The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 165 Best Director of the Year

……

Under normal circumstances.

The creative team will be very busy during the film's release.

From the director to the main actors, they were constantly on the go, all in an effort to maximize the film's publicity and attract audiences to the cinema.

We'll fool as many people as we can.

However, from his very first work, Lu Zhiyuan was seen by everyone as a fragile little guy.

Everyone treats him like a very precious luxury item, the kind that breaks easily, and they dare not let him go out on various trips, lest he be exhausted.

This affected his subsequent consistent performance.

As for the box office...

Even though Lu Zhiyuan spent all his time lying at home, "Real Steel" still broke through the $7 million mark with unstoppable momentum.

The domestic box office reached 8 million yuan!

Barring unforeseen circumstances, it is highly likely that the number will break the 10 billion mark before the Spring Festival.

It continues to break box office records for domestic films.

However, after the New Year's Day holiday, the box office began to show a downward trend, from the previous highest single-day figure of over 100 million yuan to now, which is only a little over 10 million yuan per day.

Fortunately, the box office revenue contributed by IMAX 3D theaters has been particularly stable.

Five or six million every day.

This helped Lu Zhiyuan maintain his core support base.

Since "Real Steel" broke the box office record for a single film by a Chinese director, every day thereafter has been a new miracle.

Therefore, many busybodies on the internet take the initiative to help the star-studded box office statistics team by loudly announcing the box office figures for "Real Steel" every morning.

With such a huge amount of attention across the internet, "Real Steel" carries the expectations of countless people. Although it is climbing slowly, its progress is firm.

Step by step, we are getting closer and closer to the 10 billion RMB mark.

Globally, it is constantly approaching the $8 million mark and is ready to break through at any time!

At this rate, surpassing "Inception" is just around the corner.

As for whether it can reach 10 billion US dollars?
Let's see if the remaining 100-plus countries and regions around the world can step up their game!

"Real Steel" was released simultaneously in more than 30 countries and regions around the world by Universal Pictures, which together have a population of approximately 30 billion.

This also means that the remaining half of the world's population are potential consumers of this film.

Universal Pictures is urgently developing a promotional strategy to see if it can entice the other half of the world's population into theaters.

We don't expect them to contribute much profit, but at least we need to make the box office figures look better and help Lu Zhiyuan break through the $10 billion mark!
Not for money, but to prove myself!

The title of "10 billion dollar director" sounds much better than "8 million dollar director".

"Universal Pictures helped us conquer the markets in Africa and South America."

"However, the Southeast Asian market is right next door, and there's also the market of India, a populous country... We, Xingguangdian, will handle it ourselves!"

Zhao Shanshan was at the company, developing a publicity plan for everyone.

It's not about making money anymore; it's about saving face.

If they can conquer the Indian market, it's estimated that it could contribute $2000 million to the box office of "Real Steel".

Despite India's low per capita income, its film industry is actually very developed.

Indians also love watching movies.

Movie tickets in India cost approximately $0.5 to $1.

Even with such low ticket prices, India's total box office revenue in 2010 was almost the same as China's.

Both are around $15 billion.

This means that Indians go to the cinema 10 times more often than Chinese people!
……

Universal Pictures and Starlight Entertainment are helping Lu Zhiyuan boost box office numbers worldwide.

Lu Zhiyuan himself would frequently visit Yuan Technology to study the theoretical foundations of the script conception for "Pacific Rim" with Gao Yuanyuan's older brother.

"Zhiyuan, my major is computer technology. Although I have read the theory of relativity in a rough way, I am not a specialist in this field, so I cannot answer many of your questions."

"How about this, my dad is off tomorrow, you come to my house. The two of you can have a good talk."

Gao Yuanyuan's older brother is a programmer who graduated from Tsinghua University with a degree in computer science.

Her father is a top student in aerospace engineering from Tsinghua University and currently works in the country's aerospace sector.

