I'm not mentally ill, I'm a master of a thousand faces!

Chapter 336, The Incomplete Grandmaster

At this moment.

Li Yun was also analyzing his own situation.

He's got the star power, but his net worth is a little lacking.

In other words, I have accumulated experience in terms of "appreciation".

However, it is still somewhat lacking in terms of being a box office hit.

This is normal. "Let the Bullets Fly" was a project they planned themselves, aiming for both critical acclaim and commercial success.

Actually, "Let the Bullets Fly" was released at the wrong time.

Online media was not developed rapidly at the time. Although "Let the Bullets Fly" did achieve excellent results back then, these results did not live up to its quality at the time.

But "Let the Bullets Fly" is like a fine wine.

It hasn't fully fermented yet, mainly because most viewers can only see the surface-level achievements and performance.

The explosive popularity of "Let the Bullets Fly" also has another very important element: the information flow brought about by the internet age. It is this high-speed information flow that made "Let the Bullets Fly" so popular.

Cinemas were not what Li Yun was concerned about.

But this parallel world is different; it has a condition that it didn't have in its previous life: the advanced internet.

It's only 2008 now, but online platforms like Hupu and Weibo are already quite mature.

It is this maturity that is evident.

This made Li Yun feel that now he could absolutely bring out the bullets.

A good reputation can attract veteran actors.

A box office success can attract good actors.

Not all actors can ignore commercial success; in fact, most are just ordinary people.

They have their own mundane ideas.

That's perfectly normal, or rather, that's just human nature.

Those who are capable will naturally enjoy better financial resources and material possessions.

Not everyone can be like the veteran actors on CCTV, putting in the effort to deliver a great performance.

Passion can be linked to profit, or rather, this is true for most people, including Li Yun. He is passionate about his career, but the benefits and fame that this career can bring are also his greatest driving force.

People are all vulgar.

Even strongmen are not immune to worldly concerns.

Let's put aside the CCTV's main theme project for now, or rather, after the "Young Students" project ended, the main theme project is still in the planning stages.

The Founding of the People's Republic of China and the Founding of the Communist Party: the remaining two parts.

Both films will be released shortly after "The Young Students".

The success of "Just Like Us" will serve as a resource for the next two films.

Whether it's actor resources or other resources.

However, all of these require a certain amount of time to prepare.

Historical dramas are also one of CCTV's strengths, but preparation and investment both require a certain amount of time.

Li Yun is now aware of the historical drama that is being planned.

Staying within the system means having access to better information.

One of them is "The Qin Empire: The Great Rift".

Another one is "The New Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Both are considered heavyweight works internally.

These are all works that CCTV will need to focus on in the historical drama genre going forward.

Li Yun was interested in both productions, and it just so happened that the minimum requirement for playing an important role in this production was a second-level actor.

This is the benefit of professional titles.

As a stepping stone, its role is unparalleled.

Within CCTV, it's like a pass.

I currently only have a Level 3 actor's certificate, but if we categorize actors based on their status and acting skills...

I should have the strength of a level two peak.

Participation is no problem, but I need to get a foot in the door.

Li Yun wondered if this stepping stone would be enough to open doors for these two historical epics after the release of "Lurking".

Who knows?

I guess I just did my best.

However, the path I've taken isn't limited to the CCTV system. Critical acclaim is necessary, but commercial success is also crucial, and that's exactly what I'm achieving now.

This requires participating in works with commercial potential.

A work with commercial potential.

The best way to increase one's market value is to act in commercially oriented works.

Collaborate with big names.

And just then, an opportunity arose: Jiang Cheng had just found Li Lianjie's comeback masterpiece for Li Yun.

The Warlords.

This is Jet Li's first major project since returning from Hollywood. Filming hasn't even started yet, but the kung fu emperor has already launched a massive publicity campaign.

This is the kung fu emperor who has returned from Hollywood.

This is one of the great advantages of having worked in Hollywood.

When he comes back, he's the boss, the boss among bosses.

A film fee of 100 million yuan is something they can just pay up without hesitation, and Li Yun was quite envious.

I'm not envious.

The invitation that Jiang Chenggang brought was also a coincidence. It was a roundabout way of getting to Liu Dehua, the second male lead in the "blood oath".

Knowing that Li Yun's upcoming movie schedule was still uncertain, they invited Li Yun to play the third male lead.

In Liu Dehua's words.

It's somewhat poignant to see how times have changed.

Back then, he could only play Andy Lau's stunt double.

