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

Chapter 191 Her beauty is just the least noteworthy of her many shining qualities (7000 words)
Global Online News Announcement: According to publicly available information from the Beijing Film Academy's 06 Master of Fine Arts admissions, Zhao Yanzi and Liu Zi successfully passed the assessment.

The former was admitted to the directing program, with Yang Minxia as his mentor… The latter was admitted to the acting program, while Huang Xiaoming failed the comprehensive exam…

"When interviewed, reporters learned that Zhao Yanzi is fully prepared for her transition and will be forging ahead on the path of directing in the future!"

Huang Xiaoming said he was very disappointed to fail the exam... and said he was about to join the cast of Zhang Jizhong's latest TV series project, The Deer and the Cauldron.

...

Wise Vision.

In the office, Lü Rui stared at the name "Yang Minxia," feeling a vague sense of familiarity about it.

He casually opened the internal database of Beijing Film Academy and the moment the page finished loading, he suddenly realized!

Well, isn't this the female professor that my classmates were secretly talking about when I was a freshman?
Yang Minxia has a very unique reputation among the directing students at Beijing Film Academy.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the most pro-Japanese "Japanese friend".

Over the years of teaching, she has often attended seminars on "Chinese and Japanese film directors' creative exchanges".

At the same time, she is also a visiting scholar who is an "overseas artist" officially contracted by the Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs, and has translated and introduced many Japanese films from the 90s.

Even in his academic papers, he was full of praise for Japanese film and television culture.

In the past, no senior students were willing to choose her as their master's or doctoral supervisor.

Later, a girl had no choice but to go with her to pursue a doctorate due to certain special reasons.

However, my first task upon entering university was to translate "The New Generation of Japanese Film Directors," focusing entirely on Japanese films and barely having any contact with the current state of the domestic film and television industry.

Looking at the interview with Zhao Yanzi on the screen, in which she "aspires to become a director," Lü Rui couldn't help but sneer.

Her choice of this mentor was truly a perfect match; their preferences and approaches were a perfect fit.

"Boom boom boom!"

A knock on the door suddenly interrupted Lü Rui's thoughts.

He called out "Come in," casually moved the mouse, and closed the news interface he had already finished reading.

The door was pushed open, and Secretary Liang Lulu walked in carrying a stack of documents.

"Chairman Lü, these are all the project documents for 'Dying to Survive'. Please check them and confirm that there are no problems. Once you confirm that there are no problems, the project team will officially move in to prepare for the start of filming."

"Okay, I'll take a look."

Lu Rui took the document and flipped through the details page by page, carefully reviewing everything from the site survey to the equipment list and the actors' schedule confirmation.

Turning to the last page, after confirming that all the information was correct, he picked up a pen, signed his name, and gave the instructions:

"Have Niu Le's production team come to the set immediately to familiarize themselves with the location and complete the preliminary coordination. Then tell Shen Ao to contact all the main actors to prepare for the opening ceremony press conference, and then start filming directly."

"Ok."

Liang Lulu picked up the signed document, turned around, and quietly closed the door behind her as she left.

The moment the door closed, a familiar mechanical notification sound rang in Lü Rui's mind:
[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have successfully advanced the financing and casting process for the "Dying to Survive" (Dallas Buyers Club Fusion Edition) project.]

[Mission completion reward: B-level talent "Jean-Marc Vallée's directing techniques of 'narrative pacing' and 'balancing themes of the right to life and social prejudice'" has been issued.]

Lu Rui slowly closed his eyes, leaned back in his office chair, and let his consciousness sink into his mind.

At that moment, countless techniques on controlling the rhythm of the camera, laying out emotional transitions, and balancing humanistic concern in the face of sharp social issues flooded in like a data stream, which he quickly digested and absorbed...

At the same time, before he could fully familiarize himself with his new talent, a series of notification sounds followed:

[Ding! New mission triggered: Please hold a press conference for the start of filming of the movie "Dying to Survive" (Dallas Buyers Club Fusion Version).]

