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

Chapter 1445 Losing weight to the point of obsession?

"Weibo Premiere News: The premiere of the movie 'Hot Hot' kicked off today. Lei Jiayin, Zhang Xiaofei, Li Xueqin and other main cast members appeared on the red carpet and relived the famous scenes of the film's passionate comeback."

Director and lead actress Jia Ling did not appear. When pressed by reporters, a representative of the production team only responded, "Director Jia is currently unable to appear; more stories will be revealed in the film," adding to the mystery...

Premiere Update: The premiere of "Pegasus 2" was star-studded, with director Han Han and lead actors Shen Teng, Fan Chengchen, and Yin Zheng in attendance, along with guests such as Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan.

During the post-screening Q&A, the cast and crew shared behind-the-scenes stories of filming the Bayinbuluke Rally scenes. Shen Teng's portrayal of Zhang Chi's dedication to racing resonated with the entire audience. The film continues the blend of passion and humor, generating considerable buzz and anticipation for the Spring Festival release even before its premiere…

"Previously, the realistic film 'Let's Shake the Sun Together,' starring Peng Yuchang and Li Gengxi, was withdrawn from the Spring Festival release schedule and has been rescheduled for release on March 30."

……

As the year draws to a close, the air is filled with the festive atmosphere.

At this time, the Spring Festival film season naturally became the focus of heated discussions across the internet.

"Hot Hot" and "Pegasus 2" held their premieres one after another.

The former piqued interest with the suspense of "Jia Ling losing weight," while the latter generated buzz with the classic combination of "Shen Teng + racing." Both events became the focus of online discussion.

Related topics such as #JiaLingAbsentFromHotPremiere# and #BehindTheScenesOfBayinbulukeScenesFromPegasus2# have successively topped the trending searches, pushing the anticipation for the Spring Festival film season to new heights.

However, the fact that director and lead actress Jia Ling did not appear at the premiere of "Hot and Spicy" left many people puzzled.

"Isn't this too strange? The director and lead actor aren't even attending such an important event as the premiere?"

"They were posting weight loss videos every day to generate buzz, but now they're disappearing at this crucial moment. Why is that?"

"I honestly don't understand the movie 'Hot Pot'..."

Questions and doubts are rising one after another online.

Even Liu Yifei, sitting on the private jet returning to Beijing, couldn't help but frown and wonder when she saw the news. She turned to Chen Fei next to her and asked, "Why isn't Jia Ling showing up? Isn't this the movie she starred in?"

It was already the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, less than a week before the Spring Festival.

The production team of "The Three-Body Problem" has suspended all filming so that all members can go home for the Chinese New Year.

Chen Fei and Liu Yifei are taking advantage of this time to return to the capital to prepare for the Chinese New Year.

In fact, most film crews don't have annual leave if they have filming plans.

But Chen Fei wasn't in such a hurry.

The three films are being shot in quick succession, with the earliest wrap-up date around June or July of this year.

We need to give everyone some rest time, right? Otherwise, with such intense filming work, wouldn't they all be exhausted?

Taking the phone from Liu Yifei, Chen Fei quickly glanced at the news content and, after a moment's thought, concluded: "It's probably just for publicity."

As he spoke, he tapped the topic "Jia Ling appears to have successfully lost weight" on the screen and continued his analysis:
"Look, from the beginning of the preparation for this movie, they have been hyping up the topic of 'Jia Ling losing weight', showing a lot of video clips of her before she lost weight, but deliberately not revealing her final figure."

The internet is already buzzing with discussion, and the audience's curiosity has reached its peak.

Her deliberate absence from the premiere is a way to heighten the suspense, making everyone even more eager to know just how much weight she's lost, and whether there will be any surprises in the movie. This is a classic example of 'hunger marketing.'

Liu Yifei suddenly realized and added, following his words, "No wonder! I just saw an expert analysis saying that after the premiere, the pre-sale box office of 'Hot Hot' directly exceeded 100 million yuan, which is much higher than 'Pegasus 2'."

Chen Fei was not surprised by this and nodded slightly: "With this level of popularity, the box office on the first day will definitely not be low. However, the risk of relying on a single gimmick to create popularity is too great."

His tone became more serious: "Ultimately, a movie's quality is what matters. If the plot of 'Hot and Spicy' is solid and the emotions are genuine, then the 'weight loss' gimmick can help it attract more viewers, which would be icing on the cake."

However, if the quality is poor, or even just mediocre, and viewers feel cheated, the initial buzz will instantly turn into backlash, leading to even greater controversy.

Liu Yifei, of course, understood the reasoning behind it. She frowned and said, "Are you afraid it will end up like 'The Vanished'? It became a hit through marketing, but ultimately its reputation plummeted due to controversial plot points?"

“It’s not just a matter of word-of-mouth.” Chen Fei shook his head, his tone filled with worry. “The film ‘Missing Her’ actually set a bad precedent. It relied on marketing tactics to create buzz and rake in box office revenue, leading many investors to believe that ‘as long as the marketing is good, the quality of the film doesn’t matter.’”

