Extracting skills from movies

Chapter 799 Riding the Wave

I spent two days in the Beijing park.
Du Sheng thought everything was quite unique, the office environment was good, and the team was great.

The only thing that made him a little uncomfortable was that the 'secretaries' who were temporarily assigned to him changed quite frequently.

As soon as he entered the office that day, he noticed that his secretary was a little different.

Secretary Tong was dressed in a well-tailored business suit, exuding a sweet temperament and stunning beauty.

"It's almost the end of the year, haven't you gone home yet?"

Du Sheng smiled and waved.

"I'm spending the Lunar New Year here this year."

Tong Liya stepped forward with a smile:

"Furthermore, I am officially taking over as your assistant today, and I must be online."

Du Sheng smiled:
Are you busy lately?

Tong Liya poured him a cup of tea:
"It's alright, I'm just currently preparing the application materials for the Golden Eagle Award and the Magnolia Award."

I have two dramas nominated; whether I win an award depends on luck.

Du Sheng leaned back in his chair, gazing at the traffic outside the window, his tone relaxed:

"Awards are a recognition of your personal abilities, but they also require the support of a team."

The company will handle the public relations for you, and we'll try to win a big prize.

Tong Liya's beautiful eyes lit up, but she quickly returned to her professional demeanor:
"Thank you, boss, but I'm your secretary today, so let's get down to business first."

Seeing that she seemed quite content, Du Sheng played along, saying:
"Okay, you say."

"The first thing is that Sony Music just sent a formal invitation."
Your album "Endless Joy" received six nominations at the 50th Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Best Producer, and more.

They hope you can attend the awards ceremony in person, on the evening of February 8th, local time in the United States.

Upon hearing "Grammy," Du Sheng wasn't surprised, but she raised an eyebrow:

"Six nominations?"

"Yes, and industry insiders predict you'll win at least two or three awards."

"If things are mostly settled here, I'll try to fly there."

"The second thing is that the overseas box office of Taken has ended, with a global cumulative total of $2.89 million. Adding the $7000 million in China, the total box office has exceeded $3.5 million!"

The company has decided to hold a celebration banquet tomorrow evening at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Please be sure to attend.

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng laughed:

"You broke through so quickly?"
"That's a good result! I'll definitely be there tomorrow night."

"By the way, Director Xu Zheng sent an invitation to you to attend his play 'Brothers' this weekend at 7:30 pm. Would you like to reply?"

Du Sheng didn't even look up; he was flipping through the documents when he casually said:
"I had to go to the premiere of 'How to Train Your Dragon' that night, so I declined."

"And then there's director Chen Kaige. He wants to sue a streamer named Hu Ge on the TVING platform, and they've already contacted us."

"This kind of thing can be handled by the legal department. Let them follow the company's procedures. If Director Cheng is not satisfied, then let him have his way with it."

"The 'Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards' will be held in Hong Kong on the 23rd of next month."
The organizers have specifically invited you, Girls' Generation, and Ms. Deng Ziqi to attend together.

Du Sheng waved his hand:
"I won't go, I'm too busy."

Girls' Generation's tour schedule is packed, so they probably won't be able to find the time.

As for Ziqiqi, let her decide for herself.

"What about the Spring Festival Gala...?"

"I didn't rehearse this, and I'm too lazy to get exposure."

Du Sheng looked at her with a half-smile:
"Lia, you're my new secretary, so you can't forget the basic work processes."

Upon hearing this, Tong Liya immediately squatted down beside him, blinked her big eyes, and said with a touch of playful exotic charm:
"Boss, I was wrong! Please punish me!"

Du Sheng smirked, about to give him a good "education," when there was a knock on the door.

"Boss, I'm here!"

You can tell it's Gulinazha just by her voice.

"Come in!"

Tong Liya got up to open the door, but as soon as Gulinazha came in, she locked the door behind her.

She was dressed quite formally today, with a white shirt tucked into a black pencil skirt, black stockings, and leather shoes. She looked both sweet and cool, and although her assertive aura hadn't fully developed yet, her flirting skills were already top-notch.

Du Sheng glanced at her outfit and couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time:
"It's -3 degrees Celsius outside and you're dressed so lightly? Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Gulnazar changed into this outfit at the company. The office was well-heated, so it wasn't actually cold.

But instead of explaining, she put on a pitiful look:

"Boss... Naza is so cold, my feet are freezing, could you warm them up for me..."

Du Sheng smiled and sat down on the sofa.

Gulinazha understood immediately, winked at Tong Liya, and then sat down next to him, gently placing her small feet, covered in stockings, on his thigh.

Du Sheng reached out and touched it; it was warm and soft, and felt really nice.

Once I made sure my hands weren't frozen, they started getting out of control.

After all, it's rare for two stunning beauties with exotic charms to be together, and they shouldn't miss out on this precious time.

