The Fleeting Years of Chinese Entertainment

Although February still carries a hint of chill, the breath of spring has quietly arrived. A touch of new green—the willows are budding; a flower is blooming—spring is smiling. The warm sunshine and gentle breeze intertwine, as if nature's poem is being softly sung.

The hottest news in the industry right now is Lin Mo's movie, followed by the fact that Stephen Chow's movie "Kung Fu" has been approved and is already casting actors.

The lead actor is undoubtedly Stephen Chow himself, and another film he wrote, directed, and starred in is about to be released.

Compared to the end of Lin Mo's film's theatrical run, the project approval of Stephen Chow's film seems to be more welcomed within the industry.

Many actors and stars are scrambling to get ahead, and students at the Beijing Film Academy are no exception.

Lin Mo really wanted to tell them that this game was played at a very high level, and that they should know their place.

However, Lin Mo was still a little jealous at this moment. After all, when his movie was being cast, his fellow apprentices were not as eager to cast as they are now.

Moreover, he can't be like Stephen Chow, since acting skills are Lin Mo's biggest weakness.

Writing and directing is fine, but acting in it is a different story! Lin Mo is afraid of making his fans laugh to death.

Meanwhile, Lu Chuan, one of Lin Mo's senior classmates who had already graduated, came to the school again to try and get investment, saying he wanted to film Tibetan antelopes.

Aside from the plagiarism issue, this film is actually quite good. It's a pity that Lu Chuan himself... is just not worth mentioning; his bias is too extreme.

If we're talking about who Lin Mo least wants to be associated with in the industry, Lu Chuan definitely deserves a place on that list.

……

Lin Mo recently felt that he had regained the glory he had when the movie "Lost in Thailand" was first released on campus.

"Hello, Senior Lin!"

"Hello, Director Lin!"

"Forest…"

Lin Mo felt that if he dared to take a stroll around the campus, he could make his face stiff from smiling so much.

They're all so pragmatic, even before they've left school.

Occasionally, he would run into some of his "classmates" from the 02 acting class, especially some of them who had acted in his movies.

That scene... was incredibly awkward!

"Lin...Lin Mo, it's been a long time. Congratulations! You've finally established yourself in the industry."

Lin Mo's film "Parasite" has already grossed over 55 million yuan at the box office in mainland China. Even if it fails to break into the top three European cinemas, it can still sell all the overseas rights for several million US dollars, not to mention that it hasn't been released in Hong Kong and Taiwan yet.

It's safe to say that Lin Mo's film is destined for success. If it wins at one of the three major European awards, that would be even more remarkable. Even if it's released overseas using a box office revenue sharing model, few in the industry would consider it a failure.

After all, they had already seen the movie, and it was exceptionally good. They couldn't even imagine the hundreds of millions or tens of millions of dollars it would make overseas, but surely a few million dollars would be achievable?

"Long time no see, Zhou Yang."

Watching Lin Mo walk away after giving her a perfunctory greeting, a feeling of regret began to take root in Zhou Yang's heart.

She used to be Lin Mo's best friend in class, besides Zhu Yawen, but now, she's probably only slightly better than a stranger.

Maybe... they're not even as good as strangers!

"I'm sorry, Lin Mo, I think I really chose the wrong path."

After spending a few days peacefully at school, Lin Mo felt the bank card in his pocket getting increasingly hot.

Lin Mo felt it was a bit of a waste to have seven million on him.

"How about... another low-budget film?"

Lin Mo, who was so bored in class that he was almost dozing off, thought to himself.

After all, he has already grasped the basics of the theoretical knowledge, and he can continue to learn on his own. He always felt that staying in school every day was not as good as growing by making movies himself.

"Linzi, you've finally got your revenge. Seeing those bastards' regretful expressions makes me feel so relieved. Back then, everyone thought you were doomed after offending those big shots, but look what happened... Heh! Now they're probably trying to get back to you again."

Zhu Yawen, who had made a dinner appointment with Lin Mo, chewed on a piece of chicken and laughed:

Lin Mo glanced at Zhu Yawen, who was now somewhat excited, and decided not to continue the discussion, so he chose to change the subject.

"You seem to have a lot of free time now? Haven't you thought about going out and looking for a film crew?"

"Why didn't I go out and look for work? I've been to the production teams of 'Chinese Paladin,' 'Lotus Lantern,' and 'Kung Fu Hustle,' but they didn't want me! What can I do?"

When Zhu Yawen heard Lin Mo mention this, a hint of disappointment appeared on her face.

"Well, I've acted in two of your movies, so since he's not interested, I can't just go around begging him to take me on. Besides, I don't even want roles that are too small!"

Lin Mo knew that Zhu Yawen had suffered setbacks one after another, and he was a little unhappy. After all, putting aside his role in "Lost in Thailand", he was definitely a member of the main team in "Parasite".

With such a resume, it's impossible not to feel resentful if you still haven't landed a single role.

This also fully illustrates the disadvantages of working independently: without a background or resources to exchange, they are definitely a "vulnerable group" in the industry.

"Xiao Zhu, you know I opened a studio, right? I've been getting a bit tired of teaching lately, so I thought I'd check out the studio and recruit a few accountants. After all, the movie 'Parasite' has finished its run, and the box office revenue will be coming in gradually. I need to get ready to collect the money."

"What? You want to sign me?"

Zhu Yawen quickly grasped the key point. After all, why would Lin Mo mention his studio for no reason? Wasn't it because he wanted to recruit his staff and buy his horses?

"Heh...you're not stupid after all. So, how about it? You think my makeshift crew is any good?"

Lin Mo wasn't annoyed that Zhu Yawen had directly exposed his intentions; instead, he looked at him with a smile and said...

Hearing Lin Mo's frankness, Zhu Yawen fell silent. After all, signing with a company was a big deal, one that could affect the rest of his life.

Zhu Yawen now highly recognizes her brother's talent, but his lack of background, connections, and resources outside of his own are all weaknesses.

"Linzi, I think... with your current abilities and fame, signing with a good film and television company is the best path for you. Why do you keep thinking about going solo?"

Lin Mo knew what Zhu Yawen was hesitating about; after all, he was a novice with a shallow foundation.