Huayu became famous overnight

Chapter 247 Who exactly is the screenwriter of this play?

Why did you leave without even saying goodbye?

"You want to break up with me, don't you?"

Wang Baoqiang stopped midway through his sentence, keenly realizing that something was wrong with his state of mind.

Or rather, the results fell far short of their expectations.

"Card!"

Xu Zheng remained calm.

He had long been prepared to film such an important scene repeatedly over a long period of time.

If one take isn't enough, he'll film it thirty or forty times until he finally finds the feeling he wants.

He simply overestimated the patience of the other actors; not everyone can endure the torment of repeated filming.

Especially the Siamese actors present, the middleman had only mentioned one scene before they arrived, but who would have thought that this scene would go on and on.

By the sixth time, they had become impatient.

The more this is the case, the less effective it will be.

This sentiment even seems to be extending to the lead actor, Wang Baoqiang, and the crew members.

Xu Ming saw that Xu Zheng still showed no sign of stopping.

I knew this was a common mistake made by a new director: focusing too much on filming and neglecting the feelings of the people involved. If this continues, it will only lead to more trouble than it's worth.

After all, strictly speaking, "Lost in Thailand" is Xu Zheng's directorial debut.

The other party, as the director, couldn't feel it, but Xu Ming, as an outsider, had a clear perspective.

"Director Xu, let's take a break. We've filmed six takes and still can't get the hang of it. Perhaps we should let everyone rest and adjust their mindset," Xu Ming suggested.

Annoyed by the suggestion, Xu Zheng looked over with displeasure and opened his mouth to curse.

In this foreign land of Siam, every extra day spent means money for food and lodging, and you can't make up for the lost time and money...

Oh, you're the biggest investor in the movie. That's fine then.

Professor Giao gave his graduate students an extra egg; Mr. Xu really knows how to give extra money.

"Okay, everyone take a break before filming again," Xu Zheng agreed.

"Xiao Juan, go with the production manager to get some food and drinks, put it on my tab, consider it my treat for everyone to relax," Xu Ming said, turning around.

"Uh-huh."

Xiao Juan found the production manager and walked out.

Xu Ming's series of actions instantly calmed the tense atmosphere.

Everyone is frustrated; they're just filming non-stop, and there's still no hope of success.

Now that I have a break, and with the food and drinks that are about to be served, my emotions were immediately suppressed.

"I'm sorry everyone, I was too impatient."

Xu Zheng immediately realized his mistake and admitted it.

"Hehe, it's not just you who's anxious, everyone is anxious, but we're all trying to make a good movie, so it's not a matter of who owes whom anything."

Xu Ming waved his hand, knowing that Xu Zheng's statement was because he was present.

He naturally couldn't afford to embarrass the other party.

Even after he leaves, the crew will still need his authority to continue filming.

Half an hour passed.

The production manager and Xiao Juan returned with the items, and Xu Ming gestured for them to distribute them to everyone.

See the atmosphere ease up.

He then called out to Xu Zheng, Wang Baoqiang, and Huang Bo: "Let's get together and rehearse that scene once. Your lines are actually quite interesting, but you don't express them precisely."

The three of them spent several days filming this scene before finally achieving the desired effect.

But since he's just making a cameo appearance, he definitely won't wait for the three of them to gradually get to know each other before he steps in and gives them a push.

“Baoqiang, when you question Xu Zheng, you need to be more hysterical. Don’t think with the logic of normal people. Dramatic effects are often produced by being abnormal.”

“For example, your lines sound like a couple arguing at first, but they actually make sense in the context of Wang Bao’s character. It’s a kind of contrast.”

Xu Ming paused for a moment, then said, "But to make the comedic effect even more prominent, it has to be a bit nonsensical, and you have to act like a clown, you know what I mean?"

Seeing that Wang Baoqiang looked thoughtful, he simply demonstrated for him.

Sometimes, a performance is just a thin layer of paper separating you from the audience.

After Xu Ming recreated the original "Lost in Thailand" scenes, Wang Baoqiang's eyes lit up, and he immediately grasped the essence.

"You have to act like a shrew and mess things up for the comedic effect to come out."

As the director, Xu Zheng understood immediately: "The two of them were arguing, and they were arguing along with the people in the room when Huang Bo happened to walk in."

Snapped!
Xu Ming clapped his hands and gave Xu Zheng a thumbs up: "No problem. You two go through the scene once, and I'll play the role of Huang Bo and find a suitable entry point."

