Reborn in the Chinese Entertainment Industry: You're a Director, But You're a Casanova?

Seeing Feng Gong still hesitating in the rearview mirror, Liu Yuehua brought out the final climax.

"In the final scene of the premiere of Thunderstorm, in pursuit of realism, you put Jiang Wen's real gun into your robe before going on stage."

"You personally revised the ending; it wasn't Zhou Ping who committed suicide, but Zhou Puyuan."

"In front of thousands of audience members and that acerbic film critic Li Tianming, you smiled as you pulled the trigger on yourself."

"Bang! Blood splattered everywhere."

"But you didn't die; that bullet shattered the iconic comedic face on the Spring Festival Gala stage."

"The film critic who looked down on you the most praised you on the front page of the newspaper, saying that you created the Blood School of Surrealism and hailed you as a true master of art."

"After you woke up in your hospital room, you opened the window, jumped out, and soared over the capital like a true flying man."

The script was finished, and the car had arrived at the destination.

Liu Yuehua stepped on the brake and turned to look at the two elders in the back seat.

"Master, Uncle."

"You choose."

"It's like pissing and getting muddy with those self-amusing, bumpkin judges in China."

"We still need to take this one-shot script, this bloody and ironic magical realism masterpiece, to the European Golden Awards and the Oscars."

"We need to let them know that China's top comedians, once they tear off their flesh and blood and start performing serious dramas, can make judges all over the world kneel down and call them ancestors."

Niu Qun's eyes were red-rimmed, and he gritted his teeth.

"This matter of the deputy county magistrate is now completely over. I'll take on the role of producer."

"I'll contact these people you've got your eye on. I'm going all in. Even if I use up all my connections, I'm going to put on this show."

"Old Feng, what about you?"

Feng Gong sat in the corner, clutching the script for "Flying Man" in his hands.

He looked out the window, and a hint of self-doubt appeared on that face that all the people of China were familiar with, that always had a smile on it. Could he really play this role well?

Seeing this, Liu Yuehua and Niu Qun quieted down and waited silently for Master Feng to gain enlightenment on his own.

a long time.

"Old Niu, Yuehua!" Feng Gong said firmly.

"I'll take the role."

"Even if I, this old man, really did run a lap around Wangfujing wearing long johns, even if I completely lost all the face I'd built up over the years!"

"I want to see if comedians can really outperform movie actors!"

……

In Beijing in autumn, the wind can rise at any moment.

Inside an old Beijing-style hot pot restaurant, steam was rising.

In a private room at the very back on the second floor, Liu Yuehua and Feng Gong sat facing each other.

A moment later, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Niu Qun led in a woman wrapped in a thick down jacket.

After entering the room, the woman cautiously locked the door from the inside before taking off her hat and mask.

It is none other than Song Dandan, a nationally renowned comedic actress.

"Oh, my two older brothers, it's so cold, only your presence could get me out of bed."

While rubbing her hands together, Song Dandan sat down in the chair without any hesitation.

He picked up the freshly poured hot tea and took a sip.

"Here, have something hot to warm yourself up."

Niu Qun scooped up a large bowl of mutton, handed it to Song Dandan, and then pointed at Liu Yuehua, saying:

"Sister Dan, as I mentioned before, this is Yuehua, my nephew, and also Brother Feng's apprentice. He's a rising young director in the industry right now, and he's hosting today's party."

Song Dandan glanced at Liu Yuehua; she had, of course, heard about the recent online uproar.

The things this kid has been up to for over a year have been making headlines in the industry, and no one expected that he was Lao Niu's nephew and Lao Feng's apprentice.

However, she is a veteran actress from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, having performed on the Spring Festival Gala for over a decade. She has seen all sorts of ups and downs, so she naturally views young directors who rely on hype to get ahead with their careers with a degree of scrutiny.

"Director Liu, I've heard so much about you."

Song Dandan nodded politely.

"Brother Niu is being all mysterious, saying he has a great script. What kind of play is it that he has to put all of us old bones together?"

Niu Qun and Feng Gong exchanged a glance. Feng Gong put down his chopsticks, cleared his throat, and spoke.

"That's how it is. Yuehua wrote a movie script called 'Flying Man'."

"The relationship between the three of us in the play is also our relationship in real life. We're washed-up actors who've spent half our lives doing comedies."

"But there's actually a play within a play, which is that we're going to rehearse a proper version of Cao Yu's play 'Thunderstorm' on the stage."

"You play Lu Shiping, I'll play Zhou Puyuan, and Lao Niu will play the theater producer who manages our theater."

Feng Gong's eyes grew brighter as he spoke.

"This is a film that completely exposes the wounds of us comedians. It's shot in one continuous take and is ready to compete for international awards."

However, the excitement that everyone expected from Song Dandan did not materialize.

After hearing these words, Song Dandan slowly put down her chopsticks.

She looked at the three people in front of her, her eyes revealing a deep weariness.

"Brother Niu, Brother Feng," Song Dandan sighed.

"I know you two have been holding back lately, wanting to prove that you're not just comedians who can only make people laugh."

"But have you considered whether the audience will buy it?" Song Dandan pointed to her face, her voice trembling slightly.

"The three of us are in the same production crew, even if we cry our hearts out on stage."

"As soon as the camera pans over and the audience sees my face, which looks like Aunt Baiyun's, and Brother Feng's signature expression of 'I missed you all so much,' they will subconsciously start to laugh. They will think that we are holding back some big joke."

The private room fell silent. Song Dandan's words were too realistic, too true.

"Dan Dan, this time we're really acting out a tragedy, acting it out for real."

Niu Qun got impatient and couldn't help but interrupt.

"Brother, this isn't a question of whether we want to act or not; it's that prejudice is ingrained in the people's bones."

Song Dandan's eyes reddened, and she became agitated.

"I've been with the Beijing People's Art Theatre for so many years. I studied Stanislavski, I acted in plays, but what about now?"

"A couple of days ago, a director was looking for actors, and I went to audition to play a mother who lost her child."

"I was so into my performance, but guess what the director said to me?"

Song Dandan forced back her tears and mimicked the director's tone: "He said, 'Teacher Dandan, you acted so well, but I really don't dare to use you, because as soon as your face appears on the big screen, even if you are wailing, the audience will think it's a farce.'"

"You've been on the Spring Festival Gala for over a decade. Audiences can't help but laugh whenever they see your face."

Song Dandan turned her head to look at Liu Yuehua.

"Director Liu, I know you have impressive business acumen, but I really don't want to exhaust myself any further."

"How can you, a young man not even 20 years old, break the stereotypes of over a billion viewers?"

"When our group went to film 'Thunderstorm,' it was seen as a ridiculous comedy by the audience."

"I've been suffering from severe depression lately. I can't bear the thought of audiences pointing their fingers at me and saying, 'Look, these comedians are just messing around again,' after the movie is released."

"I won't take this role."