The set of "The Two-Faced Man."
It had been over half a month since Gao Fei was invited to the National Security Bureau, and Wang He, who hadn't appeared on set, finally found time to visit the crew.
After discussing the film's shooting progress with Liu Weiqiang, he began to inquire about Gao Fei's performance during filming.
"Director Liu, has President Gao's acting improved recently?"
"After a brief period of intensive study, President Gao's line delivery, expressions, and other acting skills have reached the level of a seasoned performer. His talent is astonishing!"
Liu Weiqiang couldn't help but praise.
Everyone on set knew that President Gao had taken a week off specifically for the subsequent filming, spending a fortune to study acting and remedy his shortcomings.
After a week, Gao Fei reappeared, his acting skills shocking the entire crew.
In just seven days, he had resolved all his weaknesses and his acting ability had improved by leaps and bounds.
Even Liu Weiqiang, who had been in the entertainment industry for many years and seen countless actors, had never encountered such a talented actor.
As they were discussing President Gao's acting, the assistant director Yu Zehui rushed over with his phone.
"Boss, Director Liu, the General Administration just posted a new article on social media, a list of disgraced directors, actors, and film companies!"
As soon as the assistant director finished speaking, Wang He and Liu Weiqiang immediately took out their phones to check the list published by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
The list comprised fifteen pages, detailing the aggregate list of entertainment industry personnel who had violated the laws of Longguo over the past twenty years.
In total, there were three hundred and sixty individuals, teams, and companies, a very substantial number.
At the end of the list, a sentence was appended:
"Regardless of whether it is a TV series, film, or online drama, any production featuring a name on this list shall not be released."
This was the General Administration's order to ban all individuals from Longguo's entertainment industry.
Any actor, director, etc., appearing on the list would be blacklisted!
Seeing the familiar names on the list, Wang He and Liu Weiqiang felt a chill run down their spines.
This time, the General Administration was not just going through the motions to scare people, as they had a few years ago.
Instead, they were truly embarking on a comprehensive cleanup and rectification of the entertainment industry.
After confirming that no one from their crew was listed under the director category, Liu Weiqiang immediately instructed the assistant director: "Quickly check if there are any crew members' names in the other categories on the list!"
The assistant director immediately began checking other sections. Wang He, upon seeing that he was not on the list, breathed a sigh of relief and helped search for crew members' names.
After two thorough checks, it was discovered that three members of "The Two-Faced Man" crew had made it onto the blacklist.
They were two supporting actors, Lin Feng and Huo Cheng.
Lin Feng had been caught for drunk driving five years ago, and Huo Cheng had a record at the police station for causing trouble while intoxicated four years ago.
The last person was the actor for the third male lead, Mr. Fu, He Jinwu.
Eight years ago, He Jinwu had been arrested after being reported by a woman for soliciting prostitution and failing to pay.
While the first two supporting actors were problematic, their scenes could be re-shot.
However, the third male lead, Mr. Fu, not only had a significant amount of screen time but also played a crucial role.
In the early stages of filming, the lead actor for the third male lead, He Jinwu, had appeared numerous times in various scenes.
With the film now in its later stages of production, re-shooting would require a considerable amount of time.
Furthermore, finding an actor who possessed the inherent demeanor of a "refined scoundrel" would be exceptionally difficult.
Liu Weiqiang elaborated on the difficulty of reshooting the third male lead's scenes, sighing and continuing, "President Wang, with the current industry-wide purge and actors in a state of panic, and with the deadline for submitting the sample film fast approaching, where am I supposed to find an actor like He Jinwu, who naturally exudes an air of 'refined villainy'?"
Wang He didn't complain excessively. He activated his network of contacts to search for a new actor for the third male lead.
The impact of the blacklist was immense.
Not only was the crew of "The Two-Faced Man" severely affected, but other film crews were also forced to replace actors at the last minute due to the list.