Gulina blushed, involuntarily pulled her foot back, and said coquettishly:

"Boss! No, that's terrible!"

At this moment, Tong Liya hugged her from behind, acting exactly like a secretary.
"Boss! This intern secretary is outrageous! She has no respect for her superiors and must be dealt with seriously!"

I've got her under control, please teach her a lesson!

Gulnazar immediately switched to "acting mode," struggling to shout:
"No! Let me go! Help!"

The three of them started talking back and forth, and the office instantly turned into an "interrogation scene," filled with gasps of surprise.

Du Sheng finally leaned back on the sofa, a satisfied look on her face.
"Life is so simple and unadorned, yet incredibly boring."

On Friday night, Miracle Animation, in collaboration with China Film Group, held a massive premiere for "How to Train Your Dragon" at the Beijing Stadium.

Du Sheng brought Fan Bingbing and Liu Tao, who hadn't been seen in public for a long time, along for the appearance.

The effect is naturally maximized.

Regardless of box office results, the Spring Festival film season has officially begun.

However, this was his last public appearance before the Lunar New Year, after which he completely "disappeared".

Du Sheng had a very fulfilling Spring Festival.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, he first took Zhong Zhen and her son back to her parents' home to meet their first "mother-in-law" and "father-in-law" of the new year.

His courteous manners and humble attitude made the two elders beam with joy.

Then he accompanied Ye Jingzhi to Guangzhou to visit her family, which was pretty much the same thing.

Then, remembering the conditions that Tong Liya had agreed to for her to be his secretary, he decided to pay her a visit.

On this trip, he met Tong Liya's grandfather.

A retired veteran.

Upon hearing that he was the producer of "Bright Sword" and the lead actor in the "Special Agent" series, the old man immediately gave him a thumbs up:
"Well done! That's got guts!"

Du Sheng then said:
"This year there's also a TV series called 'Crossing the Guandong,' which tells the story of people venturing into Northeast China in modern times..."

With increasing experience in making home visits, they never repeat themselves. They're quite adept at it, chatting and laughing with ease.

Then, he rushed to the homes of Jia Jingwen, Gao Yuanyuan, and Zhou Huimin to offer New Year's greetings.

Although their relationship was not public, the presence of a large family, with the elderly and children surrounding the baby, created a warm and lively scene.

During the Spring Festival, Du Sheng visited six different families, showing great care and concern for each one.

He himself didn't feel any pressure; on the contrary, he was quite happy.

Seeing how much effort he put in, the women were overjoyed and became even more gentle and considerate towards him.

Du Sheng took the car to catch the next one, and thought to himself:
"This year's New Year was both lively and... boring."

Yet, this "boring" life is something I find sweet and enjoyable.

After finishing the promotional work for "How to Train Your Dragon," Du Sheng originally planned to relax and spend the New Year with the women.

As soon as people had a moment to relax, a pot fell from the sky.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, an interview report propelled him to the top of the trending topics list.

The main character in this story is director Chen Shizheng.

He recently gained some recognition after being nominated for Best Film at the Sundance Film Festival for his movie "Dark Matter".

As a result, during an interview, he suddenly and inexplicably turned the gun on Du Sheng.

A reporter from Bay City asked him:
Some people say that "Dark Matter" is another film that vilifies the Chinese people.
What do you think of films that specifically depict the backward and dark side of China to appeal to foreigners?

This film tells the story of a Chinese student who, after going to the United States, transforms from a kind and diligent academic genius into a ruthless murderer who kills four people before committing suicide.

Upon hearing the question, Chen Shizheng seemed to have been hit where it hurt, and his emotions immediately became agitated:
"I think my film is just as good as Du Sheng's 'Taken'!"

Being nominated for Sundance is the best proof of that!

But look at the box office; "Dark Matter" only grossed 529 million yuan in the country.
Taken made $3.4 million worldwide, which is equivalent to 23 billion RMB, more than 400 times my money!
Why?
Isn't it because Du Sheng controls the publicity channels, cinema resources, and even the entire discourse system?
He can subtly influence the audience, making everyone only watch what he makes!

Why does he have so many resources?
Because he caters to the tastes of those in power, making only films that praise and glorify the government, films with a patriotic theme!

He got more and more carried away as he talked:

“People like us who film reality, suffering, and the dark side of human nature not only fail to make money at the box office, but also get criticized for ‘making a fool of ourselves for foreigners’ and ‘smearing China’.”

If things continue like this, will Chinese films only be able to flatter and fawn over their superiors in the future?
Can we only praise and not criticize?
If I were willing to humble myself and flatter others, I could also become a 'successful person,' but I won't do it!

That's why I made such a thought-provoking and realistic film as "Dark Matter"!

In the first round of judging, three out of the six judges voted for us!

