Rebirth 09: Starting from taking charge of Running Man on CCTV

Ma Li thought about it.

"There's another one, Zheng Kai, who just signed with Huayi Brothers this year and has filmed a lot of GG movies. He's known in the industry as the 'GG Prince,' but the general public doesn't know him. He's got a good foundation."

"Fast running, good looks, arrogant and loves to show off, perfect for being the speedster."

"And because they're not very famous, their pay is basically negligible."

Su Xiao put down her pen and took over the conversation.

"I have two here too."

"The first one is Shen Teng."

Zhang Lei frowned.

"Who?"

"A stage actor from Happy Twist, a graduate of the PLA Academy of Arts."

Su Xiao spoke slowly but with great certainty.

"I saw his play 'Sweet and Salty' last month. He has a kind of sly, dry humor in his bones, and every time he opens his mouth he's witty."

"The general public doesn't know him at all, but I can guarantee that if you give him a stage, he can make everyone go crazy."

"The second one is Chen He."

"My junior colleague, a recent graduate from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, is now working at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center."

"He has a TV series called 'iPartment' that will air in August. It's a sitcom, and the airing time can be coordinated with our program."

"This person is talkative, cheeky, quick-witted, and a natural comedic talent for variety shows."

She glanced at Chen Yang.

"Moreover, he and Zheng Kai were classmates at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. When they're together, they tease each other, which creates a natural entertainment effect."

Chen Yang stood in front of the whiteboard, his back to everyone.

His hand didn't move.

But I went through it all in my mind.

Deng Chao, Li Chen, Wang Baoqiang, Shen Teng, Chen He, Zheng Kai.

Six names.

The starting lineup for Running Man is basically the same as I expected.

Aside from Wang Zulan, I guess I know very few other people.

However, I was quite surprised that Shen Teng was recommended.

He didn't give anyone any hints beforehand, nor did he guide anyone's thinking.

Based on their professional judgment and connections within the industry, this group of people spontaneously pieced together these cards.

Sometimes, the gears of fate turn with such precision.

"it is good."

Chen Yang turned around, picked up a pen, and filled in the six names into the six boxes.

"I think any of these six people are suitable."

"The reason is simple: either they are in the rising phase and urgently need exposure, or they are not yet famous and their pay is extremely low, or they have a natural cooperative relationship with CCTV."

"We are an A-level project in CCTV's prime time slot. Once this brand is established, none of these six people have the right to refuse."

"Sister Li, first talk to their management team and sound them out. Don't rush to sign a contract. Let people know that this is happening."

"clear."

Ma Li has already stuck six sticky notes on her business card holder.

"What about the last spot?"

Zhang Lei stared at the seventh blank box on the whiteboard.

Chen Yang wrote a word on that box.

【female】.

"There must be one female MC among the seven people."

He screwed on the pen cap and leaned against the whiteboard.

"There are only three requirements. First, she must be beautiful and easily recognizable on camera. Second, she must not be afraid to look bad without makeup, be able to go into mud pits, run the entire course, and not be pretentious. Third, her salary cannot be high."

"Sister Li, do you have any suitable ones?"

Ma Li frowned.

She scrolled through the list of celebrities in her mind.

"Zhao Wei? No way, she's too big a star, we can't lower her salary, and she's not going to be a regular cast member."

"Weekly news? Same here."

"Li Bingbing, Fan Bingbing... these top actresses have an image they're attached to more than anyone else. You want them to go down into the mud?"

"There are a few young actresses, but they either lack variety show skills or their agencies won't release them."

She shrugged.

"Director Chen, to be honest, I really can't think of any female artists in China who meet all three of your criteria right now."

Su Xiao also shook her head.

"Actresses who can let go of their pride are not attractive; attractive actresses are all aloof. This is indeed difficult."

There was a few seconds of silence in the meeting room.

Chen Yang wasn't in a hurry.

He walked up to the whiteboard and drew a big question mark in the seventh box.

"No rush."

"We'll find this location slowly."

"Sister Li, when you have dinner parties or events in the industry lately, please keep an eye out for me. They don't necessarily have to be established actresses; newcomers and models are fine too."

"If those three conditions are met, bring the person to me."

"receive."

Ma Li wrote the question mark on a sticky note.

"Okay, that's all for MC for now."

Chen Yang clapped his hands.

"Other departments, please report on your progress."

"Senior, the team structure is currently just a framework. Please sort out the personnel gaps, make a list, and give it to me tomorrow."

Zhang Lei nodded.

"There's a significant shortage. The on-site director, personal choreographer, sound engineer, lighting technician, props technician, and security personnel are all still in place. I'll start rehearsing today."

"Zhao Bin, the post-production team should set up the workflow first. The text templates, background music library, and editing guidelines should all be done according to the standards I gave you yesterday."

"no problem."

"Chen Xi, I've already registered official accounts on three platforms: Tianya, Tieba, and Douban. I'm not in a hurry to post content; I'll just reserve these spots first."

