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

Chapter 1422 The Decline of Patriotic Films...

"Last night! The opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games concluded successfully! The collision of technology and aesthetics has written a new chapter in the grand Asian sporting event!"

"Chen Fei's 'Giant Dome Theater' Stuns the Asian Games Opening Ceremony! Chinese Technological Aesthetics Amaze the World, Immersive Experience Sparks Heated Discussion..."

"From film director to Asian Games highlight! Netizens praise Chen Fei as the 'second-generation national director,' defining a new height for large-scale Chinese events with his creativity!"

"..."

The online discussion surrounding last night's opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games continued from late at night until the early hours of the next morning.

On major social media platforms, the trending topics list is almost entirely dominated by related issues.

Terms such as "Chen Fei, the second-generation national strategist," "How amazing is the dome theater at the Asian Games opening ceremony?" and "Chinese technological aesthetics amaze Asia" firmly occupy the top spots.

Netizens spontaneously flooded the screen with comments:

"Following Zhang Yimou, Chen Fei proved with an opening ceremony that China has successors in the field of large-scale film directing!"

"From the film industry to sports events, Director Chen has mastered the art of combining 'Chinese style' with 'new technology,' solidifying his status as a leading figure among the seventh generation of directors!"

"The second-generation imperial advisor, haha, he's been deified!"

Besides the ongoing online discussions, some people have also dug up Chen Fei's numerous awards and achievements, marveling that "Chen Fei is the only one in China who can achieve legendary status in both film and major ceremonies."

Meanwhile, the media also published articles praising him, saying that he "redefined the presentation of the opening ceremony, making technology no longer a cold tool, but a carrier of culture and emotion."

Some commentators even directly compared him to Zhang Yimou, arguing that: "Two generations of 'national directors,' the former used the ultimate Eastern aesthetics to let the world know China, while the latter used technology-enabled creativity to amaze the world. Each has its own merits, but both demonstrate the strength of Chinese directors..."

However, faced with praise and heated discussions across the internet, Chen Fei chose to remain out of the public eye.

After the successful conclusion of the Asian Games opening ceremony, he was no longer responsible for the subsequent competition events.

So, he quietly returned home early the next morning, not only turning off his phone notifications but also asking Liu Yifei to help block all media interviews and social media push notifications.

The intense preparations over the past few months, from repeatedly refining the plan to rehearsing details late into the night, had already put him under immense pressure, both physically and mentally.

At this moment, what he needs most is not flowers and applause, but complete relaxation.

In the following days, he simply "disappeared" from the public eye.

In the morning, I have breakfast with Liu Yifei and Xiao Shitou. In the afternoon, I relax on the sofa and watch old movies. In the evening, I take a walk in the neighborhood with my family or go back to the courtyard house to visit my grandfather.

Occasionally, when recognized by fans, they would simply smile and greet them, never mentioning the opening ceremony.

It wasn't until the fourth day that he finally calmed down from his tense state.

Today is also the premiere of "The Long Way Home," so as the company boss, he naturally couldn't be absent.

In the car, Chen Fei looked at the pile of congratulatory messages on his phone and simply smiled faintly at Liu Yifei next to him, saying, "Luckily, I didn't mess it up and didn't let everyone down."

"My husband is the best!"

Liu Yifei leaned over and kissed him, then said with great interest, "This year's Asian Games is so interesting! I've seen so many videos. With the post-90s and post-00s generations leading the way, the whole atmosphere is full of vitality, completely different from previous sports events."

Chen Fei nodded in agreement: "I also saw it on Douyin, it's really quite interesting."

What impressed him most while watching videos these past few days was the sound engineer for this Asian Games. It was as if he had been transferred from a high-end video platform. Every background music was played perfectly and with great wit; not a single song was played in vain.

For example, before Tomokazu Harimoto's semi-final match, while he was warming up, the song "Rice Fragrance" suddenly started playing in the stadium.

When the lyrics "Do you still remember you saying home is the only castle" came out, netizens instantly understood.

Isn't this a subtle dig at him?
However, while the background music is humorous, it's not offensive, and most of the comments section is filled with jokes.

In another weightlifting competition, a Chinese athlete lifted an extremely heavy weight, and the audience immediately switched to the song "Bei'er Shuang" (meaning "So Cool")!
When the melody of "Five words float down from the sky, it's no big deal" started playing, the entire audience sang along, and even the contestants themselves couldn't help but laugh out loud.

In addition, there are songs like "Waiting for a Thousand Years" during the diving competition and "Good Luck" during the awards ceremony, which are both magical and interesting.

The staff on site had a blast, and the viewers watching on screens were also thoroughly entertained.

