Chapter 511: Big Red Person (110k-word update!)

If a TV series director wants to film a movie, even a director who already has representative works, it is still very difficult to find investment.

Lu Yan He had heard of it for a long time, but probably because he watched *Gold Rush*, in Lu Yan He's heart, this Wu Dao Zhouyou is a director who filmed TV series with movie quality, very capable and very talented.

Lu Yan He subconsciously thought that this Wu Dao Zhouyou is different from other TV series directors, he has the ability to film movies.

His directing style, narrative rhythm, and grasp of quality are actually much stronger than many movie directors.

And because of such a preconceived impression, he also subconsciously thought that the industry should be "knowing goods" for such a director.

This is purely because Lu Yan He really doesn't know how difficult it is for a project to find investment.

He really hasn't experienced much time when it is difficult to find investment.

Even if it is *Lost on Journey*, because the pressure was all on Jia Long at that time, although the investment for this movie was also very difficult to find, Lu Yan He did not personally feel it.

Lu Yan He asked: "How much investment does Wu Dao want for this play?"

"He said at least 30 million to film it." Yan Liang said.

For a movie, not counting the publicity cost, a 30 million movie is not a big cost, belonging to a medium-cost film.

Lu Yan He is not easy to say at this time, he has already read this movie script, after all, it was privately shown to him by Huang Kairen.

"Have you read the script?" Lu Yan He asked, "I quite like the style of Wu Dao's *Gold Rush*. If his new play lacks investment, I want to see what the project is. If possible, I am willing to invest a little, and I am also willing to help him find an investor."

Lu Yan He is not that he doesn't like the movie script of *Yesterday's Reappearance*, but it is slightly inferior to the comparison of *Hit the Nail on the Head*.

Lu Yan He actually very much hopes to see all kinds of scripts and themes emerge, so that the market will not be a film of the same kind.

To be honest, now Chinese movies are the same as TV series, homogenization is very serious, basically can be covered by crime and comedy two types.

It is difficult to emerge with new ideas.

Yan Liang said: "Then I will tell Wu Dao, he will definitely be very happy."

For Huang Kairen's final decision to take the script of *Hit the Nail on the Head*, Long Fei frowned a little.

Of course, he did not try his best to stop Huang Kairen.

On this matter, Long Fei still grasped the sense of proportion, not an agent who excessively interfered with Huang Kairen's decision.

He didn't have the confidence to do so for the time being.

"Although this script is also good, it is a group play. It may be necessary to do a good job of publicity at that time." Long Fei said.

Actually, the point Long Fei is worried about is not blind worry.

In the space-time before Lu Yan He traveled over, there were many such situations. For example, in *A Cool Fish*, you will remember the paralyzed Ren Suxi, will notice Zhang Yu who "does big and strong," but many people have forgotten that the male lead of this dark horse movie is actually Chen Jianbin.

Is it that he didn't act well enough? No, it's just that in this movie, the role that is more outstanding is not him, the number one male lead.

So, why do many actors tend to choose big male lead or big female lead plays? Aside from those old-fashioned things, there are these very practical considerations.

Long Fei doesn't want Huang Kairen to be a sedan chair or a ladder for other actors.

Huang Kairen also knows Long Fei's concerns.

He said to Long Fei: "Brother Fei, I finally took *Hit the Nail on the Head* because I considered that I have already filmed a workplace drama, and there is another comedy *My Own Swordsman* waiting to be broadcast. These two plays are waiting to be broadcast. I want to take a play with a style very different from these two plays, avoiding homogenization of my impression in the audience's heart."

Huang Kairen very actively told him his considerations.

Once Long Fei heard Huang Kairen's considerations, knowing that he was not that kind of artist temperament—willfully using "I like it" to make a choice, he was relatively relieved.

Huang Kairen's considerations certainly make sense.

Long Fei said: "You won Best Actor, you should take more movies later. *My Own Swordsman* is going to do three to five seasons. Before this show is finished, you actually don't need to take TV series anymore. You have to take more movies."

"I also want to, but there are not so many good scripts." Huang Kairen said, "If possible, actually I want to take both *Hit the Nail on the Head* and *Yesterday's Reappearance*. You know, except for *Rouge*, these two are already the best scripts I have received."

