Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 230 Fan Xiaopang: Watch how I outshine her!
"Mr. Yan, please take care."

Deng Chao said goodbye to Yan Li and drove back to his residence, where his girlfriend Sun Li was waiting for him.

Yan Li inexplicably arranged to meet her boyfriend, and she wanted to know why.

Deng Chao slumped onto the sofa, took a few sips of water, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Today, Yan Li is trying to recruit and win over Deng Chao, putting on a lot of bossy airs. Deng Chao doesn't dare to offend him, as he has to show off his abilities and fight for his interests, which takes a lot of his energy and puts him under a lot of pressure.

After calming down, Deng Chao recounted what had happened that day, which surprised and delighted Sun Li.

"This is a good thing."

Regardless, Yan Li is now considered a rapidly rising star in the industry.

They extended an olive branch to Deng Chao, even implying that they would promote him to be the top leader. It's not an absolute windfall, but it's close enough.

Do you think I should go?

Deng Chao asked his girlfriend for her opinion, and Sun Li nodded: "Go, why not?"

As the top female executive at Hairun, Sun Li has also had dealings with Yan Li and is quite optimistic about Yi An's future.

Especially now, with Yan Li entering the theatrical market and expanding into film business in addition to television dramas, its value and appeal have greatly increased.

After Wang Jinghua and others left, why did Huayi Brothers quickly start flirting with various popular stars and repeatedly have various scandals?

The reason is that Huayi Brothers' investment in movies is too attractive to popular artists.

Television dramas can't create superstars. Once an artist becomes famous enough, they all want to move into the film industry.

At this point, the ability to provide film resources is crucial for a company with artist management business.

Rongxinda is a well-established and well-known company in the industry. The fact that its top star, Zhou Xun, switched to Huayi Brothers is largely due to the fact that the former could not provide many film resources.

Yi An is already very capable in the field of television dramas, and she has also begun to plan for films. Moreover, Yan Li is very shrewd and directly snatched the film "Assembly" from Huayi Brothers.

Why wouldn't you go when the boss and company are so sincere in their invitation?

In addition, Sun Li also had a selfish motive.

Yan Li is fond of women, but not of men. Deng Chao is safe in Yi'an.

But if she goes to Huayi Brothers, things are hard to say. There are rumors circulating in the industry about Xiao Wang's affairs. Since it involves her boyfriend, Sun Li thinks it's better to believe it's true than not.

Moreover, Yan Li is a womanizer. Fan Xiaopang, the first sister, is his woman, and according to gossip that Sun Li inquired about in "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng", he probably also has an affair with Wang Ou, the second sister.

With all the grass near his nest taken by the boss, there was nothing left for Deng Chao to do. He could work hard and diligently, which Sun Li thought was perfect.

Deng Chao was already somewhat tempted, and his girlfriend's strong support made him even more inclined to pursue her.

We'll discuss it with the team members again. If there are no objections, we can officially contact Yi'an.

...

Yan Li had dinner with Deng Chao on June 10th, and Deng Chao gave him a definite answer in less than three days.

Of course, there are many terms and details to be discussed, but as long as both parties reach an agreement, we can take our time to negotiate.

Deng Chao still has more than half a year left on his contract with his former employer. If he wants to officially sign with Yi An, it will be at least next year, so he has plenty of time to discuss things.

Yan Li directly offered him the role in "Assembly" as a gift, as previously agreed. He is also considering other film and television resources.

Filming starts now, and Deng Chao's contract expires in about six months. When it's ready to be released or broadcast, it's time to reap the profits.

As for whether Deng Chao will take the resources and then go back on his word, or refuse to sign Yi An later.

First, no one in the industry does that.

Providing resources before signing a contract is common practice in the industry; breaking promises will ruin one's reputation.

Secondly, do you really think Boss Yan is a vegetarian?

If you play these tricks on him, who knows who will end up playing whom? Don't even mention Deng Chao, he'll take care of Sun Li too.

Filming for "Assembly" started early, and soon after, training began, followed by filming two months later. The earlier the schedule was set, the better.

The situation is different with "Red Cliff". It is still in preparation and it is uncertain whether filming will start before the end of the year.

The role of Sun Shangxiang was decided quite early.

There are many rumors about the three main characters: Zhou Yu, Zhuge Liang, and Cao Cao. It seems that only Chow Yun-fat has been officially cast, and it is still uncertain whether he will play Cao Cao or Zhou Yu.

