Entertainment from Divorce

on Monday.

Brilliant Entertainment Company.

Tan Yue arrived at the company at 7:30, half an hour earlier than usual.

With the list of potential candidates for the core characters in "The Three-Body Problem" tucked in his pocket from the night before, he ran his fingers along the edge of the paper, already having a preliminary plan in mind.

At 9:00 AM sharp, the weekly high-level meeting was held in the rooftop conference room.

Around the long conference table, the directors of each department took their seats in turn, with project progress schedules displayed on their tablets.

Tan Yue sat in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and got straight to the point: "Let's quickly go over the key tasks of each department, within ten minutes. We'll have dedicated time to discuss the details later."

The director of the overseas distribution department spoke first: "The overseas rights renewal for Interstellar is 80% complete."

Xu Nuo from the variety show department then added: "The seventh episode of 'Star Imagination Camp' has surpassed 7 million views, and the commercial cooperation signing rate of trainees has reached 60%. The next workplace variety show, 'Workplace Breakthrough,' has completed guest invitations and will start recording next month."

Qian Tao from the TV drama department adjusted his glasses, his tone filled with excitement: "The storyboard for 'The Three-Body Problem' is 60% complete. Director Lu Chuan and Assistant Director Zhao Jianjun are working smoothly together. The concept design drawings for the core scenes have been drafted. Once the cast is finalized, we can proceed with set design."

Zheng Tongze reported on the progress of the film's publicity and distribution: "The publicity and distribution plan for 'Time Ticks' has been finalized, and preliminary communication has been made with major domestic cinemas regarding the screening schedule during the New Year's Day holiday, reserving 30% of the screening share."

Tan Yue listened and made annotations in his notebook until everyone had finished reporting.

He looked up: "The Overseas Department is focusing on documentary collaborations, which presents a great opportunity to expand the derivatives of science fiction IPs; the TV drama department is accelerating the storyboarding process."

After a brief briefing, the meeting ended, and the department directors hurriedly left with their tasks, leaving only Tan Yue and Chen Ye in the meeting room.

Back in the office, sunlight streamed in through the blinds, casting interplay of light and shadow on the desk.

Tan Yue spread the cast list on the table, picked up a red pen and wrote Ma Guoliang's name in the "Wang Miao" column, and then marked Zhang Shengli after "Chang Weisi".

Both of them are talented actors under the company. Ma Guoliang's refined and wise demeanor and Wang Miao's physicist temperament are highly compatible. Zhang Shengli's many years of experience playing military roles allowed him to handle the calm and composed aura of General Chang Weisi without any pressure.

Tan Yue paused for a moment as he traced the character name "Shi Qiang" with his fingertips.

Shi Qiang is a character with a strong sense of contrast in "The Three-Body Problem". On the surface, he is rough and unruly, but in reality, he is meticulous and insightful. He needs to portray the character's street smarts while also retaining the sharpness and responsibility of a police officer.

Several candidates flashed through his mind, but he finally settled on Deng Gaofei's name.

Deng Gaofei rose to prominence as an astronaut in "Interstellar," demonstrating solid acting skills and a willingness to challenge different types of roles. His previous role as an undercover police officer in the stage play "Dark War" already showed some resemblance to Shi Qiang.

"Xiao Ye, tell Deng Gaofei to come over. Tell him to bring some recent acting practice clips, nothing too formal." Tan Yue pressed the intercom, his tone confident.

After hanging up the phone, his gaze fell on the "Ye Wenjie" column, and his brows furrowed slightly.

This character is central to the plot and needs to be divided into two stages: youth and old age.

The vicissitudes and complexities of the elderly Ye Wenjie require a veteran actor with sufficient life experience to portray, and there is currently no suitable candidate within the company.

As for the naivety, struggles, and disillusionment of the young Ye Wenjie, Tan Yue had a candidate in mind: Sha Sha.

Sasha rose to fame for her role as Zixia Fairy in "A Chinese Odyssey". Her clear yet stubborn eyes perfectly captured the young Ye Wenjie's yearning for and disappointment with the world.

However, Zixia's liveliness is completely different from Ye Wenjie's introverted nature, and her potential still needs to be further evaluated. Tan Yue wrote "Shasha (young Ye Wenjie)" on the paper and put a question mark next to it, planning to contact her again after Deng Gaofei's audition.

After finishing processing several urgent documents, there was a gentle knock on the office door.

"President Tan, Deng Gaofei has arrived." Chen Ye's voice came, followed by a series of steady footsteps as Deng Gaofei pushed open the door and entered.

