The Birth of the Best Director

The trailer for Chapter 197 is a huge hit! How many records will it break?
……

After finishing their business, seeing that it was already dinner time, Lu Zhiyuan immediately announced that they would go to the Hilton Hotel next door for a big meal.

There weren't many people.

It was just a few of their own people.

As for business partners, Zhao Shanshan will naturally arrange business dinners.

"Boss, I heard you've been working out lately, so I specially selected four types of Japanese Wagyu beef for you. Which one suits your taste best?"

There are not just one type of top-quality Japanese Wagyu beef, but four types.

These are Matsusaka beef, Kobe beef, Omi beef, and Hida beef.

These types of Japanese Wagyu beef are not cheap; the price per kilogram is generally over 3000 yuan.

Of course, for these rich people, it's just like eating street food; it's nothing special.

"James, you're such a bootlicker."

Before Lu Zhiyuan could say anything, Xin Yukun gave James a disdainful look: "Why didn't you treat me like this when I came last time?"

James shrugged, not answering the question, but instead asked Xin Yukun a strange one: "Yukun, do you know why the Federal Reserve's money counting machines broke down today?"

what?
Will the Federal Reserve's money-counting machines ever go on strike?

Do banknote counting machines have labor unions?
You Americans really know how to play games.

Xin Yukun looked at James with a blank expression.

James gracefully began folding his napkin, looked up, and said in broken Chinese, "Because, like you, it has no coins!"

The money counting machine is out of service; there are no coins to count!

"Ha ha!"

After everyone understood what he said, they couldn't help but laugh.

Xin Yukun glared at him immediately: "You stinky foreigner, you've started learning Chinese proverbs now?"

Money is truly alluring.

It turns out that as long as they can make money from China or by working for a Chinese boss, foreigners will be just as motivated to learn Chinese.

He can even create proverbs with profound implications for you.

"Food is the only thing we should not miss, let's eat."

As Lu Zhiyuan spoke, he picked up a piece of beef that looked the most delicious for Miss Jing Tian.

"Thank you."

A gentle smile immediately appeared on Miss Jing Tian's face, and then she looked around with particular pride.

You little devils, you all want to pounce on our robot.

However, I will never abdicate.

You guys are so worried!

Although there were other delicious dishes, it must be said that the top-grade Wagyu beef was indeed very good, and everyone tried it.

During this time, Lu Zhiyuan couldn't help but glance at Yang Mi a few times.

When Miss Jing Tian saw Lu Zhiyuan's gaze, a murderous urge flashed in her eyes, and she wished she could kick him.

Remind him to be careful.

Do you think I'm dead?

It's one thing to secretly watch it normally, but now you're watching it openly right in front of me!

Tonight, I'll let you have three servings of soup!

They'll drain you dry.

Otherwise, you would still have the energy to think about other women.

Yang Mi didn't know why Lu Zhiyuan was staring at her with such sharp and piercing eyes, like an eagle eyeing its prey.

Regardless, Yang Mi was very proud of herself for successfully attracting the attention of the famous director.

My sister's irresistible charm is simply irresistible.

If it weren't for the fact that there were so many people around, she really wanted to raise a peace sign, say "Yay!", and leave behind a world-famous painting.

Because of Lu Zhiyuan's strange behavior, the atmosphere in the restaurant became quite awkward.

However, Lu Zhiyuan obviously realized something and quickly turned his gaze to watch Miss Jing Tian eat the beef.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a beautiful woman before?"

Miss Jing Tian gave Lu Zhiyuan a coquettish glare.

Even though I eat elegantly and charmingly, there's no need to stare at me like that.

We're an old married couple, do we still need to show off our affection?
Although she was a bit arrogant, Miss Jing Tian actually quite enjoyed being stared at by Lu Zhiyuan.

As for the small mistake Lu Zhiyuan made just now, she was magnanimous and pretended not to see it.

Anyway, Dilraba was more anxious than herself.

Privately, he will definitely give Yang Mi a good scolding.

……

Dinner lasted for half an hour.

"Brother, I have plans tonight, I'm off."

Xin Yukun finished eating first, then turned and left.

He even pulled James away.

"Ah Kun, why are you pulling me? I haven't finished eating yet. Besides, this meal was on me, and I haven't paid the bill yet."

After being pulled out of the private room, James had a strange look on his face.

Xin Yukun put his arm around James's shoulder: "It's okay. Let's go to the next game and eat slowly. Anyway, this kind of chaotic situation is not something we can get involved in."

"As for the bill... we're big shots in Hollywood, everyone in the hotel knows us. Come back tomorrow to sign the bill, and I guarantee no one will say anything."

……

In the restaurant.

When Miss Jing Tian saw that Lu Zhiyuan didn't say anything, but his expression was rather unpleasant, she gradually realized what was going on.

Hey.

