Mysterious Assistant of the Washed-Up Queen-Chapter 506 - 328: Ren Ping, Trivial Matters of the Crew_2

He could only see the bigger picture within the company. Many details had been overlooked layer by layer by the time they reached him. It wasn’t that the people below intentionally concealed information; it was just that the higher-ups had limited energy and certainly couldn’t know every minute detail. Issues reported through various layers would get streamlined at each level. By the time they reached his desk, only a few words remained, and the loss of details was inevitable.

After all, the problems arising in a single project could fill an essay, and numerous issues could occur daily. Some of these were resolved on-site, some by the team, and others by the department. The few that remained, if they couldn’t be dealt with at the company level, would then be escalated to the higher-ups. Even fewer would make it to Chu Tian, and by the time they did, it usually signified a major issue. As for the rest, if they were all resolved, what else was there to discuss? Did they really think the higher-ups had nothing better to do? One project, one issue from your end—but how many projects does the whole department have? How many departments are there in the entire company? Adding it all up, the higher-ups already had enough on their plate. If you elaborated too much, you might just be told to pack up and leave the next day. It was like ancient emperors who only read the summaries of memorials; if you submitted a lengthy tome, even the most patient leader would break down. If it were someone like Zhu Yuanzhang, he’d probably want to grab a knife and start hacking people.

But without the details, Chu Tian’s understanding of the on-site situation was bound to be distorted. His visit this time was a chance for him to see for himself what was really going on.

Ren Ping, though unsure of Chu Tian’s thoughts, began to answer honestly.

"When I first arrived, communication with the local departments wasn’t smooth, which caused significant delays."

"During that period, we received a batch of equipment from unscrupulous dealers that had significant quality issues. Fortunately, we discovered it early, and it didn’t cause a major problem."

"Also, we encountered people deliberately causing trouble..."

As Ren Ping narrated, incident after incident that Chu Tian had never heard of before came to light. There were all sorts of problems: highway robbery, extortion by unscrupulous locals, staged accidents for compensation, duplicitous merchants, work errors, external communication mishaps, sudden changes of plan, and so on. Not to mention equipment damage during filming, vehicle breakdowns, staff injuries, and disputes over expenses. It could be said that a film crew encounters all kinds of bizarre and varied problems during operation.

And that was just domestically. If they went abroad, it would be even more complicated. Forget these minor issues; there had even been cases where an entire crew of hundreds was detained or even kidnapped.

No wonder Wei Liangxiao seemed so listless after shooting "Divas Hit the Road." Considering all these issues, he probably encountered even more abroad. With all that, it was a miracle he returned with his hair still intact.

Chu Tian finally realized that tackling any project involved a myriad of problems. He might only give an order, but the people below probably had to run their legs off. No wonder they say working on a film crew is tough, and the money is hard-earned. The entire film industry is not only high-risk but also characterized by high intensity, frequent accidents, large investments, significant financial risks, and long production cycles. Thinking about this, it seemed the money wasn’t that easy to earn after all. So who exactly was making the money? Oh, was it the celebrities who earned tens of millions in fees after a minor scrape that somehow necessitated an emergency room visit?

Honestly, it wasn’t surprising that the "fresh young idols" eventually became targets of public scorn. It probably wasn’t just the general public who were annoyed; most behind-the-scenes personnel in the film industry likely felt conflicted too. On one hand, while these young idols might have poor acting skills, be overly dramatic, and command high salaries, it was precisely because of them that those behind-the-scenes staff had jobs. On the other hand, they themselves worked tirelessly for more than ten hours a day, yet their earnings were less than a tiny fraction of what these celebrities made for a day of merely standing around.

Thinking this, Chu Tian shook his head. The situation was as it was, and he couldn’t change the world. He could only focus on doing his own job well.

"Was anyone injured? Seriously? How was it handled?" Chu Tian asked.

"Yes, a few people were injured. Except for one whose leg was broken by a falling counterweight, the others weren’t seriously hurt, and everything was handled appropriately."

Injuries on set were exceedingly common. According to unofficial statistics, there was, on average, one severe injury per day, countless minor ones, and one accidental death every four days. It was undeniably a high-risk profession.

