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

Chapter 266 We've never been friends with demons! Want to audition? Get certified first... (Seeking monthly votes)
"Brother Rui, you're here."

Good morning, Director Lü.

"..."

As soon as Lü Rui stepped into the audition area of ​​"Nanjing Photo Studio", he was greeted by a chorus of greetings.

The scene was bustling with people.

The staff of Ruishijie were organizing materials, while the actors from outside the company, accompanied by their agents and assistants, were discussing details with the casting team, creating a lively and bustling scene.

Lu Rui's gaze swept across the crowd, and he immediately spotted Huang Xiaoming, who had come over to him. He greeted him with a smile, "Xiaoming, has your 'The Deer and the Cauldron' wrapped up filming?"

"Haha, filming has wrapped up."

Huang Xiaoming responded cheerfully, his face full of high spirits.

Since the ratings exploded after "The Return of the Condor Heroes" last year, he has firmly secured his position as the top of the "Four Little Fresh Meat" (a term referring to four popular young male actors).

Even though the film "The Banquet," in which he starred, flopped at the box office, the subsequent hit "New Shanghai Bund" brought back his reputation.

Furthermore, he recently finished filming "The Deer and the Cauldron," adapted from Jin Yong's novel of the same name, which can be said to have brought his TV drama resources and national popularity to the peak!
Recently, after several rounds of auditions and after careful consideration, Shen Ao selected him to play the role of Su Liuchang, a young postman in "Nanjing Photo Studio".

This made Huang Xiaoming quite pleased with himself!

With success in both television and film, it's like reaching the pinnacle of life!

Lü Rui had no objection to him being cast as the lead actor.

Firstly, he had a good impression of Huang Xiaoming, who was emotionally intelligent, knew how to get along with people, and had taken good care of Liu Yifei during the filming of "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

Secondly, although "Nanjing Photo Studio" is a historical/war film, it leans more towards commercial film attributes than art film.

Huang Xiaoming's current popularity is just enough to boost the film's box office.

Regarding the original lead actor Liu Haoran, Lü Rui felt that his acting skills were really not good, and the character he portrayed had many flaws.

In contrast, Huang Xiaoming is much better off.

Of course, the prerequisite is to find several "actors with solid acting skills" to play supporting roles for him.

Because he has a terrible habit: his acting is inconsistent, sometimes good, sometimes bad; he's great against strong opponents and terrible against weak ones, which is quite frustrating...

After chatting with Huang Xiaoming for a couple of minutes, Lü Rui turned to Shu Chang beside him and teased with a smile, "What about you? Silly girl? You've got your schedule all cleared?"

"Yes, they're all freed up."

Shu Chang nodded in agreement, but her cheeks instantly flushed red. In her mind, she was furiously criticizing Liu Yifei for her loose tongue, spreading rumors everywhere that she had played a silly girl.

After her cameo role in Pacific Rim, she co-starred with Vincent Chiao in a wildly imaginative fantasy drama called Magic Phone.

It's worth mentioning that this drama is almost entirely made up of the original cast of "The Lotus Lantern".

However, after Liu Yifei found out, she always called her "Silly Girl, Silly Girl," and unexpectedly, even Lü Rui remembered this nickname.

It goes without saying that once "Magic Phone" is officially launched, this nickname will probably spread throughout the entire industry.

In "Nanjing Photo Studio", she successfully auditioned for the lead role of "Lin Yuxiu".

The reason I was able to land this role was not only because of my outstanding performance in the audition, but also because of Shen Ao's adaptation of the character.

In the original story, Lin Yuxiu was just an ordinary supporting actress who was forced to take refuge in Jixiang Photo Studio after the massacre.

During the day, she and the photo studio owner, Kim Seung-jong, pretended to be husband and wife to deceive the Japanese army. At night, they plotted with others on how to transport the negatives out to expose the truth of the massacre that the Japanese army had covered up.

However, in the revised setting, Shin Ao suggested setting the character as Kim Seung-jong's cousin.

Because in the original setting, Lin Yuxiu's connection with the main characters was too weak, and she couldn't participate deeply in many plot points.

But things changed when she was changed to Kim Seung-jong's cousin.

Jin Chengzong is the owner of the photo studio. Lin Yuxiu came to Nanjing to stay with her cousin, which not only reasonably explains why she appeared in the photo studio, but also creates a natural emotional bond between her and the main characters.

What's even more ingenious is that, by leveraging her identity as an "actress," they can add some supplementary scenes.

For example, she could use her skills in imitation and adaptability to help the main characters pass on information, or she could pretend to argue with her cousin and secretly pass on messages in her hometown dialect.

This not only enriches the characters' roles but also adds more tension to the plot.

