Chinese Entertainment: Directors Start with the Fairy Sister

Chapter 92 Screening, Copyright Transaction!

The screening of trailers for "Painted Skin" began soon.

There was no exaggeration about the difficulties of filming, or any boasting about the training of the actors' acting skills, because apart from the reporters and filmmakers from China, none of the guests present paid any attention to the actors.

Only in Southeast Asian film and television circles do people know Liu Yifei, Jiao Enjun, Yan Danchen, and others because of "Lotus Lantern" and "You Are the Apple of My Eye".

Since no one recognizes it, all the talk is just empty words; only the work itself can speak for itself.

Although the trailer for "Painted Skin" is only a little over ten minutes long, it includes all the classic scenes from the film.

Jiao Enjun plays Wang Sheng, a lone figure in the desert, leading his troops into battle.

Amidst the fierce battles of the bandits, I vaguely recall the first appearance of [Xiao Wei], which stirred my heart from that moment on;

The fox demon reveals her true form, transforming into a nine-tailed fox demon to battle the heroes;

From the vast desert, sunset, and rugged landscape of Zhenbeibao to the small bridges, flowing water, and houses of the Jiangnan water towns, one beautiful scene after another was presented to the many guests through the screen.

In just over ten minutes, it was enough to leave all the guests mesmerized!

Unlike premieres, screenings are more like cocktail parties.

After all, the film is only about ten minutes long. Most of the time is spent socializing at the party, exchanging ideas with film critics, and trying to get a good review. At the same time, film distributors from various countries will also make offers for the film.

"This is no ordinary fantasy movie! It perfectly blends the freehand style of Eastern aesthetics with Hollywood special effects technology, especially the scene where the fox demon appears, which is both visually impactful and full of poignant poetry."

A Hollywood film critic praised the film, saying, "Zhao, this is an excellent film. I feel it's no less impressive than your country's 'Hero' or 'House of Flying Daggers'..."

"Ms. Xiaowei's performance was rich in layers; a single glance conveyed both the innocence and wickedness of a demon. And this narrative of a love between different races is universal."

"Thank you," Zhao Yanxi replied with a smile.

Who says Americans don't understand social etiquette? At least these film critics accepted Paul's bribe, so their reports tomorrow will definitely be very impressive!

However, the countries that are of most interest are some Southeast Asian countries.

In particular, countries like Japan and South Korea, with works like Tamamo-no-Mae and "My Nine-Tailed Fox Girlfriend," demonstrate that these countries generally have legends of nine-tailed fox spirits.

Because of these myths and legends, they are more accepting of this type of fantasy and magical film than people in other countries.

"The costumes and set design are breathtaking! Every frame is like a classical oil painting... We are determined to secure the distribution rights in the Japanese market."

At the party, Paul and Yang Siwei went to communicate with film distributors in Europe, America, and Southeast Asia to discuss distribution issues, while Zhao Yanxi, holding a wine glass, led Liu Yifei and others around the party.

It was both to thank the other party for their support and to give Liu Yifei a push onto the international stage.

Even though it's just a simple toast and getting to know each other, many social relationships often develop from such simple exchanges.

Zhao Yanxi doesn't expect Liu Yifei to get any resources from these directors and producers. She only hopes that Liu Yifei's movies released in Hollywood in the future will receive support from these celebrities, directors, and producers.

"Zhao, I really look forward to working with you. 'Juno' is a great film," Scarlett Janssen said confidently with a smile. "I could actually play a role like that next time!"

Zhao Yanxi smiled and said, "Of course, it's just that Ellen Page is cheaper~ My production budget is limited."

"Oh, Zhao," Jason Scarlett said helplessly, "You should have contacted me first. As long as the script is suitable, the salary isn't a problem!"

"Okay, I believe we'll have opportunities to collaborate!"

"Director Zhao, are you interested?" Liu Yifei asked with a sales pitch in hand. "White people have such great figures~"

After saying that, he looked at his chest with a frustrated expression.

Once young and naive, I thought the road ahead was easy and everything would be fine; now I'm nineteen, and I have no elder brothers to rely on.

"Hehe, it's nothing special," Zhao Yanxi said with a smile. "I still have very traditional aesthetic tastes."

"Oval face, cherry lips, willow-leaf eyebrows, and clove-shaped breasts."

"Pah, you scoundrel!"

Zhao Yanxi smiled slightly, though her words were laced with disgust, the smile in her eyes was undeniable.

"Scarlett is a good actress. Her situation in North America these past two years is equivalent to your situation in China."

"Hmm..." Zhao Yanxi pondered for a moment and then said, "It's probably not as good as you. It's probably just the popularity of singing in China."

With "Lotus Lantern" and the following "Silly Girl", Shu Chang became one of the top TV actresses in China. Zhao Yanxi returned to the "Chinese Legion" and Jia Zhangke was whispering something to Ci Peikang.

Although Zhao Yanxi was not familiar with Jia Zhangke and Ci Peikang, she would remember their kindness since they came to the scene to show their support.

"Director Jia, wishing you great success the day after tomorrow!"

"Thank you, I appreciate your kind words~"

"Boss, these Southeast Asian countries are quite generous this time," Yang Siwei said with a smile. "Japan and South Korea quoted $240 million and $210 million respectively, and other countries quoted a total of $70."

"Southeast Asia alone raised $520 million, which greatly eased the pressure on 'Painted Skin' to recoup its costs."

"How are things in Europe and America?"

Zhao Yanxi asked curiously, "South Korea and Japan are close to China and belong to the Confucian cultural sphere, so it's normal for them to sell for higher prices."

"Not ideal," Yang Siwei shook his head helplessly. "Apart from France and Britain, the quotes from other European countries were quite average. In total, they only quoted 160 million US dollars."

"Hollywood is alright; the two major studios, Weinstein and Warner Bros., are competing, and in the end, they managed to drive the price up to 220."

Ten thousand US dollars.

"Adding in other miscellaneous expenses, it totaled nearly $50, bringing the total pre-sales for 'Painted Skin' to nearly $950 million!"

'

Paul is still communicating with Warner to try and raise the price.

Zhao Yanxi turned her head and looked around. It seemed that the people from Warner Bros. who came today were not minor figures. They were called Richard or something like that.

He is a vice president of Warner Bros. Independent Films and was formerly the president of Warner Bros.' China branch.

"Based on this price, sell it if you can; making a profit is highly likely!"

Zhao Yanxi wasn't greedy. The fact that "Painted Skin" sold for over nine million US dollars was already beyond his expectations, especially considering that it sold for 220 million US dollars in North America.

Even after Weinstein shelved the film "The Promise" in the United States, its second sale didn't seem to fetch this price.

It seems that the success of "Shutter" and "Juno" has made the film and television investors in North America quite accepting of the name "Zhao Yanxi".

It's said that "The Banquet" recouped its costs—around $2000 million—just from the trailers alone, but the other party has not revealed any specific details of the transaction, so the veracity of this figure remains to be seen.

Furthermore, "The Banquet" also features Zhang Ziyi. Even if she can't carry the box office, she is still a Chinese actress who has made an impression in Hollywood.

No matter how popular Liu Yifei is in China, she is not very recognizable to ordinary viewers abroad.

If the copyright is delayed and sold only after the film is released in China, the price may not be the same, given the size of the domestic box office!

"The film will be completed around December, the deal will be finalized in December, and it will be released in May next year!"