Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 298 Debating the Deception
When Li Yapeng and Huang Zhizhong arrived upstairs, the students from Beijing Film Academy had just finished receiving their number tags and were starting to walk downstairs.

They struggled against the crowd to finally find the interview office. Li Yapeng rushed in and said to Zhang Yan, "Brother Zhang, you can't just abandon us!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhizhong, who was following closely behind, hurriedly said, "President Zhang, Brother Li didn't mean that. He's just... just too anxious."

Zhang Yan waved his hand to indicate that he didn't need to do that. Having spent two months with Li Yapeng in the border region, Zhang Yan understood Li Yapeng's personality.

This guy is loyal and daring, but he's not exactly bright and sometimes speaks without thinking.

However, after Huang Zhizhong interrupted, Li Yapeng realized what was happening and quickly added, "It doesn't matter what I do, but all my classmates went to participate in the campus recruitment because they listened to me, and now..."

"Don't worry."

Zhang Yan interrupted him, saying, "I've already made all the arrangements. In a few days, you'll take those classmates to Tianjin and sign a short-term contract with the August 1st Film and Television Base. They'll work as extras at the base for a year."

Firstly, I'll wait for this storm to pass, and secondly, it'll allow the differences in quality to be revealed—I'm recruiting actors, not running a charity; I can't possibly accept all 13 of them, can I?"

"Of course, of course!"

Li Yapeng nodded vigorously at first, then asked in confusion, "Mr. Zhang, what are we performing over there? Is it a play or...?"

"I'd say it's an interactive drama."

Zhang Yan said, "After the performance of 'The New Dragon and Phoenix' is over, you will be responsible for recreating the plot of the TV series in the scenic area—for example, the scene of the two of them on the bow of the boat in the opening theme song. At that time, tourists can draw a prize with their tickets or pay money to play the male and female protagonists, and you will create an atmosphere on the side."

Li Yapeng was still a little confused, but the Class of '90 didn't have the luxury of being picky about jobs, so he quickly thanked his classmates on their behalf.

Zhang Yan then turned to Huang Zhizhong: "Xiao Huang, go and draw some exam questions later, just to go through the process, and then go back and wait for the notification."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang!"

Huang Zhizhong quickly bowed to express his gratitude, then tentatively asked, "What about our classmates from the class of '91..."

Zhang Yan thought for a moment and said, "Bring them over tomorrow afternoon. I'll talk to the school and get you placed after the students from Beijing Film Academy."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang! Thank you, Mr. Zhang!"

After the two finished their business, the staff brought the meal, which included rice, steamed buns, about ten kinds of meat and vegetable dishes, and a large pot of eight-treasure porridge.

Everyone worked together to put several tables together, and then sat around them, eating and chatting.

Chen Hong's interviews went quite well; she's already selected three people—four in total if you include Yuan Li.

"Don't recruit too many."

Zhang Yan frowned and said, "We don't produce that many shows ourselves. If we recruit too many people, we won't be able to allocate the resources properly, and it will only cause trouble in the end."

"That's why the director is the most important person."

Chen Hong countered, "How's it going on your end? Beijing Film Academy has always produced good directors. Have you met anyone you like this morning?"

"Hard to say……"

Zhang Yan said with a wry smile, "There are definitely some promising directing students, but we haven't found any suitable for our company yet."

Zhang Guoli shook his head as he stood by, saying, "I don't know what these young people are thinking. They're so focused on digging up the dark side of society. There have been satirical movies before, but the main characters were always good, and the films always emphasized that evil should be punished."

Hearing this, Chen Hong looked at Zhang Yan in surprise: "Isn't this exactly what you said back then? Using our ugly and backward place to exchange for foreign awards, and then going further and further to extremes..."

Before she could finish speaking, a voice suddenly came from the doorway retorting, "Sister-in-law, you can't say that!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Guan Hu walk in from outside.

"Why are you here, kid?"

Zhang Yan stood up and asked, "Have you eaten? Want to eat together...?"

"no need."

Guan Hu said with a serious expression, "Brother, after you finish eating, can we talk privately? It's about the philosophy of our sixth generation of directors."

"The sixth generation of directors?" Zhang Yan asked, puzzled. "When were they divided? Who are they?"

"That's the first time such a saying has come about."

Guan Hu blushed slightly and mumbled, "Besides me, the only one who meets this condition right now is Zhang Yuan."

"The one who directed 'The Bastards of Beijing'?"

"Correct."

Guan Hu nodded and said, "You guys eat first, I'll wait for you outside."

Seeing him turn and leave, Chen Hong asked in a low voice, "What did he come here for?"

"They're probably here to support their fans."

Zhang Yan shrugged, finished his millet porridge by turning the bowl, wiped his mouth with Chen Hong's handkerchief, and then went out to call Guan Hu, who was smoking, "Let's go next door to chat—put out your cigarette first, your sister-in-law and I are trying to conceive."

"Can smoking affect fertility?"

"The doctor said that both smoking and drinking have an effect."

Upon hearing this, Guan Hu stubbed out his cigarette on the railing, stuffed the remaining half back into the cigarette pack, and then followed Zhang Yan to the office next door.

As soon as he entered, Guan Hu couldn't wait to say, "Brother, I think you have a prejudice against us sixth-generation directors. The main purpose of the films we make is to raise social awareness and strive for more fair and just improvements."

As for winning awards abroad, I don't deny that foreign countries like this type of film, but European directors also make their own. Many of their award-winning local films are of this type.

They're not targeting us specifically; they treat films from all countries equally. I don't think we need to worry unnecessarily.

"Haha~"

Zhang Yan chuckled twice and asked in return, "Then let me ask you, in the local films that Europeans usually see, are there more films that specifically depict the dark side, or more films that present a normal perspective?"

"Uh~"

Guan Hu hesitated for a moment, but still answered, "Then there should be more normal perspectives—after all, art films are usually not very popular at the box office, and commercial films are more popular."

“Art films aren’t all like yours,” Zhang Yan continued. “In other words, Europeans mainly see the good side of Western society, occasionally catching a glimpse of its darker side, while your philosophy is to only expose our dark side to others…”

"You can't say that, can you?"

Guan Hu's brows furrowed. He disagreed with Zhang Yan's statement, but Zhang Yan's logic seemed flawless.

"Then what should I say?"

Zhang Yan scoffed, "You say you want to film something to counter the rumors and gossip, that things can't always be peaceful. But can our rumors and gossip be broadcast abroad? Their media doesn't say anything good about us anyway. If you send this stuff over there, aren't you just giving them ammunition against us?"

Guan Hu became somewhat anxious: "Then what can we do? We can't just leave no one to speak up for the underprivileged, can we?!"

"Then go ahead and send it."

Zhang Yan shrugged and said, "I just don't want to get involved in this, and I won't stop you guys—but I trust you, kid. You don't have the guts to die; at most, you'll just get scolded."

"I……"

Guan Hu's face fell. He wanted to argue a few more times, but Zhang Yan didn't give him a chance and waved his hand, saying, "Alright, let's leave it at that. Talking about this kind of thing too much will hurt our feelings."

Guan Hu paused for a moment, but couldn't help but say, "Then can I pass on what you said to Jia Zhangke and the others—the people you interviewed this morning?"

He was indeed summoned by those people.

"whatever."

Zhang Yan said frankly, "There's nothing shameful about what I'm saying. If anyone can take it to heart, then my words haven't been wasted."

(End of this chapter)