Generation Z Artists

Chapter 213 Avalanche
The two major scenes and the ending were filmed back and forth for almost a month.

The war scenes were filmed on location, involving thousands of extras. The tasks of feeding the people and horses were numerous and complicated, which truly made Fang Xinghe realize how difficult it is to film a major production, and also gave him a new understanding of directing.

What are the true core qualities of a good director?
It's not about technology or culture, but about resilience and energy.

That bastard Zhang Yimou only sleeps three or four hours a day on average. After finishing filming the day's scenes and returning to the hotel, he still has to attend meetings, check the footage, handle some miscellaneous tasks, and finally take a nap while thinking.

While the assistant director and other key members of the production team do manage their own tasks and can greatly share the workload, ultimately the overall situation must be brought together and controlled by the director.

Fang Xinghe had been attending daily summary meetings every day for the past month, and on top of that, he was also doing his own work as a martial arts choreographer. He was almost exhausted to the point of being mentally impaired.

His stamina and recovery attributes are indeed high, but he is too young and still in his developmental stage. Staying up all night for a day or two is fine, but not sleeping well for a long time is really uncomfortable.

Then look at Mouzi, good heavens, he's like an iron man, bursting with energy the moment he opens his eyes.

Fang Xinghe had heard from his colleagues that when director Guo Fan was filming "The Wandering Earth," he faced immense pressure from multiple sources, including funding, costs, market conditions, and future prospects. He averaged only 4 hours of sleep a day, and only 2 hours during the critical phase. The filming period lasted 145 days, with a total cycle of 14 months, making him a true king of extreme endurance.

This is not a skilled job at all; it's purely manual labor.

Without the dedication to mastering a triathlon and the resilience to work relentlessly regardless of the consequences, one is simply not qualified to be a great director; all talk of technical skills is useless.

There are plenty of technically skilled and capable directors, but once they work under high pressure for a long time, their thinking can easily become distorted, resulting in them not being able to perform at their full potential.

A poet's film is usually both spiritual and well-crafted in the early stages, but it starts to go out of control in the middle stages and often collapses in the later stages.

When people are not focused, their emotions are easily affected by hormones; this is the biggest scientific fact.

Take, for example, the famous erotic novelist Bread. Writing 2000 words a day is just right. Maintaining a daily output of 4000 words is considered third-rate, while writing 1 words a day is an insurmountable barrier that even an IV drip cannot overcome.

Personal energy is a core quality for success in any industry.

Fang Xinghe felt that he had great potential in this area.

In three years, around the age of 20, he should be able to transform into the King of Torture—torturing the team, tormenting the actors, tormenting everything.

We'll compete with the old guard on output and with the young guys on quality. When the time comes, let's see who dares to challenge me!
……

The year 2002 had quietly slipped into late February.

On Lunar New Year's Eve, the crew of "Hero" did not have a holiday.

Because Fang Xinghe's schedule was so tight, he even had half a day of filming scheduled for New Year's Eve.

Around 5 p.m., the crew arranged a New Year's Eve dinner, allowing us to relax for a rare half-day.

After dinner, the core creative team gathered in Fang Xinghe's "presidential suite" to chat and watch the Spring Festival Gala.

This program is essentially about spending the Chinese New Year with Director Fang.

Director Fang, who single-handedly created two core dramas, is now the most sought-after person in the crew.

Wei Ping has always fawned over him, so there's no need to elaborate.

Mou Zi was both grateful to him and in awe of him; they were friends in the spirit of a gentleman's friendship—gratitude needs no explanation, while in awe stemmed from the fundamental difference in their philosophies of life.

You know, those old friends of Zhang Yimou from Hong Kong and Taiwan are still cursing him every day.

Li Lianjie's attitude towards Fang Xinghe was very subtle, a mixture of admiration, wariness, superiority, and dissatisfaction, all blended into a superficial respect and enthusiasm.

Right now, Old Li is at the height of his popularity in Hollywood.

Last July's "The Pursuit of Man" earned him a salary that was close to $10 million, making him a top star in the kung fu genre.

With strong box office performance and high DVD sales, it has solidified its reputation as the king of value for money and is riding high.

In a sense, Fang Xinghe's new version of "Hero" is very likely to be the new peak of Li's Hollywood journey.

The original "Hero" grossed $1.77 million worldwide, which wasn't outstanding. The new version will definitely be better; the only difference is how much better.

