Fooling Huayu for Thirty Years

Chapter 702 The trouble is being shifted to "The Warring States"! "Let the Bullets Fly" is holding back its anger!
Arranging this year's release schedule is really not easy.

Han Sanping had a terrible headache, and the headache he was having now was completely different from the headaches he had had before.

In the past, especially during that dark period of our domestic film market, it was very difficult to find a movie.

Many business owners are now too scared to invest in movies. Even if some people occasionally make money, they might lose everything on their next film.

This is not even an isolated case; it has become the norm.

It wasn't until the movie "The Dream Factory" came out that the situation was slightly reversed.

Now, more than a decade later, China's domestic film market can be described as flourishing.

Many business owners have joined the ranks of film investors, and even many who previously lost money have returned. Their enthusiasm is simply amazing!

Our film market is booming!

That's true, there's really no problem. It's truly thriving.

So, whose credit is it that we have this situation today?

Han Sanping felt that it would be unfair to herself to say that others had made great contributions.

That's right! Han Sanping is the one who created this situation!
Thinking like this is a bit too much, and Han Sanping absolutely cannot say it out loud.

It's better to keep a low profile.

Han Sanping understood the ways of officialdom to some extent, although he wasn't really an official, at least not strictly speaking.

So, if we're talking about rewarding merits, Ma Xun's contribution is quite significant.

If we start with the movie "The Dream Factory," then Feng Xiaogang and the Wang brothers were the pioneers. In the middle, Zhang Yimou ushered in the era of blockbusters, while Ma Xun is the one who connects the past and the future.

The Wang brothers are finished. Even Feng Xiaogang and Zhang Yimou have to listen to Ma Xun.

Moreover, Ma Xun is really young, which is a huge advantage for him.

How many more years can Han Sanping stand at the forefront of the Chinese film boom?
He needs to figure out a way out for himself.

Forget it, let's take things slowly... Han Sanping actually had a hope in his heart, which was his daughter. He believed that his daughter was talented, but she was still a woman. What if she were to marry Ma Xun?
That's not good either, there's a big age gap between them... Ugh, why am I thinking about these things? I'm really getting old.

Han Sanping shook his head and smiled bitterly. At that moment, his assistant, the chairman, told him that the filmmakers who came to discuss film scheduling had arrived.

……

"Our 'Ip Man 2' is definitely a prime example of a low-budget, high-return film..."

"We must emphasize that 'Metallic Attraction: Kung Fu Cyborg' was originally supposed to be released last year, but it was moved to this year, just to give everyone face."

"What's the arrangement for the Hollywood blockbusters?"

The main focus now is on the summer movie season schedule, although many details may change at times.

However, the summer movie season is already a very good option, and many producers still want to schedule their films for this period.

Han Sanping was in no hurry to speak. He knew that given his current position, it was best not to express his opinions lightly, because when he spoke, it should be the final decision, so as to better demonstrate his authority.

Of course, these bosses should not be offended easily, because their investment in films ultimately benefits China Film Group.

Therefore, Han Sanping turned his attention to Ma Xun, knowing that this guy was still trustworthy.

After listening for a while, Ma Xun said that there were no particularly strong competitors, and in Hollywood, there weren't many films that were particularly strong in the Avatar era.

Of course, this is partly his fault, because in the original timeline, Inception was released a year after Avatar, which made many people think that Hollywood was constantly producing good movies.

As for the Hollywood movies of decent quality this year, they are mainly horror and suspense films that are difficult to import.

And now... oh, Han Sanping's gaze... hehe.

Ma Xun came up with a plan to shift the blame elsewhere.

"Everyone, I know that everyone's movies are very strong, but our Enlight Media hasn't actually made any big moves this year. As for the stronger ones..." Ma Xun pulled Jiang Wen directly.

Most of the people present were investors, or business owners.

Jiang Wen seemed somewhat out of place, but it was only natural for a director like him to be present at such a symposium.

He's a frontline filmmaker, so he should take the initiative to express his opinions.

