Entering the Chinese entertainment industry is like entering a deep sea

Chapter 810 Xia He's Corner

Li Chen's revelation about Rong Chen's fourth universe at the Shanghai Theatre Academy instantly became a trending topic.

Tianjin Animation Hall and Rongchen Pictures also simultaneously announced the good news of their signing.

Sina Entertainment reports
"Rongchen Pictures makes a major move! They've acquired the full rights to the dark horse Chinese animation 'Under One Person,' with Li Chen building an 'Eastern Supernatural Universe'!"

"On November 29, 2015, the Chinese film and television industry witnessed a groundbreaking deal. Rongchen Pictures officially announced today that it has acquired the full film and television adaptation rights of the super popular work 'Under One Person' created by cartoonist Mi Er for 58 million RMB."

"This includes the rights to develop films, TV series, web series, and games. This is another major move by Rongchen Pictures in its IP strategy following the successful operation of the 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' series."

"This copyright acquisition was directly agreed upon with Animation Hall Culture Communication Co., Ltd., setting a new record for the transaction of copyrights for original Chinese comics."

At the signing ceremony, Wu Bin, CEO of Rongchen Pictures subsidiary Zhizhen Painting Art, said: "What we value is its unique blend of 'Taoist culture + modern urban style,' which will be China's 'X-Men'!"

The announcement of Rong Chen's high-priced acquisition of "Under One Person" triggered a chain reaction, with Baidu searches for "Under One Person" surging by 1200%. People in the industry and Rong Chen's long-standing fan base all turned their attention to this anime.

Everyone knows the true value of the 'fourth universe' that Li Chen mentioned.

The first two installments of the "Ghost Blows Out the Light" series have already grossed nearly 30 billion yuan at the box office, and the web series has garnered 50 billion views.

Both trio benefited greatly from this drama.

In particular, Pan Yueming, Jiang Shuying, and Zhao Da have not only simply become more famous, but have also seen a more direct increase in commercial endorsements and film remuneration.

-

CEO's office on the 18th floor of an office building in the BHX district of Tianjin.

At seven o'clock in the morning, CEO Zou Shasha turned off her phone alarm for the third time. She and Mi Er hadn't returned home all night, and her lock screen was already filled with 99+ unread messages.

Zou Shasha squinted and clicked on the push notification from the Daily News at the top.

The headline boldly proclaims: 5800 million! Tianjin cartoon shocks the Chinese film industry.

"Mr. Zou! There are still more than twenty reporters squatting downstairs at the company!" The copyright director burst into the room; the boss and Mi Er had not returned home all night.

These executives, naturally, were no exception.

Mi Er was squatting in the tea room, still somewhat lost in thought, staring blankly at the white steam coming out of the electric kettle.

"Under One Person" began its online serialization on February 26th of this year, and its clicks and subscriptions have surpassed those of his previous works.

He also gained some fame with "Under One Person", but the news that the copyright was sold to Rongchen Pictures yesterday made him a household name almost overnight.

The official website of AnimeTang crashed three times in the early hours of last night, and his personal Weibo followers surged from 80,000 to 3.2 million.

His name was all over the trending topics, and netizens even dug up his ancestors for eighteen generations.

The entire company is extremely busy.

Several printing companies we work with sent inquiries overnight, asking if we needed to publish the book.

Mi Er staggered into the boss's office, where he saw several senior executives gathered.

"The paper mill owner who was chasing us for debt yesterday is now saying he's going to treat us to Goubuli steamed buns." The CFO, sporting a black eye, was still trembling as he held up his phone.

Mi Er suddenly realized, "Oh no! Oh no! I promised the readers I'd update today!"

Without even greeting the others, he ran back to his office.

The moment the computer boots up, the QQ pop-up window flashes wildly.
These past two days, Mi Er has truly experienced how surreal reality can be.

When grassroots creators encounter the torrent of capital, it feels more like a dream than reality.

Meanwhile, as Li Chen and others left Shanghai, Yang Mi and Li Yifeng also arrived in Shanghai with the crew of the TV series "Fall in Love Like a Star".

