Becoming a Movie Star, System Only Finished Loading After Ten Years
Chapter 53: Not Pretending Anymore, Revealing the Cards (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Not Pretending Anymore, Revealing the Cards (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

On April 22nd, Qi Hao attended the Beijing College Student Film Festival.

Li Lianjie and Liu Dehua couldn’t make it due to scheduling conflicts, and the "Oath of Allegiance" crew couldn’t attend without a main actor, so Qi Hao accompanied Chen Kexin, Ye Weimin, and others to the event.

Moreover, the festival had hinted that he might be awarded the Most Popular Actor Award.

On the red carpet, Chen Kexin, Ye Weimin, Qi Hao, and the screenwriter Qin Tiannan walked together.

Qin Tiannan was considered an old friend.

Qi Hao had previously acted in "Seven Swords" scripted by him as Han Zhibang.

Qin Tiannan was involved in the screenwriting of "Oath of Allegiance," "Disciple," and the upcoming project "October Fortress" that Qi Hao had already signed on for.

Due to media visit coordination and a headache, Qi Hao arrived on the day of the closing ceremony.

Therefore, he didn’t have time to style his hair, which looked a bit messy. He wore an off-white shirt on top, with deep blue jeans below, casually rolled up at the cuffs, exposing his ankles, making him look relaxed but fashionable.

His glasses on the bridge of his nose gave fans and media present a different feel.

Good looks allow him to act willfully.

Others meticulously dress up, but they can’t compare to his casual style.

"What were you busy with last night, arriving so late today?" Ye Weimin asked with a smile while waving to the audience on both sides.

No doubt, this guy has a dirty mind.

"Bro, you know me. I don’t even have a girlfriend." Qi Hao couldn’t accept such slander.

"Live life to the fullest, why not fall in love instead of working hard?" Qin Tiannan chimed in.

"Alright, alright, you two, be serious!" Chen Kexin had to intervene.

They quickly walked to the interview area.

After a brief interview, they went inside.

"Qi Hao, there’s something we need to discuss." Ye Weimin called Qi Hao, and Qi Hao followed them to find a place to sit and talk.

"What’s up?"

Could it be that the role he was promised has been taken by someone else?

Qi Hao had encountered such things many times since debuting, and he was already used to it.

Of course, he had also taken roles from others.

For example, "Married the Right Man" was a role he took from Nie Yuan, and even Nie Yuan’s then-girlfriend broke up with him, allegedly due to Qi Hao’s interference.

However, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

During the casting for "The Return of the Condor Heroes," Nie Yuan once again became Qi Hao’s rival.

As a result, it was another crushing defeat.

Subsequent starring roles in two movies didn’t make much of an impact, and now he’s the least prominent among the top four young actors.

So, while Qi Hao and Nie Yuan weren’t enemies, they certainly weren’t friends either.

Tong Dawei had a wedding a few days ago, and Qi Hao didn’t attend.

Because Qi Hao had only worked with Tong Dawei on "Young Justice Bao 2," while Nie Yuan and Tong Dawei were close friends in the industry, Qi Hao’s presence could stir animosity.

Today, Nie Yuan was also there, even greeted Qi Hao.

The entertainment industry is like this. No matter the conflicts, everyone maintains a friendly facade.

Meanwhile, Qi Hao followed Ye Weimin, Chen Kexin, and Qin Tiannan to find a place to sit down.

"The plan to start filming in June might not happen."

Ye Weimin got straight to the point.

He knew that for a popular young actor like Qi Hao, freeing up a schedule was no easy feat.

He managed to make room for "October Fortress."

The pay was modest, definitely a friendly rate.

Now saying the schedule needs to change, he had to explain in person.

"Why?" Qi Hao was indeed a bit upset.

Since winning Best Actor, scripts sent to Old Tian piled high.

Among them were offers from renowned directors and major productions, with some offering substantial pay.

To reserve time for "October Fortress," he had turned down all those offers.

"There are some funding issues, but rest assured, this movie will definitely be made, the set is almost done being built."

Ye Weimin was very apologetic, feeling he owed Qi Hao.

Clearly, Qi Hao agreed to star in "October Fortress" because of him.

During the shooting of "Oath of Allegiance," he and Qi Hao formed a good relationship, which is why Chen Kexin had him invite Qi Hao instead of doing it personally.

It’s not that Chen Kexin as the producer was being pretentious.

"If you don’t want to be in it anymore, that’s fine, we owe you one and can collaborate again in the future."