[Mission Completion Reward: A-Rank Talent...]

……

February 18th was an exceptionally sunny day.

At the Huairou Film and Television Base, the venue for the press conference of the start of filming of "Dying to Survive" is undergoing final preparations.

The film's title and cast list were printed on a red backdrop. The tables and chairs in the media section were neatly arranged, and staff were busy adjusting the sound equipment.

The press conference was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

Lu Rui arrived at the scene at 8 o'clock, and checked the process sheet and media invitation list one by one. From the arrangement of reporters' seats to the duration of the Q&A session, he confirmed every detail again and again to ensure that nothing went wrong.

If this were a regular art film, there wouldn't be such a big production.

Since there are official organizations involved in the production, and some official figures will be present, it will naturally have to be a grand affair.

Before long, the main actors and guest actors arrived one after another.

Ning Hao had the fewest cameo scenes, and Lü Rui planned to have him finish filming in the morning so he could "wrap up" his scenes, which is why he was asked to come early.

As soon as he arrived, Ning Hao grabbed the script and sidled up to Lü Rui, saying incessantly, "I've read this script over and over again these past few days, it's really well-written! It's both powerful and daring!"

Lu Rui saw right through his intentions and teased, "What? Getting envious? Want to film a realistic drama too?"

“Yes!” Ning Hao nodded, his tone full of longing. “I love this kind of thing! The analysis of human nature, the blurred lines between good and evil, and the social contradictions hidden in the story… making this kind of film is so satisfying!”

Although he made a name for himself in commercial films with "Crazy Stone", his preference for art films has never changed.

Lu Rui patted him on the shoulder and earnestly reminded him, "If you want to do it, do it now while the review process isn't too strict. If it drags on for a few more years, the higher-ups will probably tighten the controls even more."

"Huh?" Ning Hao was a little confused: "I'm not like those sixth-generation directors who specialize in making explicit and edgy films. I want to make serious stories. Why are they blocking me?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Wen's cheerful teasing came from behind him: "What kind of explicit stuff are you filming? Don't you two get any ideas!"
Yesterday I forced myself to finish watching Li An's *Brokeback Mountain*, and I almost threw up halfway through; it was so disgusting.

As he spoke, he deliberately frowned and made a gagging motion.

Gu Changwei, who came with him, smiled and chimed in: "I've seen this film too. Judging from the director's technique alone, it's really well made. The camera work and emotional development are impeccable. I estimate that it has a high probability of winning an Oscar this time."

"Nonsense!" Jiang Wen curled his lip, his tone filled with disdain. "He swept so many preliminary awards, and a bunch of special groups came out to endorse and promote him. It would be strange if he didn't win this award!"

"Director Jiang, actually I'm in a worse situation than you. I didn't dare to watch more than half of it..." Ning Hao chimed in, still feeling a bit apprehensive as he recalled the plot of the film.

"Sometimes I wonder if Li An also has that kind of inclination? Look how immersed those two main actors are in their performances, he must have been guiding them step by step, right?"

The people present were all insiders in the industry, so they were naturally aware of the sensitivity of this type of subject matter.

Especially with the example of "Lan Yu" before them, Hu Jun and Liu Ye rarely appear on the same stage to this day.

Not to mention the complex attitudes towards this type of subject matter abroad; if not handled properly, it can easily cause actors to become completely immersed in the story.

"Alright, let's stop talking about this. It's getting more and more disgusting."

Lu Rui interrupted the conversation and turned to look at Gu Changwei, who was standing to the side.

He was once again the director of photography for "Dying to Survive".

Over the years of collaboration, he has practically become Lü Rui's go-to cinematographer, and the two work together with exceptional chemistry.

"Why are you staring at me?" Gu Changwei was a little confused by his gaze. He subconsciously touched his face, thinking he had something dirty on it. "Is there dust on my face?"

To everyone's surprise, the next second, Lü Rui chuckled and teased, "Director Gu, you look so energetic, you're in great health! You're almost 50 and you can still be a father, that's really something!"

