Chapter 137: Tacit Understanding and Actor Selection

Cao Yang instructed Cheng Cheng Jianye to have a war of words with Zhang Zhang Weiping, tacitly hyping it up. Once the heat was up, it would be good for everyone.

However, the change in the situation was a bit unexpected.

Before Cheng Cheng Jianye could even retort, the internet was already lively.

"Are the industry standards in the film and television circle so high now? Zhang Zhang Weiping said Cao Yang doesn't know how to film men's plays."

"Eh, isn't that true? Has Cao Yang filmed men's plays?"

"To the person above, Cao Yang just won the Cannes Palme d'Or, you know? That film is a man's play."

"Uh, I thought this film was another female-perspective film."

"Pure man's play, just one male lead, no female lead."

"Hearing you say this, I feel Cao Yang is a bit split. Either he films female-perspective films where men are dispensable, or he films men's plays where women are dispensable."

"To the person above, check out *Empty House*. Although it's a female-perspective film, Liu Ye's scenes aren't fewer than Yu Yu Feihong's; instead, they are more."

"Back to the topic. The Palme d'Or film didn't win Best Actor, so he says Cao Yang isn't good at men's plays. Isn't that a bit too childish? Zhang Zhang Weiping is an industry insider; he doesn't even have this common sense?"

"This person is an outsider, often talking nonsense."

"Outsiders commanding insiders, I'm afraid of encountering such high-level people who don't understand but pretend to."

"Predicting, Zhang Zhang Yimou will be ruined in his hands sooner or later."

"Agree. If you don't understand, don't come out and embarrass yourself."

Even the great poet Chen Kaige said in front of reporters, "He's just a seller of films. Does he understand what the art of film is? I'm afraid he hasn't even seen the Palme d'Or."

Cao Yang looked, and although the online comments were very satisfying, they were a bit off the preset theme. Looking at the excitement, not a single film name was mentioned. How could this work?

When it was time to step in, Cao Yang wouldn't have the slightest hesitation. He had to pull the topic back.

So he accepted a reporter's interview.

Reporter: Cao Dao, Zhang Zhang Weiping said you don't know how to film men's plays. What do you think of this?

Cao Yang: I want to thank Boss Zhang. From his words, one can hear that Boss Zhang's expectations for me are very high. I am going to film a commercial movie, *Nine-Tailed Fox*, next. It might not reach Boss Zhang's requirements for the time being and won't win Best Actor.

However, I will constantly spur myself on, remember Boss Zhang's words, and strive to win a Best Actor award as soon as possible.

Reporter: Speaking of commercial films, Cao Dao, Zhang Zhang Weiping said filming commercial films isn't children playing house and advised you to continue filming what you are good at. What do you think of this?

Cao Yang: Everything has a first time. When I filmed my first movie, *On the Beach at Night Alone*, no one was optimistic about me, saying how could a student who hadn't graduated yet know how to film?

Many people rejected my invitation, and the process was a bit difficult, but the ending was not bad. I won the Berlin Film Festival Jury Grand Prix and also helped Li Xiaoran win the Berlin Best Actress award.

So, for my first commercial film, *Nine-Tailed Fox*, I will also try my best to film it well and will definitely not let the audience down.

Reporter: Cao Dao's new film is called *Nine-Tailed Fox*? It sounds like a monster film?

Cao Yang: *Nine-Tailed Fox* is a large-scale fantasy film, telling the story of a nine-tailed fox demon going down the mountain and entering the world. It has big scenes, gorgeous visual effects, love, hate, and enmity. It's a very complete story (laughs).

Throughout the interview, Cao Yang didn't leave *Nine-Tailed Fox* in every sentence, at least putting the advertisement out first and pulling the topic back. Sure enough, online topics started to revolve around Cao Yang's new film *Nine-Tailed Fox*, and print media also started reporting on Cao Yang's new film.

Zhang Zhang Weiping saw this and thought it wouldn't work. What he wanted was for two films to compete, hyping up the fame of both films in the mutual spraying. He didn't want one of his films to occupy the news alone.

What else could he do? Spray!

"What *Nine-Tailed Fox*, going down the mountain and entering the world. I just said it was children playing house. Doesn't this verify what I said?

Commercial films still have to look at Zhang Yimou: big investment, big scenes, big stories. *House of Flying Daggers*, just hearing the name, you know it's another epoch-making film."

Cao Yang pulled the topic back, and this time the one stepping in became production manager Cheng Cheng Jianye.

"I know this Zhang Zhang Weiping. He sold lunch boxes, sold houses, and is a drug dealer. Now he's a seller of films. You still expect such a person to understand film?

Why did Cao Dao Yang film *Nine-Tailed Fox*? He just filmed *Milk* in Hollywood and won the Cannes Palme d'Or, and there's a great possibility of continuing to gain something at the Oscars.

He is very popular in Hollywood, and there are several films with investments of over 100 million US dollars wanting to invite Cao Dao, but Cao Dao rejected them all. He feels the domestic market is starting to improve and wants to contribute to domestic cinema.

Cao Dao is holding great sincerity, wanting to film *Nine-Tailed Fox* well. Cao Dao gave up his bright future in Hollywood. Please everyone must believe in Cao Dao's sincerity. This is definitely an epoch-making film..."

Just like this, Cheng Cheng Jianye and Zhang Zhang Weiping scolded and argued across the air every few days, and *Nine-Tailed Fox* and *House of Flying Daggers* became known to more and more people.

Amidst the chaos outside, Cao Yang invited Li Li Xiaoran and Gao Gao Yuanyuan separately to let them both audition for the two roles.

!

Finally, after weighing, he still thought Gao Gao Yuanyuan was more suitable to play Xiao Wei.

Gao Gao Yuanyuan had a "first love" face, could play ignorant and pure, could play pitiful, and could make men unconsciously want to protect her carefully. This fit Xiao Wei's character setting.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have made Wang Sheng produce a strong desire to protect, to the point of finally shouting the three words "I love you."

Li Li Xiaoran, in *On the Beach at Night Alone*, although she also performed infatuation, pitifulness, and detachment, her face could play a charming fox spirit, or an heroic and tough role, but it didn't quite fit Xiao Wei's character setting.

Cao Yang left three roles for the Beijing Film Academy, and the audition also caused a sensation. This was Cao Yang's first commercial film, and it was claimed to be a blockbuster with an investment of over 100 million, so many seniors in their fourth year who were outside rushed over.

Finally, after three days of auditions, Yu Bo, a fourth-year student in the 99th class, was chosen for Gao Xiang, who had quite a few scenes in the film.

For the role of the maid in the mansion, Wang Luodan, who had collaborated on *Secret Sunshine*, was chosen. Everyone knew Cao Yang was nostalgic, and Liu Shan, Li Mingyi, and Ning Hao couldn't help but consider this point.

The female noble guest with very few scenes, actually according to Cao Yang's meaning, just needed to find an intern or assistant to make a cameo appearance when the time came.

But this way, only two spots were given to the school. Although Zhou Zhou Yiwei was still used for the lizard spirit, this guy was a junior college student and had already graduated, so naturally, he didn't count as an in-school student.

Finally, the female noble guest was also counted in, making up the three spots that had always been there.

For the candidate for the female noble guest, they chose Jiang Jiang Yiyan.

According to what Ning Hao said privately, Jiang Jiang Yiyan's appearance wasn't too prominent in the entertainment circle, but her face exuded a literary atmosphere, gentle as water, yet carrying purity and sexiness.

It was just very sexy.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 138 =====