Beijing Film stipulated that freshman and sophomore students were not allowed to go out to take acting jobs, which meant that they were not allowed to ask for leave from classes to film because Beijing Film implemented the attendance system and the classroom assessment system. The weight of attendance and in-class assessment was 50% of the final exam. That was to say, if a student’s attendance did not meet the standard, no matter how many points they scored in the professional course test at the end of the term, it would be considered a failed class.
But in fact, if students used weekends or winter and summer vacations to go out to film or take up other jobs, Beijing Film didn’t mind at all. Because the school had no way to restrict what students do in their spare time. Students were even encouraged to use their spare time to film. For a well-known reason——training one’s acting skills and camera sense.
As everyone knows, although theory and practice were equally important, they were never the same thing. What Beijing Film students learn in school was only theoretical knowledge, including the usual rehearsals and end of term drama performances. All their studies and practice was to prepare them for when they truly stood in front of the lens.
But camera sense was not something that could be learned by practice. Lighting, movement, drama feel, these subtle details that would be concentrated and magnified in front of the camera, all required the actors to hone their skills in front of the camera again and again to eventually reach the point where it was natural and perfect.
And this kind of opportunity could not be given by classroom rehearsals. Therefore, Beijing Film also hoped that students could find opportunities to act in their spare time——whether it was to join a crew or to act in stage dramas. They must experience and become familiar with what it was like to actually shoot a film or perform on stage.
It was just that in order to control the filming quality Beijing Film students received, students must report to the school after receiving the film offer. Some scripts that not only couldn’t hone their acting skills, but may also have a bad influence on the students——for example, some idiotic idol dramas, even if the students want to take it, the school would not agree.
But “The Great Wall of Flesh and Blood” was definitely not within the scope of the school’s rejection.
But even so, when Sun Yi, the head teacher of the 2008 class of Beijing Film, received the filming application from Tao Mu and Wen Bao, and learned that Tao Mu had been persuaded by Director Zhou Hong to invest 9 million yuan in order to act in such a role, he was still extremely incensed.
Sun Yi immediately called Zhou Hong and scolded the old guy for being immoral——putting aside that you cheated investment funds from a student of Beijing Film, in any case, this kid Tao Mu was quite rich now. But in order to attract investment, you actually shamelessly used such a role to lure in 9 million yuan in investment, just for such a traitorous character who was dislikeable and had limited screen time. Aren’t you being a bit of a bully?
Even if Tao Mu was an orphan, Beijing Film would not allow outsiders to bully their Beijing Film students like this.
Zhou Hong on the other end of the phone could only chuckle ingratiatingly. And he also repeated the words Screenwriter Fan used to persuade Tao Mu before (the role of Su Dingbang was very important, highlighting the depth of the script) to persuade Sun Yi.
However, Sun Yi was not as easy to fool as Tao Mu: “Stop talking nonsense with me. You could try to find an investor with your shabby script, and use the role you said was very important to fool others and see if other investors will even spare you a look?”
“I say, old Zhou, one must be kind. You can’t fool our child just because he is young. Although he is still young, 9 million yuan is quite a lot. With the 9 million yuan, even if he gathered a crew to support himself as the male lead, the funds are more than enough, let alone a crew like yours?”
Zhou Hong was lectured speechless by Sun Yi. After a long while, he said with embarrassment: “I say, old Sun, how did you learn this habit. Being an investor means supporting the male lead? But you have also read our script, the age of the male lead character is not young. Besides, we have already found the male protagonist, which is Zhan Bin. Old Fan and I went to great lengths to get him to agree to play the role. And just to support our crew, Mr. Zhan also reduced his salary. I say, old Sun, you should try to understand me too. This script is originally unpopular, and if we don’t find a male lead who has some influence, who would watch it when it airs?”
Of course Sun Yi knew what Zhou Hong was talking about. But he had to make it clear: “Then you can’t give us such a role for 9 million yuan. You also know that Tao Mu will be acting for the first time, and you let him play a traitor when he first came into contact with a TV series. After the TV series aired, the audience’s image of Tao Mu will be set. What if in the future it will only be this kind of role that will look for him. Aren’t you ruining this child’s acting career!”
“Aiyo, old Sun!” Zhou Hong chuckled exasperatedly: “Don’t tease me. Who is Tao Mu? You already said, he could come up with a nine million yuan investment for a script, even if there aren’t any good roles looking for him, he could also invest in himself to be the male lead. Towards this kind of thing you don’t have to worry about it, right?”
