Becoming a Movie Star, System Only Finished Loading After Ten Years

Chapter 397: I Think You're Pulling My Leg


Even the former director of West Film Factory, Wu Tianming, came to him with a script.

He wants to make a movie called "The Song of the Phoenix."

It tells the story of a suona musician, Jiao Sanye, teaching his apprentice You Tianming the suona from a young age. Regardless of how times change, he remains committed to the craft, portraying the sincere emotions between the new and old generations of suona musicians.

A movie promoting traditional folk culture.

Definitely won't make money.

Wu Tianming is considered a senior, naturally not a potential director.

But Qi Hao still invested in his movie.

As a filmmaker and film investor, supporting movies with true cultural attributes within allowed conditions and capabilities is something Qi Hao considered without hesitation.

Even people like the Wang Brothers occasionally do this.

So how could he fall behind?

Moreover, Qi Hao recently invested in and took over West Film Factory's "Qian Xuesen," so there's some connection.

But people forget fast.

The market decides everything.

The former director of West Film Factory, once a mentor to many top directors and actors, now struggles to raise investment for a cultural film.

The director of "Li Mi's Conjecture," Cao Baoping, delivered a script called "Dog Thirteen."

This is another established director without potential.

But Qi Hao still approved funds.

Then there's someone named Li Ruijun who brought a movie called "Where My Home Is." The script is decent, but this person isn't well-known.

Qi Hao felt like he could give the task some points.

At least it wasn't a waste of effort.

Qi Hao isn't a god; he can't really tell who has potential among them.

He can only rely on intuition.

"Old Guo, do you think you have potential?"

Qi Hao and his team had moved to the apartment filming location. During breaks, Guo Fan handed him a script.

It's titled "You Are My Deskmate."

"Of course, without potential, how could I stand out as an executive director? That would be like slapping the boss's face, wouldn't it?"

Guo Fan spoke as if it was obvious.

"I remember you released a movie during National Day called 'The Adventure of Li Xianji,' right? It's been over ten days now. What's the box office?"

Qi Hao remembered the box office wasn't high.

When it first released, Guo Fan was enthusiastic, but soon after, it was visibly disappointing.

"Oh, that was just based on adapted comics, fooling around with Fang Long's young master and Wang Shuo's little girlfriend. I was just using their project as practice, the box office doesn't really count."

Guo Fan wasn't actually shirking responsibility.

In that movie, he used "time sickness" and "time gate" concepts, breaking traditional narrative time-space constraints, creating a free and jumping narrative structure.

Including animation, live-action, and 3D effects combined, although the movie's performance was poor, it had many elements.

With the experience from that movie, he's now incredibly strong.

"Your script, a campus romance film, where did the script come from?"

Qi Hao skimmed it, realizing it was his "specialty" — campus romance films.

"I built a general framework myself, and our company's screenwriting team enriched the content."

Guo Fan once listened to Old Wolf's "You Are My Deskmate."

Combining the boss's personal taste, he instantly visualized scenes in his mind.

Immediately writing a script proposal, pestered the screenwriting team endlessly, and within a week, created the first draft.

"Hold on, what do you mean by our company?"

Qi Hao was amazed.

He recalled that Guo Fan and his team were still in an observation period. To truly make Zhonghao's movie, they at least had to wait for the completion of "You Who Came from the Stars."

Besides, the signing threshold for directors is even higher.

Han Yan, who came earlier and received investment, still isn't a signed director of Zhonghao.

Forget Han Yan, even Lu Yang isn't.

"I've already asked Brother Tian. He said as long as I make a movie with a box office over 100 million or win an important award, I can sign with the company. I believe this 'You Are My Deskmate' can surely break 100 million."

Guo Fan spoke confidently.

"Uh... you're wielding future power to command present teams. The screenwriting group actually worked for you?"

Qi Hao felt he really underestimated Guo Fan.

From the start of his career, he was shameless.

Someone concerned about reputation could never make it from nothing; dignity is the sole privilege of the second-generation elites.

However, the level of shamelessness exhibited by Guo Fan challenged his understanding.

Despite making a movie that bombed at the box office, he confidently believed in his potential.

