Chapter 728

Lu Yan He didn't say a word, pulled Yan Liang, Wan Qingqing, and Chen Ziyan into a group, and started a video call.

Well, he wouldn't continue to participate in *Flypaper* until he finished filming *Storm Calmer No. 1*.

Anyway, the film *Flypaper* had already taken initial shape.

Lu Yan He had a very clear concept regarding the film's vision, style, and the criteria for actor selection.

For the next month or so, Wan Qingqing would be responsible for pushing forward the preparation aspects of the film, and Yan Liang would enter the control of the film's content level.

Yan Liang was completely stunned.

Lu Yan He said, "Although this is an ensemble film, it's still a male lead; you are the hidden 'satisfaction point' of this film—a kind of 'coolness' after the twist. You can also go meet the director candidates with Mukan first; I want to hear your opinion."

Yan Liang: "I don't know how to evaluate a director at all."

"Just don't hold the mindset of evaluating a director. If you don't know how to evaluate a director, then look at whether a person is reliable, whether they have ideas, and whether their ideas align with and are close to your understanding and thoughts on this script."

After Lu Yan He finished giving all the instructions, he said to Chen Ziyan, "Sister Ziyan, please keep an eye on these things; I'm going into seclusion to film, please don't disturb me for anything."

Chen Ziyan smiled and said okay.

She added, "Then your electronic album will be launched in September; at that time, please have Li Zhibai, Yan Liang, and Liu Zhiyin attend the press conference on your behalf. Are you still coming?"

"Not coming," Lu Yan He said. "I have to focus on filming *Storm Calmer No. 1*."

"Fine, anyway, you've already recorded all the other promotional materials in advance," Chen Ziyan said. "This is also a public welfare-oriented job."

Lu Yan He: "Sigh, filming Liu Bige's movie in the future really requires disconnecting from the outside world; he really... one sentence can pierce my heart."

"What did he say?"

Lu Yan He repeated the sentence Liu Bige had said.

"Look at how high-level his scolding is; usually on set, you can't tell I'm not engaged, but only the editor can tell that my performance quality is completely inferior to before," Lu Yan He said indignantly. "He might as well have said I'm particularly good at 'calculating' my acting, no, wait, particularly good at 'going through the motions'."

Some actors with good acting skills often give performances that say, "I know very well that I'm acting well."

It can certainly bluff some people with a straight face, making everyone feel "shocked."

However, in the eyes of professionals, that is actually "craftsmanship," a kind of "craftsmanship" that looks more high-end; for example, a copied famous painting is essentially "perfunctory acting."

Lu Yan He usually performed so well in every aspect that there were actually very few opportunities for people to discover that he was also a person with very strong self-esteem.

When Liu Bige said those words, he was like someone waking from a dream—no, it should be said he was like someone struck by a stick, jolted awake.

Lu Yan He said "two ears deaf to affairs outside the window," and he really did it.

He didn't even bring his phone out of the hotel.

For any urgent matters, he would contact Wang Biao or Yu Xiaoyan.

The other actors in the crew were a bit bewildered at first.

But when they heard that this was because Liu Bige thought Lu Yan He's performance over the past few days wasn't good enough and the quality had slipped, so Lu Yan He was reflecting on his mistakes and wanted to focus 100% on his performance, they were all dumbfounded.

From their perspective, the shocking part was—

Lu Yan He's performance these days wasn't good enough?

Just as Liu Bige said.

Well, you couldn't tell on set.

Lu Yan He had already reached a height where even a casual performance could produce a cinematic quality.

Liu Bige's high standards once again made everyone else silently start to "compete internally" through his attitude toward Lu Yan He.

To some extent, Liu Bige's authority on set, whether in *Late Spring* or *Storm Calmer No. 1*, was established by Lu Yan He's "obedience" to him.

However, after truly and steadily returning to the filming of *Storm Calmer No. 1*, Lu Yan He felt that this feeling was better, this feeling of being immersed in a character without any distractions—

Especially after completely entering a certain state, Lu Yan He couldn't wait to go to the set every day, couldn't wait to shoot every day's scenes; even Lu Yan He found this state incredible.

While he was focused on filming, the outside world was still surging.

