Chinese entertainment director starts with filmmaking

Chapter 82: Filming Starts, Interviews

The next day, Gu Qing woke up early and saw the still-connected phone on her pillow, along with a low battery warning, and her vision blurred.

He remembered that he was telling Jing Tian a story to lull her to sleep yesterday, so how come he fell asleep first?

Without considering the phone bill, Gu Qing hurriedly found a charger, charged her phone first, and then picked up the phone to ask in a low voice.

"Sweetie? Are you awake?"

After calling several times, Gu Qing finally heard a sweet and innocent voice on the phone.

"Hmm? Qing-ge, what's wrong?"

Jing Tian was still half asleep when she heard Gu Qing's voice. Only then did she open her eyes and look around.

She woke up to hear her lover's voice; she was indeed still dreaming.

But then she heard a series of shouts coming from beside her, and realized that the phone call from yesterday hadn't ended and the voices were coming from the phone.

Jing Tian couldn't help but chuckle sheepishly; she was indeed too naive.

"It's nothing, just checking if you're awake. If you are, you can go back to sleep."

Gu Qing couldn't help but laugh when he heard Jing Tian's confused voice.

He didn't have anything to do; he was just teasing the other person.

"Gu Qing!"

After a long while, Jing Tian finally let out an angry shout.

However, these soft words had little deterrent effect; instead, they only excited Gu Qing more.

"Go to sleep, get some rest today."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Qing finally washed up and prepared to eat.

Since their relationship became public, Jing Tian has felt quite unrestrained in his presence.

He used to think she was noble and aloof, but now she's quite down-to-earth, like a young girl.

In their interactions, he preferred the latter a little more.

Making their relationship public made things much easier for him, although Jing Tian didn't want to reveal their relationship too early.

However, it's one thing for him not to want to be exposed, but it's another thing if someone else exposes him.

She's just afraid of what others will say, but she doesn't seem to realize that after her debut, she's been releasing one blockbuster after another. Even a fool would know something's wrong.

Moreover, this happened online, and Zhang Yimou is criticized every day, let alone a student from the Beijing Film Academy.

However, he respected Jing Tian's choice and said he would wait until the news broke before making any further comments.

After filming "Chasing Dreams" was completed, Gu Qing's first choice was naturally to upload it to a video platform.

After considering several options, he ultimately chose Sohu, given their previous good cooperation and the fact that Sohu was indeed quite powerful at that time.

However, this doesn't require him to personally make a trip to negotiate business; Lu Zheng is undoubtedly the best helper.

Moreover, the other party has a lot of resources at their disposal, so it's time to encourage them to work harder; they can't be the only ones struggling.

Forty is the age for striving.

In June, the main cast and crew of "The Original Code" all came to Beijing. There were two filming locations: one was the train station, and the other was a military base that had been set up.

After half a year of renovation and refurbishment, coupled with Gu Qingyuan's forward-thinking vision, these two filming locations now feel out of place with the times.

This is the first time that a science fiction film of this kind has been made in China. Every step is like groping forward, and Gu Qing is even more like feeling his way across the river by feeling his way across Hollywood.

Once the set was set up, the final result far exceeded the crew's expectations.

Gu Qing felt a little regretful. This piece of land wasn't his, and the set he built would eventually be dismantled. He wouldn't be able to see it again for many years, which would be a pity.

"Haha, don't worry, China Film Group has a dedicated film and television base, and all of these will be replicated."

Han Sanping laughed heartily, patted Gu Qing on the shoulder, and was in a very good mood.

"Chairman Han, that's a bit of a scoundrel."

Gu Qing was speechless. Although he regretted the demolition, he was speechless at the fact that China Film Group had gotten away with it for free.

Besides renting out venues for film crews, film and television bases also generate a considerable income from ticket sales.

The Qin Palace in Hengdian has been profitable since its construction.

If he made more science fiction movies, wouldn't that make money for China Film Group?

"Xiao Gu, you're being petty. Next time you come to China Film Group's film studio, I'll let you film for free, without charging you a single penny."

"I just wanted to contribute to the development of domestic science fiction films."

Although Gu Qing felt that the other party seemed to be manipulating him, they weren't wrong; he couldn't possibly take all the benefits.

The success of science fiction films is not solely due to directors and investors, but also to the hard work of a group of behind-the-scenes workers.

When "The Wandering Earth" was being filmed, there were thousands of supply teams behind the scenes.

Of course, this is a real sci-fi blockbuster; Gu Qing's film is clearly just a small-scale production.

But the real challenge is creating something from scratch. What Gu Qing is doing now is incorporating the concept of domestic science fiction.