Now I can match up against him.

It rose to prominence as fast as a shooting star.

So this time, Andy Lau generously extended an olive branch.

Li Yun could only thank him for his kindness.

The script I've got my eye on is something else.

"So why don't you choose the 'blood oath'? Being able to act alongside Andy Lau and the Kung Fu Emperor would significantly boost your current market value."

Jiang Chenggang was somewhat puzzled by this.

What Li Yun lacks now is improvement in commercialization.

In other words, box office appeal.

This is a path that film and television stars and actors must break through.

With acting skills alone, you can only become a veteran actor, or a decent movie star.

CCTV has many such actors, such as Station Chief Wu from "Lurking," and they have many, many titles.

But none of them were well-known, and their pay was just so-so.

To become a true superstar, one needs both acting skills and box office appeal.

However, box office appeal depends partly on luck and partly on innate charisma and appearance.

Some people are born with a natural affinity for audiences.

Take Andy Lau for example. He has a natural affinity with audiences. He gained popularity first when he debuted, and his acting skills followed.

They are the true chosen ones, born to make a living in the entertainment industry. However, it's also possible that they were born in a good era.

It's always the same: debuting in an era of limited entertainment and being the first to be recognized by the audience is an unparalleled advantage.

The best approach for newcomers to create their own value is...

It's probably about collaborating with actors who have already established themselves as valuable.

Li Lianjie is a good example.

The reason why he commands such a high price and attracts so many people is that collaborating with his works helps to increase their own value.

A certain actor and Lian Jue, the kung fu emperor who returned from Hollywood, starred in a certain film.

It would be so impressive to tell others.

That's how it should be.

Li Yun still refused.

I accepted another project, one that, no matter how you look at it, didn't offer the same value for money as "The Warlords." The only advantage was that this project offered me the lead role.

But sometimes, the male lead in a bad production is not as good as the third male lead in a good production.

Li Yun should understand this principle, right?

But what Li Yun wants to say is, who says this is a bad work?

This film is called Ip Man.

A work filmed at the same time as "The Warlords".

The investment size is about one-tenth of that of the Warlords.

It's not very big.

But what's missing is the role of Ip Man, the protagonist; what's needed is an actor who can both fight and act.

It requires both acting skills and action scenes.

The requirements are definitely not low.

Compared to The Warlords, the advantage of this work is probably that it gives the protagonist the role.

Upon closer examination, it's not entirely impossible.

"Better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond."

"Who told you that Ip Man is a scoundrel?" Li Yun rolled his eyes at Jiang Chenggang.

Ip Man was not a chicken head.

If I had to categorize it, it should be considered a small leader.

"It's not that it's impossible."

Jiang Chenggang frankly admitted that Ip Man's suggestion wasn't entirely unacceptable, but it certainly wasn't as good as the option of "The Blood Brothers".

The Warlords is a commendable work.

It's a pity to give up, but there's no other way.

Ip Man.

A grandmaster.

A mere soldier.

At this moment, there was a refined-looking man dressed in a black Tang suit standing in front of Li Yun.

He looked at himself with a slight smile.

Very polite.

She is also very gentle.

Among the personalities that reside in my mind, they are among the gentlest.

If it were him, Li Yun had a feeling that even if he resided in his mind, it wouldn't really matter what kind of personality he had.

It wasn't very impactful or proactive, nor was it particularly aggressive.

He is very refined.

She's also very easygoing.

He truly deserves to be called a grandmaster.

Of course, this applies to magnanimity.

"What a pity, it's not enough."

"What's not enough?"

"It might be magnanimity, or it might be something else, but I feel there's something else that's lacking."

"What more could I ask for?" The Tang-suited martial artist in front of me smiled slightly and said, "I possess unparalleled skills. In this area, no one can defeat me. My fists can conquer the world and protect the order of our homeland and the martial arts world."

Everyone called Ip Man Master Ip.

Because Master Ye is not only a major landowner of Buddhist robes, but also a philanthropist.

As he spoke, the martial artist in front of him even demonstrated a set of punches for Li Yun, a very good set.

Ip Man, the master of Wing Chun.

He was indeed a grandmaster in terms of martial arts and demeanor.

That's impressive.

In terms of sheer fists, if I were to fight Master Ye in front of me, I'd probably be beaten senseless and dizzy.

But Li Yun still felt that Master Ye now exuded the aura of a grandmaster.

He's missing something.

It's not complete yet.

(End of this chapter)