Rebirth: I'm filming extra scenes on the set

Chapter 123 The box office is just like this.

The launch event for "The Banquet" was held at the BJ Bulgari Hotel.

The reporters and media who had been notified had already arrived at the hotel.

Corresponding to this are the main actors of The Banquet.

Zhang Ziyi, Ge Daye, Zhou Xun, Wu Yanzu, Huang Xiaoming.

Of course it’s not just the main actors of The Banquet.

Due to the importance attached to this drama, other contracted artists from Huayi also arrived.

Li Binbin and Fan Binbin, two beautiful girls are here.

Ren Quan, Zhang Liangying, Yu Quan, Alec Su, Ruby Lin, and Wang Baobao...

Besides.

Some directors in the circle also came to show their support.

Guan Hu, Chen Guofu, Tian Yusheng, Jiang Wen...etc.

But the most important thing.

It is undoubtedly director Feng Xiaogang.

As a well-known domestic director, Feng Xiaogang's arrival attracted countless applause from people.

The media was full of cameras and the sound of clicking continued.

"Director Feng, could you please introduce the play "The Banquet" to us?"

"Too much introduction would be a bit of a spoiler, so let me be brief. This is a story about revenge."

"The Banquet is full of big names, including Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, Ge Da Ye... and so on. It can be said to be the top cast in mainland China. What are your expectations for the box office this time?"

"Of course the more the better."

"Could you please tell me your expectations and give me a specific number?"

"It depends on whether the audience supports it. If they do, there will be no problem in breaking the box office record."

"When you say breaking the box office record, do you mean breaking the previous box office record set by Hero?"

"What do you think?"

Feng Xiaogang didn't say anything, leaving the reporters to guess.

Simultaneously.

He knows it too.

Such a topic is bound to cause a sensation in the circle.

Next came the interviews with the actors.

"Hello, Ziyi, how do you feel about working with Director Feng?"

“It was a pleasure working with Director Feng. The Banquet is also a very exciting big production.”

"Do you think Director Feng and Zhang Yimou have anything in common?"

"If there's anything they have in common, both of them are top domestic directors."

“What are your expectations for this drama?”

“Hopefully it’ll be a big hit at the box office.”

Then there were interviews with some other actors.

But for topical purposes.

This movie "Night Banquet" compares heroes and Zhang Yimou from time to time.

After Chen Cheng and Han Sanping entered the scene.

Han Sanping was quickly surrounded by the media.

"Director Han, did China Film Group also invest in The Banquet?"

Director Han shook his head and said, "China Film Group did not invest in this drama, but I am very optimistic about The Banquet and director Feng Xiaogang. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to work with director Feng and Huayi."

China Film Group does not generally produce films.

Most of them invest as investors.

Therefore, China Film Group will basically cooperate with a number of production companies in the mainland.

Huayi is undoubtedly an important cooperation partner of China Film.

Although Chen Cheng made many films, most of them were behind the scenes and he had few opportunities to appear in the media.

The media are not particularly familiar with Chen Cheng.

fair enough.

Chen Cheng wandered around alone.

However, the media did not recognize Chen Cheng, but the actors in the circle would not be so stupid.

When Zhou Xun saw Chen Cheng, he walked up to him and said, "Director Chen, you're here too?"

Chen Cheng smiled and said, "Director Han insisted on dragging me over here."

"Director Han, Director Han from China Film Group?"

Chen Cheng nodded.

Zhou Xun was a little surprised and said, "Director Chen, you still have a wide network of contacts."

Chen Cheng waved his hand and said, "We are just working for Director Han."

"Junior brother, why don't you say anything when you are here, Senior Brother?"

At this time.

Huang Xiaoming also saw Chen Cheng and hurried over.

Chen Cheng said: "Brother Xiao Ming, congratulations, congratulations... for filming such a big production."

Huang Xiaoming said, "Brother, please don't laugh at me. My role doesn't have many scenes. Unlike you, you have taken on so many blockbuster films. I heard that you had a fight with the director from Hong Kong for the last "Painted Skin"."

"Where did you get this gossip?"

"Everyone in the circle says so. They say you bring honor to our mainland circle."

Chen Cheng was overwhelmed.

This wave of firepower is really full marks.

It seems that there will be a series of conflicts with those people in Hong Kong in the future.

But Chen Cheng didn't care too much about it.

The conflict between the mainland and Hong Kong has a long history and cannot be resolved by one or two people.

No matter what Chen Cheng does, this situation will not change in the short term.

Such conflicts will only be alleviated when mainland films rise completely in the future.

……

"Chen Cheng, where have you been? I've been looking for you for quite some time."

