Chapter 814 Mixed up in a Movie

In China, Hollywood movies are synonymous with blockbusters, and blockbusters refer to Hollywood movies.

On November 12, 1994, China Film and Television reached an agreement with Warner Bros. to introduce the Hollywood blockbuster "The Fugitive".

A blockbuster is a blockbuster, and it's extraordinary the moment it's released.

At that time, the average ticket price for Chinese movies was 6 yuan, and "The Fugitive" sold for 15 yuan.

Although it was only released in 6 cities including BJ, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Tianjin and Zhengzhou, it finally won a box office of 25 million.

This was an astonishing number back then.

The most impressive one is "Titanic", which was released in China on April 30, 1998, with a box office of 360 million yuan, and has dominated the Chinese film box office for 11 years.

Domestic movies have no power to fight back!

To know this year's box office rankings, "Transformers 3", "Kung Fu Panda 2", "Pirates of the Caribbean 4", and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2)" occupy four seats...

Then there are "The Smurfs", "Fast and Furious 95", "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", "Rio", "Fatal Partner", "The Green Hornet"...

Let’s put it this way, the worst ones can exceed 100 million!

However, Shen Xudong is not very worried...

His Tianmei Media is also very powerful - in the top ten, movies produced by Tianmei Media account for five seats, excluding the currently showing "The Thirteen Hairpins" and "The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate"...

And this batch of directors is different from the previous ones...

"In the early years, the Chinese film industry liked to make movies that catered to Western tastes. The logic was that external recognition → bringing glory to the country → local audiences would be attracted to watch."

"Those domestic blockbusters are all products of this logic!"

"Under the influence of this logic, external recognition is more important than local recognition, so local movies are given an exotic color, which over time creates a fixed impression that foreign culture is superior to local culture. Is it a joke that local culture still wants to develop? "

"If you don't take care of the local audience, if you just think about breaking into the international market, you will end up with neither."

"Yes, what belongs to the nation belongs to the world!"

"It's a pity that they don't understand this truth. The so-called cultural export is actually spillover, not catering!"

After a pause, Shen Xudong continued: "Actually, what we call overseas markets is the "golden billion people" in developed countries, especially North America!

But whether Chinese films can be accepted by this market is obviously a matter of national politics and has little to do with film production. No matter how good you are in filming, people just won't give you a screen!

On the other hand, if the national political issues are resolved, it will no longer be a problem for Chinese films to get screens in other countries. This means more overseas box office, which means more investment. By then, there will be Form a positive spiral like Hollywood before it. "

"Have you reached this level now?"

Shen Xudong was amused: "What do you think I have been doing in Hollywood these past few years?"

Ning Hao: "Fuck foreign girls!"

Chen Sicheng also chimed in: "Eat mutton, drink foreign wine, pick up foreign girls, the three Yangs are prosperous..."

"Get lost!" Shen Xudong cursed, and then said: "I'm here to study. To study, you have to blend in and act in accordance with their customs. It's not about picking up foreign girls. I'm not in love with anyone!"

Chen Sicheng's eyes lit up: "Just for fun?"

Shen Xudong was too lazy to answer him and directly changed the subject: "...Tell me, if the number of imported films increases, what impact will it have?"

"Then the theater chain will definitely usher in a new round of expansion..."

"...Yes, the market will also surge. I estimate that in about three years, the mainland market will rise to more than 40 billion!"

"40 billion...then this market is huge!"

"I have said before that the potential of the Chinese film market should be around 100 billion. So how to support such a large market? The box office of the leading film must be at least 8 billion!"

"...That's too exaggerated!"

"It's no exaggeration... this year's total box office will definitely exceed 13 billion, and the number one is "Transformers 3" with 1.073 billion. In a market of 40 billion, the number one box office must be at least 2.5 billion..."

Just as he was talking, the staff knocked on the door and came in: "Mr. Shen...the crew of "First Love" is here!"

"...They...then invite them over quickly!"

…

"First Love" is about to be released. It will be released on December 1st. As of today, December 26th, it has been in theaters for 25 days and has a cumulative box office of 367 million...

Last week's box office was 19.87 million. However, starting this week, four new films, "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate", "Tears of the Fallen City", "Close Enemy" and "Speed ​​Angel" will be released.

"First Love" is completely at the bottom of the film schedule, with only about 600 shows scheduled a day, and the single-day box office dropped to less than 200,000...

There is no hope of breaking 400 million!

However, for a movie that cost less than 10 million to achieve such impressive results is already considered a miracle!

