Huayu: Enjoy Yourself

Chapter 66 The Birth of a Small Goal!

The movie officially ends with the scene of the two men, dressed in school uniforms and holding their ID cards, arrogantly storming into the hotel!

A moment of silence followed, and Chen An turned to look behind him, where many media reporters and film critics had red eyes.

Many of the men remained stubborn and refused to speak.

Hu Hong, who was invited by Chen An, was so moved that his eyes reddened, and snot kept flowing from his eyes and nose, which he couldn't stop wiping away.

Zeng Li, the lead actress next to Chen An, even had tears in her eyes while watching the movie she starred in.

Chen An quickly handed her a handkerchief to wipe her hands, as she was about to be interviewed.

Just then, a burst of enthusiastic applause erupted in the venue, expressing their appreciation for the film.

The film portrays a humorous yet tragic love story in a deeply moving way, especially showcasing the heroine's beauty, strength, sensitivity, understanding, and slightly wild side!

This is a female image unlike any other before; she has a touch of wildness but doesn't give off a bad feeling, and her hidden sadness makes countless people feel sorry for her.

Without a doubt, this is a successful film, and Zeng Li's portrayal of the female lead will be the most outstanding.

Even Gong Li felt it was a bit of a pity. Why didn't they cast her for such a good role? Was she not good-looking enough? Or was her acting not good enough?

Chen An and his entourage walked onto the stage amidst continuous applause, ready to be interviewed.

Yu Jinghong, however, remained expressionless, her eyes fixed on Chen An as he walked onto the stage, her gaze unfathomable and devoid of any light.

Standing on the stage, Chen An suddenly felt a strange chill and wondered if the air conditioning was too strong.

After the applause stopped, Chen An, holding the microphone, immediately asked, "Was it good? Did you like it?"

The first to shout it out was Hu Hong, yelling at the top of his lungs: "Great!!"

The others either did the same thing, or they smiled and raised their hands to clap.

The response was pretty good; putting aside the directors, most of the actors also liked it.

The role doesn't require very high acting skills, but the character is vividly portrayed, which is rare for an actor.

The first interview was with a reporter from CCTV, who carries considerable weight: "Congratulations, Director Chen! Without a doubt, I think this is an excellent romantic comedy and also an excellent commercial film. It seems you've made a successful attempt. Do you have high expectations for the box office?"

"Thank you for your congratulations. I have high expectations for this box office target, so I'll set a small goal first: 100 million!" Chen An replied, holding up one index finger as he sat down.

This statement caused a huge stir, and not only CCTV reporters, but also reporters from other media outlets were shocked by Chen An's remarks.

It's unimaginable in this era, and Chen An even set a goal of 100 million as a small goal.

Moreover, in previous interviews, Chen An always said that he would leave the box office results to the audience and did not give a direct answer, but this time he opened his mouth and said that the box office was a super high of 100 million.

The CCTV reporter sat down excitedly, never expecting such explosive news to come out as soon as he opened his mouth!

Han Sanping sat next to him, unsure how to speak. Although both of them had high expectations for the film's box office performance, they hadn't expected to say it outright.

If you don't meet the standards, you'll be criticized to death and become a laughing stock in the industry!

"Director Chen, what is the reason for such high box office expectations? If you break the 100 million yuan mark, you will be the first director in mainland China to have a single film gross over 100 million yuan, surpassing your seniors." The reporter from Beijing Entertainment News immediately stood up after CCTV's interview.

Seizing the initiative, he asked Chen An a question. To be honest, there had been a notification to ask questions beforehand, but at this point, he couldn't care less.

Chen An's promise of 100 million yuan in box office revenue is sure to be explosive news if it gets out.

"Why do you think that is? What do you think of this movie?" Chen An asked the reporter in return.

The reporter thought for a moment and said, "In my opinion, it's excellent. I was very moved and happy watching it." He also remembered the excitement he felt when the male and female protagonists finally met at the end.

Upon hearing the reporter's answer, Chen An smiled and said, "So, the reason I have such high box office expectations is precisely because of the film's excellence. I believe most viewers will like it."

In fact, Chen An was quite confident. The target of 100 million was only for the domestic market. If they included overseas markets, it wouldn't be enough, but there was no need to say it.

"Director Chen, may I ask?"

"Director Chen."

"."

Reporters then rushed to ask Chen An questions, but Chen An did not continue to give interviews, instead giving the opportunity to Chen Kun and Zeng Li.

As the lead actor in the film, he still needs a lot of promotion.

After the interview, there was a simple banquet.

At the banquet, Jiang Wen found Chen An: "Brother, I have to go. My movie is still in production. Your movie is commercially viable, but it's not as good as the previous ones. Once I finish filming this one, I'll show it to you and show you what a real movie is."

"Okay, you go ahead. Remember to show me when you're done filming." Chen An didn't say anything more, just waved goodbye.

Jiang Wen smiled and nodded, then turned and left without saying anything more.

His film "Devils on the Doorstep" has now started filming, and he has already secured an investment of 20 million yuan, which is more than double that of "My Sassy Girl".

Moreover, Jiang Wen could only start filming, as there was still less film available later. In the end, it took 48 rolls of film to complete the shoot, exceeding the budget by 30%.

It is the nemesis of the frugal Chen An, the overspending type.

However, he is much better than some directors in the Hong Kong film industry; he is meticulous about the film and pursues excellence in camera work.

The latter is a $6000 straw hat. You might think this is a movie scene, but someone who doesn't know better would think it's a scam.

After seeing Jiang Wen off, Chen An felt a cold gaze fixed on him. He turned left and right and met Yu Jinghong's gaze, so he couldn't help but shrink back.

However, the other party ignored Chen An's discovery and smiled slightly, which made Chen An shiver.

Just as Chen An was about to go over and talk to her, Yu Jinghong turned her gaze away and left the spot.

Finally, Gong Li, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, came over: "Brother Chen An, it's been so long! Every time I watch your movies, I'm always wondering when you'll finish writing the script you promised me?"

"Sister Li, it'll be quick, just wait a bit. There's no one else suitable for this role but you." Seeing that the other party was blocking the door, Chen An decided to stall for time.

The script hasn't even been started, and it's unlikely to be started anytime soon.

"If I wait any longer, I'll be too old. That's why you haven't asked me to act in this new movie. I'm getting too old." As she spoke, Gong Li touched her face as if she were sighing.

Chen An knew, of course, that the other party was joking. As for why he didn't cast Gong Li in "My Sassy Girl," it wasn't because of their unsuitable images.

Indeed, some of them are a bit older, at least for this role.

The other person can play any role, not just art films, but also Hong Kong films, and even Stephen Chow's nonsensical movies. Although he was reserved at the time, he later said he regretted it.

It's not that I only act in art-house films; it's just that there aren't any directors in China with that kind of commercial ambition.

There are very few scripts like this.

Chen An laughed and said, "How could that be? Sister Li, I would use your trump card to fight back, so naturally I wouldn't take it out at this time. That would be like using a cannon to kill a mosquito, a waste of money."

"I'm embarrassed by your praise, but I don't only want scripts that good; commercial films are fine too." Gong Li didn't continue speaking after hearing Chen An's words.

He also knew that the other party would not contact him, since both lead actors had signed with his company and it was impossible for him to sign with them now.

However, she still has a chance; at least she is confident that Chen An will approach her for a good film that is worthy of awards.

The banquet didn't last long; after a brief half-hour conversation, it ended.

After returning, the media went on a writing spree, and Chen An also fulfilled his promise to Hu Hong to take a photo together.

I also got him to sign a few autographs, one for myself and one for the main actors.

(End of this chapter)