Rebirth: I'm filming extra scenes on the set

Chapter 205 Chen Cheng, producer, are you doing it?

"So small, first on the True Three List."

This is the phone call that director Zhang Yi made to Chen Cheng: "It seems that I have to take action too."

"Director Zhang, what's going on? The Olympics just ended not long ago, don't you want to take a break for a while?"

"Why should I take a break? If I take a break any longer, no one will remember me."

"How is that possible? Your status is unmatched."

"Come on, you're just trying to trick me, let's get back to the topic."

Although Chen Cheng’s first place on the three lists is not the real first place on the three lists.

But let’s look at it from another perspective.

In fact, if you say it ranks first among the three lists, no one dares to refute it.

At least.

Chen Cheng achieved the first box office on the three movie charts of Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Mainland.

Judging from such records.

Even Zhang Yi did not achieve that.

Simultaneously.

Chen Cheng also broke Zhang Yimou's previous record for "Curse of the Golden Flower".

However, Chen Cheng saw all of this very clearly.

He didn't think that The Siege of the City was more sensational than Curse of the Golden Flower at the time, and it was even less likely to be comparable to Hero.

However, the domestic film market has been continuously expanding, and it will be normal for films to easily exceed 100 million yuan in box office in the future.

So even though the outside media was very excited, Chen Cheng only accepted one or two interviews and then he no longer participated in these topics.

As before, Chen Cheng is more focused on studying the domestic market.

Yes.

During the rapid development stage of domestic film.

Chen Cheng has always believed that.

It doesn’t matter what you shoot.

What matters is what the market likes.

If it is not suitable for the domestic market, no matter how many stars you invite, how big the production, and how much investment you make, it may all be wasted.

Also.

The film market is also very taboo about literary youths.

At this time.

A very literary film appeared in front of Chen Cheng.

"Love Has Afterlife".

"Love Has Next Life" is a love drama directed, acted and written by actress Yu Feihong.

correct.

This is the drama that Yu Feihong spent all her family fortune on and was determined to shoot at all costs.

Maybe you don’t have much impression of this drama.

But many people have seen the line "The tea is cold, I'll refill it for you" from Douyin's previous life.

how to say.

This drama cannot be said to be bad.

If you watch it carefully, it's pretty good.

But many times, when the market is not particularly receptive to this type of subject matter, no matter how well you shoot it, it may still fail.

It's quite dramatic.

Han Sanping called Chen Cheng to inquire about the drama "Love Has Next Life".

"Director Han, I don't think this drama was invested by your China Film Group."

Chen Cheng was a little surprised.

He read the information about the drama "Love Has a Next Life". The producer is Yu Feihong, the producer is also Yu Feihong, and the leading actress is also Yu Feihong...

Basically more than 90% of the investments come from Yu Feihong.

"We at China Film Group didn't invest, but Yu Feihong found me and wanted us to distribute the film for them."

"Oh, then just do it. Publishers generally don't lose money anyway."

"Who said there won't be losses? We have lost money on several films."

"Uh, are you guys doing a guaranteed release?"

"Yes."

Han Sanping nodded.

There are many ways to distribute.

Some people just take the money and do publicity and distribution for others.

This is the safest option, but also earns the least money.

If you want to earn more, some people will participate in the profit sharing.

But this model has certain risks.

There is another one, which is the guaranteed branch, which is similar to a buyout.

For example, a movie.

The publisher is optimistic and agrees on a price for you.

No matter how the box office performs later, I will give it to you at this price.

If the price exceeds the guaranteed price, the excess will be given to the publisher.

Or some publishers will make a certain share of the excess, but of course this is rare.

After all, guaranteeing a minimum return carries huge risks for publishers.

Generally speaking, distributors will not guarantee a release unless they are particularly confident about the film.

But China Film Group is not an ordinary company.

Their main purpose is not to make money.

Many times, in order to prosper and stimulate the domestic film market, they will subsidize some films.

Subsidies are not given explicitly.

For example, guaranteed release is a means of supporting domestic films.

"Uh... "Love Has a Future Life", China Film Group decided to buy out the film with a guaranteed minimum price?"

"We have this plan. We watched the film and felt it was well made. Yu Feihong is also a talented woman, and we would like to try to cooperate with her."

“How much is the guaranteed buyout fee?”

"We are still in talks. Their investment is about 4000 million. We think the box office may exceed 6000 million. If we guarantee the bottom line, it will be around 2000 million."

"Haha, I thought Director Han, you were going to offer 4000 million directly."

"Take me as a fool."

Han Sanping smiled and said, "Although this movie is good, I think it may still lose money at the box office. Chen Cheng, what do you think?"

"How can I see that? I'm not a China Film employee."

"Can't you just give me some suggestions?"

