Chapter 93: Invitation, Promise

Surprises often come when you least expect them.

Lin Nan saw an unexpected resume.

"You wrote here that you love film and want to be a director, so why did you apply for the Management major?"

"It's true that I want to be a director.

But the graduate program for the Directing Department at the Beijing Film Academy is notoriously hard to get into, so, haha..."

"So you chose a roundabout tactic?" Lin Nan asked with a smile.

"Director Lin is right, that is what I considered." The interviewee admitted with a smile.

"You remind me of Huang Bo.

He was quite roundabout back then; after being rejected by the Acting Department, he went straight to the vocational dubbing program."

Just as Lin Nan was preparing to grade him and send him to the professional interview, the other party suddenly spoke up.

"Director Lin, may I ask you a question?"

Not only was Lin Nan stunned, but the few associate professors beside him were also a bit bewildered; this was the first time someone had asked a question back today.

"Go ahead."

"When you were filming *The Martian*, did you feel any pressure? Did you ever think about failure? What would you do if you failed?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the teachers beside him laughed, "Lin Nan, the question has come, it's up to you now, haha."

Lin Nan was instantly even more interested.

"Pressure? Definitely. I was filming this movie under a cloud of humiliation, and the act of taking it to Hollywood for special effects was also very stifling..."

Others were a bit confused by Lin Nan's words, but they were listening intently.

"As for failure, I certainly thought about it. Which director can say they never lose money?

You just earn it back. You just need to be thick-skinned and able to withstand the mockery, haha..."

After saying this, Lin Nan felt a bit cheesy himself.

He saw the associate professors nodding, looking at him with satisfaction, as if they were seeing a formidable younger generation.

Lin Nan ignored their reactions, took out a slip of paper, wrote down his phone number, and handed it to the interviewee.

"You can consider signing with me after you graduate.

Or, you can hang around with me while you're still a graduate student and join my crew."

Lin Nan used the word "hang around" to liven up the atmosphere.

The associate professors and teachers were all shocked; Lin Nan had actually extended an invitation to a student.

"Director Lin, I, I, can I think about it?"

"Sure."

After the person left, several teachers gathered around curiously.

"Lin Nan, are you serious? Even though he has self-taught quite a bit, you don't need to sign him, do you?"

"Didn't you teachers just hear him?

His theory is solid; he only chose the Management major as a precaution.

And he truly loves it and wants to be a director; he has his own directorial thinking. This kind of person is very easy to cultivate, just give him resources..."

The phrase "just give him resources" left the teachers speechless for a moment.

By the time the graduate re-examination ended that day, the news that Lin Nan had extended an invitation to a student had already spread throughout the Beijing Film Academy.

Tian Zhuangzhuang was quite curious when he heard about it.

"Is he from our major?"

"No, he's from the Management department. I heard several professors have already decided to admit him," Lao Jiang replied.

"Oh? What's his name?"

"Seems to be Guo Fan."

"Hmm, I still trust his eye for talent."

Tian Zhuangzhuang smiled; Lin Nan was arguably the most outstanding student he had ever had.

On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, the China Film Group announced the confirmed list of imported films.

The most prominent among them was *Inception*.

With a cast led by Leonardo, followed by Lin Nan, Liu Yifei, and others, plus the billion-dollar director, Christopher Nolan.

This creative team was extremely luxurious.

The media was going crazy; it was really scheduled!

The actresses who had auditioned last year felt as if their nearly healed wounds had been torn open again, and they were heartbroken.

This kind of news has the most obvious boosting effect on actresses.

Within a single day, Liu Xiaoli received twenty-six new brand endorsement offers.

However, the number that would actually remain would definitely not exceed three, and it was even possible they would reject them all.

Liu Xiaoli's personality was perfectly in sync with her team when it came to picking endorsements.

From the very beginning, they had set a high-end, boutique path, which would not change in the future, only become more stringent.

Lin Nan received a call from Lao Jiang.

The submission time for graduation projects would start in early April, and the defense would begin in the middle to late part of the month.

"I'll give you a heads-up: all the professors will likely come to watch your graduation project."

"To sponge off a movie?" Lin Nan laughed.

"Haha, you could understand it that way.

After all, you're different from the other graduates; haven't you already promised to go to Venice?"

"It's already finished, can they really pool their wisdom and fix any flaws?"

Lin Nan understood the school's good intentions.

But he felt that the finished product of *The Hunt* was just right, very complete, and didn't need any unnecessary changes.

"Excellent students always get more attention; it's all well-intended," Lao Jiang explained.

"Hmm, I understand. I will submit it on time."

*The Founding of a Republic* launched with high fanfare.

This was the largest scale of any film press conference in the country to date.

Nearly two hundred stars and artists participated in the cast, with several major directors collaborating to direct and make cameos.

The term "tribute film" suddenly became popular.

For a time, many such films were urgently greenlit.

Lin Nan heard that many old-timers who previously couldn't secure investment were now getting funds from above under the guise of filming tribute movies.

Thinking about it carefully, *The Message* also seemed quite fitting and could be categorized as a tribute film.

According to the contract, Lin Nan Film & TV's investment share in this film was half, and they would send a producer to be on-site.

Yue Jun was already arranging this matter.

Liu Yifei received a film offer, *Mulan*, a domestic production.

It was worthy of having the same director as *Butterfly Lovers*; it was incredibly melodramatic.

*Butterfly Lovers* was a gaudy martial arts film wearing the skin of the Liang-Zhu legend, and this one was a romance film wearing the skin of Mulan.

