Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 263: Elite Gathering, Aiming for the Olympics

The trip to Sichuan Province almost exhausted all of Lu Kuan's energy.

Wanting to do something but wanting to do it without leaving any trace is like telling a lie and having to cover it up with countless lies.

After returning to Peking, Boss Lu confirmed the script progress and the deadline for submitting the first draft with Liu Heng over the phone, and began to think about forming the Olympic opening ceremony bidding team.

The bidding for the Olympic Games opening and closing ceremony plan is a systematic project that requires top talents from various industries to come together and work together.

Lu Kuan remembered some famous industry giants from several major bidding teams in his previous life. Except for Zhang Yimou, who was difficult for him to intercept, he could use his connections to attract the others.

All the teams that have registered now only have a basic organizational framework. On dark and windy nights, it is the perfect time to recruit people.

March 3, Beijing Film Academy President’s Office.

Zhang Huijun, Han Shanping, Tian Zhuangzhuang and others were smoking, as were Dong Shuangqiang and Boss Lu's current personal photographer Zhao Fei.

After "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", this master photographer who had studied with Woody Allen in Hollywood for three years was completely impressed by Lu Kuan's imagination.

"Are you feeling better now?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang raised his chin and pointed to the tape on Lu Kuan's head.

But before he could answer, Han Shanping teased him, "It wasn't a big deal. I almost suspected he was just pretending to be asleep to make the little girl cry."

Zhang Huijun smiled without saying anything, looking at the best young director of Beijing Film Academy in the past 25 years with great satisfaction.

The last time there was a burst of talent was when he and Zhang Yimou and others were at level 78.

The year they graduated, the director who was the domestic box office champion in history was just one year old.

The new generation pushes the old generation out, it’s really sad to think about it.

"Tell me, what can we, the old comrades, do to help you?"

Boss Lu felt his pocket and then remembered that all the cigarettes he had were taken away by Liu Yifei in Chengdu on the pretext of quitting smoking.

"Let me have one first to perk myself up."

He smiled and took the Daqianmen cigarette box from Zhang Huijun's desk and put the lighter in his pocket.

"Dear leaders and seniors, today I would like to ask you to brainstorm and help me find suitable top talents for this bidding team."

Zhang Huijun nodded. "The core of the Olympic opening ceremony bidding team is of course the director and creative talent. You have to take on this responsibility."

"The second thing is technical talent, including stunts, special effects, fireworks, costumes, props, stage design, etc. It's hard to generalize, and it depends on the style of your project."

"Another must-have is the song and dance troupe."

Lu Kuan originally wanted to find the lighting and stage design from the National Theatre of China and the National Theatre of China, where Feng Yuanzheng, Li Xuejian and others were relatively familiar.

However, Tian Zhuangzhuang quickly rejected the idea: "We must find a song and dance troupe. The stage for a drama and the stage for the opening ceremony are two different dimensions of art."

Zhao Fei knew some details about this: "The best national song and dance troupe has already partnered with CCTV, and the few military units that signed up independently for the competition are too numerous to mention."

He counted on his fingers: "Now there are only the Oriental Song and Dance Ensemble, the China National Song and Dance Ensemble, the China National Ballet, and the National Opera and Dance Theater."

"The strengths of the Oriental Song and Dance Ensemble and the China National Song and Dance Ensemble are more towards ethnic and folk dances. I won't mention the China National Ballet, as it's obviously inappropriate."

"I think the most suitable one is the Opera and Dance Theater."

Oriental has a strong lineup of singing and dancing talents. Wang Kun, Li Guyi, Cheng Fangyuan and others are all Oriental artists, but the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe tends to focus on ethnic and folk dances.

A vivid example is the large-scale song and dance gala in 2012, where the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe's most outstanding performance was the display of international ethnic dances such as Egyptian striptease and African folk dance.

The same is true for the China National Song and Dance Ensemble, but its style is more inward-looking rather than outward-looking. As the name suggests, it explores the artistic treasures of my country's 56 ethnic groups.

Jiang Dawei, Dedema, Yang Liping and Tengger are all members of the National Song and Dance Troupe.

The ethnic minorities sang and danced, while the Han people watched and laughed.

Boss Lu agreed with Zhao Fei's opinion, but he said that he could try to contact some talents.

