This director only directs blockbusters.

My phone started vibrating on my way back to the office.

Old Xu followed behind, reading aloud: "Huang Xiaoming's agent just called again, saying they'll definitely be there on time tomorrow, and asking if they want to audition with makeup on..."

"Fan Binbin's assistant sent an email with a video of her recent action scene training..."

"Zhou Xun's agent, Sister Hua, called my cell phone directly, saying that Zhou Xun had turned down the next two guys' dates and was just waiting for our schedule..."

Yang Ning pushed open the door to the conference room, where the argument was still going on.

Liu Yong slammed his fist on the table: "That little girl role must be given to my niece! Her mother cried all night last night, saying the child was even dreaming about memorizing her lines!"

Chen Qiming slowly sipped his coffee: "Brother Yong, family is family, and art is art."

"Art my ass!" Liu Yong glared. "An eleven-year-old kid, you're talking to me about art?"

Yang Ning knocked on the door.

The sound stopped.

"Stop arguing." Yang Ning pulled out a chair and sat down. "The casting decisions are settled today. Old Xu, go over the audition order again."

Old Xu opened his notebook: "It starts at 1:30 pm. Huang Xiaoming will be the first, Fan Binbin at 2:30 pm, and Zhou Xun at 3:30 pm."

Peter Ho and Hu Ge will arrive tomorrow. Xu Qin and Lin Xuan can come anytime.

"As for Mr. Chen Daoming... his assistant replied, saying that Mr. Chen is interested in the script and asking when it would be convenient for you to come and discuss it."

"Of course I'll go see Mr. Chen Daoming," Yang Ning said. "You set the time."

"Where is that little girl, Yang Zi?" Liu Yong asked urgently.

"Last in line." Yang Ning glanced at Liu Yong. "Brother Yong, let me be clear from the start—if the kid's good, we'll use him; if not, don't take it personally. You know how important this play is to us…"

Liu Yong opened his mouth, then finally sighed, "Okay."

"Let's get down to business now." Yang Ning tapped the table. "This casting process is different from usual."

Everyone looked at him.

"This project is getting the attention of everyone in the industry," Yang Ning said. "It's a 1.2 million yuan investment, with China Film Group as the main controller, and Chairman Han personally overseeing it. Whoever gets the rights will be the focus next year. So—"

He paused for a moment, then said, "It's not that we begged them to come; they're practically fighting tooth and nail to get in. They're all standing tall and proud."

Old Xu grinned: "That's great!"

"Good my foot," Yang Ning said. "The pressure is even greater. Everyone here is a big shot. If the film isn't good, will you replace it or not? If you replace it, you'll offend people; if you don't, the film will be a flop. So today, everyone, keep your eyes wide open."

Chen Qiming put down his coffee cup: "Director Yang, if I may add something—several talent agencies in Taiwan have been inquiring about this project. Should we keep a supporting actor in the cast…?"

"No need," Yang Ning waved his hand directly. "Main roles must be played by mainland actors. That's the bottom line."

Chen Qiming nodded and said nothing more.

While I was eating my boxed lunch, I heard some noise coming from the corridor outside.

Old Xu peeked through the crack in the door, then turned back and whispered, "Huang Xiaoming is here... Holy crap, he brought a whole team: agent, assistant, makeup artist, and two guys who look like fitness coaches."

Yang Ning glanced at his watch; it was 1:20.

Ten minutes early.

"Let his agent in," Yang Ning said.

The door opened, and a woman in her forties walked in, with short hair, wearing a black suit, and walking with a brisk pace.

"Hello Director Yang, I'm Wang Xia, Xiaoming's agent." She handed over her business card, her smile standard but with a shrewd glint.

"Xiao Ming prepared for the role of Lu Ran for half a month."

Four hours of physical training every day, ten martial arts classes, and countless rereads of the script.

Yang Ning took the business card without looking at it: "Sister Wang, please sit down."

Wang Xia sat down, her back ramrod straight: "Director Yang, let's get straight to the point."

As you know, Xiaoming's current TV drama salary is quite high. Regarding the movie project, Xiaoming is very optimistic about it, and for this project, we can lower the price—to 60% of the market rate.

Old Xu raised an eyebrow. This price is indeed too low.

"Talk to the production manager about the money," Yang Ning said. "I only watch the show."

"Of course," Wang Xia smiled. "Xiao Ming is right outside, he can audition anytime."

But Director Yang, I have another question—how many lead actors have been cast for this project?

"Not a single one has been booked," Yang Ning said. "It's only just begun."

Wang Xia's eyes lit up: "That's great!"

Xiao Ming is truly the perfect match for Lu Ran; his stubbornness is exactly the same as the character's.

And he has a good fan base, so when it comes to promotion...

"Sister Wang," Yang Ning interrupted her, "let Huang Xiaoming in. I'll see for myself."

Wang Xia quickly stood up: "Okay, okay, I'll call him right away."

When Huang Xiaoming came in, he was still wearing a white shirt and jeans, but you could tell he had tidied himself up a bit.

Her hair was styled in a slightly messy way, and she had applied a thin layer of contour powder to her face, making her features appear more defined.

"Hello, Director Yang." He bowed, this time not as overly polite, but with a suppressed intensity in his eyes.

"Page 47 of the script, the scene of the first murder," Yang Ning said directly. "Let's begin."

Huang Xiaoming took a deep breath.

When I opened my eyes again, my whole body was tense.

He crouched down, his fingers tentatively reaching towards the ground—where the "corpse" lay. His hand froze in mid-air, his knuckles white.

three seconds.

Stop.

I stood up, turned around, and my shoulders started to shake. It wasn't the kind of shaking you do in a performance; it was a physiological tremor that spread upwards from my spine.

He looked down at his right palm for a long time.

Then he clenched his fist tightly, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

He turned around, pulled something from the "corpse's" arms, and stuffed it into his backpack. The action was rough, with a sense of venting.

After doing all this, he looked up into the distance.

His eyes were empty, but a fire burned deep within them.

"Stop," Yang Ning said.

Huang Xiaoming instantly relaxed, took a breath, and looked at Yang Ning.

Yang Ning didn't speak, but looked at Chen Qiming.

Chen Qiming stroked his chin: "If the camera zoomed in on that tremor in his shoulder, it could win an award."

Old Xu nodded: "His emotions were even more intense than during the last audition."

Yang Ning then spoke up: "Okay. Go back and wait for further notice."

Huang Xiaoming's eyes lit up: "Thank you, Director Yang!"

When he went out, Wang Xia was waiting at the door, looking nervous. She only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Huang Xiaoming nod.

Old Xu leaned closer: "Yangzi, is it settled?"

"It's settled," Yang Ning said. "He has a fierce drive to prove himself, which resonates with Lu Ran."

"That price..."

"Give him the market price," Yang Ning said. "We won't take advantage of him."

However, a clause was added to the contract—that the actor must completely obey the director's arrangements during filming, including but not limited to rolling in mud, staying up all night, and performing real falls.

"clear."

The second one is Fan Binbin.

Her agent, a bespectacled man, came in and handed over a thick stack of documents: "Director Yang, this is Binbin's portfolio of works from the past two years, viewership data, and commercial value analysis."

For the role of Lin Xue, she specifically went to the Beijing Military Region General Hospital to learn basic first aid; this is her training certificate.

Yang Ning glanced at the certificate; it was genuine.

"Let her in."