The movie was yet to be filmed, and he somehow believed it could gross over 100 million.

The key was how he even managed to contact Old Tian, the CEO of the group, calling him so intimately as Brother Tian.

Moreover, he hasn't even joined the company yet.

He can actually instruct the screenwriting team to work for him.

Qi Hao didn't feel like he was taking advantage of the company, but rather admired this guy's audacity.

This dude has no distractions in his heart, just calculations!

Talent!

If I had your level of audacity back in the day, I would have been a big hit ages ago.

Plus, I might have snagged An Feng during "The Return of the Condor Heroes."

By then, Ms. Liu would be helpless, with no choice but to accept it.

Perhaps by now, he and An Feng's kid would be old enough to run errands after school.

"I told them Brother Tian asked them to help out."

Guo Fan spoke honestly; he had thick skin and strategy, but was very straightforward.

"Did Old Tian really say that?"

Qi Hao was very skeptical about this.

"Brother Tian said it. I told him I wanted to chat with the company's screenwriters if there's a chance, and Brother Tian said it's fine as long as they have no objections."

Guo Fan explained.

"You're sweet-talking both sides—or rather, all three sides. Right now, you're just trying to fool me."

Qi Hao felt even more that Guo Fan was a talented person.

People like him are also good to have in a company. In case we can't make good films one day, he could be used in another department to sabotage our competitors.

"Ah, boss, the process isn't important," Guo Fan laughed, "Take a look at the script. Our company's screenplay team is really strong. I think they can make scripts independently. To just have them screen and revise scripts is really a bit wasteful."

Having the screenwriting team help him create scripts wasn't entirely freeloading.

At least, he assisted in transmitting the team's concerns that they couldn't communicate directly with Qi Hao.

"Yang Liu is already working on this. There's an internal plan to hold a script competition, allowing individual or team creations. Top-ranking scripts will get prizes and will be put into production."

The company has considered this aspect.

"You Who Came from the Stars" was modified by them spectacularly, showcasing the prowess of a high-end screenwriting team.

Since the screenwriters have matured, it's only natural they wouldn't be underutilized for long.

"So, about my script..."

Guo Fan considered the possible ways to persistently convince Qi Hao if he refused him.

"The script is decent, a standard commercial film. The company will fund your work. Go ahead and apply for a project establishment, and start after the TV series is completed."

Qi Hao is uncertain whether Guo Fan has potential.

However, regardless of his potential, since the script is already done, there's no reason to refuse or temporarily replace him with another director.

Hope his involvement can add a couple of points to surpass the task's completion.

"I plan to use newcomers as much as possible to significantly reduce production costs..."

Guo Fan was overjoyed.

But he also knew it wasn't time to celebrate just yet.

"It's a good approach."

Qi Hao affirmed, Guo Fan, although having delivered a poorly performing film, should position himself properly and move forward with a lighter load relative to a new director.

This guy not only has thick skin but is also very clearheaded; maybe he'll achieve great things one day.

"However, if we rely solely on newcomers, our film is likely to get overlooked."

Guo Fan seemed worried.

"If you shoot quickly and the campus romance wave hasn't subsided, the showings won't be too few."

Qi Hao comforted him.

Since last year, Qi Hao made several campus romance films, not only within Inner Entertainment but throughout Asia.

Following trends is always the main theme of commercial cinema.

"My idea is to invite some famous stars for cameo roles. What do you think, boss?"

Guo Fan looked sincere.

"That's a good idea. If you can get big stars to make cameos, it would really add a lot of buzz to the movie."

Just like "Lost on Journey 1" starring Qi Hao.

That time, with barely any promotion, his rumored girlfriend's cameo alone captured tons of attention.

"Uh, boss, could you help with a cameo, it won't take much of your time..."

Guo Fan revealed his intentions.

"Oh, asking me to cameo, maybe check if I have time then."

Qi Hao seemed unable to find a reason to refuse.

It's a company-invested movie, merely asking him for a cameo.

"Thanks, boss, I'll look for others later."

Guo Fan breathed a sigh of relief, since Qi Hao agreed to cameo, it would be easier to get others.

Just mentioning that Qi Hao is in the film.

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