It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1330 Are the audience really not picky eaters?

"It's been a long time since I've seen such a hearty fight scene. The film "Raging Fire" really has its own unique style!"

"It's hard not to think of Joker when Nicholas Tse stood on the piano at the end, and then he fell backwards and died in the arms of the Virgin Mary. This scene is so amazing!"

"Da Tiantian is pretty good. From Dreams of the Red Chamber to The Wrath of Time, her performance is getting better and better. I look forward to seeing The Antique Bureau."

"Can you just give me action scenes in future Hong Kong films? Just fight as cool as you can, okay?"

"Compared to the movie "Summer Days" that was released at the same time and gave me shit, "Raging Fire" is simply the conscience of conscience!"

……

There is a huge difference between word of mouth and ratings, and when converted into box office data, there is naturally a huge difference as well.

From the second day of its release, the gap between winning and losing was already very obvious.

"Raging Fire" directly jumped to 1.19 million, while the new box office of "Summer 3136" was directly halved, closing at million.

A movie that fails to attract casual fans is destined to fail to survive in the fiercely competitive film market.

Although "Summer of Future Past" gained a certain amount of attention in the early stage thanks to the fan base of the leading actors and the publicity campaign, the final ending made it like a castle built on the beach, which would collapse at the slightest impact of the waves.

The male protagonist is actually a homosexual!

If this happened abroad, movie fans would naturally watch it with great interest and would not have any aversion to it.

After all, LGBT is rampant abroad.

But this is domestic!
Although this type of film does have a certain audience group, the general public's sexual orientation is normal.

As one fan said indignantly: "Even if the male protagonist falls in love with another girl, it is better than him falling in love with a man!"

How can I follow this show if I can't even get into the plot?
As a result, even Wu Lei's personal image was severely damaged.

On the other hand, "Raging Fire" successfully leveraged the audience's word-of-mouth communication lever with its fierce action scenes and complex and profound character portrayal.

As topics such as #explosive fighting# and #return of Hong Kong film nostalgia# continue to ferment on the Internet, more and more audiences are attracted to go to the cinema.

Its single-day box office also continued to rise, forming the "Matthew effect" where the strong get stronger.

On the other hand, "Summer of Future Past" has failed to arouse the public's enthusiasm for discussion except for sporadic recommendations from fans on social platforms, and the number of screenings has continued to shrink as the box office has slumped.

It took only seven days, and just when the total box office of "Raging Fire" exceeded 7 million, the single-day box office of "Summer 804: The End" fell below million, closing at million.

"boom--"

Fan Luyuan was so angry that he smashed the ashtray.

"Is this the answer Chen Zhengdao gave me? What the hell does he do for a living? Why is he trying to steer me towards that damn homosexual?"

Seeing the big boss angry, the person in charge of this project trembled all over, cold sweat on his forehead slid down his neck directly into his collar, and his Adam's apple rolled up and down several times before he opened his mouth to explain:

“Mr. Fan, Director Chen’s team originally wanted to create a differentiated selling point… but who knew the market wouldn’t buy it.

Now there are marketing accounts on the Internet following suit, saying that we are deliberately skirting the rules to exploit the audience, and even dug up metaphorical clips from Director Chen’s previous works, including his own sexual orientation..."

"What a fucking idiot!"

Fan Luyuan grabbed the plan on the table and threw it to the ground, the papers all scattered. "What a bunch of idiots! Right now, the reputation of "Raging Fire" is booming, and the whole network is scolding us for using a niche subject as a gimmick! The theater chain has already asked to reduce the screening schedule, do you know what this means?"

He untied his tie, his temples throbbing. "Go tell Chen Zhengdao to prepare a public apology immediately, saying that the interpretation of the plot was a misunderstanding, and have the PR department contact a big V to bring up a new topic.

If the box office doesn't pick up this week, I don't think there's any point in executing his newly signed five-year contract! Tell him to go back to Taiwan!"

"Yes! I'll contact him right now!"

The project manager turned around and ran out in a hurry.

The secretary stepped forward silently and began to pick up the documents scattered on the ground.