I misunderstood our robot.

He wasn't actually lusting after Yang Mi's beauty; he was clearly observing her closely and then wanting to find something to criticize!

In such an inappropriate situation, I should leave first.

He didn't want to stay here and risk losing face, which would affect his firepower output.

After all, Yang Mi was someone I personally recruited into the company.

"Ah Yuan, I'll go back to my room and wait for you. Come back soon."

Miss Jing Tian whispered something in Lu Zhiyuan's ear, then gave Yang Mi a meaningful look before turning and leaving.

The moment she turned around, Miss Jing Tian couldn't help but laugh. Her smile bloomed like a peony, a beauty that could topple kingdoms.

Yang Mi, you have such stinky feet.

You are dead.

……

"Brother, it's rare for me to be in such a good mood today, shall we go shopping? Yesterday when I was strolling around the neighborhood, I saw someone casually hanging a Monet painting of water lilies on the wall."

"I have a feeling that it might be an authentic work!"

"I want to take you to see it; maybe we can find a bargain."

Dilraba also sensed that Lu Zhiyuan had a fighting spirit. Not knowing what had happened, she simply pulled Lu Zhiyuan away first.

Otherwise, either Liu Shishi or Yang Mi will be in trouble.

"Really?"

Lu Zhiyuan knew that Reba was 99% fooling him, but there was a 1% chance he could snag a bargain.

It's fine to go out for a stroll.

……

Because it's located near the hotel, and James has arranged several security personnel, both overtly and covertly, there's naturally no problem with security.

The two of them didn't go far.

Lu Zhiyuan could probably guess that Reba must have discovered something and deliberately brought him out.

"Bro, if you want to complain, just say it to me. I promise I won't take it to heart, no matter how nasty your words are."

The two strolled around the neighborhood and found a coffee shop. Dilraba pulled Lu Zhiyuan to sit in a corner, looking at him pitifully.

"Dilraba, I do have a question I'd like to ask you."

"Regarding the issue of female celebrities undergoing cosmetic procedures, I don't know much about it. I saw you seemed to be researching these things recently..."

Lu Zhiyuan said a few words, which immediately made Reba nervous.

"Brother, I don't want to get plastic surgery. I'm just looking around. Don't worry, I know you don't like surgically enhanced faces, and I would never get plastic surgery."

"At most, I'll just trim my eyebrows."

“You told me last time that my eyebrows were too tightly pressed together, which made my face look narrower. You said that loosening my eyebrows would make my face look more elegant and graceful.”

Dilraba immediately refuted the claim.

As an art student, Lu Zhiyuan prefers natural faces, and even the slightest flaw is seen as a regret left by God.

If she gets plastic surgery, Lu Zhiyuan will definitely curse her to death.

"and many more."

Suddenly, Reba seemed to understand something.

During the meal, Lu Zhiyuan kept staring at Yang Mi, probably because he noticed that Yang Mi's face looked unnatural.

"Brother, what exactly do you want to ask?"

At this moment, Dilraba realized that Yang Mi's situation might be getting worse.

As Yang Mi's older sister, if she has the ability, she should still help Yang Mi save face.

Are you familiar with the jawline resection procedure?

When Lu Zhiyuan uttered such a professional term, Dilraba's heart skipped a beat.

That's right.

Yang Mi worked on this project.

What does it mean to have a molar extracted?

It's absolutely laughable.

You can fool others, but how could Yang Mi possibly fool Lu Zhiyuan's discerning eyes?

He's the kind of super-abnormal person whose facial muscles and bones can be seen through the wrinkles and lines of his face, like an X-ray, revealing the distribution of muscles and bones beneath his skin.

Art students can be really scary sometimes!
"Brother, I've heard a little about it."

At this point, it's impossible for Dilraba to deceive Lu Zhiyuan just to speak well of Yang Mi.

Of course, most importantly, she knew very well that she couldn't fool Lu Zhiyuan with her intelligence.

"Is it true that jawline reduction surgery can cause damage to facial muscles after the procedure?"

Lu Zhiyuan had clearly discovered something.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to raise such a targeted question.

"Well, there should be a little bit."

Reba stammered.

At that moment, she wished she could kneel before all the gods and Buddhas and beg Lu Zhiyuan to stop asking questions, have a cup of coffee, and go back to sleep.

"How much is this 'dot' you're referring to?"

Lu Zhiyuan lowered his head, drank a cup of coffee, and frowned as he recalled something.

Then he spoke up, saying, "Just now, while we were eating, I observed how Yang Mi ate beef, and her jaw muscles have developed a serious problem."

"The attachment points of her masseter and mental muscles have undergone a fundamental change, resulting in a very asymmetrical distribution of muscle tension."

"I now have a very high probability that Yang Mi's facial nerves have suffered extensive damage."