Gao Yuanyuan's father's academic background is a perfect match for the technological theories required for the space wormholes depicted in "Pacific Rim".

"Okay, I'll pay a visit tomorrow."

The Gao family is truly a treasure trove.

Apart from Gao Yuanyuan herself being somewhat unreliable, everyone else is incredibly reliable.

"By the way, Brother Gao, what are your uncle's hobbies? Cigarettes, alcohol, or antiques and calligraphy?"

Lu Zhiyuan has never liked giving gifts to others.

Because he rarely asks others for favors.

In many cases, it's a mutually beneficial cooperation, and there's no question of one person begging the other.

However, Gao Yuanyuan's family was completely of no interest to him.

On the contrary, he was very much looking forward to Gao Yuanyuan's father's professional knowledge.

I heard that this Professor Gao joined the Aerospace Academy in the 60s and was considered a technical expert in the aerospace sector.

Lu Zhiyuan always held such intellectuals, who had made many contributions to the country, in high esteem.

Therefore, he had to resort to traditional Chinese gift-giving methods to please Gao Yuanyuan's father and get him to secretly tell him a few stories about the aerospace industry.

Perhaps he can adapt these true stories slightly and incorporate them into the movie "Pacific Rim".

"What does my dad like? My dad loves his youngest daughter the most."

Gao Yuanyuan's older brother clearly knew about his sister's feelings for Lu Zhiyuan.

He actually admired Lu Zhiyuan very much.

But she already has a boyfriend.

Twisted melons are not sweet.

He never intended to help his sister break up Lu Zhiyuan and Jing Tian.

However, during the time Lu Zhiyuan was talking to him, his phone kept receiving text messages from Gao Yuanyuan.

His beautiful and lovely younger sister was practically telling him another profound truth.

A forced melon may not be sweet, but at least it quenches thirst.

So, at this moment, he could only close his eyes, briefly violate his own principles, and give his sister a helping hand.

"Zhiyuan, that's all I wanted to say. I'm going to work now."

Gao Yuanyuan's older brother really didn't want to get involved in such messy relationships between men and women. All I can say is that the entertainment industry is truly chaotic.

Her sister has been scammed several times, and she hopes this is the last time.

Not long after Brother Gao left, Gao Yuanyuan quietly walked in.

"What day is it today? I can't believe I ran into you at the company."

Upon seeing Lu Zhiyuan, she feigned surprise and astonishment.

A natural and relaxed smile appeared on her face, and her upper body tilted slightly towards Lu Zhiyuan at a 15-degree angle, revealing a desire to get closer.

— Maintaining a distance of less than half a meter between you and the other person will make them release dopamine if they don't dislike you. This will make you more easily accepted.

In addition, when greeting someone, maintain 60% to 70% eye contact. Too much eye contact will make the other person feel uncomfortable, while too little will make you seem insecure and cause them to lose interest in you.

Finally, avoid frequently touching your hair or adjusting your clothes; it looks too deliberate. Confidence and composure are far more attractive.

Another important point is to lower your tone and slow down your speech when greeting others, referencing the pronunciation rhythm of news anchors to reduce any harshness.

If possible, add a touch of appropriate self-deprecation or banter.

……

Although it was just a simple greeting, Gao Yuanyuan had secretly practiced it countless times for this encounter.

She felt that even if she couldn't win Lu Zhiyuan's heart, with all the practice she had done over this period, she could definitely become a great actress if she applied it to filming!
At the beginning of this year, after being harshly rejected by Lu Zhiyuan in South Africa, she went to film "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," injecting the feeling of unrequited love and being played by a scumbag into the movie.

The director said her acting was phenomenal, it didn't seem like she was acting at all.

The two male actors who worked with her were completely dumbfounded, saying that she had the strength of an award-winning actress and that her acting skills were very emotionally engaging!
Hearing other people's comments made Gao Yuanyuan unhappy at all; she even felt like crying.