One must eat one bite at a time, and one must also conform to the characteristics of the times. It is impossible for him to make "The Wandering Earth" now, or to create "Wolf Warrior" now.

On June 5th, amidst the attention of numerous media reporters, filming of "Source Code" officially commenced.

He never had any special opening ceremony or religious rituals; he would simply hold a press conference and ask some journalists to spread the word.

Besides, what kind of sci-fi movie shoot starts with a pig's head sacrifice?

Unlike the start of filming for "Cruise," "Source Code" is clearly more ambitious, has a wider publicity campaign, and a grander scale.

This is no small matter of nine million; it's a major project with an investment of over seventy million, not to mention the support and assistance from the government.

Besides him, the investors in "Source Code" also include China Film Group and Enlight Media.

These two companies are also excellent at publicity, so he doesn't need to worry about them at all.

Aside from a few mainstream media outlets, the three major media platforms, and even the movie channel, all arranged for reporters to conduct interviews.

Apart from Gu Qing, the main cast, including Jing Tian, ​​Li Binbin, and Duan Yihong, were all present to give interviews.

Jing Tian stayed at school for a few days, and somehow the school's final exams were postponed. With everything so lively today, she naturally didn't want to miss it.

As the initiator of the film project, Gu Qing naturally received the most attention.

A film project worth hundreds of millions of yuan, a science fiction suspense film, plus the age of twenty-four—any one of these qualities is enough to make one envious.

Twenty-four years old, a proper graduate of a film academy, and still working odd jobs on set.

Gu Qing remained calm under pressure and answered the reporters' questions fluently.

Even someone like Lu Chuan isn't intimidated by reporters, let alone a director like him who relies on his own abilities and has real talent.

Jing Tian stared blankly at Gu Qing as he spoke eloquently, feeling incredibly proud.

Li Binbin, standing to the side, was not much different from Duan Yihong; it was truly the first time they had ever seen such a young yet erudite director.

"Director Gu, the female lead in this film is Jing Tian. As far as we know, she's currently a freshman at the Beijing Film Academy. Are you sure she can shoulder this important role?"

Although Gu Qing had clarified this matter in the media before, nothing beats the excitement of asking in person.

As soon as he finished speaking, the others, eager to see what would happen, waited for Gu Qing's reply.

If you can't find any juicy gossip about the other person, that doesn't stop you from digging up some juicy tidbits from others; they're all gossip lovers.

Gu Qing glanced at the reporter's badge: Southern Metropolis Daily. Tsk tsk, it's actually this kind of newspaper.

"I've already answered this question. The most important thing for a movie is that the role is suitable, not who is more famous or more experienced."

"As a film director and screenwriter, I believe she is the one I've been looking for."

Gu Qing stared at the reporter and spoke without any politeness.

This matter needs to be clarified, otherwise more negative comments about Jing Tian will emerge.

Terms like "drama tyrant" and "resource user" are never positive, and once labeled, they are very detrimental to future development.

The reporters were speechless after Gu Qing brought this up. It was clearly Gu Qing who was helping out and making connections, not some kind of character reference.

Didn't you write that script? So you get to decide what to say.

However, with Gu Qing taking the blame, all the responsibility fell on him, and the reporters couldn't say anything more. They were there to conduct interviews, not to cause trouble.

Seeing that they couldn't get any big news out of Gu Qing, they could only turn their attention to Jing Tian.

Jing Tian was handsome and dashing, with an air of nobility. Although her eyes revealed innocence, they showed no timidity. She was not the kind of person from a humble background who acted recklessly.

"Miss Jing Tian, ​​what is your relationship with Gu Qing?"

"Do you feel capable of playing the lead role in this film? Will you feel pressured if you don't perform well?"

That's how reporters are. They first present you with a series of questions to put psychological pressure on you. Then, when you can't keep up, they'll expose their weaknesses and say some inappropriate things.

"I'm grateful for my brother's trust in me. This is my first time playing the female lead in a movie, and it would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous."

"I hope everyone can give me more encouragement, and I also hope that I can present a better version of myself to everyone."

Jing Tian pressed down on Gu Qing's arm, stopping him from trying to help her out with her eyes, before speaking seriously.

Now that she has stepped forward, she can't keep hiding behind others; she has to face the gossip and rumors.

She knows her acting skills aren't that great, but her only strength is her optimism and cheerfulness.

No, you also have beauty.

Gu Qing looked at Jing Tian, ​​who was speaking from the heart, and felt very gratified.

If the other party had said those words earlier, there would probably have been far fewer attacks on them online.