According to Yu Dong's words, "Before, Hong Kong directors still had an advantage, but now, "A Little Thing About First Love" has stunned them. With an investment of 8 million, the mainland box office was 350 million, and the Hong Kong box office was 36 million Hong Kong dollars. The sales in Southeast Asia were close to 10 million US dollars... They now don’t know the taste of the audience. They are now thinking about how to come to the mainland, develop mainland themes, invite mainlanders to shoot, they will be the producers, and integrate with the mainland creative team... '

How can it be that simple? Hong Kong filmmakers serve as producers and then use mainland teams to produce?

If you use this plan, what will happen to the homeless filmmakers in Hong Kong?

It triggered a new trend: Hong Kong directors returned to Hong Kong and started making police movies again...

For example, they all say Chen Musheng, Qiu Litao...

However, in this time and space, these two people have been deeply bound to Jiahe, and they have the "Anti-Drug" and "Rage" series, while Qiu Litao has the "Bomb Disposal Expert" and "Renegade" series...

Back to the subject, the "First Love" team came here specifically to talk to Shen Xudong about their ideas for the next youth film...

Oh, this time I brought Dilireba with me.

Shen Xudong introduced with a smile: "Let me introduce, Director Ning Hao and Director Chen Sicheng...these two were the first assistant directors who came to me, Su Lun and Director Yin Ruoxin, who are also the directors of "A Little Thing About First Love"..."

"I watched "First Love", and I really didn't expect that such a beautiful woman could be so..."

Yin Ruoxin smiled and said: "...Make-up is quite difficult. It mainly darkens her skin and makes her teeth yellow...and her hair style...The hardest part is Xiaodi. She has to put on makeup for three or four hours every day for filming!"

Su Lun answered: "But later on, we didn't need to film the plot where Xiao Shui became beautiful. Xiao Di was already beautiful..."

Shen Xudong glanced at Di Lieba and nodded: "Indeed, her appearance is angular... not suitable for costume dramas, but very suitable for modern dramas..."

Ning Hao interjected: ""East Palace" is also good!"

Shen Xudong was confused: "...you still watch "East Palace"?"

"My wife watches TV dramas every day, and I occasionally watch it..."

"The heroine of "East Palace" is a princess from an ethnic minority..."

Chen Sicheng glanced at Di Lieba and Zhu Yilong, his eyes lit up, and then asked Shen Xudong in a low voice: "Director Shen, can you lend them to me too?"

"The two of them..."

Shen Xudong watched the performance and then said: "Director Chen is planning a movie that requires five pairs of actors and actresses. If you two have schedules, you can take it!"

Zhu Yilong nodded: "...I have no problem!"

Reba was a little distressed: "But I still have to go to school..."

"Are you here for a show?"

"Um…"

Shen Xudong smiled and looked at Chen Sicheng: "The management of the theater is really harsh. Brother Hu was already very popular with "Legend of Sword and Fairy", but when he was filming "Flying Fairies", the school refused to give him a leave, so he had to Take advantage of the winter vacation to shoot...the more popular an actor is, the more pressure he will put on you."

Ning Hao was puzzled: "Why?"

"For...I don't know, Sicheng should know, right?"

Chen Sicheng grimaced: "I was fired for fighting in a theater... How did I know..."

Ning Hao was surprised: "Have you ever been expelled?"

"Well, thanks to Teacher Li Xuetong..."

Li Xuetong was Chen Sicheng's mentor after he started acting. It was precisely because of his appreciation that Li Xuetong spared no effort to protect Chen Sicheng after he was fired for getting into a fight.

Two years later, Chen Sicheng competed again at Beijing Film Academy, but he ultimately lost due to his previous record of being expelled. However, Li Xuetong introduced him to Wang Lina of China Film Academy...

Then Chen Sicheng was able to enter the Chinese drama!

Moreover, when he was in school, Chen Sicheng was very good. He participated in the National College Student Singers Competition and an original song "Wind Chimes of Time" won Chen Sicheng to be included in Warner Records.

Fellow martial artist Wang Feng personally customized the single "Make Youth Shine Shine" for him, which is also firmly on the popular charts.

The film debut "Judge Mom" ​​co-star Xi Meijuan, a veteran actress, let Chen Sicheng win the award and was soft-hearted.

But... his subsequent career did not go so smoothly, because he signed with Huayi, and Huayi did not particularly value him...

Otherwise, there is no need to find Xinli for "Northern Love". If the Huayi brothers liked Chen Sicheng, "Northern Love" would have been Huayi's work long ago!

Shen Xudong made the final decision: "Then you can shoot it during the summer vacation. You don't have to be in such a hurry for this movie..."

After saying that, he looked at Zhu Yilong and Dilraba: "Thank you, Director Chen..."

"Thanks…"

Both of them were a little confused. They originally came here for a visit, but ended up being involved in a movie?