Just chatting.

Han Sanping came over and said, "Come on, let me introduce you to Director Feng."

"Excuse me, please."

Chen Cheng said apologetically.

Huang Xiaoming and Zhou Xun nodded and went to the other side with their wine glasses.

They are smart people and naturally will not follow Chen Cheng.

"Director Feng, this is the Chen Cheng I told you about."

"Chen Cheng, I don't think I need to introduce this famous Director Feng."

Han Sanping introduced them to each other.

Chen Cheng greeted him politely: "Hello, Director Feng."

He doesn't have much feeling for Feng Xiaogang.

Not only did I not feel anything.

Even Chen Cheng didn't like it a little.

"Chen Cheng, Director Han has been mentioning you to me. By the way, you were the art director in Curse of the Golden Flower?"

"Associate."

"You're being too modest. Later I heard that you also performed well in Resurrection of the Dragon, and director Li Rengang praised you highly. And in the recent Painted Skin you directed, Zhou Xun said that under your guidance, her acting skills improved greatly."

"Director Feng, you are so kind. Maybe everyone is so generous with their words because I am young."

"You're being modest again. Come on, tell me something else. What do you think of our "The Banquet"? "

"I don't know much about The Banquet, so it's hard for me to comment on it."

"What do you think of it compared to Director Zhang's Curse of the Golden Flower?"

"Director Zhang made it difficult for me. I was the deputy art director of Curse of the Golden Flower, so it's hard for me to comment on it either."

"Chen Cheng, you sound too old-fashioned. I don't like it. Young people should be energetic and say what they want to say. Director Han, don't you agree?"

Han Sanping also patted Chen Cheng on the shoulder and said, "It's okay. Director Feng is a straightforward person. Even if I said something I shouldn't have said, he wouldn't be shy about it."

"That's right."

Feng Xiaogang and Han Sanping clinked their glasses.

Then he looked at Chen Cheng and said, "How about you help me predict the box office of The Banquet?"

"This one……"

Chen Cheng was a little hesitant.

But since Han Sanping had already said that, Chen Cheng didn't care too much.

Then he said, "It's estimated to be over 1 million."

"Puff..." Hearing 1 million, Feng Xiaogang was choked: "What did you say, 1 million?"

Chen Cheng nodded, and then added: "Maybe a little more than 1 million, 1.2 million, or 1.3 million."

"1.2 million, 1.3 million?"

Feng Xiaogang put the wine glass aside.

Han Sanping glared at Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng said nothing more.

But Chen Cheng didn't say anything. Feng Xiaogang seemed to be irritated: "Director Chen, you may not know that the box office of the movie I shot in 04 exceeded 1.2 million."

"I invested 2000 million US dollars in this film, which is 1.6 million RMB. You said 1.2 million, does that mean I will lose money on this film?"

The loss here is not just 4000 million.

Considering the box office of 1.2 million and the investment of 1.6 million, the difference is only 4000 million.

But in terms of box office share.

Generally speaking, the box office of a movie needs to reach three times the investment in order to make a profit.

This is determined by the film market.

Because the box office revenue of a movie cannot go to the producer alone. He has to pay taxes, and also get a share from the theater chain, cinemas, distributors... and so on.

In the end, the producers only got about 33% of the box office.

The rate for powerful producers may be higher, but no higher than 40%.

Based on the current 33% profit sharing.

If The Banquet wants to make a profit, the box office must reach 5.4 million.

of course.

Feng Xiaogang and others also knew that The Banquet could not possibly reach a box office of 5.4 million yuan.

But they have other benefits, too.

For example, overseas releases, various audio-visual copyrights, advertisements, peripherals... and so on.

As predicted by Feng Xiaogang.

Even if the box office of "The Banquet" did not reach 5.4 million, but with other miscellaneous factors, it should not lose money, and may even make a small profit.

But now Chen Cheng said the box office will be between 1.2 million and 1.3 million.

If you look at it this way.

The night banquet was no small loss.

This is a huge loss.

"Director Chen, how about we make a bet?"

“Gambling is illegal.”

"puff……"

Han Sanping was also choked up at this time: "Director Feng, young people, young people talk like this. Stay calm, stay calm."

"Okay, let's not gamble. Let's see if the box office of The Banquet is 1.2 million or 1.3 million as you said."

"it is good."

Chen Cheng agreed.

……

When going back.

Han Sanping said: "You are usually quite smart, why do you fail at the critical moment?"

"Director Han, where did I go wrong?"

"Who told you to talk about the box office?"

"Didn't Director Feng ask me to say this?"