Long Fei said: "Don't be in a hurry, *Yesterday's Reappearance* now has problems with funds. It may not be able to start filming normally. The reason why it is scheduled to start filming in September this year is because early next year, Wu Zhouyou is going to film the second season of *Gold Rush*, so he grabbed this time. If it is not filmed, this movie can only wait until he finishes filming the second season of *Gold Rush* before filming. By then, your schedule will come out."

Huang Kairen's eyes suddenly burst into surprise.

"Really?"

Long Fei said: "If you are very willing to act in *Yesterday's Reappearance*, I can communicate with Wu Dao. Maybe after he knows you are willing to act in this movie, he will take the initiative to wait for your time. Actually, as far as I know, there are not many age-appropriate male actors who look at this script as favorably as we do. Shang Yongzhou directly refused. He generally does not act in this kind of theme movie. It is not strange that he refused, but Ceng Qiao also refused, which is what I didn't expect."

"Ceng Qiao refused?" Huang Kairen was very surprised, "Why? Is his schedule not suitable?"

"It shouldn't be this reason. Ceng Qiao has no other projects besides the filming plan for the second season of *Silent River* later." Long Fei said, "Moreover, he has been mixing in the drama circle and has never entered the movie circle. He will refuse, I am really surprised."

Huang Kairen hesitated for a moment, "Then he should have contacted a project that is currently confidential, so he will look down on *Yesterday's Reappearance*."

Long Fei: "Then I will go and inquire again."

Not long after the news that *Gold Rush* was bought by HP came out.

Tang Mu White invited Lu Yan He to record a video to introduce *Gold Rush* to HP users.

Tang Mu White said: "There are not many Chinese actors known internationally, and there is no habit of clicking on Chinese dramas. Now you have broken this barrier, let everyone recognize you, see your name, your face, and will be willing to try to open it and look. The biggest problem that *Gold Rush* needs to solve is also the problem of the habit that most foreign audiences may never watch Chinese dramas. We want to invite several Chinese actors, directors, and producers who are known by many foreign audiences to recommend this show to everyone. In this way, they may be able to remember the Chinese film and television dramas they have watched through seeing you, and thus be willing to try to click into *Gold Rush* and look."

Lu Yan He nodded and agreed to help Tang Mu White record this video without saying a word.

This actually doesn't need Tang Mu White to explain so much at all.

Because *Gold Rush* itself was recommended by him to Tang Mu White, now this play is really bought by HP, and has the opportunity to meet global audiences on streaming media, and is solemnly designed for publicity by Tang Mu White, instead of being put on the shelf silently, which shows that HP does see the value of *Gold Rush* and attaches importance to it.

Lu Yan He thought about it seriously before recording this video. He didn't just say a few watery words, but seriously talked about why he recommended this play.

HP did carry out a lot of publicity for *Gold Rush*, not only inviting Chinese film and television people who are relatively well-known internationally like Lu Yan He and Wang Zhong to make recommendations, but also specifically doing offline interview exchange activities in several countries such as Japan and Thailand.

*Gold Rush* does not have any popularity foundation overseas. The only one that can be considered to have a little foundation is Yan Liang, but for this play, that is just a drop in the bucket.

Yan Liang followed Wu Dao Zhouyou and the others to Japanese TV stations, Thai TV stations' interview programs, accepted media interviews, including offline meet-and-greets, etc., basically all HP used their resources.

On the day before *Gold Rush* was launched and broadcast, the six leads of *Friends* all posted information about the broadcast of this play, asking everyone to pay attention and support it.

It can be said that the publicity resources HP gave to *Gold Rush* far exceeded what it could get in the market itself.

However, just as Lu Yan He said, the biggest attraction of *Gold Rush* is its theme and creativity, and all publicity methods are not really hoping to attract those fans to watch this play—the number of fans of any star cannot support the big market of a hit drama. The role of star publicity is to let this play be known by more people, discover, oh, there is a drama about treasure hunting adventure to be broadcast.

Are you interested? If you are interested, come and watch it quickly.

So, *Gold Rush* was launched on HP on May 14th, and landed on the 7th place in the Asian list and the 19th place in the world on the same day.

Once again, Chinese dramas rushed into the top ten of the international top streaming media Asian list.

