Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 354 A Glimpse of the Golden Globe Awards

Liu Jing enjoyed seven days of National Day holiday.

The film crew didn't get a break, and even though the crew was paid triple wages, they weren't very happy.

However, it wasn't without its rewards; I thoroughly enjoyed the melons over those seven days.

After Yang Mi joined the cast, she openly acted as a couple with the male lead on set.

Tang Xuejian and Jing Tian are a couple in the drama. Every night, she would knock on the male lead's door with her script and come out the next morning when she was having breakfast.

The crew members are all discerning; no one is a fool. The two brothers can't possibly spend the whole night talking and rehearsing their lines.

There must have been some rehearsals, and afterwards, they would have heart-to-heart talks, exchanging feelings of brotherhood. That goes without saying.

Who could face a brother with a fox-like face and a "D" in his name and remain steadfast like a pine tree, never letting go?

Yang Mi doesn't shy away from the topic at all; she's filming during the day as if nothing has happened.

Tang Yan was dumbfounded, completely bewildered. While she was still wondering what to do, the other party had already taken care of the matter.

Liu Shishi was terrified and kept her distance. Liu Yifei and Yang Mi are both incredibly cunning; I hope they don't get me covered in blood when they fight.

The rest of the crew was very curious. Wasn't Liu Shishi rumored to be having an affair with Liu Jing? Could this new leading lady of the sugar factory tolerate it?

There are quite a few employees of Sugarman here, and many others often collaborate with Sugarman. Many people feel they have uncovered the truth.

Cai Yinong is good at creating hype; she's using Liu Jing to elevate Liu Jing's status as a "little fairy," suggesting their relationship is purely platonic.

So someone asked Yang Mi, "Are you dating Liu Jing?"

Yang Mi responded directly, "What do you mean by dating? We're like brothers. It's just for filming, to build chemistry."

Those who heard it were astonished; they had never seen anyone so dedicated, making such a sacrifice for a single film.

Yang Mi wasn't afraid at all; Liu Yifei's absence from the set already spoke volumes. Whether she and her older brother had any chemistry was another matter, but on this point, she and Liu Yifei shared an unspoken understanding.

In many people's eyes, Yang Mi's sacrifices go far beyond these. She failed to win the title of the second Golden Eagle Goddess, which triggered her feelings that there was something wrong with her face shape, so she went to South Korea for plastic surgery.

Why did they only join the crew now? Because they need time to recover after plastic surgery. This reasoning is reasonable and consistent with reality.

The news spread like wildfire, leaving Yang Mi heartbroken. "I'm so busy! I haven't seen the cast of 'Chinese Paladin 3' because I'm filming 'The Golden Era.' After 'Chinese Paladin 3,' I'll be joining the cast of 'Three Kingdoms,' and after that, there's 'Beauty's Rival in Palace.' I don't have time for plastic surgery."

And that was indeed the case; all she knew was that she hadn't had plastic surgery. Her bra size, which had long since plateaued, had increased by half a size. That wasn't so bad; she could attribute it to excessive estrogen secretion or her older brother's overprotective care. But why had her face shape been subtly altered? She was completely baffled.

There's no point in arguing; a hundred mouths cannot defend oneself. There's no way to argue; what is there to argue with?

Yang Mi finally had to admit, "Okay, I've had some minor adjustments, so what?"

Liu Jing was so happy not because his older brother was more fun, nor because he often sneaked into his sister-in-law's room in the middle of the night.

The last time I was this happy was when "The Yin-Yang Sacred Fire Order" was released last year, also during the National Day Golden Week.

Coincidentally, "The Sacred Flame" was also released on September 28.

The pleasure derived from achieving success is greater than the pleasure of conquering women.

"The Sacred Flame" grossed over 100 million yuan in ten days, while "Painted Skin" grossed over 100 million yuan in five days and 170 million yuan in seven days.

On its opening day, September 28, the film barely grossed over 9 million yuan.

Fantasy themes aren't popular, and the initial audience was drawn by Liu Jing, Fan Bingbing, and Liu Xian. During the National Day holiday, fans of the three contributed 20% of the box office revenue.

