Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Chapter 71 South Korean Chaebols' Desire to Prove Themselves
The news spread quickly: Tian Xiaole had submitted a new script for review, and it was a commercial blockbuster.

It instantly attracted the attention of the film and television industry.

Countless female celebrities were secretly plotting their own schemes.

Several major directors in mainland China, including Zhang Yimou's "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers"!
It's still Feng Xiaogang's "A World Without Thieves"!
Or Chen Kaige's recently wrapped film, "The Promise"!
They all like to use Hong Kong actors as the main characters in commercial films, while mainland actors are relegated to supporting roles.

Tian Xiaole is different; from his very first film, he used only mainland actors.

Moreover, he likes to use "amateurs," as if under his tutelage, the actors' talents can be fully unearthed.

Industry insiders believe that Tian Xiaole's ability to promote actors is comparable to that of Zhang Yimou.

Whether it's Huang Shengyi, Tang Yan, or Wang Luodan.

It turns out that Tian Xiaole is very good at directing actresses; every leading lady in his films is outstanding and leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

He was able to turn an ordinary acting student into a third-tier actor after filming his movie.

This makes countless female celebrities yearn to be trained by Tian Xiaole.

···
Tian Xiaole's phone kept ringing; countless calls, text messages, and QQ messages came in all at once.

Film and television companies, talent agencies, and investment firms within the industry, both familiar and unfamiliar with the business, all came to inquire about the news.

My phone got smashed and was very hot, so I removed the battery to prevent it from exploding.

Tian Xiaole continued to draw up the storyboard. In the script, each character had very distinct traits, and he wanted to retain them all.

[The Thief] involves many dangerous actions and fight scenes, requiring martial arts instructors who haven't been used before, as well as a professional wire work team.

With the Beijing Film Studio around, these problems are easy to solve.

On the Chinese side, Tian Xiaole immediately locked in one actor: Jiang Wen!

He doesn't need to act to have that bandit-like air about him; he's a perfect bandit leader.

The character of Peggy is portrayed as a lock-picking expert, sexy and intelligent, with a pair of long legs that leave a deep impression.

Tang Yan is suitable, it just depends on whether she can mind and take the initiative to ask for the role.

The most outstanding character is undoubtedly the beautiful and sexy Annie, and Fan Binbin is a perfect fit for the role.

But it won't be that easy for her; we'll have to see what bargaining chips we can offer in the negotiations.

Several lead roles were reserved for the Korean side: Chen, Julie, Andrew, and Chewing Gum.

Just as he was thinking about it, his phone rang.

Tian Xiaole was provided with two mobile phones and numbers; the one with the battery removed was used for external communications.

Han Sanping called, it was a private phone call, saying that people from CJ Corporation had arrived:
"People from South Korea have come to China Film Group. You are the film's director and the main producer, and they specifically asked to see you."

Tian Xiaole was quite puzzled, thinking that there had been no news for several days, only to find out that he had gone directly to China Film Group.

Without delay, he put away the storyboard manuscript and headed to China Film Group.

The people of South Korea were more proactive than he had imagined.

The desire to promote Chinese culture and export films abroad stems from a yearning to change the world's perception of China.

In South Korea, the situation is pathological. Under the leadership of conglomerates, they have cultivated generation after generation of celebrities and artists, imported their culture, and tried to expand their influence.

If Tian Xiaole remembers correctly, South Korea's uncompromising push for cultural importation will not begin until next year.

The arrival of "Dae Jang Geum" shattered the perceptions of many industry professionals, showing that TV dramas could be made in this way!
The subsequent negotiations for a free trade agreement among the three East Asian countries ushered in a honeymoon period in relations between the two sides.

The influence of the Korean Wave in China reached its peak, directly impacting the aesthetics of a generation.

The "Korean Wave Ban" was introduced following the "Sa De incident" and the backlash against effeminate culture.

Another theory suggests that America's plan to de-maleize Asia began in the 80s with the castration of male offspring, and South Korea took it a step further and expanded upon it.

Just as it was about to achieve success in China, it was stopped and cut off in time.

However, the root of the problem remains, and the fact that the candy is "super sweet" is the best evidence of this.

For a long time, female celebrities in the entertainment industry acted like men.

The man was pretending to be cute.

After Wang Xinling's resurgence in popularity, sweetness has once again brought the public's attention back to the spotlight, and this kind of morbid aesthetic seems to be rarely seen anymore.

Led by her secretary, Tian Xiaole arrived at the department of China Film Group that was specially used to entertain guests. The solemn and dignified banquet hall had a simple yet grand Chinese-style layout.

In the vast space, CJ's people were already waiting, and an old acquaintance greeted them with a smile.

Tian Xiaole refused the hug, instead offering a handshake between men. Looking at Park Jong-ho's chubby face, she joked:

"You must weigh 200 pounds now, how can you still lift a camera?"

"It's not that exaggerated, at most 160."

Park Jong-hwa patted his belly, which was quite comical.

"Xiao Le, let me introduce you. This is the person in charge of our trip, President Jin Yuzhe."