They simply don't understand that at that moment, they weren't acting at all; it was all a genuine expression of their emotions.

No one knows how much suffering they endured in order to be in a relationship.

What's so difficult about acting in movies?
Acting in front of someone you like is incredibly difficult.

After all, the guy in front of me, who has no sense of humor, is an internationally renowned director. Normal acting skills simply can't fool him.

It will also invite a barrage of malicious mockery and insults from the other party.

“Your acting is completely unconvincing. I secretly glanced at the text message you sent to Brother Gao just now.”

Lu Zhiyuan looked at Gao Yuanyuan with a strange expression on his face.

The acting was so fake.

However, Gao Yuanyuan's defenses are getting stronger and stronger. She has been getting scolded by herself recently, which has honed her strong mentality.

My casual sarcastic remarks couldn't break through her defenses at all.

"You've made a fool of yourself again."

Gao Yuanyuan has now given up all pretense and is no longer putting on an act in front of Lu Zhiyuan, since they have already been completely honest with each other.

She swung her small bag, crossed her arms, leaned back in the office chair by the door, and looked at Lu Zhiyuan with a smile.

Looked him up and down.

Suddenly, Gao Yuanyuan's eyes narrowed, locking onto Lu Zhiyuan's watch, and then she covered her mouth and laughed.

"What are you laughing at? That's ridiculous. Are you having another episode? Your older brother is outside; I'll have him bring you your medicine."

In front of Gao Yuanyuan, Lu Zhiyuan didn't pretend to be aloof. He spoke freely and without restraint, just like when he was with Brother Kun.

"It's a very nice watch. I see you wear it on your wrist all the time, you must really like it, right?"

Gao Yuanyuan smiled and praised it, then said as if reciting a familiar story: "Rolex Cosmograph, released in 2000, stainless steel panda model, official price is 10500 US dollars, but due to long-term supply shortage, a beautiful girl had to pay 50% more to buy it."

What do you mean?
A pretty young lady, raising the price by 50%?

Looking at Gao Yuanyuan's mysterious smile, Lu Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows three times before suddenly realizing something.

My feelings suddenly became very complicated.

She bought the watch; it was a birthday gift she painstakingly gave to herself through Kun Ge.

I told you so.

How could Kun, that stingy guy, possibly buy himself a Rolex, especially one of the most classic models?

I'm really getting drunk.

What exactly does this woman want to do?
In their quest to win back their love, they resort to a variety of methods that are impossible to guard against.

"Shakespeare said that the look of love in one's eyes is harder to conceal than the crime of murder. Lu Zhiyuan, the way you look at me right now is exactly that."

Lu Zhiyuan did not take off the watch and return it to her in front of her.

This made Gao Yuanyuan very happy.

Aside from that, he didn't insult himself, saying he was shameless or a fool with an IQ below 60.

Clearly, just as Kun said, he was moved.

Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect.

After so long, even a block of ice would have warmed up.

At this moment, how warm his gaze was, how dark and bright his eyes were, reflecting his own beautiful face.

Only when you love yourself will your pupils reflect your own image.

Upon realizing this, Gao Yuanyuan was overjoyed and even started referring to Lu Zhiyuan as "classmate."

On the road of love, let's learn and grow together.

"Xiao Gao, I have to admit that at this moment, I am indeed a little shaken."

"But since you like quoting Shakespeare so much, have you ever heard this saying?"

When he saw Lu Zhiyuan admit it himself, he wavered a little. At this moment, Gao Yuanyuan wished she could jump on Lu Zhiyuan and give him a passionate kiss.

Faith will move mountains to open.

I've finally made it through!
He finally admitted that he had feelings for me.

However, Lu Zhiyuan, who had just been joking with him, suddenly became so cold and rational.

This damned sense of familiarity made Gao Yuanyuan realize once again that something was wrong.

At that moment, Lu Zhiyuan took a few steps back like a robot, as if he wanted to distance himself from himself, as if he were carrying some kind of virus.

