Becoming a Movie Star, System Only Finished Loading After Ten Years

To be honest, Qi Hao doesn't have much ambition for a special effects company.

This is not something the average person can handle.

There are many reasons it's difficult, but mainly because the investment is too big.

Even if it's a special effects company capable of working on blockbusters, even if it earns tens to hundreds of billions a year, the profit is actually less than 10%, with all the money spent on research and staff.

To create the best effects to satisfy directors' ever-growing demand for realism, a special effects company needs to maintain a large team of computer experts, artists, engineers, and programmers, excluding the even more expensive consultants and special scientists.

Yet, this massive investment plays a very insignificant role in the film's profit-sharing.

As an actor or director, Qi Hao might earn more money than a special effects company, and when he gets even more accomplished, he might even demand a share of the box office.

And as a producer, if he runs into a blockbuster movie, he might earn tens of millions or even hundreds of millions at once.

So, why bother with a thankless special effects company?

This lousy task... Isn't it a bit of a waste not to do it?

Even if there's no confidence in the special effects company, there should be some confidence in our dog system, oh no, in Tongzi.

So far, there's nothing bad about the rewards Tongzi has given.

In the beginning, when money was tight, it directly rewarded start-up capital, then later provided all kinds of quality stocks, and occasionally some mystical items.

The system's products are always top-notch!

All the way, Qi Hao remembered only the good things about Tongzi.

So, after hesitating for less than thirty seconds, Qi Hao took a deep breath and decided to complete this task well.

Do it to the death!

If it requires memorizing a certain number of words, then I'll memorize a massive quantity, even those words that foreigners can't remember.

If oral proficiency is needed, then I'll become so fluent that I can argue skillfully in any crowd.

By then, if you integrate Industrial Light and Magic, Weta Digital, and Digital Kingdom as a reward for me, I wouldn't mind them making too much money for me.

"Li Xiaomeng, where have you gone?"

Qi Hao yelled loudly.

As soon as the words fell, Tang Chuan appeared in front of him, responding, "She went to check out clothes for you, for next month's Golden Rooster Award."

"Oh, then it's fine."

Learning English is not easier than the previous task. Even if you have a good memory, it doesn't yield significant results in a day or two.

By comparison, the Golden Rooster Award is more important.

He definitely plans to attend the Golden Rooster Award.

Foreign film awards rarely give awards for newcomers.

Even the domestic Golden Image Award and Golden Horse Award are rarely given to directors outside the local area for Best New Director.

The Golden Image Award specifies in its rules: Candidates must be Xiangjiang residents holding a permanent identity card, and the participating film must have its premiere screening in Xiangjiang.

So, the Golden Rooster Award for Best New Director is the highest newcomer award Qi Hao can achieve.

If he wins a Golden Rooster for Best New Director, he won't need to worry about over-completing his main mission.

Qi Hao continued filming honestly.

Today, filming started for Song Jia and Zhao Jinmai's scenes.

Song Jia has a cool and unrestrained personality, but playing Xiaomi's mother this time is considered a high-difficulty role challenge.

Qi Hao asked her to get familiar with Zhao Jinmai first.

They had been talking for half an hour.

"How's it going?" Qi Hao came over and asked Song Jia.

"It should be fine, it's just... the little girl is a bit emotional. When I told her I was a bad mom, she started crying."

Song Jia honestly didn't know how to comfort such a seven-year-old girl.

It's tricky treating her as a child because she's more mature and intelligent than the average child, but treating her as a big child is also inappropriate, as she's not some oddity.

"Mai Mai, we're acting, it's all fake."

Qi Hao was more experienced, having spent over ten days with Zhao Jinmai, completely winning over the little girl with his charisma.

"Yeah, I know it's all fake."

Zhao Jinmai knew it was fake, yet she still cried when Song Jia said it.

Xiaomi was too pitiful.

She was an extra child, at least her birth was not expected.

Her mom worked as a dancer at a club—Zhao Jinmai didn't quite understand what a dancer meant, so the crew could only explain it as a morally wrong profession.

Xiaomi grew up without a father, like every child from a single-parent family, amid ridicule and bullying from peers, with no one to play with.

Her mom kicked her out to inject drugs and, when drunk, wanted to take her along to die.

In the end, her mom was sold by bad people, had all her organs removed, and was abandoned in a trunk.

It seemed Xiaomi was destined for a similar fate.

Uncle Qi was the only light in her life.

"You did incredible in yesterday's scene," Qi Hao offered a few comforting words before switching to encouragement mode, praising her: "Many professional actors couldn't perform that scene as well as you."

"I... I..."

The simple and adorable seven-year-old girl blushed intensely at the compliment.

"Today's scene, you will have no problems at all, no need to be nervous, Aunt Song Jia..."

