Chinese Entertainment: Academic Director

Chapter 430 yielded results.
Xiao Gangpao has been very low-key lately. Even when it came to donating to disaster relief, he gritted his teeth and spent a lot of money, but he did so discreetly and even repeatedly told his staff not to expose it.

Normally, if he were to donate this much money, he would want the whole world to know.

Unfortunately, he is currently in the eye of the storm, and a simple online search reveals numerous posts about him.

Sometimes, after reading those posts, he felt like climbing up the internet cable and smashing all those people to death with his keyboard—if I could foresee the future or be reborn, would I have ended up like this?

He'd be like that bastard Cao Yang, winning awards all over the world and becoming a big shot in Hollywood.

No way, if I could foresee the future or be reborn, why would I bother making movies? I could make a living anywhere!

These netizens... ugh, these keyboard warriors are truly despicable. They should use their time to go to the disaster area to rescue people.

"Ugh……"

As Little Cannon browsed the news online, he sighed repeatedly, his mood extremely low.

Xu Fan glanced at it, somewhat puzzled. The things said online were quite mysterious, which would obviously make Xiao Gangpao even more upset, but why should he still look at it?
Isn't it better to just ignore it?
"I find you really strange. You're clearly more upset by looking at all this nonsense, so why do you keep staring at it for no reason? Are you just making yourself miserable?"

Little Cannon waved his hand weakly, "You don't understand."

"I don't understand? If you did understand, why would you make yourself miserable? Aren't you just a jerk?"

Xu Fan said unhappily.

As Little Cannon's fame and influence grew, few dared to curse him like that to his face, not even the two CEOs of Huayi Brothers. Only Xu Fan was an exception.

"Sigh, I really am a shameless bastard."

Little Cannon chuckled self-deprecatingly and said helplessly, "The disaster over there is so severe, and there's so much talk online, with all sorts of opinions. Who knows what the higher-ups will think? I have to find out if there are any new developments so I can respond in time."

Xu Fan still couldn't quite understand.

What can you learn from the internet?
Even if someone has some ideas, they wouldn't post them online.

not understand.

The little cannon didn't offer any explanation.

Actually, not all the news online is bad.

For example, he saw some netizens who were not located in the earthquake epicenter replying to some posts:
Don't slander Director Feng. I don't care what his purpose is, or what nonsense he talks about, like precognition or rebirth. I think Director Feng is a great benefactor to many people.

The truth is, if I hadn't watched the short film produced by Director Feng on how to take shelter during an earthquake, I would have panicked and not known how to take shelter, and I might not have made it to the rescue.

I believe there are many such cases around me. If they watched Director Feng's short film, unless they were particularly unlucky, most of them were able to minimize the harm.

From now on, I will support Director Feng and Director Cao by going to the cinema to watch every single one of their movies without fail. I will be their most loyal fan...

Someone later asked: Director Feng saved your life, and I can understand that you are a fan of Director Feng and grateful to him, but why is Director Cao involved?

Some people explained that Cao Yang was the producer, supervisor, and screenwriter of the movie that Director Feng was going to make. It was because of Cao Yang that the movie that Director Feng was going to make came about, which is why he said that.

……

Xiao Gangpao kept browsing various forums and websites, and found some similar information, which made him feel somewhat relieved.

This is the kind of information Little Cannon wants; this is the kind of good online "friend" he wants. He believes that if more information like this comes along, he will not only be blameless but also meritorious.

Hopefully, more people will survive.

Well, ideally, those in the disaster area would watch the short film, survive, and then go online to "sing praises of their good deeds."

"Are you crazy? Are you sick? You were frowning just now, and now you're grinning like an idiot?"

Xu Fan, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but ask.

Oh no, is my man under too much pressure and has become depressed?

"Can't I find joy even in hardship?"

Little Cannon waved his hand, just as he was about to look again to see if there was any similar news, when he suddenly saw a film and television news article from Singer Entertainment about box office information.

"Huh? Cao Yang is really something. 'Love in the Seaside City' has been in theaters for forty-six days, and yesterday's box office actually surpassed that of 'The Forbidden Kingdom,' which has been in theaters for more than twenty days."

Wow, "Love in the Seaside City" is a huge box office hit in China, and some people say it's because of Jackie Chan; otherwise, an art film like this couldn't possibly have such high box office numbers.

Ha, you got slapped in the face, didn't you?

"The Forbidden Kingdom" not only starred Jackie Chan, but also Jet Li and Liu Yifei. Those guys, each thinking themselves experts, gave their analyses all sorts of things. I wonder what they have to say now."

