Abstract Art Award Winner

This fully demonstrates Zhou Le's extensive network of connections.

Not only were the entire cast present, but the lineup of guests who came to show their support was also astonishing:

Although Zhang Yimou, a film director, did not attend in person, he sent a flower basket and a congratulatory video message. Other notable figures included Wu Jing, Xu Zheng, Huang Bo, Wen Muye, and Wang Baoqiang.

My circle of friends includes Deng Chao, Chen He, Lu Han, Wang Baoqiang, Guo Qilin, Tian Xiwei, Zhou Ye, Sister Meng…

He even has friends who are second-generation rich kids, such as Mario Ho and Wang Sicong.

The red carpet was dazzling with stars, and the media's flashbulbs almost lit up the night sky.

At the premiere, the host controlled the flow of the event, the creators shared their feelings, and the guests were generous with their praise.

Wu Jing took the microphone and spoke in a loud voice: "I've watched Zhou Le grow up. He's hardworking and has ideas! It's not easy to tell such a complex story clearly, interestingly, and thoroughly in his first time directing! Please give him your support!"

Xu Zheng touched his bald head and said with a smile, "Zhou Le always surprises people. This movie showed me his control over the comedic rhythm and suspenseful atmosphere. He has a bright future!"

Wang Sicong succinctly stated: "I've seen the film, it's good, worth watching. Zhou Le, next time you have a project like this, remember to call me in advance and reserve a larger investment share for me."

Deng Chao and Chen He turned the atmosphere into a comedy show, saying, "Le'er is one of our brothers, we have to support him!"

Faced with a flood of praise, Zhou Le remained exceptionally humble and clear-headed when he took the stage last.

He bowed deeply to thank every guest present, the staff behind the scenes, and everyone who supported him.

"Thank you, thank you everyone." His voice was a little hoarse, but he quickly adjusted. "It's my first time directing, and there are really many shortcomings, a lot of inexperience and nervousness. This film is like my child. It may not be perfect, but it embodies the hard work of all of us."

I hope everyone can be understanding and offer valuable suggestions. I don't dare to expect too much from the box office; as long as everyone feels that their movie ticket money was worthwhile, I'll be content.

After the premiere, Zhou Le hosted a dinner for the friends and the main creative team who were able to attend.

During the meal, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and everyone drank and chatted. Zhou Le single-handedly arranged everything perfectly for everyone.

No one was neglected, and no one was made to feel like they were showing off.

He was in a great mood that day and completely relaxed, so he drank a few more glasses than usual. In the end, he had to be helped back to the hotel.

Although the lead actors, including Yu Entai, Deng Jiajia, and Zhang Benyu, were also tired, they were even more nervous about the box office data that would be released the next day. They barely slept and anxiously scrolled through their phones in their hotel suite, waiting for dawn.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Zhou Le was awakened by a series of urgent phone calls, his head still a little groggy from the hangover.

It was Su Yingxia calling, her voice trembling with excitement: "Brother Le! Hurry! Come to our rented conference room! Hurry!"

Zhou Le's heart tightened, thinking that some negative news had come out, so he quickly put on his clothes and rushed over.

He pushed open the conference room door, and was greeted by several loud "bangs! bangs!" fireworks exploding and colorful ribbons flying everywhere.

Congratulations, Director Zhou!

"Opening day box office of 92 million!!"

"The word-of-mouth is absolutely fantastic!"

The entire crew, including Yin Fang, Deng Jiajia, and all the main actors, gathered there, their faces beaming with uncontrollable excitement and joy, and congratulated him in unison!
Zhou Le was stunned for a moment, all sleepiness and drunkenness vanished.

More than 92 million!

For a film with a budget of less than 80 million, this is an almost explosive start!

This means that not only is breaking even a breeze and making a fortune a certainty, but more importantly, it lays an extremely solid foundation for future box office performance!

"Really?" Zhou Le was still a little incredulous.

"It's absolutely true! The data from all the major platforms is out! We're currently number one in both box office and occupancy rates for the same period!" Su Yingxia handed him a screenshot of the data on her phone, her hands trembling.

Zhou Le was overwhelmed with excitement, hugging and high-fiving every member of the crew.

At that moment, his phone started vibrating wildly as countless congratulatory text messages and WeChat messages flooded in.

Mario Ho: "Mr. Zhou is awesome! I watched the movie, it was fantastic! Congratulations on the big opening day!"

Wang Sicong: "The data is good. I'll prepare a big gift for you when we make money. Keep it steady."

Xu Zheng: "Kid, you're really something! You've made a name for yourself now! Treat us to a meal!"

Wu Jing: Congratulations! I knew you could do it! Let's team up and make one together sometime.

In addition, there were encouragements from seniors such as Zhang Yimou and Chen Daoming, cheers from friends such as Deng Chao, Chen He, and Lu Han, and blessings from countless partners and friends.

The phone screen was flooded with the word "Congratulations".

After the initial euphoria, Zhou Le quickly calmed down.