As netizens have summarized, those born in the 00s are responsible for creating content, those born in the 90s are responsible for reviewing it, and then those born in the 80s have to explain it to those born in the 70s.

After several days of competition, it felt strangely like the adults weren't home and the kids were making a ruckus.

Anyway, Chen Fei thought it was great, and everyone had a lot of fun.

Friendship first, competition second.

He even felt that if the post-00s generation could be involved in the preparation of the Spring Festival Gala someday, the ratings would definitely not be as bad as they are now.

……

At 9:30, the car came to a smooth stop in front of the Capital Pan-Asia Flagship Cinema.

After several expansions, the cinema is not only larger than the Great Hall of the People, but also boasts top-of-the-line audio-visual equipment.

Over the years, this place has almost become the "official premiere venue" for films produced by Feiyue Films.

Every time a new film premieres, this place gathers a large number of movie fans and media, and today is no exception.

Chen Fei and Liu Yifei got out of the car side by side. As soon as they stepped onto the red carpeted entrance, the flashes from both sides started going off in a flurry.

The cheers from the fans instantly broke through the barriers separating the area from the crowd.

"Director Chen! Yifei!"

"The Asian Games opening ceremony was absolutely amazing!"

"Husband...wife..."

It's worth noting that after the Asian Games opening ceremony, the entire internet was searching for Chen Fei.

But whether the media wanted to interview him or fans wanted to express their love, they couldn't find him anywhere.

His sudden appearance at the premiere of "The Long Way Home" surprised and delighted everyone, instantly raising the atmosphere at the event.

Just as the two were waving to their fans, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, "The Imperial Advisor!"

That shout was like lighting a fuse!
Immediately afterwards, cheers of "National Master" and "Director Chen is awesome" rose and fell, and even the media reporters couldn't help but join in the commotion, making the atmosphere as enthusiastic as a large concert.

At the entrance of the theater, Kang Honglei watched this scene with a broad, beaming smile.

He turned his head and whispered to Zhang Yi and Peng Yuchang beside him, "Look, with Director Chen here, the pre-sale box office for our film 'The Journey Home' will increase by at least tens of millions!"
He's now a 'national director,' bringing his own audience and reputation. With him on board, films are guaranteed more screenings.

Zhang Yi and Peng Yuchang nodded repeatedly.

"That's right. After the Asian Games, Director Chen's popularity has risen to another level. Now, when people mention him, everyone admires him. We also benefit from being able to make movies with him."

"I just overheard the staff backstage asking if Director Chen would be coming today, and I didn't expect him to actually come."

The two echoed Kang Honglei's words, secretly overjoyed. With "The Long Journey Home" set to release this National Day and riding on Chen Fei's popularity, it was a guaranteed success!

At this moment, Jing Tian stood alone at the edge of the crowd, her gaze fixed on Chen Fei, who was shining brightly on the red carpet, and she was momentarily lost in thought.

Liu Yifei had inquired about her several times from the sidelines, asking when she would find a boyfriend and get married.
But she always said she wasn't in a hurry.

Is it really true that there's no rush?

No! Actually, that's not the case!
Only she herself knows that having met someone so amazing in her youth makes it impossible for her to accept anyone else...

……

Meanwhile, as the premiere of "The Journey Home" was in full swing, other films scheduled for the National Day holiday also followed suit.

Films such as "The Volunteer Army: Mighty Army Strikes Back", "It Doesn't Seem That Exciting", and "Moscow Mission" held premiere events in different cinemas one after another, trying to gain an advantage in the competition during the National Day holiday.

However, in terms of audience engagement and online buzz, "The Journey Home" still far surpasses others.

On the day the premiere ended, hashtags such as #TheJourneyHomePremiereGathersStars#, #ChenFeiTalksAboutHisOriginalIntentionInFilmCreation#, and #LiuYifei'sCameoShotIsStunning# trended on social media.

On short video platforms, clips of Chen Fei interacting with fans at the scene and exciting trailers for the film have easily garnered over 100 million views.

In contrast, while other films generated some discussion at their premieres, they never quite reached the same level of popularity.

The reason for this difference is inseparable from Feiyue Film & Television's long-standing commitment to the "high-quality" approach.

From the recently concluded film "Chang'an 30,000 Miles" to several previous movies, almost every film produced by Feiyue Films has achieved both critical and commercial success.

This "quality product from the start" label served as the best endorsement for "The Journey Home".

When audiences hear the name "Feiyue Films," they instinctively trust the quality of the films.

With Chen Fei's recent success at the Asian Games opening ceremony, the pre-sale box office for "The Journey Home" soared, securing its place as a top contender for the National Day holiday box office.

