Chapter 568: Can

It was midnight. After working for a long time, Naoki Nagayama tidied up the manuscript paper in his study before going to take a bath and sleep.

Used my brain too much today... I'm truly exhausted~

While tidying his clothes, Naoki Nagayama didn't notice that the hour and minute hands of the wall clock in the room were slowly pointing toward 12 o'clock. A new day was about to arrive...

"Ring-a-ling~~ Ring-a-ling~~"

Just at this moment, the phone in the bedroom suddenly rang!

In the quiet environment, Naoki Nagayama was startled by the sudden ringing. The hair on his arms stood up instantly, and his whole person became wide awake...

Even Eitaro in the bedroom bolted upright... but at least he knew it was a phone, so he didn't howl.

"Picking this time specifically..." Naoki Nagayama now understood how He Zi felt when he called his younger sister after she had just watched *Ring*.

"It wouldn't be a prank call, would it~" He picked up the phone and said tentatively, "Moshi moshi, this is Mountain Cherry Garden~"

He only heard the sound of huffing and puffing coming from the receiver. A few seconds later, a vibrant, energetic voice rang out:

"Naoki-san! Did I scare you?!"

It turned out to be his quirky girlfriend~

"... Akina..." Naoki Nagayama sat on the edge of the bed and asked with a bit of amusement, "Did you do that to scare me on purpose? I'm the director of *Ring*!"

In the apartment in Sumida Ward, Akina, sitting in her quilt wearing pajamas, was a bit unconvinced:

"Who says a director wouldn't be afraid? Wasn't there another director who was scared into incontinence?"

"Akina, don't drag Director Fukasaku out to whip his corpse again... That person is also very pitiful~" Naoki Nagayama slightly excused the director, then asked, "Did Akina just get off work?"

"Yeah, I just got back from rehearsing for the Night Golden Song Stage. I just finished my bath and just lay down on the bed~ and then I thought of Naoki-san~"

Huh?... Is it an illusion? Naoki Nagayama felt like his little girlfriend was trying to seduce him.

It must be because I used my brain too much today, that's why I'm having such wild thoughts. My little girlfriend is clearly a pure little lamb!

"Is that so? I also just finished my bath~ I haven't had time to think of Akina yet~"

"Eh? Why is Naoki-san so late today?"

The voice in the receiver was very strange. Normally at this time, shouldn't Naoki Nagayama already be washed clean and reading a bedtime novel in bed?

"Because I was creating... writing a movie script~ and the theme song and such."

"Is it *April Story*?" Akina Nakamori asked, "Wasn't that script already finished?"

"It's a new script..." Naoki Nagayama said, "A script about a detective case..."

"Eh?! Naoki-san is actually not writing a romance movie script?!" Akina's voice in the receiver rose.

A black line appeared on Naoki Nagayama's forehead: "Akina... do you think I can only write love stories~"

"That's not it... but the few novels Naoki-san wrote before, and the movies he filmed, weren't related to detective and mystery themes. So I'm a bit curious this time." Akina in the apartment clearly had her curiosity piqued, "What kind of story is it? Naoki-san, tell me~"

"... It's a murder case... let's not talk about it in the middle of the night~"

"Daijobu!" Akina felt that wrapped in her quilt, she was afraid of nothing. "I want to know! Onegai~"

"..."

What could he do? His own girlfriend was begging~ Naoki Nagayama could only start talking to Akina on the phone.

The next day. Studio.

"Naoki-san, didn't you sleep well yesterday? Why do you have dark circles?" Kuniharu Morikawa looked at Naoki Nagayama strangely.

"Ah, I really didn't sleep well..." Naoki Nagayama gave a wry smile. He was on the phone with Akina until two in the morning yesterday, and today he had to come to the studio early in the morning...

Yin Tangxiu laughed from the side: "Haha, Naoki-san, young people still need to know how to exercise restraint!"

"..."

Forget it, I can't pay attention to this lecher!

