Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 135 He understands the der, I suggest adding "carving a boat to find a sword"

In the early morning of August 26, the sky in Beijing was just beginning to turn pale, but the newspapers on the newsstands had already piled up into small mountains.

Amid the crisp sound of bicycle bells, the newspaper delivery man threw bundles of "Beijing Entertainment News", "Beijing News" and "Entertainment Live" to the stall. The stall owner skillfully spread out the headlines, took a look, and couldn't help but pick up one of them to take a look.

The headlines on the front page were more eye-catching than the last, and the inky type seemed to have ignited a powder keg, setting off a storm in the late summer of 2005:
[Liu Yifei suddenly announced her new film plan at her birthday party! ]

[18-year-old actress makes a two-year bet! Liu Yifei and Wu Chen's new film "Black Peony" makes a strong debut!]

[Two years without a break? She's betting everything on this movie!]

[Director Wu Chen personally selected Guangguang and China Film Group to jointly create "Black Peony"! ]

[Full retirement after The Return of the Condor Heroes? Liu Yifei's film career is beginning to take shape!]

【.】

In 2005, when there was no Weibo or short video platform, this kind of popularity was not restricted. Instead, it spread rapidly in a more "concentrated and fierce" way, from portals to entertainment print media, and then to online forums. The value of the headlines was comparable to gold.

Tianya, Mop, Sohu Community, and even Baidu Tieba have hot posts pinned to the top, discussing her bold and almost crazy decision - to use the golden two years of her career to bet on a movie "Black Peony" that has not yet started shooting.

For example, the "Entertainment" section of Tianya Community had dozens of hot posts pop up overnight:

"Is Liu Yifei crazy? Only one movie in two years!", "What's the story behind Wu Chen's new film? Is it worth Xixi's gamble?" Netizens were arguing fiercely on their keyboards, some admiring her courage, others worried for her.

Reactions within the circle were quicker and more complex.

The news spread like wildfire in the entertainment industry, especially among young actors of the same age or in the same echelon as Liu Yifei. When they heard the news, they felt like they were on a roller coaster - half happy and half nervous.

What makes people happy is that Liu Yifei's decision proves that she will not compete with them for resources in the next two years. After all, if it comes to competition, they really can't win. Even if she relies on the popularity of the upcoming "The Return of the Condor Heroes", she is still an opponent that many people can't match.

Now that she has "voluntarily withdrawn", who wouldn't be jealous of the vacuum left behind?
This gap is their opportunity to make a move!
But what is worrying is that "Black Peony" is obviously not just any play - Wu Chen's name is now a golden signboard in the industry, and the endorsement of China Film and Guangguang is even more not to be underestimated.

Han Sanping's words "there is no upper limit to the budget" at the banquet were like a huge rock hitting the hearts of people in the circle, causing countless ripples.

If this were an art film, it would probably go straight to the international film festival;

If it were a commercial blockbuster, who would dare to deny the possibility of a box office explosion?
What if she "returns as a king" with Wu Chen's blessing two years later? Then what's the point of fighting for it? Wouldn't we have to give everything back?
Forget it, what I have now is mine.

Many people made a decision in their minds instantly. Since one of the four little beauties was left vacant, they had to fight for it.

At this time, Yang Mi, who was about to enter the Beijing Film Academy, looked at the report with a complicated expression.

Although she did not enter this circle today, entering the Beijing Film Academy was a new beginning. She did not expect that the person she had always looked up to had already entered the film industry and even started a two-year gamble.

For a moment she couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.

However, among so many voices, the discussion about Wu Chen's plan to spend two years preparing was almost the lowest. After all, in the eyes of the media, two years is not worth mentioning at all.

There are many directors who spend five or six years in preparation for their films. For example, Jiang Wen, who has been away from the director circle for a long time, recently returned with "The Sun Rises Again", a film that has been in preparation for several years.

However, at this time, in an old house in the capital, Jiang Wen was amazed. "This Wu Chen is quite interesting. In 'Black Peony', do you think this peony is a flower? Or is it the Kunqu opera 'Peony Pavilion'? This metaphor is quite interesting."

"Why, you want to know? Just ask him." Zhou Yun smiled when he heard that.

"We'll get to know each other some other day. I think the last time we met was at the Directors Guild Awards. I saw Han Sanping and Xu Jinglei there the whole time. I should have gone over and joined in the fun."

Jiang Wen stroked his chin, then looked at Zhou Yun: "Our movie starts shooting in October, are you ready?"

"Yeah!" Zhou Yun nodded slightly.

"Senior Sister, your fans are divided into two factions in the forum." Wu Chen said with a faint smile while standing in the training room.

At this time, Liu Tianchi's performance class had just ended.