Moreover, this is only the first day.

*Gold Rush* is launched in full episodes at once.

International streaming media does this for many dramas, releasing all episodes in one breath, so that everyone can watch it happily.

Lu Yan He has already posted three messages about *Gold Rush* on his overseas social media. Some fans said that your own dramas have not been promoted so actively.

Lu Yan He replied: Nonsense, I have promoted my own dramas at least ten times or more.

He is not a person who doesn't go online, nor is he the kind of star artist who will reduce the number of promotions to protect his feathers and maintain his style.

As long as it is the promotion period, as long as he is free, he basically cooperates, not to mention these promotion methods of social media.

You know, as long as Lu Yan He's play is in the promotion period, it is not just him alone. Press conferences, previews, live streaming, etc... Lu Yan He basically grabs seven or eight friends to do this promotion together.

He believes very much in the power of publicity, and believes that a successful promotion is directly multiplying on good works.

*Gold Rush* is on the one hand starring Yan Liang, and on the other hand, it is broadcast on HP through his introduction. Even if this actually has no interest relationship with him, Lu Yan He also hopes it achieves a good result.

Not to mention anything else, at least it proves that his vision is correct, and proves that his judgment is correct.

On the third day of *Gold Rush* launch, it rushed into the top three of the Asian list.

HP saw the hit and pursued the victory, adding publicity resources and expanding the scope of publicity.

As one of the dual protagonists of *Gold Rush*, and the one with a higher popularity foundation, Yan Liang cooperated with HP's publicity, went to several places to run publicity, went on shows, and his popularity in the media rose very fiercely.

So, why must actors participate in big productions?

Because actors participating in big productions, it is not just that big productions may explode with bigger box office later, letting him be seen by more audiences. It is that big productions can actually let an actor go from "no such person" to "suddenly appearing" and "becoming popular overnight" in the various supporting publicity in the early stage.

Like *Gold Rush*, which is broadcast well and has additional publicity from the platform, it means that Yan Liang can get resources that he might not be able to get as the lead of this play.

For example, brushing his face in TV station interview programs in seven or eight countries, for example, being reported in turn by media that HP is on good terms with, and exposure increased sharply.

Yan Liang said in the group: I am really particularly glad now that I was rolled by Yan He at that time and learned English. Although it is not used very skillfully, at least I can communicate with people.

Lu Yan He: Continue to study hard, maybe you will have to act in English later.

*Gold Rush* actually cannot be said to have achieved much success.

Obviously, it did not set off a viewing craze globally like *Squid Game*.

It won more praise from media and critics—they were surprised by the production level of such a Chinese drama.

The dramas known to them before, such as *Friends*, *Seventeen Layers*, *Silent River*, and *Squid Game*, are not difficult to produce. *Gold Rush* is filmed on location, which means various challenges will be encountered during the filming process.

But the texture of location filming brings the most real Southeast Asian adventure experience.

But even if *Gold Rush* didn't explode like *Squid Game*, just as Lu Yan He said to Tang Mu White before, this play has its audience. Moreover, the playback data is very bright. Compared with the purchase cost of 12 million US dollars, *Gold Rush* undoubtedly brought several times the return to HP.

And *Gold Rush* will film the second season early next year.

This is a series.

Yan Liang also enjoyed "blooming inside the wall and fragrant outside the wall" once again.

As an artist, his biggest shortcoming is that his commercial value has always been low. Brands think that the star charm on him is not enough, there are not many sticky fans, and the "starlight" like Li Zhibai or Lu Yan He has not been formed.

So, even if Yan Liang is the actor with the second highest character popularity in *Friends*, and is an idol artist with a fixed stage, his high-end endorsements are very few, almost none.

Among the few, most of them were grabbed by Zhou Ping'an from Ma Zhiyuan's resources after Ma Zhiyuan collapsed.

However, now *Gold Rush* is blooming both at home and abroad, letting the industry and outside the industry see Yan Liang's potential as an actor for the first time—

That's right, although *Friends* is popular, it is limited by the fact that its performance requirements for actors are indeed not high. No one thinks Yan Liang has the potential to be an actor. He acts really average. In other plays, without the character filter of this big hit drama, he almost couldn't set off any waves.