Fan Luyuan was so furious that he slammed the table with his fist, shocking the secretary so much that he trembled all over and almost dropped the documents he had just picked up.

"Idiots! They are just a bunch of idiots dumber than pigs!"

Fan Luyuan cursed, but the image of Chen Zhengdao unconsciously emerged in his mind.

A small round face, round-frame glasses, and a tuft of beard on his chin...

With this image, he is simply the male version of Lin Chi-ling in Taikoo Li!

He suddenly felt a chill in his heart. How did he come across such a thing? Moreover, Alibaba Pictures gave him investment, allowing him to express his perverted thoughts.

Isn't this just aiding and abetting the evil?

"Terminate the contract! Go call the head of the legal department! Immediately terminate all contracts with Chen Zhengdao! Do it now!!!"

At the same time, while Fan Luyuan was busy cleaning up the garbage in his own company, Ren Zhonglun's handover at Shanghai Film Group had been completed.

The notice was issued immediately:
"According to the decision, Ren Zhonglun, former chairman of Shanghai Film Group, has officially resigned from his relevant positions due to reaching retirement age.

During his tenure, with his outstanding leadership and profound industry insights, he led Shanghai Film Group to achieve remarkable achievements in film and television creation, industrial expansion, and cultural heritage.

All colleagues of Shanghai Film Group would like to express our most sincere gratitude and highest respect to Mr. Ren Zhonglun!

From now on, Mr. Wang Jianer will take over as Chairman of Shanghai Film Group.

He has extensive experience in the film and television industry, and has worked in the group and related cultural fields for many years with fruitful results.

Under his leadership, Shanghai Film Group is expected to achieve new breakthroughs in content innovation, industrial integration, international cooperation, etc., create more high-quality works that are both ideological and artistic, and push Shanghai Film Group into a new stage of development! "

This announcement did not cause much response outside the circle, because many netizens did not pay attention to this.

Unless he is the chairman of a film and television company who has his own popularity like Chen Fei, many people don’t even know the names of other film and television company bosses.

But in the film and television industry, this announcement caused an uproar!
You know, the more than 20 years that Ren Zhonglun has been in charge of Shanghai Film Group can be described as a magnificent history of struggle in the industry.

He came from a grassroots film worker family, worked his way up from a cinema projectionist, and is well versed in every aspect of the film and television industry.

At the critical period of transformation of the film and television industry at the end of the last century, he was entrusted with the task and, with his forward-looking strategic vision, pushed Shanghai Film Group to transform from a traditional film studio to a modern film and television group.

Under his leadership, Shanghai Film Group not only completed the shareholding reform, but also vigorously expanded the industrial chain, built film and television bases, invested in theaters, and laid out cultural and tourism projects, developing Shanghai Film from a single film and television production company into a comprehensive giant covering film and television creation, production, distribution, screening, and cultural and tourism integration.

Now, with his retirement, it seems to imply that the golden twenty years of booming film and television industry has officially come to an end.

The era he led and witnessed the ups and downs of the industry's changes eventually became a footnote in history.

Wang Jianer's succession means that Shanghai Film Group will open a new chapter.

As for whether the future will be smooth sailing or full of thorns, it depends on the ability and means of the successor.

"So life after retirement is so relaxing? This mountain eagle has actually enjoyed several more years of peace and leisure than me!"

As soon as the notice was issued, Ren Zhonglun called Chen Fei.

The first thing he said was to complain about his old rival and friend.

Han Sanping retired in 2014 and he in 2021.

If what he said was true, Han Sanping really enjoyed seven more years of carefree time.

However, during these seven years, China Film Corporation has been in turmoil and has not been able to recover to its peak even after replacing two chairmen in succession.

Fade Chen adjusted his sitting position, crossed his legs, and laughed, "You want to compete with him even in this?"

Ren Zhonglun curled his lips and said, "Anyway, I will never obey him in my life."

The fight between the two has been going on for a long time.

China Film Group and Shanghai Film Group have been arguing ever since they first competed for the right to import films, and the dispute has never stopped until now.