Currently, any actor with even a moderate amount of talent, fame, and a clean record had become a highly sought-after commodity by various film crews.
When Wang He contacted actors through his connections, he was stunned by the exorbitant film fees they demanded.
Actors who could have been hired for one to two million yuan previously were now doubling their prices, with no one willing to participate for less than ten million.
"The Two-Faced Man" had an investment of only forty million, and a single third male lead demanding ten million was something Wang He could not condone, so he directly rejected their offers.
The appearance of the blacklist also rapidly disrupted the film fee market.
In the end, Wang He stopped contacting other actors and instead called Jin Qiqi for help.
After all, before becoming Gao Fei's agent, Jin Qiqi had managed many actors and artists.
...
Longguo Poetry Research Association.
Jin Qiqi, the agent and driver, did not accompany Gao Fei to report to the association.
Instead, she sat in the car, constantly monitoring various news outlets following the release of the blacklist.
When she received Wang He's call and learned that the third male lead, He Jinwu, was also on the blacklist and a new actor was needed, she began to help find one.
However, the results were the same: every actor's fee had doubled.
"The General Administration's announcement of the blacklist is indirectly helping these third-rate actors exploit the situation!"
Jin Qiqi complained helplessly.
Even the lowest-paid actors were demanding exorbitant fees, asking for as high as eight million yuan.
The boss should have someone in mind... She glanced at the association building, placing her hope in her boss.
...
Poetry Research Association.
When Gao Fei, holding his invitation letter, announced his real name, he immediately alerted all the personnel within the association.
No one could have imagined that the "Pianist in the Back" who was invited to join was actually Comrade Xiao Gao from the popular online platform.
As the news spread, it even reached the president and vice-president.
Following a temporary decision by the president, all the main responsible members of the association gathered in the second-floor conference room.
They prepared to conduct an admission assessment for Comrade Xiao Gao, who possessed a dual identity.
Conference Room.
Seated on the podium were five standing committee members with an average age of sixty.
The thin old man in black silk attire in the center was Tang Lingyun, the current president of the association.
The four elders on his left and right were the vice-president and heads of various departments.
These five elders were all renowned modern poets in Longguo and highly respected seniors in the field of poetry.
Below them, at the conference table, were the deputy directors of the association's various departments and the secretary-general.
Gao Fei stood in the middle of the conference room, awaiting the assessment.
After conferring with his colleagues, President Tang Lingyun looked at Comrade Xiao Gao, who was waiting for the assessment, and smiled kindly: "Xiao Gao, our assessment is very simple.
You only need to compose four poems on the themes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, as well as one poem containing both 'snow' and 'river' on the spot. Once we verify them, you will pass the assessment."
Under normal circumstances, entry into the Poetry Research Association required an investigation into one's background.
However, due to Gao Fei's military background, the investigation was waived, and he proceeded directly to the admission assessment.
After hearing the conditions, Gao Fei spread out the paper prepared on the table and picked up a pen to begin composing.
As a "plagiarist" among transmigrators, these five poems were a piece of cake for him, posing no difficulty whatsoever.
For the poems about spring and autumn, he chose the famous Tang Dynasty poems "Spring View" and "Ascending High" by the esteemed Master Du.
For the summer poem, he selected the Tang Dynasty Master Li's renowned work "Late Clearing."
The winter poem was also a masterpiece by Tang Dynasty Master Bai, "Night Snow."
As for the poem with snow and a river, he chose Master Liu's famous work "River Snow" from the same dynasty.
"Rustle, rustle..."
In the quiet conference room, only the sound of the pen scratching across paper could be heard.
Moments later, the poems about the four seasons and the poem containing snow and a river were all completed.
"Please review, Elder Tang!"
Gao Fei picked up the papers from the table and handed them to the podium.
Seeing him submit the papers so calmly, everyone in the conference room was stunned, their faces filled with astonishment.
In less than five minutes, all five poems were finished?
Was this composing poetry or stringing sentences together?