He was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and khaki casual pants, his hair was neatly styled, his face was not heavily made up, and his eyes were bright and focused. Compared to the elite astronaut image in "Interstellar", he had a more down-to-earth feel.

"Sit down. Did you just come from the film set?" Tan Yue pointed to the chair opposite him and handed him a glass of warm water.

Deng Gaofei took the water glass, his fingers tightening slightly, his tone filled with anticipation: "I just finished filming a public service announcement short film and came here as soon as I received the notification. Does President Tan want to see me about a new role?"

Tan Yue pushed a simplified version of the script in front of him, her fingertip pointing to the character introduction of "Shi Qiang".

"The Three-Body Problem, a hard science fiction TV series, is a script I wrote. The character is named Shi Qiang, the captain of the anti-terrorism team of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, who is transferred to protect Wang Miao. Take a look first."

Deng Gaofei immediately picked up the script and quickly scanned it.

His brows gradually relaxed as the plot progressed, and his slightly tense expression became more focused. His fingers unconsciously tapped on the script, clearly drawn to this compelling character.

"Shi Qiang..." he murmured the name, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

"He is completely different from Cooper in Interstellar. Cooper is reserved and restrained, while Shi Qiang is outgoing and sharp, and has a lot of layers. He appears cynical on the surface, but he is as clear-headed as a mirror."

“That’s right, that’s precisely the charm of this character.” Tan Yue smiled.

"He is not a hero in the traditional sense. He smokes, swears, and does things unpredictably, but he can always stabilize the situation at critical moments. He is Wang Miao's spiritual pillar and a key figure in driving the plot forward."

He paused, then added, "This role is quite a challenge for you. Your previous roles were mostly positive and refined types. Shi Qiang's down-to-earth nature and keenness require you to completely break away from your established image."

Deng Gaofei closed the script, his eyes resolute: "I want to give it a try." His tone carried an unwavering determination.

"After Interstellar was taken off the screens, I didn't take on many commercial films. I focused on honing my acting skills in the theater troupe, just wanting to break out of my comfort zone. The character Shi Qiang is very intriguing, and I'm willing to spend time figuring him out."

Tan Yue nodded and took out a printed excerpt from the drawer: "This is the scene where Shi Qiang first meets Wang Miao. Wang Miao is panicking because of the retinal countdown. Shi Qiang comforts him in a seemingly casual way while secretly observing his condition. Take a look first, and we'll try a scene in ten minutes."

Deng Gaofei took the clip and quickly began to read it silently.

His lips moved slightly as he mentally rehearsed the rhythm of his lines, occasionally gesturing with his fingers, and he quickly got into character.

The office was quiet, with only the soft rustling of papers and the hum of the air conditioner. Sunlight moved slowly across him, outlining the focused profile of his face.

Ten minutes later, Deng Gaofei put down the script, took a deep breath, and nodded to Tan Yue: "President Tan, I'm ready."

He didn't deliberately change his look; he simply loosened his collar slightly, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs naturally, instantly transforming his aura.

His previously gentle gaze sharpened, taking on a scrutinizing look. A half-smile played at the corners of his lips, and he lowered his voice, his tone carrying a distinct Beijing accent. "Professor Wang, is that right? My name is Shi Qiang, from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. I'm here to protect you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up the water glass on the table, mimicked the motion of smoking, held it between his fingers, and gently tapped the table.

"Don't be nervous. I know you've been having some weird trouble lately, with a countdown on your retina, right? It's nothing serious, the sky won't fall."

His tone was casual, as if he were chatting about everyday things, but his eyes were fixed on what was in front of him, with an unmistakable insight.

When Wang Miao said, "This is not a trivial matter; it is an unknown threat," Deng Gaofei abruptly put down his water glass, leaned forward, and his tone suddenly became serious.

"We need to investigate the unknown! You're a scientist, you value evidence. Don't scare yourself with things you haven't seen with your own eyes. Let me tell you, I've handled more bizarre cases than you've ever seen, and every single one of them was ultimately backed by solid evidence."

As he spoke, he reverted to his usual nonchalant demeanor.

"Don't worry, with me here, no one can hurt a single hair on your head."

After the audition, Deng Gaofei hadn't completely detached himself from the role. The sharpness in his eyes gradually faded, and he returned to his usual gentle demeanor.

He looked at Tan Yue somewhat nervously: "President Tan, how was my performance just now? Did I grasp the essence of Shi Qiang's teachings?"

Tan Yue was silent for a few seconds, then clapped his hands, a smile of approval on his face: "Very good!"

His tone was sincere.

