Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 130 The girl is pregnant

The position of producer is very common in Hong Kong. In TV dramas, the producer usually holds the highest position. This situation also exists in movies. The most typical example is "A Chinese Ghost Story". Although the director is Ching Siu-tung, when people mention this movie, they think of it as a work by Tsui Hark, who was listed as the producer.

However, this position was rare in the mainland film and television industry in the past, and its functions and responsibilities were basically divided up by directors and producers.

Wu Yuchen thought for a moment, then looked at Kang Honglei and asked, "Director Kang, what do you think?"

He asked this because while attributing the credit to him might attract attention, it would also mean taking credit for director Kang Honglei's achievements and fame. Once the TV series becomes a hit, the public might attribute some of the success and fame to Wu Yuchen.

Although given Kang Honglei's hardworking nature, he probably wouldn't care, Wu Yuchen still wanted to ask him what he thought.

Kang Honglei smiled憨厚ly: "Director Wu, I have no objection at all, as long as it's good for our TV series!"

Wu Yuchen smiled and said the most practical thing: "If our TV series is a success, we'll raise Director Kang's salary for the next new drama."

Kang Honglei's income didn't increase despite producing so many good dramas in his previous life, partly because he worked with Zhang Dahuzi. When a drama was successful, most of the credit was taken away by Zhang Dahuzi, the producer.

Wu Yuchen will not exploit hardworking employees; those who are capable will be rewarded, and this is only right.

……

"The alley is narrow and long. Both sides are walls made of broken bricks. The south wall rarely sees sunlight and is covered with a thin layer of green moss. On the higher part, there are faint silver tracks left by snails crawling. As you walk in, it feels a little more spacious, but the walls on both sides are even more broken."

Wu Yuchen was walking through the heart of the garden described by Lao She, not to savor the literary atmosphere, but to check on the progress of the music for another TV series he had invested in, "Love Will Carry On to the End".

Wu Yuchen was walking when he ran into an acquaintance at the corner.

"Director Wu!" Gao Yuanyuan exclaimed in surprise.

Looking at Gao Yuanyuan, who was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers, Wu Yuchen couldn't help but smile and say, "Yuanyuan, you've become even more beautiful since I last saw you!"

Gao Yuanyuan was both delighted and shy upon hearing this: "No, Director Wu, you're just praising me!"

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "You don't need to call me Director Wu anymore. I'm not much older than you. Just call me by my name in private."

"Wu, Yuchen...brother~"

Gao Yuanyuan called out in a soft, sweet voice, which made Wu Yuchen laugh out loud.

Gao Yuanyuan moved closer to Wu Yuchen and walked side by side with him, unable to resist sneaking peeks at the man's profile.

Gao Yuanyuan had admired talented people since she was a child, and Wu Yuchen in front of her perfectly matched the image of a young girl. He was handsome and talented. Walking next to him, she could smell a pleasant fragrance, and looking at his handsome jawline and high nose bridge, she couldn't help but feel her heart flutter.

As they walked, Wu Yuchen asked, "Yuanyuan, how was filming this time?"

Gao Yuanyuan let out a soft "Ah," feeling a little guilty for being caught peeking. After realizing what she had done, she breathed a sigh of relief: "It feels pretty good. I was always worried that I wouldn't act well, but everyone in the crew has been very understanding of me."

"Hey, both directors are newcomers, they should thank you guys for being so tolerant of them!" Wu Yuchen said with a slight pout.

The two directors of "Eternal Love," Ma Liwen and Zhang Yibai, are both newcomers. This 20-episode urban drama had absolutely no grand scenes, took seventy or eighty days to film, and exceeded its budget. Wu Yuchen, on the other hand, had his company transfer another 50 yuan to the production team, stating that this included all the money for post-production and that not a penny more.

After hearing Wu Yuchen's complaints, Gao Yuanyuan covered her mouth and laughed. She thought of how the two directors often argued on set at the beginning. The actors didn't know who to listen to, and no one gave them any acting instructions. They just listened to the directors' arguments and figured out the characters' inner thoughts and emotions on their own.

Gao Yuanyuan was under a lot of pressure when she joined the crew, but the whole crew, from the director to the actors, were newcomers, so she just played herself and gradually relaxed.

"Hey, Yuanyuan, are you still in high school?" Wu Yuchen suddenly asked.

Gao Yuanyuan nodded: "Yes, Haidian Tourism Vocational High School."

Gao Yuanyuan's father and brother are both top students at Tsinghua University's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, but she herself is a poor student and doesn't have any great ambitions; she just wants to be a secretary.

According to her previous life's development, she would have spent four years in college studying secretarial studies and even obtained an intermediate-level secretarial certificate. In any case, what she studied had nothing to do with acting. It wasn't until her senior year, after filming "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," that she made up her mind to pursue acting.