“While we were eating just now, I observed her carefully for about half a minute, and I can confirm one thing. Her masseter muscles have started to atrophy due to the loss of bony support.”

"Otherwise, how could she not even be able to bite into Wagyu beef?"

Just now, when Dilraba was eating Wagyu beef, she ate with great relish, while Yang Mi ate with utter weakness.

The difference between the two is striking.

At this point, Lu Zhiyuan sighed softly: "I didn't realize that jaw reduction surgery would have such serious consequences."

"This cosmetic surgery is really harmful."

Upon hearing this, Dilraba couldn't help but want to cover her face.

Yang Mi told her that her face shape changed after she had two wisdom teeth extracted.

Dilraba once believed in it very much.

She even asked Yang Mi if she could also pluck a couple of seeds to make her cheeks smaller.
Unlike now, when I was strong and tough like a man.

She also wanted to transform into a fox-faced woman to seduce Lu Zhiyuan.

That despicable Yang Mi, she actually lied to her!

It was still my robot brother, with piercing eyes.

Telling a lie might fool him.

However, Yang Mi couldn't hide certain details of her life from Lu Zhiyuan.

He's the kind of person who's obsessively obsessed with details!
At that moment, Dilraba knew that Yang Mi was doomed and would most likely be blocked by Lu Zhiyuan.

Lu Zhiyuan did not blame Yang Mi for choosing to have plastic surgery in order to become more beautiful.

He probably blames himself for not noticing Yang Mi before, because the jawline reduction surgery changed the distribution of facial muscles.

Even the facial muscles showed signs of weakness.

This means that Yang Mi simply cannot portray some of the expressions that Lu Zhiyuan needs to show in the movie.

Liu Shishi is blind, her lines are terrible, and her attention to detail is utterly lacking; she simply doesn't meet Lu Zhiyuan's acting requirements for the film.

Yang Mi has beautiful eyes, which is why Lu Zhiyuan admires her.

Lu Zhiyuan could even tolerate Yang Mi's heavy nasal tone and her poor physical coordination, and that she might not be able to endure the hardships of action scenes.

But now, the decisive blow has arrived.

Liu Shishi is blind, and Yang Mi has facial paralysis.

These two together make up the perfect combination of heaven and earth.

It's absolutely amazing.

"Reba, what I want to know is, is it possible for her to recover from this condition?"

This is the only answer Lu Zhiyuan wants to know.

Yang Mi developed facial paralysis, but that didn't matter to Lu Zhiyuan.

But if Yang Mi's facial paralysis affects the quality of his movie...

This is something he absolutely cannot tolerate.

"Brother, I don't know either."

Dilraba really wanted to cover her face and run away.

The younger sister she chose to be her servant, the chosen one she kept recommending to Lu Zhiyuan... In the end, she was betrayed.

Honey, your facial nerves are damaged, and you still want to make Hollywood blockbusters?
Are you dreaming?
You've ruined me!
Dilraba suspects that if Lu Zhiyuan were not her older brother, but a director with whom she had only a casual relationship, he would most likely have given her a severe dressing-down.

Slapping yourself in the face would be too lenient.

The movie, which is being prepared to cost tens of millions of dollars, recommends a former actress who is expressionless.

At this moment, facial paralysis is not an adjective, but a medical definition!

"Go and find out for me. I need to know the exact answer. Because it will affect the character allocation and plot development of our entire film series going forward."

"This series is important to all of us. I can't let a ticking time bomb destroy all our hard work."

"do you understand me?"

Yang Mi's acting skills are a bit lacking, but Lu Zhiyuan can help her improve.

Yang Mi's lines have a heavy nasal tone, so Lu Zhiyuan could be dubbed.

For example, the character Liu Shishi in "Pacific Rim" was dubbed, and no one raised any objections at the preview screening.

After all, Liu Shishi was a new face to foreigners.

They didn't know anything about Liu Shishi herself and thought she had amazing acting skills and was a talented Chinese actress discovered by Lu Zhiyuan.

After all, a director with enough skill can deceive the audience.

"Brother, aren't you angry with me?"

Dilraba was already waiting for Lu Zhiyuan to unleash a torrent of abuse on her, but to her surprise, Lu Zhiyuan remained calm and his emotions were incredibly stable.

But yes.

Cursing won't solve the problem, and neither will getting angry.

It was just an emotional outburst.

In this respect, her robot brother is simply the ideal man of the highest quality.

"Of course I'm angry."

Lu Zhiyuan glanced at Dilraba and then said, "If the movie 'Pacific Rim' fails to break 10 billion US dollars at the box office, your losses will be at least several million US dollars."

"With that in mind, you should be as concerned about this as I am, even go all out. Help me get this straight."

"Then, let's launch our plan b."

Depend on!
That damned Yang Mi almost made me lose millions of dollars.

This is making me further and further away from becoming a rich woman.