Kuniharu Morikawa still said: "It doesn't matter now, but when we go to the Film Academy Awards ceremony in the afternoon, you should still put on a little makeup. Let Reina-san help~"

"Sigh... alright~"

After chatting for a few words, Naoki Nagayama and Yin Tangxiu walked into the editing room again. The MV editing work that started yesterday was still proceeding intensely.

"Regarding the juniors coming for internships, I called Teacher Tianzhi Taizhi yesterday." Yin Tangxiu didn't stop his hands, but turned his head and said to Naoki Nagayama, "They are begging for it. The teacher said he wants to select them, and they can come over by next Monday at the latest."

"Here?" Naoki Nagayama looked at this small editing room. There wouldn't be enough space, right?

"Of course not. Let them come here to learn a bit, then go back to school to produce." Yin Tangxiu said, "I rented an operation classroom from the teacher..."

"Is that so? Are the machines there okay?"

"Editing itself is relatively simple, no problem." Yin Tangxiu said, then addressed his own people around him: "Kijima-kun, and everyone, you will be mentors from now on. You have to teach the intern college students, and you also have to take turns going to Tokyo University of the Arts to supervise their editing!"

"Hai!" X3

MV editing work is actually quite simple after becoming proficient. According to the similar materials found, use the editing machine to roughly edit it well, then add the lyrics to the screen with the subtitle machine. When it comes to copying, the short film's subtitles are added...

Because it all has to be done by hand, it is actually very troublesome. Even for a skilled worker, it takes at least an hour or more to make one MV.

Naoki Nagayama is not considered a skilled worker, so he only finished the production of one MV for the whole morning.

Putting the videotape master away, Naoki Nagayama raised his head and stretched: "It's really troublesome~ There are still nearly 500 songs left~"

Yin Tangxiu laughed: "Fortunately, it's not five years ago... At that time, there weren't even these tools, let alone film movies where you add subtitles frame by frame by hand."

"At that time... there wasn't even a karaoke machine!"

Naoki Nagayama sighed. You have to know that today's technological development changes every day. Sometimes he even feels that it has reached the level of the 20th century.

Yin Tangxiu also put away the videotape in his hand: "Let's not talk about this first. Naoki-san, we are going to the Academy Awards in the afternoon. Do you want to change clothes?"

"No need..." Naoki Nagayama looked at what he was wearing, a cashmere sweater over a white shirt. When the time comes, taking off the cashmere sweater and adding a slim-fit suit will be very formal.

"Being handsome is really convenient..." Yin Tangxiu shook his head and sighed, "Forget it, I still have to change. See you in the afternoon."

"Hai..."

After eating a work bento with other staff members in the studio, and then chatting to build rapport, he waited for the arrival of makeup artist Reina Mayu.

"It's rare that Naoki-san also needs makeup~ It's really strange~" Reina Mayu laughed. Clearly, Naoki Nagayama is handsome and has a good complexion. He is very photogenic even without makeup.

"Didn't sleep well yesterday~" Naoki Nagayama smiled, "Just need to cover the dark circles."

"Haha, that's very convenient." Reina Mayu took out a powder compact from her makeup bag, then dipped a little powder and patted it slightly, "OK! Sure enough, Naoki-san only needs simple treatment~"

"..." I always feel like she is describing ingredients.

The Japan Film Academy Awards ceremony is held in the afternoon and will be broadcast nationwide.

This year, Naoki Nagayama is not an award presenter, so he only roughly participated in the rehearsal of the award-receiving process. Everything else was organized by the organizer.

Simply put, today he only needs to appear at the award ceremony and then receive the award.

Coming to the Tokyo Prince Hotel again, Naoki Nagayama no longer had much surprise. He always felt that Tokyo's banquet venues seemed to be just this one.

He found his seat according to his seating chart, at a round table in the front row... but this table was already occupied by quite a few people.

"Naoki-san, you're a bit late." Yin Tangxiu greeted Naoki Nagayama, "Come, let me introduce you. This is..."

Naoki Nagayama looked at the fierce and rugged middle-aged man next to him and exclaimed in a low voice: "Takeshi Kitano... -san?"

"Oh? Do you know each other?" Yin Tangxiu was a bit surprised.