"Okay, but I don't like this movie very much."

"how?"

"I feel that this film is too literary and artistic. If it is released with a guaranteed release, it will be very risky."

of course.

Hipsters are not a problem.

The issue is.

Before this, Yu Feihong had not proven herself through the market.

There has been no successful model for this type of subject matter before.

Chen Cheng’s previous experience.

Before you succeed, you must first make a film to test the waters.

and so.

Although Yu Feihong's courage is commendable.

But movies are really mysterious.

Just because you work hard doesn’t mean your box office will be high.

Just because you spend all your money and try your best, it doesn’t mean that others will go to the cinema.

It’s not that just because you think a photo is good, it’s good.

Remember past lives.

The box office of this film was so low that even Chen Cheng couldn't believe it.

200 million.

Yes.

You read it right.

That’s 200 million box office.

Not US dollars.

It's RMB.

"There is a certain amount of risk. What do you think the final box office will be?"

"How would I know."

"Give me a prediction. You are a master of calculation in our circle."

"I really do not know."

They are all people in the circle.

Although Chen Cheng did not know Yu Feihong, he did not say much.

Anyway, Chen Cheng has also pointed out the risks.

As for whether China Film Group will provide a guaranteed minimum payment, that is China Film Group’s business.

"Ok."

Han Sanping hung up the phone after not getting an answer from Chen Cheng.

But what Chen Cheng didn't expect was.

the next day.

However, someone came to his studio at Beijing Film Academy.

Yu Feihong.

Chen Cheng was a little surprised.

I didn't expect that Yu Feihong would find me.

Although he didn't know why Yu Feihong found him, she came anyway.

Chen Cheng warmly entertained Yu Feihong.

and.

Chen Cheng also chatted with Yu Feihong about the films that Yu Feihong had made back then.

Such as Xiao Li's Flying Dagger and the Third Young Master's Sword.

Let’s talk about Yu Feihong.

She really has the beauty of a traditional oriental woman.

In "Love Has Next Life", she plays Xiaojiu, who is such a traditional woman.

"Director Chen, I'm sorry to interrupt your studies."

Although Chen Cheng and Yu Feihong had never met.

But in the circle, everyone knows each other.

Yu Feihong was very straightforward and took out her script of "Love Has Next Life" immediately.

and.

He also told Chen Cheng the story of this script.

That was ten years ago.

Yu Feihong, who was just 20 years old, got a collection of short stories in the United States. When she returned to China, she was bored on the plane and read the collection as a pastime. There was a story in the collection that Yu Feihong liked very much. However, Yu Feihong was not very old at the time. Although she liked it, she didn't have too many ideas. As she got older, Yu Feihong often had the idea of ​​moving this story to the big screen.

It’s just that I’ve been busy filming these years and haven’t had the time.

Ten years have passed, but Yu Feihong still can't forget this work.

She turned down all the work on hand, took out all the funds she had earned from acting in the past ten years, and even borrowed money.

She wants to film this story.

then.

This is how the movie "Love Has Afterlife" came about.

"The story is good."

Chen Cheng said as he read the plot of "Love Has Next Life".

"Director Chen, I have a request."

"Please say."

"Can you please put your name as the producer in our work?"

"Feel sorry."

Chen Cheng refused.

This kind of thing happened after Chen Cheng took over as producer.

Almost every month, several friends in the circle ask if Chen Cheng can be listed as a producer.

Chen Cheng refused the vast majority of them.

Chen Cheng's supervision has already formed a brand.

As long as a movie has Chen Cheng's name on it, it can indeed have a significant impact on the box office.

Especially for some films that don’t have any particularly big advantages, the words “Chen Cheng” are a guarantee of box office success.

But the brand thing.

You can't hang up at any time.

The more names you register, the greater the probability of failure.

As long as any work named after him fails, it will be a huge blow to Chen Cheng.

Not to mention, movies like Love Has a Next Life.

Although Chen Cheng does think that this is a good movie.

But a good movie is a good movie.

If the box office doesn't pick up, it's really far-fetched to say it's a good movie.

"Director Chen, I know you value your reputation. But I want to say that this is a good movie."

"I also think."

"That……"

Yu Feihong didn't quite understand.

Chen Cheng did not explain.

This kind of thing is hard to explain.

Box office is something that is hard to predict.

After thinking for a while, Chen Cheng said, "I have a suggestion."

"Director Chen, go ahead."

"How about we not release this movie for now and wait a few years."

"In a few years?"

"Correct."

"How many years will it take?"

"I do not know either."

Chen Cheng spread his hands and said, "It depends on the market. It may take three years at the fastest, five or ten years at the slowest."

"It's too long."

Yu Feihong shook her head.

"Then there's no way."

