Chapter 146 Co-Producing a Film

Chapter 146 Co-Producing a Film

Following the broadcast of the premiere episode of The Voice of China, it sparked an unprecedented wave of reactions. It became a massive hit—not just the show itself, but all four of its celebrity coaches, along with a few quirky contestants, catapulted to instant fame.

Naturally, among those who soared in popularity, Yang Xiner's star only shone brighter. When the show aired, the buzz surrounding Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon both domestically and abroad was already at its peak.

When success builds upon success, the resulting impact is far greater than simple addition. With the show's explosion in popularity, Yang Xiner's momentum instantly overshadowed Zhang Le, and her name dominated media headlines everywhere.

Of course, as the show became a massive hit, many people associated with it found themselves in the spotlight, and the catchphrases of the four coaches quickly went viral.

"What is your dream?"
"I want to hold a national tour concert."

Naturally, the most popular line of all came from Yang Xiner: "I have my Zhang Le. Choose me, I'm not alone!"

The broadcast of the show sparked heated discussions, especially regarding a few contestants with exceptionally recognizable voices, as well as two participants whose physical appearances and vocal tones contrasted sharply. They became subjects of intense pursuit by fans and media alike.

Unsurprisingly, the show did not escape the dramatic "tragedy trope" formula common in the producer's past life. Quite a few contestants shared deeply moving backstories, satisfying the insatiable gossip cravings of numerous viewers and providing ample material for media manipulation.

Although this format was thoroughly cliché, considered beaten to death in her previous life, and even caused revulsion among many viewers, one had to admit that in its early days, it exerted a tremendous driving force on the show's influence.

Ever since Zhang Le finished filming Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, both he and Yang Xiner had faded somewhat from the public eye. Neither expected that their return would be so sensational.

One film and one variety show directly propelled Yang Xiner to unprecedented heights.

Offers for commercial performances poured in endlessly, and invitations to public events and high-end endorsements piled up like mountains. However, Yang Xiner seemed to have been corrupted by Zhang Le, as she turned almost all of them down.

Once again, the couple became the darlings of the media, capturing the attention of countless people.

"There's an event, and Sister Wen says we'd better attend," Yang Xiner said to Zhang Le.

"What kind of event?" Zhang Le asked curiously. During this period, he had already begun preliminary preparations for his new film.

"A disaster relief charity event," Yang Xiner replied.

"Disaster relief? Where has there been a disaster again?" Zhang Le asked.

Hearing this, Yang Xiner looked at him in disbelief and asked, "Haven't you been watching the news lately?"

"You know I've been busy preparing for the new movie," Zhang Le said.

"Many areas around Zhejiang and Jiangsu have been flooded. Property damage aside, quite a few people have died, and tens of thousands of rescue troops have been deployed," Yang Xiner said. "Human beings are so fragile in front of nature."

Zhang Le smiled awkwardly and said, "Then I'll accept the invitation!"

"I'll go check the news about this in the study," Zhang Le said, rising to head toward the study.

"Wait, this isn't urgent!" Yang Xiner stopped him. "There's something else I want to discuss with you."

"What is it?" Zhang Le sat back down and looked at her curiously.

"Yue Yang is going to make a blockbuster film—a Sino-foreign co-production, apparently with a major Hollywood movie studio." As Yang Xiner spoke, she glanced at Zhang Le, seemingly afraid that he would get angry upon hearing it.

"You want to take on this project?" Zhang Le asked.

A Sino-foreign co-production was certainly a good way to break into the international market.

Yang Xiner nodded, though she still looked hesitant, clearly having not yet made up her mind.

"If you want to do it, go ahead, as long as your schedule isn't a problem. Don't forget, my movie is likely to start filming in September," Zhang Le said with a smile after a moment of thought. Yet, his smile seemed a bit forced.

"I don't know when they'll start filming, but it shouldn't be that soon, right?" Yang Xiner said. Watching Zhang Le, she seemed to read something in his eyes and asked, "Do you really not want me to take this movie?"

Of course he didn't! That guy Yue Yang still harbors improper thoughts about you. While I trust you, I certainly don't trust that bastard!

"If you don't want me to take it, I'll turn it down," Yang Xiner said immediately when she saw that Zhang Le didn't answer right away.

"You don't need to consider my feelings in everything; you should think about yourself. Since that film is a co-production with Hollywood, getting a release in North America shouldn't be a problem. As long as the script is decent, you should take it," Zhang Le took a deep breath and said.

If he used emotional blackmail to force Yang Xiner into rejecting Yue Yang's movie, Zhang Le felt he would be too selfish. Yang Xiner was an actress; he couldn't demand that she only star in his films. An actor needed to expand their range. Constantly starring in films by the exact same director risked making the actor overly influenced by that director's style.

Furthermore, shooting a movie might only take an actor two or three months, but the director would certainly spend far more than that, including prep work and post-production.

Zhang Le couldn't selfishly waste Yang Xiner's time during those periods.

"Actually, I'm a bit unsure about this project. I'm mainly considering it because of my relationship with Yue Yang; it's hard to refuse. After all, we grew up in the same residential compound, and our families are longtime acquaintances," Yang Xiner smiled and said. "Why don't you help me look at it? If the script is bad, I won't do it. Otherwise, after finally gaining some international reputation through Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I'd hate to ruin it with this movie."

"Then I'll help you review it," Zhang Le nodded and said.

If the film was indeed good, taking it on was fine. But if it was poor, accepting it would do more harm than good. Just as Yang Xiner said, having finally built a reputation abroad with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, she couldn't afford to let it be destroyed by a terrible movie.

"The Dragon God Hero?" Zhang Le frowned the moment he saw the title. The name was genuinely cliché and quite terrible.

Yang Xiner watched as Zhang Le alternated between frowning and struggling to hold back a smile, making it hard for her to gauge his true attitude toward the project.

"This script probably wasn't written by Yue Yang, right?" Zhang Le smiled and asked Yang Xiner.

"You guessed correctly," Yang Xiner smiled and replied.

"Although I've only met Yue Yang a few times, I can tell he's an arrogant person. A classical martial arts film like The Dragon God Hero, if released at a time like this, can hardly escape the suspicion of blindly following market trends," Zhang Le smiled and said. "The script for this film likely came from the hands of a Hollywood screenwriter. And that writer either has a superficial understanding of Chinese martial arts culture or is deliberately wrapping their Western in the outer shell of Chinese wuxia. I don't know if this movie will be well-received abroad, but back home, it will mostly likely get cursed at."

"Then I won't take it," Yang Xiner smiled and said. The reason she had been unsure in the first place was that upon reading it, she felt the story was okay, but upon closer reflection, something always felt off and awkward. With Zhang Le explaining it like this, she instantly understood.

The outer layer was Chinese, but the inner core was Western—no wonder it felt so awkward. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had already been lambasted by many as a movie made specifically to cater to foreigners, so this so-called Dragon God Hero would probably find it even harder to escape that fate.