Chapter Twenty-Seven: Conflicts within the Production Team and the First Discussion

The next day, because Liu Tianxian’s role was relatively small, Lu Yang decided to let her experience the atmosphere on the set of *Brotherhood of Blades* first so she could adjust her state.

Although she was well-versed in martial arts films, she was curious to see how this so-called "realistic" martial arts style differed from the projects she had worked on before.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she arrived on set, she saw Zhang Qianjun arguing with the director.

"The logic in this scene is flawed. Ding Xiu doesn't touch the girl from the clinic, yet he kills her grandfather. What is the point of this design? Is it to show that Ding Xiu isn't beyond redemption? Or are you trying to imply that he’s gay?

If he’s a villain, he should be a thorough one. Having a penchant for men wouldn't stop him from killing both the grandfather and the granddaughter. If you don't want to write the character as that evil, then what is the point of killing the old doctor? If he can knock the granddaughter unconscious, he can do the same to the old man."

Zhang Qianjun, with his head shaved bald, was shouting, while director Lu Yang stood there looking like a good student being bullied by a school tyrant.

The actors involved in the scene—Zhou Yiwei, leaning against the wall with his long blade; Chen Xiao, looking bewildered; and Zhou Fang (the actress playing Zhang Yan), sitting on the steps with her legs exposed—all stood by. The rest of the crew waited for the two bosses to reach a conclusion.

Lu Yang appeared helpless; the script had been written by his wife, so he patiently explained to Zhang Qianjun, "This is for the sake of dramatic conflict. Using the doctor's death is meant to escalate Jin Yichuan’s emotions so that he truly loses his temper with Ding Xiu."

Zhang Qianjun shook his head, refusing to accept that reasoning.

"The logic is wrong. If you want to infuriate Jin Yichuan, just carrying out Zhang Yan, who is showing off her legs, would be enough. The old doctor could have just been knocked out on the spot. Didn't Zhang Yan wake up later after lying on the floor? You could have used the exact same method."

Before Lu Yang could reply, the screenwriter—his wife—spoke up. "This is to advance the layers of the plot. Why are you hung up on this? Is it really that important?"

Lu Yang was about to interject, but seeing his wife speak, he knew trouble was coming.

Sure enough, Zhang Qianjun barked angrily, "Of course it’s important! Ding Xiu is a crucial character; he has to go to the final battle on the grasslands later, doesn't he?

The protagonist can team up with an anti-hero for a death match, but he cannot team up with a psychotic piece of trash. You can't turn a charming character into a lunatic just to advance the plot, because killing the doctor defies the internal logic of the story.

Furthermore, I have every reason to be hung up on this. I need to ensure the rationality of this film. I cannot sit by and watch the plot suffer from major errors. Because this is my money! My money! Whoever interferes with this film making money can get out right now!"

Perhaps it was the volume of Zhang Qianjun’s voice, or perhaps it was his imposing stature combined with the fierce, unblinking glare he fixed on her, but the screenwriter fell silent and was pulled away by the director.

"Ten-minute break! Makeup and props, get over here and clean the blood off the old man!"

With that, Zhang Qianjun returned to his folding chair. His assistant, Xiao Chen, hurried over with a bottle of mineral water.

The prop team was the first to move, leading the actor playing the doctor to change clothes, while the makeup artist followed closely with a kit.

The set fell silent again, save for the hushed whispers in various small circles.

Chen Xiao leaned toward Zhou Yiwei. "Brother Zhou, what are we supposed to do now?"

Zhou Yiwei covered his mouth with his hand and whispered, "What is there to do? Just listen to instructions and act."

Chen Xiao glanced at the director and the lead actor. "But whose instructions do we listen to?"

"Who cares? Just do your part." Zhou Yiwei thought to himself that these Central Academy of Drama graduates weren't very bright; the folks from the Beijing Film Academy wouldn't ask such stupid questions.

"Brother Zhou, aren't you the lead in Director Lu’s last film?"