Gu Changwei understood immediately and waved his hand with a laugh: "Hey, it's nothing special, just good luck."

A few days ago, the film "Protégé" was announced to have started filming in Hong Kong, and the media dug up old news about him and Zhang Jingchu to hype it up.

When a group of reporters blocked him at the entrance of the restaurant, Jiang Wenli happened to be there as well.

To quell the controversy, he simply announced that his wife was pregnant.

As soon as the news broke, the rumors of a "marital breakdown" vanished instantly, replaced by online jokes about Gu Changwei's excellent health.

At 49, he was still able to get his wife pregnant, leading many netizens to jokingly call him "gifted"!
"Old Gu, do you have any tips for conditioning your body?" Jiang Wen nudged him with his elbow, a mischievous grin on his face.

“I do have a prescription!” Gu Changwei didn’t hide it. “A few years ago, when I was filming ‘Peacock,’ I met an old Chinese medicine doctor in the village where we were filming. He gave me a prescription that he said could replenish kidney qi. I’ve been using it on and off for the past few years.”

As soon as he said that, Lü Rui, Jiang Wen, and Ning Hao all became interested.

"Hurry up and share it!" Lu Rui leaned forward, his tone full of curiosity.

"You don't even have a wife, what do you need this prescription for?" Gu Changwei joked.

"Hey! Look at what you're saying. Just because we don't have it now doesn't mean we won't have it in the future! It's always good to keep it!" Lu Rui retorted, unconvinced.

"Alright, then I'll tell you, remember this."

Gu Changwei cleared his throat and slowly recited the names of the medicinal herbs, "Epimedium, deer antler velvet, Yangqi stone, wolfberry, Cynomorium songaricum... and a few other warming tonics..."

The group was amazed upon hearing the names of the medicinal herbs and quickly wrote them down.

Lu Rui was secretly amazed: "Good heavens! Just from the names of these medicinal herbs, they sound incredibly potent!"

Ning Hao can use it now, but Lü Rui can't for the time being because he doesn't have a wife, and Jiang Wen has to wait until his wife is pregnant to use it...

"By the way, Director Jiang, is the post-production for 'The Sun Also Rises' finished?"

After writing down the prescription, Lü Rui changed the subject.

"It's finished!" Jiang Wen nodded, his tone relaxed. "I rushed to finish it a while ago, and the film has already been submitted for review."

If all goes well, it should be able to make it to this year's Cannes Film Festival; if the review process is slow, then I'll try Venice.

He actually preferred Cannes, but he was afraid that the National Press Center would send him back and make him revise his application, which would mean he would miss the deadline.

Lu Rui listened and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Whether it's Cannes or Venice, as long as you participate this year, it's fine.

In this way, Jiang Wen's relationship with Zhang Yimou won't sour because they both have the same schedule for next year's Venice International Film Festival.

As for Li An and his film "Lust, Caution," Lü Rui sneered inwardly: Let him wait to die!

……

At 9:30, all the actors of "Dying to Survive" had arrived.

Jiang Wu, Liu Yifei, Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing, Zhang Yi, Wang Baoqiang...

Familiar faces gathered in a corner of the venue, smiling and greeting each other.

Ge You also arrived, leading a little boy, who was Fu Biao's biological son and his godson, Fu Zi'en.

Although his biological father is gone, this kid hasn't suffered much and has grown quite chubby.

"This kid is 15 years old this year, and he just started high school not long ago. His dream is to get into the Beijing Film Academy, haha."

Ge You brought him here today specifically so that he could experience the atmosphere of the film crew and learn something.

Previously, Jiang Wen had specifically instructed Lü Rui not to give the script to Ge You in advance.

That's why, only now, after entering the venue, has Ge You finally received her own script.

