Chapter 297

After watching two hours of auditions, actors from the Central Academy of Drama and Shanghai Theatre Academy indeed crushed those from the Beijing Film Academy.

Even Deng Jiajia, who didn't come from the three major institutions, also beat the graduates of the Beijing Film Academy.

"I've already tried my best; during the first round of screening, I gave leeway to actors from my own school, otherwise there wouldn't even be eight people, at most four."

Guo Fan was a bit speechless. When attending the graduation ceremony last month, the school called him over for a separate talk.

The meaning was very clear, hoping he would use more people from the Beijing Film Academy when making movies in the future.

But taking care of students from one's own school shouldn't be done like this, right?

Young actors, whether it's lines, expressions, or improvisation, completely can't compare to those from the Central Academy of Drama and Shanghai Theatre Academy; the basic skills are much worse!

Guo Fan made up his mind; he wouldn't joke about the quality of his film.

"Don't worry about so much, just audition according to your ideas. Anyway, you've already graduated, hahaha."

Lin Nan laughed unscrupulously. He had experienced this kind of thing many times long ago.

An employee outside knocked on the door, "Lin Dao, Director Yue asked me to come and see if you are busy right now?"

"It seems there's something, Lin Dao, you go ahead and get busy." Guo Fan said subconsciously.

"Okay."

Lin Nan got up and left the conference room.

…………

The eyes of the film industry were all focused on the headlines of the media.

"In the fifth week of *Bad Genius*'s release, the box office reported 72 million, and thus the total box office has reached 1.43 billion."

"A new domestic film box office record has been born, *Bad Genius*, 1.43 billion."

"I don't know how long it will be before this record is broken again? And which director will it be?"

"The mainland film market box office record held for two and a half years by the Hollywood 3D sci-fi blockbuster *Avatar* has been officially broken by *Bad Genius*!"

"Lin Dao Nan has become the highest-grossing commercial film director in the Chinese film circle, bar none!"

"Liu Yifei, crowned as the lead actress and producer of a 1.4 billion box office film..."

……

The internet was full of praise, and even the official website of the Film Bureau had a short message specifically for *Bad Genius*.

Lin Nan felt he should be a bit more low-key. But the people in the film circle obviously didn't think so.

Copyright revenue, trailer advertisements, box office sharing.

Damn it, how much Lin Nan Film and Red Star Dock could split after tax, these people calculated it clearly.

"Lin Nan, although Enlight has gone public, it's still short of money; are you interested in buying some stocks?"

"Eh! Director Wang, if you dare to open this gap, I really dare to buy, are you selling?"

"Then you have to go to the secondary market, haha..."

"Then it's better not to say it." Lin Nan complained.

"Tsk tsk tsk, about 1.1 billion, right? And the Southeast Asian box office share that will be settled later. People in the circle could be driven crazy with envy."

Lin Nan ignored Wang Changtian's sour words and just smiled.

One phone call after another came in, all from familiar partners, Han Sanping, Ye Ning, as well as Shanghai Film Group, Western Film Group, and Ningxia Film Group.

After congratulations, they either talked about *Passengers* or looked forward to the next cooperation, and Lin Nan responded to them one by one.

Actors and directors with good relationships in the circle also ran over to tease, and they didn't call Lin Nan or Lin Dao anymore, but directly called him Boss Lin.

"Finally ended its run."

Lin Nan muttered in a low voice, feeling much more relaxed.

When returning to the villa, Liu Yifei was leading the Dog Team and Cat Team, rummaging through boxes and cabinets at Lin Nan's place.

"Xixi, are you ransacking your own home?"

"I'm looking to see if there's anything commemorative but not valuable; I'm planning to take it to Bazaar as an auction item."

Liu Yifei turned her head and said with a sweet smile.

Lin Nan was amused, "Then you should go to my study to look, but I don't have the habit of painting."

These past two days, the internet has been reporting that Feng Xiaogang painted an oil painting, preparing to take it to the Bazaar 10th Anniversary Charity Night as an auction item.

Liu Yifei's appearance at this time was her silly side; that shrewdness was estimated to be cooling down.