"You perfectly captured Shi Qiang's core qualities, that feeling of being rough on the outside but meticulous on the inside, and you portrayed it very well. Especially the changes in tone, the transition from casual to serious was natural and not abrupt, and the eyes were very expressive."

He stood up, walked over to Deng Gaofei, and patted him on the shoulder: "You've certainly been busy since Interstellar, and your acting skills have improved a lot. I've decided to entrust the role of Shi Qiang to you."

Deng Gaofei suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with unbelievable surprise, which then turned into uncontrollable excitement.

He stood up, his voice trembling slightly: "Really? Mr. Tan, thank you! I will definitely not let you down, I will bring the character of Shi Qiang to life!"

These days, he has been deliberately trying to shed the label of "astronaut specialist" and constantly trying different types of roles. Shi Qiang is the breakthrough opportunity he has been dreaming of.

"I believe you," Tan Yue said with a smile.

“In the coming days, you should study the script more and communicate with director Lu Chuan about your understanding of the character. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Shi Qiang’s dialogue style needs to be more down-to-earth. You can observe more police officers in real life and get a feel for it.”

"Okay! I will definitely prepare well!" Deng Gaofei nodded vigorously, clutching the script tightly in his hand as if he were holding a heavy trust.

He chatted with Tan Yue for a few more minutes about the details of the role before leaving the office with great excitement, his steps much lighter than when he arrived.

Watching Deng Gaofei's retreating figure, Tan Yue's smile remained unchanged.

The casting of Ma Guoliang, Zhang Shengli, and Deng Gaofei as the three core male characters has finally been finalized, marking another significant step forward in the filming of "The Three-Body Problem."

He sat back down at his desk, his gaze returning to the character "Ye Wenjie," and picked up his phone to dial Qin Tao's number.

"Mr. Tan, you wanted to see me?" Qin Tao's voice came quickly.

"Qin Tao, help me contact Sasha and ask about her recent schedule. Is she still interested in taking on the role of young Ye Wenjie?" Tan Yue said calmly.

"Send her the simplified script of 'The Three-Body Problem,' highlighting the scenes of young Ye Wenjie, and explain to her that this is a very challenging role that requires her to break away from her previous image."

“Okay, Mr. Tan, I’ll contact Sasha’s agent right away.” Qin Tao readily agreed.

"Also, regarding the actress playing the elderly Ye Wenjie, I have compiled information on several retired veteran actors, all of whom are national first-class actors. Their acting skills are guaranteed. Would you like to take a look?"

"Send it to my email, I'll take a look when I have time tonight," Tan Yue said, and hung up the phone.

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples.

The casting process for "The Three-Body Problem" has made significant progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of set design, special effects, props, etc., especially since hard science fiction requires extremely high attention to detail and no aspect can be taken lightly.

The sky outside the window gradually darkened, and the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky orange-red.

Tan Yue picked up the script of "The Three-Body Problem" from the table and turned to Ye Wenjie's scenes.

The character's personality undergoes a dramatic transformation across three stages: the innocence and aspirations of youth, the indifference and decisiveness of middle age, and the regret and acceptance of old age. This presents a significant challenge to the actor's acting skills.

Whether Sasha can handle the complex emotions of the young Ye Wenjie, and who should be chosen to portray the older Ye Wenjie, are all questions that need careful consideration.

He got up and walked to the window, looking at the streetlights that were lit up downstairs, his heart filled with anticipation.

As a rare hard science fiction TV series on the market, "The Three-Body Problem" carries too much hope. It is not only the key for the company to expand into the science fiction field, but also the vehicle for him to realize his own science fiction dream.

From scriptwriting to actor selection, every step reflects his hard work.

After tidying up the documents on his desk, he picked up his coat and strode out of the office.

In the corridor, most employees had already left work, with only a few offices still lit up.

When Lu Chuan was in the TV drama department, he was still discussing something with the storyboard team, and the blackboard was covered with sketches of the Red Coast base.

Tan Yue took the elevator downstairs.

As the car slowly drove into the night, Tan Yue looked at the neon lights flashing past the window, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

With the cast gradually finalized, storyboards and scripts progressing steadily, and publicity preparations underway, filming of "The Three-Body Problem" is imminent.

Although there are still many challenges ahead, he is confident that with the strength of the team and the efforts of everyone, they will be able to overcome all difficulties and leave a strong mark on the history of film and television.

As night deepened, the lights in the living room remained warm.

Tan Yue sat on the sofa, chatting with Chen Ziyu while mentally planning the filming details of "The Three-Body Problem." (End of Chapter)