novellhall Chapter 379 Another Dior Photoshoot
Chapter 379 Another Dior Photoshoot
Chapter 378 Dior Shoots Again
He simply couldn't understand it.
Chen Xun is currently one of Hollywood's most sought-after top male actors.
It boasts both immense commercial value and high artistic recognition!
Instead of making big-budget productions with tens of millions of dollars in paychecks, they chose to make independent films with budgets of only a few million dollars.
You won't find another one like this in all of Hollywood.
"I'm not kidding."
Chen Xun said seriously: "I want to focus on making a few independent films for a period of time. As you know, I only gained a foothold in Hollywood by winning the Silver Bear Award for my independent film 'La La Land'. The creative space of independent films is something that commercial blockbusters can't provide."
He didn't mention the system task, so he could only come up with a plausible excuse.
After all, many Hollywood Oscar-winning actors go back to making low-budget independent films in pursuit of breakthroughs in performance and creative freedom.
However, these award-winning actors don't actually have the same commercial value as Chen Xun.
But if we only consider the possibility of winning awards or vying for Best Actor, Rob completely understands.
"Okay, I understand."
"7
Rob immediately realized what he meant and his tone became serious: "Leave this to me. The independent film industry has been waiting for you for a long time. In the past two years, countless independent directors have come to me with scripts, wanting you to star in them, but I have turned them all down because my schedule is too full. Now that you've agreed, I can get dozens of top-notch independent scripts for you in a single day, and I'll pick one that you're satisfied with."
He was telling the truth.
The independent film scene is already limited in funding and lacks attention. An actor of Chen Xun's caliber, let alone a leading role, could get a low-budget independent film a ticket to a film festival, not to mention the attention and box office revenue it would bring.
Now that Chen Xun is taking the initiative to make an independent film, the entire independent film industry is going to go crazy.
"You don't need too many, just pick the best."
Chen Xun added: "The script needs to be solid, and the character arcs need to be complete. There's no need to pursue any big dramatic conflicts. Even if it's a story about ordinary people, as long as it has depth and room for development, that's fine. It's best if it can be filmed within two or three months. The filming period shouldn't be too long. I don't want to delay the post-production of 'Joker' and the publicity for 'Spider-Man'."
"No problem! I understand what you mean!"
Rob immediately agreed: "I'll have my team screen the scripts today, weeding out all the bad ones and those just trying to ride the wave, keeping only the top ones with award potential, and I'll send them to you tomorrow."
With the matter settled, Chen Xun finally felt relieved.
As long as the script is in place, shooting four independent films in two or three months is not difficult for him at all.
After all, with the added benefit of a systematic performance, coupled with his current acting skills, making low-budget independent films is a complete game-changer.
Just as he was about to hang up, Rob suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "Oh right, Chen, I almost forgot to tell you something important. Dior has sent a formal contract renewal offer. You'll be the face of their global menswear line for the new season, and they want you to continue as their spokesperson."
Chen Xun was taken aback, somewhat surprised: "Renew the contract? I remember the previous contract still had six months left, right?"
"Dior can't wait any longer and wants to extend your contract for another two years."
Rob's tone was full of excitement and pride: "And this time, the endorsement fee has been set at $1800 million, a global endorsement, with a higher title than before. All the print ads, on-the-ground promotions, and fashion shows will be yours in the spotlight."
Bit."
1800 million US dollars.
This figure represents the highest endorsement price even among top Hollywood male stars.
Hollywood male stars' luxury brand endorsements are mostly in the range of $500 million to $1000 million.
Those who can earn 1800 million are all top-tier box office stars worldwide.
"So tall?"
Chen Xun was somewhat surprised.
His previous Dior menswear endorsement deal was worth $1200 million, which has far exceeded his expectations.
"Dior actually thinks they got a good deal!"
Rob laughed: "Since you signed on as Dior's ambassador, Dior menswear sales in the Asia-Pacific region have tripled in the past year, and sales in North America have increased by 60%. Especially after you wore a Dior suit to the Golden Globes and the Oscars, the same suit sold out immediately, and stores around the world are restocking."
