Chapter 131: The King Without a Crown

  In a photography studio filled with lighting equipment, a colored background board was set up. Mr. Raymond, dressed in a black suit, sat on a round stool, flanked by Eileen Yeow and Steven Spielberg. All three had bright smiles on their faces as they gazed into the camera lens.

  "OK, that's it, now you all look great." On the other side, a photographer holding a camera kept pressing the shutter, "click click", and said: "Mr. Raymond, try to make your eyes more profound and charming! Mr. Stefan, can you please smile slightly, don't always have a straight face? And dear Yi, it would be best if you could put one hand in your pocket, hmm, turn your face towards me a bit, yes, with one hand under your chin, eyes looking down at the ground... just like that, very artistic, oh my god, you're a great model..."

  Yi Feiyang posed as he said, with one hand in his pocket and the other under his chin, tilting his head 30 degrees in a contemplative pose... His eyes caught another flash of the camera, accompanied by the continuous clicking sound, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Really, is this pose really that stylish? It feels pretty silly. But since we're here to promote our animated film today, I'll just bear with it."

  Yi Feiyang put down his hand gesture and said with a smile: "Hey, buddies, don't you think it's boring to take pictures like this all the time? Why don't we take some funny ones instead?"

  Raymond, Stephen and Eason are photographed for the next issue of American "New Film Magazine" for the article "Turbo Plan", the three big male gods cooperate for the first time. Although this interview is not a cover headline, it also occupies a large page in the magazine to promote the upcoming animated film.

  "Alright!" The photographer from the magazine nodded, making a rotating motion with one hand. "You guys just make some silly faces, like ghost faces or sticking out your tongues..."

  Raymond and Stephen were taken aback, "Do we have to play like this? Are we a bit old for this?"

  Yi Feiyang smiled and said: "Being funny doesn't distinguish between first or last, nor does it distinguish between young and old. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters! Come on, buddies!"

  "Alright then, listen to you." Raymond and Stephen smiled helplessly, then imitated Yifei Yang's pose. Each of them struck a weird pose.

  Mr. Raymond had his hands in his pockets, puffed out his chest, and raised his chin high, imitating the great film director Alfred Hitchcock, except that Hitchcock had a cigar clenched between his teeth, while he was gnashing his teeth on a big cigar...

  Steven Spielberg is more interesting. This bearded guy was making monkey faces, pulling his beard with one hand and rolling his eyes...

  As for Yi Feiyang, I never thought that the two originally "bashful" guys would suddenly steal the show like this, and even say that they're older and would be embarrassed, what a joke.

  In order to stand out in the lens, Yi Feiyang thought hard and immediately had a good idea. He saw him steady his horse, stretched out his tongue with force, and raised his middle finger with both hands, making the most cute and quirky pose on the internet, which he did first.

  "No, no, okay, this won't do." The photographer suddenly lost his smile, put down the camera in his hand, shook his head and laughed: "Your fingers are too bold and avant-garde. Our magazine can't publish something like this, it will also ruin your image."

  Raymond and Stephen both chuckled and said: "Oh no, that's cool!"

  "Alright, then I'll just come up with a new pose." Yi Feiyang shrugged indifferently. He didn't think that raising two middle fingers could ruin any image, and what was his image anyway?

  "Hey, how's this?" Yi Feiyang stuck out his tongue again, but this time he made a deer horn shape with his hands, with his thumbs as the top point, and inserted them on both sides of his head. His eyes were wide open. "Oh, buddy, is this okay?" Yi Feiyang thought his appearance must be very cute.

  The photographer gave an OK gesture, slightly bent his body to raise the camera, aimed at them with the best angle, and praised: "Beautiful, let's start." With a click, the film froze this scene.

  After finishing the photo shoot in the studio, the three of them came to the elegant reception room for an exclusive interview with a written report.

  A fairly attractive black female journalist, holding a pen and notebook, looked at the three people sitting on the red sofa and smiled: "First question, Mr. Raymond, who came up with the concept of this animated film 'Turbo'?