"Even if Director Feng asked you to say it, you could have just asked for a higher number. No matter whether it can be achieved or not, it's just polite talk. This way you're happy, I'm happy, and everyone is happy. Look, you've offended Director Feng with your words. You should know that Director Feng is a top director in China and a director that Huayi strongly supports. Huayi has invested a lot of resources in him. I originally thought that I would take you to meet Director Feng, and maybe there would be a chance for cooperation in the future. Now, I guess it's over."

Chen Cheng didn't care too much: "Thank you, Director Han. However, I don't really like working with Director Feng. Besides, you keep promising me that when I become the chief director, I won't need to work with them anymore."

"You have some ideas, I thought you didn't want to be the chief director."

Han Sanping turned around and glanced at Chen Cheng.

Then he said, "But you can't be impatient. You still lack some experience. Although I am optimistic about you, the investment in a movie is relatively large. The investors have limited trust in new directors. Even if they let you direct a movie with limited resources and funds, you won't be able to stand out."

Chen Cheng nodded: "I understand."

It's not that easy to control a movie completely independently.

It really has to be that simple.

There must be few well-known directors among the sixth generation.

For example, in some novels, they randomly pick a movie that was popular in the past life and make a movie about it, and then the box office explodes and becomes a huge hit all of a sudden.

This is nothing but wishful thinking.

Different market, different environment, different director, different actors...it will definitely not be the same as before.

Even if you are given the same actors, the same funding, the same market, the same director... if you shoot it again, there will still be huge variables.

Just like last year's highest-grossing movie, The Promise, which only took in 1 million.

Or maybe you think The Promise is a bad movie and 1 million is nothing.

So what about the second place, Hollywood's King Kong?

The box office is even lower, just breaking 1 million.

Third place, Jackie Chan’s The Legend, this is a blockbuster movie.

However, the box office was less than 1 million, only more than 9000 million.

Fourth place, Harry Potter, only had a box office of 9000 million.

Are these movies just not good enough?
Or is it that the audience doesn't know how to appreciate movies?
neither.

This is the current market situation.

The market is only this big.

Even if you make a blockbuster, the market is like this.

Chen Cheng was not in a hurry at all; he seemed very calm.

"Ha ha……"

See Chen Cheng's appearance.

Han Sanping suddenly laughed.

Chen Cheng was puzzled: "Director Han, what are you laughing at?"

Han Sanping said, "Originally I was still worried about whether you had offended Director Feng, but I don't care about that anymore."

Chen Cheng was a little surprised: "Oh... why?"

"No reason?"

Han Sanping picked up a bottle of water, took a sip, and said, "I'm very accurate in judging people. Do you believe me?"

Chen Cheng was a little confused.

Han Sanping laughed loudly: "I feel that you, kid, may have a better future than Director Feng. No, no, Director Feng is nothing. We have to add..."

"Zhang Yimou."

Looking at Chen Cheng, Han Sanping said seriously.

……

The launch event for "The Banquet" was a great success.

Various media outlets also rushed to report on "The Banquet".

[Epic Chapter: Night Banquet.]

[Feng Xiaogang's masterpiece, waiting for you next week. 】

【This is the Chinese version of "Hamlet"】

【Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, Zhou Xun, Wu Yanzu...all the big names gathered. 】

The media outlets were not sure whether they were really optimistic about the banquet or whether they had to do the job since they had been paid.

In short.

The Banquet was very successful in advertising.

Countless people are looking forward to this blockbuster masterpiece by Feng Xiaogang.

"Tsk tsk, Director Feng is really capable. He's finally going to make a big production."

"Well, we have always made small productions, but small productions always win big box office."

“I feel like this Banquet might surpass Heroes.”

"I feel the same way. Ge Da Ye has been an award-winning actor for a long time. Although Zhang Ziyi is not as good as Gong Li, she is also an award-winning actress, and her abilities are getting closer and closer. As for Wu Yanzu, he is not only handsome, but also has top-notch acting skills."

"And Zhou Xun. I always think that Zhou Xun is not the most beautiful actress, but she is the most talented actress."

"There is also Professor Ma Jinwu, who taught at the Beijing Film Academy in the 60s and later became a professor at the Beijing Film Academy, a top representative of the academic school."

"It's just that Xiao Ming's ability is a little weaker, but actually Xiao Ming's acting skills are not bad at all."

A series of comments came in.

At that time, people in the circle did not have as negative reviews of Feng Xiaogang as they did later.

Everyone is also looking forward to Feng Xiaogang's film.

The Banquet

After much anticipation, it is finally launched.

(End of this chapter)