She led two honor guards by herself, stepping on slippers straight to the study.

Lin Nan followed behind, "How about, I pick one for you?"

"What?"

Miss Liu smoothed the hair on her forehead; her fair, egg-shaped face had a fragrant feeling.

"Third row of the bookshelf, the first grid on the left hand, inside is my manuscript, the original handwritten script of *Bad Genius*."

"Ah! This is good!"

Liu Yifei's eyes lit up, and she quickly found the script; it was a bound original script.

The paper was very new, but still a bit curled; one look and you could tell it was often flipped through during a certain period, and inside was handwritten content.

"How about, change to another one?" Suddenly, Liu Yifei was a bit reluctant again.

"Don't change, just it. While the film just ended its run, the popularity is at its peak!"

Lin Nan decided with a smile.

……

…………

"Still remember that time you were almost banned by Chen Hong?"

Ceng Jia's words were like a needle, pricking Yang Mi's heart; she nodded.

"I remember, I will never forget it in this life."

Ceng Jia looked at Yang Mi and said: "At that time, I remember you said a sentence: So even after reaching the A-list, one can still be banned!"

Yang Mi didn't pick up the conversation, but shook her head, "I'm a bit lost, very hesitant."

"Leaning on Shanhai Media, very comfortable, very at ease, right?"

"Yes."

Ceng Jia knew Yang Mi's mentality at this time; she was reluctant to part with both sides:

"You can't have your cake and eat it too; even Tang Yan has opened a studio, starting to get involved in investment, production, and artist management.

I admit, staying at Shanhai Media, leaning on the big tree of Lin Dao, is indeed very comfortable.

But have you ever thought, do you want to be just an actor for the rest of your life?"

Ceng Jia's last sentence was like a heavy hammer hitting Yang Mi's heart.

"The company has a lot of resources, but the best resources will always be placed in front of Liu Yifei first, and then others."

Yang Mi admitted that what Ceng Jia said was all correct.

"You are already A-list, and you are relatively stable among the A-list.

Look at Huang Xiaoming, Li Bingbing, Fan Bingbing, Zhou Xun, they have already told other A-listers how the road ahead should be walked; the road ahead is capital."

Finally, Ceng Jia sat in front of Yang Mi, "These words were all said by you before; I'm returning them to you now, it's time to make a decision."

Yang Mi suddenly raised her head and smiled, "I was just hesitant for a moment, is it necessary to preach so much? Jiajia."

Seeing this smile from Yang Mi, Ceng Jia instantly understood; Yang Mi had never changed, she was still that ambitious and motivated Yang Mi.

"You scared me to death, I thought you were going to change your mind again!" Ceng Jia stroked her chest and joked.

"Let's go back to the company. I'll go talk to Director Yue and Senior Lin Nan; I'll take *Tiny Times*."

…………

Guo Fan was still auditioning.

Lin Nan estimated that he had made so many films, and he hadn't auditioned as many actors as Guo Fan had for two films.

……

The scene of the *White Deer Plain* screening ceremony.

Lin Nan and Zhang Yimou were sitting together; the latter actually had the leisure to talk to Lin Nan about the recent lawsuit.

It seems that for the director's salary of *Under the Hawthorn Tree* and *The Flowers of War*, Zhang Weiping didn't give a single cent.

Since *A Simple Noodle Story*, Zhang Yimou hadn't seen his own box office share.

Zhang Weiping is also truly amazing; he could even fool and stabilize Zhang Yimou with this, and it seems other industries were also using Zhang Yimou's brand, but the benefits were all Zhang Weiping's own.

So Zhang Yimou had been working for free since the Olympics?!

"Director Zhang, have you found your next home?" Lin Nan couldn't help but ask.

"If someone else asked, I certainly wouldn't comment. Since you asked, I'll tell the truth, it's confirmed."

Sure enough!

The outside world is buzzing, one moment it's Wanda, one moment it's Bona, and another moment it's LeTV, but it's actually LeTV, just kept secret.

On the movie screen, it was the erotic scene between Zhang Yuqi and Duan Yihong.

