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

Chapter 78 Graduation Defense! A mind-blowing experience! Management Department… (Seeking monthly votes!)
[Ding! Congratulations, host! Successfully advanced the financing, casting, and location scouting for the film "The Prestige".]

[Level B talent: "Christopher Nolan's triple magic narrative structure, mirror and symmetrical composition, foreshadowing and detail-oriented techniques," has been issued.]

In an instant, a massive amount of 'directing techniques' flooded into my mind like a burst dam!
Lu Rui, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly frowned!

Fortunately, Zhao Peng was driving at the time, and he was only sitting in the passenger seat, which prevented this momentary lapse from causing an accident.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to unpack the new reward given to him by his digestive system.

The three magic narrative structures are: substituting the real for the fake, stealing the sky and changing the sun, and turning the rotten into the magical.

These three techniques correspond to the competition between the two male protagonists in "The Prestige," the revelation of the clone/stand-in, and the shock of the final truth. They also use the logic of magic to connect the narrative, enhancing the metaphorical nature of the story.

Mirror and symmetrical composition is a core trick used to interpret the dual identities and intertwined fates of characters through visual techniques such as mirrors and stage reflections.

Foreshadowing and detailed exposition are techniques used to create a narrative loop...

As Lü Rui's understanding deepened, he was able to appreciate Nolan's amazing directorial talent even more!

The camera work is intricate, the lighting is masterful, every frame is a puzzle, and every transition is a trap…

This guy definitely deserves the title of "genius director"!

However, at this moment, these skills will also be used by Lü Rui himself.

Learn from the strengths of many schools of thought to make up for one's own weaknesses.

Learn from others' strengths and refine yourself.

This is the true function of the system's cheat code!
"Brother Rui, look who's that?"

Zhao Peng's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Lü Rui's thoughts.

The car had already entered the Beijing Film Academy campus.

Looking in the direction Zhao Peng was pointing, two graceful girls were seen getting out of a red BMW.

The form-fitting dress accentuated her alluring curves, and her exquisite makeup exuded a star-like aura.

“Dong Xuan and Guan Yue?” Lu Rui recognized them at a glance.

“Yes.” Zhao Peng said with some emotion, “The drama ‘Snowflake Goddess Dragon’ made our 00 campus beauty, Dong Xuan, an instant star. I heard that she recently took on another historical drama called ‘The Great Song Dynasty Cases,’ working with veteran actors like Liang Guanhua…”

In the entertainment industry, movies can elevate an actor's status and value, while hit TV series can boost their fame.

Once you gain fame, you can naturally get endorsements and make big money.

For example, Dong Xuan's new BMW was bought with her own money.

In contrast, Guan Yue's career path has not been so smooth.

To become famous as an actor, sometimes it's not just about looks; you also need fate and luck.

"Any hit TV series lately?" Lu Rui's eyes darted around, secretly calculating in his mind.

The renovation of the new company is about to be completed, and the scope of business will naturally expand accordingly.

While investing solely in films can generate substantial profits, the business is ultimately too singular.

Perhaps we could try expanding into the television drama field?
"A hit?" Zhao Peng pondered. "There seems to be one called 'Lucky Star Pigsy,' oh right, and 'Water Moon Cave' was also very popular, but that was a January drama, and it's currently on its second run..."

As they spoke, the two got out of the car.

At that moment, Dong Xuan and Guan Yue, who were walking towards the performing arts building not far away, suddenly stopped.

"Xuan'er! Look! It really is Lü Rui and Zhao Peng! I told you I hadn't mistaken the car!" Guan Yue's face was full of joy as she pulled Dong Xuan back.

"Hey? Where are you going?" Dong Xuan was pulled so hard she stumbled.

"Why don't you go say hello? Haven't you always been saying you wanted to thank Lü Rui? Today's the perfect opportunity."

Dong Xuan blushed, feeling both conflicted and embarrassed.

Three years ago, after filming "The Vanished Lover", she secretly pursued Lü Rui, but gave up when she saw that he didn't have any romantic feelings for her.

Later, when the movie was released, her cameo role as a female college student became a minor hit, and she happened to be noticed by director Zhang Jun, who then auditioned for "Snowflake Goddess Dragon".

She was quite lucky; she actually passed the audition and then became an overnight sensation with the role of "Shangguan Yan"!

Therefore, in her view, she owes everything she has today to Lü Rui's help.

But thinking about being rejected back then, I can't help but feel a little embarrassed.

"Lu Rui, Zhao Peng, what a coincidence! What brings you to school today?" Guan Yue greeted them warmly, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.

"Come back for your thesis defense." Zhao Peng waved the file bag in his hand.

"Hey? What a coincidence, Xuan and I are here to defend our theses too."

Guan Yue chattered on and on, and even took out two records and handed them over.

Lu Rui reached out and took it, asking in surprise, "You... you've become a singer?"

"Yes! Teacher Huang Lei said I have a good voice and introduced me to a record company so I can give it a try. If my performance isn't good, I'm prepared to stay at the school as a teacher."

