“He refused even when he heard it was a movie I invested in. Impossible?”
Wang He found it hard to believe.
Being rejected and losing face for the first time made him very uncomfortable.
Moreover, Gao Fei, whom he had invited to be a partner, was present.
“Try contacting them again, find agents who have unknown artists!
As long as they don’t have any scandals and their image is acceptable, let them name their price for acting fees.”
Wang He refused to believe that money couldn’t find actors.
The assistant director and producer followed their boss’s instructions and contacted others again.
However, after several phone calls, no matter what conditions they offered, as soon as the other party heard it was a movie invested in by Fei He Pictures and Wang He, they politely declined.
If individual agents refusing to film for Fei He Pictures was normal,
it was now that everyone unanimously refused upon hearing about Fei He Pictures and Wang He. The entire situation was no longer a simple refusal to film.
Even Gao Fei, who was just starting to get involved in the entertainment industry, vaguely sensed a hint of conspiracy.
He heard Jin Qiqi beside him chuckle and whisper, “No matter how much Xiao Wang tries, no agent will bring actors to film for the company. He’s just wasting his time!”
“Is it because he privately invited actors to film before the new year?”
Seeing Jin Qiqi nod in acknowledgment, Gao Fei felt that the rules of the entertainment industry in Dragon Country seemed more troublesome than in his previous life.
In his previous life, as long as actors could make money for their agencies and paid the agreed-upon film fees according to their contracts, who cared if they privately contacted someone?
However, in the current Dragon Country entertainment industry,
simply because Wang He privately invited actors to film, thus breaking the rules of the Dragon Country entertainment industry, resulted in the company’s movies not having any actors to audition.
Compared to his previous life, the current Dragon Country entertainment industry seemed darker.
At least in his previous life, the entertainment industry hadn't reached a point where a company was implicitly blacklisted just because a second-generation scion broke the rules.
Just as Wang He was still persistently contacting people, the door was suddenly pushed open.
A middle-aged man with half-white hair but appearing to be in his forties, entered the conference room with a young assistant.
“Director Liu!”
“Director!”
The assistant director and producer immediately stood up, showing great respect to the middle-aged man.
Even Wang He, who was at the head of the table, stood up and greeted him warmly.
The middle-aged man nodded in response to everyone and calmly said, “You all go out first. I have something to discuss with President Wang!”
The producer and assistant directors said nothing more and left the conference room one after another, closing the door.
After everyone left, Director Liu noticed Jin Qiqi and Gao Fei sitting at the back.
“Xiao Jin, long time no see!”
“It’s Director Liu who hasn’t seen me for a long time. I see Director Liu on TV quite often.”
After a brief polite exchange, Liu Wei Qiang looked at the somewhat familiar Gao Fei and asked, “Miss Jin, who is this…”
“My current boss, Gao Fei.”
Hearing Gao Fei’s name, Director Liu was slightly surprised.
But upon hearing that he was also a partner in the film and television company and the author who adapted the novel "The Two-Faced Man,"
Director Liu's pupils constricted, and his expression was the same as the assistant director and others who had just learned his identity.
After the introductions, the meeting resumed.
As soon as Liu Wei Qiang sat down, he directly and frankly accused Wang He of not listening to advice and insisting on privately contacting artists.
Now that the company had no actors for auditions, it was all because of his private invitations before the new year.
Regarding the filming of the movie, Director Liu showed no mercy to Wang He, accusing him of being the culprit of the entire situation.
After scolding him, Liu Wei Qiang also began to educate him.
The content of Director Liu’s education was exactly what Jin Qiqi had told Wang He before coming to the company.
Before officially entering the entertainment industry, Wang He could do as he pleased, freely criticizing celebrities online.
After all, at that time, he had not yet been involved in the entertainment industry, and there was no conflict of interest with people in the industry.
Moreover, with the Wang Group behind him, people in the industry could turn a blind eye and not make too much of a fuss.
But now, he was not only investing in movies but also violating the rules of the industry.
This gave those in the industry who held grudges against him an opportunity to settle old and new scores.
After being educated, Wang He finally lowered his head and asked humbly, “Director Liu, Sister Jin, what do we do now?
The money has already been invested, and the movie can’t not be filmed, right?”
Jin Qiqi said directly, “It’s simple. Once I find out who is behind all this, you can treat them to a meal and apologize. The movie can start filming on time immediately.”
Liu Wei Qiang also nodded in agreement, “Xiao Jin is right. As long as you are willing to lower yourself and apologize, you can find actors immediately, and the movie can be filmed quickly.”
Hearing their suggestion, Wang He looked very unwilling.
Normally, others apologized to him. When did it ever come to him apologizing to others?
“Are there no other ways?”
Wang He asked with great reluctance.
Director Liu shook his head and sighed, “With your and Xiao Gao’s current standing, you are not even in the same league as those big companies outside. If you are unwilling to apologize, the movie will be completely ruined.”
Jin Qiqi then looked at him and reminded him, “Unless your Wang family’s Wang Group gets involved, this movie will not be filmed even by the end of the year.”
At this moment, Wang He was put on the spot.
Either he would apologize and admit his mistake to the behind-the-scenes big shot manipulating the situation and preventing actors from auditioning,
or he would give up on this movie investment and withdraw from his involvement in the entertainment industry.
Wang He was very conflicted, unwilling to apologize and unwilling to see his invested movie be stifled.
He looked at Gao Fei, who had been watching the show with great interest without saying a word, and said helplessly, “Brother, you are also a partner in the company and an investor in the movie.
