Extracting skills from movies

This wave of popularity has directly propelled "How to Train Your Dragon" to the throne of "hope for the revival of Chinese animation".

Although the promotional methods weren't new, the effect was so strong that pre-sale tickets sold out like hotcakes.
Even seasoned anime fans who usually only watch Western animation are clamoring to watch it "three times" and "four times".

This has greatly worried the other films scheduled to be released at the same time, "Kung Fu Dunk" and the Hollywood blockbuster "National Treasure 2".

Originally planning to capitalize on the Spring Festival film season, they are now anxiously rubbing their hands together, fearing they might run into this "killer app".

Just how brilliantly did Miracle Animation play this hand?

That really shows they've mastered marketing.

They used a 400 million investment to hype up a 600 million project, leveraged the endorsement of Yangshi TV to ignite the global market, and played the nostalgia card to retain audience expectations.

With this series of actions, "How to Train Your Dragon" has already become a hot topic of conversation even before its release.

It is no longer just a movie, but a brave attempt to explore the future of Chinese animation.

It carries not only box office revenue, but also the dreams and hopes of countless animation professionals.

Du Sheng, who was traveling in North America, smiled slightly when she saw that the level of attention was about what she expected.

Ma Yaowei, standing to the side, couldn't help but ask:

"Has 'Painting Rivers and Lakes' only cost 8 million so far?"

Du Sheng shrugged:

"Bragging doesn't cost anything, the key is to let 'How to Train Your Dragon' ride the wave of popularity."

Everyone's wondering if Chinese animation is beyond saving, but as soon as I yelled "Let's throw in 400 million!", the screenings, buzz, and pre-sale tickets for "How to Train Your Dragon" all skyrocketed.

Large investments are themselves a publicity gimmick.

Ma Yaowei shook his head:
"Your tactics are getting better and better."

Du Sheng smiled and patted his shoulder:

"These days, a producer who can't market his work can't make a good movie."

Meanwhile, in the Miracle Animation office, Zhong Zhen and Ye Jingzhi were looking at the backend data, and they were in a good mood.

"It's trending on social media."

Ye Jingzhi said with a smile:
"Ah Sheng's move was truly brilliant."

Zhong Zhen nodded:

"He's not just creating news, he's creating buzz."

Once the hype builds, audiences, driven by curiosity, will naturally be willing to go to the cinema.

Outside the window, the winter wind was biting cold, but inside the offices of Miracle Animation, the atmosphere was bustling with activity.

The future of Chinese animation may lie hidden in these rounds of "hype" and "investment".

And they gradually moved ahead.

.........

A week has passed in the blink of an eye.

Some major matters have been basically settled.

That day, Du Sheng had just returned to Los Angeles and hadn't even sat down yet.

The doorbell rang, and Ma Yaowei glanced at it before casually opening the door.

Big news!

Haders, carrying a stack of newspapers, stormed into the house without even changing his shoes, and went straight to the sofa:

"Beaucellon just called to formally invite you to be their global brand ambassador!"

He was panting and laughing, his eyes full of excitement.

He's been running around a lot lately trying to get Du Sheng officially on Boucheron's endorsement list.

By pulling strings and using personal connections, they finally secured the deal at the crucial moment.

Du Sheng sat on the sofa, legs crossed, holding the remote control and changing channels. Upon hearing this, he pointed to the sofa opposite him:
"Sit down, have some water, and rest for a while."

He casually tossed a can of milk tea over:
"Your speed in getting things done is faster than a rocket!"

Haders caught it steadily, grinning from ear to ear:

"It's not that I'm fast, it's that your popularity is currently skyrocketing, which is a huge boost."

Du Sheng smiled, his tone slightly teasing:

"The commission from this deal should be enough for you to buy a new car, right?"

Haders didn't deny it either, counting on his fingers:

Boucheron's offer this time is quite generous; the endorsement fee is estimated to reach the $700 million level.

I'll get all the materials ready before the holiday, and then head straight there to sign the contract afterward.

Du Sheng leaned back on the sofa, sipping water and smacking his lips.

"Christmas is coming soon, and you're still voluntarily working overtime. It seems like CAA's bonuses are quite substantial."

Haders chuckled and dropped another bombshell:
"The deal with Hennessy is basically finalized, with only some contract details remaining. The annual fee is six million US dollars, and the contract is for two years."

McDonald's will also need to be renegotiated. If everything goes smoothly with the release of *How to Train Your Dragon* next month, securing another six or seven million dollar endorsement deal will be a piece of cake.

Du Sheng waved his hand:
"You can handle it, I won't worry about it."

Ma Yaowei suddenly asked:
"When will this endorsement fee catch up to half of his film salary?"

Du Sheng countered:

"What do you think?"

