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

Chapter 216 Ordinary Socializing? An Extraordinary Topic! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"This morning, the crime film 'New World,' a co-production between mainland China and Hong Kong, co-produced by Ruishijie and Yinghuang and directed by Lu Yang, officially started filming in Kowloon City."

"Yang Shoucheng, chairman of Yinghuang, personally came to the scene to show his support, saying that 'New World' will definitely be a work that can bring a huge 'surprise' to the Chinese film industry."

"It is understood that South Korea's CJ Entertainment has reached multiple film and television copyright cooperation agreements with Ruishijie. Several films produced by Ruishijie are expected to be remade into Korean versions or released in the South Korean market."

...

Because he had several jobs to finish as soon as possible, Lü Rui did not personally go to Hong Kong to attend the launch press conference for "New World".

However, to show his emphasis on the project, he specially arranged for Hou Hongliang to attend in his place.

With the general manager of Ruishijie stepping forward, his position is more than sufficient, and I believe Yinghuang will have no complaints.

Hou Hongliang flew back from Hong Kong on the afternoon of the same day the press conference for the start of filming ended.

Upon arriving at the company, he immediately went to the office and reported the situation to Lü Rui:
"Many media outlets attended the press conference, but they didn't mention a single topic unrelated to the film. It's clear that Yinghuang had given prior notice and kept the direction of the story under control."

Chairman Yang left after the press conference, but specifically left Huo Wenxi behind to stay with the crew. He even instructed everyone in front of the entire production team that if there were any problems with location coordination or personnel communication, they should contact her directly to ensure the filming schedule was not delayed.

As Lü Rui listened, he nodded slightly, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

He knows it perfectly well.

Yinghuang is not an easy target in Hong Kong.

In its early years, it built a solid foundation through entertainment and real estate development. In recent years, with preferential policies and resources from the mainland, its status has risen even higher.

Moreover, "New World" is no ordinary project; it is Yinghuang's "stepping stone" to open up the mainland market. How could Yang Shoucheng not take it seriously?
“As long as someone is specifically following the team, there won’t be any major trouble in Hong Kong,” Lu Rui said with great certainty.

In his view, since the project has already started filming, it's just a few minor troubles at most.

At worst, the extras' union might deliberately delay filming for half a day, or the equipment rental company might be two hours late in delivering the equipment. It's absolutely impossible for something major to cause a filming interruption.

After all, blocking someone's path to wealth is tantamount to killing their parents!
Even if those people in the Hong Kong entertainment circle are dissatisfied, they wouldn't dare to really go too far.

How domineering was Xiang Huaqiang in the Hong Kong film and television industry back then? He could promote whomever he wanted and suppress whomever he wanted. But now he's become as restrained as a nice guy, following the rhythm of the mainland market in everything he does.

Others wouldn't dare.

If you really offend Yinghuang and Ruishijie, you'll be blocking your own path to wealth, which is just asking for trouble!
Hou Hongliang pressed on, "So, should I continue to follow up on this project? Or...?"

"No need." Lü Rui waved his hand. "Just let Yinghuang keep an eye on it. We don't need to send our people over."

He was confident about the quality of the film.

Lu Yang has been working on Ruishijie's film projects for almost two years.

From camera language to storyboarding, from pacing to actor direction, Lü Ruike has given him a lot of hands-on guidance.

If you still can't make a decent crime film with a single narrative, then you shouldn't even think about becoming a director. You should go back to the Beijing Film Academy and study the basics of directing theory with Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Lu Rui actually trusted him quite a bit, mainly because the kid was both ambitious and had considerable talent.

He comes from a good family and hasn't been influenced by the superficiality of the industry. Instead, he is willing to focus on studying scripts and refining shots, making him a natural fit for directing.

These hardworking and talented young people, given a reliable platform and some support, can often unleash their potential beyond expectations.

There are always people on Tieba posting "No one helps me to reach the clouds, I will tread the snow to the mountain peak myself", but Lu Yang is different.

He has the tenacity to climb mountains in the snow, and now he has an opportunity to help him. As long as he can stay calm, he will most likely be able to forge his own path.

After discussing "New World," Hou Hongliang changed the subject and mentioned his collaboration with CJ:

"That Park Bo-sung was quite straightforward; he bought almost all the distribution and remake rights for the films produced by our company without even haggling over the price."

Lu Rui raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: "How was the price?"

Hou Hongliang smiled and gestured: "It's 30% higher than the current market price."

I specifically mentioned to them that if there were any remakes later, we could send a team to provide filming guidance, and he agreed on the spot, even saying he was willing to add an extra technical service fee.

"Haha, then this was definitely a good deal." Lu Rui laughed.