"And last time you and Jennifer Lawrence attended Dior's haute couture show together, the topic of the two of you appearing together dominated global trending topics, and Dior's menswear and womenswear sales skyrocketed, and the brand's popularity was at its peak. So this time when we renewed our contract, Dior specifically mentioned that they wanted to invite you and Jennifer to shoot the new season's GG campaign together, and they also wanted to invite you both to attend the offline new product launch show."
Rob became more and more excited as he spoke: "I talked to the head of Dior's Asia-Pacific region, and they said that the purchasing power of fans in China is terrifying. The products you endorse sell out instantly when they are launched. Their headquarters' financial reports are all thanks to you."
"The entire luxury goods industry is watching you right now. LV and Gucci have been contacting me privately, trying to poach you. They're offering more than Dior. If Dior hadn't extended a renewal offer first and given such a sincere price, I would have been talking to other companies."
Chen Xun couldn't help but laugh after hearing this.
He didn't really care about the amount of the endorsement fee.
I never imagined that simply wearing clothes sent by Dior to an event would bring such a huge increase in sales for the brand.
After all, in his previous life in China, he had seen a lot of the purchasing power of fans of popular celebrities, but he never expected that his own fans would have such strong spending power after he transmigrated here.
"I have no problem with the Dior contract. You just need to oversee it. Don't sign any overly harsh terms, especially regarding event dates. Don't let it interfere with my filming."
Chen Xun thought for a moment and said, "Filming GG with Jennifer is fine too. There's a break during the Joker filming, so the timings can be staggered."
"Don't worry! I'll keep a close eye on the contract details and make sure you don't suffer any losses!"
Rob immediately agreed: "I'll also negotiate the event schedule with Dior. There will be a maximum of three major shows a year, which will definitely not interfere with your filming."
After exchanging a few more words about the contract details, the two hung up the phone.
Less than ten minutes after hanging up the phone, Chen Xun received an email from Robert.
It contains a dozen or so selected independent film scripts.
All the works are by directors and screenwriters who are popular at the Sundance Film Festival and the Independent Spirit Awards, and the scripts are all of extremely high quality.
Some have even secured small investments and are just waiting for him to agree to star in their films so they can immediately raise the full investment and start filming.
Immediately afterwards, Dior sent over the details of his contract renewal and the preliminary plan for the GG shoot.
I'm going to be busy again!
Chen Xun felt that he really couldn't stay idle.
He's only had a week off, but he's already planned work that would take several months to complete.
Rob had just finalized the details of the collaboration with Dior when the news reached Jennifer.
She happened to be going back to her home in Kentucky.
She immediately hugged the cushion and rolled around on the sofa twice, waving her arms and legs like a little girl who had just received candy. Her two younger brothers looked at each other in surprise, thinking that their sister had won the lottery.
She didn't even watch the game; she grabbed her phone and rushed into the yard to call Chen Xun.
As soon as the call connected, her loud, cheerful voice came through: "Chen Xun, you agreed to renew your contract with Dior? You want to shoot the Spring/Summer Haute Couture campaign with me?"
Chen Xun had just finished the script reading for "Joker" and was sitting in the car on his way back to his apartment when he heard the undisguised joy in her voice. He couldn't help but laugh: "I can't just let an 1800 million yuan endorsement fee go to waste, can I? Besides, I'm not losing out if I get to film a movie with an Oscar-winning actress."
Stop being so cheeky.
Jennifer laughed and retorted, but her tone softened, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance: "We haven't seen each other for over two months. Ever since you left Kentucky for Christmas, you've been working on the set of 'Joker,' and you haven't replied to my messages for ages. I thought you'd forgotten about me."
These words, spoken by Jennifer, who is usually carefree and fearless, carried a hint of coquettish reproach, which softened Chen Xun's heart.
Jennifer may seem carefree and easygoing, but she is actually quite stubborn. Having seen his true self and brought him into her most private family life, she has long since included him in her circle of friends.
For the past two months, Chen Xun has been immersed in filming "Joker" in New York, and he has had very little time to chat with her. He often doesn't reply to her messages until late at night.
"Sorry, I've been too busy filming lately. The character of Arthur is really demanding."