He knew that the opening day box office was largely due to his strong personal appeal, the intensive pre-release publicity campaign, and the star effect of the premiere.

The real test begins now.

He analyzed to the core members of the crew who had gathered around him: "Brothers and sisters, the results on the first day were very good, but this is just the beginning. Next, word of mouth will be the key to determining how far we can go."

He picked up the whiteboard marker and began to analyze in detail:
"You see, if the market opens high on the first day, there are generally a few possible scenarios for its subsequent trend."

"The first type is films with explosive word-of-mouth, such as 'Dying to Survive' and 'Ne Zha.' In this case, the box office will not only not drop, but will rise against the trend. It will achieve long-term operation through word-of-mouth, and the final box office may be ten or even dozens of times the box office of the first day. This is called word-of-mouth fermentation."

"The second type is films with good or passable reviews, such as most qualified commercial films. After the opening day, there will be a normal drop, such as a 30%-40% drop on the second day, and then a rebound on the weekend. The final box office will be about 4-7 times the opening day box office. Our cost is low, so as long as we can reach this range, it will be a huge success."

"The third type is a collapse in word-of-mouth. For example, some bad movies starring popular celebrities will experience a precipitous drop. The box office may be halved or even worse on the second day. The final box office may barely exceed the opening day's, or even be less than the opening day's. It's a case of high opening and low closing, and it gets a lot of criticism. We have a lot of publicity in the early stage. If the word-of-mouth can't support it, the backlash will be very severe."

Zhou Le paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "What we need to do now is guide positive reviews, sincerely respond to reasonable criticism, avoid any shady tactics, stay low-key and humble, and focus our marketing efforts on the emotional appeal and the film itself, avoiding any moral blackmail of the audience. As long as our film is of high quality and can win the approval of most viewers, then..."

He drew an upward arrow on the whiteboard with force: "We have the opportunity to make not just a money-making movie, but a successful directorial debut that will be remembered by everyone!"

The meeting room was completely silent; everyone felt that Zhou Le's analysis and judgment made a lot of sense.

That's absolutely right.

Now is not the time to pop the champagne.

However, the fact that "Fame and Fortune" grossed over 92 million yuan on its opening day silenced many of the pessimists.

With the rapid increase in the number of moviegoers, ratings and reviews on various platforms have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.

The two major ticketing platforms, Maoyan and Taopiaopiao, achieved high scores of 9.2 and 9.1 respectively upon release, and subsequently stabilized at around 9.0.

This is quite a good reputation for a commercial genre film.

The comments section is overflowing with positive reviews:
"Unexpectedly good! Zhou Le's directorial debut, the film's execution is truly surprising. The comedic elements are natural and not awkward, the suspense and plot twists build layer by layer, and the emotional conclusion is very touching. Every actor delivers a brilliant performance, and the ensemble acting is superb!" "I initially went to see it because of Zhou Le, but I ended up becoming a fan of the film itself! The script is solid, the pacing is excellent, two hours doesn't feel long at all, the jokes are plentiful but not vulgar, the suspense is well-developed, and there's a touch of warmth and reflection at the end—definitely worth the ticket price!"

"Truly a dark horse of the year! I never expected Zhou Le to not only act, but also have such insightful directing ideas. The film's self-deprecating humor and reflection on the film industry is very interesting, both entertaining and profound. The phrase 'make a name for oneself' has been given a new meaning."

"As a fan of suspenseful comedies, I give it full marks! The structure is ingenious, the foreshadowing is cleverly laid, and although some of the twists were predictable, the way they were presented was still surprising. Zhou Le has a bright future ahead of him!"

"I thought it would be just a hobby, but I was proven wrong. Zhou Le proved with his talent that he wasn't just there to make money, but genuinely wanted to make good movies. There's more and more support for new directors like him!"

"The murder mystery-style structure, the atmosphere of an escape room, and the exploration of human nature and the industry—Zhou Le's move is brilliant! I predict the box office will soar!"

Of course, there were a few criticisms, mainly focusing on questioning the logic of certain plot points or feeling that some jokes were too internet-savvy, but overall, positive reviews were overwhelmingly dominant.

A good reputation is like the most effective advertising, driving box office revenue to continue to rise.

Over its opening weekend, "Fame and Fortune" raked in over 300 million yuan at the box office, firmly establishing its position in the market.

However, just when the film industry was doing very well, Zhou Le once again bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of China and embarked on a journey back to Iceland.

The knockout stage of the World Championship is about to begin, and his commentary work is not yet finished.

Back in Reykjavik, the familiar e-sports atmosphere is right there.

The RNG and EDG team members who remained met Zhou Le, and the first thing they did was congratulate him on the film's great success.

RNG's Xiaohu chuckled and punched Zhou Le on the shoulder: "Brother Le, you're amazing! You quietly produced such a great movie. I'll definitely buy a ticket to support you when I get back!"

Meiko from EDG also sincerely said, "Teacher Zhou is amazing, he's good at both acting and directing! Compared to him, we don't have as much pressure in the competition."

