Huayu: This producer has no bottom line.

Chapter 131 Brother, I'm so lucky!

It was already late at night when I got back to the hotel.

After taking a shower, Ren Pingsheng sat down at the table, opened his laptop, and found the first draft of the script sent by Teng Huatao in his email.

He clicked on it and scanned it; the storyline was almost identical to "Love is Not Blind" from his previous life.

Huang Xiaoxian, an older, artsy young woman, was dumped by her boyfriend just when she had found a suitable wedding home. She then got over her heartbreak with the help of her sharp-tongued gay best friend, Wang Xiaojian.

The story is simple, but its strength lies in the authenticity of the emotions and the sharp dialogue. This kind of drama doesn't rely on a star-studded cast or special effects; it relies on the chemistry between the script and the actors.

He closed the email and leaned back in his chair.

Actually, when he was casting the male lead for "Li Xianji", he did consider choosing between Wen Zhang and Xia Yu.

The two actors have similar roles; both are talented and famous actors who can boost the appeal of "Li Xianji" and pave the way for their future foray into the big screen.

But he chose Xia Yu, for a simple reason: she was less troublesome.

Wen Zhang is also a talented actor, and even has more influence in the industry than Xia Yu, but to work with him, you have to pay a price beyond money.

Ren Pingsheng went through the information about this person in his mind.

The article's success today is not simply due to its acting skills.

This person's social acumen and ability to climb the social ladder are among the top three in the Chinese entertainment industry.

In 04, Gao Yuanyuan brought him into the cast of Ye Jing's "Days Related to Youth".

He didn't stay there long before he became best friends with Tong Dawei.

Tong Dawei is no ordinary person; he is a core artist of two giants, Huayi Brothers and Hairun Media, and a rising star in Beijing's entertainment circle.

I met Ma Yili in 2005 while filming "14 Blades".

Ma Yili had already entered the elite circles of Beijing through her early roles in "Princess Pearl III" and "The Black Hole," and her connections were much deeper than his.

In 07, thanks to Tong Dawei's strong recommendation and Ma Yili's behind-the-scenes efforts, Wen Zhang landed the role of the second male lead in Zhao Baogang's "Struggle".

Immediately afterwards, Ma Yi helped Ren Pingsheng get the role in "Dwelling Narrowness" through her best friend Liu Zi, who was also the ex-girlfriend of Teng Huatao, the person who gave Ren Pingsheng the script.

This network of relationships is incredibly complex and intertwined.

However, the Beijing circle's television resources only account for half of the story. The real reason for the article's success is the intersection of the Beijing circle and another line.

After CEPA, Hong Kong capital moved north. Hong Kong had money and technology, but lacked land and connections in the mainland, while Beijing had land and connections. The two sides then began frequent cooperation.

Until 2010, Jiang Zhiqiang put together a project, which is the movie "Ocean Heaven" that will be released next month.

In the entertainment industry, Jiang Zhiqiang is known as the most successful behind-the-scenes promoter of Chinese-language films. Compared to high-profile Beijing bigwigs like the Wang brothers, Jiang Zhiqiang is extremely low-key.

But this unassuming old man single-handedly propelled Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and Zhang Yimou's "Hero" to global fame, ushering in the era of blockbuster films in China.

In the movie "Ocean Heaven", Wen Zhang played Jet Li's autistic son. After filming was completed, he actually became Jet Li's godson.

With Jet Li's endorsement, the Hong Kong entertainment circle opened its doors to Wen Zhang.

After that, he went on to star in films like "The Legend of the White Snake" and "Badges of Fury," until Stephen Chow made "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," choosing him to play Tang Sanzang instead of countless other A-list male stars.

With a background in the Beijing entertainment circle and the support of the Hong Kong entertainment circle, Wen Zhang can be said to be the most successful product of the convergence of these two capital groups.

This is Wen Zhang, the kind of person who dares to swagger over Guo Degang and say, "Brother, I'm having the best time."

So, is he suitable to play Wang Xiaojian? Absolutely.

It's not just because his cheeky, roguish yet sincere temperament is a natural fit for the role.

Furthermore, the powerful forces behind him are an invisible guarantee for the film's box office success.