"I think we can win over Yang Liping from the National Song and Dance Troupe."

"She discovered Tai Lihua, the lead dancer of 'Thousand-Armed Guanyin' in this year's Spring Festival Gala, and personally participated in the guidance of this program. I think her level is very high."

Tai Lihua and Yang Liping have a close relationship. The latter's famous work "The Soul of the Bird" was performed very successfully by Tai Lihua. Tai Lihua's later benefactor Yang Jigang also benefited from Yang Liping's introduction.

Han Shanping nodded: "Yang Liping is fine, but you have to act quickly. I think Zhang Jigang will find her first."

Dong Shuangqiang took over this side quest first: "Let me do this job. I've had dinner with their Captain Bei, so I'll ask him to introduce me."

"Okay, then I'll trouble Brother Dong with this matter."

Dong Shuangqiang has a strong background and abundant connections in all aspects, which is why he was called here today.

It is worth mentioning that Captain Bei, who had a personal relationship with him, was arrested in 2012. The amount involved in the case was only 31 yuan, which was obviously too small.

The boss must have contributed.

Zhang Huijun suddenly thought of someone: "Huo Tingxiao, have you contacted him?"

Lu Kuan was surprised: "Him? Didn't Director Yimou contact him?"

"I'll call now." Zhao Fei took out his cell phone and pushed the door open.

Huo Tingxiao was Zhang Yimou's official art director, but he also collaborated with Feng Xiaogang in the later film "Aftershock". Boss Lu never thought that such a person would still exist.

"I had dinner with Yimou the other day. His artist is an American named Jack Morton."

Boss Lu nodded secretly.

Zhang Yimou's performance in the Athens Eight Minutes was too full of national elements and colors. It seems that he wants to change his thinking and take a route that combines internationalization.

It can’t be said to be wrong, but it is also great to have an art director like Huo Tingxiao for yourself.

"Okay, I'll treat him to dinner tonight and we'll settle it completely."

"it is good!"

Tian Zhuangzhuang exhaled lightly and said, "Let's get back to the point. If we really want to find an opera and dance troupe, we'd better ask Principal Zhang to come forward."

Compared with the first two, the opera and dance troupe is more comprehensive and international.

In addition to the song and dance troupe, there is also a national orchestra, a symphony orchestra and a stage production department, which perfectly meet the professional stage requirements of the Olympic Games opening ceremony.

The key is that the troupe has done a good job of integrating Chinese and foreign elements, with both folk classics such as "White-Haired Girl" and classical dance dramas such as "Confucius".

Among them, "Confucius" was later praised when it was invited to perform in Europe and the United States. It was given three additional performances at the Lincoln Center in the United States. The New York Times called it "China's cultural business card."

Professional art media such as Getty Images and Broadway World, as well as local Chinese media, have given extensive coverage to the event.

For a cultural event like the Olympics that faces a global audience, we need professional theater troupes that can combine traditional culture with Western aesthetic tastes.

Boss Lu also smiled and said, "Principal Zhang, the Opera and Dance Theater is directly under the Ministry of Culture and Arts. Its rank is the same as yours. How about asking you to come forward?"

Beijing Film Academy is a municipal university with an administrative level of director general. Logically, Zhang Huijun and Han Shanping from China Film Group Corporation are both at the director general level.

However, due to the special status of Beijing Film Academy among art colleges, the top president is assigned a position half a level higher.

The Opera and Dance Troupe is directly under the Ministry of Culture and Art, and its director Jin Wei is a vice-ministerial level cadre.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Boss Lu is wealthy, famous in Asia and the Pacific, and appears at various international film festivals.

However, in the domestic power context of Guanben, a vice-ministerial-level theater troupe director may not necessarily give you Lu Kuan face.

Based on the principle of dialogue at the same level, it would be most appropriate to let Zhang Huijun come forward to invite and introduce, so that it is not easy to be turned down.

This is also the reason why Lu Kuan has always been seeking personal reputation and voice in industry status.

There are some things you can do without, but you can't live without them. In this society, people treat their talents differently based on their personality, and you must have something that looks good on the outside.

Han Shanping, being led by a few old smokers today, also chain-smoked: "We have the opera and dance theater, the art department, and the stage design department."

"Think about the remaining technical talent. Everyone who can be hired here today will be contacted by you as soon as possible. They may all be poached in the next day or two."