"Hello, President Jin." "Hello, Director Tian Xiaole, as expected of the youngest winner at Cannes, I've heard so much about you."

Park Jong-hwa acted as the translator, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, they sat down.

Tian Xiaole doesn't simply think that it's just a film collaboration, so he rushed all the way to China.

And it was indeed as he had guessed.

CJ's men brought up a lot of topics, constantly flattering Han Sanping, who was sitting in the main seat. Towards the end, they expressed their hope that China Film Group could import more South Korean films and television programs and strengthen cooperation in the film and television industry.

Backed by the CJ Group, CJ Entertainment has big ambitions.

In South Korea, it holds a 50% market share in cinemas and owns more than 160 theaters.

Southeast Asian countries and other countries are also gradually establishing their presence, and the company's market share remains the highest.

The domestic market is a huge pie that we've been eyeing for a long time, but unfortunately, we haven't had the chance due to policy constraints.

Han Sanping is a cunning old fox; he kept dodging the question and steering the conversation toward the "thief" project.

When it came to serious matters, Tian Xiaole perked up and began to explain the script's setting.

The roles reserved for them include one of the absolute lead roles, with a 20% share allocated to them.

At first, he wasn't very willing, but he reluctantly agreed after Tian Xiaole suggested changing partners.

Showbox is another major player in South Korea, and the two companies are ruthless and fiercely competitive in the market battle.

Tian Xiaole directly named Lee Jung-jae and Jun Ji-hyun, and gave a very simple reason.

Having watched "Il Mare," I noticed that the two actors had great chemistry on screen, which suited their roles perfectly.

As for the role of casino owners, let them decide for themselves.

Tian Xiaole wasn't worried at all about whether or not they could be invited; in South Korea, the chaebols were the ones who called the shots.

"Xiao Le, you have good taste. 'My Sassy Girl' is very popular."

Park Jong-hwa gave him a knowing look.

Tian Xiaole didn't think that much about it; she just felt it was suitable.

The talks went very well, and once the production budget is finalized, the contract will be signed.

"Director Tian, ​​don't worry. We South Korean actors are all very dedicated and respectful to our seniors. We're sure you'll be satisfied with our acting."

We look forward to your filming trip to South Korea. We will arrange your itinerary and provide warm service so you can experience South Korean culture…

After listening to Park Jong-hwa's translation, Tian Xiaole's face lit up with a smile, and she shook hands tightly with the CJ representative.

After the negotiations were successfully completed, Han Sanping arranged for reporters to take photos to record this historic moment of their first collaboration.

"Xiao Le, when you come to South Korea, I'll treat you properly."

Park Jong-hwa left, and the people who came with CJ were all on the same trip; the journey was short and convenient.

···
After everyone left, Tian Xiaole went to Han Sanping's office. The former was making tea, while the latter complained angrily:
"These Koreans have a keen sense of smell. The higher-ups just drafted the 'China-Korea Cultural Exchange Year,' and they're already making their moves."

"Popular culture is their strength, and their entry will definitely impact the local industry. However, there are also benefits, such as learning from each other's strengths and weaknesses and inspiring creators' passion."

Tian Xiaole pushed a cup of tea over and started talking about the impact of the Korean wave.

South Korea's virtually non-existent censorship system will allow films, music, variety shows, and other media to exert a devastating influence on the domestic market.

Hunan TV is a bridgehead, the first stop in opening up the country.

The host's dramatic kneeling shocked the nation, leaving people shivering and feeling utterly incapacitated.
Han Sanping sighed and said, "There's nothing we can do about it. The higher-ups have already issued a policy to relax the import quotas for South Korean films and television dramas starting next year."

He looked at Tian Xiaole, his tone less pessimistic this time:
"It would be good to let a silver carp into the waters of the mainland. It would inspire mainland filmmakers and at the same time put an end to the arrogance of those people in Hong Kong."

It can only be said that Han Sanping underestimated South Korean pop culture. Apart from movies, it completely overwhelmed South Korean television dramas and music.

Domestic film and television companies are too short-sighted, only thinking about immediate profits and not spending time and money to cultivate film and television talents.

As Tian Xiaole vented, he recalled the special effects company established by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television in 97 to cope with the impact of Hollywood blockbusters.

"What level of special effects production can Hualong achieve now?"

Han Sanping shook his head, his expression bitter:

"They participated in the production of 'Hero' and 'House of Flying Daggers,' which are top-tier in China, but not as good as those from South Korea and Hollywood."

He took a breath and changed the subject: "The script will be approved soon, so you can start preparing for the preliminary work."

"It's already underway. We're trying out Hollywood's modular approach to film projects, where each department prepares independently in the early stages and then collaborates during filming. The efficiency is unparalleled."

Since filming "The Coffin in the Mountain," Tian Xiaole has been experimenting. Even if he doesn't learn much, he has at least made it look decent and improved the filming efficiency considerably.

The idea is simple: first, cultivate talent and let everyone see the results before making recommendations.

Chinese film and television cannot be sustained by Tian Xiaole alone; more people need to join in.

(End of this chapter)