He quickly flipped through his character's scenes, his brows furrowing more and more as he read, until he was completely dumbfounded: "Lovers' hotel owner? And I have to try Indian aphrodisiac? Holy crap? Jiang Wen! Is this the 'big surprise' you were bragging about to me?" The people around him had been holding back their laughter, but when they heard Ge You's complaints, they couldn't help but chuckle.

Jiang Wen chuckled and leaned over to pat him on the shoulder: "How was it? Surprised enough? Would you call it a pleasant surprise?"

Ge You rolled her eyes, pointed at the character description of "kidney deficiency" in the script, and pretended to be angry: "You translate this for me, how did these two words become a surprise? What the hell is a surprise?"

Jiang Wen took another step forward, put her arms around his neck, raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Don't be angry, after this role is over, I'll give you a great prescription, it's a cure for kidney deficiency, it's damn effective, I guarantee you'll want to use it again and again!"

Upon hearing this, Ge You immediately became interested: "Really? You're not kidding me!"

"I'm honest and fair! Old Gu can vouch for me!" Jiang Wen said, nodding his chin at Gu Changwei.

Gu Changwei immediately puffed out his chest and replied with a hint of pride, "That's right, my wife just got pregnant, and it was that prescription that helped her get pregnant."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen, Ning Hao, and the others chuckled mischievously, their eyes filled with unspoken understanding.

"Senior, what are you guys talking about? Why are you laughing so much..." Liu Yifei had somehow gotten close to Lü Rui, but stopped herself from speaking.

Her good upbringing made her too embarrassed to utter the word "sleazy".

Lu Rui turned around and saw her, quickly grabbed her shoulder and turned her around: "Little kids shouldn't ask about these things. What we're talking about isn't something you should hear. Go play over there."

Jiang Wen also caught a glimpse of his goddaughter and quickly waved his hand, "Qianqian, be good, go sit over there, let's talk about some adult things."

In his eyes, Liu Yifei was still a little girl who hadn't grown up, so he naturally couldn't let her hear such slightly risqué topics.

As for Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing huddled together nearby, covering their mouths and chuckling, he wasn't surprised at all.

Both Bingbing and Fan Bingbing have been in the industry for a long time, and they've been working with Huayi Brothers for a while now. They're no longer clueless newcomers.

"Oh fine."

Liu Yifei obediently responded, turned around and walked to the other side of the venue. She happened to see the little girl who played Liu Sihui's daughter standing alone, so she took the initiative to walk over and talk to her: "Little friend, what's your name? How old are you?"

The little girl timidly looked up and answered softly, "Hello, sister, my name is Zhao Jinmai. You can call me Mai Mai or Mai Zi. I'm just 4 years old..."

……

The big shots always make their grand entrance last.

At 10:00 a.m., the media reporters had already arrived and were waiting. Han Sanping, Ren Zhonglun, Zhang Piming, and several directors and leaders from Aihua, Haishi, Jundun, and the People's Procuratorate Film and Television Center arrived late.

The number of official media outlets present today is even greater than that of entertainment media!
This spectacle forced Lü Rui to switch to a "reporting" mode during the interview, with every sentence focusing on the film's realistic significance and social value, and even his wording being exceptionally rigorous.

Then the leaders took turns speaking, spouting official jargon one after another, from the responsibilities of film and television creation to the dissemination of positive energy, which lasted for more than 40 minutes.

Finally, the auspicious time arrived, and the crew began the incense-burning ceremony to mark the start of filming.

After the incense-offering ceremony ended, entertainment media reporters swarmed around again.

For them, the plot's content and deeper meaning are secondary; the cast and the competition for roles are the real secrets to generating buzz.

"Liu Yifei, is this your first time playing the lead role in an award-contending film? And with veteran actresses Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing supporting you, are you confident in playing this role well?"

The reporter immediately posed a fatal question, focusing directly on the "difference in status".

Liu Yifei's face was tense as she gripped the microphone and answered earnestly, "I will do my best to play this role well and strive not to disappoint the audience and the crew."