Lu Kuan frowned and thought for a few seconds. He thought of someone and wondered if he had been poached by Ang Lee.

Chinese female designer Lin Ying later became a technical consultant to Ang Lee in 2005.

"Him?" The first one to react was Zhao Fei, the others were not very familiar with him.

"Who is this?"

Lu Kuan introduced: "Lin Ying is Lin Huiyin's niece, a Chinese-American architect."

"I know a Chinese fashion designer in the US named Wang Daren. He said that in the Chinese American community, when female celebrities attend the Oscars or when the daughters of wealthy businessmen get married, they usually ask Wang Wei to design their wedding dresses."

"When respected elders or celebrities pass away, their families usually invite Yo-Yo Ma to play the cello at the memorial service."

Old Han was rather traditional and old-fashioned. Upon hearing this, he asked in surprise, "Why play a cello at a memorial service?"

Dong Shuangqiang interrupted with a smile: "It's the same principle as when we play the suona!"

Everyone laughed.

"What about Lin Ying?"

"Lin Ying learned from her aunt and uncle's family and has a high level of attainment in architectural design and technology. She is known in the Chinese American community for designing garden landscapes and luxury villas, but most people can't hire her."

“Oh, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington is her work.”

Lin Ying was born in 1959 and his design works are spread all over the United States.

The "Women's Table" at Yale University, the "Children's Defense Fund Auditorium" in Tennessee, and the Museum of African Art in New York are all famous.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is certainly a standout, and she was a junior at Yale when she entered the design competition.

Dong Shuangqiang slapped his thigh and said, "That's great. Let's get in touch!"

Boss Lu thought about it and made an overseas call.

"Hello? Is the road wide?"

Wang Daren still follows the American social habit of calling people by their first names, regardless of their status.

"Daren, last time you mentioned Lin Ying, is there any way to get her contact information? I'd like to invite her to participate in the design of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games."

"Really? That's great."

Wang Daren immediately asked with concern: "Are you okay? I just saw the news."

"Very good, don't worry."

"Lin Ying is easy to contact. Liang Zhouyang and I are classmates. She came to Vogue to see me just last week."

Boss Lu was a little confused, but the surname reminded him of something: "Is Liang Zhouyang Liang Sicheng's?"

"Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin were her great-grandparents, and Liang Zhouyang called Aunt Lin Ying grandma."

(Left: Lin Huiyin's niece - Lin Ying / Right: Lin Huiyin's great-granddaughter - Liang Zhouyang)
Wang Daren laughed and said, "Actually, you're much more suitable to contact me than me!"

"What do you mean?"

"Liang Zhouyang is a huge fan of yours. She admires you so much that she's collected all your movie DVDs. She's even watched the recently released 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' three or four times!"

Boss Lu laughed dumbly: "Okay, please ask for her number. I'll call Lin Ying myself to invite her."

"No problem, Liang Zhouyang will be very happy."

Liang Zhouyang is relatively famous in later generations. She is the founder of the Debutante Ball, and her family is considered a top cultural family among Chinese in North America.

My great-grandfathers are Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, so there is no need to say more.

His great-grandfather was Zhou Peiyuan, a physicist and president of Peking University, and his father Liang Jian was a Chinese bronze artifact protection expert and collector.

After hanging up the phone, everyone in the room looked at him with a smile.

Han Shanping joked, "Young people are still popular. How come you have female fans all over the world?"

"But it's also a coincidence. How did you happen to know this classmate of Liang Zhouyang?"

Boss Lu stood up and opened the window for ventilation. "The Chinese community in the United States is very small. The higher you go, the smaller it gets. It's normal for them to know each other and marry each other."

"If Lin Ying is willing to join, technical skills won't be a problem. Top architects all have extremely high levels of engineering."

"I'd still ask Williams to form the special effects team. Adding the backbone of Butian Films will be enough."

Tian Zhuangzhuang prompted, "The young man just mentioned Vogue. What about your costume and prop designs?"

"Yes, let me see if Galliano can do it. He is very interested in Chinese culture, but he is too busy with his work as a Dior director."

Lu Kuan had another hidden worry in his heart. Galliano was an anti-squid person and was later fired by Dior in 2011 because of his anti-squid remarks.