But as long as the North American box office surpasses the $1 million mark, and there are also certain DVD sales, Old Li will definitely be promoted to a true superstar, an A-lister, the kind who can get box office revenue sharing.

Honestly, he really should offer three sticks of incense to Brother Fang.

What was the original "Hero"? The fact that the sword didn't land at the end made Li Jingming get criticized by overseas audiences for many years.

Fang Xinghe's version of Destiny may not be perfect, but it is at least three orders of magnitude better than the original version that Zhang Yimou insisted on filming.

It's accurate; just wait and see.

It wasn't that Lao Li wasn't grateful; however, as an absolute competitor with an extremely similar track but a higher, more handsome, more powerful, and more capable driver, his wariness of Fang Xinghe definitely outweighed his feelings.

We're all adults. Just because we filmed a good movie together, does that mean we should become friends? Don't be so naive.

Compared to him, Gong Li's feelings were truly pure.

She only treated Fang Xinghe as a younger brother, and a good younger brother who needed to be taken care of and cherished.

"Come on, eat more, you've lost weight from working so hard."

She deliberately pulled Fang Xinghe to sit next to her, and kept putting food on the child's plate. She also blocked anyone who came to offer a toast.

The eldest sister was incredibly domineering in blocking drinks from others.

She raised an eyebrow: "Where did you come from, you blockhead? Xinghe is only 16 years old, still growing, what are you drinking?!"

Whether you're Wei Ping or her ex-boyfriend, I'll still confront you.

On the other side, Zhang Ziyi was also fawning over Fang Xinghe, full of enthusiasm, but it was all for personal gain.

This girl is intelligent and alert, and also has a ruthless streak. She is the only one among all the "Zhang Yimou girls" who has broken through her own limits.

She doesn't possess great wisdom, but that's due to limitations imposed by her background, family, education, and the times, not because she's lazy or unwilling to use her brain.

Gong Li, as the pinnacle of Zhang Yimou's leading ladies, has acting talent that ranks among the best of all female stars in the world. Moreover, she possesses a powerful and profound presence, truly a gift from God.

The agility and versatility of the little yellow duck make it another favorite of Nuwa.

Counting down further, there's Nini's charm and sophistication, Dong Jie's cool and pure beauty, Cunzi's versatile bone structure harmonizing her features, and Wei Minzhi's simplicity and authenticity...

Each of them is more talented than Zhang Ziyi.

Zhang Ziyi relied solely on her ruthlessness and tenacity to seize opportunities that were not particularly outstanding, taking control of her destiny and breaking through her own limited limits.

From a purely dramatic perspective, if Fang Xinghe's project needed a distinct "ruthless grassroots" character, the best choice would be Zhang Ziyi.

Making yourself indispensable is a real skill.

however……

Mr. Fang really doesn't indulge her.

So what if you're indispensable? I just can't be bothered with you.

When I really need you, I'll just beckon you, and you won't dare not come.
With this in mind, when she playfully picked up a piece of mutton from Fang Xinghe's plate and urged him to eat quickly, Fang's smile suddenly faded. He glanced at her sideways and pushed the plate aside in front of everyone.

Zhang Baihua's enthusiasm froze, and she almost cried from feeling wronged.

"Pfft!"

Gong Li couldn't help but—or perhaps she never intended to—burst out a laugh.

She joked, "We're all colleagues, why are you treating us differently?"

At first glance, it seemed like he was standing up for Zhang Baihua, but he was actually laughing very happily, without any attempt to hide it.

She looked down on her and made no attempt to hide it.

Fang Xinghe didn't care what others thought of him, and said with a smile: "Many people like to bully me because I'm young, but in fact, I know very well who is sincere and who is fake."

Everyone present was immediately moved.

Whether they believe it or not is unimportant, but Fang Xinghe truly understands.

—Once the Starlight Panel is turned on, it's crystal clear who is what color, right?

Zhang Baihua was dressed in a frail white, Mou Zi in a higher shade of green, Gong Huang in a deep blue, while Wei Ping and Jie Zi... were transparent and colorless.

The radiance of a fan's level shouldn't be taken as a measure of friendliness, but it can ultimately reveal some degree of closeness or distance, and sincerity or falsehood.

These people in the entertainment industry act like they're closer than blood relatives, but if your level of enthusiasm doesn't match your fan base, then I'll treat whatever you say as bullshit.