Hades scratched his head:

“In the past, superstars like Brad Pitt, whose looks were undeniable, would command endorsement fees starting at six to eight million. Top luxury brands were a different story; they valued the star power.”

Du Sheng seemed to be deep in thought:
"Just like how art films elevate the status of actors?"

"The enemy!"

Haders slapped his thigh:
"Right now, Leonardo DiCaprio is the highest-paid endorsement fee in the industry. He picks and chooses his ads like he's picking and choosing scripts, and he won't accept anything less than eight million."

Even so, it barely covered half of his salary.

Du Sheng smiled slightly:
"Which celebrity wouldn't be envious of Leo's lifestyle?"

As he was talking, he suddenly remembered something, picked up the notebook on the coffee table, and scribbled a couple of times:
"Body of Lies only grossed $921 million in its opening weekend in North America?"
What's going on with two thousand cinemas showing the film simultaneously?

Hades leaned closer and glanced at it:
"This film has good reviews, but the story is too far removed from the people of the United States, and the genre is not very appealing."

I estimate that North America will have a maximum of 5 million, and globally, we'd be lucky to break 1.5 million.

He paused, then winked at Du Sheng:

"As for the touted production cost of one hundred million..."

Du Sheng understood immediately, and shook his head with a smile:

"These days, there are plenty of good movies that flop at the box office; sometimes, the quality of the film is not as effective as marketing."

After saying that, he picked up his phone and dialed Leonardo's number.

There was a burst of noise on the other end of the phone, followed by Leonardo's loud voice:

"The angels are all here! Meet at the airport the day after tomorrow! If you're late, you can continue playing with those three fairies!"

Du Sheng: "..."

It seems this guy doesn't care much about the box office failure.

Haders glanced at his watch and deftly grabbed his briefcase:

"Alright, you keep going, I'm off!"

After saying that, she picked up her bag and walked out, making a phone call as she went.
"Beaucellon is basically settled. We'll have a meeting tomorrow to go over the contract details..."

Du Sheng watched his hurried figure disappear into the distance, shook her head and smiled, then crushed the milk tea can and threw it into the trash can.

While cracking sunflower seeds, Ma Yaowei asked:

"Brother Sheng isn't short of money, is he? He can handle taking on several endorsements, right?"

"This is not a matter of money, but a matter of international recognition."

Du Sheng leaned back on the sofa, his gaze distant.

"They came knocking on our door right after Pitt's accident, which means they've got the wind in their mouths."

In times like these, whoever steps forward first wins.

Ma Yaowei nodded:

"It seems you're truly destined to become a source of pride for the Chinese people, to take the baton from Cheng Long." Du Sheng smiled but didn't say anything.

He knew this was more than just an endorsement deal.

This is a transformation of identity, a reshaping of image, and a redistribution of international resources.

Brad Pitt's name is being gradually erased from brand lists.

His name is gaining international recognition and becoming increasingly widespread.

.........

That morning, Du Sheng took Ma Yaowei into an SUV and headed straight for the Yalede private helipad.

Leonardo was already there waiting.

As soon as they met, they immediately boarded the rented business jet and flew directly to New York.

"This charter company really knows how to do things."

As soon as Du Sheng sat down, he saw the flight attendants dancing to electronic music, their dark blue uniforms so form-fitting they looked like a second skin.

Leonardo DiCaprio, holding a glass of champagne, asked with a smile:
"First time riding on a private jet like this?"

Du Sheng nodded:

"If we don't count the Hearst sisters' plane, I used to fly first class more often."

Nicholson failed to show up this time for a simple reason: he was taken in for repairs by an obese producer.

However, Leonardo DiCaprio has many friends, so he also brought Tobey Maguire along.

This Spider-Man is also a bit of a rascal in real life.

He almost quit the entertainment industry because of playing poker, lost so much money that he nearly went bankrupt, and even after getting married, he still supported three younger girlfriends.

Hearing that Victoria's Secret is going to hold a "get rid of singles" party, this guy's eyes lit up.

"Charter companies have a lot of tricks up their sleeves."

Toby leaned closer, swirling his wine glass:
"As long as the money is right... anything can be arranged."

Du Sheng raised an eyebrow:

"Looks like you've played quite a bit?"

He and Toby were quite familiar with each other; Toby had recently attended the North American premiere of "Taken".

Toby suddenly pulled out a wad of cash and slammed it on the table:
"Ladies, let's try something a little more challenging!"

The flight attendants' eyes lit up, the buttons on their collars clicked, and their uniform jackets twirled and flew over.

Du Sheng caught it quickly and slapped it directly onto Leonardo's face, causing the group to burst into laughter.

The three men watched the "performance" with their glasses in hand when Toby suddenly said:
"Ladies, do you offer massage services?"

