The emcee was Zhang Nengshou, the production director of the crew.
At his introduction, Shen Shanden, the soul of the The Grand Director project and its director, stepped onto the stage.
Shen Shanden had not deliberately worn a director's vest today, nor had he chosen a suit.
Jeans paired with a simple white T-shirt.
Minimalist. Youthful.
Don't ask whether a T-shirt was too cold. As long as it looked good, it wasn't cold.
He still carried the student-like air he had shown at the Beijing Film Academy press conference. One look told people he was a student, a gentleman, brimming with scholarly refinement.
Shen Shanden stepped onto the red carpet, and the moment he appeared, he became the center of attention.
The crowd erupted into its loudest commotion and discussion yet.
"Wow! Denden!"
Those were Shen Shanden's fans.
"That's him! The director!"
"He looks pretty convincing!"
"Wonder how the movie will turn out."
"Are those rumors about him and Fan Bingbing true? Didn't they say he was with Yang Mi?"
The media section in the front stirred. Reporters mobilized their equipment, their long lenses and cameras focusing on this young man who had gone from online singer to director in one leap.
The cameras snapped frantically.
Only they knew that the young man before them was far from as harmless and simple as he appeared.
A few months ago, at the launch ceremony, they had thought this young man spoke without restraint. They had criticized him inwardly, thinking that if someone so young was in charge of a project worth tens of millions, he should at least act more mature.
Looking back now, media people like them were like raw recruits in front of Shen Shanden.
Shen Shanden was turning himself into a cultural symbol!
Jeans, a white T-shirt, combined with his identity as a student.
Traditionally, people believed that a young face meant unreliable work, but Shen Shanden was not playing by traditional rules at all.
Once might have been a coincidence. But when Shen Shanden wore the same kind of outfit at this start of filming ceremony, it was deliberate. He was consciously shaping his own image.
Combined with the publicity rhythm for The Grand Director, the launch ceremony had flooded online portals and web media. Then came the gradual release of news about stars joining the cast, followed by casting, stills and poster reveals, and organized online communities that cultivated a sense of participation among netizens.
With so many coincidences, it could no longer be coincidence.
Either Shen Shanden was exceptionally skilled, or he had a marketing team that was, perhaps even better than that young opinion leader from the south.
Facing all the gathered gazes, Shen Shanden remained as steady as a mountain. His steps were calm and powerful, his eyes sharp and focused, his bearing reserved and composed.
Many people were surprised to discover that Shen Shanden now carried a faint but distinct aura.
Like a young general about to command a battle, he made the very air around the ceremony venue subtly tense.
The host invited the others onto the stage.
After the trials of preparing with the crew, Zhou Qifeng had shed the last traces of boyishness. He wore a well-fitted dark casual suit, without deliberately trying to look mature, and even his steps had become steadier.
Zhou Qifeng's girlfriend, standing below the stage, was delighted for her boyfriend.
As the absolute core, Wu Jing appeared shortly afterward, standing half a step behind Shen Shanden.
He was no longer slightly nervous as he had been at the Beijing Film Academy press conference. He had fully entered his multiple roles, his presence honed and concentrated.
He wore a capable black training outfit, his muscular lines faintly visible. His expression was stern and focused, his eyes filled with a sense of mission.
The way Wu Jing looked at Shen Shanden carried the fervor of a warrior willing to die for the one who understood him.
After months of working together, Shen Shanden had become, in Wu Jing's heart, like a newly rising sun in Chinese Cinema.
Then the stars took the stage. Chen Kun had regained his distinctive artistic air.
His acting skills and audience appeal were important guarantees of the film's quality.
His appearance raised media and knowledgeable viewers' expectations for the film's "texture."
Fan Bingbing, Huang Xiaoming, Chen Hao, and the others came onstage one after another.
"Please welcome the renowned performing artist Mr. Chen Daoming," the host announced.
Chen Daoming made a low-key appearance.
He dressed relatively simply in an ordinary jacket, yet his presence was the most imposing of all.
Though he was only making a friendly cameo, he was like the stabilizing pillar of the sea.
He did not need to chase the spotlight, but the moment he appeared, the venue quieted noticeably.
Every member of the main creative team showed respect on their faces.
But it was not over yet. The host announced the heavyweight who would anchor the event.
"Please welcome the chairman of China Film Group and the first producer of The Grand Director, Mr. Han Sanping."
Han Sanping's arrival brought the atmosphere to its first climax.
The reporters instantly went wild, the shutter clicks merging into an unbroken wash of white noise.
The surrounding crowd burst into even louder amazement, asking who this old man was and why he looked so important.
Those in the know were all stunned.
Han Sanping had personally attended the start of filming ceremony for a new director's mid-budget project?
The message could not have been clearer.
China Film Group's regard for Shen Shanden and the The Grand Director project was at the highest level!
And he would personally vouch for it!
Han Sanping wore a dark jacket and his trademark calm smile. He shook hands firmly with Shen Shanden, who came forward to greet him, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke quietly with him for a few moments.
That gesture was displayed directly before countless cameras and captured under the spotlights.
Afterward.
