Feature Shows Extravaganza - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Director

Meng Minghui reluctantly accepted Meng Lang’s explanation, agreeing to help his son with promoting the popping balls.

Meanwhile…

Once Explosive Boys had been approved and the funds were in place, the preparations started.

Before they found any actors and actresses, Meng Lang shared the design concepts of the popping balls to the experienced workers of Pengda Toy Factory, so that they could make some prototypes which could be used during the shooting.

Popping balls were actually great fun!

The magnetic properties seemed to rejuvenate what appeared to be simple plastic toys.

Meng Lang still remembered when he saw the popping balls for the first time. He wasn’t a kid anymore at that time, but he was still attracted by the special structure of the toy. He spent 5 yuan on a knockoff popping ball.

Before making contact with any metal, the popping balls looked like glutinous rice balls covered by mysterious patterns.

As soon as the magnetic mechanism was triggered, the popping balls would pop open, revealing the exquisite robots within.

How interesting!

As long as one still had their childlike innocence, they would enjoy popping balls more than they could imagine.

The cards introduced a “duel system” to the popping ball, doubling the fun.

After the samples arrived, all employees of Pengda Pictures realized something strange —

Director Meng seemed to have gone nuts. He wouldn’t go anywhere without this “popping ball”. He would stick it to the door frame one moment and the computer case the next…

The guy was having so much fun!

“Director Meng, here are the…”

Wang Kui came in with a report, just in time to see Meng Lang sticking the popping ball to the metal frame of the water dispenser.

He couldn’t help asking, “Do you like it that much?”

Meng Lang raised an eyebrow. “Yes! You can’t imagine how much fun I’m having!”

Wang Kui was speechless.

The man sure looked happy.

When bosses enjoyed themselves too much, the employees typically suffered. Wang Kui couldn’t be bothered to give Meng Lang the “work first, play later” talk, but only started briefing him on the progress of the recent three projects in a serious manner.

And the casting of Explosive Boys as well.

“We’ve picked a few actors who fit the description of Zhou Yihuo, and they’re all about 16 years old…

“Then there’s Long Lingyin. We’ve followed your instructions and contacted all the young actresses we’ve worked with in Balala the Fairies. Lin Xue can’t work with us because of a clash in her schedule, but Tao Mi…”

“Tao Mi, it is, then,” said Meng Lang without looking back.

The girl was an attentive actress and never shirked from hard work. Almost as soon as Wang Kui mentioned Tao Mi’s name, Meng Lang decided that he would have her play Long Lingyin, the leading female role.

Wang Kui hesitated and stammered. “Director Meng, the thing is, because of her role as Ling Meiqi, Tao Mi has become quite popular, and her salary…”

Salaries of all actors and actresses had been rising. Even the extras at Hengdian would protest when their lunch didn’t have enough meat, let along the child stars!

There were a lot of actresses around, but not enough child stars.

Not to mention the suitable ones.

What choice did they have?

If the salaries had risen, so be it. No one could change that trend. After some consideration, Meng Lang still decided to use Tao Mi.

Lin Xue wasn’t available, and Tao Mi was about the only actress at her age who was pretty enough.

Rarity was the most valuable thing.

He had to live with it and tried to make it up by selling a few more popping balls.

…

Popping balls were under preparation.

Something came up with the director of Blazing Teens 2. A relatively famous TV director was supposed to shoot the show, but the man backed out on the last moment.

After some investigation, Pengda found out that the director had already had a movie he wanted to film, but didn’t have any investors.

He got lucky recently and some short-sighted investors suddenly decided to invest in the movie. Elated, the director ditched Pengda and went to work on his movie.

What could Pengda do?

The man had chosen a more promising job, the same way Pengda had chosen CCTV-14 over the Jiangchuan one. No one else could do anything about it.

Hence, Pengda Pictures had to find another director. They sent invitations to all directors that were without a job.

But not the famous ones…

Instead, a lot of advertisement directors answered their call!

“Director Meng, check out my work! I’ve directed the advertisement of Zenith Milk, and it has turned out great! I’m sure I’ll do a great job shooting yo-yo advertisements!”

“Director Meng, don’t listen to him. His ad has made the manufacturer lose a lot of money! I’m much more economical. All my advertisements have been successful…”

“Please pick me! You don’t even have to pay me!”

“I don’t need to get paid either! Director Meng, if you want, I can bring my own investment!”

“Your investment my ass! Give me back the 20,000 you owe me first!”

Meng Lang joined a chat group consisting of advertisement directors, and they began to recommend themselves one after another.

No director wanted to shoot advertisements forever.

Everyone had ambition. Movies would be great, but if not, TV series weren’t too bad a choice either.

Anything would be better than advertisements!

However, it wasn’t as easy as said. Why should the investors trust an advertisement director? No production companies would want to bet tens of millions of yuan on an advertisement director who had no convincing works.

But now, they saw an opportunity!

They all knew about the projects of Pengda Pictures. This “sequel” was more like an extended version of their yo-yo advertisement!

They might not be good enough for TV dramas, but they didn’t have a problem filming advertisements!

“Director Meng, this is a 10 million project. Are you sure about hiring an advertisement director…” Wang Kui, the artistic director, hesitated.

He tried to choose his words carefully.

Should he call it nonsense?

Meng Lang shook his head to Wang Kui as he chatted with the directors. “Don’t underestimate them. They might be advertisement directors, but most of them graduated from film director departments of famous universities. They’re professionals, and all they need is an opportunity.”

“Opportunity? You’re only trying to save money!”

Wang Kui knew his boss too well. He didn’t want to hire famous directors, saying that they were too expensive, but he didn’t like the less-known ones either, saying that they weren’t professional enough.

In the end, he wanted to choose some advertisement director…

“Alright, choose one such director.” Wang Kui decided that he would keep an eye on it. Since Blazing Teens 2 wasn’t a complicated show, it was highly unlikely that a director could mess it up.

“This one will do!”

Picking a resume from his inbox, Meng Lang pointed at an ID in the chat group that read “Director the Supreme”.

Wang Kui was surprised. “Is he good? What are his works?”

“No, he’s just ridiculous enough!”

“…”