The distribution channels of the Beijing film circle, the resource support of the Hong Kong film circle, and the theater connections of China Film Group are all factors beyond an actor's acting skills. However, in the Chinese film market, these factors determine whether a film can break through the cracks.

The reason why the film "Love is Not Blind" was able to make 350 million yuan at the box office with a budget of 9 million yuan during the Singles' Day period was not only because it caught the wave of the release window and social marketing, but also because of the resources that the film itself brought.

Should we find someone else to play the role?

He might be able to act well, but whether he can break into the box office is hard to say.

It's not that he has any moral fastidiousness; Ren Pingsheng never considered himself a good person, nor did he have any interest in punishing evil and promoting good on behalf of God.

Whether Wen Zhang cheats on Yao Di three years later, whether Yao Di is innocent, and how Ma Yili handles the situation are matters between the individuals involved.

The problem is that if he participates in this film as the executive director, it means he will have to deal with Wen Zhang face-to-face on set.

He had heard many rumors in his previous life about Wen Zhang's diva-like behavior in the entertainment circle. He said that during a promotional event in Hangzhou, he insisted on eating authentic Xi'an oil-splashed noodles in the middle of the night, and refused to go on stage if he couldn't get some.

At the press conference, he demanded Starbucks coffee and a Starbucks fruit platter. When they didn't have them, he chased after the staff, hurling insults and kicking chairs.

This person can act this way because the capital in Beijing's elite circles is backing him up; all negative news has been forcibly suppressed.

Those who bowed their heads before him were either begging him to act in their films, or they couldn't afford to offend the people behind him.

Ren Pingsheng asked himself a question.

Can you tolerate it?

I can, but I don't want to.

He chose Xia Yu over Wen Zhang because he didn't want to see an actor with personality flaws acting arrogantly and domineeringly in his crew, and he would have to act as a babysitter for such a person and fawn over him.

Although he knew that having a good relationship with Wen Zhang would be more beneficial than with Xia Yu, he preferred to choose someone who would make the entire crew feel comfortable.

That was his own film set; he had the right to choose.

But "Love is Not Blind" is different. This piece of meat is too big, so big that he can't easily push it away like he did with the troublesome character in "Li Xianji".

Moreover, this isn't his performance; it's Teng Huatao's.

The director is Teng Huatao, the screenwriter is the original author Bao Jingjing, and the core creative team has little to do with him.

Even if he got involved, he couldn't possibly replace the article. Teng Huatao wouldn't agree, the people behind the article wouldn't agree, and even he himself didn't want to bear the risks of replacing him.

"If you don't want to be a grandson, then you'll have to be a grandpa."

Ren Pingsheng set the tone in his mind.

He was an investor, a co-producer, and even the head of marketing and distribution.

The only thing I wouldn't do is be the assistant director who gets bullied on set.

He not only wanted to invest money, but also wanted to maximize his personal interests in this film.

Wen Zhang is fine as the male lead, and Bai Baihe is also fine as the female lead.

Whatever antics they cause on set are Teng Huatao's business, and have nothing to do with Ren Pingsheng.

After the movie was released, all he cared about was counting the money.

Ultimately, it's much more worthwhile to utilize articles than to cater to them.

But there are more than just these two characters in "Love is Not Blind".

The rich girl with a heavy Taiwanese accent who is materialistic and pretentious, the seemingly honest but actually cheating ex-boyfriend of the female lead, and all sorts of guest clients.

Why can't these supporting actors be replaced?

Shengping has now officially established a talent agency.

Bai Ke, Da Peng, Tong Liya, Guo Zhenni, and even Gulnazar and Yoon Jung.

Ren Pingsheng tapped his fingers lightly on his knees, his mind already replaying Zhao Bensan's textbook-perfect exchange of interests from the last time.

With that thought in mind, Ren Pingsheng shut down his computer.

I'm flying back to Yanjing early tomorrow morning. I need to go to Sohu first; I've received news from Zhang Chaoyang about the "Ghost Blows Out the Light" project.

Once this matter is resolved, we need to discuss cooperation terms with Teng Huatao as soon as possible.

The timeline is tight. According to the rhythm of the previous life, "Love is Not Blind" was released on Singles' Day in 2011. Going back, the film must be registered and pre-production work must be completed within these few months, and filming will start in the first half of next year.

He needs to secure the investors' position before things completely change.