  President Raymond smiled lightly and said, "Of course it's Ye's idea. He was the one who brought it up. At that time, I thought to myself, oh my, an ordinary snail from a vegetable garden actually gained super speed abilities by chance and chased his dreams to become a racing driver, competing with real champions on the track..."

  "I have to say, at the time I thought this story was very creative and imaginative. It's like Spider-Man being bitten by a spider and becoming a hero - the snail also became a hero in the end. Yes, it's a good story, I liked it." President Raymond said, chatting with reporters.

  "There's another question, if I remember correctly, this should be Mr. Yifeng Yang's third work, why didn't you choose to film horror movies or erotic films that you are most familiar with, but suddenly want to shoot an animated film?" The black female reporter asked curiously.

  "This issue," Yi Fei said with a sigh, "first of all, I'm a very strange person. Those who have been with me for a long time will know that I don't like to do things in a conventional way, and I especially dislike things that never change. I like to challenge myself... how can I put it? I'm not willing to be mediocre, I prefer to be unpredictable, to come up with something new and strange. That's me, a weird director, a strange person."

  "So can I think that you're doing this to attract attention and get people's notice?" the female reporter asked, tilting her head.

  "This is a sharp question, but Yi Feiyang just shrugged and said straightforwardly: 'You can say that.'"

  Yi Feiyang knew that in the US, being overly self-expressive wasn't a bad thing, unlike in China where if you slightly stand out, people would say you're not humble enough, too arrogant, and like to stir up trouble.

  This country, the United States, places great emphasis on individual expression. To put it simply, there are differences in human culture and education methods. A child who shapes clay into a frog to scare his classmates in a Chinese classroom would be criticized for disrupting the class and being naughty; in America, he would be praised for his good craftsmanship and creativity, and then guided on how to apply this skill properly. This is the difference between cultures and education.

  The black female journalist looked surprised at Yi Fei Yang's candid answer and smiled slightly. She scribbled down some notes with her pen.

  "Next question, dear Yi, you've never shot an animated film before, and this time as the director of this play, won't there be a lot of pressure?" The black female reporter asked, looking up.

  "Uh. Of course, there's pressure, but whether it's big or not isn't within my consideration range. However, in my opinion, having pressure gives you motivation, right?" Yi Feiyang smiled slightly and touched his earlobe.

  "Moreover, this Mr. Steven Spielberg beside me is the best animation master in the United States. With him by my side helping me, I believe that no matter how great the pressure or how many difficulties there are, this animated film will definitely be a success." Yi Feiyang sincerely praised the big-bearded man beside him.

  As expected, the black female journalist immediately shifted her gaze to Steven Spielberg and asked: "So, Mr. Spielberg, what's your take on Yee's directing? He's so young and has no experience in animation or action filmmaking... don't you think that's a big problem?" The black female journalist asked sharply.

  In fact, in general interviews, those reporters will inevitably use some moves such as "sowing discord" and they are always effective.

  But Stefan, being the good guy he is, didn't take the bait. "Hehe, how to put it, I'm actually quite envious of him for being so young and inexperienced, because only when you're young do you have time, and having no experience means he's a blank slate, easy to paint with all sorts of colors... And China Yi is also a clever person, I believe that since he has this confidence, then he'll definitely be able to direct this animated film well."

  "Haha, your answer is very interesting. So I'd like to ask, the Chinese movie 'Saving Private Rachel' seems to be imitating your WWII blockbuster. Don't you feel angry about that?" The female reporter continued to press on, determined to spark some tension between the two.

  "Angry? Oh no, no, no. On the contrary, I feel honored. Mr. Yi also said that his play is actually a tribute to me, isn't it, dear Yi?" Stephen turned to ask Yifei Yang.

  Yi Feiyang smiled and said, "Of course, you are a senior, I must show my respect to you, and also learn from you!" Yi Feiyang took the opportunity to flatter.