Chen Xun softened his tone: "After we finish filming Dior's GG, I'll give you a few days off and take you around Paris properly, how about that?"
Jennifer instantly beamed, her earlier slight grievance vanishing. She immediately seized the opportunity: "You said it! No take-backs! I've been wanting to go to the flea market in Paris to hunt for vintage cameras for ages, you have to come with me!"
"The Dior photoshoot is at the Rodin Museum in Paris. I'm flying to Paris tomorrow. What about you?"
"My flight is early tomorrow morning. See you in Paris."
"Okay! See you in Paris!"
After hanging up the phone, Jennifer skipped back into the house, gesturing with her chin to her two dumbfounded brothers: "Don't just stand there, help me pack my bags, I'm flying to Paris tomorrow!"
The two younger brothers exchanged a glance, then whistled knowingly: "Oh~ Going to see that Golden Globe Award-winning actor Chen Xun, right?"
"Sis, you're laughing like a fool right now."
Jennifer picked up a cushion from the sofa and threw it at him, her face turning slightly red.
Two days later, in Paris, France, at the Rodin Museum.
This was supposed to be the venue for the Dior Spring/Summer 2017 Haute Couture show.
Maria's first haute couture show after becoming Dior's first female creative director was held here.
The museum's courtyard has been transformed into a verdant oasis, with vines climbing the white columns and translucent gauze swaying gently in the breeze. Tarot card symbols, star and moon decorations are scattered throughout, blending with the roses and greenery in the courtyard, turning the entire space into a secret garden full of poetry and mystery.
This is also the first time that Dior's haute couture collection has given equal importance to the male perspective in a GodGarden campaign.
In the past, Dior haute couture GG always placed women at the absolute center, with male models merely serving as background figures.
However, this time the brand decided on the dual protagonist setting from the very beginning.
Chen Xun and Jennifer are two completely equal narrative cores.
As soon as Chen Xun entered the courtyard, he saw Jennifer standing under the vines.
She wore a beige tulle haute couture gown embroidered with silver stars and tarot card symbols. Her hair was loosely tied up, and she wore a headdress adorned with moon decorations. She looked less cheerful and casual than usual, and more gentle and mysterious, exuding a feminine power.
When she saw Chen Xun come in, her eyes lit up instantly, and she waved to him with a smile.
Chen Xun's appearance also caught the eye of the staff present.
He wore a black handcrafted haute couture suit from Dior's Spring/Summer 2017 collection, with a subtle oriental cloud pattern embroidered on the collar, which cleverly echoed the star tarot elements of the entire collection. Without any superfluous embellishments, it perfectly highlighted the composure, restraint, and mysterious temperament of an oriental man.
Her broad shoulders and narrow waist perfectly accentuated the tailored cut of the haute couture suit.
Standing in this lush, secluded haven, one feels like a noble young man stepping out of an ancient Eastern painting, creating a wonderful chemical reaction with the Western mysticism of the entire garden.
"Wow, Chen, your outfit is absolutely perfect."
Maria walked over quickly, her eyes filled with amazement, and shook hands with Chen Xun: "I was worried before that the oriental style might clash with the theme of this event, but now it seems that my worries were completely unnecessary."
"The mysterious Eastern aura you possess is a perfect match for our theme of tarot cards, divination, and natural wonders."
She is the creative director of this collection and the first female creative director in Dior's 100-year history.
This haute couture collection was of great significance to her.
At its core, it integrates nature, divination, and feminist consciousness to explore contemporary elegance and mystery.
Chen Xun's previous role as the feng shui master Han Li in "2 Broke Girls" had already gained popularity in the Western world. The Eastern metaphysical symbols he embodied and the Western tarot divination culture share a similar core, which is why she insisted on giving Chen Xun a central role in the story.
"You flatter me." Chen Xun smiled and nodded. "This series is very moving, and it's an honor to be a part of it."
Jennifer, who was standing next to him, leaned over and nudged his arm, teasing him with a smile: "Wow, Mr. Chen, you're so good. Standing here, you completely outshine the romance of the French."
Chen Xun raised an eyebrow and looked down at her dress: "Likewise, the Oscar-winning actress looks stunning today. You'd never guess she was in Kentucky wearing pajamas and fighting with her brother for chips."
