China Entertainment's Standout

Chapter 1101 The Great Director Suffers a Defeat, Who Came First in the Battle of the Two Lius?

"Chairman Yu, do you mean you discussed the 'Emergency Rescue' project with General Manager Zhou from Jiangdong?"

In front of a group of media reporters, Fatty Yu straightened his back and replied sternly: "Yes! When it comes to the ability to control mainstream commercial film and television projects in China, President Zhou of Jiangdong is the first choice. I personally admire his professionalism and industry vision."

"Therefore, the first choice for this project was originally the Grand Commander of Jiangdong."

"I see! The Grand Commander's productions of 'Tiger Mountain,' 'Mekong River,' and 'Red Sea' were all huge hits. There really is no one more suitable than him."

Seeing the uproar from the media below the stage, Fatty Yu was very satisfied with the effect and continued his eloquent speech:

"Unfortunately, you are too busy, and we were unable to cooperate due to project scheduling conflicts. However, Mr. Zhou recommended Director Lin Chaoxian to me. Director Lin is also known for action blockbusters. In recent years, he has proven his outstanding ability to handle grand themes and commercial genres with a series of well-received and commercially successful patriotic commercial blockbusters."

"Therefore, I can tell everyone with absolute certainty that I have complete confidence in entrusting the 'Emergency Rescue,' with a planned investment of 7 million yuan, to director Lin Chaoxian. Moreover, we have already reached an agreement with a top Hollywood production team to create the most stunning visual effects and usher in a new era for Chinese rescue films."

Yu Pangzi's impassioned speech, coupled with the endorsement from official media, directly secured the top spot in the film and television section.

Even the crew members were discussing it. Zhang Ruojun asked in surprise, "Wait, Brother Tang, did Fatty Yu really consult you?"

"Can not remember."

Zhou Yutang was checking the footage that had just been filmed when she heard this, so she looked up and smiled.

What may have been a polite greeting during a chance encounter in public was turned into a scandal by the shrewd Fatty Yu.

This has happened far too many times.

In this circle, truth and falsehood are never important.

The important thing is how to tell the story in a way that is appealing to both superiors and subordinates.

Zhou Yutang treated Bona Film Group's project as just something to watch for fun, and quickly returned her attention to the film crew.

The filming of the airport scenes is nearing completion. The airport staff are very professional and remain calm in front of the camera. The last set of shots was successfully completed in just three takes.

With only a few scenes left, Lin Liang led half of the crew ahead to the next location.

Zhou Yutang took some time to make an appearance alongside the leaders of Shancheng, and then took the time to answer Jiang Xuerou's call.

"Mr. Zhou, several overseas channels have contacted us, wanting to discuss the overseas rights to 'The Story of Minglan,' including three TV stations in Japan and Southeast Asia, as well as streaming platforms in Europe and America. Their asking price range is about $150,000 to $200,000 per episode, which is much higher than we expected."

"Overseas copyrights can be released as long as the price is right."

Zhou Yutang instructed Jiang Xuerou.

In fact, the drama "The Story of Minglan" had already fully recouped its costs and even made a profit through its first run on domestic TV stations and online distribution, even before it premiered.

Overseas copyrights can generate additional revenue, which is icing on the cake.

On the other hand, the TV series "The Wrath of Xiangxi," a spin-off of the Ghost Blows Out the Light series, has recently started production, and preparations for the film version are nearing completion.

After scouting locations, Guo Fan, who lived not far from the mountain city, came to the film crew to work as an airport security guard.

It was like a bonus, and I also got to eat at a Tyrant Rabbit restaurant.

This was an unexpected gain for Zhou Yutang during his few days in the mountain city.

Rabbit meat cubes, cut into thumb-sized pieces, are buried in a mountain of various peppers, including Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, pickled peppers, and wild chilies.

Its flavor is spicy, numbing, and savory, making it truly irresistible.

Chen Duling only said that the bunny was cute and didn't want to eat it at first, but after taking a small bite, she even filled a second bowl with rice.

Guo Fan and Zhou Yutang were chatting and talking about Jiang Dong's new project.

Among the three great generals of Jiangdong, Guo Fan, the "Takeover King," took over the project of "Ghost Blows Out the Light," while Wen Muye was still filming a tribute film. However, he also had another funeral-themed film in hand, which was slated to star Zhu Yilong and had begun to enter the pre-production stage.

In addition, Lu Yang's "A Writer's Odyssey" has also officially entered the casting stage, and Zhang Ruojun still has the advantage of being close to the source.

"The domestic film industry has been really sluggish lately, and everyone is saying that they are waiting for Mr. Zhou's 'The Wandering Earth' to save the market."

"By the way, it seems that Director Cao's movie 'Dog Thirteen' has already been released, right?"

"Huh? Is that so? How come I didn't know?"

