Li Tang has been very busy during this period, especially after the nominations were announced, dealing with congratulations from all aspects, personnel and schedule arrangements for the film festival, and constant contact with MK2 and the film festival organizing committee. The key point is that "The Surprise" is about to be released, and he is so busy with all kinds of trivial matters that he has no time to spare to study the script.
Therefore, the five-day script reading organized by the crew was very necessary for him. He could at least calm down and go over the script. Otherwise, he would not be sure yet when he started filming.
Director He Qun is an old-school director. Old-school directors usually pay great attention to reading the script before shooting. Of course, the premise is that you, the director, must be qualified and highly respected. Otherwise, if the actor relies on his big name and says that the schedule does not match and refuses to come, then there is nothing you can do.
However, no matter how experienced the director is and can intimidate actors, he will still be constrained by investors. For example, one of the investors this time, the Literary and Art Association Audio and Video Publishing House, brought in two singers to play important roles in "The Shadow".
One is called Sun Hao. In the memory of Li Tang's predecessor, this guy was famous for his song "Chinese Folk Songs" and he even attended the Spring Festival Gala. But after so many years, this guy seems to be famous for this song.
Fortunately, although this guy became famous as a singer, he also started out as an actor. He once played the role of Cao Shou, the husband of Princess Pingyang in the hit drama "Emperor of the Han Dynasty", and he did a pretty good job.
But what's going on with that hairy guy? In Li Tang's impression, he was an idol singer with a bit of a mouth. He once formed a golden boy and girl group with the girl who was kept as a sweet singer. He can actually play the two roles of Black Capricorn and White Capricorn in the play.
Of course, there is no way to avoid this kind of thing. As an investor, you must have a huge say in the selection of actors. Unless the director is strong enough and big enough, you have to count on the director to sell tickets. . But even so, as long as it is not the leading male and female role that determines the quality of the entire drama, the director will often choose to compromise.
Because the situation in the city is currently serious, the crew found a resort in the mountains of Huairou as a gathering place for the crew. The closed management allowed the actors to read and prepare the script without distractions.
The resort is located in a tourist area, surrounded by mountains and rivers, with beautiful scenery. And the small reservoir next to it has a very nice name - Yanqi Lake.
But now there are no tourists here.
Li Tang set off early this morning in a Buick business car driven by Shen Lin and went to pick up people downstairs in Gao Yuanyuan's community.
"Hey, you have to bring so many things?"
Seeing Gao Yuanyuan's assistant Xiaojuan pushing two large boxes out, and Gao Yuanyuan herself pulling a small box, Li Tang couldn't help but exclaimed.
"The situation outside is quite serious now. I want to be fully prepared in case..."
This sounded unlucky, and Gao Yuanyuan realized it halfway through her words, and quickly said, "Bah, bah, bah!"
"Okay, let's get in the car. It's still a long way to go."
Li Tang was speechless. As he spoke, he took the small box from Gao Yuanyuan's hand. The driver Shen Lin also quickly helped Xiaojuan move the two large boxes into the car.
Zhao Luoyao sat in the passenger seat, while Li Tang and Gao Yuanyuan sat in the two spacious seats in the middle row of the business car. Xiaojuan had no choice but to squeeze into the back seat with the suitcase.
It is almost 70 kilometers from the city to Yanqi Lake, which is equivalent to the distance from Shanghai to Suzhou. Fortunately, the road is very smooth, and it only takes a little more than an hour to reach the destination.
The resort where the crew is staying has very strict preventive measures. Everyone must get off the car at the gate and have their temperature taken. Only if the temperature is normal can they enter.
When Li Tang and the others arrived, two cars were already parked in front of them, and the people in the cars were queuing up to have their temperatures taken.
When Li Tang and Gao Yuanyuan got out of the car, people in front of them immediately raised eyebrows. The main reason is that the scandal between the two was very popular during the Spring Festival. Now that they see the two getting out of the same car, they will naturally have some gossip mentality.
Therefore, it is not necessarily unfounded. It seems that once some things are exposed, people who are eager to refute rumors often turn out to be true.
"Li Tang!"
Li Tang looked up and saw a man with dark skin and a bitter and hateful face walking towards him, but his smile had an inexplicable sense of intimacy.
There were two people following him. One looked to be about the same age as him, with fair skin, an upright face, and a small bag under his arm; the other was darker than him, with a shaved head, and looked slightly... Rustic and full of youth.
"Hello, Teacher Sun! Hello, Teacher Zhang!"
The Li Tang who calls his name is no stranger to him. He is the has-been singer Sun Hao who sang "Chinese Folk Songs". He plays the role of Yun Lei's brother Yun Zhong in the play. In terms of the number of roles, he can be ranked The second male number.
That guy with a fair face is the Teacher Zhang in Li Tang’s mouth. Although it’s his first time to meet him, he can often be seen in movies and TV dramas. Most of them play roles such as the second male and the third male. He can be regarded as an old actor. , this time playing the role of Zhang Fengfu, the top master of Jin Yiwei.
As for the rustic young man next to him, he has a strange face.
"Hey, I don't dare to be a teacher! Just call me Sun Hao."
This has-been singer is quite familiar. After speaking, he smiled at Gao Yuanyuan behind Li Tang and shouted: "Sister!"
Gao Yuanyuan was not afraid, and followed his title and shouted: "Brother!"
At this time, Teacher Zhang also came over with a smile and shook hands with Li Tang: "Teacher Li, nice to meet you!"
"No, Teacher Zhang, just call me by my name." Li Tang said quickly.
Just kidding, this guy is from Nortel with grade 87. It is said that he was admitted to both Shanghai Theater Academy and Nortel at the same time, but in the end he chose Nortel. If he is chosen for the role, he will be a serious senior brother, even older than Xu Guangtou.