The role of Xiao Qiao, the female lead, was contested by many actresses, but most of them were from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Currently, the most frequently mentioned names include Cecilia Cheung, Gillian Chung, and Alyssa Chia, all of whom are among the most popular young actresses in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Some say it's the famous Taiwanese model, Sister Zhiling, and even director Wu Baige has praised her highly. However, this claim is not widely accepted, as she is not as famous and is not an actress.

Yan Li knew who the production team was currently favoring, but he didn't take it too seriously.

To reiterate, making these kinds of commercial blockbusters, regardless of the film's quality, is extremely beneficial for the actors.

The "Red Cliff" project is planned to gather a large number of stars from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with a budget of about 5 to 6 million RMB. It is the most expensive film ever made in China and even Asia. It is directed by internationally renowned director Wu Baige, and it is based on the well-known Three Kingdoms period, so it is full of advantages.

It has not only garnered national attention, but also has its sights set on the international market, especially in Japan, South Korea, and other Asian regions, where there is great anticipation for this film.

Movies of this caliber are highly sought after by A-list celebrities. If you land a role that's significant enough, your exposure and star power will increase dramatically, and you might even be able to go international.

Not only are there many advantages, but if the movie flops, the director and the main actors will take the blame, so the responsibility won't fall on Fan Xiaopang.

The only drawback is that it might be used to promote a newcomer.

But that's how it is in the entertainment industry; you can't always have the upper hand. You always have to pay a price.

In Yan Li's view, as long as the benefits far outweigh the costs, it's a good deal.

Fan Xiaopang was already lagging behind the other members of the "Four Dan and Two Bing" group, and Yan Li's film resources were currently limited. If he didn't seize this good opportunity, would he let someone else benefit from it?

Wear underwear that fits your size. Yan Li isn't strong enough right now, so he shouldn't be overly ambitious or try to have it all.

While Yan Li was still somewhat bothered by this minor issue, Fan Xiaopang had no such thoughts at all; she was absolutely thrilled.

That's "Red Cliff"!

The competition is fierce. Even if you give the role of the second female lead or the third female lead with a little more screen time, a bunch of popular actresses would be vying to play it.

More importantly, he snatched this role from Xiao Yanzi.

In all honesty, ever since "My Fair Princess," she has been firmly suppressed by Xiao Yanzi, and this time she has finally gotten her revenge.

Cool!
As for Yan Li's mention of a famous Taiwanese model, Fan Xiaopang didn't take it to heart at all.

This scoundrel is undoubtedly good at business, but he has no experience in fighting with female celebrities.

So what if she's the second female lead? She still steals the spotlight.

Raising a cup of coffee?

Watch how I outshine her!
In terms of acting, Fan Bingbing may not be considered particularly outstanding among the actresses.

In terms of beauty, she considers herself a national beauty, but since beauty standards differ, it's hard to say whether she's definitely number one.

But when it comes to feuds between female celebrities, releasing press releases to outshine and belittle each other, vying for attention, center position, and exposure, Fan Xiaopang is second to none.

She managed to squeeze into the ranks of the "Four Dan and Two Bing" (a group of four top actresses) by relying on her beauty and the topics surrounding her. Recently, in the competition between her and Li Bingbing, her exposure and popularity have even caught up with or surpassed Li Bingbing.

Fan Xiaopang is confident he can easily crush a Taiwanese woman with an unstable foundation. If someone tries to use her to elevate their status, who knows who will end up elevating whom?

Fan Xiaopang had been watching Yan Li show off to her lately, and now she wanted to show off to Yan Li in return.

She wanted to prove that she wasn't just a delicate flower pampered and supported by Yan Li, but a thorny rose capable of standing on her own and fighting alongside him.

However, before showing how to suppress Sister Zhiling, Fan Xiaopang first has to lead the team to promote "Investiture of the Gods".

The drama is scheduled to premiere in late June, and Hunan TV, which will exclusively broadcast it, has contacted the production team to record a variety show to promote it.

Yan Li didn't go because he was busy with "Crazy Stone," which was released at the end of June.

...

A screening room
After watching the final version of "Crazy Stone" after post-production and approval, Yan Li led the applause, and the film crew and distribution team followed suit.

"Director Ning, this time you're really going to become Director Ning."

Yan Li was somewhat emotional, because of the system, he knew that the movie had good reviews and sales, and he had also read the script.

