The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

Lu Yang gripped the printed copy of the "Brotherhood of Blades" script, which was already curled at the edges, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

He sat on a metal chair in the waiting room of Mohen Media, his heartbeat amplified in the empty, quiet room.

He graduated with a master's degree in directing from the Beijing Film Academy, and poured all his passion into this traditional martial arts script about the Ming Dynasty's Imperial Guards, sword fights, and the struggles of humanity.

He spent three years polishing the work, writing a thick stack of character biographies and filling several folders with storyboard sketches.

He believes that "Brotherhood of Blades" has its own soul, that long-lost spirit of martial arts and the tragic story of ordinary people against the backdrop of the times.

Unfortunately, it was born at the wrong time; in the past two years, the film market has changed dramatically.

Big IPs, light comedies, and realistic themes have become the new darlings of capital, while the once-glorious period dramas, especially the traditional martial arts genre, have cooled down rapidly.

It is considered a "pitfall" with high investment risk, long return cycle, and unpredictable audience tastes.

He visited numerous film and television companies, but received largely the same responses.

"The script is good, but the genre is too risky."

"Does Director Lu have any more...modern ideas?"

"Martial arts films? Do young people still watch those?"

Just when he was about to lock the script in a drawer and consider compromising with reality, news from his alma mater, Beijing Film Academy, rekindled his hope.

Shen Mo, the junior who caused a huge stir in the industry, did not make empty promises about the "freshman gift package" he made at the freshman conference. The "potential director incubation station" in it seems to be really in operation.

Lu Yang is not a newcomer, and this project was not his doing, so he might not meet the support criteria.

But his mentor, who valued his talent, had read the entire "Brotherhood of Blades" and understood his predicament, and pointed him in the right direction.

"Mohen has a special relationship with the Beijing Film Academy. Try submitting your application there and discussing a real collaboration. I believe they will give you a chance."

And so he came.

With a do-or-die determination, and also with a brief but weighty letter of recommendation from a professor at the Beijing Film Academy.

After an unknown amount of time, the heavy wooden door of the assessment room slid open silently, and an assistant politely invited him in.

Behind the large desk, Shen Mo put down the script in her hand, looked up at him, and Chen Zhixi, who had brought her there, stood next to Shen Mo.

"Director Lu Yang? Please have a seat." Shen Mo's voice was steady, with a hint of scrutiny.

"I've seen 'Brotherhood of Blades.' The first thirty minutes of the script, as well as the storyboard and character descriptions for the key scenes you attached."

Lu Yang's heart was in his throat. He forced himself to remain calm and sat down.

"The martial arts genre is indeed experiencing a cooling market at the moment."

Shen Mo cut to the chase, pointing out the cruelest reality.

"Audiences have become accustomed to fast-paced, highly stimulating content, and their patience to calmly savor the world of swords and chivalry and the complexities of human nature is dwindling. This is an objective difficulty."

Lu Yang's heart sank, but he didn't interrupt.

"However," Shen Mo changed the subject, tapping the script cover with his fingertip, "your script is a little different."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "The script has a well-structured plot, concentrated dramatic conflicts, and several key scenes have strong visual imagery and emotional tension."

"Your research on the Ming Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard system and the daily life of the city shows that you have put in a lot of effort, which has enhanced the quality of your work."

"Most importantly, your characters' motivations are valid, and their pain and choices are empathetic. This is more important than simple action design."

Lu Yang could hardly believe his ears.

He visited so many companies, and this was the first time someone had pointed out the core of his script so clearly and accurately, instead of simply dismissing it as "the genre isn't popular."

"However," Shen Mo's gaze sharpened, "the problem is also quite obvious."

"The pacing of the second half of the script could be tighter, and the handling of some supporting characters is a bit rushed."

"As the director, how did you manage the actual filming of such a hardcore action movie?"

"Especially in action choreography, how can we achieve both innovation and traditional charm? What are your initial ideas regarding cost control?"

The following time turned into an almost grueling "defense".

Lu Yang focused intently as he explained his directorial vision.

He then showed the materials he had collected on Ming Dynasty weapons and clothing, and even talked about several potential action directors and scenes in his mind, as well as his ideas on how to control costs by using real locations, ingenuity and limited special effects.

Shen Mo listened attentively, asking questions from time to time and taking notes of the key points.

Finally, he closed his notebook, looked at Lu Yang, and revealed a look of certainty on his face that made Lu Yang's heart race again.

"The script has potential, the director has ideas, and although they lack experience, the preparation is quite sufficient."

"I have complete confidence in the judgment of the teachers at Beijing Film Academy and Mr. Chen."

"Your project does have risks, but it also has unique value."

He stood up and handed the script to Chen Zhixi, saying, "Brotherhood of Blades is worth a try. You can be the producer."

Lu Yang was so excited that he almost stood up and bowed, but he forcibly restrained himself.

"Thank you, Mr. Shen! I'm so grateful for this opportunity! I promise I won't let you and my teacher down!"

Chen Zhixi took the script, a smile suddenly appearing on her face.

"Mr. Shen, would you like to audition for the male lead in this film?"

"Traditional martial arts films are indeed in a slump these days, but I think with your popularity, the result won't be too bad."

"Besides, didn't you just praise the character design as quite good?"

Shen Mo's lips curled into a slight smile. "Mr. Chen, you've already gotten into the role of producer so quickly?"

"However, I do have high hopes for this film."

"If Director Lu doesn't have any other candidates for the role, and his expectations for Shen Lian are not much different from mine, then I'd like to give it a try."

Without hesitation, Lu Yang quickly waved his hand, "No, there are no other options."

"It would be perfect if President Shen could play the role of Shen Lian."