I have to remind him in advance not to talk too much.

He suddenly thought of the master of fireworks: "Cai Guoqiang, does anyone know him?"

Zhang Huijun said solemnly: "Cai Guoqiang studied at the Shanghai Theatre Academy in his early years, but immigrated to the United States in 95. I have a suggestion for him."

"what?"

"You have a good relationship with Marco Muller from the Venice Film Festival. Ask him for help."

"Huh?" Boss Lu didn't understand what Zhang Huijun meant.

"In 1999, Cai Guo-Qiang participated in the Venice International Art Biennale, also known as the Golden Lion. The president of that festival was Marco Muller."

"Okay, it'll be much easier to chat if someone introduces you."

Different fields have different worlds. No matter how famous he is in the film industry, a world-class fireworks expert may not be able to appreciate his reputation.

Boss Lu stood up and paced back and forth excitedly. He had basically built a skeleton from scratch.

All that remains is to expand the team according to needs and plan details.

Zhang Huijun suddenly said, "I think your team is still missing a role, a very crucial role."

Seeing everyone looking at him, he continued to explain.

"The people you just found are mostly technical professionals. This is for the feasibility of the plan, and that's correct."

"But when it comes to core creativity, it's definitely not enough to be alone."

"Besides, the audience of the Olympics is the whole world. To be more down-to-earth, you have to cater not only to your own people but also to foreign audiences."

Boss Lu smiled and said, "Then why don't I just find a foreign opening ceremony director and have him provide the team with a foreign perspective?"

"That's also possible. Alternatively, you can find members of foreign art schools and popular theater troupes. They understand and represent the aesthetic tastes of foreign audiences."

Han Shanping offered two candidates: "Papaioannou from the Athens Olympics, or Bozzi from the Sydney Olympics."

Tian Zhuangzhuang was the first to raise objections: "Papaioannou is no good. He's an avant-garde artist. I can't even understand his performance."

Hearing Lao Tian's self-deprecating remarks, everyone present burst into laughter.

This film was also known for being obscure and difficult to understand.

His work "Hunting Ground Zasa" was too obscure and difficult to understand, which made his superiors angry and criticized him for being out of touch with the masses.

It was only after the Dutch documentary director Ivens, who was then the artistic consultant of the Cultural and Art Department, spoke up for it that it was approved.

As a result, he immediately made a movie called "The Horse Thief". This time, even his die-hard fan Evans couldn't stand it anymore. He secretly said to Tian Zhuangzhuang at night: I don't understand it, can you play it for me again?
. . .

"Boqi isn't any good either." Zhao Fei interrupted, "Boqi should have been poached by Director Zhang."

The room was silent for a few seconds as the brainstorming continued.

Dong Shuangqiang laughed and said, "Then let's keep counting forward. 04 won't work, 00 won't work, what about 96 Atlanta? Boxing King Muhammad Ali lighting the torch was also very impressive."

Lu Kuan knew this director: "The Atlanta Olympics were indeed great. I've met this Michel before. He was the artistic consultant for the Academy Awards."

Han Shanping suddenly slapped the sofa excitedly: "This Michel is great! He understands us and Chinese culture!"

"What do you mean?"

"In 1997, when Hong Kong returned to China, he was the director of the celebration gala."

"When the designer visited the United States in 79, he was hired by Carter as the chief television director for the White House welcome dinner. He is very familiar with China."

Everyone nodded in unison, these were simply excellent core creative personnel.

However, for such an evening party, the big names would have to form their own teams to bid, and they might not agree to join Boss Lu’s team.

"Let me find another alternative, Cirque du Soleil in Canada."

Although it is called a circus, Cirque du Soleil is a troupe that explicitly resists animal performances. Its styles cover drama, acrobatics, music shows and other fields, and it is popular in North America.

"I met their director, Dragun, at the cocktail party after the Golden Globe Awards. I'll try to invite him over."

"Michelle or Dragun, if we get one of them, we can have an Olympic plan!"

It takes three to make a hero. Lu Kuan has only been in existence for three or four years. Even though it has made rapid progress in its main business, it has not yet accumulated enough connections in various industries.

The five people went through all the talents from all walks of life from beginning to end.

