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

Chapter 1342 Dome Theater + Olympic Sports Center!

"What? Feng Xiaogang, are you still not done? 'North and South' flopped, so just shut up? What new web series are you making?"

"Echoes? Holy crap! I love this novel so much. The character of policewoman Ran Dongdong is so well-developed. I hope it doesn't ruin the original work!"

"A director who makes comedies suddenly going to make suspense films? Holy crap, that doesn't make sense."

"Stop cursing him. Feng Xiaogang has had a tough time too. He's over 60 years old and has a mountain of debt. Let him earn it."

"You're drowning in debt? Then pay it off with your ass! What's the point of coming out here and disgusting people?"

With the approval of the "Echo" project, unsurprisingly, Feng Xiaogang was once again caught in a media storm.

Many fans of the original novel spontaneously formed a "book protection team" to compile the exciting passages and plot logic of the original novel "Echo" in the super topic, and called on the production team to respect the original work.

Some fans even created comparison charts, listing the failures of "North and South" to warn the production team not to repeat the same mistakes.

The comment sections of Dongyang Meila Pictures and iQiyi's official website have been flooded with requests to "leave 'Echo' alone" and "replace the director".

However, neither Feng Xiaogang nor Gong Yu paid any attention to these voices.

The former has been criticized so much that their skin has become thick enough that they are no longer bothered by public opinion.

The latter, however, holds the view that being infamous or gaining popularity also generates traffic and buzz, and is quite satisfied with these online discussions.

Inside the office, Gong Yu looked at the real-time public opinion data on the computer screen, and a smile even appeared in her eyes.

After thinking for a moment, he instructed his secretary: "Have the marketing department push the hashtag #FengXiaogangEchoControversy# to the top three trending topics."

Find a few more bloggers with millions of followers who like to criticize the original work, and make a comparison video between the original fans and the director's negative press—the kind of thing that can spark a flame war.

"Okay, Mr. Gong."

The secretary understood immediately, turned around, and went to the marketing department.

As a video platform, video editing is a piece of cake for the people at iQiyi.

Working overtime overnight, Niu and Ma directly produced a comparative edit of "Feng Xiaogang's Top Ten Caricature Scenes" and "The God-like Scenes from the Original Novel of 'Echo'".

The video went viral as soon as it was uploaded!

Book lovers used magnifying glasses to analyze the details of the original work frame by frame.

Haters even dug up an interview with Feng Xiaogang from twenty years ago and took it out of context.

Meanwhile, online trolls, posing as "casual viewers," mocked and ridiculed, saying, "The more you criticize, the more we look forward to it. Capital should teach these pretentious original work enthusiasts a lesson!"

Suddenly, the criticism intensified!
Even more explosive is the news that a prominent entertainment blogger suddenly revealed to the production team: "I heard that Feng Xiaogang and the original author had a huge argument. The former insisted on adding romantic scenes, and the latter got so angry that he slammed the door and left..."

This news, whose veracity is uncertain, has further fueled public outrage, with the hashtag #EchoesOfInternalConflict# trending on social media, and the original author's Weibo account receiving tens of thousands of messages advocating for the protection of literature.

In contrast, iQiyi's backend data showed a crazy surge!

Gong Yu stared at the curve on the big screen, a strange smile curving his lips.

This time, he wants to recoup what he lost in the "North and South" project, until he has completely squeezed out Feng Xiaogang's potential!
Having lost Huayi Brothers' protection and with his public relations team drastically reduced in size, Feng Xiaogang, who was with Dongyang Meila Film & Television, was completely helpless in the face of online public opinion.

All he can do now is not respond, but quietly revise the script and film the show.

The only thing that made him feel fortunate was that the advertisers hadn't given up on him.

He can still make a profit from this show. With the director's and editor's fees, it should be enough to cover the production costs of "If You Are the One 3".

He was already very satisfied.

In a blink of an eye, time came to three days later.

The popularity of "Echo" did not last long before it was successfully replaced by a new trending topic.

"The comedy/suspense film 'Making a Name for Oneself,' directed by Liu Xunzi Mo, produced by Han Han, and starring Yin Zheng, Deng Jiajia, and Yu Entai, officially hits theaters in China today."