But later he stumbled into the niche of art films. Unfortunately, he had no professional training and his talent was mediocre. When he was 39, he finally admitted in an article that he accepted that he was an ordinary actor.

Looking at Gao Yuanyuan, who had bright eyes and white teeth and was pure and lovely, Wu Yuchen felt it was a great pity. This was a complete waste of her talent!

You're so pretty, and you've never studied acting, so why are you so determined to become a serious actor and stubbornly insist on starring in art films? Wouldn't it be better to just be a pretty face?

However, that's how it is in the Chinese-speaking world these days. Any actor with ambition wants to gain recognition in awards. Look at Fan Bingbing, she acted in films like "Apple" and "Buddha Mountain" in order to win awards.

Thinking of this, Wu Yuchen said to him:

“Yuanyuan, you’re actually quite suited to be an actress, otherwise it would be a real shame. Go back and think about it carefully. Going to university and applying to a professional school like the Central Academy of Drama or the Beijing Film Academy would be very beneficial for you.”

Gao Yuanyuan was stunned for a moment. She had always regarded acting as a hobby. After all, being able to earn money by shooting commercials and acting at this age was a very fulfilling thing for her. But she had never seriously thought about becoming an actress and taking this path.

Gao Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment and said, "But I can't do anything. Everyone else is multi-talented, good at singing and dancing, but I'm tone-deaf and have no talent. I feel so mediocre..."

Wu Yuchen looked at her face and was speechless. "So beautiful, doesn't she realize it? Mediocre my foot!"

Wu Yuchen chuckled and said, "Yuanyuan, don't think being an actor is so difficult. The admission standards for places like Beijing Film Academy and Central Academy of Drama aren't that high. Let me tell you about the male lead in the movie I just filmed, a guy named Liu Ye. He didn't know anything during the audition..."

Wu Yuchen told Gao Yuanyuan about the examples of Liu Ye and Huang Xiaoming's re-examination, which left Gao Yuanyuan stunned. She couldn't help but feel more confident. If they could be admitted, it seemed that she could do it too.
"So, how should we choose between the Central Academy of Drama and the Beijing Film Academy?"

Wu Yuchen said directly, "Come to Jingying. If you're willing, I can put in a good word for you. Just prepare well, and it shouldn't be a problem."

Upon hearing this, Gao Yuanyuan felt a surge of warmth in her heart, thinking to herself, "He's actually so good to me."
Feeling delighted, Gao Yuanyuan smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Wu Yuchen!"

The two chatted and laughed as they entered the Baihua Recording Studio.

Zhang Yibai and Ma Liwen greeted Wu Yuchen warmly, saying, "Director Wu." Wu Yuchen nodded to them and then asked, "How's the music coming along?"

Zhang Yibai introduced, "I found Xiao Ke, and several songs have been completed. The theme song is 'Waiting for You to Love Me,' which Teacher Chen Ming just recorded. Would you like to listen to it?"

Wu Yuchen felt much more at ease upon hearing this. It has to be said that Zhang Yibai had accumulated a lot of connections in the music industry over the past few years by directing music videos. During filming, he was able to get singers like Tian Zhen and Chen Ming to make cameo appearances, and now he has also hired Xiao Ke for music production.

The original soundtrack of "Love Will Carry On" is of truly high quality. The song "Waiting for You to Love Me" was not only a hit back then, but it also became popular again after being covered by Dr. Chen and Wang Fei, and has remained popular for a long time.

Other songs such as "Looking Afar," "Who," and "What Else Can I Do" are also excellent.

After listening to the background music, Wu Yuchen smiled. A hit song can greatly promote a TV series. It can not only stimulate the audience's emotions and sense of immersion, but also promote publicity and marketing.

"The background music is good. Let me know when you finish the show, and I'll take a look. If it's well-received, I'll try to find a satellite TV station for you."

Both of them were delighted to hear this: "Thank you, Director Wu!"

"Director Wu!" A clear voice rang out from behind. Wu Yuchen looked over and saw Li Jian and Dou Peng.

Li Jian walked up to Wu Yuchen in a few steps: "Director Wu, are you here to watch our recording?"

Wu Yuchen smiled upon seeing this. What a coincidence! He had run into Li Jian and Dou Peng, who were recording "If Love Has a Destiny".

Li Jian had spent several months preparing for this song and recorded several versions, but Wu Yuchen felt it lacked emotion. So he showed Li Jian the script for "If Love Has a Destiny" and even a rough cut of a movie version, which moved him deeply. Now Li Jian has come back to record it again.

Wu Yuchen was naturally happy to take this opportunity to hear how Li Jian's singing sounded now.