"Hehe, Uncle Ren, but I heard from my dad that you are also going to the audit department? Are you going to run errands for him?"

"I'm running errands for him? He's so beautiful!" Ren Zhonglun suddenly became anxious and said defensively, "Don't listen to him. I'm going to sit in the office. He should be the one serving me tea and water."

"Hahaha, then you two have to have a good fight when the time comes and separate who is the big brother and who is the little brother, don't make a mess."

"Go, go, go, get busy. You're not good at anything and you're the number one at adding fuel to the fire." Chen Fei waved his hand and sent Han Jianu away.

He knew in his heart that Ren Zhonglun called him not just to chat with him.

As expected, after sharing some of his retirement life, Ren Zhonglun got straight to the point: "Wang Jianer wants to arrange a meal with you. I'd like to be the middleman. Let's see when you are free."

Chen Fei would naturally not refuse this favor.

However, he couldn't help feeling a little worried.

When Han Sanping introduced La Peikang to him, the other party was very polite and expressed his desire to establish a long-term and uninterrupted cooperative relationship with Feiyue Films.

However, after several collaborations, the other party's stinginess, selfishness and irresponsibility became apparent.

Out of desperation, Chen Fei had to end his cooperation with him.

Now Ren Zhonglun has retired and the new chairman has taken over.

A new emperor appoints new ministers. Who knows what this person will be like?
"Ugh!"

With a sigh in his heart, Fade Chen replied, "Next month, when the filming of Parasite is finished, I will be able to spare some free time."

"Okay, I'll tell him."

Ren Zhonglun hung up the phone.

However, just as Chen Fei sat up from the recliner and prepared to go to the crew, a phone call suddenly came in.

Former chairman of Xiying, Wang Yong!
"Director Wang?" After answering the phone, Chen Fei's tone was full of surprise.

Why is he calling me at this time?

"I will retire at the end of the year. I will be 66 this year and I really can't do it anymore. The organization has approved it. I will issue a formal notice once the handover is completed."

Chen Fei: "..."

This really posed a big problem for him!
Because of the relationship between Ren Zhonglun and Wang Yong, Shanghai Film Group and Xi'an Film Group have always been partners of Feiyue Film and Television.

Before, whenever Chen Fei said something, they would immediately give him unconditional support.

But now, that era is probably officially coming to an end.

Thinking of this, Chen Fei suddenly had a bold idea.

It is inevitable that a new emperor appoints new ministers, and he cannot change it.

Therefore, at this critical stage, he not only needs to test the attitudes of the two newcomers towards cooperating with Feiyue Films, but also needs to find a more compatible and firm partner, just in case...

And right now, there happens to be a good partner.

Shanxi Film Studio!
This is actually a unit that exists in name only.

But what he wants now is fame! He needs someone who can endorse him and someone he can trust.

So, after hanging up the call with Wang Yong, Chen Fei thought for a long time and called the person who had worked with him at the time and led the establishment of Shanhe Film and Television City.

"Mayor Geng..."

"Hey! No, this title doesn't suit me. I've already retired." The voice on the other end of the phone was loud and the man was obviously in good spirits.

"Counselor Geng?"

"Haha, this is okay."

Chen Fei laughed back, and then asked, "It's like this, there are some things I want to know..."

While he was trying to get information, on the other hand, at a time when the industry was undergoing changes and undercurrents, Lu Chuan flew from Hollywood to Japan.

The previous special effects company ran away, and he didn't dare tell Penguin Pictures about the situation, so he could only find a way to remedy the situation.

The solution he thought of was very simple, which was to find another special effects company.

As for the money, he would have to pay for it himself.

And save wherever you can!
So, such a conversation took place in the new special effects company he found.

Lu Chuan crossed his legs, drank coffee, and glanced at the special effects storyboards piled on the conference table. He specifically instructed:
“For these aerial explosion shots, there’s no need to achieve Hollywood-style particle-level rendering. The smoke density should be lowered, and the light and shadow levels should be halved. It’s enough to be able to see that it’s an explosion.”

