Abstract Art Award Winner

On some good projects, some companies would rather not make money than not try to get an investment share, just so that their company can appear on the final thank-you list.

Zhou Le followed the crew to the last few promotional events for "Cliff Walkers".

Although he played a supporting role, his task was relatively easy, mainly involving sharing his filming experience and interacting with the audience.

With Zhang Yimou as an example, he was happy to keep a low profile, but every time he appeared, he still attracted enthusiastic cheers from fans.

During the film's theatrical run, he didn't need to put in much extra effort.

Everything that needed to be done has been done; now we just need to wait for the box office to gradually increase.

Zhang Yimou initially estimated the box office to be around 1 billion yuan, but the current box office growth is clearly better. According to professional institutions, it is estimated that it could add another 400 to 500 million yuan.

This was an unexpected bonus for Zhang Yi and the investors.

Moreover, everyone knows that the commercial value of this film is at most around one billion yuan at the box office. This includes Zhang Yimou and everyone else, and even the possibility that if the film had not been made for awards and another actor of the Best Actor caliber had been cast instead.

If an extra four or five hundred million yuan can be generated, it will be entirely due to Zhou Le's personal appeal.

This appeal will increase exponentially with the film's reach; in other words, the better the film, the easier it is to spread, and the greater the boost to box office revenue.

But now that the overall situation here has been settled, Zhou Le’s focus shifted entirely to his directorial debut, “Making a Name for Himself”.

The preview screenings are about to begin, and pre-sales will also start soon, marking the peak of the promotional campaign.

He first met with the producer and several lead actors for a publicity preparation meeting.

Yin Zheng, Deng Jiajia, and others also came, and they all greatly admired Zhou Le.

Although Zhou Le's works released from last year to this year are mostly idol dramas, putting aside everything else, even if Zhou Le were to film idol dramas, he would still be very successful.

Moreover, to achieve so much at such a young age, while luck certainly played a part, luck itself is also a part of ability. If others have something that I don't, then that is their strength.

Everyone was very friendly when they met, and they joked with each other.

Upon meeting Zhou Le, Yin Zheng immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Director Le! From now on, I'll be working for you! I'll do whatever you tell me to do!"

Zhou Le laughed and playfully punched him: "Don't give me that! You better be serious during the promotional period!"

Deng Jiajia smiled and moved closer to Zhou Le: "Director Zhou, I've bet everything on you. If the box office doesn't go well, you'll have to treat me to something to soothe my wounded heart."

Zhang Benyu was quite pragmatic: "I think the quality of the film is fine; it just depends on whether the audience will accept it."

Yu Entai pushed up his glasses: "I examine myself three times a day: Have I memorized my lines? Are my expressions on point? Is the publicity effective?"

The other actors were also very confident. They had all been in the entertainment industry for many years and had seen many works by artists who wanted to change careers and become directors. They had also watched and analyzed the films.

It's rare for a first film to be so inspired, and given Zhou Le's star power, the chances of this film flopping aren't actually that high.

Therefore, their overall atmosphere was harmonious and full of energy.

Looking at his group of partners, Zhou Le felt full of confidence. Together, they discussed details such as the route for the preview screenings in different cities, promotional materials, and interview outlines.

With the start of pre-sales and the release of promotional materials, online buzz has begun to heat up.

Zhou Le's "internet blogger" friends took the lead.

A game streamer said: "Brother Le's first directorial work! I must support it! I'll watch the premiere on his live stream!"

A content creator on a film and television platform commented: "Objectively speaking, the trailer has a good production quality, and the combination of comedy and suspense is interesting. However, I will scrutinize it with the strictest standards. If it's good, I'll praise it lavishly; if it's not, I won't hold back at all!"

A humor blogger commented: "Zhou Le can become a director? When I heard this news, I felt like the sky had fallen. An insignificant director has entered the directing circle, but the abstract art circle has lost an abstract emperor."

Fans and passersby alike are discussing the matter, with expectations and doubts coexisting.

Zhou Le himself also accepted an exclusive interview with an authoritative film media outlet.

When talking about his expectations for the box office, he appeared very open-minded.

Reporter: "Director Zhou, this is your first film. What are your expectations for the box office? Are you confident it will be a dark horse?"

Zhou Le smiled and said in a relaxed tone, "Confidence? Well, I have it, but I don't. I'll just leave it to fate. I think a lot of people will praise me when the time comes, saying things like, 'Zhou Le's first time directing has turned out like this, he has a bright future,' and 'The comedy parts are very funny, and the suspense parts have twists and turns.'"

