Wandering the world of film and television begins with the golden years

Li Haoyu took this offline rehearsal very seriously.

He was acutely aware of the importance of rehearsals, and he knew that this variety show would generate a significant response after it aired.

Perhaps nothing in this world is unchanging:

But as long as it appeals to the audience, it will definitely have a market. Li Haoyu believes that no matter what world it is, the "Annual Comedy Competition" will be a success.

That evening, Li Haoyu, Lin Miaomiao, and Su Qiang arrived at the rehearsal venue of Jiangzhou TV Station.

The rehearsal venue was actually an empty program exhibition hall.

This location was originally intended to be the filming location for an interview program.

However, due to the female host's unexpected pregnancy, the event had to be temporarily postponed. Upon receiving the news, Li Haoyu made an effort with the station director, Ou Tai, and the venue became the rehearsal space for the actors of the "Annual Comedy Competition".

Even a biological son wouldn't receive such treatment.

This demonstrates the extent of Jiangzhou TV's support for Li Haoyu.

Instead of immediately looking for the actors, Li Haoyu, guided by staff, toured the theater. "Hmm, everything looks great, and many arrangements are well-thought-out."

Li Haoyu nodded in satisfaction.

He didn't actually know much about these devices, but as long as he nodded in a perfunctory manner, his subordinates would naturally take them seriously. As long as the attitude was there, that was enough.

This is why many leaders frequently conduct inspections.

Li Haoyu then arrived at the rehearsal venue, but the actors on stage were already rehearsing. He didn't interrupt them, but instead led Lin Miaomiao and Su Qiang to find some empty seats.

The three of them watched the performance from the perspective of a single audience member.

As Li Haoyu watched the actors perform with great effort on stage, he himself fell into deep thought.

In fact, the public's demand for comedy has increased rather than decreased in the past two years. However, comedy performance has an inherent and unchangeable disadvantage: this art form is destined to be unable to be mass-produced.

Unlike movies or TV series, which have massive audiences and convenient dissemination methods, a comedy actually relies on a mature script, extensive rehearsals, and the ever-unpredictable improvisation of the actors.

The comedy market in this world is also in its nascent exploratory stage, without a fixed model or a clear development path.

Of course, the best among them will still stand out. Whether it's appearing on variety shows or making movies, the market actually lacks people who can bring smiles to the audience.

But how many lucky ones can there be?

Therefore, Li Haoyu found it exceptionally easy to invite actors this time.

Because whether they are individuals or comedy groups, they all rely heavily on television as a promotional channel. 🍪😝 ➅➈ⓈĤ𝕌ⓧ.¢𝐨𝔪 ☮♜ As soon as Su Qiang spread the word, a large number of comedians began to volunteer themselves even before he invited them.

This was indeed something Li Haoyu hadn't anticipated.

Because he naturally incorporated his past life experiences into his mind.

Those comedians whose names Li Haoyu knew were actually star-level performers. They were already at the very top of the pyramid in the comedy industry.

Because the comedy circle isn't actually that big. Just because you become an actor doesn't mean you're part of the entertainment industry.

Just like in the financial industry, simply working for a financial company doesn't make you part of the financial world. Many people work in financial companies for a long time but actually have absolutely no connection to the financial industry.

In reality, the comedians who are currently accepting invitations are barely making ends meet through comedy, and their salaries are even lower than those of some office workers.

This is similar to the situation in the television industry, where roughly 400 TV series and 1000 movies are produced each year, but far fewer are actually broadcast.

Even if so many TV series and movies are broadcast, only a handful of main characters and a few outstanding supporting characters can be remembered. How many TV series and movies can truly become hits?

In the comedy industry, the Pareto principle (80/20 rule) is very evident. The top performers get the lion's share, most get the scraps, and most don't even get the scraps.

Despite its current modest status and influence, Jiangzhou TV is not on the same level as Hunan TV or CCTV.

But for these comedians who haven't really made a name for themselves yet, it's still a behemoth. If they want more screen time, they have to cultivate good relationships with the TV station.

When the performance on stage ended, they realized Li Haoyu had arrived and hurriedly ran off the stage.

The performers on stage were Jiang Long and Zhang Chi.

