Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 252: Strike

In September, the outskirts of Beijing are ravaged by the scorching summer heat, with the sun so intense it can peel off a layer of skin.

The film crew of "The Dream Factory" chose a location with no shelter from the sun. The ground was scorching hot, the heat distorted the air, and even the cicadas chirped weakly.

Director Feng Xiaogang, wearing a sun hat and with a towel soaked with sweat around his neck, stared at the monitor with his brows furrowed.

The filming of the scene where a "day trip to a good dream" helps a bookseller realize his "general's dream" was fraught with difficulties.

The extras were not in good condition, and there was a minor mishap with the props on set, which made his anger rise up.

"Stop! Something's not right! Something feels wrong!"

Feng Xiaogang suddenly stood up, grabbed the megaphone next to him, his voice hoarse from anxiety and thirst: "Extras! You are the general's soldiers! Not ordinary people at the market! Stand up straight! Eyes! Your eyes need to have a fierce look! One more time!"

He waved his hand irritably, and his assistant quickly ran over to hand him a water bottle.

Two people stood in the shade at the edge of the film set, somewhat out of place with the busy and sweltering atmosphere.

Wang Zhonglei of Huayi Brothers was dressed in an expensive casual suit. Although there was sweat on his forehead, he still tried his best to maintain the demeanor of a boss.

He had his hands in his pockets, but his gaze kept drifting to Liu Pei, the actress in the audience, whose beauty was still evident despite her bulky military uniform and face paint.

This was his first major foray into the film and television industry, and he had high hopes for the project. Naturally, he also showed extra "concern" for this promising actress.

Standing next to him was Dong Ping, who appeared much more composed. His gaze, behind his gold-rimmed glasses, calmly swept across the entire film set, as if he were assessing every detail of an investment.

He held a small folding fan in his hand, waving it slowly and deliberately. He saw right through Wang Zhonglei's thoughts, but didn't expose them.

"President Dong, what do you think of this progress..." Wang Zhonglei leaned closer and asked in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

The money invested is all real money; time is money.

Dong Ping smiled slightly and said in a calm tone, "Xiaogang knows what he's doing. It's difficult at the beginning, but it will be fine once things are sorted out. We still have plenty of time for the Lunar New Year film season."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Liu Pei: "She has good potential as an actress, a promising talent."

As they were talking, Feng Xiaogang yelled "Cut!" again. This time it wasn't because of the actors' performance, but because several workers in overalls who were responsible for moving equipment and setting up the scenery stopped and huddled together whispering. One of the burly men leading the group shouted at the top of his lungs, "This damn weather is unbearably hot! Can't a man get any work done?"

The sound, like a drop of water thrown into boiling oil, instantly shattered the barely maintained order on set.

The other workers echoed this sentiment:
"Exactly! They can't even provide water in time!"

"The wages weren't much higher than other companies, but the work was just as plentiful!"

"How can we film in this heat? Let's take a break first!"

Complaints rose and fell, and the work in their hands came to a complete standstill.

Their pause directly resulted in the set being unable to be completed on time for the next shot, and filming was completely interrupted.

Feng Xiaogang's face instantly turned so dark it looked like it could drip water.

He suppressed his anger, took off his hat, and strode over: "What's going on? What are you all doing gathered here? Get moving!"

The foreman glanced at Feng Xiaogang, shrugged, and said with an air of nonchalance, "Director Feng, it's not that we don't want to work, it's just that the weather is too scorching! We're all about to get heatstroke! We need to catch our breath, right?"

"Take a breather? Didn't you get a break earlier? Now is the time to secure the lighting!" Feng Xiaogang couldn't contain his anger any longer, his voice rising: "If we delay the filming, who will be responsible?"

Seeing this, Wang Zhonglei and Dong Ping also came over. Wang Zhonglei frowned, looking at the group of workers who had given up, feeling that these people were simply ungrateful and were delaying his important business.

With a stern face, he snapped at the on-site director beside him, "What are you standing there for? Go and communicate with them! Tell them to work hard, and they won't be shortchanged on their wages! If they don't want to work, replace them immediately!"

The on-set director, steeling himself, stepped forward and tried to calm things down: "Everyone, everyone, calm down. It's hot, and you've all worked hard. We'll send someone to buy more water and popsicles right away. But the filming can't stop; the director is waiting to shoot. Let's be understanding, okay?"

"Consideration? Who's going to consider our feelings?" the foreman shouted even louder. "Change people if you want! I don't want to do this job anymore!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he threw the tools in his hand on the ground: "Let's go! Guys, we're not serving you anymore!"

With one person taking the lead, seven or eight other workers also threw down their tools, cursing under their breath, and actually walked out of the film set without looking back. Subsequently, the extras and several workers from various positions also left, leaving behind a group of dumbfounded actors and staff.

The scene was deathly silent, with only the faint hum of the camera and the distant chirping of cicadas.

Feng Xiaogang was so angry that his face turned red. He pointed at the departing workers' backs but couldn't say a word.

He had been holding back for three years, finally managed to secure investment, and assembled a team, ready to redeem himself during the Lunar New Year film season. But unexpectedly, just a few days after filming began, he encountered this mess!

If this gets out, where will Feng Xiaogang put his face?
Wang Zhonglei was also dumbfounded.

He didn't expect these working-class peasants to be so tough, leaving without a second thought and showing no respect whatsoever.

Replace them? That's easy to say. Where are you going to find a group of skilled workers on short notice?

Delaying a day of filming can result in a significant amount of wasted money.

For the first time, he directly realized that making movies is not just a matter for directors and actors; these seemingly insignificant aspects can also hold you back.

Dong Ping stopped waving his fan, and his gaze behind his glasses sharpened.

He walked over to Feng Xiaogang, patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down, and then whispered to the director on set, "Which labor company sent these people? Have we worked with them before?"

The on-site director looked distressed: "President Dong, most of these people... are just casual laborers affiliated with 'Shengying Labor Services'."

Normally, many film crews, big and small, in Beijing use their people; they're skilled and easy to manage... Who knew what would happen today..."

Shengying Labor Services?

The name was like a needle, gently pricking Dong Ping. Although
However, he had long known that Wang Sheng's title of "Chief of the Army" was not for nothing. His Shengying Media and Enlight Media, through the integration of logistics and technical personnel from state-owned film studios such as Beijing Film Studio, established a series of professional subsidiaries, which almost monopolized the grassroots labor market, equipment rental and even some post-production business of film and television production in Beijing and even across the country, forming a huge "Shengying Group" ecosystem.

But he didn't expect that this influence would be so pervasive.

Even their production team, which was brought together by the Beijing Television Art Center and jointly invested by several emerging companies, could not escape this invisible network.

Is it a coincidence?
still is……

Dong Ping glanced at Feng Xiaogang, whose face was ashen, and then at Wang Zhonglei, who was still indignant. Several thoughts raced through his mind in an instant.

He didn't believe Wang Sheng would resort to such low-level tactics to deliberately make things difficult; that would be too beneath him.

More likely, these workers themselves carry a certain arrogance "within the system," or it is just the muscle that the huge system unconsciously displays—without them, you will be hindered at every turn when filming in Beijing.

"Xiaogang, don't worry." Dong Ping quickly calmed down and whispered to Feng Xiaogang, "We can find another worker if they leave. It'll only take half a day or a day. I'll have someone contact other labor service companies immediately. The price is negotiable."

(End of this chapter)