The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 157 The Moment of Creating a Box Office Miracle! Dominating 1200 3D Cinemas!

……

The rest of the film did not disappoint the business tycoons who attended the preview screening.

Lu Zhiyuan, like a robot, consistently delivered powerful attacks, maintaining that exhilarating and sharp robotic fighting style until the very end of the movie.

A series of intense battles, dazzling and spectacular.

Each formidable opponent, through various atmospheres and indirect portrayals, is given a three-dimensional character, but unsurprisingly, they all ultimately fall at the feet of the female protagonist.

This movie seems to lack any real substance; it's just a standard commercial film.

But as a teen sci-fi film, the gorgeous visuals, cool battles, and some heartwarming family scenes are enough.

……

The entire movie is 135 minutes long.

It took 15 minutes longer than the previously expected 120 minutes.

The main reason is that the movie's plot is so rich and engaging.

One battle scene after another, each one so beautiful, full of mechanical impact, and the background music is so exciting that you can't wait to go home and play a game.

It also incorporates family drama elements.

There are also puzzle games.

There's also an AI game companion to assist with your growth.

For teenagers addicted to the internet, watching this movie might make them even more obsessed with video games.

Because it's truly wonderful.

……

"Boss, you're a genius."

"Real Steel is more in line with the pace of commercial films than Upgrade."

"Boss, did you see that group of people behind us? I reckon they're already pulling out their checkbooks, just waiting for us to name our price."

The movie is coming to an end.

The female protagonist, Ophelia, pilots the "Qin Palace Guard" and engages in a fierce battle with the "Planet Ripper" mech.

The battle is set directly in a primeval forest.

A tree that took three people to encircle was smashed by a single punch.

A rock weighing several tons was kicked away.

That pure power, unleashing primal madness, made the audience tremble involuntarily, as if they wanted to join the fight.

The fierce fight lasted for a full five minutes.

Lu Zhiyuan fully unleashed his control over the visuals during those five minutes.

Through the switching between various high and low angle shots, and the emotional fluctuations on the faces of the two operators, the feeling of burning passion and the tension of being on the verge of disaster are expressed vividly.

In the end, the Qin Palace Guards proved to be superior.

Despite being under similarly low energy levels, he exploited the weakness of the Planet Ripper and unleashed the Spinning Slash he learned from the Great Wall Guardian, ultimately becoming the world champion!
Cheers filled the air, and colorful ribbons floated down.

Around the world, countless people cheered for the name "Artemis," bringing the audience's sense of immersion and exhilaration to the extreme.

"awesome!"

"I would call this the best teen action movie ever!"

"While Transformers is great, they are Cybertronian robots, which are naturally separated from humans. Real Steel is different; all the battles are controlled by humans."

"I like the game's concept."

"You can participate in first-person combat in real time and personally experience the power of the exoskeleton being hit, but you don't need to personally experience the sense of life and death danger."

"If a game like this were ever released, I would definitely buy three game consoles."

The perfect ending brought smiles to everyone's faces.

Commercial films don't need too much unnecessary stuff; this is enough.

……

The screen went black amidst cheerful music.

However, the lights in the theater did not turn on.

Obviously, there's an Easter egg.

Everyone wore smiles, ready to enjoy the Easter egg.

The Easter egg in the movie "Upgrade" has been something everyone has been looking forward to for a whole year.

……

The very first Easter egg made people gasp in surprise.

"Oh, incredible!"

"I see!"

"No wonder the main characters are going to Muztagh Ata."

When the audience saw the first post-credits scene in the movie, they were all stunned and their faces were filled with anticipation.

When the three main characters summoned the robot from the game "Qin Palace Guards" on the Black Lake above Muztagh Ata Peak.

In reality...

Dressed in her combat uniform, Miss Jing Tian arrived with great flair at the foot of Muztagh Ata, near a mysterious glacier.

"Identity confirmed, Ms. T, welcome back!"

As electronic mechanical sounds rang out, an invisible device in the glacier slowly opened, revealing a pitch-black tunnel inside.

Jing Tian entered the tunnel.

Soon after, the audience discovered that there was a hidden world inside the tunnel.

The entire Muztagh Ata peak seems to have been hollowed out and turned into a military fortress.

