Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, I became a legend in the entertainment industry by avo

Chapter 200 Suggestions for Promoting "The Warring States"

Zhang Qilin glanced at the bank card, then looked up at Jing Tian: "This is—"

"I have three million in my account," Jing Tian said, looking into his eyes. "If the company won't invest, I'll invest in my own name."

Zhang Qilin was taken aback and quickly pushed the bank card back: "How can this be—"

"Dalin, let me finish," Jing Tian said, pressing down on the bank card that was being pushed towards her. "I'm not just doing this to help you. I read the script and really like the character. I want to learn from the teachers and don't want to miss out on it because of disagreements in business negotiations."

"I'll consider this three million as an investment in myself. It will allow me to play roles I like and learn acting from teachers at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. This is the most worthwhile investment I can make."

Zhang Qilin looked at Jing Tian and noticed that she had never looked so serious before.

"Sweetie," Zhang Qilin joked, "this is really too risky. If the project goes wrong, this money might be wasted."

Jing Tian smiled with a carefree air: "Da Lin, I would regret it if I missed this opportunity to learn and grow because of money. And I believe that you and the teachers at the Beijing People's Art Theatre will definitely be able to make this play a masterpiece."

Zhang Qilin stared at Jing Tian: "Sister Tian, ​​this is a lot of money after all—"

Jing Tian pretended to be angry and scolded, "Da Lin, if you keep being so indecisive, I'll get angry. I've said it before, this is an investment in my acting career. If you still refuse—"

Zhang Qilin smiled helplessly: "I understand, but this will affect your relationship with President Wang and the company—"

"I'll handle things with Sister Lan. She'll ultimately prioritize my development; it just takes time for her to accept it," Jing Tian smiled. "As for the company—the contract doesn't prohibit me from making compliant investments. Da Lin, aren't you short on funds to get started? With this three million, plus what you can find, shouldn't that be about right?"

Zhang Qilin quickly calculated in his mind: the Beijing People's Art Theatre had three million, he had over two million, and with Jing Tian's three million, that made over eight million.

Less than two million short.

"It's still a bit short, but the pressure is much less," Zhang Qilin said honestly. "But this is yours—"

"Then hurry up and take it," Jing Tian pressed the bank card into his hand forcefully. "Consider it my only request as the investor: to give me the opportunity to learn from the teachers and portray Qin Liangyu's youth better. You can take care of the rest."

"Okay!" He finally nodded emphatically. "This money is your personal investment, and I will clearly write down all your rights in black and white."

Jing Tian nodded in satisfaction: "That's more like it."

"However, I have another question," Zhang Qilin said, looking at Jing Tian with curiosity.

"What?"

"I remember you only had a few hundred thousand, how come you suddenly have three million?"

"Huh? It's just... it's just... some of my previous... investment returns," she stammered, her eyes starting to wander.

"Investment returns?" Zhang Qilin stared at Jing Tian. "What kind of investment can make your returns multiply several times in a short period of time? Sister Tian, ​​I wouldn't dare use this money if it's from an unknown source."

"Oh dear, what are you thinking? It's not stolen money, it's—it's legitimately obtained, it's just—the process was a bit—" Her voice trailed off, until it was almost a mumble.

"What was the process like?" Zhang Qilin asked, as if he wanted to get to the bottom of things.

Jing Tian, ​​at her wits' end, gave up and said, "Fine, fine, I'll tell you, it was me—who tried to scam my brother!"

"Trying to extort your brother?" Zhang Qilin was genuinely stunned, then found it somewhat amusing. "Sweetie, you have this kind of ability?"

Let me hear how you plan to extort money.

Zhang Qilin was both amused and exasperated: "Extortion? How are you extorting me?"

Jing Tian stammered, "Well—I know something about him. I really needed the money this time, so—I mentioned it to him, but he was afraid I'd tell my parents—"

"What's so serious?"

"I can't tell," Jing Tian shook her head, "If I tell anyone, he'll take the money back, and he'll get angry with me—"

Zhang Qilin couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, I won't ask anymore. Your brother has a sister like you, which is quite something—"

"What is it?" Jing Tian stared wide-eyed.

"It's a blessing," Zhang Qilin said with a smile as he put the card away.

Jing Tian rolled her eyes at him, stood up and said, "Alright, I have to rush to a promotional event for 'Warring States'. If anything comes up, call me."

After saying that, Jing Tian was about to leave.

Upon hearing Jing Tian mention the Warring States period, Zhang Qilin called out to her, "Sister Tian, ​​wait a moment."

Upon hearing this, Jing Tian looked at Zhang Qilin: "Is there anything else?"

Zhang Qilin carefully considered his words: "As a friend, I have a suggestion regarding the promotion of 'The Warring States,' which I hope you will consider."

Jing Tian smiled at him and said, "Go ahead."

"For historical dramas like this, which feature a star-studded cast, the audience and critics will be particularly critical. Strengths will be magnified, and so will weaknesses. Therefore, I suggest that you don't overemphasize yourself during the initial promotion."