This is infuriating!
At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan's emotions were very stable, but after Dilraba realized this, she suddenly became so angry that she was about to explode!

"Brother, I'm going back now."

If Yang Mi ruins Lu Zhiyuan's movie, it's equivalent to indirectly causing losses for herself, and Dilraba will definitely not let it go.

We must go back and find out.

Why would you get your wisdom teeth pulled? It could damage your facial nerves, making you feel half-dead after chewing on a piece of beef for ages.

You still say you haven't had plastic surgery?

……

"Liu Shishi, you're messing with my mindset."

"Yang Mi, you completely ruined my mental state!"

"Suddenly, I realized that Hani is actually the one who gives me the least trouble. Her acting is bad simply because no one has taught her before. If I guide her more, there is still room for improvement."

"Her physical attributes are absolutely top-of-the-line!"

"Well, starting next semester, let's ask Tian Tian to help us get Hani transferred to Yanjing. I want to treat her like a real apprentice and train her slowly!"

"They're still our own people, so we feel safe using them."

After sighing, Lu Zhiyuan turned and walked out of the coffee shop.

Soon, four or five bodyguards in black suits appeared around him and escorted him back to the hotel.

……

domestic.

Inside Huayi Brothers.

The two Mr. Wangs have received the latest news that Lu Zhiyuan's new movie "Pacific Rim" will be released during this year's Christmas season.

Every year when Lu Zhiyuan's movies are released, they treat it as a major crisis.

However, they can take it a little longer this year.

With one hand in his pocket and a cigar in the other, Mr. Wang casually asked, "Old Feng, how's the preparation for the historical epic 'Back to 1942' going?"

To prepare for this film, Huayi Brothers used all the money the company had earned last year.

With a production cost of 2 million yuan, this is Huayi Brothers' biggest gamble ever.

The two Mr. Wangs were also very concerned about this project, and would call Feng Xiaogang over every few days to express their greetings.

"Mr. Wang, the movie is still in preparation, and it should be ready in about two more months. I plan to start filming right after the Chinese New Year."

The bigger the blockbuster, the more complicated the preparation work before filming.

We must strive for excellence.

Once filming begins, the daily expenses will be in the millions.

Who else could be like Lu Zhiyuan, leading three film crews to Iceland and spending ten days to half a month there, just to shoot 15 seconds of footage!
This is pure wasteful behavior!
Which director wouldn't be envious after hearing about this?

Is it that they don't want to pursue art?

I don't have that confidence!

Of course, the most important thing is that they can't find such a generous and wealthy woman!
"Old Feng, don't think I'm being long-winded. I'll ask you one more time: is this movie any good or not? You've never made a film with such a heavy subject before. Don't mess it up."

Mr. Wang has always been suspicious of Feng Xiaogang.

Although Feng Xiaogang has already proven himself with commercial films... for some reason, Mr. Wang just doesn't trust him.

It was probably because, as a scion of a prominent family, he looked down on sycophants like Feng Xiaogang from the bottom of his heart.

In his mind, truly capable people are usually arrogant and disdain flattery.

Feng Xiaogang, on the contrary, rose to prominence through flattery and sycophancy.

Their strength is definitely not enough.

"Second brother, what nonsense are you talking about? Old Feng can definitely do it."

The king pulled his younger brother away and glared at him fiercely.

No matter how much you look down on Feng Xiaogang, don't show it on your face.

Do you know that he's our cash cow?
Without Feng Xiaogang, Huayi Brothers' stock price would drop by half.

"Brother, I was just joking. Of course I know Old Feng is very capable. At least, Old Feng didn't ask us for 6 million!"

"Haha, 6 million, for a historical epic! That's hilarious."

"That guy next door, with only 5000 million US dollars, was able to make a groundbreaking sci-fi blockbuster like 'Real Steel'."

"6 million yuan to make 'The Flowers of War'? Has Zhang Yimou lost his mind?"

Mr. Wang's words were full of sarcasm.

"Stop talking nonsense!"

The king was so angry at his younger brother’s increasingly absurd remarks that he wanted nothing more than to kick him to death.

Although, that's what he thought too.

However, some things should not be said casually, as they could have a negative impact if they were to be spread.

"Zhang Yimou not only lost his mind, but he's also incredibly reckless... I heard that 'The Flowers of War' is scheduled to be released at the end of December."

"Isn't he just humiliating himself?"

The test screening of the movie "Pacific Rim" was an unprecedented success. Although the media only gave brief reviews of the test screening, Zhao Shanshan had signed many large contracts and naturally needed to account for the funds behind her.

And by the way, show off how capable you are.

How can we keep it a secret now?
After a few days, almost everyone knew that Pacific Rim was incredibly amazing, especially its visual effects, which were absolutely stunning.

Everyone who has seen it is utterly astonished.

