CHAPTER 169: CHAPTER 169 THREE QUESTIONS

After Wen Lan finished speaking, the initially relaxed atmosphere turned more serious, and the three of them fell into a brief period of thought and silence.

Regarding the matter of replacing the actor, Wen Lan wanted to get Li Jing and Wei Jia’s opinions in advance.

As long as the three of them unified their opinions, it would be easier to gather the relevant personnel for a meeting to discuss, since their unified opinion holds significant weight in the entire production crew.

Seeing the two of them remain silent, Wen Lan was the first to express her views: "I discussed this matter with the assistant director, and our thoughts align; we insist on replacing the actor.

Because we cannot turn a blind eye to the obvious flaws in this film, it would be disrespectful to my own work."

Saying this, she looked seriously at the other two: "Both of you should express your opinions as well. We three will follow the majority, and that will guide our final decision."

After listening, Wei Jia regained her usual calm and serious demeanor, speaking in a measured tone:

"As the producer of this film, my primary goal is to ensure the film progresses smoothly. I do not wish for any major issues that could impact the project timeline or increase the risk of project failure.

The selection of key actors, including the leading female and male roles, was a decision we made together."

Immediately, she looked at Wen Lan with a stern expression: "You also mentioned earlier that replacing an actor involves contract breaches, filming schedules, and public pressure. These obviously increase the project’s risk, not to mention you currently don’t have a suitable actor in mind.

I am not the director, and I don’t hold film artistic standards as high, but from the project’s overall perspective, if Dai Weiwei’s acting is passable, there’s no need for drastic measures. Replacing a minor supporting role is one thing, but replacing the second female lead is too disruptive."

After hearing this, Wen Lan’s expression became somewhat grave, furrowing her brows: "So your opinion is not to replace?"

Wei Jia appeared resolute: "Not to replace."

As a result, the gaze of the two women simultaneously fell on Li Jing.

Seeing the two of them looking at him, Li Jing’s expression shifted slightly. He then sighed, shook his head, and smiled: "I didn’t expect such an important decision would fall into the hands of an outsider like me."

"President Li, previously you might have claimed to be an outsider."

Wen Lan disagreed with his statement, shaking her head, "But you have been with the crew for such a long time, even longer than Wei Jia. You understand our crew’s situation better, and combined with the fact that you are our main investor and an important supporting actor, I think your decision carries significant weight."

Li Jing was somewhat surprised at being recognized by her, then he shrugged: "Alright, before answering this question, I have three questions; can I ask them first?"

Wen Lan was a little surprised but nodded: "You may."

"First, how much will Dai Weiwei’s poor acting affect this film?"

As he spoke, Li Jing held up a second finger: "Second, if we replace Dai Weiwei, what will be the biggest impact?"

"Third, how confident are you in the success of this film?"

After hearing Li Jing’s three questions, both Wei Jia and Wen Lan couldn’t help but show a slight change in expression.

Because Li Jing’s questions were very incisive and precisely targeted the core of the current conflict.

Wei Jia looked at him with a flicker of astonishment and appreciation in her eyes due to Li Jing’s ability to quickly and accurately grasp the key points.

After pondering for a moment, Wen Lan began to answer: "Let me answer the first question first. Dai Weiwei, as the second female lead, has a substantial amount of screen time. Numerous examples exist where a major actor’s poor performance significantly degrades a film’s reputation.

This issue not only severely impacts the portrayal of the plot, diminishing the emotional impact of key scenes, but it can also destroy the film’s continuity and realism.

The audience will find it very distracting, greatly reducing their viewing experience. In this era of social media, her personal shortcomings could be quickly amplified by the audience, causing obvious issues with the film’s reputation."

After listening to her answer, Li Jing pondered in silence for a moment before saying, "So you believe Dai Weiwei’s current performance issues are highly detrimental to the film?"

"Exactly."

Wen Lan’s response was particularly decisive, showing her clear dissatisfaction with Dai Weiwei’s performance: "Now, let me answer the second question.

If we replace Dai Weiwei now, I can manage the filming schedule and script reshoots myself. So the biggest hassle remains the breach penalties and the new actor selection..."

"As well as public perception and marketing."

Before Wen Lan could finish, Wei Jia added calmly, "The budget for this film is quite tight; the breach penalty is around over a million yuan, which is an extra expense we cannot cover.

Moreover, though Dai Weiwei isn’t very famous, she does have her own dedicated fans. Originally, choosing Dai Weiwei considered that her fan base could bring some traffic to the film. Now, replacing her could lead to a loss of that traffic share."

Hearing this, Li Jing nodded slightly, then looked at the two of them: "Who will answer the last question?"

"I will."

Wei Jia spoke again, sitting with her arms crossed, looking calmly at Li Jing: "Let me first give a conclusion; both Wen Lan and I, as well as Professor Liu who isn’t here today, are very optimistic about this film."

As she spoke, Wei Jia held out her slender, pale palm, gesturing as she explained:

"Firstly, the film is based on the high-quality classic novel ’Mortal,’ which provides excellent plot and artistic value.

Secondly, our market research indicates that over the past year, there has been a growing demand for profound and meaningful works among audiences, who are experiencing fatigue over formulaic commercial films. This is precisely our film’s opportunity.

The most critical aspect is that the modern themes reflected in the original novel still have deep resonance in today’s society. Through the more expressive form of film, the exploration of human nature, social change, and emotional entanglements can provoke further audience emotional resonance and thought, potentially making this film a cultural phenomenon and social topic trigger."

After finishing her reasons, Wei Jia paused slightly, her sharp, exquisite eyes earnestly examining Li Jing’s face:

"Although this film’s budget is not high, our goal is to aim for next year’s most influential movie.

Honestly, based on my personal judgment, as long as no major problems arise, this film will definitely succeed. It’s just a question of whether it will be a huge success or a modest one."

Before Li Jing could speak, Wen Lan also nodded in agreement: "Actually, an experienced and mature director or producer can often predict the results and success of their work during filming.

And my assessment of this film aligns with Wei Jia’s; if all goes well during filming, it is very likely to create a nationwide discussion when released next year."