Chapter 374

Gu Cheng: 【Telling you a deeply sorrowful fact】

Jin Li only received this message from Gu Cheng after returning to her apartment.

Jin Li: 【???】

Gu Cheng: 【We all watched your video, even Brother Guang watched it, and they all fell silent in unison】

Jin Li: 【??? I didn't dance that badly...】

Gu Cheng paused while typing, quickly deleted it, and replied with a "shocked" sticker.

Gu Cheng: 【Don't you have any idea about your own strength?】

Jin Li: 【Your tone sounds just like my manager ^_^】

Jin Li: 【She always loved using this sentence to talk to me ^_^】

Gu Cheng keenly didn't bring up this topic again and replied immediately:

【Brother Guang told us not to aim too high for you, and to give you a solo stage at the concert. With your strength, none of us can keep up with your flexibility, except for Xiao Lin who can barely manage a draw】

Well, the truth is out.

Jin Li breathed a sigh of relief.

She thought her strength was so poor that it made people silent, but it turned out they were so shocked that they felt they couldn't keep up.

Jin Li: 【That's not quite it, you guys are still very strong (doge)】

Gu Cheng: 【What song do you plan to perform? A Pink Girl song or one of our songs?】

Jin Li thought for a while and didn't know how to choose, so she simply threw the question to Gu Cheng.

【You decide based on your concert style. Whichever one you think is suitable, I'll sing that one~】

Gu Cheng: 【Alright, I'll decide】

Having resolved a worry, Jin Li felt refreshed and threw herself back into her studies.

The next afternoon, she arrived at the Duomi headquarters to shoot the new autumn/winter lip mud.

Perhaps due to Sui Sui Lingfang's prior warning, the biggest impression Jin Li had during this visit to the Duomi headquarters was the word "professional."

Jin Li has shot advertisements for Duomi several times, but this time gave her the most different feeling.

The shooting studio was already set up when she arrived, using warm tones (maple red, caramel brown) and cold-textured backgrounds (snow scenes, dark gray matte), plus soft light filters or candlelight effects.

Yes, there were also candlelight effects.

Jin Li has shot many advertisements, but this was the first time she saw someone choose to use candlelight for lighting to create an autumn/winter atmosphere.

These combinations were all to highlight the moisturizing feel and matte finish of the lip mud, allowing the viewer to focus their main attention on the lips.

Jin Li finished her makeup and did a test shoot first.

The lighting technician first gave her a side backlight, strengthening the three-dimensional feel of her lips and showing the characteristics of the lip mud, while also capturing the effect of the lip mud covering lip lines through the lens.

Immediately after, Jin Li began to perform actions like "slightly parting lips" and "lightly pursing corners of the mouth," which was to let everyone feel the spreadability and adherence of the lip mud.

The photographer looked at Jin Li through the lens, suddenly inspired, and asked: "Jin Li, can you lightly tap the lip mud with your fingertips and blend it out?"

This action would be better shot with bare lips, first tapping on a bit of lip mud and then blending and wiping with fingertips, but since it was a test shoot, Jin Li tried it tentatively.

The photographer looked at her through the lens and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, that's it, it looks great even if it's a still photo!"

Jin Li also let herself enter the state quickly during the test shoot, hoping to convey the seasonal atmosphere through her eyes and lip movements through the lens.

But atmosphere is something that often needs to be set off by the color shade.

Clearly, after applying the cold, glamorous reddish-brown lip mud, paired with a raised-eyebrow gaze, it makes people feel more high-end.

And using milk tea color paired with a smile can highlight a gentle and relaxed feeling.

The test shoot only tried three shades randomly. After the photographer confirmed that the lighting and makeup were correct, Jin Li's lips were wiped clean again, and she officially entered the shoot.

The first thing shot was the idea the photographer just proposed: lightly tapping the lips with fingertips and blending out the color to express the lip mud's excellent spreadability.

After this action was shot, Jin Li immediately moved to the next one. She had already entered a state of focus and didn't stop throughout the process; almost as soon as the photographer shouted "next," she switched actions immediately.

The person in charge at Duomi came over specifically to check and found that the atmosphere seemed a bit off.

It wasn't that it didn't feel right, but that it felt too right!

"Why is it so quiet?" As soon as the person in charge entered the door, this thought popped into his mind.

Walking forward, that feeling of quietness was even stronger, until he heard the photographer's voice.

"Good, just like that, maintain the expression... that's right, amazing!"

