Huayu Entertainment: Starting with Exorcising Evil from a Film Queen

Chapter 87 What to do with the actresses? (3K)

The next morning, the sky was somewhat overcast.

Following the address given by Sun Ying, Zhang Ze arrived at a teahouse near Houhai.

This is a long-established restaurant with a simple and rustic decor, and a faint sandalwood scent permeates the air.

When Zhang Ze entered the reserved private room, a woman was already sitting inside.

Chen Zhixi wore a well-tailored beige trench coat, her hair pulled back, revealing her slender neck.

A cup of tea sat before her, and she was engrossed in reading a magazine.

Hearing the door open, she put down the magazine and stood up.

"Zhang Ze?"

Her voice was clear and crisp, carrying the competence characteristic of a professional woman.

"Miss Chen, I've heard so much about you."

Zhang Ze walked over and extended his hand.

Chen Zhixi's fingers were long and slightly cool, and her grip on her hand was just right.

The two sat down, and the waiter brought over a pot of freshly brewed Longjing tea.

Zhang Ze didn't rush to talk about work, but first poured Chen Zhixi a cup of tea.

"Sister Sun mentioned you to me, saying that you are the most promising producer in the industry in recent years."

1

"Sister Sun, you flatter me. I'm just a newcomer who recently switched careers."

Chen Zhixi picked up her teacup and took a sip, but her gaze was fixed on Zhang Ze.

The man in front of me was younger than in the photo, but his eyes revealed a composure beyond his years.

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Ze took out the thick script from his bag and pushed it in front of Chen Zhixi.

"This is what I want to film, take a look."

Chen Zhixi put down her teacup and picked up the script.

The four large characters on the cover, "Like Father, Like Son," are written in a vigorous and powerful style.

She turned to the first page, and her polite smile gradually disappeared.

The private room fell silent, with only the rustling sound of papers turning over.

Zhang Ze didn't urge him, but drank his tea and watched the withered willow branches swaying in the wind outside the window.

It took Chen Zhixi a full half hour to close the script.

She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, seemingly processing what she had just seen.

When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was complicated.

"The script is excellent."

She looked directly at Zhang Ze, her tone sincere.

"The emotions are delicate, the conflicts are restrained yet tense, and the storyboarding is so professional that it surprised me. From an artistic point of view alone, this is definitely a good script."

Zhang Ze put down his teacup and quietly looked at her.

"but?"

"But it's not suitable for the current domestic market."

Chen Zhixi took out a notebook from her bag, opened a fountain pen, and drew a curve on the paper.

"Currently, domestic audiences prefer blockbusters, visually stunning films, and comedies. These slow-paced art films that explore ethics and family relationships simply can't get screenings in theaters."

She touched the curve with the tip of her pen.

"Even if it's released with difficulty, the box office will be a disaster. Five million isn't a large investment, but if it's just to lose money and gain publicity, I don't recommend making it."

She is a very rational person. Although she appreciates talent, she values ​​market returns even more.

Zhang Ze looked at the drawing she had made, but there was no disappointment on his face.

He leaned forward slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

"What if I don't plan to release it in domestic theaters?"

Chen Zhixi paused for a moment, her pen stopping in her hand.

"Not releasing it? Then what are you planning to do—"

"Go overseas."

Zhang Ze took out a folded map from his pocket and spread it out on the table.

His finger slid across China and finally stopped on that long, narrow island nation.

"At the heart of this story is the exploration of blood ties and companionship. This kind of restrained emotional expression may not resonate well in China, but it has a natural audience base in Japan."

Zhang Ze's voice was calm and resolute.

"Japan's social structure and family values ​​have a very high tolerance for this kind of subject matter. Moreover, their copyright acquisition system is very mature."

Chen Zhixi's pupils contracted slightly.

She stared at that point on the map, her mind racing.

Zhang Ze's words were like a key, instantly unlocking the shackles of her mind.

"Not just Japan."

Zhang Ze's finger continued to slide down, across Southeast Asia.

"As long as you win an award at an international film festival, even just being nominated, the copyright can be sold to Europe and Southeast Asia. The art film markets in those places are much more mature than ours."

Chen Zhixi suddenly raised her head, and the look in her eyes as she looked at Zhang Ze changed.

What she just saw was a talented but perhaps impractical artist.

Now, she sees a strategist with a keen business sense.

While some in the film industry have tried this "blooming inside the wall but fragrant outside" strategy, there are very few newcomers like Zhang Ze who have such clear goals and precise positioning.

Are you sure you can win the award?

Chen Zhixi closed her notebook, her body unconsciously leaning forward—a posture of being persuaded.

"You've read the script and the storyboard."

Zhang Ze leaned back in his chair, a confident smile playing on his lips.

"With this cost control, this is the most cost-effective gamble."

Chen Zhixi took a deep breath, picked up the now-cold tea, and took a sip.

She was weighing her options.

As a producer going through a transition period, she urgently needs a project to prove herself.

Commercial films are too risky, and she can't handle big-budget productions.

Although Zhang Ze's project takes an unconventional approach, if it can truly tap into overseas markets as he claims, the returns will be astonishing.