Zhang Huijun and Han Shanping, who were of high rank, went to invite him;
Dong Shuangqiang, who has complex social relationships, is in charge of the operation;
If Tian Zhuangzhuang has connections with the older generation of the domestic literary and art circles, he will go and invite them. If that doesn’t work, he will ask his mother, Ms. Yu Lan, to come forward.

The rest are artist groups in North America and Hollywood, and Boss Lu will contact them himself.

In fact, if the previous life's Olympic plan were put up for bidding, the chances of winning would be extremely high. However, in this life, Boss Lu is also an artist who is determined to delve deeply into the art of film and embark on the path of becoming a master.

This opportunity to compete openly with Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, Chen Kaige and others is rare.

Only under such great external pressure and the mental stress of an event as important as the Olympics can artists generate more inspiration and create more stunning works.

I believe that if he can pass this level, it will be of infinite benefit to his future film career, and perhaps he will be able to truly find the door to becoming a master.

In addition, although the final solution of the previous life is an excellent experience, it is the product of a balance between artistry and feasibility.

There are still many creative ideas that cannot be implemented due to technical reasons or have certain risks. With a forward-looking perspective like his in this life, we can definitely find solutions to transform them.

This is also a completely feasible route.

On March 3, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", which had been released for more than half a month, continued to gain popularity in terms of both word of mouth and box office, and continued its explosive momentum outside the Spring Festival period.

The domestic box office closed at 1.3 million yuan, which is infinitely close to the 1.4 million yuan of "A World Without Thieves" a few months ago. Perhaps Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu" record of 1.7 million yuan will also be broken.

The number of domestic big screens in this life is increasing very rapidly, which is why the box office of the same movies in this life has increased significantly compared to the previous life.

At the same time, using Golden Harvest's distribution network, the box office revenue in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia was reported to be 6000 million RMB, and in Japan and South Korea it was reported to be 600 million US dollars.

The box office figures in the North American market are strong, but lack stamina.

In the early days of its release, thanks to the hype of Lu's winning the Best Foreign Language Film and his personal IP at the Oscars, the film grossed $1300 million in its first week.

However, due to the subject matter of the film, compared with the martial arts-style "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" which ultimately grossed 1.28 million yuan, this version of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" has no hope of breaking the million yuan box office.

Even so, the North American industry discussed with Miramax and Lionsgate and shifted the focus of publicity to Mytube, which has more than 10 million regular users.

On the one hand, it saves marketing costs, and on the other hand, it tries to market movies through new media channels.

From domestic to foreign countries, Focus Media, Travel Channel, China Business Network, Douban, Wenjie Video, Mytube, and TV stations controlled by Lionsgate and Miramax took turns bombarding the media, and the weapon of public opinion was deafening.

With the prestige of the Berlin Golden Bear, Best Actor and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, the whole of Asia and North America were shrouded in the publicity campaign of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

Even without the purely commercial film "Alien", it is certain that "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", which cost only about 7000 million, will make a huge profit, not to mention the derivative products and subsequent DVD revenue.

At the same time, the refined management after the establishment of Wenjie Holdings has greatly improved cost savings.

The group financed the large low-interest loans provided by Bank of Communications and Bank of China in accordance with a reasonable debt ratio, and made every effort to promote the penetration of Golden Harvest Cinema Line in the mainland.

Such as Pengcheng, Yangcheng, Zhuhai and other places in Guangdong Province;
The Shanghai, Lin'an, Suzhou, Jinling, Ningbo and other places in the Yangtze River Delta, as well as Beijing, are all key development areas.

Although there is a heavy asset line like Golden Harvest, there is currently not much financial pressure.

In particular, Focus Media has a plan to list on the Nasdaq in July. By then, it will have stocks with a market value of nearly US$7 million, which it can pledge to financial institutions at any time when it needs money.

On March 3, a celebration banquet for the 16 million yuan box office revenue was held at the Kunlun Hotel in Beijing.

On March 3, Lu Kuan, Zhou Xun, Liu Yifei and Zhang Manyu participated in the recording of the program "Lu Yu You Yue" on Travel Satellite TV.

The half-time celebration dinner is for publicity, and the appearance on the show is for the same purpose, and it is also to hype Lu Kuan’s personal IP.

In view of this, Long Danni, who had just taken office as executive deputy director and program director, continued to work hard and poached "Lu Yu You Yue" from Phoenix TV to enrich the program content.