"clear."

"Director Wang."

Chen Yang looked at Wang Jianguo at the end.

Wang Jianguo pushed up his glasses, his expression still that of a seasoned CCTV veteran, completely unfazed.

But the blank paper in his hand was already half a page filled with notes.

"Please keep an eye on the budget approval process for me. If any supplementary materials are needed, please contact me anytime."

Wang Jianguo nodded.

"Director Chen, the meeting went well."

He paused for a moment.

"To be honest, I've been with the station for fifteen years, and this is the first time I've seen anyone structure a variety show like this."

"You're too kind."

"That's not an overstatement."

Wang Jianguo folded the notebook paper and stuffed it into the folder.

"It's a reminder that the bigger the structure, the more money you'll spend."

"I'll keep an eye on the budget for you, but you also need to keep track of it yourself."

"Understood, thank you, Director Wang."

The meeting adjourned.

People from each department filed out with their respective tasks.

The corridor was filled with the sounds of voices, footsteps, and the thud of equipment bags clattering together.

The 12th-floor office area, which had been empty for more than half a year, suddenly came back to life.

Chen Yang stood motionless in the conference room.

He looked at the seven squares on the whiteboard.

Six were filled with names, and the last one was marked with a question mark.

He knew who the answer to that question mark was.

But he couldn't say it himself.

Because at this time, who is Angelababy? Very few people know her!

He needs to wait for a suitable opportunity.

I wonder if Baby will join Running Man again in this lifetime?

……

A few days later, one evening at 8:30.

A small, privately-run restaurant near Sanlitun in Chaoyang District, Beijing.

Ma Li changed into a dark-colored business jacket, her makeup was more refined than during the day, and she walked into the private room in low-heeled leather shoes.

This was a private dinner party hosted by real estate agents in Beijing.

The host was the publicity director of a mid-sized film and television company. The guests were all mid-level managers from various talent agencies. They talked about resources, projects, and connections.

Ma Li had been attending these kinds of dinner parties for years and was quite adept at it.

She sat at the edge of the round table, clinked glasses with a deputy director from Huayi Brothers to her left, and casually inquired about Zheng Kai's availability.

"Zheng Kai? He's free, he just finished filming a sitcom, and hasn't decided on any new projects yet."

"You have a project involving him?"

"It's not a drama, it's a variety show."

"Variety shows? He's never done any variety shows."

That's why I contacted him.

Ma Li smiled but didn't elaborate.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere in the private room became lively.

Ma Li took small sips from her cup, her eyes habitually scanning the table.

Then her gaze stopped.

A young girl was sitting in the seat diagonally opposite.

Very young.

She looked to be in her early twenties.

She had straight bangs, long curly hair, and features that were almost unreal. Her skin was so white that it glowed even under the dim light.

She was wearing a simple white dress and had very light makeup.

Sitting among a group of men in their thirties and forties, he felt out of place.

Two greasy middle-aged men sat next to the girl, one bald and the other with a beer belly, both holding wine glasses and constantly moving closer to her.

"Come on, Xiao Yang, right? Have a drink. You've come all the way from Hong Kong, it must have been a long journey."

The bald man pushed his wine glass towards the girl.

The girl shook her head, her voice soft and carrying a distinct Cantonese accent.

"I'm sorry, I'm not a big drinker."

"Oh dear, how can we not drink? We always drink when we're discussing business here in mainland China."

The guy with the beer belly moved even closer, his breath almost hitting the girl's face.

"Didn't you want to develop your career in mainland China? I have a role in a film I'm interested in, the third female lead. If you're interested, we can have a good talk."

The girl's hands rested on her knees, her fingertips slightly clenched.

But her expression didn't falter.

His lips maintained a polite curve, and his back was ramrod straight.

"Thank you, but I really can't drink today..."

"How can you be so insensible, young lady?"

The bald man's face fell.

Ma Li's gaze lingered on that young face for three seconds.

Pretty.

very beautiful.

It's not the kind of beauty that's aggressive; it's sweet and soft, with two shallow dimples.

But sandwiched between two greasy men, she neither cried nor made a fuss, remaining neither humble nor arrogant.

There was a stubborn streak in his eyes.

Ma Li put down her wine glass.

She remembered the three lines Chen Yang had written on the whiteboard during the day.

Looks pretty.

Don't put on airs.

They can handle things.

She reached into her bag and touched the note with a question mark on it.

Then she stood up, holding the cup, and walked diagonally across the street.

"Hey, you two teachers, what are you chatting about so animatedly?"

Ma Li put her wine glass on the table and sat down next to the girl without making a sound.

"Do you mind if I chime in?"

She turned her head and looked at the young girl.

The girl looked up, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of relief.

"Little sister, what's your name?"

The girl bowed slightly, her voice soft.

"Hello, my name is Angelababy."

Everyone calls me baby.