"So what? I’m just an actor. I shoot how I’m told, and I read whatever lines the script gives me. Who do you think I am? Once I sign a contract to join a crew, do I even have the authority to decide how to act? Stop thinking about these useless things. Do your scenes well, say goodbye to the director and producer when you’re done, and keep their contact info—that’s what matters."

While Chen Xiao nodded submissively, Liu Tianxian sat nearby, whispering to her mother, "Mom, is Zhang Qianjun expecting me to learn this? I really can't do that!"

Liu Xiaoli’s eyelids twitched. Was this the person her daughter was supposed to act opposite? This was more than just a "scene hog"; this was a "set tyrant."

"Xixi, what do you think will happen in a moment?"

Liu Tianxian looked at her mother, puzzled. "What else could happen? It’s obvious. Didn't you see the props and makeup crew go to work? But isn't Zhang Qianjun afraid the director will turn on him?"

Auntie Liu paused. "I suppose he isn't."

Ten minutes flew by, and the scene was reset for another take.

That afternoon, both Chen Xiao and Zhou Fang finished their roles. After thanking the crew, they came to thank Zhang Qianjun. Zhang Qianjun encouraged Chen Xiao and promised to look for him if a suitable role came up, leaving Chen Xiao pleasantly surprised.

Zhou Fang also came to express her thanks and asked to exchange contact information.

Zhang Qianjun glanced at her. "In the future, if you have any business, just find Liu Chang. He’s the one who recommended you, didn't you know?"

After that, he stood up to rest. At this moment, Liu Xiaoli approached. "Qianjun, let's have dinner together later. Thank you for inviting Xixi to play the lead."

"Sure, Auntie Liu, you're too kind. I suggest we just eat somewhere nearby; there are a lot of reporters around, and I have work tomorrow."

"Don't worry, I know a private restaurant. We can take the elevator straight from the basement to the shop; the private rooms are quiet."

They agreed on a time and went to prepare.

As they followed the minivan into the basement, the assistant, Xiao Chen, asked, "Brother Jun, should I wait for your call to come pick you up later?"

Zhang Qianjun looked at his assistant in the passenger seat, puzzled. "Why wait there? Come with me to dinner."

"Ah, is it appropriate for me to join?"

"It would be inappropriate if you didn't. How did you get your master's degree in the UK? Did you just coast through it?"

Zhang Qianjun’s assistant, Chen Xiaoyu, was a newcomer hired last month. She was a fresh master’s graduate who claimed to have studied at Coventry in the UK, but Zhang Qianjun always felt her English was mediocre.

However, the girl was sharp, young—the same age as Kan Qingzi—and had fair skin, a slightly plump figure, and wore glasses, making her look quite gentle. Zhang Qianjun kept her around because her language logic was clear and she was easy on the eyes.

Upon entering the private room, the two parties exchanged brief, formulaic pleasantries, and the food was served shortly after.

Liu Xiaoli asked with a smile what Zhang Qianjun liked to drink. He replied that plain water would do.

Zhang Qianjun began to eat rapidly, sticking to his habit. To be fair, while these private kitchen restaurants might not have unique specialties, they maintained a decent baseline for flavor.

In less than ten minutes, Zhang Qianjun had finished three bowls of rice, leaving the mother and daughter across from him stunned.

"Don't you need to control your diet?" Liu Tianxian asked with envy.

"I am controlling it. Didn't you see me drinking water?" Zhang replied casually.

After a while, seeing Zhang Qianjun put down his chopsticks, Liu Xiaoli began to ask about the matters she was concerned about. "Qianjun, regarding the 'putting a team together' you mentioned on the phone, what exactly is the process?"

Zhang Qianjun answered offhandedly, "Auntie Liu, you should be familiar with the normal process of setting up a film crew. It’s pretty much the same."

Liu Xiaoli nodded; she had been immersed in the industry for years and understood it well.

"Are you looking to invest yourself?"