Mr. Wang may not fully understand just how impactful "Pacific Rim" was. However, he is very clear about his old rival, Zhang Yimou.

"If I were Zhang Yimou, I would give 6 million RMB to that guy next door, do nothing myself, just go to the film set every day and hang out as a producer. Maybe I would have a higher historical status."

As a businessman, Mr. Wang highly values ​​the saying, "When doing business, you should look at the rate of return on capital."

Right now, who can achieve a higher return on capital than Lu Zhiyuan?
He had already established a good relationship with Lu Zhiyuan, who even agreed to invest in the sci-fi blockbuster "Pacific Rim".

However, the production cost of $1.5 million scared him.

He went back and told his older brother about it. After discussing it for a few days, nothing came of it.

Now, a year has passed, and Lu Zhiyuan has actually produced Pacific Rim, with a truly explosive effect.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it's guaranteed to gross at least $8-9 million at the box office.

Another blockbuster.

Mr. Wang was filled with regret for not making money and missing out on investment opportunities.

"What's the point of saying all this? Lu Zhiyuan makes money, but he won't give you a single penny!"

Actually, Mr. Wang felt a little regretful, but as the company chairman, and with Feng Xiaogang, the company's number one lackey, by his side, what could he say?
He could only vent his anger on his younger brother.

"I have some inside information. Xiao Lu's god-sister used to have a good relationship with Yang Mi, but recently it seems like they've fallen out."

"Now that they've broken up, does Yang Mi still want to film Shang Xiaolu's movies?"

"Totally impossible!"

"Xiao Lu clearly wants to promote another new talent... After Yang Mi's departure, he only has two choices left."

"First, Gao Yuanyuan."

"Second, Liu Yifei."

"Xiao Lu has always liked making sci-fi action movies. In any case, there are still requirements for the action... I think Liu Yifei still has a chance."

Because Lu Zhiyuan had previously given Xiao Wang face, Huayi Brothers had already broken the previous cold relationship with Liu Yifei.

Huayi Brothers also invested in the period film that Liu Yifei is currently filming.

The two sides have reconciled.

Although the relationship had a slight rift, it didn't prevent them from resuming contact and sharing common interests on the surface.

Now, Xiao Wang feels that this relationship of interests can be made even closer.

For example, they could invest a portion in Lu Zhiyuan's next film, then sign a split contract with Liu Yifei and send her over.

Liu Yifei's financial contract remains with Hongxingwu.

However, Liu Yifei's film contracts, especially those involving film projects invested in by Huayi Brothers, must be left to Huayi Brothers.

Otherwise, why would they help Liu Yifei invest?
Only by forming a community of shared interests can investment be successful!
After hearing Xiao Wang's plan, Da Wang scoffed, "You're dreaming. If you're so capable, go and persuade Liu Yifei. Then go and persuade Lu Zhiyuan."

Upon hearing this, Young Master Wang immediately became excited: "You said it yourself! Get the checks ready, brother!"

Full of confidence, Mr. Wang raised an eyebrow at Feng Xiaogang and left the office with a flourish.

After Little Wang left, Big Wang looked at Feng Xiaogang seriously: "What do you think are Old Zhang's chances of winning?"

This so-called chance of winning is whether "The Flowers of War" can beat "Pacific Rim" in the domestic film market.
The male lead in "The Flowers of War" is Christian Bale, who had just won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He has a certain level of fame in Hollywood.

Therefore, it's likely that Zhang Yimou wants this film to be released in the North American market.

Otherwise, how could he have increased the production cost to 6 million RMB?

With such high production costs, it's simply impossible to recoup the investment in the domestic market!
We can only rely on the North American market!
Feng Xiaogang shook his head, revealing a small buck tooth, and said with deep emotion, "Old Zhang, you're being a bit too radical. I guess you've been provoked by the young people."

"When two armies clash, and the commander-in-chief loses his composure, what are the chances of victory in such a war?"

The king understood the unspoken meaning in Feng Xiaogang's words.

Zhang Yimou is doomed!

"His loss is good news for Huayi Brothers."

A smile appeared on Boss Wang's face.

There are only a handful of great directors in China, and it has taken so many years to erect a few monuments to their achievements.

The sudden collapse of Zhang Yimou's greatest monument is tantamount to creating a huge empty market.

When a whale falls, all things are born.

Huayi Brothers now has a market value of tens of billions, so it certainly has the greatest opportunity to take over the market left by Zhang Yimou.

As for Lu Zhiyuan... he has the stars and the sea in his heart and doesn't care about Huayi Brothers at all.

Moreover, Lu Zhiyuan only makes one movie a year, so even if he wins the box office champion every year, it won't have a big impact.

China's film market is growing bigger and bigger.

Lu Zhiyuan, with just one movie, can take home at most 10% of the box office in a year.

