Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 44 Jing Tian's Troubles

Zhang Yadong Music Studio.

The air was filled with the subtle electrical hum emanating from the top-of-the-line monitor speakers.

He had just added the last track to a chorus of strings, the effect pedal angled with precision down to the millimeter.

Listening to the delicate sounds in his headphones, he tapped a rhythm on the armrest with his fingertips.

I'm in a good mood.

The current project is a single that Starlight Entertainment has invested heavily in, commissioning him to create specifically for their leading lady, Jing Tian.

The client has only one requirement: regardless of cost, only the best.

Budget? No upper limit.

This is practically every producer's dream job.

As one of the top music producers in China, Zhang Yadong has long since passed the stage of worrying about money.

But art is a bottomless pit when it comes to burning money. His entire team of arrangers, musicians, and recording engineers—aren't they all money-devouring beasts?

This generous gift from Starlight Company is just the right amount of fuel to fully power this sophisticated art machine.

Of course, the work itself is also interesting.

As for Jing Tian's singing skills... Zhang Yadong wrote a song for her before.

The tone and pitch are good, but the voice lacks distinctiveness, and the technique is mediocre.

But her strong image and powerful background were undeniable, and Starlight Entertainment was determined to carve out a bloody path for her in the music industry.

For Zhang Yadong, this kind of case of "extraordinary resources and ordinary background" actually brings a unique sense of challenge and excitement.

Of course, he doesn't deny the role that money plays in this.

"Knock knock".

The assistant knocked cautiously and entered.

"Teacher Zhang... Starlight called again to urge us to make progress."

Zhang Yadong frowned, his good mood suddenly dampened.

They urge me three times a day, are they trying to kill me?

Do you really think he's a production line factory?

If it weren't for the unlimited budget and the fact that the other party's top management personally hosted a banquet and smiled obsequiously, he would have blocked that inconsiderate contact person long ago, given his previous temper.

However, it's clear that Starlight Entertainment is probably in a real hurry now.

Since the star-studded but disastrously flopped "The Warring States," Jing Tian's reputation as a "resource-backed actress" has grown increasingly prominent, and her acting skills have become the subject of much online jokes.

The consecutive box office failures of several films are a minor issue compared to the fact that the young lady is repeatedly unhappy.

Zhang Yadong's new song has become their lifeline in this desperate battle.

If things don't get going, some of the higher-ups at Starlight will probably have to pack their bags and leave.

Thinking about it this way, Zhang Yadong felt a pang of pity for the other party's urgent situation.

At the same time, the more panicked they became, the more significant Zhang Yadong's role as a "stabilizing force" became.

"Tell them,"

Zhang Yadong put down his teacup, his voice calm and unhurried.

"The overall framework and arrangement of the album are complete, and we are currently making final adjustments to the sound. Please ask Ms. Jing Tian to clear her schedule and get herself in good condition. In three days... no, tomorrow, we can arrange for her to record vocals in Studio One."

The assistant, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, quickly went out to relay the message.

Zhang Yadong put his monitoring headphones back on, his gaze sweeping over the dense array of knobs and faders on the control panel.

In terms of musical style, this album boldly blends electronic sounds with Baroque arrangements, creating a sound that is both fashionable and grounded in tradition, perfectly matching Jing Tian's image as a "worldly beauty" with a touch of mystery.

The melody is catchy, the chorus is memorable, and the harmonic progressions reveal his sophisticated aesthetic taste, blending the common with the elegant.

He was absolutely certain that, as long as Jing Tian wasn't hopelessly tone-deaf, after being conditioned by his "golden ears," even the most discerning music critic would have to give this excellent production a thumbs up.

At that time, Jing Tian will successfully transform her image with this album "personally produced by Zhang Yadong", and Zhang Yadong's reputation as the best musician will also reach new heights.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yadong's lips curled into a smile that suggested he had everything under control.

The entertainment industry, to put it bluntly, is a resource game where everyone gets what they need. And he, at this moment, holds the Midas touch, the power to redistribute the stakes.

......

In a high-end villa area on the outskirts of Beijing, a black Mazda silently drove into the garage.

A moment later, the door to a pink and white room on the top floor, exuding a girlish charm, was gently pushed open.

"Tian Tian? The nanny said you were back, but I didn't believe it."

Agent Wang Xiaoxiao pushed open the door and looked at Jing Tian, ​​who was curled up on the sofa scrolling through her phone, with a surprised expression.

"Weren't you filming 'Special Identity' in Huairou? Why are you back at this hour?"

Jing Tian raised her exquisitely flawless face, blinked her big eyes, and instantly broke into an overly sweet smile.

Holding up a beautifully packaged little box as if presenting a treasure:

"Because today is your birthday, Sister Xiaoxiao! I specially asked the director for leave and rushed back to celebrate with you! Look, your favorite black swan cake! How about it, are you happy? Are you surprised?"

Wang Xiaoxiao didn't take the cake; instead, she looked her up and down suspiciously.

"You really only came back to celebrate my birthday? Your film project is on a tight schedule, like a war zone, how could you possibly grant me this kind of leave?"

She pretended to reach for her phone, saying, "I'll make a call and ask..."

"No, no, no!"

Like a startled rabbit, Jing Tian sprang up from the sofa and lunged to snatch her phone.

The smile on his face was starting to falter.

"Jing, Xiao, Tian!" Wang Xiaoxiao put her hands on her hips, displaying the authority of a manager.

"Tell me the truth, what exactly happened! If you don't tell me, I'll call your brother right now! I'll have him come and ask him himself!"

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you, I'll tell you..."

Upon hearing that her cousin would be involved, Jing Tian immediately backed down.

Clutching her phone, she shuffled to the corner of the sofa, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the tassels on the edge. After muttering for a while, she finally hummed:

"I just... think our director is terrible."

"What?" Wang Xiaoxiao didn't hear clearly.

"I'll say it!"

Jing Tian suddenly raised her head, her face slightly flushed with excitement and grievance, and her voice became a little louder.

"I think the director you found is completely incompetent! On set, all he does is flatter me, saying things like, 'Tian Tian acted so well,' and 'His emotions are so spot on,' without offering any useful advice! When I discuss the role with him, all he does is say 'yes, yes, yes'... I feel like this movie I'm in is no different from the previous ones. If it's released, it'll definitely be... and..."

She hesitated for a long time, unable to bring herself to say the word "idiot," but the meaning was crystal clear.

"So I didn't want to act anymore, so... so I secretly ran away and came back."

The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became, her beautiful eyes welling up with tears, yet she suddenly became more righteous:

"Sister Xiaoxiao, can you please fire this director? Replace him with a truly capable one, like Zhang Yimou, someone who can point out my problems and help me improve!"

Looking at her aggrieved yet willful little face, Wang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but facepalm.

This little devil really does things on a whim. The movie is already more than halfway done, and the investment is being spent like water.

Change directors now? What about the footage shot earlier? How do we coordinate the actors' schedules? The entire publicity plan has to be scrapped!

"Tian Tian, ​​our Starlight Company isn't short of money, but we're not some sucker who runs a charity! Changing the director now could ruin the whole project."

Wang Xiaoxiao patiently guided him from the side, but of course, there was one more thing she didn't say aloud.

Even if it were Zhang Yimou instead, this little devil would probably still have to be apprehended!