Moreover, the film production industry is quite peculiar. Small productions have less money and chaotic management, yet they are the most demanding in terms of workload. Because of the lack of funds, they are forced to rush, with crews commonly working seventeen to eighteen hours a day. In more intense cases, workdays could extend to over twenty hours. Instances of working for half a month straight, getting at most three hours of sleep per night, occurred frequently.

In contrast, large, well-managed productions not only pay more and have sufficient funding for better conditions, but even then, workdays still exceed twelve hours.

But this line of work did pay well. Even the most basic job, like a set assistant, started at three to four hundred yuan a day. Those with some technical skills, such as cinematographers, gaffers, staff in costume, makeup, and props, or sound recordists, could earn four to five hundred a day for lower-end roles. It was very common for more skilled individuals to earn seven to eight hundred, or even over a thousand a day. Mid-tier professionals earned two to five thousand a day, with top-tier talent earning even more. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

That’s why so many people wanted to enter this industry every year. It was exhausting, but it paid well. You could even just drive for a film crew. As long as you had an Iveco van, you could drive people or equipment to the set in the morning, find a place to sleep during the day, and drive them back to the hotel at night. Just for that, you could earn four to five hundred a day—much easier than driving a taxi.

Aside from the instability and heavy reliance on connections, the work in this industry was actually quite good.

Of course, Chu Tian didn’t know all the ins and outs, but he understood some of it. In his opinion, even if they earned a bit more, it was genuinely hard-earned money. Everyone worked incredibly hard, enduring a tough daily grind, sometimes even having to eat standing in the rain. Considering all that, the pay really wasn’t that high.

"That’s fine," Chu Tian said. "Make sure to handle the logistics well. Solve any issues that arise, and if you encounter something you can’t resolve, communicate with the company immediately."

"Also, take good care of the injured. Try to maintain at least an average standard of living for them. Under no circumstances should they be treated harshly in this regard."

Chu Tian was all too aware of how adept people in the industry were at skimming off the top, which was why he had insisted the company send its own production team. Frankly, the domestic film industry showed hardly any signs of being a proper industry; it was all just makeshift operations. The biggest problem wasn’t just the lack of rules, but the complete absence of standardization. No matter how wealthy you were, entering this field was like stepping into a quagmire. Someone might seem perfectly normal one moment and then, out of nowhere, stab you in the back the next. On paper, you might order a standard boxed meal with three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup, but what actually arrived on set could be a single, lonely container of egg fried rice. Such occurrences were all too common. He was worried about this because such incidents not only demoralized the crew and hampered their work but could also breed resentment, potentially leading to retaliatory actions. That would be even more disastrous. The company would not only lose money and alienate people, but the quality of the production would suffer, and there might even be delays. All in all, the waters here ran too deep; it really wouldn’t do not to send their own people to supervise.

"Don’t worry, President Chu," Ren Ping assured him. "The conditions on our set are among the best in this circle. We not only have a dedicated medical team on-site, but our logistical preparations are also comprehensive, allowing us to handle most situations."

"Hmm."

In response to Ren Ping’s assurances, Chu Tian merely nodded. He didn’t yet know the true situation. Ren Ping’s words were one thing, but Chu Tian trusted his own eyes more to see how things really were.

As he was saying this, they arrived at the restaurant. Since it had been arranged beforehand and there wasn’t much formality involved, Wei Chuan hadn’t come along this time; they had simply chosen a decent place.

Actually, from the moment he got in the car, Ren Ping had noticed the woman beside his boss. He’d heard at last year’s company annual gala that this was his boss’s girlfriend, the famous actress Xu Qingqiu. Although he had only seen her from afar back then, this was the first time he was seeing her up close. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t curious.

Fortunately, he knew his place and didn’t ask any questions during the drive. It was only when they were eating that he cautiously inquired, "Um, this is Teacher Xu, right? Does Teacher Xu have any dietary restrictions?"

Xu Qingqiu, who had been trying to stay quiet during the drive to avoid disturbing Chu Tian, was momentarily startled when her name was called. "Ah? No, I don’t. Thank you."

"Well now," Chu Tian interjected, looking at Ren Ping with a smile, "are you implying *I’m* the one with no dietary restrictions, then?"