"No, I don't know him." Takeshi Kitano is sharp and mean when talking about manzai, but he is considered normal in daily life, "But I know him now! I am Takeshi Kitano."

"Nice to meet you, I am Naoki Nagayama."

Facing Takeshi Kitano, Naoki Nagayama had a subtle sense of restraint, because he snatched the other party's future *A Scene at the Sea*. At this moment, it felt like a third party facing someone else's husband...

"I have read quite a few of Teacher Naoki's books. *Summer Garden* is very moving." Takeshi Kitano said very familiarly, "I think if I were old, maybe I would be like that old man. Mean, isolated, unkempt... and die alone in the end."

"This... let's not be the same..." Naoki Nagayama didn't know how to reply.

"Haha, Teacher Naoki... forget it, Naoki-san speaks very interestingly." Takeshi Kitano didn't know what was going on, but he looked very happy, and the distance was closed all of a sudden, "Others would say things like 'that won't happen, that won't happen' to comfort me..."

"..." Naoki Nagayama recalled what this guy looked like in the future, "Takeshi-san is the type who would still file for divorce and scold the Prime Minister on TV at seventy or eighty..."

"Hahaha! You're joking, right!" Takeshi Kitano was amused by Naoki Nagayama's words. He never expected that the guy opposite him would be so interesting.

Yin Tangxiu just watched Naoki Nagayama and Takeshi Kitano, from complete strangers to chatting and laughing like old friends... He always felt that after he introduced them, he became a used tool and was discarded.

In the chatting between the two, there were more and more people in the venue. Soon, under the hosting of Ayako Sawada and Franky Sakai, the 7th Japan Film Academy Awards ceremony officially began.

Under the signal of Franky Sakai, the actors nominated for Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, and Best Newcomer walked over from the red carpet.

Ken Ogata, Tsunehiko Watase... Rumiko Koyanagi, Yuko Tanaka, Masako Natsume, Kiko Ikegami... one by one, famous or unknown artists walked past. Even Takeshi Kitano went on stage once.

He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for *Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence*.

Naoki Nagayama noticed Akina Nakamori, who had changed into a dark evening dress this time, looking very simple and dignified.

And there was no feeling of staying up late last night on her young face at all. Is this what young people are like? Even if they stay up late, nothing happens the next day...

Naoki Nagayama suddenly felt a bit panicked. Is his body really weak?

The awards of the Academy Awards are announced with one big award followed by a small award. Each nominee has to go to the stage to be interviewed.

The first one is of course the Best Newcomer Award. There are no nominations for this award, all are winners. Akina Nakamori, Tomoyo Harada, Atsuko Sendo and other winners were invited to the stage, and then the award presenter began to ask:

"Akina-chan, filming a movie for the first time, it must be very difficult, right?"

As the hottest idol, the first question was of course for her.

Akina Nakamori thought for a while: "Actually, I didn't feel it was too difficult... I just listened to the director. Naoki-san... the director was very accurate when guiding, so I didn't feel it was very difficult."

"?" The award presenter had a strange expression. Why does this newcomer feel a bit slow? At this time, shouldn't she say that the first filming was very hard, she worked very hard, but overcame various difficulties for better performance, and wants to act better in the future?

At this time, the camera gave Naoki Nagayama a shot. He could only smile calmly and wave at the camera in front of him.

Feeling that this newcomer is a bit different, but the award presenter still asked, "You have to play three roles at the same time. Do you feel like you have schizophrenia?"

"This..." Akina Nakamori hesitated for a while, but finally answered, "Because the three roles were filmed at different times, and each time period only filmed one type of role, so I didn't feel like I had schizophrenia..."

The award presenter was rendered speechless by such a big truth. What is wrong with this newcomer actor?

Can't you even play the victim? This is basic acting proficiency, right!

The camera gave Naoki Nagayama another shot... He could only wave his hand with a stiff face...

"Hehehe~ Omo series~" Naoki Nagayama heard Takeshi Kitano's laughter from the side.

When the award presenter turned the gun and asked other nominees, their answers finally became normal:

"I was very nervous standing on this stage for the first time..." "I am very honored to receive this nomination!" "I will work hard to improve my acting skills and present better performances to everyone."

