It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1341 A New Sci-Fi Legend? An Industry Laughingstock?
This morning, Feiyue Films, in conjunction with the official Weibo account of "The Wandering Earth," released the following announcement:

Directed by Guo Fan, produced/supervised by Chen Fei, and starring Wu Jing, Liu Dehua, Xie Nan, Li Xuejian, and Sha Yi, the sci-fi/adventure/disaster blockbuster *The Wandering Earth 2* has officially begun filming at Shanhe Film and Television City!

"The Wandering Earth 2 tells the story of how humanity built giant thrusters on the Earth's surface to help the planet find a new home in response to the solar crisis; in the process of saving the Earth, dangers lurked everywhere, and people launched a life-or-death battle against time."

"After contacting Feiyue Film & Television, the media learned that in order to ensure privacy, the project will not hold a launch press conference or media visits, and the filming period is expected to be 5 months!"

The announcement immediately caused a huge uproar in the film and television industry and across the internet.

Many peers and practitioners have expressed their expectations on social media.

Many of the partner companies' official Weibo accounts immediately reposted the announcement.

At the same time, official media outlets also reposted and praised the project's strong production team and eye-catching subject matter, believing that it will once again raise the bar for domestic science fiction films and is expected to continue the glorious chapter of Chinese science fiction cinema.

The topic sparked heated discussions across the internet, and quickly topped the trending search lists on major platforms.

Netizens flooded the comments section with messages, their excitement palpable:
"My goodness! After waiting for so long, we've finally got the second movie going to start filming."

"The shock I felt from 'The Wandering Earth 1' is still fresh in my mind, and I absolutely can't miss the sequel! How about we start pre-sales now? I'll support one IMAX-3D giant screen theater ticket!"

"Wow, Wu Jing and Liu Dehua, two superstars, teaming up? Just thinking about it is exciting."

"I wonder what new crises we'll encounter this time when we save the Earth. There must be a lot of stories to tell about the construction of the thrusters. I'm really looking forward to it!"

"The Wandering Earth opened the door to science fiction, Shanghai Fortress kicked it back down, and now The Wandering Earth 2 is here. Let's hope it doesn't end up being some idiot trying to piggyback on our success."

With the start of filming for "The Wandering Earth 2," online discussions are in full swing, and the anticipation for this science fiction and adventure film has suddenly ignited in the film and television industry and online.

Everyone is eagerly anticipating the early completion of this blockbuster and its shining on the big screen!
Meanwhile, Lu Chuan, who was at a film and television production company in Tokyo, Japan, had a furrowed brow.

He scrolled rapidly across the news about the start of filming for "The Wandering Earth 2" on his computer screen, a strange sense of unease creeping over him.

"Jingle Bell!"

Suddenly, the phone rang, and the name "Sun Zhonghuai" from Tencent Video appeared on the screen.

He took a deep breath and pressed the answer button: "Hello, Mr. Sun!"

"Director Lu, what's the progress of post-production for Bureau 749?" Sun Zhonghuai's voice was filled with obvious skepticism. "The company has invested heavily in this project; it can't be delayed any longer!"

Since acquiring "Bureau 749" from Jingxi Culture, Tencent Pictures has been investing heavily in the project.

But it's been almost two years since this was started, and the finished film still hasn't been made!
This is very strange.

Logically speaking, there's no need for Sun Zhonghuai to personally urge someone on this matter.

But right now, while "The Wandering Earth 2" is in full swing, "Bureau 749" has been silent for a long time.

Investing so much but seeing no return, who wouldn't be anxious?
Just then, Lu Chuan's eyes swept over the trending topic of "The Wandering Earth 2" starting filming on the webpage, and a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in his mind.

He lowered his voice, his tone deliberately mysterious: "Mr. Sun, have you seen the news that 'The Wandering Earth 2' has started filming? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

Before the other party could respond, he quickened his pace: "I've studied them carefully. Both films are science fiction. 'The Wandering Earth 2' comes with its own audience and buzz. If we can link the release date of 'Bureau 749' with it, wouldn't we be able to ride this wave of popularity?"

