Huayu: Just started as a stagehand, but the director's comeback system

Thanks to Jianghuai's previous impressive track record, the 50 million yuan investment was quickly transferred to the production team's account.

Meanwhile, the previous contract with Huayi Brothers has also taken effect, and the male lead of Parasite has definitely signed Huang Xiaoming, who is currently being promoted by Huayi Brothers.

The second male lead has been confirmed as Lu Yi, who is currently enjoying great popularity. In addition, there is Jing Tian, ​​the female lead whom Jiang Huai had previously acquired through a private deal, as well as two supporting actresses, Tong Liya and Mei Ting. Most of the main characters are now in place.

Lu Yi plays Huang Xiaoming's father.

Although Lu Yi, born in 1976, is only two years older than Huang Xiaoming, she looks quite suitable after makeup.

Jiang Huai handed over the role of the tycoon in the Parasite movie to Duan Yihong, who had just been signed.

It's not that Liao Fan and Huang Bo, whom Jiang Huai values, are not good enough in terms of acting skills; it's just that their temperaments don't match.

Liao Fan won the Silver Bear for Best Actor for his role in Black Coal, Thin Ice, but this also left the audience with the impression of him as a criminal police officer.

As for Huang Bo, although he has been nurtured by wealth and luxury over the past two years, his demeanor is still far inferior when he plays a tycoon.

Tong Liya plays the daughter of a wealthy man, while Mei Ting plays the mother of the male lead.

Another main character is a wealthy man's wife. Although Zhang Ziyi has been pestering him a lot lately, she hasn't provided any actual resources yet. So, Jiang Huai is directly opening up auditions for this role.

Since Zhang Ziyi didn't provide suitable resources before the role was confirmed, Jiang Huai can't be blamed for that.

In the end, only the nanny couple was left. There were no suitable candidates for these two roles within the company, so Jiang Huai directly stated his requirements.

Only big names are welcome; those who aren't A-list actors don't need to come for an audition.

The 50 million yuan film budget gave Jiang Huai enough confidence that even if a character only appeared in one shot in this parasite movie, it would have to be a superstar.

The various companies within the entertainment industry didn't react much to the news released by Jianghuai.

After all, these are all supporting roles in the interviews; you don't even need to think to know that the main roles have already been pre-booked.

Moreover, the requirement is that they must be popular actors. You can't have your top male and female stars playing supporting roles for others, would that be lowering your own status?

Fortunately, Jianghuai had the support of Huayi Brothers. After learning that Jianghuai still had a shortage of actors, Huayi Brothers immediately sent a bunch of actors.

Deng Chao was directly summoned by Jiang Huai to play the male lead's classmate, who only had a short scene at the beginning of the movie.

As for the other people who came to interview for roles, Jiang Huai simply told them to fly to Shanghai on their own.

Jianghuai prefers this place to the capital; it's a bustling city.

Everything can be summed up in money. Jianghuai wasn't the most enthusiastically welcomed when choosing a venue here, but with enough money invested, the efficiency was definitely the highest.

The dilapidated basement, the magnificent villa, and other less important scenes were all finalized within five days.

Jianghuai then chose to hold the interview at the villa that was under renovation.

"The next Zhou Xun teacher."

Because the script contained many compelling storylines, the role of the wealthy man's wife attracted many top-tier actresses to audition after Jiang Huai announced it to the public.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Huai immediately forgot about Zhang Ziyi. She was now focused on breaking into Hollywood, and her domestic fanbase wasn't as stable as that of other top-tier actresses.

After the interview assistant called out Zhou Xun's name, Jiang Huai straightened his clothes and stopped leaning casually in his chair as before.

"Director Jiang, it's been so long since we last met."

Zhou Xun did not start performing immediately after entering the room, but greeted everyone with a smile.

The last time the two met was at the Golden Rooster Awards, when Jiang Huai, who hadn't achieved much success yet, sat a few rows behind Zhou Xun.

Although the two did not greet each other at the scene, they still exchanged smiles.

As for their previous interactions, it dates back to the casting of "Black Coal, Thin Ice". Although the Song family was ultimately chosen, Zhou Xun's performance left a deep impression on Jiang Huai.

"Yes, it's been a long time. I have faith in Zhou Xun's acting skills, so let's not waste that time. Just give me a performance as a rich woman. I want to see your understanding of the script."

Jiang Huai had seen many of Zhou Xun's movies and was familiar with her basic abilities.

Furthermore, the competition among actresses is now much fiercer than that among actors.

