Huayu: This celebrity doesn't follow the rules.

Chapter 63 Recruiting Soldiers and Investing

Yuan Shuang was utterly stunned. He was just a small wedding photography studio owner who also worked as a photographer!

Although he graduated from Nanjing University of the Arts, he always dreamed of becoming a director.

But it's just a dream after all...

Yuan Shuang's hands trembled with excitement: "But I've never..."

“It’s alright,” Bai Lu opened the company’s business plan. “President Jiang said that as long as you are willing, you can learn from the film crew first. Once you have the skills, the company will build a team specifically for you to independently shoot projects.”

"As long as you have a suitable project, our company also has Beijing Film Academy's equipment, venues, and professional actors. These resources can support you."

Yuan Shuang's breathing became noticeably rapid.

Seeing his interest, Bai Lu tried to mimic Jiang Ye's smile and continued, "President Jiang often says that a good director must first be able to tell a story, and in your shots, every frame speaks."

"..."

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass, casting shadows on the contract.

After Yuan Shuang finished signing, her hand trembled slightly again: "Um...Mr. Bai, when can I start work?"

"Anytime, but I think you might need to take care of the photo studio matters first?"

……

On the high-speed train back, Bai Lu received a message from Jiang Ye: "Did you close the deal?"

"Yes, he said he'll be coming to Beijing next week."

"Not bad, Director Bai [grinning face]"

Her fingers flew across the screen, a hint of smugness in her voice: "Absolutely! Just look who's in charge..."

"But seriously, this business trip really exhausted me. Shouldn't the boss give me some kind of reward?"

Jiang Ye's message immediately popped up: "Xiao Bai, your awareness is too low, isn't it?"

"If this were ancient times, what would you be called? A top contributor to territorial expansion! The company will have to make a small golden statue of you to put at the entrance as a treasure to guard the house!"

"When the company goes public and rings the bell, you'll stand in the center, and I'll carry your bag!"

The egret stared at the screen, grinning foolishly, even showing its gums.

The fatigue from the business trip seemed to vanish instantly, and a little bit of pride welled up inside me like a balloon, feeling sweet and content.

At this moment, Jiang Ye also put down his phone, tapped the screen lightly with his fingertips, and had a smile on his lips.

On the tarmac outside the window, a passenger plane was slowly taxiing toward the runway, the roar of its engines coming through the porthole, carrying the restlessness of an imminent departure.

A key player has been successfully recruited!
Yuan Shuang, later changed his name to Cat Tree!

He made many artists famous. In the early short videos he made, Bai Lu was the female lead in 80% of the works!

He can be said to be the one who guided the egret into the circle.

In 2015, he collaborated with Song Weilong, Bai Lu, and others to upload self-made healing short videos and micro-films to platforms such as Miaopai and Weibo, which received widespread attention.

In May 2016, Cat Tree signed with Huanyu Film & Television, the company of Yu Zheng, officially entering the field of television dramas and serving as the director of a feature-length film and television drama for the first time, directing "My Love From the Star".

In 2020, Cat Tree resumed his identity as an independent director and founded his own company.

The first movie I filmed was called "So Lovely Us".

He has also acted in works such as "Let's Meet Now", "When I Run Towards You", "I Want to See You Tomorrow", and "Waiting for the Rain to Stop".

It has made many young actors famous, not only Bai Lu, but also Song Weilong, Tian Xiwei, Zhou Yiran, Zhang Miaoyi, Lu Yuxiao and others...

Jiang Ye currently needs an assistant who is very important to him while filming.

Bai Lu completed his mission smoothly, and his destination this time is Yunnan!

He's going to invest in a team that currently offers great value for money...

……

Spring City, rooftop of an old residential community
Unlike the cold of the north, Kunming enjoys a spring-like climate all year round.

As the afternoon sun shone down, Chen Xiang, wearing his director's vest, stared at the small screen of his home DV camera. In front of the camera, Huang Xiaofei, sporting his signature afro, was exaggeratingly performing a scene of a boss making empty promises, while Ying Baolin, looking weathered, squatted beside him, using his veteran acting skills to portray the phrase "young people should be down-to-earth" in several layers.

"Card!"

Chen Xiang shouted, "One more take, Mushroom Head! Make that last eye roll even more exaggerated!"

Qiuqiu Ji Wenjun, wrapped in a military overcoat, lingered nearby, saying, "Director, if we keep filming like this, I won't be able to keep wearing this overcoat!"

Everyone laughed, but quickly got back to filming.

This is the norm for them when starting a business.

Without professional equipment, financial support, or even a fixed location, relying solely on their passion, they filmed those short videos that later went viral online in the streets, rooftops, and cheap rental rooms of Kunming.

After filming ended, Chen Xiang and Runtu Li Honggang squatted on the curb, holding hot roasted rice cakes.

Runtu is the screenwriter for this team!

"You're coming with me to meet someone in a bit," Chen Xiang suddenly said.

"Who is it?" Runtu asked indistinctly, taking a bite of the rice cake.

"Eno."

Runtu frowned: "Never heard of it."

"The director of 'Go Princess Go'."

Runtu nearly choked on the rice cake: "That director of the hit web series? What does he want with us?"

Chen Xiang smiled and said, "They said they came to visit and learn."

"Learn? Learn how to shoot videos with a home DV camera?" Runtu shook his head self-deprecatingly. "It would be more practical to invest some money in us."

A warm breeze blew by as the two silently ate their rice cakes.

They all knew about the team's current predicament!

Despite having already amassed a following on platforms like Tencent Video, Meipai, and Miaopai, and achieving respectable monthly viewership, monetization remains a challenge.

The team's operations mainly relied on Chen Xiang's personal savings and early advertising revenue.

The production cost is about 30 yuan per month, mainly used for equipment rental, venue and actor labor.

They only secured 75.9494 yuan in angel round funding from Changqing Venture Capital in April of this year, acquiring a 20% stake!

By 2025, their company's valuation will be in the range of 25 billion to 50 billion!
……

Dianjunwang Restaurant, Nanping Street Branch.

At 6:30 p.m., the copper pot mushroom soup in the private room was bubbling and steaming.

Guided by the waiter, Jiang Ye entered the reserved private room, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and saw three people already seated under the warm yellow light.

"Director Jiang!" Chen Xiang immediately stood up to greet him. He was wearing a dark blue knit sweater today, which made him look much more formal than during the shoot.

Runtu, who was wearing black-rimmed glasses next to him, also stood up. He was a graduate of the cultural troupe and sat up straight.

The girl sitting by the window was the most eye-catching.

Qiuqiu didn't wear the crew's signature military overcoat today; instead, she wore a light purple knitted dress.

The skirt hemlined just above her knees, outlining her smooth waist and hip curves, and the close-fitting fabric made her shapely figure even more eye-catching.

The weapon was menacing...

Seeing Jiang Ye enter, she quickly put down the rose syrup she was stirring. Her fingertips still had some sugar stains on them. When she raised her hand to smooth her hair, the lines of her arms were faintly visible under the knitted fabric. Her skirt hem lifted slightly with the movement, revealing a section of her slender calves.

"This is Qiuqiu, an actress who recently joined our team," Chen Xiang introduced. "She heard that Director Jiang was coming and insisted on learning from him."

Qiuqiu confidently extended her hand: "Director Jiang, I really loved the scene where the Crown Princess flipped the mahjong table!"

When she smiled, her eyes curved into crescent moons, and the silver bracelet on her wrist jingled. She exuded the unique brightness of a girl from Yunnan.

(P.S.: Below are some books by experts in the group; feel free to check them out if you're interested!)

(End of this chapter)