Sun Yi paused when he heard the words, and then he recalled that Tao Mu was also a CEO, at an investor level. He really didn’t have to worry about having no good filming jobs at all.
“But you still can’t deal with the investor like this.” Nine million yuan in investment in exchange for a cannon fodder traitor character.
“I want to give him another important role. I have seen his acting skills too. But don’t you have rules in Beijing Film? The winter vacation is only a few days, and after the New Year, you count how many days are left. If I give him a role with mire scenes even if he agrees, will Beijing Film agree?”
Back then in H Town, several brokerage companies were optimistic about Tao Mu and wanted to sign him to their label, but Tao Mu refused on the grounds that Beijing Film rules do not allow freshman and sophomore students to film during school. It was no secret in the entertainment circle. Especially after Tao Mu created FlyNews.com and became famous. Everyone didn’t say it, but they knew that Tao Mu had ability, so he definitely wouldn’t put small brokerage companies in his sight, and instead create his own company and use all the resources on himself.
Furthermore, Tao Mu was so close to Longteng Entertainment and Summer Star Entertainment, especially as the three jointly held the “National School Beauty and Hunk Selection Competition”. Tao Mu had the ability to put contestants into the two companies. If he really wanted to film, he only needed to tell those two companies, and it was very likely that the two companies would be very happy to hand over good scripts for Tao Mu to choose. But Tao Mu made no movement at all, showing that he really wanted to abide by the school rules.
Indeed this was the case. When Tao Mu put forward this attitude at the beginning, one reason was to refuse those brokerage companies and agents, and the other was to aim at the big drama that Beijing Film would shoot two years later. In addition, Tao Mu had an unspeakable psychological shadow. He just wanted to use these two years of study time to reshape his acting skills, so that there was no trace of Yan Sheng anymore.
But people’s mindset would always change. With Tao Mu’s creation of FlyNews.com and the accumulation of hundreds of millions of dollars in Xiaoheng Capital, his vision had not been limited to the original vision for a long time. Coupled with the conversation he had with Wen Bao——he didn’t dare to say that he could unravel the knot in his heart, but at least Tao Mu really wanted to try to step out of the shadows.
As Wen Bao said, his acting skills were also honed by himself bit by bit. It wasn’t that he stole from someone or robbed it from someone, so he didn’t need to hide it at all. It was displayed generously, and it should be acted how it should be acted. He just liked acting. If he had to worry so much about doing what he liked, if he didn’t even have the courage to stand in front of the camera because he was worried about other people’s evaluations, then why did he insist on acting?
Wasn’t it better to obediently be his domineering CEO!
Thinking of this, Tao Mu suddenly felt much more at ease. He filmed, not for others or for other things, but just because he liked it.
He really liked the role of Su Dingbang. He admitted that he was really fooled by Director Zhou and Screenwriter Fan, and wanted to try such a role that challenged humanistic characteristics. He also didn’t know if he could act out the complexity of the role, but he wanted to try.
Do what you want. Don’t consider whether the role of Su Dingbang was upright or not, whether it would affect his image in the eyes of the audience, and whether it would limit his future acting career——anyway, he did not rely on filming to support his livelihood. Just like young master Wen, wasn’t he also going to act as a traitor? When the time came, the two of them would be comrades, filming their scenes together and finishing filming their respective parts together, and also have company in each other.
But Tao Mu was also very grateful for Professor Sun’s kindness. He was an orphan since he was a child, and after finally recognizing his birth parents and returning to his birth family, he encountered such a mess in the Shen family. Therefore, his experience of being protected by others in his two lifetimes was very little. This also caused Tao Mu to be extremely grateful now.
Let’s not say that the grace of dripping water was reciprocated by the spring. But Tao Mu was still very happy to give back within his ability. Only through respectful exchanges could friendship last long.
So he took Professor Sun Yi’s cell phone and asked, “Director Zhou, I remember that in our crew, not all the roles are found, right?”
“Our crew didn’t even get all the funding for the filming before. Those actors were afraid that the filming would halt mid way, and no one dared to sign on. Just me and old Fan shamelessly persuaded the actors in the main roles, and this was also so that when we see the investors it would be better to talk business.” Zhou Hong heard Tao Mu’s words and thought that Tao Mu was also dissatisfied with the character, so he quickly said: “CEO Tao, you have also read the script. If you are dissatisfied with this role, and want to change, please speak freely.”