Nowadays, male actors are still stuck in the old ways of stabbing each other in the back and exposing each other's dirty secrets in private.

Actresses are involved in more than just these things; even in public, there are instances of them belittling each other.

The fact that Zhou Xun can maintain her position at the top in such a competitive environment is definitely not just due to underhanded tactics; her acting skills must be the foundation of her success.

"If there's a mistake in the performance, Director Jiang, please let me know immediately."

After Jiang Huai nodded, Zhou Xun immediately began her performance.

She comes from a wealthy family, and coupled with her understanding of the script, her performance was remarkably lifelike.

Therefore, Jianghuai directly sent Zhou Xun into the second round, since it's possible that others also wanted to send resources over.

Unfortunately, Jianghuai's plan ultimately failed. Apart from Zhang Ziyi and some unknown small companies, no one else wanted to buy the high-priced tickets.

Jianghuai directly rejected those smaller companies, since there might be some shady assets involved.

As for Zhang Ziyi, Jiang Huai, after hesitating for a day, also explicitly denied it.

The other party's resources have recently been shifting from domestic to Hollywood, and the resources they can offer now are mostly foreign.

Those things were not entirely useless to the Jianghuai region, but they were certainly of little use.

The actors under Yihuai Media have not even made a name for themselves domestically, let alone gone international.

Therefore, the conditions Zhang Ziyi offered were completely empty promises. If Jiang Huai agreed to them, he must be out of his mind.

Since that's the case, there's no need for a second round of interviews; Zhou Xun has been cast directly as the rich man's wife.

Not only because the other party has good acting skills, but also because Zhou Xun's connections in the industry can help Jiang Huai bring in many big names for cameo roles.

With Zhou Xun's recommendation, Jiang Huai quickly achieved his goal of having all his guest actors be big names.

By the end of May, the film set renovations were complete, and all the pre-production work for the Parasite movie was finished.

Jianghuai confirmed that the lead actors had no film or television schedules in the near future, apart from endorsements and some events.

He immediately chose another auspicious date calculated by a national-level master – June 1st.

Although Children's Day doesn't have any special significance, it still gives many children a holiday.

This inevitably leads to parents from the vicinity of Shanghai bringing their children on trips, and the filming locations for Jianghuai are not far from famous scenic spots in Shanghai.

This way, the parents who come to visit can provide behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Parasite movie, and the initial buzz can be built up in this way.

……

"The Parasite movie has officially begun filming!"

In front of numerous media outlets and onlookers, Jiang Huai, along with the male lead Huang Xiaoming and the female lead Jing Tian, ​​lifted the red cloth covering the camera.

Immediately, they were greeted with cheers from the onlookers, and the group bowed in salute.

Jiang Huai realized that the first wave of free buzz surrounding the parasite was secure.

The next step will depend on these journalists who have paid money.

The journalists who came to attend the launch ceremony of Parasite today are all from well-known domestic newspapers, and they must have been paid.

If they say anything bad about money, it's considered disrespectful to money.

"Director Jiang Huai, everyone's saying you're the leading director of the Sixth Generation. Do you have anything to say in response?"

The first reporter to conduct the interview was still Phoenix.com, which is very familiar to Jiang Huai.

The other party did not disappoint Jiang Huai's trust, elevating the interview to a sufficiently high level.

"That's an exaggeration. There are still quite a few talented sixth-generation directors who are deeply involved in art films."

"So, Director Jiang, you mean you're already the leading figure of the Sixth Generation of directors in the commercial film field?"

"I didn't say that; it's all your own interpretation."

Jiang Huai spoke modestly, but the reporters present could see the immense pride in his smile.

No wonder Jianghuai is so reckless; the company's revenue has recently approached a small target.

In addition to investing in Ning Hao's "The Golden Era" and his own "Parasite".

After deducting the annual salary payments, most of the remaining money was used by Jianghuai to hire professional talent.

No matter who dares to question Jianghuai, Jianghuai's response will be indiscriminate accusations.

You can search through the entire roster of directors in the entertainment industry and still not find two quiet ones.

If any negative news comes out, release the most explosive piece of dirt on them.

Jiang Huai didn't care whether he attacked the wrong person. In the entertainment industry, as long as there was no shared interest, everyone was a potential enemy.

The only difference is whether it happens a little earlier or a little later.

After gesturing for the Phoenix.com reporter to sit down, Jiang Huai immediately called over the next CCTV reporter.

"Director Jiang, both of your films this year have grossed over 100 million yuan. Do you predict that Parasite will gross even more?"

