novellhall Chapter 71: Conflict
Chapter 71: Conflict
Not long after Gu Qing returned to China, China Film Group Corporation reported on the box office results, copyright information, and awards of "Cruise of Destiny".
As for the awards, although they are all B-level awards, they are North American film festivals.
These days, anything involving North America works.
As for the Oscars, I submitted my application too late. Otherwise, even just getting a nomination would be a huge achievement.
Domestically, the Golden Horse Awards were just a formality, the Golden Rooster Awards will be next year, and the Hundred Flowers Awards will be in September. However, the Huabiao Awards are this month, which is a typical way of dividing up the cake and has a greater symbolic meaning.
Compared to awards, Gu Qing prefers box office revenue and copyright income; those are the real money.
In Asia, regarding box office revenue sharing, Gu Qing will receive six million, which is already quite good for a film with a sparse cast.
The big boss is in North America. He owns the DVD and script rights, and this deal sold for two million dollars, bringing in fourteen million.
This trip brought in 20 million, which is quite impressive.
Meanwhile, Gu Qing had already arrived at a film and television city on the outskirts of Beijing.
This is where "An Epic of a Woman" was filmed.
It's already April, the weather is gradually warming up, and the filming schedule is getting much faster.
Jing Tian is currently filming, but things are not looking good right now.
"Cut! Ouyang Xue isn't in the zone. Let's do another take."
"No, the delivery and tone of the lines are wrong. Let's take a break and adjust."
Director Xia Gang stood behind the monitor, holding a megaphone, and said with a helpless expression.
He was getting a little frustrated right now; this scene had already been reshot three times.
It's not that Jing Tian's acting skills are bad, it's just that in this production team, her skills are definitely at the very bottom level.
"Director, I'm so sorry, Tian Tian has had a cold these past few days and isn't feeling well."
Jing Tian's assistant, Zhao Lili, also smiled apologetically at Xia Gang.
"Sorry, director, we can reshoot this scene later."
Jing Tian felt a little embarrassed, and her originally pale face turned slightly red.
This is the first time she's had so many takes since her debut.
Well, she hasn't taken on many roles since her debut.
It wasn't because of her ability; it was all Gu Qing's fault for making her catch a cold.
"Okay, we'll do this one next time. Let's take a break and film the next one."
Director Xia Gang glanced around and had no choice but to accept the situation.
"Why are so many people waiting for her? Director Xia, my scenes need to be finished before the middle of the month, I can't wait."
Zhao Yanzi, with an unfriendly expression, spoke coldly from the side.
Given her current status, it's surprising that she has to wait for a newcomer to get into character before filming a movie.
The most crucial point is that I can't even ask to be replaced.
"Sister Zhao, have some water and rest for a bit."
"The next scene is between the two of us, so don't let it affect your performance."
Liu Ye handed over a water glass at the right moment, glanced at Jing Tian, and said something to defuse the situation.
He couldn't afford to offend either of them, so he'd better put out the fire first, lest it get back to him.
Jing Tian looked downcast. Although Zhao Yanzi's words were hurtful, they weren't directed at her personally; that was simply the truth.
Liu Ye has won two Best Actor awards and has been in the industry for nearly ten years, demonstrating superb acting skills.
As for Zhao Yanzi, well, you could say she has character issues, but her acting skills are undeniable.
As the second female lead, she kept making mistakes, which affected the filming. It would be strange if she wasn't attacked by crickets.
"Sweetie, it's normal that you're not feeling well or not in good spirits. Don't worry about it."
"Besides, you're still a freshman, so it's normal that you can't compare to them."
Zhao Lili handed over hot water, squatted down, and offered words of comfort.
A personal assistant does more than just take care of daily life; they also need to be mindful of their employer's mental health.
She quite liked the job that paid 12,000 a month.
"Okay, thank you, Sister Lili, I'll keep it to myself."
Jing Tian forced a smile and said that she wasn't that sensitive, she was just upset.
You see, she had always wanted to win the Best Actress award and prove herself in front of Gu Qing.
On the other side, Liu Ye and Zhao Yanzi were chatting, also about movies.
Liu Ye has a lively personality and is a native of Northeast China. He can chat with even strangers for a long time.
Although Zhao Yanzi was also proud, she couldn't put on much airs in front of Liu Ye.
"Sister Zhao, after this TV series ends, is there a big-budget movie coming out?"
"It's not a huge investment, just over ten million US dollars."