After watching it, people found it better than they had imagined, and began to spread the word widely. As word-of-mouth spread, box office revenue also climbed steadily.

The box office was 0.23 million yuan on the first day of the holiday, 0.25 million yuan on the second day, 0.28 million yuan on the third day, and 0.26 million yuan on the fourth day. The box office reached 1.22 million yuan in five days.

On October 3rd, the fifth day of the holiday, the box office was 24 million yuan.

On October 4th, the sixth day of the holiday, the box office was 26 million yuan.

On October 5th, the last day of the holiday, the box office revenue exceeded 10 million.

During the seven-day National Day holiday, box office revenue reached a staggering 1.83 million yuan, far exceeding the predicted figures.

Many film studios were relieved that they had avoided the National Day holiday period. Then they started worrying again: August is the Olympics, September is "The Mummy 3," October is the release of "Painted Skin," and November is "Under the City Wall"—is there any chance this year?
Today is Saturday, October 11th. As of 10 PM, this week's box office is 0.84 million.

It was already past seven o'clock, and the film crew had long since finished work, but many people were still staying here.

The team includes general director Li Guoli, producer Cai Yinong, directors Liang Shengquan, Lin Yufen, and Huang Junwen, as well as assistant directors, screenwriters, and other staff.

The cast includes Liu Jing, Yang Mi, Liu Shishi, Tang Yan, Huo Jianhua, Huang Zhiwei, Lin Zicong, Yuan Hong, and more than a dozen other actors.

The people gathered together not to eat and drink, but to wait and watch "Happy Camp" together.

Due to considerations of social relationships and the desire to have a backup plan, the group gathered a total of twenty or thirty people, even more than the one assembled for the start of filming "Chinese Paladin 3".

"Liu Jing, the box office is 2.87 million yuan after fourteen days of release. It looks like breaking 300 million yuan in the first half of the month is no problem. There are still two half months left. If it is extended again after the expiration, the box office is very likely to break 400 million yuan. Tsk tsk, 2.87 million yuan! If our 'Chinese Paladin 3' can sell a fraction of that in the first run, I will be very satisfied." Li Guoli looked at the data, his mood was quite complicated.

"It's creating a legend," Huo Jianhua murmured, feeling as if he were witnessing the birth of a miracle.

"Publicity and marketing are extremely important. Now that filming for 'Chinese Paladin 3' has wrapped up, we need to quickly develop a publicity and marketing plan." Cai Yinong kept looking at Liu Jing as she spoke.

"Promoting a TV series is relatively simpler compared to a movie. 'Chinese Paladin 3' has the excellent foundation of 'Chinese Paladin 1' and a broad fan base from the game. There's no need for any fancy tricks; a conventional promotional approach will suffice." Liu Jing smiled. Old Cai wanted him to come up with a plan, but he felt that 'Chinese Paladin 3' didn't need one.

"The marketing for 'Painted Skin' was textbook perfect. Liu Yifei's 'My Girlfriend is a Gumiho' had already built up a huge fan base and pushed the hype to its peak. A magical and dazzling premiere was a stunning start. Liu Jing still had the afterglow of the opening ceremony and his Best Actor award at the Hundred Flowers Awards, Liu Yifei and Fan Bingbing were generating endless buzz, the three main actors had a strong fan base, and most importantly, the film was genuinely good. After two weeks in theaters, the box office was sluggish, but tonight's episode of 'Happy Camp' is generating another wave of buzz. I have a feeling that tonight's episode of 'Happy Camp' will be their highest-rated show of the year," said assistant director Zhao Shiyao, beaming with energy.

"Haha, Lao Zhao, you didn't say that last year. You said the 'Yin Yang Sacred Flame Token' was the textbook example of effective publicity." Cai Yinong laughed.

“Last year’s high-profile casting call for ‘The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber’ was enough to overshadow any other publicity campaign. It’s no exaggeration to say that ‘The Sacred Flame’ is a textbook example. Textbooks always need to be updated, and ‘Painted Skin’ is the publicity textbook for this year, and even for the next few years,” Zhao Shiyao explained.

"Whether it's a textbook example or not, I don't know. But Liu Yifei's performance surprised me. The little girl from back then is completely different now, and she has the air of a great lady about her now." Liang Shengquan sighed, as the scenes of filming "Chinese Paladin" a few years ago came to mind.