As the National Day holiday approaches, more major films have announced their release dates, making the competition for the holiday season even more intense.

The suspense film "Saving Suspects," directed by Zhang Yimou's daughter Zhang Mo, has garnered considerable attention since its release date was set for November 1st, thanks to its "female perspective + high-energy plot twists" theme.

After all, the name "Zhang Mo" itself is a topic of discussion, and the audience is also curious whether she can inherit her father's directing skills.

Cao Baoping's "Crossing the Angry Sea" continues his consistent "crime suspense" style, and with the addition of a group of powerful actors, it is predicted by the industry to be the "dark horse of November".

There's also "The Third Brigade," produced by Chen Sicheng and directed by Dai Mo, adapted from a true case, with a story that inherently possesses emotional tension.

The actors' powerful performances in the previously released trailers have generated considerable anticipation.

At the same time, this is also the first major film scheduled for release in December during the Lunar New Year holiday season, which can be regarded as the beginning of the competition in December.

Before we knew it, it was May 28th.

"The Long Journey Home" and "The Volunteer Army: Mighty Army Strikes Back" were the first two films to be released.

Chen Fei invited Kang Honglei to go see his rival Chen Kaige's movie together.

Kang Honglei was still a little nervous about Chen Kaige.

But Chen Fei seemed quite calm: "We don't need to worry too much about other films. As long as we make sure the film is of high quality and tells the story clearly, and let the audience feel our sincerity, that's enough."

Actually, there were some things he didn't say.

During this period of market observation, he had a judgment in mind.

It might be time to put "patriotic" themes on hold.

Just as youth-themed films were once wildly popular but have gradually declined in popularity, the recent surge of patriotic films has led some viewers to show signs of aesthetic fatigue.

If filming continues in clusters, it could very well dampen the audience's enthusiasm.

This conjecture was quickly verified.

As Chen Fei and Kang Honglei discreetly entered the cinema to watch "The Volunteer Army: Mighty Army Strikes Back," he noticed that many viewers frequently looked down at their phones, and even a few groups quietly left early during the second half of the film.

As the event ended, you could still hear people whispering among themselves:

"It feels similar to previous patriotic films, nothing new."

"The plot is a bit scattered, not as exciting as 'The Battle at Lake Changjin'."

"Means nothing……"

Chen Fei was well aware that while the early departure of the audience was related to the film's pacing and narrative quality, the more fundamental issue was the "homogenization" of patriotic themes.

Similar war scenes, similar character settings, and even similar ways of creating emotional resonance make it difficult for the audience to find anything refreshing.

Especially with the masterpiece "The Battle at Lake Changjin" as a precedent, both the staging and the emotional depth have set an extremely high standard for similar works.

It will be extremely difficult for subsequent works to surpass this level. If one is not careful, the audience will make comparisons, and one will fall into a situation of "trying hard but getting no reward".

Kang Honglei, however, breathed a sigh of relief after the screening and remarked, "I feel like Director Kai didn't quite deliver this time. The visuals weren't as stunning as before, and the story wasn't fully explored..."

Chen Fei didn't reply, but he had already made up his mind.

Upon returning to the company that afternoon, he immediately convened an emergency meeting with the screenwriting department.

From the outset, he clearly outlined the restrictions on patriotic-themed films and television dramas:

"We need to tighten our focus on this type of subject matter. Of course, this doesn't mean we won't film patriotic films anymore, but rather we need to completely change our approach."

First, we must take the route of 'high-quality' production, extending the script polishing cycle by at least three times, and breaking out of the current framework from the core story to the character development.

Second, resolutely avoid homogenization. You should explore niche historical perspectives and patriotic stories of ordinary people. You can even try to integrate patriotic themes into other genres such as suspense and workplace films to find new highlights.

Third, all patriotic-themed projects that have not yet been approved will be suspended for the next six months. Market research will be conducted first to determine what audiences truly want to see.

The meeting room was silent; no one raised any objections.

After all, the market feedback for patriotic films in the past two years speaks for itself, and everyone knows that Chen Fei's judgment was correct.

"When we make movies, we can't just chase trends. We need to understand the market and the audience. Patriotism is indeed a great theme, but it needs to be expressed in a way that the audience can accept and is willing to watch. Otherwise, no matter how good the original intention is, it won't reach the audience's hearts..."

After giving his final summary, Chen Fei immediately adjourned the meeting.

Following this meeting, Feiyue Films began to quietly adjust its creative direction.

Meanwhile, after returning home, Chen Fei packed his bags and took Liu Yifei to Shanxi Province to attend the new Dragon Soaring International Film Festival...

(End of this chapter)