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

Chapter 223 Zhao: He can be replaced! Liu: I'm incredibly clever~ (Seeking monthly votes)

"The casting criteria for 'Pacific Rim' have been officially announced: Qiu Qing (appearance requirement: 23-30 years old, playing a legendary Jaeger pilot), Liu Hongtao (appearance requirement: around 40 years old, playing the highest-ranking officer of the Pacific Rim Defense Force), and Zhong Hongchang (appearance requirement: 35-40 years old, playing a professor of monster research)..."

"The female lead, Xing Fei (around 20 years old, a legendary female mecha pilot with superb fighting skills), has been confirmed to be played by Liu Yifei."

"Female supporting role: Wei Meimei (appearance requirement: 20-27 years old, one of the female mecha pilots, cheerful, outgoing, lively and bright personality), male supporting roles: Jack Hansen, Heck Hansen, Hannibal Chau, Dr. Herman, the three brothers, etc. are all available for selection..."

...

Amidst the anticipation of the entire industry and audiences, the casting requirements for "Pacific Rim" have finally been officially released.

The announcement clearly states that the film will be a "Sino-foreign co-production".

This means that in addition to domestic actors, foreign actors will also join the cast, jointly building a global storyline.

Among them, three core male actors will be selected domestically, corresponding to the male lead and two key supporting male actors.

These three, along with the already confirmed female lead Liu Yifei, will form the core cast of the film, which has the most screen time and runs through the main storyline.

As for the remaining male and female supporting roles, casting will be conducted both domestically and internationally, and even globally.

The core reason for this arrangement is that, in the film's story setting, after the monster crisis breaks out, global forces need to be gathered together to fight it.

This requires the production team to find suitable actors from countries such as the United States, Japan, Russia, Australia, Brazil, and India to play the mecha pilots of each country, in order to fit the core plot of "global united fight against the enemy".

These foreign actors will all appear as supporting characters to ensure that the main narrative always revolves around the core cast.

In addition, the announcement specifically emphasized the casting principle of "not focusing on fame, but only on ability".

The audition process is completely open and transparent, and actors will be comprehensively evaluated through three core stages: script reading, action scene simulation, and green screen adaptation.

Unsurprisingly, this announcement was like a bombshell, instantly waking up the entire entertainment industry!
No one had ever dared to imagine that a sci-fi blockbuster with a budget of $2 million would recruit actors through open casting, and that it would make it clear that it would not value fame or popularity, but would only consider the suitability of the role as the primary criterion.

The significance behind this is self-evident!

Clearly, all the actors were now on equal footing.

Whether you're a top-tier celebrity, a mid-tier veteran, or a newcomer, you'll have the opportunity to compete for roles without worrying about being eliminated early due to insufficient fame.

This is definitely the best opportunity for newcomers!

No one doubts the authenticity of this announcement, because this is a project led by Ruishijie.

As is well known, Ruishijie never gets involved in artist management business. Whenever a new project is launched, it always insists on selecting the most suitable actors from across the entire Chinese entertainment industry.

This alone gives countless actors who yearn to be selected a heavy dose of hope.

Suddenly, many talented actors with limited fame contacted their management teams overnight to polish their resumes, all in an effort to secure an audition opportunity.

Even actors who usually focus on art films and rarely touch commercial blockbusters have become interested.

After all, everyone knows that being able to participate in such a $2 million sci-fi blockbuster is undoubtedly a huge boost to one's career!

Amid this surge of enthusiasm, within an hour of the announcement being released, Ruishijie received over a thousand actor resumes.

From newcomers to seasoned actors who have worked in the industry for many years, the program covers almost all male and female actors in the Chinese entertainment industry who meet the age requirements.

Zhao Liying, who was participating in Yahoo! Search Star at the time, also submitted a resume.

After several rounds of selection, she has successfully entered the finals and become a member of Feng Xiaogang's team.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, signing with Huayi Brothers should not be a problem.

This is where the turning point in my life begins!