He paused, then changed the subject, mimicking the tone of common online criticisms, listing them off as if they were his own treasures: "But there will definitely be a lot of people criticizing it, such as 'What the hell, just making a fuss,' 'awkward acting, fragmented plot,' 'a money-grabbing film, a waste of movie tickets,' 'a copycat suspense film, nothing new,' 'Zhou Le should just stick to acting,' and so on."

The reporter was amused by his candor and self-deprecating humor.

Zhou Le continued, "As for the box office, I personally think that it's highly likely that we won't lose money, since the cost control is quite good."

I'd be content if I didn't lose money. Of course, quite a few friends invested some money this time, so even if I lose, it's not just me who loses, which makes me feel better.

Besides, this is my first time. If it doesn't work out, I'll consider it tuition, and listen to everyone's opinions—good or bad—it's all valuable experience.

The interview, once released, indeed sparked heated discussions.

Wumeng Scholar: "Hahaha, Brother Le is so real! He's obviously someone who surfs the internet intensely all day long; he's a master of these critical tactics!"

Wishing for a happy month: "Great attitude! Calm and composed, able to accept praise and withstand criticism—that's what makes someone capable of great things!"

Life is so confusing: "Brother Lok has such a rich life experience. I believe that with his aesthetic sense and seriousness, the film should at least be a decent commercial film, and it won't be too bad."

A Cup of Moonlight: "This attitude alone is worth a movie ticket! I support it!"

Eagle: "Waiting for the preview screening! If it's good, I'll be a big fan; if it's bad, don't blame me for being sarcastic."

Just as netizens were discussing Zhou Le's interview and having various expectations and speculations about "Making a Name for Oneself"...

Zhou Le himself has quietly boarded a flight to Iceland.

The qualifying rounds were a flurry of activity for several days, but LNG from the domestic LPL region ultimately failed to make it into the group stage.

Even so, three LPL teams—EDG, FPX, and RNG—made it into the group stage.
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In Reykjavik, Iceland, the air is filled with a cool, crisp atmosphere and a vibrant energy that belongs to esports.

After arriving and settling in briefly, Zhou Le, as a specially invited commentator and star player, met with the three LPL teams—EDG, FPX, and RNG—who had arrived earlier and begun training. The atmosphere at the training base was tense and focused.

When Zhou Le entered, most of the young contestants were a little reserved and curious, after all, the person in front of them was a true top star who had broken into the mainstream.

EDG's coach came up first: "Mr. Zhou, welcome, welcome! I didn't expect you to actually come, and even serve as a commentator."

Zhou Le smiled and shook hands with the coaches and teammates: "Don't be so polite, just call me Zhou Le. I'm here to learn and cheer everyone on. How's the training? Are you adjusting to the time difference?"

FPX's jungler, Tian, ​​was quite lively: "Not bad, Zhou, you're really good at the game. I watched you stream playing on the Korean server before, you were amazing!"

RNG's top laner Xiaohu also laughed and said, "I'm under a lot of pressure. If I don't play well in the game, I'm afraid that you, Mr. Zhou, will give me a live analysis on the commentary stage. After all, other commentators may just have a stronger understanding, but Mr. Zhou, your strength is undeniable. No one can argue with you or beat you in a fight."

Zhou Le chuckled: "Don't worry, my commentary will definitely be neutral and fair, mainly focusing on encouragement. But if there are any truly hilarious mistakes, I might burst out laughing. Don't blame me then."

Lighthearted jokes livened up the atmosphere.

Zhou Le had a brief chat with them about his understanding of the game version and the style of their respective teams. His understanding of the game, as demonstrated in his conversation, made the professional players nod in approval and put aside their initial impression that he was just a celebrity dabbling in the game.

After leaving the training base, Zhou Le encountered some familiar faces from China who had come to watch the game. These included platform executives, investors from other industries, and former professional players and well-known streamers like PDD and Da Sima who had successfully transitioned to other careers.

PDD, sporting his signature pregnant belly, put his arm around Zhou Le and said, "Zhou Le, you're amazing! You've even made it to the World Championship commentary booth! So, which team do you think will win this year?"

Zhou Le thought for a moment and analyzed carefully: "Judging from the current situation and the compatibility with the version, I think EDG has the best chance."

Their discipline and mid-jungle rhythm are highly valued in this version.

Furthermore, Scout and Viper are currently in incredibly hot form, and FPX's teamwork and Doinb's unique champion pool also present opportunities. As for RNG, it depends on Xiaohu's adaptation in the mid-lane and Wei's rhythm.