"And you?" Lü Rui then looked at Dong Xuan.

"I...I'm still acting." Dong Xuan clutched the hem of her clothes, finally mustering the courage to say the words that had been two years in the making, "By the way, Director Lü, thank you..."

"Huh? What are you thanking me for?" Lu Rui looked at her in surprise.

"Thank you for choosing me to star in the movie; it gave me the opportunity to film 'Snowflake Goddess Dragon'..."

Dong Xuan gave a brief explanation of the situation.

After hearing this, Lü Rui suddenly smiled and asked, "So, shouldn't you treat me to a meal?"

"Sure! It's my honor!" Dong Xuan relaxed a little when she saw that his tone was normal.

However, words like "you" and "honor" still inadvertently reveal subtle class differences.

"Okay, let's meet up sometime..."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they said their goodbyes and headed towards the directing and acting department buildings, respectively.

"That teacher Huang Lei is really amazing. He actually married one of his students. I heard that he invited many teachers from the school to his wedding in March this year..."

Once Zhao Peng got into a gossipy mood, he started talking non-stop.

Lu Rui outwardly agreed, but inwardly he was thinking about another avenue for the company's future development.

Actor agency business!

This seems like a good way to make money.

However, there is an inherent conflict between actor management and Ruishijie's current film and television production business.

Because the core goal of film and television production is to create films and television works with high reputation and high box office/viewership, it focuses on the quality of scripts, shooting, post-production and other aspects, as well as cost control and commercial returns.

However, the core of talent agencies is to plan development paths for artists and pursue high salaries, commercial value, and industry status.

Therefore, it can be concluded that the conflict between the two sides actually stems more from the distribution of benefits, while cooperation and antagonism are equal.

"Forget it, don't bite off more than you can chew," Lü Rui thought he had figured it out. "Let's focus on solidifying our film and television production first. The artist management business is too complicated. We might try some investments later, but we can't make it our main business."

Just as he was making his decision, he arrived at the door of the directing department classroom.

Today is the graduation defense day for the undergraduate and vocational students of the Directing Department, class of 2000, so the graduates who were busy working outside have all returned.

There are a total of 9 students in the undergraduate class and 24 students in the vocational college class, for a total of 33 students.

Zhao Peng walked ahead, pushed open the classroom door, and stepped aside to let Lü Rui go in first.

The moment the door hinges turned, the previously noisy room suddenly fell silent.

Immediately afterwards, more than thirty pairs of eyes focused on Lü Rui.

The next second, almost everyone stood up at the same time!

"Brother Rui, you're here."

"Brother Rui, Brother Peng, come and sit here. I specially saved these seats for you two."

"Want some water, Rui-ge? I brought Red Bull..." Amidst the calls of greeting, the disdain and mockery of three years ago were nowhere to be seen.

In our freshman year, most of the differences between us were brought out from the amniotic fluid.

Some people are born into good families and have good financial conditions. They are surrounded by luxury cars and beautiful women, which always attracts envious glances.

But as four years passed and graduation approached, social status became the new yardstick.

Compared to the obscurity of others, Lü Rui's achievements are already at a level that they can hardly reach!

Moreover, it wasn't just them personally; even their parents, the relatives they boasted about in the industry, and their powerful backers were no match for Lü Rui.

When "Gone Girl" won the Silver Bear, there was still a lot of skepticism and disdain from those around it.

After Mystic River won the Silver Lion, the mockery still existed, but it decreased significantly.

When The Secret Life of Walter Mitty broke 100 million at the box office, everyone fell silent.

And now, "The Pursuit of Happyness" has won the Best Director Award at Cannes, which is like a heavy hammer blow that has completely shattered everyone's arrogance!
It's no exaggeration to say that many people, even in their dreams or while drunk, wouldn't dare say they'd one day achieve the "Grand Slam of the Three Major European Director Awards."

But now, Lü Rui has accomplished what they had dreamed of for so long!

Faced with this enormous gap, jealousy has long since transformed into pure worship and admiration!

Even Zhao Peng became the envy of everyone.

Many people previously called him Lü Rui's lackey, saying he did nothing but lick boots.

But when "Hitch" was officially launched and filming began, everyone was incredibly envious!

If all it takes is a little flattery to get the chance to work with Li Ming and receive hands-on guidance from Jiang Wen, who wouldn't want to be that "lackey"?
Of course, Lu Chuan is not included in this category.

Because he said in an interview some time ago that Jiang Wen didn't actually help him at all when filming "Looking for a Gun".

what?
You don't believe me?

If you don't believe me, you can watch my upcoming film "Kekexili," which is the culmination of my directing career!
It has to be said that this company has a knack for marketing.

Closer to home.

With everyone's flattery, Lü Rui and Zhao Peng had become "honored guests" in the classroom.

He had barely sat down when food and drinks were served, and someone even slipped two packets of cigarettes into his pocket when he wasn't looking.

The conversation quickly turned to the core of the film and television industry... how to attract investment, interesting stories on set, and many people eagerly asked: "Brother Rui, is your company still hiring directors?"