Art can transcend national borders, and thankfully there are platforms like Sundance that allow ordinary people like us to share reality with audiences and give works like *Dark Matter* a place to exist!

These words caused an uproar.

Chen Shizheng already had a lot of buzz, and when he got involved with Du Sheng, a "top influencer," the news instantly went viral.

The main reason is that Du Sheng is too popular right now and has many supporters, so naturally there are rebellious people who can't stand it.

Especially those who fawn over foreign things.

Chen Shizheng's words struck a chord with them.

The online community immediately split into two camps, arguing fiercely.

"Director Chen really dares to speak his mind!"
Willing to fight, refusing to flatter, the film industry needs diverse voices!

"I felt sorry for him after watching the interview."

The Man from Nowhere won the Golden Lion Award, and the official team held a celebration banquet;

"Dark Matter" got no mentions at all and was even accused of 'smearing' the film; it's so unfair."

"The prototype of 'Dark Matter' is the Lighthouse school shooting. How did adapting it become 'vilifying Chinese people'?"
The domestic public opinion environment is suffocating.

"Du Sheng is too domineering, he can control everything, and his fans are still like the Hongweibing of yesteryear, they can't stand anyone saying anything bad about him."

Du Sheng was nestled on the sofa, making dumplings and watching the Spring Festival Gala replay with Zhong Zhen and Ye Jingzhi when she swiped her phone and was momentarily stunned.

What's wrong with Chen Shizheng?
He really couldn't understand it; the two were completely unrelated and had no conflict of interest.
Lu Chuan's experience serves as a cautionary tale: what if the enemy suddenly opened fire on him?
Du Sheng even suspected that the other party had drunk too much before the interview.

Or perhaps he took something he shouldn't have, otherwise he wouldn't be acting so irrationally.

Besides, when did he ever monopolize entertainment resources?

He didn't stop others from making realistic films or films about suffering.

Although he dislikes Chen Shih-cheng's approach of "focusing on dark themes to please foreign film festivals," he has never publicly criticized "Dark Matter."

While this film was somewhat contrived and overly sentimental, and its quality was just so-so, it can't be said to be entirely without merit.
It follows a similar pattern to Zhang Yimou's earlier films, which explored the "aesthetics of suffering" in the style of Red Sorghum.

After thinking for a while, Du Sheng realized:

'Another one trying to ride the wave of popularity!'

Dark Matter is not well-known in the country; even ordinary moviegoers don't know about it.

Chen Shizheng's most famous work is still his early work, "The Peach Blossom Fan".
Now, suddenly getting a Sundance nomination is an attempt to capitalize on Du Sheng's fame and create a "lone hero" persona.

Since that's the case, Du Sheng didn't bother with him.

The more you respond, the smuger he becomes; it's like giving him free traffic.

This person is a "foreign-worshipper" at heart, and it won't be long before he goes to settle in the United States.

Once he actually immigrates, we'll find an opportunity to dig up all his dirty secrets and completely ruin his career, leaving him no chance to even speak out.

Moreover, given his own status, there's absolutely no need for him to engage in online arguments with such a person.

That's not just a downgrade, it's downgrading oneself.

Besides, Du Sheng doesn't need to do this himself.
His fans and a large group of bystanders who disapproved of the situation had already rushed in and started fighting.

"Chen Shizheng? Who is that?"
I've never heard of that before.

"Is this guy getting too cocky?"

They've gone so far as to stage accidents involving staged collisions that they're practically galaxies in the sky, and they still have the nerve to say their movie is on par with "Taken"?

"Stop bragging about its artistic depth. Can your film even make it onto any well-known global chart?"

"Have you ever been nominated for an Oscar?"

Does getting a Sundance nomination make you think you're a god of cinema?

"This is the first time I've heard of Du Sheng having this superpower—the ability to control the minds of the entire nation's audience?"

"If Brother Sheng is really that powerful, wouldn't it be enough to just bring peace to the whole world?"

War, poverty, environmental pollution—he solved them all with a single click; that's real skill.

"Some people are just trying to ride the coattails of others. They get nominated but don't get any buzz, and they get really anxious about it."

Du Sheng was truly caught in the crossfire; he was dragged into this mess even while lying down.

"Let me give you some background information. The most influential film festival in the world right now is the Oscars, which is widely recognized as the most prestigious."

Venice has the longest history, but it has a preference for experimental and avant-garde works...

As for Sundance, it's a third-rate film festival that mainly focuses on political criticism and realistic themes.

So why do Chinese directors always flock to that area?
It's very simple. As long as you take domestic suffering, social problems, or content with a bit of satire, package it as an "art film" and show it to foreigners, you can basically win awards or get nominations.

This is reality, and this is the unwritten rule.

Chen Shizheng has been a director for so many years, how could he not understand this trick?
While they talk about "having dignity," haven't they already been begging on their knees for screen time?

.........

(End of this chapter)