PDLP Chapter 224 The Craftsmanship of Heaven
Chapter 224 The Craftsmanship of Heaven
The story of "The Craftsman" is set on Earth in the near future.
At that time, the Earth was in dire straits due to climate disasters and resource depletion, facing ecological collapse.
The protagonist, Lin Qiu, is a female scientist specializing in bioengineering. She leads her team to launch a cross-species gene fusion project called "Tiangong".
—By extracting the survival codes of native life forms on Earth, such as the extreme tolerance genes of deep-sea hydrothermal vent organisms and the water-locking mechanisms of desert plants, we are attempting to reconstruct degraded ecosystems.
The film revolves around the ethical controversies arising from human intervention in nature.
When gene fusion technology unexpectedly gives rise to a semi-mechanical life form called "symbiote" that can evolve autonomously, humanity is forced to choose between "extinction crisis" and "species alienation".
If the theme of cultivation in "Asking Immortals" is physical ascension, then the concept that "The Craftsman" wants to express is mechanical ascension.
The script features rich descriptions of biomechanical systems: cities crystallized by symbiotes, the cold metallic sheen flowing across mechanical bodies, and flesh growing on the wasteland...
However, the content of text is always limited. If it can be brought to the big screen through special effects technology, it will surely be a stunning and magnificent feast.
He truly deserves to be called a titan in the science fiction world. Even though "Tian Gong" was a script he wrote in his early years, its profound themes are still relevant today.
The core conflict of "The Craftsman" focuses on the ideological clash between Lin Qiu and the radical environmental organization "Children of the Wasteland".
The former believes that technology is a "natural tool" for restoring nature, while the latter believes that humans should completely withdraw from the food chain.
Ultimately, when the "symbiote" purified the pollution in its crystallized form but began to devour the city, Lin Qiu discovered the true "divine craftsmanship":
Humans are merely collaborators with nature, not creators. Only through the symbiosis of technology and natural laws can civilization survive.
The entire script delves into technological ethics and ecological philosophy, and is full of critical implications.
The last sentence, "Humans are merely collaborators with nature," instantly cleared the fog, providing a moment of profound enlightenment and sparking endless reflection.
At this moment, nearly ten people are sitting together in the conference room.
In addition to Shirai, there are also several film technical consultants from the company.
Everyone received a copy of the script for "The Craftsman," and it was the first time anyone had read it.
The scene was quiet, with only the slight sound of airflow coming from the air conditioner vents.
Bai Li didn't know how others felt after reading it, but she was deeply shocked after reading the handwritten manuscript of "The Craftsmanship of Heaven." She was immersed in the grand background of the apocalypse and didn't come back to her senses for a long time.
Her eyes were full of admiration, and she broke the silence first, asking, "Teacher Huang, are you really going to give us this script?"
That's right, this precious script was provided free of charge by teacher Huang Wen.
If Day and Night Entertainment decides to use this script to make a movie, they can simply use it to film without paying any copyright fees.
After reading the script, Bai Li, with her intuitive business sense, instantly realized its value and the commercial potential it held.
She can confidently guarantee that if "The Craftsman" is made into a movie, it will definitely be another box office hit worth tens of billions.
From the story structure to the core theme, every aspect is exquisite.
In particular, the exploration of the relationship between technology and nature, once brought to the big screen, will surely cause a sensation worldwide.
Perhaps its achievements will far surpass those of the previously hugely successful "Asking Immortals".
In fact, before Professor Huang Wen came, she had already prepared to spend a lot of money to buy the copyright from him.
After reading the script, Bai Li even felt that she could accept spending hundreds of millions of yuan to buy "Tian Gong".
But to my surprise, Teacher Huang Wen didn't need any payment at all.
Huang Wen waved his hand with a smile and explained in a gentle tone, "This script has been sitting in my hands for many years. I've been hoping to find a suitable team to bring it to life. After reading 'Asking the Immortals,' I knew it was you guys."
Huang Wen's eyes were firm, showing no sign of falsehood.
He continued sincerely, "Your willingness to accept my somewhat old script is actually a great help to me. I am so grateful that I can't even talk about giving back. This is a mutually beneficial collaboration, so let's not talk about money."