She has quit her job as a sales assistant at a pipeline corrosion prevention company and is now determined to try her luck in the entertainment industry.

Perhaps it was because she was young and fearless, but at that moment, looking at the name "Liu Yifei" that was frequently mentioned online, a bold idea popped into her mind.

Perhaps... he could take his place?

Meanwhile, online discussions were raging.

On online forums and blogs, netizens spontaneously created "casting recommendation threads," with topics such as "who is suitable to play a mecha pilot" and "who can handle a hardcore soldier" becoming popular discussion topics.

However, many actresses' eyes were all fixed on the female lead, "Xing Fei".

When they saw the note "Liu Yifei has been confirmed to play the role," everyone had very mixed feelings.

"As expected, it's her again. This 'Smart Girl' reputation is getting louder and louder."

In the dressing room of the "Why Did We Meet Before?" crew, Yang Mi stared at her phone screen, her envy almost impossible to hide.

But besides feeling envious, there's nothing she can do right now.

She had fantasized about playing the female lead, but how could a fantasy become reality?

Back when she was on the set of "The Return of the Condor Heroes", she secretly set a goal to catch up with and even surpass Liu Yifei, but now that goal has been shattered into pieces.

"Mimi, I've already sent your resume to Ruishijie. The lead role is out of the question, but we can try to get the supporting role of Wei Meimei..."

Yang Mi's agent, Zeng Jia, kept rambling on, but she remained completely unmoved.

Female supporting role?

If it's a supporting role in a regular film or television project, then it's worth trying to get one.

But she doesn't think she's qualified to compete for a supporting role in such a top-tier Sino-foreign co-production worth $2 million.

Sending out resumes is just a matter of trying one's luck.

Seeing Yang Mi's low spirits, Zeng Jia paused for a moment, then quickly added, "It doesn't matter if you don't get selected. Rongxingda is about to start filming a thriller movie."

"President Li is personally directing, and I heard he's already spoken to Chen Kun about casting him as the male lead. As for the female lead, you're the only one for him!"

Hearing this, Yang Mi's mood finally improved a little.

At the same time, in the rest area of ​​the "Apple" crew, Huo Siyan stared at the casting announcement for "Pacific Rim" on her phone, and couldn't help but mutter complaints about Liu Yifei to herself.

In her view, the pre-selection of the female lead was a completely unfair choice.

Because she was very certain that the "Rui Girl" title was just a facade.

There must be another, even closer, private relationship between Lü Rui and Liu Yifei.

Otherwise, why would she be able to repeatedly play the leading role in Ruishijie's film and television projects?
Jealousy surged through her like a tide, but she had no choice but to have her assistant submit her resume to the supporting actress category.

As for the female lead role? She doesn't even have the right to daydream about it.

However, what frustrated her even more was that the filming of the "Apple" crew was also going badly at every turn.

Although she had prepared herself mentally for the filming to be quite explicit, she never expected that director Li Yu would not only require her to expose her upper body, but also to be almost completely naked from the waist down.

At most, they can just put some tape in the middle to cover up the key parts, and they can't wear anything else.

It's fortunate that she has more body hair than the average woman, which provides some cover; otherwise, the tape would have been useless, and she would have been completely exposed inside and out.

Moreover, filming not only requires nudity, but the performance also has to be quite seductive.

This also makes her think of Li An's evaluation of her when she auditioned for "Lust, Caution" every time she films a bed scene.

"Too sexy."

These three words made her depressed for a long time.

What's even more outrageous is that the male actor I worked with was actually... gay!
She really didn't expect that Dong Dawei, who seemed so sunny and normal and who supposedly even had a girlfriend, was actually not straight!
She discovered this during a scene filmed in the bathroom, when she was lifted up and pressed against the wall.

In that ambiguous and intimate atmosphere, Dong Dawei didn't react at all.

No matter how she tried to seduce him with her eyes and body language, he remained unmoved.

Considering the hidden rumors circulating within the industry about him and the "Eight Beauties of Shixue," the answer is almost obvious.