Anyway, Lin Nan couldn't do what Wang Quanan did, letting his own wife shoot this kind of scene with a male actor.

Oh, I remember now. It seems it was when shooting this film that Wang Quanan and Zhang Yuqi made it public to the outside world!

"This film, too much was cut, not good." Zhang Yimou gave an evaluation.

Lin Nan nodded; it was cut by more than an hour, it would be strange if it were good!

……

"Lin Dao, hello, congratulations to *Bad Genius* for grossing 1.43 billion!"

Zhang Yuqi shook Lin Nan's hand and said: "I hope there will be a chance to be in your film in the future, or the company's film is also fine..."

"You're too polite."

This is indeed a fierce woman, with a broad mind!

……

Lin Nan returned to the company, or accurately, was called back by Yue Jun's phone call.

He heard Yue Jun talk about the *Tiny Times* matter yesterday, but it wasn't enough to call him back to the company for this.

"Think about it, it should be about the contract."

Lin Nan muttered and shook his head casually. He knew Yue Jun thought highly of Yang Mi, which is a pity.

There were still some auditioning actors scattered on the third floor, not many left.

On Shanhai Media's side.

Yang Mi and Ceng Jia had been waiting for a while, and Yue Jun was also there.

Seeing Lin Nan enter, the three immediately stood up, "Lin Dao."

"Sit."

Lin Nan sat in the main seat and signaled.

He glanced at Yang Mi and Ceng Jia, "That *Tiny Times*, maybe the box office will be very good. But for an actor to make a movie, reputation is also very important; once the reputation is gone, the road is broken."

The two seemed to have only heard Lin Nan's first sentence: the box office will be very good.

"Lin Dao is here too, you guys should talk about the main topic." Yue Jun interjected.

Yang Mi had a rare, sincere smile, "Lin Dao, I've thought about it, after the contract expires, I won't renew it; thank you for the company's care for so long."

Yue Jun sat there expressionless; he had guessed this answer when the two said they wanted to go back and consider it.

But what puzzled the three was that Lin Nan didn't feel surprised at all.

"From the moment you chose to sign a 3-year contract, I was mentally prepared for this."

Lin Nan said softly, without any sign of anger.

"I, I... I won't sign with another company."

Yang Mi seemed a bit embarrassed, looked at Lin Nan, and said seriously:

"There is still half a year left on the contract, I hope the company can agree to let me take *Tiny Times*. The share the company should get, not a cent will be missing."

"Hehe. This sentence of yours is really beneath you."

Lin Nan's tone carried contempt; Yang Mi's words looked down on others and also belittled herself.

"What are your plans after this?"

"Hmm?" Yang Mi didn't react.

"After the contract expires, first open a studio, and then turn it into a company." Ceng Jia answered.

"There's still half a year, do as you please."

Lin Nan didn't drag his feet and expressed his stance directly.

He never cared about an actor's stay or departure; so what if they leave?

Some people are destined not to be kept; Yue Jun miscalculated this time.

Yang Mi and Ceng Jia were both stunned; they didn't expect Lin Nan to be so open-minded and easy to talk to.

Maybe he really just doesn't care! This thought popped into their minds.

"Thank you, Lin Dao." Ceng Jia stood up and bowed.

"Thank you, Senior Lin Nan."

Yang Mi changed her form of address, which made Lin Nan couldn't help but smile.

Back at school, Yang Mi addressed him like this.

"For this half year, I will keep it confidential for you. You can still use the company's brand for half a year, but only for half a year."

"I know, thank you, Senior Lin Nan."

……

Yang Mi and Ceng Jia left the company building.

Lin Nan looked at Yue Jun, who was a bit absent-minded, and joked: "You miscalculated this time."

Yang Mi was signed by Yue Jun himself, so it's understandable that the latter values her.

"I'm thinking about her studio, why didn't she choose to hang it under the company?" Yue Jun said softly.

"Others have said it, the studio is just a transition, the company is the ultimate goal, and even further. They just want to be their own masters..."

……

(End of chapter)