Even Bai Li's eyes flashed with surprise at this moment.
In this materialistic world, there are indeed people who are so indifferent to wealth.
Before meeting with Teacher Huang Wen, Bai Li made a point of asking someone to inquire about his character in detail.
The results were astonishing; Professor Huang Wen received almost zero negative reviews in the industry.
He was indeed a highly respected gentleman, and with his exceptional writing talent, he could have made a fortune if he had focused on writing and selling copyrights.
However, Professor Huang has always insisted on holding forums and giving lectures all over the country, tirelessly cultivating new talents in the industry.
Seemingly noticing Bai Li's surprise, Huang Wen continued, "Ms. Bai, thank you for your kindness, but to be honest, I don't want to make that much money. If I have too much money, I won't be able to write good stories."
Bai Li was speechless and completely convinced.
Since Mr. Huang Wen had already put it this way, Bai Li chose to respect his wishes and solemnly said, "Thank you, Mr. Huang Wen. We will not let you down and will do our best to make 'The Craftsman' a success."
Teacher Huang Wen smiled with satisfaction and nodded slightly, saying, "That's fine then."
Although Teacher Huang Wen offered to provide the script for free, Bai Li couldn't just accept it directly.
All the contracts involved in the early stages, including confidentiality agreements, copyright transfer agreements, intellectual property protection agreements, etc., need to be signed one by one to ensure that nothing goes wrong.
Only by ensuring that everything is foolproof can Bai Li accept the script for "The Craftsmanship" with peace of mind.
Soon, the company's legal department staff began drafting and printing the agreement on-site.
While waiting for the agreement to be finalized, the professional film production instructors continued to discuss in depth with Mr. Huang Wen the relevant details of the film production of "Tian Gong".
The first issue to be discussed was the crucial casting.
As is well known, many screenwriters have a certain say in casting during the film production process, and some screenwriters even play a decisive role in the final selection of actors.
Therefore, in terms of casting, Bai Li hopes to listen to Huang Wen's wishes and suggestions as much as possible.
The company's manager in charge of film production had also carefully read the entire script. Unlike Bai Li's reading perspective, he examined the script from a more professional viewpoint.
In his view, the character Lin Qiu is undoubtedly the most important character in the entire film.
She is both a key figure driving the plot forward and a embodiment of the complex emotions and ideas in the script.
The casting of Lin Qiu is crucial.
The actor who plays Lin Qiu needs not only superb acting skills, but also the ability to accurately interpret the depth of the character.
Once you can grasp the essence of Lin Qiu, the movie will be outstanding, and this role could even elevate the actress to stardom.
But if it's not handled properly, the movie will have big problems.
The manager couldn't help but ask Mr. Huang, "Mr. Huang, what are your thoughts on the casting of the character Lin Qiu?"
"I don't have any particular actors to recommend, I can only offer some suggestions."
Teacher Huang Wen pondered for a moment, then stroked his chin with his right hand and slowly said:
"This character is a scientist, and in essence, she is a vessel that tends towards rationality. But she is, after all, an ordinary person, and when faced with apocalyptic suffering, she will also feel confused and struggle."
"Therefore, I believe that when choosing actors, we should not limit ourselves to well-known celebrities, nor do we need them to be particularly beautiful, but their acting skills must be excellent and they must be able to deeply move people's hearts."
Bai Li thought the same thing.
For the film "The Craftsman", she also does not plan to use popular celebrities, but intends to continue the casting model of her previous film "Asking Immortals".
"I wonder if Teacher Huang is familiar with the online audience casting model for 'Asking Immortals'?" Bai Li asked at the right moment.
Seeing Huang Wen's bewildered expression, Bai Li knew that he had probably only watched the movie "Asking the Immortals" and had not learned about the casting process in the early stages.
So, Bai Li explained the casting process for "Asking the Immortals" to Teacher Huang Wen in detail: "This casting method not only allows us to select the most suitable actors, but also provides effective publicity for the film in advance. Teacher Huang, what do you think of this method?"
After Bai Li finished her introduction, she immediately received Huang Wen's approval: "That sounds pretty good. The ultimate goal of casting is to find the actor who best fits the role. As for what method to use, it doesn't really matter, as long as we can achieve this goal."