Then, Lu Zhiyuan spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Xiao Gao, Shakespeare also said another famous quote that is particularly memorable, especially in your current situation."

“Listen carefully to me, this is what it says: When we can’t afford happiness, we should never get too close to the shop window and stare at it in a daze.”

"I can't afford your happiness, so I will never stare at you in a daze, and you should stop doing so too. From today onwards, we need to keep a sufficient distance and not give each other a chance to make mistakes."

"I'm deleting and blocking your phone number immediately. From now on, if you have any problems, contact me through Brother Kun, or through your older brother." "We shouldn't meet in private anymore."

After saying that, Lu Zhiyuan left.

The matter of visiting Gao Yuanyuan's father was never mentioned again.

Given his status as a top-tier director, he could easily obtain a wealth of useful information by simply visiting Tsinghua University and speaking with professors in the relevant field.

He even suggested directly asking the other party for theoretical guidance, offering them a certain amount of compensation, which would make things even simpler.

He really can't repay the debts of gratitude he owes.

Especially the favors owed to Gao Yuanyuan, which can really cause a lot of trouble for me.

If the other person were someone like Gulnazar, she could just sleep with them, give them some money, and be done with it... But Gao Yuanyuan is a master of romance, and she's always serious, with marriage in mind.

This is someone you absolutely must not mess with.

……

When Lu Zhiyuan left, Gao Yuanyuan was completely dumbfounded.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, she tried calling Lu Zhiyuan, but couldn't get through at all; the message kept saying, "The number you dialed is currently busy."

Without a doubt, she was blocked by Lu Zhiyuan.

Because Lu Zhiyuan was still in the company, within her sight, and had not made any calls.

But I just can't get through on the phone.

Gao Yuanyuan was frantic. She called Xin Yukun directly and was so angry that she almost cursed him out.

However, Kun was now her only hope, so she forced herself to hold back and said through gritted teeth, "Kun, I followed your instructions, but he blocked me!"

"You compensate me!"

I'll give myself to you? Is there such a good thing?
Upon hearing Gao Yuanyuan's words, Kun Ge couldn't wait to agree immediately.

But he also knew that he couldn't provoke Gao Yuanyuan any further at this point.

At that moment, Xin Yukun's mind raced as he began to analyze the situation for Gao Yuanyuan.

"As far as I know, A Yuan never blocks anyone. At worst, he just deletes the other person's number and stops contacting them."

"Now, for the first time in his life, he has blocked someone. This can only prove one thing: this person holds an unparalleled place in his heart."

"dont you agree?"

“That person must be someone he cares about very much. He feels that the other person is like poison, and he can’t quit them at all, so he can only deal with it by blocking them in such an extreme way.”

is it?

Gao Yuanyuan was stunned for a moment, and it seemed to be true.

Theoretically, it makes sense.

Given Lu Zhiyuan's cold and aloof personality, and the fact that he wouldn't take the initiative to contact her or block her, it would be completely unnecessary for him to do so.

wrong!

He was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist contacting him.

To avoid making mistakes, he chose to block himself, thus weaning himself off this "poisonous girl" from the source.

Haha!

That's it!

That makes sense.

"Mr. Gao, love should not be judged by the eyes, but by the heart."

"Tell me, did you notice that the way he looked at you changed just now? Was it particularly bright?"

Kun was there, patiently guiding Gao Yuanyuan.

That's right!

The way he looked at me was like a candle flame, so dazzling it made me want to cry.

Gao Yuanyuan nodded frequently, feeling increasingly happy.

"Mr. Gao, no, sister-in-law, keep going, you will definitely be the winner in the end. At least, he already has you in his heart."

"He fled in a hurry not because he hated you, but simply because he was afraid to face you, and also afraid to face himself."

"From this moment on, his mindset began to show signs of weakness."