After hearing the proposal, Lü Rui felt that the adaptation was quite reasonable and would not affect the core plot, so he approved it.

"Don't be too nervous during filming. Your role is quite crucial, so you must give it your best performance," Lü Rui specifically instructed.

"Don't worry, I will, Director Lü!"

Shu Chang nodded vigorously, her eyes full of anticipation.

This is her first time acting in a historical war film, which is quite a breakthrough for her.

Besides Shu Chang, Lü Rui also saw Tian Yu.

Previously, in "Pacific Rim," he played a monster black market dealer, and his nuanced acting left a deep impression on Shen Ao.

Therefore, when "Nanjing Photo Studio" was being prepared, Shen Ao directly brought him over and asked him to play the role of the translator "Wang Guanghai".

The character is designed to move between the Japanese army and ordinary civilians.

The role requires both a shrewd, opportunistic approach and a hidden struggle stemming from helplessness; Tian Yu's acting style perfectly captures this complexity.

"Director Lü."

Upon seeing Lü Rui approach, Tian Yu quickly bowed respectfully to greet him.

To be honest, he was still quite confused.

Unexpectedly, after playing a supporting role in "Pacific Rim," it hasn't been long before I had the opportunity to collaborate with Ruishijie again.

Lu Rui patted him on the shoulder and said seriously, "The role of Wang Guanghai is not easy to play. You have to portray the 'softness' of a translator, but also the 'toughness' in his bones. You'll have to think about it a lot when the time comes."

Tian Yu nodded quickly: "Director Lü, don't worry, I've already read the script several times and prepared several performance directions. I'll work on them with Director Shen later."

"it is good."

After greeting Tian Yu, Lü Rui's gaze fell on the Jin family's section of the cast list.

The core family storyline that drives the plot revolves around Jin Chengzong, the owner of a photography studio, his wife Zhao Yifang, and their daughter Jin Wanyi.

Among them, Jin Chengzong was won over by Wang Jinsong, while Zhao Yifang secured Mei Ting.

Both of them are recognized as top actors in the industry.

Just looking at their names made Lü Rui feel exceptionally at ease.

Wang Jinsong's acting skills and ability to create characters have long been proven by the market.

Mei Ting, as one of the earliest actors that Lü Rui collaborated with, has always been able to bring her characters to life with her delicate performances, from "Parents' Love" to various art films.

Zhao Yifang's image of being "gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, silently supporting her husband" requires almost no adjustment.

"With Wang Jinsong and Mei Ting leading the charge, Huang Xiaoming's Su Liuchang should be able to reach his best form," Lü Rui thought to himself.

Huang Xiaoming's "the stronger the opponent, the stronger he becomes" attribute requires reliable co-stars to bring it to life.

Wang Jinsong and Mei Ting are undoubtedly his best partners.

Compared to the smooth casting of the parents, the casting of the daughter, Jin Wanyi, took some effort.

The character is set to be around 10 years old, and needs to portray the innocence and precocity of a child in a chaotic world.

Zhao Jinmai was excluded early on because she did not meet the age requirement.

During the audition period, quite a few child stars of the appropriate age came.

Guan Xiaotong, Zhang Xueying... these are all here with their representative works, and there's also Huang Mengtong who came all the way from Hong Kong hoping to try her luck.

However, after repeated communication and comprehensive consideration, Lü Rui and Shen Ao finally chose Wang Yuwen, an amateur actress from Wuhan, Hubei.

Both of them wanted to find actors who were "blank slates" and had high versatility.

In contrast, Guan Xiaotong and Zhang Xueying, having already played many roles, possess certain acting skills, but their thinking and image have become somewhat rigid and fixed, lacking a certain unrefined liveliness.

The character of Jin Wanyi requires a kind of 'purity' that can make the audience empathize with her at first glance.

Although Wang Yuwen had never acted before, the light in her eyes was very pure during the audition.

Moreover, she has been learning to sing and dance since she was a child, and she is very poised and confident in front of the camera.

Although she lacked filming experience, her strength lay in her versatility; with a little guidance, she could definitely produce excellent results. When Lü Rui later reviewed her file, he discovered that this young woman was actually from the same city as Liu Yifei—quite a coincidence.

The role of patrol officer "Song Cunyi" was finally decided upon.

Considering the limited number of actors from the Beijing Film Academy in the production team, the casting group turned their attention to Huang Haibo after screening.

He is a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy's class of '97. He previously collaborated with Huang Xiaoming on "New Shanghai Bund," where his portrayal of Ding Li was deeply memorable.

Huang Haibo is currently experiencing a surge in popularity, possessing solid acting skills and an approachable demeanor.

