Strange Life of a Cat
Chapter 345 - Chapter 345 Chapter 338 Superstar

Chapter 345: Chapter 338: Superstar Chapter 345: Chapter 338: Superstar “Alright, this will be your residence for the next three months.” A receptionist opened the door, led Zheng Tan and the others into the house, and said.

This person was sent by Yang Yi, and the accommodation had already been arranged by him: a three-bedroom and one-living-room apartment, big enough for Zheng Tan and the people he brought along.

“Does everyone need anything else?” the man asked.

Charlie looked around, especially at the room arranged for Zheng Tan. As an “assistant,” having served for several years, Charlie was very familiar with Zheng Tan’s preferences. With just a glance, he could tell whether the room was suitable or not. Clearly, Yang Yi valued Zheng Tan highly, and the arrangement of the room satisfied Charlie.

When arranging the house, Yang Yi had consulted Charlie and Mr. Jiao, so naturally, there were none of the things Zheng Tan disliked, such as certain foods or smells. Protective nets had also been newly installed on the windowsills to prevent accidents.

“Not for now,” Charlie replied, satisfied.

“Okay then, just call me if you need anything,” the man said as he exchanged contact information with Charlie. After discussing the daily arrangements, he left. He had to report back to Yang Yi and plan the next steps. Even though he was very curious about that black cat, he restrained himself. As one of Yang Yi’s trusted aides, he knew what to ask and what not to ask. It’s fine to be curious, but you have to know your limits.

In addition to Charlie, there were four other people who came with Zheng Tan, not all of whom were there to “serve” Zheng Tan. Charlie alone was enough for that. They came at the request of Yang Yi and Kong Han. Among them was someone who worked as a lighting technician in Xiao Guo’s studio, and someone else as a sound engineer. Whatever their role, they had experience in cat photography and knew what kind of lighting could affect a cat’s mood and what sounds could disturb a cat. They had also studied cat vocalizations.

In Zheng Tan’s view, much of this was superfluous, but since Yang Yi and Kong Han had requested them, and Xiao Guo had personally sent them, Zheng Tan decided not to interfere. After all, he wasn’t the one paying their salaries. Why worry so much?

Even though their current profession involved pet photography, most of the people in Xiao Guo’s studio had formal training and understood the business well.

Now that the filming hadn’t started yet, they were all sitting on the sofa watching TV and discussing. Zheng Tan occupied an armchair all by himself, listening to their conversation.

The city by the sea was quite prosperous, rumoured to be Kong Han’s hometown. The filming location was chosen here by Kong Han, who was both the screenwriter and the director. Recently, there had been criticism of the “screenwriter-director” phenomenon, citing it as a cause for movies “lacking depth and creativity.”

Actually, speaking of it, the script wasn’t exactly innovative. Similar plots could be found in comics and novels, but it seemed Kong Han had his own obsessions, akin to when Yang Yi shot that documentary. Just a catalyst was enough to reignite the obsessions buried deep in their hearts.

It was said that Kong Han had also been a cat owner since his childhood.

Yet another person with a story.

The high-rise complex arranged by Yang Yi had sea views, with people placed by him from the eighteenth to the twentieth floor. Zheng Tan and his companions were on the twentieth floor, from which the sea could be seen through the living room’s window.

Zheng Tan looked towards the window beside him. The sky outside was bluer than in Chuhua City, clearly indicating that the environment and air quality here were much better than in Chuhua City.

Charlie and the others were discussing the news they knew. The actors for the movie had pretty much been decided. Just now, in the elevator, they had spotted someone who looked like they could be an agent, which they recognized instinctively.

“Hey, do you guys think Wei Wen has arrived?” a man around Charlie’s age asked with anticipation.

When a few guys got together, naturally the first thing they discussed was women. As the lead actress, Wei Wen was one of their main topics, along with several other female supporting characters.

“Haven’t seen Wei Wen, but when I went to the park, I saw a chick who could cause quite a stir with just a move.” The guy even gestured across his chest, his face lecherous.

“Also part of the crew?” the others asked, eyes shining.

The man shook his head, “Doesn’t look like it.”

The rest deflated a bit, but quickly perked up again to discuss other actors.

As they were talking, the doorbell rang.

Charlie, who was closest to the door, checked through the peephole and gestured to the others on the sofa. They exchanged glances and sprang into action, losing all signs of the lewdness from when they were discussing certain not-safe-for-children topics. They had to be cautious; if there was a problem, they’d have to pack up and leave posthaste.

Before coming, Xiao Guo had warned them that the crew was not like their workgroup, nor was it like the team that shot the documentary. There could be many little tricks at play here. Since a cat can’t be on guard for such things, they had to cope with it themselves. It wasn’t that they were maliciously suspicious, but being cautious was always better. No one wanted to give others a leg up at their own expense.

The person who entered was a woman in her twenties, and women often made men lower their guards. She wore casual clothes, with shoulder-length black hair. Though she wasn’t stunning, her eyes curved delightfully when she smiled, coming across as very likable.

