China Entertainment Mythology 2004

Chapter 49 Determining the Actor
The next morning, Li Mu, producer Huang Jianxin, Xu Ke, deputy director and martial arts instructor Yuan He and others discussed the shooting plan in the conference room of China Film Group. At noon, Wang Zhonglei approached Li Mu privately and asked him what he thought of Fan Binbin as one of the heroines. .Regarding the selection of the heroine, everyone had a public discussion at the meeting before, but this was the first time that Wang Zhonglei approached Li Mu privately to ask.

"Not suitable, too young." Li Mu said directly.

"Too young?" Wang Zhonglei was surprised.

"Well, the two heroines are going to form a CP with the two older brothers. They are too young to be suitable."

"CP?"

"Pairing relationship between characters, husband and wife, lovers."

Wang Zhonglei couldn't help complaining in his heart: "Last time it was said that Binbin was too old and inappropriate, but this time it was inappropriate to immediately become too young, and why is it inappropriate next time?"

But he didn't hesitate, and immediately asked, "What about Li Lianhua?"

"Li Lianhua is okay, and generally meets the requirements."

"Director Li, let's have dinner together tonight. The venue is still in the Grand Hyatt. I would like to discuss some details about the movie with Director Li in private."

"Okay." Li Mu nodded.

……

Seven o'clock in the evening, Grand Hyatt Hotel.

As soon as Li Mu entered the lobby of the hotel, a woman in a white dress walked up to her. She was not only capable, but also quite beautiful.

"Director Li, let's meet again." The woman smiled and held out her hand.

"Hello Li Jiji." Li Mu and the woman held hands together.

This person is Li Lianhua's younger sister and also her manager Li Xuehua.

"President Wang, my sister and sister Xu Qing have arrived, let's go up."

"Xu Qing?"

"It was Mr. Han Sanping who led the line. Mr. Wang wanted to sign Xu Qing to Huayi."

Li Mu nodded and didn't ask any questions. The two came to the private room on the second floor together. In the private room, Wang Zhonglei, Li Lianhua, and Xu Qing saw Li Mu arrived and stood up to say hello.Li Xuehua beckoned to the hotel staff to order the food to be served. Everyone chatted for a while, then the food and drink were served, and when the atmosphere was up, they began to talk about business.

In fact, without asking, Hua Yi wanted Li Lianhua to play the role of the fox, and Xu Qing to play Cheng Long's girlfriend, otherwise Li Lianhua and Xu Qing wouldn't be here on this occasion.

Huayi Brothers invested heavily in the project "Assassin", so they naturally had a considerable say in the selection of actors. It was understandable for them to want to arrange their own artists.

"Director Li, we are all friends, so I won't go around in circles. This time Huayi wants to arrange for Li Lianhua to play the role of the fox. In the next discussion, we must have a few words of kindness from Director Li for Lianhua." Wang Zhonglei road.

Li Mu nodded. In fact, his willingness to come to the appointment today has already shown his attitude to a certain extent. If he approves of Shu Qi more in his heart, he probably won't come to this meal.Before coming here, he had already thought about it. Since Huayi is a big investor, if they want to arrange their own artists, as long as the candidates are not too bad, he will not object easily. Originally, Li Lianhua and Shu Qi were very different in his heart. Naturally, Li Lianhua has the upper hand in Huayi's investment share.

"Sister Lianhua has no problem playing the role of a fox, no matter in terms of image, temperament or acting skills, at least for me." Li Mu said.

Hearing this, Li Lianhua stood up and toasted Li Mu with a glass of wine: "Thank you Director Li for your approval."

Then everyone talked about the role of Cheng Long's girlfriend, Huayi's meaning was obvious, they wanted to use Xuqing this time, maybe this was one of their bargaining chips to get Xuqing to join Huayi.

For Li Mu, this character is not only Cheng Long's girlfriend, she is also the mother of Liu Yifei's character, so Shu Qi is not suitable, one is age, and the other is appearance.

Shu Qi doesn't say whether she is pretty or not, at least she and Liu Yifei are standing together, they are not like a mother and daughter in terms of age and appearance. From this point of view, Xu Qing is indeed more suitable than Shu Qi.

