2001 Media Godfather

Chapter 33 Tiandu's Counterattack

An ice cream can win over a big star; nobody would believe it if you told them.

But at this moment, by the river in the small town, Xu Shu's satisfied expression as she held an ice cream moved Chu An.

If I had known, I would have just made an ice cream yesterday. Instead, I spent the whole night making a mess of things. I'm so frustrated.

Thinking of this, Chu An was still a little indignant. Those two bastards, just wait until I level up!
Just as he was about to tease the big star Xu a bit, trying to get back at him, he caught a glimpse of a somewhat familiar figure flashing by in the distance.

Chu An and his group were currently located on the riverbank, a little between the south gate of the agricultural machinery factory's residential compound and Ningyuan No. 1 Middle School. Therefore, Chu An couldn't see the person clearly as he disappeared into the compound from a distance.

I just think it looks like him, very much like Ji Yinglai, the chief coordinator.

But at this time, he should be at the guesthouse, what is he doing in the family compound? He must have seen wrong!
However, before Xu Shu had finished her ice cream, Chu An happened to see that figure come out of the family compound. Instead of heading back to Nancheng in the direction of Shiqiao, the figure turned a corner and went to the storefront.

This time, Chu An saw clearly that it was Ji Yinglai. Moreover, he was probably looking for him.

Without further hesitation, he led Xu Shuchao and Ji Yinglai to greet them.

"Brother Lai," Chu An greeted from afar.

When Ji Yinglai saw that the person calling him was Chu An, he was overjoyed, "Little Chu, I've finally found you!"

She glanced again at Xu Shu, who was hiding far away. Since the famous Xu was wearing a bun and had abandoned her aloof image for a cute look, Ji Ying didn't think of Xu Shu at all.

Besides, he had something on his mind.

He rushed over, shouting, "Something's happened!"

When Chu An saw him coming to see her, she knew it was no good news.

Having anticipated this, she smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, has Tiandu made a move?"

Ji Yinglai was stunned. "Amazing! How did you know?"

Chu An smiled, "It would be abnormal if Tian did nothing! So, don't rush, catch your breath and tell me in detail."

Ji Yinglai was indeed a little flustered.

He already spoke with Director Lu yesterday and informed Jia Chenglin that he will stay with the crew to finish filming "The Best of Us".

At the time, Jia Chenglin didn't say anything, and even pretended to wish him success in his work.

Ji Yinglai didn't take it seriously.

They also brought along the production manager and the on-site manager, who both worked at the grassroots level, to pledge their loyalty to Lu Mingze.

However, to his utter surprise, everything was fine yesterday, but early this morning, a friend of his from Tiandu called him, saying that Tiandu had taken action and that he should be careful.

This really frightened Ji Yinglai.

If he can't even earn double the salary and makes enemies with the heavens, then he's done for in this industry.

After much deliberation, regardless of whether he wanted to continue, he decided to talk to Chu An about it.

When he met Chu An, before they could even exchange a few words, Chu An had already dealt with him with a combination of offense and defense, calming him down considerably.

I thought to myself, if screenwriter Chu has already guessed that Tian Du will take action, then he must have a response, right?

The panic in my heart immediately subsided considerably.

……

Seeing that Ji Ying was no longer so panicked, Chu An led him to the riverbank and sat him down on a stone step. Still maintaining his calm demeanor, he asked, "What happened? Tell me!"

Ji Yinglai didn't waste any time. "This play might not be able to be filmed."

Chu An, "What do you mean?"

Ji Yinglai said, "First of all, Tiandu headquarters has made it clear that Xu Shu will not star in 'The Best of Us.' They are already preparing to have their legal team sue Director Lu, arguing that the script changes seriously violated the actors' contracts, and to apply to the court to have the contracts voided."

Chu An felt no emotion after hearing this, because it wasn't surprising.

Normally, actor contracts don't specify which movies or TV shows an actor will be filming. Instead, they usually specify the approximate number of scenes, the required availability, and details such as the number of nude scenes, the level of nudity, dangerous stunts, and clauses to ensure the actor's safety.

In other words, theoretically, one can change to any script they want without violating the contract.

and so……

Chu An laughed and said, "Even Heaven can't win against you."

Ji Yinglai just couldn't understand, "If you can't win, then why bother suing?"

Chu An replied, "Because we need to buy time!!"

Ji Yinglai immediately understood, "So that's how it is. They're really ruthless!"