"What a joke!" Sun Zhonghuai's voice suddenly rose. "With the immense popularity of 'The Wandering Earth 2,' how can '749 Bureau' compete?"

"President Sun, let me analyze this for you!" Lu Chuan's voice was full of seduction. "The Wandering Earth 2 has just started filming, and the publicity period will last at least half a year. We can take advantage of their popularity to create momentum in advance."

Imagine this: when the entire internet is discussing sci-fi movies, suddenly introducing the concept of Bureau 749, emphasizing a differentiated "Eastern mystery sci-fi," and then releasing several stunning special effects trailers—wouldn't that instantly pique the audience's curiosity?

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.

Lu Chuan pressed on, saying, "Moreover, the core advantage of 'Bureau 749' lies in its unique mystical color, which complements the grand cosmic narrative of 'The Wandering Earth 2'."

We can focus on the concept of "two sci-fi blockbusters," and the media will definitely scramble to report on it, doubling the buzz! Don't worry about post-production; I'll personally oversee it, streamlining the process and ensuring quality!

Sun Zhonghuai hesitated for a moment, still somewhat uneasy: "Are you sure you can do it? If we get overshadowed by 'The Wandering Earth 2,' the company will lose more than just money..."

"Don't worry!" Lu Chuan said decisively, "I've brought over all the top special effects teams from Hollywood. The special effects are absolutely gorgeous. Bureau 749 will definitely become the biggest dark horse."

Having been in the industry for so many years, Lu Chuan naturally has some skills.

Of course, his true skill lies not in his directing ability, but in his ability to deceive.

This is the key reason why his movies keep flopping, yet he always manages to attract investment!

After talking for nearly half an hour, with Lu Chuan making various guarantees and promises, Sun Zhonghuai finally reluctantly believed him.

After hanging up the phone, he stared at the opening poster of "The Wandering Earth 2" on his computer, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

He knew perfectly well that if he did this, "Bureau 749" would either become a new legend in Chinese science fiction, or... become a laughing stock in the industry!
But at this moment, he couldn't care less about that.

He had to do this to cover up one lie after another!

……

With the start of filming for "The Wandering Earth 2", it has officially entered November.

To boost the market, a total of 10 re-released films were launched on the 1st.

Unfortunately, these film selections were not very good; instead of boosting the market's enthusiasm, they actually caused it to cool down rapidly.

The National Day holiday film season has officially ended, and the next month will be another "cold winter".

Apart from "Fame and Fortune," starring Yin Zheng, Deng Jiajia, and Yu Entai, which still has some popularity, other film projects have received almost no attention.

Bai Baihe does have a movie called "Door Lock" that is about to be released, but due to the "one-finger Zen" incident, her career has been very poor in recent years, and the movie itself is not very popular.

Chen Fei attended the launch ceremony for "Walking Alone on the Moon".

The film was shot at Shanhe Film City, where the crew built a large-scale "lunar base".

Looking around, the silvery-white simulated meteorite craters are scattered in a staggered pattern, and a huge lunar module model stands in the center, its mottled metallic texture gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Even the simulated lunar dust kicked up by the astronauts was specially designed to create a weightless floating effect in conjunction with a blower.

When Chen Fei arrived at the scene, he saw dozens of cameras and drones ready to be deployed.

The special effects team from Feiyue Films is repeatedly adjusting the LED virtual shooting screen, trying to use the latest virtual shooting technology to recreate the vastness and solitude of the universe.

This film marks the second collaboration between Shen Teng and Ma Li after several classic comedies!

When the news was released, many viewers exclaimed, "My youth is back!"

After all, these two are recognized as having excellent chemistry in the comedy field. From hilarious skits on the Spring Festival Gala stage to films like "Goodbye Mr. Loser" and "Never Say Die," which achieved both box office and critical success, every collaboration has sparked wonderful moments.

This encounter in the sci-fi comedy "Lone on the Moon" demonstrates Happy Twist's ambition!

After the failures of his three films, "Li Cha's Aunt," "Human Comedy," and "Warm Hug," Zhang Chen is clearly aiming to make a successful comeback by leveraging the powerful duo of Shen Teng and Ma Li, along with the novel genre of science fiction comedy.