The atmosphere grew increasingly lively, but Fang Xinghe felt increasingly lonely.

When Zhang Yimou isn't filming, he's completely silent. Gong Li treats him like a child. Bai Hua shrugs back knowingly. Wei Ping's fake smile is annoying. Jie Zi's cheerfulness is shrouded in a thick fog... Oh, the entertainment industry, a place of fame and fortune, a workplace. Acting is worth investing in, but people aren't worth paying attention to.

Idealists walk alone in solitude.

……

This year's Spring Festival Gala brought Fang Xinghe immense joy.

Generation Z has seen everything, but they've never experienced this.

This thing looks much better than the same-named product released after 2020.

Zhao Benshan delivers another famous line: "What do you want a bicycle for? Huh?! What do you want a bicycle for!"

Fang Xinghe was laughing so hard.

The singer of the song "Friends" excited him, the appearance of the relatively unknown singer Sun Yanzi made him feel inexplicably gratified, he saw four deceased people in the group crosstalk performance, and it was very novel for his opponent Lu Yi to perform with the raspy-voiced Xun Ge. Leehom's appearance on stage this year added new chaos to the idol melee, and the final performance of "Unforgettable Tonight" was exhilarating.

This era is unexpectedly fresh, and beauty is brewing amidst the unpleasant.

As midnight approached, my phone started ringing.

Fang Xinghe received so many greetings via text message that, depending on the importance of the message, he would either call back personally or have Wang Chali reply via text message.

Those in politics, local officials, and leaders in provincial propaganda, culture, and education departments...

A figure who is both official and businessman: leaders of Beijing Film Academy, the third-in-command of China Film Group, the president of People's Daily...

Writers' circles include Yu Hua, Liu Zhenyun, Shi Tiesheng, Mo Yan, Sister Yi, Kenzaburo Oe...

It's worth mentioning that the former good brother has disappeared from the public eye; he's probably living in Beijing, pursuing his racing dream.

Media circles, fashion circles, martial arts circles, endorsement sponsors, Pony Ma and Richard Liu...

For some reason, the group of friends gathered together again, chattering away as each of them said a few words.

Teachers, mentors, and friends including Wang Yali, Feng Yuanzheng, and Chen Danya wished Fang Xinghe a prosperous and thriving new year.

Zhong Shi sighed as everyone gathered to talk about the NBA on New Year's Eve two years ago. He never imagined that Jordan, whom everyone praised back then, would become his teammate, while Shaq, the heavy infantryman, would become his mortal enemy.

Suddenly, Dan, who is known for her high emotional intelligence, came online and sent New Year's greetings. Although the way she said "happy new year" was not quite right, her attitude was very sincere. She said she had prepared a gift for Commander Fang.

Fang Xinghe only managed to finish the New Year after his Motorola 998, which cost 13,000 yuan, ran out of power several times and became extremely hot.

It was tiring, but that was precisely proof that he hadn't wasted his time.

Unbeknownst to him, Fang Xinghe himself had grown into a great tree.

Full of vitality, towering and lush.

……

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the film crew had a day off, and Fang Xinghe took the time to do a year-end summary of last year.

In 2001, the Chinese music scene continued to be fiercely competitive, but it didn't really affect me.

The idol market suddenly became crowded with people—

Lu Yi seems to have fallen behind, but he hasn't completely fallen behind. Xiao Tong is still the white moonlight of many girls, but Lu Yi's fans are no longer worthy of arguing with the "Full Sky of Stars" (a nickname for Lu Yi's fans).

Li Erpeng secured his position as "Mainland China's No. 1 Leading Man" with his role in "Swordsman" and his romantic scandals. I don't know who bought the press releases, but they definitely didn't include Fang Xinghe in their lineup.

Wang Lihong became a sensation across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong with her work "The Only One," winning numerous professional awards and venturing into film and television with the support of the Hong Kong film industry.

Milk tea Zhou is quietly eroding Fang Xinghe's non-mainstream fanbase. Don't be surprised or stubborn; the King of Pop of this era is indeed not mainstream enough.

Thank you, you stubborn king... you're wholeheartedly focused on finding a partner.

F4 is still incredibly popular, but their company seems to have gone mad. They just finished one tour and immediately started another. In between, they apparently squeezed in some time to make a movie, but Fang Xinghe didn't pay any attention to it.