The reporter wasn't going to let her off the hook, and turned to Lü Rui: "Director Lü, as the director, are you confident in Liu Yifei's performance?"
Previously, one of her classmates revealed that she rarely attended school. Does this mean she has shortcomings in her acting skills...?

"Who says not attending classes equals poor acting skills?" Lü Rui interrupted on the spot, his tone protective. "The Liu Yifei I know stays on set after work to study the script until late at night. When she encounters scenes she doesn't understand, she repeatedly asks her seniors for advice and rehearses with me. How does that mean she has 'poor fundamentals'?"

In his eyes, Liu Yifei's efforts should absolutely not be overshadowed by the label of "missing classes".

She is actually a very dedicated actress, but her beauty makes many people overlook this.

“I can testify,” Jiang Wen chimed in from the side, “My daughter is young, but she takes acting very seriously…”

In his opinion, although his "daughter" is young, her acting skills are not as bad as outsiders think.

Take the most basic crying scene as an example. She never uses eye drops or pepper spray to induce tears. She calms down and thinks about her emotions, and she can cry on cue. This is much better than many actors in the industry.

"Thank you for your recognition, Director Lü and Director Jiang." Liu Yifei looked at the two of them gratefully and added, "I admit that I still have many shortcomings, but I will work harder to make up for them and try not to cause Director Lü any trouble or cause any trouble for the crew."

As Lü Rui listened, he felt very gratified, realizing that his guidance over the years had not been in vain.

Before the atmosphere could even ease, another reporter pressed Liu Yifei: "Your classmate said that you are usually very aloof and don't like to communicate with people. There are even rumors that you 'act like a big shot.' What do you think about this?"

Liu Yifei felt a surge of anger!
Of course she knew who said that.

Jiang Yiyan's previous interviews had already revealed the subtle and overt undertones she was implying.

She truly never expected that, despite her usual kindness and careful maintenance of relationships with classmates and friends, her classmate would ultimately betray her in this way.

She made up her mind that she would stay far away from Jiang Yiyan from now on. The other woman was of such bad character that she didn't deserve to be her friend at all!
However, before she could organize her thoughts to respond, Fan Bingbing suddenly stepped forward and took over the conversation with a smile: "I have to wonder if this 'classmate' is a little jealous of Yifei? Or maybe she doesn't know her at all, which is why she's talking nonsense."

I got along really well with Yifei when we were filming. She has a very gentle personality and is very friendly to the crew. She often offered to fetch water for everyone and greeted them warmly. How could she be 'aloof and arrogant'?

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei turned to look at Fan Bingbing, who had come to her rescue, and felt a warm glow in her heart, secretly casting a grateful glance at her.

The firepower was instantly drawn away.

The reporters were somewhat surprised. Why would Fan Bingbing speak up for Liu Yifei? Aren't they supposed to be rivals?

At this moment, to everyone's surprise, Li Bingbing immediately followed up, adding with a smile: "Yifei is just too quiet and doesn't like to be in a lively atmosphere, but she is absolutely sincere to people."

Although I haven't known her for long, I can tell that she is definitely not what some classmates say she is.

During the script reading, she was very considerate of others. When her assistant made a mistake, she wasn't angry; instead, she comforted the person… These kinds of details don't lie…

She was able to discern the appropriateness of the occasion and knew that helping Liu Yifei at this moment would not only create a positive connection but also demonstrate her seniority.

The fact that Shuang Bing was able to climb to a position comparable to the "Four Dan" (a group of top female stars) is inseparable from her clear-headedness and resourcefulness.

Unlike Huo Siyan, who not only tried to be clever but also ended up getting herself into trouble.

"Thank you both, Sister Bingbing, for your recognition."

Liu Yifei is not the type of person who only endures and never fights back.

If anyone thinks she's easy to bully just because she's young and has a good personality, they're sorely mistaken!

"I know that my acting skills are not something I can talk about, but something I hone through every scene and every detail."

Director Lü, Director Jiang, and the two Bingbing sisters can be seen on set, and audiences will naturally see them when the movie is released.