Why can't a lawsuit take at least six months to a year? During this time, Xu Shu could completely refuse to fulfill the contract until the court judgment is issued, but by then it would be too late.

"What can we do then? How can we film a movie without a female lead?"

Chu An continued to smile, glancing at Xu Shu who was still munching on ice cream, thinking to himself, "Isn't this settled?"

But he said to Ji Yinglai, "We'll talk about what to do later. You continue. There must be other methods, right?"

This really surprised Ji Yinglai. "You knew about this too?"

The answer was given immediately: "The male lead! The male lead, Qu Lang, is also in trouble!"

Chu An, "..."

Ji Yinglai, "was sued along with Tiandu for the same breach of contract."

This time, Chu An hesitated a bit.

He expected Tian Du to retaliate, and if they did, it would be swift and decisive. But he hadn't anticipated that they would even manage to take down the male lead.

If both the male and female leads of a play boycott it, how can the play be made?
Setting aside the male protagonist's question for the moment, she asked, "Is there anything else?"

Ji Yinglai was relaxed this time, saying, "Yes, but it also seems like no."

Chu An, "What do you mean?"

Ji Yinglai: "This morning, CCTV called Director Lu, wanting him to finish filming 'The Best of Us' as soon as possible. They wanted to see the finished product, and it seemed like it was nothing serious, just something to see. Do you think that counts as a big deal?"

Ji Yinglai wasn't quite sure, so she just told Chu An everything she had heard and seen that morning. She left it to the people with their brains to decide whether it was a problem or not.

As a result, he didn't take it seriously, but Chu An suddenly jumped up, his expression changing drastically.

"broken!"

Ignoring Ji Ying's arrival, he grabbed Xu Shu and ran towards the guesthouse.

Ji Yinglai chased after him, yelling, "You fucking wait for me!"

"What does CCTV mean? Can this show still be filmed?"

Ji Yinglai pondered that if they really broke up, he didn't know if it would be too late for him to go back to Tiandu and kneel down.

Xu Shu was also a little flustered by Chu An's actions, "Is it difficult to handle?"

As Chu An pulled her across the bridge, he said in a gloomy voice, "Tian Du has pulled the rug out from under you, so you probably won't be able to play Geng Geng anymore."

"Huh?" Xu Shu exclaimed in surprise, "But I really want to be Geng Geng."

Chu An: "Stay calm, it's not finalized yet!"

"Oh." Xu Shuzhen was relieved and didn't ask any more questions, letting Chu An pull her along. Ji Yinglai, standing behind them, had her eyes pop out of her head. This...this...this...this is the big star Xu?!? When did Chu Shikuai get involved with the big star Xu?!

He thought to himself: "Not bad, kid! You're even more capable than your brother!"

It's worth noting that Ji Yinglai was a legend when it came to picking up women. This lowly coordinator managed to win over a minor celebrity. Even more impressively, that celebrity actually retired from the entertainment industry to have a baby for him.

Now is not the time to exchange experiences, otherwise I would definitely treat Chu An to a meal and have a good chat.

The three quickly returned to the guesthouse and parted ways with Xu Shu at the door. Chu An instructed her, "Don't worry about anything when you get back, and don't provoke Zhang Yuan and the others. If they say you can't act, just nod and leave the rest to me!"

Xu Shu didn't know where the courage came from, perhaps it was the camaraderie forged through their all-nighter together, but she nodded solemnly, "Yes! I believe you!"

After seeing Xu Shu off, Chu An and Ji Ying went straight to Lu Mingze's room.

Tong Meng and the production manager and on-site manager who turned against her yesterday are both present.

Upon seeing Chu An, Director Lu felt like he had finally found his pillar of support. "Chu Shikuai, you've finally arrived! The male and female leads have both refused to continue filming, what are we going to do now?"

The people in the house were still worrying about the male and female leads, unaware that Tian Du's real killer move was the last one.

"The male and female leads are minor issues; CCTV is the real problem!"

"Huh?" Director Lu didn't understand. "CCTV? It's alright, isn't it? They just want to see a sample of 'With You,' maybe they want to import it!"

Chu An glared at him speechlessly. You're such a clueless office worker with all your intelligence at the director level, don't bother with any analysis.

What trouble are you causing?

However, they wouldn't understand even if I explained it, and Chu An wasn't sure if his judgment was correct.

He simply said to Tong Meng, "Sister Meng, have your mom find out what's going on from the side."

Our mom is, of course, Tong Meng's mother, Teacher Zhang Yulan.