If "Hot and Spicy" succeeds by relying on the "weight loss gimmick," more and more people will follow suit, focusing their efforts on creating buzz instead of polishing the script and improving production. Wouldn't this eventually create a chaotic and unhealthy market?

He paused, looked at the clouds outside the window, and continued, "The audience's trust is limited. If they are 'tricked' into going to the cinema by marketing once or twice, they will subconsciously resist the next time they see similar promotions."

In that case, truly well-made films might be buried simply because they don't know how to create hype, which would be the most terrifying thing for the entire industry.

The private jet flew smoothly through the clouds. Liu Yifei didn't say anything more, but silently closed the news page.

She could understand Chen Fei's concerns, after all, they were both working hard to polish "The Three-Body Problem" and knew how much effort it took to create a good work.

If other films can achieve high box office returns simply by relying on gimmicks, this will inevitably lead the market into a vicious cycle.

At that point, the market will probably be destroyed!

However, Jia Ling, who was hiding in the company office at that moment, was completely unaware of the potential industry risks that Chen Fei was worried about.

For her, there is only one most important thing right now:
"Let the 'weight loss comeback' gimmick be even louder, driving the box office performance of 'Hot Hot' to soar!"

Her vision and understanding were limited to the single dimension of "box office equals success," and she had no intention of thinking about the potential backlash from excessive marketing, let alone the long-term impact on the film's quality and reputation.

The desk was covered with densely packed marketing data reports.

Jia Ling's gaze was fixed on the number "pre-sale box office exceeded 100 million yuan", and she couldn't help but smile.

In her mind, there is only one standard for success in the film industry: whether or not it can make money!
As for reputation, that's something to consider in the future.

If you can't even make a decent box office or earn money right now, talking about reputation is just self-deception.

"Let's edit some new clips from the weight loss behind-the-scenes footage we filmed earlier and release them, emphasizing the 'contrast before and after' to stir up another debate among netizens!"

She picked up the phone and gave instructions to the publicity director on the other end, her tone full of urgency, as if every minute of delay would mean losing money.

In fact, some of the investors and distributors of "Hot and Spicy" were aware of the risks.

Some distribution managers have privately suggested that excessive marketing might raise audience expectations too high, and if the film's quality doesn't live up to that, it could easily flop.

But he was interrupted by his superior as soon as he said that.

Because for issuing companies, their core purpose is to make a profit.

As long as the box office goes up and we can get a share of the profits, the process doesn't matter.

As for the potential collapse of reputation and online abuse, Jia Ling, who is standing in front of the stage, will take the blame.

All they need to do is hold onto the profits they've made behind the scenes; the subsequent negative controversies are none of their concern.

The senior management of the distribution company made it clear at an internal meeting: "Director Jia can create whatever hype he wants, and we will cooperate."

"First, we need to grab a slice of the box office pie during the Spring Festival. Once the movie is off the air, who will remember these controversies?" With this "short-sighted and profit-driven" mentality, no one was willing to remind Jia Ling not to overdraw the audience's trust. Instead, they actively cooperated with her to increase marketing efforts.

They bought trending topics on social media, hired KOLs to publish articles about Jia Ling's weight loss and transformation, and even deliberately spread the false rumor that Jia Ling's absence from the premiere was because she hadn't recovered her figure yet, further amplifying the suspense...

Jia Ling was completely unaware of this, and instead felt that the investors understood her very well, which further strengthened her idea of ​​boosting box office revenue through gimmicks.

She sat in her office, browsing online discussions about "weight loss," her heart filled with anticipation for the box office success of the Spring Festival film season.

She was completely unaware that the audience who were drawn in by the gimmick would instantly turn their enthusiasm into disappointment and anger once they found that the film's content could not live up to their expectations.

The short-term gains she is pursuing now may completely damage her reputation as a director in the future, and even affect the creative atmosphere of the entire industry!
However, none of these are within her current considerations.

She has only one goal.

box office!

Higher box office!
……

On February 5, the 66th Grammy Awards ceremony was held in the United States in 2024.

Taylor Swift won Album of the Year for "Midnights," becoming the first artist in Grammy history to win the award four times, and also won Best Pop Album.

Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?" won Song of the Year, while Victoria Monet took home the Best New Artist award.

Chinese pianist Yuja Wang also won the Best Classical Solo Award for her album "The American Project".

The day after the news reached China, the premiere of "Detective Chinatown 1990" was launched.

The premiere was a star-studded affair, filled with elegant attire and lively conversation.

Chen Fei had just entered the venue with Liu Yifei, who was wearing a champagne-colored dress, and before he could even greet the directors he knew, he was pulled into a corner by Jiang Wen, who was dressed in a dark suit and had a sharp demeanor.

"Do you know anything about the piano?" Jiang Wen asked directly, his tone urgent. "You must have seen the news that Wang Yujia just won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Performance, right?"

piano?

Chen Fei was taken aback by this unexpected question.

He usually focuses on film and television creation and doesn't know much about classical music. He could only honestly shake his head and say, "To be honest, I don't really know much about it. I only listen to a few popular piano pieces occasionally. I'm a complete novice when it comes to classical piano."