"The film 'Love in the Seaside City' has been postponed, right? The box office is still pretty strong. Aren't you afraid it will surpass 'Assembly' at the box office?"

Xu Fan asked.

"how is this possible?"

Little Cannon smacked his lips, thought for a moment, and said with certainty, "This movie will probably only be delayed for a month, and at most it will only reach 2.5 million in box office. Art films still don't have as many audiences as commercial blockbusters."

"Isn't 'The Forbidden Kingdom' a commercial blockbuster? Why can't it outperform an art film?"

Xu Fan deliberately retorted.

"Director, I've said it so many times, it definitely depends on the director. In China, people tend to trust directors more than they do big stars, which is a good thing."

Little Cannon wanted to show off a bit, but considering his current situation, he ultimately didn't.

Two days later, a short segment on CCTV news, lasting less than ten seconds, finally put Xiao Gangpao's mind at ease. His anxiety about running away and avoiding the limelight finally subsided.

The child who was rescued in the news miraculously only suffered minor injuries.

He told reporters that it was because he had seen a promotional video on TV where many celebrities talked about how to avoid earthquakes...

There weren't many words spoken, and the news didn't show much of this scene either, but it depends on where it's broadcast!
Since this sentence wasn't cut and even made it onto CCTV News, even if it was just for a few seconds, it has a different meaning.

Little Cannon no longer has to worry about being "sliced ​​up" for research.

Logically speaking, since the conclusion has already been reached, promoting the short film at this time would definitely have an incredible promotional effect.

Little Steel Cannon actually thought of that.

However, even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to do it now.

I'm scared, I'm scared.

We can only keep our regrets to ourselves.

Although Cao Yangren was making movies in North America, he knew far more information than Xiao Gangpao.

During a meeting, a high-ranking leader got angry, believing that some government departments had not done enough and had not provided the public with the necessary knowledge to cope with disasters.

Furthermore, they cited the movie promotional video as an example, saying that movie promotions should aim to popularize earthquake preparedness measures as much as possible, but some organizations...

It was thanks to this speech by the top leader that the CCTV news broadcast those few seconds of footage. This not only reassured Xiao Gangpao, but also indirectly promoted the film.

Leaving aside the property damage caused by this earthquake, the number of casualties, especially the death toll, has been greatly reduced.

I reckon anyone who survived the disaster area after watching the movie trailer will remember the movie fondly and be grateful to Little Cannon for the rest of their life.

As always, Cao Yang reserved the scenes he considered most important for last when filming "Joker." He believes the most classic and iconic shot in the film is the same staircase scene: Arthur's dejected ascent and the Joker's dance as he descends.

After nearly two months of filming, Joker finally had only two shots left: the same staircase, one going up and one going down.

The staircase featured in the movie was originally a section of stairs at the intersection of Shakespeare Avenue and West 167th Street Anderson Avenue in the Bronx, New York City.

With the popularity of "Joker", this place has also become a famous spot for internet celebrities to take photos.

Similar steps can certainly be found elsewhere, but since Cao Yang knows this place, he certainly won't bother looking for similar steps elsewhere.

They had already applied for a filming permit from the city hall.

However, although it is the same set of steps, the photos were taken at different times.

To emphasize the protagonist's feelings, the scene of Arthur climbing the stairs should be filmed when the sky is slightly dark in the evening.

The clown descending the stairs should be filmed during the day, with appropriate camera angles and lighting. This will allow for a warmer color tone, or even an overexposed warm tone, during post-production.

On the first day, the scene of Arthur going up the stairs was filmed.

The next day, Cao Yang decided to film the final scene of the clown descending the steps between four and five in the afternoon, when the sun was shining brightly.

"When you stop striving for success as your life motto, self-indulgence frees you from all constraints, making you incredibly relaxed and happy... You know what to do, right? Should we do a test shoot first?"

Before filming, Cao Yang, as usual, explained it to Jim Carrey.

Jim Carrey turned up the corners of his mouth, making a funny gesture.

"There's absolutely no need for that, don't worry, director. I'm very excited and can't wait."

After saying that, he licked his upper and lower lips with his tongue, which looked both ridiculous and perverted because he was already made up.

Cao Yang smacked his lips. "Damn, do you want to hear what you have to say?"
The therapist said everything was under control, right? This is what you call under control?

Fine, if it's under control, then it's under control. As long as these last two sets of shots are filmed today, let that most famous psychiatrist in America take his time and let him control things.