  "But I heard that your film almost destroyed Mr. Stephenson's work." The female reporter was relentless.

  "No, haha, how is that possible? If so, I would have been dead," Yi Feiyang shook his head and smiled, taking a sip of the tea on the table, shrugged and said: "But some are true, I borrowed Mr. Stephfen's popularity from that play, yes, otherwise it wouldn't have attracted so many people to spit...". He paused for a moment, then laughed again: "Oh, by the way, this word is a bit fresh, spitting means discussing... but the consequence of spitting is that the box office is getting higher and higher! Oh God, sometimes I really don't understand, are those people helping me or scolding me..."

  Some people around who were watching the interview couldn't help but burst out laughing, feeling that this Chinese guy was quite humorous.

  Others were also amused by Yifeng's so-called "roasting", what a refreshing vocabulary, is this also one of Chinese Yi's inventions?!

  The interview continued, with the female reporter's ballpoint pen moving quickly. Yi Feiyang solemnly reminded her: "Oh dear lady, would you mind deleting this part? I'm afraid that those guys will know about it and stop scolding me... Oh my poor box office!"

  Everyone couldn't help but burst out laughing this time, and the black female reporter felt both amused and annoyed, asking: "Last question, as we all know, the production cycle of animated films is generally very long, some take half a year, some take one year, and some even take two or three years... In this long period of time, will your DreamWorks have other works?"

  "This question doesn't even need to be answered, we're a film production company, when the schedule comes around, we must have new movies released, otherwise our entire company of dozens of people will all go hungry!"

  "So you're saying you have plans for a new play? Or is it still a horror movie?" the black female reporter guessed.

  "That's right, there are other works, and as you thought, it's a horror movie......" Yi Feiyang gave a thumbs up and took the opportunity to advertise his own movie to those who liked it.

  "Oh, so can you reveal a little bit about the storyline of this play?" The black female reporter couldn't help but ask.

  "Sorry, I'm not telling for now... Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm being stingy, it's just that I still don't know what to take pictures of." Yì Fēi Yáng said frankly.

  "Ah, what are you taking pictures of? Don't you know?" The black female journalist widened her eyes.

  Yi Feiyang nodded, "Yes, I only know that I should make a horror movie that I'm good at, but I haven't found any good stories or materials yet... Maybe, beautiful reporter miss, you can give me some suggestions, what do you think I should film?" Yi Feiyang winked at her.

  "How...how did I know?" Under Yi Fei Yang's piercing gaze, the female reporter's face turned red, truly a beauty with a dark complexion.

  "This Chinese guy is really out of line, flirting with the female reporter right in front of everyone. Mr. Raymond had to clear his throat to interrupt this shameless behavior, 'I think we're running out of time, do you have any other questions, ma'am?'"

  The black female journalist hastily said: "Oh no more, sorry, I've disturbed you."

  "It's an honor for us to be able to accept this interview." The three gentlemen were very courteous.

  As they left the interview hall, Mr. Lei reminded Yi Feiyang, "Dear Yi, this is a public occasion, those famous reporters are basically the uncrowned kings of this line, especially that female reporter, who is notoriously difficult to deal with, you'd better not provoke her in the future."

  "Yes, I've heard of her. She's always been dismissive of those male celebrities." Steven couldn't help but chime in.

  Yi Feiyang shrugged his shoulders, "I really don't know about this."

  Just then, a black female journalist wearing high heels walked over with an air of arrogance, clearly targeting Yi Feiyang.

  "See, I told you so, she must be looking for trouble."

  "Women can't be messed with, just like the great white shark I'm filming..."

  Raymond and Stephen seemed to have seen Yi Feiyang being torn apart by the huge white shark, no, it should be a huge black shark in front of them...

  The female journalist spoke up facing Yi Fei Yang: "Yi, can I invite you to dinner?" After finishing her sentence, she also flirtatiously batted her eyelashes.

  The two old men beside him fainted directly.