Zhou Le smiled and waved his hand, as calm as ever: "Thanks, brothers! As long as you like watching, it doesn't matter whether you support it or not. For me, it's enough that I don't lose money or disappoint you. You guys focus on the competition and try to bring the championship trophy back. That's what's truly awesome."

Everyone sighed in admiration at Zhou Le's remarkable mindset; he remained so clear-headed and calm even in the face of success.

However, the draw results for the knockout stage were a cold shower for all LPL fans.

In the quarterfinals draw, EDG and RNG were surprisingly drawn against each other!
This means that one team from the LPL region is destined to be eliminated in the quarterfinals, resulting in an internal battle.

Domestic audiences were in an uproar, with various discussions about "bad luck in the draw" and "the god of civil war" rampant.

But the draw results cannot be changed, and the match still has to be played.

I stayed here for two days, and then the quarterfinals began.

The commentary was passionate, but also tinged with a sense of helplessness and regret.

"Both sides know each other inside and out, and every step is like dancing on a knife's edge! RNG wants to use their top, mid, and jungle to open up the game, but EDG's defense is impenetrable!"

"Viper! It's Viper again! This Aphelios is in such a perfect position to deal damage in team fights! RNG's formation has been broken up!"

"Xiaohu! Step up! Syndra's Scatter Spell pushed down three! RNG won this team fight! The score is tied!"

"It's the decisive game! The atmosphere is suffocating! Both sides have pulled out all the stops... Scout! Zoe's Sleepy Bubble puts the key carry to sleep! Is EDG about to make a comeback?!"

It's over! Congratulations to EDG! 3-2, advancing to the semifinals! And our highest respect goes to RNG, they fought to the very last moment!

After the match ended, the comments section was filled with mixed emotions.

EDG fans were overjoyed, while RNG fans were inevitably disappointed and dissatisfied, mixed with some mocking EDG for being "good at domestic games but bad at international games." Of course, there were also rational viewers who offered their blessings to both sides.

Zhou Le watched the scrolling comments but didn't offer much commentary. He simply provided an objective summary of the match and offered his best wishes to RNG.

"...Let's give a round of applause to RNG. They fought to the very last moment. That's the cruelty of competitive sports, but their performance is equally worthy of respect."

After the commentary ended, he encountered RNG players packing up their peripherals backstage.

He didn't know what to say, so he could only offer a few words of comfort.

On the other side, South Korea's T1 and DK demonstrated terrifying dominance, both sweeping their opponents 3-0 to advance.

In the other group, GEN also won easily with a score of 3-0.

The four teams that will advance are now in the finals.

EDG, the sole remaining team, faces an extremely dire situation as they are besieged by the three LCK powerhouses: GEN, DK, and T1.

In the semifinals, EDG will face off against GEN.

Zhou Le took his seat at the commentary booth once again.

The battle was extremely intense, with both sides exchanging blows for five rounds.

Zhou Le's commentary was high-energy throughout, accurately predicting every turning point.

"EDG can't rush, they need to wait for Scout and Viper to get their items! ... Jiejie's Jarvan IV found an opportunity! He used EQ flash to trap three enemies! They won! EDG secured the crucial Dragon Soul!"

"GEN's defense was also very tenacious, Chovy's CS was simply monstrous...GEN tried to steal Baron!...They were spotted! EDG arrived! Did they steal it?!...Jiejie! It's Jiejie again! They stole it!"

In the decisive game, EDG withstood the pressure and, with superior team fight coordination and unwavering willpower, narrowly defeated GEN to advance to the finals!
The other semifinal was an all-LCK battle, in which DK defeated T1, led by Faker.

His string of failures led many domestic viewers to believe that Faker was getting old.

"Sigh, it seems like even Faker will have a hard time in the future. It's been 16 years since he last won a championship. Sigh, has even someone as strong as Faker finally come to an end?"

"I'm getting old, I guess three titles is about enough."

The audience still respects Faker.

After all, that's a god in LoL.

After a few days of rest, it was just before the final.

EDG vs DK!

A seemingly mismatched final showdown.

Before the match, Zhou Le was under immense pressure. He went live during the pre-match interactive session arranged by the organizers to communicate with the audience.

The comments section was filled with questions about who he favored.

Zhou Le adjusted the camera and said seriously, "Emotionally, of course I hope EDG wins. We are the only remaining flame of the LPL. As a commentator, I will definitely remain neutral during the game, but from a technical point of view, I think EDG is not without a chance."

DK is strong, but EDG has come a long way, defeating RNG and GEN. Their resilience, teamwork, and understanding of the game version are at their peak. I know there's a lot of noise going on outside right now, and many people think there's no hope. I won't say anything more hurtful, but since that's the case, let's make a bet. Whether you accept or not is up to you.

I predict EDG will win. If EDG wins, guys in the livestream, it wouldn't be too much to spam "EDG is awesome!" right? And if... I mean if DK wins, I'll livestream myself running a 100km marathon, and I mean it. (End of Chapter)