This collaboration will bring Ruishijie at least an eight-figure sum.

With the investment in Pacific Rim secured, the construction of Ruixing Industrial Park can move forward further.

Although the name Park Bo-sung sounds a bit strange, it's like a timely rain that came out of nowhere.

Hou Hongliang suddenly remarked with some emotion, "I specifically looked into CJ, and I must say, they're really impressive, especially their financial strength—it's incredibly robust!"

CJ Entertainment is a subsidiary of the CJ Group.

The predecessor of CJ Group was Cheil Sugar Co., Ltd., which was established in 1953. It was the first sugar manufacturing company in South Korea and was founded by Lee Byung-chul, the founder of Samsung Group.

Later, Cheil Industries became independent from Samsung Group and gradually developed into the CJ Group.

Entertainment and film are just one of CJ's many businesses; they also operate in food and beverage services, biopharmaceuticals, home shopping and logistics, and many others.

In 03, CJ Entertainment established a subsidiary specializing in the production of Korean films, which is also the company where Park Bo-sung currently works.

Its screening companies, CJ and CGV, own 17 theaters and 136 cinemas throughout South Korea, making them a formidable force!

Lu Rui stopped laughing, his expression somewhat complicated, and said, "South Korea is quite accepting of Hollywood's operating methods, and its overall industrial system is more mature than ours, and its audience's aesthetics are more 'international'."

Therefore, once their film and television content fully enters the mainland, their mass-produced idol dramas and girl groups could very well create a devastating impact.

"Selling copyrights now is about making money in the short term, but we need to pay more attention to their operating model and prepare in advance."

“Okay, I’ve got it all.” Hou Hongliang nodded seriously, then continued to ask, “So, should we start working on Pacific Rim next?”

Lu Rui hummed in agreement, his eyes darkening slightly: "Once I've perfected the script and it's successfully approved, we'll start immediately."

Now, after his adjustments and planning, the overall worldview of the film is very complete, and the rest is just about filling in the details.

For example, the origins of mechs, the design of monsters, and the distribution of global bases all need to be sorted out.

This film is not just a new project for him, but also a new starting point for his career and a huge leap in his directing career!
A $200 million production project—in today's Chinese film market, no one can produce one like that.

Even when looking at the global film market, they are among the very top tier.

He can't wait to show off his skills!
It's already mid-June, and he plans to finish the final draft by the end of the month to ensure that subsequent preparations are not delayed.

……

Time flies, and it's already late June.

Lu Rui buried himself in the script for "Pacific Rim," almost entering a state of seclusion.

Meanwhile, Fan Bingbing was also busy.

Although she still has six months left on her contract with Huayi Brothers, she has accelerated the preparations for her personal studio, with her schedule packed every day, from team building to business coordination.

Once the contract expires, the sky's the limit and the sea's the limit.

At the same time, she didn't stop her fitness plan.

To prepare for her role as a Jaeger pilot in Pacific Rim, she practically lived in the gym, lifting weights, working out, and learning martial arts, never slacking off.

Moreover, she would send an email to Lü Rui every two days without fail.

"Director Lü, today's fitness plan is complete, please check~" The email always contains only a short sentence, along with a few photos of her working out in tight yoga clothes.

Sometimes it's a side profile after lifting weights, sometimes it's a back view while stretching—it doesn't seem like deliberate flattery, yet it clearly shows your hard work.

After successfully sending the message, Fan Bingbing turned off her computer with satisfaction.

She knew perfectly well that Lü Rui would most likely not reply, but this kind of "making her presence felt" was necessary.

Because she wanted the other person to see her efforts and her sincerity in preparing for the role... This is much more effective than simply saying "I can do it".

During auditions, these details might be the final straw that breaks the back of other competitors.

She doesn't aspire to leave her competitors far behind, but as long as she can surpass them, even if it's just by a few steps, it's a success.

"Jin Suo! You can do it! You can do it!"

She whispered encouragement to herself in the mirror, even resorting to stimulation, her eyes filled with determination.

Then, she got up and went to the bathroom, intending to take a hot shower, put on a face mask, and get some beauty sleep.

Before this, she often suffered from insomnia due to Huayi cutting off resources, fearing that she would be eliminated from the industry.

But now it's different.

With Lu Rui, their "big spender," around, Huayi is nothing to worry about.

My question is, could the Wang brothers really come up with $2 million to invest in a movie? Could they possibly get her involved in a project of the caliber of "Pacific Rim"?
The answer is obviously no.

However, Ruishijie can.

Therefore, she no longer has the anxiety of the past, and only looks forward to the future.

"Jingle Bell--"

I had just finished showering and was walking out of the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe when my phone on the table suddenly rang.

