Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 159, Section 157: I don't understand

Tuesday, December 9, 1997.

Although winter has arrived in Guangzhou, the southern city, the afternoon sun still carries a touch of warmth, shining outside the recording site of the "Super Girl" competition in the South China region, where 300 contestants were narrowed down to 150.

The makeshift waiting area for the contestants was packed with people, and the atmosphere was even more intense than the weather.

Cecilia Cheung sat in a relatively quiet corner, clutching her race number in her hand, her heart pounding.

Today she chose Priscilla Chan's "A Thousand Songs". Cantonese songs are her comfort zone and also her biggest weapon in this talent show.

Compared to her smooth sailing in the Guangzhou division, the situation in the Beijing division of the North China division was much more brutal.

Just recently, Gao Yuanyuan was eliminated in the competition to narrow down the top 600 to the top 300.

When the news reached the Beijing Film Studio, Gao Yuanyuan locked herself in the practice room and brooded for half a day.

There are several reasons why Gao Yuanyuan was eliminated.

The Beijing division was teeming with talent, especially students from professional institutions such as the Central Conservatory of Music and the China Conservatory of Music, who all participated in the competition.

They have systematic vocal training, a wide vocal range, and skillful technique. In a pure musical competition, amateur contestants like Gao Yuanyuan, who rely on their appearance and talent, are at a clear disadvantage.

While the rendition of "Tomorrow Will Be Better" was sung with sincerity, the professional judges magnified even the slightest flaws in breath control, resonance, and pitch, ultimately preventing it from surpassing the technically skilled competitors.

In addition, the competition in the Beijing division is already fierce and attracts a lot of attention; even a slight mistake could lead to elimination.

In contrast, Cecilia Cheung had a smooth run in the Guangzhou competition thanks to her mixed-race beauty and the "exotic charm" and unique recognizability brought by her authentic Cantonese songs.

Although her Mandarin was still difficult to pronounce, the style she exuded when singing Cantonese songs, along with the slightly Hong Kong-style fashion sense that Cai Yinong had created for her, made her stand out among many contestants and successfully enter the top 300.

Today is the crucial day to narrow down the field from 300 to 150.

"Lights and sound ready! Contestant number 47, Cecilia Cheung, enter!" The staff member's voice came through the loudspeaker.

Cecilia Cheung took a deep breath, stood up, and straightened her slightly mature sequined jacket—still in Cai Yinong's style, emphasizing her "Hong Kong flavor."

She walked into the recording studio, facing the judges and the camera, and tried her best to calm herself down.

"Hello judges, I am contestant number 47, Cecilia Cheung, from Hong Kong Island." She introduced herself in heavily accented Mandarin.

A local musician on the judging panel nodded, signaling her to begin.

The music started, and it was the familiar melody of "A Thousand Songs".

"Looking back slowly, the nights that once belonged to each other..."

As soon as she sang, her clear voice carried a hint of mature charm that seemed out of place for her age, a deliberate attempt to imitate.

His pitch remained extremely stable, and his Cantonese pronunciation was clear and captivating.

She closed her eyes slightly, trying to immerse herself in the mood of the song. Although her body language was still a bit awkward, her focus and unique image were enough to make her memorable among the many contestants.

After the song was finished, the judges exchanged a few words.

The head judge in the middle began, "Zhang Bozhi, your appearance is outstanding, and you sing Cantonese songs very well; these are your strengths. However..."

He paused for a moment: "If you want to go further, relying solely on Cantonese songs and your appearance is not enough. You need to improve your Mandarin, and the emotional expression in your songs can be more delicate and heartfelt, rather than just imitating. Congratulations on advancing to the top 150."

Cecilia Cheung finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you so much, judges! I will do my best!"

……

Just as Cecilia Cheung was overjoyed to have made it into the top 150, another, even stronger storm was sweeping through the public sphere.

Tuesday, December 9th.

Major newspapers across the country, especially those metropolitan newspapers with a wide readership in nine cities where "30 Days" was released, unanimously published a major news item on the front page of their culture and entertainment sections:

"30 Days" ignites the market with its opening weekend box office! It raked in nearly six million in three days! "Domestic revenue-sharing films achieve initial success! Box office in nine cities rivals that of blockbuster films with private screenings!"

