Become famous another day.

"This is an old Hollywood propaganda tactic."

Chen Ziyan said, "The male and female leads in the movie already have a romantic relationship and sparks, so the rumors about the lead actors at this time are very helpful in boosting the movie's popularity."

Lu Qingzhen: "Did Yan Liang and Lily Williams really not have any chemistry? I saw the way they looked at each other in the movie, and it made me a little smitten."

"You've been in this industry for so long, how could you still be fooled by the scenes in the movies?"

“I’ve been in this industry for so long, and I can still be fooled by scenes in movies, that’s the point,” Lu Qingzhen said. “That’s why I’m curious whether they are really together in private.”

"As far as I know, there isn't one." Chen Ziyan shook her head. "Yan Liang is different from Yan He and Li Zhibai. He is the most rational of the three. You know, the more rational a person is, the harder it is for them to fall in love."

“Yan Liang was dragged into this situation by Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai,” Lu Qingzhen said. “To be honest, in terms of the right timing, location, and people for an artist, Yan Liang has benefited the most. He really couldn’t have reached this position on his own.

"You can't say that. Everyone's success is achieved under the right circumstances, which is something that can't be quantified. So, realistically, you can only judge people by their final results," Chen Ziyan said. "Are those who win Best Actor and Best Actress awards necessarily the best actors? Should they have the highest status in the film industry? No, but that's how the rules are. You might ask, if Yan Liang couldn't have reached his current position through his own efforts, could Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai have? Actually, not necessarily, including ourselves."

Lu Qingzhen: "I understand what you mean, and I agree with you. What I really want to say is—how should I put it—I'm not saying Yan Liang doesn't deserve his current achievements. I just think that, conventionally speaking, to achieve what he has, he has had to make greater sacrifices. He can't just take a break like Yan He, nor can he, like Li Zhibai, publicly announce his relationship with Jiang Yuqian in front of almost all the fans' disapproval. His background makes him more cautious, and he's even less likely to simply be himself and make decisions based on his own ideas. This is especially true when it comes to relationships."

Chen Ziyan: "Yan Liang is almost thirty years old, and he no longer needs to maintain a single persona to retain his fans."

"That's true, but you have to make Yan Liang realize it himself, you have to make Yan Liang acknowledge it himself."
-
Zhou Ping'an did not expect that Yan Liang would not ask him to return as his agent, but only as the operations director of his studio.

However, to some extent, Zhou Ping'an himself understood it.

Yan Liang certainly wouldn't invite him back to be his agent.

This is impossible.

Yan Liang became a global sensation with "Speed"—

With the large fan base built up by "Friends" and the international fame brought by "Flypaper," the box office success of "Speed" brought his career to a new peak.

As soon as Zhou Ping'an took over, he began to face various unexpected business growth opportunities.

This is immediately reflected in media interviews and brand outreach.

It is actually very difficult for an actor to balance commercial appeal and artistic merit.

So, some people are curious as to why Jennifer Lawrence has such a high status in Hollywood. It's because she is the only one among the younger generation of actresses in Hollywood to have achieved this.

"Winter's Bone" earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress at a young age, while "Silver Linings Playbook" made her the second youngest winner of the Oscar for Best Actress in history.

The X-Men and Hunger Games series boosted her global fame and commercial success. Unlike Scarlett Johansson, the Hunger Games series featured her as the lead actress.

Yan Liang was not a particularly outstanding actor.

However, his experience in films like "The Gold Rush" and "The Summit" led the media to portray him as an actor capable of making enormous sacrifices for his craft. This endowed him with a certain legendary status as an actor. In particular, his portrayal in the first "The Gold Rush" film is still frequently discussed and praised on social media today.

Therefore, when "Speed" once again showcased his handsome and masculine side, the public and fans fell in love with his appearance, while critics and industry insiders gave him extremely high praise for his acting skills.

"When 'Friends' had almost defined his image, he was able to refresh the public's impression of him with 'Speed,' which is a very rare ability."

"Yan Liang showcased his greatest charm to date in 'Speed.' In the past, he relied on a variety of distinctive characters to demonstrate his abilities as an actor. Finally, his friend Lu Yanhe tailored a film for him, which fully demonstrated his own charm. 'Speed' is a work that marks his transition from a well-known actor to a big star."

……

Zhou Ping'an said to Yan Liang, "You should press your advantage now and take on another Hollywood blockbuster."

Yan Liang replied, "I've already accepted my next film role; it's a drama."

Zhou Ping'an was taken aback.

"It's a biographical story about a Chinese-American genius living in the United States," Yan Liang said. "So, I can't take on another Hollywood blockbuster anytime soon."

Zhou Ping'an: "This—"

Yan Liang said, "Brother Ping An, I have my own ideas about my career development, so you don't need to worry about it. Just help me lead the team well."

Zhou Ping'an sighed helplessly.

"Ok."
-
Yan Liang trusted Zhou Ping'an's abilities and his vision; however, at his current stage, he no longer needed Zhou Ping'an to plan his career.

No matter how capable Zhou Ping'an is, his vision has already fallen behind.

He has never been an internationally renowned star like Yan Liang, nor does he understand the world film industry.

In this regard, Zhou Ping'an chose to focus his time and energy on Shijin Entertainment.

So while so many Chinese actors are "going global" and the domestic talent agency system is constantly aligning with international standards, Zhou Ping'an remains stuck in the same place.