Gao Yuanyuan followed, and soon a warm and beautiful melody rang in her ears. Li Jian's tender singing voice stirred people's hearts with its gentle and melodious tone.

"When we were young, we thought..."
Those who love each other can live forever

……

How many times in a trance

It's as if I can see you in the sea of ​​people.

The beautiful singing captivated Gao Yuanyuan, making her feel as if she were witnessing a pair of childhood sweethearts forced to separate, their helplessness and sorrow at their fate. This sight brought tears to Gao Yuanyuan's eyes, making her, a literary-minded young woman, feel a lump in her throat.

After the song ended, Wu Yuchen nodded in satisfaction. Li Jian's emotional delivery in his songs was much stronger than before. It was as if he was singing a poignant love poem, and the regret of love was all conveyed in his gentle and melodious voice.

He turned his head and saw Gao Yuanyuan wiping away tears beside him, thinking to himself that she really was a sentimental and soft-hearted girl!
"Yuanyuan, are you alright?"

Gao Yuanyuan gently shook her head: "I'm sorry, this song is too good, I couldn't control myself..."

Wu Yuchen handed him a handkerchief, and seeing Li Jian walking over at that moment, he smiled and said:
"Li Jian, look at him, he even made that little girl cry!"

Li Jian originally wanted to ask Wu Yuchen if he had any other opinions, but seeing that Wu Yuchen seemed satisfied, he smiled and said:
"Director Wu, this isn't my fault. You have to blame yourself. You wrote both the lyrics and the music!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Yuanyuan was immediately startled. She turned to look at Wu Yuchen, her misty eyes sparkling. So, he was the one who wrote such beautiful lyrics and music!
The emotions evoked by the song just now transformed into a surge of admiration, which was poured onto Wu Yuchen...

That evening, Wu Yuchen, Cai Yinong, and a middle-aged man got out of a brand-new Toyota Crown and walked into the restaurant, laughing.

After Wu Yuchen invested some of the 30 million yuan he earned from selling Changhong shares into the company, Miracle Films is now flush with cash. So he bought two Toyota Crowns to show off. These days, a Toyota Crown costing 500,000 to 600,000 yuan is considered a luxury car. The next step up is the 2 million yuan "Tiger Head Benz," which is the Mercedes-Benz S600.

However, Wu Yuchen felt it was unnecessary. Two million was enough to make a movie. What was most important to him was his reputation. A Toyota Crown was enough to entertain guests, as long as it wasn't shabby.

The person Wu Yuchen personally accompanied this time was naturally someone of importance—the deputy director of CCTV's film purchasing department, who wields real power, specifically to discuss "The Passionate Years."

After several rounds of drinks, Director Liu patted his chest and said:

"Director Wu, to be honest, even just for your reputation, CCTV would be willing to buy this drama with our eyes closed!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Director Liu!"

Wu Yuchen smiled, knowing he wouldn't take such words at the dinner table seriously. His reputation was certainly useful, otherwise he wouldn't have sent the deputy director of the film purchasing department to handle the matter personally, but it wouldn't be decisive.

The reason people are willing to buy it is because they think the quality is good after watching the TV series these past two days. Otherwise, if the quality were rubbish, even if it were under Wu Yuchen's name, it might still cause gossip after they brought it back.

Moreover, this deal will likely involve some benefits, for public relations purposes!

Of course, Wu Yuchen didn't need to worry about or handle this; Cai Yinong took care of it all.

After a moment, Wu Yuchen asked, "Director Liu, I'd like to ask, after we buy this film, how long will it take before it can be broadcast?"

"Well, I reckon it'll have to be scheduled for next year."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen frowned and then asked, "Director Liu, can't it be broadcast this year?"

Director Liu immediately shook his head: "No, Director Wu, our TV station is different from movie theaters. The TV series we broadcast have their schedules arranged in advance. Unless there's a problem with the show, these scheduled times are generally not changed randomly."

Wu Yuchen actually understood the ins and outs of this. Every TV series has its own connections, and many of CCTV's dramas are self-invested. These self-produced dramas are definitely prioritized over purchased dramas. Even if "The Passionate Years" is bought, it might just be treated like a godson.

These are not what he is worried about. What he is thinking about is CCTV's opening drama of next year, "Water Margin"!
There's no need to elaborate on how amazing "Water Margin" is. If "The Passionate Years" were to be paired with "Water Margin," it would likely be crushed. This isn't a matter of quality.

Even if they don't clash, the first half of next year will be dominated by Water Margin, and "The Passionate Years" will be greatly affected.

Therefore, Wu Yuchen hopes to release the film as soon as possible and make a name for himself in the remaining months of this year. Once he gains momentum, he won't have to worry about being affected by "Water Margin" anymore.

(End of this chapter)