Most importantly, Huayi Brothers can't afford to offend the powerful backer behind Lu Zhiyuan.

"Besides Zhang Yimou, what do you think of Tsui Hark's 'Flying Swords of Dragon Gate'?"

Zhang Yimou is a formidable rival, but he is too aggressive. He spent 6 million RMB to make a historical film and even dared to try to break into the North American market and earn US dollars.

That's too big a gamble.

The king doesn't think it's a good idea.

At this point, he inquired about another mega-production.

"It's still the same old martial arts story. Times have changed, and Tsui Hark will eventually fall from grace. This time, he chose the wrong opponent, which will probably hasten his downfall."

"Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" is adapted from "New Dragon Gate Inn".

The storyline is familiar to the audience.

What new tricks will they come up with this time around?

Even if Tsui Hark makes the special effects incredibly sharp and the fight scenes incredibly exciting, they probably can't compare to Lu Zhiyuan's mech hunters, who just shake their feet a little.

Film has always been a visual art.

What good is a great plot if the audience can't appreciate the director's efforts?

Only those breathtaking scenes, once they appear, instinctively make people feel incredibly powerful!
This is why great directors make visually stunning blockbusters.

In terms of visuals, Lu Zhiyuan is world-class!
"At least this year, Pacific Rim has no rivals. Now, I just hope it can do well at the box office, and ideally, break the 20 billion RMB mark!"

Feng Xiaogang was very jealous of Lu Zhiyuan before.

When "Real Steel" was released, it trampled his "If You Are the One 2" underfoot, almost stepping on his face to rise to fame.

However, a year later, Feng Xiaogang's attitude towards Lu Zhiyuan completely changed.

Because this year, he is no match for Lu Zhiyuan.

Zhang Yimou and Tsui Hark are Lu Zhiyuan's real rivals.

After Lu Zhiyuan trampled the two men to death, he conveniently boosted the box office record, attracting more viewers to the cinema...

Next year, his film "Back to 1942" has a chance to achieve even higher box office returns.

He's quite shrewd in his calculations.

"Old Feng, I told you before, you just need to be taught a lesson. Look how good you are now after Lu Zhiyuan gave you a good beating."

"He no longer makes irresponsible remarks in public, he has become more low-key and humble, he has started to study the market, and his horizons have broadened."

"I'm looking forward to a surprise from 'Back to 1942'."

Feng Xiaogang is a guy who needs to be taught a lesson.

After "Aftershock" broke the domestic box office record, he became arrogant and started to criticize everyone he met, acting like a mad dog.

This has left Huayi Brothers surrounded by enemies.

Fortunately, after being disciplined by Lu Zhiyuan, Feng Xiaogang regained his senses.

It would be so much better to focus on one's career.

What's the point of just going out all day setting off firecrackers and bragging?
Great directors need to have class, don't you understand?
……

The next two months.

The trailer for "Pacific Rim" began to appear everywhere online, on television, and on the subway.

This trailer is quite long.

A full minute.

……

"Holy crap, what is this?"

Lao Ma is an ordinary office worker in Shanghai.

He used to design bridges, but he found it too arduous and switched to media, posting film reviews online every few days to earn a little money.

Today, he took the subway to work as usual, watching the small TV on the subway out of sheer boredom.

Suddenly, he was drawn to a scene.

……

Hong Kong Island.

Outside the calm Victoria Harbour, a Star Ferry, full of passengers, is slowly sailing.

A strange bulge suddenly appeared on the calm sea surface.

Someone on the boat was dozing off when they saw the bulge. They were a little puzzled, rubbed their eyes, and then couldn't help but widen their eyes.

Several tourists who were chatting with their friends nearby also stopped and looked on with disbelief and horror.

"Sea, sea monster!"

Someone let out a scream, and then the ship was immediately thrown into a flurry of activity.

However, before they could escape, they were enveloped by a colorful mist.

Not long after, the people on the boat collapsed and began foaming at the mouth, clearly poisoned.

Lu Zhiyuan originally intended to turn these people into a bloody mist in an instant, but later felt that the scene was too bloody and would make the audience uncomfortable, so he reduced the level of stimulation.

Of course, creating a good atmosphere is essential.

He knew perfectly well that the audience who came to see mecha movies and monster battles didn't want to see scenes of poisoning...

Therefore, everything before was just a prelude.

"Boom!"

The aura emanating from him easily poisoned everyone on the ship.

The next moment, a monster covered in spiky scales, with its serrated bone spikes on its back, slowly broke through the sea surface and appeared outside Victoria Harbour.

The apostle monster flicked its tail slightly.

The deck of the Star Ferry dented down like a piece of paper, turning into a lump of scrap metal, and sank to the bottom of the sea a moment later.

……

The scene changes.

Inside a secret base on Hong Kong Island.

"Red alert! Hong Kong Island under attack!"

