Chapter 77

After listening to Zhang Tan's plan, He Miao had to admit that it was quite interesting, had a lot of appeal, and was quite original.

"Zhang Tan, there's no problem with the project proposal, but we still need a producer to handle it."

He thought Zhang Tan was a newcomer who didn't understand the production process of films and TV shows, so he explained it to him. However, Zhang Tan had participated in many large projects in his previous life and was already very familiar with the process. Moreover, he was a student in the directing department of the Beijing Film Academy!

"Finding a producer is something I can't do alone. I hope the studio can provide support, but I will work on the project proposal with Director Zhang. We'll proceed on both fronts simultaneously to save time."

For the drama "Little Actors," the script wasn't the most important part because it was about performing classics, such as "Dream of the Red Chamber." The stories were already there, and only adaptation was needed. Since it was a performance of classics, major changes couldn't be made, so the script adaptation would be relatively simple.

However, adapting an existing novel wasn't as simple as outsiders might think.

Once, Zhang Tan joined a film project that was adapting a popular tomb-raiding novel. The author of the novel volunteered to adapt the script, and the producer was worried he wouldn't be able to handle it, so he asked Zhang Tan to help. But the author was so enthusiastic that Zhang Tan didn't say anything. However, after half a month, the adapted script still hadn't been delivered. When he called to ask, he found out that the author had been making changes and deletions, and still hadn't finished.

So you see, scriptwriting is a very professional task with its own writing process. It's not just a matter of changing the format of a novel.

For Zhang Tan, the most important thing at the moment was the project proposal for "Little Actors." He needed to make the studio believe that the project was feasible, which required a lot of effort, especially since it was a drama for children with no precedent to refer to.

Zhang Tan and Zhang Tongshun spent two days in the office working on the project proposal. They first submitted it to He Miao, who found no issues with it. Then, Zhang Tongshun submitted it to the head of the film and television department, Zhu Ruopu. Compared to Zhang Tan, Zhang Tongshun had more dealings with Zhu Ruopu.

After completing these tasks, Zhang Tan and Zhang Tongshun went home. The next two days were the weekend, so they could rest. The following week would be a busy one.

The two entered the elevator, and two more people came in. One of them looked familiar, and Zhang Tan quickly recognized him as Wang Yifan, the lead actor of "Chief Jin."

He glanced at Zhang Tongshun without showing any emotion, seeing that his face was normal and he nodded to Wang Yifan with a smile, saying, "Going home."

The two had a falling out over the third season of "Chief Jin." Even if their adult demeanor prevented them from openly feuding, there was still a sense of resentment.

Wang Yifan also nodded to Zhang Tongshun and said indifferently, "Yes."

However, a young man standing next to Wang Yifan chatted with Zhang Tongshun for a few moments and gave Zhang Tan a meaningful look.

From their conversation, Zhang Tan learned that this young man was the director of the new season of "Chief Jin."

"Mr. Zhang, I heard you're starting to prepare for another project?" The elevator was going down, and perhaps to avoid the awkward silence, the young director initiated the conversation.

Zhang Tongshun replied calmly, "Yes, just starting to prepare, haven't submitted the proposal yet."

The two stood on the left side of the elevator, while Zhang Tan and Zhang Tongshun stood on the right, creating a clear divide.

When Wang Yifan heard Zhang Tongshun's words, he wanted to turn his head to look, but halfway through, he returned to his original position, asking nothing and saying nothing.

"Is it a drama about children acting?" The young director seemed quite interested and asked another question.

Zhang Tongshun said, "I want to try something new."

The young director flattered him a bit, and when the elevator arrived, Wang Yifan was the first to step out, almost bumping into Zhang Tan. The young director looked at Zhang Tan apologetically, smiled, and followed him out.

Zhang Tongshun and Zhang Tan exchanged a glance and laughed, "Now we're in a bind, or it will be a laughingstock."

Zhang Tan corrected him, "This isn't being in a bind; it's the starting gun has been fired, and we need to run hard."

Meanwhile, Wang Yifan and the young director got into their car. Wang Yifan asked, "What's the situation with the drama you asked about just now?"

He didn't mention Zhang Tongshun, but anyone could tell he was asking about Zhang Tongshun's drama.

The young director immediately told Wang Yifan what he knew. After listening, Wang Yifan said half-jokingly, "Just kids playing house."

"It is quite casual," the young director added, not saying much more. After all, it was Wang Yifan who had a falling out with Zhang Tongshun, not him, so he didn't need to take sides.

On Monday, the head of the film and television department, Zhu Ruopu, called Zhang Tan and Zhang Tongshun to a meeting, the topic being "Little Actors."

Over the weekend, he had carefully read the project proposal, finding it quite interesting but also risky. There had never been a drama of this type before, and if it could be produced, it would be a groundbreaking effort.

The proposal emphasized the market potential of the drama, which intrigued him. After careful consideration, he believed the potential benefits outweighed the risks, making it worth a try.

The meeting lasted a long time, and Zhu Ruopu brought in a middle-aged woman, who was the producer he had in mind for the project.

"Discuss this project thoroughly among the three of you. If you have any issues, come to me," Zhu Ruopu said, setting up the main management structure for the project and then leaving the details to them.

The producer's name was Gao Xiaolan. She knew Zhang Tongshun, but since Zhang Tan was a newcomer, she introduced herself to him.

Zhang Tan cautiously instructed, "Even though it's 'Little Actors' and the actors are children, we can't relax the standards of the production. Makeup, sets, everything must be done to the highest standards."

Zhang Tongshun asked, "What are the highest standards?"

Zhang Tan firmly replied, "They are the standards of a serious drama."

Zhang Tongshun glanced at Gao Xiaolan and nodded, "Of course, if we're going to do it, we're not here to play around."

The three spent the morning in the meeting, and after it ended, they each went their separate ways.

The producer had to apply for project funding, Zhang Tongshun had to start building the production team and finding child actors, and Zhang Tan had to write character bios, episode outlines, and the script.

Gao Xiaolan was worried he couldn't handle it alone and asked if he needed help.

If Zhang Tan were really a newcomer, he would indeed be overwhelmed. The project had already started, and various tasks were being rapidly advanced. The script needed to be completed first, and he didn't have much time.

But in his previous life, Zhang Tan was a seasoned screenwriter. He had handled projects more complex and with tighter deadlines than "Little Actors," which seemed like a practice project in comparison.

"I can finish the script by the day after tomorrow, so there's no need to find someone else for now."

Gao Xiaolan didn't know if he was being overly confident or truly capable. She smiled and said nothing. It was good that the young man had enthusiasm and was willing to take on challenges. She couldn't discourage him, especially since she had just joined the project.

"Script, the foundation of the drama. We'll wait for your good news."

They went their separate ways to work. Zhang Tan locked himself in the office and focused on writing the script.

The first season of "Little Actors" was about the scene from "Dream of the Red Chamber" where Grandma Liu visits the Grand View Garden. The content needed to be expanded, and Zhang Tan's plan was to divide it into 9 episodes, each 25 minutes long.