Huayu 2005: Chat groups are full of real celebrities

A thought flashed through Jiang Bei's mind, but he didn't mince words and laid it all out:

"To be honest, Teacher Xie..."

"Among our group, apart from Yifei, almost everyone is not in the entertainment industry."

"Right now, there are only two things that can be resolved—investment and script."

"The rest, whether it's preparation, assembling the crew, filming, or the subsequent progress, all depend on a true expert like you."

He spoke very frankly.

There was no forced effort, nor any attempt to be strong.

First, reveal your hand: I have money, I have a notebook.

Let's also look at the shortcomings—I really don't understand the others.

Finally, pass the ball over—this project needs your help.

They didn't adopt a humble or subservient attitude, but they showed great sincerity.

Moreover, he also conveniently offered Xie Yuan a way out.

Sure enough, Xie Yuan's smile deepened noticeably after hearing this.

He likes to hear these kinds of words.

It's not because being flattered makes me feel good.

It's because Jiangbei, at least, knows what's good for him.

Knowing what you lack, and knowing who to ask for help.

This is far superior to those young people who think they can conquer the world just by holding one or two notebooks.

Xie Yuan put down the script, leaned back in his chair, and finally stopped beating around the bush, smiling as he spoke:

"To be honest, I came here today—"

"They really have their eye on your project."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of several people in the room lit up simultaneously.

Xie Yuan was quite straightforward and simply stated his position clearly:

"I've been in this industry for decades, and I've seen all kinds of doujinshi."

"I've seen too many period dramas, historical dramas, patriotic dramas, urban romance dramas, family dramas...

"But someone like you, who combines elements of school, youth, comedy, music, and celebrity status all together—"

"This is truly the first time I've ever seen this."

"Fresh."

"Moreover, it's not the kind of gimmick created just for the sake of novelty."

"There really is something there."

"If this film is made well, it will have a very unique flavor."

His words went beyond simply acknowledging the script.

It's practically like they've written "I'm interested in taking this" all over their faces.

Jiangbei would never let such an opportunity slip by.

Seeing that the other party had already gone this far, he simply stopped beating around the bush and went straight for it:

"So, this project—"

"How about we ask Professor Xie to take the lead?"

Upon hearing this, even Liu Yifei glanced at him slightly.

It was too fast. Almost as soon as Xie Yuan showed the slightest intention, Jiang Bei handed over the director's position.

But Jiang Bei knew perfectly well what was going on.

There's never a shortage of directors in the industry who can make TV dramas.

Someone who understands comedic rhythm, can command the stage, and can carry this kind of lighthearted campus musical comedy—

Not much.

Xie Yuan is definitely one of the most suitable people.

Moreover, since he personally accompanied Liu Yifei here today, there's a high chance he already had that intention.

Since that's the case, let's just do it all at once.

You have the intention, and I have the intention.

Let's not be coy, let's just get straight to the point.

Xie Yuan was clearly surprised that the kid would agree so readily, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

But despite the unexpectedness, he felt even more at ease.

Young, yes, young.

But he liked that decisive and straightforward style.

Just as he was considering how to start the conversation, Li Xiangdong quickly chimed in:

"Yes, yes, thank you, Teacher Xie!"

"With you overseeing this production, it'll be a sure thing!"

"If you're willing to join us, we can also cover your director's fee separately!"

Even Jiang Bei couldn't help but glance at Li Xiangdong.

Wow, Mr. Li is really willing to spend money.

In order to move the project forward, they've started to actively increase their investment.

Liu Yifei also chimed in at the right moment, her tone half-coquettish and half-serious:

"Teacher Xie, would you mind putting in a little extra effort?"

"Consider it a practical lesson for us students."

Xie Yuan picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

He maintained a composed demeanor, as if he were considering something.

But in reality, she was overjoyed.

He came here today with two ulterior motives.

The first floor is for Liu Yifei to show her support and help her assess whether these young people are reliable or not.

Another reason is that I came here specifically for this show.

He genuinely liked the script, and he also really wanted the director's position on the project.

Unexpectedly, I didn't even have to say anything.

These people were quite something; they simply set up the ladder for him.

The feeling can be summed up in two words—comfortable.

However, as comfortable as it was, Xie Yuan, being a seasoned veteran, didn't rush to agree. Instead, he first raised the most practical issues:

"What about the construction period?"

"When do you plan to put on this show?"

Jiang Bei and Li Xiangdong exchanged a glance.

They were on the same page about this issue.

Jiangbei said directly:

"To be honest, this film is tied to Mr. Li's brand promotion."

"The sooner the better, of course."

"If conditions permit, I hope to broadcast it around the time the new semester starts."

He wasn't just bragging when he said that.

The play "Hannah" is essentially a light-weight indoor teen comedy.

There are only a few fixed scenes.

Home, school, recording studio, karaoke room.

There aren't many actors.

There are no grand scenes, no large-scale location relocations, and no time-consuming post-production special effects.

To put it simply, it's about setting up the set, filming, and editing.

If the team is efficient enough, it's not impossible to finish the job in a little over three months.