"Sister!"

Song Jia coolly interjected from the side.

They all call An Feng sister, so why call her aunt.

This scumbag actually tries to woo even a seven-year-old girl; truly scummy down to his stem cells.

"Uh... Song Jia is a good person, you will definitely become good friends with her and do well in acting together."

Qi Hao first gave a pep talk before filming started, then they began shooting.

The scene with Xiaomi and her mom mostly centers around her mom.

Qi Hao first filmed the scene of Song Jia injecting drugs.

Films dealing with drugs typically use portrayal to alert the audience.

No transaction, no harm.

If there weren't so many people using drugs, there wouldn't be so much drug trafficking.

Our anti-drug officers wouldn't die so tragically.

Xiaomi's mom has such an adorable daughter, yet her life is a mess; the lack of means to make a living is only a superficial reason, the real reason is she's a drug addict.

"Don't worry, I'll perform well!"

Song Jia doesn't have a lot of scenes this time, but acting as a drug addict, a corpse, a dancer, they're all emotionally and physically exhausting roles, challenging her acting skills to the extreme.

Qi Hao asked her to research information related to drug users.

She started preparing from the moment she got the script.

Watching the related scenes in films is a must for actors, as it's the most direct and effective method.

Additionally, she used connections to find acquaintances.

Enabling her to closely interact with drug users, learning from their descriptions about the monstrous drug that shouldn't exist in the world.

Now she's injected with drugs, lying on a dirty and messy bed.

It's like something has been injected into her body, and she squints her eyes, feeling somewhat painful yet not.

Qi Hao watched the woman writhing on the bed, choosing a dual-camera angle to intersperse and present the state after drug use, allowing people to feel the damage this substance inflicts on human willpower.

Song Jia is still very beautiful; even if she doesn't have top-tier looks, she has her own charm and charisma.

Yet now, this beautiful woman looks like a broken doll.

Zhao Jinmai was taken elsewhere by her mom.

She'll return in a moment to continue filming.

Zhao Jinmai's mom crouched beside her daughter, touched her, and felt that her daughter seemed to have lost some weight.

There's no choice. Although Qi Hao allowed them to have their own practices, they are eating out after all, and Zhao Jinmai hasn't rested well, often dreaming about acting.

"Mai Mai, do you enjoy acting?"

If her daughter doesn't enjoy it, she wouldn't encourage her to pursue a career as an actress.

Given their family conditions, it's possible they could nurture her to follow a different path.

"I love it!"

Zhao Jinmai answered very decisively, even more firmly than when she used to attend training classes.

"Mai Mai, if you like doing something, you have to do it well and strive to become a top actor like Uncle Qi Hao someday."

Expecting sons to become dragons and daughters to become phoenixes is a basic mindset for most Huaxia parents.

Otherwise, they wouldn't send them to acting classes as early as five or six years old.

"Yes, Mai Mai will act well and become more exceptional than An Feng and Song Jia."

Zhao Jinmai's eyes sparkled.

While other kids say they want to be scientists or Ultraman, she loves being an actress.

"Great, such ambition!"

Zhao Jinmai's mom feels her daughter's ambition is a bit too big; An Feng is a top-tier star, and Song Jia is an emerging talent in the Acting Faction, with promising future achievements.

But when it comes to goals, shouldn't they be grand?

"Mom, after we finish filming, will we be heading back to Shenyang and never see the crew again, never see Uncle Qi Hao?"

Zhao Jinmai gradually figured out how the film crew operates.

The crew is different from their school, it's only a temporary group, and her mom has taken two months' leave for her. After two months, she'll have to go back to class.

And everyone else will go their separate ways.

Thinking about this makes the little girl feel a bit sad.

"That's right, but it's not like you won't see them again; you might collaborate again someday."

Zhao Jinmai's mom is in the education field and can understand her child's emotions.

In fact, she's recently gathered quite a bit of information about Qi Hao.

Mainly regarding Qi Hao Studio.

She's discovered that Qi Hao Studio only has Qi Hao as an artist and hasn't signed other celebrities yet.

Unknown whether it's planned not to sign anyone or there hasn't been someone suitable.

Most likely the former.

But anyway, Zhao Jinmai's mom plans to ask Qi Hao about this issue.

After Qi Hao finished a scene and during the break, Zhao Jinmai's mom approached Qi Hao.

She first asked Qi Hao about Zhao Jinmai's acting talent, and whether it was suitable for a long-term career in the industry.

"Talent-wise, it's quite good, but the entertainment industry is rather complex, and many talented actors find it tough to break through. If you're thinking of her developing in this field, it's best to be mentally prepared for that."

Qi Hao thought about it and decided after all to temper her expectations a bit.