Seeing how excited the two were, Li Haoyu took the initiative to greet them, "You must be Jiang Long and Zhang Chi. I was very impressed with you during the interview."

"I believe you will shine brightly in the future, and you will definitely have a place in the comedy world."

Li Haoyu wasn't just saying that for show.

He really thinks highly of these two people.

This was all thanks to Li Haoyu reviewing the detailed resumes of each selected actor. Jiang Long and Zhang Chi both had rich experiences and were the kind of people with stories to tell.

The two also have quite different backgrounds. Jiang Long graduated from the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy and has acted in movies and TV series, while Zhang Chi studied traditional opera and later became a theater actor.

Jiang Long once starred in the phenomenal theatrical film "Dream Chasing in the Entertainment Industry," which was pulled from theaters after only one day of release due to widespread criticism from viewers.

Zhang Chi participated in a popular variety show called "Avenue of Stars" a few years ago and even won second place, but he didn't make a splash afterward.

Jiang Long is a social butterfly who can chat with anyone, while Zhang Chi is the opposite – a quiet and socially awkward person.

But fate is a strange thing. In the first round of pairing, the two were forced to be paired together because neither of them had a suitable partner.

Because of the striking contrast between the two, they were jokingly referred to by other contestants as the "Dream Chasing Runner-up Duo".

Li Haoyu knew all this so clearly because he learned it from Su Qiang's complaints.

Su Qiang always says that this year's contestants are really terrifying. They all rehearse like crazy, rehearsing all night long, making him feel embarrassed to slack off.

Jiang Long and Zhang Chi are among the best.

They are always the last couple to leave.

Therefore, Li Haoyu had always had a good impression of these two people. He casually joked, "I heard that you two were paired up without knowing each other at all. How does it feel to be forced into a marriage of convenience that blossoms into love?"

Neither of them reacted at first.

Later, the two understood what Li Haoyu meant.

Zhang Chi was rather embarrassed; he just scratched his head shyly without saying a word.

Jiang Long, being more outgoing, spoke up directly to defuse the situation, saying, "Every encounter is the best arrangement. At first, I just thought he was a spirited young man because there was a light in his eyes."

"A spirited young man?"

Li Haoyu suddenly imagined Zhang Chi wearing jeans, waving his arms and dancing the "social dance".

He couldn't help but laugh.

The two were a little confused when Li Haoyu suddenly started laughing.

Seeing this, Lin Miaomiao secretly tugged at Li Haoyu's sleeve to remind him. Only then did Li Haoyu realize that the term "energetic young man" didn't exist in this world; it was actually a compliment.

He quickly waved his hand and explained, "It's nothing, I just suddenly thought of something funny, it has nothing to do with you."

The two immediately breathed a sigh of relief and said in unison, "Teacher Li is alright. I thought there was something wrong with our performance."

"Wow!" Li Haoyu immediately got goosebumps.

Both of them are 1.8 meters tall. Zhang Chi is fair-skinned and looks very young, just the same age as Li Haoyu.

Although Jiang Long is not very old, he looks older than his age. Perhaps due to the tight rehearsal schedule, his beard is also quite long, giving him the appearance of a middle-aged man.

Fortunately, Li Haoyu had a lot of experience, otherwise, being stared at by these two with smiling faces and called out, "Hello, teacher..." would have made him instinctively cover his back.

Fortunately, Li Haoyu's tolerance is much higher than before. Although he was never called "teacher" before, he was called "Director Li" or "Director Li" quite often.

But Li Haoyu is still very humble, and he will always return the greeting if someone greets him.

This is Li Haoyu's attitude towards life.

In short: be humble and low-key.

Li Haoyu hurriedly waved his hand and explained, "I'm so old, isn't this premature aging? Teacher Li, forget it, just call me Brother Li... hahahaha."

Li Haoyu's attitude was so approachable.

The atmosphere at the scene immediately became much more relaxed.

He didn't rush to comment on Jiang Long and Zhang Chi's performance; instead, he continued chatting with them.

At this point, Zhang Chi, who was originally shy, gradually opened up and started talking:

"Brother Li, you have no idea how unreliable Jiang Long is. When we first started rehearsing together and weren't very familiar with each other yet, everyone else stood with their own group members."

