Chapter 003: Paper Tiger

Lin Xiao picked it up and took a closer look, only to realize that this was a plot outline, which is typically sent by the director for actors to understand the character during auditions. As soon as he saw the name, three loud bangs of "boom" echoed in his mind!

1000! Lin Xiao swallowed hard; he had enough savings for only 10 days of training!

"Huaxia Film and Television Entertainment! Manager Cami, the announcements have not been finalized yet, but the three audition outlines that were initially presented were personally selected by you." Li Hao looked at him with concern: "Xiao Ge, should we have the doctor take another look?"

May I ask if you are entering the training

The "Never Give Up" cast is not particularly extravagant, and the production budget is not very high either. However, it still features veteran actor Li Youbing. What truly captures his attention, though, is the director of "Never Give Up"—Zheng Xiaolong

I see, upon hearing this, Lin Xiao had already analyzed it to a near certainty. It seems that the "General Chu" she mentioned is none other than Chu Yiming, the only son of the real estate magnate Chu Tianyi. In his previous life, he remembered this genuine high-flyer frequently making headlines, but he never expected that he had ventured into the entertainment industry during his youth

I see, it seems that as the level increases, this simulation director will gradually progress from shallow to deep. It appears that this system is also quite unscrupulous.

At that moment, the system in Lin Xiao's mind began to ring frantically: "Detected A-level agent CAMI, A-level side mission initiator, graduated from the University of Southern California, resume: 1996-1997, agent for Gwyneth Paltrow. 1998 ... "

"Sister CAMI, how many artists are there in the company now?" he asked

CAMI carried a large bag with her, and also had a leather bag hanging from it. When she turned the large bag upside down, it was filled with all the food that Lin Xiao liked, along with a pile of his clothes

Yongle Real Estate? Lin Xiao was taken aback; this is one of the five major real estate giants in the country. How could they invest in an obscure emerging entertainment company? What on earth is going on?

Huaxia Company

Hurry up and get better so you can come back and earn money.

Filled with excitement and anxiety, he quickly opened the system panel that only he could see and decisively clicked on "Training"

Li Hao. Lin Xiao took a moment to calm himself and said steadily: "I feel a bit dizzy. Which company do we currently belong to? Who is the agent? What announcements do we have on hand?"

The system has been checked, conditions are met, and the training system is available for use

He quickly organized the events of the past decade in his mind. In the year 2000, the Chinese television drama market was still dominated by historical costume dramas. It was not until next year's "Meteor Garden" ignited the idol craze that a diverse trend truly erupted. If he could seize the initiative in this new century... even if five years later he was the same as in his previous life, he would still be a step ahead at the starting line of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" and "Empresses in the Palace"!

"I regret that you are still alive." CAMI shot him a cold glance and said, "Next time you want to die, just let me know, and I will help you find a higher place."

However, this was merely the minimum requirement; a few minutes later, he realized that it was far from that simple

CUT! Reread the script

There is no need to elaborate on the Kangxi Dynasty; he knows that the novel written by Er Yuehe will dominate the domestic 8 PM prime time slot next year. In that era, there were not so many choices; watching the grand drama on the Central Television at 8 PM was a habit for most families

Even if he has no chance in these two films, he still has hope of being selected for the last one

Moreover, because he had almost never acted alongside major stars before, in "Kangxi's" episodes featuring Chen Daoming and Siqin Gaowa, each of whom is a seasoned veteran of many years, if he could complete the filming, even if just for observation, his acting skills would undoubtedly experience a qualitative transformation.

Do not overthink it; taking care of your health is the priority. This audition is very important for both you and the company. CAMI tidied up her things and said meaningfully: "President Chu has also mentioned to you that if your group can deliver a satisfactory report by the deadline set by Yongle, you will be the founding members of the company. I believe Yongle will continue to inject funds without hesitation."

Shall this company be reborn from the ashes? He did not pursue this line of thought further, as there was now a more enticing matter he wished to experiment with

"I really didn't expect the company to have such great power," Lin Xiao said sincerely as he put down the script. "But what is going on with that system task? A company that can secure an audition for the CCTV's major drama in 2001 is actually experiencing losses?"

He remembers that when the three scripts first appeared, the first prompt was: The task publisher has appeared

Knock knock. Just as he was deep in thought, the knocking at the door sounded again. He had just said "come in" when the door was pushed open a crack.

Which director would you like to choose, and which type of work?

"Call me anytime if you need anything." After hesitating for a long time, Li Hao still went out

How natural it is that the person who assigns tasks to the artist is, of course, their agent

The CEO is named Chu Yiming

Lin Xiao forced a bitter smile; he felt utterly wronged to bear this blame.

Never giving up on fame is certainly not as great as that of Kangxi, however, Director Zheng's next work, "Empresses in the Palace," which is also a Qing dynasty palace drama, is another matter altogether

Side quest activated, accepting the role in "Webworm's Diary", C+ level script, reward: acting +10, success rate: 60%

Screenwriter: Ning Caishen

Although her words were sharp, Lin Xiao did not have a negative impression of her. On the contrary, he smiled at her and specifically brought over food and supplies, having traveled such a distance. At the very least, Tian Guang's agent had never done this.

The fervor of Kangxi was to be expected, but now, apart from him, no one would know that "Empresses in the Palace" also has "The Legend of the Condor Heroes"

He was taken aback for a moment. Could it be the company he is currently in? It seems that the situation is not as optimistic as it appears

You have chosen "Farewell My Concubine." The simulated Director Chen did not waste words: "I want you to play the role of Duan Xiaolou. Of course, I will not give you overly profound advice; I will only provide suggestions that are suitable for your current stage."