"Ahem..." He coughed twice, adopting this demeanor, before saying, "Our film, 'Let the Bullets Fly,' mainly tells a story set in the Republic of China era. Actually, I've realized that if we make two more films to create a Republic of China trilogy, in that respect..."

This guy then started talking about his own movie.

Let the Bullets Fly?
This movie sounds like a flop just from its title.

Moreover, the bosses had already labeled Jiang Wen a certain way long ago.

It's a money-losing product!

Jiang Wen's movies don't make any money at all; investing in them would be very risky.

It must be said that this label... does make some sense.

Many of Jiang Wen's films did not make money, but Jiang Wen himself also has a illustrious history.

There were rumors that the movie "In the Heat of the Sun" was banned, but it wasn't. The movie was banned for a period of time, and then it was released. During its theatrical run, it grossed 5000 million yuan, which was a very impressive figure at the time.

Of course, this data is largely based on legend, because at that time the national box office statistics were not stable, and there was no accurate figure for many regions.

A figure of 5000 million, with such a neat number, must be inflated.

However, he certainly made a lot of money, though Jiang Wen himself probably doesn't know the exact amount.

But in recent years, Jiang Wen's films... seem to only be outstanding when he collaborates with Ma Xun, such as "Warriors of Heaven and Earth".

These bosses, of course, didn't know that the movie had been heavily revised by Ma Xun; otherwise, the original version wouldn't have been anything special.

That being said, Jiang Wen's lecture...

Nobody took him seriously.

"Director Jiang Wen's works are good, and giving him a reasonable arrangement is no problem."

"I support it, it's perfectly fine for the summer season."

"We have no problem either."

Surprisingly, the bosses were all in agreement, and even Zhang Zhao, who represented Jia Yueting, nodded in approval.

Seeing this, Ma Xun couldn't help but laugh to himself: I knew they would do this!
"Okay, then it's settled."

Ma Xun seized the opportunity and delivered the decisive blow.

Everyone said it was okay.

But the key point came next, and Ma Xun said: "This year, Enlight Media and Wanda Pictures have collaborated on a project, in which we will help them distribute the film 'The Warring States'."

Huh? The Warring States Period?
Upon hearing this, the business owners perked up.

"No, Mr. Ma, how could you... cough cough, I mean, what do you mean by 'helping it get issued'?"

"Yeah, isn't that a bit inappropriate? Does Wanda not have the ability to style hair?"

"You're doing this without any regard for our lives."

The last person was very direct; everyone knows what they mean.

With Enlight Media's current strength and Wanda's rapid expansion in cinemas, the two of them are now locked in a fierce battle, leaving us guys with no chance!

The distribution of a film is not as simple as it seems.

Wanda does indeed have a rapidly developing cinema chain, but film marketing involves many details in the pre-production, production, and post-production stages. Not to mention, companies that have never done distribution before wouldn't know who to contact.

Just like advertising, experienced people know that billboards at bus stops are the most effective advertising space right now.

But those without experience might just submit their work to TV stations... Don't think it doesn't happen; some movies actually do that.

In other words, promotion and distribution are interconnected, and finding the right platform and paying attention to details are the keys to success. The reason why Enlight Media, founded by Ma Xun, is so successful in distribution is because they consistently choose the right platforms; to outsiders, they even seem incredibly lucky.

Speaking of Wanda, if they were to handle distribution themselves, they might have to lose money on seven or eight films before gaining experience.

In reality, this is how the original timeline was. When Wanda first started making movies, the distribution was a complete mess.

Therefore, when Ma Xun mentioned cooperating with Wanda, how could the bosses not be anxious?

But at this moment... Ma Xun also had a bitter expression on his face.

"Everyone, I was just trying my best to help with the film 'The Warring States,' but actually... sigh."

A long sigh... What does that mean?
Everyone understands!
Ma Xun was forced into it!

Wanda must be using some kind of screening arrangement as leverage, right?

Everyone tried to guess, but no one could tell that Ma Xun was just acting.