The Maxine series *Death Stranding*, starring Chen Pinhe and Wang Jiaqi, was officially announced; this was another top Chinese actor starring in an overseas project.

*Death Stranding* is set against the backdrop of ancient Chinese seas, telling a thriller story about a merchant ship running aground and encountering a terrorist attack on an island; it only has eight episodes.

According to the news announced by Maxine, the budget for this show was very high, reaching a production standard of 3 million USD per episode.

Chen Pinhe's side also issued a large number of announcements to build momentum for this top Best Actor.

The King returns—

Chen Ziyan directly moved up the promotion node for Lu Yan He's electronic album *25*, officially announcing that it would be released on major music platforms on Lu Yan He's birthday, and simultaneously announcing that all proceeds from this album would be donated to Project Hope.

Suppress.

At the same time, *Flypaper* announced a new cast member: Arne Bogut, a rising American A-list male actor who had previously collaborated with Lu Yan He on *The Mist*, joined to star in *Flypaper*.

Chen Ziyan took the opportunity to operate a trending topic for Lu Yan He in the country: Lu Yan He's appeal in the international film scene.

Clicking into it, one could see Lu Yan He's connections and energy in the international film scene from the cast of *Flypaper*.

To be fair, the cast of *Flypaper* might not be A-list in Hollywood's evaluation system, but in the Chinese entertainment industry's evaluation system, it was definitely a solid international A-list lineup.

Yan Liang, Chinese A-list, popular.

Caina, Thai A-list, popular.

Tania Bailey, German A-list, Best Actress, top European art-house actress, has acting skills, high status.

Scarty Taft, a former top star in American Hollywood, even if "notorious" now, is definitely a solid famous actor.

Arne Bogut, a highly anticipated rising star in American Hollywood.

With such a cast, in the Chinese media circle's evaluation system, it was a luxurious lineup.

With several news items superimposed, the "eye-catching index" brought by Chen Pinhe's *Death Stranding* was suppressed.

Chen Ziyan doing this had a very simple purpose—

In terms of international influence, Chen Pinhe was not as good as Lu Yan He.

She just wanted everyone to clearly see this difference.

Chen Pinhe was just starring in a streaming series with a Chinese cultural and historical background, but Lu Yan He was already managing a mainstream film with an all-star cast in Hollywood.

Facts proved that Chen Ziyan played this card just right.

Judging from all subsequent media reports and descriptions, almost all of them placed Lu Yan He in a higher position.

At this time, a small episode also occurred.

Thai media also had many reports on these few things about Lu Yan He.

In their articles, they focused on Caina's career.

Ever since she connected with Lu Yan He, Caina's career finally truly stepped out of Thailand.

First, she joined the blockbuster show *Squid Game* Season 2, and then she joined the Hollywood movie *Flypaper*.

Caina not only started her new career journey in China after signing with Fire-Picking, but also moved towards a wider world at the same time.

Originally, Caina's status in the Thai entertainment industry was about the same as Jiang Yuqian's status in the Chinese entertainment industry. Popular, leaning towards the mainstream, but not the art-house route.

Those who take this idol route inevitably have the anxiety of "eating a youth meal."

Especially in a market that is not very large, the turnover is faster.

Now, she suddenly jumped out of that competition circle in Thailand; how could people not be jealous?

Caina also didn't expect that a huge pie would suddenly fall from the sky.

Although it wasn't the female lead, just a supporting actress.

However, it was a supporting role with very heavy screen time.

It wasn't as if she hadn't been in contact with Hollywood movies before; let alone a production with so many big stars like *Flypaper*, even for those small films, the roles given to her were basically just tool people who flashed by, without exception, all female vases.

Not only that, the salary they gave was also very low, basically not exceeding 100,000 USD.

To put it bluntly, they were just bullying you as an Asian actor.

They know your Thai market is small; even if you are a popular star in Thailand, you won't get much salary, and if you want to come to Hollywood to be gilded and develop, you can only suffer in silence.

Although *Flypaper* is also a low-budget film, they didn't take advantage of her at all with the salary they offered, still giving her 250,000 USD, which was on the same level as Tania Bailey.