At this point, the professional instructor in charge of film production reminded him: "President Bai, the scale of this 'Tian Gong' training camp is probably much larger than that of 'Wen Xian'. Because in addition to Chinese characters, there are many foreign characters in the script of 'Tian Gong'. In order to find the most suitable actors, we must conduct casting worldwide."
Indeed, the subject matter of "The Craftsman" is different from that of "Asking the Immortals". In the post-apocalyptic world depicted in "The Craftsman", there is no longer any boundary between Eastern and Western cultures, and humanity has become a community of shared destiny.
Although the protagonist Lin Qiu is Chinese, many other key characters are foreigners with different national cultural backgrounds.
"The Craftsman" is a subject with an international perspective. This is one of the key reasons why Bai Li predicts that "The Craftsman" will likely surpass "Asking Immortals" in terms of success.
"Don't worry about that," Bai Li smiled and answered confidently.
Attending the Apollo Awards ceremony allowed her to make many new connections.
With these connections, casting globally is not difficult.
Teacher Huang Wen simply sat quietly to the side, listening to their discussion with a smile.
He always had a smile on his face: "Leave the casting to you professionals. If you need my help in any way, such as providing some ideas for the characters or adding details to the script, feel free to come to me anytime."
The discussions about casting have come to an end, and at the same time, all the agreements have been completed.
Teacher Huang Wen also brought his lawyer with him on this trip.
After all, it involves signing a contract, and even the most open-minded person would still be cautious when faced with such an important legal document.
Both parties conducted in-depth negotiations and communication on several key clauses of the agreement.
After some discussion, a consensus was finally reached.
Teacher Huang Wen picked up the pen and signed his name on the contract with a flourish.
With this, Day and Night Entertainment's second major film project, "The Craftsman," has been officially confirmed.
-------------------------------
In the morning, a series of tedious tasks were finally completed, and there was nothing urgent to deal with next.
Bai Li lay down as soon as she got back to the office.
When Jingye came in, Baili was already dozing off on the reception sofa.
He immediately slowed his pace, turned down the air conditioner, took out a neatly folded blanket from the cabinet, and slowly unfolded it to drape over Bai Li so that she could sleep more comfortably.
Although Jingye had kept the noise to a minimum, Baili, who was in a light sleep, still noticed something.
Her eyelids trembled slightly, and then she slowly opened her eyes.
Jingye paused in her bent-over motion, a gentle smile appearing on her face as she softly asked, "Miss, would you like to go back and rest?"
Although the young lady has rested at home for a day, jet lag cannot be adjusted in just one day. In his opinion, the young lady should rest at home for a few more days before her body can fully recover.
"It's nothing," Bai Li said, gently rubbing her temples.
She wasn't actually tired, she just had too many things to deal with all at once.
The talent show project and the feature film project are two large-scale projects that need to be carried out simultaneously, and each project involves many details.
Her brain overloaded for a moment, and she briefly "crashed," but fortunately, this short rest with her eyes closed helped her recover quite a bit.
Bai Li turned to look at the wall clock, glanced at the time, and said, "I'm going to have dinner with Shan Gui later to discuss matters related to the music department."
Jingye nodded slightly upon hearing this and put the blanket away again.
Since the young lady had made up her mind, he naturally wouldn't try to dissuade her, but a hint of worry still lingered in his eyes.
After a moment's thought, he couldn't help but whisper, "Miss, if you encounter any difficult situations, please leave them to me. I will always be there for you."
Bai Li had already gotten up and was about to leave when she heard Jing Ye's words. She stopped in her tracks and paused for a moment.
The quiet night remains the same...
When other people say sweet nothings, Bai Li finds them cheesy. Sometimes, when she hears characters in TV dramas saying sweet nothings, she even gets goosebumps.
Strangely, whenever Jingye uttered such tender words of love, she felt no discomfort whatsoever.
Jingye usually gives people a cold and aloof first impression, as if he exudes an aura that keeps people at a distance. But only Baili knows that he is more gentle and caring than anyone else.
Perhaps it was because of their long-term interaction that she had become accustomed to Jingye's unreserved gentleness.
Bai Li snapped out of her daze, a bright smile spreading across her face, and said in a drawn-out tone, "Okay—I got it."