Brother Xiaoyao, Brother Xiaoyao...

The adorable little girl from back then has grown up and is now capable of taking on important responsibilities.

"She's only twenty-one years old this year," Lin Yufen murmured.

Everyone looked at Liu Jing and suddenly fell silent. There was still a twenty-year-old among them.

Yang Mi sighed, "I'm twenty-two years old, and I'm still far from good enough. The difference between first and third place is not only a singer, but also an entire era."

"You've overlooked one point: the release date of *Painted Skin* was excellent. Everyone avoided the Olympics in August, and *Perfect Couple* became a dark horse. After the Olympics, because of the release of *The Mummy 3*, the producers didn't dare to compete head-on. Who knew that *The Mummy 3* would flop, resulting in a lack of good films after the Olympics. Just then, *Painted Skin* was released, igniting the audience's pent-up enthusiasm for movies after two months," Liu Jing added.

"It's not that the release date was chosen well, but that the production companies are all avoiding your 'Painted Skin'. You, Fan Bingbing, Liu Yifei, the three of you together, who dares to go head-to-head with you?" Li Guoli shook his head.

Dozens of people gathered together, and before "Happy Camp" even started, it turned into a seminar.

Those present were all industry elites, and they all shared their opinions, gaining a lot of knowledge from each of them.

"I think there's another point. The scene where Sissi's face is revealed was forwarded millions of times via text message. This kind of dissemination effectively encourages people to go to the cinema," Tang Yan couldn't help but speak up after listening for a while.

"Tangtang is right, especially in second- and third-tier cities. Many people watch movies because of this." Old Cai agreed, then felt a pang of regret, wishing he had signed Liu Yifei back then...

"Red Cliff Part I" has attracted over 400 million viewers in South Korea, grossing 1.65 million yuan and becoming the champion of Chinese-language films. Its box office performance there is even more phenomenal, reaching 3.3 million yuan. Painted Skin has already surpassed 200 million viewers in just half a month; I wonder if it can surpass Red Cliff," Yang Mi added.

"It's impossible to surpass it; it lacks staying power. The Three Kingdoms culture is prevalent in Japan and South Korea, and Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio is not as popular as the Three Kingdoms. The reason why 'Painted Skin' had so many viewers is thanks to 'The Nine-Tailed Fox' and CJ Entertainment's extravagant marketing campaign." Liu Jing shook his head.

"Director Chen Jiashang is from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Why is the box office not high there? Is this one of the reasons?" Yang Mi asked, puzzled.

Among so many directors in Hong Kong, Chan Ka-sheung is quite special to her.

She had a cameo role in "King of Beggars," and it was through this film that she met her brother, who was directed by Chan Ka-sheung.

"Director Chen's move north has offended some people's interests. There's been a boycott, which has negatively impacted the box office. It's only thanks to Golden Harvest's strong support that the box office would have been even lower." Liu Jing chuckled, letting them run wild for a while, since they don't have much time left to do so anyway.

"He's the chairman of the Hong Kong Film Awards, this is too..." Yang Mi was dumbfounded. She only gossiped about superficial things, these were things she didn't know.

“Hong Kong cinema is dead, and even Chairman Chan Ka-sheung can’t save it,” Li Guoli sighed.

“That’s hard to say. Everyone chose him to step in and save the day because they admire his decisive and bold approach. With the strong performance of ‘Painted Skin,’ he has more confidence to undertake reforms.” Liang Shengquan held a different opinion.

"Look at the momentum of his reforms. If they succeed, will they still be considered Hong Kong films? Hong Kong films are no longer what they used to be. That's an indisputable fact. There are always people who cling to the old glory and are unwilling to face reality," Li Guoli mocked.

"Old Li is right. Chen Jiashang's reform measures will only hasten the death of Hong Kong films. But it's better that they're dead, just like Golden Harvest. Only from ruins can more beautiful flowers grow."

Yang Mi quietly took her older brother's hand, drew circles in his palm, stuck out her tongue, and whispered, "Is it my fault? I steered the conversation off-topic."