Hearing Liu Ye's words, Zhao Yanzi looked somewhat smug, her eyes inadvertently glancing towards Jing Tian before she spoke casually.
"Liu Ye, your film and television resources must be pretty good, right?"
"It's not bad, but it's not great either. I only make low-budget films."
Liu Ye clicked his tongue in amazement and sighed.
The highest-budget film he ever made was Chen Kaige's "The Promise," but he didn't even star in it; he only had a minor supporting role.
Sister Zhao's film features one of two female leads; it can't compare.
As they chatted, they couldn't help but look in the same direction. Jing Tian was sitting with her chin resting on her hand, staring ahead with unfocused eyes.
"We're not like some people who are so lucky that they get to star in big productions right after their debut, and even play the lead role."
"But if you ask me, being the female lead isn't important. The important thing is to have substance. Otherwise, you'll not only waste such a good resource, but also cause trouble for yourself."
Zhao Yanzi's words were tinged with displeasure, and she couldn't help but vent her frustrations from the past few days.
She was already blessed with good fortune to debut, as her first film was a collaboration with Gong Li, and she was later noticed by Qiong Yao. Her journey to where she is today can be said to have been much easier than that of most people.
But none of them are like Jing Tian, coming up with albums and themed movies right off the bat. Does your family own a media company?
Liu Ye remained silent, feeling sullen. He was an actor, and their acting styles didn't conflict, so why provoke others?
Besides, this show only came about because of him; he's not the type to flip the table.
Of course, Zhao Yanzi knew this, so she was still quite polite in her words.
"What do you mean? Giving a movie role to someone else is considered insider information, but giving it to you is just well-deserved?"
An untimely voice rang out, its tone quite impolite.
Liu Ye was taken aback, wondering who would dare say such a thing on set, when he turned around and saw a strange young man with director Xia Gang beside him.
Zhao Yanzi's face turned ugly. Who was this blind fool who dared to lecture her to her face?
Jing Tian's eyes lit up, and when she turned around, she saw the familiar figure she had been longing for.
"Brother Qing, you're here."
Jing Tian, who had been somewhat sullen, now had a bright smile on her face.
In a few steps, he arrived beside Gu Qing and grabbed her arm.
"I don't know who it is, but they keep calling me and urging me to come over. I had to rush over as fast as I could to get here."
Gu Qing smiled and patted Jing Tian's hand, then raised his hand to touch her forehead.
Yes, I do have a bit of a fever.
"Brother, stop fooling around, there are a lot of people here."
Jing Tian raised her hand and slapped Gu Qing's hand away, then obediently stood aside.
With so many people around, we need to avoid suspicion.
Zhao Lili watched from the side, somewhat speechless. This was just a pretense of loneliness.
"Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Director Gu Qing. He's here to visit the set."
Director Xia Gang clapped his hands and enthusiastically introduced the project to everyone.
"Teacher Xia, you're too kind. Just don't blame me for disturbing your filming and delaying the schedule."
Gu Qing said modestly, addressing Xia Gang as Teacher Xia.
This is a professor in the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy, so he can naturally be addressed as "teacher".
Although Xia Gang cannot compare to Zhang Yimou or Chen Kaige, he is also a directing student from the class of '78 at Beijing Film Academy and has directed many major film and television works.
"I'll take the liberty of calling you Xiao Gu now."
"Let me introduce you. This is Zhao Yanzi, her prized student. The other is Liu Ye, from the Central Academy of Drama. Both of them are highly acclaimed actors."
Xia Gang was very satisfied with Gu Qing's attitude. He had gotten to know her a bit, and she might even be planning to study for a master's degree in directing in the future, at which point they would be family.
This was also to cover for the two of them, since their whispered conversation was overheard by the person in question.
"Liu Ye, right? Hello."
Gu Qing didn't have any particular fondness for the two people in front of her, but she still had to give them the respect they deserved.
He shook hands with Liu Ye, but his attitude towards Zhao Yanzi was not as friendly.
"Director Gu Qing, I have watched your film 'Cruise of Destiny' several times. It is very well made."
Zhao Yanzi wasn't embarrassed and took the initiative to change the subject.
"Director Gu, I spoke without thinking just now, and I apologize to you."
"Casting is determined by multiple factors. It's not about who has the biggest name; it's more about the suitability for the role."
"That's all I have to say."
Gu Qing nodded indifferently, and that was all.
He approached Xia Gang, whispered a few words, and then left with Jing Tian.
He waved to Zhao Lili, and the group left the film set together.