Zhang Zhao suddenly said, "The Warring States wants to grab the summer season, which is obviously problematic. What I mean is, it's problematic for Wanda. I think such a blockbuster should be released during the Lunar New Year season."

Hey! That's a brilliant idea!
He doesn't scold, he carries the sedan chair!

Upon hearing this, all the business owners knew what to do and immediately supported Zhang Zhao.

Zhang Zhao even went so far as to say, "Why don't we also talk to Wanda?"

That's good... they've shifted the blame eastward.

You two go and talk; Ma Xun will definitely feel much more at ease.

Moreover, the film that Ma Xun is going to present next is...

"Our main works this year are indeed low-budget productions, such as 'Bad Genius'..."

That's right, it does look like a low-budget film. Although Yang Mi is a popular young actress, she plays a supporting role. Moreover, this film is of a genre that has never been seen before.

"no problem!"

"Oh dear, Mr. Ma is up to his old trick of making big money on a small budget again."

"That's for sure."

These guys don't take it seriously.

very good.

Ma Xun was overjoyed that his wicked scheme had succeeded. Just then, two pairs of eyes drifted over.

One of them is Han Sanping, the chairman of China Film Group, who is very pleased.

The other one was Xu Guangtou's, who not only looked at him with admiration but also gave him a thumbs up.

This guy is definitely something.

……

The summer movie release schedule is pretty much finalized: "Bad Genius" will be released in July, and "Let the Bullets Fly" in August.

They were all pretty good, but as for Lotte's "Metallic Attraction: Kung Fu Cyborg" and "Ip Man 2," they were quite high-profile.

They all plan to launch in July.

This is the best month for the summer movie season, at least in China.

But no problem.

Ma Xun was very confident, but after the meeting, Jiang Wen left, seething with anger. He hated it when people looked down on him.

I'm so frustrated. I'll definitely go back and work on refining my work.

So……

"Mr. Ma, let me be frank. I previously collaborated with Hong Kong on a film called 'Lost in Thailand.' As for that film..."

Xu Guangtou was very enthusiastic, with a smile on his face.

But Ma Xun said without any mercy, "I've heard before that this movie seems to have copyright issues."

Xu Guangtou seemed stunned by these words, his mouth agape for a long time, unable to close it.

Fortunately, this guy is smart and has a thick skin.

He then added with a smile, "As expected, nothing can fool Mr. Ma, but I can guarantee that there are absolutely no copyright issues with this movie!"

"Really?"

"real!"

Ma Xun could trust this bald man. Anyway, the original film had gone through a lot of lawsuits, but in the end, this bald man still won.

in this case……

"But you have to listen to me."

To take control?
Xu Guangtou smiled obsequiously, "Sure! No problem! Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it, okay?"

To be honest, raising this guy as a dog wouldn't be a bad choice.

"If you do as I say, I can help you get this movie released during the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival season."

It depends on your performance.

Xu Guangtou was overjoyed, "I'll do whatever Mr. Ma says!"

And just like that, the "Lost in..." series was finished.

……

come back to the office.

Ma Xun processed some documents, including the "Twelve Zodiac Animals" document sent to his elder brother, Long.

But suddenly...

"Guess who I am?!"

Suddenly someone covered his eyes.

Are you trying this?
"Yuanyuan".

"Wow! How did you guess it so easily?"

"Did you expect me to say something like Mary or Annie?"

Goodness, this is a song, it really shows my age.

Yuanyuan chuckled, but then she brought over another video.

"There's a movie called 'Blind Cinema' that really appeals to me, and also, Reyza is in it too."

Huh? This movie...

Ma Xun was scratching his head, because this film was made by Lu Yang, who later directed "Brotherhood of Blades," and he had some talent for it.

Moreover, Zhou Yiwei is also in this film. As for Re Yizha, he's actually not bad either.

But this movie... was a complete flop.

"How about we switch?"

Ma Xun is certainly direct...

(End of this chapter)