More importantly, this will bring her extremely high industry prestige.

"I agree to cooperate."

Chen Zhixi put down her teacup, her eyes sharpening.

"However, the terms need to be renegotiated."

Zhang Ze made a "please" gesture.

"In addition to the normal production costs, I want to take 10% of the profits from this project."

Chen Zhixi stared into Zhang Ze's eyes, her tone firm.

"Distributing this film overseas is a complicated process, and the public relations costs are not transparent. I have to take a lot of risks. If it flops, my reputation will be ruined."

One percent profit.

For a blockbuster commercial film, this percentage is outrageously high.

But for an art film with a budget of several million, this is actually Chen Zhixi buying insurance for herself and also asking Zhang Ze for his trust.

Zhang Ze looked at her ambitious face and did not answer immediately.

He quickly calculated in his mind.

He was completely clueless about overseas distribution and needed a professional and driven person to handle it.

Chen Zhixi has the ability and resources, and more importantly, she is currently lacking opportunities. She will do her best for this project.

This 10% profit buys not only her labor, but also the connections she has and her future loyalty.

Moreover, Zhang Ze has plenty of scripts in his mind; this is just the first stepping stone.

Once this first step is taken, there will be plenty of opportunities to make money in the future.

"make a deal."

Zhang Ze stretched out his hand, his face showing no sign of pain.

Chen Zhixi's tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and a genuine smile appeared on her face—the first one she'd shown since they met.

She grasped Zhang Ze's hand, this time with much greater force than before.

"It's a pleasure working with you, Director."

"It was a pleasure working with you, producer."

Stepping out of the tea room, a biting wind brushed against my cheeks.

Zhang Ze tightened the collar of his coat and hailed a taxi.

The streets of Beijing outside the car window were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the festive atmosphere of the New Year had not yet dissipated, but he was in no mood to appreciate it.

With a budget of five million, in this day and age, making a film that aims to win international awards requires careful budgeting; every penny must be spent wisely.

-

Chen Zhixi was extremely efficient; in just two days, she rented a temporary office in an office building in Chaoyang District.

There were no signs, no ribbon-cutting ceremony, and even the decent desks and chairs were secondhand.

Several borrowed printers hummed, spitting out notices and budget sheets.

Zhang Ze sat by the window, holding a red and blue pencil, constantly marking crosses on the thick cast list.

"Too expensive."

"No, she's had plastic surgery on her face; it'll look bad on the big screen."

"This schedule won't work; I need to be on call 24/7."

Sun Ying stood to the side, looking at the large number of names that had been crossed out, her brows furrowed deeply.

"Ancestor, according to your standards, with our budget, we can't even afford a supporting actor."

Zhang Ze didn't even look up. His pen paused briefly on a name, then crossed out with an X.

"Precisely because I don't have money, I have to be even more selective. I want actors, not stars."

As the two were talking, the office door was pushed open.

A gust of cold wind, carrying the aroma of food, blew in.

Chen Zhixi was carrying several plastic bags, and her cheeks were red from the wind.

She placed the lunchbox on the bucket, casually pulled the list from Zhang Ze's hand, and glanced at the shocking red crosses on it.

"Let's eat first."

Chen Zhixi pulled over a folding chair and sat down. She opened the lunchbox, and the aroma of shredded pork with garlic sauce instantly filled the air, dispelling the chill in the room.

"The second male lead, Liang Se, who is the owner of the general store, reminds me of someone."

She used disposable chopsticks and arranged them neatly on the table.

"Liu Hua".

Zhang Ze's hand, which had just picked up Zhao's lunchbox, froze in mid-air.

He turned his head and stared into Chen Zhixi's eyes.

"That Dao Ge from 'Crazy Stone'?"

"right."

Chen Zhixi shoveled a mouthful of rice into her mouth, her cheeks bulging.

"His down-to-earth, stock market-savvy personality is exactly what you're looking for. Plus, his fees aren't high, and he's a veteran actor, so he's got the hang of playing these kinds of low-level characters. I've met with him a few times, and I'm confident I can get him on board."

Zhang Ze quickly sketched out that image in his mind.

It's greasy and somewhat vulgar, yet it exudes a cunning and tenacious vitality unique to ordinary people from the lower class.

This is a perfect match for the poor father in the script who likes to repair appliances, gets along well with the children, and is incredibly easygoing.

"He's the one."

Zhang Ze made a quick decision and stuck his chopsticks into the rice.

"As long as he's willing to come, the fee can be slightly higher; this job is definitely his."

Having dealt with the second male lead, the remaining challenges are the two drastically different mothers, Liang Se, and the two children who were switched at birth.

Over the next few days, Zhang Ze and Chen Zhixi split up into two groups.

Chen Zhixi used her connections to shuttle between major talent agencies and opera troupes in Beijing, searching for suitable actresses.

Zhang Ze then plunged into the Children's Palace and various art schools to audition for the roles of the two children.

Zhang Ze chose two non-celebrity actors to play the two children, aiming for the most authentic and simple feel.

As for camera work and acting skills, those can be gradually improved on set.

The only missing actress is still unsuccessful.

Until evening three days later.