Immediately afterward, a woman in her late twenties or early thirties, dressed in a women's tailored suit, with her hair meticulously styled and wearing a pair of thick black-framed glasses, walked in.

What they lack is an artist who can establish the company and make it renowned. If anyone can achieve this, it is likely that Chu Yiming would mobilize all of China’s resources to promote him

No wonder we, as unknown newcomers, have such a highly qualified agent. Lin Xiao murmured. This was probably the best news he had heard since waking up

Chen Kaige, Farewell My Concubine

Grade A! Grade B+! Grade C+! He looked incredulously at these three outlines, these three plays, which he had never hoped to be part of in his previous life

The University of Southern California, reputed as one of the three prestigious film schools in Hollywood, has produced notable alumni such as George Lucas (creator of the Star Wars series), whose contributions alone are enough to secure a place in the annals of film history. Gwyneth Paltrow, moreover, won the Best Actress award at the 71st Academy Awards for her role in Shakespeare in Love

A-level agent? University of Southern California?! Gwyneth Paltrow?! Lin Xiao was taken aback. The name of this institution is indeed well-known in the film industry

Expression! Expression! Can you act or not?! Do you need me to demonstrate for you?!

Looking back with future perspective, the cast of the final installment can be described as luxurious, directed by Ying Da and starring Huang Xiaoming. Unfortunately, this film is remembered for the screen presence of another individual.

Suddenly, the cold system voice sounded again: "Beginner task unlocked: Help Huaxia Entertainment Company out of its predicament. Reward: 20 points. If this is not achieved within one year, the system will automatically erase the current host and seek the next host."

Lin Xiao quietly closed his eyes to clear his thoughts. It seemed that everything had undergone some slight changes. In his previous life, at this moment, he had not signed a contract with a company, nor would he have any announcements. However, now, the trajectory of fate had shown a slight deviation.

In his previous life, after several years of accumulation, he was criticized here from the very beginning to the point of bleeding. From the first shot, there were countless interruptions and adjustments. First, the entire film was reviewed, during which the simulated director Chen already furrowed his brows in distress. By the time they reached the storyboard, they hadn't even passed the first few shots.

Suddenly, his thoughts seemed to be drawn out, and he found himself in a sealed room. The room contained only two sofas, and there was not a single person present.

Just as he finished speaking, an elderly man suddenly appeared on the empty sofa in front of him. With small eyes that had slight bags, thick black eyebrows, he looked exactly like the real Chen Kaige

CAMI did not continue to speak about him, but took out three stacks of photocopies from her bag: "Do you remember what I told you yesterday? Forget it, if you remember, then you are not Lin Xiao. Take this time to examine these materials carefully and ponder over them more."

Lin Xiao nodded, finally understanding the meaning of the task issued by the system. The seemingly powerful Huaxia Film and Television Entertainment is, in fact, merely a paper tiger with a wealth of resources. The lack of connections, coupled with pressure from competitors, has made it impossible for them to recruit good artists. The ultimatum from the parent company, Yongle, hangs over them like a guillotine that could fall at any moment. The company has placed all its hopes on this group of individuals.

"You just need to know." CAMI was somewhat surprised; she did not expect the other party to think of this level.

Lin Xiao fell silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm fine, I just woke up. As soon as you mentioned it, everything came back to me. I'll watch some television and take a break."

This time, the company is fully engaged in public relations. Yongle Real Estate has issued a final ultimatum; if there is no improvement within a year, Yongle Real Estate will withdraw all funding. CAMI glanced at him and said: "You are also fortunate; the company had several auditions recently, all of which were rejected by the directors. China and the United States are different; it is a director-centered system. No matter how good our relationship is with the production team, there is still a barrier. You two are currently the 'most famous' artists in the company."

There is nothing to be surprised about; President Chu is after all the only son of Mr. Chu. Even if the parent company does not support Yongle's entry into the entertainment industry, they will still provide some support out of respect for Mr. Chu.

However, the gains he achieved were also immense; he even exaggeratedly felt that in just a few minutes of guidance, his benefits surpassed those of several months in his previous life

He made his choice without any hesitation

The task publisher has appeared, side quests are now available, and the project "Kangxi Dynasty" is being undertaken. It is an A-level script. Reward: Acting + 50, Success rate for undertaking: 30%

Did you not meet him when you signed the contract? CAMI asked in confusion

Side quest initiated, never give up on taking roles, B+ level script, reward: acting +30, success rate for taking roles: 40%

From now on, the host can pay money to additionally train their attributes during training, without taking up the host's own time. The host's acting skill is at 200, with a single attribute value at D level. C level acting training is now available for 1,000 yuan per day

CAMI sighed: "The company primarily focuses on the film and television industry, and we only have ten artists. Aside from you all, the rest are newcomers, with a few just having graduated from school. However, you cannot be considered veterans in the industry either. As you know, in the formal circle, it's quite good if one out of ten newcomers can last until the third year."

CUT! No! You must understand your identity! Duan Xiaolou is a character that is distinct from the play! He does not possess the confusion of Cheng Dieyi! You have not clearly delineated between 'the play' and 'the person'!

However, it seems that in the end, he still returned empty-handed. He subtly furrowed his brow, feeling no sense of relief that Huaxia Film and Television was backed by Yongle. He murmured to himself: "Every industry has its own rules. Even if Yongle is a real estate tycoon, the entertainment industry is not lacking in supergroups that can rival Yongle, such as Tianyu, which has numerous stars, and Huayi, a leading film company. For Huaxia, which is sensitive about identity, they must be on high alert. The cross-industry entry of Huaxia Entertainment will likely face significant challenges."

With a soft sound, the scenery before me transformed like a curtain of water

... ...