Her film "The Witness," co-starring Lu Han, only grossed 2.5 million yuan in almost a month since its release, which is why she made the bold claim that "Fall in Love Like a Star" would gross 5 million yuan.

During this period, she and Li Yifeng have frequently interacted intimately. Whether it's a genuine expression of affection or a publicity stunt, the effect so far is not bad. At least fans and netizens are really into their CP!

Zhang Binbin also came to pick him up at the airport. He is a senior in college this year and has been with Jaywalk Studio for the past two years, acting in two web dramas and several TV series.

He was the lead actor in one of his films, but it was still a lukewarm success, with his popularity remaining below average.

The information revealed by Li Chen's trip to the Shanghai Theatre Academy was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for him.

It is obvious that at least one or two main actors for "Under One Person" will be selected from the academy.

With the connection between Sister Mi and Rong Chen, Zhang Binbin is quite confident that as long as Sister Mi is willing to fight for him, he will succeed.

He read the first season overnight and felt that the character of Wang Ye was tailor-made for him, and he could accept Zhang Lingyu at the very least.

Yang Mi also watched "Under One Person" these past two days. Besides being extremely impressed by the senior's vision, she felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

It's obvious that this anime will be a huge hit; the sheer number of characters in it has made it a frequent topic of trending searches for two days straight.

Each character was trending on the hot search list.

Fans are all cheering for their idol, and even her thousands of fans recommend her for the role of Xia He, one of the Four Madmen of Quanxing.

But she had just told Liu Qianqian that she wouldn't attend Yixin Media's listing banquet, and now it seems she's going to have to contradict herself.

The new talents at Jiaxing are all eager to be nurtured, and as their leader, she has a duty to fight for these top-tier resources for them.

“Sister Mi, you really have to help me this time. When Director Li came to the academy the other day, he glanced at me, and I feel like he should recognize me.” Zhang Binbin sat in the van, turning around to chatter on with Yang Mi, the third-in-command.

Li Yifeng sat next to Yang Mi and snorted sarcastically, "An anime has caused such a stir."

Yang Mi glanced at Li Yifeng: "Shut up. If I asked you to play Zhang Chulan, would you take the role?"

Li Yifeng could only utter the word "I" before he could no longer speak.

"Binbin, I'll do my best, don't worry. I'll recommend you to my senior at the Yixin IPO banquet," Yang Mi reassured her artist.

She not only had to fight for Zhang Binbin, but also for herself.

The internet is in an uproar right now, and everyone eyeing Xia He's corner is a tough nut to crack.

Fan Bingbing is the first to be mentioned, and her fans have listed several characteristics that make Xia He irreplaceable.

For example, Xia He's long pink hair and sexy look are something that only the striking red carpet queen Fan Bingbing can pull off.

Fan Bingbing, of course, also really liked this role.

They even called Yang Siwei directly.

"You've seen the comments online. Xia He is just a supporting character compared to Feng Baobao. If you need me to play Xia He in a movie, just call me anytime," Fan Bingbing told Yang Siwei first.

Yang Siwei chuckled: "Do you know that ever since the boss announced the fourth universe of 'Under One Person', not a single person has called me to try and win over Xia He?"

"Huh? Who are they? Can they compare to me?" Fan Bingbing laughed. Although she liked the role, it wasn't the female lead, and she didn't have to play it.

"I can't tell you who they are, but I can say they're all hot, and some of them are even as good as you."

"This project is not simple. The company has already been in contact with the Taoist Association. The adaptation will also take time. According to the boss, some roles will be selected through a public online vote." Yang Siwei did not hide this from Fan Bingbing. This information would be exposed sooner or later.

Meanwhile, Liu Yifei also received a call from Yang Mi.

After hearing Yang Mi change her mind and decide to attend Yixin's listing banquet, Liu Yifei didn't ask why.

Her best friend is the type who only visits when she needs something. On December 1st, the Shanghai Theatre Academy celebrated its 70th anniversary. Reports indicate that over 1600 alumni returned to the academy to celebrate the occasion.

