Chapter 839: Four Scripts
"Hello, Director Zhang. It’s nice to see you again. Long time no see!"
"How are you, Director Jiang? Thank you so much for recommending me to Xu Jinglei. Our film has been short-listed by the San Sebastian International Film Festival."’
"Director Feng! Don’t look at me, it’s not my fault. I couldn’t find a suitable role in the scripts you suggested."
"Director Chen, this is the first time we meet."
Qin Guan shook hands with them one after the other. When he took a seat, he found himself at the end of the long table, a position usually reserved for leaders.
The four directors were looking at him anxiously. What a strange situation!
Feng Xiaogang was a straightforward man, so he made his purpose clear right away.
"I have a script for you, Qin Guan. The company asked me to try directing a commercial, big-budget production. Select a role from it."
He pushed a thick binder towards Qin Guan, sliding it over the slick table. The black characters on the white cover looked attractive.
They spelled the words "The Banquet"!
Before Qin Guan could come back to his senses, the other three directors had also taken out their own scripts, afraid that they would be left behind.
"Read mine first. The character is very expressive."
The film was called "Curse Of The Golden Flower"!
"I’m different, Qin Guan. You like indie films and winning awards, right? My script is very profound!"
The film’s title was "The Sun Also Rises"!
"We haven’t cooperated before, Qin Guan. As a young actor, you should try all kinds of different shooting methods. It would be good for earning experience."
The film was "The Promise" by Chen Kaige!
The four binders lay before him in order, just like a student’s homework. The gazes of the famous directors cheered Qin Guan up.
He had originally thought that they just wanted to get some money from him, but he had been offered four roles.
Qin Guan had a tight schedule that year. "The Knot" would be a promising candidate for the Chinese Ornamental Column Awards. If the film won an award, the SARFT would leave him alone.
Plus, he would also be working on "Crazy Stone", a new Armani advertisement, and his own brand and accounting firm.
He had no time to work with these directors, but the four men seemed determined to get a final answer. It was a taboo to offend a director from the circle.
Maybe Qin Guan could guest star in their films. This would add a fun element to the films and save the dignity of the famous directors.
When he made a decision, Qin Guan asked about "The Banquet" first.
"Huayi is producing it, right? The film must be rich in resources, but the roles are out of my league. I’ll be going to Hong Kong in April for the Hong Kong Film Awards. I have been planning this since before the Spring Festival. Sorry about that."
"As for Director Jiang..."
Jiang Wen pointed to the script immediately. "I know you are a busy guy. I’ll be the protagonist, so you could just select a supporting role. The schedule will be flexible. Filming will take you one week at the most."
"Okay!"
Qin Guan put the script on the left side of the table as an alternative offer.
He gasped when he heard Zhang Yimou’s plan. The director had hired Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li and Jay Zhou for the film. Qin Guan would be the eldest prince, who was a nitwit. It would be interesting to act like a lecher.
Plus, the film would be shot between other events. Qin Guan wanted to be one of the big stars, so he put "Curse Of The Golden Flower" on the left.
Zhang leaned back against his chair. He could relax now.
In 20 minutes, there was only one script left in Qin Guan’s hands. Chen Kaige was confident about Qin Guan’s decision. He stood out among the fifth generation of directors after all.
Unlike Zhang Yimou, who had started his career as a cameraman, he was not good with color and backgrounds. He relied on the plot and profound emotions to win awards, but he enjoyed a good reputation among the Chinese audience.
Qin Guan looked up from the script.
"I’m sorry, but I can’t do it, Director Chen. Your film will begin filming in June and my character is in every scene. Plus, the crew will be travelling to Shangri-La. I will be attending an event at the time. I look forward to working with you in the future though."
People were rejected plenty of times during their lives. Some people just smiled through the experience, while others felt dejected or insulted.