Jennifer playfully punched him, but her face turned red, making the staff around her laugh.
Their interaction was natural and intimate, and the unspoken understanding in their eyes was impossible to hide.
Paolo Roversi, the internationally renowned photographer in charge of the shoot, was ecstatic.
What he fears most is that there is no chemistry between the models.
Even when Chen Xun and Jennifer are just standing together without saying a word, there is an untold story between them.
Filming officially began.
The first scene is a tarot card game in the Secret Garden.
A giant tarot deck stands amidst the vines. Jennifer, dressed in a sheer gown, sits on a stone table covered with roses, holding a star card in her hand. Her gaze is both gentle and firm; she is the mistress of this secret realm.
Chen Xun stood opposite her, leaning against a pillar, three tarot cards between his fingers. With a slight movement of his fingers, the three cards flew smoothly between his fingers, as if they had come to life.
He added this action on the spot.
It's in line with Han Lee's coin trick in "2 Broke Girls".
Eastern magic tricks collide with Western tarot.
In the scene, he looks up at Jennifer with a deep gaze, carrying the mystery and composure of Eastern metaphysics, which clashes with the gentle determination in Jennifer's eyes. Without a single line of dialogue, he perfectly portrays the encounter and testing in the secret realm.
"Perfect!"
Paolo excitedly pressed the shutter, repeatedly shouting, "Chen, keep that look! Jennifer, look at him! Yes! That's the feeling!"
He originally thought Chen Xun was an actor, not a professional model, and that adjustments would be needed repeatedly during the shoot.
Unexpectedly, Chen Xun's sensitivity to the camera is even stronger than that of many top supermodels.
He knew which angle best showcased the charm of Eastern men, how to use the most subtle expressions to fit the theme of the entire series, and how to keep every movement and glance in sync with the camera's rhythm.
Almost all of them were completed in one take!
What surprised the brand even more was the solo shot of Chen Xun.
In the past, Dior haute couture men rarely appeared in solo shots; they were mostly just supporting characters.
But this time Maria specially designed a separate narrative line for Chen Xun.
He is an Eastern diviner in a secret realm, his tarot cards corresponding to Eastern divination symbols, as he explores the secrets of nature and destiny in the garden.
In the shot, Chen Xun sits on a stone bench covered with fallen leaves, holding a tarot card in his hand. His fingertips lightly brush the patterns on the card. Sunlight shines through the gaps in the vines onto his face, half in light and half in shadow. The lens amplifies the bone structure advantages of an Eastern man, making him appear calm, mysterious, and fatally attractive.
He didn't try to show off; he just sat there quietly, and he became the most eye-catching sight in the entire secret realm.
Standing in front of the monitor, Maria couldn't help but say to her team, "I knew it. Choosing Chen Xun was the right decision. He made the whole series more complete."
"We talk about the mystery and power of women, and the Eastern perspective he brings gives this mystery a broader core, no longer limited to Western tarot cards, but a cross-cultural exploration of destiny and nature."
The entire filming process went exceptionally smoothly. The content that was originally planned to be filmed in two days was completed in just one and a half days.
The final shot shows Chen Xun and Jennifer standing side by side on the steps of the art museum, with tulle and rose petals fluttering behind them.
Jennifer linked arms with Chen Xun, and the two looked at the camera together.
One is gentle yet firm, the other is calm and mysterious, perfectly matching Dior's core theme of "contemporary elegance" this time.
When the photographer yelled "Cut!", the entire set erupted in applause.
Maria quickly walked over, gave each of them a hug, and said with a smile, "Thank you for bringing the most perfect interpretation to this series."
"Especially Chen, who broke everyone's stereotype of the male role in luxury haute couture. You are not an accessory, but an indispensable other half of the story."
The day after the shoot ended, Dior released behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot.
The 15-second video features Chen Xun's iconic moment of flipping tarot cards with his fingertips, his tacit interaction with Jennifer with a knowing smile, his mysterious Eastern charm in solo shots, and the dreamlike setting of the entire Secret Garden, all accompanied by the theme music of this haute couture collection.
It instantly went viral on social media platforms worldwide.
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