Reborn in the Entertainment Industry: This Top Star Has Real Achievements

The office building was quiet, and Huang Lei's office door was ajar.

Li Xiang knocked on the door, and a familiar voice came from inside: "Come in."

Huang Lei was typing on his computer when he saw him come in. He quickly saved the file and turned off the computer: "Pretty fast, no dawdling."

"How could I dare keep you waiting?" Li Xiang smiled and pulled up a chair to sit down.

The two didn't chat much in the office. Huang Lei picked up his coat from the back of his chair and said, "Let's go eat."

Li Xiang thought it would be like usual, going to his teacher's house for a casual meal, but unexpectedly, Teacher Huang drove directly to the North Third Ring Road—

That restaurant by the roadside looks impressive, with carved beams and painted rafters on its facade, and waitresses in cheongsams standing at the entrance; it doesn't look cheap at all.

"Teacher, this place..." Li Xiang was a little stunned.

Huang Lei patted him on the shoulder: "Go in, let's have a welcome dinner for you."

The private room was decorated in an antique style. After we sat down, the waiter handed us the menu.

Huang Lei simply pushed the order to him: "Order whatever you like, don't be shy, consider it a belated wrap party from your teacher."

Having spent so much time together, Li Xiang had long regarded Teacher Huang as a close elder, so he wasn't shy at all and picked out a few of his favorite dishes from the menu.

Remembering the teacher's preferences, I added braised fish and stewed chicken before handing the menu back to him.

After the waiter left, Huang Lei picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then slowly said, "Lulu told me about your film crew's affairs in private."

Li wanted to know he was referring to Senior Sister Fu, so she didn't reply and waited for what was to come.

Huang Lei looked at him with a mixture of relief and seriousness in his eyes: "I won't say much more, after all, it's all in the past, and you handled it quite well."

However… things in the industry are much more complicated than you see. This time, Director Zhang is protecting you, but it's likely that it will be difficult for you to film new movies in the future.”

He was prepared for this, after all, Zhang Weiping's true identity had been thoroughly investigated online in later generations.

But in front of Huang Lei, he naturally wouldn't say much, only calmly stating, "But I'm the victim."

Unexpectedly, this was met with a sneer from Huang Lei: "Naive! So what if you're a victim? So what if you're not a victim?"

He put down his chopsticks, his tone carrying a hint of the coldness of someone with experience: "This industry isn't about who's more miserable to be right, nor is it a place to play the victim."

The worse your situation, the less likely anyone will dare to hire you; in fact, even more people will try to take advantage of your misfortune. Only those who are at the peak of their careers can remain standing.

"Silly boy, the entertainment industry is a place where luck matters. Once you've fallen, nine times out of ten you won't be able to get back up, no matter how successful you were before."

Take Wang Jie for example. When he was at his peak, he was as popular as the Four Heavenly Kings! But after that one fall from grace, his luck seemed to have vanished, and he never recovered.

He paused, then looked at Li Xiang with a slightly harsher tone: "That's why I told you, if you can avoid a complete breakdown in relations, then don't. If it really comes to the point where a breakdown is unavoidable—"

He paused, then tapped his chopsticks lightly on the table—a soft sound, yet carrying an undeniable decisiveness:

"Then we have to crush him completely, so he has no chance to recover. Otherwise, once he recovers, the first person he'll bite is you."

Li Xiang nodded silently. He knew Huang Lei wasn't exaggerating; the upheavals in this industry came faster and more ruthlessly than anywhere else.

Aren't all those names that rose and fell in later generations living examples?

"I understand what you mean, teacher," Li Xiang replied softly.

Seeing that his most valued student showed no sign of rejection, Huang Lei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He was afraid that this kid was a moral exemplar who was stubborn and inflexible, and that despite setting such a good example, he would end up being tricked into a ditch.

It was precisely because of this that he didn't put on airs as a teacher—he should have been a role model for students, yet he said things that seemed to violate professional ethics.

Because at this moment he is not a school teacher, but a caring elder, just like Uncle Wang.

