What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 655 Release
Devil
Premiere of the animated version of Full-Bandwidth Jamming.

Like the general tone of society, the domestic film industry, which has just entered a large-scale marketization, is still clueless about the private film industry. Therefore, there are not many rules and strict censorship systems. As long as you don't cross the red line, you will be allowed to go.

In "Full-Band Jamming," Tang Wen also served as the producer. After checking that there were no major problems with the script, he focused on studying the visuals, settings, equipment, and so on.

After all, although the timeline in this novel is similar to the present, the country's power is almost as strong as that of the polar bear, and it even has scientific research spacecraft like the "Emperor Yan of Ten Thousand Years," while manned spaceflight has not yet been realized in reality.

With an abundance of funding, Han Meiling also used her connections to bring in her apprentices and grand-apprentices to join the team. The final product, in her own words, was "an exquisite work of art, but an absolute money-loser," and it was an astonishing 160 minutes long, with an enormous workload.

After watching the finished film privately, Tang Wen felt quite excited. He then took the sample film to the Navy office and organized an internal screening to solicit feedback.

Old Zhang originally thought it was just a way to relax at night, since cartoons and this kind of subject matter didn't really fit together.

As a result, a group of staff officers spent half the night crying, and at their strong request, the film was re-released. Soon after, people from the Air Force and the Army also came to see it, and in the end, the film and the projection equipment were taken away.

When it was returned, the Propaganda Department and the August First Film Studio came to visit it together:
Enough said, let's get ready for theatrical release.

These days, Hong Kong films are the most popular in mainland China, and Hollywood blockbusters are also making waves. There are many good domestic films, but there are really none that are as unique, visually stunning, and rich in content and aligned with the main theme.

Especially in this era where we are struggling to breathe under the pressure of the F-22 and Nimitz, the fearless spirit of "Full-Band Jamming" with its heavy tragic color is so much needed. It is an excellent stimulant to resist the torrent of external forces.

Despite the staggering amount of military equipment China has received, the strength demonstrated by NATO during the Christmas campaign remains a cause for concern, especially with the addition of the Lost Empire as a significant variable, meaning the pressure they face will not be any less.

Within just a few days, the film was copied and distributed, and with official support, it was prepared for a nationwide release during the May Day holiday.

The day before, the August First Film Studio organized a premiere ceremony, which attracted most of the industry's well-known figures and celebrities, all eager to see what kind of animation could make such a splash in just a few days.

Tang Wen, the organizer, only arrived after the premiere ceremony to show his face for a photo, and was immediately surrounded by a bunch of industry celebrities.

Chen Guangxi, the director of Shanghai Animation Film Studio, couldn't help but ask:

"Mr. Tang, can you tell me how much money you invested in this cartoon? This 160-minute film is worth two movies."

The others immediately perked up their ears; as experts, they had already seen the money burning brightly from the very beginning of the screening.

Tang Wen thought for a moment: "Including the equipment investment, it's about 1.3 million. It's a bit over budget. I originally planned to solve it with 1 million."

"..."

Chen Guangxi remained silent, and the others were completely speechless.

Shanghai Animation Film Studio is also producing an animated film called "Lotus Lantern," which is expected to be about 70 minutes long and cost 1000 million yuan. It has been regarded by the industry as a gamble, and Chen Guangxi has been under tremendous pressure.

Tang Wen's investment of 1.3 million yuan means that he would need at least 4 million yuan in box office revenue to make a profit, which is simply impossible and would result in a complete loss.

Generally speaking, production companies will deliberately exaggerate their investment, partly to create hype and partly to launder money, but those who have seen the movie feel that 1.3 million is not an exaggeration.

Chen Guangxi even breathed a sigh of relief. The higher-ups had given "Full-Band Jamming" very high praise, describing it as nothing short of scathing, and had instructed all the film studios below to learn from and follow suit.

It seems like we don't need to learn anymore; even if we sold the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, we still couldn't raise enough money to invest in just one of their movies.

After thinking for a long time, he finally used one word to describe "full-band jamming":
"It's truly... a work of art."

As soon as he said this, a chorus of agreement immediately followed. From a cinematic perspective, it might be a huge financial loss, but considering the quality, plot, and Hollywood-level investment, they were already quite certain that "Full Bandwidth Jamming" would win numerous awards and become a legend in the domestic animation industry.

Tang Wen saw their reactions and knew the reason, so he shrugged nonchalantly:

"Making movies is about investing in dreams; money isn't important."

This casual remark went unnoticed when it was first uttered, but it quickly became a trendy phrase in the industry and made headlines the following day when the movie was released.

……

Chen Guangxi: "Full-Band Jamming" marks a new beginning for domestic cartoon animation.

[Goose City Evening News: This unprecedented blockbuster will lose at least 1 million yuan]

[Produced by Han Meiling, the first major military science fiction work is now available nationwide]

[Renowned director moved to tears at cartoon premiere]

Chen Kaige praises Tang Wen: A young man who invests in his dreams.

Tang Wen was actually a little surprised when he saw the final title. The film and television industry has always valued seniority, and he originally thought that Gai Jin, who suddenly entered the scene, might be ostracized, but the opposite was true.

"Full-Spectrum Jamming," with its staggering investment, poses no threat to any individual or other work, and for Tang Wen himself, everyone is practically kneeling in shame:

Where can you find investors who shout out their dreams regardless of profit or loss? Big shots can make money whenever they want and play around whenever they want. Tang Wen's involvement is simply a blessing for the entire industry.