"Lighting technician, adjust the light, hit it with a side backlight, and the light above the head on the other side needs to be filled in too. Yes, that's the pose, maintain it... good!"

The photographer and lighting technician seemed to be infected by Jin Li's state and quickly entered a state of focus. Other staff members who had nothing to do didn't slack off either, seriously watching Jin Li shoot the advertisement.

The person in charge quietly blended into the crowd and also watched Jin Li's shoot.

Once he watched, he became fascinated.

The person in charge is already fifty years old. This age isn't the age to be venturing into the cosmetics track, but Duomi is a national brand, and the management in the company is all on the older side, running the company with a retirement mindset.

He isn't Jin Li's fan, but that state of serious and focused work is enough to infect everyone.

Once the half-hour mark was reached, Chen Qin ran to tell the photographer: "Excuse me, Jin Li's break time is up."

The photographer realized suddenly: "Oh oh, okay, let's take a ten-minute break!"

The quiet atmosphere on the set was broken, and the sounds of people moving around and carrying props arose.

Chen Qin and Jin Li didn't go to the lounge; such a short time wasn't enough to rest in the lounge, so they sat on small stools in the shooting studio.

Chen Qin looked left and right, seeing that the staff were all busy in the distance, a bit far from them, before whispering to Jin Li:

"I think the autumn/winter lip mud Duomi is launching this time is quite good-looking. I don't know if it's because you shot it particularly well, but the shades launched are quite a bit more novel than before."

Jin Li was only focused on shooting and didn't have time to look at the pictures, only saying based on the texture and feel she had touched: "It's no different from the lip mud I shot before, but I think it's a bit too fragrant."

She fell silent for a moment and said: "It has a cheap artificial fragrance feel."

Chen Qin sighed and shrugged: "After all, it's an affordable brand, and this one isn't expensive to sell."

Jin Li: "I know, but many times even if it's sold cheaply, it can be done better."

The process for lip mud is different from other products. Now it's all integrated production, and the formulas are all pre-mixed. What's so difficult about putting in some effort to mix a better-smelling fragrance?

To be honest, what skincare products don't add fragrance now?

But why do some products smell very good, while others smell very bad?

Perfumery isn't difficult if you say it's difficult, and it isn't simple if you say it's simple.

It's all fragrance blending, there's no need to use an overly heavy scent; it feels like you're just smearing perfume when you apply it.

Jin Li feels that cheap and easy-to-use aren't mutually exclusive, but Chinese people value price factors more, because being cheap enough can tolerate all shortcomings, even if these shortcomings could perhaps be improved by the team in a week or even less time.

Chen Qin agreed with Jin Li's idea, "I also think Duomi could do better."

But even if Jin Li is Duomi's spokesperson, she isn't familiar with Duomi, unlike her position as management at Maozhao, where she can offer suggestions at will.

In the end, she didn't say anything, just thinking about letting Sister Fang explain the requirements for the scent in the next collaboration with Duomi.

While Jin Li was resting, the person in charge also approached the photographer and asked: "How is the shooting going?"

The photographer said without thinking: "Very good, Jin Li is very professional."

He added another sentence: "Her attitude is also very good."

The photographer suddenly thought of something and said: "Boss, why not shoot some advertisements? Even if it's just ten seconds, it's fine. This action is very suitable for shooting an advertisement; I recorded a segment."

The person in charge saw the segment where Jin Li reached out to smear the lip mud.

He fell silent.

Even though he is older, because he is in the cosmetics industry, he is still somewhat sensitive to advertisements, especially regarding makeup.

This smear by Jin Li was natural yet lively, and the photographer felt it would really hit Duomi's target audience, including some working-class people.

A good advertisement can have a conversion rate of 50%!

The person in charge was silent for a long while and said: "Let me think about it."

Although he said that, he turned around and went out to make a phone call.

Adding a temporary 15s-30s advertisement—the person in charge still has this authority and doesn't need to apply to the company.

Sui Sui Lingfang suddenly received a call from the person in charge at Duomi and was taken aback, thinking there was a problem with Jin Li's shoot, so she quickly picked it up.

Only after listening did she know they wanted to add an advertisement.

Sui Sui Lingfang had a headache.

Adding segments is very common. The more popular the star, the more brands want to keep more material for promotion during shooting.

But it was agreed to only shoot still photos, and suddenly wanting to shoot a soft advertisement under 30s is a bit too much of a stretch.

Even for Rumengling, it was just purchasing an additional channel authorization for still photo promotion.

Sui Sui Lingfang refused at first: "Jin Li's schedule is busy, let's forget it."