“Sorry to disturb, I live downstairs. My name is Yang Yi from Yixing Culture. Are you also part of the ‘Black Cat’ crew?”

Ms. Yang introduced herself. She was the agent for a few young actors living downstairs and had just come to make a casual visit. She didn’t chat much and left after a brief conversation with Charlie and a few others, leaving behind a gift.

After closing the door, Charlie and the others resumed their discussion.

“Visits with gifts? And high-end tea at that!”

“Gathering information, perhaps?”

“Shares the same surname as the Boss of Yixing…”

“Probably not related, if she’s related, would she need to come and scope things out personally?”

“That’s true.”

“But we still better be cautious. I think someone downstairs wants to take advantage of our ‘Black… ZT’ to make a name for themselves.”

Zheng Tan just briefly listened to their discussion. The armchair faced the window, and due to the angle, Yang Yi had not seen Zheng Tan when she entered. Zheng Tan didn’t care about those people anyway. What he was thinking about were the words Mr. Jiao had entrusted to him when he left Chuhua City.

Mr. Jiao had said during the documentary shooting that it’s important not to be too “smart” and to know how to “make mistakes,” and making movies required an even higher technique for “making mistakes,” which was why Zheng Tan was contemplating how to “make a mistake” more naturally.

Compared to Zheng Tan, who was leisurely considering how to make a mistake, the main actors and supporting actors who were part of the film were far more anxious. Especially the newcomers selected for this opportunity, they were afraid of making a blunder–any mistake could decrease the director’s and the Boss’s good impression of them.

Of course, getting along with the crew, particularly some of the more important figures, was very beneficial for the junior actors. Otherwise, Yang Yi would not have come upstairs to gather information.

While there was probing among the temporary residents, on the other hand, Yang Yi was discussing matters with Kong Han after hearing a report from his subordinates.

Kong Han’s films were few but had received decent responses. He was just young and hadn’t yet made a name for himself in the country. Kong Han liked to use new talents. For this film, the main actor wasn’t a real A-lister. The so-called popular fresh face was just a laugh in the industry to many. Fame was often fleeting, and that was more common for those who became known for their idol image. Furthermore, several important supporting roles were played by actors whose names were unfamiliar to the public, including a few new signees. Most of them were still from Yixing Culture.

Yang Yi had the money and wasn’t reluctant to invest in promoting his own people. How people would react was none of their concern. As for who would truly get the boost, it depended on their performance. Without any huge stars, the fact that Yang Yi, the Boss of Yixing Culture, was personally watching the filming indicated something that Yixing’s actors were all too aware of, hence the nervousness.

Both Kong Han and Yang Yi had high standards. Kong Han felt that computer-generated effects could compensate for the actors’ inability to perform some difficult or dangerous actions, but could never replace the unique and charming expressions unique to each actor. Many famous actors were remembered by the public for a simple smile or a look in their eyes, creating a timeless image. That’s why Kong Han always thought using a real cat and fewer computer effects would be more effective for the film.

As for Yang Yi, his focus wasn’t on this film. Unlike the documentary where he invested a lot of effort and emotion, the upcoming movie was merely a platform, a chance for his actors to showcase their talent.

Yixing Culture wasn’t on par with some of the other historical entertainment giants, so Yang Yi wanted to create stars, his very own superstars belonging to Yixing Culture.

At the top of the acting pyramid were the rare superstars.

There were many stars in China, but very few were true movie stars, and even fewer could bring investment confidence and box office returns. The number of real superstars who could draw audiences to cinemas was very limited, barely a dozen between men and women–and this was after consolidating talents from both sides of the Strait and the three territories in the Chinese film market. Other actors, despite seemingly explosive fame, couldn’t guarantee box office success, and this included numerous well-known names.

In the current climate, the value of a superstar lies more in investment matters. When a movie boasts a truly impressive cast, financial issues are quickly resolved. With a cast of big stars, the film’s future box office can be anticipated, and investors will readily commit substantial funds–not only for the actors’ salaries but also for set pieces, special effects, and equipment. Hence, for a commercial film seeking creative innovation, such stars are a necessary escort–an often unavoidable reality for directors. Kong Han is one of the few in his field to feel this way, but that could change; such is the rule in this commercial age.

Superstars could make Yixing Culture truly stand tall in the industry.

Once, during the filming of “City, People, Cat,” Yang Yi had thought about turning Zheng Tan into a superstar. Sometimes, with the right push, animals can attract the box office more easily than humans. Just because it hadn’t happened before doesn’t mean it’s impossible in the future. Unfortunately, this wish wasn’t fulfilled, evident from the Jiao family’s reaction during the documentary and the explicit termination of Yang Yi’s idea when it came to signing the film contract.

“So, you’re looking forward to seeing those rookies perform?” Kong Han asked the person across the table.

Yang Yi chuckled jokingly, “Actually, I’m more excited to see the rookies act alongside a cat. Don’t think that cat will just do actions on command.”

Moreover, Yang Yi suspected that the cat would probably feign ignorance. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (NovelFire.net) to vote and support it with a monthly pass. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.NovelFire.net to read.)