"As a person with moral fastidiousness, as a mad artist, he knew that his fidelity in love was no longer flawless."

"To him, you are like a black spot on a clean canvas. A perfectionist like him would go crazy if something like this happened."

Xin Yukun directly dissected Lu Zhiyuan's inner thoughts for Gao Yuanyuan to see.

Gao Yuanyuan felt that Xin Yukun was like a mind reader to Lu Zhiyuan, he really understood him too well.

However, upon hearing that Lu Zhiyuan might go crazy, she hesitated and asked, "Brother Kun, should I find a chance to go and comfort him?"

"I don't want him to feel too much pressure because of my presence."

What a gentle and virtuous girl!

So considerate.

Xin Yukun felt that if he met someone like Gao Yuanyuan, he might have to give up his life of crime and, like Lu Zhiyuan, love only one person in his life.

"Sister-in-law, do not act rashly. Wait for my news."

"Besides that, post more pretty photos on Weibo. I reckon that even though he blocked you, he'll definitely be secretly keeping an eye on your status."

Kun is awesome!

He understood Lu Zhiyuan's mindset perfectly.

With Kun Ge as her strategist, Gao Yuanyuan felt confident of winning.

……

On the way back, Lu Zhiyuan was somewhat uneasy.

It's all Gao Yuanyuan's fault.

Why are you so good to yourself?

Why would someone give themselves a Rolex watch for no reason? You can't even buy it at the original price, and they're charging 50% more. What a sucker!

Just as Lu Zhiyuan was lost in thought, his phone rang, making him feel a little flustered.

I checked my phone and saw that it was Nazha calling.

He hesitated for a moment and answered the phone.

"Nazha, is something the matter?"

"Brother Yuan, I'm going to the Beijing Film Academy for the entrance exam in a couple of days. Could you come with me and give me some encouragement?"

Naza mustered up all her courage to make a small request to Lu Zhiyuan.

She remembered that when Dilraba took the entrance exam for the Beijing Film Academy last year, it was Lu Zhiyuan who accompanied her.

When Nazha found out about this, she was really envious.

However, at that time, she was nothing, just an unknown little model.

Unlike Dilraba, who was the most popular female star online at the time, during the release of "Upgrade" (a popular Chinese drama), she was not.

Now, she has become an internet sensation after appearing briefly for a few seconds in "Real Steel" as a flying apsara from Dunhuang.

Everyone says she's incredibly beautiful, on par with Dilraba.

On the surface, Nazha modestly said no, that her senior Dilraba was much prettier than her... In reality, she would hide under the covers every day, looking at these comments on her phone, and laughing happily.

Following in the footsteps of her senior, Dilraba, is a plan that Gulnazar has set for herself.

Dilraba got into the Beijing Film Academy, and she's going to study there too.

Otherwise, Lu Zhiyuan would constantly criticize him for being a big idiot.

Naza also has self-respect.

"What day is the art exam? Send me a message in advance and I'll pick you up."

Lu Zhiyuan thought about it and decided that it wasn't a big deal, so he agreed.

Naza is quite well-behaved.

His impression of Nazha was that she was particularly stupid, liked to go public with her relationships, and would get angry and argue fiercely with fans after being criticized by netizens.

This resulted in a particularly poor reputation online.

She is the complete opposite of Dilraba.

However, in this timeline, perhaps because Nazha spends every day with Dilraba and Zhang Tianai, her temper has improved considerably.

It could also be because Kun-ge taught her well.

Lu Zhiyuan felt that Nazha was much more obedient than he had imagined, and she worked diligently without causing much trouble.

……

Go home.

Lu Zhiyuan felt somewhat tired.

Even with Zhang Yimou's extraordinary energy, there were still far too many things that happened today.

The watch I've been wearing for over a month was actually a gift from Gao Yuanyuan?

That guy Kun is always causing me trouble.

Xiao Gao is really something. If you want to give me a gift, just give it to me directly. Why do you have to go through Kun Ge as a middleman? It's really baffling.