From script to finished film, a movie goes through many stages, and there are many works where the script and the finished film are quite different.

The script for "Lost in Thailand" was quite different from the final film.

In many places, the lines were improvised by the few people acting on set.

Although the trio of the "Lost in..." series has never been reunited since "Lost in Thailand," their comedic talents are undeniable.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have become the first domestic film in its previous life to break 1 billion yuan, and even exceeded 200 million yuan.

It is far more valuable than "The Unknown," and it truly taps into the potential of the mainland Chinese film market.

The former was due to Xu Ming using too many underhanded tactics and taking shortcuts.

However, this is only his own opinion. In the eyes of others, he is the undisputed new king of Chinese-language films.

Therefore, Xu Zheng and others did not question the suggestions given; their first thought was to ponder the underlying principles.

This is the benefit of fame.

It's like skipping the face-slapping part and going straight to showing off...

As top actors, Xu Zheng and Wang Baoqiang immediately understood Xu Ming's intention.

The two quickly got into character and started arguing.

This scene also drew the attention of the rest of the crew, showing that the main creators were rehearsing the scene that would follow.

Unlike the previous shoots where they had to call "cut" repeatedly, this time, without a camera, they felt a sense of relief and openness.

So that's what the director meant.

"This isn't a temple at all!" Xu Zheng roared.

"Why the hell isn't this a temple?"

Xu Ming chimed in at the opportune moment, muttering curses under his breath.

But it surprised everyone present.

This approach is so natural.

"Gao Bo, you're keeping up pretty closely."

Xu Zheng smoothly continued his lines, the thrill of meeting a worthy opponent making his hair stand on end, like drinking an ice-cold bottle of Rebecca on a sweltering summer day.

"Xu Lang, you're messing with me both on and off the business, aren't you?"

Xu Ming recited Gao Bo's lines.

Huang Bo, standing to the side, stared intently at the former's performance.

If he hadn't known that Xu Ming was a newcomer to the production, he probably would have thought that Xu Ming's role was originally Xu Ming's.

Her understanding of the character is similar to his, but more mature.

Xu Zheng was clearly the screenwriter of this play, but it seems like he knows the play better than the three main creators.

This is a bit scary.

"Where's Lao Zhou?" "That's me."

"He is not Lao Zhou."

"Of course I know he's not Lao Zhou."

"He is Lao Zhou. Who are you?"

"Who the hell do you care who I am? Who are you anyway?"

Xu Ming played two roles, switching back and forth while asking and answering his own questions.

This scene stunned everyone, and the dialogue that followed the plot made everyone smile as they recovered.

It's a bit crazy, but strangely it fits the plot perfectly.

puff~
Wang Baoqiang couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Seeing that he had interrupted Xu Ming, he quickly waved his hand and apologized, "I couldn't help it, I'm sorry."

"That's roughly the idea. Just follow along."

Xu Ming stopped and laughed, "With your three comedic talents, making this even smoother will be a piece of cake."

His involvement wasn't just about plagiarism to save time on filming.

More importantly, this gives the three of them the opportunity to continue to expand the humor.

Due to a bug during rebirth.

It can barely form an ideal state of 'stepping on the right foot with the left foot and rising into the sky'.

"Seeing is believing. Your first attempt has truly impressed me." Xu Zheng's attitude became even more respectful.

He hadn't had much contact with Xu Ming before, and it was mostly on the level of business cooperation.

I only knew that the other person had extraordinary talent in artistic creation, after all, their achievements speak for themselves, but after meeting them today, I truly witnessed what a prodigy they are.

He had the same doubts as Huang Bo.

Who exactly is the screenwriter of this play?

Could it be that I handed the script to the other party, and they frequently pondered it? Otherwise, how could they so readily offer such mature suggestions?

But he dismissed the idea as soon as it came to him.

People are too busy to bother with his script; it can only be attributed to Xu Ming's exceptional talent.

So much so that in the subsequent filming...

Director Xu Zheng would occasionally glance at Xu Ming, who was making a cameo appearance, and would immediately invite the latter to watch the scene together on the monitor after yelling "cut".

"I think this meets the standard, there's no need to keep it," Xu Ming suggested.

Xu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and said, half-exaggerated and half-sincerely, "Sigh, if you were to direct this play, it would definitely be much better than if I did it."

"Don't be like that, I can't do directing, it's too mentally and physically exhausting. Look at you, you've lost all your hair trying to be a director," Xu Ming joked.