However, the script's presentation and the final product are two completely different concepts.

A good script doesn't necessarily guarantee a good film, while a mediocre script can still result in a top-notch production.

The script for "Crazy Stone" was already quite good, and Ning Hao continued to optimize and revise it during filming and editing. Coupled with the excellent performances of the cast, the film's quality exceeded Yan Li's expectations.

The excellent quality of the film gave Yan Li even greater confidence and ambition.

Ning Hao has managed to create a dark horse of the year through his own efforts, and now with Ning Hao's full support, he has more resources, funds, and connections.

Yan Li wants to make this film completely dark, giving Yi An a successful start to her film career.

"Let's discuss the publicity plan with Director Ning."

Yan Li's repeated calls to Ning Hao made Ning Hao feel uncomfortable, but secretly pleased.

However, he still didn't dare to be too presumptuous in front of Yan Li, his boss and benefactor: "President Yan, please call me by my name, or Haozi is fine too."

Ning Hao is three years older than Yan Li, so they are actually the same age.

"Haozi is a bit frivolous, so just call me Lao Ning. And don't keep calling me 'President Yan,' just call me Lao Yan."

Yan Li patted Ning Hao on the shoulder. He had always valued Ning Hao, and now he was trying even harder to win him over.

There's no shortage of actors and stars in this industry; money and resources can make them famous. But truly talented directors are rare, and every film and television company has to cherish them.

The Wang brothers of Huayi Brothers both treated Feng Xiaogang as equals and friends, and Zhang Weiping of New Pictures was also bound by brotherhood.

However, those individuals were longtime friends, some even having supported each other throughout their lives, and the director, being his biggest cash cow, naturally had considerable financial backing.

Ning Hao's background was too shallow and his relationship with Yan Li was not good enough. Even when Yan Li spoke, he did not dare to overstep his bounds and obediently continued to call Yan "President".

Yan Li didn't say much, and it didn't matter what he was addressed by; the key was that his feelings were genuine.

He personally "discovered" this, so he can't let it be stolen by someone else.

Next, Yan Li and Ning Hao listened to the publicity plan. "Crazy Stone" doesn't have many stars, which is fatal for a commercial film, so the publicity plan can't follow the traditional approach.

Therefore, after discussion and with Yan Li's approval, the publicity team decided to adopt a strategy that focuses on word-of-mouth marketing.

Through preview screenings and roadshows at select universities, word-of-mouth was generated and spread online, targeting movie fans and young people who enjoy novelty and following trends.

And this group of people is also one of the main groups of people who go to the cinema.

In addition to the film itself, there also needs to be a promotional anchor figure, and Yan Liqin decided on Ning Hao.

"I?"

Ning Hao was somewhat incredulous. Isn't publicity a celebrity's job? What does it have to do with a director like him?

"Who says a director can't be a star? I'm also a producer. I even got involved in the scandals that were supposed to happen with 'Happy Seven Fairies'."

That's not a rumor, it's a fact!
Ning Hao inwardly scoffed, but still had some reservations about the publicity plan.

Using the director as a selling point is not uncommon in the industry, especially in mainland China, where directors like Feng Xiaogang, Zhang Yimou, and Chen Kaige always prioritize the director in their film promotions.

Famous directors attract movie fans, and big-name stars attract casual viewers; together, these two factors constitute the current model of commercial blockbusters.

However, they are all renowned directors. How can he, a newbie just starting out, compare to them? Who would recognize him if he were to be promoted?

"Old Ning, you're underestimating yourself too much."

Yan Li shook his head and turned to ask Ning Hao a question: "Do you watch football?"

Ning Hao nodded: "Let's take a look."

"Look at Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United, Messi of Barcelona, ​​and Kaká of AC Milan. They don't have many honors, so why are they able to surpass a group of star predecessors and become the rising stars? One is their strength, and the other is their youth."

"Youth means unlimited potential. If youth is combined with strength, it can give people endless imagination."

"Directors Zhang and Chen are both approaching 60, and Director Feng is almost 50. The film industry, movie fans, and the media are going crazy waiting for the young generation of Chinese-language films."

"That Lu Chuan, Kekexili was a good film, but there are older directors who are better than him. The reason he is so popular now is because he is young."

"Old Ning, you're even younger than Lu Chuan, and you've already made a masterpiece like 'Crazy Stone.' How come no one is interested in you?"