Lu Yanhe had already discussed with Yan Liang the direction of his next acting role.

Yan Liang should not position himself as a commercial action star in blockbuster films, but should continue to build on the image of a dedicated and professional actor that he has cultivated in the past.

I can accept roles in blockbusters, small films, action films, or dramas.

He had a wider range of choices than both Li Zhibai and Lu Yanhe.

Regarding the responsibility for box office failure.

Even if a film starring Yan Liang isn't a box office success, including art films, it doesn't have a significant impact.

Lu Yanhe has the miracle of "box office success" to maintain. Li Zhibai's acting image is not as well-received by critics and industry insiders as Yan Liang's, so he needs commercial value to maintain his aura.

Yan Liang is somewhat like Christian Bale or Joaquin Phoenix in a parallel universe. People don't define them as box office stars or based on their commercial performance.

Lu Yanhe had previously told Yan Liang that he should use the same method he used to find "The Gold Rush" and "The Summit" from a large pool of scripts to select the scripts that followed.

You don't need to worry about the size of the production, whether the director is experienced, or how much influence the producer has.

Because you are Yan Liang, you yourself can revitalize a project. If you see a promising project that you believe in and can undertake, then everything else can be compensated for through your own abilities. Stop seeing yourself as just an ordinary actor, stop simply focusing on acting.

The investment is too small? No problem, if you're willing to star in it, there's plenty of capital to follow suit.

Art films aren't selling well at the box office? No problem. With your fame and influence, you can design the film festival route for it from the very beginning and take a different path.

You are no longer the Yan Liang you once were.

You no longer need to assess whether you are suitable for a project.

What you should be considering is how far you can protect and support this project.
-
"Is it a fictional biographical story? Or a fictional biography of a Chinese-American genius living in the United States?"

Lu Yanhe was surprised to hear this and nodded to Yan Liang.

"You're very bold."

Yan Liang nodded.

"I felt excited after reading the script," Yan Liang said. "This character resonated with me in many ways."

Lu Yanhe asked, "Is this a project from an independent film company?"

“Yes,” Yan Liang said. “They haven’t found a buyer yet; they’re just in the early stages of preparation. Originally, they just wanted to make a very low-budget film, but I think it has the potential to go to film festivals.”

Lu Yanhe: "Are there any challenges in performing?"

"Of course there are challenges. I've never played a role like this before, you know."

“Sure.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “If this project can bring you challenges in your performance, it’s worth it. Do you want to buy it and do it yourself, or cooperate with this company?”

Yan Liang: "I think I'll still cooperate with them. I have absolutely no connections in Hollywood, but I can help them make connections. Maybe Parameter can be in charge of the film's distribution."

In Hollywood, production and distribution are separate processes.

Moreover, the issuers are often just a few large companies.

Many companies do not produce independent films themselves, but they do distribute them.

"Director, co-stars, script, etc. If you are the lead actor in this film, then without a doubt, the success or failure of this film project rests on your shoulders first and foremost," Lu Yanhe said. "You not only have to take on the responsibility of an actor, but you also have to act as a producer and oversee every aspect of the project."

"this--"

“Many big-name actors are rumored to be arrogant and domineering. Some of these rumors are true, while others are because they want to be responsible for their reputation and the project,” Lu Yanhe said. “This is especially true for independent projects. Of course, if you can find a talented and reliable director, you can actually get as little involved in the content as possible and just help him clear some external obstacles.”

Yan Liang seemed to be deep in thought.
-
This is how Li Zhibai was when he was making "Flying on the Grass".

He had full confidence in Liu Manbo's talent.

Even though Liu Manbo had already failed once in the TV series "Nineteen Years".

The reason Lu Yanhe said those words to Yan Liang was because Yan Liang had never actually had such an experience.

Yan Liang has worked as a producer, but that's not the same thing.

In this regard, Lu Yanhe believes that Leonardo DiCaprio is a role model that any big-name actor should learn from.

From a very young age, he has been "meddling" in every project he undertakes, no matter what kind of director you are, even if you are Steven Spielberg, sorry, he always has a better idea, a better concept.

This is actually very dangerous.

Because if it's not done well, it becomes interference with the creative process. But if you're Leonardo DiCaprio, every time you "point fingers," it leads to the film's success, and things are different.

Lu Yanhe limited his "intervention" to outside the film set.

He didn't possess Leonardo DiCaprio's strong confidence and aura, especially regarding his own aesthetic sense. That's a true talent for aesthetics. Therefore, rather than focusing on his own grasp of the aesthetics of content, he placed more emphasis on judging people.

He chooses to collaborate with talented people.

He used his own power to help these talented people build a utopia for filmmaking.

Unlike him, Yan Liang could read scripts.

Lu Yanhe always remembered that both "The Gold Rush" and "The Mountain Top" were scripts he personally chose and decided to act in, even though the latter was only given to him because Ma Zhiyuan didn't want it.

Yan Liang was initially reluctant to act in fantasy dramas, which he and Li Zhibai had both suggested he try, but which ultimately achieved only mediocre results.

Yan Liang has a very keen sense of the script.

What is good, or rather, what kind of roles is he suitable for?

Therefore, Lu Yanhe hoped that Yan Liang could make use of his abilities in this area.
-
My new book, "Rebirth of a Salted Fish," is almost 80,000 words long. During the new book launch period, I really need everyone's support. Thank you! (End of Chapter)