Chen Cheng was also helpless.

After Yu Feihong left.

night.

Han Sanping called Chen Cheng and asked, "Chen Cheng, did Yu Feihong come to see you today?"

"Director Han, you didn't ask her to come to me, did you?"

"Cough cough..."

Han Sanping was a little embarrassed: "I was unsure, so I asked her to come to you to ask about the situation. Fortunately, Yu Feihong cancelled the minimum guarantee agreement with us?"

"how?"

"She felt that the amount we set was too low and wanted to give it a try."

"..."

……

Reality is often so cruel.

Yu Feihong's expectations for "Love Has Next Life" did not translate into box office results.

even.

The premiere of "Love Has Next Life" on the first day dealt a big blow to Yu Feihong.

The major cinema companies have given "Love Has Next Life" a screening rate of less than 5 points.

It is said that Yu Feihong was so angry when she heard the news that she was hospitalized.

In fact, the scheduling of the screening at 5 o'clock was not the theater company's intentional attempt to make things difficult for Yu Feihong.

Each cinema company is in the business of making money.

As long as there is money to be made, they will schedule more screenings for films with potential.

In fact, it also proves that the vision of major theater companies is correct.

The premiere of "Love Has Afterlife" ended that day.

Judging from the box office statistics.

On that day, the box office of Love Has a Next Life was only 70.

Perhaps you would also think that this is due to the scheduling.

If there are more screenings, the box office will be higher.

In theory, this is true.

However, the screening schedule still needs to be considered based on the attendance rate and the share of the day’s box office.

The major cinema companies have done the math.

Although "Love Has Next Life" was scheduled for 5 screenings, the box office it generated only accounted for 2 points of the box office on that day.

Let me be frank.

That is.

The major cinema companies have given too much screening time for 5 points.

A week later.

The screening rate of "Love Has Next Life" dropped below 0.1 points.

Got here.

This basically means that it doesn’t matter whether this movie is released later or not.

finally.

"Love Has a Future" was only released for one week, with a box office of 270 million, and was then hastily taken off the shelves.

……

"Chen Cheng, luckily I listened to you last time, otherwise, our China Film Group would have suffered huge losses."

The box office success of Love Has a Next Life was beyond Han Sanping's expectations.

Looking at the box office revenue of only over 200 million, Han Sanping became a little incoherent on the phone.

If they had a guaranteed minimum, they would have suffered a direct loss of 2000 million.

This is a much bigger loss than investing in a movie.

"I never expected that the box office of this movie would only be over 200 million."

"It's impossible. I still think it's impossible."

"What's going on here?"

Chen Cheng also shook his head.

That's his view all along.

Movies are something that is often unpredictable.

Those hits may be beyond others' expectations.

Those films that flopped miserably also surprised many people.

Even though Chen Cheng has been making films for so many years, he would not be able to see it so clearly if he did not have experience from his previous life.

“It’s hard to say.”

"Haha, kid, you always say that movies are hard to predict and that they are fantasy...but every movie you make is a big hit and sets records frequently. You are just trying to attract hatred. I think that with your knowledge of movies and TV series, there is a job that is very suitable for you."

"What kind of work?"

"Producer."

Han Sanping said.

"Producer."

When the word "producer" came out, Chen Cheng felt excited.

Talk about it.

Isn't this what he always wanted to do in his new life?

“Can I be a producer?”

Chen Cheng still felt a little unsure, so he said.

"Of course."

Han Sanping said: "Look, you are very knowledgeable about the market and have so much experience in film and television dramas. Moreover, you fully understand the entire filming process and have been involved in it. If you were a producer, I feel that our domestic films would be driven by you."

"Director Han, I took what you said seriously."

"Hahaha, I'm not kidding you, really. Just one word, do it or not?"

"Dry."

Chen Cheng answered directly.

Before, Chen Cheng was a little confused about what film he should shoot during this period.

it's good now.

What are you still shooting?

It’s so tiring to shoot a film by yourself.

It’s better to be a producer and let others shoot it.

of course.

It’s not that Chen Cheng didn’t want to take the photo.

In the future, you can be both a producer and a director...that's also possible.

But at this moment, Chen Cheng didn’t think about what kind of film to make.

Or.

Chen Cheng actually has a lot of movies in his mind.

I really need to shoot it.

He could churn out dozens of them at any given time.

But Chen Cheng has always set high standards for himself.

An average film.

Chen Cheng didn't have much idea.

But if it's a producer.

That's different.

Some things I don’t want to take pictures of, some things I don’t have time to take pictures of, and some things I want to take pictures of but don’t want to take pictures of.

Wouldn't it be nice to let someone else take the photo?
==
PS: Thank you “Lighter than a Feather” for the reward.

(End of this chapter)