Originally, everyone was discussing "Painted Skin," but after she mentioned the Hong Kong Film Awards, these Hong Kong and Taiwanese people were like they'd been injected with adrenaline and started debating.

We talked about the Hong Kong Film Awards, about Hong Kong films, about the present and the future, and then about the past.

Liu Jing smiled, not taking it to heart.

He was not optimistic about Chen Jiashang's reforms either. In fact, Chen Jiashang himself was not optimistic either, but rather than watching it die, he thought he might as well give it another push and see if it would blossom in a different way.

Hong Kong's film industry faces three major challenges: a talent gap and a lack of new generations; capital shifting north and co-productions dominating the market; and a shrinking local market that can no longer support the industry.

Since taking office as chairman of the Hong Kong Film Awards, Chan Ka-sheung has implemented a number of reforms. Firstly, he expanded the scope of the awards, allowing co-production film creators to compete for acting awards, hoping to attract mainland capital and revitalize the awards. However, unlike the Golden Horse Awards, he did not fully embrace mainland films, still adhering to the exclusionary clause of "protecting Hong Kong films."

Based on this one point alone, Liu Jing believes that Chen Jiashang's reforms are just a change in name only.

Liu Jing mentioned this matter during the filming of "Painted Skin." Chen Jiashang frankly stated that he also had his own helplessness. It wasn't that he insisted, but rather that many veteran Hong Kong filmmakers and established film companies insisted on their own path; this was their bottom line.

Even so, it still met with opposition from many people, with Johnnie To publicly criticizing the Hong Kong Film Awards for "kowtowing to the mainland."

Secondly, Chen Jiashang added 20% young filmmakers to the judging panel, creating a younger jury in an effort to break the old-school monopoly.

He is trying to weaken the influence of established companies such as Silver Metropolo, Golden Harvest, Media Asia, Eagle Group, Win's Entertainment, and Shaw Brothers. If this can be achieved, then the first point will have a chance.

Third, the awards will be further subdivided, with new categories such as Best Visual Effects. This will incentivize industrial technological innovation and thus guide industrial revitalization.

In Liu Jing's view, this was a joke.

The foundation of Hong Kong's film industry is crumbling. Talent is migrating north, and domestic capital is flowing south, leaving technical awards like a tree without roots. Unable to take root, they merely float on the surface. This reform is like changing seats on a sinking ship—utterly useless.

Finally, the awards ceremony was moved away from television, canceling its TVB broadcast and switching to online streaming, thus freeing it from the limitations of television editing.

It has some advanced features, but that's about it.

Without the support of the old guard, Chen Jiashang's reforms were doomed to failure.

If they don't want to endure the pains of revolution, then they can only wait to die.

"I'm not reforming the awards; I'm keeping vigil for Hong Kong cinema."

After the premiere in Yandu, the main cast and crew had a meal together. Chen Jiashang drank two glasses of wine, his clothes were wet with tears, and he said the following words.

Hong Kong directors and actors alike have a deep and unwavering love for the Hong Kong film industry, and they have used their own methods to save the industry.

Whether they come back from Hollywood or head north to the mainland, it's just a matter of different methods.

Liu Jing understood that, under the pressure of Hong Kong film fundamentalism, Chen Jiashang wanted to choose a path of dignified death.

So he directly refuted, "Without an industry foundation, you don't even qualify to keep vigil."

“I also want to have a solid industrial foundation. The reason why a building is about to collapse is because its foundation is empty.” Chen Jiashang said emotionally.

"Foundation? Heh, the foundation of Hong Kong films lies in the mainland. Without the nourishment of the mainland in terms of culture and talent, how could Hong Kong films have achieved their glory? The only way out for Hong Kong films is to embrace the mainland and actively integrate into it. Only then is there a glimmer of hope. Clinging to past glories will only result in a few of you putting on a one-man show." Liu Jing had also drunk quite a bit. If he had drunk less, he wouldn't have said so much to Chen Jiashang.

"Golden Harvest is also a long-established Hong Kong film company..."