The atmosphere on the award stage was harmonious~~~

After the interview, when giving the award acceptance speech, Akina Nakamori gripped the microphone tightly, and her eyes welled up with water:

"I feel very honored to be able to receive this award! At the same time, I am also very happy... As a newcomer, there are still many things I don't understand... But in the subsequent attempts..."

Naoki Nagayama curled his lips. This must be the public relations draft of Burning Productions, right? It feels completely different from before... But the expression with tears in her eyes is very powerful. My Akina-chan's acting skills are very mature!

Eh? Wait... When we went out to play a few times before, Akina Nakamori's pitiful appearance with teary eyes, could it be that it was all acting?!

But at this time, Yin Tangxiu on the side was muttering:

"What's going on? Why didn't she promote the movie at the end of the award acceptance speech? Isn't it Naoki-san's *April Story*?"

Naoki Nagayama replied: "It might be required by the agency."

"What a good opportunity, nationwide live broadcast! One less opportunity to be exposed!"

Yin Tangxiu was indignant, but soon there was an opportunity!

In the words of host Ayako Sawada, the next award to be announced is the Topic Award, which also has no nominations and is awarded directly.

"The winning film for the Most Talked-About Film Award at this Film Academy Awards—*Ring*! The Most Talked-About Actor Award—winning actor, Takeshi Kitano!"

The spotlight hit Naoki Nagayama's table, exactly the people on both sides of him...

Ayako Sawada smiled and said: "Sure enough, that table has a lot of topics today!"

As the scariest horror movie at the end of this year, *Ring* naturally attracted more topics than other movies. After all, it added a big general to the Japanese ghost world!

In the future, the Lord of the Hundred Ghosts and Monsters who leads the hundred ghosts might become Miss Sadako!

Ayako Sawada interviewed Yin Tangxiu: "Director Yin Tang, when filming *Ring*, were there any abnormal situations? Supernatural events?"

"Ah... speaking of which, that courtyard when filming was indeed very gloomy!" Yin Tangxiu said, "I heard that courtyard is an ancient battlefield. Then after we finished filming, when interested buyers went to experience it, they all said there were ghosts! Now it has become a veritable haunted house..."

Naoki Nagayama below laughed. Now no one dares to buy that courtyard...

Ayako Sawada's eyes lit up when she heard this. This kind of strange story is naturally gripping, but this is a live broadcast, and she still needs to control the scene and cannot chat too much.

She turned to Takeshi Kitano next to her: "Takeshi-san, what do you think about winning the Most Talked-About Actor Award?"

"Haha." Takeshi Kitano laughed, then suddenly made the same expression as in the movie, with a strange smile on his face, and said to the camera, "Merry Christmas!"

"..." Ayako Sawada, who was not used to this Takeshi Kitano-specific style, didn't know how to continue the conversation for a while. After chatting a few words awkwardly, she started the final award presentation and handed the trophy and certificate to Yin Tangxiu and Takeshi Kitano:

"Director Yin Tang, congratulations on winning the Most Talked-About Film Award. Do you have anything to say to everyone?"

Yin Tangxiu stood in front of the microphone:

"I am very honored to receive this award today. I originally thought that horror movies would not win any awards..."

"However, since it has received everyone's attention, then please look forward to the sequel to *Ring*, which will be released this Halloween!

In addition, the latest movie *Love Like the Falling Rain* directed by me, produced by Tree Friend Films, starring Muwo Zhuxie and Xiaobirui Juanxun, is currently being filmed and produced and will be released this summer. Please support it!"

The words were spoken so fast and urgently that host Ayako Sawada couldn't find a chance to interrupt!

The buzzing and applause under the stage were constant. Naoki Nagayama heard words like "Awesome!", "Will definitely pay attention!", "Looking forward to...", and also many voices of "thick-skinned" and "how can this be".

In short, Yin Tangxiu has finally started a trend!

The award acceptance speeches for the 7th Japan Film Academy Awards are expected to be very exciting! ===== CHAPTER 569 =====