She had initially developed a strong liking for this handsome man because she was so immersed in the role, and even had some other thoughts about him.

But this discovery made her feel nauseous, as if she had swallowed a bowl of spoiled food, and it greatly diminished her enthusiasm for filming.

At the same time, Jing Tian, ​​who had just finished filming "Python," was following Lu Zheng to visit Lü Rui at Ruishijie.

The female lead is gone, but there's still the female supporting character.

Regardless of the consequences, let's go and test the waters first.

Unexpectedly, when the two arrived at the door, they found it empty.

"I'm sorry, our Chairman Lü is not in the company today," Secretary Liang Lulu politely reminded him, while gesturing for him to leave. Lu Zheng was unwilling to leave just like that and pressed on, "When will he be back? I have something very important to discuss with him."

"I don't know," Liang Lulu replied calmly.

Before leaving, Lü Rui specifically instructed that he should focus on his work for the next few days and not see anyone.

As a secretary, she naturally had to strictly follow instructions.

"..."

Lu Zheng was speechless for a moment. Helpless, he could only leave Jing Tian's resume behind and take his leave with his men.

He had tried calling Lü Rui before, but the other party kept the phone off, obviously wanting to avoid any trouble.

"Uncle Lu, where are we going now?" Jing Tian asked curiously, blinking her eyes as she got into the car.

"Let's go to Wanda Plaza."

Lu Zheng really couldn't think of any other way, so he could only hope to buy the female supporting role through Wanda.

Many people are eyeing this role, and everyone is showing off their unique talents.

Relying on her good personal relationship with Liu Yifei, Shu Chang made a special call to inquire about the situation.

Unfortunately, Liu Yifei was also unsure of the specific casting requirements for this supporting role, and could only reply truthfully: "Send your resume first, and I'll ask around for you when I have the chance, but I can't guarantee I can help!"

She knew exactly what she was doing; she knew one thing at a time. There were some favors she could offer, but others she couldn't just agree to blindly.

Although in front of Lü Rui, she often acted like a carefree and naive girl.

But actually, just like it's written in the book, people in love usually have their IQ automatically drop to zero.

But she is clear-headed and knows her place.

Otherwise, when she first met Lü Rui, she wouldn't have been so perceptive as to realize that he was looking for a suitable actress.

Moreover, in all the time they've known each other, she has never once acted like a child, or done anything that would annoy Lu Rui, nor has she ever said anything that would upset him.

She's just young, a bit love-struck, and sometimes seems a bit naive; she's what Lu Rui calls "Little Fei Bao."

But actually she's not silly at all; in fact, most of the time she's incredibly witty!
"Thank you, Sisi. Here's a kiss for you, mwah~"

Shu Chang was deeply moved.

Even if Liu Yifei didn't promise anything, the fact that she agreed to help ask around is already a huge favor.

"What have you been busy with lately? Do you want to come over to my house?" Liu Yifei asked casually, feeling a bit bored.

"I'm filming right now. I'll come find you when I forget about you in a while."

What kind of film or television project are you shooting? A TV series?

"Yes, it's called 'Magic Phone,' and the plot is quite interesting and very fun."

Are you the female lead?

"Yes, the female lead, her character's name is Silly Girl."

"what???"

Liu Yifei's eyes widened slightly, filled with confusion.

What is this name?
Which TV series has a female lead named "Silly Girl"?

That's so weird!
While she was still bewildered by the name "Silly Girl," little did she know that Han Sanping was even more confused than she was.

Looking at the storyboard sketches of mechs and monsters handed to him by Lü Rui, he couldn't help but sigh, "You and Jiang Wen are truly two completely different extremes!"

I remember the first time the two met was on the set of "Looking for a Gun".

At the time, Han Sanping thought that Lü Rui was an apprentice that Jiang Wen had found.

But he gradually discovered that this was not the case at all.

How can an apprentice be more awesome than his master?

The more he looked at these storyboard sketches, the more unreal they seemed to him.