"Wrong! Golden Harvest used to be just a Hong Kong company; now it's China Entertainment Film Company. You haven't forgotten the internal turmoil that erupted when we first took over Golden Harvest, have you? The conservatives and die-hards were all purged. You saw the results; we were indeed severely weakened and almost went under. But after recovering, we've grown stronger and more vibrant." Liu Jing retorted.

“Golden Harvest is an exception. Its flesh and blood are in Hong Kong, but its soul is in the mainland. Other companies, whoever dares to do that, will be the first to kick the bucket.” Chen Jiashang said sullenly.

"The smaller the place, the more trouble there is. You all look down on Fatty Wang, but you really don't have his vision. I drank with Fatty Wang and heard what he said. What mainland movies, what Shanghai movies, what Hong Kong and Taiwan movies, they're all Chinese movies. If the country is good, if Chinese movies are good, everyone is good. Drawing your own little circle is like imprisoning yourself. Sitting in a well and looking at the sky, utterly foolish," Liu Jing mocked.

The two debated fiercely, with Zhen Zidan remaining silent and Fan Xiaopang not daring to say much. Qianqian couldn't help but exclaim, "He knows so many idioms!"

Liu Jing and Fatty Wang are good friends, but Qianqian always felt they were birds of a feather and harbored resentment towards Fatty Wang. "My little wooden dog went bad; it must have been Fatty Wang who taught him to do it."

“He graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong,” Chen Jiashang said with a smile.

Sisi's words eased the tension. Liu Jing calmed down, and Chen Jiashang was no longer indignant.

"Liu Jing, the sensational premiere today, along with the phenomenal pre-sale box office, has given me a lot of confidence. I hope that the reform can receive the support of Golden Harvest. I wonder what your opinion is?" Chen Jiashang asked solemnly.

"Of course, but I have two requirements." Liu Jing thought to himself, "Here we come. We're both cunning foxes. Chen Jiashang's long-winded talk is all for Jiahe."

"You said."

Liu Jing held up two fingers, “First, abolish the exclusionary clauses protecting Hong Kong films and fully embrace mainland films. Second, accept funding from the central government and allow government oversight.”

Chen Jiashang's expression changed. The two demands seemed simple at first glance, but they were shaking the very foundation of the Hong Kong Film Awards.

How many mainland Chinese films and co-productions are produced each year, compared to just how many Hong Kong and Taiwanese films? If this regulation were relaxed, mainland and co-productions would increase dramatically, completely squeezing out Hong Kong films. If this continues, where will Hong Kong films be at the Hong Kong Film Awards?

If central government funds come in, they will definitely want a say. Will the Hong Kong Film Awards still have any autonomy?

“If we do it this way, what’s the difference between the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Rooster, Hundred Flowers, and Huabiao Awards? This kind of reform is meaningless.” Chen Jiashang rejected the idea on the spot.

Liu Jing is indeed eyeing the Hong Kong Film Awards, but he has no chance of winning any of the six major awards in mainland China.

But with Golden Harvest in his hands and Chan Ka-sheung as the chairman of the Hong Kong Film Awards, how could he not be tempted?

The intention is not to control, but to reform in a way that benefits oneself.

If all goes well, he will have an advantage at the Hong Kong Film Awards, and he will have a constant stream of chances to win prizes.

His first negotiation with Chen Jiashang ended in failure.

Liu Jing wasn't in a hurry; there would be plenty of opportunities. Haste makes waste. He had plenty of patience to keep Tong Liya and Zeng Li waiting for so long.

When "Painted Skin" grossed over 100 million yuan in five days, Chen Jiashang contacted Liu Jing and proposed the concept of "dual-track reform".

The Best Film award is split into two categories: Best Hong Kong Film, which requires that the film be funded by Hong Kong at least 60% of the production and be led by Hong Kong directors and screenwriters.

The other is Best Chinese-Language Film, which is open to all Chinese-language films, including Taiwanese films, co-productions, and mainland Chinese films.

For acting awards, local protection will be implemented. At least three of the three awards—Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Newcomer—will be reserved for Hong Kong permanent residents.

Liu Jing showed little interest. "You come up with a detailed plan, and then we can discuss it further."

"Painted Skin" grossed over 200 million yuan in eight days, with nearly two million viewers in South Korea.

Chen Jiashang couldn't sit still any longer, so he took the detailed plan and headed straight to Hengdian.

