Thereafter, Han Chen passed a script to Lu Ze and gave him five minutes to prepare, and Lu Ze didn't disappoint the four of them as he gave them an exemplary performance.
The content of the interview was indeed extremely quite detailed and complex. After all, this was an interview for an actor, not one for an idol that could allow the interviewee to directly become a trainee after the interview, some of whom might even be re-educated within the company.
An idol with a substantial following could be boosted by merely throwing enough money, but could an actor become a superstar in the same way? Believing so would be indulging in pure fantasy.
The company couldn't teach actors how to act before launching them. Therefore, one could see many idols appearing in soap operas and even movies, looking extremely awkward on-screen. This was because the company had no other option to polish their acting skills except by sending them to the real battlefield.
Therefore, if Lu Ze signed the agreement, he would not be taught how to act or dance in the company. Instead, he would be directly given the resources required to apply for auditions and incessantly shoot with various production crews. Apart from this, the company would also use its influence to increase his popularity. In this manner, an outstanding actor that could help the company to make profits would be produced. As for how far he could go, that would depend on Lu Ze's own abilities.
As of now, the four interviewers were quite pleased with Lu Ze. Their original outlook of him completely changed. At the very least, in these series of tests, Lu Ze had outstandingly completed their requests, proving that his acting skills were indeed top-notch.
"Today's interview ends here. The company still has to perform some internal checks. We'll reply to you tomorrow at the latest. I'll get the assistant to show you around the company a bit. From our side, your test is done. Now, you may also test us a bit. Have a nice trip. We won't be able to accompany you."
"Okay. Thanks to Chief Sun and to you too. Please, you must be busy. I'll just take a look around." As he finished speaking, the assistant at the door led Lu Ze out and began showing him around.
On the surface, the relationship between a management company and its artistes was not of superior-subordinate but a cooperative one. The company would provide the artiste with money and resources, and the artiste would generate profits and share it with the company. This was how the management did business.
Of course, in private, the artiste would always stand beneath the company because no matter how popular a celebrity was, they would quickly disappear into the crowd without the resources of the company. This was precisely what they called being 'put in cold storage'.
It sounded cruel, but this was how it worked in real life.
Lu Ze strolled into the office following the assistant. The entire floor that covered more than 8000 square meters was rented out by Qianshijia. It had all the required facilities: big and small conference rooms, reception rooms, rehearsal rooms, sound recording studios, offices, fitness rooms, and gyms which were all loaded with all the required equipment. One could just go in and work.
Qianshijia had opened recently, so the information available on the net was limited, thus Lu Ze only knew so much.
With the help of the assistant's introduction, Lu Ze finally realized that this company had never been just a management company. They did music labels, movie investments, soap operas, marketing, and so on. On the whole, they were involved in all the popular fields related to the entertainment circle.
Lu Ze could only sigh in amazement. This company's backing was too strong. They were not merely testing the waters; they had already dove right in.
Understanding all this, Lu Ze gave the company his vote of confidence. If Qianshijia truly wanted to sign him and offered a suitable contract, he would not hesitate.
He would sign on with them.
This was not a decision spawned from impulsiveness or peer pressure but from a long cool-headed contemplation.
It was the same line of reasoning. If large companies would not sign them on, then which small company or newly formed company could compete against Qianshijia?
Moreover, the current Qianshijia had so few artistes. Amongst actors, he was actually the only one. Even if the company scouted new talents, it would take some time, wouldn't it?
Then, during this time, upon whom would these resources be used on, if not him?
If he could grasp this opportunity, even if he couldn't become a bigshot in the company, he could at least become an accomplished veteran. His upcoming days would become more relaxing and joyous.
With such thoughts in mind, Lu Ze's impression of Qianshijia skyrocketed and could be surmised in one sentence: they called, and he was on his way.
...
On the other side, the three team leaders and the director were chatting. They appreciated the actor who had just auditioned before them.
A powerful actor was a treasure. A young, powerful actor was an even bigger treasure, but with looks added like a cherry on top, he or she transformed into a rare gem.
"I'll say this. Lu Ze's basics are quite solid. Moreover, he's quite intuitive about acting. I see huge potential within him. He's got talent. He came from Gu Mingde's recommendation. President Hu ought to invite Gu Mingde for dinner for this present."
The other three were laymen as far as acting was concerned. Only Han Chen had the qualifications to speak. Although he was only a second-grade director, he had the qualifications to judge a young actor.
"I agree. The number one priority is acting. I can't judge that, but I believe that Director Han's judgment can't be wrong, so he's qualified from the perspective of acting.
"The second is moral character. The timeframe we came in contact with is too small, so it isn't clear, but from his expressions, movements, clear actions, and moderate tone, we can conclude that his thinking is matured, and he's a relatively stable person.
"As for the third point, I believe that Director Han is right. Lu Ze has a lot of room for improvement in my opinion too. Perhaps, he might not become a superstar celebrity, but as long as his acting works are good, the verbal attacks and criticism against him will be minimized and can be easily handled through the resources of the company. If everything goes well, we'll have a first-class celebrity. That's what I think."
Since Sun Lihua had spoken so lengthily, it was a done deal. If a young actor possessed outstanding acting skills, one had to admit that he was exceptional. It meant he had both the talent and the potential.
"Alright then. I'll call Lu Ze and see if he's willing. If he agrees, I'll report to President Hu and claim the bonus. The number of years of the agreement will be decided by President Hu. Sounds good so far? Then, I'll head out." Gao Wanzhi also gave her approval. Since the other three had no objections, she closed her notebook, picked it up, and left the conference room.
"Sounds good. I'm also leaving. Once I receive Chief Gao's news, if he agrees, I'll consult the department about the preferences and selling points of Lu Ze. Sigh...finally some work to do. After sitting all day in the office, I've grown moss on my body. See you later."
Lu Wenrui also left. Everyone scattered to their places. As for whether Lu Ze would sign up with the company or not, they were not overly concerned. They knew that for somebody in Lu Ze's circumstances, as long as he was not an idiot, signing with Qianshijia was the best choice.