Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 12 Recommendation

At the beginning of the month, at the headquarters of Juli Media Company, the monthly project review meeting was held.

The meeting room was filled with the mixed smells of coffee and printer ink.

The long table was filled with department heads, and the projection screen displayed key dramas, variety shows, and self-produced content scheduled to launch this month.

Li Lan, the deputy general manager of the content acquisition department, sat in the front seat, with a post-production progress report and preliminary sample data of "Yu Zui" spread out in front of him.

He has high hopes for this web series project, which he spearheaded and which he believes will yield big results with limited resources.

When it came time to review the online release arrangements for "Yu Zui," Li Lan cleared her throat and began her presentation:

"Everyone, 'Yu Zui' is an important foray into the crime thriller genre for our company, targeting young men and general suspense enthusiasts. The script is solid, the characters are vivid, and although the production was low-budget, its raw and realistic style gives it the potential to be a dark horse. We recommend featuring it in the 'Potential New Dramas' section on the homepage, along with some pre-release promotion on social media..."

Before he could finish speaking, a slightly shrill voice interrupted.

"Mr. Li, if I may be so bold, I have reservations about the 'Yu Zui' project." The speaker was He Ming, a man in his fifties wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who was in charge of the platform's self-produced content center.

"I've happened to read the 'solid' script you mentioned. An undercover cop, a protagonist who swears constantly, acts like a thug, and even walks the line between law and crime? Is that what you call a well-developed character? That's called a confused set of values!"

The atmosphere in the meeting room became tense. The other senior executives all knew that Li and He were mortal enemies in the company, so they all kept their eyes down and remained silent.

Li Lan cursed the old man under her breath, but maintained a smile on her face.

"Mr. He, this drama has a unique background and character settings. It depicts the survival and growth of an undercover police officer in an extreme environment, ultimately leading to the victory of justice over evil, which aligns with mainstream values. Moreover, web dramas differ from terrestrial platforms and require more differentiated content..."

"Differentiation doesn't equal vulgarity! Nor does it mean fabricating stories!" He Ming raised his voice, his tone carrying the admonition of a senior figure.

"Look at Yu Zui, how does he resemble a policeman? He's glib, a conman, and a swindler. Can someone like that be a policeman? What will the audience think?"

He turned to President Xu Yongfeng, who was seated at the head of the table, and spoke earnestly:

"Mr. Xu, it's not that I don't support innovation. But innovation must have its bottom line! Although Juling Media mainly focuses on online content, we can't just release any kind of content. Five years ago, this kind of script wouldn't even have been approved! Mr. Li is young and eager to achieve results, which is understandable, but we can't risk the platform's reputation and word-of-mouth. I strongly oppose the release of 'Yu Zui'!"

The language was sharp, even escalating to questions of personal motives and typhoon risks.

Li Lan's face turned somewhat pale. He knew that He Ming was using this as an excuse to undermine his recent overly active presence in the "self-produced content" field.

"Mr. He, judging content cannot be divorced from the characteristics of the times and the medium. The audience for web dramas is different from that for television viewers; they seek a more realistic sense of immersion. The growth of the character Yu Zui is the core highlight of this drama. We cannot use the standards of past prime-time television to judge web dramas in a one-size-fits-all manner."

He paused, then looked at everyone present.

"I think everyone is aware of the current landscape of video websites. New players are joining, and mergers are taking place. If we don't step up our efforts, how can we compete with these giants? In my view, the risk of 'Yu Zui' is precisely the opportunity to seize the early benefits of online dramas and build a reputation for the genre!"

"An opportunity? I think it's a trap!" He Ming sneered. "Just some newbie director and a bunch of unknown new actors? Mr. Li, have you been fooled? You've invested over a million yuan, and all you're going to see is a rip-off?"

The tension at the meeting table grew. Some of the other executives remained silent, while others exchanged opinions in hushed tones.

This is no longer just a debate about a web series project, but a clash between Li Lan and He Ming's different content concepts and departmental interests.

President Xu Yongfeng, who had been listening silently, finally raised his hand, signaling the two to stop.

He glanced at He Ming, whose face was filled with displeasure, then at Li Lan, who was trying to remain calm, and slowly spoke:

"Mr. Li is optimistic about the youth market and is willing to try new genres, which is commendable. Mr. He adheres to the bottom line of content, pays attention to social impact, and has a strong sense of responsibility. Both of them are thinking of the company."

He paused, then tapped his finger on the project description for "Yu Zui".

"Here's what we'll do. Since the company has already invested in the 'Yu Zui' project, if we hold off on releasing it, we'll only lose our own hard-earned money. Let it go live."

Li Lan was overjoyed, while He Ming frowned.

Xu Yongfeng then changed the subject: "However, Mr. He's concerns are not without merit. This type of subject matter is quite sensitive, and the character settings are indeed... unconventional. The platform cannot give it a lot of promotion to avoid unnecessary controversy. Let it be released on the 'Suspense Theater' without being featured in the main section, and let it ferment naturally."

That's the final decision. They gave them the opportunity to go live, but stripped them of the most important promotional resources.

On video platforms where content is abundant and recommendations are king, a lack of exposure is practically a death sentence.

He Ming's expression softened slightly. Although he hadn't completely stopped it, he had weakened the potential influence of Li Lan's project, so he had achieved half of his goal. He nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Li Lan was seething with anger, but he couldn't argue anymore. The CEO had already made the decision; to argue further would be rude. He gritted his teeth.

"Yes, we will obey the company's decision."

.......

Filming location of the TV series "Yu Zui".

"Stop! Big-breasted Sister and Yu Zui, come here for a second."

Qi Yue, who was behind the monitor, picked up the walkie-talkie and called the two lead actors over.

He first looked at Li Qing.

"Lin Yujing, you were deeply moved when you saw Yu Zui injured. Your feelings for Yu Zui have changed from initial rejection to unconscious acceptance, and you've even started to like him. Do you understand? You may not even be fully aware of this liking yourself, but it will show in the details."

He pointed to Li Qing's actions in the monitor replay:

"When you were changing his dressing just now, your body leaned back subconsciously, which is a sign of distance. Try to get a little closer, slow down your movements, and show concern, a kind of awkwardness that comes from wanting to get closer but is also embarrassed."

Li Qing listened attentively, her eyes flickering as if she were processing Qi Yue's words, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She nodded: "I understand, director. I'll try to get a feel for it again."

Qi Yue then turned to Jiang Qiming:

"Jiang Qiming, you captured Yu Zui's weakness very well. But don't forget, who is Yu Zui? He's a typical person who suffers for the sake of saving face, especially in front of a beautiful woman like Lin Yujing. No matter how weak he is, he has to put on an act of 'I'm fine,' which is an instinctive masculine behavior and part of his personality."

"You need to find the right balance between 'weakness' and 'enduring hardship.' You can joke around or change the subject, but an occasional subtle frown or gasp due to pain will actually show that he's toughing it out, and that's more charming."

Jiang Qiming seemed to understand, and stroked his chin: "I understand."

Qi Yue confirmed a few more details with the lighting and photography team, requesting that the camera slowly zoom in between the two to capture subtle eye contact and physical touch.

"Alright, all departments, get ready. Let's take one more run." Qi Yue sat back down behind the monitor, his eyes focused.

"start!"