In the plot, Song Cunyi is outwardly a patrolman maintaining order, but in reality, he secretly helps the main characters pass on messages. This dual nature allows him to make the most of his strengths.

After finalizing all the positive roles, the actor for the villainous Japanese photographer "Hideo Ito" was also selected.

Lü Rui and Shen Ao both chose Yano Koji.

As a recognized "Japanese soldier specialist" in the domestic film and television industry, Koji Yano has long mastered the art of playing such roles.

He never portrays Japanese soldiers in a stereotypical, "fierce and menacing" manner. Instead, he uses subtle expressions and movements to reveal the complexity of the characters' inner world.

It contains both the cruelty of the invaders and the photographer's obsession with "beauty." This contradiction perfectly matches Hideo Ito's premise of recording atrocities with his lens while attempting to cover up the evil with art.

At this point, the main cast of "Nanjing Photo Studio" was basically finalized.

With seasoned actors like Wang Jinsong and Mei Ting, popular and talented actors like Huang Xiaoming and Huang Haibo, familiar faces like Tian Yu and Shu Chang, and the addition of Wang Yuwen and Yano Koji, the team is both stable and full of surprises.

Lu Rui specifically circled Yano Koji's name on the list and said to Shen Ao, "Koji has a very thorough understanding of the characters. When I watched his previous works, I could feel his reverence for history. He doesn't deliberately glorify villains, which is very important."

Going forward, he can have more scenes with Huang Xiaoming. One plays the aggressor, the other the resister; the tension in their scenes together needs to be maximized.

"Okay." Shen Ao nodded gently in agreement.

He also acknowledged Yano Koji's abilities, believing that with such an actor involved, the quality of the villainous storyline should be elevated to another level.

After reviewing the complete cast list, Lü Rui signed his name at the end: "Next, I'll first contact the state-owned enterprises, such as China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and Xi'an Film Group, to confirm the details of the subsequent cooperation. After that, we can make an official announcement."

"Okay, Brother Rui."

Shen Ao immediately gave his assistant a look, and the assistant quickly jotted down the task in his notebook.

The production cost of "Nanjing Photo Studio" was set at 1.5 million yuan, a figure specifically benchmarked against Lu Chuan's "Nanjing! Nanjing!" which cost 1.3 million yuan.

Lu Rui was unsure whether Lu Chuan was exaggerating, but he was very clear about his requirements for his project.

Not a penny less!

At the same time, every penny must be spent wisely!

Costumes and props must recreate the historical feel; set construction must not be cut corners; and post-production must maintain a high standard…

All of this requires sufficient financial support, and he will never allow cost issues to affect the quality of the film.

As for the production companies, apart from Ruishijie as the main controller, the rest are all state-owned enterprises such as China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and Xi'an Film Group.

Lü Rui needs them to ensure the film passes censorship.

Historical war themes are inherently sensitive, and those involving heavy topics like the "Nanjing Massacre" face even stricter censorship standards.

With state-owned enterprises involved in the production, the industry resources can be leveraged to coordinate the review process, and the subject matter can be more aligned with mainstream values, thus avoiding review obstacles due to minor issues.

Among them, Shanghai Film Group bears a heavier responsibility in this collaboration.

To recreate the historical scenes as accurately as possible, the production team plans to replicate a Nanjing street during the War of Resistance against Japan at a 1:1 scale at the Shanghai Chedun Film and Television Base.

From street-side photo studios and post offices to alleyway residences and shops, every detail had to match the architectural style and lifestyle of the time.

Fortunately, Shanghai Film Group has extensive experience in set construction, and its team will participate in the entire replication process.

From blueprint design to material selection and set design, everything will strictly adhere to historical records to ensure that the "Nanjing" that the audience sees on the screen is authentic and immersive.

The efficiency of several production companies far exceeded expectations.

That afternoon, China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and Xi'an Film Group successively received the complete project proposal from Ruishijie.

The review process went smoothly, and after the person in charge signed and stamped the document, it was faxed back to Ruishijie, and the corresponding investment funds were also fully received.

Even Xi'an Film Studio, which is always short of funds, was unusually generous this time.

Previously, "Tuya's Marriage" won the Berlin Golden Bear Award, and Xi'an Film Studio, as the investor, made a fortune.

Zhang Piming hadn't even had time to enjoy the copyright fee before he poured it all into "Nanjing Photo Studio".

Not only that, he also specially sent a team of experienced production staff to assist him, which was almost excessively enthusiastic.

However, this enthusiasm is not hard to understand.

Xi'an Film Studio has been poor for too many years, lacking good film resources and long since lost its former glory.

Now that they've finally managed to get affiliated with Ruishijie and are even able to participate in the investment and production of commercial blockbusters, they're naturally going all out to cooperate.