Li Bingbing, the most famous of them all, was absent.

Compared to the 65th anniversary celebration of Beijing Film Academy, Shanghai Theatre Academy is clearly several levels behind. Just considering the two individuals from Beijing Film Academy, namely Mou and Li, both Shanghai Theatre Academy and Central Academy of Drama are far inferior.

-

China Film Report
"Wolf Warrior" raked in 17.8 billion yuan and concluded its run perfectly! Wu Jing's tough-guy whirlwind helped the Chinese film market break the 400 billion yuan mark for the first time in 2015.

"On December 1, 2015, the China Film Special Fund Office officially announced that with the conclusion of the last screening yesterday, the military action blockbuster 'Wolf Warrior,' directed and starring Wu Jing, officially ended its run with a total box office of 17.83 billion yuan."

"This film, which cost only 8000 million yuan to make, not only became a dark horse and ranked second in the annual box office, but also pushed China's total box office to break the 400 billion yuan mark in 2015."

"It has further narrowed the gap with North American box office, becoming the undisputed second largest box office market in the world."

Two months after its release, "Wolf Warrior" grossed 17.8 billion yuan, making Wu Jing a triumphant figure and causing his Weibo followers to soar from over one million to 1200 million.

Xie Nan has also become a hot commodity and has joined the club of wives of directors with assets exceeding one billion.

As one of the two largest producers, Rongchen Pictures naturally had to hold a celebration banquet for Wu Jing.

Li Chen also made a special trip back to Beijing. Many people attended the celebration banquet, including Wang Changtian.

Hearing from Xie Nan that her director Wu was planning to sell himself to Rong Chen to repay Li Chen's kindness in recognizing his talent, Wang Changtian could only offer his congratulations, feeling helpless.

I feel that rejecting Xie Nan and Wu Jing back then was just like rejecting my old classmate Cao Guowei back then; I missed out on more than just a hundred million.

"I can't find the time right now. We'll hold a signing ceremony for you after this busy period." Li Chen didn't show much surprise at Wu Jing's joining, but the necessary courtesy and respect were still essential.

"Director Li, what are you saying? It doesn't matter whether we hold the ceremony or not. If it weren't for your strong support, 'Wolf Warrior' might not have even been made." In Li Chen's villa, Li Chen and his wife chatted and laughed with Wu Jing and his wife.

Xie Nan touched Liu Yifei's belly, which was not yet showing, and asked with concern, "How are you feeling with the second pregnancy? It's much better than the first one, right?"

"Hmm, I feel that the little one in my belly is much more well-behaved than his older brother."

Xie Nan covered her mouth and laughed: "It means the little guy cares about his mother. You won't be able to go to the listing banquet either. I think Director Li definitely won't let you go."

Liu Yifei nodded, glancing tenderly at her husband who was talking to Wu Jing not far away: "Yeah, he's basically keeping me under house arrest now, not letting me go anywhere! He's out having his own fun and having a good time!"

Li Chen, with his sharp ears, heard his wife's complaints and sighed silently.

This made Xie Nan and Liu Yifei laugh.

"Why are you sighing? Am I wrong?"

Li Chen remained silent, while Wu Jing smiled and said, "Yifei, I have to say a few words for Director Li. Director Li is far from being a womanizer; my boss has said that more than once."

"Director Li is an anomaly among great directors. She has never seen a great director who sticks to one path from beginning to end. Director Li has set a precedent for her!"

Xie Nan held Liu Yifei's hand and smiled, "That's right, you should be content!"

Li Chen glanced at his wife with a half-smile: "Did you hear that? Outsiders see things more clearly."

Liu Yifei gave a soft 'humph' and playfully wrinkled her nose at Li Chen.

On the 3rd, Yang Mi and Li Yifeng's "Fall in Love Like a Star" kicked off this year's Lunar New Year film season.

However, it suffered a major setback on the first day, with the 2200 million figure being touted as incredible by the media.