"Ayuan, you're back."

Hearing the commotion outside, Miss Jing Tian came out of the kitchen and took a look.

She seemed to have thought of something, and grinned at Lu Zhiyuan, "I've found a new soup recipe. It tastes much better than before, and I heard it works even better. Try it tonight."

Want more?
Before I got Zhang Yimou's super energy, I drank soup every day.

Even after I got it, I still drank soup every day.

Really served!

Lu Zhiyuan was too embarrassed to tell Miss Jing Tian that his recent surge in energy had nothing to do with her soup-making skills, but was all thanks to the powerful system!

However, this unscientific explanation is hard to convince people.

"Tian Tian, ​​to tell you the truth, I've actually been exercising a lot lately. So..."

Lu Zhiyuan subtly indicated that he relied entirely on exercise, not on making soup.

Miss Jing Tian said dismissively, "It's precisely because you often go out to exercise that you need to supplement your diet. Otherwise, I'm afraid you won't get enough nutrition."

Good guy.

At this moment, Miss Jing Tian's logic was complete.

Having been a fragile character for so many years, Lu Zhiyuan could understand why people couldn't accept the fact that he had suddenly become a super strong orc warrior.

no way.

To avoid being looked at differently, he had no choice but to continue pretending for a while longer.

Fortunately, Miss Jing Tian's cooking skills are getting better and better, and she has begun to take care of her own taste buds with the flavor of her nutritious soups.

Drinking a bowl every night warms both the heart and the stomach.

It can also be used as an antidote to eliminate a poison called Gao Yuanyuan.

"By the way, Yuan, the organizers of this year's Weibo Night called me specifically to ask you to attend. They've already decided that you'll be the Best Director of the Year."

Miss Jing Tian would occasionally go to the kitchen to check the heat, and after simmering it over low heat, she would come out to chat with Lu Zhiyuan.

"Best Director? Not Best Picture?"

Best Picture is the top prize; Best Director is just a second-place award.

Of course, even if Lu Zhiyuan were to win Best Film, it probably wouldn't reveal any of his talent.

He no longer finds ordinary A-level talent appealing.

To win the S-class award, he must make a blockbuster movie in his lifetime, and at least for one month, it must sweep the box office worldwide.

Or it could break the domestic box office record, which would be an impossible task, but it would be possible to win an S-level award.

"Real Steel was only released on December 24th, but the nominees for various awards at the Weibo Night were announced on December 16th. If they were to award you Best Film, it would be met with widespread ridicule online."

Jing Tian offered a few explanations.

Lu Zhiyuan was a reasonable person, and after listening, he didn't say anything.

As for Lu Zhiyuan's Best Director award, it wasn't for the movie "Real Steel," but for "Upgrade," which was released last year.

The best film of the year is most likely to be "Aftershock," which is the 2010 domestic box office champion.

Moreover, it was specifically designed to record major events of the era, so it has a semi-official background. In addition, it did very well at the box office, so it naturally received some awards.

In 2010, "Real Steel" only grossed 500 million yuan at the box office. The next record-breaking box office results were achieved in January 2011.

So, by all accounts, Feng Xiaogang still managed to get away with it.

"By the way, Yuan, I specifically spoke with the people at Weibo about the Weibo Night red carpet event. They told us to walk behind Little Bucktooth and the others as the finale."

Miss Jing Tian is not going to suffer this loss.

The Best Picture award should go to "Aftershock," but does Feng Xiaogang deserve it?
Although the awards are usually decided by the organizers before the ceremony.

But when walking the red carpet, you have to make sure you save face.

Lu Zhiyuan is the record holder for domestic box office, with a single film grossing over 8 million US dollars. He's a walking money-printing machine.

If this can't be the grand finale, then what's the point of going to a gala?
Are we going to elevate Feng Xiaogang's status?
(End of this chapter)