Last night's news directly led to Liu Yifei's fan group being torn into two factions. The bulletin boards and forums were in chaos. Some were rational, some were radical, some were anxious, and some were fanatical.

Back then, fan culture relied on Tieba (Chinese online forums), QQ groups, and physical fan meetings. It wasn't as immediate as the trending searches on Weibo, but the enthusiasm remained undiminished. Xiang Zhuo had told Wu Chen that morning that Liu Yifei's Tieba had seen thousands of new posts overnight, and several groups were arguing fiercely.

In the practice room, sunlight slanted in through the window lattice and fell on the ends of Liu Yifei's hair in the center, as if giving her smile a layer of light gold.

Her eyes are moving and her smile is gentle, like the ripples on the surface of a lake in spring, unobtrusive but warming to the heart.

When Wu Chen mentioned the fan quarrel, Liu Yifei tilted her head slightly, a sly glint in her eyes. "Junior brother, the path has been chosen. Haven't I already boarded your 'pirate ship'? You can't regret it."

Her tone was playful, with a hint of deliberate rebuke, and at the end she even stuck out her tongue slightly at Wu Chen.

Wu Chen leaned against the door frame and couldn't help but chuckle and shook his head when he heard this.

Liu Yifei chuckled, her eyelashes drooped, then quickly raised again, as if she had thought of something. Her tone changed, becoming more serious: "By the way, Junior Brother, when are you going to Hollywood?"

"Tomorrow!" Wu Chen answered straightforwardly. The shooting time had been set long ago.

"Then I wish you a smooth filming." Liu Yifei smiled.

Outside the training room, the intermittent chirping of cicadas could be heard, and the air was filled with the heat of late summer.

However, at this time, two people were very unhappy with the report.

Feng Xiaogang originally wanted Huayi to release the news that "Night Banquet" was over budget before filming began, and the film pursued luxurious palace interior scenes, in order to demonstrate his pursuit of film art and to promote it at the same time, at least to prevent the circle from only knowing Zhang Yimou's costume dramas and not his.

As a result of this news, the report was almost disappeared from the news on the portal website.

"Damn, is there so much trouble in preparing a movie?" Feng Xiaogang was powerless to complain. Why was there so much messed up news about Wu Chen?

But compared to Feng Xiaogang, whose news can still be found in the reports, Lu Xun can be said to have vomited half a pound of blood.

After being silent for several months, I thought it was time to promote the fact that I was still in this circle and was preparing a new movie, so I quickly asked a media outlet to do an interview. Unexpectedly, the article was squeezed out to the point that it could not appear on the page, and I had to go to the second-level page to find it.

The next day, Wu Chen appeared at the airport, surrounded by a swarm of reporters vying for interviews. Wu Chen smiled wryly, "That's all I can reveal about Black Peony for now. I'll reveal more to you later depending on the situation. Sorry."

The media were somewhat disappointed, but were unwilling to just get a few official words.

The main reason is that the popularity of "Black Peony" is too high now. Liu Yifei, one of the new four little beauties, announced at her birthday party that she was willing to devote two years to it, which directly raised the popularity of the film by two levels.

What they want to know most now is the specific story background and genre of "Black Peony", whether it is a commercial film, a crime film, an art film, etc.

"Director Wu, what do you think of what Director Lu Xun said in yesterday's interview?" A reporter from Southern Metropolis Daily suddenly asked.

Wu Chen was dragging his suitcase forward. Hearing this, he slowed down his pace and finally stopped. He asked curiously, "What did he say?"

The reporter chuckled, knowing that the two were not getting along, and hurriedly repeated:

"Director Wu, Director Lu said this:
'I have understood the rules of the game in the entertainment industry. When you are successful, you also need to learn to be low-key. The calligraphy "Still waters run deep" has been hanging in my office. It was given to me by a friend and I think it is very profound.

Time flies. Now, I am still defined as a young director, but how many years can a director's golden life last? "Kekexili" is just one of my steps. Let's look forward to my next work! '"

As soon as these words were spoken, the reporters around seemed to smell something and moved faster - cameras focused, recorders extended forward, and everyone held their breath, as if waiting for sparks to fly.

It’s no secret in the circle that Wu Chen and Lu Xun don’t get along.

Wu Chen couldn't help but sneer when he heard this. "He understands it, dang, and he can be considered successful? Oh? Next time, ask Director Lu if his office needs anything?"

I suggest adding the 'carving a boat to look for a sword' - after all, someone is looking for this year's dock by looking at a boat ticket from three years ago."

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of reporters burst into laughter.

Wu Chen paused and added sincerely, "Let us congratulate Director Lu for unlocking a new definition of 'success': he can open a personal art exhibition by inserting wild flowers he picked from other people's ancestral blue and white porcelain.

But if I were to say what he said, I’m not looking forward to his next work.”

(End of this chapter)