"It's a film from several years ago that won an award in Berlin."

"Why didn't Director Cao promote this time?"

"."

The crew was buzzing with discussion.

Cao Baoping, widely recognized as the top figure in the Chinese crime thriller genre, quietly released his film "Dog Thirteen" with almost no promotion.

At the roadshow at Tsinghua University, someone asked Cao Baoping: "Director Cao, this film won the Special Mention Award from the International Jury in the Generation section at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. Why did it take so long to be released?"

"Perhaps now is the right time."

Faced with the questions from the bright college students, Cao Baoping gave a slightly helpless, wry smile.

Who wouldn't want to make a film, have big names backing it up, get massive publicity, receive audience acclaim, and make it a box office hit, thus reaping both fame and fortune?

In China, making film and television projects often means dancing in shackles.

Review, release date, publicity, and release – this initial stage is the most crucial. If it gets stuck during the review stage, all the subsequent stages will be stalled and all efforts will be wasted.

The film "Dog Thirteen" focuses on the coming-of-age story of a 13-year-old girl.

Through her experiences with her dog Einstein, she vividly depicts the impact of Chinese-style family education, family authority, and order on the growth of teenagers.

It is both real and cruel.

Films involving minors face numerous constraints, as the potential impact must always be considered.

When the film won awards abroad, there were great obstacles to its release in China. The higher-ups advised that it should be handled with caution and that the process of holding meetings and discussions should be completed.

Unexpectedly, after waiting for several years, Cao Baoping had no choice but to ask Governor Zhou for help.

The process was expedited, but the film underwent several revisions before finally receiving a release permit.

That's not all. The bureau's message is that we must keep the publicity low-key and avoid triggering excessive discussion.

Wow, even Wang Changtian, president of Enlight Media, known for his hype, as the main producer of the film, didn't dare to go against the grain.

To make matters worse, high-definition versions of the film were leaked online before its official release, allowing many viewers to watch the entire movie through unofficial channels.

Although the film has gained a good reputation, its box office performance will inevitably be affected to some extent.

Aside from a few die-hard fans of Cao Baoping who still went to the cinema to support him, most casual viewers were unaware that such a film had been released recently.

With a first-day sales figure of only 680 million, the fate of this master of crime thrillers was almost sealed.

However, Cao Baoping himself did not dwell too much on the box office performance of "Dog Thirteen," and had already devoted most of his energy to the new project "Crossing the Angry Sea."

"Old Huang's novel, the screenplay adaptation took at least two and a half years to work on, right?"

When the crew finished filming in Chongqing and moved to Chengdu, it meant that the entire project was 90% complete and entering its final stage.

Sitting in the van on their way to Chengdu, Zhou Yutang chatted leisurely with Chen Xi about Cao Baoping's new film.

Top-tier directors like these usually have several projects lined up waiting to be done. "Yes."

Chen Xi was a bit worried when he spoke: "Boss, I read this script. There's a scene where the protagonist carries out a vigilante justice. The scene is too explicit and might be a bit too much."

People tend to do things within their comfort zone.

The same applies to directors.

For example, Section Chief Jia can't feel right unless he films some marginalized figures in society, while Cao Baoping is obsessed with exploring the differences between social classes and the complexities of human nature.

Both "The Dead End" and "Cock and Bull" are examples of this style, and "Crossing the Angry Sea" continues his consistent approach.

Zhou Yutang flipped through the script on his tablet, raising an eyebrow slightly. "As long as the core content remains the same, change the vigilante justice section to a more indirect description, such as through witness testimonies or on-site traces. We can then communicate with the relevant departments. It shouldn't be a big problem."

"I understand."

Chen Xi nodded in agreement.

The "no problem" mentioned by the Grand Commander of Jiangdong was a relatively conservative statement, which was roughly equivalent to "it will pass the review without any issues."

If "The Dead End" and "Andhadhun" could pass censorship back then, there's no reason why "Crossing the Angry Sea" shouldn't be able to.

However, some sensitive content needs to be conveyed to the audience in a more subtle and skillful way.

How to achieve these things is something the screenwriter should worry about.
Compared to the actors and directors on stage, the logistics team behind the scenes is the real mastermind, the one who fights without making a name for themselves.

That's also the hardest part.

While filming in the mountain city was still in its final stages, Lin Liang led his behind-the-scenes team ahead of them to the Sichuan-Tibet Plateau.

The scene in the movie where the plane encounters danger on the Sichuan-Tibet Plateau is also the most thrilling and exciting part of the entire film.

It wasn't actually filmed.

Instead, it is based on satellite data combined with real footage shot from helicopters, and then the special effects department works on the final product.

Everything is ready now, we are just waiting for Governor Zhou to arrive.