"Apostle monsters have appeared outside Victoria Harbour!"

Amidst the beeping alarm.

Inside the secret base, countless combat personnel began to hastily assemble.

Liu Shishi blended in among them, wearing a white lab coat, standing out from the other combat personnel in their combat uniforms.

She strode forward with a confident and dashing air, while tying up her disheveled hair.

While tying her hair up, she was also biting a black headband in her mouth.

It appears efficient and organized.

"Roar~~~"

Just then, a metallic, monstrous roar came from outside the window of the secret base.

Liu Shishi stopped and, while tying her hair, turned to look at the monster outside the window.

Lu Zhiyuan did not give Liu Shishi a close-up.

He deliberately used a two-person shot to create a scene where Liu Shishi and the monster are looking at each other across the distance.

In the distance are monsters.

The close-up shows Liu Shishi inside the combat base.

Lu Zhiyuan skillfully used spatial relationships to vividly showcase the core content of the entire film within this single frame!

In fact, although Liu Shishi is a newly added third female lead in the movie "Pacific Rim", she is the center of the whole movie!

Because she was the one who discovered all the research on monsters.

Lu Zhiyuan also wanted to use the film to tell the audience that although AI is powerful, its power lies in imitation and mathematical logic judgment.

It lies in summarizing and generalizing existing knowledge.

However, in terms of discovering new things and making bold innovations, they are far inferior to human scientists.

Of course, Lu Zhiyuan has always maintained restraint in his film narratives.

The hidden meaning is shown visually, without resorting to preaching to force one's ideas onto the audience.

At least, that's how most viewers see it.

The scene at this moment was filled with a sense of oppression.

A tiny female human scientist hides inside a combat base, while in the distance lurks the terrifying Apostle monsters... If the monsters were to touch her even slightly, this beautiful young woman, Liu Shishi, would wither away in an instant.

This moment, in the movie.

Liu Shishi was wearing a white dress, and the surrounding lights were in a cool tone.

The burning flames and exploding firelight around the monster, rendered in warm tones, accentuate its primal wildness.

In terms of visual effect, warm and cool colors create a sense of contrast.

In addition, the character of Liu Shishi, watching the apostle monsters constantly destroy human cities, allows the audience to empathize with Liu Shishi's inner world and feel the indescribable fear of the monsters.

This is a common filming technique in disaster movies.

Lu Zhiyuan acquired Roland Emmerich's talent for destructive aesthetics, making him incredibly adept at handling such small details.

Contrast in terms of spatial distance.

The contrast between warm and cool colors in visual perception.

A dramatic conflict between micro-level human nature and macro-level threats.

This small shot is actually full of what the director wanted to express.

"Roar~~"

At this moment, the camera suddenly zoomed in quickly from Liu Shishi's perspective.

They gave the monster a close-up.

The monster's ferocious pupils also reflected Liu Shishi's image.

The monster instinctively sensed the human's special nature and began to change its attack direction, taking mountain-like steps as it charged towards Liu Shishi.

The character Liu Shishi, facing the monster's constant approach, stood there calmly, like a madwoman, unfolding her notebook and quickly jotting something down.

"The Apostle Monster is estimated to be about 130 meters tall. The vibration feedback it produces when it steps on the ground... no, it's too light!"

"Based on this vibration feedback, we can deduce that its weight is around 2000 tons."

"Unscientific."

"Such a huge size, yet so light weight?"

"Its musculoskeletal structure must be different from that of Earth's organisms."

Even when the monster is within reach, a single, casual attack could easily kill Liu Shishi.

However, she remained fearless and continued to analyze the situation calmly.

At this moment, Liu Shishi's character, remaining calm even when Mount Tai collapses before her, is absolutely stunning!

"boom!"

The monster's enormous claws slowly zoomed in on the camera, about to strike.

But at this moment, the [Qin Palace Guard] made a dazzling appearance, and a serrated folding chain sword quickly shot out from his right arm!
Before the monster's giant claws could strike, the greatsword slammed down on the monster's head.

The apostle monster, however, dodged to the side with uncanny agility.

To maintain its balance, it swung its tail, and the massive, hammer-like tail slammed into a corner of the combat base.

Bang bang bang!
In an instant, the ground inside the combat base shook violently.

The character Liu Shishi accidentally bumped her head, and blood immediately started flowing.

However, her eyes remained unchanged, she was extremely calm, and after getting up, she hurriedly ran to the combat laboratory.

However, her headband fell off.

Lu Zhiyuan gave a low-angle shot, focusing on the headband, and gave it a close-up.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan, through the language of cinematography and a low-angle shot, endowed the character of Liu Shishi with a sense of mystery and a divinity unique to humankind.

Then, amidst hurried footsteps, the screen gradually went black.