At the very center of this military fortress lies a colossal steel beast.

A real mech hunter that's 200 meters tall!

This mech hunter looks exactly like the [Qin Palace Guard] in the game, only 100 times larger!
At that moment, the smaller robot in the game slowly opened its eyes.

Meanwhile, in this huge secret valley base, the super mech hunter slowly opened its eyes.

Unlike the smaller robots in the game, this super mech hunter emitted a deafening mechanical roar as soon as it was started, causing the valley to tremble.

The people on the ground immediately lost their footing, staring in disbelief at the enormous super mecha hunter.

The camera shot from a low angle, looking at the 200-meter-tall mecha monster. Even through the screen, viewers could feel the oppressive force of that prehistoric behemoth.

In addition, inside the Jaeger, when the nuclear-powered engine starts, the low-frequency hum of the rotating turbines sends chills down your spine.

The whooshing sound of high-pressure steam rushing into the pipes, accompanied by a slight vibration of the metal, instantly turned the tubular metal tubes scalding hot and reddish-brown.

It makes you realize what a real steel monster is.

At the same time, electronic lights illuminated the massive exoskeleton of the mech hunter.

It was as if some long-dormant deity was slowly awakening.

In that instant, the power and sacredness emanating from the mech hunter reached their absolute peak.

So real!

This mech hunter doesn't look like it was made with special effects.

It gives the impression that it is truly sleeping inside the Muztagh Ata peak.

The Chinese have indeed hidden a super mech deep in the mountains.

"Oh my God!"

"So, this is the truth!"

"This was never a game from beginning to end!"

"This is a selection process! To select the best mech pilots from among all of humanity."

"Ophelia, she is the child chosen by destiny!"

At this moment, the audience was so excited that they were speechless and felt their whole bodies trembling.

They felt they had discovered a shocking secret!
The world of games is exciting, but they can approach it with a lighthearted, entertaining attitude.

However, the plot has undergone a dramatic change.

Behind the globally popular virtual game "Real Steel" lies a huge secret.

At this moment, the fates of the game characters and the fates of human civilization in the real world are in turmoil, thanks to the robot [Qin Palace Guard].

A strange sense of urgency, anticipation, and excitement made them eager to see what happened next in the movie.

This is not a game.

This is not a children's story.

This is an epic story, like Star Wars.

Is this a trailer for the next movie?

"Is this trailer trying to tell me that the female lead, Ophelia, won the World Grand Prix and earned a spot to pilot a real Jaeger that's 200 meters tall?"

"If that's the case, that would be fantastic!"

The crowd began to discuss amongst themselves, their minds racing with rapid assessments.

How much should we spend to acquire this project?

It's obvious that the movie "Real Steel" is going to be a huge hit.

The sequel seems even more exciting.

Just as they were rapidly considering this question...

The second Easter egg has appeared.

"Oh, I see!"

"The monsters in the game actually exist in reality, but they are currently sealed in a dimensional portal at the bottom of the sea."

"Deep in the Pacific Ocean, there exists a spatial passage."

"The spatial passage was crammed with these monsters."

"They are frantically tearing apart the space barrier. If they escape, it will be a catastrophe for humanity."

At this moment, the game is no longer just a game, but a simulated training ground.

This instantly elevated the overall scope of the film countless times.

……

After two post-credits scenes, the movie finally ended.

The lights in the theater came on, the end credits appeared on the screen, and electronic rock music with a strong fighting spirit began to play.

"Wonderful!"

"awesome!"

"Lu, you're a genius!"

"I can declare right now that you're even better than Nolan!"

At least in terms of making money, Nolan's Inception certainly didn't earn as much as Lu Zhiyuan's version of Real Steel.

Several derivative product vendors, in particular, have high expectations for this.

Putting everything else aside, the model figures of these robots will definitely sell like hotcakes!

The order must be placed as soon as possible.

They went back and found a factory to start processing the film, working day and night until December 24th, Christmas Eve, when the movie was released and they appeared in the cinema together.

If the movie can gross 5 million US dollars.

These derivative model figures could probably sell for hundreds of millions of US dollars.

Parents who bring their children to the movies should all have one, right?
Especially in Europe and America, it happens to be Christmas, such a happy and festive holiday... so why not buy the kids lots of toys they like?