But *Gold Rush* reversed everyone's evaluation with him.

Entertainment critic Guan Su Chen wrote, saying: Yan Liang can be said to be a benchmark for young actors. Honestly, his talent as an actor is not outstanding (not to say no, but compared with others in the same period, don't leverage), but in this case, he chose a path that almost no young idol actor would choose, a path that needs to eat the bitterness that ordinary people cannot eat, and suffer the loneliness that ordinary people cannot suffer. Look at this photo, and then look at his reborn performance in *Gold Rush*. I want to say, for all actors, Yan Liang's standard for taking plays is a broad road, but how many people dare to step on this broad road?

The photo attached by Guan Su Chen is a photo of Yan Liang returning to the country after filming *Gold Rush*, the whole person is dark and thin, as if he has become a different person.

Linyu said in her review column: "The success achieved by *Gold Rush* and the success achieved by the lead actor Yan Liang are complementary and echoing in a certain sense. They both chose a path that is not often walked, full of thorns, themes that no one wants to film, extremely difficult location shooting, and uncompromised artistic pursuit. It is only when all this is combined that the current success can be achieved. Similarly, it is particularly worth saying that when *Gold Rush* was launched on HP, because of the mutual appreciation and recommendation of a group of film and television practitioners in China, it had the foundation to be seen at the beginning. It is this mutual help of everyone picking up firewood that gave a good drama like *Gold Rush* the opportunity to be seen by more audiences. I hope that there will be more and more good dramas like *Gold Rush* in the future, and *Film and Television Critic* will continue to pay attention to every outstanding Chinese film and television drama as always."

Zhou Ping'an is very panicked.

Because *Gold Rush* is popular again.

At the beginning, Zhou Ping'an was not optimistic about *Gold Rush*.

However, at that time, his focus was not on Yan Liang, so Yan Liang wanted to act, so he acted.

Now, *Gold Rush* is popular once at home and popular once abroad. Yan Liang's popularity, heat, and commercial value in the first half of the year have doubled, all relying on this play.

Seeing Yan Liang steadily stepping into the first echelon of the first line, holding two popular series, and the road to long-term popularity in the future has been paved, Zhou Ping'an deeply realized that Yan Liang has embarked on a road beyond his experience and ability.

Especially when action superstar Cheng Shiyan sent an invitation to Yan Liang, asking him to participate in his next action movie, Zhou Ping'an was silent for a long time.

How long can Yan Liang stay in his hands?

When the day Yan Liang leaves, the last trump card in his hand is also lost, what cards does he have to play?

At the beginning... why didn't he treat Yan Liang better?

Zhou Ping'an's bitterness in his heart, no one can share, and no one will understand.

In the eyes of others, everyone will only think that his luck is really good.

Even if Lu Yan He and Li Zhibai walked away from his hands, and Ma Zhiyuan collapsed, Yan Liang topped it up again.

Zhou Ping'an, this agent's luck, how is it so good?

Against the sky.

Others are envious, jealous, and hateful of Zhou Ping'an, with itchy teeth.

Only Zhou Ping'an himself knows how precarious his situation is.

Must hurry up to make the newcomers, or... poach people?

Zhou Ping'an's mind was running rapidly.

No matter what, he must stabilize his status.

At this time, Cheng Hai suddenly came.

"Brother Ping'an."

Seeing Cheng Hai come in, Zhou Ping'an put away his thoughts and sighed lightly.

This idol, whose popularity could also be ranked in the second echelon in Fengzhi Youth, has been sliding all the way since flying solo. He tossed a lot, but didn't toss out any waves. Until now, four years later, he has been stamped and finalized by the industry as "paste," mixing a variety show on a show, and there are not many opportunities willing to give him.

Zhou Ping'an nodded to him and said: "Sit."

Cheng Hai sat down a bit constrainedly.

Every time he comes to see Zhou Ping'an, Cheng Hai is actually a bit nervous.

Especially in the past few years, he is less and less popular, and less and less disappeared in this entertainment circle. He has less and less confidence in front of Zhou Ping'an.

Zhou Ping'an said: "Cheng Hai, how have you been recently?"

"Quite... quite good." Cheng Hai couldn't say the three words "quite idle" no matter what, he couldn't say it.