Let's start filming then.

Cao Yang didn't make too many demands on Jim Carrey's dance as he went down the stairs; he was fine with it being improvised. The key was to make sure there were safety measures in place so he wouldn't make a mistake and fall down the stairs.

Jim Carrey did not make any unexpected moves; rather than dancing, he seemed to be indulging in a sense of "regaining freedom."

It was like a process of breaking free from mental constraints and moving towards freedom.

Watching Jim Carrey "dance" on the stairs, it feels like he has broken free from his previous repressed and difficult life, transforming from being bound by social rules to self-exile.

This transformation is reflected in his no longer being bound by moral norms, but instead releasing his inner repression in an extreme way.

Finally, when Jim Carrey's "free" dance ended, it evoked a sense of identification in the viewers, which is something that's hard to think about too deeply.

Cao Yang tried his best not to think about it. "Click, very good."

He looked at the crew members, and everyone was looking at Cao Yang.

After Jim Carrey finished filming, the corners of his mouth turned up, a gesture he made after filming the Joker.

After filming Arthur's scenes, he would lift the corners of his mouth with both hands and turn them up.

Cao Yang took a deep breath and said loudly, "The filming is all finished. Thank you all for your work and hard work. There will be a wrap party in Los Angeles tomorrow night. We look forward to your attendance."

"Yay..."

Just like in China, Hollywood movies also have wrap parties after filming is completed.

However, the format is definitely different from that in China. Here, the banquet is a small cocktail party, and everyone is dressed in suits and ties, which looks a bit formal.

……

Bingbing had already returned to China. She didn't have many scenes, and after finishing filming her own scenes, she stayed here for another week before going back.

Just before Ning Hao brought his interns to Los Angeles.

Fan Bingbing would definitely not come all the way from China just for a wrap party.

Jim Carrey didn't attend the wrap party either; instead, his agent, Eric Gold, represented him.

After filming wrapped yesterday, Jim Carrey stayed in New York because the famous psychiatrist's clinic is located there.

According to the psychologist, Jim Carrey needed to undergo closed therapy for a period of time, and after discussing it with his two agents, they decided to keep him in New York.

"Sir, after discussing it with Jimmy, we've decided to secretly spread the news that Jim is undergoing closed treatment at a psychiatric clinic. I'm not sure if this will cause trouble for you and the film crew, so I'd like to hear your opinion first."

Eric Gold said.

Cao Yang did not have any particular opinion on Jim Carrey's agent's attempt to exploit his immersion in the role and his depression.

Given Jim Carrey's portrayal of Arthur and the Joker, even without hype, it wouldn't matter if Warner Bros. re-established Heath Ledger as "there will be no Joker after Heath Ledger."

When "Joker" is released in six months, Jim Carrey will use his performance to let the audience know that "you" and "I" are both Jokers.

However, Jim Carrey's agents were clearly a bit worried, especially after they saw Heath Ledger's Joker clips.

That's why they decided to play the "emotional card" and the "tragic card," linking themselves to Heath Ledger for publicity, letting the audience know that Heath Ledger died for the Joker, and that Jim Carrey could die at any moment for the Joker.

Cao Yang thinks that with Jim Carrey's hype, who the hell would dare to play the Joker in the future?
"What does Warner mean?" Cao Yang asked.

"They said they would prioritize your opinion."

Eric Gold said, "Rest assured, we have a detailed plan. We will not attribute Jim's immersion in the role and depression to you and the crew, nor will we lead fans to think in that direction. We will attribute it all to Jim's dedication."

That being said, people's thoughts are hard to control, and no one knows what fans and the media will think or say at that time.

For example, what if Warner's competitors deliberately misled the public by saying that "The Joker" is a curse?

Don't assume that people in Europe and America are highly educated just because they are developed countries. In Europe and America, faith and curses are widely believed.

"Alright, go ahead with your plan."

No matter how much hype they generate, it shouldn't do much harm to the movie.

That's it.

"My dear director, would you like a female companion tonight?"

After Eric Gold left, Anne Hathaway came over with a wine glass and said with a smile.

You look a little different today. Is something on your mind?

Cao Yang asked.

Anne Hathaway took a sip of her drink, sighed, and said, "You know what? Maybe after tonight, I'll be single again. Rafero was taken away by the FBI the day before yesterday."

The Rafero she mentioned is her Italian boyfriend.

Cao Yang's heart skipped a beat. So, Anne Hathaway still had a boyfriend tonight?

(End of this chapter)