Now comes the question.

What price should we ask to secure this commercial contract?
"Damn boss, hurry up and reply to my text!"

The representative of 【Hot toys】 was frantically rubbing his fingers, almost wearing the skin off his fingertips.

He is very anxious right now.

Because of the time difference, his boss was still asleep and hadn't replied to his text messages.

……

"Lu, the movie was fantastic!"

"Lu, let's take a picture together. From now on, I'm your number one fan!"

"Mr. Lu, Ms. Keiko Kitagawa looks absolutely stunning in your film. Rest assured, there won't be any problems with the film's distribution in Japan. My only request is that it be released simultaneously with China." After confirming the film had ended and there were no more post-credits scenes, the business tycoons in the theater came over one by one to hug and pay their respects to Lu Zhiyuan.

Praises were showered upon Lu Zhiyuan as if they were free.

The better the movie is made, the more likely it is to become a hit, and the stronger and closer their cooperation with Lu Zhiyuan becomes.

Lots of US dollars are waiting for them to earn together.

"Gentlemen, leave our genius director alone. He doesn't like hugging you greasy old men."

Seeing Lu Zhiyuan's awkward expression, Zhao Shanshan quickly put him at ease with a few words.

Those foreigners didn't care.

Whoever can make money for them is their little darling.

Lu Zhiyuan doesn't like to hug them, so he won't hug them.

This is nothing.

A genius director should have his own temperament and his own style.

As long as Lu Zhiyuan doesn't spit at them or call them idiots, they can accept any of his little tantrums with a smile, for the sake of the US dollars.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the movie is over. Let's talk about our big business."

“I’ve prepared a large conference room next door. We’ll have two hours before dinner to have a good talk about our sincerity towards each other.”

Zhao Shanshan took those business partners away.

Professional business negotiations take a long time, and both parties need to finalize many details.

But before that, we need to talk about the movie's release date.

However, coordinating the release date was handled by James's side. He's an old friend and has a good relationship with Adam Ferguson, the chairman of Universal Pictures.

The distribution of "Real Steel" in North America will rely on Universal Pictures' powerful distribution channels.

As for Europe... Universal Pictures no longer needs to worry about it.

Because in the European film market, apart from Germany, France, and the UK, the three largest box office markets, Universal has its own team.

In other smaller countries, Universal also uses local agents for distribution.

Now, publishers from these smaller countries are proactively seeking cooperation with us.

This will save YT Pictures a significant amount of money on distribution fees to Universal.

……

Most business people followed Zhao Shanshan.

The theater became empty.

James stood obsequiously beside Lu Zhiyuan and asked in a low voice, "Boss, is the movie release date still the same as before, Christmas Eve, December 24th?"

At that moment, James remembered the release date of "Upgrade".

Lu Zhiyuan seems to really like the Christmas season.

For Europe and America, Christmas is a prime time, but also a highly competitive period.

This year, the competition is relatively less intense, but there are still several major productions.

Tron: Legacy, True Grit, Tangled, Meet the Parents 3, The Fighter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

These films will all be released during this period.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 11" is a movie that was released in November, but so far it seems to be doing very well.

It should become the biggest competitor to Real Steel during the Christmas season.

If it were last year, James might have tried to persuade Lu Zhiyuan.

However, this year, with the excellent reputation established by his previous film "Upgrade", Lu Zhiyuan has become a world-renowned director of commercial films.

His science fiction films combine stunning visuals, exciting action sequences, and incredibly fresh science fiction concepts.

It is widely praised among teenagers.

As a sequel, "Real Steel" is sure to attract many young viewers to the cinema, provided it's not too bad.

James just watched this movie.

He was completely captivated by Lu Zhiyuan's talent.

Real Steel is absolutely unstoppable during this year's Christmas season, unless it encounters a historical opponent like Avatar!
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 11" was lucky enough to be released early in November, which garnered enough box office revenue.

If it competes with "Real Steel" at the same time, it's still uncertain who will come out on top.

"James, I love December."

"It's not just because December is my birthday."

“In Europe and America, December is Christmas, and high school students have a two-week holiday, while university students have a nearly month-long holiday. This period is enough for our box office to reach a certain level.”