A flight attendant, dressed only in her underwear, said in a coquettish voice:
"We don't have this in our crew service."

Toby pulled out a wad of cash and slammed it on the table.
"Have it?"

The four flight attendants said in unison:

"Have."

Someone asked:
"I'll go prepare the water and massage oil..."

Leonardo smiled and waved his hand, saying:

"To reduce friction, we need to use liquid!"

The flight attendant looked troubled.
"It's not on the plane."

Du Sheng had all his cash in his luggage, so he simply pulled a wad of it from Toby's hand.
"Really not? Or do you not know how?"

"Yes, yes, yes, we can learn!"

Several people said in unison.

Just as I was pressing the button, the plane suddenly experienced turbulence, forcing the service to be suspended.

Toby suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Ah Sheng, have you ever tried exercising in the air?"

Du Sheng shook his head.

Toby immediately pouted:

"That's such an outdated way of thinking!"
If you don't get extra lessons, you'll fall behind.

Du Sheng was both amused and exasperated.

"Isn't your industry a bit too complicated?"

He suddenly remembered that after getting off the plane, he would have to take a helicopter to a private island, where he might be able to try to find those supermodels.

He turned to Leonardo and asked:

"Aren't you a philanthropist? Why are you doing this on the plane?"

Leonardo was perfectly justified:

"Isn't it enough that I'm doing charity work with the head of a charity organization?"

Du Sheng: "..."

Looking at this group of "philanthropists" before him, he silently labeled this trip in his mind:

Whether it's out of love or not, I don't know, but the thrill is definitely real.

.........

The business jet landed safely at New York Airport.

After getting off the plane, Du Sheng, Leonardo, Toby and the others drove directly to a five-star hotel near the airport.

This time, they stayed in the presidential suite on the top floor of the hotel, hoping for peace and quiet and a grand atmosphere.

After all, they weren't there for tourism; they were there to attend Miranda Kerr's pre-wedding singles party.

After Gisele Bündchen officially terminated her contract with Victoria's Secret this year and left the ranks of the Angels, Miranda Kerr became Victoria's Secret's "number one".

Heidi Klum has aged and long since faded from the forefront; nowadays, Victoria's Secret is almost entirely a stage for young people.

Therefore, her pre-wedding singles party naturally became one of the most sensational gatherings in the industry.

But this time she only invited 13 angels, all of whom are top figures in the industry, making for a truly luxurious lineup.

As soon as Du Sheng entered the presidential suite, he spotted several familiar faces:
Isabelle Goller, a sexy goddess from Bath, has a captivating smile.

Heidi Klum, though no longer a mainstay of Victoria's Secret, still exudes a powerful aura.

Marissa Miller, the sexy beach goddess, still has a great figure.

Angela Lindwall has a cool and aloof demeanor, and she exudes a sophisticated and aloof aura wherever she goes.

Karolina Kurkova, an angel from the Czech Republic, sweet yet wild.

Doutzen Klos, nicknamed "Little Lion," is incredibly wild.

Caroline Tertini, an Italian supermodel, has top-notch temperament and figure.

Besides these familiar faces, several up-and-coming supermodels also made an appearance.

Each of them had a hot figure and exquisite makeup, and they stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, chatting and laughing.

They were dressed in various styles; some were sexy and alluring, some were elegant and intellectual, and some simply wore a long robe, revealing glimpses of what lay beneath, making for a dazzling sight.

The entire room exuded an aura of "worldly wealth and luxury".

Du Sheng stood at the door, taking off his coat as he sighed:
"This lineup is even more luxurious than the one I attended last time. It seems that Miranda is really going to say goodbye to single life in a grand way this time."

Leonardo leaned closer and smiled:
"This is the eve of the Victoria's Secret 'coronation,' how can we not do ourselves a disservice if we don't go all out?"

Toby, on the other hand, couldn't wait to slip into the crowd and chatted enthusiastically with several models.

Du Sheng tugged at his suit collar, looking for a place to sit down, when a hand with scarlet nail polish pressed him down.

"That's rare, you've finally shown yourself?"

Heidi's blonde hair flew wildly in the wind, and her blue eyeshadow smudged into two little dark clouds:

"You just walked away from the last singles party, and now you're not even planning to attend my wedding, are you?"

The scent of her perfume wafted into people's noses as she spoke, and Du Sheng took a half step back to avoid being relegated to the status of an angel.

The corridor of the presidential suite was carpeted in burgundy, and Isabel was leaning against the wall, watching with a smile.

Seeing Du Sheng looking over, the girl, Basil, walked over in her ten-centimeter high heels, her arms wrapping around his neck like tree branches.

"Afraid of being devoured alive by our sisterhood?"

…(End of this chapter)