Actresses

Chapter 62 Recommendation

Of course, nothing particularly dramatic happened.

Upon entering, it was just an ordinary office. Of course, it was much larger than He Yuran's own company. The workstations inside were quite cramped, with a lot of documents piled on each desk. The meeting room door was open, and the whiteboard inside had actors' information photos and names written on them.

Everything you'd expect from a typical casting company is here. You might even think you've stumbled into a rival casting company in Beijing.

He Yuran's tension eased considerably. She raised her voice and said, "I'll go find Chen Yueming."

Upon hearing the name, several people in the room immediately looked up. A man who looked to be around thirty years old walked over and asked, "Have you made an appointment with our CEO, Yueming?"

Jiang Fan answered first: "I am Jiang Fan. I came here to talk to President Yueming about the role."

"Oh, Teacher Jiang, this way, this way." The man said as he led the way, then glanced at He Yuran a couple more times, but said nothing.

He Yuran thought smugly, "Let's see who recognizes me first today."

Actually, He Yuran hadn't seen Teacher Chen's son for many years, but she vaguely remembered him; in her mind, Chen Yueming should have been a fat man. However, when they met in the office, she was shocked. The Chen Yueming before her was quite thin. He had a small beard on his chin, a buzz cut, but was slightly balding on top. He looked quite shrewd.

However, Jiang Fan and Chen Yueming must have had dealings before, because when they met, they exchanged pleasantries quite naturally.

Chen Yueming took the initiative to walk over and shake hands: "Teacher Jiang Fan, my dad specifically asked me to make this trip for you. I apologize for not being able to entertain you properly, but I really can't spare the time. Our group has just too many things to do."

"I completely understand. With such a big production and you being the executive producer, you must be involved in every little detail. So I feel a bit embarrassed to bother you."

"Let's not stand on ceremony. And who is this?" Chen Yueming said, beginning to look He Yuran up and down.

Although the others in the room didn't notice, this person had clearly sensed that the woman next to him, who was wearing a hat and no makeup, had an aura that was not that of an ordinary person.

"My old classmate, He Yuran," Jiang Fan said.

Chen Yueming visibly flinched. "Oh my, I was wondering why they looked so familiar, I didn't dare to recognize them, and it really is... I didn't expect that the two people who came today are such famous actors."

He Yuran said with a smile, "I came out to play with Fan, and I just happened to come along with her."

Chen Yueming's tone immediately changed, becoming much warmer. "Oh? Sister Ran, you two have always had a good relationship? I haven't heard my old man mention that."

He Yuran almost rolled her eyes.

Jiang Fan and I are the same age, so what is Chen Yueming pretending for? He calls Jiang Fan "teacher" but calls me "sister." In this industry, calling someone "teacher" is just common politeness and doesn't mean anything, but calling someone "sister" or "brother" is different; it implies that he thinks the other person is of higher status. It's essentially about treating people differently based on their status. But there's nothing that can be done; that's just how this industry is. He Yuran's fame is undeniable.

"Fan is currently signed with me. I'm coming with her. I'll also take this opportunity to learn more about your show," He Yuran said seriously.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yueming's attitude underwent a complete 180-degree change compared to before. It could even be described as slightly ingratiating. "Oh my, such big news! I really hadn't heard about it. It seems that Teacher Jiang Fan is definitely making a comeback. Congratulations! Sister Ran, are you also interested in our drama? How about I have another producer and director come over, and we can chat about it today?"

He Yuran thought to herself, "Why didn't you call the director over just now? No matter how fast your attitude changes, I'm not going to be a background character in your show."

"If you're here, sure. I'd like to talk about your First Madam. I think this character is incredibly resilient, yet possesses the grace of a noblewoman; it requires both the actress's charisma and acting skills. Besides Jiang Fan, I can't even think of a second suitable person."

Chen Yueming pondered for a moment before smiling and saying, "Sister Ran's words make a lot of sense! And from what I'm hearing, you must have seen our materials and understand them quite well. But as you know, the competition for this role is extremely fierce. Many actresses with higher status than Teacher Jiang want to participate, so we have to balance various considerations. I didn't know she was signed with you, Sister Ran, so this is new information for me today. I'll consider it further."

"Yueming, I'm calling you President Yueming. I'm talking about the suitability of the role and the actor, not about which company you have the best relationship with."

"But casting a role isn't that easy, Sister Ran, don't you know that? Do you cast just anyone for your movies? It's always after you've given your approval." Chen Yueming smiled politely, but his tone was a little sarcastic.

The implication was actually somewhat sarcastic, clearly referring to a rumor about He Yuran from back then.

About six or seven years ago, a young, popular actor auditioned for a movie starring He Yuran, but was ultimately replaced. Later, that actor became famous overnight through a drama, and this past incident resurfaced. Rumors circulated that He Yuran was the one who replaced him, leading to her being cyberbullied. This incident significantly damaged He Yuran's online reputation. Fortunately, many years have passed, and it's rarely mentioned anymore, but Yueming's comment reignited her anger.