"A Date with Lu Yu" is currently the top interview program in China. It left Phoenix TV and joined Hunan TV in later generations.

During the heyday of Hunan TV in 2008, the ratings of "Luyu" once topped the list of interview programs, surpassing mainstream CCTV talk shows such as "Art Life", and it has great potential.

Each episode of "Lu Yu You Yue" will establish a theme.

For example, the last issue was about the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, "The Life and Love of Thousand-Armed Guanyin Tai Lihua", and the issue before that was about "Shan Tianfang's Wake-up Stick".

The theme of this episode that Lu Kuan and others participated in was "Young Director and His Film Heroine".

After the program was transplanted to Travel Satellite TV, Long Danni made some targeted changes to the process details during her report to Lu Kuan.

"Art Life" is positioned as profound and grand, while "A Date with Lu Yu" must be sincere, down-to-earth and have a distinct personality.

The invited guests also mostly focus on people who are at the forefront of history and public opinion, such as Liu Xiaoqing in the first episode and the controversial Yang Yuying.

For example.

"Art Life" once interviewed Feng Xiaogang. At that time, Pants' mother had just passed away three days ago, but the program team did not use this as a gimmick to induce tears or enhance the program effect, which won them a lot of favor.

However, the style of "Lu Yu You Yue" is a private conversation, and as long as it does not violate public order and good customs and laws and regulations, both meat and vegetables are welcome.

For example, at the beginning of this year, when Liu Xiaoqing was on a show, leaders such as Long Danni instructed Chen Luyu to mention things like tax evasion, being released from prison, and playing supporting roles for Liu Tao and others.

Of course, Liu Xiaoqing is also very generous. She is also willing to speak out through such channels to express her regret and willingness to start over. This is a win-win situation.

Only in this way can Travel Satellite TV make this program popular and beat Hunan TV's "Yang Lan Interview" in the interview variety show.

She was born in Xicheng, Beijing. Her father is a host of China Radio International and her mother is a Bengali host. She was taught by example since she was a child and made her debut in 2001.

As the name of the program suggests, this is an interview program with a distinct personal style, and Chen Luyu herself has great power.

In the later "Lu Yu You Yue", she had the veto power over the selection of topics.

Even many of the guest selections were made by her suddenly thinking of them while chatting with friends or putting on makeup, and she could just make a phone call to get them.

Travel Channel introduced her and also agreed to these personal treatment requirements.

In 2006, China's Guangguang Media released a list of "China's Most Valuable Hosts", and Chen Luyu ranked among the top three with million yuan.

In the same year, Time magazine named Lu as one of the most valuable TV programs in China in the past 15 years.

Several people were communicating in the background about the approximate scope and key points of the visit.

After switching to Travel Satellite TV, the program changed from a recorded broadcast to a live broadcast, which greatly enhanced the randomness and fun, and also put higher demands on the guests' on-the-spot response.

At the same time, audiences who come for fun also flock to it, which is a double-edged sword.

Therefore, communication between guests and the program team is very important before the show.

Among them, Chen Luyu plays a key role.

Chen Luyu has always been confident that she can deal with every guest.

She has previously interviewed the unparalleled national talent Mr. Yuan Longping, as well as Zhou Xingchi, Gong Li, Li Lianjie, Mei Yanfang and others, and is very familiar with them.

Until today she met Boss Lu and his three heroines.

"Director Lu, is it convenient for you to talk about your relationship problems and nickname?"

Chen Luyu looked sincere, as if she had no idea who was in charge of this TV station.

As a big-name host, Long Danni had to work hard to poach her from Phoenix TV and its competitor Hunan TV.

When she gets into work mode, in her eyes, the road is wide, and if there is no road, she is still the boss.

Boss Lu said sincerely, "Are you talking about a genius director? Forget it, it's embarrassing."

Zhang Manyu and Zhou Xun both chuckled, but Xiao Liu couldn't help laughing out loud.

Chen Luyu pursed her lips and said, "About that, regarding some of the gossips and anecdotes about your personal relationships, do you think there's any need to dig up or clarify them?"

"Host Chen, to be honest, I'm a little embarrassed to talk about these issues. I haven't even graduated from college yet, and I've never been in a relationship..."

The young director looked confused, and Chen Luyu was a little dazed. She was shocked by his shamelessness, but it was difficult to expose him directly.