Li Xiangdong nodded in agreement, and fearing that Xie Yuan might think they weren't taking it seriously, he quickly added:

"Yes, yes, it's best to do it during the peak season of September and October."

That was right when our publicity campaign was at its peak.

"We're open to any channel, whether it's a local or satellite TV station, as long as it gets aired. We're willing to negotiate the price and resources."

Xie Yuan tapped the rim of the teacup twice with his fingers, then pondered for a moment.

"If the construction schedule is this tight..."

"There are several prerequisites."

Jiang Bei immediately replied, "Please, speak freely."

Xie Yuan didn't stand on ceremony and laid out his requirements one by one:

"First, it's best to find a more established film and television company to collaborate with."

"Help with obtaining permits, coordinate overall planning, assemble the production team, and coordinate publicity and distribution."

"Otherwise, with just the few people we have now, it's a makeshift team, and we can't handle such a tight schedule."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Bei felt even more at ease.

What I'm afraid of isn't making demands.

What I fear is that the other party won't make any demands and will simply say, "I'll think about it some more."

If they're willing to set conditions, it means the deal is pretty much done.

Jiangbei immediately nodded:

"That's no problem."

"Professor Xie, you set the direction. Whichever company you think is suitable, that's the one we'll look for."

"Connections, collaborations, coordination—it's all up to you."

Xie Yuan nodded and continued:

"Secondly, the script must be completed as soon as possible."

"As long as the script isn't complete, all subsequent tasks such as casting, scheduling, location selection, budgeting, and shooting plans can't be pushed forward."

"If you want to race against time, the script is your Achilles' heel."

Jiangbei made the decision without the slightest hesitation:

"After I get back, I'll put everything else on hold."

"Let's finish the script first."

"Eating and sleeping can take a backseat; the script must come first."

Xie Yuan glanced at him, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"There's a third question."

"Since your play is about music, you can't rely on just two songs to carry the whole show, can you?"

"If the songs aren't good enough, the drama won't have the right feel."

This statement hits the nail on the head regarding the core of "Hannah".

In musical comedy, songs are not just embellishments, but an integral part of the framework.

But Jiang Bei laughed after hearing this.

This is what he fears least.

"You don't need to worry about the song either."

"I'll write as many songs as the plot requires."

"If you want a campus feel, I'll give you a campus feel; if you want a youthful feel, I'll give you a youthful feel; if you want something exciting, I'll give you something exciting."

"I dare not say anything else—"

"The quality is at least no worse than 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky'."

A single sentence was uttered.

The expressions on the faces of the people in the room changed.

Li Xiangdong, in particular, was most worried that the drama would be completed but the songs would not be able to keep up, resulting in a half-finished project.

Moreover, his 12530 is entirely due to the popularity of Liu Yifei's songs.

But now, judging from Jiangbei's tone—

It's not about whether you can write it, but how many you want.

This is scary.

Xie Yuan stared at Jiang Bei for two seconds, then suddenly smiled.

This time, it wasn't the kind of polite smile.

It's a genuine smile before the decision is made.

"OK."

He put down his teacup, finally stopped holding it, stood up, shook hands with Li Xiangdong first, and then extended his hand towards Jiangbei.

"Then it's settled."

"Hurry up with the script."

"Keep the publicity and distribution in mind, Mr. Li."

"I'll coordinate the submission, production, directing, and collaboration with other companies."

"Let's work together to make this film, 'Hannah'."

Jiang Bei also stood up and reached out to shake hands.

The moment their hands clasped, half the weight in his heart finally lifted.

Only at this stage has the framework truly been established.

Li Xiangdong couldn't stop smiling and quickly placed his hands on top of Li Xiangdong's.

"It's a pleasure working with you!"

Liu Yifei's eyes lit up when she saw this.

She knew very well—

From this moment on, this play was no longer just an idea on paper in Jiangbei.

Rather, it's about to actually take root.

Li Xiangdong's smile was the most obvious.

He originally came here just to "look at the script and listen to the songs," but before he knew it, the director team had been assembled, and he felt like he had stumbled upon a blockbuster project for free.

"Okay, okay!"

He picked up his teacup, took two sips, and couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

"We have the script, the director, and the actors."

"Now, the only thing I care about is this one last thing—"

He turned to look at Jiang Bei and Liu Yifei, his eyes full of anticipation:

"How's the song?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yifei subconsciously sat up straighter.

Although she listened quietly the whole time while we were discussing the script, she was still a little nervous.

After all, "Hannah" is the project's main focus.

But songs are what she truly needs to shoulder.

Are these two songs good enough to compete?

Li Xiangdong wasn't the only one waiting for an answer.

She herself is also waiting.

Jiangbei didn't keep them in suspense and immediately stood up:

"Then let's skip the tea and go inside to listen."

"Perfect timing, Yifei has almost finished her practice today."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangdong's eyes lit up.

"Want to hear it live?"

"That would be great!"

Xie Yuan also became interested, put the script aside, and stood up.

The group entered the recording studio one after the other.