On its opening day, the film's overall screening share was 16.0%, below the average.

Because of its unpopular release date, and the fact that the director and actors were all second-tier actors who were not first-tier, the film did not generate much buzz when it was first released.

In addition, the official announcement of the start of filming for "Tales of the Strange in the Tang Dynasty" has diverted a lot of attention and interest.

Although the cast of "Tang Gui" is not great, apart from Luo Jin, the others such as Cao Jun, Meng Ziyi, and Li Yitong are all relatively unknown actors.

But that doesn't stop it from being a drama produced by Feiyue Film & Television!
It's no exaggeration to say that from the day filming began, this drama was destined to be popular and attract a lot of attention.

Meanwhile, the term "high-quality online drama" has already been reserved in advance.

However, good dramas will never be buried.

Just when everyone thought that "Fame and Fortune" would flop quietly like countless other low-budget films, a post suddenly exploded on social media: "Help! 'Fame and Fortune' has a huge impact!"

The poster described a movie-watching experience in trembling words: a murder mystery in a confined space, where each character seemed to be joking around, but there were shocking plot twists hidden in the exchanges of lines. When the end credits rolled, the entire audience was silent for three minutes before bursting into applause.

This heartfelt recommendation is like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples.

Bilibili's film and television content creators worked overnight to edit a video titled "12 chilling foreshadowing elements in 'Fame and Fortune'", meticulously unraveling the metaphors in the movie's props and dialogue.

Comedians created graphic articles titled "Ten Reasons Why You Should Watch 'Make a Name for Yourself,' the Tenth One Will Make You Laugh Out Loud," using humor to attract passersby.

Word-of-mouth spread like wildfire!

On its third day of release, the film's screenings bucked the trend and rose to 22%, with its daily box office even surpassing that of "The Battle at Lake Changjin".

With anticipation in mind, Chen Fei, having nothing better to do, also went to watch the movie.

After reading it, he found that there were indeed many commendable aspects.

Because the main actors are not very famous, viewers are more likely to forget their preconceived notions about celebrity status.

As Yoon Jung, playing a down-on-his-luck screenwriter, paces around the room with a hunched back, the hem of his wrinkled shirt sways gently with his movements.

His refined, intellectual air, worn down by reality, completely makes one forget that he once played a domineering CEO in an idol drama.

Deng Jiajia perfectly portrayed a glamorous, washed-up actress, her eyes revealing a mix of calculation and vulnerability, making it hard to associate her with her past comedic roles.

This shows that the advantage of not having popular celebrities is that every character can shine in the movie.

The only flaw is the crosstalk comedian Qin Xiaoxian.

Among crosstalk performers who have switched to acting, apart from Yue Yunpeng who has performed reasonably well, the others have not been very successful.

Like Guo Qilin, he's alright at acting in TV dramas.

Making a movie is much more difficult than making a TV series; most people simply can't handle it, let alone a crosstalk comedian who isn't formally trained in the field.

"Jingle Bell--"

Just as Chen Fei stepped out of the movie theater, his phone suddenly rang.

He took it out and glanced at it, then casually pressed the answer button: "Hello? Secretary Li?"

A deep voice came through the phone: "Director Chen? You're still in Hangzhou, right?"

"Yes, yes."

"Would it be convenient for you to come to the organizing committee? The leaders would like to hear you explain in detail how your new plan was developed."

"Okay, I'll be there right away."

Chen Fei put down his phone, a slight smile unconsciously curving his lips.

He arrived in Hangzhou on the 8th and submitted his venue design plan as soon as he arrived.

Almost 10 days have passed, and the organizing committee has finally responded.

It's easy to imagine that the impact of this meticulously crafted plan was considerable, so much so that the organizing committee had to repeatedly discuss and carefully consider it before finally deciding whether to adopt it. We sped along and arrived at the government office area.

After getting off the car, Chen Fei was led by staff to the Olympic Organizing Committee meeting room, where he met a group of senior leaders.

The Director of the General Administration of Sport, the Director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, the President of the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, and a Deputy Secretary...

That's quite a lineup!
After exchanging pleasantries, the chairman of the organizing committee asked with a puzzled look, "Director Chen, we've reviewed your proposal, but we find it rather difficult to understand. What exactly do you mean by that dome theater-style venue?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Fei walked to the projection screen and pulled up a 3D schematic diagram of a dome-shaped building.