"Ok."

"Where's Yifei? Is it convenient?"

"I haven't graduated from college, and I've never been in a relationship..."

Chen Luyu looked at the two faces with different looks but the same expression swaying in front of her, and had a bad feeling.

But it’s easier for little girls to make breakthroughs, right?
The effect of today's show lies in you!

Of course, Zhou Xun and Zhang Manyu don’t care.

One of them doesn't care about her nickname of "male star harvester" at all, and the other is a single and divorced middle-aged intellectual woman who has seen through the world.

"Okay, then regarding the movie, for promotional purposes, we'll focus on 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'."

"But considering the theme of the show, the previous works 'Thief' and 'Alien Land' will also be mentioned. Is it okay to talk about the behind-the-scenes stories between you two and the director during the filming?"

"can."

"no problem."

Chen Luyu flipped through the materials in her hand again: "Okay, let's get ready and start in twenty minutes."

"By the way, Director Lu, that gauze on your head..."

"It won't affect the show, right?"

"No, I'm worried about affecting your image."

Boss Lu smiled and said, "That's okay, that's just my image."

Chen Luyu turned around and rolled her eyes. She was pretending to be stupid just now, but now she knows how to make fun of herself.

He definitely couldn't take off the gauze on his head. He also had to use this incident to talk about his own experience and deepen the logic that building a building is a way of repaying kindness.

Do everything possible to dispel the suspicion that may arise three years later.

"light?"

"All right."

"stage?"

"All right."

"Microphone sound adjustment?"

"no problem."

Long Danni gave instructions backstage: "Luyu, the radio will start in ten seconds, get ready."

"Okay, Long Jie."

In the studio hall of Travel Satellite TV's Peking Production Center, there is a curved yellow sofa, and Chen Luyu is sitting on one side.

Background music sounded, the show began, and Chen Luyu walked to the center of the stage.

"I'm a movie fan, but to be honest, I hadn't been to a movie theater for a long time before 2002."

Chen Luyu, sporting a 2024 Paris Olympics hairstyle, laughed and said, "Why 2002? Because on National Day in 2002, I went to the cinema with my family and watched a movie called Whiplash."

"The film's director is our main guest today, Mr. Lu Kuan, and here are the three leading actresses he's worked with. Welcome everyone!"

Lu Kuan and his four companions walked in to the applause of the audience, who then smiled, greeted them, and then they sat down.

From closest to farthest from Chen Luyu, they are Lu Kuan, Liu Yifei, Zhou Xun, and Zhang Manyu.

Boss Lu was dressed casually today, in jeans and a light blue shirt.

Xiao Liu next to her was wearing a white lace V-neck shirt and a light khaki miniskirt, looking gentle and comfortable.

The old mother in the audience looked at her excited expression helplessly and said, Liu Yifei, can you please control yourself?
The most affectionate person in Beijing Film Academy: I can’t help myself, I haven’t seen the washing machine for a week!
"Well, welcome, all four of you."

Chen Luyu introduced them: "I believe that the audience here today and those watching on TV are all familiar with these four people."

"But as per the opening convention, we'll still watch a VCR."

In the backstage of Travel Channel, Long Danni asked about the real-time audience data.

"The feedback from Sorefu is around 4.2%, Director Long."

"Okay, not bad."

Last year’s “Super Girl” finals saw skyrocketing ratings, but the ceiling for interview variety shows is not high. Even “Art Life” only had around 2%-5%.

The screen lights up, marking the highlight moment for Lu Kuan as the heroine in the four films since her debut.

In the breakup scene between Jay Chou and Liu Yifei in "The Drummer", they were speechless and choked up, leaving each other resolutely;

In "The Thief", Zhou Xun was in tears, holding Xiaotong's hand and crying loudly;

In "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", 40-year-old Li Ming and Zhang Manyu kissed passionately, and the Cannes Film Queen exuded her intellectual beauty.

In "Foreign Land", Concubine Liu Yi kills monsters with a gun and commits crimes with a beautiful woman.

There is also a clip of firearms training.

The four movies brought Lu Kuan's fans and the fans of the three female stars back to the past three years.

Especially Concubine Liu Yi.

The sequence is carefully arranged, with her two films edited and placed at the beginning and end.

