[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu":3,"chapter-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-5":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from Stealing the Role in 1995 Huayu",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2320994,4540,"Chapter 5: Crowdfunding","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>Lao Jia was puzzled, not understanding what Wu Yuchen meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many others also gathered around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening the script, he saw that on Wu Yuchen’s script, every line of dialogue had precise time annotations, down to the second!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the final runtime was only eleven minutes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen spoke loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When writing the script, every scene was already in my mind. I don’t need thirty minutes—only eleven!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t need ten days—only three days of shooting!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lao Jia’s heart trembled; compared to Wu Yuchen, his own preparation was utterly inadequate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only brought a rough draft, but this guy’s dialogue was already timed to the second!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this was the proper attitude toward making a film?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, everyone brightened—yes, cutting from thirty minutes to eleven, from ten days to three, the cost might drop to just thirty thousand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though thirty thousand was still a lot, compared to the original ninety or one hundred thousand, it was far more acceptable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seizing the renewed enthusiasm,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen continued to rally them:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And we have a unique advantage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We have unparalleled passion for film, boundless energy, and fierce creative desire!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we can shoot, I won’t take a single cent for script fees or salaries!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Wu Yuchen’s words, a short-haired girl immediately responded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m studying sound recording—I can be the sound engineer, and I don’t even need meals; I’ll handle it myself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m studying fine arts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m studying cinematography…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching these classmates eagerly step forward, Wu Yuchen smiled with satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was why he came here—to directly assemble a complete crew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Wu Yuchen raised his hand, and everyone fell silent; unconsciously, they had already accepted him as the core figure:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our second advantage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who are we?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We are students of Jingying!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of us have some relevant background.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We can maximize and leverage every resource around us!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, I can secure a 16mm camera—free of charge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same short-haired girl: “We have recorders in our department—I’ll go talk to the head of the department.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen naturally held the utmost goodwill toward such an eager worker: “Senior sister…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t call me senior sister—I’m Qi Jing,” the short-haired girl laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen thought Qi Jing’s personality didn’t match her name—she moved and spoke with decisive energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior sister Qi Jing, I’m counting on you for the sound equipment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, don’t worry—I’ll riot if I have to to get it for you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Wu Yuchen added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With shooting equipment mostly sorted, for post-production, I’ll follow Senior Sister Qi’s example and cause a ruckus back in our department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we really can’t get it, we’ll figure something out together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone cheered—sure enough, there’s always a way around every obstacle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This way, we save even more money—it’s starting to seem more and more feasible!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for who should be director, no one had any doubts anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen, who had led the pace throughout, was already accepted as the director!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen observed the classroom; everyone’s enthusiasm had surged again—even higher than before!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen thought the timing was right—their hearts were ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone who has money, contribute money; everyone who has strength, contribute strength—I believe our film will succeed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Wu Yuchen pulled a handful of cash from his pocket and laid it on the table—bills of one hundred, and as small as five yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he offered a sincere smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t think badly of me—this is all the lucky money and pocket money I’ve saved since childhood, totaling one thousand three hundred and twenty-five yuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, Wu Yuchen’s nearly eighteen years of lucky money added up to less than what a child today earns in a year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that his family was poor—it was just the times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only 1995; in the 1980s, lucky money was two or three yuan, maybe ten or twenty at most. Only in the past two years, with rapid economic growth, had hundred-yuan bills started appearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this freshman student who had just entered school lay out his life savings, everyone was deeply moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, most of them had part-time jobs in college, but Wu Yuchen was a pure newcomer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was true passion for film!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior sister named Qi Jing was the first to shout:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got twelve hundred!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen quickly wrote it down: Qi Jing, 1200.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only have seven hundred,” a boy said, scratching his head, feeling his contribution was small.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, senior brother, for your support—our film couldn’t happen without you!” Wu Yuchen kept his warm smile, sincerely thanking him, making the boy feel warm inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll contribute six hundred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got fifteen hundred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching classmates enthusiastically participate in the crowdfunding, the atmosphere grew more intense, infecting everyone—including Jia Zhangke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zhangke might not have as much talent as others, but when it came to passion for film, Lao Jia had never been inferior to anyone!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lao Jia, fired up, bellowed: “I’ll put in four thousand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His shout instantly drew every eye in the room—four thousand was no small sum for students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen turned to look at Lao Jia, gently asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, will this affect your daily life? Shouldn’t you contribute less?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zhangke waved his hand with a smile: “I’m not rich, but I have a steady monthly income—I’m far better off than you freshers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More money means more hope for our film. Money can always be earned again—just work two or three more months. But if we don’t shoot this time, I doubt any of us will ever have the face to discuss film together again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Wu Yuchen genuinely admired Lao Jia; in his past life, he had funded his own film, *Little Mountain Returns*, spending four or five thousand without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, switching to his *Car 44*, Lao Jia was still willing to contribute so much—clearly, his passion for film was genuine!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In later generations, people viewed directors like Jia Zhangke as “miserable”—thinking they always lost money, won awards but got no attention, and struggled for years without even buying a house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think of Lao Jia that way would be a grave mistake!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at Lao Jia’s record:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His first crowdfunding film, *Little Mountain Returns*, cost under thirty thousand and earned fifty thousand in prizes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Xiao Wu*, funded with only three hundred thousand, earned nearly five million through overseas distribution and screenings;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Still Life*, funded at six million, sold for over forty million overseas thanks to its Golden Lion win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He won the Golden Lion at the 2006 Venice Film Festival for *Still Life*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lao Jia once said in an interview: “I’ve never made a film that lost money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes—not one single film lost money! That’s even more impressive than Lao Mouzi!\u003C\u002Fp>",1119,"2026-06-20T16:09:29.273Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2b2e4338935581c2ddd9402b0e8035d4dc9e403ed5146232d1c5b615ae035d43","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-6","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-4",335,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-cover.jpg"]