Lü Rui neither refused nor agreed.

He knew in his heart that if he wanted to expand his business, it was only a matter of time before he had to build his own team.

But this team must be reliable, have real skills, and be trustworthy.

Of these classmates, apart from Zhao Peng, whom he knew well, the others were merely nodding acquaintances. It would be too risky to cooperate rashly.

We still need to be cautious.

On the other side, despite the constant stream of flattering words, Zhao Peng remained clear-headed.

He knew who had given him everything he had, so while chatting with his classmates, he didn't forget to help Lü Rui get rid of those "ill-intentioned" guys.

Seeing that two overly gossipy classmates were getting too close, he jokingly pulled them aside, one in each hand.

The noise in the classroom only stopped when Jiang Wei, Zhang Jiandong, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Xie Xiaojing, and others appeared outside the door.

Jiang Wei said in a deep voice, "Go back to your seats and prepare for your defense."

Everyone immediately did as instructed.

Several teachers and professors took their seats in the empty seats, and the atmosphere instantly became serious and academic.

"Who will go first?" Jiang Wei asked, but his eyes were fixed on Lü Rui.

All the students in the class turned their attention to him, some expectant and some nervous.

"I'll go first."

Lü Rui didn't look at the research papers; he directly inserted the USB drive and started the PowerPoint presentation.

His graduation projects are "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "The Pursuit of Happyness," and he has already submitted his thesis.

"Good morning, teachers, students and professors. The title of my thesis is 'Genre Mutual Learning and Ecological Reconstruction: On the Future Path of Collaborative Development of Art Films and Commercial Films'."

The research content revolves around the core framework of art-house and commercial films, and the main creative ideas are... The practical process is... The results are that the commercial film grossed over 100 million yuan, and the art-house film successfully won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival..."

The classroom was completely silent for the full fifteen minutes of the presentation.

The teachers and professors listened intently, their eyes occasionally flashing with amazement.

The students in the audience, however, became increasingly confused, going from vaguely understanding to completely bewildered.

Finally, when Lü Rui made the assertion that "future commercial films will break through one billion or three billion in box office revenue," even the well-informed professors couldn't help but frown.

This number is truly mind-blowing!

However, Lü Rui spoke eloquently, combining the development of the times, market data, and audience needs, with such rigorous logic that it was impossible for anyone to refute him.

Little did they know that Lü Rui had originally planned to expand the scope to 50 billion and 100 billion, but he was afraid of scaring them, so he deliberately "restrained" it.

His statement was very confident.

Because he is the true witness!
"Wolf Warrior 2" and "Ne Zha" are the best examples of what I saw and heard in my previous life.

After a brilliant 15-minute presentation, the defense proceeded to the Q&A session.

Interestingly, none of the teachers and professors dared to ask too many probing questions, for fear of touching on their own blind spots in knowledge, so this segment ended very quickly.

Finally, Tian Zhuangzhuang summarized and commented with admiration in her eyes: "This paper is very forward-looking. I hope you can turn theory into practice and open up a new landscape for Chinese-language films."

"Okay, Director Tian."

Lu Rui bowed in thanks, which earned him a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience!
To avoid putting pressure on his classmates, he made an excuse that he had something to do and left the classroom first.
However, he did not leave the school immediately. Instead, he toured the literature department, art academy, animation school, photography department, management school, and other departments, chatting with the teachers and directors of each department.

However, to his surprise, he ended up alarming Zhang Huijun!
"Many teachers have messaged me, saying you're inquiring about outstanding graduates from various departments this year," Zhang Huijun said with a smile, getting straight to the point. "What? Are you planning to build your own film and television production team?"

"That's right, we do have that idea."

Lu Rui briefly outlined his plan, which included expanding his business and venturing into film and television investment.

"Is there anything the school can do to help you?" Zhang Huijun asked proactively.

"I urgently need management talent who can help me coordinate the overall situation from all aspects."

As a director, screenwriter, and producer, Lü Rui has complete confidence in film and television production.

However, he was simply not good at managing affairs, and more importantly, he lacked the talent for it.

Management personnel?

Zhang Huijun pondered for a moment and replied, "Okay, I'll inquire for you."

"Thank you then."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lü Rui hurriedly took his leave.

Just now, a new system task suddenly popped up, and he needs to check what the new task is.

There's also the matter of starting filming for "The Prestige," which needs to be initiated as well.

Zhang Huijun watched his departing figure, pondered for a moment, and then began to make a phone call.

Lu Rui rarely asked him for help, so this matter had to be handled perfectly!

He not only contacted the Beijing Film Academy's Department of Management, but also used his connections to inquire with various state-owned enterprises, trying to see if anyone wanted to switch jobs and follow Lü Rui to make a name for themselves.

Coincidentally, two days later, a friend actually replied to his message.

"Who? A deputy director in Shandong Film and Television's production department? What's his name?"

The person on the other end of the phone replied, "Hou Hongliang..."

(End of this chapter)