Grand Marshal pushed up his glasses and said with his classic crooked mouth expression, "Hey~ it seems Teacher Zhou came prepared. This analysis is spot on! But I suspect you're a jinx; whoever you predict will get into trouble."

Zhou Le was both amused and exasperated: "Teacher Ma, that's not fair of you. I was just giving an objective analysis. How about we make a bet?"

"Why bet? Let's watch the game, let's watch the game." Grand Marshal chuckled and changed the subject.

In the following group stage days, Zhou Le quickly got into character.

With his quick learning ability and deep understanding of the game, he quickly found his footing on the commentary stage.

His commentary style is clear, passionate, and humorous. He can accurately analyze the situation and use simple and easy-to-understand language to help ordinary viewers understand the key points.

What's even more remarkable is that he always manages to throw out some jokes at the right time to liven up the atmosphere.

The comments section was extremely enthusiastic about his commentary; in many instances, the focus of the match was even stolen by "Zhou Le's commentary."
Blackwing Dark: "Hahaha, Zhou Le's commentary is hilarious! This is a tribute to Teacher Ma."

Shen Hanhan, a true gem among humans: "Brother Le's game understanding is truly top-notch! He just said that the enemy might steal the dragon in about twenty seconds, and sure enough, they did! Not a second off."

Miki Nanami: "His voice is so beautiful! No wonder he's my husband."

It's not folk songs, it's Min Ge: "Director, give Zhou Le more screen time! I want to see handsome commentators! Who the hell watches games?"

You can tell if it's worth watching just by reading the first chapter: "As expected of a man who can go toe-to-toe with Faker, his commentary on the game is like a high-level replay. He's too strong."

Fatty Li's blissful life: "My attention was completely drawn to the commentary, and the game itself became just background noise..."

Loves aged vinegar: "I beg Zhou Le to be a permanent commentator! He's so much better than some of those mediocre commentators!"

As Zhou Le predicted, EDG performed well in the group stage, advancing to the quarterfinals as the second-place team in their group. This is understandable, given that T1 was also in the same group.

However, their performance was not as impressive as RNG's.

The only thing that some viewers might complain about is that it's not an "all-Chinese cast," but that doesn't diminish its strength in attracting global attention.

FPX and RNG performed differently. FPX was in Group A, where DK was ridiculously strong. FPX was eventually eliminated with a score of 2-4-1 under DK's strong pressure, while the most favored RNG directly took first place in the group.

Therefore, the LPL region presented a situation of two strong teams rising together in the group stage.

As soon as the group stage ended, Zhou Le didn't even have time to stay in Iceland to admire the Northern Lights before flying back to China to devote himself to the final promotional push for "Make a Name for Yourself".

He knows that for a movie with a certain degree of suspense and comedy, focusing on story and word-of-mouth, students and young white-collar workers are an important base. More importantly, the group that watched "iPartment" back then, the group that watched dubbing variety shows later, and his fans are mostly in this age group.

Therefore, as early as the later stages of filming, he and the production team's creative and publicity team planned a route that went deep into universities.

After the promotional period began, he personally led a team to visit many key universities in first-tier and well-known second-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Xi'an.

In the university auditorium, facing young and enthusiastic students, Zhou Le put aside his celebrity and director persona and became more like a senior sharing his creative experiences.

He shared anecdotes from the filming process, discussed the challenges of creation, explored different genres, and answered the students' imaginative and abstract questions, creating a lively atmosphere.

Not only was the lecture hall full, but there were also many people standing on both sides and at the back.

Of course, he also didn't forget to go back to his hometown of Taiyuan, Shanxi, to hold an event.

At the same time, the online propaganda campaign reached its climax.

What was just a warm-up before is now a full-scale effort.

Zhou Le's comrades-in-arms in the gaming circle have all joined the fray:

During his live stream, PDD shouted: "Brothers! My brother Zhou Le's first movie, 'Making a Name for Yourself,' is about to be released! You have to support it! I'll rent out a whole theater for all of you to watch it!"

In the video, Da Sima analyzed: "I speculate that this movie has something to offer. Zhou Le is a serious person, unlike me who only knows the tricks of layering. I believe he will not disappoint everyone."

UZI also posted on Weibo: "LeGe is awesome! The movie is sure to be great! Although I play games, I also love watching movies. Looking forward to it!"

Even popular streamers like Zhou Shuyi and Dai Mei'er, who are known for their entertaining content, jumped on the bandwagon. Zhou Le knew that these streamers, whom he hadn't had much contact with before, might not have had pure motives, but they did indeed further increase the film's popularity among a wider range of young people.

Finally, the premiere was held in BJ.

On this day, the stars shone brightly. (End of Chapter)