There was almost no plot about joining the army in her father's place; all the plot points were just set-ups for the romance between the leads.

"Turn it down. Look at how Hu Ge was scolded because of *Butterfly Lovers*.

Historical subjects filmed by Hong Kong directors are ninety-nine percent trash; he just wants to use your fame."

After Lin Nan finished analyzing it for Liu Yifei, Mother Liu went to decline the offer.

Two days later, it was heard that Zhao Yanzi had taken the role and would be acting alongside Chen Kun.

After more than half a month in theaters, the box office for *Crazy Racer* had reached 145 million.

With a cost of ten million, achieving this box office was quite exaggerated. Ning Hao had firmly secured his position as a major commercial film director.

"Red envelopes, red envelopes, hurry up and prepare red envelopes..."

Ning Hao sent a mass text message; the guy had become a father, as Xing Ai had given birth to a son for him.

When Lin Nan went to their home to visit, he had to squeeze his way in.

People he knew and didn't know had all come to visit and offer their regards.

"When you get married, the people who come crawling will only be more numerous and more enthusiastic."

Ning Hao patted Lin Nan and said with a smile, very insightful.

Berlin Film Festival, the afternoon of the closing ceremony.

Domestic media were on-site providing follow-up coverage.

Many people in the film circle were concerned about this, including Han Sanping.

If Chen Kaige could win the Golden Bear, Han Sanping could even throw him a small celebration banquet when he returned to China to join the crew of *The Founding of a Republic*.

Many people stayed up late following the text and image live stream online.

The longer they waited, the more something felt wrong.

On the opening ceremony red carpet, the cast of *Forever Enthralled*, especially Chen Hong and Zhang Ziyi, were competing in beauty.

Why was the closing ceremony red carpet about to end, and the *Forever Enthralled* crew was still nowhere to be seen?

Many people had a bad premonition.

Sure enough, until the end, Chen Kaige and the others were not seen walking the red carpet.

Even in the middle of the night, the internet was still very lively.

"I suppose they didn't receive the notification for the legendary 'unspoken rules'?"

"Lacking in stature, completely devoid of grace!"

"Regardless of whether there's an award or not, the act of not attending the awards ceremony makes Chen Kaige seem very impolite."

"Director Chen's stomach, just as his ex-wife said, can't even hold a 'steamed bun'..."

The next day, Lin Nan saw that the internet was full of mockery directed at Chen Kaige.

What was criticized the most wasn't that he had boasted too much beforehand and failed to win an award, but his behavior of refusing to attend the awards ceremony after finding out there was no award.

"Director Chen still cares a lot about his face and dignity; he probably feared being cornered by reporters and asked some questions that would hurt his self-esteem, haha."

Lin Nan explained it to Liu Yifei.

Among so many great and famous directors in the country, Chen Kaige is the one who cares most about his face; no matter when, he always keeps up appearances.

The Berlin Film Festival officially ended, and the Cannes selection committee began searching for suitable candidate films worldwide.

I don't know who recommended Lin Nan, but someone over there actually contacted him.

In the end, he could only express regret, as he had already promised Li An.

It had been over two months since he finished filming "The Hunt" and returned from Hollywood.

After waiting for so long, there was finally news from Tang Mu.

"Lin, the machines and equipment we selected have been shipped out; you need to keep an eye out and sign for them in time. They are insured."

"Mm, I know."

Having spent so much money, Lin Nan would certainly be careful and meticulous.

The profits from "New Moon" were basically all spent on this first batch of equipment and machines.

And this was just the starting stage; who knows when he will be able to reach the level of Warner.

He had previously invested 2.6 million in Lu Yang.

Recently, he contacted Lin Nan; "Blind Cinema" had already found all its actors.

"Besides Mr. Wang Jinsong, I also found Mr. Jin Shijie, and Zhou Yiwei from the 2000 vocational class..."

On the phone, Lu Yang was telling Lin Nan, the producer, about his casting situation.

"Director Lin, I'm starting filming in the next two days.

Thinking about taking it to a film festival later, do you have any good suggestions?"

The best way out for a newcomer is a film festival. But domestically? One can only chuckle.

"Why don't you go to the Busan Film Festival?"

Although Lin Nan isn't very fond of the Koreans, he has to admit that Busan has been really friendly to newcomers these past two years.

As long as it's a film of decent quality, especially a foreign film, one can always gain something there.

"Busan Film Festival?

I remember now, Director Lin's "New World" won an award there back then."

"Yes, I didn't even go," Lin Nan laughed.

"Then I'll listen to Director Lin. I will film this movie well, and I hope to have some gains by then..."

Lin Nan thought for a moment and said, "Good luck.

If you can achieve something this time, I can invite you to direct a film. You can also pick from the scripts I have here."

The person on the other end of the phone paused for a moment, then a hearty laugh came through.

"Haha, it's a deal!

Director Lin's scripts are famous in the industry; I won't be polite."

"No need to be polite, my promise is here. Whether I can fulfill it depends on you, Director Lu."

The pie Lin Nan drew was clearly something Lu Yang felt confident he could eat.

"Just watch, Director Lin. I am, after all, a graduate from the Beijing Film Academy's directing department; I have at least that much confidence."

After chatting for over ten minutes, Lin Nan hung up the phone.

The subject matter of "Blind Cinema" should have no problem competing for awards in Busan.

Jin Shijie plus Wang Jinsong is already enough.