Upon hearing this, the project leader Kobayashi Kosuke pushed his glasses up subconsciously and retorted in stiff Chinese: "Mr. Lu, our company's reputation is built on the accuracy of every frame.

If we follow your request, the final texture will be like the game CG from ten years ago, and the audience will be able to see the flaws at a glance."

He quickly called up a sample clip and saw that the movement trajectory of the fragments when the spacecraft disintegrated was precise and delicate.

"For example, this shot required 20 servers to run continuously for three days just to simulate the physical effect of metal tearing."

"You can just speak Japanese, no need to speak Chinese, I am very fluent in Japanese."

Lu Chuan said something off topic with a smile, and then continued, "Mr. Xiaolin, you may not know that the audience in China likes to see Wang Junkai's face, not your showy special effects, understand?
I think you can understand that it's just like your sushi restaurant uses frozen salmon instead of freshly cut salmon, and customers can't taste it. "

This was, of course, his excuse.

But the real reason is that all the money spent on special effects had to be paid out of his own pocket, so of course he would save as much as possible.

Kobayashi Kosuke's Adam's apple moved, and just as he was about to speak, Lu Chuan had already pulled out the contract from the crocodile leather briefcase: "This is the advance payment, and I'll make one-third of the quantity first."

As he spoke, he emphasized, "Remember, focus on the lighting and shadows of the close-up shots of the main characters, and the other long shots can just be passed off as good as they can be."

"Ok."

At this moment, even Kobayashi Kosuke, a Japanese, did not understand Lu Chuan's behavior.

Can Chinese audiences really accept a science fiction blockbuster like this?

"Aren't they too picky about food?"

……

The communication with Geng Yanbo went smoothly, which also calmed Chen Fei's originally irritable mood a lot.

He is a person who is very unwilling to be controlled by others, otherwise, he would have started the listing process of Feiyue Film and Television long ago.

Next, it depends on the attitudes of the two new chairmen of Shanghai Film Studio and Xi'an Film Studio. If they can cooperate, they can continue to maintain the original status quo.

But if the other party has new ideas, the worst that can happen is that they will just break up, just like what happened with La Peikang!
Thinking of this, Fade Chen stood up and walked straight towards the crew.

The most urgent task is to shoot the play well first. As for the other things, they are just small things after all.

Feiyue Films has come this far not by relying on the help of its partners, but by working hard step by step!
~

As time enters August, the summer vacation season has officially entered its hottest stage.

"Raging Fire" successfully broke through the 10 billion box office, becoming the second film to break the 2 billion box office in this summer's summer after "White Snake 10".

As for "Summer of Future Past" which was released at the same time, even if the publicity plan was changed halfway, it was too late to save the situation.

At the same time, many new movies were released in the cinema market, but they did not cause any big stir at all.

However, those film projects that have been announced to be completed one after another have caused a lot of heated discussions at the moment.

"The suspense/adventure film "Antique Bureau Mid-Game", produced by Yinghuang and starring Lei Jiayin, Li Xian and Jing Tian, ​​has officially been completed."

"The love-themed movie "Embracing You Through the Cold Winter", jointly produced by China Film Group and Alibaba Pictures, directed by Xue Xiaolu, and starring Huang Bo, Jia Ling, Zhu Yilong, Xu Fan and others, has officially wrapped up."

"The romantic/comedy film "Four Seas", co-produced by Tingdong Pictures and Alibaba Pictures, directed by Han Han, and starring Liu Haoran, Liu Haoqi, Shen Teng, and Yin Zheng, has officially wrapped up."

"Li Mao as the Crown Prince has finished filming."

"'Fame' has wrapped."

Youth comedy, suspense comedy, romantic comedy, pure comedy...

Looking around, almost all the movies that were completed in early August did not break out of the creative framework of "comedy".

The film and television industry seems to be undergoing a silent transformation, and the creative trend is rapidly iterating from "main theme" to "comedy"!
However, just as everyone was focusing their attention on this industry change, many hot topics such as public opinion storms, celebrity scandals, and old black history suddenly broke out like dominoes, making it too difficult to keep up!
(End of this chapter)