He lightly tapped the screen with his fingertip and introduced: "Distinguished leaders, the dome theater is different from the traditional flat screen. It uses the entire hemispherical dome as the projection carrier, and the audience is completely surrounded by 360-degree panoramic images."

Simply put, standing inside the sphere makes you feel as if you're in space, the deep sea, or any virtual environment, with a visual impact several times greater than a regular movie theater.

As he spoke, he switched to the design model of the Olympic Sports Center, and the red cursor in his hand moved along the outline of the stadium: "My proposal is to add an openable dome structure to the top of the Olympic Sports Center, which can be folded up and used as a regular stadium when not in use."

But during the opening and closing ceremonies, the dome instantly unfolds, combined with a ground-based rising stage, aerial wire work, and AR effects… For example, when the athletes enter, a flowing galaxy is projected from the dome, virtual landmarks symbolizing various countries rise from the ground, and during the lighting of the Olympic flame, the dome displays a transformation of light and shadow from ancient civilizations to future technologies.

Hearing this, the director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau frowned slightly: "This kind of technology must be quite difficult to implement, right?"

Chen Fei was prepared and pulled up a set of data for comparison: "Boss, our team has cooperated with top domestic and foreign technology companies and uses modular assembly technology, so the difficulty is not that high."

In the past, the audience's perspective at the opening and closing ceremonies was limited to the ground stage, but the dome screen allows everyone to become part of an immersive experience, which will be a visual revolution never before seen in the history of the Asian Games.

The director of the General Administration of Sport stroked his chin, his gaze sweeping over the storyboard in the proposal. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "It certainly sounds impressive, but in terms of time... there are less than two years left until the opening of the Asian Games. Can it be done?"

亚运会原定举办时间是2022年9月10日至25日，可因为疫情影响，被推迟到了2023年9月23日至10月8日。

This is precisely why Chen Fei recommended building a dome theater on the site of the Olympic Sports Center.

One year might be a bit rushed, but two years is definitely no problem!
He straightened his back and said firmly, "We have completed the technical feasibility verification. As long as we can determine the direction this month, the team can work in shifts 24 hours a day to ensure the construction is completed on schedule."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other, then at the stunning CG effects displayed on the projection screen, and couldn't help but feel a little tempted.

"But the cost..."

Chen Fei smiled slightly and interrupted, "I have already considered the cost issue; Shanhe Film and Television City is planning a second phase expansion, and I plan to build a dome theater of the same specifications there at the same time."

During the Asian Games, the venue can be used as the main venue; after the Games, the entire set of equipment will be seamlessly moved to the film and television city for long-term cultural tourism project operation.

This approach not only achieves resource recycling but also allows subsequent revenue to offset construction costs, striving to avoid placing an additional burden on Hangzhou.

Upon hearing this, the deputy secretary gave him an approving look: "You've taken advantage of the timing, satisfying the needs of the event while also making good use of subsequent resources. A brilliant plan!"

The director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau nodded frequently and quickly took notes in his notebook.

If that's the case, then this plan is definitely feasible.

However, if the local government of Hangzhou is required to pay this amount, it would be difficult to explain to the higher authorities, since the construction of the Olympic Sports Center itself has already cost a considerable amount of money.

The IOC president tapped the table lightly and looked around at everyone: "Since the technology and cost are guaranteed, I propose we move on to the next round of discussions. Xiao Chen, please excuse yourself for a moment, and we'll have a meeting to discuss the specific procedures."

"Ok."

Chen Fei turned around and left the conference room.

Five more days passed in the blink of an eye.

The leaves outside the hotel window were gradually turning yellow. Chen Fei was in his room, meticulously refining the details of the plan, his phone always on standby 24 hours a day.

Finally, on the morning of November 25th, the IOC's phone rang.

The confirmation sound coming from the receiver made his hands tremble slightly.

The plan has finally been approved!
That afternoon, Chen Fei met with the project coordinator at the Olympic Sports Center construction site and briefly discussed the details of the renovation.

The following day, the engineers took their positions and began measuring the points.

Following this, five professional construction teams entered the site and adopted a modular construction method, first prefabricating components off-site and then assembling them on-site.