Don’t just stand there watching, quickly think of a solution!”
“There is a way, it’s not that there isn’t one!”
Hearing that Gao Fei had a solution, Wang He immediately felt revitalized and urged him to quickly explain what method could solve the current predicament!
Liu Wei Qiang also turned his head in confusion.
Jin Qiqi was full of curiosity, wondering what new bizarre idea her boss had come up with.
Gao Fei did not immediately reveal his plan. Instead, he looked at Liu Wei Qiang and said, “Director Liu, when we look for artists to film movies, one aspect is their acting skills, which improve the quality of the movie.
Another aspect is their fame, which increases buzz before the movie is released, right?”
“Yes, that’s right!”
“Then why are we filming this movie?”
Liu Wei Qiang’s eyebrows shot up, “What else can it be? Of course, it’s for the movie to be released and to be a box office hit!”
Gao Fei shook his head and smiled, looking at the confused expressions of the three, and reminded them, “We are filming this movie for the film selection plan by the General Police Department at the end of March!”
Jin Qiqi, Wang He, and Liu Wei Qiang were stunned.
Because there were no actors for auditions, they had forgotten the original intention of filming this movie.
Now, after Gao Fei’s reminder, the three of them seemed to wake up.
“If it can be selected by the General Police Department, why worry about box office sales? Why worry about fame?”
Before the three could speak, he continued, “So what if the people behind the scenes are preventing actors from auditioning?
We can go to the film academy, offer explicit prices for acting fees, let the students audition, and select roles!”
As soon as the plan was proposed, Wang He suddenly understood, slapped his thigh, and exclaimed, “There are plenty of actors in the film academy, and their acting fees are very low. The filming cost will not exceed five million.
Even if the movie is not selected by the General Police Department, if we put the film online and use Xiao Fei’s and my fame for promotion, we can at least break even, and maybe even make a profit!
And they want me to apologize? Apologize for what!”
Just as Young Master Wang was congratulating himself, Jin Qiqi suddenly said, “Going to the film academy to find actors is indeed a way.
But have you considered that after they finish filming, they will never be able to enter the entertainment industry again!
Don’t forget, the people you’ve offended, Wang He, include half of the entertainment industry. They dare to film your movie, but can you guarantee the future prospects of those students?”
“Xiao Jin is right. Don’t forget the future paths of those students for your own benefit!”
With two buckets of cold water poured on them, Wang He, who had just become excited, immediately deflated.
Even Gao Fei had to discard the plan of finding actors from the film academy because of what they said.
Just as the four of them were worrying about the actors, the conference room door was pushed open again.
The producer hurried in and said, “President Wang, President Gao, Director Liu. The person in charge of the Kyoto Film and Television Base called, saying that our procedures are incomplete, and the filming location we applied for before the new year has been withdrawn.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the assistant director also rushed into the conference room, “Director Liu, two bosses, the extras team I contacted before the new year called and refused to cooperate with our company.”
With the main and supporting actors not yet confirmed, two more pieces of bad news arrived.
This was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Fei He Pictures.
But as soon as the producer and assistant director finished speaking, Liu Wei Qiang’s phone suddenly rang.
After answering, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
Noticing the change in Liu Wei Qiang’s expression, everyone sensed that something was wrong.
After hanging up the phone, he looked at everyone who was paying attention to him, shook his head, and smiled, “A friend brought me a message, telling me to carefully consider whether to accept the movie invested in by Xiao He.
This friend is from the Kyoto Directors Association, and he asked me to reply in three days.”
This was already a threat, forcing Director Liu to give up on this filming.
With all sorts of bad news pouring in, Wang He slumped back into his chair helplessly.
This was a clear targeting of him, forcing him to step down and apologize.
Looking at the dejected expressions of those around him, Jin Qiqi couldn’t help but sigh. As Gao Fei’s agent, she had already prepared comforting words.
But just as she was about to speak, she heard a cold, angry voice in her ear.
“They want to completely ban Fei He Pictures and strangle the company in its cradle!
Do they really think I, Gao Fei, am a pushover, easy to bully?”
Gao Fei’s angry voice spread throughout the conference room.
Everyone turned to look at him. Before they could speak to persuade him, he slammed the table and questioned Wang He coldly, “Old Wang, let me ask you, how many cinema chains does your Wang Group have across the country?”
“Cinema chains across the country… we have them in about half of the provincial capitals. Around 15 of them!”
“Director Liu, do you know any directors and actors who have been blacklisted by major agencies and are now unemployed?
The prerequisite is that they have no ongoing lawsuits!”
“There is one director, and about three or four actors!”
These two questions made Wang He and Liu Wei Qiang stunned. The sense of frustration and helplessness they felt instantly disappeared.
“Xiao Fei has reminded me. Even if I can’t direct, I can find someone to replace me, and I will be responsible for guiding them.
Those four actors who just finished their lawsuits are even less afraid of being blacklisted, and they will definitely agree to participate.”
“That’s right. My family has cinema chains, so I’m not afraid of them using them to blacklist me and prevent the movie from being released?”
Wang He and Liu Wei Qiang’s eyes rekindled with passion, and they completely came back to life.
At this moment, the assistant director and producer also realized the key points of the two questions.
But soon, they thought of the extras and the filming location, and all their gazes turned to President Gao.
“It’s just extras, it’s just filming locations. Do you really think I, Gao Fei, can’t find them?”
Gao Fei sneered, took out his phone, and found a local number in Kyoto.
As soon as the call was connected, a sentence echoed in the conference room.
“Commander, I’m being bullied out here!”