Who are you calling "little fresh meat"? I'm the king.

Chapter 41 Li Guoli

When talking about Li Guoli, let’s first talk about ATV.

At that time, the drama department of Rediffusion Television was headed by Li Zhaoxiong and Mak Dangxiong, the variety department was headed by Tu Yongxiong, and together with Liang Liren and Xiao Ruoyuen, they were all influential figures in the Hong Kong television industry at that time!
The wireless is so pressed that it can’t lift its head…

Drama director Li Zhaoxiong, following the example of European and American dramas, has a requirement for all directors: Every ten minutes or so of each self-produced drama will have a commercial break, and there must be a dramatic conflict. Each episode should have four climaxes: a small climax, a medium climax, a major climax, and a very big climax...

The requirements are very strict. After all, in order to attract the audience, you cannot change the channel.

If anyone does not follow the script for the drama to be aired that day and fails to handle the conflict points before the commercial breaks in each episode, they will be reprimanded by the two big bosses - Li Zhaoxiong and Mai Dangxiong!

Filming and broadcasting...

At that time, a 20-episode TV series was usually directed by four directors, each directing five episodes. Sometimes a long drama would require ten directors to shoot together. Li Guoli, Pan Wenjie, Lai Shuiqing, and Zeng Haowen were all trained under this system.

Back then, Rediffusion was full of ambition. The "A Love So Beautiful" trilogy, which began in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, and the third part was a bloody story of Chinese workers, was hugely ambitious...

The ratings are also very high. Once "The Good Earth" was broadcast, it firmly occupied a considerable market share and the ratings continued to rise.

At that time, TVB's "Round and Round" had dismal ratings and became the first drama to be cancelled since its launch.

However, Rediffusion Television is a British-controlled television station, and its full name is Hong Kong Rediffusion Television!

In 1981, when Hong Kong's Rediffusion Radio was at its peak, the British sold the radio station!

And then…

Brain drain!

In 1983, Liang Liren went to the dilapidated TV station in Xinjia and took away a large number of ATV directors and editors, including Li Guoli.

In order to cooperate with the local government's promotion of the Mandarin-speaking campaign, Singapore Television's president, Zheng Dongfa, hired a group of Hong Kong screenwriters and directors, led by Liang Liren, at a high salary to join the Chinese drama group of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. He spared no expense and his only requirement was to produce high-quality dramas. "Mist over Nanyang" was born under such circumstances.

This is also the first drama directed by Li Guoli.

After that, Li Guoli became the second co-director of Singapore’s first costume drama, The Wrath of the Sea.

Li Guoli is very good at costume dramas. He later became the chief director of "Iron Butterfly" and "The Legend of the Sun-stealing Heroes"...

Because of this experience, most of Tangren’s dramas were later sold to Singapore.

"I have filmed dramas for two TV stations in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China, but the time I spent filming in Singapore from 1983 to 1999 is the most unforgettable. The creative environment there is also the best."

Li Guoli gave an example: "...when we were filming 'Burning Love,' we were able to deploy a civil defense helicopter, 20 fire trucks, and nearly a hundred firefighters to help with the shoot... I once tried to shoot only three shots a day in the studio, practically filming a TV series the way a movie would. I requested a full sun for the lighting, and they spent eight hours getting it right before we could start shooting. These conditions allowed the creative team to thrive."

No nonsense, no matter the cost, it will definitely make you feel comfortable!

"After 89, Singapore Television began to be privatized, so I returned to Hong Kong..."

Shen Yan continued, "Singapore has produced quite a few costume dramas. Back then, Singapore's international department produced quite a few co-productions with mainland China. Some of the ones I know of include "Iron-Blooded Man," "The Little Monk," and "Lotus Boy - Nezha..."

"Have you seen them all?"

"Not really... I just looked up some information!"

After all, if I were to talk to Li Guoli, I would definitely mention the time in Singapore. This is called predicting the topic in advance.

After a pause, Shen Yan added: "The one I have a slight impression of is "Lotus Hegemony"..."

Li Guoli nodded: "That was taken by Liang Shengquan..."

“I just feel like the plot blends in just right!”

The main storyline of "Lotus Domination" is "Meteor Butterfly Sword", which is a mixture of parts of "The Godfather" and "Swordsman".

These two completely unrelated stories are mixed together without any sense of incongruity. It is simply a masterpiece.

"I watched a bit of 'Lotus Tower'...was it a reference to 'The Flying Dagger of Xiao Li'?"

"Yes... Li Lianhua is Li Xunhuan, who lost his martial arts skills. He became famous at a young age, but suffered a major change, became ill, and wandered the martial arts world... The character of Jiao Liqiao was based on Lin Xian'er, a femme fatale... I originally wanted to design Xiao Zixuan to be Long Xiaoyun, but it didn't feel right, so I didn't do it..."

"I quite like this story... Have you sold the adaptation rights?"

"Not yet... My agent is helping me contact them!"

Li Guoli was puzzled. "Such a good story, it shouldn't be difficult to sell the adaptation rights, right?" Shen Yan nodded. "...Yes, I heard that many companies are interested, but they don't want me to be the lead actor!"

"You want to be the lead actor? Aren't you old enough?"

"...It's okay, I can put on makeup... and I think I should be able to portray Li Lianhua's carefree and carefree style!"

Li Guoli suggested: "...you can ask Brother Hu to play the lead role, and you can play Fang Duobing..."

"Thank you, director... I still want to be the lead actor, after all, this is my work!"

……

There was no breakup...

But Li Guoli is the founder of Tangren, so he must consider the interests of Tangren.

If it was three months ago that Brother Hu came to perform in "Lotus Tower", Shen Yan would definitely agree.

Now...

That's not necessary!
Shen Yan is not short of money, so why should he give this role to someone else?

But Liu Shishi felt quite regretful: "I still want to play the role of Li Qiao!"

Shen Yan was surprised: "...That's the villain!"

"What's wrong with being a villain? I've never played a villain before... I want to try it out and broaden my acting range!"

"...Wow, I didn't expect you to have such thoughts on the profession of actor."

"Of course, I want to be a good actor," Shi Shi looked around and lowered her voice, "Let me tell you, this time in 'The World of Clothes', Old K originally wanted me to play the leading female role... but I refused!"

"What?"

"I want to try a willful and capricious role..."

Shen Yan gave a thumbs up: "You have ambition!"

This is the benefit of having your own people in the company...

Ordinary actors, want to try new roles...

Do you give them money?
You want to try new roles, new genres, and then what?
Who is looking for you?

As an actor, no movies to shoot means no income. His fame declines and he gradually becomes unknown.

When Feng Lei was young, he played a villain in the TV series "Kangxi Secret Visits". He played it well, but his image was fixed from then on, from villain to bully...

This is normal!

“…What should we do now?”

"What do you mean?"

"Adapt it!"

Shen Yan waved his hand: "It's okay, once I become famous, it will be easier to talk!"

"Then how long do we have to wait?"

"...No rush..." Shen Yan changed the subject: "Hey, what did Auntie cook today?"

Liu Shishi immediately replied: "Steamed fish and seafood soup..."

After waiting for a long time, Shen Yan didn't see what he wanted to hear, so he couldn't help but ask: "...Why didn't you invite me?"

Liu Shishi glanced at him and said, "If I don't invite you, you won't go?"

“…That’s not the case…but if you invite me, it will make me look less shameless!”

(End of this chapter)