Nine million yuan! Zhou Hong was just simply that unprincipled. If you can come up with the money, then you are my father, my ancestor. Except for the male lead, even if you want the second male lead. I dare to bring the funds and old Fan to go and argue with the other investors. Just tell me your orders, sir.
Unexpectedly, Tao Mu didn’t want to change his role: “I think the role of Su Dingbang is very interesting. I don’t want to change, I just want to give you a suggestion. You see, the other characters in the script…..”
Tao Mu chose a few roles that he remembered deeply——and the good actors who played them and left an impression on the audience after the TV series aired. Tao Mu didn’t want to change actors, afraid that changing people would affect the feeling of the TV series, as for the remaining unimportant characters: “…..I hope you could choose the actors of Beijing Film. My senior brothers and sisters. They are all very professional and have very good acting skills. You could bring screenwriter Fan to Beijing Film and ask our school teachers to recommend some people, or you could directly audition, and you could choose whoever you like from among them.”
“Isn’t it said that investors could put people into the crew? I don’t want the protagonist role, I don’t want important roles, I just want these corner characters for my senior brothers and sisters, and classmates to have a chance to build experience, Director Zhou would not disagree with this suggestion, right?”
Of course Zhou Hong would not disagree, Zhou Hong was even overjoyed. Not mentioning the fact that the actors Tao Mu put forth for casting were the same as his. But just that Tao Mu wanted to put people in the crew who were all from Beijing Film. Those were students of Beijing Film after all, even if they have no fame, they at least were professionals and their acting skills would not be too bad. At least it was definitely better than some unreliable investors who like to stuff in their mistresses.
Zhou Hong originally thought to hand those roles over to the casting director, and even went to H Town to find a few special actors. Now it was even better, they could directly draw from Beijing Film.
It was practically like a mouse that fell into a rice jar. Zhou Hong on the other end of the phone was about to float happily up into the clouds.
Tao Mu returned the phone to Professor Sun and asked shyly, “Professor Sun, you don’t blame me for going ahead and making such a decision on my own, do you?”
Of course, Sun Yi wouldn’t blame Tao Mu for making the decision on his own. On the contrary, when Sun Yi looked at Tao Mu now, his heart was full of churning emotions. The reason why he called Zhou Hong was because he felt that Tao Mu was being taken advantage of. Even though he invested 9 million yuan, he was fooled into playing such an insignificant character with a bad image. It was simply bullying.
But he didn’t expect that even though Tao Mu knew that he suffered a loss, he didn’t fight for a better role for himself. Because Tao Mu also always kept in mind the school rule that filming should not delay his class time. Then he transferred his due benefits to Beijing Film’s senior brothers and sisters.
How could this child be so…..so adorable!
Sun Yi took a deep breath and looked at Tao Mu with a very kind expression: “Have you really decided?”
Tao Mu was a little puzzled, he had already explained everything. What else was there to do if he didn’t decide this? Besides, it was just some corner roles, it didn’t matter who was chosen. Pushing it all to Beijing Film could not only control the quality problems of some cast members, but also attract people’s goodwill on both sides of the crew and the school. He spent 9 million yuan, and made the most profit from it.
Besides, what their crew was handing over were small roles, that was for students who have never filmed much before. As for the senior brothers and sisters who already have some fame, it was estimated that they would not put these small roles in their sight. Therefore, the favors Tao Mu could do were limited.
But how do you say it, no matter how small a mosquito is, it is still meat. He had spent his money, and now he just wanted to maximize his profits.
“Alright then. I’ll thank you on behalf of your senior brothers and sisters.” Sun Yi looked at Tao Mu with a smile, and felt that this student was really endearing no matter how he looked at him. The appearance was good, the acting talent was not bad, able to make money, and if there were opportunities, he also knew to take care of his classmates.
Why was he so adorable!
Tao Mu and Wen Bao, who had little sense of existence the whole time, walked out of the office bathed in Professor Sun Yi’s loving gaze.
On the second day of the winter vacation, the fast-legged classmates returned to their hometown with their luggage. But now, after being notified by Professor Sun Yi with the phone book one by one to come back to audition for a role, wonder know what kind of mood they were in.