As for my character, I've always believed in the saying "time reveals all." How I treat the crew, my friends, and my colleagues is judged by everyone; it's not something that can be defined by a few words from one person.

I'm actually quite disappointed. I thought classmates should encourage each other, but I didn't expect to hear such comments.

But that's okay. These kinds of comments remind me to focus more on acting. Letting my work speak for itself is always more powerful than making excuses.

I will continue to do my best, play each role well, and treat everyone sincerely. That's enough.

“Of course.” She narrowed her eyes and continued, “I’m actually a person who has very strong likes and dislikes, so if I find that someone is taking advantage of my kindness and good intentions to do something strange or say something bad, I will immediately distance myself. So please don’t idolize anyone, and I don’t need any shackles…”

At that time, she was only a teenager, but her level of thinking and inner cultivation had already far surpassed those of her peers.

In particular, her clarity and maturity are unmatched by ordinary actresses of the same age.

She does care about what others think, and occasionally gets hurt by false comments, but she always manages to adjust her mindset quickly, avoids getting caught up in negative emotions, and always focuses her energy on improving herself.

While the outside world admires, marvels at, and is jealous of her appearance, few people know that her beauty is merely the least remarkable of her many shining qualities.

As for those who spread rumors, they are nothing but a farce by clowns, unable to stir up any trouble, and not worth her expending any energy to care about.

The reporters fell silent after hearing these words.

Many people nodded secretly at this moment.

As fellow actresses, why does she possess such insight, while others fall short of her?

This is the difference and the difference in level!

The interview ended quickly, and the reporters received their red envelopes and left one after another.

After seeing off the group of leaders and settling the on-site producers arranged by the various production companies, Lü Rui met with the public relations manager.

"Chairman Lü, don't worry, all the media have been taken care of, including the official media. Everyone gets a red envelope."

"Very good." Lu Rui nodded in satisfaction, then changed the subject, "There's one more thing to take care of while we're at it."

"Your command."

“There’s a girl named Jiang Yiyan, who is Liu Yifei’s classmate…” Liu Yifei is broad-minded, but Lü Rui is a bit petty.

He can tolerate grudges that last overnight, and he believes in the saying "a gentleman takes revenge, even after ten years is not too late."

But that's how you deal with an opponent you can't defeat for the time being.

A little karaomi dares to chatter on and on? Does he really think he's something special?
Liu Yifei, you're under my protection, understand?
"I understand what you mean."

The public relations manager nodded in response and quickly left the film crew.

……

Time quickly passed to a little after 11 o'clock, and all preparations were complete.

Lu Rui settled into the director's chair and adjusted the monitor screen via walkie-talkie.

Gu Changwei led the camera crew, adjusting the lens angles around the camera position to ensure that the light and shadow fell in the best position.

The previously noisy film set instantly fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on what was in front of them.

"I hereby announce that filming for 'Dying to Survive' has officially begun!"

Lü Rui's voice carried clearly throughout the entire venue.

The moment the words fell, the clapperboard snapped, and the words "Shot 1, Scene 1" on the white board stood out prominently.

Filming has officially begun!

Almost simultaneously, the familiar system notification sounded in his mind again:

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have successfully held the launch press conference for the film "Dying to Survive" (Dallas Buyers Club Fusion Version).]

[Mission Completion Reward: The A-level talent "Jean-Marc Vallée's 'Character Portrayal' and 'Realistic Cinematic Language' Directing Techniques" has been successfully awarded.]

[Ding! New mission activated. Please complete filming of "Dying to Survive" (Dallas Buyers Club Fusion Version), successfully wrap up filming, and submit the finished film for review.]

[Reward upon completion of the mission: S-rank talent...]

At the same time that "Dying to Survive" started filming, Ruiyue Animation's first animated work, "Qin's Moon: Hundred Steps Flying Sword," also premiered on CCTV-1's "Animation City" prime time slot...

……

ps: Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)