In recent years, Caina only starred in one TV series in Thailand, and all other work was basically overseas.

She made guest appearances in a few plays in China, including TV series and movies, and was recommended by Chen Ziyan to play important supporting roles in a Japanese drama and a Korean drama.

She already had a representative and highly recognizable role in Asia, and with the international flair added, her status shot up.

Before *Young Days* started airing, a press conference was held.

Yan Liang attended.

Because Lu Yan He and Li Zhibai were both on set and couldn't attend, the media's focus was on the few artists who attended.

Yan Liang was the focus among them, and the questions included things about *Flypaper*.

Yan Liang picked what he could say and talked about it a bit.

Then, at this moment, a media outlet suddenly asked Su Xiao quite maliciously: "Everyone seems to have a consensus now that as long as you are Lu Yan He's friend, you are sent many scripts and roles by him; why don't you have any?"

Su Xiao's cheeks turned red all of a sudden.

Yan Liang looked at the questioner with an unkind expression.

"Which media outlet are you from?" Yan Liang raised the microphone directly and asked with a serious expression, "Can you ask some high-level questions? Is it necessary to sow discord like this?"

That media reporter said, "This is a fact, isn't it?"

Yan Liang: "If Yan He needed to maintain his image, finding a role for Su Xiao to play in any play, is that a difficult thing? Yan He has always emphasized that any actor must play a role that suits them. Even for me, if you're talking about something like *Flypaper*, I dare not say such big words, but whether it's *Dragon Gate Inn* or any other play, even Li Zhibai and I were invited by Yan He because the roles were suitable. Why don't you ask why *Buried* didn't look for me but instead looked for Li Zhibai to act? Why didn't *Source Code* look for me and Li Zhibai to act?"

That media reporter said, "But in so many plays, aren't there any roles suitable for Su Xiao?"

"Otherwise?" Yan Liang said, "If there were, how could Yan He not look for Su Xiao? You underestimate the friendship of us in *Young Days* too much. Besides, does Su Xiao need Yan He's help? Isn't she popular now? She's much more popular than me. You're really funny, asking a popular actress why others don't look for her to film; how many people dare to say they don't want to look for her? It's just hard to coordinate schedules, okay?"

Yan Liang fired back like a cannon.

Su Xiao gave him a grateful smile.

Su Xiao is currently the only actor in *Young Days* who takes the traffic and idol route. A professional in ancient idol dramas, with many die-hard fans and high traffic. However, correspondingly, she also has many controversies and haters.

This is an unavoidable thing for actors who take the traffic route.

After the *Young Days* press conference ended, this video from the scene indeed went on the trending list.

Yan Liang's rebuttal was one thing, but on the other hand, Su Xiao was indeed the person who had collaborated the least with Lu Yan He in *Young Days*. Even Qin Zhibai and Song Linxin had collaborated with Lu Yan He's film and television works several times for promotional songs and OSTs.

Many people said that Yan Liang's denial, although reasonable, couldn't change the facts.

Su Xiao seemed to be disliked by Lu Yan He.

Xiao Yun was still filming the movie *Those Years*.

Su Xiao, however, had almost never participated in Lu Yan He's film and television works.

In fact, on one hand, Lu Yan He really hadn't thought of Su Xiao, and on the other hand, it was also because Su Xiao had never left the field of idol dramas, and she always played the female lead.

For Lu Yan He, Su Xiao couldn't handle the female leads in his film and television works; even Xiao Yun hadn't gotten one, and Su Xiao's team wouldn't be willing to let her play a supporting role.

Su Xiao's autonomy over her acting career was far less than Xiao Yun's.

From this point, one can actually see the difference in constraints from brokerage companies between an actor taking the strength-based route and an actor taking the traffic route.

However, because of this digression, Su Xiao's career planning suddenly became a hot topic.

Many people were analyzing the plays Su Xiao had acted in over the years, as well as her future development opportunities.

Almost everyone was saying that if Su Xiao continued like this, she would soon be left behind by other resident guests of *Young Days*.

Su Xiao's pressure increased sharply.

In fact, she was only in her twenties; she didn't need to worry about the problem of transformation at all.

At this time, someone found her.

That's all for today, see you tomorrow. (End of chapter)