Xu Zheng's smile froze, and he said helplessly, "Mr. Xu, your joke is really lame."

Did he go bald from being a director?
It's obvious that a bald guy is directing this.

……

I spent a few more days on the set of "Lost in Thailand".

After filming his cameo scenes, Xu Ming left the crew to explore local attractions.

In his past life, he was busy with film and television editing, a real workhorse.

Let alone traveling to Southeast Asia, I can't even go to the park downstairs more than a few times a year.

After becoming an actor in this life, he has never stopped working.

Having unexpected free time allowed me to fulfill my wish of traveling around the world.

My mind gradually calmed down, and I was no longer affected by the negative news from China.

Thanks to his strong momentum this year, even with his mentor leaving the Spring Festival Gala stage and a sudden upheaval, he and Qiming were able to remain unscathed.

We can no longer leverage this momentum to go even higher.

Both Benshan Media and Qiming retreated to their respective spheres of influence, quietly accumulating strength and waiting for the storm to pass.

However, industry peers will not let this golden opportunity pass them by, and various overt and covert attacks will follow one after another.

If they can take this opportunity to defeat Qiming, the remaining spoils will be enough for them to feast on.

"Heh, they want to steal our stuff, but where can they start? The copyright is ours, and we made the works ourselves."

"It's nothing more than trying to persuade artists to leave, poach production staff, or at worst, sabotage our collaborations with other companies."

Xu Ming chuckled, "But as long as our works remain high-quality, we don't need to worry about them being ruined. If 'The Voice of China' leaves Sohu, we can still collaborate with Sohu or Solong. But can Sohu find another Qi Ming?"

"These words can be conveyed to everyone in the company to stabilize morale. However, while we should despise the enemy strategically, we must take the enemy seriously tactically. We should still face the current situation with a defensive posture."

"I don't expect you to increase your profits much in the days to come. Just maintain the current projects and break even. That would be a victory. Tell everyone that if you get through this difficult period, I guarantee that each of you will receive the rewards you deserve."

He was having a video conference with Qiming's senior management at the hotel.

The furrowed brows gradually relaxed upon hearing his words.

Mr. Xu always manages to give them confidence and encouragement.

Even seeing the other person's smiling face in the video made their worries gradually subside.

This is the prestige that Xu Ming has built in their hearts through his repeated successes.

Putting everything else aside, "The Unknown" still holds the top spot on the domestic film box office chart with its 1 billion yuan gross.

"We will do our utmost to help you overcome your difficulties," Tang Sheng said loyally.

Even after the company restructured its personnel, he remained in the position of president, and for that reason alone, he was willing to risk his life for Xu Ming.

"With me in the talent agency department, not a single artist will be poached," Xiaoyuan assured.

Given Qiming's current achievements and the resources he provides to his artists, it will be difficult for these signed artists to find better opportunities after they leave, and there will be plenty of people wanting to take their place.

As for the truly important artists, such as Yang Mi and Ni Ni.

Yes, it already embodies the boss's image inside and out.

"Qiming Network's business grew by 80% last quarter. As the department head, I can guarantee that next quarter's business growth will not be lower than that," Zhuo Wei said firmly.

His online publicity department is the only department in Qiming that has not been affected so far, and it even seems to be growing against the trend.

Besides the Yao Ling incident serving as a warning to others, the tens of thousands of marketing accounts it operates, as well as its collaborations and partnerships with thousands of influential figures on the internet, are all moats that Qiming Network finds difficult to overcome.

Not to mention, everyone knows how much of the success of Xu Ming's box office hits is due to marketing.

The most crucial point is Qiming Network's current stance.

No company dares to get close to them, which means that Qiming Network will not have any underhanded dealings with any company.

In this way, they can actually trust them.

Some even went so far as to act as middlemen, negotiating directly with Qiming and then providing internet advertising services to other companies.

For a moment, everyone else in the video conference clenched their teeth.

Damn it, the boss just left and you've already rolled it up, huh?
"Okay, I've always seen Minister Zhuo's contributions to the company."

Xu Ming smiled faintly, "If I can really achieve that next quarter, I think I can be competent for the position of branch president."

He knew, of course, that his absence from the company would inevitably cause some unease among his staff.

But setting Zhuo Wei as an example should inspire these people; it is during difficult times that truly talented individuals emerge.

Ding dong.

A text message alert sounds.

Xu Ming glanced down and his heart skipped a beat.

It was sent by Bell; looks like someone's willing to take the bait.

"The meeting is now adjourned."

(End of this chapter)