As Lu Yang left the Mohen Media building, he felt the script in his hand seemed to have become heavier. It wasn't the weight of the paper, but the rekindled hope.

"Mr. Shen, there is one more matter that requires your decision."

After Lu Yang left the office, Chen Zhixi took out another document.

"When Mr. Li invested in the TV series 'Beijing Love Story' last year, he requested priority investment rights for the film version."

"A few days ago, director Chen Sicheng came to me with the film script and asked if we were still willing to exercise our right of first refusal."

Shen Mo took the document but did not immediately flip through it. Instead, he looked up at Chen Zhixi.

"Have you reviewed the script?"

"I've seen it." Chen Zhixi nodded.

"Chen Sicheng is very clever. The movie version is not a simple copy of the TV series, but a reconstruction of four love stories of different ages and circumstances."

"The structure is quite novel, and the dialogue is sharp and down-to-earth, accurately capturing the emotional pain points of urban men and women today."

"It has enough commercial appeal and generates enough buzz, and the filming difficulty and cost are relatively controllable."

Shen Mo then opened the document, his gaze quickly sweeping over the project overview, story outline, and preliminary budget, and expressed his agreement with Chen Zhixi's judgment.

He closed the folder with almost no hesitation.

"Since Mr. Li mentioned before that he thinks this script is good, and you also think it's feasible, then let's invest."

"We'll allocate 20% of the investment to Chen Sicheng himself, deeply binding him to the project, so he'll be more dedicated."

"Understood." Chen Zhixi noted down the key points. "What about the remaining investment share?"

Shen Mo pondered for a moment, then tapped his fingertips lightly on the table.

"For the rest, you should take the initiative to go to Sun Zhonghuai of Tencent Pictures and tell him that this is our sincerity in cooperating."

"If he's interested, InkSign and Penguin can split the profits 50/50 and co-produce it."

"If the penguins aren't interested, then I'll just eat it all myself."

His gaze inadvertently fell upon the preliminary character designs attached to the document, and he suddenly stopped.

This movie needs a girl who can play the violin, has a cool and aloof temperament, and has a bit of a backstory. She may not have the most screen time, but she will be a highlight.

He remembered that Li Yitong had mentioned before that the role in his previous life was played by Ouyang Nana.

"The female student character who plays the violin in the movie," Shen Mo raised his eyes, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Give it to Wang Churan. She has a natural aloofness and stubbornness in her temperament. With a little guidance, she should be able to fit the role."

"Tell Chen Sicheng that this is our recommendation, but whether or not to use it ultimately depends on his choice as a director."

"As for the other roles..." He quickly went through the current status of the company's artists in his mind.

"The company doesn't have a more suitable candidate at the moment, so we won't force anyone on us. Let Chen Sicheng decide for himself."

Chen Zhixi wrote it down again, and then brought up another matter.

"Previously, Mr. Li and his team of screenwriters, including Zhang Wei, developed 'Soul Ferry,' which they said was going to be filmed in collaboration with Kiwi.

"Zhang Wei brought over the final version of the script yesterday. Do you think we can start production now?"

Shen Mo smiled slightly, instantly understanding Li Yitong's thoughts, "Since we've partnered with Tencent on the film project, we can't completely neglect Kiwi."

"Let's follow Mr. Li's plan and take this film to them for collaboration."

"Okay, Mr. Shen." Chen Zhixi continued, "The episodic format of 'Soul Ferry' is very suitable for newcomers to hone their acting skills. We can have Mr. Yang arrange for our artists to take turns appearing on screen."

Shen Mo nodded, quickly allocating resources in his mind.

"Okay, as for the male lead and second male lead, we'll give them to Li Xian and Zhang Songwen. They need different types of roles to solidify their acting range. As for the female lead..."

"Let Li Lin act in it. This role is quite suitable for her. Go and tell Tianzhen not to let Li Lin take on any other scripts."

"As for the rest, you can go and discuss joint production with the kiwi fruit company. You can decide on the details yourself."

"Understood, I will push them forward together." Chen Zhixi efficiently summarized all the tasks to be done, then turned and left.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the conference room of Mohen Pictures, a meeting had just ended.

Wang Siyu, who has now been promoted to content operations director of Mohen Pictures, is shaking hands and saying goodbye with Li Cheng, artist management director of Huayi Brothers, and Wang Han, variety show production director of Blueberry TV. All three of them have relaxed smiles on their faces after reaching a consensus.

After months of preparation, negotiations, and localization modifications, "Running Man" has been officially launched today and renamed "Running Man".

The core planning of the program was jointly handled by Mohen, which owns the copyright, and Blueberry TV.

The filming, post-production, and television broadcast were all led by Blueberry Channel.

The crucial aspects of publicity, promotion, and business operations were handled jointly by Mohen and Huayi.

The final lineup of seven regular guests has been confirmed.

Huayi Brothers sent six male artists with good variety show skills and a good audience base: Deng Chao, Li Chen, Zheng Kai, Sha Yi, Chen He, and Wang Baoqiang.

On the other hand, Mohen sent out Bai Lu, a rising star known for her genuine and lively image.

For Shen Mo, this lineup is the optimal solution after weighing the options.

Mohen was established relatively recently, and its artists are mainly actors, with a shortage of variety show personalities.

It's even less likely that he would be a regular guest on a variety show as the boss.

Sending Bai Lu is not only a way to leverage her current popularity to attract viewers to the show, but also an important step in increasing her national recognition.

Shen Mo's only clear requirement for the production team was to "ensure Bai Lu's performance space and memorable highlights within a reasonable range."

Therefore, the enhanced version of Running Man with the original cast is freshly released!