But just then, Liu Yifei, who was standing to the side, gently tugged at Chen Fei's sleeve and interjected with a smile, "I know a little!"

Seeing the two of them turn to look at her, she covered her mouth and laughed: Playing the piano is actually similar to playing cotton.

Upon hearing this, Chen Fei immediately burst into laughter.

He instantly recalled an amusing incident that happened many years ago.

At the time, Lang Lang and his son publicly hyped the topic of "Liu Yifei having a crush on Lang Lang," which sparked heated discussions across the internet.

As a result, Liu Yifei directly retorted, "Playing the piano and talking about cotton are no different in my opinion," leaving the father and son speechless and blushing, and completely shattering the nonsensical hype.

Jiang Wen had obviously heard this story before. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Liu Yifei with a hint of amusement: "That's direct enough. I like it."

After the joke, Chen Fei stopped laughing, looked at Jiang Wen, and asked curiously, "Why did you suddenly bring up the piano? Do you have some new ideas?"

He had only asked casually, not expecting any special answer, since Jiang Wen's previous works mostly focused on heavy themes such as history and martial arts, which seemed unrelated to the more artistic element of "piano".

Unexpectedly, Jiang Wen nodded heavily, his tone very serious: "That's right, I'm actually planning to make a movie about 'piano'."

After thinking for a moment, he began to elaborate on his idea:

"The plot mainly revolves around Lang Lang's experience from learning piano in elementary school to his stunning debut at the Ravinia Music Festival at the age of 17."

When Lang Lang was 3 years old, his father, Lang Guoren, discovered his musical talent and quit his job to accompany him full-time from Shenyang to the capital, and then to Germany, Japan, the United States and other places to study and compete.

Lang Lang faced numerous difficulties in his piano studies, including prejudice and skepticism from the Western art world. With his exceptional skill and unwavering belief, he overcame all obstacles and ultimately reached the world's top art stage, conquering audiences with his talent…

Jiang Wen spoke with great enthusiasm, his hands gesturing unconsciously, as if he had already visualized scenes from the movie in his mind:

"The core issue is still 'confrontation,' just like the confrontation between Zhang Muzhi and Huang Silang in 'Let the Bullets Fly.' Only this time, the 'weapon' has changed from a gun to a piano, and the target of the confrontation has changed from warlords and bullies to ignorance, greed, and the capriciousness of fate."

I want to use the piano, this 'foreign object,' to reflect the absurdity and tragedy of modern society..."

Chen Fei listened quietly, lost in thought.

After Jiang Wen finished speaking, he slowly opened his mouth, his tone tactful but his attitude clear: "Director Jiang, your idea is indeed very profound and novel. I can see that what you want to express is still so sharp and powerful."

But to be honest, I'm not optimistic that this project can surpass "Let the Bullets Fly."

Seeing that Jiang Wen did not refute him, but only looked at him with a deep gaze, Chen Fei continued to explain: "You just said that the core is 'confrontation', which is actually very similar to the core of 'Let the Bullets Fly'."

In both stories, the protagonist carries some kind of 'symbol' (gun/piano) and engages in a power struggle with various forces in a specific environment.

However, the success of "Let the Bullets Fly" is not only due to its profound core, but also to its strong narrative rhythm, dense black humor, and highly impactful visual symbols. These elements are combined perfectly, which is what makes it a classic.

In contrast, this film, which is about pianos, uses the piano itself as a symbol of quietness and art. It would be too difficult to use it to create tension of "confrontation".

If not handled properly, the story can easily become drawn out and dull, and the audience may not get the core message you want to convey, instead feeling that they 'don't understand' it.

Moreover, with the success of "Let the Bullets Fly," audience expectations for your film have already reached their peak. If this film falls short of expectations in any way, it will be repeatedly compared and scrutinized, ultimately overshadowing its own merits.

After hearing this, Jiang Wen did not speak immediately. Instead, he took out a cigarette from his pocket but did not light it. He held it in his hand and rubbed it repeatedly.

The noise of the meeting seemed to be shut out from the two of them; he frowned slightly, his eyes full of thought.

Although Chen Fei's words were direct, they touched upon a hidden danger that he hadn't dared to think about deeply.

He did want to use the piano to tell the story of confrontation again, but he overlooked the inherent differences in the nature of the symbols themselves, as well as the dilemma of transcending classic sequels.

After a long while, he sighed softly, put the cigarette back in his pocket, and said with a hint of melancholy in his voice:

“You’re right. I was indeed too fixated on the core concept of ‘confrontation’ and didn’t consider the compatibility of the symbols themselves. It seems this project needs to be reworked more…”

Seeing Jiang Wen deep in thought, Chen Fei didn't say anything more.

He knew in his heart that, given Jiang Wen's personality, she wouldn't easily give up on her ideas.

But this reminder will at least allow him to be more calm and thoughtful when refining the script later.

The two were chatting when suddenly the venue became lively.

At the host's invitation, the main cast and crew of "Detective Chinatown 1990" took to the stage one by one, officially kicking off the premiere...

(End of this chapter)