But there is still a difference between his attitude towards Xu Qing and Li Lianhua.

"Sister Xu Qing plays Brother Cheng Long's girlfriend. I have no objection. Mr. Wang, you can discuss it with the other investors and creators."

For Li Lianhua, Li Mu will help to speak, but for Xu Qing, he just has no opinion. Xu Qing's role in the overall is suitable, but it is far from the point where she must be, and the two have not had any previous relationship. For any intersection, he didn't need to argue with other investors for Huayi and Xu Qing.

"Director Li, I also offer you a toast."

After Li Mu finished speaking, Xu Qing also smiled and stood up.

……

That night, in a mansion in Beijing.

In the shower room, Fan Binbin raised her head to let the warm and comfortable water flow directly onto her face, she shook her head, her wet hair was thrown up, and she recalled the news she finally got from Mr. Wang—— — Li Mu thought she was too young this time, so she refused.

"fart!"

Fan Binbin blurted out.

Last time he thought she was too big, but a year later he thought she was too young. This excuse is too clumsy.

"He hates me?" Fan Binbin shook his head immediately, "No, he doesn't have that tendency in his eyes when he looks at me."

"Is that because you can't get it and deliberately make things difficult?" She nodded this time, "There is no other explanation, it must be like this, there are too many men like this."

……

With regard to the candidates for the two leading actresses, in the next week, the film's producers and creators held three more meetings to study, and finally the role of Fox was given to Li Lianhua.

Cross Girlfriend, that is, the role of Liu Yifei's mother in the film was finally given to Xu Qing, and all the main actors of the film have belonged so far.With an investment of 6000 million US dollars (previously expected to invest 5500 million US dollars, an additional 500 million US dollars was added after post-calculation), the film that gathered Cheng Long and Li Lianlian, two kung fu superstars, finally ushered in the last moment before the start of the film.

A week later, the Wailian producer and art director sent a large number of videos and pictures from abroad. They found a sugar factory in the Czech Republic that was built in 1914. The environment of the sugar factory basically satisfied Li Mu's gloomy, simple and mysterious request, the art director proposed to cover the ceiling of the sugar factory kitchen with a huge mesh fabric and make it a Gothic vault, so that people can realize that the web of fate is everywhere, and the audience can also feel that they are such. A grid in the grid.

Li Mu approved the art director's suggestion, and Wailian Producer immediately approached the owner of the sugar factory to discuss the details of the contract.

On November 2005, 11, the movie "Assassin" held its first press conference in Beijing. Director Li Mu, starring Cheng Long, Li Lianlian, Li Lianhua, Xu Qing, Morgan Freeman, David O'Hara (Mr. X) , Liu Yifei and others attended the press conference.

A large number of media reporters who came to hear the news looked at the so-called director on the stage, and everyone felt absurd in unison.

According to the information, this is the first time that Li Mu has independently directed a film. In theory, he is still a rookie director.

but……

The gazes of the journalists swept over the faces of the many actors on stage, Cheng Long, Li Lianlian, Li Lianhua, Xu Qing, Morgan Freeman, Liu Yifei—you call directors of this kind of projects new directors ?

"Hi Director Li, we all know that this is the first time you have directed a movie independently, and you have met so many superstars in your first directing. Are you feeling a lot of pressure?"

"Of course there is pressure. It is the long-cherished wish of many Chinese people to have Cheng Long and Li Lianlian fight in the movie. Now this long-cherished wish is handed over to me. It is impossible to say that there is no pressure, but I have no doubts about the script of the movie and everything. The main creators are confident in their professionalism. This movie may not satisfy all Cheng Longmi and Li Lianmi, but I believe that with the unremitting efforts of all the main creators, this movie will definitely be recognized by the vast majority of movie fans. .”

"Can Director Li reveal a little bit about the plot of this movie?"

"Sorry, I can't say this yet."

……

Just the day before the press conference, Li Mu sent the manuscripts of the Chinese and English versions of "The Martian" to the editorial department of Science Fiction World Magazine.

(End of this chapter)