The person in charge fought for it repeatedly: "We can finish shooting today, one hour, it only takes one hour to complete. The set is ready-made, and the background can be processed with special effects later."

Sui Sui Lingfang: "But if you do this, it's hard for me. Jin Li also needs to communicate on her side, and it was clearly agreed to shoot still photos, we haven't even talked about the price for shooting an advertisement..."

The person in charge said sincerely: "We will definitely pay Jin Li according to the market price. This video will only be used for online store and offline store promotion, and won't be used for anything else.

Jin Li is still shooting still photos now, only half done. If you agree, we can set the scene now, and Jin Li won't have to wait too long."

Sui Sui Lingfang thought for a few seconds and simply stopped making the decision herself, throwing it to Jin Li.

"I'll discuss it with Jin Li."

Before long, Jin Li received a call from her manager.

Jin Li asked: "That's what they told you? Can it really be finished in one hour?"

Sui Sui Lingfang said in a deep voice: "I'm not on the scene, you can make a better judgment than me about the situation on the scene. Since the price will be paid according to the market price, you just need to see if you want to shoot or not. I think you can take it or not, it all depends on your mood."

Jin Li asked again: "Did you ask what this advertisement is for?"

Sui Sui Lingfang: "Yes, they said it's for video promotion for online and offline stores, to increase sales and make people feel the characteristics of the lip mud more."

Upon hearing this, Jin Li had already made her decision.

"I'm shooting at Duomi today and found that they are doing things more professionally than in the past. I am willing to help them shoot, after all, my tie-in collaboration with Duomi is very deep, and there is also a dedicated product line here.

But since it's an advertisement shoot, a plan must be provided, and the set must be prepared quickly. I don't want to wait too long. You communicate with them about the rest."

Sui Sui Lingfang: "Alright."

In just ten minutes, Sui Sui Lingfang finalized the quote, and Duomi printed a copy of the contract for Jin Li to sign on the spot.

At the same time, Sui Sui Lingfang also urged them to provide a shooting plan within an hour. The team must review it before shooting; if the plan is not good, they can rescind the contract without compensation.

Jin Li had long passed the stage of taking any job just to make money. Now, taking advertisement endorsements is based on her own image. Rather than launching a lackluster advertisement, it's better not to shoot it at all.

But I don't know if Duomi had intended to shoot an advertisement all along, or if they had actually selected someone else to shoot this advertisement and just temporarily switched to Jin Li.

Only half an hour later, Duomi produced a complete plan.

The advertisement was only 30 seconds long. Within these 30 seconds, the convenience of using lip mud, the rich colors, and the excellent spreadability were repeatedly emphasized.

Jin Li's wiping action was also a key point of their promotion.

Sui Sui Lingfang reviewed the plan, felt it was okay, and agreed for Jin Li to shoot it.

So, Jin Li had just finished shooting the autumn/winter lip mud still photos, rested for half an hour, and seamlessly switched to shooting the advertisement.

It wasn't an advertisement that needed to be pushed with traffic, so it didn't need to be too meticulously crafted in terms of visuals. Jin Li finished shooting very efficiently; it was basically green screen shooting, and special effects and photo editing would be handled later.

Although she was temporarily given extra work, she still finished shooting before six o'clock in the evening as usual. Jin Li declined the person in charge's dinner invitation and got into the car with Chen Qin.

She turned on the car lights in the back and took out a copy of "5-3" from her bag to continue studying.

Originally, Chen Qin wanted to share what she saw today with Sister Jin Li, but as soon as she turned her head to look at Jin Li, that familiar sense of imagery struck again...

Ah, so hardworking.

Ah, she is unworthy.

Ah, she must also study hard!!

At the same moment, Lu Shuxian dialed Qiguan Mingzhu's phone and asked: "Where are you?"

Qiguan Mingzhu replied faintly: "I'm in the apartment."

She heard that the background noise of Lu Shuxian's call was a bit noisy, as if she were in a KTV.

But soon, Lu Shuxian changed to a quiet place and said happily: "The company is holding a party, you should come too. You haven't been to the company for a long time, many newcomers want to see you, and the president also wants to see you."

The latter sentence was added on, while the former part was the point.

Qiguan Mingzhu curled her lips silently, a trace of sarcasm flashing by.

"I'm not feeling well, so I won't go."

Lu Shuxian's brows were tightly knit, feeling that something was very wrong. Recently, she always had this depressed feeling.

"Mingzhu, you..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the phone was hung up.