping!

This is true romance for men!

If Eastern aesthetics can be incorporated into mecha design, coupled with a dramatic storyline, it might just be able to carve out a niche for itself in Hollywood.

"I'll put together a detailed plan for everyone to review later." Lu Rui put down his wine glass, his tone filled with unwavering determination. "If we're going to do it, we have to do it on a large scale. We can't let everyone down."

Seeing that he agreed readily, the others smiled.

Han Sanping laughed and joked, "It seems we really didn't misjudge you. Your drive is just like the ruthless spirit you had when you were filming 'Gone Girl' back then."

Lu Rui smiled but didn't reply, though he was already making plans in his mind.

Mecha, science fiction, Sino-foreign co-production... This is a game that needs to be played carefully...

(End of this chapter)