A host of renowned directors praised the animated film and its author, Tang Wen, going to great lengths to flatter him to the point that the person involved blushed, and even took the initiative to help promote it and build its reputation.

At the same time, the phrase "investing in dreams" has become a new rhetoric for directors to persuade investors. From now on, losing money is not considered a failed investment, but rather an investment for the sake of dreams!
Although the movie was released hastily, the cooperation of major cinema chains ensured a considerable number of moviegoers during the holidays, all eager to see what this supposedly multi-million dollar animated film was like.

……

On its opening day, May 1, "Full Bandwidth Jamming" grossed 1.5 million at the box office.

At this time, the May Day holiday was only one day long. The fact that it could still achieve such box office results with such a rushed release has given theaters a lot of confidence.

On May 2, with the promotional effects becoming apparent and positive word-of-mouth from the first batch of viewers, the box office reached 2.4 million.
On May 3, the box office was 301 million.
As of May 7, the daily box office exceeded 5 million yuan, and the total box office in 7 days reached 31 million yuan, which can be called a milestone breakthrough for domestic cartoons and even domestic films.

Major media outlets rushed to report on the film, noting that its biggest breakthrough was overturning the conventional notion that cartoons were only for young children. According to cinema statistics, the main consumer group was mostly adult men and college students, and there were even instances of multiple ticket purchases and repeated scenes of audience members wiping away tears.

Tang Wen himself has recently become a god-like figure among the younger generation due to his involvement in the "Zhuawa" project.

Countless people in the film and television industry wanted to connect with the company to promote their dreams, and countless passionate young people sent letters and postcards to Gaijin Company. Meanwhile, the fishery association in Goose City was bustling with activity, with a group of college students hoping to join the maritime defense team and envying the sailors on those warships.

"This movie is so good, when will they make a live-action version?"

Old Zhang was playing with the model of the "Emperor Yan of Ten Thousand Years," a peripheral cultural and creative product that Gaijin was preparing to launch, with a rather futuristic appearance.

"A live-action version would probably cost seven or eight hundred million yuan, and it would require too many resources, not to mention the special effects."

Although Tang Wen said it was difficult, Lao Zhang knew that the former was already making plans, and secretly sighed that this guy really treated making movies as an entertainment project.

Industry insiders predict that the final box office of "Full Bandwidth Jamming" should be around 8000 million to 1 million, which is almost the limit of expectations.

Nowadays, movie tickets are usually priced between 10 and 30 yuan, which is definitely considered high-end. As an animated film, "Full Bandwidth Jamming" has already reached its limit in terms of popularity, since the audience is limited.

Overseas? Gaijin is currently under de facto sanctions due to the Southeast Asian incident, and his cultural and creative works lack channels and capabilities for export.

The military originally decided to provide 2000 million in support under the guise of including it in propaganda works, but Tang Wen refused outright and said he planned to wait a few months before releasing it for free on television and online.

"No matter what, thank you. 'Full-band jamming' has become a propaganda work and has been promoted throughout the army. This is very helpful in strengthening everyone's beliefs... You may not know, but the troops in Langfang reacted particularly strongly, saying that it will definitely become an indestructible defense line in the face of invasion."

Of course, the navy should be the first line of defense, and also the most resilient one.

Tang Wen: "A true barrier should be as far away from the door as possible."

Old Zhang immediately looked worried: "Then let's wait a few more years. Starting in the second half of this year, the Navy will open a specialized school for foreign personnel. We don't lack ships now, but we are extremely short of highly qualified professional sailors."

The aircraft carrier Guangdong Province is not yet combat-ready. Just a few days ago, its coordinates were detected by F-15J fighters of the Self-Defense Forces during a training exercise… This newly formed force needs time to mature.

The expansion of naval power has not significantly reversed the current predicament. The electrical systems of newly commissioned large ships need to be broken in, and personnel training is also insufficient.

After the tender documents for the 012 and 013 aircraft carriers were released, the Empire, as if venting its anger, continuously dispatched aircraft to visit the carriers for a week. The F-15J successfully discovered that the Guang Sheng, which was in training, meant that it had already been sunk in actual combat.

This is an obvious demonstration, and also a way to reassure allies:

Despite the technological gap in equipment, the Pacific Fleet still holds an overwhelming advantage.

The navy is quietly accelerating training and urging the deployment of new equipment, but this is clearly not something that can be achieved overnight.

Tang Wen was not in a hurry about this. Besides, this was a necessary trial and growth. The domestic economy, which had joined the WTO ahead of schedule, had already shown an exaggerated growth momentum. He knew that the bill would soon be covered up.

Moreover, the surrounding environment is very stable now. The three neighbors who were originally going to have mushroom eggs have not fallen into the dark side of nuclear power. The Southeast Asian crisis has also been resolved peacefully and steadily. The changed future is a more comfortable and prosperous road. We just need to wait.

With all the obstacles and thorns in the Far East removed, Tang Wen's sights are now set on Europe.

"Old Zhang, what do you think of Millersavich?"

The sudden shift in topic caught Old Zhang off guard, taking him a beat to react.
“Millersavich? The one from South United? From my personal perspective… it’s hard to say, but he’s definitely a strong player.”

(End of this chapter)