Han Sanping shook hands and exchanged greetings one by one with Deputy Manager Wang, the representative of the Production Department; Zhang Nengshou, the emcee and China Film Group's representative within the crew; as well as top stars such as Fan Bingbing, Huang Xiaoming, and Chen Daoming, displaying the bearing of a true industry heavyweight.
His arrival was the real stabilizing pillar.
It meant that The Grand Director not only had an all-star cast, but also an industry titan overseeing it, completely steadying the whole event.
It also gave the entire crew and project the strongest possible confidence.
Fan Bingbing smiled so widely she could barely close her mouth, already imagining the headline photos that would run across major media outlets tomorrow.
Seeing that the time was right, emcee Zhang Nengshou said, "The auspicious hour has arrived. Offer incense and pray for blessings."
Shen Shanden did not deliberately try to be different and followed the standard procedure.
At the main ceremonial position, Shen Shanden stood to one side as director, while Han Sanping stood in the center as the lead producer.
Han Sanping nodded to himself.
Shen Shanden handled matters without rushing or panicking, yet he did not lack a young man's sharp edge. He truly was the exceptional talent Han Sanping had valued.
At the accompanying ceremonial positions stood:
Wu Jing and Chen Kun, followed by the biggest-name leading actress, Fan Bingbing, then Huang Xiaoming, Chen Hao, special guest Chen Daoming, Deputy Manager Wang from China Film Group's Production Department, representatives from investors Bona Film Group and Enlight Media, as well as production director Zhang Nengshou and producer Zhou Qifeng.
Everyone looked solemn, their smiles restrained.
Incense smoke curled through the air, and the atmosphere was grave.
Start of filming ceremonies on the mainland had been heavily influenced by Hong Kong Island. Roast suckling pig and worshipping the gods had become fixed parts of the process.
At first, film equipment was easily damaged, so people worshipped for peace of mind.
As time passed, equipment quality improved and failure rates dropped. Start of filming ceremonies gradually became an important part of film publicity.
But their inherent significance remained considerable.
For a project like The Grand Director, twelve million was equivalent to fifty or sixty million in later times. On top of that, Shen Shanden had secured plenty of discounts from China Film Group through the eastern and western provinces. In the future, even crews throwing one or two hundred million around might not be able to make it.
For such an important project, if things did not go smoothly, every single day of delay would cost a huge sum. They could not afford setbacks.
Shen Shanden found that making movies was much like running construction projects. Money flowed out every day, and unexpected incidents could cause enormous losses.
It was not that they did not believe in science. It was just that mysticism offered better value for money.
Of course, there was scientific basis for it as well.
The key to the god-worshipping segment of the start of filming ceremony was no longer worshipping gods, but worship itself.
This was an application of ritual within a film crew. Worship was a rite, and through actions with specific procedures and rules, it reassured people and signaled that work had officially begun.
Shen Shanden grasped the key point and strengthened the process. The Grand Director had stars and industry giants lending it their support, so he put that on display and created an atmosphere of ritual.
The effect was fairly good.
Shen Shanden's expression was especially devout and resolute.
Following their earlier rehearsal, he shouted together with the main creative team.
"Today, filming begins! May the Machine Spirit Be Pleased! Good fortune and great success!"
They used it to pray for a smooth shoot and a box-office hit.
Han Sanping had not joined the rehearsal, but in this situation, he could only move his lips along with them.
It was a little embarrassing!
He took back what he had said earlier. It was indeed a new trend, but young people's ways were a little too new.
The rites were complete.
Shen Shanden and Han Sanping, whose inner thoughts were plentiful, walked together to the main camera covered in red cloth.
They reached out together and ripped away the red cloth!
At that moment, the flashes poured down like a torrential storm once more!
It marked the official launch of the The Grand Director project and its entry into the filming stage.
As for offering incense and cutting the roast suckling pig, Shen Shanden had omitted them.
Instead, he had brought out celebratory candies in elegant boxes and ate the first piece himself.
The main creative team came forward one after another to symbolically take a piece, sharing the good luck of the "start of filming candy."
Han Sanping did not like sweets, but he still showed his support and ate one.
"Milk candy. Pretty good."
It tasted far better than Han Sanping had expected.
The atmosphere at the venue became relaxed and lively.
Shen Shanden ate his celebratory candy, sweetness filling his heart as excitement surged within him.
He had finally reached this point.
With Han Sanping anchoring the project and an all-star cast, who could look down on it? Who would dare to?
The boasts he, Shen Shanden, had made were coming true one by one!
He stood at the center of the trend.
And he had created that trend himself!
That was what truly made it impressive!
With the ceremony's core proceedings over, it was time for the media.
Reporters surged toward the main creative team like a tide, microphones rising everywhere.
A pile of questions found their way to Shen Shanden. They asked about his feelings during preparation, his evaluation of the actors, how he would balance commercial appeal with "exploring a new path," and how he viewed the continued discussion sparked by "A weak nation has no art."
Shen Shanden did not avoid the controversy. Instead, he chose to open up a new battlefield.
When there was enough controversy, it could no longer catch up with him.
"For The Grand Director, let's set a modest goal first: one hundred million in box office!"
Han Sanping's heart jolted beside him.
That bold?
Boom!
The reporters looked at Shen Shanden with the excitement of prospectors who had discovered a gold mine.
He was simply too good at creating topics!
The reporters went wild!
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