Although Tong Meng didn't know why Chu An was so nervous about CCTV, she still obediently called Zhang Yulan.

As a result, I didn't get a reply until noon.

To be honest, Chu An would rather his judgment be wrong.

Unfortunately, he was right.

"CCTV suddenly changed its mind and is considering postponing the first broadcast contract for 'You Are My Glory'."

Everyone, "..."

Chu An: "Is it still optimistic or not now!?"

Lu Mingze jumped up with a roar, "They're breaching the contract! We signed a contract, how can they just put it on hold like that?!"

Chu An shrugged. "They didn't say they were breaking the contract. They just wanted to see how well you made 'The Best of Us'."

"I..." Director Lu suddenly deflated like a balloon, losing his temper.

……

Now everything is clear.

Do you think that once Director Lu has secured the money and has Chu An, this little Zhuge Liang, everything will be fine?

too naive!

In fact, the night before last, Lu Mingze publicly announced that he had sufficient funds and that the production of "The Best of Us" was officially in the works.

Before the next morning, someone had already found out exactly where Lu Mingze got the money and the complete script of "The Best of Us".

Director Lu and Chu An's little tricks are so subtle that if you do them secretly, they really won't get noticed.

However, when this behemoth sets its sights on you, the entertainment industry, though not small, is certainly not that big either. It knows exactly how much money you've raised from which investor.

Before noon, a counter-plan based on the amount of funds Lu Mingze had and the future filming schedule was already on the board's desk.

This is the confidence of big capital, something Chu An's makeshift team can't compare to.

Tiandu's counterattack is not just about preventing you from filming; it's about completely suppressing this evil fire.

First, our own artist, Hsu Shu, has refused to perform!

Moreover, it wasn't an open boycott that would damage the artist's image. Tian Du still cherishes Xu Shu, this cash cow.

Besides, there are plenty of ways to play along with Lu Mingze; a lawsuit can solve everything.

Secondly, using the two major productions scheduled for next year as leverage, they bribed the agency of the male lead, Qu Lang, to fully cooperate with Tian Du in also boycotting the show.

Now that the male and female leads are gone, let's see what Lu Mingze will do.

Third, and most ruthlessly, Tian Du not only wanted to destroy "The Best of Us," but also didn't spare "You Are My Glory."

"Lu Mingze is a director of Qing Dynasty dramas. Does he have the ability to suddenly switch to modern urban dramas?"

"If CCTV signed a first-run contract after only seeing the script, should it bear the risk? If CCTV receives a bad show, who will take responsibility?"

All it takes is one sentence, spoken by one person to another.

This led to CCTV's request to see a sample episode of "The Best of Us".

The most ruthless aspect of this move is that once it succeeds, Lu Mingze and even Chu An will be doomed, with no chance of ever making a comeback in the entertainment industry.

Think about it, CCTV wants to see a sample episode, what are you going to give them? You don't even have the male and female leads.

Without a finished film, "You Are My Glory" was truly shelved.

Then, what about the investors? What about the friends in the industry? What about the loans from the banks? What about Greenfield's exorbitant sponsorship?
They invested real money!

From now on, Director Lu and Chu An will no longer need to work in this industry.

what! ?

Why not just find new male and female leads and start filming?
How long will it take to find new actors? When can filming begin? How much time will remain on the contracts of the existing actors and crew when filming starts?
Okay, let's not worry about these small things. Director Lu is willing to accept any extra cost or compensation!

As long as the film is produced and the quality is acceptable enough to be shown to the public, CCTV will approve it.

Okay?
Then another problem arises: time! Time again!
Don't forget, filming for "You Are My Glory" must begin at this time next year.

Chu An had made this clear to the leaders of both the State Administration of Radio and Television and the State Administration of Space at the project approval meeting.

The preparation period is one year.

What are the consequences of not being able to turn on your computer for a year?
For a project as big as "You Are My Glory", the preparation period should be at least six months.

There are only six months left for "The Best of Us".

Over the next six months, Lu Mingze will need to find new actors, reassemble the production team, and start all over again. This involves completing four stages: [production team], [filming], [post-production], and [publicity/distribution].

Even if we don't change the actors, we can't afford to waste any more time.

Chu An had thought of it; Tian Du would use the trick of casting actors, and he guessed that they had other tricks up their sleeves. But he never expected that Tian Du's power was so great that it directly shook CCTV.

They were shut down at the root.

……

.

(End of this chapter)