Zhou Ping'an said: "I took a play for you, there are about twenty scenes, go back and prepare well."

He took the script out of the drawer.

Cheng Hai looked at Zhou Ping'an with some surprise.

When Zhou Ping'an called him over today, Cheng Hai was still worried, not knowing what Zhou Ping'an was looking for him for.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Ping'an actually took a job for him.

Zhou Ping'an said: "Later, we may only be able to take these small jobs for a period of time. Don't be discouraged. No matter how small the job is, there is exposure, and there is a possibility of becoming an opportunity for you to turn over. As long as you don't give up, there will be opportunities to turn over in the future."

Cheng Hai looked at Zhou Ping'an with surprise, even disbelief, and his eye sockets gradually turned red.

Such words, Zhou Ping'an would definitely not say to him usually.

While Cheng Hai was surprised and moved, he was also stunned, not knowing what happened to Zhou Ping'an.

"What do you think about the hit of *Gold Rush* on HP?"

At Beijiguang Video, Lin Desheng asked Zheng Huairen.

Zheng Huairen said: "The popularity of this play is unexpected, but I think what is more worthy of attention is that this play can be launched on HP. The relationship between Lu Yan He and HP seems to be more intimate than we have mastered. Even for plays he didn't star in or write, HP is willing to spend more than 10 million US dollars to buy, which shows that they fully believe in his vision."

Lin Desheng said: "If Lu Yan He recommended a drama to you and asked you to spend hundreds of millions to buy it, would you buy it just because of his recommendation?"

Zheng Huairen hesitated for a while and shook his head.

"For a project of this number, no matter how much I trust his vision, I can't buy it just because of his recommendation." Zheng Huairen said, "The risk is too great, and professional evaluation must be done."

"HP is the same, HP also won't buy *Gold Rush* just because of Lu Yan He's recommendation." Lin Desheng said, "However, Lu Yan He did this, which must have made many people restless in their hearts. Of the many dramas we have broadcast in China, 80% or 90% have not been broadcast overseas. The copyright is in our own hands, but it cannot produce any value, which is waste. *Gold Rush* sold an overseas distribution right for more than 10 million US dollars, net profit of more than 70 million RMB. Think about it, this is a benefit that many dramas cannot reach in China. How many people will aim at this piece of fat meat."

Zheng Huairen said: "However, if they can sell, they would have sold long ago. Isn't it that they can't sell?"

Lin Desheng said: "Isn't there a salesman appearing now?"

Zheng Huairen was stunned.

Lin Desheng: "Cooperating with Lu Yan He, writing scripts, acting, to broadcast, after tossing and turning, it may take two or three years to see the return, but in their eyes, as long as Lu Yan He has a recommendation, it may be a net profit of tens of millions directly, even if it is less, take the second best, a play earns a few million, think about those companies that hold dozens or hundreds of copyrights in their hands."

"People can't buy so many in one breath."

"But as long as it is sold, it is a net profit. At this time, it is a risk-free business." Lin Desheng smiled, "I think Lu Yan He is going to be annoyed to death during this time."

Zheng Huairen laughed knowingly.

Lin Desheng: "Huairen, we should also be more active."

"Hmm?"

"We Beijiguang also have a large number of self-made dramas. We don't necessarily have to contact overseas streaming media through Lu Yan He. We have contacted them before, and there are also smooth channels. We take the initiative to introduce good dramas ourselves, don't always stick to the rules, only thinking about the domestic market. The domestic market is big, but eating meat in one pool, the meat is limited after all." Lin Desheng said, "It's time to increase efforts overseas."

Zheng Huairen suddenly realized, and understood what Lin Desheng meant by telling him these.

"Understood, President Lin." He said.

Lin Desheng said: "When we Beijiguang make dramas, when preparing projects, we must also consciously plan one or two according to the international popular forms, themes, and standards every year, not only can be broadcast domestically, but also can be broadcast overseas, in line with everyone's viewing habits."

Zheng Huairen: "Good."