This is all before the two blockbusters, "La La Land" and "Mr. Six," have been released.

Deng Chao and Sun Li's "The Villain Angel" didn't compete with "Fall in Love Like a Star" for market share.

With a screening rate of nearly 30% and a box office of 22 million on the first day, expecting 500 million is nothing short of a pipe dream.

Even though the gimmick of this movie is that it features the most explicit love scenes between male god Li Yifeng and goddess Yang Mi in their careers, it still fails to arouse the audience's interest in watching the movie.

The purchasing power of Yang Mi and Li Yifeng's fans is actually not as strong as that of Guo Jingming's original novel fans and die-hard fans.

The films "Tiny Times 3" and "Tiny Times 4," with theme songs sung by Wu Qian, are reportedly set to wrap up filming in about two weeks.

Guo Jingming seemed to be afraid of making any more mistakes, so he filmed both movies in one go to avoid any unforeseen problems.

"Fall in Love Like a Star" barely surpassed 100 million yuan in box office revenue after four days of release, with daily box office revenue already dropping to around 8 million yuan. Industry insiders predict that the total box office revenue will be difficult to break 200 million yuan.

On December 7th, several paparazzi staked out Hong Kong Airport.

Everyone knows that tomorrow night's Yixin listing banquet will be a star-studded affair, with big names gathering.

Miranda Kerr, one of the most well-known Victoria's Secret supermodels in China, was also invited to attend.

To everyone's surprise, she didn't end up with the two Australian tycoons who fought over her last year.

Instead, he joined forces with the owner of the ephemeral messaging app, which Li Chen invested in, and the youngest billionaire born in the 90s.

He was also invited by Li Chen to attend Yixin's listing banquet at the Pearl of the Orient.

As a Gulfstream G650 private jet cuts through the twilight at Chek Lap Kok Airport.

An entertainment industry 'World Cup' spanning the Eastern and Western Hemispheres has officially begun.

The grand arrival of VIPs on the eve of the listing of One Heart Media, Asia's largest brokerage firm, which is set to debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange tomorrow, has left even seasoned Hong Kong paparazzi, who are used to such spectacle, speechless!
At 3:15 p.m., Scarlett Johansson, wearing sunglasses, strode out of the VIP passage, her black bodycon dress outlining the sharp lines of the 'Black Widow'.

She and Li Chen are good friends, and she was invited by Chi You Tim Smith. Moreover, this trip has been worthwhile, so her appearance fee will not be too low for her friend.

Scarlett Johansson exudes an amazing aura, and her black bodyguards, all wearing sunglasses, surround her like they're from a Hollywood blockbuster.

Coincidentally, the jewelry brand she will be endorsing tomorrow happens to be a partner of Yixin Media.

But when it comes to charisma, probably no one can compare to a supermodel.

Not to mention Miranda Kerr, who is known for her angelic face and devilish figure.

When Miranda Kerr appeared at the airport with her 4-year-old son, Flynn, the arrival gate was instantly flooded with flashes of light.

The big names in the Chinese entertainment industry who live nearby arrive a little later.

Around 6 p.m., domestic superstars began to arrive.

Fan Bingbing was dressed in a Valentino haute couture gown, and her Hermès suitcases were stacked into a pyramid shape on her trolley.

Li Bingbing arrived later than Fan Bingbing, but she took a more approachable, down-to-earth approach.

"This isn't a listing banquet; it's a combination of the Oscars, Cannes, and Wall Street!"

King, the paparazzi who had been staking out the airport for 18 hours, rubbed his aching knees, feeling that the 18 hours had been well worth it.

"Rong Chen is just flexing his muscles. No other company in mainland China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong has such strength. Who are those foreigners?!"

"It looks like Kevin, the president of Warner Music! And that fat guy next to him looks a lot like Leonardo DiCaprio!"

"Damn it! What do you mean by 'similar'? That's it!"

"Oh my god, wasn't he on the list of those who leaked information?! Could it be that he's here for Miranda?"

(End of this chapter)