Fans at the scene and in front of the TV were quite moved by her innocent performance in "The Drummer" at the age of 15 and her bold performance in "Foreign Land" at the age of 17.

Liu Xiaoli, in particular, was deeply moved when she sat in the audience from a bystander's perspective and listened to the excited screams of Sissi's fans around her.

When the VCR ended, there was applause from the audience.

Chen Luyu has a unique interview style, and some of the questions may be quite sharp.

Therefore, the opening usually starts with some relatively relaxed and well-known topics to engage in preliminary communication with the guests, ease the guests' nervousness, and create a harmonious interview atmosphere.

For example, they would ask the guest about their recent work dynamics or some interesting things in their life: "What happened to Director Lu's head wound? Can you tell us about it?"

Boss Lu touched the small gauze on his head as if he didn't know anything. "Oh, last week I went to Chengdu to talk to Director Fan Jianchuan about movie props."

"I drank a kind of black tea produced in Wuchuan Shuimo in his office, which was very special."

He paused, then smiled at the audience and the camera and said, "This isn't an advertisement, but if you like tea, you can pay attention to it."

"It just so happened that I had been commissioned by the Olympic Committee to participate in the bidding for the opening ceremony plan, so I took the opportunity to go and collect materials."

"Unfortunately, there was a minor problem with the brakes and an accident occurred. Fortunately, no one was injured, otherwise I would be guilty of a serious crime, haha."

Xiao Liu, who was standing by, still feels a little scared after hearing what happened.

He recalled the despair he felt that day when he couldn't wake up for six hours.

"Yi Fei? Yi Fei?"

The little girl exclaimed "Ah" and looked up. It was Chen Luyu who cue her.

"I heard you were there, right? What was it like?"

"Hmm...it's quite unexpected. Wenjie and I are collaborating on a pastoral-themed variety show. Since Director Lu is busy with a movie and the Olympics, we took the initiative to accommodate his schedule."

Yang Siwei in the audience watched her bragging and lying naturally without blushing or getting nervous, and nodded secretly in his heart.

It has all the power of the man next to you.

"I went to Shuimo Town with my agent Xiao Yang at the time."

"It was half past eight in the morning when we arrived."

Chen Luyu laughed: "I remember it so clearly."

"Yes, because the time we agreed to meet the day before was 8:30, so..."

She paused, suddenly recalling how unusually wide the road was that day.

In the past, when they made appointments to meet, he rarely specified the exact time due to his casual personality. That day, she wondered why it was like he was arranging a task?
The program was being broadcast live, and her thoughts flashed through her mind: "I saw that scene when I arrived. I was very shocked and panicked."

"Can you tell us what happened next? I think Director Lu's fans are quite interested."

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "It's nothing. Thanks to the teachers, students, and villagers of Shuimo Town Primary School, they pulled him out of the car and sent him to the hospital."

"After examination, there was no major external injury, just a small cut on the forehead. He just didn't wake up until later in life."

Chen Luyu laughed and said, "It looked quite thrilling. We all know that Director Lu later held a press conference and decided to donate the net profits from 'Tangshan' to charity."

"Director Lu, tell me what you were thinking at that time."

Boss Lu looked terrified and grief-stricken: "I am a Taoist, and this incident has had a huge impact on me."

"There's a line in the opening of the 'Tai Shang Ganying Pian': 'Good fortune and bad luck come from nowhere; they are brought upon oneself; the rewards of good and evil follow like a shadow.'"

Chen Luyu was surprised: "You still have religious beliefs, haha, explain it to the audience."

"The meaning is very simple, similar to the Buddhist saying that good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds are punished."

"Because it was really dangerous at the time. Medically, if a person remains unconscious for more than six hours, it is considered serious and can be diagnosed as a severe illness."

"So I'm very grateful to the people of Wuchuan. The area is an earthquake zone, which is related to the film I'm filming, 'Tangshan Earthquake.'"

"After a few visits, I made up my mind. This is my way of repaying the kindness of the local villagers who gave me this life, haha."

The audience began to applaud, and those who had not been following this story on TV also understood the whole story.

A self-consistent logical closed loop, using television images as storage media, will be played repeatedly after three years.

People will marvel at the magic of fate, but they don’t know that he was reborn after risking his life.

(End of this chapter)