The Rise of Chinese Entertainment in 2008

What else can we do?

If I get divorced, and my husband marries the other woman right away, wouldn't I look like a fool?

Xu Fan must have been furious, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to say those things during the interview.

Similar things happen all too often in the industry.

"Now I finally understand why you didn't accept Jing Tian," Liu Sanxi said suddenly.

Fan Chunxi, who was drinking tea nearby, immediately perked up his ears upon hearing this, eagerly waiting to hear the juicy gossip.

"Get lost!"

Gu Ning glared at him, annoyed, and said, "Are things alright with Xiang Bai and the others?"

"No problem, it's just a little more money," Liu Sanxi said nonchalantly.

"Okay, let's meet tomorrow to sign the contract," Gu Ning said.

"OK!"

Liu Sanxi nodded and said, "I've recently received some scripts. Could you take a look and see if there are any suitable ones?"

"I suggest you invest in TV dramas first."

Gu Ning suggested, "As long as the script is good, it's almost impossible for a TV series to lose money."

He showed Liu Sanxi some scripts last time and found some that looked pretty good.

But he had no recollection of it; either it wasn't made due to funding issues, or the script was completely altered and flopped.

This is quite normal in the industry. Although China is a director-centric system, there aren't many directors who have this kind of voice.

Most directors have more say than producers, investors, and even actors.

In her previous life, Gu Ning had encountered this when filming web dramas: a perfectly good script would be changed because one actor was dissatisfied, and another actor was dissatisfied.

If their roles are changed, the entire script has to be changed.

The final product was not entirely unrelated to the original script, but it was quite different.

The original script was carefully polished, and last-minute changes will result in many illogical parts, which is what the audience often calls melodramatic plots.

Gu Ning could only be confident about some movies he remembered; he couldn't be sure about those he didn't remember.

And Liu Sanxi is almost never found in those movies that did well at the box office in my memory.

He naturally couldn't offer Liu Sanxi any advice.

"But I don't understand TV dramas," Liu Sanxi said, frowning.

"It's okay if you don't understand. We can acquire the copyright and collaborate with other companies to produce it."

Gu Ning thought for a moment and said, "I've got my eye on the rights to a novel, but I don't have enough funds. If you're interested, we can partner up and acquire it. Whether it's co-producing with someone else or finding a director to film it ourselves, it's all possible."

Liu Sanxi thought for a moment and said, "Since you think it's a good idea, then I'll go with it."

Gu Ning nodded: "I'll have Liu Yang contact you later, and you two can discuss how to fund it and get the copyright as soon as possible."

…………

"Changchang".

Looking at the table full of dishes, Liu Yifei asked suspiciously, "Even if you passed the audition, there's no need to spend so much money, is there?"

After the audition, Shu Chang, under the guise of celebration, took her to this rather upscale restaurant.

It's worth noting that although Shu Chang has acted in many dramas, she grew up in her uncle's house, and her uncle kept all the money she earned before.

Moreover, due to my childhood experiences, I am usually quite frugal.

"Isn't this a cause for joy?"

Shu Chang said excitedly, "This is my first movie role, and I'm the female lead."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei dispelled her doubts and sincerely said, "Changchang, good luck! This is truly a rare opportunity for you!"

Her mother wanted her to give up acting in TV dramas and only act in movies from now on, so she naturally did some research on that.

Movies and TV series are arguably two completely different circles.

Even the most famous TV actors face considerable difficulty in securing film roles, especially those not signed with major production companies.

The beginning is always the hardest. Once you get a movie role and deliver a standout performance, it will be much easier to get more movie opportunities later on.

Take Shu Chang for example. Although she has no background, she is quite famous because she debuted as a child star. Even without signing with a big company, she has received good television resources in recent years.

As long as she can make a name for herself, some small film companies and new directors in the film industry will still need to use her.

"Thanks!"

Seeing Liu Yifei's genuine happiness for her, Shu Chang felt a pang of guilt.

"Sissi is so good to me, how could I scheme against her?"

"How can this be considered scheming? Sisi hasn't been working lately, so she must be feeling frustrated. She's just treating filming as a hobby, and besides, it's been a long time since I've worked with her."

……

Shu Chang was torn between two conflicting emotions, but ultimately persuaded Liu Yifei to take the role and won out.

She was worried that her best friend would get sick from being cooped up, so she was giving her something to do. She definitely didn't want to hear Liu Yifei call her grandma.

"Changchang, why aren't you eating?"

Liu Yifei said strangely, "I always feel like there's something wrong with you."

"that…"

Shu Chang hesitated for a moment before saying, "Director Gu heard that you accompanied me to the audition and said there's a role that would be suitable for you, but it doesn't have many scenes. He asked me to ask you if you have time to make a cameo appearance."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei frowned slightly. Seeing Shu Chang's hesitant manner, she mistakenly thought that Gu Ning was using this as a prerequisite.

"Sisi, if you don't want to, that's fine. Anyway, I didn't agree to Director Gu's request. I just said I'd ask you what you think."

Shu Chang quickly added, "And..."

Liu Yifei was one of her few friends in the industry, and seeing that she was reluctant, Shu Chang couldn't bear to fool her.

Just as she was about to reveal the truth, Liu Yifei waved her hand and said, "I've been free lately and have nothing to do. Since it's just a cameo role, I agree."

Given her status, she'll definitely have to think about it.

But it's just a small cameo role, which doesn't affect his status.

This kind of thing is all too common in the industry; even award-winning actors and actresses have cameo appearances.

"You really agreed?" Shu Chang asked excitedly.

Liu Yifei nodded and said, "Okay, consider it a visit to the set."

"Sissi, you're so kind." Shu Chang hugged Liu Yifei, moved.

"Alright, do you know about the character I played?" Liu Yifei asked.

"I don't know, all I know is that she's the granddaughter of the character I played!" Shu Chang said somewhat embarrassedly.

"!!!"

Liu Yifei's face darkened, and she glared at Shu Chang, gritting her teeth, "You want me to play your granddaughter?"

"It's all for art, so what?"

Shu Chang said pitifully, "You've already agreed, you're not going to go back on your word, are you?"

"I…"

Liu Yifei was speechless for a moment, then said after a silence, "I need to read the script before I can decide."

"That's true, if the script isn't suitable, then forget it."

Shu Chang suddenly realized that she had been so focused on Liu Yifei calling her "Grandma" in the drama that she had forgotten to ask about the character's specific role.

What if there are scenes that expose her or kissing? Wouldn't that be bad for Liu Yifei?

Although she has a bit of a wicked sense of humor, she still doesn't want to mess with her best friend.

…………

The auditions continued in the afternoon, and some of the supporting roles were confirmed, but a suitable candidate could not be found for the older version of the female lead.

After thinking about it, Gu Ning still asked Fan Chunxi to contact Gui Yalei, wanting her to give it a try.

She acted very well in the original version, and her overall appearance is somewhat similar to Shu Chang's.

After the audition, Gu Ning had someone contact the actors who had already been cast, so they could go to the company the next day to discuss contracts and salaries.

After contacting her, the staff told her that Shu Chang said Liu Yifei needed to see the script before making a decision.

Gu Ning thought for a moment and then called Shu Chang.