"I have that thought, but..."

Seeing her hesitate, Zhang Qianjun smiled and took over. "But you're afraid of losing money, right?"

Liu Xiaoli smiled and nodded.

"Actually, losing money is normal. Not many films make a profit in a year. If you're afraid of losing money, you either use other people's money to make your own movies—using someone else's hen to lay eggs—or, even if you invest your own money, you bring in multiple capital sources so everyone shares the risk."

As he spoke, Zhang Qianjun noticed his little assistant, who had been eating slowly, had also stopped. He tapped her lightly and said, "Keep eating, don't worry about us."

Seeing Zhang Qianjun’s serious expression, Xiao Chen ignored the two guests and went back to eating.

Zhang Qianjun continued, "If a movie wants to make money, costs must be controlled. You have to spend more on production. Some films boast about massive production values, but in reality, the actors' salaries take up the lion's share. If the actors aren't big enough draws, those films are likely to lose money.

Just look at the so-called big-budget co-productions between Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the mainland as examples.

So, if we skip the financing step, looking at the current market, there are only three types of films that can win big with a small bet: comedies, youth dramas, and so-called 'chick flicks.' The core of all of them is earning money from women.

If you want to invest without overcommitting, these three types are easier to manage. After all, the core is the people; they don't require high standards for costumes, makeup, or props, and the crew doesn't need to be large. You only need a few actors."

Liu Xiaoli nodded repeatedly, but then had another question. "I know about youth dramas; your *Better Days* is a recent representative work. For chick flicks, are you talking about Zhang Ziyi's *Sophie's Revenge*?"

"Right. That garbage *Sophie's Revenge* managed to sell 100 million. It’s truly unreasonable. There’s a film called *Love is Not Blind* coming out this November; that’s a typical chick flick. You can go check that out when the time comes."

Zhang Qianjun took a sip of water and added, "Actually, if you want long-term success, comedies are more suitable. Chick flicks and youth dramas are essentially feeding off the actors' popularity and market trends. It’s hard to make masterpieces with those two genres; most of the time, they just wear down the audience's trust in the leads. Do too many of those, and you ruin your reputation."

Liu Xiaoli hesitated. "But if Xixi acts in comedies, is that appropriate? Plus, if she’s defined as a comedy star, it won't be good for winning awards or getting high-end luxury endorsements later."

Zhang Qianjun let out a scoffing laugh. "Well, that depends on your own choices."

Liu Tianxian, who had been sitting quietly for a while, was displeased. "What is that laugh supposed to mean?"

Zhang Qianjun thought to himself, *You asked for this.* "Are you hoping to be a Best Actress, Tianxian? Listen to your nickname—is that the stuff of a Best Actress?"

Liu Xiaoli was also annoyed now. "Xixi works very hard at acting. Many of the action scenes are done by her, the training is grueling, and she rarely uses a stunt double."

"That has nothing to do with acting skills, though. That’s just called being professional. Given her social exposure and life experience, it will probably take many years before she can win a major award based on her acting."

Liu Tianxian snapped, "You say I’m not good enough, but are you that great at acting?"

Zhang Qianjun was calm. "My acting is also mediocre, which is why I put money first. I just try to do my best to respect the audience and not feed them trash."

Liu Tianxian looked disgusted. "We're eating, can you please not use that word?"

Zhang Qianjun looked at Liu Xiaoli, then back at Liu Tianxian. "If you want to invest and put together your own projects, it’s simple: look at my daily routine, and you’ll naturally learn.

But you have to decide what you want: money, fame, or 'prestige.' You have to do the corresponding work for what you want. You won't get good results if you're indecisive."

"Does making money mean being as vulgar and heartless as you?" Liu Tianxian asked coldly.

Zhang Qianjun gave Liu Tianxian his signature, emotionless "stare of death." "I do it for the success of the film. I focus on the work, not the people. Besides, compared to the profits of a film, what is sentimentality worth?"