Chen Kexin added, as the producer of "October Fortress," worried the film might lose money like "Oath of Allegiance," he invited many stars to join as a favor.

It’s fine to occasionally make a film that loses money, but if it’s a continuous loss, no matter how revered, they will be abandoned by capital.

"Is the script finished? Can I take a look at the complete script?"

Now that everyone is speaking so nicely, Qi Hao is no longer upset. He’s never had much of a temper anyway.

However, he thought of another matter and wanted to see the complete script before making a decision.

They had previously shown him the story outline and character sketches, but the complete script was still being revised.

"I did bring it, but you’ll have to wait a bit. I’ll have someone send it over."

The screenwriter Qin Tiannan is a workaholic, and even when at the hotel, he tries to keep working as much as possible.

"Alright!" Qi Hao nodded.

A few people talked in detail about the issues the film was encountering.

It’s said that several film investors went to tour the nearly completed "Central Ring City" and felt the money spent was not worth it after seeing it.

Some said they could build something even better with just 20 million.

Others mentioned there are similar buildings elsewhere, and there was no need to spend so much time and effort building another city.

Some questioned why Songjiang Film City wasn’t taking on the major costs since it was being built there.

Additionally, with some people stirring things up internally, a few investment parties decided to withdraw their funding.

Even though they didn’t collectively hold much stake, it still made the project unstable, leaving everyone unsure if more would leave in the future.

Anyway, there’s no way shooting can start in June now.

After a while, Qin Tiannan’s assistant brought over the script materials. Qi Hao didn’t stand on ceremony and started reading the script on site.

Ye Weimin and Qin Tiannan exchanged a glance, both a bit surprised.

Qi Hao’s level of education isn’t high. When starring in "Oath of Allegiance," a film with considerable historical depth, he did a lot of homework and spent a lot of time on it.

Yeah, spending a lot of time also had to do with him being semi-literate.

Reading on-site doesn’t match his personal level.

Instead of forcing himself, why not give his opponent a break? Maybe you should take it home and read it slowly.

Unexpectedly, Qi Hao finished flipping through it in no time and closed his eyes to ponder for a moment.

He had already memorized the script with his photographic memory.

Although some parts were still confusing, he had at least figured out what the story was about.

The plot may not be too novel, and some parts could be considered melodramatic, but it appropriately highlights the fate of small characters amid historical tides.

In the recent years where the Xiangjiang film circle hasn’t been acclaimed for its plots, it’s already considered good.

The character design is also very solid.

After reading, each character’s image could emerge in his mind.

One page even listed proposed actors, all of whom are big names or strong performers in the industry.

The lineup is even more impressive than "Oath of Allegiance."

The scripts Qi Hao recently received, including Zhang Yimou’s "Three Guns," Fan Xuexue’s recommendation "Very Perfect," as well as "Rules Before Falling in Love," etc., were not as good as "October Fortress."

This was even after Old Tian’s screening before it was placed before him.

Therefore, it’s not easy to come across a script of this caliber, and Qi Hao doesn’t want to give up lightly.

Since he set up his own studio, he’s taken on the responsibility of supporting the family.

If there’s no work, the dozen or so people will go hungry.

But accepting a bad film half-heartedly could waste the hard-earned advantage he’s built.

Besides, if you don’t shoot this film in the latter half of the year, what am I supposed to fill in with?

"New Three Kingdoms" has already clearly rejected.

Zhao Yun was snatched by Nie Yuan, and Lu Bu by He Rundong, leaving no strong male roles for me.

"How much did they withdraw?" Qi Hao thought for a moment and asked.

"What, you want to invest? Don’t joke around, just focus on being an actor. Investment has risks."

Ye Weimin immediately rejected Qi Hao’s suggestion.

Even stars aren’t guaranteed to be rich, and those with high paychecks can still end up broke.

Don’t let the child suffer or the poor show off.

Once you show off, it’s over.

Gambling and investing are the main culprits leading to a star’s downfall.

"The most crucial issue isn’t those companies withdrawing. Their combined funds weren’t much; the main issue is other investors have lost confidence. If you invest personally, even if you fill the gap, it still won’t instill confidence in other capital players."

Chen Kexin pointed out the crux.

The project currently lacks not only money but also the strength to instill confidence in other investors.

And Qi Hao’s money is just a drop in the bucket compared to real capital flows.

"You might not know, but I actually have someone supporting me."

Qi Hao realized they misunderstood him.

He decided to stop pretending and lay it all out.