He had by then fully realized that only by winning over Liu Jing could he win over Golden Harvest. Trying to work on Golden Harvest without getting past Liu Jing would be futile.

Because he has already tried it these past few days.

Ms. Liu Xiaoli, the chairperson of Jiahe's board of directors, was very enthusiastic. She immediately asked if there were any new projects that needed funding, and how much. She replied that Jiahe would provide full support for Director Chen's projects, and would provide whatever funding was needed.

The sheer extravagance was overwhelming. Chen Jiashang felt as if he would be letting people down if he didn't launch a new project.

Speaking of the Hong Kong Film Awards reform, Liu Xiaoli was even more enthusiastic, and Director Chen had real guts; Hong Kong needs people like you to get things done.

Every sentence is full of praise, but none of them mention anything practical.

If pressed further, she sighed and said, "If I were twenty years younger, I would definitely have followed Director Chen in making sweeping reforms. Now that I'm older, my energy is waning, and I can only offer empty words of encouragement."

Chen Jiashang realized, "I should communicate with the younger generation instead."

He arrived in Hengdian and waited for Liu Jing to finish work. Without beating around the bush, he handed over the proposal directly. "Liu Jing, there are so many proposals, but the core is only one: preserve the spark of Hong Kong's film industry. In the wave of co-productions, you must help me reconstruct the identity of Hong Kong films."

"Identity reconstruction?" Liu Jing asked curiously.

"The economic situation is sluggish this year, and Hong Kong's film industry has been severely affected, not far from collapse. The basic talent has either gone to Hollywood or to the mainland. Without the film industry, Hong Kong's film industry will become an empty shell," Chen Jiashang sighed.

When he first took office last year, he was full of ambition to implement reforms. Passion alone cannot solve problems; only money can.

"Where will the funding come from? This year's Hong Kong Film Awards funding still came from sponsorships by mainland advertisers. Begging for donations is not a long-term solution; after all, water without a source cannot flow for long." Liu Jing pointed out the root of the problem: trying to do things without money is wishful thinking.

Golden Harvest dares to make changes because it has strong financial backing and mainland connections as its support, so it has the confidence to do so.

"Establish the Hong Kong Film Revival Fund." Chen Jiashang said, emphasizing each word.

"The fund is easy to set up, but where does the capital come from?"

"The Spring Blossoms and Autumn Harvest Plan from Chunqiu is quite good and has given me a lot of inspiration. My idea is this: collect a 5% tax on co-productions with the mainland to support small and medium-budget Hong Kong films. Half of the revenue from the Hong Kong Film Awards broadcasting should be handed over to the mainland and interest-free loans should be provided to new directors. TVB live broadcasts should be retained, while exclusive online broadcasting rights should be split and given to YouTube and mainland video websites to attract international brand sponsorships. The Hong Kong government should provide a 1:1 matching grant to subsidize the return of technical talent. Classic Hong Kong films should be restored, and their copyrights should be resold to support local creative work. Special support should be given to special effects technology..."

Chen Jiashang spoke eloquently, while Liu Jing fell into deep thought.

This plan is undeniably comprehensive. Chen Jiashang uses a dual-track award system to safeguard the local bottom line, leverages mainland media and capital to rebuild the industry chain, and uses technological wonders to engage young audiences.

While emulating the Golden Horse Awards' open competition model, attracting industry resources, and giving back to the local community, there are many innovations.

"Senior brother, Director Liang asked you, what's the publicity plan for 'Under the City Wall'?" Liu Shishi nudged her senior brother, knowing from her experience that he had been daydreaming again.

“Under the City Walls” doesn’t need promotion or publicity. Liu Jing snapped out of his reverie.

He made a bet with Chen Jiashang: if the box office in mainland China exceeded 400 million yuan, Chen Jiashang would have to agree to some conditions.

"With the Cannes Jury Prize, this is top-tier publicity." Yang Mi said proudly, as if she had won the award herself.

Among the three girls in this group, Liu Shishi was barely noticeable, while Yang Mi was very noticeable.

"Happy Camp has started."

"Turn the volume up, turn the volume up..."

(End of this chapter)