Such vivid, sci-fi-inspired sketches, with precise lighting and composition, were actually drawn by director Lü Rui himself?

The metallic texture of the mechs and the ferocious details of the monsters, even without being made into physical objects, exude a strong sense of realism just by looking at the drawings.

Could this guy have been taught by that old bastard Jiang Wen?
That guy often boasted after drinking that he was the one who promoted Lü Rui.

Han Sanping believed it at first, but from now on, he completely stops believing it.

If that guy ever acts cocky or brags again, he'll throw this storyboard in his face and see how he can still act so arrogant!
Although Lü Rui couldn't figure out Han Sanping's thoughts, he didn't care and asked directly, "So, with these blueprints, can you recreate it 1:1?"

Although they acquired two prop teams from Huayi Brothers and brought in a team from the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, along with Ruishijie's own staff, the scale was already quite large.

Designing monsters is one thing, but building mechs is really a challenge for them.

This thing is incredibly technologically advanced!
Hiring a team from Hollywood was too expensive, so Lü Rui wondered if the Chinese Academy of Sciences could help him out.
He has no chance of finding it himself, but having China Film Group handle it is a completely different matter.

"It should be about right." Han Sanping didn't hesitate and immediately stood up: "Let's go, I'm free right now, let's go find an expert together."

"Row."

Lu Rui followed him around, going from one game to another, visiting various science and technology institutes and academies.

Thanks to China Film Group's influence and the significance of the project, the Chinese Academy of Sciences actually agreed to provide technical support, giving it the green light all the way.

One of its subsidiaries, which specializes in robotics research, has expressed its willingness to allocate a team of twenty people to guide the design and provide technical support for the mecha.

Their only requirement was that Lü Rui provide them with the open-source blueprints.

These mecha design drawings from after 2010 greatly shocked the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Technology Department in 06!
They gained a lot of design inspiration from the drawings.

Lu Rui was quite surprised when he realized this.

He truly didn't expect that a few blueprints could actually help the country's research and development.

Actually, these diagrams were only able to be drawn thanks to system rewards.

After the script passed the Film Bureau's review some time ago, the system gave him a new reward.

[C-level talent: "Guillermo del Toro's futuristic design techniques incorporating mechanical, robotic, and sci-fi elements"]

Using this talent, combined with the storyboard sketch drawing skills he had previously acquired, Lü Rui was finally able to draw the mecha design he wanted.

He didn't think much of it at the time, but now, this futuristic style seems to have some epoch-making significance!

"No problem, you can use these drawings however you want."

Lü Rui readily agreed, feeling quite proud to be able to help the country's scientific research.

Both parties quickly reached an agreement and agreed on the time for the new members to join the team.

Subsequently, Lü Rui and Han Sanping left the Chinese Academy of Sciences together.

On the way back, Han Sanping cheerfully brought up China Film Group's investment plans for the next few years:
"With your film 'Pacific Rim,' plus Wu Yu's 'Red Cliff,' and Chen Kexin's 'The Warlords,' domestic commercial blockbusters will definitely usher in a new era of glory..."

Lu Rui listened with a somewhat complicated expression.

He had thought that after the failure of "The Promise," China Film Group would curb its plans to invest in big-budget films.

Judging from Han Sanping's posture, he was completely unaffected!
I have to say, the country is pretty rich...

As the two were chatting, the secretary in the passenger seat suddenly turned around and said, "Mr. Han, Stephen Chow's new project has been officially announced."

"Oh, I see."

Han Sanping was not surprised by this, because he was aware that China Film Group had also invested in Zhou Xingchi's new project.

As Lü Rui listened, he frowned slightly and recalled for a moment, when a name suddenly popped into his head.

CJ7!
At the same time, the name of another "Star Girl" also came up.

Zhang Yuqi!
He clearly remembered that this person was no pushover either!
While he was pondering Zhang Yuqi, on the other side, Wang Zhonglei looked at Fan Bingbing in front of him and for the first time had the thought that he "couldn't understand" her...

(End of this chapter)