Lin Liang, the head of the logistics team, went ahead, but because he had been working continuously for more than two months without a proper rest, he suffered from altitude sickness and was rushed to the hospital.

"It's good that everyone is alright. The scenes in Chengdu will be finished in three more days, and then we'll immediately prepare for filming on the glacier."

"Ok."

Chen Duling looked at Zhou Yutang, who was calmly giving the order, and responded softly.

Normally, she always felt that her boss was gentle and affectionate, but when he got into work mode, he seemed too cold and ruthless.

It's like an emperor who is high above and controls everything.

The huge film crew, numbering several hundred people, revolved around him like a sophisticated instrument.

Everyone before him was like a subject submitting to an emperor, unconditionally carrying out his every command.

……

"Liu Shishi acted so well, Minglan's sensible nature is heartbreaking."

“My poor son, Madam is a source of joy. I can’t help but laugh every time she appears.”

"Being a fan of Jiangdong dramas is so wonderful! After finishing 'Snow Sword,' there was 'Si Teng,' and just after finishing 'Si Teng,' 'The Story of Ming Lan' started. I can enjoy watching for more than two months, so there's no shortage of dramas to watch!"

"I've gotten used to the fine quality of dramas produced in Jiangdong over the years, and I feel that many domestic dramas are actually poorly made."

"Haha, I feel the same way. Nowadays, so many dramas just know how to invite top celebrities to their shows and buy trending topics and data everywhere, but the content is a complete mess. It's just feeding the audience shit!"

"Family members, Jiang Dong's 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' has started filming, and there's a high probability that both parts will be broadcast next year."

"."

Online, besides the female lead Liu Shishi generating a huge buzz, the supporting character Wang Ruofu, played by Liu Lin, has unexpectedly become a sensation.

This character is straightforward and outspoken, bullies the weak and fears the strong, but is not inherently bad. He frequently comes up with witty remarks and jokes, making the whole character exceptionally funny.

The witty remarks and memes about the character "Madam" from the drama have become a viral sensation on social media.

Liu Lin, who was not very well-known before, became an overnight sensation because of this role, and she even called Zhou Yutang to express her gratitude.

To become popular again at this age is like a dream come true.

The most direct impact is that business cooperation invitations are pouring in like snowflakes.

The other supporting actors in the show also benefited from the hit drama.

The increasingly popular drama "The Story of Minglan" is not only sweeping across China, but also dominating the domestic market.

Ten days after its premiere, Hunan TV's viewership ratings remained stable, averaging over 2%, and online viewership exceeded 35 billion, with a single episode reaching over 300 million views.

It was a huge hit on both TV and online platforms, consistently topping the drama popularity charts!
It remains a standout on Bilibili's overseas video platforms and has topped Google's global TV show search rankings.

What's even more astonishing is the commercial value of the series; while the show was still airing, the rights had already been sold to more than ten countries.

According to industry insiders, the company has a guaranteed revenue of at least 300 million yuan from overseas copyrights alone, and the starting price for domestic advertising is as high as 3 million yuan per ad.

It's expected and reasonable.

But the industry couldn't help but be somewhat shocked.

Based on the 78 episodes of "The Story of Minglan," if one advertisement is inserted in each episode, the advertising revenue alone would be at least 2.34 million yuan.

In addition, there are backend revenue streams such as membership fees, merchandise sales, and short video licensing.
This isn't just a huge profit, it's an incredible windfall!

With such outstanding results, copycat stocks sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

According to incomplete statistics, since the premiere of "The Story of Minglan", various platforms have been working on more than a dozen dramas featuring female protagonists embroiled in domestic power struggles.

The female authors from Jingjiang who excel in this genre are probably kneeling in their living rooms, because the film and television rights to their works have skyrocketed in price, amounting to a windfall.

As the year draws to a close, Zhou Yutang has delivered a satisfying performance to the audience.

"The Story of Minglan" has become the third phenomenal hit TV series launched by Jiangdong this year, following the sequel to "Snow Sword" and "Si Teng".

As the lead actress, Liu Shishi has once again solidified her status as a ratings queen.

To generate even more buzz for the series, Zhou Yutang had his secretary post a photo on Weibo of himself watching "The Story of Minglan" in his hotel room after filming wrapped.

This added a wave of popularity to the TV series, but unexpectedly, the comments section of this Weibo post became a place of celebration for the fans.

Whether the small screen is in chaos or not, the top female star has the final say!

The million little lions finally got their revenge and turned around to directly battle with the fans of the Celestial Fairy family.

The long-standing dispute between the two fan groups over "who came first" has been brought to the forefront once again.

Not to mention that you started popping champagne halfway through the show before it even finished airing.

If the top female star wants to become queen through palace intrigue, she'll have to see if the celestial beauty who amazes countless people with her sword flying through the snow will agree!
(End of this chapter)