The crew warmly welcomed Chen Fei's arrival!
Zhang Chen, chairman of Happy Twist, and director Zhang Chiyu personally welcomed him to the film crew.

The latter excitedly said, "President Chen, your presence is an honor to our 'Lunar Base'! You must give us some pointers later..."

Upon entering the film set, Shen Teng and Ma Li, who were getting their makeup done, quickly stepped forward to greet them.

"Director Chen? How's filming 'The Wandering Earth 2' going? How about we do a crossover between the two films? I'll take Gangzi to help Director Guo give Earth a push?" Ma Li, standing next to him, added with a smile, "Hey, that won't do, the moon is still waiting for us to save it!"

With these two present, the atmosphere at the scene was instantly ignited.

Chen Fei chuckled and patted Shen Teng on the shoulder: "Act well. A large part of this movie is your solo performance. Whether it can sell well at the box office depends on your performance."

Recently, a term called "content capacity" has suddenly appeared online.

This means that if Shen Teng is in a movie, the movie quality is usually not low.

This word seems to be getting more and more popular as it's spread!
"Don't worry, I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

After chatting with everyone, Chen Fei visited the "lunar base" that had been built over three months.

As they walked, the technical director of Feiyue Films, who was in charge of the project, explained: "These craters are all modeled from real lunar terrain using 3D scanning."

Even Shen Teng's spacesuit underwent seventeen weight reduction designs, and the spacecraft and cabin environment were designed to replicate the real space scene as much as possible.

Look at the control panel of this aircraft. The touch and sound effects of each button have been repeatedly adjusted by our team to ensure that it conforms to the science fiction setting while also making it easy for the actors to operate.

"And the cabin lighting system—we simulated the light and shadow changes of the moon's day and night cycle. Cool colors highlight the loneliness of the universe, while warm light enhances the comedic atmosphere..."

Chen Fei reached out and touched the mottled texture on the cabin wall; the rough, granular feel made him feel as if he could sense the traces of cosmic dust.

The technical director then pointed to the slowly rotating ring light strip overhead and enthusiastically explained, "This ring light is not just for decoration; it also houses motion capture sensors. In conjunction with the virtual shooting system, it can generate the actor's movement trajectory in the low gravity environment of the moon in real time, saving a lot of time in post-production special effects compositing."

A stagehand hurried past carrying a brand-new prop helmet, its visor reflecting a futuristic blue light.

Chen Fei looked at these and nodded with great satisfaction.

All of this confirms the importance and foresight of his initial investment in training special effects talent at a high price.

More than a decade ago, the domestic special effects industry was still in the realm of "five-cent special effects," and the visual spectacles of Hollywood blockbusters amazed audiences while also stinging Chen Fei's nerves.

He spent a lot of money to establish a special effects research institute within Feiyue Films, invested heavily in importing top Hollywood equipment, and even invited core members of foreign special effects teams to work in mainland China, personally guiding local teams to learn from basic modeling.

And now, the moment of harvest has finally arrived!

"Even Hollywood would give our technology a thumbs up!" The technical director said with pride. "Take this virtual shooting system for example. Our team's independently developed algorithm can improve motion capture accuracy to 0.1 millimeters."

Those shots of weightlessness, jumping, and tumbling were ready to be used right out of the box; the effects were just as good as those in "The Avengers"!

Chen Fei nodded with satisfaction, his gaze fixed on the busy staff at the base.

Many of them are "professionally trained" graduates from the Shanxi Film Academy, and their skill level is extremely high.

Over the years, Feiyue Film & Television has not only provided technical support for its own projects, but has also undertaken the special effects production for many domestic films and television dramas.

The ancient mythical beast in a certain ancient fantasy drama, capable of stirring up rivers and seas, has distinct individual hairs and lively eyes.

The urban explosion scenes in modern spy films, with their shards of flying glass and the dynamics of collapsing buildings, are so realistic that they make the audience feel as if they are actually there!