"In China, the Spring Festival season officially begins at the end of December, and the film's release period can last for a full month and a half until the Spring Festival, which is the best time to release a film."

"Moreover, I have full confidence in the special effects of IMAX 3D. The movie 'Real Steel' will not be like last year's 'Upgrade,' which experienced a brief period of glory before its box office plummeted and could never recover."

Although the visuals of "Upgrade" were good, because it was shot in ordinary 2D, many pirated copies appeared online less than two weeks after its release.

Although it wasn't a high-definition pirated copy, the TC version of the pirated copy was enough to allow many fans to see the plot ahead of time.

While "Upgrade" is nominally a science fiction action film, it is actually a suspenseful drama, especially the plot twist at the end, which is the highlight of the entire film.

After seeing the ending, all the buildup in the beginning of the movie suddenly became meaningless.

Real Steel, on the other hand, completely avoids this kind of "one-hit kill" movie plot twist.

It's about wielding a heavy sword without an edge, and displaying a skillful yet unpretentious approach.

Viewers who enjoy this movie must see it in theaters to experience its true brilliance in 3D.

As for whether or not to choose the IMAX theater?

As the director, Lu Zhiyuan naturally hoped that all viewers would buy the most expensive IMAX tickets. After all, one IMAX ticket costs the same as three regular tickets.

However, rationally speaking, he hopes that the audience will act within their limits.

When choosing an IMAX theater, it is important to carefully distinguish between them, as not all IMAX theaters have 8K high-definition resolution.

"Boss, as you wish. It will be released globally on Christmas Eve, December 24th."

James patted his chest and said.

Although it may not be able to achieve the same simultaneous premiere in 54 countries and regions worldwide as "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1".

However, he swore to God that he would at least achieve the same simultaneous premiere in 30 countries and regions around the world as "Inception"!

"As for the screening rate, boss, don't worry. The success of 'Upgrade' has already made you a top international director."

"Not to mention, there were more than a dozen people in the theater just now, all representatives of distributors from various countries. They've been dealing with movies every day of their lives, so they must be able to tell that 'Real Steel' is a movie that can bring everyone a lot of US dollars!"

A big-budget, high-production-value 3D action movie with amazing special effects.

It doesn't involve any political topics, nor does it involve any bloodshed or violence... Aside from giving it the green light all the way through the censorship process in various countries, James can't think of any problems.

Unless, of course, a country's censorship originates from Cybertron and they don't want to see robots other than Transformers appearing in Earth's movie theaters.

"James, leave professional matters to professionals. Since you've agreed to handle it for me, I'll just wait for the movie to be released."

From the project's inception to filming and post-production special effects editing, Lu Zhiyuan was involved from beginning to end, without a single day of relaxation.

Today, the film screening was a resounding success, and he can finally relax.

"Boss, you should get some rest. You look a bit tired. Perhaps you need a red sofa?"

James said something that was unique to Hollywood slang to Lu Zhiyuan.

The red sofa is a metaphor for a beautiful female celebrity who is willing to accept unspoken rules.

Most filmmakers around the world aspire to work in Hollywood.

For them, becoming a Hollywood studio CEO like James or a renowned director like Lu Zhiyuan is a shortcut.

As long as Lu Zhiyuan nods, James can find him more than 100 stunning beauties with different styles.

As for Miss Jing Tian, ​​will she be unhappy?
Before this "Real Steel" movie, James would certainly have been very worried.

but now.

Totally unnecessary.

Even without the support of Starlight Entertainment and the full assistance of Miss Jing Tian, ​​James could bring Lu Zhiyuan into Universal Pictures with just a word.

Then they can start a new production company.

With Lu Zhiyuan's talent and his connections in Hollywood, they can still make a name for themselves.

By getting rid of Starlight Brilliant and Miss Jing Tian, ​​James can earn even more by binding himself to Lu Zhiyuan.

why not?

"I appreciate your kindness. But it's unnecessary. James, just do your job."

Perhaps James had spent too much time with Xin Yukun, because his speech had taken on a slick and oily tone, and there was a kind of tone that wanted to tempt him into depravity.

Lu Zhiyuan was speechless.

After spending a lot of time with Brother Kun, these people all become like this.