It was because Li Xiang's first film caused such a stir with the female lead that Zhang Weiping personally went to the set to confront Zhang Yimou.

So as soon as Li Xiang returned, he had to make these points clear to the young man, so that he would not let his guard down.

Of course, this is only one aspect.

Huang Lei changed the subject, picked up his teacup and took a sip: "After this ordeal, you've seen how ruthless the entertainment industry can be. Haven't you thought about signing with a management company?"

He waved his hand and added, "I don't approve of your family getting involved. First of all, it's too limiting, and if you have strong subjective ideas, it's easy to cause trouble."

Look at Liu Yifei's mother, Zhang Ziyi's brother, and Liu Yifei's sister-in-law—none of them have been able to play a positive role.

"Once this movie is released, I will be considered a new face in the film industry, and I will inevitably be targeted by others."

If we don't make plans now, and people use more tricks in the future, your Uncle Wang and I might not be able to protect you even if we wanted to, and we might easily offend people for no reason."

He looked at Li Xiang. "So, what's on your mind, kid?"

Li Xiang's idea was to set up his own personal studio so he could make all the decisions and keep all the money he earned.

But neither the current era nor the industry rules allow him to do such a thing.

If he really dares to cause trouble like this, he'll probably lose all access to resources in the industry immediately.

Despite his seemingly logical thinking, in his past life he was just an ordinary bystander who had never been involved in the industry.

So, apart from those few most prestigious but also most problematic agencies, he had absolutely no idea about the others.

Huang Lei brought this up today, which suited his needs perfectly, and he also wanted the teacher to give him some feedback.

"Teacher, as you know, I only have a superficial understanding, so I can't really articulate my thoughts. Could you please explain the ins and outs of this first?"

Seeing his reaction, Huang Lei didn't beat around the bush. He put down his chopsticks and slowly began to speak:

"If we're talking about the top company, it's definitely Huayi Brothers. But even though it's a top company, you probably won't get a spot if you try to get in."

Forget about the top ten, you won't even make the top twenty. Besides, Huayi has a nickname in the industry: "the graveyard of newcomers."

If you're an established star, you might be able to get some help there; but if you're a newcomer just starting out, you'll have to endure a lot.

"I know that. There are too many big stars in his neighborhood. If I went in, I probably wouldn't even make a splash."

"Yes, it's good that you understand that." Huang Lei nodded and continued.

"Then there's Orange Sky, and 18. Oh, and Star Media is one too, backed by Chang Jihong's team."

As he spoke, he observed Li Xiang's expression: "These companies each have their own focus. Huayi has the most diverse resources, covering both movies and TV series."

Orange Sky focuses on film and television investment and has close relationships with many directors; Shishiba emphasizes long-term planning, but it's somewhat lacking in sustainability, given that it has offended too many companies...

As for Chang Jihong's side, they are known for being professional, assertive, and focused on scripts, but their resources are just so-so.

"Isn't there anything perfect?"

"Silly boy, if we couldn't find a single flaw, would we be here arguing about it?" Huang Lei picked up a piece of cold dish, his tone tinged with self-deprecation.

"Take Huayi for example. In terms of resources and platform, it's top-notch, right? But its place is like a stage that's packed to the brim."

The big stars all stand in the center of the stage, while newcomers can only wait backstage, and whether they get to say a line depends on luck.

There's never a perfect solution in this business; it's always about weighing the pros and cons...

Or perhaps you'll have to work your way up and become successful, gaining confidence and independence, before you can be like me, running your own company and making your own decisions.

"But you can't do that now. Without sharing the pie, without resources or connections, even if you act in Director Zhang's movie, you might not be able to gain a foothold."

How many promising talents in the industry have faded into obscurity simply because they clung to their limited autonomy?

"You have to understand that the 'steamed soup' you're giving away now is so that you can hold an even bigger bowl in the future."

Of course, how much to distribute and to whom is up to you to decide.

Choosing a company, in essence, is about choosing someone who can share the profits with you and help you grow your business.