Huayu: Enjoy Yourself

Chapter 38: Decent Box Office Results

Countless viewers flocked to the cinema, captivated by Yu Jinghong standing in the forest.

I was struck by the beautiful, picturesque scenery in the movie.

To those who have never been to the countryside, it must look like what is depicted in various movies and TV dramas.

All that remained was poverty and desolation, a far cry from its tranquil and beautiful appearance.

Viewers from the countryside couldn't help but think of their own hometowns, wondering if there were aspects they had never noticed before.

The movie instantly went viral online. Although it's not as developed as it is now, discussions about "Little Forest" can be seen everywhere.

The most frequent search term was for the quiet yet strong female protagonist in the film, and countless people began searching for information about her online.

There are many talented people online, and some have actually dug up some information about her, such as that she once starred in a Hollywood movie.

She is also director Chen An's senior from school, but she had not appeared in any other works before.

She has already been hailed as a goddess by viewers online, and the topic is constantly being discussed.

The film's box office performance exceeded Chen An's expectations.

"One million one hundred and twenty thousand!"

Hearing Han Sanping's happy voice on the other end of the conversation, Chen An felt relieved.

Breaking even is no longer a problem; the first part alone should be enough to fully recoup the investment, and there might even be a profit.

The second installment will be even better, and we'll make a fortune!

Han Sanping on the other side was overjoyed. Brother Chen had indeed not disappointed him. This time, he had made a huge profit, and breaking even on the first installment was no problem.

She thought to herself that as long as she could hold him back, the Beijing Film Studio would produce more and more excellent works.

We can also have a chance to meet with Xi'an Film Studio then.

I have General Chen Anke to slay west Ying!

They then increased their publicity efforts, and soon after, media reports began to surface!

"Beijing Film Academy's talented director achieves another success, raking in 1.12 million yuan at the box office on opening day!"

"Little Forest" grossed 1.12 million yuan on its opening day, and the female lead is hailed as a goddess by netizens!"

Director Chen An's new film "Little Forest," featuring a change in style, grossed 1.12 million on its opening day, with its unusual rural scenery proving very popular!

"The cancellation of the directing department at Beijing Film Academy is a done deal; the cinematography department's prodigy director's new film raked in another 1.12 million yuan on its opening day, a resounding success!"

『.』

News of Little Forest's success appeared in various newspapers and websites.

Not long after, Chen An received a congratulatory phone call!

People he knew called to congratulate him, and Lin Dajiang also called, hoping to bring him along next time. Chen An neither refused nor agreed, and brushed it off.

Jiang Wen and Uncle Ge are the most interesting characters.

Jiang Wen jokingly asked him if he was interested in being the cinematographer for his next movie, since the footage was so beautiful.

Chen An said no problem, but the filming had to be done according to my instructions.

Jiang Wen laughed and told him to get lost.

Uncle Ge also joked that he had been waiting for Chen An's script for a long time, and wondered when it would finally be over.

Chen pretended to say that he needed to produce a masterpiece like "To Live" before he could persuade Ge You to come out of retirement, so that they could join forces and conquer Cannes!

Grandpa Ge smiled and said, "Okay, okay."

The only one who didn't call was his leading lady, but it didn't matter.

I would hide in her house to study English, and together we would browse websites endlessly on our old laptops, looking for discussions about movies.

Seeing the online comments, Yu Jinghong was in a great mood and decided to reward Chen An!

Chen An was not afraid of fighting either, and they fought fiercely on the chairs right there!

"Could you take it off? It's a little uncomfortable being tied up like that."

"No, this is how it has to be, mmm~"

"All right."

May Day seven-day holiday!

The media hype and positive reviews online.

The box office revenue exceeded 1.4 million on the second day!

It then dropped back down.

The film grossed over nine million during the seven-day holiday, but as the holiday ended, its box office revenue dropped by one million as expected.

Despite Han Sanping's best efforts to rectify the situation, pirated DVDs still surfaced a few days later.

However, after two weeks of release, the box office officially exceeded 12 million, so it was definitely a big profit.

Box office revenue plummeted, barely reaching 100,000 to 200,000 yuan per day, only recovering to several hundred thousand yuan on weekends. Many couples on dates liked to watch this movie together.