It was too fast!
Although the five elders on the podium were slightly surprised, they proceeded according to the established procedure.
First, they would verify the works, and then they would appreciate them.
During the verification process, the staff members below the podium were abuzz with discussion.
"Writing five poems on the spot in four and a half minutes, isn't Gao Fei just making them up?"
"Even Chairman Tang and the others can't write five different types of poems in five minutes. I remain skeptical of Gao Fei's ability."
"If he's really fabricating them, are the poems online true or false? Could he be here to join on behalf of the Pianist in the Back?"
The discussions were filled with doubt regarding Gao Fei's five poems.
Moreover, with the identity of the Pianist in the Back, they were even more suspicious that Gao Fei was there to join on his behalf, given their frequent online interactions.
As they voiced their suspicions, the staff had already completed the verification.
Confirming that Gao Fei's five works were not identical, the five renowned modern masters began their appreciation.
The audience below ceased their discussions and shifted their gaze upwards.
The five masters on the podium, upon seeing the poems, first showed a moment of surprise, which then turned into shock and disbelief.
After their emotions settled, President Tang nodded repeatedly as he looked at the five poems, his smile incredibly radiant.
The vice-president and others on the side also nodded intermittently, seemingly uttering words of praise.
While the literary workers below waited with bated breath, copies of Gao Fei's five poems were distributed.
Upon receiving the copies and reading the five poems, everyone's face displayed the same expression as President Tang and the others.
It shifted from shock to disbelief.
"Regarding this poem, 'River Snow,' solely based on the lyrics, I can envision the scene of an old man fishing alone on the river. Such a brilliant verse, and Gao Fei composed it on the spot!"
"'Ascending High' is filled with a sense of desolation. Combined with the autumn season of falling leaves, 'Sorrow for the Ten Thousand Miles of Autumn' is perfectly fitting, the words and mood reaching a perfect sublimation."
"Such exquisite poetry, it would not be an exaggeration to include it in educational textbooks."
The literary workers who had been skeptical moments ago were now completely won over by the five poems.
Gao Fei successfully obtained his membership and badge to the Longguo Poetry Research Association, becoming its 26th member.
Just as the conference room was filled with warm applause celebrating Comrade Xiao Gao's admission to the association, Jin Qiqi appeared at the entrance and waved to Gao Fei in the crowd.
After the welcome ceremony concluded, he exchanged greetings and walked out the door. Jin Jie immediately brought up the General Administration's blacklist and the matter of three actors from the crew being blacklisted.
After hearing the entire account, it was Gao Fei's turn to be shocked.
Based on his previous analysis, he had anticipated that the General Administration would indeed undertake a major cleanup of the entertainment industry.
However, he had not expected the General Administration to announce the blacklist so openly, effectively "executing" the disgraced individuals in public.
With the artists and companies on the list, nearly half of the entertainment industry had been blacklisted!
"Boss, due to the blacklist, the film fees for actors in the industry have doubled.
I just received news that even a third-tier actor is now quoting nine million yuan."
"A third-tier actor, nine million? Can't these scoundrels just rob a bank?"
This was outright exploitation; the actors in the industry without any blemishes were all taking advantage of the situation!
"Jin Jie, why don't you ask other film crews if they need actors? I only need twenty million, it's cheap, not expensive, and reliable!"
Gao Fei was clearly envious at this moment, forgetting about the issues with his own film.
Jin Qiqi rolled her eyes at him: "Brother, our crew is the one currently lacking a third male lead.
If you want to make money, we can discuss that after the film is finished!"
As they were speaking, Tang Lingyun walked over alone from the conference room.
"Xiao Gao, have you finished your discussion? I'd like to talk to you about publishing those five poems!" President Tang stated directly as he entered.
Gao Fei's eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at the thin, somewhat refined-looking President Tang.
"President, have you considered acting?
If you're willing, I'll offer you fifty thousand to play the third male lead in the film!"