They'll fall behind soon; there's no need to bother with them.

What's really interesting is that the photographer and Daniel Wu have joined the show.

The former will reach its zenith and then drag the Hong Kong entertainment industry down with it, while the latter will become synonymous with handsomeness and have an exceptionally high level of popularity among male fans.

Their influence on the starry sky is mainly reflected in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Guangdong Province, where starry sky is almost a disadvantaged group.

As for newcomers, Xiao Ming officially embarked on the path of a domineering CEO with "The Emperor of Han Dynasty", the Korean group Shinhwa became popular overnight, Japan is still as bad as ever, and the American Westlife and Backstreet Boys have finally accumulated enough fans in mainland China, and even opened official cafes on StarNet.

The development of StarNet is changing rapidly.

The cutting-edge concept, clean UI, private space, and the competitive spirit among fans have all contributed to StarNet's coverage of all mainstream markets and its initial emergence as a paradise for celebrities.

This website only takes a very small portion of the fans' membership fees for operating costs, relying mostly on Fang Xinghe for funding. It is extremely friendly to the celebrity himself, which is why it is so popular.

In China alone, there are 256 celebrities who have opened official fan cafes, and the number is even more exaggerated in Japan and South Korea.

Fang Xinghe's personal official fan club spans five continents. Although the number of members in Europe, America, the Middle East, and Africa combined does not equal the number in Asia, his influence is indeed expanding.

StarNet losing tens of millions a year is nothing to them.

In 2001, Fang Caishen amassed a staggering $2.6 million in revenue, though the exact figure fluctuated considerably depending on the settlement method.

The key question is whether or not to include Nike's massive 7-year, $1 million contract. If not, then the sales of "Born to Be Wild" will account for the majority. If so, then an additional 8000 million will be needed.

Speaking of "Born to Sing Wildly", sales in Asia have been steadily increasing, with Japan and South Korea both surpassing the million-copy mark. Sales in North America and Europe have exploded and caught up, approaching 300 million copies.

Playing in the NBA, and playing so well, brought him a lot of influence.

The Backstreet Boys' album from last year seems to have sold over 1200 million copies worldwide, but its sales revenue is still lower than "Born to Be Wild". Don't ask why, just know that it's an art piece warning, a banishment to Golden State.

As for endorsements, Fang Ge already has a lot of endorsements, so there will almost only be replacements, and not many new ones.

2001 was the year his commercial value exploded.

Judging from this, the new income in 02 should be pitiful, and it's hard to say whether it will be enough for donations.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, he will gradually expand the "Fang Xinghe Poor Children's Education Assistance Fund" nationwide, but will not operate it privately; he will only liaise with the education departments of various provinces.

This money may not all be used for the right things, but there's nothing he can do; he simply doesn't have the energy or the authority.

Let's just keep doing it this way. Even if we benefit in some way, it's better than ignoring it.

In 2001, Fang Xinghe maxed out many of his attributes.

Appearance: 99 for looks, 90 for figure
体质：力量92、速度96、耐力99、灵敏99、柔韧99
隐藏：协调99、感知90、恢复99、免疫90、健康90
Level 1 powder buildup: 2.4 million

Tier 2 Midfielder: 1650 million

Level 3 die-hard fans: 300 million

Level 4 Frenzy: 75 million

Level 5 Belief: 44588
Starlight Value: 9.2 billion

Star Value: 0
I'm too lazy to look at the skill panel and class panel anymore. I've already maxed out all the skill points to level 89, and I'm stuck at the Grandmaster level. I don't see any hope of improvement in the near future.

The only thing I've gained recently is a month of hard work following Zhang Yimou, which has resulted in me acquiring three director-like qualities – congratulations!

Fang Xinghe has no shortage of money, but Star Points are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, which is a bit of a problem.

Their only hope lies in their pursuit of the championship this year and the release of "Hero".

The former in the middle of the year and the latter at the end of the year made 02 a year full of hope.

Well, judging from the current situation, it seems that only he is full of hope, while everyone else is almost dying of anxiety.

The others here include Pollin, Dan, James, the Wizards, and all the Washington fans.

The reason is simple—the Wizards' record has collapsed.

avalanche.

When Fang Xinghe left, many fans criticized him for not considering the bigger picture, while others were full of confidence.

Now, they are crying out: Dad, come back quickly! We know we were wrong! You are the one who has the bigger picture!

(End of this chapter)