Lin Desheng sighed, "Look, so many of our practitioners, adding up, can't beat a young man. Why can Lu Yan He's plays be welcomed by so many overseas audiences? Is he the only actor with popularity overseas? Many people only keep their eyes on Lu Yan He, but forget that any drama liked by the audience must be attractive, who can stare at one person's face for seven or eight episodes? Lu Yan He's live broadcast room usually has only so many people, still have to analyze the things of the drama itself."

Lu Yan He's mobile phone was turned off directly.

Too noisy, too annoying.

In the past two days, suddenly the bosses, producers, directors, etc. of various film and television companies, as if they had made an appointment, contacted him one after another, called him, and recommended a play in their hands to him, wanting to ask him to recommend it.

Lu Yan He was speechless.

Recommending a *Gold Rush* actually recommended so many troubles for himself.

However, Lu Yan He didn't answer the phone, and some people came to the *Burning Fire* crew to find him.

Under the guise of visiting the set.

Making Lu Yan He hide in the RV directly as long as he finished his play.

Interests move people's hearts.

Lu Yan He actually understands this truth very well, but... a gentleman loves money, take it in a proper way! Don't make it so grand!

Wan Renhai also teased Lu Yan He.

"Now you are really the reddest person in the film and television circle, no one else." Wan Renhai said to Lu Yan He, "Whoever wants to sell their play overseas has to find you, finding you works."

Lu Yan He: "... I beg you, don't set this kind of persona for me. The persona will collapse, and it will annoy me to death before it collapses."

Wan Renhai: "There is really no way, you can only endure it like this, endure this intense period, and wait for everyone to calm down slowly."

Lu Yan He: "Actually, if everyone has established a good channel, there is no need for me to introduce it at all."

Wan Renhai: "You think it's that everyone doesn't want to establish a channel? This is the same reason as a store stocking goods. If the goods you put on the shelf can't be sold and don't sell well, people naturally won't stock from you. If your goods are popular, then you don't need to say, people will take the initiative to find you, just like they have been staring at your plays early."

"Then actually relying on my personal recommendation, I can't recommend it either."

"Hmm, this is indeed, so everyone is so anxious, afraid of being snatched by others." Wan Renhai said.

"When can we have a big market like the international top film festival that can attract film merchants from all over the world?" Lu Yan He said, "In this way, we don't have to promote one by one."

"Don't think about it in the short term." Wan Renhai said, "Before Chinese dramas achieve sufficient, phenomenal success, even if you build such a market, others will not really be interested. At most, they will show their faces. Those foreigners are also very refined."

"Hmm." Lu Yan He nodded.

Wan Renhai suddenly remembered something, laughed, and said: "However, if you put the script you wrote on this market for sale, or put your film and television dramas on this market, others will definitely come."

Lu Yan He heard what Wan Renhai said, and was thoughtful.

At the end of May, many actors in the *Burning Fire* crew left one after another.

Including Li Yuefeng.

Before Li Yuefeng left the crew, he specifically pulled Lu Yan He to drink again.

"Yan He, wait until you wrap up, let's make an appointment in Yuming again." Li Yuefeng said, "Don't forget to contact me."

Lu Yan He nodded with a smile, "Definitely remember, let's make an appointment again later."

The parting of *Burning Fire* is also the time when Lu Yan He has no parting sorrow.

It may be because the lineup of this movie is too big. Basically, people join the crew every week, and people leave. Personnel flow at all times. The only people who really stay in the crew from beginning to end are Lu Yan He and Shang Yongzhou.

Moreover, everyone is a very mature actor. Having experienced too many partings in the crew, they are all accustomed to it.

People who really get along well are separated in this crew, and they will gather privately. People who don't get along so well, when they leave, because of sensibility, they will feel a little sorrow, which will soon dissipate.

Filming for more than two months, Lu Yan He feels that he has never stayed in a crew for so long.

However, he has never filmed so easily.

Basically one to two scenes every day, with plenty of time to make full preparations and present his best state.

A big movie is a big movie, able to smash money so that everyone has time to film slowly.

Because he couldn't do anything else in the crew, he had a lot of time to read books and write scripts. Lu Yan He first finished the script for the first season of *Old Friends* in the *Burning Fire* crew, and then wrote the script for the rest of *My Own Swordsman*.

Wan Renhai was quite surprised to see him holding a notebook and coding on the set.

"You write scripts, don't you need a particularly quiet environment?"