Wen Bao elbowed Tao Mu with a thievish look on his face: “Hey, do you think that Xiao Chuzi and Du Kang would call and scold us when they receive a notice from old Sun?”
Before he finished speaking, Tao Mu’s cell phone rang. Tao Mu glanced at the caller ID and handed the phone to Wen Bao: “You answer?”
“I refuse.” Wen Bao’s smile became more and more gloating.
Sun Yi also knew that the four people in dormitory 301 had a very good relationship. For the crew that Tao Mu found, even if Sun Yi wanted to notify the students to come back for the audition, the first people to notify would have to be the people in dormitory 301.
So Du Kang called Tao Mu to complain, and Wen Bao also received a call from Chu Sui’an——the line was busy when he called Tao Mu, so he immediately turned his complaints to Wen Bao. Anyway, these two people lived in the capital, so they must be together.
So without surprise Wen Bao became implicated by classmate Tao Mu, and the two were met with the crying of the other two dudes in the dormitory: “I just got home! More than ten hours on the train, two hours by car, and I just barely sat down at home. Then old Sun called me…..speak, how can there be people like you?”
The situation with Chu Sui’an was similar. He took the plane to Shanghai City. Two days after returning home, and before he could eat all the food in his hometown, he received a call from the head teacher who asked him if he had any intention to come back to film——Sun Yi didn’t say the word audition. Because he knew that with Tao Mu’s relationship, as long as Chu Sui’an and Du Kang were happy, they would definitely be able to join the crew and could choose any good role.
How could Du Kang and Chu Sui’an not be happy? The key was that the two of them just got home. Even if it was a good thing to have filming during the winter vacation of freshman year, the baby was reluctant to leave home.
“You two don’t have to worry, the Chinese New Year is coming soon. Even if the crew wants to start filming, they have to wait until after the New Year. You can stay at home in peace, and after the seventh day of the first lunar month, just join the crew then.” Sure enough, Tao Mu immediately promised.
In view of the fact that “The Great Wall of Flesh and Blood” had been re-aired many times in his previous life, although Tao Mu had not specially analyzed this TV series, he still had an impression of the characters in it. He was also familiar with Du Kang and Chu Sui’an’s future acting road and performance styles. So he directly read the script and set two roles for the two who very much echoed their image. Take the pen and circle it. On the other side, Zhou Hong and Screenwriter Fan would know what he meant.
The two giant babies who had already returned to their hometown turned their anger into joy. After being sappy with Tao Mu for a while, they promised to bring hometown souvenirs back to bribe Tao Mu after the New Year. Oh, and Wen Bao too.
On the other side, Tao Mu also asked Zhou Shenxing to sign an investment contract with the crew in the name of BulletScreen.
Before that, Zhou Hong was lulled into safety by Tao Mu, and really thought that Tao Mu was a pure white, innocent, soft-hearted, kind, easy-going, and rich——to put it simply, a white lotus flower that had a lot of money but was a complete airhead. He also expressed emotion with his old partner Screenwriter Fan. Only to encounter the weak, pitiful and helpless Lawyer Zhou, who was especially talented in managing his clients’ money. It really made the two old artists realize how terrifying a capitalist hired economic lawyer with an annual salary of tens of millions was.
After the signing of the contract, Zhou Hong hurriedly escaped while clutching the freshly released investment contract, as well as the 9 million cheque that seemed to be light but actually weighed more than 1,000 pounds. Inexplicably, he felt that both himself and the “Great Wall of Flesh and Blood” crew were fooled. For some reason he had the illusion of signing a slave contract.
“So it’s really an illusion, right?” Zhou Hong looked at his partner old Fan with the face of someone having a mental breakdown. Through so many years of filming, he had never seen such a ruthless and shameless investor!
“It’s really an illusion.” Screenwriter Fan also had an expression of mental collapse. He should have known, a young CEO who could create FlyNews.com from scratch at the age of 18, and cooperate with Xiaoheng Capital to win tens of billions of dollars in the international futures market, turning from a stock market genius into a senior partner of another investment company, how could he be so pure and kind, flawless as a white lotus.
Sure enough, it was all lies! A big liar! Return their feelings! Also their tender emotions!
That night, Director Zhou Hong and Screenwriter Fan, whose minds were severely ravaged by Lawyer Zhou, hugged the script in their arms and let out a deafening roar to the sky.
Even the ceiling was about to shake and crumble down.Â
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