Early in December, citizens passing by the Olympic Sports Center suddenly discovered that the entire venue was cordoned off.

The construction site fence prominently displays the slogan "Asian Games Venue Upgrade and Renovation," but it cannot conceal the frequent rise and fall of the construction tower cranes.

Curious citizens stood on tiptoe to look, but could only catch a glimpse of a corner of the steel frame structure through the gaps.

"Is it going to be demolished and rebuilt?" someone muttered curiously.

The convenience of the short video era has led to much speculation about the situation at the Olympic Sports Center.

"Could it be that they're going to use some kind of cutting-edge technology?"

"I guess Director Chen Fei is planning something big again. He's always had a wild imagination, so this opening ceremony definitely won't disappoint us."

"Goodness, those containers are being delivered one after another, are they carrying some kind of giant projection equipment?"

Speculation continues online, and some people are even secretly using drones to take aerial photos, in which a hemispherical frame can be vaguely seen taking shape.

However, whenever netizens inquired about the matter on the official Weibo account of the Organizing Committee, the response was always the same template: "Technological upgrades are being carried out to improve the event experience."

Seeing the growing online buzz, some people staked out the venue for two days and finally managed to photograph a truck with "Quantum Light and Shadow Technology" printed on it driving into the construction site.

The video was uploaded online and garnered over a million views overnight!

However, the authorities have remained silent, with even local news reports only mentioning it briefly as a "routine upgrade."

But this only fueled the spread of all sorts of rumors, making them seem plausible and detailed.

The edges of the construction fence were lifted from time to time, revealing the outline of the steel frame under construction inside.

Passersby left with a bellyful of questions, unaware that behind these layers of curtains, a visual revolution that was about to shake the world was growing wildly at a breakneck pace!
Meanwhile, Chen Fei had already left Hangzhou and returned to Yanjing.

He has a lot to do upon his return.

The celebration banquet for "The Battle at Lake Changjin", the wrap party for "The Wind Blows in the Summer", the opening ceremony for "Mystery of Antiques", and some company affairs.

It's already December, and 2021 is almost over. The company has done well this year, so bonuses are naturally plentiful.

"The war film 'The Battle at Lake Changjin,' produced by Feiyue Films, directed by Chen Fei, and starring Wu Jing, Peng Yuchang, Duan Yihong, Zhu Yawen, Hu Jun, and others, officially ended its run in theaters yesterday."

After 60 days in theaters, the film grossed a total of 64.77 billion RMB, ranking No. 3 on the all-time Chinese film box office charts.

"Congratulations to Director Chen Fei on successfully joining the 60 billion yuan box office director club!"

Yesterday, the modern romance drama series "The Wind Blows in the Summer", produced by Feiyue Film and Television and starring Zhao Liying, officially wrapped up filming.

"On its opening day, the suspense/adventure film 'Mystery of Antiques,' produced by Yinghuang Group, with Golden Harvest as an investor, directed by Derek Kwok, and starring Lei Jiayin, Li Xian, and Jing Tian, ​​accounted for 33.7% of the total screenings."

As the first major film to hit the Lunar New Year film season, it's no exaggeration to say that "Mystery of Antiques" is highly anticipated by major cinema chains.

Unfortunately, the film failed to live up to these high expectations.

At the same time, Chen Fei finally understood why he had no memory of this movie.

The main reason is that it's a movie of mediocre quality, and it didn't generate any buzz during the Lunar New Year season in its previous life.

If it weren't for Jing Tian and Lei Jiayin starring, probably not many people would have paid attention.

"The filming was terrible. I haven't felt this restless and wanted to leave early in a long time. There was not a single surprise, and it didn't even follow the traditional tomb raiding suspense formula. I'm speechless."

"The pacing is abruptly cut off, and what's even more outrageous is that there are no visual spectacles whatsoever. This film isn't even worth my money to see."

"Why is Jing Tian in another bad movie? What's going on?"

"Sure enough, the quality of Feiyue Film and Television is still rising. As soon as Jing Tian left that place, her acting skills dropped sharply."

"Director Chen! Hurry up and write a good script for Jing Tian! She's in such a terrible situation! Her new film has flopped again!"

(End of this chapter)