Suddenly, a small, fair hand appeared in the frame, picked up the headband again, and started tying her hair up as she walked quickly forward.

This second shot has a different meaning compared to the first shot.

At this moment, Liu Shishi's small, fair hand actually represents her brave and fearless image.

……

Lu Zhiyuan also knew that the audience probably wouldn't understand it.

However, as long as the audience can vaguely sense the importance of the character Liu Shishi, that's enough.

Use your instincts to experience, and your eyes to appreciate.

There is no narrative language, no dialogue, but the audience can feel the director's painstaking efforts... This is the art of visuals!
……

The one-minute trailer has finally ended.

At the end of the film, two lines of text filled with steely intensity appeared.

—【Real Steel 2: Pacific Rim will be released globally on December 24th!】

——【A work by Lu Zhiyuan!】

……

After watching the trailer, Lao Ma suddenly realized what was happening.

"Wow, another year has passed so quickly. 'Real Steel 2' is about to be released!"

"I have accomplished nothing this year."

"However, I definitely have to see 'Real Steel 2'."

"I heard that this director's parents, like me, used to be bridge designers, so we're practically colleagues."

"Besides that, the hydraulic power design of this mech hunter seems a bit familiar to me. It looks a bit like the Mantis excavator from XCMG Group?"

Old Ma is a professional; he used to work on construction sites.

Lu Zhiyuan, the mecha hunter, doesn't look like he was created with CG effects at all; he looks more like a real mechanical creation.

It greatly interested him.

……

Lu Zhiyuan thought about the name of the movie for a long time, and finally decided to name the movie "Pacific Rim" as "Real Steel 2".

Because Real Steel is very famous, there is also a game of the same name and derivative merchandise such as dolls.

Besides, the English name of "Real Steel" is "Real Steel," which is a perfect translation for "Mech Hunter"!
……

Like Lao Ma, many people saw the trailer on the subway.

"Quick, watch the trailer for Real Steel 2!"

"Who is this female lead? She looks familiar."

"I remember now. Isn't that [Ma'ertai Ruoxi]? That crying girl, she's actually so cool?"

“It’s true that people cannot be judged by their appearance!”

"Scarlet Heart" premiered on Hunan TV on September 10th this year.

The TV series brought Liu Shishi tremendous popularity after it aired.

Furthermore, the two TV series "Scarlet Heart" and "Palace" have been the subject of constant online debates, generating a huge amount of buzz.

Yang Mi and Liu Shishi thus became the two most popular female celebrities in 2011.

At this very moment, Liu Shishi is at the peak of her popularity, and she has also appeared in a Hollywood mecha monster movie.

In an instant, Liu Shishi's fans celebrated like it was Chinese New Year, setting off fireworks together!

Most female celebrities' fans are career-oriented; when they become fans of a female celebrity, they will genuinely help her with data collection.

"Sisters, charge!"

"After 'The Coffin in the Mountain,' the great director Lu Zhiyuan has brought our Shishi to make another movie!"

"This time it's a Hollywood blockbuster."

"Shishi is such a cool character! I said it from the beginning: Shishi is not suitable for playing the kind of weak and delicate girl who cries all the time. She should play this kind of heroic and valiant character!"

After the broadcast of "Scarlet Heart", Liu Shishi's popularity soared.

She's not much worse than Yang Mi!

Yang Mi made a killing off her fans with "Mysterious Island." This made Yang Mi's fans arrogant for a long time, and they even secretly came to criticize Liu Shishi.

Now, it's Liu Shishi's fans' turn to fight back!
Far Cry is such a terrible movie that it's nothing compared to a true blockbuster like Pacific Rim.

They could openly and honestly support Liu Shishi!
You absolutely must buy a 3D IMAX ticket to support this blockbuster!
……

The box office performance of "Pacific Rim" in other parts of the world is still uncertain.

However, it would absolutely be a huge hit in the country.

Just look at the main creators and you'll know.

Lu Zhiyuan, China's strongest commercial film director!
Dilraba, the first Chinese actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, is the pride of the entire Uyghur people! She's also the most popular person online!
Hanikezi holds the record for the highest-grossing leading lady role, and this record includes all films in Hollywood and all of history.

In "Real Steel," she was the true lead actress.

Harrison Ford, although the male lead, doesn't have many scenes.

All the plot threads revolve around Hanikezi alone.

Therefore, she is the actress who has achieved the highest box office revenue among all films featuring leading female characters in film history.

Liu Shishi is the least famous of the three female protagonists.

Even so, she is still one of the top female celebrities in China!
Men came to see Jaeger.

Kids come to watch Mech Hunter fight monsters.

As a fan of three top female celebrities, I came to see them create miracles!
The movie "Pacific Rim" has captured the entire movie-going audience.

The box office will definitely break records!
As for what level it can reach... we'll have to wait and see on December 24th!

(End of this chapter)