The market is like this now: people in the theaters are embezzling from their own staff, and even those working below them have their own agendas, making it difficult for box office revenue to rise.

Chen An had no choice but to let it be.

Now that he had succeeded, Chen An was able to settle down and write the script for "My Sassy Girl".

This is a South Korean film that swept across Asia in its previous life. It can be said to be one of the few excellent and classic romance films in Asia, and it is even more so in China.

At least before Titanic, China didn't like making this kind of thing.

Chen An had already written the script outline; now all that was needed was to translate it into Chinese. Thanks to the fact that it was an Asian film, the translation was much easier, and Chen An especially loved translating!

The character's identity as a deserter definitely needs to be changed, as it doesn't fit the national context.

Chen An wasn't in a hurry, since it would be released after "Titanic," so there was still plenty of time.

He wanted to see if he could ride the wave of Titanic's popularity and break the 100 million yuan box office mark.

After all, "My Sassy Girl" is really good quality. Even by today's standards, it would be considered one of the top ten Asian films in the romance genre!

It is also revered as a masterpiece in China!

After that, Chen An planned to go to Hollywood for a while, since that was the place to make money.

Of course, domestic films must continue to be produced, since that is our core business.

Going there is just about earning some US dollars and building up one's reputation.

While looking for houses all over the capital, Chen An was also writing a script.

Now that "Little Forest: Summer and Autumn" has been a huge success, all that's needed is to wait for the box office revenue to be distributed so that one can buy a house.

Of course it has to be a courtyard house. Even though I've been envious of it online for ages, I still have to buy one.

Judging from the box office figures, it shouldn't be difficult to break 15 million. Even after deducting investment, this would still be profitable, having already factored in costs and taxes.

The second part, "Little Forest: Dongchun Chapter," was purely profitable through revenue sharing.

So Chen An prepared about one million, keeping some funds for filming, and could take out this amount.

With the help of Master Han, they eventually acquired a courtyard house of over 400 square meters in a hutong (alley) near the center of the city.

The homeowner is in a hurry to leave the country and is selling at a low price.

Chen An can move in directly, and the funds will be transferred when they arrive in his account.

Moreover, the homeowner knew Chen An and had seen his movies, so he agreed to the contract. After signing the contract, Chen An immediately transferred the deposit.

He started calling people to help clean up the house, and Duan Long was naturally Chen An's best helper.

Chen Wei wouldn't let them off the hook either, and summoned them all over.

"Keep it up, guys. After we finish, I'll treat you to a good meal. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Chen An, who was moving with several people, chatted happily with everyone.

The homeowner had already sold off his belongings; he kept the chairs and sofa, but all the other household appliances were gone.

Chen An had to buy the supplies himself, have them delivered, and then move them in with everyone else.

Exhausted and panting, Chen Wei said, "We have to go to Fangshan Restaurant. I'm going to give you a good thrashing!"

"No problem, why stop? Get back to work!" Chen An nodded in agreement, but now you have to keep working.

Chen An also called over two girls to help clean and tidy up the house.

Chen Wei worked hard all by himself, and Duan Long, who was next to him, received thoughtful care from Tao Hong after he finished his work.

Yu Jinghong, on Chen An's side, couldn't do anything; all she could do was sweep the floor, wipe things down, and hand out water.

Chen Wei, who was already exhausted, felt even worse.

I swear I'll definitely make Chen An pay, and order the most expensive stuff!

After finishing his work, Chen An brewed tea for everyone. It was all a gift from Han Sanping, and Chen An didn't usually drink tea, but he brought it all out.

The group sat in the courtyard, drinking tea to catch their breath.

"Everyone, take a break first, and then we'll go out to eat together. We'll go to Fangshan, which you mentioned. I haven't been there before, so I'll see what it's like."

Chen An sat in a chair, looking at the courtyard in front of him, feeling quite relaxed.

I plan to plant something here later, like grapes. It would be great if we could hang a swing here!

I need your recommendation votes, monthly tickets, and tips. Also, could you teach me how to make some small-scale deals with other authors? I'm in a hurry!

(End of this chapter)