"Oh, you know Xiaotong... Oh no, Xiaotong has changed his name to Jiayi now, haha, Zhang Jiayi. Let me introduce, this child is called Ji Ta, Ji from King Wu Ji of Zhou, you and I are his. This The child's first and last name are a bit special, haha! But I guarantee that this is his real name and not his stage name. He is now a senior in the Department of Acting at Nortel and is about to graduate. He is still a child... uh, a cousin from Chiayi, haha, they are all from the same family. Man. He is playing Zhe Farewell in the play, and I will ask you to take care of him when the time comes!"
Sun Hao introduced the rustic young man with a smile like a chatterbox.
The name Ji Ta is quite rare. Li Tang immediately remembered the young man in front of him, smiled and stretched out his hand to say hello: "Oh, Ji Ta, hello!"
"Hello, Teacher Li! I really like your play." Ji Ta said with obvious excitement.
Then the two of them got to know each other and exchanged greetings with Gao Yuanyuan, and then went to line up at the door to have their temperatures taken. Sun Hao was very polite and pushed Li Tang and Gao Yuanyuan to the front to let them come first.
Although Sun Hao is currently just a has-been singer, his familiarity and enthusiasm can easily win the favor of others. On the other hand, the black and white cousins seem to be more introverted.
…
"Xiao Li, I've finally come to you."
Director He Qun was very enthusiastic and extended his hands to welcome me from afar.
Also coming out with him were producer Fan Xiaotian and another producer representing the Audiovisual Publishing House of the Association for Literary and Art Circles. This one from the Association for Literary and Art Circles was also the producer of "The Condor" and was an old acquaintance with Li Tang. .
"Director He, you are too polite!" Li Tang quickly stepped forward to shake hands with Director He Qun.
This was not the first time that he and Director He Qun had met. They had met several times before at the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival and other different occasions, but they were just not familiar with each other. However, since "House Gate" started airing, every time I see his bald head and the pair of color-changing glasses on the bridge of his nose, I always think of the profiteer in the pawn shop who shouted on TV, "The coat will be ruined if the rats eat it!" .
"It's good to be here. If you don't stay with me for a day, you won't feel at ease!"
Director He Qun looked at Li Tang with a face full of joy, and then congratulated you: "Congratulations, Xiao Li, this time all four works have been shortlisted for Cannes. This has never happened before."
He Qun couldn't hide the envy on his face when he said this.
To put it bluntly, in the context of a very sluggish domestic box office these days, what directors pursue is to win awards for their works, and to have their works appear at three major European festivals and even win awards. This is currently the biggest success for many domestic directors. Pursuit and yearning.
Even a director like Feng Xiaogang, who has already proven himself in the domestic box office market, is still overjoyed to win an award at the Cairo Film Festival in Egypt, one of the twelve major international A-category film festivals, and his movie has better box office sales than his own. Tens of millions are happy.
The same is true for director He Qun. He graduated from the Department of Fine Arts and turned into a director relatively early. Maybe he is not comparable to directors Tian Zhuangzhuang and Chen who graduated from the directing department, including director Zhang Yimou who graduated from the photography department, but looking at the people who were in the same major, class or even dormitory with him back then, and almost changed careers as directors at the same time. Huo Jianqi, an old classmate, has frequently won international awards in recent years, which makes him feel uncomfortable.
"Director He, thank you for the award. I only acted in two films that were shortlisted, thanks to directors Lou Ye and Wang Xiaoshuai. Our company only invested in the other two films, and I did not participate in them." Li Tang explained modestly. one time.
"That's because you have a good eye and are good at discovering new people."
It has to be said that the several films invested by Shengtang Film and Television and its predecessor Li Tang Studio, such as Cheng Er, Zhang Bai, Diao Yinan and Ning Hao, are all new directors, and all of them have been shortlisted for the top three European films. Festival. And now it has been widely circulated in the circle that he has an unusual relationship with the French MK2 company and that he has connections.
This is just like the cooperative relationship between Chief Jia and Takeshi Kitano Studio and MK2 Company, and the relationship between Lou Ye and France Television 5. They are relationships that others cannot envy.
The reason is simple. In addition to opportunities, this kind of work speaks for itself. If your work can stand out among all kinds of art films around the world and can make money for their overseas distribution companies, they will be willing to cooperate with you.
And for someone like Li Tang, who has cooperated with MK2 Company many times and has formed a relationship of mutual trust, it is even more valuable. Those ambitious directors can rely on the platform of Shengtang Company to open their way to overseas exhibitions.
For example, Chief Jia has a group of such people around him now. As for Lou Ye, his personality is too withdrawn, and he is very aloof at heart, so he is not easy to get close to. So Li Tang's Shengtang Pictures naturally became the new target of these people.
Director He Qun is naturally one of them. You said that he has been reduced to making TV series now, and he always wants to have a chance to try again and return to the big screen stage.
Li Tang then chatted with Fan Xiaotian and the producer from the Literary and Art Association Audio and Video Publishing House. They were all old acquaintances and naturally very friendly.
Sun Hao, Zhang Jiayi and others witnessed all this, especially Sun Hao, who had already become famous very early and had connections with the Literary and Art Association Audio and Video Publishing House. Even though he was very enthusiastic when they met at the gate, he always felt that I was a little overconfident, and now I think about it, I might have to re-examine my relationship with Li Tang, and maybe lower my attitude a little bit more.
After some pleasantries, Director He Qun said: "You guys go back to your room and have a rest first. We will have a meeting in the conference room at 11 o'clock for everyone to get to know each other. Let's have a dinner together at noon, and we will officially start working in the afternoon."
First update, more!
(End of chapter)