The set is not a quiet environment.

Lu Yan He: "It's okay, not really needed."

Other screenwriters write scripts, need to think about the development of the story plot, need to consider character shaping. For Lu Yan He, these are all ready-made. What he needs to do is just write it out and write it out in a good way of expression.

So, whether it is a noisy environment or a quiet environment, it doesn't affect his concentration on writing scripts.

Wan Renhai: "You are really a genius, this kind of concentration is rare."

You know, on the set, some actors even brush their phones after the play—

You let them ponder the script, ponder the characters, say it is a matter of course, every actor should be able to do it, actually, just like students reading books, there are still situations where they know what to do but can't do it.

Lu Yan He smiled.

Wan Renhai asked: "I am also quite curious, how do you write scripts so fast? You have to act, go to school, and have a lot of artist work. Now I know, you basically belong to seizing all time to write."

Lu Yan He: "Because the story has already been thought out, so I seize the time to write it out."

"For my next play, can you help me look at the script?" Wan Renhai said, "Actually, I am still pondering the script. This script was written by myself."

Lu Yan He said: "Sure, I also like to read scripts written by others, and I can learn a lot."

Wan Renhai's next play is called *Wuchang Hall*, which is also a fantasy-style story.

A teenager named "Wang" was caught by the hell dog to Wuchang Hall because he accidentally saved a dream-entering bird that was preyed on by the hell dog. The dream-entering bird followed in to save him, but just caught up with the chaos of the change of the soul master in Wuchang Hall. One person and one bird were involved in it, were treated as members of the old soul master's resistance army, and experienced various strange and bizarre struggles, traps, and wars.

Lu Yan He was quite shocked to see such a story, because it was too animated—

Wan Renhai is preparing to film a live-action movie.

"This investment should not be small, right?" Lu Yan He asked.

Just looking at these big scenes and special effects involved in the script, I know how fierce the funds will burn.

Wan Renhai nodded, "Just the production will cost 280 million."

According to such a production cost, plus the later publicity, this movie box office of 1 billion is just barely breaking even.

Lu Yan He couldn't help but be a bit curious, "*Wuchang Hall* is also mainly invested by Long Yan?"

Wan Renhai nodded and said: "Yes, but half of the investment is from other movie companies."

Lu Yan He said: "The script is already very mature, it is already a very complete story."

The symbolism and allegory of this story are very obvious.

However, its story structure is not market-oriented—

Although the shell on the surface is a story of teenager adventure and growth, its main line is still not clear enough. The more it goes to the middle, the more it feels like *Three Mountains* with gods and ghosts.

For a commercial film with such a high investment, you can have elements with philosophical meaning and symbolic meaning in it, but if the main line is not direct and clear enough, it will make the audience confused.

At least, Lu Yan He felt that in the script now, the main line of "Wang" and the dream-entering bird escaping from Wuchang Hall is not so clear.

It completely became an introduction. Just looking at the script, I know that Wan Renhai actually wants to describe the strange world in Wuchang Hall, not tell a story of a teenager's adventure in a strange place.

The focus of this is different, and the viewing experience is also very different.

Wan Renhai asked for Lu Yan He's opinion.

Lu Yan He pondered for a while and expressed his views implicitly.

"After reading this script, I was quite shocked. There are many things that will need me to digest well." Lu Yan He said, "There are many things with symbolic meaning and special Chinese traditional culture in it."

Wan Renhai nodded and said: "This is actually a theme I have always wanted to do."

Lu Yan He asked: "However, this movie has such a large investment, and the requirements for the expected box office are also very high, right?"

Wan Renhai suddenly showed a helpless smile of "sure enough."

"Do you also think that the current script cannot sell particularly good box office results?"

Lu Yan He hesitated for a while and said: "It is mainly because we all know that the higher the threshold of understanding, the smaller the number of people who can cross this door."

Wan Renhai: "Do you like this story?"

Lu Yan He nodded and said: "Actually, I am very much looking forward to the presentation of a worldview like Wuchang Hall on the big screen. Director, you have always been particularly good at constructing novel and unprecedented worldviews. The visual effect is unquestionable, but the main story of *Wuchang Hall* is relatively not as clear as *Burning Fire*. The whole story of *Burning Fire* is unfolded around Wei Yang's revenge, so everyone will be very clear about the meaning and role of every character's appearance and plot changes."