Look at that tech guru of the "black hole event horizon," Schwarzschild; he turns out to be an honest programmer, meticulous in his work.

However, after the project ended, he immediately took the plunge and flew to Dongguan without any formal training.

I don't know who told him that?
That's truly impressive.

"Ah Yuan, what is James whispering to you about? He looks a bit sleazy."

After Lu Zhiyuan finished discussing serious matters, Miss Jing Tian came up and took his arm, looking at James's back with a suspicious expression.

"It's about the movie release schedule."

Of course, Lu Zhiyuan wouldn't mention the story of the red sofa to Miss Jing Tian.

Telling your girlfriend this is just asking for trouble.

He gave a brief explanation, then looked at Jing Tian and asked, "In China, if it's released in December, who will be its competitors?"

Jing Tian already knew that Lu Zhiyuan hoped the movie "Real Steel" could be released during the Christmas season.

At this moment, she knew all of Lu Zhiyuan's opponents like the back of her hand.

"The Laughing Hero is coming out in a couple of days. It's a movie by Xiao Shenyang, featuring Northeastern humor. Don't worry about it. If I run into you, I'm dead for sure."

"Chen Kaige's 'The Orphan of Zhao' is also going to be released in a couple of days; it's a historical drama. As you know, I just directed 'The Warring States,' so I have some authority to speak on this kind of historical film. I reckon it'll be the same old stuff. Besides, Lao Chen, don't you know him well enough? How could he possibly be your match?"

When Lu Zhiyuan heard that Jing Tian looked down on Chen Kaige, he implied that Chen Kaige didn't understand the meaning of commercial films.

He couldn't help but reach out and gently pinch Jing Tian's nose, saying with a smile, "Give Old Chen some face; he never speaks ill of us. We shouldn't speak ill of him either."

"That's true."

Jing Tian thought for a moment, then retracted her assessment of Chen Kaige, saying indirectly, "Old Chen's movies are probably full of cultural depth. But the audience's understanding is limited, and they might not understand them. So, the box office response might not be very high. Art and commerce are sometimes difficult to balance."

After speaking, Jing Tian tilted her head and looked at Lu Zhiyuan, asking with a smile, "Old Chen shouldn't be angry with this evaluation, right?"

Haha.

Miss Jing Tian is getting cuter and cuter, and Lu Zhiyuan couldn't help but pinch her little cheek.

"By the way, Feng Xiaogang also has a movie being released, which is 'If You Are the One 2'. He is very confident and has recently started making pronouncements everywhere, trying to attract a lot of attention."

Speaking of Feng Xiaogang, Miss Jing Tian became a little unhappy.

This buck-toothed kid actually mocked me for making a movie, saying I was there to be funny.

You buck-toothed bastard, just you wait!
Watch how our robot beats you to a pulp.

"Feng Xiaogang's 'If You Are the One 2' will be released on December 22nd, and our movie will be released on December 24th. Let's see if he can still laugh then?"

Miss Jing Tian now suspects that Lu Zhiyuan deliberately scheduled the movie for December 24th to get revenge on her and beat Feng Xiaogang to a pulp.

This year, they did not use their extensive personal connections to suppress the screening rate of other films.

Because it's completely unnecessary.

When "Real Steel" appears in theaters, no one can compete with them for 3D screenings.

It can basically cover 1200 3D cinemas nationwide!

With 1200 3D cinemas, Miss Jing Tian had someone calculate that, under extreme conditions, the daily box office could reach 1.3 million!
This is also the peak day for Avatar.

Under normal circumstances, the average daily box office can reach more than 5500 million.

One person, dominating the 3D theater, with absolutely no competitors!
This feeling is so good.

Other films, including "If You Are the One 2" and "Let the Bullets Fly," have to compete for regular theaters.

This is how the choice of track leads to different results!

Speaking of this, we have to thank Avatar.

Before the release of Avatar, China had only 86 3D screens, but by the end of 2010, the number of 3D screens had surged to 1200.

It grew a full 14 times in one year!
Real Steel really got to enjoy this benefit this time.

With 1200 3D theaters available to everyone, plus top-notch movie quality... even Miss Jing Tian couldn't imagine what kind of miracle Lu Zhiyuan would achieve!
(End of this chapter)