The specific numbers are bolded and enlarged:

On December 5th (Friday), the opening day box office was approximately 107 million yuan.

On Saturday, December 6, box office revenue surged to approximately 211 million yuan.

On Sunday, December 7th, box office revenue remained stable with a slight increase: 232 million yuan.

Total box office revenue for the first three days: 550 million yuan!

This number is like a depth charge, exploding beneath the seemingly calm surface of a lake!
550 million!
This is only in nine cities!

And this data is from before the 40% revenue split with the production company!

This means that the film generated nearly four million in revenue in just three days, in only nine markets!

Many "key domestic films" that rely on administrative orders and unit-sponsored screenings to barely achieve high box office numbers may ultimately only achieve such low total box office numbers.

A commentary in the Beijing Youth Daily hit the nail on the head: "The success of '30 Days' is not just the success of a single film, but also the success of a model. It proves that truly relatable, well-made, and market-respecting domestic films are fully capable of achieving astonishing commercial returns through the spontaneous ticket purchases of ordinary viewers! This is undoubtedly a resounding slap in the face to the rigid distribution system!"

The Yangcheng Evening News directly asked: "The people of nine cities have already voted with their feet. When will audiences in other cities be able to enjoy this 'New Year's feast'? Can the pace of film distribution reform be accelerated?"

The public response was more direct and enthusiastic.

In Shanghai, Wuhan, Chang'an, Chengdu... countless movie fans who learned about this box office miracle through newspapers and radio, especially Stephen Chow's fans, as well as ordinary citizens attracted by the title of "the first domestically produced revenue-sharing New Year blockbuster," couldn't sit still.

"Why can they see it, but we can't?"

"Why doesn't our local cinema show such a great movie?"

"Is there something fishy going on again?"

Complaints and doubts began to spread in the streets, alleys, factory workshops, and school canteens.

Immediately afterwards, a spontaneous movement of petitions to the emperor began.

Letters, some earnest and some impassioned, flew like snowflakes to broadcasting, cultural, and propaganda departments across the country...

"Respected Leaders: We are ordinary film enthusiasts from Shanghai. We recently learned that '30 Days' is a box office hit in Beijing, Jiangsu Province, and other places, and is very popular with audiences. We don't understand why such an excellent domestic film with such a strong market response cannot be shown in our city? We long to see our own good domestic films and earnestly request that you pay attention to public opinion and import '30 Days' as soon as possible..."

Similar letters piled up in the cultural administration departments of major vote-winning cities.

Public opinion was in uproar, and pressure was transmitted layer by layer.

However, faced with this overwhelming public opinion and the impressive box office performance of "30 Days," the provincial film company alliance, led by Shanghai Film Company, has shown an unusually tough stance.

An emergency meeting is being held in the general manager's office of a Shanghai film company.

"550 million? Hmph, it's just a gimmick!" A vice president scoffed. "Nine cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing, and those economically strong cities in southern Jiangsu, what's so surprising about that number? It's hard to say how much of it is just hype and speculation!"

"Exactly!" another person chimed in. "They're offering a 40% cut right off the bat, and they want us to bear the risk of piracy too. Their payment requirements are so harsh! This is practically breaking industry rules! If we open this door, and other production studios follow suit, what will become of our provincial company's authority? Where will our profit margins be?"

The general manager of the Shanghai film company, seated in the main seat, listened to his subordinates' discussions with a gloomy expression. Finally, he spoke slowly, his tone resolute:

"Tell the Beijing Film Studio and that Wang Sheng, if they want to enter our market, fine! But it's the same old deal: buy out the copies! Price is negotiable, but don't even think about splitting the profits!"

He paused, looked around at everyone, and emphasized, "This isn't about money, it's about principle! If we back down on '30 Days' today, countless '30 Days' will ride roughshod over us tomorrow! This precedent must not be set! Everyone, stand your ground and fight back!"

……

When the news reached the Beijing Film Studio, Han Sanping slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Stubborn fools! Clinging to their vested interests!"

(End of this chapter)