"Hmm...that's a good question. My prediction for Parasite is definitely not just that it will gross over 100 million, but that it will break new records."

This film took a lot of my effort, and with an investment of over 100 million, it will definitely amaze audiences.

It's common for investment amounts to be overstated; in fact, Jianghuai's claim of 100 million for an investment of 50 million is already an understatement.

With Zhang Yimou and others having invested hundreds of millions in films before, Jiang Huai's boasting wouldn't seem out of place.

"Then I wish Director Jiang Huai all the best in advance."

"Okay, then the next one is that female reporter behind us."

Jiang Huai was used to CCTV's conventional interviews; if they asked something explosive, then there was a problem.

"Hello Director Jiang Huai, I'm from Southern Metropolis Daily."

"You've cast new actresses in two consecutive films. Are you trying to mold Jing Tian, ​​who's right next to you, into the next 'Huai Girl'?"

It's no wonder that the reporter from Southern Metropolis Daily focused their camera on Jing Tian; her resume is far cleaner than Tong Liya's.

Tong Liya is at least a dancer and is currently studying at the Central Academy of Drama, while Jing Tian is only seventeen years old and hasn't even started university yet.

Tong Liya's achievements are still fresh in our minds. The lead role in a movie that grossed over 100 million yuan propelled her to the top tier, which is even more exaggerated than the "Zhang Yimou Girls" of that time.

"Jing Tian is an actress I have high hopes for. I dare say that she will definitely have a place in the future entertainment industry."

When I first met her, I could feel her vibrant energy, something rare in the entertainment industry.

Jing Tian, ​​who was standing next to Jiang Huai, blushed with embarrassment at his praise.

Jiang Huai remained unfazed, after all, the other party had Wanda's financial backing, so it would be difficult for them not to become famous.

Moreover, the other party is currently the leading actress in two of my company's movies. After the opening ceremony today, the other party still has to rush to Ning Hao's place.

With such a strong connection, it can be said that the higher Jing Tian's popularity is now, the more Yihuai Media will benefit from this.

When interviewed by reporters from Jianghuai later, he only gave brief answers.

Even with the backing of money, they still showered him with praise, as if the domestic entertainment industry couldn't do without Jianghuai.

Jiang Huai was not clear about his feelings during the interview, but when he returned to the film set and saw a bunch of big-name actors.

Jiang Huai had only one thought in his mind: the entertainment industry might not be so bad if it were owned by someone surnamed Jiang.

Moreover, the professionals he recruited also helped him gather a lot of information about Huayi Brothers.

The news that Wang Jinghua, one of the two CEOs of Huayi Brothers, had broken ties with the other had already reached Jiang Huai's desk.

Although there is no official word from either side, they are simply dividing up their respective resources.

Wang Jinghua's most important resource is the actors who are affiliated with Huayi Brothers.

The departure of those actors may not have much impact on Huayi Brothers, but Jiang Huai might be able to gain a lot of benefits from it.

Anyway, he has already sent invitations to quite a few actors who are still undecided.

Even if none of them come, there is no loss, but as long as even one person comes through, it's a huge profit.

In other words, Jianghuai and Huayi Brothers still share common interests, and if the other party gets into trouble, it may affect Yihuai Media.

Otherwise, Jianghuai would definitely have to add fuel to the fire in this broken relationship between the two sides, because only when things are chaotic and urgent enough is it the right time to snatch chestnuts from the fire.

But the benefits have already been decided in advance, and even if you regret it now, there's nothing you can do about it.

We can only hope that the two CEOs of Huayi Brothers, Wang Jinghua and Wang Taiji, can exercise restraint.

At the very least, we should pretend to be polite and get through this year.

The only thing Jianghuai needs to do now is to hurry up and film the parasite.

By the time the editing is finished, it will probably be early next year, and it would be best if it could be released during the summer season.

"Alright, everyone's rested enough, let's start today's filming."

With Ning Hao gone from the crew, Xing Aina should logically be the assistant director, but it wouldn't be right to separate the couple, so Jiang Huai had to handle many small matters personally once again.

Therefore, he also considered finding someone to be his assistant director.

Ideally, I could be like my mentor Zhang Yimou, where each assistant director has their own specific role, and I only need to focus on filming.

That is, now that "Parasite" has started filming, he doesn't have time to personally conduct auditions.

Jiang Huai didn't trust those with connections either, since he himself had connections in the first place. Even though he was just a stagehand, he always chose jobs that attracted attention.

In that case, wouldn't hiring an assistant director just make me busier?

Those who are famous probably won't come to be my concubines; I can only take it one step at a time.