"..."

Because of his reputation as a top-selling film distributor, some people have forgotten that Yan Li is also a master of marketing and hype.

He created the Double Soldier strategy, and he himself was molded into one of the most successful role models of the post-80s generation, with a level of fame far exceeding that of those who are richer than him.

Ning Hao has many selling points that can be used to his advantage, so how could Yan Li possibly let them go?

"Crazy Stone" is an ensemble piece, and the actors aren't very famous, so it's better to focus on director Ning Hao.

In Yan Li's view, there is a lot that can be done with Ning Hao.

Just because he's young, Yan Li can pull off amazing feats; that's one of his specialties.

If Ning Hao hadn't stubbornly refused, Yan Li would have even wanted to drag two old fogies over to smack them, like Director Chen, who lost face in "The Promise".

Since it's not good to compare and contrast, let's highlight youth and potential, and lead the way towards the new generation of Chinese-language filmmakers and the next generation of flag bearers.

Besides youth and potential, talent is also a key marketing focus; "genius director" is Ning Hao's new label.

Yan Li felt that this label was appropriate.

Currently, comedy films in mainland China can be mainly divided into two categories: one is to amuse with exaggerated physical movements and verbal expressions, represented by Chen Peisi; the other is to deliver punchlines with witty language and humorous anecdotes, represented by Feng Xiaogang's comedies.

Most Hong Kong comedies also fall into these two categories, only with an added touch of absurdity.

"Crazy Stone" is different. While using physical and verbal humor, it uses the logical development of the plot to bring out the jokes, making it more sophisticated, dramatic and cinematic.

Although Guy Ritchie has made similar films abroad, this approach is unprecedented in the mainland Chinese market and will definitely be a refreshing and novel experience for many viewers.

Novelty and highlights often demonstrate talent; how can someone who carves out a new path in the comedy market not be considered a "genius"?

Marketing word-of-mouth, precise targeting of the audience, with director Ning Hao as the core selling point, plus the support of Yan Li's various connections and channels...

"Old Ning, how much do you think the movie will gross?"

Yan Li asked Ning Hao about his box office expectations, and the latter hesitated for a moment before giving a number.

"2000?"

Don't think this box office is low. Last year's tenth highest-grossing Chinese film, "Life and Death of Niu Yuru," had a box office of less than 2000 million yuan in mainland China.

If Yan Li hadn't made such a grand entrance, and if Ning Hao hadn't been confident in his film, he really wouldn't have dared to say that.

Ning Hao's initial estimate was only a few million in box office revenue, plus the revenue from DVDs and other miscellaneous items, which should be enough to break even or even make a small profit.

After all, as of now, it's June 2006.

The highest-grossing film in mainland China this year was "Fearless," directed by Jet Li at the beginning of the year, which grossed 1.05 million yuan.

The second-ranked film is "The Savage Secret," directed by Fatty Wong and starring Cecilia Cheung and Leo Ku, which grossed 1250 million.

I don't know if it's because last year's Lunar New Year film "The Promise" was so bad, but the film market in the first half of this year is just so terrible.

With a box office of 2000 million, it's enough to temporarily rank second among Chinese-language films this year, which can be described as a remarkable achievement.

Yan Li looked at Ning Hao speechlessly. What was he doing with a 2000 million yuan box office? Did he even know that he was planning to spend millions on marketing and distribution alone?

Including the additional costs incurred by Ning Hao during filming, the total cost of "Crazy Stone" is nearly ten million yuan.

As for other revenue, in terms of box office alone, Yan Li would need to reach at least 3000 million in box office revenue to break even.

Although Yan Li hoped that the movie "Crazy Stone" would make his company famous rather than make money, he was not willing to work hard only to break even.

Over 100 million is a long way off. There are only a handful of movies that have grossed over 100 million at the box office, and each of them is directed by a famous director and has a big star.

No matter how good the quality of "Crazy Stone" is, it is still a low-budget film with limited gimmicks. Unless it hits a lucky break, it will be difficult to break 100 million yuan.

However, thanks to the system's information and Yan Li's meticulous preparation, he didn't boast about the target amount, but 20 or 30 million was definitely not enough for him.

After the meeting, Yan Li invited Ning Hao to dinner alone and talked to him directly about the next movie.

Ning Hao was dumbfounded. This movie hasn't even been released yet, and they're already discussing the next one.