"He was the only one going around visiting people and running around, which made me feel really unsafe. Later I found out that Jiang Long was too quick to become familiar with people. Jiang Long really treated me as his friend of ten years."

"He's just that kind of carefree person."

Jiang Long, standing to the side, looked on in astonishment. "Why are you so calculating? Just say it if you feel neglected! I would have been more considerate of you."

Jiang Long retorted, "He has the nerve to talk about me like that. My first impression of Zhang Chi was that he was a bit fierce. He had just finished performing in a play, had a buzz cut, was quite tall, and was a bit intimidating."

I'm nearsighted, and when I watched the play from below, my eyes were squinting—it was really scary!

"But don't let his fierce stage presence fool you, he's a total coward in real life. He's always huddled in a corner and doesn't talk much, but when he's acting, you can see his eyes shining."

"He's very emotional; sometimes he even cries during rehearsals. But when I ask him why?"

"But he wouldn't say anything. Later I just gave up asking. Silence speaks louder than words. If we're brothers, then let's just leave it at that." Li Haoyu saw the two of them start flirting in front of him.

A thought struck him: the partnership between Jiang Long and Zhang Chi was a rare one, even among groups full of powerful individuals.

Because both of them not only have a certain ability in comedy, but also have similar performance styles and very strong physical expression abilities.

This means that anyone can be the protagonist, which also makes the pairing of the two more possible.

Li Haoyu had just watched the rehearsal clips of the two of them.

He felt that both actors' performances were quite natural, without hysterical screaming or excessive facial contortions. Even in scenes requiring emotional outbursts, their performances remained within reasonable bounds, which is a rare talent.

The advantage of this is that when viewers watch their works, they will feel the exaggeration, but not the absurdity, and it is easier to resonate with the audience.

This is perfect for a comedy script that Li Haoyu had written in advance. After all, sometimes it's not just actors who need a good script; a script also needs good actors to bring it to life.

Li Haoyu frowned; it seemed he needed to investigate further.

At this moment, Li Haoyu suddenly noticed a detail: although Zhang Chi spoke very humbly, his body remained upright, and his neck was also involuntarily straightened.

How to put it... this feeling is like... a haughty woman? Zhang Chi finally noticed Li Haoyu's strange gaze.

He asked somewhat nervously, "Brother Li, how was it? Was there anything wrong with my behavior just now?"

Li Haoyu waved his hand, "Don't misunderstand, I watched your rehearsal with Jiang Long the whole time, it was excellent. People who don't know you would definitely think you two have been partners for many years."

Upon hearing Li Haoyu's words:

Not only Zhang Chi, but even Jiang Long standing next to him couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

This isn't to blame on the two being overly nervous. Not only is Li Haoyu the executive producer in name, but he's also the most powerful person in the entire "Annual Comedy Competition" program.

Even Su Qiang, the casting director, is someone countless actors want to curry favor with. It's simply because Li Haoyu's status is too high.

A single sentence from Li Haoyu could decide the fate of two people.

The two of them are not in a good situation right now, so they must seize this opportunity to change their fate.

When Zhang Chi received Su Qiang's invitation call, he hung up immediately. He thought Su Qiang was a scammer; how could such a windfall possibly fall into his lap?

As for Jiang Long, his situation wasn't much better; in fact, it was even worse than Zhang Chi's.

Jiang Long considered giving up acting at that time because he wasn't getting any roles and didn't want to ask his family for money. To make matters worse, he was about to pay rent and only had a little over 1000 yuan left.

If it weren't for a stroke of luck—a friend introduced Jiang Long to a job in a play, where he performed a few shows and barely scraped together enough to pay his rent—Jiang Long might not be here today.

Therefore, it's normal for both of them to behave this way.

Li Haoyu then sorted out his thoughts and finally figured out how to express it: "Zhang Chi's demeanor has an indescribable quality."

Zhang Chi frowned after hearing this, then seemed to understand something. "Brother Li, I get it. It's probably because I practice Peking Opera; it might have unconsciously carried over a bit."

Li Haoyu suddenly realized and said, "Yes, yes, yes... that's what I was talking about. So it's Peking Opera. I was wondering why it felt so different."

"I have a favor to ask, and I hope you can grant it."

…………