Wan Renhai was silent.

Lu Yan He didn't know if what he said made Wan Renhai a bit angry.

But Wan Renhai asked after a while: "If it were you, how would you change it?"

Wan Renhai added after finishing: "On the premise of not affecting all the scenes I want to present now."

Lu Yan He thought for a while and said: "I will design a task for this teenager named Wang."

"Hmm?" Wan Renhai looked at him suspiciously.

"Now Wang and the dream-entering bird's escape in Wuchang Hall is particularly unmotivated, but like running east and west in a dream. Give them a motivation, and their behavior of exploring Wuchang Hall will have practical significance." Lu Yan He said, "For example, Wang and the dream-entering bird want to leave Wuchang Hall, they must achieve certain conditions, and if they want to achieve these conditions, they must go to certain places and get certain things. Or, simply use the setting of the hell dog. The hell dog brought Wang into Wuchang Hall actually to achieve a certain purpose, but this process was not successful, was interfered with by the dream-entering bird, and they were chased by the hell dog all the way—"

As Lu Yan He said, a clearer story line was constructed in his mind.

"The hell dog cannot let others find out that he brought a human to Wuchang Hall, so he can only chase alone, and Wang and the dream-entering bird, in order to get rid of the hell dog's chase and find a way to leave Wuchang Hall, can only follow the clues bit by bit, constantly changing maps. In the process of changing maps, the Wuchang Hall world you want to present emerges one by one. In each small map, the hell dog finds them and unfolds a chase and struggle as a small climax. In this way, the main line is the hell dog chasing Wang and the dream-entering bird from beginning to end, and Wang and the dream-entering bird are looking for a way to leave Wuchang Hall. In this way, the things in the script don't need to be changed much, just make some adjustments according to this main line and string them together."

Wan Renhai looked at Lu Yan He in surprise.

"You thought of these just after reading this script?"

"Is it a bit vulgar? This setting?" Lu Yan He scratched his head, "Maybe it's a bit vulgar, I just feel that Director, your script, from the Wangchuan River to the Purgatory Tower, every piece of content and every NPC character design in it is very clever, but it is just doing some work on the entry

Wan Renhai looked thoughtful.

"Your suggestions have been very inspiring to me."

Lu Yan He had assumed Wan Renhai was just being polite and hadn't really taken his opinions to heart.

Unexpectedly, Wan Renhai's next sentence was, "Yan He, why don't you join our film as a consultant?"

"Huh?" Lu Yan He was stunned.

Wan Renhai said, "I've discovered that you completely understand this script of mine and what I want to convey, and you're even able to propose revisions that I can accept while still preserving the content I want to tell."

Lu Yan He was bewildered, "Huh?"

"The problems you mentioned have actually been pointed out by others, but they could only raise the issues without offering any solutions, blaming me for stuffing too many elements into it and saying I wrote the script too obscurely and not simply enough," Wan Renhai said. "I need your help."

"Director, this is all too sudden. I... just let me process this for a moment," Lu Yan He said.

Wan Renhai patted Lu Yan He on the shoulder.

"Fine, take your time to process it; I'll come ask you again tomorrow."

"Go for it. It's just being a consultant, not asking you to rewrite the script or do specific tasks; a consultant is just there to offer opinions."

Chen Ziyan was actually very supportive of Lu Yan He taking on this consultant role over the phone.

"The Hall of Impermanence is also a major production, and being able to participate as a consultant will allow you to learn quite a bit. Besides, you'll also be able to get to know more people in the production departments. In such large-scale productions, every craft is definitely handled by first-tier or even top-tier industry professionals."

Chen Ziyan's words persuaded Lu Yan He.

Thus, the next day, when Wan Renhai found him again, he nodded and agreed.

Wan Renhai immediately had someone prepare the agreement.

"We still have to sign an agreement, just in case you change your mind," Wan Renhai said.

Script Consultant: Lu Yan He.

He had inexplicably unlocked a new identity.

Recommending my old book, "I Became the Scandalous Protagonist Overnight," which went from seven initial subscriptions to over a thousand average subscriptions; it's still worth a read.