Before Zhang Qilin could finish speaking, Jing Tian interrupted, asking, "Why? The company's PR department has already planned out the promotional message for the female lead, and if we change it—"

Halfway through her sentence, Jing Tian remembered the bet the two of them had made last year.

She pointed at Zhang Qilin and said angrily, "Dalin, you're cursing me again—"

Zhang Qilin immediately raised his hands and made a downward pressing motion.

He said in a conciliatory tone, "Sweetie, forget about our bet for now. My suggestion won't cost you anything. A blockbuster's initial appeal is all about big-name stars. You can stay behind them and let Teacher Sun lead the charge for you."

"Once the film becomes a hit and your performance is recognized by the public, and then Teacher Sun promotes you, the public will be more willing to accept your role with a more inclusive and expectant attitude."

17

Jing Tian frowned and fell into deep thought.

She had to admit that Zhang Qilin's words made some sense and were relatively safer.

But the company's PR department had already done a lot of preparation for the "strong female lead" direction, and this sudden change...

Jing Tian hesitated and asked, "Da Lin, won't this make me seem like I don't have much presence in the drama? After all, the company has invested a lot of resources in me. What if the effect isn't good—"

Zhang Qilin shook his head and patiently explained, "Sweetie, doing this doesn't mean you're invisible. On the contrary, low-key promotion in the early stages, letting your acting speak for itself in the drama, and then seeing your brilliant performance in the show will create a more lasting impression on the audience."

"As a newcomer, the primary goal of your initial promotion is to be approachable. Most viewers don't know you, so overly high-profile promotion can easily backfire and negatively impact their perception of the character you portray."

"Try a different approach to promotion. First, let the audience see your hard work and sincerity. Share some unique performance insights, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, or even subtly poke fun at yourself in your promotional materials."

"Self-deprecation?"

"Yes, find your biggest flaw and bring it up in the interview beforehand. You debunk the bomb yourself first."

""

Jing Tian's eyes widened: "This—isn't this just throwing dirty water on yourself?"

"This is called expectation management," Zhang Qilin patiently explained. "Because of your background, everyone assumes you're a resource-backed person. If you come up and act all high and mighty, saying how hard you work and how excellent you are, the audience won't believe you. But if you make fun of yourself and show weakness first, it's easier to gain favor, and the audience will think that this person is quite genuine."

17

Zhang Qilin's suggestion completely overturned her understanding.

"But—my PR team won't agree," she said hesitantly.

Zhang Qilin explained earnestly: "You have to understand, this is not about belittling yourself, but about creating a more likable persona. What do the audience like to see?"

I enjoy seeing the reality beneath the glamour; I enjoy seeing even the most privileged individuals experience the nervousness and awkwardness of ordinary people.

"If you say it like that, people will think, 'Oh, so she knows fear too, and she's quite hardworking. Her attitude is correct,' which will dissipate some of the hostility."

"Then, it's about proactively defusing potential problems," Zhang Qilin got to the point, "What do you think is the aspect of your character in 'The Warring States' that viewers are most likely to criticize?"

Jing Tian thought about it seriously, somewhat uncertain: "Maybe it's—some scenes with intense emotions? The director said that sometimes I give too much emotion and don't control it naturally enough—"

Zhang Qilin prompted, "Okay, then let's make fun of this during the interview—"

Jing Tian said thoughtfully, "You mean that if I say it first, it's like telling the audience in advance that I know there might be a problem here, but I'm aware of it and I'm learning to improve."

""

"Even if they watch the movie and genuinely think my performance in that scene was good, they won't be as harsh in their criticism because of my honesty."

Zhang Qilin nodded approvingly: "Yes, that's expectation management. You detonated the biggest bombshell in advance with self-deprecation, so when the movie is released, it will be much less effective for others to use that point to attack you."

"Some people might even speak up for you, and by saying that, you'll appear humble and eager to learn, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop."

Jing Tian remained silent for a while, clearly processing Zhang Qilin's long speech.

After a moment, Jing Tian nodded: "I'll go back and communicate with the publicity team to adjust my personal publicity direction and wording. Although I may not be able to convince them, I will try my best to move in the direction you suggested."

She checked the time again: "Dalin, thank you, but I really have to go now. Contact me by phone if anything comes up."

"Don't mention it," Zhang Qilin also stood up. "Remember, 'The Warring States' is just one stop in your life. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Spend more time talking to Director Ren about the script so that he can understand your ideas and better incorporate your own style into the scriptwriting."

"Okay," Jing Tian put on her sunglasses, nodded to Zhang Qilin, and left.

Zhang Qilin watched her leave, knowing full well that the public opinion wouldn't be completely quelled just because of a pre-planned strategy.

He simply set up a protective system for Jing Tian in advance, but how well it could be completed depended on her own efforts.

He didn't have much time to keep an eye on Jing Tian's publicity; he also needed to discuss costumes and props with Dong Qiyu.

Even without Wang Lan's investment, these costumes and props cannot be compromised.