People as stupid as Yu Dong, who could be enshrined in a museum, are ultimately a minority.

So, the very next morning, the official announcement regarding the "Nanjing Photo Studio" was released:

"[Sohu Entertainment Morning News]: This morning, Ruishijie, together with China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and Xi'an Film Group, officially announced the cast list for the historical/war film 'Nanjing Photo Studio'."

Actors including Huang Xiaoming, Shu Chang, Tian Yu, Wang Jinsong, Mei Ting, Huang Haibo, Yano Koji, and Wang Yuwen will co-star in the film, which will focus on the Nanjing Massacre, exposing the atrocities committed by the Japanese army and showcasing the nation's suffering and struggle.

"It is reported that the investment in 'Nanjing Photo Studio' is as high as 1.5 million RMB. The production team will recreate the Nanjing streets during the War of Resistance against Japan at a 1:1 scale at the Chedun Film and Television Base."

Director Shen Ao spoke about the scriptwriting process, saying that he had a long talk with Director Lü Rui all night, with the aim of letting more people understand and remember this unforgettable history through this film!

Jiang Wenyu posted on his blog, boldly commenting on the significance of the publication of "Nanjing Photo Studio": "We must tear apart the hypocrisy of a nation to know that we have never been friends with evil!"

These words directly targeted Lu Chuan's previous promotional statements for "Nanjing! Nanjing!", instantly pushing the two films with similar themes to opposite sides of public opinion.

On one hand, "Nanjing Photo Studio" clearly states its core theme as "exposing the evil face and remembering the suffering of history."

On the other hand, Lu Chuan insisted on the argument that "war is a common suffering for both nations, and the Japanese invaders also had their difficulties."

The difference in public opinion is immediately apparent when the two sides are compared!
Lu Chuan originally planned to promote the film through multiple interviews, but was bombarded with criticism from netizens and dared not show her face. She could only hide away and focus on preparing for the start of filming.

But he had a strong desire to prove himself.

He's waiting, waiting for the day the movie is officially released!
He wanted to use his own narrative of suffering that shocked the world to prove that the ideas in "Nanjing Photo Studio" were shallow and biased, and that they could not reflect the complexity and authenticity of history at all!
At the same time, while the controversy surrounding "Nanjing Photo Studio" had not yet subsided, "Ip Man" and "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil," which were under constant scrutiny from the Hong Kong film industry, also launched their auditions one after another.

As expected, just like the previous "New World", Hong Kong stars were left with only minor supporting roles.

As for the audition channels for the lead roles, they were never opened to them.

Lu Rui had already made it clear that the core audience for these two films was mainland Chinese audiences, so the lead actors had to have the language skills and temperament to resonate with mainland audiences, and Hong Kong stars naturally had a weakness in this regard.

Filming in Hong Kong was merely a way to facilitate censorship.

However, it's unclear which Hong Kong media outlet released a press release to hype this up, claiming that Wisdom Vision discriminates against Hong Kong stars!
The words were full of grievances, and the author attempted to incite public opinion to exert pressure.

What disgusted Lü Rui even more was that some so-called "industry veterans" and "cultural celebrities" from the mainland also jumped out to take sides, speaking up for Hong Kong stars under the banner of "maintaining unity," claiming that there was no need to be so fussy about casting, which damaged the harmony between the film and television industries of the two places.

Seeing these distorted and unfounded statements, Lü Rui had no interest in refuting them.

He posted directly on his blog: "Want to play the lead role? No problem. First, pass the Mandarin proficiency test, and then apply with your Level 2A certificate and resume."

A single sentence instantly silenced the online uproar.

Grade II, Class A?

For 99% of Hong Kong stars, that would be "deadly"!

"Haha, Brother Rui, aren't you just putting them in their shoes? A Level 2A certificate? Those people are already doing pretty well if they get a Level 2B certificate."

Zhao Peng brought the project proposal for "Reversing Life" to Lü Rui for his signature. He couldn't stop laughing for a long time when he mentioned the heated discussions online.

Lu Rui casually flipped through the project proposal, signed his name at the end, and said in a flat tone: "So, if you don't have the ability, don't talk nonsense. If you want to get the main character resources, you have to have the matching ability. Just relying on hype and playing the victim won't work."

It's really infuriating. The Hong Kong entertainment circle has been silenced by his criticism, but there are still people on the mainland who pretend to be righteous and say they want to mediate and advise him not to make things too tense.

For these idiots who have been kneeling for so long that they can't even stand up, Lü Rui didn't even let them in the door.

Feeling utterly disgusted, he decided to set off a few days early and head straight for Hollywood.

Rather than being disgusted by these idiots in the country, I'd rather go back to Hollywood and continue being the Godfather...

(End of this chapter)