Jiang Fan was unaware of the situation and stared blankly at the two of them. Why did their conversation seem off?

He Yuran sneered. "President Yueming, given my example, don't you understand? In our industry, nothing is certain. Today it's one group, tomorrow it's another. Those who have been famous aren't necessarily doomed, and those who are unknown aren't guaranteed to become famous. Whether you become famous or not isn't determined by the will of a few. Don't think you've made the right choice, right?"

"But Sister Ran, the biggest difference between us is that I don't have as much power as you," Yueming said, his tone becoming increasingly blunt. "And I don't consider myself to have that much power. Besides, I know perfectly well whether it's my territory or not."

Jiang Fan finally realized what was going on and quickly came to the rescue: "Ranran, let me explain my situation."

He Yuran shut up.

"Mr. Yueming, I'm mentally prepared for whether this role will be successful or not. The main reason I'm here is to express my sincerity, and I'd also like to share my understanding of this role."

He Yuran, who was standing next to Jiang Fan, sighed inwardly as she listened to his words. She thought to herself, "We're all so old now, I don't know if I've lost all my innocence, or if Jiang Fan has never grown up."

In these situations, the second meeting is crucial. The first meeting is merely an initial assessment of mutual chemistry. Only if there's a connection do they move on to discussing financial resources and connections. This involves things like getting an actor involved and receiving compensation, such as a package deal for several projects or advance funding. Once the higher-level collaboration is finalized, the next step is the audition and signing process. It's clear that Yue Ming doesn't consider Jiang Fan or He Yuran within his negotiation scope. In other words, he doesn't need them, so the role is out of the question. But since Jiang Fan is still approaching the negotiations methodically, using an audition-like mindset, let's grant her request.

Sure enough, Chen Yueming waved his hand. "Teacher Jiang, we don't need to talk about understanding the character like other actors do; that's all abstract. Let me be frank with you, you have no chance with this role. But after talking with you today, I feel that although you haven't been in the industry for the past few years, you're a reasonable person, and it definitely won't be difficult for you to come back. If there's a suitable opportunity in the future, I can also recommend some of my friend's projects for you to consider."

Jiang Fan finally realized that no matter how much he said, it would be in vain.

He Yuran sneered, "What about your other roles? You have enough people for every one of them, right? Especially that concubine from a commoner background, she's quite interesting."

He Yuran intentionally brought up this role because it seemed to be the one Zhuang Pan could approach. Moreover, she also wanted to take this opportunity to hear what Yueming had to say.

Yueming smiled. "This role was the most fiercely contested. All the popular actresses were top contenders."

He Yuran perked up; this was exactly what she wanted. "Then tell me about it, I'll listen."

Chen Yueming looked troubled. "This isn't good. We haven't signed a contract yet, and everyone is offering their best deals. It's a real headache for us to choose, because every offer is excellent. But like I said, with such a big production, there are too many factors to consider. It's impossible to satisfy everyone."

"Hey, we're not going to go around saying this. There aren't many young, popular actors who have time to film serious dramas and whose acting skills allow them to land serious roles. You tell me what you think. It'll help me tell who's bragging in front of me, otherwise everyone will say you're engaged to them, right?"

"Does Sister Ran have any collaborations with them?"

"Yeah, a production company has approached me, telling me who's in the cast, but I'm not sure what the cast is like. So tell me quickly."

"I'm sorry, sis, I really can't say, but we're currently shortlisting two or three people, and we'll choose one in the end. They're all actors who can act in serious dramas, and they're not from historical romance dramas."

He Yuran mentally crossed out Zhuang Pan, realizing that Chen Yueming hadn't taken a liking to her at all. This was because Zhuang Pan was a character from a period drama series.

This is not surprising at all. If the production team had begged Zhuang Pan, they wouldn't have set such harsh conditions in the first place.

"But I think you shouldn't have this prejudice. I'll recommend an actress to you. I think she's quite good, just like I think Jiang Fan is suitable."

"Then please tell me."

"Zhuang Pan," He Yuran said crisply.

"You signed a contract too?" Yueming asked, puzzled.

"No, I've just seen her work and think she's perfect for this role because she looks beautiful in period costumes. But her previous roles were too limited, and she needs a more grounded character to showcase her talent. I think she can portray the pragmatism and wit of this concubine, as well as her feigned madness after being framed in the palace."

"Oh, I thought you were recommending it because you had a business relationship."

"Because I also need to understand young actors. After all, as you said, I have high standards for the people I work with; I have to choose them myself. But recommendations from others aren't enough; I have to really get to know the actor. Sometimes auditions aren't useful because the actor's state of mind might not be right, so understanding the actor is also very important. I know, Yueming, you're more willing to try to get something in return for a role, especially a supporting one, but what I want to say is that a strong supporting role can greatly enhance the entire production. Getting to know Zhuang Pan is also giving yourself a chance. Okay, that's all for now, Fan, let's go."

He Yuran slapped his thigh and stood up.