"Director Xia, is this Director Gu Qing? He looks so young."
"Don't let his youth fool you, when it comes to making movies, he's no slouch. 'Triangle' has grossed nearly $500 million worldwide."
Meeting Liu Ye's questioning gaze, Xia Gang burst into laughter.
He was at least somewhat involved in the industry, and they had met a few times in private. This time, they had given him face, so he naturally wanted to return the favor.
"Five hundred million, that's impressive."
Liu Ye looked shocked, but also expressed his sincere admiration.
Looking at the 500 million yuan box office alone, it might not seem like much, as there are quite a few films in mainland China that have surpassed that number.
But you should know that the production cost of this film was only nine million, which can be described as a small investment yielding a huge return, a miracle.
This time they've put together a new movie with an investment of over 100 million yuan; who knows how much of a stir it'll cause.
"Having ability is one thing, but having good character is another. This is too petty."
Seeing that everyone had left, Zhao Yanzi perked up and immediately began to complain bitterly.
She only complained a few times behind my back, is it really necessary to not even look at her properly?
"Don't you understand the principle that trouble comes from the mouth? Not to mention you got caught. It's a miracle you didn't turn on us on the spot."
Xia Gang shook his head and said helplessly, "If it weren't for the sake of our old friend, I wouldn't care about any of this."
It's perfectly normal for a director to have an eccentric temper, not to mention that Gu Qing became famous at a young age and is quite proud of himself.
In addition, actors are inherently at a disadvantage compared to directors. If they don't take you seriously, then it's really not a big deal.
"Director Xia, let's continue filming. If they take the person away, it'll probably delay the schedule for many days."
"I don't have time to wait, there are other film crews waiting for me."
Zhao Yanzi remained calm, her previous kind expression returning, while secretly plotting against him.
There's nothing special about investing over 100 million; it's not like she doesn't have any projects like that.
Just wait and see. Even if you're the director, choosing Jing Tian as the female lead won't stop the investors from talking.
If you mess up the performance, not only will Jing Tian be in big trouble, but you will also be in deep trouble.
Zhao Yanzi muttered to herself, thinking to herself that if the movie didn't meet expectations when it was released, she would have to step in and say something.
"Okay, let's turn it on then."
Xia Gang glanced at the watch, checked the time, and nodded.
Zhao Yanzi's words were too direct; how could he not understand the meaning behind them?
Gu Qing had only asked him for half a day off; she would come to the set as usual the next day.
The other party's little scheme is likely to fail.
Meanwhile, Gu Qing and Jing Tian slipped out of the film set.
"Sweetie, is your cold better?"
"No, I'm afraid I'll be weak for several more days."
Upon hearing this, Jing Tian, who had been full of energy, suddenly became weak and curled up against the passenger seat cushion.
He raised his left hand at the opportune moment, coughed a few times as if to cover his mouth, and was exactly like Lin Daiyu possessed.
Zhao Lili, sitting in the back seat, was even more astonished. Are all women exceptionally gifted at faking illness? This acting is just too convincing.
"Shall we go back to the hotel now so you can get some rest?"
Gu Qing drove seriously and spoke sincerely. If it weren't for the smile on his lips, one might have actually believed him.
Fortunately, Jing Tian's loose hair blocked her view, so she didn't see this scene.
"No, the doctor said I have a chronic cold and I just need to exercise more and eat more to get enough nutrition."
When Jing Tian saw that Gu Qing wanted to take her back to the hotel, she immediately became anxious and hurriedly spoke up.
If you have a cold or something, you should go out more and sweat it out.
Besides, she's been almost fully recovered for several days now; she's just still feeling slightly unwell.
"How about we go see a movie, go shopping, and have hot pot together tonight?"
"Okay, this is good, it perfectly follows the doctor's requirements."
Jing Tian said with a smile, "As expected, Gu Qing is the one who understands her best and knows what she wants."
"No, what about me?"
"Oh, Sister Zhao, what are you doing in the car?"
Zhao Lili's sudden words startled Jing Tian, but they also made her feel somewhat embarrassed.
"Director Gu, why don't you drop me off at the next intersection and I'll take a taxi home myself?"
"No, I have to take you back to the hotel no matter what. How can I leave you here alone?"
Gu Qingyi said righteously that he still needed her to let him know she was safe, and it was not appropriate to put her down so easily.
Zhao Lili rubbed her forehead, feeling speechless. Shouldn't these two be taking her along to play?