However, Jing Tian's optimistic and cheerful personality is indeed consistent, and more importantly, the other party is willing to listen to advice.

Jing Tian had double eyelid surgery once, but because fans didn't like the results, she had it reversed.

Beautiful, generous, friendly, optimistic, composed, and never pretentious—it seems that all the words in the world that describe any woman can be embodied in her.

Okay, he admits he's a bit blinded by love.

As Jing Tian confidently and calmly answered the reporter's questions, Gu Qing's eyes were constantly fixed on her.

Jing Tian would respond occasionally, their eyes meeting briefly before looking away. Although both believed they were hiding their true feelings well, to outsiders, it seemed they weren't pretending at all.

To Li Binbin, who was standing next to him, this was practically an official announcement.

As a woman, her keen intuition told her that these two were definitely not simple people.

She was initially unhappy about being left out, but seeing Gu Qing and Jing Tian like this, her anger immediately dissipated.

Interviews can happen anytime, but opportunities to see this scene are rare.

The doting look in Gu Qing's eyes when he looked at Jing Tian was almost overflowing.

If this can still be categorized as sibling affection, then Jing Tian's somewhat coy and hesitant attitude is clearly romantic love, right?

Gu Qing was engrossed in watching when a glance out of the corner of his eye met Li Binbin's curious gaze.

Oh no, I got a little carried away and got caught.

But as long as he denies it, that's fine.

He apologized to the reporters and then left.

Most press conferences for the start of filming involve interviews with the lead actors, but Gu Qing is only included because she has a large enough profile and generates a lot of buzz.

Hearing that the other party had left, no one was particularly surprised; the director had a lot of scandals.

After Gu Qing left, she handed the stage over to the three main creators.

Although Jing Tian was a newcomer, she had at least attended a few press conferences and even been interviewed by foreign media. Although her language was a bit immature, she didn't cause any trouble.

Seeing this, the reporter didn't press the matter further and instead turned to ask Li Binbin and Duan Yihong.

These two are a good topic of conversation. Li Binbin is, of course, Huayi Brothers' top female star. Although Zhou Xun is famous enough, she is also wary of Li Binbin. They get along fairly well.

As for Duan Yihong, although he debuted early, he became truly well-known to the public with last year's "Soldiers Sortie".

Movies elevate a celebrity's status, while television boosts their fame—that's always been the case.

"I have long admired Director Gu, and it was a pity that we couldn't work together on 'Cruise of Destiny' before. This time, my wish has been fulfilled."

"Yes, Fan Binbin is also a very good friend of mine. It was just a misunderstanding before, it was just a scheduling issue. She is also a very good friend of Director Gu."

Li Binbin has been in the entertainment industry for many years and has never been involved in any gossip news about getting into arguments with anyone. As fellow female stars, it's normal for them to have some verbal conflicts.

Not only did he steal her role last time, but he also dared to scheme against her.

Didn't you say you and Gu Qing are very good friends? Then guess why you weren't given a role this time?

The most painful thing is being cut with a dull knife; it seems like nothing is said, but everything is said in the end.

Duan Yihong trembled with fear. He heard it clearly; Li Binbin's words were subtly directed at him.

Fortunately, he doesn't get involved in these things much and just focuses on filming quietly.

Jing Tian listened for a while, but didn't quite understand. She was straightforward and didn't think too much about it.

Seeing that the interview with her was over, he couldn't wait any longer and wanted to go find Gu Qing.

Gu Qing was coordinating the upcoming filming arrangements with Chen Ze when he suddenly felt a weight on his back.

But Jing Tian leaped onto Gu Qing, wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her head on his shoulder, and whispered sweet nothings in his ear.

"Wow, you're really heavy."

"I'm busy here, come down quickly."

Gu Qing didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. Although she complained, she secretly enjoyed the other person's clinginess.

"You're talking nonsense. I've gained weight. Didn't you say I'd lost weight before?"

Jing Tian's legs twitched wildly, quite angry at Gu Qing's words.

Chen Ze: They didn't exactly avoid me, but they still hoped I would be avoided.

"cough."

He coughed once before bidding farewell to Gu Qing.

Gu Qing naturally wouldn't try to stop him; Old Chen was perceptive enough to understand, so he didn't even need to say anything.

He lifted Jing Tian and placed her on the stool before turning around to look at her.

They couldn't help but laugh the moment their eyes met.

He pinched the other person's cheek; it felt smooth and silky to the touch, like a cotton candy, making him want to take a bite.

"What are you doing?"

"Sweetie, you're so cute."

Meeting the other person's clear eyes, Gu Qing felt that the other person's sweetness was a bit too much, and he couldn't resist it.