Fan Bingbing reached out and picked it up. When she saw the name "Lv Rui" on the caller ID, her eyes lit up instantly, and she almost immediately pressed the answer button.

"Director Lü?"

She deliberately softened her voice, which sounded slightly hoarse from just having showered, making it sound exceptionally gentle.

"Are you asleep?" Lu Rui's voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding quite calm.

"No, I just finished showering," Fan Bingbing quickly replied, her heart skipping a beat. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Are you free to come out now?

Fan Bingbing glanced at the clock on the wall; it was only nine o'clock, very early.

Without much hesitation, she immediately replied, "It's convenient, just tell me the location!"

Lu Rui asked again, "Can we drink?"

"can!"

She answered decisively, her tone brimming with excitement. Far from having any reservations, she couldn't help but wonder if Lü Rui had finally seen the light and was about to make his move on her.
The moment this thought popped into her head, it was like fireworks exploding in her heart, incredibly dazzling!

If that's the case, it would make her even happier than getting a role in Pacific Rim!
She was all too aware of her current situation.

Relying on a few hit roles and previous hype and marketing, she can now compete with the "Four Dan Actresses" (a group of four top actresses), but this momentum is entirely supported by resources.

If subsequent resources are cut off, it won't be long before the audience completely forgets about them.

There are too many examples like this in the entertainment industry.

They might get a brief period of popularity due to good luck, but once the resources don't keep up, they quickly fade into obscurity. That's the reality.

Why do actors work so hard to become famous? It's because if you don't become extremely famous, nobody will remember you.

Even if someone was once famous, without continuous exposure, they will still become a has-been, and their income and status will plummet.

Especially for actresses, their golden age only lasts a few years. Once they get older, it's incredibly difficult to make it back to the top!
The reason why "late bloomers" are considered admirable is precisely because there are so few such people.
Although Fan Bingbing's career has been thriving in the past two years, her status remains very low, which is why she is so determined to work with Lü Rui and wants to collaborate with Rui Vision.

But simple male-female collaboration always feels like there's something between them.

If she could take another step closer in their private lives... then her position would be completely secure!

After all, the entertainment industry is a very realistic place.

If you want a sugar daddy to support you, you either have to make him money or satisfy him physically and mentally. Otherwise, why would he support you?
As Fan Bingbing was lost in thought, Lu Rui's voice came through the receiver again: "I'll send you an address later. Just come over. Don't worry, it's not some random drinking party, just a simple social event."

When it comes to business, having a girl around is far more helpful than having a man.

Especially for women who can drink alcohol, and female celebrities in the industry, that's an even bigger weapon!
"Ok."

After hanging up the phone, Fan Bingbing quickly saw the address sent by Lü Rui.

It was a very secluded private restaurant.

Without hesitation, she rushed into the dressing room, picked out a black blazer that flattered her figure without being flashy, put on some delicate makeup, and hurriedly left in her high heels.

On the way, she was still thinking about how to behave tonight to make Lü Rui more satisfied.

But she didn't expect that what awaited her was not the kind of private invitation she had imagined!
How is your English?

At the entrance of the private restaurant, Lü Rui met Fan Bingbing, who had rushed over.

Tonight's gathering was originally supposed to be a pure gathering of idioms, but suddenly two female managers from Warner Bros. came to the client's side.

Social interactions between men and women have too many limitations, so Lü Rui had no choice but to find a woman to help him out.

Liu Yifei could not possibly be.

She's too young, and she can only drink three glasses of wine. Not only will she not be able to entertain the clients properly, but we'll also have to take care of her.

The secretary and assistant have already gone home, so it's not appropriate to call them over so late.

After much deliberation, Lü Rui thought of Fan Bingbing.

She's a master of drinking and has high emotional intelligence; she'd be perfect for the job!
"It's alright. I specifically studied it, and I have no problem communicating normally."

Fan Bingbing said, still somewhat puzzled.

Isn't this about drinking? Why do we need to speak English?

Could it be that Director Lü likes to hear girls say "Yes"?
Just as she was wondering what was going on, Lü Rui led her into the private room.

The next second, she was completely stunned.

what's the situation?
Why are there so many foreigners?
After introducing themselves, Fan Bingbing's smile froze for a moment when she realized that this was really just an ordinary social gathering. Her expectations were instantly dashed, but she quickly recovered and started drinking and chatting with the foreign women.

But she soon reacted.

Tonight's dinner party may seem like just an ordinary social gathering, but the topics everyone is discussing are anything but ordinary!
She vaguely understood.

Lu Rui actually wants to buy a movie theater?!

(End of this chapter)