"I need to hurry, otherwise when the movie is released, Director Ning will be in high demand, and everyone will be scrambling to invest. Will there be any left for me?"

Yan Li said something half-jokingly, and Ning Hao, not being stupid, immediately responded.

"The success of 'Crazy Stone' is entirely thanks to Mr. Yan's support. I, Ning Hao, am not an ungrateful person and will never forget your help and guidance."

Ning Hao was genuinely grateful to Yan Li.

What many people don't know is that Ning Hao encountered two instances of investors withdrawing their funding when he was making his first two short films.

Ning Hao was forced to borrow money from all over the place to make ends meet, which left him overwhelmed and exhausted, and inevitably affected the quality of filming.

Yan Li was the best investor he had ever met.

As long as the budget is reasonable, there is almost no haggling. The first batch of 300 million yuan investment for the film was approved very easily. When the money was insufficient for later stages, after discussion, it was found that there was indeed a need, and an additional 200 million yuan was directly added.

Throughout the entire filming process, aside from sending someone to watch the money, Yan Li did not interfere at all and even helped solve a lot of problems.

He doesn't need to worry about publicity and distribution; in fact, they intend to promote him and prepare to market and hype him up to increase his popularity and influence.

He was easy to pay and had few problems, and the person valued him highly. He also showed kindness and gratitude. Ning Hao had no reason to abandon Yan Li and join someone else.

"Oh, I was just joking, but that's a bit of a misinterpretation."

Yan Li was satisfied with Ning Hao's attitude, but he was not at ease.

With his intelligence network, Yan Li's ability to understand and perceive human nature is unmatched by many.

No one is loyal forever; people change.

When someone is poor and destitute, if you give them a steamed bun, they will be grateful to you. If you give them a few hundred yuan or help them find a job that pays 1000 yuan a month, they will regard you as their great benefactor.

But when he's financially secure and earns 3000 a month, if you ask him for a favor with just a steamed bun and a few hundred yuan, he'll feel insulted.

Some people might help out of friendship, but that's one thing, two things, but not three; it definitely won't last.

Therefore, Yan Li often reminds himself that he cannot continue to view his subordinates and partners with outdated perspectives, and that their benefits and compensation should be increased when appropriate.

Once your interests are satisfied, the probability of conflict and betrayal decreases. Then, use emotions to win them over. Only by taking a two-pronged approach can you gain loyalty.

Of course, even so, this loyalty is not absolute; there will always be those who are insatiable or rebellious.

Therefore, in addition to emotion and profit, there is also deterrence, and even various forms of punishment.

However, unless absolutely necessary, Yan Li doesn't really like the latter approach. He prefers to give warnings and, if all else fails, to part ways amicably. The world keeps turning no matter who's gone. After all, they've known each other and worked together, so there's no need to make things too ugly.

Yan Li was confident that he could control Ning Hao in a short period of time.

So Yan Li discussed with Ning Hao and had him officially sign a contract with Yi An to become a director under Yi An's company.

The company will not interfere too much with Ning Hao and plans to open a separate studio for him.

This is also the norm for many film and television companies to collaborate with directors and producers at this stage.

The studio is affiliated with the company, so everyone is on the same side, which makes cooperation closer. At the same time, it gives directors and producers enough freedom and independence to form separate teams to operate a project.

Yan Li is quite optimistic about this studio model.

Ning Hao Studio will be Yi An's first studio, and Yi An may launch more studios in the future.

Cooperation methods include wholly owned by the company and headed by a responsible person, or joint ventures, with the company and the responsible person each holding a certain percentage of shares.

In short, each department should handle its own affairs in order to better and more conveniently coordinate with company operations and retain top talent.

Ning Hao had no objection to joining Yi An and was quite happy about opening a studio, but his next film was indeed too far away. He only had a few ideas, but no script yet.

"No rush, I was just saying that. Let's wait until 'Crazy Stone' is released before we talk about it."

Yan Lizhen wasn't in a hurry. He'd already brought the people over; what was a lack of a movie? If he had no ideas, he could just wait patiently…

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: I'm experiencing writer's block. The career arc is particularly difficult to write. To be precise, the tropes have all been overused, making it hard to add any interesting elements. Many readers don't enjoy this genre, but it's unavoidable. It's frustrating.

I still owe 2000 words, bringing the total to 4000. I'll definitely settle the debt before the end of the month.

(End of this chapter)