Controversial author "Bright Moon" Jiang Cheng, since publishing his third book [Zhu Xian] in early December, had disappeared from the public eye for almost a month. He finally resurfaced recently, sparking a discussion even more intense than before. The reason? He had made a movie.
Remember, he's only seventeen years old!
What was he known for before? Everyone knows: an author, a scriptwriter, and an actor. He has published three books and self-starred in a TV drama that hasn't been aired yet, so it's unknown whether it's good or bad.
And now, he has made a movie!
Is it for real?
Yes, it is. The trailer for the movie is already out, and it's not some low-budget DV film but a genuine movie!
It's incredible!
In the entertainment industry, it's not uncommon to find those who switch from acting or writing to directing. Many people have transitioned to directing after starting in different careers, like "King of the World" James Cameron, who went from a truck driver to a director who captivates audiences worldwide.
But in any country, since the invention of film, there has never been a minor who has directed a movie, nor anyone under the age of 20 who has made a traditional film!
Who holds the Guinness World Record for "the world's youngest director"? It's Stephen Paul for "Falling in Love Again" (USA, 1980), who was 20 years old. Now Jiang Cheng, at 17 years and 9 months, has undoubtedly broken that record.
What's more exaggerated is that, from the trailer, it's apparent that this movie is written, directed, and starred in by Jiang Cheng himself. Just having one of these roles would be dazzling enough for a newcomer, let alone all of them concentrated in one person.
Generally, this kind of scenario is seen in industry veterans, not newcomers. Aside from the issue of experience, no one would risk investing in a newcomer, as it's akin to throwing money into the sea.
But someone did invest! Of course, they didn't know that the investor was Jiang Cheng himself, who didn't mind throwing his money into the water.
But is Jiang Cheng's "[Immortal]" actually a good movie? Many are skeptical.
Look at the movie's description:
What genre? Science fiction.
Where was it filmed? Unknown, but probably in Shanghai.
How much was invested? Unknown, but presumably not much.
When did filming start? Unclear, but likely around late November.
How long did filming take? Also unclear. But it couldn't have been very long, because "[Autumn's Concerto]" only wrapped up in mid-November, and it's been just over a month since then. Jiang Cheng was even in Beijing shooting an advertisement a couple of days ago. So, the filming period for his movie must have been about ten to twenty days at most.
Consider this: a sci-fi film, with an unclear but definitely low budget, filmed in no more than twenty days. Is this even feasible? Anyone with common sense would think it impossible!
However, many hold the opposite opinion. They point to the trailer, noting that although it lacks the grand scenes typical of sci-fi blockbusters, the intriguing questions it poses are captivating, making people eager to discover the answers.
Besides, with little other information available, who's to say it isn't different from what's currently speculated? And although the trailer lacks grand sci-fi scenes, who knows what the movie itself contains?
So, online communities are divided into three groups: one led by those who are skeptical of Jiang Cheng, convinced the movie is a shoddy piece of work not worth watching; another led by fans who don't claim it's necessarily a great movie but believe it's worth a watch; and a third neutral group, neither supporting nor opposing, though they are the smallest.
Regardless, "[Immortal]" has become famous even before its release due to these debates and questions. Tangren and Jiang Cheng are pleased with this, as indifference is their greatest fear. Attention means popularity, and popularity means viewership and box office success!
The media, naturally, wouldn't miss out on this topic, but Jiang Cheng once again disappeared, much to the annoyance of the gossip journalists. Unable to find the main subject, they turned to the supporting actors. Other than Huang Lei, Sun Li, and Li Ruotong, the rest appeared to be newcomers, and upon investigation, it was found that the other four were Jiang Cheng's classmates from the Shanghai Drama Academy, with Hu Ge also being an artist under Tangren, having co-starred with Jiang Cheng in "[Autumn's Concerto]."
These actors became the media's target. If it were a sci-fi film, even with tight production secrecy, details like the shooting schedule would normally leak, as it's impossible to completely hide such a large endeavor. Unless they filmed on Mars?
Faced with questions like "When was it filmed?" and "How long did it take?", the actors all appeared baffled but remained silent, only shaking their heads with amused smiles.
This only made the media more curious. The more secretive something is, the more attention it attracts. Soon, rumors and wild speculations began circulating.
It's worth noting that the frequent media coverage of "[Immortal]" has informed many people who don't usually go online or pay attention to online news. Although much of the information was uncertain, it undoubtedly served as advertising for "[Immortal]," drawing interest from those who were previously unaware or indifferent.
After watching the trailer for "[Immortal]," although the plot remained unclear, people were thoroughly intrigued and gained a new perspective on the title.
At this time, Tangren Company also started its promotional efforts, displaying posters in major theaters. Cai Yinong, Tangren's CEO, publicly praised "[Immortal]," summarizing her lengthy statement with: "This film is powerful, and I have high hopes for it!"
As the film was distributed by Tangren, it was seen as their production in the eyes of the public, and Cai Yinong, being the head of Tangren, naturally had to speak positively of it.
Director Li Guoli also spoke up: "This movie is one of the few in recent years that succeeds with its plot in the sci-fi genre. The creativity and imagination in it are simply amazing. Believe me, you will gain something from watching it."
Although Director Li Guoli is a well-known figure, his words carried limited public trust since he's part of Tangren. However, his statement did sway some of his fans to adopt a neutral stance.
After Cai Yinong and Li Guoli spoke, Huang Lei, the most prominent supporting actor, also publicly showed his support: "This movie is one of the few recent films with such creativity and imagination. Jiang Cheng, who takes on the roles of director, producer, scriptwriter, and lead actor, is one of the most talented artists I've seen in recent years!"
Huang Lei is a talented actor and teacher, known for his independent character in the entertainment industry. Although he seems amiable, he's quite stubborn and won't act in a script he dislikes. His participation in this movie and high praise for Jiang Cheng suggest that "[Immortal]" might indeed be worth watching.
Of course, there are still skeptics, partly because Sun Li also appears in the film, and her relationship with Huang Lei is no secret. It's thought that Huang Lei might have compromised for his girlfriend.
However, what most intrigues people is when the movie was actually filmed. Filming a sci-fi blockbuster couldn't possibly have been hidden so easily – that's what everyone is most curious about.
Regarding this question, everyone remains tight-lipped, having been cautioned by Jiang Cheng beforehand. Normally, revealing the filming duration wouldn't be a problem and could even fuel the hype. But there's a belief that longer production times equate to finer work and vice versa. Though somewhat extreme, there's some truth to it.
In terms of visual sophistication, tightness of plot, and scale of scenes, "[Immortal]" may not be exquisite, but it's definitely not subpar. Relying on its exceptional storyline, Jiang Cheng is confident.
Not long after Huang Lei expressed his support, Li Ruotong in Hong Kong also spoke highly of Jiang Cheng during an interview for a Hong Kong program, not hiding her admiration:
"Cheng is the most talented newcomer I've met in recent years, bar none. There are many excellent scriptwriters, but someone as young and imaginative as Cheng is truly unique – perhaps that's the advantage of his youth.
Although Cheng is young, he has unique insights, and I believe he will become an influential figure in the Chinese entertainment industry!"
"Little Dragon Girl" is well-liked in the industry and has many fans across the mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Her words shifted many people's opinions about Jiang Cheng and "[Immortal]," increasing the film's visibility and interest.
And now, New Year's was approaching.
2002 was about to arrive!