What makes Chen Fei even more proud is that at last year's Oscars, a science fiction short film co-produced by Feiyue Films won the Best Visual Effects Award, directly beating out many Hollywood blockbusters with its realistic alien ecosystem scenes and stunning interstellar war special effects!

During the awards ceremony, even Spielberg remarked, "Chinese special effects are no longer imitators of Hollywood, but leaders!"

Looking at the production quality of "Lone in the Moon" which is comparable to Hollywood, Chen Fei is very clear that the rise of the domestic special effects industry is no longer just empty talk.

The launch event went very smoothly.

Interestingly, Chen Fei also spotted Huang Zitao, one of the former "Four Returned Sons," in the cast!

This person has completely abandoned his idol image and embarked on a different path of comedy, actually playing a bald underground star in the film.

Speaking of which, when they returned to China, he was the one who had the worst career development among the four.

However, thanks to his unique "fun person" persona, his image has actually improved a lot.

At least it's much better than that guy who's already inside operating the sewing machine.

As the opening ceremony was successfully held, related media reports immediately made headlines.

"This morning, the comedy/sci-fi film 'The Lone Ranger on the Moon,' co-produced by Happy Twist and Feiyue Films, directed by Zhang Chiyu, and starring Shen Teng, Ma Li, Chang Yuan, Li Chengru, Huang Cailun, and Huang Zitao, officially started filming at Shanhe Film City."

This movie stayed on the trending topics list all morning.

What was unexpected was that a notice from Ping An Chaoyang that afternoon directly stole the top spot on the trending searches.

"Our bureau received a report from the public that someone was engaging in illegal activities in a residential area in Chaoyang District. In response, the police conducted an investigation in accordance with the law and arrested Chen, who was involved in prostitution, and Li, who was involved in soliciting prostitution."

Upon investigation, the aforementioned individuals confessed to their illegal activities and have all been placed under administrative detention by the Chaoyang Public Security Bureau in accordance with the law.

Initially, the announcement did not generate much discussion.

After all, those pseudonyms like Chen Moumou and Li Moumou are really too hard to guess.

It wasn't until the Chaoyang residents spoke out that they realized this Li Moumou was the "Piano Prince" who was currently extremely popular and had participated in "Call Me By Fire".

The internet immediately erupted in excitement!

"Indeed, black and white piano keys cannot tolerate yellow."

"The Chaoyang residents are really something! How many celebrities have they taken down? Are all the people in this district detectives?"

"You can know a person's face but not their heart. Can a talented, elegant, and polite young man really make a fool of himself? Is the temptation of such things really that great?"

"Tsk tsk? Could it be that she's been seduced?"

"There have been so many scandals this year! From the beginning of the year to the end, it's been either celebrities or variety shows collapsing. What's going on?"

Online discussions continued, and 2021 was officially dubbed by netizens as the "Year of Celebrity Scandals".

Meanwhile, while enjoying the gossip, Chen Fei also took the time to participate in several interviews about "The Battle at Lake Changjin".

After finishing his work, he went to Hangzhou to check out the terrain of the Asian Games venue and to start the renovation project of the opening ceremony venue.

Although the opening ceremony program has been finalized, the venue is still in its infancy.

Chen Fei had already gotten a general idea of ​​the situation over there from the video footage.

He went there with high hopes, and it all depended on whether the organizing committee and the local authorities were willing to spend the money and adopt his new plan.

At the same time, the entire main cast and crew of "Tales of the Tang Dynasty" also arrived at Shanhe Film and Television City to begin preparations for the start of filming.

The incident involving Li Moudi soliciting prostitution did not cause a significant impact; its popularity lasted only a few days before being replaced by new trending topics.

And the person who replaced him was none other than Feng Xiaogang!

On the morning of November 8th, iQiyi, in conjunction with Dongyang Meila Pictures, officially announced the launch of the project "Echoes".

"Following 'Going South by Driving the Chariot North,' director Feng Xiaogang will once again be working on a web series project. The emotional/suspenseful web series project 'Echo' officially launched today!"

Suddenly, heated discussions erupted online!

(End of this chapter)